Ask questions and share about your pet's health to help others.
My border collie 2 years old recently started staring at shadows. She will just sit and stare for hours. When the light moves and the shadow is in a different spot she will move with it. What could be going on? I can’t get her to play or cuddle or anything once she starts staring.
I took her to the vet for bloodwork and everything came back normal.
I have a question about our 13 yo dog who likely has a bulging disc. He is a mutt (probably part Border Collie, part Shepherd). Soon after a small slip on our stairs, he had lameness in his one back leg; this went away after one day, he limped for a few days after, and he quickly recovered from those things. Though he was walking fine fairly quickly, he showed stiffness, showed hesitation going up stairs unless we gave him a treat (we have only stairs to the outside), and his tail was down and only wagged from the tip of it. We had him quickly on an anti-inflammatory (Novox) and a pain med (started on Gabapentin but had to discontinue). He was fine on a walk; we went on short walks and he always craved for much more than we allowed. We prevented jumping, aerobic exercise, stopped him from using stairs by having a ramp to the outside, etc. We continued the Novox. His symptoms continued, then got better, and then seemed to regress when he started showing signs of pain (panting even when lying down and even when it was cool outside and some anxiety); the pain thing was probably because of taking him off Gabapentin. We took him to the Neurology Dept at a local, large vet hospital and a physical exam indicated that he “likely” has a bulging disc. When they inspected his back, he showed signs of pain and anxiety and his back legs bent and his rear went down. We don’t think we want to do surgery due to his age. He has not had an MRI as the regular vet and my husband and I thought that the treatment would be the same if we did not do surgery — treatment being restricting movement, continuing anti-inflammatory and pain meds, and looking into possible physical rehab. A switch to the pain med Amantidine helps a lot and the panting and anxiety are gone. He now continues to crave longer walks and, at the rare times we forget to block off the couch, he will try to jump up on it. We have been continuing to restricting movement but we just don’t know what to do about activity restrictions and have not had a lot of advice from neurology. He has always craved movement and exercise and when we take him around the block his stiffness seems to go away a bit and he seems energized and maybe even more comfortable. He has always craved a lot of exercise and movement. His spirits are lowered a lot if we keep in him in a small space — it almost seems like he wants to move around. He is eating and drinking, can do #2 (though he struggles some if doing it a long time). If allowed to do some movement, he is mostly happy and getting around with walking. Questions are: Should we restrict his movement altogether despite all this? Should he we do no walks at all? Is it bad if he is free to walk around the first floor or should he stay only in a very small area? I feel we are so confused as to what to do and how to know how to prevent regression. We’d love the input of any veterinarians or other owners with the same experience!
Hello,
I’m sorry to hear about your pup. I think that I have to defer these questions to your vet. My inkling is to say strict cage rest except for short walks outside on flat grassy ground. My concern is that he will keep exacerbating the injury if you don’t. I have lots of information on my blog and YouTube channel under IVDD please go there for advice and case based examples. Best of luck
Thank you so much for your reply! Do some dogs who have been restricted with movement get to the point that they “recover” or is this always a progressive situation? We don’t know if, after the 4 weeks of restricting him, if he will can to return to walks or anything if he is showing that he improved enough. Do you have thoughts on this? Also, is there anything we can do for him at home (like light massage or heat on the back)? Thank you so very much! You are so very helpful! 🙂 -Catherine
Our 9 Year Old Border Collie the vet believes has Colon/Rectal Cancer. He did a rectal exam and can feel several large masses narrowing his colon. Our
dog started limping and favoring a back leg 2 weals ago, then 5 days ago has been unable to poop. Just little pieces of poop would come out, and he would
be trying to go for several minutes. The Vet believes the narrowing of the colon due to the masses inside are also pinching the nerves causing his limp, since
our dog did not injure his hind leg, and is not in pain.
He is referring us to a Vet that can image the area, and possibly due radiation.
Does anyone have and advice for us ??? Does anyone have and history to share with us???
We appreciate any feedback.
