Kazm

I personally don’t understand why you don’t think roaming is a problem. Good luck to you with such an understanding neighbour. I wouldn’t like a large dog just wandering into my yard several times a day/week. I have had 2 cats killed by wandering dogs. Both in my own yard, so not the cats fault. Plus many times my own dogs and I have been bailed up in the streets by wandering dogs. And I have also been nipped while on my own driveway. (Got abused by the dog owner too ???) Plus I always believed that it was illegal for a dog to be off lead except in designated areas. Please for your neighbours and your dogs own safety fix that problem. And yes desexing is a good idea but that will only fix part of the problem. He will need more training afterwards because he will still think the grass is greener on the other side.

This is going to be too long for the dear thread so here I am...... Dear Zena, Today is exactly 12 months since we had to let you go. Today has been very tough just as it was a year ago. We have still not come to terms with your passing and we are constantly thinking of you and talking about you. Even though we know there was nothing we could have done to save you it still doesn’t stop us wishing we had tried. We have got through the year relatively ok but it’s just not the same around here without you. Camping trips are very different too. Molly and Lucy cat are doing fine. Molly has really taken on the task of looking after us and shares herself between your dad and I. She’s a funny little girl and there is so much of you in her. She is such a sweetie and we’d be lost without her. Lucy cat has really taken on the job of being the oldest 4 legged now. She comes in every night and with her annoying cat ways makes Molly move from the seat between dad and I just so she can sit there. It was your seat. Most of your 4 legged family still come for visits too. Molly always has company. Poor Snoozy, he’s not too good. He now has diabetes and is struggling to put weight on. Our fingers are crossed he can get better real soon. Poor Boris, (the father of all your pups) will soon be joining you at the rainbow bridge. He’s not too great these days. Old age !!! One of your favourite people, Katherine, had a baby last year and he stays with us a few times a week. You were not too fussed on kids but I know you’d love this little guy. Surprisingly Molly does. I have finally finished your photo book. It was something I wanted to do right from the start but just couldn’t bring myself to do it. But I always knew I’d have it finished for today. What started out as just a few great photos soon snowballed and is now an 80 page book showing off your entire life from start to finish. Yes, I do take too many dog photos and it was just too hard to pick a few. The book is awesome and it helped me this morning. My gosh, you were so photogenic. Zena, I just really hope that you knew how much we loved you and that you did have a good life. When we picked you from your litter we just didn’t know how much of a special girl you were going to be. I think when we lost your mate, ( our first schnauzer) when you were only 6 months old, that’s when I realised. Those following weeks when I was so upset at losing my best mate of 10 years you really were there for me. That’s when you became my constant shadow and made me laugh at your antics every day. And I mean every day. You really were such a comical dog. An awesome, amazing dog. Without you I would have been lost. Now I have Molly and I promise you that she will be looked after and I won’t let anything within my power take her away from us. Like you she deserves the best. I just wish we could have fixed you and done so much more. We are so proud to have known you and happy that you were a part of our lives. Your whole family miss you like crazy. One day we will be together once more. We love you Z. from Mum, Dad, Molly and Lucy.

I know I haven’t been here for a bit. Just plain busy!!! This is a photo of Molly with her Easter visitors. They stayed for 3 nights with us. The black schnauzer is Mollys son. Neo is a big boy but she loves having him around. Loves to play with him. He is not quite 2 years old. The little pup is a new addition to Neo’s family. Luna, a little girl from a breeder in Mackay. A very energetic girl. Molly seemed to like her as well. All 3 got on very well.

Congratulations on your new additions. I bet they are so gorgeous.

So sorry to hear your news. It totally rips us apart when beautiful souls leave us. My thoughts are with you.

I honestly don’t know all the ins and outs of his vet visits but fairly certain he is controlled.

I think so. Dinner stayed down. Just a light meal and still hand feeding as she is still so very hungry. I don’t want her hoovering her food at this point. She slept well. We have just been for a walk and she’s had her breakfast. Seems like my little girl is back

Totally agree. Why does everything bad happen at night? It was a very scary experience especially seeing her vomit up blood. But as of lunchtime today I can say she seemed like her old happy self. She slept soundly this morning but had a much better afternoon. And yes she is still very hungry. Can’t stop the course of prednisolone. She had a light meal of chicken fillet and I actually hand fed her so she wouldn’t hoover it down. Alls well that ends well.

This is what I do too. At Xmas time when I had extra dogs staying with us my squirty water bottle got a good work out. One little boy schnauzer in particular copped it frequently. As I had a group of them staying with us they were all kept outside during the day. This one particular boy, every afternoon would start to annoy. It was like he’d had enough and was ready to come in. He would sit at the screen door and woof. Not constantly but enough to annoy us. From the kitchen , without being seen I could squirt him quite easily. It works. It kept him away. I agree sometimes it did need to be repeated but they definitely don’t like it.

Extremely scary. Don’t really want to go through that again and yes actually I did lose some weight too. Amazing what worry and stress will do. She is still quiet. Sleeping soundly today. I think it took a fair bit out of her. Tomorrow hopefully is a better day. Yes they do. Life would be pretty dull without them . I felt so bad for her as she has always been such a healthy girl. And yep, I need to do a bit more grooming and dog sitting now. Or maybe I’ll just sit Molly on the street corner with a money tin. Glad your your boy is ok Kajirin. And I think Molly now has a new nickname - Miss Scoffalot. Thanks

