flea

An update with her x-rays. Talked on the phone with a specialist vet today and he said for working dogs they generally just to do the worst hip and that's enough to sufficiently reduce their pain and still leaves around 80% of normal performance. Vanessa

I have a young working Boarder (from the pound) who has been diagnosed with severe hip dysplasia (obligatory photo attached). Her hip x-rays/ scores were done yesterday with a specialist and unfortunately the results were not so good. She's already bone on bone and then has compensatory muscle issues to hold everything in place. Like most workers she's fairly stoic, though the vet said due to the severity of her dysplasia, the realistic options for her are total hip replacement or putting to sleep. She's only around 18months old and a lovely dog (plus showing really sound promise as a worker); so I'm keen to pursue treatment options for her. I know it's quite a major (and hence costly) procedure, though the specialist surgery nearest to me is in Canberra which gave an estimate of $14k. That veterinary surgery is notoriously expensive, so I'm just after others experiences. I'm happy to travel for her (I'm an hour and a half out of Canberra anyway) so maybe some suggestions of other vets (or left field options like Universities) around NSW that can perform hip replacements. Also how people have found their dogs have gone with hip replacements (particularly young dogs) and if anyone has opinions on cemented versus cement less implants. Thanks Vanessa

Sorry to hijack this post, though hoping for some other options along similar lines. I have a young dog who's been diagnosed with hip dysplasia. She's joined my crew of working dogs (originally from the pound like all my dogs) but noticeably sore even when she hasn't worked. She's currently on daily pain relief so ideally needs a more permanent solution. She's too old (around 12 to 18 month) for the simpler hip resection so looking at a full hip replacement on her right hip. I'm near Canberra and there is only one vet surgery in Canberra who does it (with a vet from Sydney) but the estimate they gave my vet was $7000 per hip. Anyone had any experience, it that really what I'm up for (which may just be a bridge too far) or suggestions for other vet surgeries that might be a bit more reasonable. Vanessa

He started on five small meals a day- a mix made up with mostly high fat beef mince. He's now on three meals which I'll probably keep him on, still mostly raw meat; lamb flaps and the mince mix. He's still got a long way to go but definitely not so gaunt and his skin seems to be improving. I initially tried to rest him and keep him quiet but he needed a job and was going stir crazy being left in the run. I've had him working up in the sheds with the others for the last couple of weeks and he's turning out to be a cracker of a yard dog. Vanessa

Moving in the right direction. He is also getting more comfortable at home; I believe he'd been in and out of a few different pounds so coming to a farm with seven other dogs probably wasn't initially ideal so hopefully he'll keep improving as his headspace gets better. Vanessa

Drove 2 and a half hours to take him to a city vet recommended by the RSPCA who helps with their neglect cases; bloods fine and again no sign of mites - the vet suspects the lack of fur might be stress combined with the blue colour gene. Came up with a diet plan through the vet; likley to be a long slow process but he should get there. Thanks everyone for your responses. Vanessa

Thanks for the responses, some more info as requested Photo attached and yes I appoligise he does look terrible!! Are you resting him or is he still working? - resting (mostly 'cos he still needs more training) though have taken him out but kept him on the quad bike; I've got him in a small run on his own 'cos he didn't seem to like being in with other dogs; through he gets let out for a run in the evenings with the other dogs (and does hoon around). Are you rugging him in the cold?- yep coat on (though he does tend to kill coats) and have been bringing him at night Is he desexed?- yes How old is he?- not sure, vet thought probably around two or three What is his coat and skin like?- yeah some issues there, skins actually not too bad but he's got lots of bald patches; skin scrape found no mites but have been washing him weekly with Malaseb anyway What are you feeding already?-morning 1 cup pedagree working, two 2x4 biscuits plus some stuffed kongs; night 1 1/2 cup pedagree working, some yoghurt, some kangaroo (or lamb or beef if anythings been killed or died). Vanessa

Hi, Just after some ideas to help put on weight onto a supper skinny Blue Kelpie X. I got him from the pound to use as a working dog on my farm, no dramas with his working ability but no matter what or how much I feed him he is still skin and bone and if anything getting worse (like you can see every rib and his hip bones). I've had him to two different vets and wormed him and nothing obviously wrong health wise. Any ideas or recipes. Vanessa

Thanks for all the replies, I'll not panic and just keep doing what I'm doing and tweek the adds until the right homes come along. Flea

Any ideas for placing pups as they get past that super cute age? Not quite a planned litter (my brother was looking after my dogs) and with all things unplanned she had a lot of them. None the less everything has been done as per a normal planned litter (except the waiting list). They all turned out healthy, confident, well socialised, yet I still have two boys who despite the lovliest natures I just can't seem to place them. The pups are now twelve weeks old, and when I tell people their age, without even seeing them they say they are after something younger!! Naturally I will keep them until I find their 'forever' homes and am house training and starting the basics in good manners- but nine dogs would be...well a little too much. So what do others do to place older pups?

Any suggestions on 'helping' a dog calm down. One of my four (spaniels) is a particularly high energy being who never seems to switch off. Don't get me wrong- he's a lot of fun and being on acreage and having embraced clicker training he does have avenues to get some of that energy out. I do really enjoy him as a dog (as I said a lot of fun) and after stopping/ reducing trialling etc mainly due to petrol costs I've come to realise that a title isn't the only meaning of life, and I'm happy just to enjoy him for who he is- it doesn't matter if he never gets into an agility ring. Just sometimes he looks almost stressed (??) not too mention when training he is so fast in his effort to find the magic action that makes the clicker click that it's very hard to focus him into training a specific activity. And taking him into any group training environment sends him almost psychotic with excitement (incessant barking, nano second focusing on 'everything' that's going on- hence I don't take him to any group training). Vanessa

I have recently moved from my inner city houes onto to acreage. The old place was close to a school and had lots of people walking past all the time which led to my horrible dogs barking whenever people went past. The new place is much quieter (both people and the horrible dogs), however now that my older dog doesn't have people to bark at she has started barking at passing cars. I have a month off work so keen to settle her down; any suggestions. She is a seven year old springer spaniel. I also have her three year son and another two year old male cocker spaniel, which brings the second question; whats the best way of solving behaviour problems in a multi dog household. Flea

I use the Quit Itch on my horses for QLD itch- so try horse places. Another question? My cocker seems to react to fleas badly. I've moved onto Advantix 'cos the vet told me fleas have a tollerance to frontline but even that seems to only last two or three weeks at the most. Anyone got any suggestions for natural products/ remedies? Also trying to grow his coat, but find it will only get to a certain length and then breaks off.