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Emily | 8 months ago
My Rescue Cat Has Always Been Sort Of Aggressive, Her Rescue Didnt Really Get Her Any …

My rescue cat has always been sort of aggressive, her rescue didnt really get her any type of evaluation to determine if there was any underlying issue causing her to have this aggression. So we kept her because I knew it would be difficult to adopt her out and I didnt want her going to petsmart for boarding, bounce around from home to home or worse be put down for behavior. This was over a year ago, she has since adjusted to our family, our pets and for the most part seems over all happy, Well last night she suddenly began to freak out, kept licking her lips excessively, her back along w her ear and paws were twitching. She would seem to be trying to catch something around her but there was nothing there, almost like hallucinations? She was running back n forth looking at her back, bottom, and she just looks stressed out. Her eating has slowed down as wekk as her water intake, she goes outside and doesnt want to come back in. I just feel her behavior changed almost over night. Ive made an appt w her vet and its scheduled for next week, in the mean time I did some online searching and it looks like all sgns point to hyperesthesia? It says it could be due to fleas , parasites amongst other things however she is on revolution she doesnt have worms, I even bought a flea comb just to see if maybe that was a possibility but theres nothing! Im concerned about her since she looks uncomfortable. Is there anything to do or give her till her appt to keep her calm and less uncomfortable

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I think that the best step you can take is to see a vet and talk to them about your concerns and suspicions. Ask for help in addressing pain and anxiety. I like gabapentin for cats but there are lots of other options to discuss.

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brian | 12 months ago
Dental With Extractions On 8yr Old Orange Tabby
Treatment Cost (USD): $800.00
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Alexandra | 1 year ago
** Cat Who Is Veracious Around Feeding Time Help** Hello! I Have 3 Cats That Are Patients There. …

** cat who is veracious around feeding time help**

Hello! I have 3 cats that are patients there. I have had 2 cats, Blink and Havoc for about 5 years now. They are biological brothers. They have always shared everything and we never really had any problems with food or their weight.

About 2 months ago, we adopted a blind cat, Gemma who is about a year old. Her foster said that she would free feed her at her house and that she never really had any aggression with food. I’m not sure what happened because once we adopted her and brought her back here, she has became very veracious with her food. Our solution now is to feed her the dry food in a separate room (we feed her according to the package instructions) because if we do not, she will race through eating her food so she can start trying to eat the boys food as well.

With wet food, I monitor them and am constantly shooing her away so the boys can finish their food as she always inhales her food super quickly.

When we separate her, she will cry until we open the door and then she comes running full speed to the food bowl.

I’ve never really seen anything like it! She is so sweet and other than that there really is no issues I’m just looking for advice if there is anything I can do to make feeding time not so chaotic.

I want her to feel secure that she will always be fed but I can’t leave food out because I don’t want my other cats to eat hers.

I guess my question is, is this a behavior that can be changed or do we just work with it the way we are now? She seems to have a lot of anxiety around food and I’m sure being blind doesn’t help so I wasn’t sure what else we can do.

Thank you!

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  1. Laura

    In all seriousness, get her bloodwork done. A cat that crazy about food might have a thyroid or other medical issue.

    You’ll probably have to separate to feed for a long while yet. If she starts to calm down about it, maybe you’d be able to try feeding in like…a dog crate, perhaps. In the same room, so she can smell their food. It’s a good test while allowing them the ability to eat their own food peacefully.

    You can also try bowls which only open for the right collar. Amazon sells them, but they are NOT cheap: https://www.amazon.com/Sure-Petcare-SureFlap-Selective-Automatic-Stress-Free/dp/B00O0UIPTY/ref=sr_1_17?crid=O9337BSZVCPE&keywords=cat%2Bautomatic%2Bopen%2Band%2Bclose%2Bbowls&qid=1695900727&sprefix=automatic%2Bopen%2Bcat%2B%2Caps%2C57&sr=8-17&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.f5122f16-c3e8-4386-bf32-63e904010ad0&th=1

  2. Shiria

    I have those bowls that only open for the right cat. Expensive but so worth it…
    One of mine needs to take medication twice a day but doesn’t take treats and both are very slow eaters. So I either had to seperate them the whole day, or she wasn’t getting her medication.

