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Hi Pawbly friends????
I was just reading through and saw the question about dog food. I am a bit of a paranoid dog mom- they are literally siblings to my three human children. I have always given them (the dogs not the kids, lol!)Purina One, because somewhere along the way I had read something where Purina was regulated in some way by the FDA and I thought it would make it a safe option. All three of our dogs are healthy GSDs and happy with there food. No stomach issues. Maybe a little indulged with treats, but no worse for the wear. Perhaps I am just being nervous, but is it a safe/good choice for dog food? (Insert eye roll from my husband whose comment was,” We have a 15 year old German Shepherd who won’t quit. You can’t switch his food now regardless.”) Just asking one case there is a better option I should be considering. Thanks! ????
Hello I have a pug and he is about to turn 2 he woke up this morning and threw up twice he is also chasing his tail a lot it’s the first time he does this other than that he is eating and playing he is drinking water and acting like a normal dog it’s just that problem should I worry?
Hello,
I’m sorry but there isn’t enough pertinent medical information for anyone to answer this. It doesn’t sound like an emergency but I would call your regular vet and ask for a check up. Just to be safe. Ask for the anal sacs to be checked. If the vomiting persists for to the vet ASAP
Thank you do you think it can be that he has parasites?
If you aren’t on a preventative and you aren’t submitting fecals every year then yes. It’s possible. But do not buy an otc without taking to your vet first.
Hi! This message is for Dr. Magnifico: I just watched one of your YouTube videos on IVDD disc disease and it gave me so much Comfort listening to you speak about the pup you were treating and the amount of pain he was in. I have my boy, 11 year old schnauzer_ 25 lbs- we did an MRI Last Saturday which revealed a disc extrusion a C3-4 with other milder disc protrusions. My guy has also had some liver issues for the past three years which has him on denamarin every day but also since this supplement, his liver enzymes have gone back to Normal. He is currently on Dexamethasone 0.5 mg, gabapentin 100mg and tramadol 50mg. Even though I did ask the doctor from the emergency hospital as well as Rex’s (my dog) other regular physician if these medications would be OK with him and his past liver problems, They both said yeah, I still can’t help but feel a little bit worried that these medications are going to hurt his already damaged liver. I’ve been trying to take it easy on the tramadol as a matter of fact they waited only until yesterday to start giving it to him because he is fine during the day he can still walk poop,pee and is still a total scavenger, But come night time that’s when he starts getting more comfortable and about 4 to 5 times he has woken up crying in pain which breaks my heart. Of course these episodes thank God only last about 10 to 20 seconds no longer and then he shakes it off and is fine after that. During these episodes though he gets up lift his right leg up and sort of paralyzes for that short amount of time his neck is not able to move his whole body hunches it’s a really scary experience the first time I saw it happen I thought he was dying, so you describing it the way that you did in one of your YouTube videos really really made me feel so much better about Rex and what he is going through and if anything made me feel thankful that even though my baby is in pain and is feeling uncomfortable there are so many other puppies out there doing so much worse than him. I’ve decided to buy him a stroller just because his brother, him and I are outdoor people we would go every day on 2 to 3 hour walks and now we’ve diminished them to 10 to 20 minute walks which still think that’s a lot so I think his stroller is going to help all three of us. I’m sorry for the rant I’ll finally get to the point-I just wanted to ask you what’s your experience with those three medications that I just mentioned do you think they are going to eventually become an issue with his liver? Also what’s your opinion on a neck brace for dogs I was thinking and looking up a few neck braces that might help him keep his next treat would you recommend this?
I hope to hear back from you soon and once again, thank you so much for your YouTube videos. I wish all veterinarians were like you.
Sincerely,
Jess V.
Hello,
Although dex is a great anti inflammatory and analgesic I would be more worried about it with the liver. I also am not a fan of tramadol. I prefer gabapentin and robaxin for the IVDD dogs. Some of this is personal preference. Please call your vet and ask about your concerns with the liver and if they think the drugs I mentioned might help. Keep us posted. I have a long blog on IVDD at kmdvm.blogspot.com. And multiple YouTube videos. Please review all of them for help. Good Iuck.
My dog was recently attacked by a small offleash dog. We were able to keep anyone from getting hurt and it was mostly just noisy barking. Since the attack my usually friendly dog has been extremely leash aggressive to any dog passing on the street. Barking and growling, extremely over reacting. I have also avoided the dog park she usually enjoys bc I am afraid of how she will react. How can I help her get back to her confident friendly, less traumatized self?
