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Marie | 12 months ago
Is There A Difference Between Human Probiotics And Dog Probiotics?

Is there a difference between human probiotics and dog probiotics?

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    This really depends on the brand/manufacturer. The reputable manufacturers specifically produce a product that is species specific. I use proviable forte, or fortiflora.

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Marie | 12 months ago
Has Anyone Had A Dog Die Of Congestive Heart Failure After Being On A No Grain …

Has anyone had a dog die of congestive heart failure after being on a no grain diet? My American Bulldog had bad allergies to grains and anything w feathers so I kept her diet limited ingredient grain free. She died suddenly of congestive heart failure and I would like to know what to do if your dog needs to be on a restricted diet how do you keep them safe from hear failure. She was only 8 and it broke my heart to lose her. She collapsed right in front of me

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    The answer for this comes in a few parts.
    First, yes, I suspect I have had some patients die from heart failure secondary to grain free diets. These were confirmed as suspected by the cardiologist who saw them after me. So. Yes. I am concerned that grain free contributes detrimentally to heart disease and death.

    Second was heart disease confirmed by your vet? Or a cardiologist? I see far more bulldogs dying from brachycephalic syndrome disease than anything else. By a lot. I had three die this summer from inability to breathe after getting too hot or too overexerted. Unless your dog was diagnosed with a heart condition I suspect it was the head and face that caused the issue and not the heart. That’s just been my experience over 20 years in practice.

    1. Marie Post author

      Is there a way to see Racheal’s syndrome disease coming? I never let her over exert or get too hot. She’s my baby and I guard her health and well being ferociously. I have been called over protective but I want her to be with me as long as possible.

      What are your thoughts on Raw and freeze dried raw diets.? It makes sense to me to feed as close to nature as possible but the diets also scare me – bacterial infections etc.

  2. Laura

    A friend’s golden lost his life to a cardiac event after several years on a grain free diet, confirmed by necropsy that he had a heart attack. The problem with grain-free diets is the substitution of legumes as fillers – this seems to be the contributing factor for dietary DCM. Did you have a necropsy done to verify it was the heart?

    I’m so very sorry. Assuming your dog had dietary DCM, DCM is the absolute worst. We lost our Doberman in the same way, to sudden death, but in her case it’s endemic in the breed and she was diagnosed a little over a year prior. If it’s any consolation, the arrhythmic form of DCM – also called sudden death – does not allow the dog to suffer. It’s over like someone flipped a light switch. I know that’s the form I preferred for my dog – it SUCKED for us, but it was an easy departure for her, and that’s what matters most.

    I would start researching raw, if you have a dog in need of a very restrictive diet that cannot easily be satisfied by mass produced options. Do a L O T of research into raw, as it’s more complicated than feeding a kibble diet.

    1. Marie Post author

      It’s so heartbreaking to lose our fur babies so suddenly. Well anytime to be honest but it’s worse when you can’t prepare. I am sorry for your loss.

      I have been researching raw and freeze dried raw and the decision making is daunting.

  3. Marie Post author

    Many thanks to you both for the responses. My Bunny did die from congestive heart failure confirmed post mortem. It was so chocking when she died. I came in the door, she bounced across the room to greet me and collapsed at my feet. The emergency clinic could do nothing to save her.

    I now have a second American Bulldog and am worried for her as she has allergies as well. I am doing a partial limited ingredient diet and looking at raw or freeze dried raw. But it’s a lot to sift through so it’s a process. I don’t believe Peanuts allergies are food based but environmental. Apoquel sparingly and Cytopoint are keeping things at bay.

    What are your thoughts on giving a taurine supplement to counter the effects of the no grain diets?

    1. Laura

      I would do trials of various proteins to verify the allergies are, in fact, environmental, and then feed a limited ingredient kibble based on that. There are several on the market if you’re in the US. I know someone whose greyhound couldn’t do fish or chicken and did exceedingly well on Natural Balance.

  4. Marie Post author

    Thanks I did 6 months worth of food trial as well as feeding a hypoallergenic Rx diet. It did not change her itching/allergies. Seasonally they seem to be worse and being outside makes them worse. So indoors it is, Apoquel and cytopoint. For now.

    1. Laura

      Ah, sounds environmental for sure. I’d just feed a decent grain inclusive food.

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Michele | 1 year ago
My Dog Was Fine All Day Yesterday And Last Night Until Bedtime. He Suddenly Acted As …

My dog was fine all day yesterday and last night until bedtime. He suddenly acted as if he could not jump up on the bed ( where he always sleeps ) but finally did so for a treat. Sometime later in the night he moved to the floor and slept the rest of the night there. He has NEVER slept on the floor since we’ve had him. This morning, he does not want to move – very lethargic. He will take a treat but very slowly ( he is extremely, extremely food motivated and excited by any/all food ). He did finally walk down the stairs at an extremely slow pace. He does not want to be picked up and just really wants to lay there. I’m going to see if he wants to eat breakfast ( it’s typically the NUMBER ONE thing on his mind as soon as we come downstairs but he is just laying on the rug sleeping. Should I see how breakfast goes and assess from there ? See how the day goes? My vet is open from 1-3 today but I’m not sure that’s for appointments for sick pets. I can always go to the ER if he doesn’t improve or call JVET first thing in the morning if there is no improvement ??? Any advice?

