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A. Dogs should be weaned at 6 weeks. By now they should be on solid food. They should start their vaccines at 8 weeks.
A. Your puppy may not be old enough yet to go without the crate. I would continue with it, but make sure you are very regimental about how and when you take her out. Dogs respond to repitition, so take her out when you get up, after she eats, when you come home and before bed. Eventually she will catch on. It takes a lot of patience.
A. It is not necessary to keep your puppy indoors until 16 weeks of age if it is properly vaccinated and you are careful where you take it. Mother's immunity lasts 8 weeks, then starts to decline and is gone by 16 weeks, so the puppy should be vaccinated at 8, 12, and 16 weeks. After the first 1 or 2 shots, it is okay to walk your puppy and socialize it with other pets and people. Just stay away from parks or pets that you don't know the vaccine history on until your puppy is fully vaccinated.
A. Your puppy is probably being picky. Don't get into the habit of frequently changing the foods to get your dog to eat. This will create a very picky eater. Choose a food you want to feed her and make her eat it. She will in time. Science diet Growth is a very good food.
A. For the owner of the Chocolate Lab that wants to breed it, make sure you do your homework and make responsible decisions. It would be helpful to know if it is a male or a female. Assuming it is a female, make sure all of the dog's papers are in order including lineage and breed registration. It is also a good idea to wait until 2 years of age before breeding so you can get the hips OFA(Orthopedic Foundation of America) approved. This accomplishes two things: 1. it cuts down on the incidence of hip dysplasia and increases the value of the puppies. 2. it allows the dog to have 2-3 normal heat cycles which will make breeding more successful.
A. If you want to breed your Golden Retriever, make sure you know exactly what you are getting into and why you are getting into it. Unfortunately, Goldens have become very watered down due to excessive and poor breeding. They have become very susceptible to hip dysplasia, heart defects, and cancers. We are also seeing an increase in bad personalities; whether that be aggression or inability to train. This has all occurred because of their immense popularity.
With that in mind, if you truly wish to breed your dog, make sure it is registered with your national registry organization as purebred (which are papers you should have already have from the breeder you got your dog from). You should also have the dog checked for hip dysplasia at 2 years of age by the Orthopedic Foundation of America; and the eyes checked by a veterinary ophthalmologist for congenital defects. This does three things:
Next, make sure the stud has all of these same things done. Finding a good stud can be difficult and expensive. Stud fees can be as expensive as $300-$500 or more depending on quality.
When the bitch goes into heat, have her checked out by your veterinarian. He/She should give the dog a good physical and do a vaginal smear which will allow a more exact prediction of ovulation and better guide your breeding. This may take several smears over time. When the time is right, the bitch should stand for the male. If he is experienced, they should know what to do. If they are both inexperienced, you may need the help of your veterinarian to guide them or artificially inseminate her. If all goes well, be prepared for 9-12 puppies. Good luck, and remember, breed with the intention of trying to better the breed; anything short of that is just hurting the breed and taking the homes away from 9-12 strays that could have otherwise been adopted.
A. Flea control can be a big problem and deciding what the best form of control is can be an even bigger problem. There are many, many different products-both prescription and over-the-counter. In my experience, the OTC products do not work as well as the prescription products. Products that I have found to be very safe are the Defend products which can be placed on your dog and kill fleas and ticks for up to 4-6 weeks. They have shampoos and cream rinses as well. The only down side to this product is it CAN NOT* be used on cats at all. The newest flea control product out now is Program which is a once a month pill that is given to the dog to prevent flea infestation. Program prevents any flea that bites the dog from reproducing. It is very good for those people that have problems with fleas in the house. The down side is that it does not directly kill fleas so flea shampoos and sprays are still recommended. Another form of flea control that a lot of people swear by is Brewer's Yeast although there is no real medical evidence that it works.
The one thing that I have found consistently works in dealing with fleas is being diligent about looking for them. In bad infestations, I recommend that you take your dog to your veterinarian and have the dog dipped. While that is going on, go home and treat your house. A very good product to use for this is Siphotrol Plus House Treatment. I prefer the spray to the bombs(foggers) because it is cheaper and it allows you to get right where the fleas hide, like in corners of carpet, under furniture, and in cool, dark places. After you bring the clean dog into the clean house, check him EVERY day. This only takes a couple of minutes and if you find a flea, spray the dog or give it a flea bath with a good quality flea shampoo.
