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Pawbly | 9 years ago
I Have A German Shepherd And Her Hind Legs Are Swollen And She Can’t Walk…

I have a German shepherd and her hind legs are swollen and she can’t walk much. She is 6. Any way to help relieve the pain before I can get her to a bet tomorrow? Ice? Heat? Anything?

2 Responses

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  1. Ashley Williams

    Thank you. I will get her there first thing tomorrow morning

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
My Puppy Has A Boil Type Bump At The 12 O Clock Position Above Her…

My puppy has a boil type bump at the 12 o clock position above her anus. She just went into heat also. Its tiny and doesnt seem to be getting larger. Ideas on what it is or if its related to her being in heat. It didnt show up until then.

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
5 Yr Old Basset Just Went In Heat. Would Like To Breed Her, She Is…

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?

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  1. julie brader

    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. 

  2. Eric O'Dell

    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…

  3. julie brader

    Totally agree Krista….so many things can go wrong….you need to know exactly what you are doing and be ready for anything. X

  4. Anonymous

    my opinion: with such an unhealthy breed, unless you have a specific goal in mind, best to avoid breeding her.  

  5. Anonymous

    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.

  6. PK Dennis

    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.

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
I Need Help With My Leopard Gecko. She Has Shared A Tank With My Other…

I need help with my leopard gecko. She has shared a tank with my other female leopard gecko. They have been with each other since I first got them with was 12/27/15 I was feeding my other geckos and came to her’s and Binx tank and her head was bleeding from her right eye and is bruised around her head. She’s barley moving but we can’t get her to the vet till tomorrow because the ones that take reptiles are closed. Either something fell on her or Binx got to her..? I have her in a smaller tank with a hand warmer under a rag, a place for her to hide, water, and a heat lamp slightly turned away from her because her tank is small(not to small) and I don’t want it hurting her eyes.

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  1. Anonymous

    i wouldn’t be surprised if there was a fight.  leos are very solitary and territorial, and unless you kept them in a VERY large enclosure, they probably fought.

    for now, what you’ve done is fine.  there isn’t much else you’ll be able to do until tomorrow.  once she’s healed, i wouldn’t put her back in with the other female.

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
She Is Doing Good, Still Eating And Drinking. Using The Bathroom. Very Protective Of Pups…

She is doing good, still eating and drinking. Using the bathroom. Very protective of pups which is good. Panting still but I also have the heat turned up for pups. I’ve tried taking her to the vets but no one is accepting new patients and are refusing to help. I cannot travel due to weather and car problems. I’m just worried a pup came two days later

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Pawbly | 9 years ago

I Need Your Advise Regarding My 11 Months Old Persian Male Cat. The Problem Is…

I need your advise regarding my 11 months old Persian male cat. the problem is that my cat wants to go out for mating and if we do not let him go out he sprays and pees in the house which causes a very bad odor in the house. Now that we have let him out on his own he has started to spray around outside and you can smell the odor as soon as you enter through gate.
Secondly we have tried to set up play dates for him and lock both the cats in bathroom but uptill now he hasn’t mated.
Thirdly, there is a stray cat outside which is on heat all he does is that he sits beside her all day long and if we bring him inside the female cat starts to cry which make him go crazy to go outside.
Finally, I want to ask you about getting my cat neutered. The pros and cons of getting the cat neutered. I have heard from someone that the cat’s personality changes and we have to take care of him more because there will be a wound after his operation and all the people in our house go to work. Hence, there can be a problem in taking care of him 24/7.

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  1. Anonymous

    absolutely neuter him, and keep him inside.

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
We Live Next Door To Another Dog And She Hasn’t Been Spayed Because We Own…

We live next door to another dog and she hasn’t been spayed because we own 2 female indoor dogs and they’re rarely outside unattended. She’s also very lean by nature so it’s possible I wouldn’t have noticed but her nipples are a bit saggy and there’s a hard layer in her stomach I recognize (I’ve helped other people’s dogs have puppies) but she also just came out of her heat cycle and I know it’s a possibility. But where we live, we will be kicked out immediately if we have our 2 dogs and a litter of puppies and I don’t want to lose my dog but I know she can’t be separated from the puppies and I have no idea what to do. There is no one who would take her in the meantime, as I live away from my family and just moved to a new area. I have no idea what to do.

2 Responses

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  1. Anonymous

    you can get an emergency spay done.

  2. Ryahhna McDowell

    Where do you live? Try contacting local rescues to take her and the puppies in until they are weaned. If you do that type up a contract, have it notarized, and have the rescue owners sign it. The contract should state that as soon as the pups are weaned your dog will be released back into your care. 