Good morning- I’m sorry you have this going on. I think that comfort and quality have to play a role in any decision making. And budget. That is the reality of it. Talk with your vet. Talk with the specialist you are going to. Talk about all possible prognosis and all possible options. Be sure to voice your concerns- you may want to start keeping a written list so that you don’t forget anything at your visit. Very best to you. Please keep us posted-
Am I house training properly? We adopted a 6 month old rat terrier/collie mix 2.5 weeks ago. Monday-Friday I come home during lunch for water and a walk. He’s left without water for 4hrs at a time (8:30-12:30 and 1-5:30). I’m being very patient with making sure he has as much pee time as we can give him. Are the options to either continue walking him myself or hire a walker? I’d like to end the midday walks, but can’t leave him without water for 9 hours, right? What are my options for keeping everyone happy, keeping him hydrated and also keeping his crate and my apartment as urine-free as possible? Dog walkers can be expensive. $15/day means ~$300/month. I’ve debated asking the older (seemingly) retired ladies in my apartment complex to walk him for a fee.
Hi Michael???? we have never withheld water, and have never had accidents inside the house (unless we were still working on training or one of the dogs was ill) Having said that, I can say that routine is your best friend. Dogs like to keep their area clean and once they learn where to go, will most likely stay with that routine. At 6 months old, your dog should be able to go quite some time without having to toilet. 9 hours is too long though. I’m not sure of your daily schedule, but if you get a good long walk in before work, it is very possible to get a 6 hour block of time where your new pup will not need to bathroom and for a majority of those 6 hours (depending on how much activity/exercise you’ve given them during the morning walk) will be spent napping and calm. However, a good long walk is necessary after such a large chunk of time alone. There are also a lot of training videos that you might want to look at…. some that give you a set time,one, like 5 or 7 days. Very best of luck to you and your pup????????
My 4 month old border collie mix was spay 9 days ago. On day 7 she had a swollen lump under her incision site. I took her to her vet yesterday and it was determined to be a seroma and they said to continue her on crate rest for several more days. I have read that it can take a month or more for a seroma to go down and the fluid reabsorb. She is by nature an extremely active puppy. We play outside for with her for a couple of hours most days, where she fetches balls, frisbees, etc and runs like crazy. We were hoping that after 10 days we could get back to playing. How long do you recommended we wait. The fluid filled lump is about the size of a lemon.
Has anyone experienced this?
Hello,
I think that it’s best to listen to your vet. Every dog and every case is unique. I know it’s hard with an active puppy but do the best you can call your vet and talk to them about your concerns. Ask if walking or puzzle games in the house are ok? And then try to be patient. I also think it is a great opportunity to start learning her obedience and even tricks. Like sit, stay, lay down, give paw, etc. these allow her to be with you and using her intelligence but not over active or running/fetching. Get a bunch of puppy training books and refocus her from play to mental stimulation. Good luck.
Thanks so much for the advice. This is our first puppy. I have been using puzzle games with her and even devising my own…she is very smart. We have been working with a trainer, so also practice some of the commands she knows and trying to teach some new one!! We are just so ready for active play. She has become a little feisty, nipping at us like she did as a younger puppy and I think she is just so frustrated with alot of pent up energy. I will try to be patient but it is really difficult!!
I have a 6 month old, female border collie. We are having a hard time with food aggression, especially towards our two year old daughter. What can we do stop the food aggression?
I would involve a professional, someone who understands the breed quite well. If you’re in the US, I would go to the nearest chapter of the breed club: http://www.bordercolliesociety.com/affiliate-clubs/
I would also search Google for “Border collie club $YourState.” They’ll be able to refer you to a GOOD trainer for the breed.
Feed your dog in the crate, to prevent stress at meals. If you don’t have a crate, now’s the time to get one. Step up your obedience training, too – remember, you have THE smartest breed on the planet, and your dog needs a job or she will become a neurotic mess. If you haven’t worked on anything beyond basic obedience, start. BCs need to herd, or they need a sport that fulfills their need to work.
I agree with both dr. Magnifico and Laura. Please do not give up on your pup. Find a behaviorist/trainer that can help you in the right direction of what you need to be working on with your dog. Very best of luck to you.
Hello,
I’m sorry but these questions are often difficult to answer as they have a complicated and multifaceted evolution. Please ask your vet to guide you to a trainer who can come to your home and help understand the situation your dog lives in and the relationship they share with your family. In some cases this requires reestablishing boundaries and going back to basic obedience. Regardless always use positive reinforcement and understand that your dog is adapting to your family and there is a responsibility that you all have to helping her learn to be respectful and safe with your family.
Our dog has been having seizure episodes, is there anything we can do to help her?
She is a two year old border collie mix. They have been recurring late at night since mid October about every other month. When they happen she loses her balance and can’t walk, she has heavy drool, and she vomits and loses control of her bowels.
These symptoms last around twenty minutes. She has the shakes for about an hour after she regains her balance and the other symptoms pass. After about two hours she is back to acting like herself.
