malleerr

Hi Girl05 We had our pup on Rimadyl for around 4 mths with no side effects, and found that if worked well for our purposes. How old is your dog and what seems to be the problem with him/her to have her on Rimadyl? When Mallee was placed on Rimadyl it was for ED & HD and recovery after surgeries, we were not really told of any side effects, but on asking were told that as with any of these types of drugs (rimadyl, carprofen etc) there can be side effects, such as gastric and intestinal problems... It's a hard one to answer whether or not you would put your dogs/puppies on these type of drugs, but there are times where it cannot be helped and alternative methods are not an option. Not sure how long Rimadyl has been around but it would be interesting to know and how many deaths have occured since its placement on the market?

Oh No!! I hope she is alright.

Hi we have a 9 mth Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy and since we have had her, we have had her on IAMS Large Breed Puppy Kibble. It seems to do the trick and she likes it. Her coat is always so soft and shiny. Although she did develop a taste for the Science Diet Kibble while staying in hospital. I get the IAMS one from Petstock, can't remember the actual cost of it, but i think it is around $30.00 for 9 kilos???

Wooo Hoooo I am so glad to hear your Grandma is ok!!!! Dont let your cheeks get to sore from all the smiling!!! That is the best news!! Chloe is just too cute - she has those eyes saying " Go on come give me a hug"

Sheltielover You poor thing - i have just read your posts. Don't feel crazy or stupid for taking Annie around with you. I know how hard it is to do the dreaded pick up, but to have them home again with you is so comforting, although you never stop missing them having them close is something i suppose. When we lost our first dog Niki (4 years ago) people thought we were silly having her cremated and bringing her home, but it help us so much through the process especially when they have past in traumatic circumstances. Four years on we now have two wooden boxes holding our precious departed furbabies (dog & cat) and still speak to them all the time. Hang in there the pain does get better - although i know how hard it is to look forward. Know and take comfort in the fact that Annie knows all that you did for her was because you loved her and cared for her so much. Sending hugs your way. Antoinette

Oh Kelly - i am sorry to hear about your Grandma, my thoughts are with you you poor thing, it really has been pouring on you lately hasn't it - sending heaps and heaps of hugs your way :D I hope everything goes well for her and it is not the dreading C word. Keep your chin up and try to be positive about it all. Yes you are right it does begin to take its toll, it is soo hard at the moment to remember what it was like to have a well dog, but deep down i know we are nearly there and everything we are doing is for the right reasons, and yes i can see that dam small light at the end of the tunnell - its is shining small but brightly. lol.... Take care of your self and your family Antoinette

Glad to hear from you Kelly - i was starting to wonder where you had got to. Glad to hear that Chloe is doing well on her operated leg, not so good about the other, but i suppose in one way it would be expected yeah, as she would have been using that one alot more than usual after the other was operated on. You are a wonder, not many people would do all this for an older dog, i think it is great. I also agree with you about the lifestyle thing, better doing it sooner rather than later as she will have had that taste of freedom.... Mallee seems to be going along well, she wasn't very happy when we first got home from her having x-rays, i think sometimes she can understand what we talk about because days before she went in for x-rays we were talking about how she would be able to come out of the cage, not have to have the sling anymore. go for more short walks etc etc etc, and when we got home she put on a real carry on about going back into her cage, like she has never done before, and was a depression centre for the next few days, kept giving us this look of "you promised", but she has calmed down since. If only we could get her to stop eating her cage and everything in it, its playing havoc with her stomach!! Thats the last thing we need stomach and bowel problems. Surprisingly the OH took the news of her not coming out of the cage, and the right side not having healed yet worse than i did. I think he is starting to struggle a bit with it all at the moment (its been 9 wks in the cage at home) , i suppose with working so much, looking after Mallee and the stress of it all he just wants it over, and our life back and Mallee's life back, i understand where he is coming from, but at the same time, i don't need attitude from him when he is doing something and Mallee needs to go to the toilet!! It can be really hard at times!! Good luck with Chloes x-rays in a couple of weeks - i am sure they will be fine, make sure you keep us posted. More pics to are a must!! Anyway i must run otherwise i am sure i am going to get the sack from work soon....lol..... Hugs to you all :D Antoinette P.S LOVE THE PIC FALGALL - they are such sweet hearts more please (you sole stealer!!!)