Flea control is a long, difficult process with no quick fixes. Personally, I save Prospot and Spot-On as a last resort for those clients who have tried everything and it hasn't worked; They are not my favorite forms of flea control. Good Luck!
*note: Defend is now available in a spray made specifically for use on cats.
A. Have your veterinarian do a skin scrape on your dog on all the places where she scratches. It sounds like the dog may have mange. If mange is not the answer, have your dog allergy tested. That will tell you what she is allergic to, if anything. Ask your veterinarian for details. It can all be done with a blood test.
A. This is a problem called skin fold pyoderma. If the infection is that severe and washing the area and using antibiotics, systemically and topically, don't work, I would recommend cutting the skin folds out. This is associated with great success and does not alter the appearance of the dog very much if done correctly. They usually look much better.
A. The most common treatment for seizures is phenobarbitol which is a medication that raises the seizure threshold and keeps the animal from seizuring. For the most part this is a relatively safe drug but does have some side-effects such as increasing liver enzymes, sedation and so on. It is the treatment of choice for treating seizures at this point. How many does your dog have? per day? per week? per month? how severe are they? If the seizures are not that often (1 time a month) and there is no treatable cause for the seizures(liver disease, tumors etc.) treatment is oftentimes not advised.
A. Mammary cancer is a very serious cancer in dogs if it is highly malignant. Did the report say if it was? The fact that the tumor was not completely removed means that it will probably reoccur. How fast it will spread depends on how highly malignant the tumor was. Usually these spread to bone or the lungs. Did your veterinarian take chest films? I would recommend removing the entire mammary chain on both sides after checking the lungs for cancer.
A. There are cataracts that can occur due to trauma, but if there is no history of trauma, it is more likely a congenital cataract. I would have a specialist look at the eye and tell you exactly what is going on and if it will affect your dog in the long run. There are surgeries that can remove cataracts but a specialist will be able to tell you more.
A. Lisa, This is a disease of Cocker Spaniels called Idiopathic Facial Nerve Paralysis of Cockers. For some reason the facial nerve on one or both sides of the face is affected and the dog's lips sag on the affected side. They can't blink. The facial muscles are paralyzed. Sometimes this is associated with hypothyroidism. The good news is, it will go away in 3-4 weeks most likely.
A. There is probably one of two problems going on, and they may both be present. One is hip dysplasia that is causing arthritis and pain. The other is degenerative mylopathy which is a condition seen in older german shepherds in which the spinal cord starts to degenerate from back to forward. These dogs become very week in the rear legs and often walk with their butts very low to the ground as if they can't quite stand all the way up. This is often misinterpreted as hip dysplasia and arthritis. Your veterinarian should be able to tell you what is going on. There is not cure for degenerative mylopathy.
A. Autoimmune hemolytic anemia is a disease in which the body's immune system starts to attack the body's red blood cells and destroying them. The test to diagnose this is a Coomb's test. The treatment is supportive care like transfusions as needed and steroids that stop the immune system from destroying the cells. If treated agressively and in time, many dogs can do very well.
A. The Symptoms of parvo are usually almost always bloody diarrhea and vomiting. It affects puppies of any age, usually affecting those that have not been vaccinated. The vaccine is very effective if given at the proper time and boostered correctly. It seems, though, that Dobermans, Rottweilers, and Old English Sheep Dogs are very sensitive to the disease and can come down with it even if properly vaccinated. It is best to check with your veterinarian about their vaccine protocols and have your puppies checked out for early signs of the disease. Puppies can be completely normal in the morning and in the hospital with parvo that night. It is a terrible disease, so get those puppies properly vaccinated!
A. For the Papillon owners, I'm very sorry to hear about your puppy. Congenital defects are very hard to deal with when they show up after you have become attached (which sometimes only takes minutes it seems). It sounds like the puppy has a portosystemic shunt which sometimes can be fixed with surgery. I would be interested to know if this is what the diagnosis was. None the less, you could have a battle on your hands. Although this is a congenital defect, it may not be hereditary, meaning passed on by the parents. It may just be bad luck for that puppy and for you, but not knowing exactly what is wrong, it is difficult for me to say. If this is a hereditary defect of the breed, you may have a better case if they guarantee their dogs. Breeders do not like to hear that there is a problem with one of their dogs and can get very defensive. I agree with you, if they really stand behind their litters they should at least compensate for the price of the dog. Getting them to pay the medical bills may be tough since it was your decision to pursue treatment (I commend you on that choice). If you really feel that you have a case, get documentation from your veterinarian and call the better business bureau. It may not get you your money back, but if they find a problem it will go on their record for anyone who checks to see. Also, word of mouth goes a long way; if you don't like the job they are doing, don't recommend them.