She’s very scared while these are happening, we’ve been comforting her until they pass. Is there anything we can do? What could be causing these?
Hello,
Please (please) see your veterinarian about these. There is much to discuss and perhaps some options to help treat them. Here is some information. I have a few blogs on seizures. Find them all here. http://kmdvm.blogspot.com/2013/05/seizures-what-i-tell-parents.html?m=1
This is something that your veterinarian needs to deal with. I would urge you to get your dog to your vet right away and explain, in detail, everything that has been happening and how long this has been going on. Good luck.
Hello, my border collie has some weird coloured skin on his nose, which has appeared recently. Please can someone help or know what this is…
-Louis
There seems to be both loss of pigment AND some lesions on there … ? I would certainly work with a vet because you don’t know whether it’s an infection or autoimmune problem. Collies are prone to localized lupus; in fact it’s also called Collie Nose …
I have adopted a dog from the pound about 4 or 3 moths ago, he is a very good dog but when someone enters my room, my dog starts growling and he won’t stop. The behaviour has gotten worse when my fathers partner hit him with a leash with a metal spring on it, now whenever he hears someone walking outside of my room (going upstairs or to the bathroom) he immediately starts growling, his growling got more loud and now when someone passes him, he’s scared and walks away. Another thing is when I leave the house, he starts howling and it’s annoying my father he wants me to sell him but I still believe there is something to help my dog. He is a sheepdog collie mix and 2 years old, he is a very good dog and I presume his previous owners must have been abusing him since he’s scared of everything. Is there a way to teach him not to do it?
Have you spoken with a trainer yet?
No, there isn’t any trainers around where I live so it’s hard
Well hitting has made it worse. Your dog has several anxiety/fear issues. you can teach a dog confidence but it
takes time and dedication. Start by always having your dog on a leash with you. when he lays quietly, tell him good dog. start teaching him to sit on command. then start teaching him to sit in place on a carpet or matt. All this will teach him proper behavior, and make a bond. once he and you have developed a bond, start asking a friend to come over to help work with your dog. Put a bowl of treats outside of the door, have your friend come to the door, your dog on a leash, you ask your dog to sit, treat him. the friend comes in, no eye contact, talks to you, if dog stays sitting, no growling treat him. Once dog accepts friend, let friend treat him.
Start teaching your dog that all good things come from you when he listens. Get what we call High value treats, something he ONLY gets during training, cheese, chicken, moist dog treats, whatever, but he only gets it during training.
Collie and shepherding dogs have such a strong desire to be with their people, to please them, that you should be able to train him.
As for crying while you are gone, he should be crated, with a cover over the crate, and give him a large Kong to work on while you are gone. He only ever gets the Kong in the crate. Fill it with dog food, and mix in some peanut butter, plug the whole over with peanut butter and freeze, give it to him when leaving, but make sure you feed him less so he doesn’t get fat lol.
Take time, he will be a good dog, dogs know when they are rescued.
Good luck!
My brother just returned from his mission a few days ago. While he was gone we adopted a border collie mix puppy, she’s now around a year and a half years old.
She has interacted with people at the park and gets along with most family members when visiting at their place. This her first time having a someone she doesn’t know at home like this, usually have her away from visitors.
She is not getting a long with my brother, she’s constantly barking at him. When he offers one of her favorite treats she tries to hide behind someone she trusts or she runs down and hides in the basement. My brother is getting really frustrated with her.
Expecting that this is going to take a while. Hoping that she gets used to him/desensitized to him over the next few weeks. Any advice would be appreciated.
In what way is she not getting along with him? My first thought is that he calmly go about his business and not attempt to interact with her. Let the dog approach your brother for interaction. Is he wearing a ball cap, something that she’s not used to? Everyone needs to be calm and act normally.
Hello, this is perfectly normal. Dogs adapt, and it may take time. Good luck!
Thanks!
She has been getting better. She isn’t barking as much, but tends to avoid him whenever she can now. Want her to get used to being around him, but don’t want to force it. Now she usually hides downstairs or in one of the bedrooms. Gets really nervous and wants to be close to someone she knows when he is around.
She does bark and get snappy when he’s interacting with one of us, she thinks she is protecting us from him?
Slow going, but are improvements.
This sounds like an obsessive behavior. I would be working on training and mental work daily in the hopes this can be curbed.
Hello,
I would also ask your vet about the possibility of focal seizures and whether a referral to a neurologist might be helpful.