Ask questions and share about your pet's health to help others.
My dog was breathing really hard when I got home, expresses pain towards her rear end, won’t let me touch her tail, is gassy, threw up earlier and it had a quarter of an unchewed rawhide bone in it, now she’s very lethargic, walking around in pain, her breathing is shallow and is having spasms on her bed, she’s an otherwise healthy 3 and a half year old catahoula American bulldog mix…..
I have a year old blue heeler mix who is usually pretty good with walking, and she won’t pull, but she does walk at the very end of the leash so that it’s pulled tight, but she won’t be pulling exactly. I’ve tried everything I can find online- the stop and wait method, and the one where you turn and walk away, but she’s not exactly pulling. Any advice? Thanks.
Work on a formal heel and reward for that specific behavior. Keep the leash short so she understands what you’re asking. In conjunction with this, I would stop dead every time she goes to the end of the lead. By continuing the walk, you’re rewarding the undesired behavior.
I am a BIG fan of tab leads for this.
I think a lot of dogs enjoy having some tension in the leash because it allows them to “zone out” on the walk and enjoy sniffing around without focusing 100% on their owner. If the owner turns or slows down it is easier for the dog to immediately feel the change in the tight leash than it is for them to suddenly hit the end of a really loose leash which probably hurts their neck. In a way this makes sense because it is impossible for anyone, dog or human, to pay attention 100% of the time (think about day dreaming in school).
There are a couple of tricks you can try. One is to train the dog to walk on 2 different pieces of equipment. For example, if they have a buckle collar on they must keep a loose leash at all times (could be used for busy sidewalks, vet visits, ect) and if they have a harness on it means you are on a more casual walk and you don’t mind them leaning on the leash as long as they aren’t yanking your arm out of socket. You could also use different commands (“heel”- walk at attention by my side and “walk on”- we are just walking for enjoyment so slight pulling or sniffing around is fine). One thing nice about using commands is that you can alternate during a walk. For example, you can practice “heel” every time you cross a street and then allow the dog walk casually during the rest of the walk. Your dog will give you better attention during the heel because they know it will be over soon, as opposed to you trying to demand perfect focus for the whole walk.
If you want the dog to always walk on a loose leash when wearing its buckle collar, make sure you only put that collar on when you are mentally ready to train and have sufficient time. Don’t use it during quick walks around the block before work when you are distracted/ in a hurry and not paying attention. Start out by having the dog practice sitting for you a few times indoors for a treat. Proceed outside and as soon as you feel tension on the leash stop and wait! Don’t move at all, it helps to have your hands holding the leash at your waist so you don’t accidentally give more slack when the dog pulls. Wait for your dog to sit automatically (without a command), then give a treat, and take one step forwards. A lot of dogs will explode to the end of the leash with excitement so be ready to stop and wait again. Allow the dog to pull, jump up, bark, paw you, ect without punishment. Just wait for the sit, give a treat when they sit, and walk forwards. See how many steps you can take on a slack leash. When the leash is tight, stop and wait for the sit again. Soon the dog will be really focused on you because they are ready to sit every time you stop. Once you begin walking along on a loose leash, you can periodically reward the dog with a piece of kibble for looking up at you. Remember, reward the dog when it does something you like.
Sophia Yin has some great training videos related to this on YouTube!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2vZusiOzJg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUCl6ndLN7Q
https://drsophiayin.com/philosophy/
Ian Dunbar also has a variety of great videos on this subject.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U92mG5-V26M
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkapxaexrBA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLERx9XR8pU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InJD18Zxudc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Saa13XvCdlI
http://www.dogstardaily.com/book/export/html/2131
I also recommend Grisha Stewart’s book “Behavior Adjustment Training”.
