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Pat Wells | 10 years ago
My Kitten Ate A Out A 8″ Piece Of Silk Ribbon. What Should I Do?

My kitten ate a out a 8″ piece of silk ribbon. What should I do?

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  1. Pat Wells Post author

    Melvin is pooping, eating, and acting normal. Still don’t see and pieces of the ribbon in his poop, but his latest poop was glossy. How long wil it take before he will be in the clear?

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Pawbly | 10 years ago
I Have A 10 Month Old Chihuahua That Was Recently Diagnosed With An Autoimmune Disease…

I have a 10 month old chihuahua that was recently diagnosed with an autoimmune disease. I have a hard time getting her to eat, so I was wanting to try a vitamin or supplement. Any suggestions?

4 Responses

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  1. Jana

    Which autoimmune disease is it? What treatment is she on? What food are you offering?

  2. andrea Lee Roundfield

    When my pets, recently my kitty, have little to no desire for food e.g. prescribed food, we will try a highly favored broth (from chicken soup or the oil from tuna.

  3. tammy kleckner

    I am not sure but when it comes to bunnies I used critical care 

  4. Christina Chambreau

    Injectable Vitamin B by your veterinarian (and they can show you how to give it) is a safe and often effective appetite stimulant. 

    Wysong makes a supplement that often tempts animals to eat that is really a total food source with many vitamins and probiotics – PDG (Pre-Di-Gest) powder. 

    If you have a holistic pet store within driving range, visit them for healthy treats and vitamins.

    If you need to order on-line, try the Canine Plus by VetriScience (my site has the link). 

    The best way to get dogs to eat is to feed them real food.  You can try almost any people food, especially proteins like chicken, fish, beef, eggs, cottage cheese. Vegetables, cooked or raw, are good. For nutrition they need to be pureed in the blender, but as a treat they can be any size. right now do not worry about balance, just getting her started eating again. Begin to read articles (my site, Dr. Becker at Mercola, breeders who have fed raw for generations, Dr. hofve for a few) about feeding a fresh food diet (just as we eat a variety of fresh food, hopefully sustainably or organically raised) to improve health in general. 

    Since you did not tell us what type of autoimmune your pup has, there may be blisters in the mouth that are preventing eating, so then the above suggestions would be different. 

    Second, I
    strongly recommend finding an integrative veterinarian with whom to work. This
    is a person trained in many different approaches, including using conventional
    drugs only when absolutely needed. Working with one can increase the chance
    that your cherished companion can live a long and healthy life after recovering
    from this current problem (with holistic approaches most auto immune diseases can be completely resolved, but if not, there are dozens of ways to help her stay happy and fairly healthy). There are good ones and great ones, and a few
    homeopathic veterinarians will consult by phone or email. You can go to the web
    sites for each type of holistic practice and use their referral list to find
    one near to you. Many practitioners are members of only one or two of the
    organizations, so you do need to go to every site to find who is near you:


    1. Wide range of other treatments: http://www.AHVMA.org, American Holistic Veterinary
    Medical Association and http://www.civtedu.org.   
    2. Homeopathic veterinarians (these can often help you by phone if no other
    holistic practitioners are nearby that you like): http://www.theAVH.org and http://www.DrPitcairn.com.

    3. Chiropractic and Osteopathic – http://www.animalchiropractic.org;
    http://equineosteopathy.org/ (they
    treat dogs, too)
    4. TCVM (Acupuncture and Chinese medicine): http://www.IVAS.org,
    http://www.aava.org & http://www.TCVM.com

    5. Herbal
    http://www.VBMA.org

    Since you do not list your state, I cannot be more specific, but you can look at the links page on my site or email me for help. My article on selecting and working with a holistic veterinarian will help you choose one. 

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Pawbly | 10 years ago
Three Weeks Ago We Transitioned Our Siberian Husky From Proplan To Blue Wilderness And Since…

Three weeks ago we transitioned our Siberian husky from proplan to blue wilderness and since Monday he has had loose stool and last night he had diarrhea twice and the second time was real bad. What should I do to calm him belly down?

4 Responses

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  1. Cheryl Rosso

    We changed from proplan to blue because we heard good things and we wanted to feed our 3 dogs better but now maybe not such a good idea.

