Topic: Rox's Dog Advice Thread

[BIGdavalad]

Sad that Terry. I'm dreading the day that we have to make that decision about our little terror, and he's only 15 months old.

Good luck to your woof!

[Terry de Niro]

Sad that Terry. I'm dreading the day that we have to make that decision about our little terror, and he's only 15 months old.

Good luck to your woof!

Thanks mate.

We've had Toby since he was 6 weeks old, (he's only 3 and a half now.)
Such a lovely dog and brilliant when he's been well.

It's been very hard to see him going down the nick in the last few days.

[Corkboy]

After these next 5 days are up we will have a massive decision to make.

I had to do it, Terry, after 11 years with my dog, and it isn't nice but if the vet's says it's the right thing to do, then you just do it. Hope it doesn't come to it.

[Terry de Niro]

I had to do it, Terry, after 11 years with my dog, and it isn't nice but if the vet's says it's the right thing to do, then you just do it. Hope it doesn't come to it.

Me too mate. Like I said earlier, the fact he's only young makes our decision so much harder.

[Rox]

I feel like someone who's going to tell a two year old Santa doesn't exist.

When dogs have cluster fits like that, after every fit there is more brain damage, and the likelihood of more fits is increased.  It's highly likely you'll have to say goodbye to your boy, Terry.  I'm really really sorry to say it.  Unfortuntely this knowledge comes from experience. 

We've had epileptic dogs over the years, and it isn't nice.  We know exactly what you're going through, believe me.  I wish there was a cure I could give you, I really do.

Make sure the time you spend with him at the moment is as special as you can make it.  There's nothing else you could have done to make a difference; epilepsy in dogs is such a horrible thing.

Often in young dogs, epilepsy pops up between 6 and 12 months (as they are going through doggy puberty); and if it is severe, the frequency of their fits get closer and closer despite the medication.  There's nothing worse than having to put to sleep a young dog who is ill and there's nothing you can do for them.  We've been there, and it breaks your heart.

I really really hope he rallies round so you have as long with him as you possibly can Terry. 

We'll be thinking of him, and you guys.  Give him a hug from us, bless him.

[Terry de Niro]

I feel like someone who's going to tell a two year old Santa doesn't exist.

When dogs have cluster fits like that, after every fit there is more brain damage, and the likelihood of more fits is increased.  It's highly likely you'll have to say goodbye to your boy, Terry.  I'm really really sorry to say it.  Unfortuntely this knowledge comes from experience. 

We've had epileptic dogs over the years, and it isn't nice.  We know exactly what you're going through, believe me.  I wish there was a cure I could give you, I really do.

He's gone.

One of the hardest things I've ever had to do.

Goodnight Toby, God bless..

[Corkboy]

He's gone.

One of the hardest things I've ever had to do.

Goodnight Toby, God bless..

Sorry, Terry.

[Terry de Niro]

Sorry, Terry.

Thanks again mate.

The Missus and I could not stand to see him go through anymore torture.

It was bad enough seeing him go through 2 or 3 days of fits a month - when he probably had a maximum of 3 per day during that time. But to see him go through 60 or so in the last few days has been absolutely heartbreaking.

It actually got to the stage when they were getting so bad that no matter what we tried to do to comfort him and make sure he didn't hurt himself, it became impossible to do either.

The hardest part was preparing our 2 boys and telling them to say their goodbyes.

He's at peace now.

[ashy9]

So sorry Terry, my dog is only 14 months old and I already dread anything happening to her. They really are part of the family. Sounds like there was no other option for Toby and it's probably better for him to not be in pain anymore but it's such a hard decision for you to make, I really feel for you.

[BIGdavalad]

Sorry to hear that Terry

[richiedouglas]

Hi Rox - not sure if you can help me at all.

We had a labrador puppy that recently died when she was just over a year old. It turns out that she had undiagnosed leukemia / lymphoma. Do you know how common this illness is?

Also, I've put an order in for a new puppy from the same breeders next year (parents - new dog, same bitch) - is leukemia something in the family line?

Thanks
Rich

[Rox]

He's at peace now.

It's the hardest thing, but we can relieve their suffering.  You did everything you could to make him happy, and he knew that.