HI THERE, MY DOG HAS EPILEPSY. HE IS ON POTASSIUM BROMIDE AND PHENOBARBITAL. GERMAN SHEPHERD. SINCE STARTING MEDS HE HAS GAINED 45 POUNDS. HE HAS ATAXIA, WHICH IS GETTING PRETTY BAD. WE DECIDED TO SWITCH HIM TO A DIET DOG FOOD TO HELP HIM LOSE WEIGHT, SO THAT WE COULD ULTIMATELY LOWER HIS MEDICATION DOSAGE. OUR VET CONCURRED. SHE DID NOT MENTION THAT CHANGING HIS DIET WOULD INTERFERE WITH THE SALT LEVELS BECAUSE OF THE BROMIDE HE WAS TAKING. AS SOON AS WE SWITCHED HIS FOOD HE STARTED SEIZING. HE HAS HAD ABOUT 7 OVER THE LAST 2 DAYS (HE WAS SEIZURE FREE FOR ALMOST 3 MONTHS). WE LIKE THE NEW FOOD WE PICKED BECAUSE IT IS BETTER QUALITY (FROMM) AND DOES NOT HAVE ROSEMARY EXTRACT, WHICH HAS BEEN LINKED TO SEIZURES. BUT WE DON’T KNOW IF WE SHOULD STOP IT AND GO BACK TO HIS OLD FOOD, OR HOW TO TRANSITION BACK/FORWARD. HE WAS PREVIOUSLY ON NUTRO LARGE BREED ADULT FOOD. I CANNOT FIND THE CHLORINE CONTENT FOR NUTRO, BUT THE CHOLINE CHLORIDE CONTENT FOR FROMM IS 2887.63 IU/KG (71.47 IU/100 CAL). I DON’T TRUST MY VET ANYMORE TO ASK HER, AS THEY HAVE NOT TOLD US ANYTHING ABOUT BROMIDE AND SALT LEVELS. I HAVE HAD TO RESEARCH ALL OF THIS ON MY OWN, EVEN THOUGH I HAVE NO VETERINARY TRAINING. APPARENTLY, GOOGLE IS MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE THAN MY DOG’S VET. IF SOMEONE COULD ADVISE US ON NEXT STEPS WE WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE IT. WE WANT A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR DOG, ONE WHERE HE DOESN’T SLIDE HIS BACK LEGS DOWN THE STAIRS AND FALL DOWN BECAUSE HIS BACK LEGS ARE TOO WEAK. SO WE KNOW THAT A DIET AND LIFESTYLE CHANGE IS IMPORTANT. BUT WE NEED SOME ADVICE ON HOW TO MAKE THE CHANGES, AND HOW FAST/ HOW TO TRANSITION, BECAUSE EVERY TIME WE CHANGE HIS DIET IT APPEARS TO TRIGGER SEIZURES (WE SWITCHED HIM TO LIQUID BROMIDE BACK IN MARCH AND RIGHT AWAY HE GOT CLUSTERS AND ENDED UP IN EMERGE AND SEVERELY MEDICATED FOR A FEW DAYS). WE DON’T WANT TO GO THROUGH THAT AGAIN, SO WOULD PREFER TO FIX THIS ON OUR OWN. BASICALLY, I’M ASKING, SHOULD I GO OUT TOMORROW MORNING AND PICK UP HIS OLD DOG FOOD AND SWITCH HIM BACK COLD TURKEY? OR SHOULD WE STICK WITH THE NEW BETTER FOOD AND SEE IF HE GETS USED TO IT AND THE SEIZURES STOP? OR SHOULD I BUY HIS OLD FOOD AND MIX IT WITH THE NEW FOOD FOR A WHILE, AND WILL THIS EVEN HELP? IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE WE CAN DO? THANK YOU KINDLY FOR YOUR TIME. “
My question would be whether it’s the change in itself or something else present in the food triggering the seizures. I do agree that rosemary extract seems to be suspect in contributing to seizures. I also agree that putting on weight isn’t good for anything. My best recommendation would be to work with an integrative vet at this point. I know a number of people who used this modality for managing seizures with great success. An integrative veterinarian can also be of great assistance with diet and actually food therapy, as well as acupuncture and herbal therapy, all of which can be quite helpful. If it was my dog this is the direction I’d go in from here.
my dog got injuried at a dog park today. we took him to an emergency clinic. They gave him Rimadyl and buprenex together. i wanted to know if that was safe because he is a shepard lab pit mix
Yes, they are frequently used together. The rimadyl is anti-inflammatory and the buprenex is stronger pain control, they work best when used together.