It sounds like you might need to hire a behaviorist to help you out….I do know that positive reinforcement is your best friend- so if you pass another dog and she reacts, then no reward, but if she is calm, then reward. I am sure that it will take time and patience. Maybe your vet can put you in contact with a trainer or behaviorist that will be able to offer some help or even come work with you. Good luck!!!
Utilize Look At That/Watch Me training: https://resources.bestfriends.org/article/look-lat-dog-training-plan https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/watch-me-command-grab-dogs-attention/
My lab will be 11 in June. He was diagnosed with diabetes 4 years ago. We’ve never been able to regulate his insulin and have tried both human and dog insulin. He’s currently taking 31 units of vetsulin 2 times a day and has been for over a year. No matter what dose/medicine brand we try, his blood sugar is still really high (between 250-400)! Recently, he’s been throwing up a few times a week after eating or drinking. The vomit is white and clear and looks like its mostly slobber with only a very small amount of food. What’s causing this?
Hello,
I have had a few cases like this. Here’s what I do; I talk about diet, exercise and make sure everything is very consistent. I also check and recheck bloodwork. Diabetes can cause concurrent illness and this needs to be monitored very closely. I also refer to an internal medicine specialist when I feel stumped. I know it’s not what people want to hear but ask your vet to run a full bloodwork with urinalysis (and maybe even a urine culture) and then ask to be referred to a specialist. They can help. With the immediate vomiting your vet can help. Vomiting can mess up the insulin so make sure you are monitoring the blood sugar closely. Good luck! I hope this helps. Let us know what happens.
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?
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.
Your dog needs a cardiologist, stat.
Hi! Penny and Sampson are patients. They are currently eating raw dog food. I want to switch them to one like The Farmers Dog. I know how to handle it with kibble. Would it be the same from raw to cooked or is the transitioning different?
Hello!
I am happy to help as their veterinarian but I am not a nutritionist so these questions make me a little uneasy. First I have to admit that I am not a raw food fan. There are a lot of studies about how dangerous it can be and how high the contaminated samples are often found to be in these studies. I get so much flack for this opinion, but it is sincerely based on science. As far as switching to the new food I also have to admit that I am not familiar with them so I cannot advocate for that food either. If you are comfortable with the food change, it isn’t a raw food, and, it isn’t grain free (cardio concerns with them), then the advice about how to transition is often as follows;
Do a very gradual transition. Ideally 1/4 new with 3/4 old for a few days (maybe 3-5), then 1/2 and 1/2 for the same period and then 3/4 new with 1/4 old for the last 3-5 days. This is done to help slowly transition the gi system and not overwhelm it with a sudden change that might cause vomiting, diarrhea or even pancreatitis.
I hope this helps.
Take care. Ty for the question.
I don’t know what food is best. One site says, kibble is over processed and has very little nutritional value because of the high heat used. Then there is organic and non gmo but dehydrated or freeze dried keeps more nutrients but I can’t find a dehydrated food that is also organic. They (mainly Sampson) did not do well on any of the kibbles and both gained weight even on the prescription diet food. I would cook for them but I’m afraid I wouldn’t give them all the nutrients they need. I tried to find a nutritionist on line but no success. I welcome any suggestions you may have. Who knew finding good nutritional options for your pet would be this difficult. Just want them healthy and to live a long like.
Thank you!!!
I inherited a healthy, except for a slight heart murmur, 10 year old chihuahua. She is current on shots and had no reaction to them. She ate small breed pedigree at first, but now feed Lotus good grain chicken kibble and pet plate topper (left over from a dog that died). I noticed she scratched her back alot, but didn’t see fleas, hair loss, a rash, and she mostly scratches after coming in from walks or arriving anyplace other than home. For a month, I left her home with my 7 year old chihuahua. They had the run of the house. One day I noticed pieces of my carpet in the hall. Now a whole corner of the rug is gone. I crated her. She screamed and whined and eventually escaped. I secured the crate with a carabiner. I came home to a crime scene. The bridge of her nose was bloodied and one of her nails was pulled out. I am taking her to work with me at a doggy daycare and boarding facility. Her nose has hair missing. I want to treat it, but with what and when will the hair grow back? Money is an issue because my hours are severely deceased now
Oh my goodness! I am so sorry this has happened. I think it depends on a few things as far as treatment. If it is a deeper wound, then you will need antiseptic solution to keep it clean, and possibly antibiotic because of possible infection. If it is superficial, then that would be a different story. I am more concerned about her nail pulled out. I think that needs to be seen by the vet. I would call and get her in to be checked out. I know these are tough times. Your vet does too- and would hopefully be willing to give you a bit of time to pay for service. I hope your dog is ok????????