A. Leukemia in dogs is a cancer of the blood. There are many types of leukemias depending on what cell line is affected. Essentially, the bone marrow starts producing abnormal types of a certain cell line and starts dumping them into the blood stream. The result can be extremely abnormal white counts which can affect the animal's immune system. The body's attempt to get rid of these cells can make an animal very sick. Signs can be as subtle as a fever or as obvious as severe depression and weakness. Some types of leukemia can be treated with chemotherapy, but the success really depends on the type of leukemia affecting the dog. Not all respond the same.
A. Immune mediated thrombocytopenia is a disease in which the body's immune system attacks the thrombocytes of the body which are responsible for clotting of blood. It can occur as an acute or chronic form. In the acute form, the dog can die in weeks if not treated or if treatment fails. The chronic form can last for years. Diagnosis is made by clinical signs and bone marrow aspirates as well as serum antibody tests. The treatment is prednisolone or other steroids alone or in combination with other immunosuppressive drugs. Sometimes removal of the spleen is done when all forms of treatment fail. I'm sorry for your loss.
A. Panosteitis is an inflammatory disease of the long bones of young dogs. This is most commonly seen in large breed dogs (most commonly the shepherd), but it can be most any breed. It is called panosteitis because it affects all of the long bones and can flare up at anytime in any leg. The most common sign is a switching leg lameness. One leg hurts for a few days, then another. This disease is treated with prednisolone which is a steroidal anti-inflammatory. The good news about panosteitis is that it is self-limiting; meaning it will go away on it's own once the dog reaches skeletal maturity. What is odd about your case is that your dog seems too old to have this disease, or at least it should be resolving. Since the pain is in the rear leg and the dog also has hip dysplasia, I would be looking at the hips as the source of pain. There is a way to tell; squeeze the bone where the darks spots on the x-rays were. If it is panosteitis it will be very painful. If it is the hips, the dog should resent manipulation of the joint.
A. The hypothyroidism is probably not related to the seizuring but it could be affecting the treatment. Hypothyroidism slows down the dog's metabolism. As a result, he may not metabolize his phenobarbitol (medicine to control the seizures) properly. This may result in a higher than necessary dose. Once the thyroid is treated, the seizuring may be better controlled.
A. There are several good forms of exercise for dogs with hip dysplasia. The most important thing is making sure that the dog does in fact get exercise. A common mistake made with dysplastic dogs is not to exercise them because they are painful. The key is to exercise them according to how much the dog can take without being very painful or nonfunctional. If possible, the best form of exercise is swimming because it exercises the legs and joints without putting pressure or a lot of strain on them. The more common form of exercise for dysplastic dogs is walking. A good sustained walk can be very therapeutic for dysplastic dogs by keeping the hind limb muscles strong and the joints loose. If your dog is out of shape, start slowly. The walk may only be to the end of the street and back, but with time, you will be able to gradually increase the distance. Dogs with hip dysplasia also benefit from anti-inflammatories to control pain. I recommend Ascripton at 10mg/lb twice a day (Check with your veterinarian to make sure your dog doesn't have a condition in which an aspirin is contraindicated). Also, there are several very good surgical solutions to hip dysplasia if your dog is a good candidate. I strongly suggest looking into these surgical options because they can allow your dog to live an almost completely normal life.
A. Hip Dysplasia is one of the saddest things that has to be dealt with in dogs. Some dogs do fairly well on medication to control pain such as Adequan. (Personally, I haven't had that great of luck with it). Other anti-inflammatories are Aspirins, Phenylbutazone, Arquel and steroids. All of these pain medications are like headache medications for people; some work sometimes and others work other times, and finding the one that works best for your dog can be a trial and error process. Pain medications are all doing the same thing though, just controlling the pain. If the hip dysplasia and arthritis is severe, the treatment of choice, in my opinion, is surgery. If the dog is relatively young and money is not an issue, a Total Hip Replacement is a very good option for relief of pain and return to a normal functioning hip. If money is an issue, a Femoral Head Osteotomy or FHO is a very good procedure for removing the arthritis and treating the pain. The femoral head of the femur is cut off creating a false joint. Since there is no bone left to grind together, the joint is pain free. I do a lot of these procedures with very good success and highly recommend it as a treatment for hip dysplasia with associated arthritis.
