Post by Vanessa on Nov 7, 2007 5:14:46 GMT -5
Ok, I know neither of these is curable, but I'm interested in help managing it. My beloved shepherd, Sabu, has both (I just recently learned her father was put down at age 12 due to Wobblers).
She is 8 (or 9-I need to check her papers, can't remember for sure) and has been on BARF for the whole time we've owned her (got her when she was 2 yrs old).
She is already on glucosamine (though if anyone has any good ideas on how to get it into her, I'm all ears-it's the liquid form the vet prescribed and she doesn't like it). She doesn't get that much ground meat, more like meat chunks, (chicken and beef-doesn't care for pork much) meaty bones, raw milk (but not with liquid glucosamine added ) and she gets a healthy dose of bacteria from, uh, cowpies! Tried feeding her ground meat mixed with veggies early in our relationship-she will not eat her veggies! Like a spoiled child....
The vet also prescribed metacam for pain, and a cortisone ointment for her eyes (neither of which she is crazy about either)
I recently found this site: www.belfield.com/home.html
and requested his book from the library. But while I'm waiting, can anyone give me a hint on dosage of Vit C and Vit E for an 80 lb GSD? I don't want to overdo it on the C, b/c of it's stool loosening properties when given excess-she's already embarassed enough when she accidentially urinates.
She's also seeing a chiropractor, and we will be adding a massage therapist to her treatment right away. She LOVES seeing the chiropractor, but keeps putting his adjustments right back out after she's seen him!
Any other help would be appreciated. I know they say everyone thinks their own dog is special, and I'm no exception-but she really, really is. She is my first line of alert that someone is here, and (along with the shotgun! ) helps me to feel safe when Hubby isn't home, is awesome with our kids, and will work any kind of livestock anywhere anytime we need-no kidding-when we went on holidays this summer, and the inlaws were looking after the critters, I told them if they needed anything, call on Sabu. They kind of rolled their eyes and agreed. When we got home, they couldn't wait to tell us how impressed they were with her and everything she did, right to a T. Need a gate watched? No problem. Needed the stallion kept at bay ('cause SIL was scared of him, even though he's a big sweetheart) no problem. Goats won't come in for milking ('cause they didn't know the inlaws and didn't trust them) No problem. This is the dog that, when she earned her CD, had the judge rolling on the floor playing with her, after her class, and commenting to me "you don't find shepherds like this anymore".
We will be getting another puppy from her breeder in Dec (nope, don't wanna hear about genetics and the chances of the new puppy having problems-(fingers in my ears, hands over my eyes) I know, I understand the risks, but even if I knew things would end up like this with Sabu-I would do it all again in a heartbeat). I'm worried about how Sabu will feel about this new puppy, but I don't want to be starting over with a puppy after we lose Sabu-she's going to leave too much of a huge hole in my heart as it is.
Anyways, if anyone could help, that'd be great!
Thanks!
Vanessa
She is 8 (or 9-I need to check her papers, can't remember for sure) and has been on BARF for the whole time we've owned her (got her when she was 2 yrs old).
She is already on glucosamine (though if anyone has any good ideas on how to get it into her, I'm all ears-it's the liquid form the vet prescribed and she doesn't like it). She doesn't get that much ground meat, more like meat chunks, (chicken and beef-doesn't care for pork much) meaty bones, raw milk (but not with liquid glucosamine added ) and she gets a healthy dose of bacteria from, uh, cowpies! Tried feeding her ground meat mixed with veggies early in our relationship-she will not eat her veggies! Like a spoiled child....
The vet also prescribed metacam for pain, and a cortisone ointment for her eyes (neither of which she is crazy about either)
I recently found this site: www.belfield.com/home.html
and requested his book from the library. But while I'm waiting, can anyone give me a hint on dosage of Vit C and Vit E for an 80 lb GSD? I don't want to overdo it on the C, b/c of it's stool loosening properties when given excess-she's already embarassed enough when she accidentially urinates.
She's also seeing a chiropractor, and we will be adding a massage therapist to her treatment right away. She LOVES seeing the chiropractor, but keeps putting his adjustments right back out after she's seen him!
Any other help would be appreciated. I know they say everyone thinks their own dog is special, and I'm no exception-but she really, really is. She is my first line of alert that someone is here, and (along with the shotgun! ) helps me to feel safe when Hubby isn't home, is awesome with our kids, and will work any kind of livestock anywhere anytime we need-no kidding-when we went on holidays this summer, and the inlaws were looking after the critters, I told them if they needed anything, call on Sabu. They kind of rolled their eyes and agreed. When we got home, they couldn't wait to tell us how impressed they were with her and everything she did, right to a T. Need a gate watched? No problem. Needed the stallion kept at bay ('cause SIL was scared of him, even though he's a big sweetheart) no problem. Goats won't come in for milking ('cause they didn't know the inlaws and didn't trust them) No problem. This is the dog that, when she earned her CD, had the judge rolling on the floor playing with her, after her class, and commenting to me "you don't find shepherds like this anymore".
We will be getting another puppy from her breeder in Dec (nope, don't wanna hear about genetics and the chances of the new puppy having problems-(fingers in my ears, hands over my eyes) I know, I understand the risks, but even if I knew things would end up like this with Sabu-I would do it all again in a heartbeat). I'm worried about how Sabu will feel about this new puppy, but I don't want to be starting over with a puppy after we lose Sabu-she's going to leave too much of a huge hole in my heart as it is.
Anyways, if anyone could help, that'd be great!
Thanks!
Vanessa