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Pawbly | 7 years ago
How Do I Get My Dog To Use The Doggy Door Properly? He Will Go…

How do I get my dog to use the doggy door properly? He will go outside on his own but he seems afraid to come back in unless he gets permission! How do I teach him it’s okay to go in and out on his own?

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    Repitition! Repitition! Reward! And repeat. Over and over and over. And then one of these times he just sort of gets it. Use lots of rewarding and lots of looking a little foolish as you try to pass treats back and forth through the door. So that the door isn’t scary anymore and a treat always exists on the other side. And always (ALWAYS!!) be patient, kind and add more patience.
    Good luck

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Natanya Pierdica | 7 years ago
My Dogs Has Been Poisoned, 3 Weeks Ago, 6 Puppies Died As Well. 2…

my dogs has been poisoned, 3 weeks ago, 6 puppies died as well. 2 puppies survived and one of them started showing a lump on his back last night. they are 6 weeks old. the mother did scratch them – not sure if the scratching could have infected the little ones please help

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  1. Julie Brader

    Hi, I’m so so sorry! How dreadful that someone would do that. I assume you are certain they have been poisioned? They couldn’t have eaten a toxic plant or something? Whichever way your dogs have become you MUST take the ones that are still alive to a Vet URGENTLY. If you don’t you could well lose them all. They really should have gone to the Vet as soon as you saw symptoms and they died. Please please taken them all to a Vet NOW. I do hope they survive…but it is unlikely without professional treatment.

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Pawbly | 7 years ago
Why Is My Dog’s Poop Orange?

Why is my dog’s poop orange?

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  1. Jennifer Taylor

    Is your dog’s stool always orange? Have you you recently changed foods? Could your dog have eaten something he/she shouldn’t have? I often see dogs who eat colorful dog food have equally colorful stool. If this is something new and there is no other explanation then I would contact my vet. Best of luck getting to the bottom of this mystery!

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Jennifer Linhares | 7 years ago
My 28lb Dachshund Mix Ate One Children’s Vitamin. I Will Post The Ingredients. Should I…

My 28lb dachshund mix ate one children’s vitamin. I will post the ingredients. Should I take him to the ER?

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I’m sorry I didn’t see this earlier. I was at Pets With Santa,, your dog should be fine if it is just an OTC multi-vitamin. If there are any gi signs I am at the clinic all day tomorrow.

  2. Alana Wood

    It should be fine if it is only one. Just make sure he does not eat anymore.

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Martha Ciaschini | 7 years ago
I’d Love To Hear You Opinion On The Corporatizing ( Making That Word Up) Of…

I’d love to hear you opinion on the corporatizing ( making that word up) of veterinary clinics. Personally I’ve had mixed results with both small independent clinics and with one of the large corporate players.

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  1. Sarah

    I personally feel that whether your vet clinic large or small, it is imperative to have a good relationship with them. If you have a good, reciprocal relationship where you both have your pets best interest at heart, it is a win win for everyone, most importantly your pet, involved.

  2. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I agree with Sarah! It is very important to know who your pets provider is and who the owner of the clinic that they work for is. It is also vitally important to be prepared for the inevitable bumps in the road of your pets life. Knowing what options are available for expensive conditions is also a way to be prepared. Many clinics don’t provide surgeries and rely on referrals. Others don’t offer any payment options outside of credit cards. And even fewer invest back in their community for shelters, rescues, or unhomed animals. It all depends on your financial abilities and personal perspective. It takes asking questions for real problems that exist and being prepared for those that might lie ahead.
    My personal opinion is that in general corporations are heavily focused on profits and less invested in the small aspects of what makes each community special. The individuals they serve. (And no I am NOT talking about the clients here). Most Corp practices do not help rescues, do not offer discounts to rescues and do not offer every single option to save every single patient. Do I think that this is an unattainable dream? No. I don’t. And lots of other people don’t either. I just don’t know if those other people are corporate entities. Let’s hope a few are.

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Jennifer Taylor | 7 years ago
Last Christmas Our Kitty Snacked On Our Live Christmas Tree. We Found The Needles…

Last Christmas our kitty snacked on our live Christmas tree. We found the needles in her stool. This also coincided with her being diagnosed with lymphoma. She is amazingly still with us, although life seems to be a series of ups and downs. As she has has digestive issues from lymphoma I certainly don’t want to cause any further irritation this holiday season. We are debating putting up an artificial vs real tree, however I wonder if ingesting the artificial matter (ie plastic) could be more iritating than organic matter. Thoughts?
If we had a room to simply close the tree in to we would, however we have an open floor plan….and if we didn’t have children we would skip the tree altogether!

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I think I would do the real tree and try to minimize the chances of ingestion by offering safer substitutes like cat grass, cat nip and toys. You could also try to spray something to discourage her on the bottom branches like cedar, lemon/citrus, etc. safe but non-feline friendly. Sending best wishes for a safe uneventful holiday..

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Laura | 7 years ago
Dr. Magnifico (and Anyone Else), A Friend Has A Difficult Situation He’s Trying To Rectify…

Dr. Magnifico (and anyone else), a friend has a difficult situation he’s trying to rectify with his cat.

He has a male cat who was treated for a UTI very recently – 2 weeks ago, to be exact. In the past two days, the cat has taken to urinating on a specific spot on the carpet on the same floor as the litterboxes (they have 3 boxes for 2 cats). He is not actively AVOIDING the boxes, he’s just preferring the carpet for urine. He isn’t marking, either – he’s emptying his full bladder in this one particular spot. I’ve suggested cleaning the heck out of the spot with an industrial shampooer with Nature’s Miracle added to the mix, to get the urine out of the pad. What other suggestions can I give him? I have zero experience with a cat with a UTI, and I’m at a loss at the moment.

