Eight YO female, never came into visible heat until earlier this year when I took in Cleburne the stray dog.
Went from acting OK to absolutely critical in just days, runaway internal infection, no discharge.
The thing is I just got Blondie (another stray) fixed less than a month ago, once I learned of the dangers Cloudy was gonna be next. Missed that opportunity.
My other two heelers both passed away as old dogs inside the last four years.
Cloudy woulda prob'ly been around for another five at least, shoulda got her spayed at some point, never came into heat, didn't know the need.
First time without a heeler by my side in nearly twenty years.
The end of an era You sure get spoiled by absolutely devoted dogs that learn and obey directions so easily.
Cleburne and Blondie will prob'ly be around for another ten or twelve years, Blondie minds pretty well, getting better. Cleburne is nice enough but he's gotta be leashed, too many things in the woods to chase.
2013.... Sparky, a little 8lb Jack Russel mix, 13 yo 2014.... Blue, a mini-weiner dog, 15 yo 2016.... Tarna, the heeler mutt in my avatar, best dog I'll ever own, 14 yo 2019.... Dakota, a heeler x stumpy tailed cattle dog mix, 14 yo
...and now Cloudy...
We outlive our dogs its true, but they take whole eras of our lives with them.
Sorry to read this. Having just lost one the hole in a persons stomach is huge
After Mic left a friend sent me these two quotes -- both are very true. All the best.
“Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened. ” – Anatole France
“Dogs…do not ruin their sleep worrying about how to keep the objects they have, and to obtain the objects they have not. There is nothing of value they have to bequeath except their love and their faith.” – Eugene O’Neill
so having a dog spayed makes them not have that issue? I have a 2 1/2 year old Catahoula that does go into heat every 5 months, am I risking her health by not having her spayed?
so having a dog spayed makes them not have that issue? I have a 2 1/2 year old Catahoula that does go into heat every 5 months, am I risking her health by not having her spayed?
If you do not want to breed her then go ahead and spay her. No pyometra worry after that.
so having a dog spayed makes them not have that issue? I have a 2 1/2 year old Catahoula that does go into heat every 5 months, am I risking her health by not having her spayed?
The gist seems to be that with repeated heat cycles the uterus gradually becomes thicker and cysts can form, eventually it predisposes the dog to a catastrophic infection.
Turns out its a pretty common condition in older female dogs.
Putting out this info was mostly why I posted this.
My other two heeler females were spayed after their first heat so this was never an issue.
As far as spaying, I am firmly in the “don’t spay without a medical need “ camp. There a a number of medical things that spaying will prevent, and an even greater number of issues caused by spaying a dog. The most medically serious of those is weight gain. One of the more annoying ones is spay related incontinence. Which happens WAY more frequently than any vet has ever been willing to admit to me.
I recently had a vet suggest to my daughter she “really should” spay her 12 year old female, who has had 5 litters. For those not informed about such things, the odds of actually completely removing the uterus in an older dog with multiple litters is virtually nil, resulting in one or more “follow up” operations. In my opinion, to suggest such a thing “for health reasons” on a 12 year old dog with an average life span of 13 years is veterinary malpractice, and that practitioner should be pilloried in the stockade in the town square. Before losing their license and being required to stay away at least 50 feet from any domestic animal..... But I may have a somewhat stronger opinion on this than most.....
One of the more annoying ones is spay related incontinence. Which happens WAY more frequently than any vet has ever been willing to admit to me.
That's why I would let my dogs go through a heat cycle before spaying, I heard that blast of estrogen fully developed the peeing equipment, making spotting less likely, matured their brain too.
I do agree that most suburban vets recommend spaying WAY to early, permanently altering the development of the dog.
Easier to spot in males; tiny sheath, small head, long legs, lack of muscle tone, and stunted development in that grey matter between the ears.
So sorry, it doesn't get any easier!!!! Leaves a big hole in ya. I'm so full of holes now at 69 that I'm surprised I don't fn leak! They say time heals, (bull chit) !!! I still miss every single one!!! So sorry for your loss. Bill out. 🐾👣🐾👣🇨🇦
That's a bad hand you were dealt there, BW. Tough thing about having precious things like good dogs is, you can never hang on to them. I know you've got your feet on the ground, and you'll be okay.
Hey, thanks everyone for all the kind words, much appreciated.
This was Cloudy last November, along with my granddaughter.....
