Hello Connie

I start off my rubbing his chest, he loves that, then get him to lay on his side, still rubbing and stroking, by this time he has wised up and starts going wang eyed and mouthing, he doesn't put pressure on the bite but there is a lot of psi behind those jaws so I have started to wait till he is asleep then squirting, sneaky and not cricket but I just want to get the damn drops in!
I think I could get the swab easier than the vet, don't know why I didn't think of it, takes a pair of fresh eyes, and this is why I come to leerburg first port of call for reference and questions! There is another vet about 10 miles away who I took the Boerboel girl to for spaying, he is a SA so is also familiar with the breed, to be honest I went to our local vet because I can walk the dogs there and as I don't drive it is convenient if one of the kids isn't about to drive me, the vets there are not bad, just not used to large breeds, this being rural Norfolk it is mostly gundog breeds, and whilst the Boerboels are a point of interest, their idiosyncrasies are unfamiliar to them, so I agree with you, time for a different vet! I know muzzling is an option but I have never used one and don't know how much it would freak him out??
Thanks and regards
Tracey

I don't know; I haven't had to muzzle at the vet's. Maybe others will see this and comment.

Ok and thank you Connie, I appreciate every post back I get, I have had dogs all my life but still feel like such a novice!
Rgds
Tracey

Will he let you wipe his face and ears with a damp handtowel? My dogs LOVE it and usually for my lab who used to have chronic ear infections she adores the process. A clean handtowel to get some eargorp might be the ticket.

Also, here's the outline of "procedure desensitizing."

I reserve very special treats just for "procedures." Remember that this treat (yes, it is a bribe, and I don't care; eye and ear stuff is highly unpleasant to a dog) needs to be wonderful, and odorous, and clearly part of the procedure supplies when you set up shop on the coffee table or wherever.

At first, of course, it's just touch-and-treat, then touch-longer-and-treat, etc.

http://leerburg.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Board=10&Number=281684&Searchpage=1&Main=26599&Words=procedure&topic=0&Search=true#Post281684


I also forgot to mention that a baggy of procedure rewards comes with me to the vet. Those stupid wheaty cookies they hand out don't cut it at all.

This reminds me: A week ago we were at the vet's because of a scratched eyeball. I had really yumbo treats with me, and when I set the little container on the exam table, the tech said "Oh, spoiled dog, huh?"

I just smirked, because I knew that MY dog was going to see the treats, be given one for each step of the nastiness, and be about ten thousand times easier to handle with an eyeball procedure than the other dogs that tech would see. LOL

It doesn't just happen, though, by taking along a great reward; the dog has learned at home the connection between the procedure and the most-wonderful treat.



Spoiled shmoiled.

Tracy, I know how awful the ear infections can be, and dealing with a dog that doesn’t cooperate during cleaning and treatments. We had a lab years ago that had chronic ear infections, which usually lead to hematomas from scratching and shaking his head. Many vet appointments, thousands and thousands of dollars in various vet/specialist appointments, and numerous treatment plans including surgery.

It is very important that a sample is taken and examined! There are many types of bacteria or fungus, and without knowing which infection it is, IMO, your vet has no clue in how to properly treat this! Sometimes there is both bacteria and fungus present, and this would require a combination of medications to rid it.

If she ever had a ruptured eardrum, and the vet prescribed those medications,without proper exam, you could end up with a dog that loses hearing, like mine did! I would muzzle her, otherwise, they may suggest sedation.

Thanks so much everyone for the suggestions, and I am definately going to start the process of the treat for treatment method! He really loves having his great big chops stroked, more often than not he falls asleep while I am doing it! I think my problem is I start to get anxious at the thought of starting the whole proceedure and of course he picks up on that, we are back for a check up on Thursday so I am going to make a start tonight, he is massively food driven, cheese being his 'bribe' of choice, so again, thanks for the advice, and I will let you know how we get on, and I tend to agree with you Tammy, I get the impression the vet just wants us the hell out of the consulting room to move on to a more manageable creature, if I don't get any proper answers this visit I am going to change vets.
Very kind regards
Tracey