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Sandra Sellers | 5 years ago
I Could Use Some Advice To Keep My Dog From Eating Cat Poop. We Have 1 Dog …

I could use some advice to keep my dog from eating cat poop. We have 1 dog and 2 cats. On our first floor there is a mudroom with a pet gate with a cat door. The cats have their litter boxes on one side of the mudroom and food on the other side. This arrangement has worked for 8 years. My daughter’s young cat has had digestive issues for her entire life and would poop on the floor outside the box once a week. We tried all different kinds of boxes and litter and probiotics and food but no changes. She also hates the feel of litter. We tried all kinds and newspaper and towels and pee pads…you name it.
For a month she decided to poop on my daughter’s bed twice a week…which of course was a cleaning nightmare. Sometimes she pooped on the bed while my daughter was sleeping in it.
Finally we found a limited ingredient food that worked along side of a probiotic and her poops are now more manageable for her, less painful I’m guessing and pretty regular. We added a litterbox upstairs to my daughter’s bedroom but she would never use it. We moved it to the large hallway outside my daughter’s room where it was darker and more private and she still didn’t use it. Purchased cat attraction litter and after 1 week she finally used the upstairs box to poop. I held my excitement but it’s been 3 weeks now and no more pooping on the bed. Her poops are also a lot less messy and stinky. Now my problem is if she goes at night the dog jumps right up and eats it. I caught her doing this twice but she was too fast to stop. Other times you can smell that she must have pooped but it’s gone. She’s only going upstairs so I don’t want to take the box away. She’s so picky with boxes and how she sits in the box and how it smells a covered litter box won’t work. There isn’t way to put a gate up in that hallway as it’s a super old house and shaped weird. I’m afraid any change to the box will stop all the good progress. My dog probably gets to the litter box before us about half the time–so it’s not every time. My dog is healthy, eats well, is up to date on everything and is well taken care of. Thanks for your patience with the long explanation.

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  1. Laura

    Clevercat litterboxes are a LIFESAVER. Not even my long-nosed Doberman can get into them. That said, now that the cat’s using the box reliably, can you move it to a room with a gate? You can also get free-standing gates for oddly shaped entries…we use one in our puppy pre-K class to block an egress point, and it works very well.

  2. Laura

    OH and as far as your dog’s nutrition is concerned…for some reason, most dogs REALLY LIKE cat poop. I’m not sure why, Dr. Magnifico might have an idea, but this seems to be a thing even with dogs which wouldn’t normally do this. I agree it’s gross, and I hope you can find a solution which works for your situation.

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Charlotte | 5 years ago
My One Year Old Lab Mix Has Worms. She Did Not Even Poop And Their Was …

My one year old lab mix has worms. She did not even poop and their was two worms stuck to her but and I don’t have money for a vet please help

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  1. Sarah

    Good morning-
    There may be OTC options of dewormer, but I can not make a recommendation on those. I would be extremely careful in going that route. Dosage will probably vary greatly. If I were you, I would call my vet and find out how much an office visit and a shot of dewormer would cost upfront. The longer you wait, the worse (and subsequently the more expensive) things will get. Your dog is 1, so probably due for an annual exam anyway. I’m sure your vet will be able to do the yearly exam and deworming altogether. They may be willing to let you pay in multiple installments.

    1. Charlotte Post author

      Yes thank you I ended up just taking her yesterday to the vet and she got her shots and stuff and I’m working with them on paying thank you

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Mary | 5 years ago
Hi All, I Have A Six Year Old Jack Russell Mix Presented With Neck Pain About 5 …

Hi all, I have a six year old Jack Russell mix presented with neck pain about 5 weeks ago. The vet did xrays and saw calcifications in the c2-c3 area. I can’t afford to go the neurologist, so my vet is treating him with prednisone, tramadol, diazepam, methocarbamal, and gabapentin. He had a few days last week without his “episodes” as I call them after we upped his diazepam. Also last week we lowered his prednisone. I have had to hand feed him soft food because crunchy causes an episode, and him eating from a bowl causes an episode. These “episodes” are him screaming in pain, his neck thickens up, his back arches, it is so gut wrenching to see my baby go through this. Well after 5 days of no events, he had an episode yesterday and he hurt all day. It seemed to be worse than when it all started. Today is awful also. He is taking his meds but cries when he does. I have him on crate rest. I even put a note on the door asking people not to knock or ring the doorbell as barking also causes problems. I guess my question is with all these meds and rest, should we further along than where we are? I will call my vet in the morning for his opinion, but I was curious as to how others have handled this timeline.

