Kelly_Louise

Mainly because they bash along the fence to make her bark and torment her - they also call her over. If there is no audio we won't be able to detect that - but if it isn't possible then it isn't possible. I will most likely be able to tell from her body language - but I would like evidence, that's all. Certainly not to listen to their idiotic drivel that's for sure

Good news J - just be careful after he's rested and feeling better that he doesn't re-injure. We went through the same thing with Chloe - rest, heal, injure, rest, heal, injure - it was a vicious cycle when she tried to do her normal thing... which is ultimately why we went down the surgery path. Need to start some new rules for him of the things he can't do anymore (ie jumping games, rough play, jumping on/off things, running on slippery floors etc)... oh goodness - the memories! But at least one of his problems is under control

No helpful info for you... but just wanted to send big to you and your old boy. I can't imagine how horrific it must have been for you, and also for your poor old man. I do hope it is a one off incident, and that he is feeling better soon

I guess it would also depend on what kind of end results you are hoping for as well? These surgeries all do different things, so the long term results will differ accordingly. Chloe was my first introduction to cruciate ligament ruptures too... and I remember feeling shocked as well - but we love them so much we do what we have to do in their best interest We were actually offered much cheaper surgeries (different techniques) and at the end of the day, I (of my own free will) CHOSE the most expensive as I thought it would give us the best long term results.

My guess is ridgey x lab Shaped a little bit like my Sashy who is 'apparently' Mastiff x Ridgeback. I can see ridgeback but no mastiff

Poor Charlie The different techniques can make the cost vary widely. I'm not sure what kind of HD operation would best be suitable/effective for a small dog - if someone can guide you that way it might help with getting an estimate on cost. I'd be roughly looking at a couple thousand G's though (if not more)... Chloe's cruciate ligament ops cost me about $3k - $3.5k each... EACH!!!

Having cameras put up finally to ensure Sasha's safety against the pigs next door (of the human kind - I'd rather the animal kind any day though)... but just wanted to know if it's possible to get them that have sound as well... or if it is even legal to have surveillance cameras with sound too attached to the house (looking in own yard only but along the fenceline)? Thanks

We had the same problem with Chloe - she had a bed that to enter and exit had higher sides and was proving too much for her (before her cruciate surgeries). We bought her this bed: http://www.dod.com.au/view_products.asp?px...s=11&id=327 It has soft sides, but she can still snuggle into the higher sides in colder months. Now that she has arthritis, she finds it much easier to get in and out of. You can also add a heavy blanket on the top of the cushion to make it less 'squishy' and more stable to get up and out of. She loves her bed Alternatively, you can make your own bed with a few layers of blankets piled on top of each other so it's comfy and a sheet or something furry that they can burrow into tucked around the outside to keep it all together (Chloe has two of these too ). She has a bed in all convenient locations so she can decide where she wants to nap LOL.

Thanks for looking in on us J Definitely good news for us at the moment, and hopefully drama free for a little while now! How is Occy doing? Still well I hope

I've also considered getting some for Sash for the exact same reason... my only concern is what poodlefan said - she probably won't walk at all in them Oh that, and OH will think I'm absolutely crazy... I get away with alot with my dogs, but boots may tip him over the edge LOL Also agree that if I do ever buy them, Ruff Wear will be the ones I get. An example of them here: http://www.topdogs.com.au/categories/Dog-Boots/

I also found a collar attachment at www.pawtracker.com.au that seems okay - if your dog is lost you call a number, and it registers - tracks the attachment and sends a map of the location at any given moment. Which is great, but the battery only lasts 2 days. Still, if you had an indication of where you dog is and could get there then hopefully 2 days would be plenty. To charge it up every 2nd or 3rd day though for full time use would be time consuming and probably make it irrelevant - more so to only be used if you are actually going somewhere where there is a chance you might lose sight of your dog. But for everyday use to track a lost dog, a GPS microchip would be awesome!!

I never thought I'd spend $10k on a dog to have it's knees fixed... and yet, when it was required for Chloe I didn't bat an eyelid. I never thought I'd spend approx $5k per year medicating and keeping a Cushings dog well... again, didn't bat an eyelid. I never thought I'd go to sleep curled up in (a rather large) dog kennel outside at 4am in the the middle of winter to keep Chloe company and make sure she was okay during her long months in rehabilitation. There are many many things that I never thought I would do, but when Chloe came along all that changed

I totally agree with your hubby... some things are just meant to be

Here is one of Sash... we'd finally gained some momentum with her jumping shots, I was learning the best time to catch her in action... and then, for our big finale she approached for the best shot... then decided she'd had enough of that game for the day. The second shot... well, as you can see, Sash doesn't need anyone to mess up her shots. She does a fine job by herself

Bailey is stunning

I was reading something on the internet that led me to believe that GPS pet tracking is actually available? A GPS microchip would be fabulous (my greatest fear is losing Sasha - but not Chloe cause she'd never leave our sides even if we tried!!). I saw that there are some collars (or collar attachments) available but run on batteries that need to be changed frequently. Does anyone know of anything more effective that can be relied on to last more than a couple of days that could accurately track a pet or if GPS microchips are actually available?

Fantastic news! Time for some family happy snaps now with his new best friends!!!

