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My 5 year old bob tailed cat has a new Pomeranian roommate that he didn’t quite hit it off with. We tried a very gradual introduction. He’s a big cat and she’s a tiny dog and we’re afraid he thinks she’s a squirrel. He got along with my old roommates’ dogs fine after a time, so I’m hopeful this could be the case.
She’s very energetic and he’s friendly and playful for the most part but gets reserved around her. Any advice?
Hello,
Very gradual sometimes is waaay longer than we think it might be. Be patient. Provide lots of play and stinuli apart from each other and keep your cats nails trimmed and the dog supervised. I bet they will be ok soon. It doesn’t sound like outright aggression it sounds like tentative curiousity. What do you think?
Why would my dog be throwing up yellow liquid and not eating regularly?
Hello,
There are many many reasons this canne happening. Please see your vet for help in understanding the cause. The longer a pet suffers from chronic vomiting the more difficult it is to treat and the poorer their prognosis. Your dog is sick and needs a vet today.
My husband and I are planned to pick up our new pup from the breeder this weekend. The breeder just emailed us that our puppy was found to have juvenile cellulitis or “puppy strangles”. Researching online, it looks like most dogs have full recovery and no long-term effects with this diagnosis. The breeder said they caught it early and they went to the vet this morning and medications were initiated. Does anyone have any success stories of their pups having puppy strangles? Did it cause scarring or any long-term complications or side effects? Thanks so much for any feedback! (The pup is a goldendoodle and is 8 weeks old).
I have treated a few cases and I agree with your breeder. ALTHOUGH I strongly recommend you see your vet BEFORE purchasing. These cases typically require many many vet rechecks and these can be costly. I think these puppies have an excellent recovery rate, few (if any, (usually not any)) long term consequences or side effects, BUT they need multiple visits a week initially to help monitor response to treatment and progression of disease. I sincerely hope your breeder will pay for this, and most sincerely I hope that no breeder ever euthanizes for this disease. it is treatable.
– I went to the vet’s office to purchase my dog’s monthly Trifexis on the 2nd, as usual. (He takes them on the 3rd.)
– They referred me to their new service through an online pet pharmacy, and I ordered that day.
– It’s taken 10 days, and the tracking says it’s finally supposed to get here today.
– I contacted said online pet pharmacy to ask if it was safe to give a dose that late, and they said to call my vet.
– I called the vet’s office and got a receptionist.
Me: “The Trifexis is coming today. Should I give it to him?”
Her: “It’s probably okay, but it’s your risk.”
Me: “Risk of what?”
Her: “Well, he could have gotten bitten by a mosquito…”
Me: “So, that means…?”
Her: “It’s probably okay. Maybe just come in and give him Heartgard.”
Me: “Would that be safe?”
Her: “I think so”
Me: “Could he go back to Trifexis next month?”
Her: “Heartgard is 30 days.”
Me: “It wouldn’t have any adverse effects?”
Me: “I wouldn’t think so.”
I feel like I’m getting the runaround, and my vet is unavailable, so I’d really appreciate some insight here. Thank you!
Sorry you got the runaround! Of course it is safe to give your dog the Trifexis, even though it is 10 days late. Some people give their heartworm preventatives every 45 days. This is no longer recommended because the heartworm cure manufacturer is having difficulty keeping up with demand so it is safer to stick with the 30 day protocol now. But if you do your research on the lifecycle of the heartworm you will see for yourself that being 10 days late one time is not going to lead to a crisis.
Thank you, PK! That makes me feel a lot better.
Carrie, just to be clear the drugs can only easily kill the L3 and L4 stages of heartworm. Stage L5 occurs about 30 to 35 days after the infected mosquito bites the dog. So if your dog was bitten by an infected mosquito 36 days before you dose your dog this time – there is the possibility that an adult worm survives the pesticide and in 6 months to a year your dog will pop positive for heartworm (it takes that long for the adult worm to register in the tests). So, be sure to have your dog tested annually for heartworm (I am sure you do this! You must be a good mom to even ask these questions). And the chance that your dog was bitten by an infected mosquito in Ohio in that window of opportunity (36 to 40 days ago) is pretty small.
