Dog_Horse_Girl

The smell could be the horse meat... Donate the food to a rescue group or shelter (not RSPCA, they don't want it).

People create "fussy eater" dogs and cats. It's time to be firm with this dog and only offer what you plan to feed from now on. If it's the ready-made BARF patties, can I suggest you also give raw meaty bones at least every second day? This is how the BARF diet is meant to be delivered: RMBs make up the bulk of the diet, followed by offal, then veg/fruit pulp, then any 'extras' you feel like adding such as sardines, yoghurt or egg. Offer the food slightly warmer than straight from the fridge. You can achieve this by microwave cooking it for approximately 30 seconds at a time until it's just off 'cold'. You may like to mash the patties up a little to lose the shape as some dogs are 'funny' about food not looking like food. DO NOT offer any other foods - she will not starve herself. If you go adding stuff, offering other foods, etc then the dog has you perfectly trained, so don't fall for that. When I adopted Molly, she had only been fed dry food. At first she was unsure of what to do with a chicken neck...or offal...or veg pulp...or raw egg... But she learnt that if she didn't eat what was in the bowl, it got taken away or another dog ate it, and she went without. I did break open a chicken wing by smashing it up a bit, and when that didn't work, I warmed it ever so slightly...which worked. Good luck. You will need to be patient but it's worth it for a healthy dog IMO. :D

All I'm saying is that it pays to do some independent research rather than follow what someone on a forum says they do. Vaccination is one of those topics that divides opinion even among the professionals. My current vet supports a 3 yr protocol with the vaccines that have been in use here for a number of years. He is of the belief that a dog is protected by that vaccine for a 3 yr period and that the protection may last for a greater or lesser period in the individual dog. As we are talking about the immune system, it's not a simple issue, and every dog's system will respond differently. My previous vet believes in annual vaccinations, and while I'm sure he has his reasons that he believes are completely valid, there are other vets in the same city that have moved to a 3 yr protocol even though all these vets use the same vaccines. I come from a perspective that respects both western and more traditional therapies. I use this philosophy to treat myself AND my dogs. And I research by talking with a variety of professionals in the field, by reading books, by joining discussion forums such as DOL, and by understanding that everyone is entitled to their beliefs and opinions even though we may disagree. IF titre testing was firstly available in Darwin, and secondly affordable, I'd opt for that before another vaccination went into any of my dogs. But I can't access it ATM so it's a pointless wish at this stage. Oh, and most kennels here still insist on C5 vax regardless...so if we board, we have to vaccinate.

Bear in mind that some people are anti-vaccination. I'd be discussing with my trusted vet, doing some independent research, and making an informed decision. The internet is often an untrustworthy source of information on these issues, so please be careful. I'm opting for a 3 year protocol with support from my current vet. The dogs will likely get a C4 or C5 this year IF the vet believes it necessary AND if the boarding kennel we use insists on it. Otherwise, I believe they're covered for two more years. :rolleyes:

Leaving any other issues aside, I take each of my dogs to the vet annually for a thorough check-up. This visit has in the past included annual vaccinations, however my new vet is supportive of the three-year protocol and I'll be discussing with him whether the dogs need vaccinations this year or not. I have a greyhound with a slipped disc in her neck, so from time to time, she needs to see the vet for symptom relief and a re-check. I have a mini foxie cross with epilepsy so she goes to the vet at least every three months to check her medication levels. I have a staffy cross with skin allergies - she used to see the vet for a course of anti-inflammatories up to a few times yearly, but she's now on a herbal treatment plan and no longer sees the western vet for this problem. I would always advocate developing a positive relationship with a vet you can trust and one that fits with your philosophies of health care/wellness/welfare. I also advocate conducting your own research into certain things such as diet, vaccinations, preventive medicines, alternative remedies, and any specific issues that may relate to your own dog/s. But do more than just surf the internet!