This morning, I was waiting for Sash to finish pooing so that I could finish Poo Patrol... she must have eaten grass and a grassy dag got caught half way in and half way out. Well, Sash obviously didn't learn much from her mother and didn't learn about dragging her bum... so she got very scared at this foreign object hanging out her bum and went racing around the yard and spinning in circles trying to get away from it, and trying to get it off... she was hysterical. So, I went and got some paper towel and once I got her still I pulled out chunks of grass from her bum... Let me tell you, between having my nose too close to her pooey bum and pulling chunks of long stringy things out of it... I had to fight the urge to vomit. Nope, never thought I'd be doing that when I got a dog... Then again, I never thought I'd be a poo inspector either... but when you have a dog with an easily upset tummy, sometimes it's the only way to know what's going on - so the consistency of each poo gets investigated before removal.

The honey is good because it soothes the cough and if he has a sore throat too. Active Manuka Honey is handy to always have as it can be used for so many things! I also give it to Sasha when she has an upset tummy (she has a sensitive tummy) and to boost her immune system when I feel she is low. It is a little more expensive, but has so many uses and it's natural ETA - glad Max is now on the mend! How is he settling in?

Definitely agree with the active manuka honey - you can also order it on many online health stores (if you can find a place that can get it to you quickly). Sash had it approx 3 times last year, the only time I took her to the vet was when she had a discharge from her nose and eyes (although it wasn't coloured). A young healthy dog should be able to fight it off themselves (with the help of AMH) - however if you are concerned and he is not himself, a vet visit never hurts especially if it will help put your mind at ease But it is a scary sounding thing when your dog is hacking away... ;) Best to be on the safe side if you are unsure how bad it is. Hope Max gets better soon!!

I would also get a second opinion - and ask for xrays/tests to be done. Doesn't sound like just OA to me.

Thanks everyone! Juice, I could only WISH that Chloe would make it to 18!! I think that between her Cushings and arthritis though, it's not likely. We just take one day at a time with her now, and enjoy every extra day we get with her In saying that though, she's as tough as they come, so it wouldn't surprise me if she did last to 18!!! Loraine, you're exactly right - it's good for the heart to know that there is no immediate danger, and that otherwise, she is well. I've been very concerned about the lump that the vet felt in December - so it's good to know it's not a tumour or anything nasty. You've been a true supporter for us throughout this whole up and down journey and I thank you for always taking the time to care Red Dog, yep that's all we can hope for... that we might go the full 3 months between tests without drama... it would be a nice change!!! I do hope that Sabre is doing well ;) - will head over to the k9 cushings forum soon, I wanted to check it out over the weekend but we went without internet at home... but will be there soon! Chloe is doing really well, in fact, as soon as Saturday she was back to her cheeky self (in the comfort of air conditioning). She enjoyed getting lots of cuddles and kisses and playtime to make up for the stay at the vet on Friday!!

Awww thanks so much everyone for your thoughts! Seems they have pulled Chloe through again... and she's yet again dodged another 'bullet'. She has really surprised everyone this time. ACTH Stim tests results came back normal (120 so close enough) - so it's not the Trilostane. Blood tests for liver and other organs all came back at normal level. Her mini-ultrasound came back clear (thank GOD!) - no tumours or anything that shouldn't be there... what he was feeling was a particularly big chunk of fat around the ligament :p - we can work on that. Soooo, because she's had vomitting and runny poos today it's come down to a tummy upset - and she has been put on antibiotics for 5 days, and then will restart her low dosage Trilostane after that. The good news is that we now know that the dosage should be fine for her for the meantime and isn't causing any problems. I'm so happy there were no tumours or problems with her organs etc... she's such a tough old bugger - sometimes i think she'll outlive us all... well, that's just wishful thinking really. She is such a good girl. There will never be another dog like Chloe - she's something really special. dancinbcs - I totally agree. Basically as long as the vet can tell me what is wrong and what the intended course of action would be, I like to make my decisions from that. But I'm not kidding myself, I know it will come sooner rather than later. Just not this time thank God Thanks for your support - it's been a worrying and draining day (yet again) ;)

Well now, I think I’m an expert at this seeing that we almost live at Chloe’s specialist!! I like a personal touch – staff that are genuinely friendly and take the time to get to know me and my dog. At her specialist, I say MY name and they say ‘oh you’re calling about Chloe?’. I like that. They speak about Chloe like she’s an old friend, and the most special patient they have (and I’m sure they do the same for all their patients). I also like that the receptionists have some knowledge ie, know what test Chloe would be having for Cushings disease, what medication she is taking and what it’s for etc. They never give advice or anything, but they always understand what I am talking about when I’m leaving a message. Nothing is ever too hard, or too much bother. They happily ensure each and every customer is satisfied. I like Chloe’s specialist because he is thorough, he is understanding, and he is just someone I can trust. It’s hard to find a vet who pays particular interest in each case and pays personal attention – finding a vet you can trust is VERY hard. He wants to know everything about Chloe. I like that I can request minor things (like Chloe to be set up on a blanket on the floor instead of a cage if she’s only staying for a while due to her weak back legs). They always understand and go out of their way to ensure both of us are comfortable. I like that when someone is in the waiting room crying, the receptionist comes over with tissues and puts her arm around them and let’s them cry. That’s special. Most of all, I LOVE it that when I take Chloe in – everyone makes a fuss of her, the receptionists say hi and bye when she’s leaving. I love that they seem to care about her (almost) as much as I do!

I second the Previcox suggestion! We used them post op after Chloe's knee surgeries - and now that she has arthritis, we give her half a tablet on very bad days. They work brilliantly, quickly and as far as I can see have very little side effects.