rednosemama

i once had a greyhound with epilepsy... i was much younger and she used to sleep in bed with me. she often had her seizures during the middle of the night... i remember waking up and having to hold her and keep her from banging her head against the wall while crying and calling my mom...she'd often urinate all over me and foam from the mouth. it was awful to watch... near the end it took her longer and longer to come out of her episodes. she'd seize and then just lay there frozen with her eyes all glassy and her tongue hanging out while i hugged her and prayed that she'd come out of it this time... oh i'm gonna make myself cry... but anyway, she was on phenobarb, and while it helped, she was never 100% right. the first time she seized i was home but she was in another room and after she had come out of it she came in to "tell" me and was all foamy in the mouth... that's when we knew something was wrong. as kat has said, she continued to lead a great life aside from her episodes and ranks among the top 2 happiest dogs i've ever met. good luck w/re-run

hey guys good job keeping up the fight... i'd be over there but i can't even force myself to read the words... anyway, i found some good stuff you can post to them: [url]http://members.aol.com/bstofshw/facts.html[/url] [url]http://www.thedogplace.com/hotnews/av6.asp[/url] [url]http://www.thedogplace.com/library/articles156.htm[/url] [url]http://www.dogbitelaw.com/PAGES/statistics.html[/url] [url]http://www.samthedogtrainer.com/Articles_Dog%20Bite%20Statistics.htm[/url] [url]http://www.geocities.com/genealogypublishing/DogBites.htm[/url] and i lost the link to this one but it's good too (as reported by CBS NEWS!): "(CBS) Many people have misconceptions about which kinds of dogs are actually inclined to bite or attack, as well as what you should do if that does happen. But Early Show Contributor Debbye Turner, who is also a veterinarian, has some advice. Most of us don't really think about getting bitten or attacked by dogs in our daily lives, but it can happen a lot more often, and quicker, than you'd ever think. Part of the problem is that we are led to believe that there are certain types of dogs that are extremely aggressive and vicious (like pit bulls) when, in fact, some of the breeds that are more likely to bite are those you'd never think about, like poodles or terriers. About 4.7 million people are bitten by dogs each year. One million of those need medical attention. About 750,000 children are bitten by dogs each year; in most cases, these bites are from "familiar dogs" -- not strays. Approximately 12 people die each year from dog bites All dogs can be provoked to bite. There is really no such thing as a "bad breed." Most (if not all) dogs can be properly trained and socialized to be gentle and tolerant. Your dog should be trained to obey basic commands: sit, stay, come, and down. This alone could prevent many dog-biting incidents. Potentially aggressive breeds: Llasa Apso: can be cranky with kids Toy poodles: bite out of self defense Dachsunds: not very patient Rhodesian Ridgebacks: very dominant breed Miniature Pinschers: "big dog" mindset in little body Pekinese: intolerant Chihuahuas: prefer adults, not tolerant of kids Chow Chow: one-person dogs, bite without warning Giant Schnauzers: very dominant breed, will even challenge adults Old English Sheep Dog: very protective of owner Cocker Spaniel: very protective of owner Rottweilers: very protective Typically gentle breeds that have "bad boy" reputations: German Shepherd: great with kids Bulldog: gentle, playful Rottweilers: can be gentle, affectionate Great Danes: gentle, affectionate Boxers: good with kids Mastiffs-very docile "Pit bull" is a bit of a misnomer. There really is no such breed. Generally, "pit bulls" are a cross between a "bulldog" breed and a terrier. They are also known as American Pit Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, and Staffordshire Bull Terriers. (obviously, if the breed has an official name, and is recognized by the AKC it is a breed. 'pit bull' is a type, but APBT, AmStaffs, and StaffyBulls, ARE BREEDS!) Most "pit bulls" are not aggressive by nature. They tend to be gentle, playful and loving. However, there are those that have been bred and trained to be aggressive. Even then, they are more aggressive toward other animals, not people. Often, aggressive "pit bulls" have been abused and/or neglected. These are VERY dangerous. Ways To Provoke a Dog: Try to take food or toy away from him. NEVER bother a dog while he is eating. The most common situation where a dog bite occurs is while a dog is eating. Playing "tug of war" with a dog. Many dogs interpret this as aggression. If they "win," they feel empowered. If they feel threatened, they may try to retaliate. "Surprising" a dog. (sneaking up on him or startling him while he is sleeping). Often, the dog's defense mechanism will kick in, and he will bite in self-defense. "Rough housing" with or other sudden movements toward the dog's owner. Many dogs will see this as an attack on his owner, and will attack you to defend the owner. Ignoring their warning! If a dogs barks ferociously or growls when you approach his territory, bed, etc. and you continue, that is an engraved invitation to get bitten. They are warning you that they don't like that and stop. Listen! Inappropriate touching. Dogs generally don't like their ears, tail and feet tugged. Some don't like being inverted and rubbed on their belly. This is a position of submission and an aggressive dog will resist this "challenge" vigorously." hope this helps some :(