You hold your pups on the way home? Do you mean you hold the crate on your lap, or you actually hold the animal without it being restrained? Check the laws that apply in your State or Territory as in most jurisdictions, there are penalties for the carriage of animals that aren't suitably restrained for a journey. Specifically, this means that a dog must be secured when travelling in a motor vehicle. This doesn't mean left on the vehicle's floor or held in someone's arms or lap or permitted to ride unrestrained on a ute/truck tray. This does mean restrained by use of a harness that attaches to the seatbelt, carried in an approved crate or cage, or contained by another suitable method that restricts the animal's movement in the event of emergency braking or other emergency action taken by the driver. My dogs travel in harnesses and from time to time, Molly travels in her crate.

Opinions are as varied on this topic as there are people discussing it and my belief is to NOT over-medicate in any sense. I've always vaccinated annually b/c we've had the need to do so, due to moving around the place and therefore exposing our dogs to boarding kennels and environments where many dogs are kept together, plus the added 'bonus' of regional strains of the various vaccine-preventible diseases and illnesses they have been exposed to over the years. I also volunteered to foster care pound dogs so it was vital my own dogs were fully vaccinated - I would never risk their health by failing to vaccinate them while bringing in dogs straight from the pound usually with NO vet history behind them. I've known for a long time that vaccines routinely given annually are 'good' for around three years...and have asked a number of vets about this and whether annual vaccinations were still necessary. I drew the conclusion that our lifestyle indicated a need for annual jabs rather than risking the longer interval b/c of what our life involved. We are hopefully staying in Darwin a few years - it hinges on whether I can get a secure job - and if so, we are likely to reduce the dogs' vaccinations to three-yearly. We will fully vaccinate this year b/c our new vet uses the 3 yr protocol and will most likely give a certificate that states the dogs are vaccinated for the 3 yr period (as far as I know, that's what he will give us, I'm yet to confirm this). I want to take Molly to obedience classes and vaccinating the dog is a requirement to entry to the grounds and the club. We will be going away later this year...and boarding the dogs for a week. So they have to be vaccinated for that too. I use western veterinary medications for heartworm prevention and intestinal worms. But I use herbal remedies and vitamin/mineral/oil supplements for other things including joint inflammation, skin allergies, and my greyhound's slipped disc (she has Metacam available for the acute phase and I use this for the absolute minimum time to effectiveness). I also use frontline plus for flea and tick prevention but I split one vial (to suit a 20kg dog) between 3 dogs weighing 4.5 kgs, 16 kgs, and 23 kgs. I only use it when I see either a flea or a tick and have used it three times this year in total. I think it's important to discuss this particular issue with a vet that you can trust. Some will insist on an annual vaccination even when they know it's not necessary. Others will have the desire to treat your pet with your wishes and intentions firmly in mind. And others will give poor advice based upon making money over your dog's health and wellbeing. If vaccinations do cause some of the things that opponents believe, then those vets are laughing all the way to the bank. But I don't believe that any decent human being would continue to use a product that causes harm to an animal if they do so with that knowledge. They're mostly professional, caring individuals and if yours is not, then find one that is motivated by the love they have for animals first and foremost. HTH. edit for typo...no such word as "joing" - oops.

Or something growing in the yard or the area or blown about by windy weather...or any number of things. Or he may have an irritation/infection. Or it may be something else altogether. I'd be visiting the vet for this one. Better safe than sorry IMO and it's not that expensive for a consult if it turns out to be 'nothing much' that will right itself in time. OTOH, if he's diagnosed with something treatable, his irritation will stop once treatment takes affect. In the meantime, stop the dairy, increase the offal while decreasing the veg - and what supplement are you using? If it's got brewer's yeast in it, then stop and see if the irritation clears. Many dogs react badly to brewer's yeast in the form of skin irritation.

At Molly's last check, one month after she began on Pb, her levels were at the bottom of the range for therapeutic effectiveness. But she's been seizure-free as far as we can tell so I'm very happy with her response to the drug. I'm taking her for another check in the next month or so (with my new vet) just to monitor her progress and see if the Pb needs adjusting. I'd *like* to try her on McDowell's epi mix, but I'm too concerned about her seizing again to reduce/remove the Pb...perhaps in a year or so, I'll feel differently? Does anyone have experience with an epi dog on herbals in addition to/instead of Pb? Good to have the thread bumped for newer members or those with questions about seizures. Thanks for bumping it up again.