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  1. Laura

    This seems acute. I sure hope you got him in when your vet opened today.

  2. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I’m sorry didn’t see this sooner. How are things going now? Did I see you today during walkins? I am at the clinic all day tomorrow if needed.

  3. Michele Post author

    @Krista – thank you for the response. His appetite is great and his personality improved somewhat through the day. He can walk fine but he still won’t jump, do stairs or stand just on his back legs. He does have luxating patella so maybe he injured himself on his last potty last night. I’ve never seen his knees bother him in any way, so I was very thrown off by his somberness and unwillingness to come to me. Either way, I have an appointment with I think Dr. Ahrens on Tuesday to have him checked out.

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mallory | 1 year ago
My Dog Has These Itchy Spots Popping Up. They’re Risen And Have A Scab Over …

My dog has these itchy spots popping up. They’re risen and have a scab over them. If you remove parts of the scab, there is a clear wet substance coming from the spot. Hair is also coming off with the scab. They are the size of a nickel, and I don’t see any other tiny spots or bumps around them. No change in diet/monthly preventatives. He has one on his back and one on his chest. He is a neopolitan mastiff if that matters. Trying to avoid a vet visit if possible.

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Jessica | 1 year ago
We’ve Had My Dog For 6+ Years. Up Until About 3 Months Ago, He Never Got In …

We’ve had my dog for 6+ years. Up until about 3 months ago, he never got in the garbage and only stole food off a counter one time that we’ve known of. However, this is not the case now. For the last three months, he has started regularly getting into the garbage and recycling bags. He stole a loaf of bread off the counter the other day. The only thing we can think of that has changed is that we started giving our cat wet food instead of dry. But it seems weird that this would be the thing to trigger the behavior. Any ideas? And what can we do to train him out of it? He only does this when we are out of the house.

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  1. Laura

    First: get a full “senior” bloodwork panel done. Rule out anything medical.
    Second: hide all trash and all food. Counter and garbage surfing are self-reinforcing. Lock the trash away, get a locking can. Remove all food from all counters and put them in a secure cabinet. Lock the fridge with a child lock, if necessary.
    Third: Crate when you can’t supervise.

    This is usually medical if it’s sudden like this, but you need to be proactive in your prevention, and it’s always a multiprong approach.

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Gina | 1 year ago
My Almost 2 Year Old Dog Has Started To Nose His Way Out The Door When I …

My almost 2 year old dog has started to nose his way out the door when I leave the house. This has only been going on for about a week. There are two people who live in the house with him. This problem started when I was leaving for a weekend. His other person was here for the whole time I was gone I have been gone for weekends before. I need help to try to stop this behavior so we don’t have to keep him locked in part of the house so we can get out or in the house.
Please help

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    I’m not sure what your question is.
    Are you worried about him escaping while you are out? If so then I do think that placing him in a cage while you are away is the safest thing to do. If you are away all weekend and this is your dog and your responsibility for his care and safety then this is another question you must answer as his primary care giver. If you share custody of this dog with someone in the house then I think you both need to sit down and discuss the situation.
    It sounds like your dog knows you are leaving and is upset about it. We don’t want to discourage that kind of loyalty and love do we?

  2. Laura

    How is the dog getting out? At what point of your departure is he leaving? I suspect this needs to involve a behavior change in the humans as well as the dog. Reevaluate HOW you leave, and what you focus on as you’re leaving. Make sure the door is closed securely when you leave. If the door doesn’t close securely, look into fixing that issue.

    I would also make sure the dog understands that we don’t go outside without a person. Take the dog outside, spend time outside with him, and bring him back inside when you come back in. (Dogs shouldn’t be unattended outside anyway, so this is a safety thing beyond training.) Work on barrier training – train the dog not to cross exterior doors without being told to do so. Look for a training club to find a good trainer to help you work with this issue. (In the Baltimore area we have Oriole Dog Training, which offers a wide array of training classes. Most major cities have at least one training club.)

  3. Gina Post author

    Thank you for your comments. He tries to get out as we open the door to leave. For almost 2 years we have always have him sit and stay telling him we love him and will be back. My question is how do I stop this behavior. He is way to strong for myself with a shoulder injury to walk him so taking him even to the car to take him for training is not what I can do or even afford. Just looking for an idea

    1. Laura

      The other person isn’t willing to work with him?