A few months ago, we adopted two pups from the same litter. They are blue heeler/ Victorian bulldog mixes and they are the loves of our lives. Well they got into a few pretty bad fights, and we figured that they were just puppies and were just playing around. Well one day, they got into a HUGE fight to the point that one was dripping blood. From that point on, we have had to keep them separated- one of them is in the cage constantly. This is not fair to us or them, considering they are cattle dogs and shouldn’t ever be confined to such a small area so often. Plus it is nearly impossible to potty train them like this. So now we have two dogs who potty everywhere and fight with one another if they’re ever near each other. We desperately need help!
Sad to say, this if a common occurrence when you adopt two males from the same litter. Either they grow up to be totally dependent on each other and can never be separated, OR they are in constant contention. How old are they? Have they been neutered? If they are over 6 months old they need to be neutered. This will help reduce the aggression.
However, it is not the cure. You need to find a behaviorist NOW! Don’t just pick any dog trainer – look for one that can come to your home and work with you there. Or one that specializes in aggression cases such as this. And sad to say – the only answer may be that you have to find one of the boys a new home. They may have developed such a dislike of each other that they will never live comfortably together.
You do desperately need help! But it is far beyond the scope of this forum. You need hands on help from a professional that can see your dogs and figure out what triggers the aggression. And in the future – remember – never get 2 puppies at one time!
They are almost a year old and have appointments scheduled to get fixed. You response is very insightful, but I do have one issue. One of them is a female. Does this make any difference? Thanks.
littermate syndrome – the issue you’re experiencing – has nothing to do with sex. it has to do with raising two puppies of the same age together and not giving them time apart for training and socializing.
and i agree with PK, this NEEDS to be handled at home. anyone giving you further advice online is being reckless. you need someone in your home, watching your dogs interact. until this can happen, continue crating each dog separately and rotating which has freedom in the house. this will help you to keep them safe from each other. every fight will get worse, every interaction will escalate, and you may end up with a dead dog if you continue to allow them to be around each other.
my 9 month old rott/lab mix has several white blisters on his tongue he continues to eat and play any clues as to what it may be im very concerned i just found it like 5 min ago
I really don’t have an answer it could be an infection (bacterial, fungal or viral), cancer or a traumatic injury (like a burn). My advice is to take him to the vet for an accurate diagnosis. If he stops eating or seems painful it is more important to get him to a vet quicker, however, if he is still eating and not painful he doesn’t need to see the vet as fast.
So lately I’ve been thinking about getting another dog. My current dog is a Chihuahua and possibly Rat terrier mix; he’s about 13 years old. Before I got him he used to have another chihuahua he always hung around with, but that was when he was around five. He only barks when there is someone making noise outside or that get too close to our fence, the same goes with barking dogs or ones that pass by our house. Other than that he is very friendly with strangers, especially when they come into our yard. He does however, have an issue if dogs come onto his territory, like most dogs do. He has never been to a dog park and has gone to a pet store a couple times, either for shopping or to be groomed. Our neighbors have a dog who barks at everyone and everything, even if I open the back door for a second. My dog occasionally fights with him through the fence, and by that maybe every few weeks. My dog doesn’t bite, growl, nip, scratch or anything at strangers when they come over, even if it’s our pest control. I’m not sure how he will react when we bring another puppy home? We’re either thinking of getting a border collie, lab, doberman pinscher or possibly an italian greyhound. Any tips on what to do when they first meet? Do you think he’ll be alright with another puppy? Any advice helps, thank you!!
Has he ever been around a puppy? Are you willing to separate the dogs and rotate which is out, if things go south?
A warning about dobes, because I have one – they are NOT gentle with littles. You’ll have to work very hard on teaching a dobe puppy to be gentle with smaller animals – our girl is nearly three and still occasionally stomps my cat. They’re also tough puppies and are quite literally a full time job until they’re around 2 years of age…I’ll happy talk more about the breed if you want, but I don’t want to flood this particular answer with my babble. 🙂
This is how my rescue recommends you introduce a new dog to your home (and I do this with all fosters coming to live with my pack of 4 terriers, one of which is a Cairn/Chihuahua mix):
Before the new dog arrives pick a place in the home for him to live most of the time for 3 days. I use my guest bathroom some times, and other times I use my craft room – both have tile floors so it is easy to clean up any accidents that may occur with the new dog. Inside that room I place a dog crate appropriate in size for the new dog/puppy.
