The dog musing/vent thread

[Southpaw]

I'm always impressed that the old lady has such great stamina on walks. I don't think she was really exercised before coming here so I wasn't expecting her to be able to be so active. Our walk this morning was cut short at 2.5 miles, and at the end of it she was still ready to do more. I'm not sure what age I would guesstimate her to be at, but I just don't think she's 13.

 

[Dogdragoness]

Why is it every time I shave bear, his skin gets ... Better. He stops itching & scratching himself raw ... Why? It should be the other way around.

 

[Laurelin]

I feel bad... For not feeding the dogs this morning. It was deliberate. I worked them two hours last night in agility and tricks and Mia especially got a TON of ziwipeak. Tonight we work again in agility for an hour and I don't want to over feed.

Someone tell me I'm silly for feeling guilty about skipping the dogs' meal...

 

[Emily]

Someone tell me I'm silly for feeling guilty about skipping the dogs' meal...

It's normal (to feel guilty) but dogs are definitely more than capable of fasting and some have argued that gorging and then fasting is the normal model of eating in dogs. And yours probably had plenty to eat last night and need some time to digest it all.

How's that?

Blossom is fasting for her blood draw this AM too. She's sad and very hungry.

 

[AdrianneIsabel]

My dogs want new owners, I am awful about remembering when to feed them and casual about feeding, if we miss a meal they just get a bit more the next meal.

 

[Emily]

My dogs want new owners, I am awful about remembering when to feed them and casual about feeding, if we miss a meal they just get a bit more the next meal.

I'm like that too. Or sometimes we get "breakfast" at like 4 pm. :rofl1:

Blossom just broke her fast with a spider. I hope that doesn't mess up her bloodwork. LOL

 

[Laurelin]

Haha yes that helps some.

I usually only feed 1x a day (mornings) then night is either nothing or training. I don't feel bad about that just skipping their one steady meal. Lol

My dogs are a bit spoiled.

 

[Oko]

I'm like that too. Or sometimes we get "breakfast" at like 4 pm. :rofl1:

Blossom just broke her fast with a spider. I hope that doesn't mess up her bloodwork. LOL

Hahaha, Wesley votes that bugs don't count, they are too delicious to pass up. But he would never notice if I forgot to feed him...which I do. He needs to get more obnoxious about asking to be fed!!

 

[Emily]

My dog weighed 49.5 lbs in February, at 10 months old. Lean.

She now weighs 42.2 lbs at 18 months old. She's ~23.5" at the shoulder. I can see her spine, hips, and basically each rib. She weighs less than she did when we pulled her from the pound. I just wanna cry. The vet pretty much thinks it's EPI but of course only the GI panel will tell for sure and that takes about a week to come back.

I'm sad. I know I've done what I can and we will figure it out, but it's just painful to see my dog is such sorry shape.

 

[AdrianneIsabel]

She's an 18 month old malinois, are you not sure she's just burning food faster than she can keep it on? My malinois went through an "ugly rescue" phase.

 

[Emily]

She's an 18 month old malinois, are you not sure she's just burning food faster than she can keep it on? My malinois went through an "ugly rescue" phase.

Definitely sure it's not so simple, unfortunately. Weight loss is not the only issue here. She has had terrible, persistent diarrhea for weeks now no matter what or how she's fed (no matter how bland) and has a hard time controlling it. Plus rapid weight loss over the past 3-4 weeks. Her coat is dry, brittle, and her guard hairs are coming out in handfuls, which is totally atypical. She's never been a bad shedder and when she is blowing coat it's undercoat.

Believe me, for a LONG time I told myself she was just a adolescent Mal, but sadly this seems to go beyond that.

ETA: We are doing a fecal to rule out giardia or other parasites, but she has been wormed and treated for giardia recently to no avail.

