Sparrow and I

04/06/2024

Random person snapped a pic of Ziggy and me today. It’s hard being a celebrity 😂😂😂

09/05/2024

28/02/2024

Three musketeers ❤️❤️❤️

12/01/2024

I like Dads new car ❤️

11/01/2024

11/01/2024

Happy 8th birthday to me 😂

24/12/2023

30/11/2023

Dam refreshed after some desperately needed rain

26/09/2023

Sparrow always knows when our local dolphin pod is around. Does he smell them or can he hear their echolocation???
I believe he hears them even though he is deaf.
He always wants to swim out to them but luckily he knows his swimming strength.
The dolphins were surfing the waves and we watched about 6 of them jump out of the water all at once. Beautiful Creatures ❤️

03/07/2023

03/07/2023

Meme Monday!

03/07/2023

It’s not often we get some one on one training times these days but here we are working on some off lead heel work

26/05/2023

Gotta share my couch with the cat and the grand kid 🥴

04/05/2023

This is how I roll 😂

02/05/2023

I love the beach so much ❤️

01/05/2023

IF… you ever get lucky enough to have an old dog, count your blessings.

Old dogs love you in a way that others can’t. They have years of practice. They are loyal, sincere, kind and bring a sense of peace to your life that you’ve never felt before. Old dogs know your secrets, they’ve shared your path… they become a deep part of you. They are connected to your soul.

Everyday I look at this face I give thanks to God for one more day. For I know one day he’ll be gone, and that day will completely destroy me. But for now I have that grey muzzle and those deep eyes to love. I cherish each moment. I look at him and just stare through him. I touch him and connect with him and I tell him a million times a day how special he is, was and will always be!

God bless our old dogs!

01/05/2023

Sparrow has been helping build this for his cat friends
He helped dad by lying on all the tools and mum by standing in her way when she had heavy shelving 😂

18/04/2023

𝗞𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗗𝗢𝗚𝗦 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗙𝗢𝗢𝗗

According to the Australian Veterinary Association, 41% of dogs in Australia are overweight. I'd suggest it's over 50%.

💔 Many families don't realise that their dog is overweight because as a society we have normalised overweight dogs.

💔 Many families don't realise HOW overweight their dog is.

💔 Lots of Vets have stopped having overweight discussions with some clients as the client gets offended.

💔 People still laugh at overweight dogs like it's no big deal.

❎ Families feed their dogs as per the feeding guidelines on the pack without adjusting if their dog is overweight. Feeding guidelines are only guidelines, you should never feed them at the detriment of your dog.

❎ People show their love to dogs through food, lots of treats, and high-calorie items.

❎ People are exercising less and therefore so are their dogs.

❎ People struggle with their dogs behaviour on walks and this means they stop taking them out vs getting behavioural help from a professional.

❎ People believe kibble manufacturers have all the answers and deserve all the trust without realising they are commonly feeding very high carb diets that have very little meat in them.

❎ People feed weight management dry foods long term instead if adjusting the dogs lifestyle and diet.

✅ Use this guide to see if your dog is overweight:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YKMBW-V-tjkMMg6_Ffq13PfRXCuYpN0U/view?usp=share_link

✅ Check out our free weight loss guide here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1891vvR4TjDXE6H6RZgAzM0LGDz7UJlFQ/view?usp=share_link

31/03/2023

It’s Blind Dog Week and we are celebrating how AMAZING blind dogs are but also shining a spotlight on our dogs that are deaf AND blind 🤍

Living with a deaf and blind dog may present some unique challenges, but it’s also incredibly rewarding! We asked one of our amazing trainers, Helen from Building Better Dogs for her top 5 tips for making the most out of life with a deaf and blind pup. 🥰😍

See what she had to say at https://deafdogrescue.com.au/2023/03/top-tips-for-living-with-a-blind-and-deaf-dog/



https://deafdogrescue.com.au/2023/03/top-tips-for-living-with-a-blind-and-deaf-dog/?utm_content=sked_642174b4648f2a13ab806139&utm_medium=social&utm_name=sked&utm_source=facebook

31/03/2023

PROGRESSIVE RETINAL ATROPHY (PRA)

• What is Progressive Retinal Atrophy? Progressive retinal atrophy, also known as PRA, is a group of degenerative diseases that affect the photoreceptor cells in the dogs eye. Over time, the cells will deteriorate and eventually lead to total blindness. There are two types of PRA- There is retinal dysplasia which is typically diagnosed in young puppies and there is also a later onset form of PRA, that can be detected anywhere from 3-9 years old.

• How long does it take for a dog with PRA to lose its vision?
Research has shown it does depend on the breed but in most cases, the dog will completely lose their vision within 2 years of the onset.

•What causes PRA?
PRA is inherited. Some breeds, like Kelpies, Border Collies, Cocker Spaniels and Golden Retrievers are more likely to carry this gene than other breeds. PRA is inherited in an 'autosomal recessive' pattern, meaning that the dog must have inherited the gene from BOTH parents to develop it.

