Brookestar

My dog had an episode in December in which she collapsed on one year leg and was unable to walk at all. I had a friend with me at the time and we filmed it on her phone. Took her straight to vet. Referred to specialist hospital for immediate MRI, as considered neurological. MRI confirmed an Intervertebral Disc Disease at the lower back, lumbosacral region, which means it is not impacting on the spinal cord, but nerve endings. The primary symptom is pain, if the pain becomes too intense, she is simply unable to stand up. I was prescribed some pain med's and advised to put on her strict crate rest for 4-6 weeks. The dog had 8 weeks of 100% crate rest, the ONLY time out of the crate was to toilet, which was done on command, 4 times a day on leash. Pain was evident throughout this period. I went back to the specialist, who told me to take her off crate rest and begin short walks of 5 minutes, twice a day. I decided to enlist the help of an animal physiotherapist to assist with this process. I started off with one minute walks, she continued to show signs of pain. Had regular periods back on crate rest. Just over a week ago, she had another severe relapse, but this time lost the ability in both rear legs. I took her straight to my usual vet, closest, put back on all previous pain med's and a call made to specialist clinic for an appointment. Was unable to stand for 2 hours. Took her to specialist clinic the following morning, at which stage, she was pretty doped up on pain med's and walking. They refused to assess her with me present. Took her out of the room, something I will never forgive myself for allowing. The dog is a reclassified guide dog, and has the most stoic temperament imaginable and holds in pain like nothing else. Also lets vets to anything to her, my vet loves treating her, but hates diagnosing her! But you do know she is in pain via facial expressions, the way she holds her body, etc. Specialist came out, said she is obviously not in pain, as she did not growl at them, when they tried to put pressure on her. At this stage the dog is lying on the floor absolutely still, refusing to move and refusing liver treats (something this Labrador never does). They said to just keep on crate rest, for as long as necessary, even if that means life. Said an operation was a possibility, but since the dog is not in any real pain, just my imagined pain, then really not worth it. Went to leave, with the dog walking slower than I have ever seen her walking and screwing up her face in absolute agony at every step. It was 2 days before she even wagged her tail again. I decided to get another specialists opinion. I emailed them explaining what was happening and what her signs are, they responded via email, saying given the level of pain, they would recommend surgery. I made an appointment to see them. They spoke to the original clinic before I got there, said that they had assessed her as having no real pain, surgery was over-rated and would not help. Said I could consider an epidural steroid injection into the affected area, but did not give any information about expected outcomes, quality of life, etc. Did not real assessment of the dog, other than asking me to walk and then run with her. Said she was walking funny on her front paws, which is due to pain in her rear end and hence putting too much pressure on her front paws, but still says no real pain present!! I love this dog dearly and do not want to loose her, but equally I have to consider her quality of life, which has basically been living in a crate for the last 4 months. I get crate rest is needed to help healing, but I feel I am being told to crate a dog for life, which is cruel and inhumane in my opinion. I cannot see a reason to euthanize a perfectly healthy dog, but equally I cannot leave a dog living in this much pain, and lying in a crate permanently which is basically all I am being offered. The dog was hip and elbow scored at 12 months, scoring 0 for everything, absolutely no orthopaedic issues, no signs of arthritis, blood and urine tests come back completely normal. Is there a specialist who will take this seriously, and give me real advice, or do I honestly consider euthanasia, which seems incredibly drastic for a healthy dog, but I can hardly leave a dog lying in a crate in pain for years on end.

This is a link to the Australian Quarantine Service, about what is required to bring a dog into Australia. It is very possible from Canada, as it is a country in which rabies is well controlled, which is basically what Australia requires to allow dogs from a country into Australia, but it would be a very lengthy process, about 6 months of preparations to bring her into Australia. http://www.agriculture.gov.au/cats-dogs In terms of bringing her back into Australia, it is probably something you want to look at sooner, rather than later, as if something goes wrong and you come back to Australia, the last thing you want to be doing is trying to find someone to look after her for 6 months. The stuff that requires 6 months is rabies vaccination and titre testing, etc, and that is valid for 2 years. A pet transport company will organise everything for you, they will make sure all required vaccinations and the like are done, by approved vets, and arrange all the appointments, they will book the flights, arrange the crate, etc, etc. They will book the most direct flights, deal with the airline, etc. Most health checks for dogs going to another country, have to done by government approved vets and not all vets are approved. I do not know that much is required, other than a rabies vaccination to enter Canada, but it will be quite complex in terms of arranging all the necessary tests, paperwork, etc, for bringing the dog back into Australia. When it arrives back into Australia, it will be required to spend 10 days in Quarantine. The size of the dog would play a huge role in costs. It will cost at least a few thousand just for the plane trip for the dog. ALL pet transport companies will give you quotes for free. A google search bought up this website about bringing dogs into Canada, from my reading all that is required is a rabies vaccination or a health certificate stating the country is rabies free. http://www.inspection.gc.ca/animals/terrestrial-animals/imports/policies/live-animals/pets/dogs/eng/1331876172009/1331876307796

The last few paragraphs by the judge sums it up incredibly well. The owner should have received a much harsher penalty. The dog does not belong in the community, so many incidents, and so much aggression, and of course they are the ones we know about, so many such incidents are never reported, because no one can identify the dogs concerned. The owner should also be banned from owning other dogs, given that 3 dogs have showed such aggression, and she is still in total denial about it all. And of course the most questionable thing of all, even if she did succeed, and I question how that will occur, the dog cannot live with her anyway. She is currently living in public housing, and she is not allowed to have declared dangerous dogs living there. I would question what chance she would have of renting privately with a declared dangerous dog, and the alterations that would be required to appropriately house the dog. You cannot rehome dangerous dogs.