For the first 3 days after the new dog arrives, we play musical crates and/or rooms. I do not allow the dogs to see each other, they only smell each other on me, and under the door, etc. When my dogs are loose, the new dog is in the prepared room. When my dogs are crated or in their kennel the new dog is allowed to be out of the room, in the yard, or house with supervision. There is ALWAYS a closed door between my dogs and the new dog.
I spend time playing and training the new dog each day, and will crate my boys for an hour or so in the evening so I can just plop on the sofa with the new dog for cuddles. With a puppy you will need to be spending a lot of time with it as you will not be able to resist! Spend an equal amount of time with the older dog. One of the activities you want to focus on with the puppy is learning to walk on a leash – this is critical for the 4th day.
On the morning of the 4th day, put leashes on both dogs and immediately go out the door for a walk. Don’t give the dogs time to sniff or eyeball each other – the job is to walk together with you for at least 10 mins. If the puppy is older keep walking (5 mins. per month of age is a good rule of thumb – too long a walk puts too much stress on the bones and joints of a puppy).
Once we have finished the walk I take all the dogs into my fenced yard, drop the leashes and allow them to sniff, play, ignore each other as they see fit. Dragging the leashes allows you to step on a leash or pull one dog away from the other if things get hairy.
I have had 99% success with introducing dogs this way. The only exception was a foster that decided my smallest dog was prey – good thing I had that leash to grab! It saved my dog’s life.
We believe the reason it works is that it allows the dogs to smell each other without any misunderstandings of body language. In the wild a lone wolf will spend weeks haunting a new pack’s territory. They stay mostly out of sight, but scent mark in the territory. Then they start showing themselves to the pack from a distance. Finally they approach members of the pack. If the pack wants them they are welcomed (usually by the female members of the pack). So while our dogs are no longer wolves – smell is the first thing they pick up on. First scent, then sight, then hearing. So this 3 day of separation, but crossing each other’s scents helps the dogs get to know each other without confrontation.
With my dogs it works so well, they don’t even sniff each other’s butts once we are done the walk.
Since your dog is used to fighting through a fence I caution you to make sure that he and the new pup never see each other through a fence or crate during those 3 days. Keep that solid, shut, door between them.
Your 13 year old dog may never want to play with the puppy – but the puppy will want to play with him! Be sure your older dog has a place he can escape the puppy – such as a dog bed or crate, maybe in a different room. When your Chi is getting too much attention from the pup, tell the puppy to “leave it” and ask him/her to play with you. This will help the puppy learn to leave the older dog alone when he is in his quite place.
An Italian greyhound is a better size for your current dog, and they generally are ‘softer’ dogs. The other 3 breeds you mention will be a real challenge for you, and will overwhelm the Chi. It is a giant leap going from living with a Chi to living with these 3 other breeds. They all are high energy, need WAY more exercise, and a lot of training to become good canine citizens. The Border especially, will need a job. Borders are scary intelligent.
All that being said – give your dog a month with the new pup before you decide if it is going to work or not. Good luck!
My kitten is around 10-12 weeks old now (last measured weight a few days ago is 2.6 lbs).
She usually eats a mix of dry and wet kitten food.
Two days ago, we introduced only dry food for her to nibble around and also giving her the wet and dry mix. But she’s eating very less of the wet and dry food (but I know she’s occasionally nibbling on the dry because we leave it out). I’m a new pet owner and concerned that maybe she’s not fulfilling the daily quota of calories. Also, the weather has suddenly been very rainy in the previous 2 days so she has been sleeping a lot but very active after she’s woken up. I’ve called the vet but he says as long as she’s active and eating a spoonful of dry at a time, she’s fine. Need help.
