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megan | 5 years ago
My Dog Had Had Red Skin And Was Constantly Biting And Scratching Himself And He Would …

my dog had had red skin and was constantly biting and scratching himself and he would get sores where he would scratch so much. He also had some dandruff. I read about it on google and thought it could be a food allergy so i changed his food a while ago and it got better super fast, but he’s still constantly scratching and rolling around and i’m not sure why. His fur is a bit dry and rough so i’m thinking it could be his fur scratching him, i’m not sure. Is there any products or anything at all you would recommend?

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    These clinical signs are too broad and vague to offer much help here. Please see a vet for help. This can be something simple like fleas or something difficult like an immune system disorder or organ issue. Please start with an examination at the vets office. And stop wasting time on the Internet. There aren’t answers here that are reliable without your vets help in pointing you in a credible direction. Ask friends and family for a vet they trust. Then start the Internet detective work.

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Mike | 5 years ago
Is Our Jack Russell Addicted To Something?

We have a 2 year old Jack Russell named Toby. Papers from the breeder say he is registered, but my guess is if we spent the money on a DNA test we would find a stranger in the midst. We love him and wouldn’t trade him for the world but we think he has an addiction! He was not handled by the breeder and probably didn’t know human touch other than when his tail was docked and dew claws removed as a pup until we bought him.

He seems as though he is now addicted to our touch. Any kind of touch. He loves scratches from anyone, anywhere, at any time, and if you stop scratching him, he whines non stop. Could this behavioral issue be due to the lack of early touch? As much as we love this lug, having our hands on him every waking moment isn’t feasible.

I would love to know what we can do to keep him occupied that doesn’t include belly rubs, butt scratches, and tickling his ribs non stop. He has toys he.plays with as well as two other Jack Russell’s to terrorize squirrels in the back yard with, so it’s not a lack of stimulation. Open to suggestions! Oh, and the breeder was breeding pit bulls in the same place with Russell’s and at 30+/- lbs, we are pretty sure dad, well you understand!
Thank you

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  1. Laura

    So, by feeding in to the whining, you’re reinforcing the behavior. At his age it will be difficult to stop. I’d reach out to your obedience trainer for ideas for this one.

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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. Our Old Guy, Butch, Is Has Been Piddling Often In The House. …

Good morning Pawbly friends. Our old guy, Butch, is has been piddling often in the house. Not always- and he is not peeing. Just droplets have been escaping when he shakes or stretches getting up if he hasn’t been out for a bit. I am not surprised- he is in his late teens. We just grab a Lysol wipe and clean it up, no worries. Now, Occasionally feces has started to escape as well???? I only imagine it will start to happen more often. I feel bad for him- he looks so shameful when it happens. Any advice on doggie diapers? I don’t know that Butch will wear them, but if it gets worse and he still isn’t ready to leave us, I’d like to know what to look for. Thanks!!!
**also, my apologies for not replying where I can lately- I think there is a little glitch on this site that they are working out.????????

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    It sounds like he is becoming incontinent. In German shepherds I worry most about it degenerative myelopathy. We call it DM (not the diabetes thing though). Please see your vet for help with this. Or it can be from a result of muscle loss due to atrophy or even weakness or stiffness associated with osteoarthritis where they are reluctant to get up because it is painful.

  2. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    It sounds like he is becoming incontinent. In German shepherds I worry most about it degenerative myelopathy. We call it DM (not the diabetes thing though). Please see your vet for help with this. Or it can be from a result of muscle loss due to atrophy or even weakness or stiffness associated with osteoarthritis where they are reluctant to get up because it is painful.

    1. Sarah Post author

      My mom guess would be the latter????He struggles to get up and his one hind leg is just about frozen. We have him on dasaquin and his food has glucosamine additives. I will give a call this week to see what we can do to help him. Thanks????????????

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Philip | 5 years ago
My 10 Year Old Male Persian Cat Was Blocked With A Bladder Infection. One Week Ago, The …

My 10 year old male Persian cat was blocked with a bladder infection.
One week ago, the Vet did a catherization to remove the fluids and sent him home.
He further recommended surgery to remove bladder stones. Is there an alternative to bladder surgery ?
Thank you.

5 Responses

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  1. Sarah

    Hi there-
    We had a car with a blockage years ago. We had to have emergency surgery and put him on a special diet. We ended up with 8 more, stone free years with him????????

    1. Philip Post author

      Thanks Sarah. This situation is really stressing me out. I put him on the Hill’s C/D diet. Do you know what emergency surgery he had ? I would like to avoid the surgery if possible.

  2. Sarah

    Sorry- I hit submit before I finished- I was going to add that an in depth discussion with your vet is probably best.

  3. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I don’t know enough to offer specific advice. Here’s what I usually recommend. If the cat is blocked do that they cannot urinate I place a urinary catheter and keep the cat on iv fluids in the hospital until the urine is running clear. Usually this is about 3-4 days. Then I remove the catheter and make sure they are able to urinate a normal amount easily and comfortably. I also start them on a urinary prescription diet. I much prefer watered down wet food vs dry. I take radiographs of the urinary stones and check a urine sample every 2-4 weeks. Many cats urinary issues will resolve over time with diet. For the rare cases of storms that are so big or those that will not dissolve we discuss a cystotomy to remove them. Either way all cats with urinary issues need diet changes and increase exercise and activities to help them from blocking again. I hoe this helps. Let us know what happens.

    1. Philip Post author

      Thank you very much Dr. Krista. You have given me hope. I will follow your advice and let you know what happens.