There are definitely more people going to the vet, rather than simply saying she'll be right. It is also about unfit dogs. The amount of dogs who are walked only on weekends, or who get a walk around the block each day and then are suddenly let loose in the park on the weekend. They have not built up to the required strength needed. It is about the surfaces they are jumping on and how fit they are to begin with. Being overweight is a big one, especially while they are growing, it puts extra pressure on growing joints that they cannot cope with. Stretching and massage are good for all dogs and athletes do it, so to say it would not benefit dogs would be very wrong. I know that I know when I have not stretched my dog, she is very different and I can tell the difference that comes from it.

Can't sell a rescue dog for $4000? Why not? Dogs of unknown breed mix or background really aren't all that different from factory farmed crossbreeds of dubious quality... except that most rescues have been vetted and deemed safe for adoption... Plenty of young pups in rescue too... dog knows I fostered enough of them, and that was only for one rescue... T. I don't think its about saying they will not be sold, it is about saying, shelters/rescues will not be selling them for $4,000. I've never seen any rescue charge more than $350 for a puppy, and they charge much less for adult dogs. Recues are only about covering costs, not making a profit and it does not cost them $4,000 to cover costs. It doesn't cost a registered breeder of high quality dogs, $4,000 to cover costs of pups.

That I would agree with and also what I have seen. Not always the case, but on average definitely from what I have seen. Might not be ideal, but I will get rid of those concrete puppy farms without any human interaction, or even sunlight, any day of the week.

While I support the changes, I question what if anything they will really do. Who is going to enforce them is the big question. Laws in VIC changed, a few years ago and all advertisement's must now have the dogs microchip number. So newspapers and internet sites cannot list dogs from VIC without a microchip number. Simple, they put signs on their fences instead. I ring up multiple places to find out who is responsible for policing it. To be told the council. 10 complaints to the council, and all I get is a call from the ranger, telling me they are working the owner to rehome the dogs and once that is done the sign will be taken down!! So rather then supporting the policy, they actively encouraged and supported it. It was 3 months before the sign went down. They were apparently selling purebred Labradors!! I complained to multiple government departments about the councils response, it all fell on deaf ears. Currently anyone with more than 10 breeding dogs must be registered with the local council and they are supposed to do checks to make sure minimum standards are being met, problem is they never do them. Even if the most basic of standards are not being me, all they do is attempt to educate them at most, but most of the time they do not even visit them. Until someone actually enforces the law nothing will change. But I would be more than happy for those mentioned in this article to go out of business. I was in a pet shop some years ago and some overseas students walked in to get a small quiet dog, to live in their apartment with them. They had been advised by someone to make sure the parents were registered. Clearly they had no idea of what it meant. They were informed that ALL of their dogs were registered with the local council as required by law and that their puppy would also be registered with the local council, when they paid the required fee. The staff didn't lie, they kept saying local council, but I do not think that was the registration, those advising them had given. The small quiet dog they were sold, was an 8 week old kelpie!! It was at the local shelter within 2 months.

This is the link to their website, but the best advice would be to be guided by the vet who prescribed the food to begin with. http://www.hillspet.com.au/en-au/products/pd-canine-feline-ad-canned.html

Pet plan does provide some coverage for Acupuncture, Homeopathy, Herbal Medicine, Chiropractic manipulation, Osteopathy, Hydrotherapy. But there are limits to the amounts they will pay per policy year, about 20% of total yearly policy allowance, and also the numbers of sessions, etc. they will cover as well. They must have been referred by their vet and their vet must endorse it. Hope it works, and that petplan covers at least some of it.

