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I have a male gsd. I’m wanting to add a lab o our family. Would male or female be a better fit?? I hear generally, you want to add the opposite sex but als heard the female labs are pretty moody.
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.
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,
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.
I have a 6 year old Boston terrier that I adopted in january 2016 she was abused badly previously and as the months go on I just can’t seem to help her get over her fears, if anyone even approaches her she pees if we call to her she pees we can’t sweep around her because she’s terrified of brooms shes terrified of everything to be honest she’s always shaking and no matter how much I feed her she stays bone thin I’ve tried different techniques but nothing seems to calm her fear does anyone have advice? Anything would help greatly
We have a German shepherd who was in a similar state when we got him. Our vet recommended a trainer/behaviorist. It took TIME, and honestly I really believe in our case, the rescue of a second dog who is just a ‘happy dog” lab mix, helped immensely with the German shepherds recovery. So the first 6 months seemed an endless maze of new issues popping up. Our trainer was wonderful and kept reminding us to be patient, consistent, loving and firm. With the help of our vet office (shout out to JVC) and our trainer, we have the best dogs in the entire world now and I wouldn’t change trade them for anything in the world. Good luck to you!!
Have you asked your vet for a local trainer to get some guidance as to where to start?
I agree with Dr. Magnifico – work on training with a trainer. Training, particularly in group settings, can help build confidence in shy dogs.
My great pyrenees has parvo, He is a little over 15 wks. we took him to the vet to be hospitalized. What are his chances of over coming this? Its day three, the vet called us today and said that he just vomited. I just hope we got him in fast enough.
Every dog and every disease is different. Hopefully you caught it very early and he will only need to be hospitalized for a minimal amount of time.
Although I agree with Krista my general rule of thumb is the larger the puppy, and the faster the disease is diagnosed and treated the better the chance of survival.
Good Luck parvovirus is a nasty disease.
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.
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
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.
Is it safe to give my 7 yr old Cocker Spaniel eggs occasionally?
Yes. But I prefer it be cooked to avoid potential pathogens like salmonella. And it should not be a significant portion of the diet as it is high in cholesterol.
Many thanks. I was thinking scrambled, boiled or poached.
There’s a fresh looking red rash that’s puffy under my chihuahuas armpit, does anyone know anything that it could be?
Not sure what the cause is but it’s certainly a rash. I recommend putting raw egg and or coconut oil in its food as well as applying coconut oil on the rash.
In most cases these are some kind of skin irritation. I often see it associated with a harness. But I think a trip to the vet for a topical ointment and a medicated shampoo might help it resolve much faster than your current treatment plan. Start at the vets with an exam and monitor your dog for other areas that might indicate a larger issue.
Good luck
How can I make life easier for my little Cocker Spaniel who is on steroids and a tablet for her immune system? She is absolutely ravenous yet I dont want to overfeed her. She was never a greedy dog yet she would eat the bowl at the minute. Those big brown eyes are so sad its breaking my heart. I understand to keep her alive we need to give her the drugs.
Thank you very much. I have been bulking out with more veg than usual. She loves pasta. Would that be ok?
We give our boys cold baby carrots, and canned or fresh bits of pumpkin as training treats. They absolutely live it, and I worry less about them getting fat from treats.?
Thank you.
Hello,
You can offer food that have bulk, and are therefore filling, without adding calories, like fiber. Pumpkin, and many other veggies can do this. Also I think that a nice distraction like a walk or play time (disease status permitting) also help. You can also break the meals into smaller meals.
Whoops thank you for that. No pasta on Holly`s menu.
Pasta is not a good choice it’s high in calories and starches that turn to sugar.
My dog has been diagnosed with IMHA and is on steroids and also a tablet for her immune system. She is absolutely ravenous and I feel so sorry for her because obviously I cannot overfeed her. Any tips please to make this easier?
Hello,
This is a very serious disease that should be very closely monitored by your vet. It is asssumed that the prednisone is the cause of the polyphagia (increased consumption) but there is no “one dose fits all” so you should call your vet and ask for a recheck to make sure you aren’t giving too much or staying on it for too long. The polyphagia should rewsolve as the pred is tapered. For now inquire about low fat highly nutritious options like w/d or O/M foods.
I hope he recovers quickly and without further complications.
Thank you for your response. My vet sees Holly each week with a phone call also to check on her. She is doing really well and the steroid has been decreased in dosage this week. What are w/d and o/m foods? I have started her on a “make her feel full” food from my vet so hopefully this may help. I also try to bulk out with veg.
Hi my dwarf hamster has loss abit of hair and has cuts on his back ! Lately he has been falling over ALOT and has been dragging his back legs along the ground ! He is eating and drinking normal but he won’t let me near the cuts to treat them what do I do ?
Best advice is to take him to a vet because this sounds more serious than just cuts/scratches on his back. His prognosis is going to depend on the hamster’s age and the ultimate cause of his problem.
Good Luck!
We have a male GSD and then rescued a make lab shepherd mix. After a short introduction period, They are best buds for more than 6 years now. I think your expectations and your introduction have a lot to do with the outcome, as well as of course the temperament of the dogs. There are a lot of great books on introducing a new pet to your home. Good luck.
I, personally, prefer mixed sex pairs. GSDs are prone to same sex aggression, which cannot be trained out…and it usually doesn’t show up until living with another male dog.
All bitches are moody – it’s part of being female and hormonal. If you go through an ethical, reputable breeder who fully health tests and titles their dogs per the breed club’s code of ethics, you’ll be stacking the deck in your favor as far as temperament is concerned.