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Kaylie | 5 months ago
My 1 Year Old Dog (1/2 Lab, 1/4 German Shepherd, 1/4 Boxer) Has A Large, Perfectly Round Red Bump On …

My 1 year old dog (1/2 lab, 1/4 German shepherd, 1/4 boxer) has a large, perfectly round red bump on her face. I have researched and see potential answers but we are currently out of town and cannot take her to the vet yet. She is very important to me so of course I am concerned, but I would like opinions on whether I should be panicking as much as I am according to the photos I provide. Some articles say cancer, others say histiocytoma.

1 Response

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    The only way we can accurately diagnose any kind of mass is with submitting a piece of the tissue for biopsy or histopathology. If the mass is small and not bothering your dog you probably have a little time to monitor it and don’t have to rush to the vet. If it isn’t going away or if it is getting larger I would see a vet. In a dog this age I often talk about whether it might be a histiocytoma. These are usually benign and go away over a few weeks.

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Chelsea | 4 years ago
I Have A Golden Retriever/Lab/Boxer Mix. He Will Be 10 Years Old This Month. A …

I have a Golden Retriever/Lab/Boxer mix. He will be 10 years old this month. A couple weeks ago, we took him to a vet specialist. He has a prostate mass that is connected to his urethra. He also has spots in his lungs that are believed to be metastasis of the cancer. I needle aspirate was done to confirm his cancer diagnosis. Recently, he has lost bladder control so we keep a diaper on him when he’s inside. Last night, he started not eating his food (even when it was mixed with wet food) so today I made him chicken and rice. He ate some of the chicken but did not touch the rice. My vet is not recommending surgery due to how invasive it will be. He is currently taking an antibiotic (clavamox) and a pain pill (gabepentin). He’s also been prescribed a medication for inflammation (carophren). My question is… is there anything that can be done for treatment? we wanted to have the mass removed to remove pressure from his bladder (because he peeing frequently). However, the vet nor vet specialist is recommending it. Are there options for metatastic cancer? What are the benefits of giving dogs CBD?

1 Response

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  1. Sarah

    Good morning. I think your best corse of action would be to schedule a visit with your vet simply to discuss ALL of your options and then move forward from there. I cannot really comment on your specific situation, but I can definitely sympathize. This past July we had to finally say goodbye to one of our dogs and towards the end with the loss of bladder control and lack of appetite, it was really difficult to watch and in hindsight deal with. The last month was just to keep him as comfortable as possible and measure his quality of life. I had success getting him to eat by mixing beef broth and rice in with his regular kibble. And peanut butter became a regular treat. I hope that you and your vet can come up with a plan that works.????????

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Felicia | 4 years ago
My 14 Year Old Boxer Bulldog Mix (probably Pittie) Fractured Her Tibia (confirmed By Vet) But They …

My 14 year old boxer bulldog mix (probably pittie) fractured her tibia (confirmed by vet) but they want 100 bucks a week to change the splint. Can you give me a reference to an accurate how-to video on how to properly wrap it myself? She has a plastic splint that a youtube video called a “quick splint” (see photos). We have rewerapped it two or three times and the first time she got right up and ate a whole bowl of food and put weight on it. The past two times she hasn’t put weight on it and she’s barely eating, only people food. I can tell she’s not happy cause she won’t let me stop touching her. I have no idea what we did the first time that was right vs what I’m doing now that is wrong, but I think there is some slippage happening (see photo of knee joint). I’m making sure to line up the joint and the splint, but when I take it off, it isn’t lined up. How do I prevent slippage? Also, I’m going to wash her before I rewrap, her skin is very dry and she needs conditioner. She also has significant blackheads and chafing- I was going to use the benasoothe shampoo, should I take any other precautions?? I was thinking I would try some clay and apple cider vinegar for the blackheads?? She started licking her leg so I just put a little extra wrap on it so she can’t irritate it. What signs should I look for as an absolute NEED to return to the vet? Swollen toes, what else? Please respond ASAP

3 Responses

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Here’s my professional 25 years of experience advice. Pay your vet! It’s a very very fair price. I’m guessing that you can not afford surgery so you are going to be lucky to have it heal as it is. You can not manage this alone. You shouldn’t even try. Honesty is the best policy. I tell clients that even with me checking it weekly (often more often than that) the chance for failure is high. Be the pet parent your dog needs and stuck with your vet. Not being hateful. Being brutally honest. For your dogs sake.

