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Jason | 5 years ago
Good Day- We Are The Proud Owners Of A One-year-old English Pointer Named Bruno And A …

Good day- We are the proud owners of a one-year-old English Pointer named Bruno and a proud patient of Dr. Magnifico’s. Recently, Bruno has been shaking his head more often and scratching his ears. He has also been sleeping much more the past few days. When not sleeping, he is still pretty playful and eating/drinking. How do you know if he has an ear infection or not? His ears have been professional cleaned, but same actions with his head. Also, no smells coming from his ears. Any suggestions? Thank you.

1 Response

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    Ear infections are best diagnosed with an otoscope visualization and a swab and microscopic slide evaluation of the ears. In some cases there is simply dirt and debris and only an ear cleaning is needed. In others it is infection and therefore an otic antibiotic or antifungal is needed and in some cases it is just a red itchy ear due to an allergy. In any and all cases of head shaking it is imperative to identify what is going on and alleviate it ASAP or you can get an aural hematoma. Which adds two things to treat for and a painful pup too. Please call me and we can take a peek to see what’s up. As you are my client I will add the following at home tips.
    1. Look at the ear flap. Is it red? If so this indicated inflammation and discomfort. Try diphenhydramine mg size equals weight of dog. Ie 50# dog = 50 mg diphenhydramine orally every 8 hours. If two doses don’t knock it out see me!
    2. Is there any dirt or debris that looks like dark chunky wax inside the ear canal? If so you need to clean the ears. I have a video on this on my YouTube channel?
    3. Do you see any yellow liquid in the ear? Does it smell terrible? If so you need a vet ASAP!
    4. If it hurts to touch the ear see me ASAP.

    Whatever the cause is once you have one ear issue you should expect more. So ask your vet about at home care and ear cleaners to help avoid this from happening again. Also lots of red rated head shaking dogs have allergies. Ask about this before you get an aural hematoma. (YouTube on that too!)

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Jason | 5 years ago
Can Someone Give Me Some Suggestions On Nail Trimming On A 1-year Old Pointer? His Nails …

Can someone give me some suggestions on nail trimming on a 1-year old Pointer? His nails and quick are black so that adds a challenge. As soon as he sees the nail clippers, he gets into a panic. Trying to hold him down is very stressful for both the dog and me as the owner (but I do try to remain calm and talk with him the entire time). Please advise tips so we can get to a better place and maintain his nails better. Thank you.

2 Responses

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  1. Sarah

    Good morning-
    This is going to be a bit of a road to travel, but CAN definitely be done. You are going to have to reintroduce the clippers as a positive thing. Slowly and gradually until you get to the point where you are able to trim. Treats and praise will help- but it will take time to get there. In the meantime- the vet techs at your vet will most likely be able to assist you. I am still trying to reintroduce nail trimming to one of our shepherds and it’s almost a year now… not giving up though. So much closer than we were. But right now- they get trimmed during his vet visits. Best of luck ????????

  2. Laura

    I agree with Sarah – you need to revisit the clippers (or dremel) in a different way.

    Are you on Facebook? There’s a FANTASTIC group focused on doing nails in a way that the dog isn’t stressed. Some members build scratch boards for their dogs to use while they’re training them to accept clippers. I would encourage you to join and read all the Files: https://www.facebook.com/groups/nail.maintenance.for.dogs/learning_content/

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Sarah | 6 years ago
Hello Pawbly Friends- Quick Question. Our Youngest GSD (1 & 1/2)is Not Comfortable Getting His Nails…

Hello Pawbly friends-
Quick question. Our youngest GSD (1 & 1/2)is not comfortable getting his nails trimmed, and it is getting worse?I will admit- ever since I quicked our Dierks years ago, I am always apprehensive about doing nails. Butch HATES getting his nails trimmed. Riva “tolerates” it. I know it is important, so I take a deep breath, calm myself and keep going. My thinking is that Rontu can still sense my anxiety and I need to get it in check. I realize that I could bring him in to get his nails trimmed, but at this point, and how involved with my dogs I try to be, I feel bringing him in is a cop out of sorts. I am also feeling like trimming nails, as small as that sounds, has great potential in building a better level of trust- but I need to approach it just right. Any advice is so very appreciated ???thanks

2 Responses

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  1. Anonymous

    Try a dremel. It requires desensitization but it’s easier to use, as you’re less likely to quick your dogs with it, especially with dark nails. While you work on desensitization, take your dog to a groomer for trims.