I cannot give specific advice about the condition, I have never had a dog experience it. But have had dogs on crate rest. This book would help you to plan some things out in relation to the crate rest: "no walks, no worries" http://www.amazon.com/walks-worries-Maintaining-wellbeing-restricted/dp/1845846052/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1425005567&sr=1-1&keywords=no+walks+no+worries Walks provide things for dogs, much of it mental stimulation. It is about trying to provide a stimulating environment without the walks. If the crate can be put in front of a window where they can look at, they can at least see the world going past. If it is in the lounge/living room, they have more contact with other family members, they have the TV going on, music, etc. Even if the dog is not watching TV, just listening to all the sounds, has the brain ticking over, saying what is this sound, what is this sound. Train the dog to love kongs and feed ALL meals via kongs, preferably frozen, so they last longer. Also consider nyla bones or other purely chew toys that they can simply lie and chew on, to keep them occupied. Have a few different nyla bones and change them over during the day, so it is like they got a new one given to them. While the dog will need to be largely crated, they will once the stiches come out at least be doing some very small walking, even if just one or two minutes at a time. Doing that multiple times during the day, also provides them with stimulation. In terms of recovery generally. If the dog is the slightest bit overweight now, beginning to reduce that weight will help the dog. Most dogs have a healthy weight range of 5 kg, you want them at the lower end of that weight range. Also want to do as much work now on obedience as you can. The more trained the dog is, the easier the recover will be. If the dog is pulling on the lead, it makes doing the small walks you can do, difficult, as they are not walking properly to begin with and so more damage can be done. Want to ensure the dog is on a healthy diet, that you have appropriate bedding - recommended by animal physiotherapists, etc. Want to make sure you have non slip surfaces and that non slip mats are put on any non slip floors. Want to make sure the dog does not jump up on people and that they do not jump on furniture, etc. The more work you can put into this now, the easier it will be later. Need to talk to your vet about arthritis now, as most dogs with HD develop it early. I would begin catrophen injections now and also put them on glucosamine supplements now. Given that you are travelling, I would be asking them to keep him hospitalised for an extra day, to ensure he really is better to go home. This is not taking a dog home up the road in the car. I would also make sure you have appropriate cushioned bedding, which is firm, but cushioned to place in the crate on the spirit of Tasmania. Animal physiotherapists can guide you in relation to that. I'm not sure that there are any animal physiotherapists in Tasmania, but there are many in Melbourne. I would be inclined to consult with one, while you are there, to get them to draw up a rehabilitation plan for the dog. The best results are seen when phsyio's are involved. In an ideal world they see the dog regularly, but even once would be better than simple advice from a surgeon. There are physio's that now do consultations via Skype and other online means. One big animal physio group in Melbourne is dogs in motion. Or online you can try this: http://www.holisticanimalphysio.com.au/online-consultation.htm In terms of rehab, this book might help: http://www.amazon.com/Physical-Therapy-Rehabilitation-Animals-professional/dp/0989275000/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1425006882&sr=1-1&keywords=physical+therapy+and+rehabilitation+for+animals

Animal physio offering online consultation. http://www.holisticanimalphysio.com.au/online-consultation.htm Try to keep him off any hard surfaces, wooden floors, etc, put mats down to assist, much easier said than done. If you do end up going down the surgery route in Perth I would assume, then try to at least have one consultation with a physio or something, while there, so they can actually write up a rehab plan for you, better coming from them, than a surgeon. I hope things work out for both of you. Clearly you both need luck at the moment.

Surgery is only real option, unless you want the dog to suffer undue pain for rest of his life, they don't repair themselves..................find a good surgeon and even then the best possible recovery only comes with very careful aftercare for weeks and qualified rehab if you have access................voice of experience speaking!! And if the dog favours one leg the other will almost surely go too, unless definitely a trauma, cruciates go because of poor construction so likelihood of both stifles is high I would agree with this totally. Find a specialist surgeon if at all possible, as they are able to do different sorts of operations to the standard ones that the average vet will do. Also want to do all you can to get access to an animal physiotherapist, as they are the best chance of best recovery. The sooner it is done the better the outcome, as at present they will be putting extra pressure on the other leg, which means it is more likely to go. There are some animal physiotherapists that are now offering services via online means, video the dog, you doing things they suggest, with them seeing it, etc. For those that cannot get access to physio's in person I would think it would be the next best thing.

Petplan. They cover the most things. They will cover things like chiropractic and acupuncture, they will cover physiotherapy, hydrotherapy, behavioural consults. Petplan will cover dentals for an accident, my dog broke a tooth that needed to come out, as it was not due to dental decay, then it was covered. If a dog is up to date on recommended vaccinations in the area you live in they will pay for any treatment that results from the dog contracting the disease. There are dogs that contract parvo that are vaccinated, and it can costs thousands of dollars. No insurance really covers routine care, like vaccinations, wormings, etc. There are policies in which you can pay an extra premium and they will pay you back x $ for the said thing, but if you work out what you pay in the extra premiums, verses what you get back, at most you get about $5 per year. Some you pay more in premiums for the routine care than they will pay back. Petplan has had increases in premiums recently, but they have also had a massive improvement in how quickly claims are paid back. On average things are now paid back within 10 days, usually a week. Petplan has an excess per condition per policy year, that is now on average $150. Yes it means that if you have small things you cannot claim, but it also means you are not being forced to find 20% of costs, which does happen if you are with other companies. Other insurers will only pay 80% of costs maximum. Petplan remains the only insurance company that will pay vets directly, although vets have to agree with this, not all do. I am on a low income and I use petplan because I can know exactly what my costs will be and budget for them. I also get all the extra's that I need. I can and do budget for routine care, like vaccinations, etc, as any responsible dog owner would do. It is unexpected things I cannot plan for. I can find $150 if I need to, I cannot find a few hundred or few thousand dollars if I need to. My normal vet, does claim directly for me. In December my dog was diagnosed via an MRI with an IVDD, which was treated conservatively with 8 weeks of strict crate rest. The MRI was done on a Friday (we put the claim in the mail on the way home), the cheque was in my mail Monday week after it, so in less than a week, they had paid a claim of $2,000. During that 8 weeks, my dog had Acupuncture each week, which is the only thing that can assist with nerve regeneration, and pain as well, all of that was paid for. She has ongoing appointments with the veterinary neurologist. She is now having weekly physio AND twice weekly hydrotherapy, which is also all being covered. If she had required surgery, or if she has a relapse and then requires surgery, it would be a minimum of $5,000 for the surgery and hospitalisation, not to mention rehab costs. I have to date paid $150. I will only pay another $150 if she is still requiring support when the policy is renewed, later this year, but that is incredibly unlikely. On any other policy, the acupuncture, physio and hydro would not be covered, and I would have had to pay 20% of costs, so at least $200, plus 20% of all follow up appointments with her specialist. I have had to pay these costs up front as specialists are involved and they will not claim directly, but I got a credit card for that purpose and have had it all paid back, before I even get a bill. On my income I could not pay off a credit card debt of that amount. It has also meant that I could give my dog everything she needed, rather than what I could hope to afford. I have attempted to rehab dogs myself in the past on advice, etc, yet I can see the immense benefits, the physio and hydro are having and would never do it any other way. My petplan policy did double in price last year and I strongly considered cancelling it. Given what has occurred over the last few months, cannot be more relieved of my decision to maintain it. Petplan has in the past been slow to pay back, but in the last year that has all changed. The average turn around for me over the last few months has been just over a week.

