Daxilly

Hi, My dominant ACD does this to my submissive Lab all the time. If it is a submissive thing I can't figure it out. This is the only time I ever hear my Lab growl. When I hear the growl I know exactly what is going on and stop it. Lab will sit there and not move. Maybe she is waiting for me to intervene. At least I know I am head of the pack. Cheers

Hi Erny, Was wondering about the protocol with kennels accepting titre tests. If a boarding kennel will accept titre testing in lieu of vaccination, must you have the test within 12 months of boarding or, as you are contemplating, is it acceptable to have a current test say every three years. Has the boarding kennel authority (whatever it is called) looked at a standard or is the procedure still new and they haven't published a code of conduct for their members yet? The more people start using titre tests, the more these questions will arise. Hopefully somebody is looking to give dog owners and boarding kennel operators some guidance! Cheers

Good Morning, My two have been titred for the last two years, with good to above average results. They are now coming up for their annual check-up and testing. They are still getting kennel cough injections, so I will still be taking them to the vet. How often are people re-testing. Should I be doing it yearly or less often? Will a boarding kennel accept more than yearly titre test results? Thanks.

Hi, I had this problem as both of mine love to swim, both summer and winter. I use Sentinel Spectrum (tablet), which covers fleas, heart worm and intestinal worms plus advantix (spot on) for the ticks during tick season. Both act in different ways to stop fleas so if one doesn't work the other should kick in. I phoned Bayer (maker of Advantix) and they said you need to keep dogs dry for 48 hours after application for it to be effective. After that it should still work, if they get wet. This was not mentioned on the pack when I phoned a while back but may be included on the instructions now. I did check with my Vet and she said there was no problem doubling up on the medication as they do act in different ways to rid your dog of fleas. Good Luck

Hi, Found it! It was under General Discussion:Tropic Shower. Thanks

Hi, A while ago somebody mentioned that they used a hose which they attached to the hot and cold taps of their washing machine. They then put the hose out of the window and connected the normal garden hose to it. This then allowed them to give their dogs a warm bath. I tried doing a search but couldn't find it. There was also a picture and it may have only been available in the US. Does anybody have any idea what it is called? Thanks in advance.

Hi, Thanks for that! I googled Leo Ear cleaner and it has been renamed "clean aural dog ear cleaner". Unfortunately, you can't get it in Oz but the site I went to will ship to Oz. It is a UK site and it appears it is only available in the UK. With the exchange rate the way it is at the moment plus postage it may work out pricey but if it is the only thing that will fix the problem it may be worth the cost. Will try the epi-optic over summer and see how it goes. Otherwise I will try Clean Aural, and wear the cost. Thanks

Hi, My lab swims alot and has developed an ear infection, which I am treating with Epi- optic and antibiotic ointment. I am trying to be pro active for any reoccurrence, so am looking at putting something in her ear to dry it up after swimming. Is there a canine equivalent of Aqua ear or would it be OK to use the human one? I have asked my Vet and he doesn't know if Aqua ear is OK. He did mention that Epi Optic is alcohol based but I read on a thread on DOL that it doesn't evaporate and dry the ear out like Aqua ear does. Comparing the ingredients of both they are not even similar, but then I am not a chemist so could be wrong. Thanks

Thanks, I checked with our vet and she said combining will be Ok. We always do a thorough physical check ever morning and night. It's a pity that there isn't a product that is a tablet to kill ticks. Cheers

Hi, We switched our Lab and ACD to Sentinel Spectrum over winter. (We were using Drontal, Heartguard and Advantix). Now tick season is here I need to start their tick treatment. I know that Sentinel Spectrum and Advantix both treat fleas but I think in different ways. Is it OK to mix Sentinel Spectrum with Advantix or will this be overloading their systems too much. I would prefer to stay with Sentinel Spectrum as they both swim alot and the Advatntix needs to be on 48 hours before contact with water. We filled in our dam to try and stop them from getting wet, but they still have access to the river. We live in a high risk tick area so will need to Advantix them fortnightly. Thanks.

That is a good price! Also they don't seem to sell live animals in their stores, so has to be a good thing. I love DOL. Cheers

I feed both my dogs in the morning. My lab needs all the help she can get to burn off the calories, rather than letting it sit unused overnight. My ACD became constipated so I thought the exercise during the day would keep things moving. These may be fallacies but it seems to work. Cheers

Hi, Have heard that Studio Sebastian are moving to Tasmania so may not be selling dog bowls anymore as the freight cost could be prohibitive. I know they sell at Mosman markets but haven't been to the markets for a while so they may not still be there. I have a contact so will ask when I next see her next, to find out some details. It won't be until early August though. Their bowls are great and keep the water cool in summer. The colours are really great, with good graphics. Cheers

Am in the process of buying Joint Guard. Greyhounds Direct have gone up to $63.50, which is still good. They also have the 750 grams for $109.50. Does anybody know if the prices can be bettered? Thanks.

Hi, I thought that would be the case. I have OH sourcing a king size woollen quilt that with a bit of sewing will turn into a deep bed with high sides. It is amazing what you can find and adapt to suit your needs. Thanks.