    Or, since we’re local to each other (I’m just down in Baltimore), I could show you the basics of using a dremel sometime soon? I’d be happy to do it.

  2. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I tell clients to try to make nail exercises part of every day and every joyous occasion.. like taking “give paw” to the next level… make handing the feet over a task, offer rewards to reinforce participation and then start with a softer nail trimmer… like a file, or even a dremel (dremel takes longer to desensitize due to noise and vibration). But whatever you do keep at it.. also, if you do what I do, which is use nail trimmers, make sure they are sharp and know what you are aiming for.

    heres some help

    https://kmdvm.blogspot.com/2012/03/how-to-trim-nails.html

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Pawbly | 7 years ago
8 Year Old Shih-tzu Maltese Diagnosed With A Bulging Disc :( Hi, Thank You For Making…

8 year old Shih-tzu Maltese diagnosed with a bulging disc 🙁

Hi, thank you for making all of the videos on youtube. I have found them very helpful with my little guy Benson…it’s nice to see a vet that goes the extra mile for their patients. Our vet clinic is also caring and affordable as well, which is hard to find these days.

Benson is a miracle dog. He has already survived a grade 2 mast cell inguinal tumor so Cornell and our local vet love him and call him their miracle dog (this was 2.5 years ago)

Now for his most recent issue which is why I’m writing; For a week, he was dragging his front left paw. We took him to our vet (on Monday, March 19th) and she diagnosed him with arthritis….things got worse throughout the week to the point where he would knuckle his front left paw. Our vet had only told us to limit his activity and no jumping so we didn’t restrict him to a crate. By Sunday morning (March 25th) (and he was on 5mg of prednisone since Monday) his back left paw was now knuckling and he was getting worse to the point where he could barely stand up.
We took him back to the vet and they did x-rays and found a bulging disc right around his shoulder blades. He has been on 10mg of prednisone, Methocarbamol, gabapentin and in a crate 24/7 ever since Sunday the 25th. Luckily, he is really only affected on his left side of his body.

We are seeing a little bit of improvement at times and at other times, he is still just as bad as he was on Sunday.

He has never lost the ability to pee or defecate (thankfully) annnnd Benny loves to eat (or drink) so that will never be an issue haha…

However what worries me is the fact that he is ALWAYS as stiff as a board in the morning when we get up or when he gets stressed/excited. It’s as if he re-injures himself because he can’t walk and can barely stand. It takes him at least an hour to recover, stop panting and then relax again until it seems like he is not in pain anymore….

Is there anything we can do to prevent the “morning/excited episodes” or is it all just part of the process? I thought the muscle relaxer would help but it isn’t. I have even gone so far as to put signs on our front door asking visitors to not knock or ring the doorbell.

Last question-do you have an opinion about a dog chiropractor?

Any advice you could give, we would appreciate! We love our little guy-he has such a personality and adds so much fun to our lives.

Thanks so much,
Megan and Missy

1 Response

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    Thanks for being such a kind parent and for all of the nice things you commented on. I think that some of the morning stuff is normal and that the pain has been unmedicated overnight sonit often takes a little while after the morning meds to see them relax and feel better. I think asking about acupuncture is a better place to start than chiropractic help. By massage is also beneficial. Also aquatherapy when she feels stronger might also help her recovery. You can also ask about laser therapy. I hope this helps. Very best of luck.

