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Jennifer Taylor | 6 years ago
I Rescued A Young Golden Retriever In May. She Had Spent The Start Of…

I rescued a young Golden Retriever in May. She had spent the start of her life abandoned in a small cage, she was emaciated, covered in fleas and ticks and of course living in her own waste. She is a wonderful dog, everything is new and she has very much been a blank slate. She is well exercised, is very social with our other dogs and has successfully completed a basic obedience class and will be moving on to 2nd level training and beyond. Thankfully she does not hold her rough start in life against humans in the least. Her only downfall is that she eats stool from our other dogs in the yard. We keep the yard clean, however we have 5 dogs. Even cleaning the yard daily is likely to leave a pile. She will even wait for our smaller dog to go to eliminate so she can eat it as fresh as possible. I imagine that she probably ate her own feces when she was starving, I am quite sure that this is a learned behavior. Over the course of 5 years my family has fostered 80+ dogs. I know that this is a very hard habit to break, however “poop kisses” are rather disgusting so I would love some input on what has worked for others! Thank you in advance.

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello My Dear Friend,
    My rescued beaglette does the same. She also has the same back story and yucky penchant for poop. Here’s what I do.. clean up waste asap (yes, honestly I am not the best at this as I recommend others to be). I also use a clicker or beeper to break her of it while she is doing it. Some non-vocal (she doesnt really want to listen to me anyway in the fever of the fervor to eat anything) cue to say “HEY! YES! I mean you need to stop that!” It takes a while but all of my other dogs have grown out of it.. It takes time and patience like everything else in life. Be with her at all times outside. Use a leash if you can to correct her at exactly the moment she goes for it, or use a whistle to get her attention,,, try to only use it for the absolute dire corrections so it doesnt get as monotonous as our voices have.

    Let me know what works for you guys.

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Pawbly | 6 years ago
Sushi Is My 12-year Old Cat With An Inoperable Cancerous Tumor. Last Weekend She Stopped…

Sushi is my 12-year old cat with an inoperable cancerous tumor. Last weekend she stopped eating and was vomiting bile. At the vet’s, her bloodwork showed high kidney and creatinine levels. After three days on an IV, her kidney levels returned to normal, but the creatinine remained high, confirming her cancer diagnosis. While the vet said she had been eating well in the office, since she came home three days ago, she has not eaten at all. We’ve tried everything: k/d wet and hard food, chicken and rice, her regular food, baby food, tuna, and Fresh Pet, but she hasn’t eaten anything, although she is drinking water. Sushi is very lethargic and stays in her hiding place most of the time. We go back to the vet in the morning, but I hate to put her through another stay at the vet’s if the results may be the same. Can anyone give me advice as to what I should do? I cannot stand the fact that she may be suffering.

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  1. Sarah

    Good morning. I’m so sorry about your cat. I am sure you must be struggling with “what should I do? Can I do more? Can I do anything?” I think a truthful conversation with your vet this morning is important. We had to put one of our dogs down this past June because of cancer. He was a trooper and we made him comfortable as long as we could, but finally in June, he just told us it was time. He stopped eating, even when I tried to hand feed, he wouldn’t come off his bed unless he absolutely had to… I guess what I’m sharing is that our pets communicate with us. You know your pet best. Your vet knows the situation. I think a visit and a conversation about Sushi today will help you figure out the next step.

  2. Yetta Adams

    The vet gave us an anti-nausea/appetite stimulator and pain pills. I just pray that these medicines will make Sushi feel like eating agan. Thank you so much for your response.

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Cathy Testerman | 6 years ago
I Have A 6 Week Old Kitten That Developed Severe Diarrhea 5 Days Ago. I…

I have a 6 week old kitten that developed severe diarrhea 5 days ago. I took her to the vets 3 days ago. Stool culture positive for coccidia. She has been on treatment for 3 days with no improvement. Her rectal area is raw. She is eating and drinking but obviously does not feel well. I have been bathing her and putting Desitin on her rectal area per my vets recommendation. Shouldn’t she be getting better by now?

