Erny

Never gave a thought to Vitamin S supplements ....... darn it

Whilst you're working to try to find the cause, brew some Calendula Tea, let it cool and apply. It's natural, gentle, yet very effective in soothing irritated skin and fighting against possible secondary skin infection.

Good idea :) Pro-K9 Dog Training & Behaviour Web : www.ProK9.com.au Email : [email protected] Telephone : 0419 204 023 Obedience Training Classes - private training grounds at Lyndhurst. Services : Obedience Classes (includes supplementary classes - Novelty & Intro to Agility Obstacles) Private Obedience Lessons Behaviour Consultations Puppy Preschool subject to securing of new venue Agility temporarily halted - watch this space :) Servicing South Eastern suburbs and beyond.

Wouldn't hurt to see if TV coverage and interview with Bill Bruce could be possible, keeping the focus on Bill himself and his successful Calgary Model?

Agree! Thanks to all involved in promoting this and I think a special thanks is deserved also by Dogs On Line Dot Victoria who were the ones who initiated the idea and who through, indirectly, contact with Bill Bruce was able to be made. Good on everybody :). The main thing is how interested the Councils and Government are. I hope the Council alert to this event has gone far and wide and that appropriate Government Ministers have received formal advice of and invitation to this event also ....... and that they show sufficient interest and evidence to their desire for a safer Community by attending and taking on board these successful laws we've been waving in front of them for so long.

Shame Melbourne's has to be in the City at 10am on a Sunday. We have classes running and a couple of Instructors unavoidably away on that date which means I can't make it. A shame - so many dog enthusiasts would be training in the mornings on a weekend and they are really the people who we need to be involved in this seminar so they can understand the Calgary Model laws clearly, know what will be involved and spread the word amongst the dog fraternity they too are involved in. I'm rapt Bill Bruce is coming to Australia but really peeved it had to land on that day at that time. Could've made an afternoon session. .

Ditto to the rest. And take extra care during teething. I backed off tugging with my boy a bit during teething time, but when I did tug he got even easier *wins* than usual.

And some people ignore because that's what they've read. And they think that's the be-all and end-all for all time. "Ignore bad behaviours" is a quote I hear many times from clients (as in, that's what they've read/heard). Unfortunately they've not also read that there comes a point when one can realise it's not working (and years is way too long!!). Some don't realise that it's not just *one* thing you need to do, either. But that's not often expanded upon in basic books, videos or TV shows.

This would be my opinion too. Use the staggered barriers and fill that dog's head with mental stimulation!!

In my experience, the 'edge' on excessive behaviour has been assisted in some dogs by switching FROM COMMERCIAL foods to a natural diet. Not the other way around. In my opinion, raw meaty bones would not be a factor in creating behaviour issues and are one of the best balanced food sources.

Let them know that it is very common for the Distemper to titre low over time because of the fact that Distemper isn't common in many areas and therefore lack of exposure goes towards the antibodies evolving to cell memory. Point being of course that your test does evidence antibodies. No such thing as "More immune" or "Less immune". It's a case of "immune" or "not immune".

I'd be having her checked skeletally. The "odd behaviour" at jumping to the couch struck me as a dog who is in pain and when she's not (or is less so) anticipates it. This can affect elimination schedules and routines. Just my guess and food for thought.

Mine's not a "pet" model (bought mine before the Dremel became the well-known dog-trimming tool that it has) and mine is not cordless. I use mine at speed 3 or 4 (mainly 3, but pep it up a bit if I feel I need to). At this speed I find it grinds the nail quite quickly. I also do the "grind for a few seconds then move to the next nail and then back again" routine. The trouble with going too slow with the speed is that it will take longer to grind the nail. The trouble with going too high is that it will generate more heat on the nail/nail bed. So it is a matter of finding what works with what and how you're doing it. My boy's nails are a bit like tree-trunks. Tough as.

Diet can be related to tear staining and Luvsdogs is right - it can be fungal related. To help reduce the bacteria building up you can give the eyes and affected skin area a rinse wash using Calendula Tea (get good quality, no-additives or colouring - can be obtained via your health food store). But I'd still look at diet to assist the immune system.

I find your experience with this and your observations, interesting, BlackJaq. As per above, I intend to look at hip/pelvis alignment. But he's also a dog who has trouble gaining and maintaining weight. Muscle tone is pretty good though (IMO). Do you know what the lack of fat/weight would have to do with anal gland problems?

That's a fantastic suggestion, HW - something I hadn't thought of but makes perfect sense. My boy has had some anal gland issues - understandable given his problems over the while, but I am finding that whilst they aren't becoming infected, they do become uncomfortable a bit too quickly for my liking. I'll see if I can check him in to a chiropractor to have him looked at as a "rule it out" measure :). It's a fine line, I know, but I don't like to have the anal glands expressed too frequently (or at all, if it can be avoided completely) as I think this exacerbates the problem. But you get to a point where if you don't have them expressed they can become impacted and worse, infected.