physio and hydro are not something you do following a prescription. Any half decent physio should have designed an individual program for the individual dog, been incredibly careful in monitoring the lameness throughout and modified any plans, to assist the dog further. Hydro would be exactly the same. One does not move a dog onto a different level of exercises if they are still in pain and not coping with the ones they have. Everyone dog is different, just like every person is different, everyone recovers differently and they all have different needs. Programs need to be designed for the individual dog and modified at each visit to ensure that the dog is still comfortable, and lameness is not returning. Hydro is exactly the same. An individual dogs need for x number of sessions cannot be determined in advance. One can give general advice, but an individual is exactly that. They all respond differently, some need more of one thing and less of another, etc. If the lameness was not present during the rehabilitation, then I would question what changed when it stopped to cause it to come back again. If it was present during the rehabilitation, I would question what the physio was doing.

Agreed totally. GOOD puppy schools are one of the best things you can do for a puppy. The two best ones in my area are run in vet clinics, not by staff but by very highly qualified trainers. I have seen some horrible ones in vet clinics, also seen some horrible ones at pet stores, and also seen brilliant ones in pet stores as well. People need to research the trainers and actually go and watch some classes in action, to see how they control the dogs, what advice they are giving and what is being done. A dog barking continuously is not helping the individual dog or anyone else to learn. If nothing is working, then one would be getting the handler to take the dog outside, move them away from what is going on. A good trainer should be able to work out why the dog is barking and what needs to be done o calm them down. Anyone can teach a dog to sit, drop, come when called in a quiet environment at home. Teaching them self control, teaching them to focus when other things are going on around them, teaching them to self calm, is a totally different thing. Any half decent dog trainer will be focussing on those things.

Personally wonder if they are ready for a dog and could think of other ways of trying one out. But it seems to me they have already made their decision. In terms of practical advice: The most important advice is to not take the dog that runs straight to them, that is likely to be the most dominant and hence the hardest to train for someone who has never handled dogs before. Also do not take the shyest dog, as again they could be hard to handle as well. People are very good at saying the dog choose them, but it didn't, it was simply the most dominant one going over to check out the newcomers, which is what dogs do. They need to read Ian Dunbars books, before and after you get your puppy. You can download them online: http://www.dogstardaily.com/training/you-get-your-puppy Also need to make sure they book into a really good puppy preschool to start ASAP once they get the puppy. Need to start investigating those things now, and also look at different vet clinics, etc.

In veterinary medicine, just like in human medicine, there are specialists. There are veterinary neurologists, surgeons, internal medicine, ophthalmologists, dentists, the list is endless. There are specialist radiologists. Standard vets certainly do much more than our GP's do, but a specialist vet, will not see your dog without a referral from your regular vet. Your regular vet will know all the specialists in your state, not just your local area. While they might not necessarily agree with the need for a referral, I have never come across a general vet that would not refer. The best course of action would be to find a specialist radiologists, as they are the best at positioning dogs for x-rays, which is the only way to diagnose and to talk to specialist surgeons in relation to surgical options. There are going to be a number of different types of surgery to choose from and you are going to need to do your own research in relation to the best course of action, but nothing can happen until you have x-rays done. There are also animal physiotherapists, which are also going to be essential in terms of rehabilitation and even just management of the puppy/dog. They will not see your dog without a referral from your vet, but you could start consulting with them now, as they can certainly assist before surgery, or even in terms of management if it is decided that surgery is not the best course of action. If you consult straight with a surgeon they are likely to just do the x-rays themselves, much like your own vet can do. Of course it all depends on how much money you want to spend. There are not going to a huge number of specialist surgeons to choose from, and it will depend largely on how far you are willing to travel. Of course the closer they are, the easier it is to have ongoing contact with them, which can really help in rehabilitation. If surgery is required the dog will need to be crated for up to 6 weeks after the surgery and you want to make sure the dog is as comfortable as possible in that environment now. Also want to get them addicted to kongs, as they are about the best ways of keeping dogs occupied while in a crate, along with nyla bones, etc. The correct bedding would also play a role in that and animal physiotherapists can assist with that. Also need to ensure that the dog is not expected to jump in and out of cars, you can buy ramps to assist. That they are not using stairs at home, again you can buy portable pet ramps, that the dog is not jumping up on people or onto furniture, etc, etc. They need to be able to be well controlled on a leash and the more work you can put into those things now the better the recovery can and will be. Glucosamine does nothing to prevent hip dysplasia and has no role in its treatment or management. It has a role in arthritis. however hip dysplasia can result in early onset arthritis if it is not treated properly. But dogs can have arthritis without having hip dysplasia. Hip Dysplasia is largely genetic but also has many varied environmental factors contributing to it. There is no guaranteed way to prevent it, but there are ways to minimise the chances of it.

