kosmology

I'm saddened by the news regarding Willow. What a beautiful young girl. Condolences to her family and all concerned

I just dug up the paperwork involved in my 'case'. Wow, it was quite complicated. Far more complicated to try and explain all the reasons behind my motivations in relation to the welfare of my dog that day. So I will just add a couple more facts FYI. Take it as you please. 1. Cost of the Tick Anti-serum: $92.40 2. After writing to the clinic, the owner of the clinic wrote back, stating "I (have) instructed the staff that your bill was to be zeroed as a goodwill gesture, therefore we do not want payment for (your dog's) treatment". 3.The owner stated "We will look into having nurses admit the tick patients immediately in future...". 4. I informed the next vet I utilised, another local vet who knew of the practice in question, and she had a certain degree of empathy for the experience I went through. The vet practice, and vet, in question was in fact accruing an undesirable reputation amongst the community. 5. The vet I had to deal with on the day left of his own accord. The day he dealt his treatment out to me, he voiced to me his disapproval of his "new boss". I will not divulge anymore info' regarding my 'case' to DOLers. I will not make assumptions regarding anyone's personal experiences. I will certainly not feign support for an annonymous 'professional', by attacking a 'client' that went through a traumatic experience. The negative opinions of DOLers in relation to my posts in this thread do not concern me. The lives of my animals do concern me, and considering my dog did not reach a state of even mild paralysis, I would say MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!!!! Now, back to the original topic of the thread. My advice regarding Paralysis ticks is to relocate your beloved family to a State/Country where Paralysis ticks do not occur. Will anyone try to rip me apart for THAT?!?

By the way, my dog was dry-reaching (a couple of hours after I removed the tick) - something she never does. Would you believe it was a vet (from NSW) that told me the venom is released when the tick detaches? I met a lady in the supermarket one day (in northern NSW) that told me she pulled 5 Paralysis ticks off her cat at once. She said she didn't take him to the vet, and he was lucky to be alive because if he had've got sick she would've thrown him in the (Clarence) river!! I was shocked by that! And please, check you dog/s everyday for Paralysis ticks! I believe they have become so prevalent now in many areas on the East coast that they are a year-round problem.

We stayed at pet friendly accomodation on our road journey from northern NSW to Perth, WA back in March '11. 1)Glen Waverley, Glenn Innes back in March. It was a great place to stay - friendly hosts, very clean, etc. A great first stop . All places we stayed at were good, barr one! 2)Nyngan Riverside Caravan Park - great cottage, would've loved to stay longer! 3) A cabin at Broken Hill City C/Pk - small, but okay for one night 4) Try to avoid Port Augusta C/pk 5) Ceduna Caravan Park, self-contained chalet was great! Located behind the dunes to the beach 6) Madura C/pk/motel - was okay (no dogs inside). 7) Fraser Range Station at the western end of the Nullarbor was a fantastic place, great self-contained cottage 8)Goldminer C/pk West Kalgoorlie - an okay cabin/donga.

A bit late for a reply, but we have stayed at a couple of great places with our dog in April '11. She could be inside. Margaret River Stone Cottages (surrounded by bush and open space, secure rear courtyard only) and Driftwood Cottage in Busselton (secluded, near beach, close to town, secure area around entire house). Find them online

Sally!!

That's really sad

I'm really happy for you... My dog had a big tick on her a couple of years ago. We used Frontline Plus every two weeks, but due to her long coat failed to spot the tick on her ribcage, until it was almost fully engorged. I removed it and rang the vets. Can you believe they told me to just keep an eye on her until she showed any symptoms. I lived in northern NSW at the time, in a relatively remote area, so only had two vets within a 30km radius to choose from. I was also 6 months pregnant! I insisted on her receiving the anti-venine - before the sign of symptoms. They begrudgingly did so, and I took her home immediately after administration because they wanted to keep her o'night, however no-one would be there to monitor her!!!! In fact, I had to barge into the rear of the surgery and whisk her away, fighting off the vet in the carpark as I did so. In the end I didn't have to pay for any of the 'treatment', and that vet was soon discharged from the practice. My dog had very slight symptoms over the next 24hrs, lethargy mostly, which could have been from the anti-venine, however I didn't have to stress too much, waiting for potentially severe symptoms to arise (which would also cost stacks more $). Vets make more $ out of very sick dogs! One must note - the tick poison is released on removal of the tick. The act of the tick detatching from the animal causes it to release the venom!!!