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  1. Sarah

    I would call the vet in the morning and let them know your concerns. Ask if there is anything else that you could be doing and you might want to ask if there is some supplement that you could give to her food-wise too. Good luck

  2. Krista Magnifico

    Yes. If I would expext rhat if the cias wit the diarrhea was singularly the parasites that she would be better. In cases like these I usually recommend “playing” with the formula. Powder versus liquid replacer and trying to add more water vs less formula. I would also talk to the vet about checking another fecal sample for parasites and even switching to a kitten food. Even a different kind of food can help. If it’s not parasites it’s the diet. That’s my usual treatment plan for theee guys. Good luck. Please let us know what happens

  3. Cathy Testerman Post author

    Took kitten back to vets yesterday. Was given Flagyl. Seems to be working plus Royal Canin GI food. Rectal swelling appears a little better.

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Marshmallow The Rabbit | 6 years ago
My Bunny Has Been Acting Very Strangely Lately. We Put Her Harness And Leash On…

My bunny has been acting very strangely lately. We put her harness and leash on her and took her to the park. We spent a lot of time with her. Then, people were watching her (family) and I wasn’t there so I don’t know what happened. When we brought her back, she looked really scared. My family said that when I left, she just sat there staring at everyone. At home, she hasn’t been eating as much as she used to. She would practically snatch the food from my hand. Now, she sniffed, took a bite and walked away. We tried again with her favorite food, but she didn’t eat it. She’s been laying and sleeping way more than usual (practically all the time). During training sessions with me, she used to care and loved it. Now, she just sat there staring me for a while. She’s also been super scared. Every time I walked in the room, she’d jump up to me, now she runs away at the slightest noise. She’s also been pretty aggressive. She was laying and I reached over to pet her. She let me pet her for two seconds before she reared back on her hind legs and tried to scratch me. Hard. She’s also pretty stressed (her breathing is really fast). What is going on with her?

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  1. Sarah

    I would first and foremost make an appointment with the vet to make sure she is healthy. It may be the stress of the situation (you not being there for a bit) and will take time to get things back to the way they were. I would also ask my family who were watching her if anything happened while you were away. Hope everything is ok.

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Krista Magnifico | 6 years ago
Painful Mouth, Difficulty Eating, Ulcers On A Cats Mouth/lips. Indolent/rodent Ulcers. Feline
Treatment Cost (USD): $143.70
Werewolf was having trouble eating, eating less and also less active. His family thought he might have a bad tooth, which is common in older cats, but instead he had ulcers on the top lip, left and right.
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  1. Nicole Jacobs

    Hi. Can you tell me how you treated this? My Pumpkin has a very similar problem, he has a set of asymmetrical ulcers on his upper lip, but they aren’t going away and none of his vets (regular and oncologist) have a clue what they are from or how to resolve them. He was doing well with chemotherapy for Lymphoma but the ulcers have made him backtrack.

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Sarah | 6 years ago
Good Morning Pawbly Friends. Looking For Advice On Feeding Multiple Dogs At Once. Feeding Time…

Good morning pawbly friends. Looking for advice on feeding multiple dogs at once. Feeding time has never been an issue before, but we’ve only had two at a time. We have a third now and it is proving to be a little hairy at times. Part if the issue is my senior guy doesn’t eat well, so I’ve been sitting with him and hand feeding. Our newest rescue, and it is VERY early days, isn’t really eating normally yet either, so I have to kind if watch him as well so our remaining dog doesn’t go and eat his food…. he’s getting better as he learns the routine, so I’m sure that will work itself out shortly. In the meantime, it’s a challenge. Any advice would be appreciated! Thanks??

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  1. Anonymous

    Separate them. I would crate feed, to be quite honest. This allows each dog to relax after a meal (which is ideal to avoid bloat). If you can’t crate feed for whatever reason, separate into different rooms.

  2. Krista Magnifico

    I agree with Laura. It’s the only safe and sane way to watch multiple dogs AND avoid them from focusing or fearing the others. It just keeps the meal time calm and manageable which is exactly what they need. Xox

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Tara Kennell | 6 years ago
Hello, I Have A 7 Mo Old Bloodhound, Dewey And A 5 Yr Old Beagle/husky…

Hello, I have a 7 mo old bloodhound, Dewey and a 5 yr old beagle/husky mix. Dewey my bloodhound has discovered my garden. He is always eating vegetables like greenbeans and vegetable foliage like cauliflower leaves, broccoli leaves and brussel sprout leaves. Sometimes it’s the plant itself. My question is can this hurt him? Can he eat too much and get sick? Also, I do not use any pesticides in my garden.