What a day we had yesterday. Although technically it started Saturday. I noticed miss Molly was licking and seemed very irritated around her private parts. Being a weekend I wasn’t waiting for things to get worse and made a vet appointment. Yes, she had a very slight infection. Tablets, cone and cream and off we went. Everything was working great. By Sunday there was a huge improvement and by Monday morning I could put the cone away. I had noticed that she was a lot more hungrier than usual. A lot. Probably due to the prednisolone. Monday night she ate chicken necks ( cut into small pieces as usual) . As I was busy I didn’t notice how fast she must have eaten them. Into the evening she vomited. I was slightly concerned but hey dogs do occasionally. Then about 1am she woke us up vomiting again. Now I was very concerned and that was about the end of my sleep for the night. Just after 4am she vomited again and this time there was blood. Now I knew a vet visit was a necessary. She vomited again an hour or so later. More blood. She did seem her usual self though. Waited until 7am when our vets opened. During the consultation she vomited again. This time bringing up a few pieces of chicken neck also. Obviously not chewed. Molly then spent the day at the vets. Anti nausea medication, stomach protectant drug, fluids and an X-ray. She did come home last night with the all clear. But we are guessing because she was so hungry she has gulped the food down and the chicken necks have scratched her oesaphagus and this started all the drama. I just have to watch her today as the anti nausea drug will wear off during the morning. A bit less and soft food for a few days. A big learning curve - the moral of my story is that when you have a ravenous dog feed it softer food or at least keep an eye on how they eat it. But I am very grateful she is back home and relatively ok. She seems a little quiet today but she did have quite a day yesterday and due to all her vomiting she has actually lost a lot of weight. Still hungry but monitoring all food intake. Fingers crossed we get through today smoothly.

Yeah. Sorry I did forget white. And yes I have noticed the breeder has parti colours too. I still think it’s just plain wrong. The schnauzer looks stunning in their main colourings. I personally would have no other. And I probably agree about the money grabbing. The pups have a very high price on their heads. Wrong wrong wrong.

I found an advertisement in the trading post for Merle tea cup schnauzers. From a breeder apparently. Now I’ve owned schnauzers for over 20 years and know so much about them and 1, they come in 3 sizes - mini, standard and giant. And 2, they also come in 3 colours - salt/Pepper, Black / silver and black. Wtf. Why do people mess with breeds.? You have a stunning, intelligent dog, why on earth do people want to mess with things. Just leave them as beautiful as they are.

How sad for you but on the up side at least you were there with him as he passed. That’s a good thing. Such a sweet looking guy. My thoughts are with you.

No, I haven’t read it but will Thankyou. Thanks too. I spoke with my vet yesterday. We value his opinion and have known him for years where as my friend has only used her vet once as they have moved. And she hasn’t been overly helpful. My friend is at a loss as what to do for her boy. My vet has suggested trying to feed him more and keep using the vet dry food but also trying kangaroo meat. Lean but high in protein. He has said if he keeps it down he should improve but if he doesn’t eat it or vomits or gets diarrhoea there could be some other health issue. I am trying to help her as much as I can as this beautiful boy deserves a much better life. And she loves him so much. It is her very first dog so she has never been down this road before and up until now he has been a healthy fellow. Fingers crossed now.

Thankyou to both of you. Although he has had lots of tests her big worry is that maybe there are other issues. And I will check with her to see if his thyroid has been checked also. I am not sure the quantity of food she is feeding him but he gets fresh meat and vet suggested dry. Obviously biscuits for diabetes. She would like to know if she could give him more than what is recommended or would that mess with his insulin dosage. She can’t seem to get two answers the same. Everything she reads or has been told is conflicting. I am actually going to talk to my vet. At least I have known him for quite a few years where as she has had to find a new vet as they have moved recently.

She’s very beautiful

Should have been here yesterday. 5 schnauzers and a baby. Now that’s some noise !!!!!!!! And the baby was the quiet one. Lol

Such dreadful news but fingers crossed you still have some decent time with her. And definitely take lots of photos. They do help. And naturally lots of loving.

I’m just after any information and ideas on dog diabetes. A friends schnauzer, he is 6, was diagnosed with diabetes at the end of last year. This gorgeous boy has always been overweight. Just like most schnauzers he loves his food and in his 6 years he has grown up with two little boys that when they were toddlers he would pinch their snacks. His weight obviously got worse and they presume the diabetes sprung from there. Obviously he is under the close eye of a vet while getting his condition under control although they have just changed vets as they weren’t very happy. Not sure why. I haven’t seen him since before diagnosis but she bought him to me today for grooming and now I am very worried. He is extremely underweight. And I mean almost a skeleton on 4 legs . It was the hardest job ever to groom him. I am so saddened by his condition. He has always been a good looking boy with beautiful fur albeit a bit chubby but now his fur is dull and feels awful. He really does look dreadful. He is having 2 insulin injections a day and is eating very well but just isn’t putting the weight on. He does seem his usual happy self but ......... I guess I just want to know if anybody has dealt with this kind of situation before and if there is anything she can do to make him start getting back into condition.

I don’t have any experience in feeding large breed dogs, I just have a little mini schnauzer girl. But I just can’t see why you were told chicken necks are no good. I feed them to my girl every other day and my previous dogs all ate them too. My vet actually recommended them. Chicken necks, frames and wings. All quite ok. I’m not big on dry food. I feed fresh food which includes the necks, wings, chicken fillets and mince, occasionally roo meat, veges , eggs, rice, pasta and she gets sardines once a week. Plus a fresh bone twice a week for her teeth. I like her to have a varied diet. It suits her. She is a piggy too and I swear if food was down all day she would constantly eat. Maybe some dogs are just like that. Your boy is very cute. Good luck with him.

How extremely true this is !!!!!

I would be a big softy and buy another so they could have one each.

So sad to hear of your girls sudden passing, but what beautiful photos. It truly looks like she had amazing life. And you now have amazing memories. It’s such a hard thing to deal with. My thoughts are with you.

That makes for very interesting reading. Thanks for sharing it.