Ask questions and share about your pet's health to help others.
I juat got a puppy today got told he was a runt he also has an ear smaller then other one has his shots i guess she said vet said he was healthy but his hip bones pop out badly not sure if i should be worried
I don’t mess around with eye issues, I would flush this eye with a plain saline solution (you can buy it in any drug or box store, find it in the eye care section) and it that doesn’t do the trick over night I would make a vet appointment – telling them it is an eye issue so they don’t push you off.
tried a beef food with no chicken ingrdients and my dog is scratching and itching all the time.I’vIe stopped the beef, but she’s still itching.
There are many fish based diets, I like Holistic Anchovy (it’s anchovy, sardines and oatmeal). I would try that. If that doesn’t work talk to your vet about hill’s prescription z/d.
Good Luck
Dr Dawn
I have 4 dogs. 2 are females. The other 2 are males. The one female is 6. Jack Russell and shit Uzi mix. This would be her 4th litter. Will it kill having this litter.
…there are too many variables here. why are your dogs not spayed and neutered? keeping them together and letting them breed is irresponsible. there are low cost spay and neuter clinics in every state. please get her spayed, as well as your other bitch, if you’re not going to neuter the dogs.
I have 4 dogs. 2 are females and the other 2 are males. The 1female is 6 and so is one of the males. Now my question is. I think she’s pregnant again for the fourth time if she has this litter. Will it kill her
Hello there. I am no expert but i still want to try to help you out. First of all, you didnt mention if it’s her first litter or not. Second, i think that the dog’s health, in some cases, is most valuable for a diagnosis than her age (as a number). I’ve seen 3 y old dogs in a awful shape and i’ve seen 11 y old dogs running after a surgery for pyometra. Crazy. That being said, if she’s fit and fine and healthy i think she is perfectly capable of giving birth at that age. Keep in mind she still needs to go through exams to check if everything is running smoothly. After that, you will need to protect the mother and the puppies and think about getting her spayed if you don’t want this to happen again.
Hope this helped.
Good luck!
i would get her spayed. it’s the safest for her.
I have a diabetic cat who I give insulin every 12 hours. I can’t be home for his next dose.
Is it better to give it to him early 4 hours, or late 4 hours
5 yr old basset just went in heat. Would like to breed her, she is in very good health but has never had a litter. What is best timing for that, how long is gestation, is there special care for when pregnant and what size litter to expect?
Hi Eric, you should have made sure your Basset was up to date with innoculations; wormed and flea treated before she came in heat. Hopefully she is ok with all those. May I just add she is getting on a bit for a 1st litter so if you are going to mate her don’t leave it any longer.
Find a stud dog who has had all the relevant health checks for the breed. Bassets are prone to IVDD so bare that in mind too (research it ok). Be prepared to pay a hefty sum for the stud dog fee. Your bitch should have had these health tests too.
Bitches are usually receptive to a male between the 11th and 14th day of her heat. Its always best to mate twice, say 11th and again on the 14th day. She will carry the pups for 9 weeks. Its the luck of the draw as to how many puppies she will have.
However, to care for the bitch and a litter is hard work and expensive. The puppies will need worming from 2 weeks old, and every 2 weeks after that….wormer from Vet not pet shop. Worms lay dormant in the bitch and pregnancy hormones kick them into life, passing through both the placentas and the bitches milk. Your bitch will also need worming from being mated right through…Vet can tell you which wormer is safe.
The puppies need clean bedding several times a day; they need to be kept at an even temperature of 24 degs C. Be prepared for Vet bills along the way….the bitch delivering the pups; a sick puppy or two ect.
The puppies will need to be registered with the relevant Kennel Club and Pedigrees written. They should all be microchipped, up to date on wormer; puppy packs ect. You will also have the job of finding them the correct homes….Contracts should be prepared to say that you will have the dog back at anytime during its life should there be any problems.
At the end of all this you will probably be out of pocket….and owing Vet bills. You may also be left with a puppy or 2 you can’t find homes for. Be prepared for all these things.