    1. Felicia Post author

      I took her in today actually, she was there all day. I renewed her health plan and got her a full workup, and they changed her splint (and tape signed it) and I’m taking her back next week to get it checked. There are some family problems with spending the money because my family doesn’t think it’s worth it, but I put my foot down. She’s 14 and she’s the sweetest dog that’s ever existed, literally the only reason I didn’t commit suicide when I was late teens early twenties. She has absolutely earned it! Thank you for your advice!

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Kimberly | 4 years ago
Our 9 Month Old Boxer Is Scheduled For A Neuter Just Before He Turns 11 Months Old. A …

Our 9 month old boxer is scheduled for a neuter just before he turns 11 months old. A lot of boxer forums have recommended waiting until male boxers hit 18 months so they don’t miss out of their growing hormones. Just wondering if it’s worth the wait. Simba is definitely a more well behaved pup at 9 months than he was at 5 months. Calms down more easily, isn’t as hyper all of the time. Any input would be appreciated!

1 Response

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  1. Laura

    I’m a fan of waiting. If you can be 100% certain to keep him contained in the event he smells a bitch in heat in the neighborhood, it’s good to let him keep his hormones until fully grown.

    (People who neuter for behavioral reasons are lazy trainers. Marking is a training issue, unmanaged attitude problems are due to lack of engagement, etc.)

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Ed Schmitz | 5 years ago
My Dog Sampson Is A 15 Year Old Boxer/pittie Mix(50 Pounds). Has Had Diabetes For 7 Years. …

My dog Sampson is a 15 year old boxer/pittie mix(50 pounds). Has had diabetes for 7 years. Been on arthritis pain meds the last year.. Has become very sluggish the past 2-3 weeks. Vet diagnosed him with a early stage heart murmur and slight anemia. Changed his arthritis pain meds to Gabapentin. It made him so drowsy that he fell asleep while eating. Became unable to walk without assistance. We weaned him off the Gabapentin and back on the old pain meds. His walking has improved a little but still is wobbly. Yesterday he refused to eat, which is highly unusual for him. Still drinking, but not eating today. He sleeps a lot but also has 30-60 minute spells of restless/repetitive behavior. I’m thinking he may have dementia. Any suggestions on how to help him?

2 Responses

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    This is largely a diagnosis of exclusion. I would call your vet back. Go over everything and repeat the blood work, cheat radiographs and discuss a cardiologist. There are too many things going on with your pup for me to say with any kind of degree of confidence to add that diagnosis to the list. All of the conditions you speak of can cause mental depression. So I would start over and ask for a referral to both an internal medicine specialist and even a catdiologist. I have a lot of information on my blog about cognitive dysfunction and there are lots of things you can do at home to help. But don’t over look previous issues before jumping into a new condition. To find the information on cognitive dysfunction please go to kmdvm.blogspot.com and in the search bar type cognitive dysfunction. I hope this helps.

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Pawbly | 7 years ago
My 9 Year Old Boxer Had MCT (benign) Surgery On Her Side In The Fall…

My 9 year old Boxer had MCT (benign) surgery on her side in the Fall. Its been healed for months. Overnight a very large growth appeared at the incision site. Egg sized. Its firm and a little warm. The dog is acting normally. Is this urgent? The soonest I can get into my vet is a week from now. I explained the issue when I called the vet’s office, sent pictures and was told it’s not urgent. Perhaps they are thinking its a seroma? Is it okay to wait so long to see a vet? (I like my vet and really don’t want to be a nuisance–nor do I want my pet’s health to suffer.)

3 Responses

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I am not sure if this is urgent or not as I don’t know what the swelling is due to. Is there any way your vet can refer you to someone who can see you sooner. Just to look at the incision? Hopefully it isn’t anything serious.. but you cannot be sure until your vet (or a vet) looks at it.

  2. L Baker

    Thanks so much for the response. I do feel like my dog should be seen sooner but didn’t want my vet to think I was pushy. Thanks for the suggestion to just ask her for a referral.

  3. L Baker

    So, just to update, the swelling was a very large post surgical abcess. While I was trying to find a different vet who could see me sooner than my regular vet, the abcess ruptured. My dog was in a lot of pain. I regret not being more persistent with my own vet. When I called and told my regular vet about the rupture, I then got in on an urgent basis. Next time I’ll know to just be a pushy nuisance when I think something is really wrong. I am just sorry I made my dog suffer. (She is now on antibiotics, warm compresses etc and seems to be getting better. Fingers crossed.) Thanks again Dr. Magnifico for the advice.