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Pawbly | 7 years ago
Hello, I Am Writing Because I’m Really Desperate At This Point. My Dog Hasn’t Been…

Hello, I am writing because I’m really desperate at this point. My dog hasn’t been feeling good for a few days now (nearing a week now) she had been steadily losing her appetite and vomiting/trying to vomit. I was really concerned and took her to the vet 3 days ago. He told me that physically she looked fine and asked me if I’d be ok with a full blood work (because it would cost) I told him that that was the least of my concerns and that he was free to take blood and check her for everything he was afraid she might suffer from. After the vet drew blood I noticed my dog started limping so I called him.again and he came straight back to check on her again he checked her leg and it was completely fine her nerves were responding, he muscles were also ok and when he checked the movements of her leg everything was fine too but she was still limping so he started checking her spinal cord and when he reached a certain point my dog jumped and turned around to try and bite him that was how intense her pain was.

Her blood work came back completely fine and he told me that her organs seemed to be in perfect condition too. So he started administering 2 injections one antibiotic and one for pain relief. My dog was back to normal again and the limping has gone away completely but she steadily goes back to feeling weak and depressed until she takes the shots again. She stopped vomiting but today she started again. My vet instructed me to withhold food and just offer a small amount of water and I should check if she still vomits today. Unfortunately, where I live I don’t have the option of taking her to second vet for a second opinion on the matter so I decided to post here for help or at the very least ask someone here if these symptoms remind them.of something specific. The vomit was phlegm like white sometimes she throws up the water she just had after that she started vomiting anything I tried feeding her followed by a yellow substance today I found a dried brown like substance that scared me because I thought she might have thrown up blood?! But after I found that she vomited again and it was mostly water again so I figured if it was blood she would have thrown up blood again? She hasn’t gone to the bathroom for a few days (which is ok I guess since she hasn’t been eating much) but when she did go two days ago her feces we’re very soft and a few days before all these I noticed there was also mucus in some of her feces. She’s a pitbull mix and she is family to me I love her so much and I hated seeing her suffer and me being unable to do anything about it… The vet has recommended some pills as well because he suspects an intestinal or stomach parasite but my dog is way too clever as I’ve tried everything hiding in into food which she refused to take, tried putting it into sausages which she found again and proceeded to take the sausage out on the floor and eating it from the floor little by little around the pill, I’ve tried peanut butter which she outright refused and I even tried opening her mouth and putting the pills inside which she coughed out again and now when I try to open her mouth she keeps it tightly shut. Please help me if you can does anything ring a bell? Do these symptoms remind you of a case you might have encountered? Will my dog be ok?

4 Responses

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  1. Sarah

    I’m so sorry about your dog. I would call the vet again- first thing this morning. I would go through every single detail with him/her. Get another appointment- for today if possible. Try to brainstorm together in case you may have missed anything along the way. Is there a chance your dog got out and may have sustained an injury that you are unaware of? When exactly did the symptoms start? What was happening up to the point the symptoms started as best you can remember? Everything you can think of. If there is more than one vet at your office, see if they can brainstorm together about possible ideas. I hope everything works out ok.

  2. Zoi Lytou

    That’s what my vet has suggested but everything seemed ok and normal the first day she refused to eat I thought it was due to the heat wave that we experienced here a few days ago she was drinking lots of water which I also attributed to the heat. The next day I tried feeding her later at night when the temperature was much lower she still refused to eat but she still drank water perfectly fine. So I figured if she continues with not eating the next day I’d take her to the vet which she did and I also found white dried throw up resembling dried foam and noticed she would try to vomit to no avail I was immediately scared it might be bloating and rushed her to the vet.