I think it's time to find a new vet...this one seems to be a little dense in regards to animal welfare and AVA policy. BTW - you might prefer to call your poodle cross spaniel just that rather than "spoodle". Many of the poodle breeders here are (quite rightly) rather upset that their breed is misused to create these crossbred dogs, to say the least. We love crossbred dogs and many of us actually own crossbreds, but we don't condone their deliberate creation or the profiteering that the puppy mills, backyard breeders, and pet shops engage in with such crosses. :D Two of my dogs are crossbreds, but they were both rescues and in need of a loving, permanent home which we happily provide for them.

This class of medicines need to be dosed with food, otherwise (just like with people) they can cause gastric upset. I'd suggest giving your pup the dose with a meal...this should stop the gastric upset. But definitely contact the vet b/c it's best to advise them of such reactions so it can be noted on the history.

Oh, but disagreeing with this opinion purported as fact by cavandra just isn't acceptable. This member clearly believes that they are right and everyone that doesn't agree with their [as yet unproven] opinion is wrong, and not only that, but all the people that disagree with this person are stupid and insulting. :rolleyes: Oh, and are wasting her time. I've tried to convey (perhaps with too much subtelty?) how I feel about using a range of methods in managing my dogs' needs in order to illustrate my points regarding the topic of vaccinations for canines. But I don't see why a person should not disagree with what many would see as an extreme point-of-view and something that may cause a less knowledgeable dog owner to stop vaccinating their own dog, with potentially disastrous consequences. Unfortunately, there will always be a few people that represent extreme POV's for whatever reason. I'd rather be countering those opinions somewhat than allowing them to stand uncontested. This is still a public discussion forum which means that healthy discussion includes varying POV's rather than a homogenous, perhaps herd-like, mentality. Everyone must make an informed choice about whether to vaccinate their dog, and if they choose to vaccinate, at what intervals and for which diseases. This is IMO best done in conjunction with your vet, in conjunction with conducting some independent research if the owner believes this to be necessary, and in weighing up the risks versus benefits to your own dog whatever path you decide to follow. Cavandra, I'm not going to "post links" as you rather rudely demanded. It's difficult to post links when I was primarily referring to actual discussions I have entered into with veterinary professionals (eight or nine veterinarians, two herbalists and one naturopath to be precise), and some reading of texts discussing natural pet care including the arguments against vaccination. The internet is a medium that IMO cannot always be 'trusted' to provide well-qualified and researched information about such a complex topic as canine vaccination. There is some reasonable quality information around, but in order to find it, the reader must wade through a raft of inaccuracies, lies and downright dangerous material.

Wow, there's a number of sweeping generalisations and very wrong assumptions in your post. My greyhound has a slipped disc because she hurt it running...it's what greyhounds do. :cool: She's very "well bred" and "well constructed" to use your terminology. But don't let the facts get in the way of your [mis]informed response. Please. Why do you believe I have been "brain washed" when firstly you don't know me, and secondly I'm not advocating annual vaccinations at all? I am in favour of people conducting their own research rather than just taking someone's word for something or looking at 'research' that's little more than propaganda for the anti-campaign whatever the topic. I am fully aware that the 'annual' vaccine is and has been, effective for three years or thereabouts as far as veterinary science can ascertain, and I've known this for a number of years. It's very difficult, however, to find a vet that firstly supports the reduction of vaccination and secondly to find kennels that will board a dog that hasn't been vaccinated within the previous 12 months. How do you explain, for example, the dog that has received an annual vaccination approximately one year previously and has a poor titre test result, such as the antibodies for distemper being below effective levels to protect the dog from the disease? Would you prefer to risk the vaccination, or risk the disease? I'd rather risk the vaccination but that's MY choice for MY dogs' care. Less informed people reading this forum may just go away believing (from what you've posted) that vaccination is killing their dog/s when that isn't necessarily correct. Would you feel OK if someone believed what you've posted, failed to vaccinate their dog again, and it died of a vaccine-preventible disease? I have done a mountain of reading on BOTH sides of this so-called debate. I've also consulted a number of vets with a variety of beliefs and opinions. And I've spoken with breeders, kennel operators and animal welfare workers too, about the perils of over-vaccination and over-medication of our pets. I've also listened to what experienced and knowledgeable experts have to say and have questioned them about why they hold their beliefs and opinions whether I agree with them or not. I use both a western veterinarian and a herbalist and have also used a naturopath, in the treatment and maintenance of my dogs' health and well-being. I'd thank you for not jumping to conclusions about my dogs' health and I'd thank you for not making assumptions. However I am not able to do that b/c you've sadly made incorrect assumptions AND drawn incorrect conclusions. Well done!