    As Laura says, get her checked up and if everything is fine, maybe try feeding her more?
    I have learned that kittens and young cats can eat as much as they want, so they can learn that there is always enough food. This way they get calmer with food later on. Also – young cats burn a lot of more energy than older ones. Some can eat more than double the recommended account and still not get fat.
    Also maybe feed more wet food. It has more volume than dry food, while having less calories. this way she feels full faster. You can also add a bit of water for more volume. A friend of mine added special food cellulose for more volume for her cat.

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Matt | 1 year ago
We Just Added Another Dog To Our Household (we Previously Had One Dog Who Is Now …

We just added another dog to our household (we previously had one dog who is now three and is well adjusted and behaved). The new dog is a rescue who is 2 years old and was neutered a few weeks ago. On the whole, he is a very sweet dog, but there is some resource aggression and some damage being done to her house in terms of chewing that we want to nip in the bud.
We also realized that, as much as we love our first dog the way he is, he could probably use a bit of training and structure now that there are two dogs in the house. Is there a trainer or training approach you would recommend?

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Thanks for reaching out.

    I think a few things might help and they include lots of exercise for both dogs. A tired dog has less energy to put into the household stressors and it can help avoid possession issues as outside is neutral territory. It also might help them realize they can play together and develop a stronger relationship.

    Next feed separated. And monitored. Food is always a resource that dogs worry about so try to minimize this.

    If they are resource guarding toys then I would say to relive them until the dogs are more relaxed and comfortable around each other.

    Trainers are available through places like the shelter and humane society and polite pooches. I would avoid any and all trainers who use any kind of negative reinforcement training. No shock collars or drop off care. I always feel the most important part of a pet parent’s responsibility is to hike trust. Having someone else do it or using painful punishment isn’t the way to build trust.

    Lastly don’t hesitate to ask about anxiety meds as you embark on all of this. It is a tool that can help the transition and crate adjustment.

    I am off this week but I am happy to help anytime.

    Also if you wouldn’t mind would you please go to pawbly.Com and register as a user and post this there as a question. It’s a great one that I know many others have.

    Take care.

  2. Laura

    Crate the newcomer when you cannot 100% supervise. When you can supervise his behavior, treat the dog like a puppy and tether train for a while – this means leashing him to an adult. Additionally, as Dr. M said, feed separately – I would STRONGLY suggest feeding dogs in crates. I would also meal feed, if you aren’t already doing this.

    Look into the 2 week shutdown. This was beneficial in our situation, and something shelters recommend to help the new dog adjust. This means not letting the dogs interact much, at least until those 2 weeks are up, then all interactions should be fully supervised.

    My Doberman was a bit resource guardy around my MIL’s senior mutt, so they were only allowed toys when fully supervised, and my dog was NOT permitted to go anywhere near hers when there were toys about. No high value treats/chews should be available freely, either. Those should only be given in their crates.

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Jackie | 4 years ago
HELP!! I Have A 3yo Female Pom, Nomi, Who Is Bullying Our Newly Adopted Female Puppy, …

HELP!!
I have a 3yo female Pom, Nomi, who is bullying our newly adopted female puppy, Ali.
Backstory: We had a senior Beagle (who recently passed away) and our current 3yo Pom. They got along very well tho the beagle was not in to playing with toys, he would play “wrestle” with Nomi. Nomi never had any aggression toward him (other than don’t go after my food) but she did like to boss him around….stay out of the garbage, don’t lick the dishes when the dishwasher is open sort of stuff. As said, our Beagle recently passed and we just (like yesterday) adopted a puppy, wanting to give Nomi another companion. Nomi is bullying the new pup; will not allow her to play with the toys…(.and we did buy new toys as we knew not to just give Nomi’s toys up for grabs)….will not allow her play freely, nips at pup if she makes sudden movements around her. Normally, Nomi is a very social dog with humans but has never been around dogs other than her beagle brother who was already here when Nomi came to us at 12 weeks old.

I need to know how to calm Nomi down and teach her it is ok for the new pup to play both with toys and in general. I need to know how to effectively “discipline” Nomi when she is mean to the pup without using tactics such as striking her or yelling. I have been giving her lots of praise in the moments when she doesn’t nip or growl at the pup, even treats. We’ve been very cautious to make sure we show Nomi affection right along with the new girl and we do not leave them alone together, and do not feed them together.

