:(....feeling quite sad..

[gsdstewart]

...would like to say that I find this forum gr8t!!...but wondering about my vet...been on holiday and Sheba was staying with an old couple that were recommended...bad move...anyway I collected her earlier....as they said that she was snappy and that they wouldn't have her near children..I went through like a flash to collect her....I was miffed to say the least...Sheba is round children every day and she is a star...however on collecting her and getting her home...her legs were covered in red lumps!!and she was scratching big time and had green eye bogies...no wonder she was snappy..I felt really bad for leaving her ...she has never left my side since returning and has taken a few days to settle but I took her to the vets and she has been prescribed antibiotics, eye cream and treatment for mange!...however she has had small patches of redness on her front paws before...spoke to vet and he said it is hard to decipher allergies?..I am suppose I am not too confident about the vets round my way and dont want to feel that I am going every 10 days for a visit and forking out £90...not quite sure what the best way forward is?...I feed Sheba skinners duck and rice, with rabbit,fish or duck wet food, as a mixer, as she can go days without eating if only dry food offered. I also give her evening primrose oil daily and regular cod liver oil and garlic oil....help...

[kita]

Originally Posted by gsdstewart

been on holiday and Sheba was staying with an old couple that were recommended...bad move...anyway I collected her earlier....as they said that she was snappy and that they wouldn't have her near children..I went through like a flash to collect her....I was miffed to say the least...

Who were the 'old couple' and who recommended them? Are they part of any Company?

How long has she been back with you?

I would give her a couple of weeks to get whatever it is out of her system (especially if it is an allergy), I would only see a vet if things get worse.

They may have been feeding her wrongly, or she may have picked up fleas etc. some of these home boarding places are not that good at cleaning between dogs.

That is why I would always rather leave my animals in a proper kennels, at least you know kennels have to follow certain regulations and are checked up on, especially if you go by recommendations and go and view the kennels first.

Sue

[zetstaff]

Originally Posted by kita

Who were the 'old couple' and who recommended them? Are they part of any Company?

How long has she been back with you?

I would give her a couple of weeks to get whatever it is out of her system (especially if it is an allergy), I would only see a vet if things get worse.

They may have been feeding her wrongly, or she may have picked up fleas etc. some of these home boarding places are not that good at cleaning between dogs.

That is why I would always rather leave my animals in a proper kennels, at least you know kennels have to follow certain regulations and are checked up on, especially if you go by recommendations and go and view the kennels first.

Sue

[gsdstewart]

Hi Sue

I went through to see the couple first, my friend had recommended, she has a Belgian shepherd, it seemed clean, but when your away it may be a different story..Sheba has been back for five days..I am glad I did go to the vet as she does not seem to have been scratching as much...sometimes you think that you may be doing the best thing.....

[LindaM]

Hi - I hope Sheba is soon back to her old self. Hindsight is a wonderful thing as they say and I'm sure you did the best you could for her. At least they kept her safe.

I once left a precious pet with friends (they really wanted to look after her and were responsible) but I found out some long time later she had got out and wandered home where they found her and took her back to theirs.

I swore I would use kennels after that. I know sheps hate kennels and I haven't had to use them but at least you know you will get your dog back.

All the best.

Linda

[RainbowLass]

awwww, poor Sheba!

They certainly have ways of making you feel bad for leaving them behind

I know where i'd be putting the vets bills if she has come back from the sitters with mainge!
Allergies are a nightmare to diagnose but i guess if she is ok with you in your house i would assume she isn't allergic to anything in it!

I used kennels with our dane and they were really good with her, although after her two week stay there she decided she preferred to pee on concrete rather than grass which got a bit problematic!

[gsdstewart]

Originally Posted by RainbowLass

awwww, poor Sheba!

They certainly have ways of making you feel bad for leaving them behind

I know where i'd be putting the vets bills if she has come back from the sitters with mainge!
Allergies are a nightmare to diagnose but i guess if she is ok with you in your house i would assume she isn't allergic to anything in it!

I used kennels with our dane and they were really good with her, although after her two week stay there she decided she preferred to pee on concrete rather than grass which got a bit problematic!

.. Thanks.. She is still biting the paws and doing a bit if scratching..bummer.. I think we are going down the allergy route!! Sheba starting on an excluded diet next week..so we will see..

[RainbowLass]

Originally Posted by gsdstewart

.. Thanks.. She is still biting the paws and doing a bit if scratching..bummer.. I think we are going down the allergy route!! Sheba starting on an excluded diet next week..so we will see..

flea bites itch for DAYS, have you flea treated her since she got back? It might be worth a little bath or a doggie flea shampoo to make sure there are no beasties on her.
Sometimes stress seems to make dogs itch too.

The best time to deal with allergies (so my vet tells me) is in the winter as there are less pollens around, less fleas around in the cold weather too.

Good luck with it though i hope you get it sorted!

[Debs1]

What a rubbish end to your hols to return to such problems
However, I'm personally still not convinced about kennels, my Bernese mountain dog, aged 10, (average life expectancy 6-7) went in to very good kennels in august for one week and seemed to be healthy but 2 weeks later we had to have him put to sleep as his back legs had gone and he was so thin that the vet said something else must be going on ie tumour. Now I am not blaming the kennel but I just wonder if he gave up the fight that week?
Previously I have used a dog sitting service and he stayed in a petpals house and he was really happy.
Also a few years ago my dear departed grandparents went to pick up their staffie from kennels only to be told sorry we've lost him! They got him back eventually but hey you never know

[LOVEGSD]

Aww bless Sheba, I'm glad she's ok now...xx