Hi Krista,
Thanks for replying. She’s going to have her 3rd vaccine on Wednesday. She doesn’t look starved. I wish I could attach a picture of her here. She’s wrestling and running around as usual. But I can’t see her eating so often 🙁
Also the dry food that we are using says that we should feed a 10-12 weeks old kitten around 90 gms of dry per day. She’s not even going to half of it for the past two days after she’s eating only dry. The vet said dry food can be high in calories and heavy, so she could be just full.
Hi Krista,
This is our April- https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1Ol_9Dq0IAZLWMzUU5uMFQwQm8/view?usp=sharing
Thanks a lot Krista. Cats are weird! Her appetite is coming back slowly, I think! 🙂 Let’s hope it stays that way!
Also, I wanted to ask why my kitten jumps on my lap and then she’ll bite my clothes off. I mean, she’ll bite my tummy bulge a little too along with that. When I try to ger her off, she’ll bring out her claws and try to bite, all the while on my lap. At other times, she sleeps on my lap peacefully. This is really strange.
I have two dogs, who are use to living in a home with a fenced in back yard. I just started a new job, which requires me to travel sometimes and I had to move into an apartment. I’m afraid of them not adjusting very well to living in an apartment where I just can’t let them outside to roam the backyard freely. Also, I had roommates who would let them out when I was gone to work.
As far as boarding for when I travel, I have decided to just bite the bullet and travel the 2 hours back home and let them stay at theVet office. They are use to the people there and I’ve let them stay there for a few hours sometimes during check ups. I trust them more than having to search for a new vet nearby the new city.
I’ve been away from them for 2 months now because this promotion and everything happened so fast. I know my roommates have not kept up with the routines that I do when caring for them. So I have that worry as well. My dachshundlab mix was difficult to train on leash and I still have a few problems with her pulling and slipping out of harnesses and collars (advice on that is more than welcomed). I’ve been lucky a few times with her coming back to me, after a few hours of trying.
I am horrified that this could all go wrong. They are my family and I do not want to lose them nor have to rehome them.
i wish you luck.
my suggestions are fairly basic: crate train. start working on leaving them in the crates longer and longer each day. work on mental stuff (training for new things) prior to leaving, so they’re tired, and leave them with a stuffed Kong.
i would also go back to square one with the mix you mentioned, and i would invest in a corrective collar and the training to learn how to use it properly. (corrective collars, in this case, would be Martingales and pinch collars – no full chokers.)
In a dog’s world, it is more important to be with the person they love and trust to care for them than it is to have a back yard to roam. You need to get your dogs into your apartment with you and establish a daily routine for them. Up super early and take a long (1 hour) walk so they are ready to nap the day away.
If you can afford to leave your dogs with a vet for extended periods, you can afford doggie daycare, or a dog walker. Look for a day care close to where you work, or for a walker that will come to your apartment and take the dogs out in the afternoon. Your dogs should have 2 things each day they can chew, especially if they are crated all day. Things like a stuffed and frozen Kong, a treat puzzel/maze toy, or Nylabones. This helps keep them calm and happy.
Get back to basics with crate training and on-leash walking. Try a Martingale collar so that your dog can’t slip out of it.
These dogs are not your roommates’ responsibility. They are your responsibility – and if you no longer want to make the efforts it takes to have them live happily with you, then you should be finding them responsible new homes.
I think you misunderstood me. I never said they were my roommates responsibility. I had set routines that I followed like a bible. But I do know that while I was absent, my roommates did not follow the routines, which I have to get the dogs use to doing again. I left them in their care so that I can find a home for the three of us to live and because of the circumstances of the position, get adjusted to my new work environment.
I never said I didn’t want to make the effort. Thats why I ask for advice on getting them adjusted to apartment living in the first place. If I didn’t want the responsibility, I would have never have rescued them. We are use to living in a house, which they were able to go out when they wanted inbetween walks. They have been with me for 3 years, I have taken very good care of them. They are what keep me going and give me purpose. I took the promotion at my job, so that I could continue taking care of them. And have them with me with no worries on how I’m going to afford to give them what they need.
With that being said, I tried hiring a dog walker, and let’s just said that did not end well. I am looking into daycare here, but the only place I trust is my vet office back home. They have taken really good care of us from the beginning. If I have to drive the two hours till I find people I trust with my babies, so be it.