You are a godsend, PK. This information helps more than you know. He has an annual check-up each May, so we will be sure to stay on top of it. Thank you SO much! 🙂
My husband and I run our own company, so can bring our puppy into the office with us every day. We can’t have the time off work to stay with him at home, while he adapts to his new surroundings, so planned on bringing him to the office with us each day, where we would of course give him lots of exercise and love and can potty train him in the grounds of our office. We thought this would also be good for socialisation. But we wondered whether this would be too stressful for him to spend one weekend with us at home, and then start coming to the office with us on the Monday? I know his paws won’t be able to touch the floor of public places until he’s had all his injections at around 12 weeks, so we thought we could take him in a puppy sling and have a crate at work he can occasionally use, as well as his toys, food, drink, treats etc. Any advice or tips would be gratefully received. I have ordered lots of books on it and we’ll be signing him up to dog school as well. Thank you x
Here’s my take on it.
Puppies need to walk, to be able to explore their environment. The best way to do this is tethered to you, rather than in a sling of some sort. Does your company frequently see dogs on the floors? If not, I don’t see why he can’t be on the floor.
Use the crate more than occasionally. If you cannot have him tethered to you, he should be crated. I would also consider picking up an xpen so he has a safe space to play outside of the crate from time to time.
Frankly, I like the idea of taking him in to work right away, especially if you’ll continue doing that when he’s an adult. If you don’t intend to continue taking him in when he’s an adult, I don’t think I’d do what you’re planning, simply because he’ll wonder why you’re suddenly leaving him home when he’s older.
Thanks so much, Laura.
The sling would just be to carry him to the office, as he could get tired walking there and I thought he might not be allowed to touch pavements etc, until he’s had all injections.
It’s a short walk and then a short train to our office, so we thought he might be happiest in a puppy sling for the journey there.
Once we’re inside the building and in our office yard, we would definitely have him on the floor.
So you think we should have him, perhaps on a leash attached to the arm of my office chair, with occasional time in his crate?
We plan on always having him with us in the office and taking him back home with us, into his adulthood.
Thanks again x
Oh, definitely NO walking on pavement frequented by dogs during the commute, at least until he’s 4 months old. Good luck. 😉
I think this could work! I also think you’ll have growing pains for a bit. Will you be able to hop up and take him out immediately after waking up, immediately before and after all meals (and he should be eating a lunch until he’s 6 months old), before/during/after all play, and every 30 minutes otherwise? I know that for the first week we had our bitch puppy home, that was life…I wasn’t productive at all. This is why utilizing the crate is so important. You can pop him in there for a 2 hour nap and get some work done while he’s sleeping.
Ah brilliant. Thank you. Sounds like we’ll have our work cut out. Is it best to exercise him indoors then, until he’s 4 months? We have a big garden at home he could run around in, on a leash, but we often get foxes, so I guess they’d be more diseased than other dogs. So much to learn! x
Well, when he’s out in the yard, so are you…and I’m not a fan of long walks for long-legged breeds like boxers. I think your garden should be fine. Get him vaccinated against rabies when the vet says it’s time.
Is this your first dog? You picked a particularly high energy breed!
My dog just gave birth to two new born puppies one of them came out with a clef lip how am i suppose to feed it if it isnt eating help please i dont want my puppy to die ?!
This puppy needs surgery. Call your vet NOW to discuss this.
Hello , I’m curious of my dogs actions , my dog has this kind of scary attack or something , because when he sleeps he wakes up scared kind of screaming and he pees himself , this happen two times today im really worried because i have a new cat and I’m curious if this is affecting him, do you know what can be happening to him?
Oh your poor boy! I think I’d call the vet and see if this could be medical, first.
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.
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!
Please tell us more information. How many dogs? How old is the puppy? What breeds? How have you introduced them? What’s your training routine, for both the puppy and the other dogs? How long have you had the puppy?
Safely and slowly. I’m sorry but there isn’t enough information to provide much more guidance. Ask your vet for help with this.