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I live in a very rural area and lots of my patients have gardens that they help themselves to. I have never seen a problem outside of the rare tomato overdose. The plants to be weary of are onions and garlic. So a little nibble of the plants you mention is unlikely to cause a problem. Talk to your vet if you seen any vomiting or diarrhea. And try not to let them over do the feasting.

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Pawbly | 6 years ago
My Cat Ran Away For 7 Weeks We Found Her Extremely Malnourished And Dehydrated Displaying…

My cat ran away for 7 weeks we found her extremely malnourished and dehydrated displaying neurological issues. We rushed her to the vet but we couldn’t afford the hospitalisation so we took jer home with prescriptions and subcutaneous fluid replacement therapy. Jer liver enzymes were elevated they said it should get better as she eat very slowly in small quantities. Its been 5 days since we found her. The neuro issues have disappeared. She has been peeing regularly in increasing quantities and though week she can walk around. She is alerte. But she refuses any food in any form. I have tried wet dry kitten formula replacement. She eat a bite or two the first days and nothing since. What should i do?

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  1. Anonymous

    I would call the vet back, to be quite honest. 5 days with almost no food is a critical issue.

  2. Sarah

    I agree with Laura- she needs some nourishment. Ask your vet- perhaps syringe feeding us an option? I would also ask my vet about hospitalization costs, and discuss different affordable options as well as payment options. See if there is a way you can put s lump sum down up front and then pay the rest off monthly? Best of luck.

  3. Joe Johnson

    I suggest you check into how easy assisted feeding with oral syringes is once you and your cat get the hang of it. You’d have to go real slow at first – maybe 1ml per quirt and only 5ml every 1/2 hour or so, but it’s pretty darn simple once you get the hang of it. Almost any canned pet food can be turned into a slurry/shake with water and a blender or even with just a spoon and a lot of patience, if it’s pate style. I’d suggest going with food you know your cat loves, so that it’s easier for them to get comfortable with the concept. You must go VERY slow to begin with or you run the very serious risk of getting liquid into their lungs, which can be deadly. There are decent videos on You tube going over all of this in detail and I assume your vet would be more than happy to show you first hand how it’s done.
    First and foremost though, please go see the vet.

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Pawbly | 6 years ago
Hello! I Have A Puppy Named Chico, He’s A Japanese Spitz. He’s Only 4 Months…

Hello! I have a puppy named Chico, he’s a Japanese Spitz. He’s only 4 months old and he’s a really healthy dog. He eats a lot, he drinks a lot. However since 2 days ago, he hasn’t eaten anything. He doesn’t want to eat anything, he drinks water though. But he really doesn’t want to eat. Whenever we gave him food, after a few hours, he’ll vomit that food that he ate. We think it’s dehydration, but just like what, I’ve said awhile ago, he likes to drink a lot of water so I don’t think that he’s dehydrated. Since 2 days ago, he has lost around 4 pounds I think. We’ve tried giving him electrolyte like Gatorade, we’ve also given him metoclopramide, and dextrose also. But he always vomits his medicine after a few hours also. What should I do? Please help me, he’s really gloomy.

1 Response

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    Based on your puppies age I have to urge you to go to the vet immediately. Any illness or disease in a puppy this young can be and should be regarded as an emergency. I worry about parvo, parasites and a slew of other things that can be dangerous and even deadly if not addressed quickly. Dehydration kills puppies. Quick. Please see a vet immediately.

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Pawbly | 6 years ago
Hello, My 4 Year Old Staffordshire Terrier All Of A Sudden Has Become Sick And…

Hello, my 4 year old Staffordshire Terrier all of a sudden has become sick and we don’t know what is going on. He has suddenly started to cough which ends with him gagging. He doesn’t want to eat and just lays around sleeping. Occasionally, he will get the shivers. He has still been drinking water and will still go out to use the bathroom. I just hate seeing my little ball of energy looking so tired and miserable. I’m wondering if it’s kennel cough that has progressed or something of the sort. Anyone have any opinions or ideas of what it could be or what I can do to help him? We have very limited income right now.

1 Response

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I’m sorry but there isn’t enough information to provide any reliable or credible direction. Your pup really needs to see a vet ASAP. I just don’t know anything about your dog to help you otherwise. At my clinic an exam starts at $50. From there we often work with a very limited budget. The sooner your vet sees your dog he better. Also the longer you wait the more serious the condition may become which worsens the prognosis and the budget. Please look into carecredit or see if any of your local rescues or shelters offer low cost options. Best of luck.