Tonks and Remus update.

Tonks first. Since having the lumps removed (3 different types of cancer for those of you who don't know) she has remained lump free, externally anyway, and seems in good health. Today she carried a huge log for half and hour and was jumping streams with it in her mouth like it was a piece of cake. It was bigger than her body, so her strength hasn't diminished! She is very varying with the itchiness and isn't too itchy but is very scabby at the moment...however she starts not this new anti itch treatment soon, can't remember who told me about it sorry....so we have high hopes for that. She's on salmon and potato nature diet now, which she loves and it seems to suit her well, and she's also having Billy No Mates herbal flea and tick deterrent rather than advocate, so we shall see how that works. She's very happy really.







Now for the baby giraffe. Remus has been on Clomicalm for his separation anxiety for a few weeks now and it's definitely making a big difference. I have to make sure he is fed before I go out, doesn't matter if it's food time or not, because being left with no food is one of his major concerns. He has managed three lots of three hours with no damage and only once did he wee. However, since we have no heard we are going to have to move, we have decided that we have to muzzle him when we are not around as we cannot afford for him to do any damage to a rented house that will be inspected regularly. He is used to the muzzle for being in the car, as he chews the car or Tonks head for a few minutes to release pent up frustration when the noisy collie client gets in her crate. I'm continuing with a training program with him, as well as they muzzle and clomicalm and the muzzle is acting as his "nothing exciting is happening and I am going to ignore you" cue. He only gets excited to see the muzzle when he sees it in conjunction with the lead. When I put it on him with no lead on he just climbs in the crate wand goes to sleep. I'm hoping it's pressing on pressure points. Hopefully there will come a time when we don't have to do that, but at the moment that's how it has to be.

I've been giving Georgina Kalm Aid because with all her eye problems and the stress of having three operations she was becoming a nervous wreck. She was too frightened to go out walking, was terrified of cars and noises on TV agitated her. Two months later she's coping nicely and is a much happier and relaxed girl.

The other thing I do is to give her a massage every evening using the TTouch method .... she loves it and both Chloe and Sashicat have decided they love it too!

So glad to hear that Tonks is doing well! Fingers crossed that was it for her

Nice to hear that things are working out for Remus too. I know it will probably be really stressful with all the moving etc. (it always is.. I've got it ahead of me too) but keep in mind that leaving a dog with a muzzle on unsupervised can have a danger of him suffocating if he needs to vomit. I'm not sure if there's a muzzle that would allow him to vomit without it getting stuck, or maybe there are special muzzles that are safe for being left on the dog while you're away.
But good to hear they're both doing so well

Don't worry it's not a close muzzle it's a very open, big new Baskerville muzzle. He can drink and take treats with it on and, as I found out the other day, can even take plates off the work surface when wearing it! If he was sick I can't see any reason for it not to pass straight through the muzzle.

Ah ok! I'm not too clued up in the world of muzzles, we only have a few of the normal baskerville ones in the shop and I imagined if Ella threw up the way she did a few weeks ago, it would have totally clogged it up. Maybe just her special vom

Glad to hear he can take plates off the work surface with it, sounds like a special talent of his

He's wearing a size 5 which I think is probably too big for his narrow long muzzle, but it does the job. He's cost us hundreds of pounds in things he's destroyed and it's not for not letting him access to things as he can open our patio type doors that lead to our conservatory/play room. He's even open it with a table and four chairs baracaiding his way! Thankfully my dog walking business means he's not left for long periods, he does an hour pre walk while I do the school run and an hour when I pick them up and sometimes a couple of hours in the afternoon. I'd like him to be able to do four hours post a big walk so I can enjoy going places with my little girls in the afternoon. As a back up plan though my friend is opening a doggy day care so we may be using that too.

Him sorry I missed this before. I can't quite remember if we tried calm aid. We tried science rememdy, a calming spray and the tablets that are made from milk so are supposed to give them a nice cosy calm feeling...but none of then had an affect. These new tablet are really having an affect and, so far, ihe hasn't has any side affects like vomiting. I'm concerned how he will get on in the new house so I'm going to have to start from scratch with him again, I can't have hime damaging the new place. It's a bit of a worry really.

Glad to hear they are doing all right. Jadey wears the Baskerville muzzle, too. They are nice muzzles. Size 3 I think because even though the size 4 was a more proper fit... she hated it and was having fits as it was going over her eyes and it was BAD. It fits like this:



So yes it's too small, but it's the one she is comfortable in, so I use this one. She only wears it when there are kids about, who might jet up to me before I can stop them.

I usually have it on my side when she is with me. Sometimes she reacts to other dogs (not always). She makes a strange yelpy/crying noise and starts jumping up and down and it's just ridiculous so I pop it on when she has an episode. The muzzle calms her. She does NOT wear it at home randomly.

She does not need it with Nigredo, as their scraps consist of teeth baring and growling... and sometimes when it gets uglier Nigredo will shove her over (she pretty much just rolls over), but they don't bite each other.

I know all about puppies costing you tons of money. Nigredo ate a $300 pair of glasses when he was little. He is turning into quite the perfect puppy though. Main issue is his weight... he's a fatso! He weighed in at 80 lbs (36 kg) at the vet we took the cats to the other day.

Remus doesn't have this issue... what a looker! He needs to teach Nigredo a thing or two about fitness!! It's an ongoing problem. He's not really FAT... but he really looks like a big black pudge.

You wish for the puppy legginess to go away and them to fill in, and then once they do... you find yourself wishing for the legginess back. Can't win for losing

He has a weak hip, even though he moves perfectly fine and has tons of puppy energy, but for the future... I need to keep his weight down. I keep him active, and he eats a very decent portion of food... but he's just, kinda... big?

Oh, well. Tonks looks good, very glad no more cancer seems to be plaguing her. Glad you've found something to help calm Remus down. You're doing a great job, big thumbs up! Hope the move or whatnot doesn't set you back any.

Jade is 11 now and she is getting old and her arthritis is wearing on her. She is on meds, but it doesn't seem to help much when it acts up. She is not fat, she is just old and a GSD mix and didn't have strong hips to begin with.

Yesterday she was quite stiff and when she could barely jump into the car to go to the park, I decided it was best to let her rest another day at least. I have been avoiding cement walks altogether with her. I have been trying to keep Nigredo away from her, as well as she gets very crabby when she doesn't feel up to par.

Vet said there isn't much else that can be done. Sadly, I can't afford hydrotherapy or anything (not that Jade who hates water would have any interest in this anyway) so I am trying to work through it ATM. Always sad to see them age and lose their vitality.