I was walking my dog a few months ago and some children who always play in their front yard asked me "why do you always walk your dog, we see you walk past us, almost every day, and sometimes more than once a day". I said, because she needs to be walked and enjoys it. The response "our dog never goes out of the backyard, sometimes it never even sees one of us for 3 or 4 days, because we can see the food bowl from inside and if it has food we don't need to go out to put more in. We play out here, because otherwise the dog annoys us". That was from a kid about 10, there were 3 other children younger than it. Why get a dog if you are not going to be anywhere near it. And what on earth do they think that is teaching the kids. In terms of fat labs, I have a friend with a guide dog. We were walking into a swimming pool once and someone commented, it is so nice to see a lab that is not obese, and then commented to the person with her "mum that is what your dog should look like", the response from the person I am assuming with the woman's mother, that dog is anorexic and should be reported to the RSPCA for animal cruelty. The stories she tells of people abusing her for having a healthy size lab are horrifying. It is beyond me how people think a dog that can barely stand up and barrelling out to the side is healthy.

First and foremost you need to make sure you have a full and accurate diagnosis. If x-rays have not been done to confirm the diagnosis, then they need to be. The amount of dogs that are diagnosed with arthritis, when they really have something else is way too high. You also need to know the severity of it, and how far advanced it is in different joints to truly be able to work out a plan for management of the condition. Only x-rays can do that. Arthritis management comes in 3 areas, lifestyle, medical and complementary. In an ideal world you use all of them combined. But, none of the medical or complementary is going to be of any use if the dog’s lifestyle is such that it constantly makes the arthritis worse. One of the most important things is to educate yourself about the condition. Throwing different things at a condition, without fully knowing what they are doing is not going to be of any use. Many of them are doing the exact same thing, more of the same is not going to help, just going to take money from you, which could be much better spent on other things that do help. At the moment you need to focus 100% on getting pain under control. A dog cannot rest if they are in constant pain and at present the dog needs rest and not much else. When a dog shows pain it must be in huge amounts, because dogs live with so much pain that we simply would not tolerate. Dogs also want to please you and so do what you want, unless it is basically physiologically impossible for them to do otherwise. Pain also happens very gradually, and so they learn to think that feeling stiff and sore is normal, when in fact it is anything but. First and foremost the dog needs an appropriate bed. Not just for overnight, but for anywhere they are resting in the home. Beds need to be firm and flat. That means absolutely no beanbags, no couches, no human beds, no anything that is not firm and flat. A dog does not understand why it wakes up stiff and sore from getting off a bean bag, it does not connect the two together. The idea of raised beds comes for dogs that live outside, as the dampness from the ground, can go through beds on the ground. For dogs inside that is not relevant, and in fact would be contraindicated, because you do not want the dog stepping up onto anything at all. Ideally you want an eggshell foam or memory foam mattress. Animal physiotherapists recommend the Snooza Orthobed or big dog bed. http://www.dogbedsgalore.com.au/orthopedicdogbed Most dogs will lie on beds against the wall and to help to keep them warm, you can simply get some cheap bits of wood from a hardware store and superglue some old blankets to them, to provide some warmth, rather than the dogs back resting against a cold wall. For dogs that are sleeping outside, or are ever outside when you are not home, then they must have a kennel, preferably one that has the door off to the side, like this one, as it allows them to curl up out of the draft coming in through the door: http://www.dogbedsgalore.com.au/product/TFOCPP They would need an appropriate mattress inside the kennel to protect the joints, etc. Kennels need to be large enough for the dog to fully stand up, turn around and lie down in, and stretch out in, but not any larger, as if there is too much space around them, they will become colder. You can put doors on kennels, which can help to keep them a few degrees warmer as well. You want to raise food and water bowls off the ground. Bending down to eat and drink places pressure on the spine and in turn, also the joints. Allowing the dog a more normal horizontal position when eating and drinking can help to reduce pain, and pressure on joints. Sometimes it can be hard to buy suitable raised bowls, as you need to make sure that they are not too high, but you can easily do it yourself, by buying small stools or even building some wood yourself, or even simply putting old phone books underneath it. You want the food and water bowls, near the bed, so the dog is not forced to walk to anywhere else to get what they need. Ideally you also want a non-slip mat or something similar for the dog to stand on when eating and drinking as this will help to take some of the stress off the joints that comes from standing on hard surfaces when eating and drinking, if they are standing on wood or tiled floors, for instance. No stairs means no stairs. Stairs put huge amounts of pressure on joints and make the pain a thousand times worse, and damage to the joints worse. You can buy portable dog ramps that will go to one side of the stair case and still allow you to walk up and down the steps without issue, while also ensuring that the dog is not forced to do so. The average stair case is at least a metre wide. A portable dog ramp is between 20-35 cm wide, so