ANY help/advice would be so welcome as we want these two girls to get along and be pals for their sake and ours!

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  1. Laura

    How did you introduce them? Have you talked to Nomi’s obedience trainer for ideas? This sounds like it COULD be generalized resource guarding, and it might mean she needs more confidence.

  2. Sarah

    Good morning-
    I think starting over from scratch might be helpful. Complete re-introduction for both dogs. A trainer will be helpful as well- even if your dogs already have obedience training. It just helps establish some routine as well as pack order. I am a firm believer in walks. They are another fantastic tool that help keep things in order. And personal space vs. supervised play will be helpful also. Setting up a place for your 3 yo dog to go for a break (crate, bed, etc.) that they know is for them only can also be very helpful. When our senior dog was still with us, if he went to his bed- everyone dogs and humans alike- knew to let him be, he needed a break. Our younger dogs do the same thing, and it really helps keep things calm. I hope you find this helpful. Again, a trainer who can see things firsthand will probably be money well spent and prove very helpful. These are just some things that help in our house. Best of luck!!!

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TJ Flanagan | 5 years ago
My 5 Year Old English Setter Has Just Barking Viciously At My 15 Year Old Dog They Have …

My 5 year old English Setter has just barking viciously at my 15 year old dog They have gotten sling for the past four years but the past 2 evenings I’ve had to keep them separated. My old dog was just diagnosed with kidney disease.

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    1. TJ Flanagan Post author

      All my dogs get along well up to 2 days ago when my setter has started being aggressive towards my old dog. I am wondering if she senses the change in my old boy with the kidney disease or if there is something else going on. AND how can I help my dogs so that we have peace in the house and no one gets hurt. They are five outside but I now separate them in the house. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks. TJ

      1. Laura

        It could be the sudden change in smell, certainly. I think I’d keep them separated for awhile, then reintroduce. If reintroductions go poorly, expect to separate until your older dog passes.

        (The older dog might want to be separated from the younger while feeling ill, as well.)

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Sarah | 5 years ago
Good Morning Pawbly Friends- Having A Sudden – Very Sudden- Change In Behavior In One Of …

Good morning Pawbly friends-
Having a sudden – very sudden- change in behavior in one of our GSDs. We are trying to think back to figure if there has been any change in routine that might cause this. It is strange- Rontu will start to give a high grumble or start to “talk” now when you approach him, or his bed or his bone or his food. This morning just now, he did that with Butch (one of our others) when he came to me to get a head scratch. We promptly put Rontu in a sit and then told him “bed” which he went to a did lie down. We are going back to square one training and positive reinforcement. My thinking is that this not nipped in the bud right away will lead to full blown food aggression and possession issues, which we do not want. Any other advice would be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks!!

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  1. Laura

    Yep, that’s the start of resource guarding. Is he the newest member of your pack?

    1. Sarah Post author

      Hi Laura-
      I was hoping you would respond. Thank you!! He is the newest member, but he’s not that new. That’s what makes it strange. We’ve had him over a year now. I will admit that it has been a difficult year of adjustment at times. We have 3- all rescues. Our oldest is almost 14 and he has different needs obviously. He is an alpha- was the alpha of our old pack. He is all that’s left of that pack. When we rescued Riva, she fell into line perfectly with him. She’s you g- about 3 I think. That is part of the reason we rescued Rontu- she wanted to play hard and Butch just can’t at his age and in his condition. He tries though???? Anyway- I am sure that Butch being a senior citizen and having modified dog rules is confusing to the rest of my pack- but it has to be. So as pack leader I am just like, this is how it is, period. Which seemed to have been fine up until the other day. This is long- sorry. Now we did just have a huge power struggle between Rontu and Riva. Dr. Mags was a saint and had me rush her into Dr. Ahrens at Jarrettsville Vet and she was stitched up and put on antibiotics within the hour. I love Jarrettsville???????? My thinking is that some change in the dynamic is happening for whatever reason. I’m just trying to put my finger on it to avoid any long lasting bad habits/behaviors. So we are square one back to basics training with Rontu AND Riva. Any other thoughts you could share? Much appreciated????