 

[AdrianneIsabel]

Definitely sure it's not so simple, unfortunately. Weight loss is not the only issue here. She has had terrible, persistent diarrhea for weeks now no matter what or how she's fed (no matter how bland) and has a hard time controlling it. Plus rapid weight loss over the past 3-4 weeks. Her coat is dry, brittle, and her guard hairs are coming out in handfuls, which is totally atypical. She's never been a bad shedder and when she is blowing coat it's undercoat.

Believe me, for a LONG time I told myself she was just a adolescent Mal, but sadly this seems to go beyond that.

ETA: We are doing a fecal to rule out giardia or other parasites, but she has been wormed and treated for giardia recently to no avail.

Oh no That's sad and worrisome. Have you crossposted in the belgian health group? To see if anyone has any experience?

 

[Emily]

Oh no That's sad and worrisome. Have you crossposted in the belgian health group? To see if anyone has any experience?

No but I will! Good idea.

On the bright side side I really liked the vet we saw, he is cool with raw/grain free kibble/home cooked and didn't lose his cool when B growled at him a little bit at first over getting poked and prodded.

 

[iriskai]

Mixed feelings. Went racing this weekend, Ezra earned his Companion Racer title and Mimi.. didn't get the turtle award. Only a couple minor stopper pad abrasions to speak of in terms of injuries for my Skinnies

On the down side, figured out that what I thought were calluses, are probably corns. Sooo.. after doing some research we're going to run by the vet today to get another opinion. He's had them since I got him earlier this year, but I don't like what I've read on them thus far and don't want it to be a reoccurring problem. Took the dremmel to them last night and waxed his pads to soften them some. Hopefully he'll be a quick fix.

 

[Babyblue5290]

We took the dogs to the dog park for the first time since Talon got sick. Well, this is the first excercise since Talon got sick at all really. We figured he could run as much as he wanted and when he was tired we'd leave, plus its raining and cloudy so there was only one other dog there which was perfect since we didn't want to overstimulate him too fast.

Artimis came of course, and he did great. Played with the pit/lab/mix really well. Art even initiated the play, which doesn't happen for every dog. He also let the guy pet him lol

Talon though didn't care about the dog. There was a big red hard plastic ball there that Talon was obsessed with. He kept hitting it and then moving it around with his nose all the while barking and yipping and screaming lol He was in so much love with that ball he got a bit excited and humped it once. >_< LOL I told him "bring it here" and he pushed the ball to me and backed away for me to throw it. Then continued bringing it back to me by pushing it with his nose and correcting it's path to make it go straight to me. I think if we ever tried Trieball he'd do great! :lol-sign:

I think he needs one of these balls for sure. I was just super glad to see him excited and with energy. He's now pretty tired and sleeping, but it was really a good trip. Made me super happy.

 

[sassafras]

I just need to win the lottery and spend all day, every day playing with my dogs. The end.


Epilogue: Maybe 6 days a week.

 

[*blackrose]

Can someone please tell Abrams that the couple playing with their little pitbull puppy out by the basketball goal near my cars are not burglers intent on robbing us blind?

I wouldn't let him sit at the window and bark at them, so now he just woofs a little quiet bark under his breath (without picking up his head while laying by my feet) when he hears them talk. I guess I did want a watch dog! And he really is getting much better about shutting up when I acknowledge what he's barking at, which is brilliant.

 

[crazedACD]

How do I have not one..not two..but THREE bait bags, and I cannot find ONE of them? Just how? I'm seriously wondering if they have been physically consumed by a dog because..I just don't know where they are.

Also, today sucks.

 

[Laurelin]

Well I skipped their meal for no reason because class was cancelled for thunderstorms. Lots of lightning and wind out there.

Good news though is I LOVE storms like these and it's relaxing going home and doing nothing but cuddling up and going to bed early. Of course Mia keeps wanting to go outside in the rain, lol.

 

[yv0nne]

Penn got her first leg of 3 needed for her FDJ title She passed one test with a 91& then failed the second with a 91 LOL. We got 4/10 on control because she was WAYTOOEXCITED to stop paying attention to the birds for a recall. Oh well ..not bad for her first time in the field