Thanks peeps :). Good to 'see' you again. Haven't spoken in ages. Dancinbcs - that's a great update on your boy! I'll look into the RHVC. Must admit I'm reticent about adding too much outside of what I'm already doing because the 'rotten bits' aren't happening as often and if they do, they are at least less severe, large or widespread - but always looking with open mind at things. I can't do the Black Hawke - tried that and it simply didn't suit him. Stools were off and he went off the food completely, which was common for each of the food types and brands I tried. We still have concerns - he certainly is a bit of an odd bod and no Vet has conclusively diagnosed anything in particular, but the suggestions are it relates back to the immune system. And so my focus has always been to support the immune system as much as possible by keeping his internal body as clean and as suitably well nourished as possible. He does still have [what I call] gum ulcers - although these aren't really "ulcers" per se. Our Vet wasn't sure about them either and so he consulted with a dental specialist at the Melbourne Zoo and it turns out that the 'ulcers' relate to a condition where the gum is hypersensitive to protein. Apparently "it happens" (not commonly) and there's not much that can be done but I'm told it doesn't cause much problem and they are not related to cancer or anything else particularly sinister. I did at one point a few months back re-introduce him to chicken - although this time, organic. He went well on this for the short time I had the small supply of organic chicken. I'm trying to source some organic chicken down my neck of the woods. His diet is expensive enough. Organic chicken is expensive enough. Add the travel (1 hour trip each way) and it made the whole exercise overly expensive and time consuming. But I do feel he could manage a little bit more fat in his diet, if it shows his digestive system can cope with it. So - anyone know where to get organic chicken down Berwick, Victoria way ??? :)

I have been using what I call the "full blown" Augustine Approved diet. That comprises of : Roo mince (human grade; preservative free) A combination of certain amounts of vegetables : broccoli; carrots; zucchini; beetroot; lentils. All these are pureed. Coconut Oil When all the pureed vegetables are mixed and coconut oil added, I include the AA SuperBoost powder (which is a combo of different herb powder, including tumeric and others). Since being on this diet, apart from his stools being the best they've been since his problems first became apparent at 7 months of age, he's also eating with tremendous gusto. This compared to when the problems started and I spent half my time coaxing him to eat at least part of his meal or, at best, him finishing his meal in very slow time. Now it's a case of he's finished his meal by the time I return to the kitchen to put the kettle on :D. The only treats he gets are pieces of sweet potato, which he loves. In addition to the above and as a consequence of having a hair-DNA test done, there are a few other natural herb-based supplements he's on. I couldn't tell you exactly what they comprise of off the top of my head but one is for "De-tox", one is for "Radiance" and the other is for "Immune" support. In addition I'm adding some pro-biotic powder at each meal. These powders can change from time to time, depending on how he's going and what further test results dictate. That's pretty much it. :) I do suspect the things such as broccoli and some of the powders which would supplement iron intake would be helping to make the difference to his thyroid levels.

Just saying (for anyone who knows our story and wants to know the update) .... I still work hard for Mandela's digestive issues but they seem to have stabilised for the best part, since being on his current diet (which he has been for in excess of 12 months now). Still difficult to gain and maintain weight but at least marginally improved and spits the occasional dummy in terms of a skin eruption here and there, but overall, things have steadied considerably when I compare to what we were experiencing up until 12 months or so ago. Poops are good :). One of the really good signs for me is that his annual thyroid level check showed his thyroid levels increased. His thyroid medication (which he's been on for 4 years) has now been reduced by one third (ie 600mcg down to 400mcg daily) which to me is a pretty big reduction. Followed through with another test 2 months post medication dosage reduction and the levels are holding good, so seems like this lower dosage is now what he needs and that the spike wasn't just a coincidental 'one-off'. Diet has to be doing something right :).

Regards the bolded part. Good on this Vet!! Too many times I've heard "colitis" given as a diagnosis. To me, that's a name for the symptom and not anything that goes towards what the cause is. Glad this Vet went beyond simply giving a medical-name to an irritation. Hope your boy is doing better now.

Can purchase on-line from Kerrie at World Par-Tea, if that helps? Tell her Judi sent you :) But otherwise, most health food stores should have the Calendula Tea or can get it in for you if they don't. Just be sure to emphasise that you want good quality with no added preservative/colouring. ETA : Don't know why link isn't working. Web address is www.worldpartea.com

Oh - sorry, didn't see Steve's post. Auction would be a bit different to raffle, wouldn't it?

Yes, I was of the opinion that that was the case too. I have a vague recollection of a magazine offering a pet as a prize and that was very quickly and firmly jumped on. I believed this as well? I'm pretty sure I also read/heard it was illegal.

I'm going from memory but I think the titre via Dr Jean Dodds is $85.00. Add onto that your Vet's fee for drawing the bloods (mine charges me about the standard consult fee) plus FedEx Courier fee (I use the economy service and from Australia to USA it is approx $80.00). So, if it is only for the titre, it would equate to around $225.00, not much under what you've been quoted - although depending on where you are, your FedEx fee might be less. I know my Vet does titres and I think the fee is around the $150.00 mark. Don't anyone quote me - I'd need to do a double check, but I think that's around the figure. Of course that wouldn't work for you ann21, given you're not exactly local.

You can titre, though, before giving the vaccine at the '12 months post puppy vaccine regime' and then only go ahead with that shot if the titre does not evidence sero-conversion.