I'm so sorry, Terry.

[Rox]

Hi Rox - not sure if you can help me at all.

We had a labrador puppy that recently died when she was just over a year old. It turns out that she had undiagnosed leukemia / lymphoma. Do you know how common this illness is?

Also, I've put an order in for a new puppy from the same breeders next year (parents - new dog, same bitch) - is leukemia something in the family line?

Thanks
Rich

Well Rich, whilst there are thousands of dogs up and down the country looking for new homes every day, please consider adopting a Lab from a Lab rescue.

I think it can only be hereditary if there's a hereditary platelet problem which makes them more susceptible.  Don't quote me though, you'd be much better speaking to your vet about it who will have information.  Alternatively you could call the Royal Veterinary College to ask, they do have a helpline (though I don't have the number to hand).  I've spoken to them before and they were very helpful.

Hope that helps.

[Monkey Red]

Sorry about your Dog Terry. I dread the day our little Momo goes, it was heartbreaking when our Maya died. But what can you do, you get so attached to them, they´re part of the family.

[harmar]

Just asking if you have any suggestions Rox.

I have a two year Springer and as I'm sure you're aware they love to get out but last week he put a pretty deep gash in one of his pads on his paw, I kept him in for 5/6 days to let it heal then took him out yesterday and he's opened it again.
I don't like keeping him in but it's the only way to keep the weight off it, I don't think any sort of bandage would do because it's about 99% certain that he would chew it off.

[Rox]

Hi harmar.

One of our dogs gashed the big pad on one of his paws once, and our vet said jusy to keep it clean.  Being a collie, it was impossible to keep him calm!

If you have any Collodial Silver spray, use that on his foot.  You can also buy dog boots, they're designed for dogs in very cold conditions (Huskies for example) which increase grip and prevent frostbite.  However, in your situation it would allow you to protect and keep a bandage under his wound.

I would recommend using a grip bandage, a baby sock to keep it all covered, and then a boot for when he goes out for walks.  You'll keep his foot clean, supported but he'll also get plenty of exercise.

Hope that helps. 

[harmar]

Hi harmar.

One of our dogs gashed the big pad on one of his paws once, and our vet said jusy to keep it clean.  Being a collie, it was impossible to keep him calm!

If you have any Collodial Silver spray, use that on his foot.  You can also buy dog boots, they're designed for dogs in very cold conditions (Huskies for example) which increase grip and prevent frostbite.  However, in your situation it would allow you to protect and keep a bandage under his wound.

I would recommend using a grip bandage, a baby sock to keep it all covered, and then a boot for when he goes out for walks.  You'll keep his foot clean, supported but he'll also get plenty of exercise.

Hope that helps. 

Cheers Rox, never even heard of that Collodial stuff before but I'll check it out.
Thanks for the tips. 

[Corkboy]

Rox,

So we have our 8 week old golden lab and I have this notion (don't know where I got it) that she should be kept away from other dogs for a while. True? She's had parvo and lepto shots and the breeder said her 7 in 1 should come in about a month.

Thanks.

[Rox]

At 8 weeks she'd have only had her first jab - her second will be in a couple of weeks.  Until then, she's not fully protected.  If you're in a scummy area, (no offence) you don't want to risk her coming into contact with nasties.

It would be unusual to contract anything between the two jabs, but it's best to be on the safe side. 

Best person to ask is your vet, as they will know the up-to-date info on Vacc coverage.  In the vaccination card you got, there will be a batch code for the vaccination and the brand.  Your Vet will be able to tell you what she'll need and when, and what is safe to do now.   

[Corkboy]

At 8 weeks she'd have only had her first jab - her second will be in a couple of weeks.  Until then, she's not fully protected.  If you're in a scummy area, (no offence) you don't want to risk her coming into contact with nasties.

It would be unusual to contract anything between the two jabs, but it's best to be on the safe side. 

Best person to ask is your vet, as they will know the up-to-date info on Vacc coverage.  In the vaccination card you got, there will be a batch code for the vaccination and the brand.  Your Vet will be able to tell you what she'll need and when, and what is safe to do now.   

Thanks, Rox, will do.

