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Pawbly | 7 years ago
I Have A Male German Shepherd Dog( 3 Years Old). He Has Recently Developed A…

I have a male German Shepherd Dog( 3 years old). He has recently developed a few red bump(with dark pigmentation on the top) around the center of his belly. They cause him no discomfort or anything. They are about 5mm wide and 3-4mm high in size . I am wondering if that is something I should worry about.

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Sarah | 8 years ago
Our German Shepherd Has Suddenly Developed What Feels Like A Tiny Scab On The Tip…

Our German shepherd has suddenly developed what feels like a tiny scab on the tip of each of his ears. You can’t see it, but when I was loving on him earlier this morning I felt it. Upon further inspection I realized that it is like a little scab on each tip. It doesn’t seem to bother him. Both dogs have been outside a ton since the weather has finally been nice the past few days. I’m wondering if it could be allergies acting up?

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello my dear Pawbly friend!
    There are numerous conditions that can cause the tip of the pinna to crust. Parasites like scabies, poor circulation that might indicate a heart problem, immune mediated disease (I always worry about this in this breed), allergies, infection and even organ impairment like liver disease. (There are others too)..
    Because you are a client I would start with making sure he is on monthly Nexgard or every 3 month Bravecto for the scabies. Look closely for evidence of allergies elsewhere on him and have an exam with blood work as the next step.
    Hope this helps!
    Please keep me posted
    Krista

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Sarah | 8 years ago
Hello All, My German Shepherd Is Getting Older And Has A Lot Of Trouble Jumping Into…

Hello all,
My German shepherd is getting older and has a lot of trouble jumping into the back of the car now. Friends of ours have been lovely enough to loan us a ramp for him. While I have been able to train this dog to do tons of things, I am having a hard time teaching him to use the ramp, and I can’t figure a way to make this work. So far I have used treat rewards for each time he puts his front paws onto the ramp, I have had our other dog Dierks go up and down it to show him, I myself have also gone up and down the ramp to show Butch. I have also tried lining the treats up the ramp in an effort to get him to follow his nose. Lastly, I have laid thenramp flat on the ground and tried to get him to walk on it… all of this to no avail. We have been working at it for about a week now. I never go more than 10 minutes at a time and I always end our little ramp session with something I know he can already do so that it ends on a happy note. Any and all suggestions on how to help him understand the concept of the ramp would be greatly appreciated!!?

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello my dear Pawbly friend.
    Ok. Here’s my advice from my experience. Start with just the ramp. Put it on the floor in a high traffic area. The goal is to see if he will use it on a flat surface. If he uses it on the floor it isn’t the ramp that’s the issue it’s the incline, or the flexibility (some are flimsy and cause anxiety), or it’s the transition from floor/ground to floorbed. my experience is that most dogs hate the surface feel. So then try to add a carpet strip to add better traction. If he will walk on it after carpeting you need to try to decrease the angle (by lengthening or starting higher off the ground or add sides to it to spare them the fear of falling.
    That’s my tips. Let me know what you think. Xoxo
    Krista

  2. Anonymous

    Dr. M said everything I would have said. The combination of a strange surface AND a weird way to get into the car can be very confusing. Introducing it as a flat surface first, then working up to an incline is the best way to help your dog gain confidence with the new device.

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Sarah | 8 years ago
Hello- I Posted A Few Pics Of My German Shepherd, Butch Last Week Because He…

Hello- I posted a few pics of my German shepherd, Butch last week because he had some sort of injury to his eye. It got much smaller, and we thought it was gone, but it appears to have tripled in size since Thursday. Yes… 2 days. He always rubs his face on the sofa and on Thursday it wasn’t nearly this big, but I thought yesterday when I got home from work that he just irritated it by rubbing on the sofa. Now I’m kicking myself for not just bringing him to the vet in the first place. I’ll call Monday for an appointment hopefully Tuesday. I know JVC has walk in hours on Sunday, but I always feel like those are for emergencies and I don’t want to take up someone else’s’s emergency spot. Here it is today. Any thoughts on whether or not it warrants an “emergency” visit. It has a scab on it now, because I’ve been diligent about not letting him rub along the sofa a rip it off. It feels like a nodual or some sort of hard cyst, and is a little larger than my pinky nail at this time.