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    These cases are really hard to fit a normal. Everyone is different and each has its own twists and turns. Also I get concerned when we don’t have a firm diagnosis. Has your vet done xrays and bloodwork? If so I think it’s best to ask for a recheck ASAP and go over your pets medications and plan. It might need a little tweaking based on the pain your dog is having now. Also please inquire about cage rest. It sounds like you are on a good pain regimen but rest and sedation might be needed now. I hope this helps.

    1. Mary Post author

      Thanks for the quick reply. Yes, the doc did bloodwork and xrays. That’s what concerns me. We have tweaked meds several times now. We started with 10mg prednisone, upped to 20mg, now back down to 10mg since my boy is only 28 pounds when we started. We are at 100mg tramadol, 1000mg methocarbamol, 25mg diazepam, and 300mg gabapentin. Is that a lot for his weight or is there still room to change it up?

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Sandra | 5 years ago
My 12 Year Old Jack Russell Just Recently Had A Some Drops Of Blood In Her Stool. …

My 12 year old Jack Russell just recently had a some drops of blood in her stool. She was straining a bit the last time she went, and this time she was straining a lot. Her stool wasn’t completely solid, nor was it diarrhea. She has been very gassy the past couple of days. Now her stomach is making noises, but she just passes gas and it stops. She ate her food normally before this happened, and now she doesn’t seem to have any other problems besides being gassy. Do I need to be concerned, or could it be from straining so much?

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  1. Sarah

    Good morning,
    I would keep an eye on her bathrooming. Hoping she just ate something that isn’t agreeing with her. If she continues having difficulty, then I would definitely call the vet. Sometimes, it may just be a one off and they get back to normal just fine, but if it doesn’t resolve quickly then they could get into trouble. Try to give her bland food… boiled chicken and rice. That might help settle her stomach from grumbling. When she passes that, I would check the stool. Then go from there. Good luck!????

  2. Sandra Sellers

    Usually a few drops of blood is normal if they are constipated. A large amount or not happening every time would be a sign they need to see a vet. I agree with some bland food. Also a little pumpkin can help move the stool along. It could be a small episode that will never happen again. I would monitor and if it continues they would need to be checked out for a blockage or tumor or something.

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Jennifer Taylor | 5 years ago
Today After Running Errands I Came Home To Find My 7yo Shepherd Mix Cowering In The …

Today after running errands I came home to find my 7yo Shepherd Mix cowering in the corner. Typically he runs to greet us. I made sure he hadn’t gotten into anything then I let him out while unloading groceries, typically he enjoys running around the farm but today he hopped into the back of my SUV and refused to budge. As my truck was in a shady spot I let him be with the hatch and windows open while I mowed. Now several hours later he is still in the back of my truck. He has been offered water which he drank and we let his Golden Retriever best bud out who he was happy to see but still refused to budge. Typically he is a “Velcro” dog and stays right with us, especially my daughter. This behavior is very out of character and has me concerned .

4 Responses

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  1. Sarah

    I am sorry you didn’t get a response sooner. I would be concerned as well with such a sudden change in behavior. I would get to the vet- just for peace of mind for sure. Even if you go and they find no temperature or anything else wrong, you will at least know that part of the equation is ok. Maybe he just ate something he shouldn’t have and will bounce back? I’m hoping by now you have a better idea of what is going on.

    1. Jennifer Taylor Post author

      I am very lucky in that I could contact my vet after hours who suggested taking him for a ride and seeing if he was normal upon returning home. We took a quick drive to our favorite hiking spot, he had popped up, tail wagging so we took a short hike and swim. Upon returning home he again refused to leave my SUV. I moved my vehicle and offered to take him in a different door to the house which was a success. Seems something must have scared him in our kitchen and the hike was an added bonus. Completely normal today.

  2. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    It sounds like something got him startled and he needed a little change if scenery to get himself off the issue. If he’s still afraid of the kitchen start desensitizing him back to it.

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Charlotte | 5 years ago
I Have A One Year Old Lab Basset Hound Mix And Every Time We Go In …

I have a one year old lab basset hound mix and every time we go in the car she throws up I know it is just car sickness but is it something she will grow out of or something I should be worried about

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  1. Sarah

    It could be nerves/anxiety… in which case you would have to work to change the behavior and also work on her anxiety. You may want to discuss it with the vet and see if they have any recommendation as they know your pet better than me. I would try to find a good dog behaviorist (your vet may have a recommendation) to help show you the best way to handle this with your dog. Best of luck.

