Botty trouble worse.... Previously: "Feeling like a very bad mummy :("

[Pammy]

Well things are no better for Jasper. He's going back again next Wednesday for another flush and fill with antispetics and stuff and we'll see where he goes from there. They'll also do cultures from the contents

At least they're only going to sedate him this time rather than a full general.

 

[Rachel B]

Oh no, poor Japser, I was really hoping it would have worked this time!!!!!!

Best of luck for next wednesday

[cazza]

I've only just caught up with this, here's hoping Jasper gets sorted soon for him and for you

Good luck for next week

[Rachel B]

Fingers crossed for barney's check up this evening please!!!!!

[Pammy]

Fingers crossed for barney's check up this evening please!!!!!

Duly crossed - any news?

[*Jay*]

Hope Barney gets the all clear

[ladylola]

poor jasper hope he gets sorted. hope barney goes on ok too 

[Pammy]

Rachel - I hope no news isn't bad news. PLease do let us know what the results were.

Finger's crossed

[CraftySam]

Poor Barney and Jasper. 

Pammy, I hope that the next time will be the last time for Jasper.

Rachel, how is Barney doing now?

[Rachel B]

Sorry for not posting earlier - we felt a bit rubbish after the vet so had quality time with barney.  We saw a different vet this time, and she basically emptied them and said "come back in 2 months and we'll empty them again".  We were a little taken aback - great that she didn't think there was a problem so i pressed her asking if they were still infected - and then she said it doesn't matter, so long as we keep emptying them.  Now, over the past 2 weeks barney has had 12 days of antibiotics (costing us about £60 plus 3 vet appointments).  We don't mind paying if he needs treatment but i do not like the idea of pumping him full of antibiotics - we are against it in my family and of course barney gets treated the same as any family member.  So we now don't know which vet to believe at all....typically as soon as we bring barney home he has scooted his bum on the floor every day over the weekend 

he is happy in himself and we are going to only take him back if we think there is something wrong - mummy and daddy know best and all that  

The final straw was that she commented about how barney's coat wasn't looking shiny.  I explained that we were going to be grooming him and using a coat king on him and that pulls out the short curly fur on top and after doing that he looks a lot healthier.  She then tried to convicne us to move onto hills science plan as his current food is obviously missing some essential oils.  We feed him on burns and bulk it up with fresh veg.  She said that some of his fur was looking lovely and shiney but his back was letting him down. 

I came away feeling completely got at and as though i was an awful mum.  I know he looks a little like "what-a-mess" but that is part of his charm.  He has fantastic long beach/forest off lead walks and he likes getting messy which i am sure doesn't help his coat.  He comes first in our family - we always make sure he has good food, and we are carfeul with what treats he has.  We are using burns on recommendation from a number of people including his breeder.  I will look into getting some omega-3 oils to add to his diet but out of principle i won;t be buying the food at the vet.  We felt completely taken advantage of.

When leaving we weighed him while iw as payign and he only weighs 7.4kg - we thought he was a small cocker but now we are worried he is malnourished too.

SO as you can see - not a good trip and we don't really know what to do next! ANy advice gratefully receievd - please do advise if you know of any good oils to add to hsi food, as i have done a search and i hear that burns can leave coast quite dry.  Also, any experts out there - could the antibiotics have affected barney's coat and made it drier cos james is convinced that is what has happened?

Thansk guys! And well done to all thsoe who read this rant!!!!

[*Theresa*]

Oh gosh. Sorry I have no advice to give but well done in not throwing yourself in the river. I would have felt a wee bit picked on too if that was me. You can from all your postings you are a very loving mummy so don't you give that vet another thought. I hope someone comes along to give advice on oils. 

[Pammy]

mmm - some vets seemed to bypass the tact and diplomacy classes

Remind me how old Barney is - his weight does seem a little low. But to try and get him onto Hills is not necessarily the best thing to do. Having said that Burns does not suit all dogs and it is a question of finding which food suits Barney. It does not mean you have to go to Hills though or that you are a bad mum. If you were - you wouldn't have been bothering to get him checked out like this - so ignore what this vet says, in food terms anyway.

Mine used to have Nutro and it suited them really well until recently. Jasper's coat has gone quite dull - in part coz it's so fluffy. I'm about to try James Well Beloved. I have been giving them Hills Dental care - £20 for 5kg as it's supposed to be good for their teeth - well Buddy's are as bad as ever - so am coming off it as it's making Buds pile the weight on too.

I would be tempted to come off Burns though it could be contributing to his anal gland problem. Are his poos firm and healthy? If not then I would deffo ditch Burns. If they are then there's no guarantee that chaging his food will make that big a difference anyway.

[Helen]

burns didn't suit jarv so we changed to arden grange...which he does like (although he is more barf than anything now), and he looks very well on it.  some dogs on burns find it hard to gain weight so this could be a contributary factor to his slight frame.

i too hate the dose 'em up with antibiotics theory - fine if there is an infection which looks like it's not getting any better, but if he is showing no signs of infection i don't see why he should have them?

rachel, i hate the thought that your vet's belittle your care of barney - he has a fantastic home and there is absolutely no cause for you to feel that you are bad owners.  please don't feel you or james  are the cause of any of this!

if you are worried that barney has dull fur, then i would recommend a raw egg occassionally, and some pilchards or sardines in tomato sauce...and some cider vinegar in his water is meant to help him...and don't fall for the hard sell on hills!

i'm sure the anti-b's could have some effect on his fur - they certainly have an adverse effect on jarv's behind (leading to....you guessed it....anal gland issues!)

squidge to barney, and a hug to you 

[Mary]

Lotties coat went quite dull at one point last year, I just wondered if it was something to do with the central heating or hormones but she was on Burns for a while during that period too.

She is now on JWB again along with a little Naturediet.  Her coat is shinier now but whether that's the food or pure coincidence I haven't worked out yet.  You could add some tuna in oil to his meals, that may help his coat too.

Barneys weight does seem low even if he is on the small side, is he fully grown?  I would definately change from Burns if he is  

I must admit to listening to the great advice given on here by experienced people more than I do the vet when it comes down to diet, weight, coat etc.

[Rachel B]

He is 15 months old and fully grown but he is very small.  His ribs don't stick out, but when you run your hand over his back you can feel them.  A few weeks ago when visiting my mum (who always feeds him titbits) everyone was commenting that he looked a bit podgy, but when he comes away from her home we have more off lead walks and i guess we haven't been adjusting his food rations. Straight after eating his tummy does bloat (a little like mine does after a huge take away!)

We did move from Burns to JWB a little while back but it just didn't seem to suit him so we switched back.  We might well give arden grange a go - can you get AG at PaH?  His poos on burns are very variable - sometimes really firm and well looking and other times quite soft. 

If we were to try adding raw eggs and such do i have to do it gradually or shall i start adding oen every other day?  Are they likely to have effects on his poos?  I can see this being a pretty circular change as any change in diet could bring on more anal gland issues...?

His height is ~35 cm from paw to shoulder - i don't know if this makes him a smaller cocker or not...  We don't have much central heating on (because we are in a flat it is fairly warm) but sometimes do in the evenings so i suppose it could be that.

I will try and get a photo of him next to something universal so people can judge his size from that.