Malamum

[quote]If hot spots are supposed to be kept dry, why are there so many sprays advertised for it? People use it and say it works.. Just wondering... If there is any chance a spray could work, that would be the easiest and safest thing for us all right now. What about a spray with the fan? Lets the moisure evaporate, but also gives the spray a chance to do its work. [/quote] I really have no idea. I’m not saying a spray wouldn’t work, I was just going on my own past experience. I guess it may also depend on what the cause of the hot spot is. In my two dogs it was not food related. All times that the dogs have got hot spots have been when we have extended periods of rain in humid weather. The dog has had a cut or a scratch, got soaked in the rain, it’s been very humid and the cut/scratch has then turned into a hot spot. Then as the rain kept up for days on end they were constantly damp, they have very thick fur so the sore couldn’t breath and so on….viola a horrible hot spot. Since we have had our dryer we have never had another hot spot. When it rains and the dogs get wet they get thoroughly dried with the dryer. I’m actually so fanatical about it that they have learnt they are better of just saying inside and staying dry. I guess that was why I was so focussed on staying dry and using powders etc in our cases any type of moisture was not our friend.

Oh I didn’t think of flies – you don’t want those getting on it. Maybe sit outside with her for a bit so it can get some direct sunlight on it but you can keep the flies off her???? I’m just trying to think of ways you can keep it as dry as possible. The reason the vet shaves the area is so it can breath and it will heal quicker. If you can still get lots of air in there by another method it should still work. I found the dryer worked wonders for us. If were close you could borrow it. Maybe try your hairdryer on the cold setting??? Here is a link to the exact powder I used. I don’t know if you can get the exact same brand where you are but you should be able to find something that does the same thing. Here I can get it from the supermarket or from any chemist. [url]http://www.mailchemist.com/products/products_view.cfm?ProductID=4191[/url] Good luck. I really feel for you as I was at my wits ends the first time Indy had one. I could see how painful it was but he wouldn’t let me do anything for him. Now I know what sets them off I have been able to prevent them and neither dog has had one for ages.

Can you put her outside in the sun with a fan or something on the area? The main thing to do is keep as much fresh air circulating around it so the sore dries out. I don't know if I would use a liquid spay. I'm no expert, but when our dogs have had them I've tried to keep them as dry as possible and it seems to have worked. That is why I go for a powder rather than a liquid spray. I think in the US you can get one call Gold Bond or something like that. I tend to buy a lot of it as heaps of it gets wasted trying to get it on. Indy would not let us get close enough to put the powder right on the wound so I would just sprinkle it as close to the area as I could get whenever he walked past. Once he realised that I wasn't actually trying to touch the sore he would let me put it on with a bit more control rather that just throwing the powder at him. :wink:

I don’t know if I understand the situation correctly. Is you Grandpa leaving the door open and Sassy seeing the opportunity just decides to take herself on a little adventure. Or is she forcing her way out the door whenever it is opened in the normal course of day to day activities?

We have a dog door and I love it. I don’t think we could function without it. Going by the size of my dogs I’m sure you can imagine how big our dog door is. :lol: :lol: If one of us forgets our keys we just climb the fence and go through the dog door. So yes it’s a potential security risk but weighted against the benefit my dogs get from having the door it’s one I’m prepared to take. With that said we do have six foot solid wooden fences and the gates are padlocked. Yes, it’s easy enough for someone to climb the fence but it does involve a bit of effort on their part. Also Indy is quite imposing and has a very deep woooooo that people don’t realise isn’t aggressive so a person would have to be pretty game to enter our yard. So in all I think the fences and the dogs are enough to deter teenagers looking to do a quick easy break in and if someone is determined to beak into your house they are going to do it anyway dog door or not.

The main thing you need to do it get it as dry as possible and get as much air to it as possible. We have one of the dryers/forced air blowers that dog groomers use, at home and when either of my two have got a hot spot they get a few minutes of the dryer every few hours. I also make sure they spend extra time out in the sun and fresh air. We also use a drying anitseptic powder that we sprinkle on the area. The hot spots are obviously quite painful so our dogs don’t like us getting right in and touching them either. The blower and the powder has enabled us to treat them without having to actually touch the painful area.

:( How horrible. I know I've always been a big advocate on dogs being outside, but not with something so tiny and delicate.

[quote]To get a "loving" dog, do you just cuddle & play with it all the time?[/quote] No not really. As AllAmerican Pup suggested obedience training is the way to go. Make training fun and keep it up while the pup gets older and you should have a well adjusted happy dog. I think if there was just cuddling and playing and no training then you would end up with a dog that thinks they are the boss and you are only there to do what they want. Good luck with your new arrival. Make you share pictures with us when she arrives.