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I dont think it is an emergency. I also think that the rubbing is probably due to an itch and is likely the cause of the significant swelling and size increase. Based on breed and location I would suspect an allergy or infection. Please see your vet and ask about a topical ophthalmic and an ecollar. Also ask about using diphenhydramine if it recurs. It might save you a vet visit the next time.
    Good luck,
    Let me know what the vet says,

  2. Julie Hollifield

    I don’t know how to enlarge the pictures to take a closer look. Can anyone help me with this? I tap on the picture which brings up the original post in a separate window but I can’t access the pictures to make them bigger.

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Sarah | 8 years ago
My German Shepherd, Butch, Developed A Bump On His Eye This Morning, Literally In The…

My German shepherd, Butch, developed a bump on his eye this morning, literally in the span of about an hour. We had our regular morning routine, which consists of a walk and lots of cuddles for the dogs. I know he did not have anything on his eye then. We brought my oldest down to the bus at 6:50, and he did not have anything on his eye then either. When we brought my two younger kids down to the bus, I noticed he had a sort of angry, red pimple above his eye. I cleaned it off with warm water as soon as we got back up from the bus stop and it sort of “popped” a bit as soon as I put the warm compress on it. It was a bit of clear fluid/blood, but not that much. A little bit on the paper towel, that’s it. It has not gotten any bigger at all today, has not drained at all and does not seem to be bothering him. Any thoughts as to what it could be? I’m thinking if it is still there in the morning that I’ll be bringing him into the vet to make sure it isn’t anything serious. I’ve uploaded a few photos, but they aren’t very clear. It really looks more like a pimple than the photo shows.

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  1. Dawn Ferara, DVM

    As fast as it appeared my guesses are insect bite or injury. Although it is impossible to diagnose any skin lesion without examining it. I would recommend watching it for changes and if it is not looking better by Friday have your vet look at it.
    Good Luck

  2. Sarah Post author

    Thank you. It is almost gone this morning, so I guess it was just a bite or scratch of some sort. I’m still watching it and will bring him in if it changes again.

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Pawbly | 8 years ago
Only Aggressive With Food, And Only Started To Outwardly Be Aggressive With Food This Week…

Only aggressive with food, and only started to outwardly be aggressive with food this week. Other than that they get along fine.
My German Shepard is gentle with humans, this aggression is only towards my other dog. ( I can hand feed my german, she sits and only eats when I tell her to.) My peke is not showing aggression or challenging my german.

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  1. Anonymous

    I would immediately change your feeding schedule.  Feed in separate rooms through whelping and until the litter has been sold.  GSDs are known for moderate same sex aggression…throwing pregnancy into that mix increases that instinct.

    Your breed mentor should have told you this.

  2. Anna Soparno

    This was definitely an unplanned pregnancy, I had only had her for a week or two before she went into heat (She only just turned a year in July.) And we are new to the area so ironically there is a male Shepard down the road who did as he pleased while Danu (my Shepard,) was tied up. I did not know they are known for moderate same sex aggression so that is very helpful. I am having low confidence lately concerning whether or not Danu is a good fit for our home and if this can be broken even after the litter is gone.

  3. Anonymous

    SSA is temperament, not training. It *cannot* be trained out. She may go back to “normal” once the puppies are gone…or she may not. Give her time, at least, to get the hormones out of her system before you decide to rehome her again.

    If you do, please go through a German Shepherd rescue to get her placed. This will ensure she goes to an appropriate, experienced GSD home.

  4. Anna Soparno

    There seems to only be aggression when food is involved, not toys or anything like that, but I can tell my first dog, Ladybird, the Peke mix, is not relaxed at all. So in theory, if Danu was male we would not be having this issue?

  5. Anna Soparno

    also, danu is not fully German Shepard, she has rottie in her as well, don’t know if this makes any a difference, and her original house hold Danu had to fight with many other dogs in a small home, not have access to food and water for weeks, it was bad living conditions.