      1. Laura

        I wouldn’t consider it that strange. Some dogs take a lot longer to settle in, and once that happens the weird behavior comes out.

        Honestly…feeding separately and only allowing them to have low value toys may be the way to go for now. I’d also look into NILF – he’s guarding you, as well as other stuff, and that’s NOT acceptable.

        1. Sarah Post author

          NILF? I have not come across that term before. I will research that. Thank you????

          1. Sarah Post author

            Nothing in life is free. Got it. We say earn your keep. I had realized that was an actual acronym. No- all three dogs have to “ask permission” for things. I will start adding my personal attention to that equation now that you have brought it to light. But yes, doors here do not open until a nice sit is displayed. Food is not served until a sit, paw and kiss are given. Carpet is off limits…. although just about 15 minutes ago, Rontu was casually laying in the carpeted floor in the office…. it seems like he is trying to become “the boss”. So we will have to have a family meeting this evening about making him work a little harder for his privileges I suppose.

          2. Laura

            Yes, sorry, I had to run for the day yesterday – NILF is Nothing In Life Is Free, and in his case, it sounds like he needs to be reminded of the rules. You’ve got your pack well in hand, I’m certain you’ll get this sorted as well. 🙂

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Krista Magnifico | 5 years ago
Canine Neuter And Umbilical Hernia Repair Surgery, Meet Beau And Baxter. Brothers With The Same Surgery, Same Day!
Treatment Cost (USD): $357.00
Beau (black) and Baxter (brown) are brothers. They are 8 months old and their parents wanted to neuter them to try to help the urine marking, aggression which can sometimes occur with brothers, and surgically correct their umbilical hernias. The hernias were found on physical exam with the veterinarian who gave them all of their puppy vaccines. hernias can be small and benign to large, severe and in need of immediate (or as soon as possible) surgical intervention. The severe hernias allow abdominal contents (usually intestines) to "slip" out of the abdomen. If this happens, and, if the intestines stop working, strangulate, dilate, or twist (torse) it can be life-threatening. For Baxter and Beau the hernia was small, (about 1/2 inch) but a pinkie finger could go into it, and the fat coming out of it could be pushed back into the abdomen. It is best to fix these and always spay/neuter as this is a congenital issue that can be passed on to the offspring.
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Krista Magnifico | 6 years ago
Radio-iodine Treatment For Hyperthyroidism In A Bombay Cat. Meet Bica.
Treatment Cost (USD): $1700.00
Bica was brought to me because her parents were concerned about her weight loss and muscle wasting. She was about 12 when first diagnosed. Most hyperthyroid cats are active (or over active), have a voracious appetite and even though they seem to be eating an adequate amount they continue to lose weight and muscle. Many cats are presented very thin and some even become so ravenous they start to become aggressive about food, or even around people. Bica's parents noticed her subtle signs very early on. She is a very loved and very lucky kitty.
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Nicholas P. Woodward | 6 years ago
So Stella, Our Almost 3 Year Old Morkie Has Some Possession Aggression Issues. Particularly With…

So Stella, our almost 3 year old Morkie has some possession aggression issues. Particularly with things like socks or things that don’t have a firm middle when she bites in (like soft stuffed animals). We have tried bribing her with treats and bones, distracting her with play and love, forcefully taking these items from her (that didn’t work well), and finally today we did something that worked! We asked her if she wanted to go “out” to take a “walk” and though he ears perked up she still didn’t drop this stuffed Aflac duck she found in my office. However, once she had her leash on and saw the great outside at the bottom of the stairs she dropped it and never looked back. Do you think this trick will continue to work? Is there anything else we can do when she’s decided something she has a bite on is something she’ll get aggressive about? Thank you all for your insight and help!

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I think that the “exchange” option, i.e. “I’ll give you something of higher value to surrender the item you have” will work for a little while. But it leaves you constantly set up for being her servant. Life is all about compromise, but, not fear based “I’ll bite the hand that feeds me to get my way” compromise. Respect is earned, not traded. I would strongly recommend a basic puppy and obedience class. All should be based on positive reinforcement methods. If you try to reason with her by intimidation or reprimand she will up the ante and retaliate with excessive force (is my guess). good luck