[quote name='Malamum'][quote]I still say Pit Bulls should be banned.! I have had dogs all my life including German Shepherds. Great Danes and many others and they were all loveable to me and my family. [b]But let a stranger approach and they would growl,[/b] it is bred into them to protect and I think that Pit Bulls have been bred to be fighting dogs. All dogs worth their salt will attack if the owner or family member are threatened by strangers. I love dogs and Pit Bulls can't help how they are trained but they should not live near families, especially with children around. They are dangerous. [/quote] [/quote] i find it extremely odd that the person who said this thinks it is okay for GSDs and danes to growl at strangers, and for 'any dog worth its salt' to attack humans, but it's not okay for pit bulls?......... skewed POV anyone? and i LOVE how they claim that pits can't help how they are trained and it's the owners' fault not the dogs', but they are SO DANGEROUS! right. oh, oh and they "THINK" pit bulls were bred for fighting! they can't even say for SURE what they know. who could take anything seriously from this person who OBVIOUSLY doesn't know what they're talking about... and you're right AAP, i'd never let some idiot's ignorant opinion change my mind about these dogs.

i can't even read that. it makes me so angry i want to smash the computer in.... the worst part is in the FACE of all the FACTS these people just blatantly ignore the truth... they never talk about the owners of the dogs who attack people. where WERE the owners? it's always the dog this the dog that... *screams* :evil:

it's not your fault izzy... once we had a cleaner who let our two greyhounds loose in the neighborhood while we were out. luckily we found them within hours. i'm sure if she has her collar and you are putting up fliers that you will find her... good luck :(

cheyenne has recently had a bump pop up on her nose... at first it was small and white-ish and has just inflamed about twice the size and is now a gooey reddish-pink color... doesn't seem to be painful at all, and it's firm, not mushy... does anyone have any idea what this might be???? [img]http://images.snapfish.com/33%3B7552%3B23232%7Ffp64%3Dot%3E232%3C%3D%3A%3B9%3D6%3B%3C%3DXROQDF%3E23235%3C5844598ot1lsi[/img] [img]http://images.snapfish.com/33%3B7552%3B23232%7Ffp63%3Dot%3E232%3C%3D%3A%3B9%3D6%3B%3C%3DXROQDF%3E23235%3C5846%3A8%3Aot1lsi[/img]

i'm going to switch the boxers over as well, but keep graycee on the IAMS... don't know how well she'd take to change at this age, and the maturity gets really mushy really quickly so she doesn't have to sit and wait to eat it... ted and chey came from the same breeder, they are half brother and sister (same mom)... we got teddy as a puppy and he was so tiny and adorable and sweet! originally i wanted the white female that turned up in his litter but after meeting him it was all over! chey is a year older than ted and was sold to a guy by the breeder(hence the cropped ears, if i have a choice i much prefer natural ears), who didn't really have enough time to spend with her to keep her happy. she is VERY needy and LOVVVVES her people... the man got married and his wife did NOT like her because she was very jumpy and spastic (because she was basically starved for attention), and when the woman became pregnant she made him give cheyenne back to the breeder. he was very upset but it was lucky for us and for cheyenne! she is definitely the little princess! a total sweetheart, such a lover, she has stopped jumping and acting so neurotic, but she's still very skittish around loud noises or new stuff but she loves loves loves people and other dogs, especially her brother. we got ted first, and after he grew a bit we brought her home. she went to obedience with her little brother and she's soooo eager to please and smart. ted's a little more stubborn and regal haha... (i really try not to play favorites but her personality is so great!) and she is soooooooo vocal! she makes all kinds of crazy sounds i've never heard any dog make before and i've owned many different breeds... we nicknamed her chewbacca because she really sounds like chewbacca lol! *sigh* i just love them all!