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
I Have A 10 Year Old Shihtzu That Has A Swollen Teat. She Is Not…

I have a 10 year old shihtzu that has a swollen teat. She is not pregnant and not currently in heat. The swelling does not hurt her but is hard almost like marbles around the nipple. She has also been nesting more than usual.

3 Responses

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  1. Dawn Ferara, DVM

    Get her to the vet please!

  2. Anjelica Evins

    Thanks for the response!..Do you know what it could possibly be?…I made an appointment for the 15th but should I make an emergency visit?

  3. Dawn Ferara, DVM

    I do not feel it should be an emergency visit as long as there is no heat or pain in the area. Honestly, based on your description and her age I’m worried she may have mammary cancer. I hope I’m wrong and a few days are not likely to result in a better prognosis! If there is any heat, pain or swelling then it could be an infection which should not wait.
    Good Luck
    Dr Dawn

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
My 9 Month Old Female Miniature Dachshund Was Emitting A Metallic Odor From Her Back…

My 9 month old female miniature dachshund was emitting a metallic odor from her back end yesterday. I noticed it, did some google-ing, and shortly after the smell disappeared. My research concluded that it might be her anal glands. But I can’t understand why the smell disappeared (and as of this morning had not returned). She has exhibited no other signs or symptoms (no scooting on the floor, no problems going to the bathroom, acting perfectly normal)

As the mystery continued, we were walking outside to use the potty before taking a drive. After peeing, we got into the truck with her on my lap. I noticed she has made a wet spot on my pants. Assuming it was just some urine from her potty trip, I used a towel to wipe me and her off. That’s when I noticed that coming from her vulva was a thick, milky, yellow color liquid that was accompanied by a fishy smell. This led me to think that maybe she has a case of vaginitis. As the day progressed, both smells and the discharge disappeared. And as of this morning, no trace of either can found. I was already planning on taking her to the vet on Friday, should I take her in sooner? She just finished her first heat last week and I am planning on finding out this week when we can get her fixed.

1 Response

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  1. Anonymous

    i’d get her in today, if possible JUST to make sure.

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
I Have An 8 1/2 Month Old, 6 Pound, Miniature Dachshund. About 8 Days Ago…

I have an 8 1/2 month old, 6 pound, miniature dachshund. About 8 days ago, I noticed her nipples were slightly bigger than normal. I was planning on taking her to the vet to see if she was ready to be fixed (my vet recommended waiting until she was 8 months old to give all her baby teeth time to fall out) but the night before I was to take her, I noticed her vulva was swollen and protruding. I wiped her and a brownish color appeared. I was still not 100% she was in heat due to the color.

The next morning I checked her again – her vulva was even more swollen and the discharge had now changed to bright red blood. It has now been 3 days since I first noticed the swelling and discharge/blood.

I did a lot of research online but have gotten conflicting information about almost everything that has to do with a dog in heat, including how many stages there are in the heat cycle, what happens in each cycle, what color the discharge/blood changes and when, when she would be most fertile, etc. I read that one way to know for sure she was in heat was to scratch the top of her butt right before her tail and if she moves her tail to the side she is definitely in heat. THEN I read that means she is already in the 2nd stage of the heat cycle. I’ve also read conflicting timelines of cycle from 2 weeks to 4.

I’m so lost and confused and hesitant to go to the vet. I don’t know if it is safe to take her because of the possibility of the presence of male dogs. I don’t want to be the idiot first time pet parent who will just get told ‘all dogs are different. there’s no way to know anything’.

1 Response

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  1. Dawn Ferara, DVM

    Ashley,

    I would recommend calling your vet to see if they will spay a dog in heat.  It is riskier to spay a dog in heat because of the excess blood in the uterus during this period of time and the fact the tissues can be more fragile.

    In answer to your question, dogs cycles last about 6 months.  This time period can vary from dog to dog and in different breeds.  However of the 4 phases, the 1st 3 phases are the ones that are going to concern you the most.  The 1st stage last 7-9 days, during this period the vulva is swollen and the discharge tends to be bloody.  During this phase the female will not allow the male to mount her.  After this phase, starting around day 8-10 and lasting for about 2 weeks is actually standing heat.  At this point she will allow the male to mount her and she can become pregnant.  The 3rd phase can last up to 60 days.  During this time the female will slowly begin to return to normal or if bred the puppies will grow.  All dogs go through a false pregnancy during this phase.

    I’m trying to not get to involved in the phases so that you understand but aren’t overwhelmed by the information.

    I hope this answers your questions and you get your baby spayed before you have any unwanted puppies.