Without a doubt I would dognap the poor lab when they're gone, then take it to a shelter at least 50 miles away. Do it for the dog. Throw your shoes away after the act, so they can't trace your footprints. Or better yet, wear really big shoes so they look for some 7' tall dognapper. This is no joke. Our neighbor has two very large dogs, which bark the second she lets them out every morning at 6:00am (even on Saturdays and Sundays). Waking up at 5am all week, it would be nice to sleep in a little on the weekend, but this person has denied us that liberty. She was gone Saturday through Sunday, and left them out. They barked all night long. We barely slept. It's amazing; I can barely hear airplanes flying over my house on their base leg to the airport a mile away, but the deep, hollow WOOOOF! of a great dane booms right through my R-19 insualted walls. I can't imagine dealing with that every night. I'd have to take some vigilante action if it ever came to that. We've called animal control several times, they can't do much beyond providing education of the local regulations. So what do you do about cats? The same dog propblem neighbor replaced her husband with a dozen cats when he left her. They've torn up my other neighbor's deck carpet, pissed all over our patio furniture, and all around the permiter of my house. They crap in the landscaping, my dog is attracted to it like a cheeseburger, eats it, then comes in the house and licks the kids. I confine my pet to my property; I don't think I should have to put up with cat crap in my flowerbeds, or cat piss splattered on my siding. My good neighbor has been trapping them, got two so far, but the worst offenders are too smart for fall for some sardines in a cage. Believe me, the thought of shooting them has crossed my mind, but I'm not in the mood to get convicted of felony animal cruelty when one of the neighborhood kids sees me take one out. This is public enemy #1, and it runs when I open the door. She's supposed to be on the other side of the fence. After a nice dump in the mulch, time to go piss on my chairs. This (below) is what you see when you walk up to my front door. It's not from my dog. It's from my neighbor's cat. What would you do?

This was originally posted on Craigslist by a vet tech, in december but I thought it would be helpful for your son's dog. I use Ivermectin sheep/cattle wormer on monthly basis. I have read about Ivermectin being used on all the dogs after the hurricane in New Orleans. That was posted on the Heartworms societys website. This maybe an option worth talking over with the vet. Could save you hundreds of dollars. Ivomec http://www.internetvets.com/Articles/ivermectin_dosing.htm http://www.heartwormsociety.org/article.asp?id=11 Ivermectin Ivermectin (Heartgard® & Heartgard® Plus by Merial, Iverhart® Plus & Iverhart MAX by Virbac and Tri-Heart® Plus by Schering-Plough) was the first in this family of drugs to be approved for preventing heartworm infection. An infection with larvae as long as two months prior to the initiation of ivermectin treatment will be blocked from development. http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?A=610 Ivermectin Only? Melarsomine treatment is expensive and often out of reach for rescue groups, shelters, and many individuals. If the dog is stable (Class I) one option is to simply leave the dog on an ivermectin-based preventive. This option has led to a great deal of misconception about the ability of ivermectin to kill adult heartworms. Let us lay the rumors to rest now: Ivermectin does not kill adult heartworms. Ivermectin does shorten the lifespan of adult heartworms. Ivermectin does sterilize adult heartworms. Ivermectin does kill microfilaria (keeping the dog from being a source of contagion) Ivermectin does kill L3 and L4 larvae (preventing new infections). This means that if one opts to treat a heartworm positive dog with an ivermectin heartworm preventive only, one can expect the dog to remain heartworm positive for a good 2 years and the heartworm disease will be progressing during that 2 years. This is not good for the dog but certainly beats getting no treatment of any kind. This approach should only be considered for patients who are Class I and may be able to withstand 2 years of heartworm infection. Now the theory in doing ivomec treatment only is this. Instead of killing the heartworms fast kill them slower. The heartworm treatment that vets use kill the heartworms faster. The dog given the heartworm treatment must remain calm and on a baby aspirin to prevent clots. Why? Because when the heartworms are killed they don't exit the body like roundworms do. The heart worms head for the lungs and this can cause the lungs bronchi to get clogged therefore the dogs can't breath and die. With the ivomec treatment you prevent the larvae from hatching and sterilize the adult heartworms. The life span of a adult heartworm is less than two years. It is cheaper for animal rescue groups to do this instead of the other. Animal rescue groups take in so many animals that cost is always a factor for them and they have to save money if possible. Instead of posting negative posts of what the original person posted about what vets don't want you to know. Maybe you should thank that person for all the rescues they have done. You see they have rescued over 600 dogs in the last 5 years. Not one time have they lost a dog to the ivomec treatment. I know I am a vet tech that works for the groups veterinarian. I have seen the work they have done and all the lives they have saved. The veterinarian I work for is the one who approves of the ivomec treatment as an option. They have spent over $20,000 dollars a year out of their pocket. They do this because they care. Depending on the vet if he/she only cares about money then they won't tell you about this option. Did you know a heartworm positive dog can be given heartguard but not interceptor. Why? Because interceptor will cause a dog to dies if they are heartworm positive becsuse the ingredients in intercept are stronger than ivomec. You can though give a heartworm positive dog Heartguard. Now there are some vets that will dispute this but the makers of heartguard have said that yes you can give a dog heartguard that is heartworm positive. vet clinic

