aliwake

The howling is going to be just as bad next week when you go back to work... I know it's horrible, but the best thing you can do is just leave, and don't make a big deal about it. No eye contact when you're coming and going. If you leave and come back over short periods then she will learn that it's not forever when you do leave. Don't delay - go out now! If you're able to set up a camera, then at least you'll be able to see that she hasn't harmed herself - with the volume off!! My husband and I didn't agree on the right time for our boy to go outside - my biggest concerns were that we have big brush turkeys and possums wandering through our yard, and I didn't want him to get too scared to be outside because he was too small to defend himself initially. I think the right time would have been when he'd settled in, and got a little more size and confidence. We also needed to replace a small portion of fence, and that delayed the move outside too. We have lots of shade, but no shelter from rain so I was also waiting on delivery of a kennel I'd ordered. So, there were a few factors I guess. i'm not too sure about hanging out in her room with her - with our boy nothing we did made him any happier about being in there... I'd probably feed her in there and maybe play the occasional game, but I certainly wouldn't spend a lot of time in their with her. She might never be happy about being in there.

We did what you did - playpen when our pup was very small - we weren't comfortable having him outside alone til he was bigger - however, we were all a lot happier once he went outside during they day, so I wouldn't delay trying to get your yard set up suitably for her. Our pup behaved in very similar ways to yours too - was very distressed in the playpen, and never actually got used to it. He was a little better with a crate inside the playpen. We used a camera to keep an eye on him during the day, and had to do many things to reinforce the pen to stop it from getting pulled down on top of him. I wouldn't be forcing her to spend large amount of time in the playpen while you're there - I know they need to get used to spending time alone, but that definitely doesn't mean all evening while you're watching tv... Just start with small intervals of time at first, and gradually increase the time. This week would be a good time to go out for short periods - like going grocery shopping for half an hour or something, and make sure you both go! I think the spare room would be a better option, but don't have her spend heaps of time in there when you're home. Let her have some alone time in the yard too - mix it up a bit - you want independence, not segregation.

Both coats are lovely ;)

Gorgeous pics Lisa! It'll be so nice for you to have a dog savvy friend around the house :) And a horse too! Is the paddock near your house? His coat looks fantastic too

Wish I could 'like' your post Pers, very diplomatic :)

Actually, to give medication without knowing that the dog has the parasite in the first place could place a heavier strain on an already upset GI system. There are many things that could have given the signs that this dog has and while it is a possibility that he may have picked up something from cat faeces it doesnt sound to me as though it has been proven to be the case. I'm sure that you dog would have been tested for giardia and coccidiosis and then prescribed the relevant drugs, not just simply given them to treat a possible infection. My dogs do not get any medications unless I know that there is a need for them, same for myself...... no meds without an appropriate test that indicates the relevance of a prescription drug. I do understand your point, however we have no idea what's even been prescribed here - it was a very big jump to 'chemicals'. medication can be appropriate and very effective - particularly with a small pup. Without the OP giving us every single detail of her visit to the vet, perhaps we should believe that the qualified vet the OP has seen has actually done a good job and given appropriate treatment...

That's unfair Sandra. Pups don't deal as well with parasites that older dogs would deal with easily. when my pup was young he had coccidia, giardia and another bacterial infection all within the space of a few weeks - he would have struggled a lot without antiparasitic medication and antibiotics. Young puppies need all the help they can get when they're ill, because they can go downhill so fast. To assume that medication would cause more harm than parasites or an infection is ridiculous.

Nala sounds absolutely adorable at the moment! Rip yellow bunny.... No more stuffed toys for nova for a while?

Where would I get hair DNA analysis done Erny?

His eyes are often worse in the morning, which, given he sleeps inside makes me wonder if he's allergic to humans, like I am to dogs :) Either that or dust mites maybe.

The specialist did say it is mild compared to some Danes he sees! However, it is bad enough that it is making his allergies worse than they would be otherwise.

I don't have any ideas, but just want to say I feel awful for you. Sounds like you've been so committed, but I can imagine it must be hard to keep up that level if you're not seeing any improvement. You're really lucky to have each other :)

Yes I did Kirty, thanks. It made a short term difference, but he'd need it every day, forever, which isn't practical. He doesn't like me applying it at all.