      Making a big deal out of leaving is part of the issue. I have a shelter mutt who came to us with some separation anxiety (on top of everything else) and she absolutely door dashed when we first got her. We built a routine of giving a high value dental chew just before we leave, and we require her to go to place (go to her bed) before she gets it. Until he has a better grasp of not door dashing, use a barrier! Baby gates are relatively expensive and very, very useful. Crating is also a good skill every dog should have, and should be practiced regularly – don’t discount this as an option.

      There’s a LOT of training you can do at home. I mentioned a local training club for the widest variety of training options available, but you don’t necessarily need to go someplace to get a trainer in your home. Additionally, you can investigate Denise Fenzi’s dog sports university online at https://www.fenzidogsportsacademy.com/

  4. Gina Post author

    Thank you again. My dog is a very larg boy! He seems to be getting a little better! ( he dies not like the door being closed) . The other person ( my brother who is his actual owner) does work with him just not enough to my liking. The dog and I play out in the yard all the time. We are going to try again this weekend to see if the behavior is better. I just can’t do it by myself.

    1. Laura

      Set up a daily training routine with him. At least 5-10 minutes a day will work WONDERS for his overall behavior.

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Cindy | 1 year ago
My Dog Ate A Small Mouse!

My dog ate a small mouse! Is this normal, and should I be worried?

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    If Your dog ate a small mouse that was alive he will probably be fine. If the mouse was dead I would worry that it might have been poisoned.

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Ethan | 1 year ago
Sudden Change In Dogs Behavior

Good evening. Before reaching out and scheduling an appointment with vet in the morning. I will ask here.

We have a 9 year old Sharpei-Hound mix named Emma, that has had a significant change in personality with-in the last 3-4 days. Overall her “Normal” behavior is what you would imagine with a blood hound; laid back and basically lazy. But when she’s outside her Sharpei side shows; playful but a little more on the aggressive side.

We have a fenced in property, and ability to closely monitor her and our other dog; a 12 year Chocolate Lab. With that said, 1 week ago February 25th we were going through our bedtime routine. Both dogs went out. Our Lab came back in rather quickly, but Emma stayed out a little longer before making her way back to the door.

When she came inside, she was shaking very much and appeared traumatized. My wife and I attempted multiple times to check her over and give her some love. But very unlike herself she did not want any part of it. She had No signs of cuts or abrasions or any type of trauma. But the only thing was when we touched the top of her head more over her left side she would yelp and whimper.

The next day she was back to her normal self. Only with in the last 3-4 days we are noticing some rather concerning things with her. That has never been previously observed.

1.Today she has developed a lump about the size of an acorn on the top of her head and still cries out when touched.

2. Appetite has not diminished, but she has had an increase in amount of water drinking.

3. She seems to be having trouble hearing.

4. Significant “Spotting” the last 3 days. This has never occurred before. And yes she is spayed.

5. Tonight when letting the dogs out after supper, I found Emma sleeping on her bed but with her eyes wide open and shallow breathing. I initially thought she had passed away suddenly, but after jolting her she awoke and came to in this rather “dazed and confused” state.

6. I would say that she is a slightly lethargic, she still wanted to go out and play but was more stand off-ish when around other dog and kids.

As stated we found no signs of being bitten by another animal, and until within the last day or so she has been her normal self. She has no underlying health problems, and is very active for being 9 years old.

We will be setting up an appointment, but in the meantime looking for help or assistance of others who have experienced this with their dog.

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  1. Laura

    I can’t fathom what this might be, though a toxicity comes to mind. Definitely get her to the vet.

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Paige | 1 year ago
My Dog Broke Her Dew Claw Somehow And It Is Now Cracked. It Bled A Little, …

My dog broke her dew claw somehow and it is now cracked. It bled a little, but is not anymore. I plan to wrap it with gauze and vet wrap, then call the vet when they open in the morning, but any other suggestions in the meantime? She doesn’t seem to be in significant discomfort and is walking fine on that leg.

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Cathy Owensby | 1 year ago
My Dog Needs An Echocardiogram. I Was Quoted $915. I Was Hoping To Find A More Affordable …

My dog needs an echocardiogram. I was quoted $915. I was hoping to find a more affordable option. Is there one?

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  1. Laura

    Hi Cathy – you can look for a clinic if this isn’t emergent. Usually they’re lower cost…BUT they’re only for dogs without a diagnosis of cardiac issues. If your dog has a suspected problem like dilated cardiomyopathy, you should go directly to a veterinary cardiologist…and yes, they’re expensive outside of cardiac clinic events. I would recommend reaching out to the nearest Doberman club or rescue to see if they know the next clinic event – that’s how I got my Dobe tested before she developed DCM.

    I’m so sorry you have a need. I hope your dog isn’t symptomatic.