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Christine | 5 years ago
I Have What May Be A Ridiculous Question But I’m Going To Ask Any Way… …

I have what may be a ridiculous question but I’m going to ask any way… I just order leather collars for my dogs. I did a lot of research to make sure there were no toxic chemicals used during the process. However, I couldn’t find info on the hardware (buckle). It is made of brass. I just want to make sure that this won’t be toxic on my dogs skin?

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Well that’s one I haven’t gotten before. Now I’m not a metallurgist. But I am fairly certain brass and stainless steel are considered the safest. So I think you are good!!
    Thanks for asking. ????
    Krista .

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Kelli | 5 years ago
My 9 Year Old Pug Has A Seroma On His Right Back Hip. It Was Drained Once …

My 9 year old pug has a seroma on his right back hip. It was drained once due to discomfort.

It’s now filled back up over the last few days. We’ve been monitoring it since our vet doesn’t want to drain it unless it’s absolutely necessary.

It’s really big. It’s pulling the skin down with the weight of it.

How is it possible for the body to heal the muscle area where the space exists when all that liquid is in there and stretching the skin?

He is eating, drinking and seems fine, but he’s having trouble walking with the weight of the liquid he’s now walking around with.

Is it dangerous at any point? Is there a time where it’s too much fluid in the area?

The space was cause by a car tire. He was grazed in our driveway. The skin got separated and me has formed a seroma. He is recovering well from the experience. He’s on antibiotics for the cuts he had and an anti inflammatory.

Thank you. ????????

2 Responses

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    In general I address seromas this way; if it isn’t infected or causing the patient problem I leave them alone. It takes time, often weeks to months but the body will reabsorb the fluid slowly and without incident. If it is a problem a drain can be placed in and around the pocket. But this comes with possible consequences. Like every surgery has risk. It requires anesthesia. There is a charge and a risk with this. Opening a sterile pocket to place a drain allows for the introduction of bacteria and can lead to infection. That’s worse than a sterile pocket of fluid. So talk to your vet about all of this and then decide what you think is best for your dog.

  2. Sarah

    If you did not get any paperwork with your puppy, I would make an appointment with your vet immediately. Let them know he is brand new and has no records.

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Karen | 5 years ago
On Friday My 6yr Old Mutt Carlito Went “down” With IVDD. Back Legs Paralyzed. Dr Krista’…

On Friday my 6yr old mutt Carlito went “down” with IVDD. Back legs paralyzed. Dr Krista’s YouTube vids with the beagle were helpful but they started on day 10. Day 17 was a success to see him walking, I’ve been crying a lot but that gave me hope.
My dog Carlito and I are on day 3, start of day 4. Went to emergency vet immediately on Friday they diagnosed but didn’t prescribe- I called on Saturday morning because he was in much pain and the vet I talked to said she would have prescribed and wondered why I didn’t get anything. had to go back the next day for gabapentin and codine. So- got a late start on meds. Saturday afternoon started meds. Carlito only wanted to be in a “sit” position, which was rough on his two front legs which are curved and a bit -let’s be honest-malformed. I had a scarf I would hold under his armpits to relieve his legs and take the weight. Made a traction thing in his cage for a bit but I stopped keeping him in the cage as moving him was painful (for him) and difficult for me. He weighs 45lbs. He looks like a mini pit bull in the face and chest, but with a long body and short legs. He’s athletic usually. Fetching maniac. Chasing all wildlife. This is extremely upsetting.
I used banfield vets for first 3yrs, then moved so I just got his annual shots from the humane society. I don’t have a relationship with a vet. I can’t move him so I called a house call vet service and have one coming today.
Carlito is drinking a little water and urinating, but won’t eat food and hasn’t pooped since Friday when I found him.
I’m worried he hasn’t pooped, but he only ate once, I believe early Saturday (1am).
His penis is exposed and I’m worried about that. Pain? Infection?
I am mostly worried about him walking again.
He slept in a laying down position last night. Maybe that’s progress?
He cried out and bit me when I moved him Saturday morning so when I moved him once Sunday I put a muzzle on him and moved him from the floor to a bedding situation. I am hesitant to move him but I worry about his back legs and circulation?
He tenses up when I attempt to put my arms underneath him and resists my lifting him. I saw on the vid that you touched the place where -butch? The beagle- disc was out. Carlito has a mid back disc injury. Should I be patting him there? To send him the message that I will be conscious of this injury spot? I’ve been avoiding this because I though it would cause pain.
Also, should he be prescribed a stool softener? Steroids? Anti-inflammatory? I only have the gabapentin and codine.
What should I be doing at this stage for his back legs? Please advise. I have not really slept. I can’t afford surgery. I will put any and all vet bills and supplies on credit cards to get my good boy better. I just want to know what to do.

