Print

[Niners]

Ok, I am trying to be positive, and worry. But last night Cowboy was rubbing his face on the rug quite a bit. This morning we noticed a very small sore (lesion) under his eye. It's just a roundish spot and no hair there. I swear it just came out of nowhere. I walked him this morning and I didn't see it. Then he had a bit of a run in with the neighbors cat. So, I'm hoping that's all it is. But it doesn't look like a scratch or bite. More of just a round flat scrape.

Any thoughts for me? 99 had no lesions at all. I've looked at the pictures on here. And I'm a little torn. Feel like I should just keep an eye on it for the weekend. Cowboy has no symptoms, no lumps, nothing at all like 99 had. Mostly he's just been licking a toenail that he broke back in July, and it's just now growing back normal. Maybe he scratched himself? Poor guy, I keep inspecting him from top to bottom. I'll try to get a picture of it on here this weekend. I will probably call the vet.

AAAARRRRRRGGGGHHHHHH! What do you guys think?

ct

[Sadie123]

Ct you're gonna be just like me.  Worried, worried, and more worried.  It's aweful.  But how do you NOT worry when you lost your best friend to something you had no control over?  Please try not to worry.   I know, earsier said than done.  I've already come up with the speech I am going to have to give my vet whenever I get a new pup.  It'll start like this ... "please dont laugh at me when I make appointments over every little thing I find wrong....". 

So what does the spot look like?  What color is it?  How big is it?  I hope it's really nothing.  I hope the spot falls off or disappears.  I hope it's just a scab from the cat scratch.  I hope it's nothing at all.  I tried doing a search on the net, looking for pictures of skin tumors.  All because the week before i put Sadie down i noticed 3 small black raised bumps about the size of a small tick (but they weren't ticks) on her.  Never noticed them before.  They were black in color and raised.  Like little warts.  I never showed them to the vet.....he didn't see her until the dreaded day I said goodbye to her, and by that point I was so grief stricken I never thought about showing them to him.  So after the fact, I tried looking for pictures on the internet, can't find a darned thing.  Go figure. 

[Sadie123]

oh, and did you notice I finally got an avatar picture up?  took me forever to get this program to accept it.  It's Sadie this summer, sleeping on the cool tile floor with her tongue hanging out.  She was whooped after playing so hard ball that day. 

[Niners]

Yes, Shelley! I just posted on the other board about how good it was to see Sadie's picture! Love it.

The spot on Cowboy just looks like an abrasion. It's very pink / red. It's not oozing or anything. He lets me put antibacterial ointment on it. Doesn't seem to be bothering him too much.

I knew this would happen. First time he got anything, I would be freaking out. Hopefully, it's nothing. And I am sooooooooooo glad to hear that you are talking to an Aussie breeder! Wonderful news!

I will try to post a photo tomorrow of the sore if it is still there. And if it's not, I'll post a picture of him playing!

ct

[Sadie123]

If he got into it with a cat, I would let it go over the weekend.  Sounds like the cat may have gotten a piece of him.  Cat battle scar.....yeah that's what it is.  But don't let him go around telling anyone it was from a cat.  Have him tell them it was a tiger.  He was defending your life, it was a huge gigantic tiger.  And he came out with just this little scratch here. 

[Sadie123]

And I forgot to mention, I called the breeder because I want to get one by the end of Feb, but i want to keep the tail.  they cut them so early, so I needed to let them know I want to keep it.  I liked the natural bob.   Sadie's went round and round everytime she went potty.  It was her way of telling me she did her business.  I always made a big deal of her doing her business, even after she was adult aged.  She was so proud!  But I'm going to get a black tri or bi this time.  I don't want a merle that looks like Sadie.  I have to make it different, so I don't compare.

[apope43]

If cowboy was rubbing his face on the rug, that alone would be enough to wear the fur away if he did it enough.  A little rug burn for our boy.  If he got face to face with a cat, he likely got scratched...and boy do cat scratches itch.  So he probably has been pawing it, rubbing it on the floor, the furniture, etc, and it just made a little bald spot.  I'd start worrying only if it opened up and started draining, or swelled up and got pussy or something.

It's hard not to be scared of every little thing once your dogs go through something.  Every weird sound or look Casey gets we get worried.

[Sadie123]

How does the sore look today?

[Niners]

Spot on Cowboy looks much better. Going to go away I think. I'm guessing it was the cat... I mean huge ferocious mountain lion. 

[jefndebbacon]

Ok, getting paranoid here!  I am the same way with our dog Terra.  Any little lick, cough, barf, sore, I am right on it!  I just cannot imagine losing another animal to Blasto.  It is not a good way to live.  I guess if it happens, so be it.  But good that we know what to look for now!  Hugs, Deb

[Sadie123]

It's horrible...the effects of a dog's illness doesn't end when either the dog gets better of the dog dies.  It stays with you forever I guess.  I have been looking at Aussie breeders and the more I look, they more paranoid I become.  Wondering if the are breeding for health and temperament.  It's so hard because I don't know any trustworthy breeders out there.  I am scared to get a rescue or even get one from an ad in the paper.  Wondering if something was wrong that made someone want to give it away.  Now I have been scorching the net looking for those that do genetic testing and hip/eye certs.   I have become paranoid also. 