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Essie Pfau | 7 years ago
How Long Should You Wait To Play With A Boxer Puppy (almost 8mos Old) After…

How long should you wait to play with a boxer puppy (almost 8mos old) after they eat? I’ve read about bloat and am trying to nail down our morning routine.

2 Responses

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  1. Laura

    When our Dobe was a pup, we kept her quiet for an hour before and an hour after all meals. I would stick to that…and maybe, instead of playing, use puppy’s meal as a training opportunity, since mental work trumps physical work for wearing out a dog of any age. Use the meal as training treats instead of actual treats. 🙂

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Essie Pfau | 7 years ago
I Am Getting An 8mo Old Boxer. Currently, She Is Eating From An Elevated Food…

I am getting an 8mo old boxer. Currently, she is eating from an elevated food bowl. I’m planning to have her eat from a bowl on the ground when I get her as I’ve heard elevated food bowls can increase the risk of bloat. I’ve seen conflicting opinions and research…which is better?

1 Response

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    I have never heard of an elevated bowl causing bloat. I have however recommended lots of dogs use an elevated bowl if I am concerned about megaesophogus.

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Pawbly | 8 years ago
I Moved My 10 Year Old Boxer To Chicago About 2 Years Ago And Discovered…

I moved my 10 year old boxer to Chicago about 2 years ago and discovered she becomes very anxious and afraid when a train passes by overhead. I think it’s mostly the loud thundering noise. She gets very wide-eyed as the train approaches and the noise increases, then attempts to get as low to the ground as possible and “army crawl” away. I now am moving to a new apartment in the city that is directly next to an elevated train track. The interior of the apartment is very well insulated so the trains can barely be heard, but her most nearby grassy “potty spot” is directly below the tracks. I am scared that taking her out, especially in the mornings when the trains run every couple minutes, will be very damaging to her in her old age. I’ve attempted to pet and talk calmy to her while the trains pass, with little to no success. What can I do to help her get over her anxiety/fear of the noisy trains as they pass?

1 Response

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  1. Anonymous

    RIP Dr. Yin.

    Would this be the same as counter conditioning to thunderstorms? I want to start working with my MIL’s dog – she FREAKS when a storm comes.

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Pawbly | 8 years ago
I Have Sent A Deposit For A Akc Reg. Boxer Pup, Its 4 Weeks…

I have sent a deposit for a akc reg. boxer pup, its 4 weeks old.
the lady sent a pic of it and its underweight only 5 lbs and loss of hair.
Will my puppy be normal weight at adult age ? Will the hair come back?

19 Responses

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  1. Anonymous

    Braise, please read the responses in your first post. Duplicates are not necessary.

  2. Braise Patterson

    Laura , I deleted my first post it made no sense so I deleted it then wrote another one. I don’t see any responses just yours . q

  3. Anonymous

    https://www.pawbly.com/question/deposit-akc-boxer-pup-thats-4-weeks-mother-quit-nursing-puppies-weigh-5-lbs-hair-loss-it-will-puppies-hair-grow-normal-adult-box-weight-grown

    Still visible. The answers provided follow:
    Laura M., dog and cat owner, former reptile rescue owner answered …
    I would contact your local chapter of the Boxer Club of America and ask them about this breeder. Here is the link to the chapter clubs: http://www.americanboxerclub.org/us-boxer-clubs.html

    Krista Magnifico, DVM, Founder of Pawbly answered …
    I don’t know enough about the breeder or the parents to tell you what they are worth. Do you have references on this breeder? Do you know anything about them?

  4. Braise Patterson

    No I don’t a Vet office told me to go to Breeders.net and there should be a Boxer breeder there . The puppies are AKC . What happen the boxer mom all of a sudden stop letting the puppies nurse so the lady has been trying to fed them. She said the momma is starting to let them nurse now . She said the weight loss and hair loss was due to the mom not letting them nurse that the puppies are gaining weight. I know lots of breeders ask for more but paying $ 500.00 I should be getting a healthy pup. I’m wondering if this may effect his growth , all other breeders pups are around 9 lbs, mine is 5 lbs. and will the hair grown back like normal. Thank you for the replies , I will contact local chapter.

  5. Anonymous

    At $500, you’ve not gone to a breeder I’d recommend. Consider this a lesson – avoid crappy breeders. If you only want to spend $500, go through a rescue. The risk of supporting a breeder who will sell you a sickly puppy is too great right now…and when that puppy ends up very ill, that breeder will be nowhere to be found.