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  1. Anonymous

    Just to update, friend rented a Rug Doctor and thoroughly cleaned the spot. Once it’s dry, he’s going to do another round of cleaning on the spot.

  2. Sarah

    I’m wondering if he out the box there, would the cat use it? I know it’s not a permanent solution, but it may help short term. Then perhaps move the box back little by little, IF the cat starts using it again. Just a thought….

  3. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    Here’s my gold standard recommendation. Serial urinalyses (three to be exact) to look for any evidence of a urinary issue. This might include a culture and sensitivity. I also like an X-ray and ultrasound. Point being work out a medical issue to the ninth degree!! At the same time start to address behavior issues. I have a few blogs on “inappropriate urination”. I think (hope) that I have added all my secrets and tips to them. If things get bad (like to the point of considering giving up use the drugs!!!). Try fluoxetine.

  4. Anonymous

    Sarah – Thanks! I suggested the box move. Even if it’s just plopping ONE box in that spot, it can’t hurt, right? I don’t think they’ve furnished the basement yet, so it’s a great idea. 🙂

    Dr. M – THANK YOU! I’ll recommend another urinalysis. My gut feeling is it’s not quite gone, especially when this started a day or so ago, and he was seen by their vet 2 weeks ago. I’ll recommend another visit today. I’ll also dig through the blog. 🙂

  5. Anonymous

    Update! He will cover the spot with plastic and put a litterbox on top of it, and he’s trying to get his cat in today to get a urine sample captured today or tomorrow. He also washed the spot again before returning the Rug Doctor this afternoon.

    Thanks a ton, ladies! I’ll keep updating as things progress.

  6. Julia Morrell

    are they declawed? some cats dont like the feel of the litter. have several types of litter boxes high, low, covered, open, etc. to encourage proper elimination

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Pam Purdy | 7 years ago
My Dog Tested Elisa Test Positive For Giardia With No Cysts Seen. She Has No…

My dog tested Elisa test positive for Giardia with no cysts seen. She has no symptoms. Does she need to be treated and can she give it to us? Thanks.

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  1. Sarah

    I researched some and I do not believe that humans can catch from dogs… at least I haven’t found anywhere saying that it is possible. I would make sure to wash my hands thoroughly and you could always call your vets’ office to double check and make sure.

  2. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    Typically I only treat if this is causing diarrhea, or was found in an immunocompromised individual. I have never seen it be passed to humans from pets. Ask your vet to provide you better guidance for your pets test results. That is what they are there for.

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Pawbly | 7 years ago
I Noticed My Dog (Jack Russell Terrier/Chihuahua Mix Born Feb 28, 2016 15lbs) Licking His…

I noticed my dog (Jack Russell Terrier/Chihuahua mix born Feb 28, 2016 15lbs) licking his penis. So I examined it and I noticed that the hair on the tip of his penis is turning black and hardening at the base of the hair and the hairs falling out. I also noticed that he has a lump on the right side of the tip of his penis. I’m just very concerned because I just now examined him to find the lump but have notice the hair problem for about a week or 2. Please help!

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  1. Sarah

    I agree- the sooner you get to the vet, the better. If you let it wait, it may become costly if it is in fact infected. Good luck!

  2. Julie Brader

    Please take your dog to.a Vet as soon as you can. Something is obviously wrong. He could have an infection needing treatment or something else. All lumps need checking too. This is bothering him a great deal if he’s constantly licking the area and whatever it is needs to be diagnosed and treated. Hope he’s better soon.

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Kathleen Munna | 7 years ago
Sorry To Disturb But I Need Advice. Appears Jessy The Latest Rescue Who Is 1…

Sorry to disturb but I need advice. Appears Jessy the latest rescue who is 1 years old is causing a pretty disturbing home environment. Here goes: daisy the 13 year old dog has been eating non-stop, Lucy the 9 year old has completely withdrawn very depressed, Stella a 9 year old dog bit the hell out of Jessy trying to get her to stop nipping at her. Tao my male 5 year old cat has started swatting my younger cat Mia. Sasha the youngest cat hasn’t been seen since last weekend hiding from all of us under my bed. I have dog and cat pheromones on all 3 floors. Jessy appears to be herding all the animals by nipping at their haunches. And non stop sniffing which is iratating all the animals. Any advice on how to calm the house?

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  1. Anonymous

    Get Daisy to the vet if she’s eating non-stop. Reestablish a routine for EVERYONE in the house. This may include feeding all the dogs in their crates for now.

    I would also encourage getting a behaviorist in the home, to see exactly what’s going on. There may be an underlying behavioral issue that you aren’t seeing.

    Is Jessy a herding breed? How long have you had her in the home? What sort of training have you done with her thus far?

  2. Krista Magnifico

    Hello.
    I agree with laura. I would start by providing boundaries and restrictions to the entire group to see if this can be resolved with time and patience. In some cases we try to encourage exercise to get the frustrations worked out on neutral territory. Or try rotating cage time-outs until the group settles down. Also seeking the help of a behaviorist to help break down the personalities and your participation in the group dynamics can really help.

  3. Kathleen Munna Post author

    Jessy is a rescue I have had for 2 weeks. all canines are shi-tzus but Id bet Jessy is a mix maybe a jack Russell she jumps and leaps like a Russell. All canines are rescues I’ve had for 2-3 years. So far no training just verbal discipline. Both back legs are in bad shape with hip displaysia and torn cruciate ligament so I have been using a beep and zap to stop her from using the stairs.

  4. Anonymous

    Okay, you need to set rules rather than discipline the dog(s). You’re punishing without showing what you expect, and that causes a LOT of issues. I strongly suggest getting into a class with Jessy.