Slater

It's really sad to read that some people have had to relocate thier dogs, we have put off having a pet for the last two years so as not to complicate the big move. One of the big attractions for our children is to have pets, we have promised them that we will have when we get to Oz. We have seen some puppies recenty they are cross Border terrior and Jack Russell really adorable.


Slater

bondipom

The dogs will love eating the local wildlife. Be careful mentioning cats here.

Jacqui

We've just bought a puppy (see piccie under my name, isn't he so cute?). I'll be glad when the weather brightens up, as I'm going in and out all day trying to housetrain him. In the UK you have the option of leaving the back door open, not so here though because of the fly screens, but when he's older we'll probably put a kennel outside and he can spend more time out there. The breeder said we should keep a supply of vitamin C because if he got bitten by a snake then that would buy him some time until we got to the vets. I hope he doesn't go pawing any redback spiders though! Also we have to give him daily tablets for heartworm disease, something I hadn't heard of before, it's spread by mosquitoes. I'm going to ring around and get prices for the mobile dog-bathing companies, there's plenty of them around here, I can't bear the thought of fleas and I bet they would multiply pretty rapidly in summer, so he'll be having a fortnightly bath and flea treatment.

Jacqui

Slater, just noticed your name, did you realise that "slater" is what woodlice are known as around here?!

janeyray

DAILY!!??? I give my dogs Heart worm tablets but once a month as the vet requested. Bit much giving it daily?

MrsDagboy

You can get daily heartworm tablets or monthly. Daily ones are much cheaper (you can buy them in the supermarket), but are much easier to forget. Monthly ones are more expensive & can only be bought from the vet but its less likely that your darling will contract it if you are a day or 2 late. Unfortunately the drug given to prevent it can be fatal for a dog that already has heartworm, so if you buy an older dog (or forget tablets for any length of time) you should always get the dog tested by the vet before you start treating them. Its a horrid disease.

Jacqui, yes the fleas will breed like mad in summer, keep the flea rinses on every week & you will be fine. But be wary if your dog is only a puppy, many flea & tick rinses are deadly posionous to dogs under 6 months old. Always ask if its suitable for puppies if you are buying something yourself. You should be fine if you get a mobile hydrobath to do it, just mention the puppies age. As for the toilet training, try getting a cat flap fitted, they work well for small dogs (& not so small dogs, my friends dalmation uses the one she has installed for her shitzus LOL).

Larissa

Just an idea - don't know if this insight will be any help, but worth the try...
My mum and dad live in a remote village in Northern Greece, with their 4 cats and 2 dogs. Over the years, they've lost a number of cats to poisoning, since the local farmers keep some of their agricultural stuff outside, or in stores which cats can get into. They've also been bitten by snakes etc, so mum and dad have taken on other kittens (no shortage!) when they've lost animals. As the vets is quite far away, he's given my mum a number of shots and taught her how to administer them herself, in an emergency. Perhaps this could be feasible if you live far from the vets. I guess the main problem with snake/spider bite would be knowing what had bitten your dog, so there could be a risk involved here, plus you'd have to take him to the vet for his progress to be checked anyway... might be worth asking the vet?
Larissa

suz

Hiya Jane,

What happens while your dog is in quarantine re the heartworm tabs? any ideas?

Suz

dotty

Jacqui, ask the vet about Frontline. Its a flea and tick potion you put on once a month and its waterproof. Many of the cheaper ones just wash off.

Coles sell a reasonable priced heartworm tab, Excelpet (red packet) about $5.00 for the month and its only the one tab a month pill.