    He gave her a physical there and found everything to be normal and asked me about the blood work and whether I’d be ok if he checked everything from a general blood work to see how her liver works even her brain as I said before I urged him to look for and check anything he was suspecting just make sure. After the blood drawn she started limping which buffled me and asked him to come see her he rushed back checked her leg her nerves were responding, her muscles were fine and all the movements of the leg were ok she only jumped when he check a certain place of her spinal cord. He left again and then my dog went from limping to a complete and utter disinterest about her surroundings and even when we tried getting her excited she would not stand she’d just lay there wagging her tail and not being able to put weight on her hind legs to stand up. I called the vet immediately and he came back again and saw the state she was in and immediately administered an antibiotic and a pain relief shot almost instantly she stood up (the limping is completely gone now too) and my vet told me to check on her regularly through the night and provide her with plenty of water and try feeding her 100 grams every 3-4 hours. She started eating and ate almost 300 grams and stopped throwing up. Then the blood work results came back everything was clear and her organs seems fine too. My vet also suspected pyometra but ruled it out because there was no increase in white blood cells present also no vaginal discharge and my dog is peeing fine and the color is normal meaning yellow. So he continued with the two shots the next day as well and then she threw up again! So yesterday in addition to those two injections he gave her a shot filled with vitamins to boost her immune system and also help her get those vitamins since she’s not eating right now. He instructed me to withhold food and just offer 250ml of water every 3-4 hours and monitor her to see if she throws up again. Which she hasn’t so far.

    Because he also suspects an intestinal or stomach parasite he gave me a strong dewormer to give her but as mentioned before I’ve tried everything! But she’s just too clever and always finds the pill and knows when we’re trying to give her the pills. So the vet told me she HAS to take them so he’ll be giving her the dewormer via an injection as well. He is the only vet in town (I don’t live in a big city) and what’s worse he told me he HAS to attend a seminar and won’t be back in town till Monday but an assistant will be giving Zira (my dog) her shots.

    As far as injuries are concerned I only found a splinter at the back of her leg like a week ago I think when I saw her limping I removed the splinter washed the little wound there then put betadine ( disinfectant) on it and then Fucicort Lipid (antibacterial cream). I did that for three days and she was fine and the wound is completely gone now too.

  3. Zoi Lytou

    Now it’s become even worse she threw up blood and blood clots my vet suspects an ulcer due to the injections she’s been getting and has immediately stopped both the pain reliever and the antibiotic. He’ll only administer the vitamins today and an IV to keep her hydrated. I’m feeling lost and helpless because I can’t do anything for my dog and the vet hasn’t even given me anything definite yet… As I said before I don’t have the option of a second opinion as he’s the only vet in town but I feel really bad for her I wish the vet would find out already what it is even if it’s extremely bad I just want to know… so that I can prepare her and me as well I don’t know what I’ll do without her and I will miss her so bad if something happens to her but I also hate seeing her suffer. As a pet parent you always know there’ll come a time when you’ll have to say goodbye but I think we all imagine that time will come when our baby is old and she/he will go peacefully in their sleep or their bodies will naturally shut down because of old age but not like this… This is what’s killing me the most knowing this could be it for her and I spend her last few moments scrabbling around trying to cure maybe something incurable instead of being by her side…

  4. Zoi Lytou

    Just an update because I know how worrying it can be when someone post something worrisome about their dog and never give an update on what happened. Also this might also be used for someone one day to understand the symptoms quick and help their dog. I haven’t replied as I’ve been really busy trying to take care of my dog. We ended up redoing her blood work and taking an X-ray fearing a foreign body that might have obstructed her stomach or intestines and found out she had pyometra she was immediately admitted for surgery and was essentially sprayed, the vet informed us that there was another option if we wanted her to have puppies but I didn’t wanna risk anything and just agreed to her being operated on. She’s now home with us and recovering. Thank you for your reply though!

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Pawbly | 8 years ago
Hello My Dog Got Surgery On His Leg On Friday And He Had A Cone…

Hello my dog got surgery on his leg on Friday and he had a cone to prevent him from licking the stitches but tonight the cone actually wrapped around his neck very tight to the point he couldn’t breath so we had to cut it off of him and now the cone is broken is there a way I can prevent him from licking the stitches just until tomorrow

2 Responses

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  1. Sarah

    Just try to keep an eye on him, and when he starts to go for his surgery sight, redirect him as best you can.

  2. Krista Magnifico

    I have seen people make a cone by cutting a hole in the bottom of a bucket to put their pets head through. Or you can put a big sock over the leg. Or Elizabethan collars are available at most pet stores

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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

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  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.

2 Responses

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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.