NikkiandKane

Oh my goodness this poor doggy, firstly he is fine, we just got back from his final post op check and he has healed very well.... but you wouldnt believe his luck, while waiting outside the vet and having a good sniff around, he got stung on the nose by a bee!! He let out a small yelp and started pawing at his nose, I looked to see what had happened and saw a bee crawling along, his stinger left in Kanes snout I scrapped it out and Kane seems perfectly ok but I just cant believe it. He has had more mishaps than I have ever listed on here.... He fell in our pool while no one was watching him (several weeks ago) and I heard splashing and ran out to fish him out of the pool. He went running to duck under a gap under the gate which he had previously easily fit under and banged his head HARD, I thought he would get a concussion. Just yesterday he got very excited when my daughter came to visit and ran in circles and crashed into the exhaust on my parked car with a thump and left a black mark on his head. Obviously we have had bed and rock eating incidents..... His whole skin episodes..... This poor clumsy goose of a dog. I dont know whether to laugh or cry.

Perfect thankyou. Based on your experience, what sort of price do you think she could expect to pay? Appreciate your help.

Hi Kazm, my daughter has been researching and really likes the look of schnauzers, so thanks for the idea. we are in QLD, are you aware of any good breeders to consider. While she really wants a dog soon, she is happy to wait for the right dog for up to 12 months. thanks

Yesterday Kane learned “speak” in about 5 minutes and today we mastered high five (or high paw). There’s something to be said for being housebound, he’s like a little sponge. Thinking play dead next....

I don’t want to say it because our luck so far has been absolute garbage BUT we have had a nice weekend. Kane has enjoyed trick training and has added rollover to his limited repertoire. We had a few people over for a bbq today and Kane enjoyed the socialisation and was very well behaved when put in his crate while we ate and cleaned up. all the stimulation had him sound asleep in his crate right now and I feel relaxed and contented for the first time in weeks, knowing my little guy is well and not worrying too much about managing his Pica

I have slippery elm, we used it back when puppy diarrhoea was our biggest issue and it worked like magic on my older girl when she had an upset stomach. I haven’t tried charcoal but I am pleased to say that Kane did a perfectly normally poo this morning! Our biggest challenge is trying to keep Kane calm, he so desperately wants to run and play. he is in a state of bliss, we have let him be reunited with Scout but only under close supervision.

It really is! I even dreamed of him eating rocks last night! I just hope and pray that in a few weeks time we are over all of this and moving forward into healthy teenager doggy things. you all must be getting sick of my blow by blow updates but he just did his first poo since 5am and it was formed, still soft but formed. I’ll take that as a win. I'm about ready to open a bottle of wine and relax into the weekend. wish me luck for no new worries.

I have chucked the rolls out and bought more this new one smells the same as the earlier rolls. There’s been no more diarrhoea since 5 am this morning, so hopefully it has settled. I also discovered while doing some muzzle training today, that the muzzle I bought is too big. I’m going broke!!!!

He sure is. I love him but Im wondering what possessed us to get another dog. It seems there is always something wrong with him and I worry about him like a child. Yesterday afternoon he suddenly started having diarrhea, he went through the whole surgery etc without diarrhea even though the vet said he would probably get it. Now out of nowhere hes got very loose stools, not watery but not formed either. I bought new SPD roll yesterday which has an expiration date of the 24/5 it smells different to the first rolls (which had an expiration date in August) but not in a spoiled way, but different enough for me to have checked the expiration date, I'm wondering if it could be the SPD roll. Like I said, it always something!!! He also started shaking his head a lot last night, its less this morning but still present. On the upside we did some training this morning. So far Kane knew 'sit' (and settings in which he must sit, like before he was allowed through doors to the outside and when getting fed), 'stay' (for a reasonable amount of time) and 'shake'. Today he has learned 'lay down'. I want to teach him speak but he is a bit quiet so far this morning and I could only elicit a whine from him and not a bark.....

I took Kane for an outing to the pet shop and we tried on and bought a Baskerville muzzle. I figured if needed I could modify it in some way and I know he will outgrow it quickly. we also found some salmon jerky for training treats. Which we will start tomorrow. he seems to be getting overly attached to me during this time, so I’m trying not coddle that and just allow him to whinge when I leave the room (it’s hard though because I’m trying to keep a close eye on him since he will eat his bedding given a chance). the pet shop staff remarked on his lovely manners when he listened to my “sit” “stay” command, everyone thought he was lovely until he started whingeing and then relieved his bladder on the floor . oh dear!

Sounds great. Tomorrow he allowed to stop eating purée! I will chop up some tiny pieces of his SPD roll for treats. I’m about to hit google for some tricks to teach him

I’m sure our whole house smells like fish! Today I am determined to find a suitable muzzle, my anxiety is off the grid whenever I take him outside, he’s so quick and I have already had to reach into his mouth to remove contraband twice since he came home. Only tiny things but as soon as I look away I am sure he will consume a stone or something. here is a photo of Kane acting as crazy as I feel.

Oh that must have been frightening. I really am glad he’s doing well too. I would prefer him being a little more relaxed today though. He’s being a naughty little ratbag today!

