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Pawbly | 8 years ago
We Have Had Our Female Shitz Tuz Mandie For 3 Years, She Was A Rescue…

We have had our female Shitz Tuz Mandie for 3 years, she was a rescue dog from a nasty place. She came to us scared of people, it took us a full year to gain her trust, and she can still be skiddish around others. The 1st yr we had her we noticed what looked to be a bug bite, a few days later we had a home visit from a local vet who checked her out, gave her shots etc. We pointed out the bite which had by that time turned into what looked like a boil, which had popped earlier that day. The vet said it was due to fleas, and gave her drops, which we keep current. Ever since that bite she has been chewing herself raw on that spot. We couldn’t find anything there, no bumps or marks that would cause it to bother her. We did notice that her skin in that spot discolored a little. We thought it could be from her licking and chewing. A few months went by and she continued to chew, we switched her shampoo to low sud/oatmeal soap, and switched up her diet to Nutro dry food, no chicken or corn. and that hasn’t helped. Its gotten to the point where she doesn’t want to play, and she sleeps more, may be because she sit up at night after we are sleeping chewing. Her skin is now bright pink all over and her chewing has now moved to any spot she can reach. Any ideas on what is causing this? And, what I should do. Our vet’s here are extremely high dollar vet’s and we just can’t afford a $1,000 vet bill. Please help I feel so bad for this little girl.

Thank you
Lori G

3 Responses

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  1. Ashley Garison

    Hi Krista, Thanks for your advice, we figured as much. I guess we all have to pitch in on this one and get our baby healthy again. And being so hot right now I’m sure isn’t making her feel any better either. I’ll give her a nice cool bath tonight and take her in first thing tomorrow.
    Again thanks for responding so fast. We all need more vets like you!

  2. PK Dennis

    First get all grain out of her diet, including treats.  Go to a good pet store (not the grocery store, or big box) and ask to be shown to the grain-free dog food and start reading lables. Pick a grain free dog food that has real meat as the first 2 , or even better 3 ingredients.  Real meat is easy to spot it says lamb, elk, bison, turkey, salmon meal or whitefish meal (meal is the entire animal ground up and dried).  Do not buy any food with by products listed in the ingredients – this is and indication of inferior goods.  The worst grains for dogs are: wheat, corn, corn gluten, rice, soy, oats.  Many dogs do alright with buckwheat since it is not a grain.

    Dogs may not be allergic to grain, but it impacts their ability to fight other allergens.  Most dogs do much better when grain is removed from their diet.

    Next, stop washing your dog (they only need a bath if they have rolled in something!) and just rinse her instead with a mix of 1/3 vinegar (cider vinegar is her coat is colored, white vinegar if her coat is mostly white) and 2/3 water.  Work this into her coat and skin and allow her to shake and dry.  Do not rinse it out.  You can rinse her with this every day, and if you have her coat cut very short, you can do it 2 times per day.  Just be sure she dries out between applications, you don’t want her staying damp since that will lead to other problems.  The vinegar smell will disappear as she dries.   I recommend you do keep her coat short for the time being – it will help you keep allergens out of her coat.  Brush her daily.  You can keep her tail hair long since that is one of the best features of this breed!

    Keep a bowl of this mix beside the door (make it fresh every day) and rinse her paws in it when she comes in from outside – this will help reduce the amount of allergen she tracks into the house.

    Cover every place she sleeps or naps with towels or sheets and toss those covers in the wash once a week.  This helps remove the pollen and mold spores that may be making her itch.  Wash her dog bed weekly too if she has one.  Vacuum the house daily with a HEPA filter in the vacuum.

    If she has any raw or ‘hot spots’ dab on witch hazel with aloe vera – you will find this in any pharmacy.

    If your vet told you to use Benadryl, switch to Zyrtec instead – it seems to work better.  Same dosage, and generic is fine.

    I agree with Dr. Krista’s advice to get the help of a vet – but after 22 years of dealing with itchy terriers I know that I have to take these other steps along with what the vet recommends.

  3. Andrea Cox

    I think you need a vet as this dog has been suffering long enough. You have tried hard to treat it at home and unfortunately it hasn’t worked. The next step is a vet and preferably not the same vet that saw her the first time.  It would be no wear near $1000. Probably less than $200 including the meds. You did a great thing by rescuing this dog and to continue being a great pet parent it takes sacrifice and some occasional money with a vet. Where I live a vet consultation is a mere $39. At that point they will tell you what needs to be done. You will be feel so much better once you help this poor dog. 

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Laura | 8 years ago
A Neighbor Has A Door Dasher That Seems To Get Out *frequently* Despite Her Owners…

A neighbor has a door dasher that seems to get out *frequently* despite her owners’ best efforts to keep her indoors. Does anyone have any ideas on how to prevent this behavior?

I do not have any further information, but my suggestions included diffusers with citrus scents near entry points, crating in a large dog crate, and keeping the cat confined to a room with a closing door when people enter/exit the home. Is there anything else you can think of?

3 Responses

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  1. Madelyn Fischer

    Hello, I would just make sure the door is closed and LOCKED. I don’t know any other suggestions for you, other than just “hissing” her away from the door. This means to make a noise much like a hiss noise. Good luck!

