Wheat Allergy in Dogs; What Works for Buffy.

For some time Buffy has had an allergy to wheat based products, bread, pasta and dry dog food all contain wheat (or worse yeast). Buffy's problems were caused we think by a wheat ear becoming lodged in her ear canal one hot dry summer out gambolling through the local fields. 

Border Terriers as all owners will affirm, love their free running field time, following the scents of "beasts" and returning periodically and then dashing off again. I am sure that there has to be an internal trip switch in Border Terriers between their nose and their ears so that when an "interesting smell" is encountered the trip switch clicks in and their ears stop working. It was one of those hot summer afternoons that Buffy's problems started.

Buffy of all our Borders went straight for the hedgerows and would often come back with scratches, Buster was a field bouncer (running then jumping up in the long grass) and Bobby was a chaser, running in large circles. It was not unusual for them all to scratch off the dust dirt and debris from their adventures while out. When we arrived home we always checked them over and rubbed them down before they entered the house, looking at paws and legs for ticks and getting the loose dirt off them. But I never used to check their ears and it was a week or two before I noticed that Buffy was scratching one ear more than usual. I looked inside and one ear had mucus and that started the Vet visits and she gradually deteriorated. The wheat ear was extracted with a lot of mucus and her ear treated but the allergic reaction had been triggered.

The consequences of Buffy's allergy to begin with were HUGE Vet bills, biopsies, drugs, eye treatments, ear treatments, skin treatment and food additives. After changing Vets twice we found someone who offered real alternatives to costly drugs and regular treatments. 

To start with it was dietary; restricting and removing all Buffy's access to any carbohydrate (that was very difficult). In Buffy's case carbohydrates metabolised into strong sugars which fed bacteria which in turn fed Yeast which in turn feed on her skin (turning it black and causing fur loss).

Step one was putting her on a raw meat diet; and giving her steroids to enable her immune system to kill the yeast and using a medicated yeast killing bath wash twice a week, along with anti-fungal ear and eye treatments. I thought here we go again more Meds and more bills; but after two weeks her fur had grown back, she had stopped scratching and was back to herself. When the Meds stopped and she was just on raw meat I was expecting another flare up - but nothing happened.

After a lot of research and with the help of an understanding Vet Buffy is now virtually normal. Winter is the worst period as she can find scraps of food that can cause flare ups. 

She has moved on to Butchers Tinned Dog food (loaf not jelly and available in any good supermarket) and we add a spoonful of coconut oil to her food. I don't know why coconut oil in her food works but it does. It somehow stops any reaction starting in her gut and keeps her skin resilient. Her fur has completely grown back, even over the badly yeast damaged skin on her legs and her flare ups have decreased significantly. Now a flare up is unusual and down to once maybe twice a year. 

Buffy is now nearly 13 yrs old and enjoys sitting in the sunshine in the summer; this picture is her on her chair in the garden as I write this update.

I started looking for natural alternatives to Vet prescribed Meds to manager her flare ups and I discovered Apple Cider Vinegar. This kills the yeast on her skin naturally. We mix 20 ml in a litre of warm water and wash her weekly, especially in the creases at the top of her legs, behind her ears and along her tummy. The smell is not unpleasant and quickly disappears. I also use it as an ear flush / wash once a month just to keep her ears clean.

The diet strategy with coconut oil and periodic skin cleaning with diluted Apple Cider Vinegar works for Buffy. If your dog has an allergy try it (but don't use diluted Apple Cider if your dog has cracked skin, broken skin or open sores, remember vinegar is a mild acid).

Finally if you think your Border Terrier smells of biscuits or old bread? I can tell you that is the yeast growing naturally on their skin. Most dogs don't develop beyond smelling like biscuits (as Buffy did) but some go onto have allergy problems. I wish I had used Apple Cider Vinegar on Buffy long ago to kill that natural yeast; once its triggered into aggressive mode it is very hard to control. I can only offer it you as a precaution.

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Celebration of a Life Well Spent.

Bobbie passed away peacefully in the arms of my partner on the afternoon of January 3rd 2018. She was nearly seventeen years old and one of the smartest dogs I've ever had and she was also top dog; not only in our family but also in the wider circle of family and friends dogs that she saw often. Bobbie was the leader of the pack in every sense of the word. 