    As someone who lost a puppy early, trust me when I say this…you WANT that breeder support if you’re going to go through a breeder.

    Ask for your deposit back. Ask the nearest chapter about reputable rescues that might have puppies, and get on their waiting list(s).

  6. Braise Patterson

    Thank you , Then they should not have a Breeders.net page ,. My parents used to breed full blood collies from champion bloodlines when they first married . Just because they didn’t attach a $ 2500.00 price tag didn’t make the Purebred Collie puppies worthless . Today it’s all about money . I also have been told NOT to go to a high priced breeder because it is all about the money and they will breed the same female as many times in the year to get more puppies on the market . Its like youre saying go to the ghetto’s and get puppies no one wanted ,I’m sure some puppies taken to rescue were puppies from these so called great breeders that thought the puppies didnt meet the breeder’s standards or their purebred female got knocked up by a mutt ( Most likely when this happens they put the female down or in rescue . I have seen Breeders that sold puppies for $ 400.00 or $ 500.00 that came from Champion bloodlines. I myself have seen top notch Dalmatian breeder put the puppies down because one ear was black the other puppies had pink noses some had part black nose part pink, Thanks so much for supporting these over priced breeders that some over breed their dogs. ( notice I said some ) I guess thats why you are labeled ” Dog and cat owner, former rescue owner ” . not a licensed vet or professional . I came here mostly concerned about the puppies health and growth process and thought the vet could answer my concerns. I love what you said ” At $500, you’ve not gone to a breeder I’d recommend ” . and ” As someone who lost a puppy early, trust me when I say this…you WANT that breeder support if you’re going to go through a breeder.” . because for a fact the non refundable $ 300.00 to $ 600.00 deposit WILL not be returned if the puppies were sickly . I will not be coming back to this site and will be sure to tell others not to try get a question answered here. merely a poorly ran blog .

  7. Anonymous

    Braise, I work closely with breeders who health test and title their dogs. They don’t overbreed, they don’t breed sickly dogs (like it sounds like you’ve found). They work heavily in rescue. They produce *maybe* one litter every other year, don’t breed any bitch more than three times, and place puppies very carefully. They stand behind their puppies for the life of those dogs, and will take them back at any point if the owners cannot keep them for any reason.

    The sort of breeder you’ve found is what we’d call a “greeder” or a “backyard breeder” – they breed for easy money and neglect genetic health testing. You’re walking into a ticking time bomb of health and temperament.

    I’m done here. If you want vet advice, call YOUR vet. We are a community-driven website giving out free advice…and few of us are vets.

  8. Braise Patterson

    Sure they all came from God go ahead and support only over priced breeders . good bye thanks just because you couldnt answer the question doesnt mean I went to a bad breeder . good luck giving advice

  9. Anonymous

    God has nothing to do with breeders.

    I support breeders whose puppies don’t end up in rescue. I would never in good conscience encourage anyone else to do so. Insulting me for refusing to bend on that does not reflect highly on you, sir.

  10. Braise Patterson

    backyard greeder thanks my parents raised purebreds they didnt even want to change for the puppies but ask very little for the vet bill etc: $ 1200.00 to $ 2300.00 doesnt make the puppies any better . no matter how many ways you want to say it the price tag doesnt make the puppies any better than another purebred puppy.

  11. Braise Patterson

    but youre not a vet and the vet couldnt answer so thanks for showing your support for over changing for puppies.

  12. Anonymous

    It tells me quite a bit about how much they invested in the litter.

    Boxer genetic health testing is expensive…and is a very basic part of the prebreeding process. http://americanboxerclub.org/health-screening.html

    This is completely ignoring the conformational mess most subpar breeders tend to produce. This is JUST health. What of those tests have your breeder done on their dogs? They should be able to produce documentation.

    I have never – NEVER – met a breeder charging such a small amount for puppies that actually did the required health testing on breeding animals. Have you considered why this might be?

  13. PK Dennis

    Any person in the world can buy a domain address and put up a website. NO ONE you find online selling puppies is a place to spend your money!!! Good breeders have WAITING LISTS for their puppies from folks being referred to them by word-of-mouth from dog clubs, dog shows, people that already own their puppies, friends, neighbors, etc. Don’t expect to get a healthy, well bred puppy from someone advertising on line. And a good, well bred, puppy in this day and age is going to cost well over $1000.00! i say – try and get your money back and then work with rescue to get a healthy puppy of the breed you desire. It may take you up to 6 months, but you will have a puppy that has been health checked and you will know that you saved its life by giving it a home. Don’t encourage this person that is not taking care of the health of their dog and puppies by spending your money there (but it is probably too late to get your money back – anyone so greedy as to take your money sight-unseen is too greedy to give you your money back).