3 Responses

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello
    I have information on ivdd on my YouTube channel and my blog kmdvm.blogspot.com. Search hank or ivdd. I also think that it is super important to have a vet available daily for the first week or two. If you have been happy with your housecall vet use them. But you need help this first week dusky
    If your dog isn’t eating regularly they won’t defecate regularly. . So I think you need to get the pain under control first. I also always recommend wet food. It’s easier to eat and softer to pass. Ask about option for pain and even a referral to a neurologist. I also always advocate for the Facebook group called dodgers list. They are super helpful.

  2. Sarah

    Hi-
    So sorry that you are going through all of this. I would start with the house vet that you have coming over, since you do not yet have a regular vet. Ask them and share your concerns with them. I would mention the research that you have already done online as far as treatment options go. See what information and knowledge they have to share. I would also start asking around for opinions on local vets who are close to you… in case your visit with the vet you have making the house call does t work out. Dr. Magnifico has many videos on this and she also has a blog that you can look up for advice. I would definitely discuss pain management with the vet, options for how to help maneuver Carlito, stool softeners and possibly vitamin supplement until he is eating better….. I hope this helps. There are many knowledgeable friends on this sight. I am hoping someone that has had more experience with your situation logs on. Best ofluck to you and carlito!!

  3. Karen Post author

    Thank you for the replies. I really like my visiting vet. She prescribed prednisone and I’m adding Pepcid. Carlito is on Gabapentin and codine. So hopefully the steroid helps calm the inflammation. This is Day 5. He pooped a little yesterday. I’m getting better at expressing his bladder on a schedule. I put a muzzle on to move him so he doesn’t bite, and while that helps me confidently pick him up for pee/poop check I wonder if it silences his pain cries so maybe I can’t know as well as before if what I’m doing is causing pain. I have a pretty good idea of what positions are painful for him but this positions seem to be changing as the pain meds kick in. He seems more depressed than scared now, but that could also be the meds.
    He also seems weaker, he seem less able to “stand” or support himself in a sit position on his two front legs but again, maybe it’s the pills.
    I have a rear leg sling coming on Thursday. (Day 7) and think if I put that on I can have Carlito start “standing” and possibly walking on his front legs again. WHEN is it ok to start that movement? How regular should that be? I’m going to research PT that I can start at home.

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Melissa | 5 years ago
We Have A New Puppy, A 9wk Doxipoo, He Seems Extremely Lazy And Doesn’t Ever …

We have a new puppy, a 9wk doxipoo, he seems extremely lazy and doesn’t ever really want to move unless we make him. Even when he goes to the bathroom, he goes while laying down and it doesn’t seem to phase him? He doesn’t cry or whimper.. just lays there. His eating schedule has been quite unpredictable as well. At first I thought that he just needed an adjustment period to get used to his new people and place but now I’m getting worried. Shouldn’t he be playing more than this? Or at least have some interest in exploring? Should I be worried about Parvo or another sickness?
He came from an in-home breeder and I haven’t been able to get ahold of her since I became worried.

3 Responses

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  1. Sarah

    I would get to the vet immediately! Puppies should not be lethargic like that. And the fact that the person you got the puppy from is not getting back to you is concerning. Let your vet know your suspicions when you make the appointment so that they can be prepared. Best of luck. I hope things turn out ok.

  2. Krista Magnifico

    Yes. I would be worried. Any abnormal behavior, especially in puppies this young , makes me very very worried. It’s time for a visit to the vet ASAP. I hope they check a parvo test and fecal. Along with physical exam and temp. Please go today. Let us know what the vet says.

  3. Melissa Post author

    Vet said could be PARVO, anemia from fleas, parasite or a congenital defect since he was so much smaller than the rest of the litter.

    We’re hoping just anemia from fleas since that’d be easiest to treat