Koza - the xrays actually start to freak you out a bit when you really look at them....

Now you have to return the favour Karen Would love to see pic of your babies - is Wags a Chow Chow??

last one for the moment - her big scar (same on both sides) i do hope the hair eventually grows over it!!

showing off her lovely shaved back

At home....in her cage that the OH made

OK here you go (lets hope it works) Latest X-rays - showing no femoral head in hip/pelvic joint. If you look closely you can see that the left side where the plates are has rejoined but the right side still has gaps!

Hey Falgall - thanks for your reply and thoughts. It has been a hard road, and we were hoping for better news but we will do what it takes for her to get well and recover. Yes, we informed the breeders - not much help there, i don't think that they really wanted to know but we kept them informed of everything that was going on until the tried to shift all the blame onto us by saying we have feed the wrong food, and exercised her too much, but we know in our hearts that is was nothing that we have done, she has only eaten the best food (better than what they started her on), and her exercise was alway watched closely and restricted as we were well aware of joint issues in large breeds. By going of what the vets and specialists say there would have been nothing we could have done to prevent this from happening - i think it just came down to bad genes. It was the breeders first time breeding so i would have thought they would be happy to hear from us, but not all breeders i suppose think the same! Anyway not worth worrying about now, should have done more research before picking her, but she must have come to us for a reason and maybe this is it, as we have been more than willing to give her every chance of a happy pain free life, as she deserves!! She has been one patient puppy, it has been hard on her at times, but i think she understands whats going on, probably more than what we give her credit for. :rolleyes: They continue to surprise you with their intelligence hey!! I have my fingers crossed for you and for Wags, he has had a rough trot also, poor little mite!!! Take care and keep us posted as i am sure you will!! Antoinette

Hey Everyone, Well, Mallee had her x-rays done yest. Not quite the news we were wanting to hear, but i think we may atleast be half way there!! I'll start at the front and work my way down - We got Guy (our new specialist) to x-ray her elbows as they have never been redone since the bilateral ulna osteomony, and we have been quite worried about them as she uses them so much since the ops on her back legs, and they have healed 100% and look great, no more signs of arthritis and we can just forget about them for the moment as the op was very successfully - YIPPEEE!!! Her back legs, which are of the most concern, have not yet quite gone as well. The left side looks great, the bones have refused, and there has been no movement of the pelvis on the left side at all, and Guy is really happy with that!! But, the right side is not as good. Guy seems to think that not long after the last surgery was preformed that the right side of her pelvis has again collasped a bit, nothing to really worry about, but it has moved about 1cm or so inwards. The right side has not yet fully refused (partially only) but there is new bone formations there so thats why he is of the opinion that the movement took place sometime ago. It has been probably 2 months (op done on 13 Nov) since the op was done, so she is probably on track time wise, i think that we were all just hoping that as she is only a baby her bones may have healed quicker. The few of the screws have back out a bit, but again he said that should not cause any problems - even if they come all the way out he would only ever remove them is they were causing her pain We asked what type of problems we could expect from the pelvis, as it is not the correct shape for a pelvis anymore, and he seems to think that the only probs we could expect would be that she would not be able to give birth to pups (as if we are going to bred with her!! so not a problem) and that it could give her some problems with doing number 2's, so have to watch her bone intake and such. Again not much of a problem considering what she has been through. The down side to it all is that it is going to be another 6-8 weeks in the cage, and walking with the sling. As he said he is being over cautious, which in a way suits us, as if anything further goes wrong with her pelvis there is only one option left and we don't like that option at all, so we will stick with her being in the cage, and being walked in the sling for as long as she can cope, poor baby only 9 months old and has spent far too long in that bloody cage!! But, it is for her own good!!! We can start walking her around the yard further and allowing her to sort of go a her own pace around the yard, again still in the sling, but definatley no running and jumping chasing butterflies (one of her fave past times) After coming home, we were a bit "Oh my god she is so delicate again", but i think that is just because of the right side, there is bone fusing happening just not as quick as we would have liked!! Guy said that we can try to stop stressing over her, but as most of you know it is really hard!!!!! I just can't wait for it to get better for her and for us, more for her. But all being said i think he was happy with her progress, and did say that he is pretty confident that if we did not take his advice that she would be fine to walk with out the sling and no damage would be done, and that he is being a bit of chicken about it all, but as previously said, we are happy to go along with it all as long as Mallee can cope mentally, and she just wonders us with how well she has cope with all of it, i think she has just accepted that this is her life for the moment and deals with it well. She is still really happy and as long as i think we keep up all the games we play with her and pay her attention she will be fine!! Kelly - How is Chloe going - do you have to go back for x-rays or anything? Hope all is well with you guys. Sorry Falgall cannot tell you what the costs of the operation you are after costs?? Hoepfully someone will give you a ball park figure - hope all is going well with you and Wags. I know what it feels like to own a vets also....lol.........we were joking with our surgeon that we should have a carpark named after us!!! Koza - how is Stella going?? Anyway guys i will leave it there for now - my boss is hovering around so i had better go. Will post fresh pics of Mallee as soon as i can. Her hair is growing back nicely - although i wonder about her poor front leg it has been shaved soooo many times for all the needles she has....lol Take care all :rolleyes:

So sorry to hear what has happened Little Lab Well done for doing everything you could, i know how hard it is in times like theses. My thoughts are with you and your family. Hang in there!! RIP little one :rolleyes:

Thanks Guys - useful information. Geez i didn't know about the raw egg whites - i have been feeding Mallee raw eggs about once a week since she was little, maybe i should start seperating and only giving the yolks??!! Does anyone know if corn is a problem????

Thanks alot Bob - Mallee gets feed carrot regularly and loves it, along with several other vegies - but she also seems to love corn and we have been unsure if she should eat this or not - i have not been able to find anything regarding dogs and corn so will presume that it is OK??

OK - thanks

Hi - Just wondering what veggies you guys all feed your doggies - and what ones we should stay away from - I know onion is a no no - but are there any others? Also is corn alright for them to eat?? Thanks

Hey Kelly_Louise Happy New Year - i hope you had a good one, glad to hear that Chloe is doing well. Cute pics of her!! Her leg is growing its hair back nicely, Mallee's looks much the same but from her waist down both sides.....lol......she looks like half a plucked duck!! Mallee sits exactly the same way Chloe does with both legs straight, before the operation she never sats like that, either sat up or with her legs stretch out the back of her, so i think it may just be a comfort thing?? Mallee has been going well, have much of the same feelings you do about whether or not she is improving, and then when you start to really worry she will do something little that she either hasn't done before or that she is doing better! We have been letting her out of the cage alot more but she is still in there the majority of the day, i can't wait until she can come out of the cage and spend more time out of it than in it!!! She is rolling over every now and then, standing and sitting alot better and not as shacky! The other day while we had her out she some how grapped something she should not have had, and as quick as anything stood up and walked out the lounge room into the dining room - i nearly died, but she walked really well - she probably did about 20 steps, and she has now done that twice since, so we really have to be super alert, and watch her all the time while she is out!! We have x-rays either next week or the week after, so hopefully her pelvis will have healed by then and we can start her on the rehab and swimming, and hopefully out of the cage (well atleast while we are at home)!! Fingers crossed!!! Hope you had a great christmas and new years - hugs to Chloe - let me know if you took her back for check up. Are you doing any sorts of exercises with her yet, or just still her toliet walks?

