XTRAWLD

He's feelin' happy!!! Everyone feels the need to let loose every now and again!

Ryder goes mental for Cheerios!!! Both boys are fed twice a day here too, and plenty of snacks in between!

Oh my gosh. Good thoughts and vibes all around. Poor Thunder!

Oh no, not Bill.

I've read about the recent valiant fight. What a wonderful tribute. Nube was so well loved.

I've used Green Lipped Mussel for Ryder. He's been on it officially for a year and in my opinion it's worked (with the added help of chiropractic treatments). I get mine from www.rawpaw.ca or http://nothingadded.ca/

Keep it clean. I find soaking the paw in epsom salt bath a couple times a day helps with quick healing. Other than that, there isn't much you can do other than stop them from licking as best you can. Check to make sure nothing is embedded. Likely he caught something while walking to rip it, I also find (at least with my clumsy guys) their back feet catch the front when they run and injure themselves that way. I can't imagine something like this "naturally occurring". Likely a little boo boo from something he stepped on or stepped on himself.

Wow. That is beautiful brown. I often look at Ryder and think he's brown, but no, compared to a real brownie, Ryder is indeed red!

Run like the wind Zeke.

I second this!!!

Update? How scary. Hope all is well. Lots of thoughts over here.

I've often had them try to eat the watermelon rind.....didn't know it was safe. Thanks!

I would interpret "chewing" when being petted as a worry. He is likely insecure I think, and shy. Ryder also had low confidence when we got him. We tried to expose him to everything under the sun to get acclimatized. I first took him to an obedience class to get him used to sights, smells, different people, different dogs, in a controlled environment - not like a dog park. IMO this helped immensely with his progress. The class was also the "basics" to agility....so he was exposed to tunnels, hoops, etc. The greatest confidence builder for him was to go through a tunnel.....we simulated this at home using chairs lined up and a blanket covering the top, which he was encouraged to go through from one end to the other. As he became more accustomed to it, we would lower the blanket so he would end up touching it with his back as he would go through. That is my bit of experience. I'd say start with things like that. Ryder was also very fearful outside with loud bangs and it is quite the thing for him to learn not to be scared. Still to this day he is terrified of roofers and their air guns, terrified at home if we use an air compressor. I do try, if I have time, to hang around the source of the noise that bothers him instead of avoid them, even a flapping tarp on a road for construction scares him....I just continue to walk by it over and over again and he learns to not be afraid of it due to the exposure and realizing nothing is gonna happen to him. Praise and reward for these situations are paramount. Good luck!

Those bloodlines run in my Kasey's family too. I can hear all the hurt in your words. Eventually all that hurt will subside.

Warning Folks: http://www.680news.com/news/national/article/359902--salmonella-in-certain-diamond-brand-pet-food-sickens-2-canadians Salmonella in certain Diamond brand pet food sickens 2 Canadians Two Canadians are among the almost 50 people in North America who have contracted salmonella from dry dog food -- that's according to the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta. Ga. The outbreak was linked to a single Diamond Pet Foods production facility in South Carolina. The company recalled a number of brands, including Kirkland Signature, which was sold at Costco. Also included in the recall are: Country Value, Premium Edge, Professional and Diamond Naturals. Diamond issued the first of several recalls of pet food on April 6. The Diamond brand names are: Country Value, Diamond, Premium Edge, Professional, 4Health, Naturals and Taste of the Wild. Other brands co-produced at the plant include: Natural Balance, Kirkland Signature/Kirkland Signature Nature's Domain, Apex Pet Foods, Canidae Pet Foods and one type of Wellness Complete Health puppy food. Consumers should check their homes for recalled pet food and discard them. People can contract the rare strain of salmonella just by handling the food, or even through contact with animals who have eaten the contaminated food.

Poor pup. I don't have much to add, however I wonder if you can consider giving a "supplement"? I currently give Kasey Slippery Elm to help with acid reflux and it helps to coat and protect the stomach and stomach lining and I'm thinking helps other digestive organs as well. The downside is needing to space this our with meds for about 2 hours because it prevents the correct metabolization. I wonder if this would help ease her insides a bit?