  14. Braise Patterson

    Not always , there are tons of people who breed purebred puppies that have the puppies vet checked the entire time plus gives the buyer the puppies records since birth , some will give a heath guarantee , and people are on waiting list as well . Sure there are bad breeder’s everywhere . Some people do not believe in over changing some care about animals and making things a little easier for people who can’t afford 1200.00 for a pet . Seriously what will you feel like if you pay $ 1200.00 to $ 2300.00 two months down the road it just dies . Even high priced breeders don’t know if a puppy will drop dead . Just like Izzy that came from a high priced breeder was walking around the pond she walked around everyday dropped dead instantly from Cardiomyopathy. She had a clean bill of health every time she went to the vet. You are taking a chance when you buy a animal

  15. Anonymous

    PK, you’re wasting your time.

  16. Braise Patterson

    I still did not get my question answered all you people want to do is yak about breeders , Yes she and you and anyone else can’t make me believe a breeder doesnt have to charge what they do lets say for a boxer , Ive seen price tags for over $ 2000.00 per pup wow that mean out of one litter a breeder will make close to $ 10,000.00 . wow really just under $ 10,000.00 per litter . I told you her puppies were checked out wit clean bill of health from birth until its sold the the new owners responsibility there after. High priced puppies has ended up in rescue as well . You cannot say puppies end up in rescue because of the breeder . I have tried adopting from a rescue , where are any purebred puppies ? some come from puppy mills . I went through ever rescue from Georgia , Alabama , Tennessee , Florida , I did not find a purebred puppy most were aging unwanted boxers and mixed . I tried two times adopting even a 5 year old boxer guess what I was turned down because I did not have a fenced in back yard . We live on 3 acre’s of land no where close to a highway , my boxers are never left alone they do not live and sleep outside . These aging 5 year old and the other two older boxers had plenty of land when I took it out to run and exercise . Let me repeat myself and I am not fibbing they told me because I did not have a fenced in backyard I cannot adopt . I posted on face book Atlanta Boxer rescue after seeing one of the dogs name Jayda photo I posted under her photo. It makes no sense you still have Jayda asking someone to come forward and give Jayda a good home . Why do you ask for people to complete the application , and someone will come out to visit and a person gets turned down due to no fenced in yard then come on face book adverting Boxer needs a home when you do not let people adopt because of no fenced in yard. I am telling you this because Rescue keeps coming up . STOP ! I will say it again why was my questions not answered ?

  17. Anonymous

    Dr. Magnifico answered your question in your other post. The problem is you’re walking into such an unknown situation with these puppies that NO ONE CAN TELL YOU if this puppy will be healthy. If you’d gone to a breeder who did all the health screening I listed in that link, you’d have a better idea of that puppy’s future.

    So yes, you DID get an answer. The answer is a lack of one. Biology is funny like that. If you were willing to listen to what you were told, you’d run away from this person and go elsewhere, but you’re stuck on the price tag.

  18. Braise Patterson

    You people are brainwashed , I am leaving this website and I would have by now but this b.s keeps popping up in my e mail . I will leave here leaving all of you a legitimate website called Consumer Affairs and there are hgh priced breeders that has quite the reputation with the Better Business Bureau . Before I leave you the link I would like to say if I had said I paid $ 1800.00 for a Boxer puppy you people would have been singing a different tune . It also makes me wonder the ones here that are breeders that charges lets say $ 1500.00 for a boxer puppy must be something wrong with your puppies next to the breeder that charges 2800.00 for the same breed of Boxer . Obviously the breeder charging $ 2800.00 for the very same breed of boxer took way much more care and had the puppies texted by a much better vet . too funny ! This consumer report is complaints about breeders association of america inc — heres the link read the complaints —https://www.consumeraffairs.com/pets/breeders-association-of-america-inc.html

    This is just a couple of links where breeders have been turned in to the Better Business Bureau . Do your homework people . BBB LINK —-http://www.bbb.org/south-east-florida/business-reviews/pet-services/purebred-breeders-in-cooper-city-fl-22003405/complaints.

    Heres one that you wont know what to say about your amazing such caring breeders—-

    http://www.complaintsboard.com/bysubcategory/dog-breeders.html