pushed to one side, still leaves most of the staircases free for you. This also includes when taking the dog outside to toilet, when getting them in an out of the car, etc. The dog needs to be the leanest weight possible. All dogs have a healthy weight range and while the dog might be in that range, having it at the lowest end of that range is going to be much better on the dogs joints, movement, etc. Any weight lost will help. You have sole control of how much food you feed the dog. The dog should be on lead when going to the toilet if at all possible, as this allows you to control the movements the dog is making. But do not walk fast and go at the dogs pace. In terms of exercise, the best is little and often. Ideally they should not be walking no more than 15 minutes at a time, but preferably 3-4 times a day. At a minimum twice daily walks, morning and night are better than one longer walk. If the dog is in pain, then not walking them is better for them. Swimming can be used at those times as it allows the joints to move freely. While it is true that walking provides weight bearing exercise and this is important, it is contraindicated if the dog is in pain, as it is only going to make it worse, not better. Swimming can be done all the time, as it does not require weight bearing, but does get the joints moving. But you do need to be extra careful of the dog getting in and out of the water. Swimming can reverse muscle wastage, can improve circulation and can improve range of motion. Walking on grass can be better than walking on concrete as it is less pressure on the joints, even though it is still weight baring. Simply having the dog walk on the nature strip can help with this. Coats or jumpers can help to keep the dog warm and reduce the pain they feel (cold makes pain worse), although you need to be careful not to overheat the dog. The Carprophen your dog is on is a Non Steroid Anti Inflammatory. Tramadol is a pain relief product. At present the dog needs them both, to whatever level is necessary. When the pain is fully under control for a few weeks, then you can consider slowly trying to lower the dosage of the tramadol and then perhaps even the Carprophen, but at present those things do not matter, getting pain under control is all the matters. The dog needs to rest and they cannot do that while in pain. In terms of treatments, the best thing is either Cartrophen or Pentosan injections. These are naturally occurring plant substances that can actually help to repair the damaged cartilage. They are given initially as weekly injections for 4 weeks and then in intervals from monthly up to 6 monthly, depending on the degree of severity of the arthritis and how much support is needed. These are the only treatments that can do anything to stop the progression of the disease and actually help to repair the damaged cartilage. There is also hyaluronic acid injections into the joint, which lubricate the cartilage, reduce pain and improve flexibility. The benefits are only temporary and so would need to be ongoing. In some very severe cases, surgical options do exist. Stem cell therapy introduces new cells into the damaged or dysfunctional tissue to treat the disease. It can be expensive. In terms of supplements, the most important one is Glucosamine, as it plays a role in the production and repair of cartilage, which is the core of arthritis. Other supplements help with inflammation, although what helps one dog will do nothing for another, but are not going to do anything to help with the condition itself, ie slow down its progression, etc, although they can help to reduce pain, associated with inflammation. Acupuncture has a large role in pain relief, and should continue. Animal physiotherapists do exist and can assist you in doing all you can to assist the dog, they are relatively new in Australia, and not readily available in all areas, but there are now some doing consults via skype with you doing things at home with them watching you, you sending video clips of the dog walking and moving to them, etc. Physiotherapy can do a great deal to ease the symptoms and slow the disease progression, minimize pain, improve muscle condition and overall mobility. It can work well alongside hydrotherapy. There are specialist massage therapists for animals, veterinary chiropractors, osteopaths, etc. All can assist in some ways.

Agree with the above. The first thing is a vet check. Next just do not give the dog a choice. The dog is being fussy, because he has learnt that he can manipulate and control you. The dog does not buy the food or put it in the bowl, you do. Dogs can go for a week without food without issues. It is your obsession with his need to eat that is the problem. Humans can go on hunger strikes for a month or more before anyone becomes worried, as long as they are taking in water. No healthy dog is going to refuse for too long. But you need to be strict. YOU CHOOSE the food. Set two times a day for meals, morning and night. Dish up the food, put it in a bowl and put the bowl in a room out of sight, say a laundry and put the dog in their with the food. DO NOT watch the dog eat. Leave the room. Set a timer. 10 minutes later, walk in, take the bowl and ignore the dog. Throw out any un eaten food. Do the same thing at he next meal time and keep doing it. Do not worry about what the dog is eating, or make sure any worry is done when the dog cannot see you. Trust me within a few days the dog will be eating. Eating meat alone is not healthy for a dog and will cause long term health issues. A bit like a person eating nothing but ice cream or chocolate, yet I know of plenty of children who try to avoid eating anything but it. It is not about force, no one should be forced to eat anything, BUT if you simply do not allow them to eat anything else, and do not get into an argument with them, they will do what is needed, for the simple fact they are hungry. This dog has worked out very well that if I don't eat I get what I want, as simple as that. Smart dog, but your the human and truly are smarter than the dog.

