The dog musing/vent thread

Two days ago Simba started straining to go potty, got him into the vet today, turns out he has a good amount of struvite crystals in his penis and bladder. Told us our options were surgery or put him to sleep, so surgery it is. My mom was the one who took him today, so she didn't set a date, as she wanted to talk with the family and look more into things - so not sure when his surgery date will be just yet. Poor old Bubba, but at least it's something where something can be done. The vet also mentioned a change in diet can help, as my mom does feed her dogs Diamond, at the least, but a lot of junky food through out their life, and junky treats now a lot, so this also took a step in the direction for her to try a better brand of food we picked out.

I had been running Briz in the deep dry sand at the beach every day to help get us both in shape without shredding his pads. An oil spill has derailed my fitness program.

For struvite crystals, IMO, I'd be feeding a prescription iet like C/D that is scientifically proven to prevent/dissolve the formation of crystals/stones. Me given advice when not asked for.

Bladder stones are no fun. Hope his surgery goes well!

^^

For the record, Ella was eating Fromm and Acana when we found crystals, and had been eating that diet for almost 3 years already, so feeding a higher quality doesn't mean it'll prevent them.




Full disclosure: she's still eating Fromm, mixed with C/D. She list half her body weight when only on C/D, so that wouldn't work for us as a sole diet.

When your dog is just like, "oh, no other skin available to lick, may as well just go for my human's eyeballs REALLY HARD".

I have a very odd dog.

I broke Glitch. He was not acting like himself and seemed uncomfortable, so I had the vet look him over. As soon as his shoulder was touched, he cried. This dog is not limping, is full of energy and seemed fine until today.

Xrays show that he seems to have a shoulder with very little cartilage in one place, so the bones are rubbing and causing him pain. Two weeks of anti-inflammitories and rest and we'll redo the X-rays.

Someone please tell me that this isn't a big deal, and that he's not going to be ruined for agility later.

Obligatory Sad Glitch Picture

For the diet, that's just what the vet was telling us - to have a food with higher protein & grain free to help prevent them. Never mentioned about a food for it.... Not saying wouldn't do other options, just that that's what we were told along with the surgery option or put to sleep option.

I met some super cool rat terrier breeder people I met on FB today at the AKC trial. Ridiculously friendly and really neat dogs. They think Hank may be 3/4 rat terrier and 1/4 cattle dog. They said you just don't get that much ticking on purebreds even though you see some. Plus he is just a bit coarse in bone and head compared to their standard sized ratties.

Amy and the entire Karma Collars gang are the best. A stone fell out of Fable's collar and I emailed her about it to see if she could repair it. She emailed me back and said that it absolutely could happen and that they would even pay for shipping. A short while later I have my beloved collar back looking as good as new. Best customer service and best collars ever!

Looking at Greyhound adoption sites is a REALLY bad idea, no matter how bored you are, when you can't have one just yet.

Trust me, guys. Don't do it. Because you will find a great dog and know that there is no possible way you can bring him home. You will begin daydreaming about this dog and Roxie and all the things. And that never ends well.

The only good thing is that you will be hungry for more information, and go reading more and more. I just want to know everything there is to know about Greyhounds. I can't wait until I get to have one.

ETA- Also, how frickin shetty is it for rescues to only "lease" a dog for the dog's lifetime? Seriously? I am paying to take this animal into my home, paying for their food, vet care, housing, toys, I am training, exercising, playing, and spending time with this dog, I think I should be able to outright own the frickin dog. I should get a say over the dog's vet care, and when to euthanize the dog when it's old or too badly injured to keep alive. A rescue should not own a dog after they've adopted it out.

Dear gods. It's like signing up to be stalked or something, from what I've read of this one application. And the dog wouldn't even actually be mine.

I hate this. There is or was a rescue/shelter organization here in Philly like that. The first time my family looked into adopting, I promptly was turned off by them because they have this rule where you ultimately take the dog home but don't really have full say over its fate and how in a million certain conditions you have to bring the dig back to them. Complete turn off.

There is a breed rescue here that does that. Of course! They do quite a few things that I personally consider shady! so that might not be the worst of it

Brisbane is having major skin issues again. The vet really wanted to shave him to let his skin air out and get the medicated stuff directly on the problem areas. Maybe now I'll be able to ILP him as an ACD?

Hate to break it to you, but I doubt it's fur length that's the issue - the heavy solid body coloring is likely the DQ for ACD for Brisbane. Snipe has the right build and coat but I didn't even attempt ILP because she has a solid body.

That's what I've been saying, but my herding instructor keeps insisting he'll pass. He got rejected as a border collie. Right now he is incredibly splotchy and mottled thanks to the skin infection, so he looks less solid-colored than normal. He also looks horrible, but the vet said his skin looked a lot better within an hour of the buzz cut.

Is there a reason you want him ILP'd as an ACD rather than listed in the Canine partners program as a mix? I think they compete in the same things

Canine Partners can't participate in several types of competitions, including herding.

Yup, mixed breeds only get to do obedience/rally, agility, and coursing ability tests, everything else is still just for purebreds.

Tulsa's dad is at some point being bred to a super nice working line bitch and I cannot haz.

SUCH SAD.

Yknow, the least that puppy mill stores could do is offer free s/n.

I'm talking to one of my friends, and apparently one of her friends has three puppy mill dogs who will probably end up having puppies because they are against traditional s/n, and OSS is "too expensive".

And no dog is the same breed. And vet care for the dogs? Not really. I wish people would just not get pets unless they put the time and effort into doing their very frickin best to take care of their pet.