Hello Sarah,

I see many dogs with broken toenails. These are painful because the sharp edges hurt the sensitive tissue under the nail. In all honesty when they present at my clinic I put a muzzle on and cut the nail so that it doesn’t bend and move back and forth. Sometimes the nail will bleed for a moment after, so we use Quik-stop to help this. And I always trim the other nails also.

This happens most commonly on dewclaws because they get sharp and pointy if not kept trimmed, therefore making them more likely to catch and snag and break

Check all of your other nails, keep them trimmed and get that painful nail off of your dog. He will feel better after.

Hope this helps

Sincerely
Krista

Hello Zachary,

Congratulations on your new puppy!

They are a big responsibility, a bit of work, and an enormous amount of joy.

I applaud your sense of responsibility and desire to provide the best you can for him.

Here is my advise for all new parents.

Bring your puppy to see the vet ASAP. I say within the first three days. I also ask them to bring a fresh fecal sample as many puppies come with intestinal worms. (I tell my clients that it is part of the package so don’t be upset, just be proactive!).

I will review the patients history, perform a full examination and discuss our vaccine protocol. If there is no history of vaccines, and especially if we are not sure of what the moms vaccine history was I will recommend vaccinating ASAP. I have seen many puppies arrive at their new home and within a few days become very sick from a disease that we can vaccinate for. Nothing is more heartbreaking than seeing a newly adopted puppy get very sick. And some puppy illnesses have a high mortality rate.

So, my advice is to go to the vets as soon as you can, and voice your concerns with them. We are chock full of advice and a career of learning from others mistakes that hopefully you and your puppy can avoid.

Oh, a few other words of caution.
Your puppy does not have an active adult immune system until they are 6 months old. SO avoid all public spaces where any unvaccinated or ill dogs might have been. That includes pet stores, community areas, etc.

Your puppy is likely unvaccinated and can pick up any disease.

I have lots of puppy information on my blog
http://kmdvm.blogspot.com/2013/02/puppy-primer-first-instructions.html

I hope this helps.

Enjoy your new addition.

Sincerely,
Krista

Hello Anna,

Thank You for the question, and more importantly, A BIG GIANT THANK-YOU for fostering a pet. Especially for fostering an older pet. Without people like you many rescues, and many rescued animals would never have a second chance at finding a loving home. It takes a very special person with a very big and generous heart to take a pup in need of so much assistance. I applaud you for not only being courageous enough to foster him, but also for seeking help in understanding how to best care for him.

Because I am a veterinarian I would recommend that you first address and understand all of his medical and health issues. Your veterinarian can help you assess the degree and cause of blindness (sometimes it is due to a treatable disease and therefore the blindness can be corrected), and the ears should be examined also. In an older dog I would check for glaucoma, infection, retinal damage, and any other age related changes like osteoarthritis, joint disease, etc. A thorough examination will help you understand his needs both now and in the future.

Next I would recommend that you think about his world from his perspective. He is likely unsure and a bit afraid of his new environment so it is logical for him to just sit still when he encounters an obstacle. Can you imagine being blind in a new place? I know I would be afraid of falling, and bumping into things. So I would first set him up in a small area of a very safe place. I would make that place a place where you intend him to spend most of his time. Be very careful of any sharp edges, like chair or table legs, and I would spend as much time with him in this place as possible. So that he can build a mental picture of the layout of his new environment with your encouragement, support, and guidance.

Once he is comfortable there I would very calmly, slowly, and gradually open him up to other very small areas of the house. But remember once he is comfortable navigating around one area you can’t change the floor plan. So the furniture should stay in its original location to keep him from getting lost and confused again.

Most blind pets are very quick learners once they are comfortable on their environment. If your dog has been through many households he may just be so confused that he has given up trying to learn his territory. Or maybe he has other impairments that make him reluctant to be adventurous?

My best piece of advice is to be very calm, gentle, and patient.

I wish you the very best of luck!

Sincerely,
Krista

Hello Dawn,

Thank you for your question.

I am sorry to hear about your kitties tummy upset.

There is no magic anything that stops diarrhea. Especially of it acute (last day or so).

The best thing to do is to keep your cat calm and quiet and go to the vet in the morning.

I would bring a fecal sample when you go (even if your cat stays inside). If you collect it now place it in a double secured baggie and refrigerate, (sorry, gross, I know).

If your kitty has not had severe episodes then it is unlikely that he has become dehydrated.

I would never give medicine that has been prescribed for another pet without your vets ok (especially if it was for another species). Cats have a very sensitive liver and difficulty with some drugs that are safe for both us humans and dogs. So as a rule never give anything to a cat without knowing it is safe by asking your vet.

If the diarrhea is severe or your cat is acting like he is not feeling well I would recommend you go to an emergency room tonight.

I wish you and your kitty the best.

Sincerely,
Krista

Krista Magnifico, DVM
Owner Jarrettsville Veterinary Center
Jarrettsville, MD
http://www.jarrettsvillevet.com

Hello!!

No food for the rest of the night. If he is acting normally he is prob not dehydrated.

We are open at 8. The doctors arrive at 8:30. But the techs are there at 7:30. The techs can help you if you feel you need to be there ASAP.

See you tomorrow.

Krista Magnifico, DVM
Owner Jarrettsville Veterinary Center
Jarrettsville, MD
http://www.jarrettsvillevet.com

Hello Ann,

Thanks for the question, and for caring for the kitten.

Seizures and inability to defecate are not normal and likely signify a serious health problem.

I would advise that you seek professional assistance from a veterinarian or a cat rescue, or animal rescue group who are experienced in caring for newborns.

In general kittens need to be kept warm, be fed about every 3-4 hours, and be stimulated to urinate and defecate.

But seizures are indicative of a sugar imbalance (you need to be using a high quality kitten formula and not a grocery store product), or a central nervous system disorder, infectious disease, and unfortunately even rabies, (which is fatal to everyone it touches, you are at risk also).

I’m sorry that your kitten is sick, but it is time to seek some professional and in person help.

I wish you the best of luck,
Krista

Krista Magnifico, DVM
Owner Jarrettsville Veterinary Center
Jarrettsville, MD
http://www.jarrettsvillevet.com