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I have a 3 month old siberian husky. He loves everyone and is never aggressive besides play biting, and even then it’s not bad. I live with my dad and my grandma, and he loves my dad. For some reason though, he’ll random run up to my grandma and start barking. She gets scared and says he hates her, but I try to reassure her otherwise. Why does he do this?
My rabbit keeps scratching her ears with her back leg and shaking her head. However, she doesn’t have scabs and her ear seems clean so it can’t be ear mites. What’s wrong with her?
Hello,
Every pet can have ectoparasites that cause itching. They can also have allergies, or even infection or disease. My point is hat there are a lot of pops left causes to an itch. Only a vet or rabbit expert can help rule out one versus the other. If the itching persists please see a vet or see if there is a local rabbit rescue or club that might be able to help.
When is it ok to stop prednisone abruptly after the dog has received 5 days of twice per day Med? An ER doctor who gave us the med had warned us against stopping it abruptly because it could cause complications. Approximately 5-6 days later the dog had emergency neck surgery at the same facility where the ER vet worked. After only one day of rest post op, they said the dog could go home early! When I asked about the prednisone and tapering it, they said, just stop. The discharge doctor said the surgeon didn’t want him on it. I was very confused at this instruction. Does anyone understand why we were told to just stop his prednisone?
Good morning? When you were given the new instructions, did you let them know that previously you were told not to do that? It is a steroid, so there could be side effects if you stop giving it suddenly, until the body can “catch up” on production. Perhaps a phone call to your regular vet might be worth it… besides, you’ll probably need a follow up exam after the trip to the emergency ER which you can schedule when you call. Good luck?
I agree with Sarah. You are owed, deserve and paid for an answer that makes sense and is for the benefit of your pet.
Thank you both so much for your response. I think this was not the first sign we had that our experience there was not going to be a good one. Since our dog’s dc from that surgery center, we have consulted another physician to reevaluate and help recovery efforts with better medicine selection and pain control.
It is just hard for me to believe that a surgeon would not expect that stopping prednisone mid treatment would be imprudent. Further, if my dog were to have a crisis, it would be in their financial gain when I brought him back for stabilization. As I wrote earlier, this was one among other issues that came up with our dog’s post -op care. Now, I wouldn’t willingly take any of my animals there again.
14 year old 20lb Terrier – looks like Benji– has a growth/tumor somewhere in the stomach area- pushing on the spleen and intestines. He started having accidents in the house a few weeks ago– went to our vet — took x-ray — our Dandy has strong desire for food and water. Stomach is puffy. Lost his desire to walk much and when he does he is not 100% sure of himself. Is taking a Selegiline pill once a day. I guess because he is eating and drinking that is a positive of some degree. What can we do med wise or food wise to make his days left with us the best for him?
Hello,
I’m sorry but there isn’t enough information here to help me understand what has been diagnosed and how to proceed. Please ask your vet to guide you.
Hi Dr. Magnifico — what do you need to know?
TK
My Boykin Spaniel, Georgia (will be 1 year next month) has just started vomiting yellowish color bile. She also has very foul smelling, dark urine. She eats and drinks very little at the time. Could the bile and dark urine be from something she ate recently, or something more serious going on? Any suggestions?
Hello? I would call the vet. Seeing as she is almost a year and her annual exam and shots are due soon, they may even squeeze everything into one visit for you. But the fact that there seems to be something going on needs to be addressed/assessed by your vet.
The combination of things makes me worry. Please get her in today.
I have a 9 week old German Shephard puppy that is itching and scratching. Apparently all if them from the litter are. Ive washed him in oatmeal bath for puppies and someone suggested they were allergic to the food (blue buffalo puppy, chicken formula). Ive started to change his food, but I dont know what it could be!??
I have 2 other dogs and they don’t do this.
I would get to the vet right away, for many reasons? First and foremost, to have the puppy thoroughly checked over… this could be parasites, which are possibly contagious to your other dogs. It could also be a reaction which also needs to be treated. 9 weeks is young to be away from mom, in my opinion. Please bring your puppy to the vet right away for a thorough exam and puppy visit.
They were at the vet at 8 weeks, for their shots. They didn’t have any concerns for them being away from the Mom. She stopped nursing, seemed early to me…. where would they have gotten a parasite? The mother father are fine.
You just brought puppy home? You need to get him to YOUR vet for a wellness visit, within the first week of bringing puppy home. 8 weeks is the legal minimum for puppies to leave littermates in Maryland. If this is the beginning of mange, demodex is on every dog – it will cause rashes and skin irritations in dogs with suppressed immune systems. Seriously, get your puppy to your vet and bring this up with them. 🙂
As for the food, I would throw out Blue Buffalo entirely. There have been issues recently with lead poisoning, and in the past with melamine. I would also ask the vet about food options.
I am not a fan of blue buffalo either. I would be worried about fleas, scabies and infection. Allergies are unlikely at this age. See your vet.