  2. Anonymous

    i have to be honest…i used to feed blue wilderness.  i LOVED that food…until they changed the formulation.  it caused serious problems for my IBD-sufferer cat, so i stopped feeding it.  it caused him uncontrollable diarrhea.  my other cat also starting having bouts of diarrhea after the change, so i switched to Wellness.

    maybe try Wellness CORE?  we have had quite a bit of success with it.

  3. Cheryl Rosso

    Laura- that’s what one of my friends said too that they changed the ingredients. My husky could not stomach the blue so now we’re dealing with diarrhea bland diet and reintroduce what we use to feed them.

  4. Anonymous

    i’d say it’s been about 3 years? basically, when they started advertising heavily on TV and in the papers, it was immediately after they were purchased by another company. that’s when they changed the recipe…and it’s a shame, because it used to be a great food.

    other options i’d consider: Horizon Pulsar, Costco’s Kirkland grain-free, Merrick (this didn’t work well for my dog but it does for many others, and it’s very affordable), Acana and Orijen (though these may be too rich…tread lightly here). if you hit Pet Valu up in Perry Hall, they should have free sample bags of some things to try.

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Pawbly | 10 years ago
We Got An Extremely Skiddish Dog About 3 Months Ago. (Still Skiddish) Ran Away 5…

We got an extremely skiddish dog about 3 months ago. (Still skiddish) ran away 5 days ago, hangs around our house but won’t come when called, and hasn’t eaten since he ran. What do we do???

1 Response

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  1. PK Dennis

    Since the safety of the dog is always an issue I would look into a live trap — perhaps your local SPCA could help you with locating one you could borrow to capture the dog.  Yes, it will startle the dog when it closes, but you can decide if the danger of being hit by a car is greater than the bag of a wire door shutting him in the crate-like cage.

    Another alternative is to treat him as one would a stray that you are trying to win over.  When you see him, put down some food for him and go back into the house.  Do this for a few days.  Once he is coming for the food, put it down and stay outside where he can see you while he eats.  Every day move a little closer.  DO NOT MAKE EYE CONTACT with him at any point!  You may hum, talk softly to him, make little puppy noises, but don’t demand his attention,  nor try to grab him.  Stay low (sit on the ground if possible) while in his sight, and if you can keep turned away from him that is much better (offer him your side or back).   Eventually, you will be sitting beside the food dish when he comes to eat and will be able to touch him.  When you get to this point don’t lunge for a collar, just rub his ears or back until you can slowly slip a looped leash over his head and then get him to a secure area.
    If you go this second route, you might try getting him to come into a fenced area, or a garage (through a small door, that can be closed by a helper).  Have a helper close the gate or door once the dog is eating and don’t try to lure him into a garage though the garage doors and try to close them while he is in the garage, any dog will be fast enough to get out as those big doors close, and he will trust you even less.
    Good luck!
    PK
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amanda Mills | 10 years ago
My Dog Has Been Throwing Up All Day. It Started With His Food. It Is…

My dog has been throwing up all day. It started with his food. It is now getting foamy. He is acting normal and has had a solid bowel movement

3 Responses

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  1. Jana

    Amanda, while a dog throwing up once or twice and acting normally otherwise can be written off as a stomach upset that will go away, throwing up all day is a different story. If it was my dog, I’d take him in.

  2. Amlee Roundfield

    Me too – all day is no good

  3. Gio Pinto

    I have two chiwawas and it happens it will stop over the night it happens all the time to my dogs your dog will be fine

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Diedra Cardamone | 10 years ago
Does Second Hand Smoke Affect Pets Like It Does People?

Does second hand smoke affect pets like it does people?

4 Responses

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  1. Jana

    Yes, it does.
    http://m.petmd.com/blogs/thedailyvet/dr-coates/2014/june/risks-second-hand-smoke-dogs-and-cats-31821

    Moreover, there is such a thing as “third-hand smoke” when it comes to pets. “You know the smell that lingers in smoking areas, and on clothes and hair after a party or a night out? This is “third-hand smoke”, a cocktail of toxic residue including arsenic, cyanide and lead that gradually coats every surface. Second-hand smoke eventually dissipates from a room, but the third-hand threat remains.

    Not only does it linger, it grows with each invisible coat. And on every surface it touches, it combines with the chemicals in the carpet, the chemicals in the upholstery, the chemicals in the laminate flooring, in the silk flowers in the vase, every iPad and cell phone, and on the surface of every pet bed and toy. It even builds up on our pets.