Her intelligence and her ability to predict what Louise or I may say or want was uncanny. Don't get me wrong although she was a lovable house dog she was courageous (maybe foolish as well) and a true terrier when out in the country. She once chased ducks by swimming up and down the Kennet and Avon Canal for over an hour with very concerned long boat owners passing slowly by watching her. On the hunt she forgot her name.  At the seaside she would chase seagulls who inevitably teased her by flying 100 metres and landing and repeating for as long as she would keep going. When she was 5 yrs old she got stuck down a badgers hole and had to be dragged out. She was a true character and was loved by all who came into contact with her. 

I had been cuddling her some of the morning and later on Bobbie refused her lunch and refused favourite snacks and water; I knew we were nearing the end of her wonderful life. However poorly she had been in the past she would always eat and hungrily so, as if she had not been fed in days (even if it was only a few hours ago). I called Louise and said I think Bobbie may be near the end and she decided to have the afternoon off work and came home straight away. 

Louise arrived and after just fifteen minutes having a cuddle with Bobbie in her arms and talking to her Bobbie passed peacefully away.

I am sure now that Bobbie was hanging on, waiting for Louise to come home. In Louise's arms she found peace and tranquility; and she knew that she was loved and safe. She passed peacefully with words of love and devotion ringing in her ears (and more than a few tears). We are sad but also very happy that we had such a special, special dog in our lives for so long (nearly Seventeen years). We have so many great memories and thousands of pictures of her, she will never be forgotten.

Although I always counted her as my dog I knew she was really Louise's. She would wait by the door for her car to pull up as she came in from work, she knew if Louise came home early or late by the sound of her car. Bobbie would always choose to sit with Louise in the evenings and follow her around. Yep she was Louise's dog and I guess I just looked after her (or her me) while Louise was out. Nonetheless I regarded her as my best friend and companion and I miss her sorely.

The strange (and sad) thing is Buster passed away on the 6th January 2016; two years almost to the day that Bobbie passed. The first week in January has a unique place in our calendars now.

Bobbie had not been able to walk because of arthritis since late October 2017 so we got her a dog cart to go out in. This picture is her on a walk in the woods in December 2017.

Bobbie in her dog cart.

Bobbie watching Louise.

Bobbie watching children play on Swansea Beach.

We have her ashes back now and she sits with Buster. Gone but never forgotten. If you have a dog, treasure every moment, life is short.

The loss of a pet can be devastating and sometimes you need some help to get through. Long after Bobbie passed I found this ebook by Robin Jean Brown, The Dependable ROAR Method.

If you think this article is useful you can make a small donation to me here  Thank you for your support.

Ageing Border Terriers & Supplements

As I write Storm "Angus" is battering Britain, it's a cold and dark morning. It is raining hard and has done so all night. Both my Border Terriers are reluctant to go out and are happily dozing and snoring in their comfy bed. I often wonder what they dream about as their legs twitch and their lips curl; maybe they are dreaming of their last leafy walk through our local woods sniffing and exploring? 

Bobby is nearly entirely deaf now and suffering from the early onset of arthritic hips and she has stiff back legs and she sees the Vet regularly. She is still a happy and cheerful Border Terrier and will still chase birds and rabbits if she see's them but she is slower and tires quicker. She is sixteen years old and I think doing great! I wanted to tell you all partly why I think that is in this update.

Sometime ago my Vet recommended the doggie version of Glucosamine Sulphate with additives, it's a YuMove product. Now I buy this one from YuMove on Amazon as it's a lot cheaper than getting the same one from the Vet (her idea because they have to add overheads and I am a monthly visitor). When I first started Bobby on them the difference was noticeable in just four days as she became more willing to move about and she was able to jump up onto her place on our Sofa. Now over a year later she is still a bit stiff in the morning but during the day she is virtually free of stiffness.

I can thoroughly recommend YuMove! One tablet a day keeps her fit and active and at just 22p a day, (prices correct for November 2016). You get two months supply of 60 tablets for £12.91 with free delivery. They make Bobby more mobile and able to still do the things she likes to do (chasing birds and exploring through the woods); and I think it is absolutely worth it. I believe every dog over twelve years old should be taking one of these a day. 

If this sounds like a promotion you are absolutely right; anything that makes my best friends life better and more enjoyable is worth telling the world about. If you have an old dog that suffers with stiff legs and joints and is becoming arthritic this product will help keep them mobile. My Bobby is living proof :)

I don't take her out on wet cold days anymore and she only gets a long walk in the woods once a week with short walks in between and that seems to suit her well. 