Cloudy "sit.... stay"ing just as hard as she could, she weren't one to do things half way. I'd bring a leash where I had to, but they were just for show.
I took her travel crate out of the pickup today, she quickly learned to wait by the tailgate because she liked the attention when I picked her up to put her in it. She ain't gonna waking up the neighbors any more by barking from it all the way down the street either.
I emptied out her kiddie wading pool on the back porch, that dog was a fanatic about water, loved to splash and lie in it.
I'm gonna be finding blue raquetballs around the house and yard for months, years maybe. She taught herself to retrieve early on, got to be an expert at reading the bounce of a raquetball and catching them in the air, I always kept a supply on hand and she would leave them all over the place.
Bird - I've got a blue eyed merle border collie. She's about 9 months on and a real handful, but we sure do love her (she's trying to destroy my boot right now actually).
I'm giving her an extra fetch, and an extra pet on the head knowing one day this will come.
Mike, So sorry to hear of the loss of your heeler. We are down to one, that is 9 years old this year. Daisy loves to retrieve as well, and like you mentioned, loves to catch a ball on the first hop. She'll be ten if she makes it to August 2021. We had not bothered to have her spayed until a couple of years back, when we switched Vets after moving to a new town. So glad we took the new guy's advice and had the procedure done. May your Cloudy chase raquetballs in the happy hunting grounds till you get to throw them for her. There are just not enough heelers for this world. Be blessed, my friend.
Our pup just had all of her girl guts taken out due to this. She's doing just fine now, about a month later. We caught it before she got too bad.
All this after our other dog had to be put down just a few days earlier. She had something let go inside of her, not sure what, but the vet said it was a point of no return.
I feel for you on this. These pups sure latch on to your heart strings with a firm grip.
Eight YO female, never came into visible heat until earlier this year when I took in Cleburne the stray dog.
Went from acting OK to absolutely critical in just days, runaway internal infection, no discharge.
The thing is I just got Blondie (another stray) fixed less than a month ago, once I learned of the dangers Cloudy was gonna be next. Missed that opportunity.
My other two heelers both passed away as old dogs inside the last four years.
Cloudy woulda prob'ly been around for another five at least, shoulda got her spayed at some point, never came into heat, didn't know the need.
First time without a heeler by my side in nearly twenty years.
The end of an era You sure get spoiled by absolutely devoted dogs that learn and obey directions so easily.
Cleburne and Blondie will prob'ly be around for another ten or twelve years, Blondie minds pretty well, getting better. Cleburne is nice enough but he's gotta be leashed, too many things in the woods to chase.
Two dogs is plenty.
Prob'ly no more heelers in my future.
Prayers from Colorado. Love the ones you have, and hopefully one day you have space in your heart for another heeler.
You need a new one, get a male, they are nicer natured and cost you less in the long run We lost our old boy last year This little bloke is stepping up nicely
Hey, thanks everyone for all the kind words, much appreciated.
This was Cloudy last November, along with my granddaughter.....
Cloudy "sit.... stay"ing just as hard as she could, she weren't one to do things half way. I'd bring a leash where I had to, but they were just for show.
I took her travel crate out of the pickup today, she quickly learned to wait by the tailgate because she liked the attention when I picked her up to put her in it. She ain't gonna waking up the neighbors any more by barking from it all the way down the street either.
I emptied out her kiddie wading pool on the back porch, that dog was a fanatic about water, loved to splash and lie in it.
I'm gonna be finding blue raquetballs around the house and yard for months, years maybe. She taught herself to retrieve early on, got to be an expert at reading the bounce of a raquetball and catching them in the air, I always kept a supply on hand and she would leave them all over the place.
Birdwatcher, sorry to hear about the loss of your dog, blue heelers are the only dogs I’ve ever owned, so I know how it feels to lose one, once a heeler decides your it’s owner, there’s no dog more faithful, they happily accept and protect other family members but they always know who the real boss is, after my last one died I’ve not been able to bring myself to get another dog, I just realised that was almost 20 years ago when he died, he used to do this funny thing, where he would sort of listen to my girlfriend when I wasn’t around, but when I was there if she told him to do something, he’d look at me before he’d do it, then I’d nod or say go on, then he’d do whatever it was she’d asked of him, but not without my prior approval, but if I didn’t react he’d just go back to what he was doing, used to annoy the girlfriend no end.