Thank you, I had crate trained them in the beginning. But they seemed to be more comfortable after our early morning walks, to just curl up together in my bed and stay in my room. I started putting up a baby gate in the door and they seem to be just fine with that. They will still go into the crates, but only when it’s time for bed. I will try that Martingales collar. I’ve just been taking them on walks one at a time because the lab, Sylvia, at first required me to pay careful attention to her. While the other, Shy, loved to take her time on walks. Sylvia got better, but she still every now and then would pull or slip out of her harness or collar when I wouldn’t go the way she wanted to go.
I think the routine I had back our old home with the walks 3 times a day and potty pads in areas in case of accidents will be our best bet. I think I’m mostly worried about Sylvia barking at every noise she doesn’t recognize and the stress this move will have on them with all the changes.
If you get back to a normal routine, the dogs will settle in easier. There WILL be an adjustment period, and I think, in your shoes, I’d send every neighbor immediately adjacent to your apartment a note letting them know what’s going on and apologizing in advance. I’d also consider making/giving apology gifts. Even if it’s a token thing, it can make people more amenable to tolerance.
Because this is a new home for them, you have an opportunity to set the rules upon their first day in the new space. Crates back up and used daily will give them a sense of comfort.
For the collar/harness slipping, that’s why I mentioned a corrective collar. If it’s fitted correctly, to sit directly behind the ears, it cannot be slipped. We use a pinch collar for my Doberman, and a friend swears by a martingale for her sighthound – both breeds have skinny heads with necks that are very similar in diameter. Trust me on this, they work. 😀 Besides, one should not walk the dog on the collar where the tags live for safety reasons.
Good luck, Tracey!
I know you didn’t say that. However, this delay of 2 months in finding a way to get your dogs into a routine of living with you smacks of expecting someone else to be responsible for their well being. You know a 2 hour drive back and forth is getting old, wasting time you could be spending with your dogs in their new home. As for boarding dogs at a vet – you are exposing them to all sorts of diseases. Yes, I am sure the people at your vet do the best they can, but in all likelihood a vet’s office is not the idea place for dogs to be unless they have medical conditions that need the attention of a vet tech. It is just a different focus and skill set. A good doggie day care is a better environment for your dogs – they would be out of cages and interacting with dogs and humans most of the day at a day care. And if you spent time, energy and effort on an animal behaviorist, and working with your dogs that you now spend on traveling back and forth you would have the 2 most perfectly behaved apartment dwellers in the nation.
I didn’t think it would be a good idea to have them in and out of hotels while my bosses figured out whether or not they wanted to give me the position permenantly. I thought keeping them in an environment they were use to and with people, my roommates, they felt safe with was the better idea. I spent the latter part of that time finding a home for the three of us to live. I did travel back and forth home to spend as much time as I could with them. But I did what I thought was right in not having them involved in the chaos that was going on with work at that time.
That’s why I asked for advice. Theres tips and secrets that other pet owners know and have experienced that are extremely helpful. For example, the Martingale collar, no one, not trainers nor vets have recommended that collar. Most of them have all mentioned Harnesses (which is what I had done in the beginning to get her to stop pulling when she was a puppy.) I was afraid with the new environment and getting back into the routines I did with them, she would start slipping again. Yes I have a new job but that does not mean I could before or can now afford an animal behaviorist. I know we have to get back into the routines. And I know this is going to be work, I just thought I would ask for some advice on how to make the transition from house to apartment easier on them. Because I know the change can and is stressful.
But nevermind, I know what I have to do now. They have been with me for two days and they seem to be adjusting better than I thought. Thank you for your advice.
The gifts are a idea! Yeah I’ve spoken to the neighbors above and across from me apologizing. Though they all looked at me weird at first, they were pretty nice about it. They have been back with me for 2 days now and they seem to be adjusting better than I thought. especially since most of the furniture and things around them are from our house. So they are surrounded by scents they recognize and I think thats helping them. The only issue we are having is that one of my dogs is on high alert with every noise that happens outside. but when I say “Sylvy no barking” She stops immediately. Today while I was at work I set up a webcam in the room they were in, and they mostly slept all day and chewed bones. I was so proud, I bought them new squeaky toys and let them chase me at the dog park.