  6. Anonymous

    Well, like I said, she *may* go back to normal afterward. Regardless, do NOT allow them to eat in the same room.

    It sounds like Danu has a lot of issues. If I may ask, why didn’t you terminate the pregnancy early?

  7. Anna Soparno

    Danu, despite her original environment has come a long way since when we first got her, and it has only been up to this week has she shown such aggression. So its really taken me aback, because this is not her, I would not allow a dog into my home that would cause hazard to my animals. I did not terminate the pregnancy early because quite frankly, we did not know FOR SURE she was pregnant. She was not showing normal symptoms or signs.

  8. Anna Soparno

    and right now, they are both sleeping, no issues, previously Danu licked ladybird in good gesture, so I know the trigger is food.

  9. Anonymous

    Noted.

    Well, hormones make everyone do crazy things, including our dogs. I think, once the puppies have been rehomed (please use a rescue to help you with that, to ensure they end up in appropriate homes), get her in an obedience class. It’s impossible to say just how she’ll behave once she’s no longer nursing and is spayed, you know?

  10. Anna Soparno

    Absolutely, I just want to make sure I am taking the necessary steps to create a harmonious environment. I have never dealt with pregnancy in dogs, it was certainly not something I was looking forward to, but I guess the perfect storm occurred. I do appreciate you talking with me for I was freaking out this morning, I just hope things go well, and I will make sure the pups are in the hands of someone who knows what they are doing and are qualified.

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
Hiya, My 6 Year Old German Shepherd Has Been Limping Oddly Since Last Wednesday But…

Hiya, my 6 year old German Shepherd has been limping oddly since last Wednesday but doesn’t seem to be upset or anything by it. She is really happy and still playing etc which is weird as normally if she hurts herself she acts like she is dying! But occasionally, especially when she has layed down for a while she can split her legs ever so slightly. She can still jump on the sofas etc too.

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  1. Anonymous

    Have you tried putting her on crate rest for 24-48 hours to see if the limp will resolve on its own?  Allowing her to continue behaving normally is preventing it from healing and may be making it worse.

    Crate rest means in the crate for the duration, and all potty breaks are on leash.  Out to toilet, then back inside…no walks, no play.

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
HI THERE, MY DOG HAS EPILEPSY. HE IS ON POTASSIUM BROMIDE AND PHENOBARBITAL. GERMAN SHEPHERD…