No point being angry at Sassy. She is doing what most dogs do – if they get out they run off and explore, and if you are angry at here whilst trying to get her back you know there is no chance of her wanting to come to you. I know I mentioned this last time you posted about this – my dogs have a great recall in a controlled environment but if they got out they wouldn’t come back till they had run and sniffed in all the neighbors yards etc.. Practicing her recall is a great thing and I’m not suggesting you stop working on it with her, but instead of focusing on what to do when she gets out, how about working on stopping her getting out as it seems to happen more than what I would consider normal. :-?

Mouse, again I am so so sorry. We are all here for you.

Oh Mouse, I am so sorry. Sending lots of positive thoughts. :(

I'm glad they are safe and and home but I'm with Irena... talk about keeping us in suspense. I want to know what happened.

As I’ve said plenty of times before, nothing in life is black and white. We need to understand that and judge each instance on it’s own merits rather than making blanket statements and refusing to take circumstances into account. In most cases the general rule is that bitches should be at least 2 years of age before being bred, however in my opinion Kiwi had a valid reason for breeding before that age. The amount of time, work and dedication she puts into the Bull Terrier breed is unbelievable, and I can’t understand how someone could seriously call her a BYB. Even if you don’t agree with her reason for breeding younger it doesn’t automatically make her a BYB. All that means is that there is an element to her breeding program you don’t agree with. Now, going back to the original posts from Mars&Venus. To me the single most important thing that a breeder needs to do, is take full responsibility for any dogs that come into this world because of them. Seriously, if a person does that, and can guarantee me to the best of their ability that none of the dogs that they have bred will end up in a shelter then I can take or leave the rest of the stuff. Would I personally buy a puppy from a breeder that doesn’t health test or show or have full involvement in the breed? No way, but that doesn’t mean I think this person is the scum of the earth and that they should be banned from a message board for being a BYB. If they are willing to take 100% responsibility for all dogs for all of their lives then that is a good enough start. Maybe if they hang around and interact with other breeders who do all the testing and showing etc they may change their mind along the way.

Tammy, I'm glad you are safe but so sorry you are having such a rough time.

[quote name='Dog Lover']Tell your housemate to lay OFF the crack. :silly: Hugs not drugs.[/quote] :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

The original poster is also asking if telling the whole brutal truth is worth the risk of making people not want to come to adoption days. I totally understand what they are asking and when I read the original post yesterday it really got me pondering.... though I don't have any experience in rescue so I didn't respond as I didn't think I have enough experience in that area to answer. Anyway... my initial thoughts were, yes, people need to know the whole truth about how and why dogs end up in rescue. If people understood that most dogs end up in rescue because humans are selfish, self-centred uncaring asses then it might make them stop to think, and also may make them be a bit more responsible and accountable for their actions. However as the original poster said if each adoption day turns in to a depressing lecture about the plight of rescue dogs then the average joe isn't going to want to go..... they will stay away. What the original poster is saying is that the aim of adoption days is to get people in and interested in adopting the dogs.... is providing too much information worth the risk as scaring people away defeats the purpose of what the day is about after all. I don't think they were suggesting misleading anyone who was adopting a dog.

HF you are great! :D

Kira's woo woo wooing at everything. She is the most opinionated dog I have ever met.

:lol: :lol: :lol: Sometimes you just have to say "I told you so" :wink:

Welcome back :D

[quote name='Kat']p.s. Thanks everyone. I looked for the canned pumpkin for Zoe before and I can't get it here in any supermarket unfortunately.[/quote] Kat you don't need to use canned pumpkin, just use the good old real stuff. :wink: I think the guys in the US tend to use canned becasue the unprocessed stuff is hard to come by. Just go to the fruit and vegie shop, buy a bit of pumpkin and steam it then mash it.

Just curious. You heard the guy say to the people in the office that his dogs are dog aggressive and he can’t bring them in till the other dogs are out of sight. If you knew this how/why did Sassy get close enough to them to be lunged at? Instead of walking out past the dogs – since you heard him say he can’t bring them in just yet. Why didn’t you show some courtesy in return. You could have waited half a minute and said something to the guy like – “excuse me, I heard you say your dogs don’t like other dogs but I need to leave. How are we best to handle this so my dog doesn’t get in their faces – do you want to move them back a bit while I take mine out”. Not hard too I don’t think. The poor guy probably has a hard enough time taking them to the vet as it is, without others being judgmental and not really helping the situation.

I tried the toothbrushing with Indy and it was a pain in the ass so I stopped. I do however feed both Indy and Kira BARF so they get lots of bones and their teeth look fantastic. I actually get comments on how white they are. They also don't have that yucky doggy breath.

My two love their tummy rubs. They will roll on their backs and stick their legs in the air at any opportunity.

[quote name='abker17'][quote]I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again, Abker you really do have a sensible head on your shoulders. A big thumbs up to you.[/quote] [quote]Ditto to that. You are truly amazing, Abker.[/quote] Thank you both so much :oops:. I really appreciate the kind words. :)[/quote] Abker, I’m serious. For someone your age you really seem to grasp the big picture and have common sense ideas, rather that extreme ideals that aren’t realistic out in the real world.