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Aleksandra | 5 years ago
Hi, My Cat Was Diagnosed With Hyperthyroidism About 2 Weeks About And Our Vet Put Her On …

Hi, my cat was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism about 2 weeks ago and our vet put her on Methimazole 5 mg liquid. Yesterday my cat started trying to urinate frequently (every couple of minutes) and defecated outside of her letterbox several times. I searched up to see if these were the symptoms of the medication and was unable to find anything online. So i just wanted to run it by you guys and double check. Today my cat seems to be doing well, she is not urinating every few minutes, however, I’m still a little worried. Thanks so much!

2 Responses

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  1. Sarah

    Hi there- I agree that your cat is trying to tell you something with this litter box behavior. Have you phoned you vet to let them know? I would definitely start there. I know that my vet would want to know any changes in behavior right away and be kept up to date on the patient…. I would call your regular vet before they close and speak with them. I hope things are ok????????

  2. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    Please follow up with your vet about your cat. I don’t think the medication and the litter box issues are related but litter box issues should always be followed up ASAP. Also I have not had much luck with the transdermal medications so please follow up with your vet on the thyroid level checks too.

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Leslie | 5 years ago
Hi! My Dog Has Recently Been Licking Around Is Butt And Has Completely Licked Off The …

Hi! My dog has recently been licking around is butt and has completely licked off the hair on the back of his tail. He’s been doing it for about 2-3 weeks now. I thought it was the new food I tried with him but after seeing him do it for a few days, I stopped and went back to his original food. However, he has not stopped and now I’ve notice my other dog biting around her tail a little. Not nearly as bad as my male dog though. I am concerned something else is going on like worms. I unfortunately still owe a lot of money to my current vet for emergency visits the dogs had early this year and can’t afford to take them in to be checked. Can I try using Safe-Guard with them to see if that corrects the issue? Is something else possibly going on?

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  1. Laura

    This could be anal glands, it could be intestinal parasites, it could be his diet isn’t working for him. We can only guess. I would at least try to get a stool sample checked out.

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William | 5 years ago
Hi There, I Wanted To Ask If Polyps In The Throat Can Be Felt. My Kitten …

Hi there, I wanted to ask if polyps in the throat can be felt. My kitten that can’t meow I suspect of having polyps. The vet tested for Leukemia and FIV negative, xrays negative, and lung worm negative. Now I notice both sides of her neck has lump, one side bigger. My other kittens do not have these lumps. My vet said she doesn’t think it’s polyps because that’s uncommon in kittens, so $500 in tests later and I have no answers. Shouldn’t they have noticed these lumps? They are the size of a small marble.

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I have only been able to feel a polyp a few times. Every so often I can do a quick enough oral exam to feel them in the back of the mouth. But even with these I needed to do a sedated exam to be sure. Kittens can get hyperthyroidism which can cause palpable enlargement of the glands on the outside throat area. This is diagnosed and confirmed with a blood test. Please call your vet to discuss these. If finances are a concern call the shelters and rescues to see if there are low cost pet care options available.

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Savannah | 5 years ago
I Just Recently Got A 7 Week Old Kitten. He Was Perfectly Fine When I First Got …

I just recently got a 7 week old kitten. He was perfectly fine when I first got him but I don’t have a car so I was unable to get cat food but had some tuna in the cabinet. He seems really weak and sleeps all the time. I have since then gotten cat food but what should I do to get his strength back up? Is this something that I should be worried about?

2 Responses

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  1. Sarah

    Good morning-
    With a kitten so young, there are a multitude of things to take into consideration and worry about. Since you have just gotten her, you will have quite a few vet visits in your near future for health examination and vaccinations. If you haven’t already, you need to get those vet visits set up. When you go, bring a stool sample with you so that they can check for parasites, etc. you can also get meds for flea and tick prevention. Fleas and parasites and distemper are a few top concerns. Hopefully, you can get an appointment today. Best of luck.

  2. Laura

    This should be considered an emergency, in my book. Babies crash VERY quickly. Please get him to the vet.

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Cheryl | 5 years ago
Hi, My 4 Year Old Adopted Whippet Was Neutered On 4/22/20. I Followed All Post-op Instructions And He …

Hi, my 4 year old adopted whippet was neutered on 4/22/20. I followed all post-op instructions and he was healing fine and resumed his normal activities at the two week point (May 6th), and was bathed on May 7th. They used dissolvable stitches, which I could still see on the area weeks after the surgery. Everything looked like normal healing, no redness/drainage/swelling, and he wasn’t bothering the area. Today (over a month since the surgery) I noticed him licking the area and upon inspection I noticed some redness and swelling at the incision site, and there is some minor serous drainage from the site. No change in behavior, no change in appetite or energy level. It doesn’t seem to be painful for him, but I’m worried since the incision area should be completely healed by now. Could this be a seroma or does it look like a bad infection (or something worse) that will require veterinary attention?
The first pic was taken today 5/30/20. The other pic was taken 4/26/20. Thank you in advance.

3 Responses

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I would call the veterinarian who did the surgery as soon as you can. In the interim I would apply a warm compress twice a day, put an ecollar on and apply an over the counter antibiotic ointment. This is not to give you a treatment plan it is to get you through the next few hours until your vet office opens up. Please call first thing Monday morning. If your pet changes any kind of behavior or activity or shows any signs of the area opening please go immediately to an ER. The incision site looks like it’s opening but the question is why is it happening? It could be a suture reaction, closure failure due to the pet self traumatization, or dehiscence and infection. It is not possible to diagnose this over the Internet or via a photo. It must be looked at by your vet. I hope this helps. Thanks for neutering and for visiting our site. Good luck.

    1. Cheryl Post author

      Thank you very much. I sent pics to my vet this morning, they think it’s a “suture reaction,” like you suggested. He will take another course of antibiotics, keep e-collar on, and I will take him back if it gets worse or doesn’t clear up. It’s looking better each day/less redness. Thank you!