At my house in Southern Ontario, Canada, coats go on my boys at 0 C (32F). Warmer coats go on when it gets to -5 and -10C (23F to 14F). -10C they start feeling the cold of the sidewalk, and depending on the length of walk, I consider putting boots on depending on how cold of a day it really is (sun or cloud make a difference too). -20C (-4F) we without fail end up putting booties on for a walk. Colder than that we usually end up with dashes in and out of the house for quick elimination. They don't wanna be out there any more than I do!

Pads are one of the hardest and longest things to heal, because they are constantly using them. As said above, keep it clean as best as possible. When your pup is off their feet, I'd actually try spraying some CS (colloidal silver) on it to help speed some healing - because it's pretty much water it will "evaporate" quicker than Neosporin would and won't leave gooey stuff on your floors as they walk around.

We have had some great long term success with Slippery Elm. Natural and safe to give regularly. If for some reason SE doesn't work, we always have Pepcid on hand to give him a little "boost".

8-10 hours for my boys to be bored in the house is all we usually push for. The longest Ryder has had to endure is 12 hours, and poor Kasey at one point 15. Not saying that making them hold it is a good thing (sometimes circumstances are beyond your control to get home - but if either of them would have gone to the bathroom in the house - I would hardly blame them! They can certainly hold it if they want to is all I'm saying, but every dog is different.) I believe she should be fine out of the kennel in the house on her own during the day when you aren't there, however I am not sure if you know her behaviour outside of the kennel yet. IMO I would have tried to make a transition for her to lose the kennel and get roam of the house before starting a new routine this Monday. Not locking her up and suddenly not being home might be a double whammy for her all at once. I don't recommend leaving her outside. Certainly leave the kennel up but the door unlocked. Make sure Sofia gets a nice long walk in the morning to do a full elimination, leave a little water for her to drink during the day until you know she can hold her bladder while roaming your house. A nice long walk when you get back and she'll love you forever!

Tripe or some type of additional organ should keep things moving a bit better.

So we cooked up hamburg and rice last night and fed. Fed again this morning. Kasey was not restless, however the jury is out on how it's working on his stomach. He hasn't pooped yet. IMO something is working, something is jamming him up. If this is what "fixes" him then it can't be a virus - I don't think this could mask those kinds of symptoms, could it? The raw they are on is pre-mixed ground. They were COMPLETELY FINE on it before the vet, so why are they acting different when on the same food after the vet? I'm so stumped. We are gonna feed the cooked ground beef and rice again tonight and tomorrow, and try to go back to the raw again. Is this the kind of trial and error we should be doing? I'm just really trying to narrow everything down. If they have D when fed the raw again, we are gonna go back to the vet. Thanks for your help, and any additional input you can provide.

Well they aren't on any meds anymore. They finished those up on Wednesday. Ryder struggles with having nothing in his stomach, I'm hesitant to fast..... Sigh. I'll try hamburg and rice.

Would fasting them tonight help at all? Hubby reports that Ryder had a semi solid poop today. Sigh. I'm so pissed. Do I fast for one meal, or 24hrs?

Here's the story (don't have a lot of time so I will make this quick). Both boys are on raw. I will focus on my problem child Kasey. Everything going along just fine with raw, no issues for months. On May 23 we take the boys to the vet for their annuals. He has bloodwork done, everything with it is great, no issues. The only thing he got at the vet was the 3 year Rabies vaccine. Nearly the next day, or a couple of days afterwards I can't remember, he got a terrible bout of D. We tried adding rice, we tried adding pasta, no dice. Happened for a couple of days without clearing up. So much so that hubby couldn't handle cleaning up in the house. Kasey NEVER goes in the house (99% sure it was Kasey not Ryder - both started to get problems, but I digress). Hubby came home and there was a mess in the living room. He pulled the rolled carpet out and washed it in the backyard, went to take a shower and Kasey decided to go again on another rug. He took him to the vet that day, May 30, where they were both prescribed Apo-Metronidazole and were to have it twice a day for a week. They both got Interceptor Heartworm on June 1 and didn't skip a beat regarding poops. The week was over June 6. This morning, June 8, Kasey started pacing in the house with a stuffy in his mouth, so I went to take him out, knowing that's his MA I GOTTA GO signal. Nothing but liquid came out. Took him out twice, and hosed it all down this morning. (I will be late for work - yay Happy Friday) What could be the problem? I didn't bring Ryder into this discussion today because as of now, he's still fine. He did have a bit of D when we got back from the vet too but he had a whole whack of shots. Oh my, what do I do now?