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I just got an 8 week old puppy. I just picked him up today and took him to meet my other dogs he started acting aggressive he started growling and snapping at them. How do but an end to this aggressive behaviour before it turns into a problem?
Hi, my pregnant dog is on day 65 and 28 hours ago her temperature dropped to 97.8. For the first 13 hours she showed little discomfort. Following this she began to pant and had loss of appetite, and also began to dig in her nesting area. In addition there were several breaks in which she would sleep. These are all stage one symtoms. However according to many articles, she should have gone into labour already. Should I be worried?
It’s not quite our first breeding however it is the first with this dog and everything seems to be a little different. She’s just sleeping normally now again as if she’s not actually in labour. I will try and call an emergency vet however it is 1am where we are right now and our vet system in Malta isn’t so great….
Hello,
I always worry when hing’s don’t seem as they should. Please see a vet. Ideally every new breeder should have a local breeder to mentor through the questions and rough patches. Is there anyone locally who can intervene tonight? If not please seek vet help.
HI Everyone. My 12 year old female japanese spitz has pyometra. It breaks our hearts as we had her since I was just in gradeschool. We were advised that she needs to undergo surgery but we are kinda hesitant because we do not know if she can still survive the surgery with her age. My mom does not want to let her undergo the surgery but me and my dad wants to take the risk of giving her the treatment. Please I am begging you to please give me an advice so that I can fully decide. I love my dog so much and I don’t know what to do. Thank you all.
Whatever you do, PLEASE act quickly. Pyo just killed a young Doberman bitch from my breeder – she was at a show, came down with a fever, and she was gone within a day.
I agree with Jana. I always tell my clients that I would rather know that fate dealt a hard hand with me trying everything I could to give my pets the happiest and healthiest quality of life possible. Then to not try at all.
Thank you so much for the response. We are just concerned because she is already 12 years old. But I would really like to give her the proper treatment that she needs.
I would do the surgery – yes thwere is a risk and it may be higher due to her age, but at least she has a chance. If she is otherwise fine, I think she has good chances to survive thew surgery. To determine that I would do blood work and a check up before the surgery.
If she doesn’t survive – you at least know that you did everything you could to help her. Pyometra is not nice – I only knew it from cats and rats and both suffered without surgery.
She’ll feel SO MUCH BETTER once she recovers!
Thank you! She’ll be under observation by the vet within 24 hours. The vet says that there might be a complication like liver failure but we are all hoping that it won’t happen. My dog is a strong fighter and I am praying and hoping that she’ll survive this and she can go home healthy and back to our arms again.
I wish only the best for you and your dog! You did the right thing!
Elaine, so sorry about your baby. I believe that she is more likely to survive the surgery than the pyometra. Do a pre-op blood work and wellness exam to catch any specific issues that might need to be accommodated for with the anesthesia protocol or issues that would prevent the surgery. Anesthesia protocols can be adjusted and are quite safe these days. I do believe her chances are better with than without the surgery.
you did the right thing
UPDATE! Hello Everyone! Thank you all for all your amazing responses. We just had her undergo the surgery earlier and she is still recovering as of the moment. 2kg of angry uterus filled with puss was removed from her. Thank you all so much!
That sounds very good! I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks a lot for letting us know how it went :).
Yes thank you! We are not aware of this kind of sickness in dogs though. We do not have the intention of breeding her and she was also our first dog. I immediately told this to my friends who owns a dog because it is very life risking for our loving pets.
Well…let’s just say you got VERY lucky. VERY.
Hi all, I just think you also need to know about this. My dog just got discharged from the veterinary clinic after being confined for 2 days. She is now doing pretty good and is now starting to eat again. She could now also stand and walk slowly but we still make sure to be there to support her while she tries to walk. She is taking a lot of medicines right now including antibiotics and vitamins. I am really proud of her as she was so strong. When I went to the vet and she sees me, she immediately stood up and tried to walk near me and I literally cried out of joy. I brought her there with an almost hopeless case and she came back to me like this. I am really overwhelmed and thankful. Thank you all so much!
Thanks for the update, Elaine! For the future, if you have a bitch in your home and keep her intact for proper growth and maturity, try to spay earlier than 12. 😉 For larger breed dogs, 4 seems to be a good age…assuming there’s no cancer in the lines.
8 year old Shih-tzu Maltese diagnosed with a bulging disc 🙁
Hi, thank you for making all of the videos on youtube. I have found them very helpful with my little guy Benson…it’s nice to see a vet that goes the extra mile for their patients. Our vet clinic is also caring and affordable as well, which is hard to find these days.
