ellz

Well, I'm FIRMLY of the opinion that I have rocks holding my ears apart. Possible litter due end September/early October, OOPS possible litter due end October and planned Stafford litter end November. Now watch both possibles become probables because I've got the Stafford one planned!

I'm none the wiser (yet), although my younger girl did only eat half of her dinner last night where for the past few weeks she has been absolutely WOLFING it down. She still has her clear discharge as well. She will be 4 weeks on Sunday.

A natural remedy which I'm told can be difficult to obtain in Australia is frageria vesca. From the sounds of it, it does the same thing.

Apologies for being pedantic. Eyes and eye conditions are a particular interest of mine!

Actually, Entropion is a completely and separate condition. Entropion is a condition where the eyelid itself actually folds or rolls inwards. Distichiasis is where eyelashes grow independently inside the eyelid. It is however possible to have both and if I had a dog with both, it would NEVER be bred from. Two strikes is way too close for me! What normally happens as a result of untreated severe distichiasis (or entropion) is corneal ulceration which is painful and can be blinding. It can also cause another condition where constant irritation causes pigmentation to grow over the surface of the eye. And for those who are interested, the "opposite" of entropion (eyelids folding/rolling inwards) is ECtropion (eyelids folding/rolling outwards).

It might be absolutely nothing and/or easily treated.....simple vaginal infections or UTIs etc. But there are also other possibilities that are far more serious so I am glad you're going to act quickly. Far better to at least have it looked at.

The way that the size and shape difference was explained to me is that you should remember that in terms of athletes, the Stafford is the Boxer of the Terrier Group and not the Weightlifter. In that, he should have long muscles and a natural agility and not be overweight, have short bunchy muscles and poor mobility. And I was also told that a quick way to see if your dog is "balanced" is to run a tape measure around the widest part of his skull. That measurement should approximate his height from shoulders to ground.

IMO anything that looks remotely like pus from the vagina should be seen by a vet.

And this is precisely why, in every thread where somebody mentions that their dog has eye staining or weeping, I tell them vet NOW! (Not sure why I missed this thread or it would have received the same treatment). You just don't mess with eyes. Many vets don't see a lot of eye issues so cannot diagnose beyond the very obvious. Far better to get a second opinion or a referral to a veterinary opthalmologist for a full workup, even if all that comes out of it is a clean bill of health. Better to be safe than sorry. Glad your dog is going to be ok. Distichiasis is quite common in Cockers and can vary from a couple of stray eyelashes to an almost complete row of them growing inside the eyelid. It is hereditary but it can also be devilishly hard to find dogs that don't have it.

I wish it were me instead of her hilaryo! Must say though, for the first time in a very long time, the ducks have aligned and somebody actually happens to be travelling when I need them to AND they're going on the boat so they don't have to limit numbers! I'm VERY VERY excited about this breeding.....

Yes, that's normal (and pretty much what is expected under the rules of the ANKC). I'm talking about what "items" you'd like to receive....ie food, toys etc. Is there anything that you think the breeder could/should provide with a puppy???

Putting this in General so as to get a wider cross section of replies if possible. As a puppy purchaser what would you like (or even EXPECT) to receive from a breeder when you take your new puppy home? The Code Of Ethics of the ANKC state that all purchasers are to be provided with appropriate literature pertaining to the care of the puppy and that is of course a very BASIC "given". So, if you were able to have a choice as to what you'd actually receive in addition to that, what would it be?

My Stafford girl is heading to Melbourne with friends tomorrow on the big boat for her meeting with her prospective husband. Cross fingers for a nice late November litter of Staffords here!

At least you have the correct tools to practice with now! And it will come, for both of you! You're doing a great job thus far, so just keep doing what you are doing! ;)

Awwww....lookit the little prince on his table!! ;)

DOL advertiser Love My Fur Babies sell them too. I do make them, but only for my own dogs at this stage.....time is at a premium most of the time.

I would have thought that disinfecting between use should be the proprietors' primary concern and job. I know if I owned a place such as that, it would be what I'd ensure. For most part, the dogwash is an additional, not a "staple" part of the automatic car wash businesses. I would say very few really maintain them in the manner in which they "should" be maintained as they aren't dog people and would assume that because there is a Disinfect stage to the cycle, that people would in fact USE it. The operator spends the $20k to install the machine, tops up the chemicals inside it, controls the degree of temperature to the fresh water and empties the coin box. I'd say it is probably a bare few who do much more than that. I can speak factually too when I say that the two which I frequent are often out of shampoos and other staples in their supply tanks (good thing I also take my own shampoo and conditioner and just use their fresh water). I daresay most pet people wouldn't realise that they weren't actually washing their dogs in shampoo, or using the conditioning rinse water, let alone that they have to put in extra money to operate the disinfect cycle of the operation.

Cool...see you there! :D

:D It's funny now, every time I answer a post about eyes, I find myself thinking "will Elfin approve?"

Get them checked and certified by a Veterinary Opthalmologist. I don't know what hereditary defects are applicable to Greys but for American Cockers we have yearly checks for Cataracts, PRA, Distichiasis etc and also have tests for glaucoma. There are a couple of good Opthalmologists in Victoria. Robin Stanley is one of them. There are quite often eye clinics held by various breed clubs or you can see them privately.

It would probably depend upon how often they meet and have a full chorum to approve memberships. If you have any concerns, perhaps contact the secretary of the club and enquire as to the status of the application? I have contacted the secretary on two occasions, the first time I was told that it would be checked and that a newsletter would be forwarded to me ASAP and the second time I was ignored :D Can I ask what a full chorum is Sorry newbie with no idea. I know with DogsVic I think my membership was approved and everything back to me in 3 weeks which I though was great considering they probably have thousands of members and with another breed club only two weeks. Maybe I am just being impatient By a full chorum I mean that they may need to have a particular number of committee members at a meeting to approve (or deny) memberships. Perhaps give the secretary a ring and then you cannot be ignored.

CERF is the Canine Eye Registration Foundation in the USA. Link here. Only A.C.V.O. Diplomates are able to issue the necessary paperwork for CERF registration. I think the ultimate aim of the Australian ACES scheme was to have a comparable type of organisation but I don't think much progress has been made in this regard.

It would probably depend upon how often they meet and have a full chorum to approve memberships. If you have any concerns, perhaps contact the secretary of the club and enquire as to the status of the application?

Which is exactly why I carry a bottle of Ajax Spray On antibacterial cleaning spray and give the tub a going over before I put my dogs into it (and again after I've finished....bit of overkill but it makes me feel good! ). The hydrobaths do have a Disinfect part of the cycle but I'd bet pounds to peanuts that very few people actually use it.

Depends what they are made from. I have some made from cotton blend fabric, some in t-shirt fabric and some in lycra. I live in one of Tasmania's worst drought areas and heat, grass seeds and weeds are a major issue here (my dogs run my paddocks - I like them fit!).