~Anne~

I think you're getting a little excited about what it says. The 'findings' are that dogs may 'anticipate', not that they feel human like emotions.

Your dog really needs to see a vet. It could be anything from a stomach bug to cancer. Where did you get the antibiotics from and what kind were they?

Many years ago I worked as a vet nurse and worked as the after hours primary carer for the clinic. I lived rent free above the clinic in order to watch over the animals during the night and on public holidays etc. Every other clinic I worked in left the animals unattended during the evening. Usually from around 9pm till 6.30am or thereabouts.

Way to go Jane. You're a gem to so many rescues.

Wow.

Welcome to posting. :) I agree with the vets advice regarding her diet while she is maturing and growing. It is for this reason only that I would agree to remain with the kibble. Unless you know what you are doing, the kibble is a safe bet. However, in having said that, there is nothing wrong with adding mince if the main diet is the kibble. Also, there is good quality kibble and not so good quality kibble. You need to ensure you are feeding the best diet for your dog and sometimes this takes a little time trying different diets. Before you do anything too different though, ensure you keep in mind the particular needs of your breed and the age of your dog. The super dry skin may be the diet or it may not. The diet could be helping or hindering the condition. How old is your pup? We have a many very knowledgable Lab breeders and lovers here, including a multiple award winning Labrador breeder. Hopefully one of them will see this post and offer some ideas.

Rip Mr Wilson and cyber hugs to your Pers.

Your post reminded me of this pic. This is Champ, our family dog, and the baby in the carriage is my eldest brother. The pic was taken around 1961.

I assume the vet made the diagnoses regarding brachy syndrome whilst your dog was under a GA. Given this, the diagnoses is likely a confirmed one and I would have a soft palate resection and the everted saccules removed. Dogs who have obstructed airways never get better with breathing. The forcing of air through the airways under exertion can weaken the trachea and exacerbate the problem. In severe cases, the airways can collapse which means no oxygen can be taken in at all. I have had several pugs operated on for BAOS and each has improved dramatically. It is best caught early. There can be complications if left too late.

The kibble has all that he needs except for teeth cleaning properties. Bones are best for this. You can add different things if you like and it wont do any harm. There is no need for supplements if you feed kibble as it is a complete food and designed to be fed on its own. He might however have specific needs indicated by his skin issues and his breed type. I am not an expert on BBs (I have pugs) and their specific requirements but the other BB owners in this thread would know.

Yep, that was my first thought too.

Agree with experimenting. When it comes to quality, read the ingredients listing. Look for the least amount of additives and preseravatives and real meat, not derivatives. In my opinion and speaking generally, kibbles you buy from the supermarket are not high quality. They will not make your dog sick but there are better brands on the market and these are usually sold through pet stock stores.

Our primary purpose of shaving was to ensure a good view of the vein. We shaved surgical sites to prevent infection, not injection sites.

No, the meat is not essential and even less so if the kibble is good quality. You can cook the raw mince. There is no difference feeding it raw or cooked in all reality and many dogs do not tolerate raw meats. Obviously it is dangerous to feed cooked bones.

I agree about small bones are a hazard for brachy breeds and don't personally feed bones to my inhalers except for large shank bones for them to chew on. They can't swallow these. However, in having said that, I know of many, many pugs that eat chicken wings and necks all the time and are still thriving. When it comes to switching the mince for chicken you may not get any result. The two most common food allergens are beef and chicken. You won't know till you try it though.

The lumps on either side of the penis sound normal. The discharge can be cleared by using lightly salted warm water to wash the area with. Fill a syringe with the liquid and squirt it inside the sheath. This will remove any muck from inside. The infections and skin issues sound like he is super sensitive. The sensitivity could be due to an allergic reaction to something in the environment (dust or even grass or plants) or it could be a reaction to his food. I would avoid steroids and instead ask your vet to run some allergy tests or refer you to a dermatologist. The sooner you get it sorted and find out what it is that is affecting him the easier your life will be and it will be cheaper in the long run. He's too young to be facing a life of steroids which can have serious side effects. Clean his face folds and his tail daily with baby wipes. It will keep them clean and prevent further problems. Dry them afterwards with a sofet cloth. you can buy very thin face cloths or general cleaning cloths to dry with, even Chux. Pugs also often get infections and muck in their nose rolls too and this is what I do. Anywhere that isn't open to fresh air, such as his tail if the roll is tight, can get dirty and is prone to infection and bacteria.

I don't even look at the prices. We have two clinics in our town. I tried one and after many visits with different animals I lost confidence in him. I then went to the other local vets and I really like them. I have no idea if one is cheaper than the other. I don't doctor shop for myself based on price either. is that abnormal? Judging by what most say I don't think I am an average consumer through? I like building a relationship with any vet that treats my animals. It must be a relationship based on trust. I have to feel confident that they are doing the best they can and that they are prepared to investigate and delve into issues with my dogs. I also like them to discuss different treatments and strategies with me. I don't just defer to them every time. I give input and I discuss the particular health issue. I don't tell them what to do though because I respect their knowledge and skill. They also respect that I am an independent thinker and I will not just agree to everything and anything unless it is reasoned and explained to me. I guess in short they can up sell me if they like but I will not buy unless I think it is worth it or needed. It's my choice in the end.

I just don't know how they got my number, it's nowhere on the internet. Is it possible numbers were sold on a pet or rescue related list? It doesn't have to be on the net. You've filled out something somewhere and included your mobile.

I just looked her name up on Facebook after her page was mentioned. She has an unusual name and she is a distinct looking girl so it was easy to find. The comment about the barking dog bit was said by her mum on her Facebook page. It seems it was a family dog and mums as well. Her mum has said something along the lines of him being her neighbour and that he did it because of barking. It may not have been a dispute. He may have just said that after he encouraged his dog to attack the little one? Who knows. Melzawelza, sorry, it just seemed you were getting stressed. Clyde, yes that was what I was more referring to. The history of her page shows the language used is almost everyday language. She really should consider putting her page on private.

https://www.donotcall.gov.au/ :)

I'm not denigrating her. I'm stating things as I see it. I can't see why you are getting so offended by it all to be honest. Threads naturally move in different directions. Relax. Stop reading the thread if it concerns you so much.

It's a discussion Melzawelza. Why do you care so much either way? Do you know her or are you offended that we are not keeping the focus on the dogs? Discussions take all manner of direction. This one is following a direction regarding her reaction and use of language. So what's the big deal? Yes, a poor little dog died an horrific death at the hands of a madman who should never own animals. It would have been incredibly traumatic for anyone to witness and unforgivably painful for the little dog. I'm sure everyone recognises these facts.

Yes, I would too but in the right company. I wouldn't plaster it all over a public Facebook page. There is a time and place as they say..... I guess age delivers wisdom. Still, mum might be best advising her that she needs to set her FB page to private and then none of us would even know of the language and threats (including sadly one against his dog).

The 'c' bomb is used on many, many occasions. :laugh:

It seems from mum's Facebook page that the guy was a neighbour and there was an issue with a dog or dogs barking. Perhaps a neighbourhood dispute taken to extremes by a lunatic? Going by google maps street view, it doesn't look like an area that is too low socio economic. There are nice brick homes with cared for gardens. Looks middle class to me.