•What are the symptoms?
PRA, although it sounds painful, rarely causes much discomfort to the dog, so it is often rarely detected in it earliest stages. The first sign that is usually noticed is night blindness. Dogs may be nervous at night and/or may bump into things when the light is dim.

•What is the treatment?
There is currently no effective treatment available for PRA. DNA testing can be done at any age to detect whether a dog will be affected. Dogs with PRA can absolutely THRIVE with or without their vision and still live long, happy and enriched lives.

*Peaches is a vision impaired kelpie with PRA. Peaches is in sanctuary care and not available for adoption.

Read more at https://deafdogrescue.com.au/2023/03/blind-dog-awareness/

31/03/2023

COLOBOMA

• What is Coloboma?
Coloboma is a congenital condition where the Iris has a ‘key hole’ shape to it. It occurs when part of the iris fails to develop. It can appear as small notches out of the inner edge of the iris, pie slices, or massive holes – Occasionally so large it appears the dog has no iris at all. Coloboma is predominately found in Australian Shepherds with studies finding 1 in 7 Aussies having coloboma. It can be found in other breeds but not as common.

• Does Coloboma affect the dogs vision?
In most cases the effect on vision is minimal. However, a large coloboma can force a dog to squint in bright light because the iris is incapable of contracting properly to reduce the amount of light entering the eye. In Isak’s case, the combination of it and his pale blue eyes means that he may have sensitivity to bright lights and sunshine. To counteract any light sensitivity he may have, Isak has his very own pair of Rexspec (doggie goggles) so that he can enjoy all the adventures his family takes him on during the day.

• How do you know if your dog has Colomba?Most iris colobomas are easy to see. However, if only a small piece is missing you may not be able to. They can be especially difficult to see in young puppies and dogs with eyes that combine blue and pigmented areas. Pigment variation may appear to be a coloboma to the naked eye. If you think your dog may have an iris coloboma, get it examined by a veterinary ophthalmologist.

• Is there treatment?
No, there are no treatment options for coloboma in dogs. Dogs with Coloboma (or any vision problems really!) can and do thrive.

*Isak is a deaf, Bull Arab x Great Dane who was adopted in 2022.

31/03/2023

Until now Sparrow has avoided this procedure and has kept what little sight he has. He does get sore eyes and we have to protect them the best way we can. Salt water baths and eye cream when they are really sore.

ENUCLEATION-

Enucleation is the surgical removal of the eyeball. It’s a procedure undertaken in dogs and cats when medical or other surgical approaches for congenital or acquired eye issues cannot achieve a positive outcome.

There are many eye problems that can lead to needing to remove one or both eyes from a dog or cat. 🐶🐱 The most common reason in dogs is microphthalmia (and associated secondary issues such as luxating lenses, persistent infections, etc) causing pain; glaucoma causing pain; and trauma (accidental trauma such as running into a sharp tree branch, or intentional trauma as a result of appalling human actions). In cats, the most common reason for enucleation is complications from cat-flu that results in ulcers that damage a cat’s eye/s beyond repair.

Recovery from enucleation is similar to most major surgeries- For many dogs and cats who undergo this procedure, they’re already very used to living with limited or no vision! After a small adjustment period they learn to map their world through sound (if not deaf), scent and touch and they are always much happier and more comfortable than they were pre-surgery. 🤍

Read more about enucleations at https://deafdogrescue.com.au/2023/03/enucleation-eye-removal-in-dogs-cats/

*Sonar is a 8 month old, blind, koolie who recently had an enucleation with the incredible team from Belconnen Vet Centre. Sonar is a double merle and had microphthalmia, which was causing persistent eye infections. Sonar is recovering amazingly. 🤍



https://deafdogrescue.com.au/2023/03/enucleation-eye-removal-in-dogs-cats/?utm_content=sked_6424b5ac5d706922e578064e&utm_medium=social&utm_name=sked&utm_source=facebook

23/03/2023

Today is National Eucalypt Day

There are over 850 types of Eucalypt native to Australia appearing all over the land, from outback deserts to east coast rainforests.

Today we celebrate the magnificent eucalypts that provide shade, shelter and habitat for the native species in Mulligans Flat.

Go hug a gum!🥰

📸.pixel

14/03/2023

What is a Double Merle?
When two dogs, each with the merle gene, are bred together, the pups in the litter are known as “double merles”. Every puppy in a double merle litter has a 25% chance of being born deaf, vision-impaired or both.

Moose, pictured, is a double merle, great dane x mastiff. Moose is hearing and vision impaired. Moose has been adopted and is living his BEST life- Double Merles can (and do!) live amazing lives but we also want to spread awareness and educate the community on the risks of merle to merle breeding. 🤍

Read more at https://deafdogrescue.com.au/2023/01/what-is-double-merle/

09/03/2023

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️🙌🙌

11/01/2023

Happy birthday to our beautiful Sparrow
He turns 7 today 🎁❤️🥳