When you have an old dog you do value the time with them a lot more than when you have a young dog pestering you all the time.  You know the clock is ticking and an era is drawing to a close. That is why I do everything I can to make her golden years happier and more comfortable. I love her and having lost Buster unexpectedly in January this year it's made me more attentive to Bobby and Buffy. 

Thank you for reading my updates about my Border Terriers. I hope you and your dog(s) have a great day. If you think this article is useful you can make a small donation to me here  Thank you for your support.

Best wishes.

Mike

#dogs #BorderTerriers #dogcare #ilovemydog #dogsupplements

Ageing Border Terriers & Supplements

It's a bright cold morning and it's still below zero outside. The lawn is crisp and white and the bushes and trees in my garden are dusted with sparkling silvery white frost that glints in the low sunshine. 

Both my Border Terriers are reluctant to go out and are happily dozing and snoring in their comfy bed. I often wonder what they dream about as their legs twitch and their lips curl; maybe they are dreaming of their last walk through our local woods sniffing and exploring? 

Bobby is nearly entirely deaf now and suffering from the early onset of arthritic hips and she has stiff back legs and she sees the Vet regularly. She is still a happy and cheerful Border Terrier and will still chase birds and rabbits if she see's them but she is slower and tires quicker. She is sixteen years old and I think doing great! I wanted to tell you all partly why I think that is in this update.

Sometime ago my Vet recommended the doggie version of Glucosamine Sulphate with additives, it's a YuMove product. Now I buy this one from YuMove on Amazon as it's a lot cheaper than getting the same one from the Vet (her idea because they have to add overheads and I am a monthly visitor). When I first started Bobby on them the difference was noticeable in just four days as she became more willing to move about and she was able to jump up onto her place on our Sofa. Now over a year later she is still a bit stiff in the morning but during the day she is virtually free of stiffness.

I can thoroughly recommend YuMove! One tablet a day keeps her fit and active and at just 22p a day, (prices correct for November 2016). You get two months supply of 60 tablets for £12.91 with free delivery. They make Bobby more mobile and able to still do the things she likes to do (chasing birds and exploring through the woods); and I think it is absolutely worth it. I believe every dog over twelve years old should be taking one of these a day. 

If this sounds like a promotion you are absolutely right; anything that makes my best friends life better and more enjoyable is worth telling the world about. If you have an old dog that suffers with stiff legs and joints and is becoming arthritic this product will help keep them mobile. My Bobby is living proof :)

I don't take her out on wet cold days anymore and she only gets a long walk in the woods once a week with short walks in between and that seems to suit her well. 

When you have an old dog you do value the time with them a lot more than when you have a young dog pestering you all the time.  You know the clock is ticking and an era is drawing to a close. That is why I do everything I can to make her golden years happier and more comfortable. I love her and having lost Buster unexpectedly in January this year it's made me more attentive to Bobby and Buffy. 

Thank you for reading my updates about my Border Terriers. I hope you and your dog(s) have a great day. If you think this article is useful you can make a small donation to me here  Thank you for your support.

Best wishes.

Mike

(updated January 2017).

#dogs #BorderTerriers #dogcare #ilovemydog #dogsupplements

Ageing Border Terriers & Supplements

As I write Storm "Angus" is battering Britain, it's a cold and dark morning. It is raining hard and has done so all night. Both my Border Terriers are reluctant to go out and are happily dozing and snoring in their comfy bed. I often wonder what they dream about as their legs twitch and their lips curl; maybe they are dreaming of their last leafy walk through our local woods sniffing and exploring? 

Bobby is nearly entirely deaf now and suffering from the early onset of arthritic hips and she has stiff back legs and she sees the Vet regularly. She is still a happy and cheerful Border Terrier and will still chase birds and rabbits if she see's them but she is slower and tires quicker. She is sixteen years old and I think doing great! I wanted to tell you all partly why I think that is in this update.

Sometime ago my Vet recommended the doggie version of Glucosamine Sulphate with additives, it's a YuMove product. Now I buy this one from YuMove on Amazon as it's a lot cheaper than getting the same one from the Vet (her idea because they have to add overheads and I am a monthly visitor). When I first started Bobby on them the difference was noticeable in just four days as she became more willing to move about and she was able to jump up onto her place on our Sofa. Now over a year later she is still a bit stiff in the morning but during the day she is virtually free of stiffness.