We have reached the point where his puppiness cannot handle the crate anymore. He ripped his bed apart in 2 minutes flat. So then we gave him only a towel and he ripped that. I take him out for short stints on lead and he is going nuts almost back flipping in his efforts to let his energy out. give me strength. He has a rubber KONG that I am comfortable with him having but he’s over it. I gave in and let him have an antler to chew because he’s never broken anything beyond tiny grains off one before. I am watching closely and he is putting all of his mite into destroying it!!

We made it home with no more vomits

Oh it gets worse, hubby had to go for a reasonably long drive for work and since we are going stir crazy asked us to come. Just as we arrived into the town we were going to Kane vomited everywhere in the car, that’s same fish smell. we pulled over to try and clean up and it immediately started pouring with rain. we had to find a place to buy towels or blankets in this unfamiliar town. thankfully he is exhausted now and we hope he sleeps all the way home

Well, here a funny (not funny at the time) story about puree prep. We got up this morning and there was almost enough pre-prepped puree for breakfast, So I fed Kane and gave him his tablets with it. Then set about making more. For anyone who has ever smelled these salmon and tapioca SPD rolls they know they smell like fish bait, revolting! I chopped up enough for the rest of todays meals and tomorrows breakfast (he is eating 6 small meals a day). I add it to the blender with some warm water and carry the blender jug across my kitchen to the blender base, for some reason all the liquid has suddenly leaked out all over the kitchen floor and my feet, making a fatty smelly mess. I pour the contents into a nearby pan and try to figure out what is wrong with the jug, smelly fishy hands, bench, sink and now pan. Satisfied with my modifications, I pour the stuff back into the jug, attach to base and start to blend. Partly blended contents spills forth.......this is getting out of hand. I tip it all into a big plastic jug and grab a stick blender, blend blend blend, hits an airpocket and splats the front of my clean shirt with this stink. Eventually we get there, Kane who was watching bemused gets a little more breakfast and I proceed to bin the blender, and clean up the entire kitchen, mop the floor and get changed. I am sure I can still smell this fish smell!!! FYI there is no way I will be feeding this stuff through a muzzle on a teaspoon!!!! Friday Kane is allowed to abandon the pureed diet and it cant come soon enough! Kanes skin currently looks fabulous which confirms the issue was not caused by antibiotics, we are on day 5 of antibiotics now. Once we are all healed and well we will challenge with some chicken.

I just came across this product. Is it just me or does it look unnecessarily cruel? https://www.outfoxfordogs.com/

Thank you, that was super useful. I hadnt really thought beyond just putting the muzzle on for short periods at a time. I did learn that the baskerville muzzle which I was considering due to comfort is not a good choice, she shows the dog picking up treats off the ground with it on which is clearly not my goal here. Kane does thinks rocks are excellent treats! Also I cant give treats at all right now, he is on puree diet. That might be one for after friday when I could use small pieces of SPD for treats. Off to do more research on an appropriate muzzle type. Thanks Again for all of your support. I am finding the DOL community very nice to be part of!

Yes, I plan to get one and pop it on him for the short times he is taken out to the toilet. I tried to get one yesterday but couldnt find an appropriate size and its hard to go anywhere right now because he cant be left unattended.

We just got home and the vet was happy with Kanes progress. Kane had his dressing changed, which fell off right away and so a second one applied, doesnt look like it will stay on either but apparently its no big deal and it is only there to deter him from licking the wound. He hasnt bothered with the wound yet, so fingers crossed. He has to remain on pureed food for 4 more days and then he can transition back to solid food. All in all a good outcome so far. I am petrified of him picking something up of the ground and eating it, so I think I will have to invest in a muzzle sooner rather than later.

Really well thanks. He is getting bit tired of crate life and we are about to head to the vet for a follow up in a few minutes. He is doing all the things he should be and I expect them to say he is going well, its just to check his temp etc. Ill update you when I get home

Update for today, Kane his had his first bowel motion this morning after his breakfast soup and it was solid. He’s a happy little fellow today and not too happy to go straight back into the crate. He didn’t protest but he’s looking at me like I’ve gone mad. he had Metacam with breakfast though and will no doubt go back to sleep soon. I’m very happy with his progress. As far as the vet costs go, we aren’t rich but we did have money put aside for a rainy day and I am so grateful that we had the money when we needed it, there was a time, when we were younger, that we simply wouldn’t have been able to afford it and I am so glad he lives with us and not someone who couldn’t have saved his sweet little life. to quote hubby though “he better turn out to be a bloody good dog “ my only concern now is that he is going to be such a poorly socialised Amstaff. Because of his skin issues his vaccinations were delayed, we literally only took him on his first ever walk in public the day before the surgery. other that the only socialisation he gets is with our other 2 dogs, the occasional visitor or postman, and when we go to the vet!

Also for anyone following along, total cost was $2788 + the earlier vet appointment with the tablets just over $100. This was during normal office hours and I’m told that had he needed to go to after hours vet it would have been much more. we live on the Gold Coast and our lovely vet stayed back quite late to monitor Kane after his surgery to avoid his being transferred to after hours vet.

Thanks everyone. He’s coping well so far, thank goodness for the crate. Here he is this morning, looking a bit confused.