This isn't a good idea with all brands. There is one train of though that wetting food that contains Vit C can increase the risk of gastric torsion. Please check the bag - if it doesn't clearly state the food is suitable for wetting (such as Advance Rehydratable is), then get advice from the petfood company before doing so. Just my suggestion, of course. ;) From memory, both Nutro and EP are safe enough to do this with. This is also a mixed breed toy puppy so not much risk of bloat. You don't want the dry bits 'swimming' but damp enough to release the aroma to entice the pup to eat.

I feed a raw, whole foods diet and NEVER give marrow bones ever. They're just bone with a bit of meat, lots of fat and no real nutritional value IMO. Better if you were to go for bones that have a higher meat to bone ratio (that is more meat than bone), such as lamb pieces (necks, flaps), beef (brisket, ribs with muscle on), chicken (necks, carcasses/frames, wings), and intersperse with roo (tail, neck), turkey (necks, wings) and rabbit if you can find it. Pups can begin eating bones as soon as they can eat solid foods. ;)

Raw meaty bones only. Smoked bones are dangerous and IMO should be removed from sale immediately. Too many sick and dead dogs but still these things are allowed. ;)

If you were a dog, would you be happy (no delighted?) to eat dry food all the time? ;) Probably not. But if you must persist with feeding dry food, and you have made good choices at least, then think about how to make this food more appealing to a young pup. Most pups 'know' wet foods instinctively. Most pups don't know dry foods instinctively b/c they're not biologically tuned into dry foods and likely never will be. So, wet the food with warm to hot water, allow it to stand for 10 minutes, then offer it. Whatever is left over after 10 to 15 minutes, chuck out (you can't offer it again). Your little pup will soon learn that eating the meal immediately means a full stomach. Not eating means an empty stomach. And I second the comments by Poodle Wrangler about buying this type of cross. Your pup has come from a puppy mill. This results in terrible animal cruelty. These places must be shut down, but this will only happen when people STOP buying these crossbreds from pet shops or the internet. Try reading Leo's story for more information about the terrible lives these breeding machines are subject to, and please discourage the continued trade in such misery by adopting a dog from a pound/shelter/rescue or purchasing from a reputable registered breeder that is actively involved in improving their breed for the sake of the breed.

It really pays to conduct some independent research IMO. I have no problem with vaccinating my dogs. I have one recently diagnosed with epilepsy and from all the research I've done, I don't believe it was caused by her being vaccinated. I have another dog with skin allergies that she's had since we adopted her aged 6 mths and again, I don't believe that vaccination has caused that problem. I have a dog with a slipped disc in her neck, and surely that is also not caused by vaccination but please cavandra, if you believe I'm wrong, I'd love to see that independent research. BTW - allergies are treated with herbals from Robert McDowell; neck is treated ATM with fish oil and glucosamine; epi is treated with phenobarbitone b/c I'm not stuffing around with seizures. BTW - our new vet here in Darwin advocates C3 given on a three-yearly basis. He says only to give the two KC IF a kennel or club insists upon it. And he doesn't advocate the Lepto vax at all despite us being in a lepto-prone area unless the dog/s are routinely exercised in swamps or are hunting dogs that are in the bush without the handler close by. BTW - I don't believe in 'over-medicating' either myself or my dogs, and I equally don't believe in taking unecessary risks with THEIR health as they rely on me to keep them safe, well and happy.