Benson is a miracle dog. He has already survived a grade 2 mast cell inguinal tumor so Cornell and our local vet love him and call him their miracle dog (this was 2.5 years ago)
Now for his most recent issue which is why I’m writing; For a week, he was dragging his front left paw. We took him to our vet (on Monday, March 19th) and she diagnosed him with arthritis….things got worse throughout the week to the point where he would knuckle his front left paw. Our vet had only told us to limit his activity and no jumping so we didn’t restrict him to a crate. By Sunday morning (March 25th) (and he was on 5mg of prednisone since Monday) his back left paw was now knuckling and he was getting worse to the point where he could barely stand up.
We took him back to the vet and they did x-rays and found a bulging disc right around his shoulder blades. He has been on 10mg of prednisone, Methocarbamol, gabapentin and in a crate 24/7 ever since Sunday the 25th. Luckily, he is really only affected on his left side of his body.
We are seeing a little bit of improvement at times and at other times, he is still just as bad as he was on Sunday.
He has never lost the ability to pee or defecate (thankfully) annnnd Benny loves to eat (or drink) so that will never be an issue haha…
However what worries me is the fact that he is ALWAYS as stiff as a board in the morning when we get up or when he gets stressed/excited. It’s as if he re-injures himself because he can’t walk and can barely stand. It takes him at least an hour to recover, stop panting and then relax again until it seems like he is not in pain anymore….
Is there anything we can do to prevent the “morning/excited episodes” or is it all just part of the process? I thought the muscle relaxer would help but it isn’t. I have even gone so far as to put signs on our front door asking visitors to not knock or ring the doorbell.
Last question-do you have an opinion about a dog chiropractor?
Any advice you could give, we would appreciate! We love our little guy-he has such a personality and adds so much fun to our lives.
Thanks so much,
Megan and Missy
Hello,
Thanks for being such a kind parent and for all of the nice things you commented on. I think that some of the morning stuff is normal and that the pain has been unmedicated overnight sonit often takes a little while after the morning meds to see them relax and feel better. I think asking about acupuncture is a better place to start than chiropractic help. By massage is also beneficial. Also aquatherapy when she feels stronger might also help her recovery. You can also ask about laser therapy. I hope this helps. Very best of luck.
How worried do we need to be about roundworm eggs
Hello,
I’m sorry but there isn’t enough information here to answer. Please ask your vet if your pet has these. They can help.
Are heart worm preventatives necessary for cats living in the Northeast?
If so, does a cat needed to be tested for heart worm before you begin a preventative like Revolution?
Hello,
This is a topic full of much debate. Most of the vet specialists feel that we should not overlook or ignore the possibility and prevention of heartworms in cats. Typically we do not test for it before using a preventative, like Revolution as most positive cats have very few worms and there is a greater chance of getting a false negative on a test.
I have 5 cats and 2 dogs. All of our pets area rescues. We just took in our second rescue dog. She is 7 mths old and is terrorizing the cats. I need some advice on how to have a happier home with all the pets. The cats are indoor/outdoor but spend most of their time outside. 3 of the cats tolerate the new dog the other 2 won’t come near her. I did the proper introductions, I’ve given the cats a “safe space” but nothing seems to help the last 2 cats. The biggest problem is that the new dog likes to chase the cats. She is a small dog, smaller than the cats. She doesn’t nip at them or try to bite them, she’s just curious and wants to play with them. All of my cats love my other dog who is 11 years old. They were raised with him, sleep with him and play with him. I’m sure the chasing and the spontaneity of the new dog freaks out the cats because they are nor used to that. I am at my wits end trying to figure this out. Countless hours of research has not helped at all. I am not giving up not am I giving any of my pets away, as has been suggested. I know this can work out, I just need help. Or just possible reassurance that my cats won’t be permanently scarred and things will work out as time passes. My anxiety level is at an all time high and everyone tells me just leave them alone and let them work it out. I don’t think I can do that. HELP!!
Hello,
A safe place for the cats is a place the dogs can’t get to. It is the place that they can hide and take refuge from. Also it is time to start training the dog who is harrassing them. This might include crating them for periods where the cats can come and range freely, keeping the dog on a leash attached to you at all times outside of the crate so you can train and in general establishing boundaries and safe calm scenarios. It takes time. And a lot of dedication. And patience. And most importantly safest for your cats.
My 13 yr. old cocker has sebaceous gland tumors. We have opted not to operate. One tumor has a very foul odor. Any way to lessen that? Do we just keep her on antibiotics?