HI THERE, MY DOG HAS EPILEPSY. HE IS ON POTASSIUM BROMIDE AND PHENOBARBITAL. GERMAN SHEPHERD. SINCE STARTING MEDS HE HAS GAINED 45 POUNDS. HE HAS ATAXIA, WHICH IS GETTING PRETTY BAD. WE DECIDED TO SWITCH HIM TO A DIET DOG FOOD TO HELP HIM LOSE WEIGHT, SO THAT WE COULD ULTIMATELY LOWER HIS MEDICATION DOSAGE. OUR VET CONCURRED. SHE DID NOT MENTION THAT CHANGING HIS DIET WOULD INTERFERE WITH THE SALT LEVELS BECAUSE OF THE BROMIDE HE WAS TAKING. AS SOON AS WE SWITCHED HIS FOOD HE STARTED SEIZING. HE HAS HAD ABOUT 7 OVER THE LAST 2 DAYS (HE WAS SEIZURE FREE FOR ALMOST 3 MONTHS). WE LIKE THE NEW FOOD WE PICKED BECAUSE IT IS BETTER QUALITY (FROMM) AND DOES NOT HAVE ROSEMARY EXTRACT, WHICH HAS BEEN LINKED TO SEIZURES. BUT WE DON’T KNOW IF WE SHOULD STOP IT AND GO BACK TO HIS OLD FOOD, OR HOW TO TRANSITION BACK/FORWARD. HE WAS PREVIOUSLY ON NUTRO LARGE BREED ADULT FOOD. I CANNOT FIND THE CHLORINE CONTENT FOR NUTRO, BUT THE CHOLINE CHLORIDE CONTENT FOR FROMM IS 2887.63 IU/KG (71.47 IU/100 CAL). I DON’T TRUST MY VET ANYMORE TO ASK HER, AS THEY HAVE NOT TOLD US ANYTHING ABOUT BROMIDE AND SALT LEVELS. I HAVE HAD TO RESEARCH ALL OF THIS ON MY OWN, EVEN THOUGH I HAVE NO VETERINARY TRAINING. APPARENTLY, GOOGLE IS MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE THAN MY DOG’S VET. IF SOMEONE COULD ADVISE US ON NEXT STEPS WE WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE IT. WE WANT A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR DOG, ONE WHERE HE DOESN’T SLIDE HIS BACK LEGS DOWN THE STAIRS AND FALL DOWN BECAUSE HIS BACK LEGS ARE TOO WEAK. SO WE KNOW THAT A DIET AND LIFESTYLE CHANGE IS IMPORTANT. BUT WE NEED SOME ADVICE ON HOW TO MAKE THE CHANGES, AND HOW FAST/ HOW TO TRANSITION, BECAUSE EVERY TIME WE CHANGE HIS DIET IT APPEARS TO TRIGGER SEIZURES (WE SWITCHED HIM TO LIQUID BROMIDE BACK IN MARCH AND RIGHT AWAY HE GOT CLUSTERS AND ENDED UP IN EMERGE AND SEVERELY MEDICATED FOR A FEW DAYS). WE DON’T WANT TO GO THROUGH THAT AGAIN, SO WOULD PREFER TO FIX THIS ON OUR OWN. BASICALLY, I’M ASKING, SHOULD I GO OUT TOMORROW MORNING AND PICK UP HIS OLD DOG FOOD AND SWITCH HIM BACK COLD TURKEY? OR SHOULD WE STICK WITH THE NEW BETTER FOOD AND SEE IF HE GETS USED TO IT AND THE SEIZURES STOP? OR SHOULD I BUY HIS OLD FOOD AND MIX IT WITH THE NEW FOOD FOR A WHILE, AND WILL THIS EVEN HELP? IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE WE CAN DO? THANK YOU KINDLY FOR YOUR TIME. “

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  1. Jana

    My question would be whether it’s the change in itself or something else present in the food triggering the seizures. I do agree that rosemary extract seems to be suspect in contributing to seizures. I also agree that putting on weight isn’t good for anything. My best recommendation would be to work with an integrative vet at this point. I know a number of people who used this modality for managing seizures with great success. An integrative veterinarian can also be of great assistance with diet and actually food therapy, as well as acupuncture and herbal therapy, all of which can be quite helpful. If it was my dog this is the direction I’d go in from here.

    http://www.tcvm.com/

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| 9 years ago
Hello,my 3 Years Old Female German Sheperd Had 2 Days Ago Her Heat Cycle Started…

hello,my 3 years old female german sheperd had 2 days ago her heat cycle started i know it cause of bleed. the thing is that since 2 days ago she hasn’t bleed again, why ?

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  1. debra yuhasz

    Dogs bleed during only the beginning of the heat cycle. Usually longer than 2 days. She may be keeping herself so clean you don’t notice the blood. All my dogs do this.

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
Hi My German Shepherd Dogs Penis Is Soft Towards It’s Tip During And Erection Which…

Hi my German shepherd dogs penis is soft towards it’s tip during and erection which has made him unable to breed please help me out of problems

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  1. Anonymous

    please neuter him.  that’s the answer to your problem – neuter him.  he doesn’t need to breed, and if he is UNABLE to breed, then he should be neutered to ensure he has a happy life.

  2. debra yuhasz

    Since he’s unable to breed you might as well get him neutered. He will be a much less frustrated dog. An intact dog smells a female in heat and if he can’t get to her or is unsuccessful in his attempts it causes anxiety and frustration. It’s cruel for him to spend his whole life that way. I don’t believe there is a solution to his problem, so neutering is the kindest thing you can do for him.

  3. PK Dennis

    Debra and Laura are correct, a dog with conditions such as this should NOT be bred.  This dog obviously has underlying conditions that are undesirable in future generations!  Have him neutered and enjoy his companionship.