A. To cut down on the amount of tartar build up on your pet's teeth, feed him/her a dry food. Wet or canned foods tend to accumulate tartar on the teeth. Also, brushing the teeth or at least wiping them with warm water and cotton can help decrease the rate of tartar build up. To get rid of what is on the teeth, have your veterinarian perform a dental. Routine dentals have been shown to increase a dog's or cat's life expectancy and quality of life.
A. It is not uncommon to find only a few veterinarians or clinics that perform cataract surgery on dogs. This is a specialty procedure that requires special training and very expensive equipment. As a result, the surgery is not cheap. On the other hand, it is very effective and not all that traumatic for the dog. Is it worth doing in a 15 year old dog? That all depends. If the dog is not handling going blind very well, or is in an area where being blind would be dangerous (no fenced in yard etc.) and the dog is in good health, it may be very well worth the effort and the expense. On the other hand, dogs can do very well blind. I personally had two blind poodles that did very well. They learn their way around but just take more watching and care than you are used to. It would not be a bad idea to take your dog to the specialist and at least talk with him and have the dog checked to make sure he/she is a good candidate for surgery. The specialist will be able to answer all of your questions.
A. Clouding of the lens is a condition called lenticular sclerosis whereby as the dog ages the lens hardens causing it to appear blue. This should be differentiated from cataracts in which there is an actual opacity in the lens. The difference is lenticular sclerosis is a normal aging process. Cataracts can be a normal aging process or caused by another problem such as diabetes. Either way the dog usually goes blind slowly,(faster with cataracts). Most dogs adjust very well to slowly going blind. If they do not or are at risk to hurt themselves, cataract surgery can be done. Check with a veterinary opthalmologist in your area. They can recommend the best course of treatment.
A. If your dog has no signs of heart disease, I wouldn't worry about it at this stage of his life. Besides, the science diet you are feeding should be perfectly balanced for a dog and supply him with enough of everything he needs.
A. There are a plethora of foods out there for older dogs. Almost all of the brands have some type of food for less active dogs. One of my favorites is Science Diet Senior. It comes in a canned or dry. Fit and Trim is a good diet as well as Cycle Diet 4. You want a lower protein diet that is lower in calories.
A. To those who have lost a pet and are looking for ways to cope, there are support groups and hot lines for this special and difficult problem. Some examples:
A. Shedding can be helped with frequent brushing and bathing in a shampoo/conditioner on a routine basis. Make sure there is no reason for the shedding such as very dry skin, infection etc. Unfortunately, there is no way to completely keep them from shedding.
A.I would recommend being much, much firmer with your dog than just patting him and saying no. You have to make him understand that you are upset and won't tolerate this behavior. Also ignore him completely after he does this and you correct him. If he bites your laces and you give him attention, he is getting exactly what he wants, so you are just reinforcing the behavior.
A. This is a very common problem of dogs (especially that are outside a lot) with ears that stand erect. The problem is called fly-strike. The ears should be evaluated by a veterinarian for appropriate treatment. This usually involves scrubbing the ears and applying an antibiotic ointment as well as a fly repelant. I usually use Pet-Guard Gel which is sold only through a veterinarian.
A.It is important that he get his heartworm medication so we need to find a way to keep it down. There are several options. The first is to use the Heartgard in pill form. Crush it up and put it in something he likes and then feed him his normal meal. If it is the drug that disagrees with him, the full meal in his stomach should protect it. Have you tried Decacide? It is a very old heartworm preventative that comes in a very small pill. Unfortunately it is once a day like Filaribits, but the pill is very small and easy to take. The good news is it is very inexpensive.
A. You should contact your veterinarian about getting a tranquilizer for your pet. They work very well for these types of problems.
A. Reverse sneezing in dogs is something that is much easier to demonstrate than to explain, but it is a fairly common phenomenon in dogs. Basically it is a violent snorting action that occurs for no apparent reason. It is not abnormal or dangerous unless you notice a discharge that is abnormal like puss or blood. Also the dog should be completely normal afterwards. If the dog is groggy or passes out, there is something else going on. If it is just a reverse sneeze, don't worry-it may look like your dog is going to die while they are doing it but they will be fine.