[Corkboy]

Hi Rox,

My female lab (Roxy!) is about 4 months old now, and she's brill. My only real problem with her is that she nips my son, who's 8. She rarely does it to my wife and almost never to me, but when my son is playing with her, he usually gets down to her level, i.e. on the floor, or else he lets her chase him or whatever. I'm sure there's no malice in it, she normally goes for his pants, but she has occasionally given him a scrape on the hand. Even if she's on her back getting tickled, all I have to do is grab a paw and the teeth come out. She won't go to bite me straight away but the intent is lurking there somewhere.

We're getting conflicting advice from "she'll grow out of it" to "don't tolerate it at all". At the moment, if I'm around, I keep a close eye on them and try to encourage the boy to stay on his feet and so on. If Roxy's teeth come out, I chuck her outside or give her a shove away or something but I'd rather not do the negative stuff. She had a problem with other dogs for a while (the first dog she met bit her) but we took her to puppy socialisation classes and now she's great. The puppy trainer told us that when she nips, we have to yelp, stand up and walk away.

Thing is, it's beginning to grate with me a bit. I'm tired of giving out to my son about it, and I'm sure he's tired of hearing me. I've had dogs for most of my life and can't ever remember any of them being this nippy (although rose tinted glasses and so on). Any advice?

[Cochise]

Any advice for my almost 2 year old Lab please, for the last 5 days he's hardly touched his water. He might have a little sip after being walked but thats it. He doesn't seem ill or unhappy and he still has his appetite when it comes to food (well not dry food which he hates).

Thanks.

[El Denzel Pepito]

Any advice for my almost 2 year old Lab please, for the last 5 days he's hardly touched his water. He might have a little sip after being walked but thats it. He doesn't seem ill or unhappy and he still has his appetite when it comes to food (well not dry food which he hates).

Thanks.

Try and do it yourself mate. Possibly get some water in your hand and give it to him yourself. Slowly give him only little drops and then lead him to his water. Worked with mine?

[Corkboy]

Any advice for my almost 2 year old Lab please, for the last 5 days he's hardly touched his water. He might have a little sip after being walked but thats it. He doesn't seem ill or unhappy and he still has his appetite when it comes to food (well not dry food which he hates).

Thanks.

Has he found another source?

[Cochise]

Try and do it yourself mate. Possibly get some water in your hand and give it to him yourself. Slowly give him only little drops and then lead him to his water. Worked with mine?

Ta mate.

Has he found another source?

I was thinking that with all the rain we've had when he's been in the garden but I've watched and not seen him drinking.

Since I posted this the other day he does seem to be drinking more thankfully.

[Rox]

Sorry to have missed this.

If he's drinking more then that's cool.  To check whether he's unwell, the best way is to look at his gums.  If he's pale, he's not very well.

When a dog is dehydrated, you can get something called lectade from your vet which helps rehydrate them. 

[Cochise]

Sorry to have missed this.

If he's drinking more then that's cool.  To check whether he's unwell, the best way is to look at his gums.  If he's pale, he's not very well.

When a dog is dehydrated, you can get something called lectade from your vet which helps rehydrate them. 

Cheers mate. Like I said he still had his appetite and more so wasn't too worried but he's drinking more now.

[JP-65]

It's been a tough couple of days for our 4 month old Westie pup, Casper, and us!

He has a bad ticker, severe Pulmonic Valve Stenosis to be precise, and will go in for a heart operation, balloon valvuloplasty, in early January, otherwise he won't last a year.  Amazing as he doesn't exhibit any symptoms!

Good work from our vet yesterday, and the Royal Veterinary College today (one of the few places that can do the op.), but we are all very tired. Going to be tough to keep an energetic puppy quiet until he gets the op. though, especially through the holiday season!

Thank god for pet insurance!

[Picklez]

Should I buy an eye-patch for my one eyed dog or would it be to harsh?


If yes, is a parrot for his shoulder and a wooden leg going to far?
 

[Chakan]

Should I buy an eye-patch for my one eyed dog or would it be to harsh?


If yes, is a parrot for his shoulder and a wooden leg going to far?
 

Aaaarrrrf....

[Picklez]

Aaaarrrrf....

