Cordyceps

I would keep them separated at meal times but continue working on reducing the food guarding behavior (not with the aim of allowing the kitten to be around her during meal times, but to make treat times and meal times less stressful and safer for everyone). I work in a vet hospital and seen a couple of cats badly injured (and one killed) after making the mistake of walking too close to a food guarding dog while it was being fed. Even though a cocker is a smallish dog, it would still be big enough to inflict some serious damage to the cat. A good resource is Mine!: A Practical Guide to Resource Guarding in Dogs

Coming from a different perspective, I've got a dog that I wish had JPS surgery! He had severe hip dysplasia diagnosed at 9.5mo of age (also from beautiful parents with no history of HD in the lines). At that stage he was too old for a JPS but was only just old enough for bilateral DPO surgery which creates a similar biomechanical result but by chopping the bone and plating it in a different position. DPO is a bigger surgery, has a longer recovery, more chance of complications and more time for arthritis to develop in the joint. He ended up needing 3 months (!) crate rest after breaking one of the screws. He's moving great now and had a great result from surgery so I'm very glad he had surgery but JPS would have attained the same result but with much less trauma, less pain, less crate rest, less cost etc. It seems strange to diagnose HD and say he's a good candidate of a JPS without radiographs - but there are some manipulations a vet can do when examining which can give a good idea if there is severe HD present. It is never a bad idea to get a second opinion but JPS surgery will give the best result if done before 16 weeks, so I'd be getting that second opinion and penn hip radiographs as a matter of urgency. If the specialist isn't available in person, perhaps there would be an option would be to have his x-rays sent to a specialist for a telephone consult? Good luck!

I would choose a dog breed that has 1. A normal conformation. Ie not brachycephalic or chondrodysplastic and not a giant breed 2. A large effective population and a low Coefficient of Inbreeding (COI). Inbreeding has adverse consequences in terms of loss of genetic variability and high prevalence of recessive genetic disorders. This paper discusses Breed-Predispositions to Cancer in Pedigree Dogs and may interest you. It even lists breeds associations to canine mast cell tumours (in America). Pugs are among the over presented breeds including Boxers, Shar peis and Labradors. If you're not a scientific paper reading type, read this magazine article which discusses cancer in dogs and ranks breeds in terms of susceptibility to cancer http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052748704342604575222062208235690 Here is another paper that has a list of breed related disorders which may help you make an informed decision. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1090023309003645 Given this information I would consider breeds that have an open (or only recently closed) breed registry, a large number of unrelated breeding animals, or landrace breeds. I'd look at working herding breeds (kelpies, koolies, working BCs etc), tenterfield terriers or mini foxies, racing greyhounds. Maybe even consider a mixed breed dog (more likely to need cranial cruciate ligament repair, but less likely to get dilated cardiomyopathy, elbow dysplasia, cataracts, and hypothyroidism) Good Luck!

Great work! You have done a wonderful job and hopefully Tonks will have many happy years with her foster family. I really like the way you have edited your video - what program do you use?

http://www.smh.com.au/world/australias-reputation-goes-to-the-dogs-20130826-2smc4.html It's a case of the dog, the diplomat, his maid and the vet - and in downtown Taipei, it's the talk of the town. A minor international crisis has erupted in the Taiwanese capital involving Australia's representative, Kevin Magee, his 10-year-old street mutt, Benji, and a well-meaning vet named Dr Yang. "The whole thing is very strange," said English expat Sean McCormack, who runs an animal shelter. "And it's certainly not doing Australia's reputation any good." At the centre of the ruckus is Benji, an exceptionally lucky mutt rescued from the streets by Mr Magee's predecessor, Alice Cawte. Ms Cawte kept the dog at the Australian Office, Australia's defacto embassy in Taipei. But when Ms Cawte became consul-general in Shanghai, she had to leave Benji behind. "[Ms Cawte] was a dog lover," Mr McCormack said. "By all accounts, Magee is not." In July, Benji had a stroke and was taken to a local veterinarian, Yang Dong-sheng. Rather than take the dog himself, however, Mr Magee sent his Filipino maid, with instructions that Benji be put down. "Our family came to the difficult decision to have Benji humanely euthanased to save her needless indignity and suffering," Mr Magee said in a statement released on Friday. But Dr Yang ran some tests and concluded the dog "would be OK". He told this to the maid, who he assumed was the dog's owner. "She went away but then came back and said, 'No, the dog needs to be put down.' I said 'No! We don't need to do that!' But she insisted." Dr Yang then took the money for euthanasing and cremating Benji but didn't go through with it. Instead, he took the dog home, where he continued to treat it at his expense. "I give the dog medicine, and the dog gets better." So much better, in fact, that Benji soon escaped from Dr Yang's garden and was on her way home to the Australian Office when it was picked up by the dog catcher. "We trusted the vet and were shocked to learn that Benji had been found wandering on the street," said Mr Magee, who is now suing Dr Yang for fraud. The case has caused an uproar in Taipei, where Dr Yang is highly regarded. "He is very compassionate, very Buddhist," Mr McCormack said. "We've rescued more than 900 animals and almost all of them were treated by Dr Yang - always at a great discount and sometimes free of charge. People cannot believe that [Mr Magee] would sue him for saving a dog's life." As one Australian told the Herald: "Don't mention my name but this is making waves in Taiwan and not doing a great job for our reputation here." When Benji was found, Mr Magee rang Dr Yang but the vet had no idea who he was. "I'd only met the maid," Dr Yang said. "Then suddenly this man is calling me, saying I steal his money. He said, 'You not honour the contract!' He told me I had to publicly apologise. But I say, 'I'm not returning your money, and I am not apologising.' Then [Mr Magee] said, 'I will tell the police.' I said OK, do that." Mr Magee did not return the Herald's calls. Nor did Ms Cawte. A spokesperson from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said only that "this is a personal matter between Australia's representative in Taiwan and another individual". Meanwhile, Benji is back with Mr Magee; Mr McCormack is spearheading her release.

I am only speculating based on his photo, but it looks like he is wearing an ehmer sling. This is used to keep a dislocated hip in place. So it appears that he has had some veterinary attention. If a dislocated hip was his only injury, once it is put back in place and kept in with the ehmer sling, he may not require ongoing pain relief. However I would trust that the vet who placed the bandage would have ensured he received pain relief if he needed it.