Hello,
I’m sorry to hear about your pup. Why have you declined surgery? I wouldfear that the foul odor is due to infection? In these cases I always suggest removing them as there is no other way to manage the infection. In the long run that mighteven be cheaper than antibiotics indefinitely. At my clinic we can often manage these for a few hundred dollars.
My new cat (have had for 3 weeks) and resident cat refuse to tolerate each other. I brought Louie home with the knowledge that they might never like each other but they would at least learn to tolerate. The first week seemed to go pretty well because when we let Louie roam and get a feel for the house Mia avoided him… but now… things seem to be getting aggressive. It doesnt matter where Louie goes or what hes doing (even just sleeping) Mia wants to attack him. Granted, as soon as he sees her he starts growling… but he only started doing that after she batted at him the first time. The episodes seem to be getting more and more aggressive. I would keep him in my room but its clear he wants to roam. And i find it unfair to lock her in a room after 6 years of letting her roam around the whole house. Before we got mia 6 years ago we had an older male cat, they got along well but he passed about 2 years ago. And according to the shelter Louie was surrendered with a sister but she was adopted without him. I need help on this one
Thank you Sarah, the baby gate didnt work… i had one up and then a door screen up but no wwy to secure the screen so he found a way to get out of his own space. For the most part, he does confine himself to his own space still but now its more so the residemt cat that is ckming to him. I have thoe litter trays and food/ water areas still seperate so theres really no reason for him to HAVE to leave his room or for her to come in to his room but they still do. I just dont want this to be a stressful situation for either of them. Mia has never been a fan of any large cat toys (trees or posts) both of my cats are declawed (adopted that way) so they dont tend to “scratch” other than the occasional carpet scratching after a stretch. Shes afraid of the tree we have for her and hes too heavy for it, he knocked it over. (Hes 22 lbs) Any other ideas are welcome
3 weeks in is still a fairly new situation. This will take more time than that. Having said that, keeping them together but separate may help. For instance, a baby gate or two could possibly help you confine them and keep them separated when not supervised, but still allow them to see each other and continue getting used to each other. It also gives them their own space which may help with the adjustment period. Just make sure each has access to their own litter tray and food and water. A few kitty “distractions” might also be helpful- for instance a cat tree and some scratch posts. If they have an outlet for some pent up energy, they may not use it on each other. Don’t give up? There are lots of people on this website that have lots of helpful ideas to share. Hopefully they will add more. Best of luck!!
Hi. I noticed an angry red lump on my 3-year-old Beagle’s foot, near her claw today. Pretty sure I didn’t see it yesterday. It doesn’t seem to hurt her at all. It’s not soft, but also not rock hard either. It’s not bleeding. She’s not licking it, so I don’t think it itches. She doesn’t have fleas or ticks. Her diet was recently changed from kibble to raw; not sure if it has anything to do with it, but I’ll mention it just in case. She seems to ber her normal self, NO vomitting / diarrhea / weakness. Brought her to the vet, and she was given 3 shots: dexamethasone, viccillin, and amoxicillin, and we were told to watch for the bump for the next few days. I’ve been surfing the web, and I think the bump could be histiocytoma orrrrr (God forbid) a mast cell tumor / mastocytoma. We live in Indonesia, and in the city we’re in, vets don’t really have labs where they perform tests and such. I’m losing my mind thinking about what my dog could possibly have. Please help if you’ve experienced a similar case. Pic attached.
Hello,
I would ask your vet about your concerns. I would also prepare for all of the skin lesions you are concerned about. Typically in cases like these I give my patients a few weeks to see if it resolves. If not I do a punch biopsy to submit for pathology through a veterinary diagnostic lab. If it gets larger ask your vet to remove it. It is small enough to allow many options at this point. Best of luck. Please let us know.
Hi Krista, thanks for your response. The bump has become smaller, drier, and much darker (like a healed wound), and I take that as a positive sign. Unfortunately, I have yet to find vets in my city that do biopsies or any kind of lab tests at all (not that she needs one right now that the bump has gotten better). I will still be on the lookout but am much less worried. Thank you again.
Hello-
You’ll need to take a step back and introduce them more slowly. You may want to enlist the help of a good trainer/behaviorist. Your vet may be able to help you find a reputable one. In the mean time, I would keep the dogs separated when you cannot be there to watch them and try to slowly introduce them under supervision a little at a time. Crates in different rooms may be a helpful idea. Good luck.
I agree with Sarah.
Most likely this is fear, not aggression. He’s been taken from the only home he knows and thrown into a household with strange dogs…anyone, human or animal, would be overstressed. Introductions need to be slow and gradual, with protection of every dog in the situation as your main priority. You really, really need to contact a good trainer who can work with you AND your dogs.