He is not a seal 





I appreciate the joke though 

[Chakan]

He is not a seal 





I appreciate the joke though 

Thanks, was the best I could come up after 9 hours at work.... which has now ended

[Aristotle]

Just got a puppy today. 7.5 weeks old, which I know is a little bit on the early side but it was that or it would be put down so I took it today. I love her to bits. Cute as you get, nice and cuddly but the only thing I can't understand is that I take her out for like 15-20 minutes and the first thing she does when she comes in is piss in the hallway. Is there something I can do to prevent that or is it just a "phase"

[JP-65]

Just got a puppy today. 7.5 weeks old, which I know is a little bit on the early side but it was that or it would be put down so I took it today. I love her to bits. Cute as you get, nice and cuddly but the only thing I can't understand is that I take her out for like 15-20 minutes and the first thing she does when she comes in is piss in the hallway. Is there something I can do to prevent that or is it just a "phase"

That's several weeks too young to be taken away from the dam.  I bought 2 westies in Singapore, that had been shipped from Australia at 7 weeks of age, I just wish I could have given the breeder a punch, absolutely disgusting.  They ended up being great pets, but had issues, physical as well as emotional all their lives as a consequence of this.

See where she goes, and put puppy pads down in those spots.  Control her food & water, and take her out within 20 minutes of her consuming (keep an eye and calculate her timing of going after consuming, then take her out on that schedule). As she gets older you can stretch out the timing.  When you take her out, reward her for doing her business (treats, and verbal encouragement).  When she goes on the puppy pads in the home, reward her.  If she misses, if you catch her in the act, reprimand her verbally, but not physically.  As she gets older and uses the pads less frequently, take the ones that she's not using away.

[Ole Gunnar]

That's several weeks too young to be taken away from the dam. 

I wouldn't say that. As far as I know the norm is to get the puppy at about 8 weeks of age. That's when I have picked up my dogs, and I'll get another one in about three weeks, and at 8 weeks of age.

[JP-65]

I wouldn't say that. As far as I know the norm is to get the puppy at about 8 weeks of age. That's when I have picked up my dogs, and I'll get another one in about three weeks, and at 8 weeks of age.

I never let one go until 10 weeks, and preferred 12 weeks.  Very important stage in their development.  I let the owners come over as much as they wanted to socialize with them during this time.

[Ole Gunnar]

I never let one go until 10 weeks, and preferred 12 weeks.  Very important stage in their development.  I let the owners come over as much as they wanted to socialize with them during this time.

Well I dissagree. Nine or ten weeks, OK, but twelve? You said it yourself,8-12 weeks is a very important stage in their development, and thats when they should be with their new family.

[Rox]

This also depends very much on breed.  I've seen pups who NEED their mum until 12 weeks, equally pups who are fully rounded by 6 weeks and mum is sick of the sight of them.

Every breed, puppy and situation is different.   

[JP-65]

This also depends very much on breed.  I've seen pups who NEED their mum until 12 weeks, equally pups who are fully rounded by 6 weeks and mum is sick of the sight of them.

Every breed, puppy and situation is different.   

Good point Rox, didn't think of that, I just know terriers.

I've had Westies for almost 40 years, bred & showed them, talked with lots of other breeders at shows etc, and if you read up above, I now have one with Pulmonic Valve Stenosis. 

I did some research and found out that terriers, and westies prominent among terriers, have a hereditary disposition for this, never knew this!  Just shows what you don't know, even when you know a fair bit!

[jason42]

Just got a puppy today. 7.5 weeks old, which I know is a little bit on the early side but it was that or it would be put down so I took it today. I love her to bits. Cute as you get, nice and cuddly but the only thing I can't understand is that I take her out for like 15-20 minutes and the first thing she does when she comes in is piss in the hallway. Is there something I can do to prevent that or is it just a "phase"

Take her out every hour; every time she wakes up and after she has played for a while. If she even looks like she is sniffing or looking to dooty down then take her out. We did that with our pup and he was house trained in weeks. Have had the rare accident but even they were by the back door....
When you take her out tell her to be quick and really, really praise her when she wees. Tell her she is a good girl over and over again and she will begin to enjoy the praise and then realise that when she wees outside she gets praise....