aussielover Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 (edited) Mindy has been rejected from guide dogs. She was taken into kennels last week and examined by their vet. She has failed to progress due to ongoing skin allergies. They think her skin problems will be ongoing and possibly get worse (this has also been confirmed by the derm specialists i have talked to). Several of her littermates have also been affected by skin problems, so they think the cause is probably something genetic. They don't think it is practical to do a specific allergy test, as even if the allergies are identified, they are likely to be pollens, grasses etc, so not possible to remove her from them. They can't give a dog requiring medications to a client, so Mindy can't be a guide dog anymore. Of course this means I get to keep her! I'm very happy about this but also a little sad she won't be able to be a guide dog and help someone else (though there was no guarantee she would have passed all the training and other health tests). I am looking forward to being able to possibly compete in some dog sports with her though. I also want her to become a delta therapy dog, our obedience teacher thinks she would be good, though I'm not sure if her allergies would exclude her? I suppose the next step will be to take her to see a derm specialist and identify what her allergies are exactly. Edited March 12, 2011 by aussielover Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enigma01au Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 I don't know whether to congratulate you or not I'm sad for the Guide Dog people..but I'm very happy you get to keep such a beautiful puppy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 I guess it was no surprise for you - and now you can carry out tests etc how YOU want them done Hopefully that mating won't be repeated .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mita Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 For Mindy, it just means a different life. As others have said, you can give her whatever tests or treatments she needs. And get involved with any interests she likes. I know people who own an ex-trainee guide dog. He was rejected from the training program because he wanted to play with every dog he met! He's having a great life, now, with a Viszla rellie to play with. And a very loving owner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mason_Gibbs Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 I'm sorry for Mindy that she has allergies but I know you will do your best to help her Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~*Shell*~ Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 Her allergies won't rule her out of being a delta therapy dog. Terranik's Jedi has really bad allergies and he's a wonderful therapy dog! Zero also has allergies (though his are food allergies) and he's a therapy dog too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erny Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 I'd be checking (ruling in/ruling out) thyroid issues. And I'd be sending the bloods through to Dr Jean Dodds in USA as our Aussie tests aren't sufficiently thorough to recognise very early onset of thyroid dysfunction. My young boy's skin eruptions have reduced/ceased since diagnosing thyroid issues and medicating. Worth doing, IMO, if you haven't already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oakway Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 I'd be checking (ruling in/ruling out) thyroid issues. And I'd be sending the bloods through to Dr Jean Dodds in USA as our Aussie tests aren't sufficiently thorough to recognise very early onset of thyroid dysfunction.My young boy's skin eruptions have reduced/ceased since diagnosing thyroid issues and medicating. Worth doing, IMO, if you haven't already. I agree send to Jean Dodds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newfsie Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 On a positive note......My Annabelle had a skin pricking test done on her belly and it was found that she was allergic to wheat only. that meant just keeping wheat out of her diet and she is fine. Initially we tried to find the culprit ourselves, but the test was just the best thing we did. We only have the occasional mistake, when she finds a cookie or is fed a sausage ( they are full of wheat) or such by someone at the Kennel Club. But now everyone know and she is even brought some special treats by the people who like her. We allow people to feed Annabelle, because initially she was people and dog aggressive and part of her desensitisation was being fed by strangers, which she now has so many friends, who still feed her. I hope you can find the allergy causing problem and have a great time with your dog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LizT Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 I guess you must have become very attached to her. I know I could never raise a guide dog puppy. Poor Mindy having skin allergies. I know of quite a few Labs that have skin problems. One belongs to a Vet nurse which is probably lucky for the dog! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tlc Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 Well I guess it is good you get to keep your dog, I'm betting she will make a great Delta dog. We have recently had a litter of SEDA puppys in town, my friend was the coordinator of the program here. A few of them made it through and a couple didn't and there is still a few in training. One of them comes to my dog school, she is a beautiful black lab named Sky, she didn't pass as she was way to distracted by other dogs and they deemed her dog distraction too high to complete the training course, so her owner is now just training her like a regular pet dog and has all the paper work filled out ready for her to be assessed by Delta. I felt sorry for one lady as she was so attached to her SEDA puppy that she actaully wanted her to fail the test so she could keep her. (she is still at the training facility) so it is not yet known if she will pass. I know the Guide dogs like SEDA put a lot of money into raising the puppies, Do you have to pay to keep Mindy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulesP Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 Can't say that I am surprised from reading your posts on the health forum. So Congrats to you! You have always sounded very attached to her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilli_star Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 Aussie, that's a shame that Mindy will not make it as a Guide Dog. But I know how much work you have put into her training and how attached you are to her, so I'm secretly happy that you can keep her. I hope you can get her skin allergies sorted out soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussielover Posted March 12, 2011 Author Share Posted March 12, 2011 No we don't have to pay for her. I will probably make a donation to guide dogs though. It costs them a lot to purchase the pups and then supply food, medications and training for all the pups. I am very attached to her, she is such a sweet girl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMAK Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 ahh that is a darn shame, but i think everyone knows how devastated you would be if she left to have raised her and spent so much time with her and then pass on this beautiful dog of yours even when we know where they end up and the end result so congratulations on your new dog and a great one at that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 (edited) Of course this means I get to keep her! I'm very happy about this but also a little sad she won't be able to be a guide dog and help someone else (though there was no guarantee she would have passed all the training and other health tests). I am looking forward to being able to possibly compete in some dog sports with her though. I also want her to become a delta therapy dog, our obedience teacher thinks she would be good, though I'm not sure if her allergies would exclude her? I suppose the next step will be to take her to see a derm specialist and identify what her allergies are exactly. I don't want to sound horrible but are you sure you want to keep an allergic dog? Owning one with severe allergic skin disease is expensive and an emotional journey, the dogs do suffer and the ones that have no choice but to live on medication don't always have the most awesome times....competing in performance sports can be done but if the dog has a flare up which they often do you can be waiting months for them to recover sometimes....their mental state isn't always the best either when they feel absolute crap due to their condition. If you do decide to kudos to you Get in to see the Derm asap :D Edited March 12, 2011 by MEH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussielover Posted March 12, 2011 Author Share Posted March 12, 2011 Of course this means I get to keep her! I'm very happy about this but also a little sad she won't be able to be a guide dog and help someone else (though there was no guarantee she would have passed all the training and other health tests). I am looking forward to being able to possibly compete in some dog sports with her though. I also want her to become a delta therapy dog, our obedience teacher thinks she would be good, though I'm not sure if her allergies would exclude her? I suppose the next step will be to take her to see a derm specialist and identify what her allergies are exactly. I don't want to sound horrible but are you sure you want to keep an allergic dog? Owning one with severe allergic skin disease is expensive and an emotional journey, the dogs do suffer and the ones that have no choice but to live on medication don't always have the most awesome times....competing in performance sports can be done but if the dog has a flare up which they often do you can be waiting months for them to recover sometimes....their mental state isn't always the best either when they feel absolute crap due to their condition. If you do decide to kudos to you Get in to see the Derm asap I'm a vet student and I've seen lots of allergy dogs during my time as a vet nurse. I wouldn't say Mindy's allergies are severe (yet). They are seasonal and can be managed with antihistamines and occasional antibiotics if there is secondary infection. She hasn't been on any meds for around a month now and has had no infections or severe itchiness, even though it is still quite hot. Guide dogs thinks that her allergies are probably seasonal and will require some management but they aren't really that severe (she's never even had a hot spot). Its just that they can't really afford to train any dog that may have a medical issue as the dogs are meant to be looking after the clients, not the other way round! Of course, i will be taking her to see a specialist to determine what allergies she has and how severe they may be, but i think if I (as a vet student and future vet) can't manage her allergies, then it would be pretty tough to ask someone else to take her on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baby Dragon Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 By the sounds of it, Mindy is very lucky to have you I'm sorry to hear she won't become a Guide Dog, but very happy that you get to keep her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rozzie Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 Stupid question... do you have to pay for her? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staranais Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 Congratulations (?) What dogsports & activities are you going to do with her, Aussielover? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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