I can thoroughly recommend YuMove! One tablet a day keeps her fit and active and at just 22p a day, (prices correct for November 2016). You get two months supply of 60 tablets for £12.91 with free delivery. They make Bobby more mobile and able to still do the things she likes to do (chasing birds and exploring through the woods); and I think it is absolutely worth it. I believe every dog over twelve years old should be taking one of these a day. 

If this sounds like a promotion you are absolutely right; anything that makes my best friends life better and more enjoyable is worth telling the world about. If you have an old dog that suffers with stiff legs and joints and is becoming arthritic this product will help keep them mobile. My Bobby is living proof :)

I don't take her out on wet cold days anymore and she only gets a long walk in the woods once a week with short walks in between and that seems to suit her well. 

When you have an old dog you do value the time with them a lot more than when you have a young dog pestering you all the time.  You know the clock is ticking and an era is drawing to a close. That is why I do everything I can to make her golden years happier and more comfortable. I love her and having lost Buster unexpectedly in January this year it's made me more attentive to Bobby and Buffy. 

Thank you for reading my updates about my Border Terriers. I hope you and your dog(s) have a great day. 

Best wishes.

Mike

#dogs #BorderTerriers #dogcare #ilovemydog #dogsupplements

Moving On . . .

I know it has been some time since my last post and that is for a number of reasons; but if I'm honest the main one has been not wanting to write about my dogs, because losing Buster was still so fresh and raw in my mind. I still miss him and I guess I always will but time as they say is a great healer.

People often ask me (especially soon after Buster passed) if my other dogs missed him or noticed that he was no longer there?

First I need to state the obvious that dogs are not human and they do not have human emotions; even if we sometimes transpose ours upon them. They do "read" our emotional state very well and respond to it with actions but they are not feeling what you and I feel.

Both Buffy and Bobby noticed a difference in that they were more attentive to doors opening and who may come through them, but after a few weeks that passed. They both sniffed around the gardens and Bobby took to having a wee under the bush that Buster used to use for the same purpose, so maybe she was drawn to his smell?

If Busters name comes up in conversation Bobby looks up and listens but Buffy does not. 

My conclusion from this is that Bobby has some concept of Buster and that he is no longer with us but that Buffy does not. Bobby and Buster grew up together and Buffy joined us when they were aged six and five respectively so that may explain that.

Life does go on and I have to say that I value my time with my dogs now even more than than I did before (and most people would say I was attentive to them before). Losing Buster within three days of him becoming unwell, has made me more aware of how fragile and precious life really is and how quickly things can change. Bobby is over fifteen now and Buffy is over ten.

Summer is here now and recently we've enjoyed a family day out at Swansea beach with children and Bobby and Buffy. This is Bobby below watching our girls running back.

If you have dogs make sure you treasure them and love them as they love you. You never know when they will be gone.

If you think this article is useful you can make a small donation to me here  Thank you for your support.

Buster's Post Op News & Aftercare

I'm pleased to say that Buster's operation to remove a damaged tooth and also remove a couple of connected and infected teeth went very well.

He was released late Friday afternoon and all went went very well during the operation with no complications; he came home quiet and subdued but ate a small meal in the evening. By Saturday morning he was brighter but still not himself but by early Saturday evening he was pretty much himself again and perky.

On Monday he was his old self again and much happier now that the damaged and obviously painful tooth had been removed. He's on an anti-inflammatory drug along with some antibiotics and he doesn't like them at all, shaking his head and walking backwards.

Yesterday he had his post op review with our Vet and he passed with flying colours. During this examination our Vet recommended a different brand of dog food (Hills Prescription Diet Canine T/D Mini) to help give Buster and our other dogs good dental health from here on in; especially important in dogs whose teeth go much further back in the jaw than their mouth opens (making effective cleaning difficult). 

It is more expensive compared to "mainstream" dog food brands (but like anything you only get what you pay for) and our vet suggested buying a bag and just putting a handful of Hills T/D Dental in each bowl. That is enough to keep their teeth clean.

All our dogs now have a handful mixed up with their cereal and gluten free food and I am pleased to recommend it. The picture (so you know what to look for) above has a link to Hills Prescription T/D Dental small dog food on Amazon, but it will probably be cheaper at your Vet. Hills also do versions for medium and large dogs as well.

I know I said it before in my previous post, but looking after your dogs teeth is very important as bad teeth can really damage your dogs overall health. If in doubt ask your Vet what you can do to keep your dogs teeth in good order.