Damage to nerves is usually the result of an IVDD (Intervertebral Disc Disease). It can occur at the very end of the spine, impacting only on the nerve endings. You should see other signs as well, such as occasionally sort of falling over, but then being totally fine, less than a minute later, perhaps hunching legs up, occasionally, etc. The only way to truly diagnose it is via an MRI. Treatment is very strict crate rest for 6 weeks, usually with some sort of pain med, anti-inflammatory, etc. Acupuncture can help with nerve regeneration and with pain relief. I would however really want the cause confirmed. Saying nerve damage without knowing what caused the nerve damage is not going to help. Nerves are not damaged for no reason. While I agree that all tests in relation to the urinary incontinence could very well have been investigated, I would want to know everything else that is happening for the dog as well. Acupuncture without knowing what caused the damage and rectifying that is not going to help, as the damage could be continuing in the dogs day to day life.

I have a delta therapy dog and visit two hospital wards. The dog has feceal and salvia tests every 3 months to ensure that there is nothing that could be passed on to people, but given that it is a hospital they have to be extra careful. Delta does not do these tests on dogs that visit nursing homes or the like. I also take my dog to visit an elderly neighbour who has just moved into a nursing home, and an elderly relative. The relative is in a low care facility, they do have visiting dogs come in, but will only allow mine because she is already a therapy dog. The one my neighbour moved into welcomes pets, as long as they are not aggressive and are basically clean. They say that if they have concerns they will ask you to leave and will refuse to allow the dog back again. We have been taking his dog into visit him, and we were also able to take his dog into the rehabilitation centre attached to the hospital, who also allowed bascially well behaved pets. They have released that in order for people to really heel they need access to there dogs, and having them in, is less work, than looking after people without them. Many rehab centres now operate on that basis. The nursing home is a high care and dementia one, but they still welcome pets. They have two staff who take their dogs to work each day and so they have a dog presence at the home almost every day of the week. Those dogs have had some sort of temperate test done and also have regular health checks. They have a resident cat, a massive bird avery, huge fish tank, even some chooks in a backyard, all of which the residents can interact with. The relaxation on those residents and how they cope is so different to any other nursing home I have ever been in, and I believe the animals of all sorts really contribute to it.

There are two different socialisation periods that people get confused with. The first one is really socialisation, and that is to people and other dogs, and that ends at 12 weeks. The second one is actually better defined as habbituation and that is to environments, surfaces, etc. What you can do is to invites lots of people over to your place to introduce him to lots of different people, including children, elderly people, etc. Get some of them to wear costumes, get them to bring in different people. Any dogs, in which you know the dogs are fully vaccinated are safe for him to be around. If in doubt ask to see the vaccination certificates, don't just take a persons word for it. If you want a dog who is happy to be around other people, and animals, then you need to make sure they get that socialisation before 12 weeks. Some advise trying to get the pup to meet 200 different people. Any decent vet, and mine does, does bleach after every single dog is removed from the room. Bleach is the only thing that really kills parvo. The only people who really know whether parvo is rife in your area are vets, and so the ones cloesest to you are the ones you need to contact. You also need to make sure you have a good vet that you feel comfortable working with, as if you don't like them, the dog will pick that up from you. Another idea is to ensure you take the pup in first thing in the morning for vaccinations and the like, as that way, other dogs have not even been able to really be in the waiting room and get germs in it that way. Vet clinics that run puppy preschool, bleach it all before the class starts, and again afterwards, they also only allow dogs in that are fully up to date on both vaccinations and wormings. A well run puppy preschool, as soon as your vet encourages it is important, they learn more from other puppies than they do from adult dogs. Make sure when they are meeting other vaccinated dogs, that they do so with both on lead. Make sure two people are present and step in immediately if needed. There is much that can be done to socialise puppies at home, there are a wide range of sound effects CD's and that is of normal sounds, not just scary ones. You can put a whole range of different things on the floor and encourage them to walk on them, plastic tarb, a ladder to walk through, etc. Put different items down, and allow him to become acustomed to them, open umbrula's, etc. Go to friends places to backyards that you trust and know are clean and allow him to experience lawn mowers, while they are on, and he is on lead, etc. Don't overdo the carrying him everywhere. It can actaully backfire in terms that they can become so overwhelmed they begin to shut down, and develop fear responses. What you need is 15 minutes once or twice a day to different places. Things done at home, only need to be 15 minutes or so as well. Make sure to give him plenty of time to play and be a puppy and of course to sleep. Socialisation is vitally important, BUT it is also a very misunderstood word and something that can be done very poorly, which can have even worse results. Dragging a dog everywhere with you is not, never has been and never will be good socialisation. Good socialisation is a carefully planned set of experiences in increasing intesity, ensuring the dog is able to cope with the one before, before moving onto the next one. If the dog is in your arms it can also give the wrong messages, as you need to ignore the dog if it is fearful and people are not doing that if they are in your arms. Restraining them in the backseat of the car, driving somewear, and then opening up the door in the places and allowing them to see, hear and smell all that is going on around them is going to be a good way to go.

