Miranda

I presume you mean provenance?

Schedules for Greensborough and the Easter shows are in the February gazette.

She could give them tea with two sugars and have the same success, heartworm isn't a problem in S.A.

You beat me to it.

No of course I cannot prove that it doesn't work because I've never tried it and never will, but I do have a friend who resorted to homeopathic remedies to control her asthma and nearly died, seems pretty conclusive to me The OP lives in Sydney which is a known heartworm/tick area and where fleas are common during the summer months. So, lablove, as you appear to have complete faith in the efficacy of homeopathy, are you prepared to personally recommend that the OP use homeopathic methods to prevent her dog from contracting heartworm and for keeping her dog free from fleas and paralysis ticks? Bearing in mind of course that both heartworm and paralysis ticks can, and often do, kill dogs.

If I ever have fleas I use Advantage and it works well. I don't use any of the monthly treatments, chemical overload IMO.

I had this problem with one of my bitches, turned out it was an allergic reaction to the suture material.

I would never risk the health of my dogs by using homeopathy, especially for things that have the potential to kill dogs such as heartworm or paralysis ticks. I class homeopathy as a pseudoscience, it has no scientific basis and its efficacy has never been substantiated. I don't agree with giving combined monthly treatments to dogs, but I do give heartworm preventatives during the summer months, worm three times a year and treat for fleas if necessary although I haven't had a flea here for years.

I can't give you any suggestions for treatment, but I've had dogs with cancer and the very best thing you can do for them is to recognise when their quality of life has deteriorated to the extent that they no longer want to live and have them pts. It is very easy, when you love a dog very much, to keep them alive because you cannot bear to let them go, I know this because I've done it myself. When you look in their eyes and the light has gone it's time, sounds fanciful but it's perfectly true.

From what you have said I would have guessed a stricture, but I see that she's previously had a normal mating. Make sure she hasn't got an infection then have prog tests done, if the stud still can't penetrate do a couple of AI's.

Can you give more detail? Did he lick her and mount her as soon as they were introduced and then fail to penetrate or was he just licking her and dancing around but not attempting to mount her.

Yes those were the days when you had to 'check in' and all you took to a show was the dog, an umbrella, a tarp, a dog stake and a brush and comb..... no crates, mats and gazebos back then

Gordon Setters have changed quite a lot. There was a very restricted gene pool in Australia in the early 70's.

I would never allow any dogs access to a swimming pool whilst unsupervised.

I also have the book, the Gordon Setter bitch was the dam of my first Gordon

Are you a member of your local breed club (if there is one)? Yes I am, I've been a member since its inception, I am also an office bearer of the club. If you are a member, what kinds of activities take place that you are involved in? I go to all club functions, we hold a champ show, an open show, an obedience trial, a field training/fun day and a winter walk If you are not a member, why not? N/A What kinds of activities would you like to see more of in your local breed club? I am happy with the activities offered. Is your breed club involved in Breed rescue? Yes, the club will investigate if a Gordon is reported to be in a pound or shelter, normally the breeder is found and contacted and takes the dog back.

I've only entered the champ show and got my numbers yesterday. Group 1 1 - 111 Group 2 112 - 166 Group 3 167 - 250 Group 4 251 - 337 Group 5 338 - 438 Group 6 439 - 533 Group 7 534 - 623

Two of my older dogs have cysts at the moment, they've been there for quite a while. I don't have them removed unless they're absolutely huge or in a position that causes discomfort to the dog. If they burst I keep squeezing them out, clean them with salt water three times a day and use Betadine on them. They usually clear up quite quickly, occasionally they come back, but not often. I have never had one get infected. If they go flat and spread under the skin they usually disappear within a few days. In over 30 years of owning a breed that is quite prone to them as they age, I have only had to have two surgically removed.

I also think the OP has a b****y cheek posting in the Breeders Forum.

Well said oakway. I completely agree with RSG and Shazzapug. Has anyone considered that assisting this person may encourage her. If everything goes well (thanks to the help supplied by kindly DOLers) and the puppies are easily sold for an adequate amount how do we know that this person won't be tempted to repeat the mating? She says she will desex the bitch...... well maybe she will and maybe she won't. I have no doubt that the OP loves her dog, but why on earth is the bitch still entire at 3 years of age and why did she purchase a male and also keep it entire if she wasn't intending to breed at some stage? My advice is to take the bitch to a vet and if that makes me a bitchy snob then so be it.

All my puppies start at 8/9 weeks.

I've tried most dry dog foods over the years and I've found Nutro (both the US and Australian made product) and Black Hawk to be the best for my dogs. I only changed from Nutro because Black Hawk is cheaper and it appears to work just as well as Nutro. However different dogs do best on different foods and what suits one may not suit another, some of the most expensive brands gave my dogs gas and loose poo.

I desexed a 9 year old male last year, no problems at all and no changes to personality.

Much as I hate to stick up for a BYB I have to comment on your vet's advice. UTI's in puppy bitches aren't uncommon and the shape of the vulva which predisposes the puppy to this condition will almost always correct itself once the puppy has had a season. UTI's usually only persist if the puppy is desexed prior to the first season. Regarding the fifth toes on the back legs, these are rear dew claws and once again are not uncommon, especially in certain breeds. Rear dew claws do not suggest that a puppy is 'positively inbred' and although most people choose to have them removed as they can easily catch and tear, rear dew claws are perfectly normal. As far as I can tell from your post there was absolutely no need to have this puppy pts and if I were you I would be finding another vet as soon as possible.

I agree, any one of my dogs would kill a small prey animal if it got a chance, ducks included. My old bitch will kill a possum in ten seconds if she catches one.