  2. Anonymous

    Thank you!

    It appears the cat in question door dashes when it’s opened (when people enter/exit the home). We live in a city known for B&E crime, and I know these folks keep the door closed/locked.

    I’ll mention the hissing but I can confirm that this won’t work for a determined feline. Hopefully theirs is more sensitive than my brat. 🙂

  3. Anonymous

    I dig. Passing this along, thanks.

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
A Few Months Ago, We Adopted Two Pups From The Same Litter. They Are Blue…

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!

4 Responses

Comments

  1. PK Dennis

    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!

  2. Ash Scism

    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.

  3. Anonymous

    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.

  4. Anonymous

    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.

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
My Dog Is A 45 Lb. German Shepherd Mixed With American Terrier 7 Year Old…

My dog is a 45 lb. German Shepherd mixed with American Terrier 7 year old suffering from something that I don’t know. This started about 4 months ago and has progressed to the point to where he constantly needs a cone on. He cobstantly agressivly licks his underbelly to the point where it has become raw and leathery.at times the area is red and swollen and others its is just leathery looking. Sometimes the area is moist and has a foul odor.recently he has started scratching his nose to the point to where he bleeds and when he is pet he favors those ares.please refer tot the pictures I have included. The vets gave him steroids and antibiotics buy that didn’t seem to help.We have also changed his food as recommended by the vet but nothing changed. the skin scrape of the area also came back negative for bacteria and mites. It sucks that I don’t know what the cause is, please help.

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  1. Jonathan Crockett

    My friend has the same problem have you resolve this problem

  2. Boogaloo Jones

    Is it in the same area? I haven’t resolved the issue as of now, but I plan to find a better vdt but price is a real concern.live paid almost 300$ and have found out nothing concrete.

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
I Don’t Know How Many Of You Specialize In Worms, But My Worm Has Been…

I don’t know how many of you specialize in worms, but my worm has been worming a lot lately. If anyone can help, I feel bad and don’t know WAT 2 doo. That brings me to the point, my dog eats his own poopies.

Anyways, the more important stuff than the poopies, is the balls. My cat Luis has been spitting out his hairballs, I’m trying to feed them back but don’t know if it’s the right thing to doo. Plz help.

~ Love, Jeff.

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
Gunner Is A 10 Week Old German Shepard Labrador Mix. He Was Vaccinated On 10-16-15…..

Gunner is a 10 week old german shepard Labrador mix. He was vaccinated on 10-16-15… He is currently dog # 3 under attack of this horrible horrible virus.. He was vaccinated with solojec5 not sure if that matters or not.. ANY ADVICE AT THIS POINT IS BETTER THAN WHAT IM RECIEVING AT HOME … THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART … I would rather my dog live a long happy life with someone else than not have a chance at life at all due to my financial situation … Who could I possibly contact on surrendering him to get him the help he needs.. I sont have much knowledge in this area and I want to do whats best for my dog even if it means im not the best for him . thank you …

2 Responses

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  1. julie brader

    Hello Britanny…..have you vaccinated your dogs yourself? I believe you can do that in the States I’m in the UK and we can only have their shots at the Vet here….and theres always 2 injections not just one.

    I’m so sorry to hear you have lost 2 of your 3 dogs to Parvo….., its a dreadful disease I know. You would be doing the right thing surrendering the puppy to a shelter. If he can be helped they would do that. You need to have a look in the phone book for Shelters in your area, give them a ring and see what they say. I only wish you could take this puppy to a Vet yourself and save him…at least you would have one dog left to love and receive it in return. Perhaps it may be worth phoning Vets too and ask if they could help you? Please do try, its very sad to think you will lose them all.

    However if you do surrender this puppy to a shelter please please don’t get another puppy until you can afford to get its shots at a Vet and have enough funds for its future health care. 

    I wish you good luck and thank you for putting your puppy first. 

  2. Dar Sawyer

    Check out wolf creek they have a few things you can try. Or take to the vet they will put on an IV and it can be pricey

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Pawbly | 9 years ago
Hi, About A Week Ago I Started Noticing My Dog Was Getting Sores On His…

hi, about a week ago I started noticing my dog was getting sores on his back I thought that him and his brother were playing and he bit him but now there are more I cant afford the vet and iam not really sure what to do at this point

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Diedra | 11 years ago
Hello. I Have A 5 Month Old Dog – Mix Of Chocolate Lab And…

Hello. I have a 5 month old dog – mix of Chocolate Lab and German Short Hair Pointer. What kinds of tests do you recommend before I spay my dog? What age is she ready for these? Thank you!

1 Response

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  1. Jana

    Hi Diedra

    I believe what you’re referring to is a standard pre-anesthesia blood test …? Those are certainly a good thing to do. There is no age restriction for blood tests. In fact, it is good to do a blood panel regularly, for screening purposes as well as establishing baseline values.

    http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2012/july/do_not_opt_out_of_pre-anesthetic_lab_work-26535

    As for the ideal age for spay itself, that is a somewhat controversial issue, as there are pros and cons to both doing it early and waiting. I suggest you do your research on the subject as well as discuss ideal timing with your veterinarian.

    http://dawgbusiness.blogspot.com