No, he doesn't really dig much at all, and we definitely don't have any sand in our back yard.

have copied what I wrote in the health forum about our visit to the eye specialist yesterday, for anyone that's interested: Hi all, we had our eye specialist appointment yesterday afternoon. Apparently he has signs of allergic conjunctivitis, which is worsened by his subtle ectropion (because the conjunctiva is exposed more than usual). Actually, he called it subtle at the beginning, but he was struggling to get a proper look thank to a very excited wiggly dog. Once Nixon settled and was just wandering around the room I think he was able to see the problem a lot more clearly. He basically said that his eyelids are too big for the size of his eyeballs. So, we're using viscotears gel to create a barrier on his eye to reduce exposure to allergens, and to keep the eyes lubricated. He said they are fine to use regularly, then occasionally if there's a bad flare up we can use the steroid cream from the vet to get it back under control (can't remember what it's called). He agreed that surgery would be useful for him, and said we should talk it over, then get in touch if/when we decide to proceed. He said there's a chance his upper eyelids would need adjusting too, but they would wait and see until he's under. He said even though the upper eyelids look good at the moment, in an older dog they could droop more and cause *(something starting with t) where the upper eyelashes droop into the eye and irritate it. Given Nix had some (unrelated) surgery on friday, we will manage his eyes conservatively for a couple of months then re-asses. I feel like it's something that is going to continue to cause him problems forever, and the surgery would probably be very worthwhile in that he has a lot of years ahead of him (hopefully!), and if they can be more comfortable, then it will be worth doing. p.s. you can get the viscotears gel from the chemist, if anyone is dealing with something similar.

Hi all, we had our eye specialist appointment yesterday afternoon. Apparently he has signs of allergic conjunctivitis, which is worsened by his subtle ectropion (because the conjunctiva is exposed more than usual). Actually, he called it subtle at the beginning, but he was struggling to get a proper look thank to a very excited wiggly dog. Once Nixon settled and was just wandering around the room I think he was able to see the problem a lot more clearly. He basically said that his eyelids are too big for the size of his eyeballs. So, we're using viscotears gel to create a barrier on his eye to reduce exposure to allergens, and to keep the eyes lubricated. He said they are fine to use regularly, then occasionally if there's a bad flare up we can use the steroid cream from the vet to get it back under control (can't remember what it's called). He agreed that surgery would be useful for him, and said we should talk it over, then get in touch if/when we decide to proceed. He said there's a chance his upper eyelids would need adjusting too, but they would wait and see until he's under. He said even though the upper eyelids look good at the moment, in an older dog they could droop more and cause *(something starting with t) where the upper eyelashes droop into the eye and irritate it. Given Nix had some (unrelated) surgery on friday, we will manage his eyes conservatively for a couple of months then re-asses. I feel like it's something that is going to continue to cause him problems forever, and the surgery would probably be very worthwhile in that he has a lot of years ahead of him (hopefully!), and if they can be more comfortable, then it will be worth doing.

Me 3. Nix was great at training too. While he's manageable now with a halti, he still pulls enough that it's unpleasant. He's impossible to walk without the halti. He's a very powerful, stubborn lab. Have tried many different tactics including stopping or changing direction when the leash is tight, and he never seems to make the connection.

I just got home to check on nix in my lunch break. It's been pouring with rain all morning, so I was expecting the worst... But, I actually managed to sneak up on him for once and he was all curled up in his kennel! I'm so proud! Up til now I haven't been sure if he ever used his kennel - I bought it so he'd have shelter on rainy days, but apart from putting his kongs in there in the morning, I didn't think he'd ever use it as intended. Usually if it's been raining I'll come home and he'll have clearly been racing around I getting soaking wet. Also, his dressing is still (mostly) intact, and it's been on since Friday! Would never have predicted that... Such a good boy!

My pup didn't growl, but at that age he did bark at me quite aggressively with a fixed stare - several times. It was really upsetting at the time, but with some tips from our trainer at puppy preschool, he improved very quickly and now at 1 he is very placid and adoring. I'm far from being an expert, but just wanted to share my experience. I think he was just testing the limits and finding his place.

She is gorgeous! I think Rose is a great name for a very pretty girl :)

Congrats on wading through all that and coming to a resolution you're happy with Cheys - I'm sure your new lab will be a special part of your family. Make sure you show us some pics once you have her!

Thanks Lisa, me too :)

No, we're seeing a specialist on Wednesday arvo about his eyes. Will be good to get another opinion. Will let you know what happens Lisa .

He's doing pretty well thanks Steph. Was definitely undissolved stitches, and he now apparently has 3 or 4 external stitches instead. He has a dressing on for now, so he doesn't need a cone until he rips the dressing off... I think the soft cone may be a little small though... It doesn't seem to quite go past his nose. Did you get the large? Ps he was doing zoomies in the yard about an hour after we got back from the vet, so I think he was feeling pretty good!!

That is beautiful Lisa!