Another inexpensive treatment is an epsom salt bath/soak. Just as for human use, the magnesium sulfate (Epsom Salts) is absorbed through the skin and is an inexpensive and natural way to reduce stress, treat skin problems, and draw toxins from the body. It's cured my own aches and pains many a time. I've used this on my dog for various things - a sprained foot (followed by a cold pack), when he got tangled in some barbed wire and had a lot of little superficial cuts, for itching and just general occasional soothing soak. I'm betting it would provide some soothing relief for your dog's hips. If you have a large plastic bucket or hamper that is big enough for the dog and also has high sides to allow more coverage, it might work better than filling the bath tub. And the dog is more restricted and less likely to move around in a smaller, taller tub. Just don't let him drink it. Even better than epsom salt baths? A day at the beach swimming in the salty ocean and lying on the hot sand. Good for an old dog's soul. You might also ask this question in the Pet Forum Here's a link on this subject: Here is a link that might be useful: Epsom Salt for Dogs

Sh! 7 is going to hit the fan...I met the handicap van at the bus stop BUT it was a mini BUS with the same set of steps..was very hard to get him down two steps on crutches but last step onto ground was much higher if he would have tried hopping down it to the ground he would be in another cast...finially Tim sat on the step covered in melted snow and mud and got out..I was fuming..and you won't believe this .....there is a wheelchair lift on this bus but when I ask about me standing beside him and holding onto him I was told we can't use the ramp/ lift unless the child's in a wheelchair. The poor driver was in a tizzy she was so upset at this ...she told me at the school they plan to put a chair on the lift strap him in the chair to get him out...fine..but I don't have that option. Tims ortho requested a handicap minivan to come to the house. I know they have them as Amiee rode it. I dang near ripped my wrist out today helping my boy...this is UNACCEPTABLE..I've kept my peace so far thru all of this but either they provide acceptable transport to and from school or I will have the local Pittsburgh news be at the bus stop as Tims boarding..I plan to tell them this Monday and since they know me they know one phone call and the news along with Senitor Don White will come running...and they know its not a threat but a promise. I worry how all this will affect how Tims treated....his school does a red light yellow light green light..green light being very well behaved...Tims had green lights since day one of kindergarden and in fact has commendations. If suddenly this changes I'll know why. This is really pathetic...all this BS...but they are messing with the wrong By7ches cub...I know how to dress, and how to talk and how to maintain dignity. ..and I know people...to bad in the end if I have to call out the media Tims going to suffer..I have to think very carefully how I'm going to proceed. I have to protect Tim now and in the future...truely walking on egg shells.