Hello,
I am not too worried about the abrasions to the nose or the nail. I have seen these both happen many times and they always heal well if given time. I am more concerned about the heart and based on age and breed; dental disease. The rest needs behavioral assistance as it sounds like separation anxiety. This is resolvable with time, attention and patience. I would see a vet. Have the degree of heart disease assessed and discuss preventative care like heartworm etc if needed. The carpet, if ingested is also a real threat to health as it can cause a foreign body obstruction. There’s a lot going on here. Your vet with a simple exam can help you. Find someone who is willing to take the time to help you and budgets are a normal constraint for most of us these days. Ask around for a reputable kind and patient vet. They are out there.
Charley is a 9 year old lab mix female, approx 70 lbs. She has always been an incredibly active dog. Over the last year or so we have noticed her slowing down and assumed it was wear and tear of her joints after being so athletic and active. We started her on anti inflammatories (ostimax) after speaking with our vet, and used it as needed. It seemed to help. Within the last 3 months things worsened and we began giving her the anti inflammatory daily, as well as gabapentin. Things worsened again, and we finally requested that xrays be taken. They found a partial tear in one back acl and a fully torn acl in the other, we aren’t sure when this happened. She is receiving an injectable (adequan) 2 x a week for a month, and is taking the anti inflammatory, a cbd chew and gabapentin. This regimen is new this week and she looks a little better but still prefers to be laying down, has a hard time standing up/sitting down. We try to walk a block and she stops to lie down (we never push her). She sleeps most of the day, assuming from the meds. She is a different dog, it’s heartbreaking. She still eats and drinks but we put her food in front of her now, and mix it with wet (to hide the pills), otherwise I don’t know how often she would eat on her own. Thoughts on how surgery will help? Recovery? Our consult with the surgeon referred by our vet isn’t until July 31st (there is a backup with Covid) so we are looking for other options and might have a spot with a local vet- we are hoping to not have to wait that long because she’s just not our Charley, and we don’t want to see her in pain any longer.
some notes from vet: Ambulates tender hind legs R+L . thickened stifles- toe touching both and small stride on gait . Sits
slowly and swings legs out to avoid flexing too much . Crepitous on flex/ ext R side- patellar groove . Rlat- chip prox tibia- thickened JC and irregular lat collateral. L side – joitn mouse caudal joint – thickened JC irrgular medial collateral lig mild drawer both
Hello,
I think a few things might help. Call and get a referral to an orthopedic surgeon. Start there. They can help more than anyone else at this stage. The other option is to try a veterinary school. Everyone is backed up now do you covid. So I cannot promise these willl help. Also look into a suitcase type harness and orthopedic bed. Also swimming or underwater treadmill might help. I would also make sure your dog has had a full bloodwork done including thyroid. I also always check Lyme status. You don’t want to miss infectious or other disease when you are so focused on orthopedic. The best places around me are VOSM and VaTech vet school. If you cannot get into to surgery you can ask about braces. They might help. The folks at doglegs. I will forward their website. Did the vet take hip radiographs? Is your dog overweight? Did anyone help with other medications or supplements?
Thank you! My aunt Janet has spoken so highly of you, I appreciate your feedback! The vet said her hips and back looked great on the xray, was just the back knees. I will ask about getting bloodwork and checking for Lyme’s. As far as meds and supplements she is taking the ostimax, gaba, cbd chews and the adequan injections. Thank you again!
Hello! Please let me know how things go. If you have trouble call Janet and have her send you my number. I can make some local calls to see if we can get some answers and help started. Good luck.
Hello . My dog was just diagnosed with ivdd. She is 5 years old . We are on day 6 and at night I notice she will wake up from a sleep and Yelp and try to get comfortable again . Sometimes she twitches too . She seems restless . She is on gabapentin tramadol and predisone . I feel that she is still in pain any suggestions?
Good morning- so sorry about your pup. You should speak to your vet again and explain your concerns about pain, medications and management. Also- I know that Dr. Magnifico has a lot of information on ivdd on her YouTube channel, in case you have not checked there already. Very best to you????????
Thank You Very much . Update my pup is doing Very well I am so happy to say! She will still need to be in crate for another two weeks but that’s ok I’m so happy she made a turn around
I think that this dog food is fine. B it I also think age appropriate diets are best. So maybe a senior formula for your eldest and adult for the rest? Also as dog age I keep the food interesting. I want them to be eating twice a day and a normal amount so I use toppings. Wet food or the delifresh. Xoxox
I like Pro Plan quite a bit. We were huge fans of grain free but struggled with coat issues, and I find my Ripley does better with a grain-inclusive diet.