[Wilson3]

so glad cowboy is better 
The effects of this disease  on what it does to our hearts and mind does get better. It takes time but remember you know have the knowledge to fight blasto better .

as for a rescue aussie I have 3 that well no one wanted had to many issues they say (past owners) After being involved with rescue for 6 or 7 yrs the aussies that came into rescue the problem was the past owner. Now anyone that succeeded with an aussie realizes they are not like any other breed . they get board very easy,usually out smart the owner,love exercise, get up very early, have to be by your side, a walk around the block just does not cut it for them or going from house to outside to go potty then house and repeat they love adventure being right at your side they look at life with joy what next can I do for fun they will work for you but when all done look for whats next adventure
very protective of what is theres(home,owner car belongings) they are also a breed that if they do not like you nothing will change that but if you are lucky enough to meet the needs you see what they blossom into and why they  are so important to farmers.
because a dog ends up in rescue doesn't mean they are bad dogs they owners are the reason   
wilson3

[Niners]

I couldn't agree more. Pure bred dogs of all kinds can be challenging because they display strong temperaments specific to their breed. I like that quality. But some dog owners are not prepared to put in the time and modify their lives for their new pet. And Aussies can be intense. Like I said, it took me a few months to decide that I even liked 99! She was busy, smart, and seemed to prefer me talking to her over petting her head! Once I figured her out, we were best friends and I wouldn't have changed one thing about her.

I've talked to some interesting breeders. There are a lot of old school Aussie types----who really breed for working stock. And they get annoyed with all the touchy-feely stuff. haha. But they really do breed true to the bloodlines, and I think those dogs are amazing. They tend to interview the future owner quite a bit. They don't like to see their dogs end up in rescue situations. Many of them will actually take the dog back if the owner can't handle it.

Wilson3, your dogs are so beautiful. It's hard to imagine no one wanting them!

ct

[Wilson3]

thanks ..I think so too 

wilson was in and out of 5 homes before I got him as a foster dog. Over weight and full of tapeworms .
we didn't even have him in the car for 5 mins and Joey said we should just keep him. wasn't fair to have so many homes and there is nothing wrong with him.
wilsons problem, he had the flashy blue merle coat and a blue eye (seems what most want if looking for a aussie at least in rescue)the past owners got him for all the wrong reasons. He knew all his commands and I even let him off leash in the park on day 2 of having him. I just knew in my heart he would came back ,and he did. It took me 2 weeks to finally say he was staying never dreamed we would own 3 aussies.
I wanted to still foster and didn't think we could handle 3 plus a foster,well we did still foster and it wasn't has hard as I thought. My boys where so good with the deaf and/or blind pups they where there job so to speak and yes I did let the "special pups" run free in the woods to my boys always helped watch over them.
Our trainer (God rest his soul) always told me to never loose faith in your dog and always believe in them. If you don't you are setting them up to fail.
The other funny thing is the lady that wanted to adopt  wilson want him for agility. I always felt bad thinking maybe that would have been a better life for him so after having him a couple yrs. I tried him at it. He hated it! He would do such funny things like lay down in the tunnel and when called he would come out walking in a "U" shape smiling. But when told we could not go home unless he did the run through right he would fly like the wind then run over to the door and bark at it. The train said she never saw a aussie hate it so much until him. i loves the woods! that is his agility .
Bandit my black boy spent 2 months in shelter no one wanted him cause he wore the black coat.He is amazing he always looks for fun avoids conflict and has a firecracker under his butt always. Took him 6 months with us before he found his wiggle.
now chance my puppy mill boy he was marked a fear bitter with lots of understanding and trust building he is amazing. he can figure anything out. (well all my boys can,open doors,pb jars, move chairs to get into things they want,find home ,find the car when mom gets turned around in the woods,the list goes on...and on to have more of the stock dog in him we do know his bloodlines,hard to believe his parents where in a puppy mill )chance seems more true to breed ,the others seem to have more the AKC lines,he is very reserved with strangers only plays with his pack will greet other dogs but will not play not mean with them but only stays with his family.
one other thing I found interesting about aussies is the reason they never make the top 10 smart breed is because they will really only truly listen to there owners they will turn there noses  to other people when it comes to really listen
sorry to keep going on about aussies I guess I am just as crazy as they are I love the breed everything about them all breeds are great to but aussies are for me
wilson3

[Sadie123]

Boy oh boy, do I have a lot to learn about Aussies.  Sadie was my first and only.  But I loved her attitude.  I just have to have another one.  I never really thought Sadie digged agility either.  That's one of the reasons why I never went on to compete.  We just did it for the fun.  The hot humid summers here in TN were torcherous.  She didn't like the water, so it was hard to keep her cooled.  Out summer classes consisted of lots of breaks to keep the dogs cool.  So not much progress there.  One time we were practicing at the trainer's agility center and there were some apartments nearby.  About 2 weeks before the 4th of July someone was shooting off firecrackers.  Well Sadie was spooked.  I turned my back for a second, then you heard "pop pop pop".  When I turned back around, Sadie was nowhere to be found.  I finally found her hiding in a tunnel.  We had to leave immediately because she was done for the day and I knew if we stayed it would take all the fun out of agility.  But honestly, she was happier chasing soccer balls than she was jumping through tires and going up and down on seesaws.  So when we gave it up, she never really minded.  I don't ever remember me being able to get her to speak at agility.  But if I showed her the soccer ball, I couldn't get her to shut up.  So I guess it's not for everyone.  And I don't think she was purebred either. 

And what you said about them only listening to their owner'sis pretty much true.  All the neighbors wanted to kickher soccer ball for her, but she stayed right in front of them blocking the balls path.  I was the only one who could ever get her to move to the side and send her off running before I kicked it.  I guess she really trusted me.