if you believe it, they're actually getting IAMS adult dry! ted gets 2 heaping cups twice a day(he is skinny! sometimes refuses to eat, and will not put weight on) and chey gets 2 level cups(she's only slightly chubby! heh)... i also have a 13 year old retired racing greyhound who eats 2 level cups 2x a day of IAMS active maturity. i also soak hers in warm water to make it soupy as she has had to have most of her teeth removed due to gum problems. the boxers get only a tiny bit of warm water to moisten it up a bit, and they have GREAT teeth... they don't get any extra supplements, and the only treats they get are cookies and greenies. i don't feed "people" food to the boxers as they both have very sensitive stomachs and any time they had even the slightest taste of people food they have gotten sick. graycee (the greyhound) will occasionally get some leftover beef fat from steak but that's about it... graycee has a dandruff issue and a slightly greasy coat... but the boxers are slick and soft (ted is softer than chey!) and no dandruff! other than ted's occasional refusal to eat, and their inability to stomach "people" food, we have had no problems feeding them IAMS, but previous to recently i haven't done much research on dog foods... i figure it can't hurt to make a switch and perhaps it will spike ted's interest in his meals, and maybe they can be even better dogs than they are, but i doubt it! :D

this made me angry, sad, and laugh at these people. they actually believe they know what they are talking about...i pity their animals. i was utterly shocked and appalled at the answer provided by "dachund" about how pit bulls should all die young. perhaps "dachund" should have died young so as not to be able to spread such ideas... my male boxer will sometimes just NOT eat (usually when he is stressed/excited/distracted) but i would never STARVE him or not ALLOW him to eat... *grr* :evil:

yeeeaaa! they have innova at the same store i get my rabbits' food from! they need some new food so i'm going to go check it out tomorrow, thanks smoosh!

"How do I switch foods properly? If you have the time, mix the old and the new food and gradually increase the amount of new food over about a week. If you notice very loose stools, take it even more slowly and add a bit of canned pumpkin (not the ready to use pie filling but just plain pumpkin!) to each meal. In case you just have to switch quickly because there is no other way (rescue, adoption etc.), my veterinarian recommends either a 24 hour fasting period or feeding oatmeal and plain yogurt for a day before starting on the new food. Any time a dog's digestive system is stressed, giving an Acidophilus supplement is also a good idea. " from the mordanna Questions about Diet... and after comparing most brands on the board there, i'm going to go with the innova... now i have to FIND it... :)

i read that if you absolutely MUST change diet immediately you should first go through a day of fasting, or feed the dog oatmeal and yogurt for a day before chnaging him over to the other food... that actually may have been on the mordanna site too, i think that's where i saw it...

having recently acquired a 14 week female APBT (my first) and doing some MAJOR reading on the breed, i've learned many commercial foods with corn in them can he harmful and cause digestion problems, not just in the APBT but in all dogs. i'm wondering what you're feeding your pits, or other dogs, that is natural and healthy, and if you have any suggestions on brands/diets to switch her to. thanks!

wow. i would have personally smacked that kid silly. i'm a big believer in eye for an eye justice, ESPECIALLY when it comes to animal abuse. how would that kid like it if you smacked him with a newspaper and left him freezing outside for 2 hours? not a bit. glad you didn't get in any type of trouble for anything you didn't do, court. ignorant people are my BIGGEST pet peeve. actually, i'm shocked i've never gotten called in on abuse, and i'm sure smooshie can agree that boxers are VERY vocal and when my two go at it, it can sound and sometimes even look like a fullblown dogfight, even tho they've never shown any ounce of aggression toward eachother. those crazy pups. :)

aw thanks guys! they are definitely the loves of my life, don't know what i would do without them! and since you like them so much i have tonnnnnnnns more pictures to post! :D