My Jack Russell-Terrier will not eat her food at my house. I just brought her to my house and she will not eat her food and will barley drink her water
Hello,
It sounds like your pup is sick. Please see a vet immediately.
She isn’t sick she acts fine and eats treats. She drinks her water pretty good it’s just not her food that she won’t touch. You see she had a temporary home since I couldn’t quite take care of her at my house but I still trained her and everything. She had 3 others dogs with her. After I trained her my parents said I could take her home now. But now she won’t eat her food she plays and listens fine she has her energy and everything she just won’t eat her food and if she does it’s one or twos bites and that’s it
If she will barely drink her water, that’s not the same thing as “she drinks her water pretty good.” What is the exact situation here?
I’m wondering as well, what do you mean she won’t eat or drink exactly? Depending on what you mean, the situation may vary greatly.
Sorry for the confusion. When I said she drank her water pretty good she would drink normally then later on in the day barley lick the water and leave. Now the eating part she would eat kibble and now will sniff at it then leave it. I figured out she just lost interest in the kibble and wanted soft wet food instead of her normal dry food .
Any advice for traveling in a car with cats. We have 2 cats and they are about 9 months old. we enjoying camping. They will go into the crate on their own and we buckle them in. They have their own blanket and toy. Our vet is about an hour drive normally they meow for a bit then quickly calm down. For this first time camping trip the 2.5 hour drive going up they were ok after meowing a bit. Arrived safely..new place so it took them a bit to get used to it. I went outside for a few minutes after an hour of being there, my husband was inside with them and both cried at the door till I came back. That night (several hours after we arrived) one of them was panting. I assume due to anxiety but that shortly passed. I took them in another room and stayed with them. The next day both of us went outside for short periods of time and they were completely fine and they were fine the day after. At home they are independent except at night they will sleep with me. The trip home both meowed but one continued for a full 2 hours. Do you think a larger crate for travel? Put both of them in 1 crate together? I am going to try and do short trips around the block and reward with treats when we get back. I prefer to have them with us when camping versus getting a sitter. These are short trips mostly 2-3 days in total with a 2.5 hour drive each way. Any other suggestions?
If they’re a close, bonded pair, traveling together in a larger carrier may help.
My advice is to use a large carrier full of shredded newspaper. Avoid feeding a meal about 3 hours before leaving. Place towels over and around the carrier to block out noise and light. If the vomit or defwcate pull over. Close all the doors and roll up the newspaper to throw away. Then add more shredded paper. Never leave a door or window open with the cage open so no one can escape.
Thank you both. Thankfully no motion sickness or accidents. We did stop feeding about 4 hours prior. Whew!! Will look to try all suggestions…1 large crate…shredded newspaper and definitely cover. I think it is the road noise that annoys him.
My 8 yr old Cocker Spaniel has been favouring one of her toes by licking and licking. I see a little hard nodule. Should I see the vet?
I would. This won’t get better without some intervention, and the vet can tell you exactly what it is and what treatment is best.
THANK YOU I WILL MAKE AN APPOINTMENT
16 week Golden Retriever puppy can go all night in her kennel and it is dry but during the day she pees every time I go out. I had a towel in there and I thought maybe she did it because the towel absorbed the dampness. Today I left her for 3 hours with no towel and she wet the kennel. She is still in a small kennel.Any ideas?
I agree with Dr. M – she needs to be TIRED when she goes in. Also make sure she’s empty before you put her in…and maybe get her checked for a UTI. My bitch puppy peed in the crate only once, and it was due to a UTI.
Hello,
I often wonder if these guys get bored and subsequently over excited and therefore pee in her crate. Is she going to her crate in the morning after a LOT of exercise and play and therefore tired? Have you hought about leaving a way to record what she does after you leave? Maybe that will provide the clues you need?
He wants attention from her. If you don’t want him doing this I suggest keeping a leash on him when he’s out of his crate, so you can pull him away from her (while calling him to you, to reinforce recalls).
That’s what I thought, but she gives him treats, let’s him out sometimes, and talks to him. She doesn’t want to give him too much attention because she’s afraid of him charging at her (which I try to remind her that he’s not like that). He’s fantastic otherwise though, and it’s so random when he barks at her that it would be difficult to have him on a leash.
I try telling her to just give him time and attention but she just gets stressed over it and says he is going to attack her when I know he won’t.
Okay, so this is where a drag leash REALLY comes in handy. She’s encouraging the behavior, so you need to step in. At this age he should have a leash on him and either leashed to someone or dragging it behind him (and confined to areas where you are, to ensure he can’t get into mischief, or crated when you can’t supervise him). It isn’t hard – just leave it on when he’s in the house and supervised, take it off when he’s crated. SHE needs more education on puppies and puppy behavior, and if she isn’t comfortable with puppy behavior she needs to stop encouraging him with treats. Remind her he’s a baby.