Thanks, She still likes sleeping in her kenel and will stand at the door to go outside. She is a BYB rehome, so I am anticipating some hip dysplasia/arthritis in the coming years. I have her on fish oil and Joint Guard as a preventative. I have seen a kennel insulated liner, but while she is warm on her stomach and appears comfortable I will leave it. I would hate her to get too hot and leave her kennel. We can get into the minuses here so will keep an eye on her. At least she is a lab so hopefully genetically adapted for the cold. Cheers

Hi, As colder nights are approaching, I was wondering how you can tell if your dog is cold whilst sleeping? My lab sleeps outside, by choice, in a kennel under a covered verandah. She has a woollen doona and woollen blankets, but when I check her before I go to bed her underside (stomach area) is warm but top exposed area is cool to cold. She doesn't like blankets on top of her and I don't want to overheat her. Is this OK or should I be looking at a heat pad. Any advise or recommendations welcome. Thanks

Westiemum, After your original post I bought Joint Guard from Greyhound products direct. It is the best price I have found so far and they have always been prompt with dispatching. The one time they did run out of stock they contacted me to let me know there would be a delay. Thanks,

Yes, they did use the green dye. There was bleeding so we were concerned that it had punctured the eye. When we got to the Vet, there was no obvious injury apart from a some redness. All of the swelling and "red eye" occurred on the way home from the Vet. That is why we concluded it was the ointment as it reacted within one hour of application. Sorry if it appeared as though the eye had been punctured, but thankfully it wasn't. Her eye is now on the mend and is alot better than this morning. Thanks.

Pug Rescue Sydney, I think you have hit the nail on the head!! Went to the Vet this morning as the eye was not improving and I was concerned. They put her under a light sedative and gave the eye a good examination and flush out. There is nothing in the eye but when they put the green dye in, (sorry don't know the technical name) it showed a scratch, but nothing else. It was not there initially so may have been caused by her dew claw before we put the Elizabethan collar on. I suspect from what the information you posted said, that she developed red eye from the irritation of the ointment we put on initially. She then scatched the eye. Both have caused the problem we have now. The blepharitis was something I thought it could be as it looked like her eye. I shouldn't google!!! Knowledge without perspective is not helpful!!!My brother is a Doctor and he says he can always tell when patients have self diagnosed using google. Any time I get sick he tells me to stay off the Internet. This should apply to when our animals are sick as well. The Vet has given her some more antibiotic ointment for the scatch, which hopefully she won't be allergic to. Thanks for all your help! Hopefully things will improve over the next few days.

Thanks, No I haven't been given an other eye cream as, they didn't have only pure cortisone. Will taking to another Vet this morning, good suggestion.

Hi, I posted a topic yesterday about my ACD and medication (Tricin) she was prescribed for an injury to her eye. It appears that the medication has caused more problems than the original injury. I kept an eye on her today, and while the redness and swelling have gone down a small amount, it has not been dramatic. She appears to have severe inflammation of the third eyelid, possibly blepharitis caused by the ointment. I have spoken to the Vet today and she has seen my ACD twice since it happened. The Vet was hoping there would be improvement within 24 hours. This has not happened!! Is this time frame realistic or should I expect it to take longer to improve? The next step is a GA for a more though exam of the eye. I do not want to put her through this if all it needs is more time. My gut feeling is it is caused by the medication. She is fine, eating, sleeping and playing as normal. Thanks for your input!!

My ACD successfully managed to stab herself in the eye with a stick. When it started bleeding we rushed off to the Vet. ;) The Vet did all the appropriate tests and decided there was no major damage. She prescribed the above ointment, brand known as Tricin. It is an antibiotic ointment and is used so no infection develops. Being good dog owners we applied the ointment. Over a period of time the eye swelled and there was acute redness. We assumed it was the initial injury so continue applying the ointment, thinking we were doing the right thing. The next morning it was worse. We rushed to the Vet and thankfully she had just read a paper on possible side effects of Neomycin Sulfate. We determined that it was probably not the injury but the medication we were applying which was causing the horrible reaction. This is not to say all dogs would have this reaction but be aware that it could be the medication which is causing the problem and not the injury. Thankfully we have a good Vet who keeps up with the latest research. Also if we had assumed that it was the injury which was causing the swelling and we continued to apply the ointment we could have caused untold damage. She is now beside me with an Elizabethan collar, so hopefully should inproved over the next 48 hours. Sometimes thinking outside the square is the best solution!!! ;)

After $620 of emergency callout, x-rays and eventually enema for constipation for my ACD, I have tried most things. At this stage they seem to be working. Add half a teaspoon of psyllium (sp) husks mixed with a small amount of warm water to their food. It is like metamusil but without the colour/flavouring and cheaper. It can be purchased from most health food stores. You seem to be giving vegies but I have included a small amount of roo mince into the diet. Too much may cause the opposite effect, as it is quite rich, so it may be trial and error to get the amount right. My lab had no problems on the original Barfish diet but the ACD got constipated. I have also tried to reduce their bone consumption. We didn't need more exercise although I believe that can also help. Make sure they get enough water, also another good treatment. If all else fails, I have the emergency can of PAL on standby just in case she gets clogged up again Good luck

Again Name Dax Breed Lab (she was a rehome but assume she had all her vaccinations when due) Age 4.5 years Vaccinations: C3 at least at 6/12/16 weeks/16 months. Definately C5 at 28 months. Titre test at 39 months Parvo >/=1:80 Distemper >/=1:80 Titre test at 4.5 years parvo >/=1:80 Distemper 1:20 Didn't revaccinate as while distemper did decline she was still covered. Vet thought that the difference in immunity may have been because there is 12 months difference in ages and Dax had had one more C5 than Illy. Will be interested to see other results.