Dog licking her back end

[StayingDavidTennantsGirl]

Our 7 month old lab puppy keeps licking her back end, and licking it a lot, and I was wondering if this could mean that there's a problem, or whether she is going to come into season soon.

Thankyou.

I am going to aim to get a few kilos off her - it does seem as if the vet might have had a point (muttermuttermutter) - we'll be aiming for low-fat Coco from now on!

We've got two cats as well, but they're so independant, it's not the same somehow. I don't think cats give you the same unconditional love and loyalty that dogs do, and dogs stay very 'babyish' for a long time, whereas cats grow up really quickly, so I think that makes you become more attached to them. I called my mum earlier to tell her about the puppy being kept in, and when I tried to explain to her what had happened I just ended up just wailing down the phone and then doing that wierd sobbing-can't-quite-get-my-breath-thing . I think for a minute she thought DH was the one in hospital, not the puppy! It's ok though - she was quite upset too in the end, so I didn't feel like such a prat! I know when I go into work tomorrow they'll be thinking "it's just a dog" (which will make it even better when I tell them I'm taking Friday afternoon off ) but unless you have them yourself, you don't understand. One of the bosses has just got a dog himself, and he's turned from a "just a dog" person to a doggy-slave overnight! Must remember to tell him about Friday before the others....

We've got a cat too - we did have two, rescue cats, but one died just before Christmas '08 - the vet thought he'd either been poisoned or had accidentally drunk from a puddle with antifreeze in it. His kidneys just packed up, and though he was only 8 months old, he looked like an OAP. It was so sudden, and I sobbed all the way home.

His brother still has us firmly under his paw - he lives mainly upstairs now, and we have to feed him up there too, otherwise the dog would have her meal, then polish off the cat's food for dessert.

We used to be safe keeping our cat food on the worktop, but nothing is out of her reach now. The vet commented on how strange it was that she had muscle wastage on her shoulders (part of the ED) but her hips and back legs were so firm - didn't tell him that the reason was her constant tigger-bouncing up at the worktops looking for food/tea towels/plastic bags!

Lol - it's like having a hyperactive toddler, isn't it!!

Labs come in so many shapes and sizes that you can't possibly judge by how much they weigh. I have a very chunky show type lab who is 35 kg and meets all of Midori's criteria. That's the only way you can tell - by being able to feel their ribs, etc.

The problem is that, once spayed, their metabolism slows a little and they are more inclined to put weight on. That's why your vet is grumbling about her weight now. Added to that is the fact that labs are prone to hip dysplasia and any excess weight will only contribute to that.

There's a good body condition scoring tool here

Thank-you for that Bella - I will take a proper look at that link later, when dh lets me back on the computer.

Ddog is home now - feeling a little sorry for herself, but doing ok. The vet's put a body bandage on her, instead of a funnel collar, and advised putting her in a t-shirt, so we'll see how she goes with that.

Hope she slept well and is feeling a bit brighter this morning

She slept like a baby, and seems almost back to her normal self this morning - finding things to chew, and wanting toys thrown so she can chase them - rest assured, I am not cooperating with that one! She's now in her cage having a nap whilst I mumsnet.

She doesn't seem to mind the t-shirt, so I have to confess I've been out to ASDA and bought her one of her own - a nicer one than ds3's outgrown one.