My new vet has advised me that all C3 vaccines are good for three years...but that the 2 kennel cough products are only good for a year. He doesn't seem to believe in over-medicating (yay!), does believe in a raw, whole foods diet (yay!) and does believe in rescue and rehab (yay!). He also advises against having the dogs jabbed for Lepto unless they are regularly exposed to boggy or swampy conditions during the Wet season. And he doesn't give it via a C7 but as a stand-alone and he recommends just once a year at most (other tropical vets routinely give it as a C7 AND every six months). :p Gotta love a sensible vet that loves animals. ;)

I think you'd have greater success with a female than a male unless the male squats for life rather than cocking his leg. I know of IGs that are litter tray trained. If you can teach the pup to pee on paper or pads, then I'm sure you can teach the pup to pee in a litter tray. You might need to experiment with litter though and go for something 'earthy' rather than paper-based or beads. In fact, I would NOT use a bead-style or clumping litter for a dog or pup...too tempting for the animal to chew on it and it can be harmful if it's clumping type litter.

I give my dogs garlic from time to time, with no ill effects. BUT never as a heartworm preventive. You know, there are decent monthly h/w preventives available now. And you can buy them online much cheaper than at your vet clinic. Check out pricelesspets.com.au for a look at just how affordable these products can be. Please don't risk your dog's life b/c of some old wive's tale.

All the foster carers that I knew in Canberra, that have experience with speying a bitch in season, had NO problems. But their vets are very knowledgeable, do a lot of rescue vet-work so are aware of the need for speying even if the bitch is in season, and take their time to perform a quality surgical procedure. It's a slightly higher than usual risk (and let's face it, any anaesthesia is a risk on its own, then the surgical procedure carries its own set of risks) but with the numbers some vets do these days, it's what is considered a 'manageable' risk. I'd be very concerned about 'cheap' operations unless it's through a reputable vet clinic with adequately experienced senior vets.

Oh, dear. I wouldn't be entrusting the health and well-being of my pups to a vet nurse when a vet should be performing these tasks. To save a few dollars? How much are these little lives worth to you? Is it just about money, or do you love the dogs as well? I'd never take a chance on my dogs' care. If that means spending a few extra dollars on having a VET perform certain tasks to care for them, then that's exactly what I do. Most vets offer substantial discounts for genuine breeders in caring for litters of pups. I'd ask other breeders in your area for their recommendations if you're not sure where to start.

Why not try RAW instead of BARF? Less work IMO. With RAW, you're doing a similar thing to BARF but less emphasis on the vegetable side of things. My dogs are fed primarily RMBs, and I've now adjusted their meals to account for what I can't buy here in Darwin. I am giving them human grade minced meats in addition or in place of meaty bones every couple of days. I give offal at least four times a week, sometimes every day for a couple of weeks at a time. I give yoghurt every second week, although Lilly is on yoghurt every meal ATM to build her system back up after her neck playing up. I do a veg/fruit pulp mix every couple of months and freeze it into ziplock bags. And I give sardines and raw eggs weekly or so. BARF is a great philosophy and I've just played around with it so it works for me and my dogs. It doesn't take a lot of work or time...it's as labour-intensive as you want to make it if you ask me.

There are many reasons to avoid snail baiting pellets. Not only can they kill dogs and cats, but anything else that happens to eat these things will die a horrible death. Do people realise that these things are attractive to birds, frogs and lizards as well as snails? If you experience a problem with snails, the best remedies are beer at the bottom of a steep-sided container; laying plastic plumbing pipe on the ground then emptying it of snails and squashing them; or getting a duck or two (ducks love to eat snails). Please avoid the use of these pellets - IMO they should be banned from sale and use as they do so much damage.