Hey Kell - Yeap Mallee sure did have operations on both her front legs also. The poor little thing has been through so much in her first 8mts - 4 of those 8mths have now been spent recovering from opertations. Its all quite a long story, but, when she was around 3.5 - 4 mths we noticed her limping alot on her front legs, and then it got to the point that she would just cry all night and have heaps of trouble getting up and down so we took her to our local vets, and had hip, shoulder and elbow x-rays done, and were told that hips and shoulders were fine but she had bad elbow dysplasia - so the first op she had was bilateral ulna osteotomy - where the cut the ulna bones right through and push it out of the way so the elbow joint eventually sits back in the correct spot (ulna bone is only suppose to take around 15% of body weight and hers were taking up 70-80%). I recently put a post in the photo section that shows all her scars from both ops. She recovered so well from that operation, and had 2 weeks of freedom before she went lame again this time on the back legs. The whole situation was a shamble!! We rang the vet back and were told "Oh yes Mallee does have bad hips", of course you can imagine i went of the deep end at this stupid woman vet, as she knew right from the start that her hips were bad, and having the elbow op probably made them worse, if we had know all of it from the start (hip & elbow dysplasia) we may have made different decisions! So thats pretty much the jist of what happen with poor Mallee - dysplasia in both the front and the back legs, such bad breeding and genetics i suppose! We learnt our lesson the hard way, but as you said Mallee was suppose to come to us for a reason and i am gald she did, could not bear to think what may have happened to her if someone else picked her and not us!!! So you can see why we are so amazed that all of this has just seemed to make her stronger in personality and that she is still happy!!!! Hope you have a great X-mas - not sure if i will get back on before christmas as i do all my posting from work - argghhh they will catch me one day i am sure, but then again i probably will - i think i may be getting addicted to DOL. But will definatley keep checking for your updates on Chloe. Give her a big pat from me.

Orange Sammy - Geez i wish it was that easy if Mallee could play a playstation I'am sure she would, she has been getting quite restless lately, but i suppose that is a good sign as it means she is getting better. Hey Kelly - we have been playing the touch game also, and have just started teaching Mallee to "high 5", she is getting there but since being in the cage her attention span has somewhat demised.!!...........Mallee is turning into quite a character since she has been in the cage, has always had a good personality but its seems to have developed more since being confined, which is good, at least she is not getting snappy or anything like that, as we were a bit worried about that happening. Its been 6 weeks now that she has been in a cage, i don't really know how she copes!! Her latest thing at the moment is to grap you when you open the door to pat her and try to drag you in.....lol......I think she has got to the stage were she is thinking - if i have to be in this bloody cage you can come in to!!!

I hope you are right Fido666 Whats that old say "never trust someone who says trust me"....lol

Hello again Kelly_Louise, Yeap Mallee is still improving which is excellent, at the moment she seems to have days were you see no improvement and start worrying, and then the next day she will be heaps better!! The things that we have been getting excited over are just stupid, people must think Brock and I are mad. I rang my mum on Saturday screaming down the phone that she had just scratched herself with her back left leg, i was soo happy, as she has not done that since the operation, Mum must have thought i was mad I suppose most people we know are getting used to Mallee being all we talk about, OH's brother jokes around saying we should have called her Elle or Paris cos she is sooo high maintenance, but the poor little girl can't help it!! Mallee actually rolled completly over on Thursday night... freaked me and Brock out to the max...but she seemed really comfortable doing it, lay there with her back legs sticking straight up in the air so she must be feeling really comfy. :cool: She can still only take a few steps at a time by herself, but i think she is aware now that she can't do all that she used to and she seems to be happy taking it slowly, although that being said she drags us around the backyard our neighbours must look over the fence and wonder what the hell we are doing, me trying to stop her at the front end and Brock running around after her at the back with a towel around her waist. It must be such a funny thing to see. She is also trying to run in the sling which we have to stop, but it is so hard..... After all the worry, all the kilos me and hubby have lost , sleepless nights, tears etc it all seems like it is coming together and has been well worth it. I'am actually beggining to think that she may improve more than we had first thought, which would be excellent, but at the same time i don't want to get my hopes up too much. Take care and hopefully will have more news for each other shortly. Anyway here is a pic of Mallee in her cage - i think it says it all.....poor girl