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ramonaghan

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Everything posted by ramonaghan

  1. She's a beauty! Congrats on the addition.
  2. Yep, for Sweep it is! It really varies quite a bit depending on quality of food, individual dog's metabolism, level of exercise, etc. We might bump it up a bit soon because she gets more exercise this time of year (she is a lazy slug during the humid southern summer), but generally, yes, she's at a good weight at 2.5c of high-quality food plus treats.
  3. I'm by no means an expert, but could the dewormer have been contributing to the diarrhea? Certainly four days is not long, so as you noted anxiety is also probably a factor as well. I'd be more inclined to give it another couple of days to see if things firm up now that she's finished the dewormer. Switching foods probably won't hurt, but I think there are other variables you might rule out first. Another couple of thoughts: are you feeding her 2x a day? 3.5 cups in the morning seems like a lot at one time to me. For comparison, my girl (61 lbs) gets about 2.5 cups a day, split between morning and evening. (She eats Blue Buffalo, which is higher protein and thus she doesn't need a lot.) If she's being fed once a day, I'd try splitting her food up into two meals. Adding a bit of warm water (not so much that it's soupy, but more of a thick, gravy-like consistency) helped Sweep with choking/bolting food.
  4. ramonaghan

    Tex

    What a gorgeous photo and tribute. Deepest sympathies on your loss. Rest well, Tex.
  5. So sorry for the loss of your special boy. Rest well, Scout.
  6. Yep, here's the excerpt: Trifexis contains two drugs, spinosad and milbemycin. "The spinosad is from the United States. The milbemycin is sourced from China" said Connell. But that hasn't (yet?) been isolated as the issue. Comfortis, which is what I give Sweep, is also made by Elanco and also contains spinosad. Makes me a bit paranoid! So sad for those owners.
  7. ramonaghan

    Shadow

    I am so sorry for your loss. Rest well, Shadow.
  8. I have used Musher's Secret successfully to soften Sweep's pads, which does help some with traction on slippery floors and is actually one of the uses listed on the jar ("keeps paw pads supple and helps prevent old calloused paws from slipping on smooth surfaces when applied regularly"). But you definitely have to time it right for the reasons stated above. Best to apply it just before bedtime or before giving a frozen kong or other long-lasting treat (or you can try nonskid toddler socks over the paws while it absorbs).
  9. I give Sentinel (also switched from Heartgard Plus) and Comfortis with no ill effects. My very grey-savvy, grey-owning vet prescribed them both, so I have no concerns about safety. I also wondered about the extra flea preventative, but I live in the south and have never seen a flea on Sweep, so I won't mess with success!
  10. Sending positive thoughts to you and Fintan. I can imagine how hard this must be for you--hang in there! Hope they can find and easily treat the issue soon.
  11. Oh, and re: the stress, lavender is known to be calming, so another option would be a lavender-scented shampoo like this. (I think Cloud Star is the brand our local dog wash uses.) We have a walk-in shower, thank goodness--I can imagine the tub is not much fun for either of you!
  12. I am a big fan of Earthbath products, especially the Aloe & Oatmeal shampoo (good for dry skin and smells nice--not cloying like some others), waterless grooming foam (for between baths), and grooming wipes. They also make a conditioner, which does a good job remoisturizing and preventing post-bath itchies. They offer hypoallergenic/fragrance-free versions of their products too, if that's a concern for you. I usually order from Amazon but have found their products at TJ Maxx too.
  13. Congrats! She is beautiful. Hope all goes well with kitty!
  14. Deepest sympathies for both your losses. Rest well, Malcolm and Lulu.
  15. Oh, I completely understand where you're both coming from as well. The difference, in my mind, is that this actually has happened to you now, and so your research and distress are warranted to some extent, whereas worrying before something happens serves neither the adopter nor the dog. I was totally guilty of this, and Sweep probably felt that anxiety for the first few weeks until we finally realized, "Huh. She's not doing any of that stuff we put all that time and emotional energy into before she even arrived." Staying calm is definitely easier said than done for some of us researchaholics! Thank God we did not turn her into a basket case. Anyway, I sympathize with your situation (and imagine I'd feel very much the way you do) and really commend you for the steps you're taking with her. I hope it all works out. Sounds like Cleo landed with good people.
  16. I understand your concern, but also remember that any online forum like this is going to have more people writing in for support and advice for problems than posts from people talking about how sweet and cuddly and tolerant their dog is. It's not an accurate representation of the whole picture, and thus not worth worrying over before you find out how YOUR dog will be. Many of us have dogs who will tolerate just about anything, but non-events don't "make the news." My cat missed a jump the other night and fell practically on top of Sweep in her bed. It startled everyone and there was some cartoon-like scrambling on both their parts to get away from each other, but no snarling, snapping, barking, or anything of the sort. Some dogs are just wired differently than others, and that goes for any breed. When you've reached the point where your research is making you more anxious than excited, stop researching. The "what ifs" will make you crazy, and none of them may even happen. Spoken from experience.
  17. So sorry for your loss. Rest well, beautiful Maya.
  18. Short-term, Sortkwik (the office supply stuff for sorting money) works great. Nontoxic, so no worries there, and it dries very quickly. Read about it here several months ago and it worked like a charm. I like Musher's Secret for softening paws long-term. I know it's typically used more as a protective wax for snow/salt and hot pavement, but one of the uses advertised on the jar is traction on slippery surfaces. As with Bag Balm, though, it takes a few minutes to dry so you have to time it right.
  19. We went through All About Hounds, out of Smyrna, but talked to the GPAN folks as well. Both groups are great, but AAH had the hound whose picture I fell in love with online.
  20. Here's a third for ya. This is Sweep--sire Kiowa Sweet Trey--right off the hauler from the track (and still wet from her bath!). No spine or ribs visible, just the hip points, but a healthy weight nonetheless.
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