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Pawbly | 8 years ago
Hello! My 4 Month Year Old Lab Had Diarrhea Last Night And Seems To…

Hello! My 4 month year old Lab had diarrhea last night and seems to go every 2 to 3 hours. I tried her on some rice and she vomited. She acts ok. She still will play then nap, which is kinda normal. After the rice her pooped looked green?I wonder if anyone has some advice to avoid dehydration? How soon should I take her in?

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  1. Anonymous

    If your puppy is 4 months old, this is an emergency. Get her to an emergency vet NOW.

  2. Dawn Ferara, DVM

    I agree with Laura get your pup to a vet.

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Pawbly | 8 years ago
Hello, Recently (today) We Had Brought Our 2 Year Old Pit Mix To The Vet. He…

Hello,
Recently (today) we had brought our 2 year old pit mix to the vet. He currently has ear infections in both ears. We were prescribed pills for the swelling, ear drops and ear wash. The pills are the easy part… the hard part is cleaning his ears. I know I am doing it right because of another animal we have that had ear infections. We have tried treats, sitting with him and going slow. But there is just no stopping the biting and the whining. I know it must suck for him and I’m going easy with him. Is there any more suggestions to help calm him down so I can wash his ears? Thanks..

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    For some dogs this is very difficult because the ears are painful. For others it is fraught with anxiety due to associated fear and for some they were just never conditioned to not be afraid of ear (also applies to nail trimming). For the immediate care you could ask about a product like Osurnia. A long lasting topical. But you have to get him used to having his ears cleaned as he is predisposed to other ear infections. Ask your vet for tips on how to hold and clean the ears and try to always make it a quick easy and stress free task. Good luck

  2. Brittany Mullens

    Update: thank you for the advice. I asked the vet today and she gave us a topical. Also the swelling of his ears has gone down significantly. Which definitly helps with the process of cleaning… I have washed his ears before and I do with the other dogs because I knew if one had ear infections it’s possible for the others to be prone (they are siblings). I think it was just because of the pain factor. We still go super slow with him and try to keep him as calm as possible. But so far so good! Thank you again!

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Pawbly | 8 years ago
Three Weeks Ago We Adopted A 4 Year Old Female Dachshund/beagle Mix. She’s Very…

Three weeks ago we adopted a 4 year old female dachshund/beagle mix. She’s very sweet and loving toward everyone in the family except my younger son. He is 17, a gentle animal lover, and has never done anything to this dog. She barks at him, growls at him, or just runs away from him. It makes him very sad. Can we get her to warm up to him?

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    I usually tell my client in this situation to try to shift all pet care activities to your son. Walking, feeding and anything your dog sees as fun. No talking or coaxing just let him become the silent pet care provider. Everyone else in the family has to help out by not talking or reaffirming the dogs fear by intervening. If it is hard to get a leash on the dog have a trusted family member do it and then have your son take the leash (as quietly and inconspicuously as possible) to go for the walks. Also try to use treats and attention to build the result gap. Your dog needs to learn to trust your son which is hard to do if she already has family members who love and take care of her. Your dog doesn’t need your son, nor does she have a reason to trust him. To build the trust your son needs to start being the fun and food person. He also needs to understand how your dog sees the relationship. If your son is determined to make this relationship change he had to be patient and dedicated or just let her be. Some
    Dogs never decide to open their hearts to others when their caregivers are already in place. Never ever scold her. Or force her to like anyone or may make things worse. She is who she is and it takes time and patience for her to change. Good luck

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Nicholas P. Woodward | 8 years ago
My Friend Just Decided Not To Euthanize Her Cat Of 18 Years Old Today. …

My friend just decided not to euthanize her cat of 18 years old today. The cat is blind and suffering from seizures, as well as dementia. She seems alert and ok, today, though. Do you think that this was the right decision?

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  2. Laurie Davala

    I’m sure everyone has different thoughts on this, but my heart tells me it’s a quality of life question. If pets primarily live in the moment, it’s a shame for the last moments to involve suffering. It’s so hard for us to say good-bye because we still love and enjoy our pets even if they are no longer enjoying life.

  3. Nicholas P. Woodward Post author

    Thanks, Laurie- yea, it’s just a tough call. Today was a good day, but no idea if or for how long that will continue.

  4. Paul Acerno

    It’s a tough call, your friend knows the cat better and will have a better idea of if she’s really suffering.