    We can wash our hair and launder the clothes, even steam the carpet, but how often do we thoroughly bathe our pets? The residue builds up on them as well. When they groom, lick their paws, chew their toys and nuzzle their noses down into those plush beds we provided, they are in direct contact with the cocktail of every environmental chemical, cleanser and airborne toxin.”
    http://www.dogcancerblog.com/blog/smoking-second-hand-smoke-third-hand-smoke-and-dog-cancer/

  2. Sue Bona

    Yes it does, and it’s my understanding that it affects them worse.

  3. Kelly Furgason

    Yes indeed. We had a dog come into our rescue from a home where it lived for years with an owner that smoked . It was confirmed the dog had severe emphysema from the second hand smoke:-(

  4. Diedra Cardamone Post author

    Thanks everyone! No one smokes in my house (thankfully) but I was extremely curious about the answer. I now feel knowledgeable if I ever need to share with someone else.

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Jana | 10 years ago
Curious If Anybody Knows This: How Long Since Feet Get Uncomfortable (dog Lifting Feet) To…

Curious if anybody knows this: how long since feet get uncomfortable (dog lifting feet) to frostbite?

1 Response

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  1. Jana Post author

    Sorry for the misunderstanding; our guys are fine. The lifting feet is only temporary and we always rush back indoors. Though one morning hubby had to carry JD from a potty break because he refused to move. I mean from the time when they notice their feet feel cold to actual frostbite. We had a number of “mad dashes for cover” and I think we probably had more time than that … ?

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kathy welsh | 10 years ago
Is It Okay To Feed My Golden Retriever, Bella, Apple? (In Small Quantities)

Is it okay to feed my Golden Retriever, Bella, apple? (In small quantities)

4 Responses

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  1. Adam Wysocki

    Small quantities of apple make a great dog treat. Our dog Crusher loves them.

    We try to avoid seeds and stems and we don’t offer him dehydrated apple slices.

    In the summer time frozen apple pieces are one of Crushers favorite treats!

  2. Jackie Gutshall

    Our 10 month old chocolate lab loves apples as a special treat. You can also make apple ice cubes we slices of apples drop them in the water in an ice cube tray. 

  3. andrea Lee Roundfield

    My girl pups LOVE apples; my little guy eats them – he’ not impressed.

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Diedra Cardamone | 10 years ago
I Am Interested In Making/baking My Own Dog Treats. What Ingredients Are The Best…

I am interested in making/baking my own dog treats. What ingredients are the best and are there some that are best to avoid? I have 3 dogs: 8 yr old Border Collie mix, 12 yr old Jack Russell, a 2 yr old German Shorthaired Lab mix.

4 Responses

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  1. Kaz Kallin

    I make my own treats all the time since I have one dog that is on a vegetarian diet.  Peanut butter is a good ingredient, so are blueberries and bananas.  We use oat flour in all the treats we make and substitute maple syrup for sugar. 

    http://www.dogtreatkitchen.com/blueberry-dog-treat.html

    That’s the recipe we used as a starter and have experimented since then. 

  2. Kelly Furgason

    Making your own treats is easy and fun! There are lots of recipes online and treat recipe books you can use too. Almost any human recipe can be modified for pets. For dogs and cats omit the sugar. They do not need it and will never know it’s missing.

    You can use regular flour or omit it if your pet has an allergy. You can use oat flour, rice flour, buckwheat flour, quick cook or regular oats. Grated carrot, applesauce, peanut or nut butters, eggs are also common ingredients

    Steer clear of salt, garlic, onions, chocolate

    Pinterest also has lots of recipes for pets too

    Have fun!!
    -Kelly

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Jana | 10 years ago
Any Diseases A Dog Can Catch From A Feral Cat Poop?

Any diseases a dog can catch from a feral cat poop?

3 Responses

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  1. andrea Lee Roundfield

    I would believe so especially if the dog isnt healthly, a pup or senior an or not current with vaccines, heartworm treatment, etc. I’d imagine so.

  2. Laurie McDowell

    Tapeworms is the biggest risk. Many a barn dog have had a steady diet of all kinds of poop and lived to tell the tale however.

  3. Jana Post author

    Good question. Glad nothing really scary is hiding in that. I’m not sure whether it’s so yummy or whether the guys wanted to “remove her marking” of their territory 🙂