My reading of the government code of practice for boarding kennels is that annual vaccination is still required: "5.2 Vaccination and health care For dogs, pre-vaccination against distemper, hepatitis, kennel cough (parainfluenza (Type II) virus and Bordetella bronchiseptica) and parvovirus is required. A current vaccination certificate ( ie certifying that vaccination was done within the preceding 12 months and that the "due date" for the next vaccination has not been passed) must be produced for each dog before admission. Checking for heartworm infection should be recommended prior to admission. For cats, pre-vaccination against feline infectious enteritis and feline respiratory disease is required. A current vaccination certificate ( ie certifying that vaccination was done within the preceding 12 months and that the "due date" for the next vaccination has not been passed) must be produced for each cat before admission." http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/pets/about-pets/legislation-and-regulation/domestic-animal-businesses/operation-of-boarding-establishments If that is not requiring every 12 months I don't know what is. All the kennels I know of still require annual vaccinations, as that is what the government regulations require. This is what is current today. If government has changed policy, they have not been notified. They are required to have copies on file and during inspections they must be available for inspection. I would not blame any of them for refusing to take dogs without an annual vaccation. The dog training centre one has the same requiremnts: "3.2 Vaccination and health care For dogs, pre-vaccination against distemper, hepatitis and parvovirus is required. A current vaccination certificate ( ie certifying that vaccination was done within the preceding 12 months and that the "due date" for the next vaccination has not passed) must be produced for each dog before admission. Vaccination against canine cough and checking for heartworm infection should be recommended prior to admission." http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/pets/about-pets/legislation-and-regulation/domestic-animal-businesses/operation-of-dog-training-establishments Dog Training Centres in Victoria and Boarding Kennels, MUST by law follow the code of practise and can be shut down for not doing so. I don't know anyone who could say that these do not require a vaccination in the last 12 months and I for one would not be operating any such establishment without requiring annual vaccination. I might not agree with it, but I also don't believe in breaking the law just because I disagree with something.

it is rare, yes , but can be done ..there's no 'magic' to it . :) I know several people who trained their own dogs ....they just couldn't be bothered with all the organisational stuff ... had dogs previously , and went ahead . No doubt in places like the U.S, there are many who have selected a dog to suit, and raised/trained it to their own standard . With Assistance Dogs i would believe, Guide Dogs, no and people do not choose their own standard!!! The Disability Discrimination Act details the minimum requirements and PROOF of TRAINING is required BY LAW. Love to see how they provide PROOF of TRAINING, what do they say, its trained because I said so. That sure as hell is not going to hold up in any court of law or in the human rights commission. The dogs would not be allowed on public transport or to travel on plains. In order to LEGALLY use a GUIDE dog, one has to be LEGALLY BLIND. There is LEGAL definition to blindness. The blindness community is small and tight knit, and the Guide Dog community even more so. They know of ONE person who owner trained, with the help of a Guide Dog trainer out of hours, as they had multiple disabilities. They searched for months for the right breeder and went through more than one dog. You however claim to know SEVERAL such people, and that is something I really really doubt. As for being mentioned on here, I have reread these posts and can't find it. Why don't you write down the number of the post. And WHERE was the EVIDENCE that they got it from. The ONLY person claiming such a thing and also claiming it is COMMON to owner train Guide Dogs and that anyone can do it, is YOU. Of course if it is so easy to do, then why does the international Guide Dog Federation have such high standards and why will ALL assistnace Dog programs refuse to have anything to do with it, saying it is too difficult and there trainers do have the skills or qualifications required. It is VERY easy to teach a dog to pass a public access test, it is very difficult to blindfold yourself and trust the dog to lead you across a road full of cars, through crowded side walks with overhanging branches, with loose dogs walking up to the dog, food on the floor, balls being thrown in front of them, on and off public transport, getting you to different places, etc. and yes, that is blindfolded, for over an hour. I would love to see you do it since you claim it is so easy to do, and that anyone can do it. Is it any wonder the government is tightening laws in relation to assistance dogs, when there are so many out of control, because people like you believe that you can train any dog by simply reading a book. It is only a matter of time before ALL such dogs are going to have to be accredited by government approved programs or trainers and at that time over half the dogs currently out there as Assistance Dogs will not make the grade, as most of the programs will not pass muster. Am I passionate about this stuff, sure, my friends kid was bitten recently by one such dog in a large shopping centre. The dog is now on death row, due to an idiotic owner who claimed it was easy to train a dog and that any dog could do it, and a so called un accredited program who did not have any idea of how to do temperament or health checks, let alone why they are done, or how to truly assess behaviour of a dog in a public place. Anyone who saw the video survelliance of the dog could see the signs of stress on the dog, as well it having bad hips and so was in immense pain as well, and we all know dogs are pain are the ones most likely to bite. Everything about it was a time boomb waiting to explode, and the poor dog suffered due to it.