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Steve Hatchett | 8 years ago
My Father Told Once That Animals, Cats In Particular, Would Become Very Affectionate, Clingy, And…

My father told once that animals, cats in particular, would become very affectionate, clingy, and purr loudly when the were seriously ill and death was imminent. Is that true? Those thoughts have always made loosing a pet difficult for me. The one time an animal desperately needs, and is communicating that to me I can’t help them even after they have spent their lifetime showing me unconditional love.

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  2. Krista Magnifico

    I do think that all animals are far more intelligent, intuitive and superior than we humans give them credit for,, especially when it comes to death (and life).

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Pawbly | 8 years ago
I Have A 9-year-old 5 Pound Chihuahua With A Collapsed Trachea. He Has Been On…

I have a 9-year-old 5 pound chihuahua with a collapsed trachea. He has been on hydrocodone on and off for a few months now, and it does not seem to help at all, even at the maximum dosage. He was put on steroids which worked well for the first 2-3 weeks, but they stopped working all together before he was even done taking them. Is there any other medication out there that could possibly help? He is still eating, drinking, going to the bathroom etc without any issues, just a horrible constant cough that keeps him up half the night and I’m certain must be painful for him.

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    My very good friends dog had excellent response and recovery with diet change, weight loss and lomotil. Please ask your vet about these. We also provided nebulizer treatment and significantly restricted exercise and stress.

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Pawbly | 8 years ago
I Just Recently Rescued A Male Parakeet. He Was Found Cageless, In A Driveway! The…

I just recently rescued a male parakeet. He was found cageless, in a driveway! The pet store said they asked around for about 2 months and nobody said they were missing a parakeet. Anyways, his claws are extremely long. We got this perch cover that would file them down, but his back claws are bent outward. We know how to trim them safely, but we don’t want to stress him out. Should we bring him to the vet or are there any tips on how to keep your parakeet calm while trimming their claws?

Thanks. 🙂

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  1. Jennifer Taylor

    We would take our childhood parakeets to the Vet to have their nails trimmed. You may be able to find a veterinarian near you who will trim parakeet nails. They are so skilled they are usually able to do it quickly causing little stress. Good luck!

  2. Anna Ikona

    As this is your first time, I’d let the vet do it first and show you how he/she does it, so that you could do it at home next time. Good luck 🙂

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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 | 8 years ago
Hi, I Want To Start Feeding My Puppy Homemade Food But Wondering Whether I Need…

Hi, I want to start feeding my puppy homemade food but wondering whether I need to give her a vitamin supplement to make sure she has a balanced diet?

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  1. PK Dennis

    You don’t need supplements if you do it right. Read the book Unlocking the Canine Ancestral Diet by Steven Brown. Steve has been formulating commercial dog foods for over 20 years and so understands how to provide a balanced diet feeding homemade.  The book has a lot of science but chapter 5 has clear recipes to follow.  I have read over a dozen books on this topic and I think this is the best when it comes to helping you understand balanced nutrition. 

  2. Beth Ingham

    Thank you both for your advice and quick replies. I will look into to both of these 🙂

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Pawbly | 8 years ago
My Amish Friend Down The Street Has A Working Dog That Tends To Her Other…

My Amish friend down the street has a working dog that tends to her other animals (herding sheep, horses, etc.) so he is an outdoor farm dog. (a sheltie/aussie mix). The dog is well loved and cared for but even after giving him a bath today, the poor animal still has little bugs (like fruit flies but a little bigger) swarming and flying all over him, especially his face area. I mean, like about 50-75 or so of them! It’s crazy. She just thought he needed a bath and that’s why they were there, but even after the bath they were there. I have never encountered anything like that before. Anyone help explain and give some ideas on how to get rid of them for this poor pup 🙁

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  1. PK Dennis

    This is normal in PA to a degree. The dog’s diet contributes to its attractiveness to flies more than any thing. I would check for ear infection(s) or bad teeth.  Other than that all that can be done is to apply a repellant to the dog – and I would use a natural one that can be found at an Agway or other farm store.  These repellents contain a mix of essential oils like cedar or peppermint, etc.

  2. AnneMarie Battis

    Thank you. I agree – unfortunately with their culture it will fall on deaf ears, I am just trying to do my best to help the pup. I was the one that gave him the bath, etc. Perhaps I can have her make a mask and meanwhile I will play around with some of my essential oils to create a repellant blend that will work and that the dog would be tolerant with. Thanks so much Krista and PK

  3. AnneMarie Battis

    PK….I normally use water in my essential oil blends for animals but seeing as the bugs are attracted to water, do you think I should use a carrier oil instead?