Thank you! You have been so nice and helpful.
The gifts are a great idea! Yeah I’ve spoken to the neighbors above and across from me apologizing. Though they all looked at me weird at first, they were pretty nice about it. They have been back with me for 2 days now and they seem to be adjusting better than I thought. especially since most of the furniture and things around them are from our house. So they are surrounded by scents they recognize and I think thats helping them. The only issue we are having is that one of my dogs is on high alert with every noise that happens outside. but when I say “Sylvy no barking” She stops immediately. Today while I was at work I set up a webcam in the room they were in, and they mostly slept all day and chewed bones. I was so proud, I bought them new squeaky toys and let them chase me at the dog park. Thank you! You have been so nice and helpful.
i’m glad ti seems to be working out. i’m sure they’re much happier with you!
we got bubba 3/1/2016 a rescue grey white terr mix about 3 yrs old he has patches of fur missing by his ear and on body by ribs vet. said should go away but it hasn’t…we were finally able to bath him 3/24 due to flea stuff on him vet said give him benitryl and put neosporian on it I have I asked if it was mange she said no 3yr olds don’t get mange
If your vet really said that a 3 year old dog can’t get mange she is crazy. However, it most likely isn’t mange anyway. With a terrier it is most likely an allergy. The best thing to start with is a bath to get all the spores and pollen out of his coat. Then a daily swim (do you have access to a swimming pool?) will help keep the pollen/spore count down on his body. Even a small kiddy pool would help. If you can’t get him swimming, then a daily rinse in a sink will help. If you are doing the sink/tub rinse try using 1/3 vinegar, 2/3 water – work it into the coat and skin and then let him shake and dry – don’t rinse the vinegar mix out. The vinegar helps reduce the itch and helps the skin heal.
If he has any raw spots, pat on some Witch Hazel with Aloe Vera (found in any pharmacy), it too helps with the itch and helps the wound heal.
Try Zyrtec instead of the Benadryl, it seems to work better – use the same dose the vet mentioned for the Benadryl.
Next, get all the grain out of this dog’s diet, that includes treats. No sharing bread crusts, cookies, or corn chips! Many terriers can not tolerate grains and this leads to allergic reactions – ear infections, chewed off fur, hot spots, etc. Go to a good pet store and ask to be shown to the grain-free dog food area. Then start reading the ingredients. You want to find a dog food that lists real meat (it will name the meat! ie. bison, pork, elk, lamb, salmon meal, turkey meal, etc) as the first 2 or 3 ingredients. Do NOT buy any dog food that lists “by products” as an ingredient.
It can take up to 3 months for a dog to grow a new coat – so it is way too early for you to see much hair on this boy, also he could have scared the skin with scratching to the point that hair won’t come back at all. But, don’t worry about that yet – it is too early so worry! I once cured a dog with terrible mange and she grew a lovely coat everywhere but on her tail – poor little rat tail! Then about a year later the hair started to grow! And in 30 days she had a lovely Cairn tail, just in time to be adopted to her forever home. I love a happy ending, don’t you!
Thank you for rescuing this boy – he is going to need TLC and a good diet to be all that he can be, but he will be worth it!
The signs of mange: terrible itching, on a scale of 1 to 10, mange is about a 20! Really – it is the most itch a dog or human can have! Look for little yellow puss filled bumps, or raised red spots, constant chewing and scratching, and him running his back and sides under tables and sofas, on the carpet, etc to scratch the itch. If this is happening, find a new vet to do a skin scraping (which may well be negative since you applied the flea stuff recently). The treatment is 3 dose of Revolution given 2 weeks apart. So if your dog is showing these behaviors, I would ask the vet for the Revolution and treat the dog for mange even with a negative skin scrape.
But if he does not show these behaviors, just wait – a good diet and the daily swim/rinse will work wonders.
Good luck!
This sounds like a potential blockage. Please get your dog to the vet NOW…DO NOT wait on this. Blockages and obstructions are usually fatal if not handled quickly.