>  > SOunds like you're on the right track with him and the vets.  They can do
 >  > amazing things to help dogs get over that, but prevention is still so muc
 >  > easier, and so cost effective.  Makes me angry with people who won't do i
 > 
 > CS> Yes, my neighbors dont.  They cant afford it they say.
 > 
 > IF you can't afford it you can't afford to have the dog imho. IF you have

I agree.  But they have a beloved dog from the family and arent really aware
of the risk zone they are in.

 > hard freeze, but again when the freezing season is over you have to do the
 > heartworm blood test again before beginning preventative from what I've been
 > led to believe.

I'm not quite sure why but I guess you have to give a different treatment at
the start then you drop back to the preventive for the remainder?  We got
Cash as on the preventive already.

 >  > That sounds mastiff.  THey're indeed powerful dogs.
 > 
 > CS> Yes, but he's considerably smaller, at 17.5 at shoulder and not
 > CS> quite as 'burley' looking.  We have fun guessing but it doesnt
 > CS> really matter, other than you'll see me call hims a 'beagle' (he is
 > CS> a mix though) and the weights and feeding amounts wont match what
 > CS> your mind tells you a beagle needs or should weigh.
 > 
 > That sounds about right too.  OUr Rottweiler would eat that much and be cryi
 > for more.

Per vet, aim for a slow 1/2 lb a month gain and if he picks up more, it's ok
as long as he doesnt get truely 'fat'.  I asked how to really know, and they
siad it will be a while.  For now, you can count his bottom 3 ribs clearly
when standing, and up 6 when laying down.  Not skeletal, but even I with
little knowledge realized he was a bit under his body-type weight.  His
backbone is relatively well fleshed (can feel it but doesnt seem extreme and
not noticable to the eye).

Cash gets 2 feeds a day of 1 cup each (mixed wet and dry) and a noshe at noon
of about 1/2 cup or a little less.  Dogbones as often as he does something
good.  Oh and a special chew thing, kinda like rawhide but wont make a
choking hazard, for dogs of his type that eat a rawbone in 20 mins flat. 
They are flat and he loves them.  Lasts about 5 mins.  10$ a bag for 30 .

Think of it a little like a dental cleaning and a chrondritin tablet all at
the same time but one he loves.

 >  > My wife can't play with the tug of war rope toy with our Rott anymore.  E
 >  > with brakes locked on her wheelchair young girl can pull wife across the 
 >  > room with it now.
 > 
 > CS> Grin, I can picture that one!  I bet they understand instinctively
 > CS> to be gentle with her too.
 > 
 > sHe does, she also understands that I can't see her.  SHe knows if she's try
 > to keep something away from me to lay perfectly still and not move.

Humm!  Reading down I see but hadnt realized.  You are blind?  I used to be
big on ADAnet and helped many setup systems for the blind.  I was the
technical coordinator for ADAnet and backup to Bill Freeman for a long time.

 > when we first adopted rOxy  off streets of NEw ORleans she was accustomed to
 > eating anything she found lying around.  We managed apartment complexes and
 > lived in a townhouse. Hence, no yard.  we did the walk thing for exercise an
 > the relief in vacant lots. Meanwhile she'd pick up the chicken bone or other
 > trash lying around.

Sad but understandable.  No telling what Cash may have gotten into in the
past.

 > Roxy figured out rather quickly that old man couldn't see her, and if she'd
 > just pick up her booty and hold it quietly without chewing on it I'd not kno
 > she had it. THen when arriving home she'd head over to her food and water

Whiley lady 

 > CS> Yeah, won't be so much fun for a week or so in the city but little
 > CS> other option.  How you gonna keep the boy away?  Put him in a temp
 > CS> place?  Like a pet hotel?
 > 
 > ONly other dogs around here are a little peekingese across teh street, unsur
 > of gender, and a couple of other large breeds I can hear to our east and nor
 > Both of these seem to be confined as well, but a female in heat changes the
 > equation quite a bit. I"ll just go out with her when she
relieves herself an
 > take her right back in. Be inconvenient for a few days but this too shall pa

Oh I misread.  I thought you had a male Rottie too.  Ok, this will work.

 > CS> Anyways, across the street they are doing the last breeding of an
 > CS> english bulldog pair.  4th time? and they checked with the vet to
 > CS> make sure she's up for it first.  None of the previous liters have
 > CS> had any problem pups.  (Now I'm forgetting how many times she's had
 > CS> pups, maybe this is 5th?  Anyways, last time she's to have any.
 > CS> They will have her neutered after this set).
 > 
 > SOunds reasonable.  WE've already got a plan.  wE'll make sure any pups go t
 > good homes, recoup our cost of stud fees vet visits etc. Any we can't place
 > properly will go to guide dog schools.  Pilot for example welcomes dobermans
 > and ROttweilers.

THat works!  Yes, recup fees and have a little fun.  Wait out the first cycle
though as thats kinda like having a 15-16YO human girl have a baby.  It's not
just that the mothering instinct can be a bit off, there can be complications
as she's not really fully grown yet.  2nd season is supposed to be safe from
what I've read.

 > I didn't get a phone line properly secured with those cable clips along top
 > molding however and wife has lost her cordless handsets all over the house
 > until I run a new piece of line from phone service entry to location of base
 > unit. DOg got ahold of the cable a couple hours ago and goodbye dial tone to
 > the wireless handsets.

Hehehe.  oops.  You know Radio shack, if you stil have the base model going,
has ones you can just plug into an outlet and pickup your line from that.

 > wHen we adopted her she was full of infections of all types.  I  think we sp
 > about $3k in the first 6 months of her time with us just on antibiotics and 
 > visits.

We are down about 700$ but some of that was a good 'den' (cage) and a car
carrier (he needs the large dog ones, 36 inch was smallest one he will
comfortably fit in.  The car one is a nice plastic unit that will double as a
doghouse out back withthe door removed.  Airplane approved too.

Daisy, our cat also has a small carrier for short trips to the vet, and a
larger one for the car if on a long trip.
             xxcarol
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