We don't like the regurgitation sessions in the house (carpet), especially in the early hours of the morning, and when it (bone fragments) stinks as bad as it does

Congratulations! A little and a big Belgian! How cute. I also have a black Kelpie and she looks just like a miniaturised version of him. I honestly can't see the whole running off and never coming back thing ever happening with any of the ones I've met. They seem too loyal for that. One of the main reasons I was attracted to the breed was because when I saw my first Schipperke (at a dog beach a number of years ago)I thought "Wow, a mini-Spike!". Spike was my beloved black Kelpie/Samoyed, who was approximately 5 years old at the time. She lived to the ripe old age of 16 1/2. When I lost Spike, I purchased my rescue Belgian pup (2 weeks later!) who happened to be available at the shelter on the day I went there (I went there to look at Kelpie x pups). I then considered a friend for her. Schipps were at the top of the list a year or so later, when I discovered "mini-Spikes" were in fact Schipps - after I again spotted the breed, and spoke to the breeder, at a NSW show. I patiently waited for the right opportunity to purchase one, and couldn't be happier Yes, the loyalty thing in Schipps seems very ingrained. What a shame some people give out the wrong info'. After all, ANY breed of dog can "run off", depends on a number of factors! I had a GSP (Katydid) who often did exactly that (even when I was home), but I was the third owner by the time she was 5mths, and I was only 17yo - so didn't know about formal training etc. That's how I lost her in the end. When she was 3yo she ran off one night when I wasn't home, and disappeared (in country Victoria)

I just heard of a top show dog who nearly died on the weekend due to a rotten marrow bone (incidently he won BIS the day after falling ill - did I say "top"?). Looks like I won't be feeding marrow bones anymore to my guys As for lamb's necks, I tried them on my dog for a fair while - so juicy and fleshy, however she could still splinter the vertebrae and would throw bits up later in vom sessions. They could be relatively safe to leave with your boy when you go out, but I personally won't leave my dogs unattended with bones anymore

I've read they were considered a 'terrier' back in the day.

Love the "bin raiding"!! When I was a kid in the early 80s our family Weimaraner bin-raided half the suburb on 'bin nights' She would come home stinking of spaghetti bolognese. Unfortunately she also had a strong prey drive and would also bring home the odd chook or duck

That's why he's so good when called!!! And why he's sooo happy about it... ;)

Yep, I forgot to mention the issue of vomit sessions - consisting of undigested bone fragments. Another major reason for me to stop feeding the bones my dog can break up. And I must agree, marrow bones are tasty and less likely for (some) dogs to splinter etc but the burying and digging up later when they are putrid? Not fun... Glad Daisy is recovering well (on the couch of course :D)

Wow, dangerous dog hey? Doesn't make sense...

It's a very personal decision. Have you considered a rescue pedigree pup? That covers all bases! Plenty of them across the country. I bought my pedigree Belgian Shepherd as a 10 week old rescue pup for $300. Her temperament and abilities are top-notch. Rescuing otherwise homeless dogs is the way to go, if you feel the urge!!

I only feed my dogs raw bones if they are the cut-in-half marrow bones. Anything smaller can splinter, or as many of us have experienced in the past, wedge in their mouths etc. Before I was a wake up about ten years ago I fed my girl a lamb off-cut bone before I left the house one morning (as was the routine) I arrived home late in the arvo to discover the bone had wedged in her teeth and she couldn't close her mouth all day! I felt terrible

I too have just acquired a Schipp pup! As a current Belgian Shepherd owner I would have to agree they're just like a mini-Belgian, and he sure gives my Groenendael a run for her $. Only 12 weeks old, and already guarding, won't leave my side, although is very brave for a little guy. I take him for walks to the park and beach with my Belgian - he is VERY responsive and he doesn't "run off" at all. I've read that analogy in a US book on the breed, that may be where the breeder go that one from. If anyone wants to know the breeder I got mine from they have three male pups currently for sale, not yet weaned. Absolutely fantastic breeder to deal with, and well-bred, healthy pups. Some dogs carry the 'natural bob-tail' gene. The dogs that carry the full tail gene are more prevalent now because breeders these days don't necessarily select for the bob-tail gene as much as they did in the past! And as they say, a big dog in a small body!!