I use a phrase with my children that is also pertinent to this topic and that is; "you don't have to clean all your teeth, you only have to clean the ones you want to keep."

Hope you have a great day. If you think this article is useful you can make a small donation to me here  Thank you for your support.

Cheers


Mike

Spring with Border Terriers

Spring is a great time for dogs! And especially Border Terriers who seem to want to sniff out every rabbit down every hole they come across. In and out of hedgerows, bushes and even digging under trees if you let them.

Being inquisitive and fearless by nature they can often pick up ticks, fleas and even minor injuries without you knowing on their mini adventures.

I always get my dogs checked over by our Vet early in the Spring for their annual booster injections and have them innoculated against ticks and fleas at the same time. I recommend you do the same. If your dog's annual vaccination is not in early springtime at least make sure you buy a "one spot type" from your local pet store or supermarket. 

The reason I'm a strong advocate for prevention of ticks is that they often carry Lymes disease and many other debilitating diseases that can be transmitted to humans (read more here ) all of which is bad news for you and your dog. Border Terriers have a predatory instinct for vermin (rats, mice, voles, weasels and stoats) and will seek them out whenever they can (down holes, under hedgerows and across open fields), so they are more prone to pick up ticks. These ticks then remain hidden buried in their double coats. Prevention is cheap and easy to do. I make sure mine are protected all year round. 

When they come back in from a Country walk I check their front underbelly, their hind quarters and inside their ears for ticks and minor grazes. I also check in their paw pads for minor cuts and foreign objects. I have found Wheat ears and other seeds stuck in the cleft of their paws in previous years. By the way if your dog comes back home so muddy they need a bath I recommend just using clean water with no soap or shampoo. I normally only use a shampoo once a year on mine just before Christmas and that's a medicated Tea Tree version of which there are many. It's worth also mentioning that you should not wash your dog for seven days after you've applied a spot on tick / flea prevention remedy.

It is also probable that if your Border Terrier has not been stripped since last Autumn they are looking like a Teddy Bear or even Chewbacca from Star Wars, mine certainly are. I always wait until the first week in May to strip mine; for two reasons. Firstly the hedgerows are still sharp and prickly and the thick coat gives them more protection when they are off exploring, secondly in the UK often April is the wettest month of the year and a fully stripped Border Terrier is not going to enjoy walking out in very wet weather with a very thin coat that is not waterproof. Maybe I'm a softee but I wouldn't like to feel that my dogs were being made uncomfortable just because I wanted them to look a certain way. Besides in May it's starting to warm up and Summer is just around the corner and mine will be looking fine and dandy for that :)

If your Border Terriers are getting on in years like mine, you may want to consider the alternatives to hand-stripping that can be painful to older dogs, whose skin has become thinner. You might be interested in a small, low cost book I have written, in it I explain how to hand-strip and groom your Border Terrier. For older dogs I have developed a method using electric clippers and scissors that saves your elderly dog the trauma of a full hand stripping session. There is an advertisement for my Border Terrier Grooming book on the side of this blog. Or you can get to it from this link. 

Enjoy your springtime walks. If you think this article is useful you can make a small donation to me here  Thank you for your support.

Life with Border Terriers.

Hello and welcome to my blog about Border Terriers. 

There is lot's of detailed information about the breed here, from a detailed description of the breed and it's nature (see detail page here) to pictures of my dogs and other Borders.

I have had Terriers for over 35 years and 15 of those have been with Border Terriers. I used to breed Kennel Club registered Border Terriers (but don't anymore) and one of my babies ended up as Best in Show at a County show. I have never been without at least one dog. My Grandmother was a breeder of Dachshunds, my Mother showed Dachshunds and my Uncle was County Vet of Wiltshire for over 20 yrs. So you can see dogs and especially Terriers have been and still are a big part of my life.

These days I have 3 Border Terriers, one who is 15 yrs, one 12 yrs and one 9 yrs. They are my constant companions and trusted friends.

Recently I've been showing owners of older Border Terriers how to maintain their coat and the classic look with electric clippers. I found as mine got more advanced in years hand-stripping, even gently was stressing them too much. So I did some research and practiced on mine until I got the technique right and I've written a book to help other Border Terrier owners do the same. Like us as a dog ages it's skin becomes less elastic, thinner and their tolerance to pain decreases. It was for these reasons I decided there had to be a better way. Now you can use this approach as well. 

I also explain fully how to hand-strip your Border Terrier and the tools and consumables you'll need.