A. This can be a very difficult problem to deal with. It isn't really a breed problem in as much as a dog problem. The behavior can be corrected, but you have to catch him doing it and correct him sternly. It takes a lot of patience and time, but most dogs will get the idea when they are punished every time you catch them. Use the same techniques you used to house break the dog.
A. This can be a difficult situation and is a common problem when adopting an adult dog. Sometimes the reason the dog is at the pound is because it couldn't be housebroken by the previous owners. My feeling is that any dog can be housebroken with enough patience and time. If the dog is going in the house in front of you, make sure you scold him and immediately take him outside. If he is doing it while you are gone, get a cage for him and take him out as soon as you get home. The key to housebreaking any dog is repetition. Take him out in the morning when you wake up, after he eats, whenever you come home and before bedtime. Don't play with him outside when he is supposed to be going to the bathroom. Wait until he goes, then bring him inside and give him a treat. Eventually he will understand that outside is for the bathroom and inside for playing. Also, if he is not neutered, get that done.
A. White Boxers are not easy to find because it is not a normal or accepted color of the breed. Many of these animals (white Boxers) have congenital defects, especially of the heart and are not always desirable although they are good looking dogs. If you find one, be sure to have it thoroughly examined by your veterinarian for any potential health problems.
A. The dew claws on dogs are the equivalent of your big toe or thumb. It is a vestigial appendage (meaning not used anymore), so over time, some animals are born with them and some without. Many people have them removed 3-5 days after birth the of the puppies. If they have not been removed during this time and an owner wants them removed, it can be done at the time of spaying or neutering. I do recommend removing the rear dew claws because they tend to get snagged on things and then tear. Removal of the front dew claws is based on personal preference.
A. Coprophagia, or the eating of one's own stool, is unfortunately a very disgusting but common habit of many dogs. In many cases they outgrow the habit, but sometimes owner intervention is required to break them of it. There are drugs that can be given orally that make the stool taste terrible. One is Forbid which comes in a powder that is put on the food for 3-5 days. Another of these drugs is Chlorophyll tablets, also given with the food for a period of time. Both of these treatments make the stool taste terrible and hopefully break the cycle. Ask your local veterinarian for more details.
A. The purpose of the phenobarbitol is to increase the seizure threshold and calm the seizure "areas" in the brain. From what you have described, I do not think that the liver is the cause of the dog's problems. The initial increase in the liver enzymes may have been due to a drug that the dog was on. ( Prednisolone will increase certain liver enzymes.) Given the dog's age and the fact that the dog has never seizured before, my initial inclination is to think there is a mass in the brain. An MRI would not be a bad idea if you want a diagnosis. Keep the dog on the Phenobarbitol now though. Stopping the Phenobarb can sometimes make them more susceptible to having seizures. If your veterinarian really suspects a mass in the brain, and the prednisolone is to help that, the dose needs to be increased to at least a mg/lb twice a day. Every other day pred is probably not helping the situation-probably not hurting it either. Another option is a spinal tap. Sometimes you can get cancer cells in the spinal fluid. This is considerably cheaper than an MRI, but it is also more risky. The other possibility is that this is idiopathic epilepsy, which is a condition of repeated seizures with no apparent cause. This is a diagnosis of exclusion. If your dog has a mass in the brain, you will know soon enough. The seizures will increase despite the Phenobarb and there will be behavior changes, etc. If the dog does not get sick in the next few months, it is probably epilepsy and can be managed on the phenobarb. Realize though, without examining the dog, this is all speculation.
A. Bloat is a condition in which the stomach fills with an excessively abnormal amount of air. Usually this is associated with gastric torsion in which the stomach twists on itself and causes bloat. The result is a cutoff of the blood supply to the intestines, shock and eventual death if not caught in time. This can be avoided by feeding your dog 2-3 times a day instead of once, and not exercising them after eating for 1/2 -1 hour. print
Danes need a lot of exercise and a good quality food. Just because they eat a lot, don't skimp on the quality of the food. They live 8-10 years. You can find very good books at most good book stores in the animal section.
They are great dogs and one of my favorite breeds.
A. Your dog is vomiting from drinking the salt water. This is only dangerous if the vomiting and diarrhea is severe enough to dehydrate the dog. Make sure there is plenty of fresh water to drink so the dog isn't trying to drink from the ocean. It is tough to keep the dog from drinking or getting salt water in his mouth while he is playing in the water. For the most part, it won't hurt him.