Having said all that….your bitch may sail through the whole thing and you have wonderful life long owners waiting for the puppies!
Good luck….and please do think very carefully before you go ahead with the mating. Have extra money to spare for Vet bills and be prepared for any scenario.
Great thanks, our girl is caught up on shots, etc., and due for a regular visit this week. She is shy of 5 years, has always had very good check ups, etc. Will speak with our vet as well, and wouldn’t be considering this without several good potential puppy lovers lined up and getting the best advice we can. Much appreciated…
Totally agree Krista….so many things can go wrong….you need to know exactly what you are doing and be ready for anything. X
my opinion: with such an unhealthy breed, unless you have a specific goal in mind, best to avoid breeding her.
also, read through this: http://www.basset-bhca.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=104&Itemid=183
if you are unwilling to test for these things and submit those results to OFA, don’t breed. if you aren’t willing to do a LOT of pedigree research, don’t breed. if your bitch isn’t registered, don’t breed. if your bitch isn’t titled in at least something, don’t breed. if you’re breeding to make money, don’t breed.
find a breed mentor to help you do this the right way or don’t do it.
This dog is too old! It is a basset! Large heads, long spines to get stuck in the birth canal. SOOOO many things can go wrong! You have no idea how expensive this could get so quickly! You could kill your dog! At the very least you would be looking at a stud fee, sonograms before the puppies are born so you know how many to watch for – and to rush her to emergency for a Cesarean if the puppies don’t deliver normally. Then you have a series of well puppy/mom visits to the vet running up bills for that.
Then there are expensive vitamins to keep the puppies from going blind if there are too many for the mom, round the clock feedings to keep the puppies alive if the mother refuses them or dies when they are born.
You need a heated whelping box, need to know how to spot an emergency, how to provide CPR to any puppy that isn’t breathing when delivered.
We can tell by the questions you have asked that you are not prepared to do something like this. Just STOP. And get this dog spayed so she has a longer, healthier life.
do not give human medication without direction from your dog’s veterinarian.
for how long has she been limping? have you tried crate rest to see if this is something that will heal itself? in your shoes, i’d put her on crate rest (no running around the house, no jumping on and off beds – in the crate, out to toilet in the yard ON LEASH, then back in the crate with toys/chews to keep her busy) for at least a day or two, minimum.
Hello Bob.
Though not an emergency, all patients demonstrating lameness should be evaluated by a veterinarian experienced in orthopedic examinations and lameness evaluation. Causes can be wide ranging; from a foot pad injury to spinal issues and treatment will always depend on the results of a confident diagnosis.
And Laura is absolutely correct! Never give a human medication to your pet unless under the expressed medical advice of your veterinarian… Dr. Google may seem like an easy path to take, but that road can lead to a plethora of problems.
Cheers,
Dr K
My cat’s left side of her left pupil is slightly dilated. I am a peace corps volunteer in morocco where I don’t have easy access to a vet. She’s been this way for about a month and a half now but there have been no behavioral or diet changes. Any advice on what I should do?
How old is the puppy? You should take him to a vet within 3 days of adopting this pup. Also, unless he is at least 16 weeks old he still needs vaccines.
Hes 2 months ……she gave me the vet papers stating he got his shots already….but he looks too thin to be healthy …..i know runts are small but his weight doesnt look right….also a deformed ear….
Get him to your vet for a health check ASAP!
you purchased this puppy? i know you have the puppy now and it’s too late for this, but why did you buy a puppy with an obvious deformity?
Being a “runt” indicates he is smaller than the other puppies in the litter. This can mean nothing, or it can mean that he was born with a problem that impacted his ability to take in food and use it properly. Only a vet can check your pup to make sure he is healthy, and make recommendations about feeding, tests he might need, and shots to prevent diseases that would put his life at risk.
Don’t take the breeder’s word for this – you will fall in love with the pup and may have very expensive vet bills ahead of you if he was born with major problems.
So, off to the vet — you may feel so much better once you know one way or the other.
His hips could look that way because he’s thin or it could be a real problem. He needs to go to your vet to find out ASAP.