Never knew what a heeler was until I met Crossfireoops and his friend Gracie. Once I was aware I have met and interacted with a fair number, and they are all friends of mankind IMO. Good dogs they are and they are all missed when they leave us.
2013.... Sparky, a little 8lb Jack Russel mix, 13 yo 2014.... Blue, a mini-weiner dog, 15 yo 2016.... Tarna, the heeler mutt in my avatar, best dog I'll ever own, 14 yo 2019.... Dakota, a heeler x stumpy tailed cattle dog mix, 14 yo
...and now Cloudy...
We outlive our dogs its true, but they take whole eras of our lives with them.
They do indeed, it is cruel, but for every faithful hound I've laid in the carefully dug hole, I do not regret it, the time we did spend together was beyond great, and if that's all there is, well, then that's it. A dog's love is worth the sorrow in the end, it absolutely is.
That said, my condolences on the passing of your gal, 8 years is too soon. All the best...
They do indeed, it is cruel, but for every faithful hound I've laid in the carefully dug hole, I do not regret it, the time we did spend together was beyond great, and if that's all there is, well, then that's it. A dog's love is worth the sorrow in the end, it absolutely is.
That said, my condolences on the passing of your gal, 8 years is too soon. All the best...
Very well said.
And yet, a man can get tired of digging graves, enough to want take a break for a little while, before it gets too much.
They do indeed, it is cruel, but for every faithful hound I've laid in the carefully dug hole, I do not regret it, the time we did spend together was beyond great, and if that's all there is, well, then that's it. A dog's love is worth the sorrow in the end, it absolutely is.
That said, my condolences on the passing of your gal, 8 years is too soon. All the best...
Very well said.
And yet, a man can get tired of digging graves, enough to want take a break for a little while, before it gets too much.
That's it, five dogs gone over the last seven years, I feel like I've become a bit too familiar with what a beloved dog's last days look like.
Never knew what a heeler was until I met Crossfireoops and his friend Gracie. Once I was aware I have met and interacted with a fair number, and they are all friends of mankind IMO. Good dogs they are and they are all missed when they leave us
I wasn't familiar with heelers either before I moved to Texas. Much to recommend them.
The AKC didn't recognize them as a breed for a long time, so no one was inbreeding them for "confirmation" to trot around a ring next to a fat lady or gay guy at a dog show
They were bred for ability, end of story.
Came in different shapes and sizes of a general type, created in the Australian Outback as an admixture of various herding breeds with a shot of dingo added for good measure. Tough feet, and good in hot dry climates.
All of that and they had to be resolute enough to drive wild cattle, even big range bulls, by closing in and driving them with their teeth..
Handy size too, most around 40lbs, big enough to do big dog stuff, small enough to ride easily in a vehicle.
Out West they can be had for not too much money in cattle country "no papers, working parents on site". I bought the best dog I ever owned when she was a puppy for $15 at a Mexican Feed Store in South Texas.
The AKC finally got their nefarious paws on 'em 15-20 years back, officially recognized them as "Australian Cattle Dogs", I dunno that they've ruined the breed much yet like they did to so many others.
You need a new one, get a male, they are nicer natured and cost you less in the long run We lost our old boy last year This little bloke is stepping up nicely
You need a new one, get a male, they are nicer natured and cost you less in the long run We lost our old boy last year This little bloke is stepping up nicely
Never knew what a heeler was until I met Crossfireoops and his friend Gracie. Once I was aware I have met and interacted with a fair number, and they are all friends of mankind IMO. Good dogs they are and they are all missed when they leave us.
The first heeler I met was while we were on a pheasant hunting trip to Kansas during the mid '80's. My dad was especially taken with the dog. The owner was filling a suet feeder for the birds while we watched through a picture window. As soon as the owner disappeared around the corner the heeler appeared and dispatched the suet like he had done it 100 times. The owner walked into the room and was amazed how fast the birds could empty the suet feeder. My dad agreed it was truly amazing as he motioned for the rest of us to keep quiet.
You sure get spoiled by absolutely devoted dogs that learn and obey directions so easily.![[Linked Image from live.staticflickr.com]](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49935497673_9e05c22608_z.jpg)
![[Linked Image]](https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/gallery/80/full/139711.jpeg)
![[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]](https://i.imgur.com/oGHVEsJ.jpg)
