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We have a 2 year old Jack Russell named Toby. Papers from the breeder say he is registered, but my guess is if we spent the money on a DNA test we would find a stranger in the midst. We love him and wouldn’t trade him for the world but we think he has an addiction! He was not handled by the breeder and probably didn’t know human touch other than when his tail was docked and dew claws removed as a pup until we bought him.
He seems as though he is now addicted to our touch. Any kind of touch. He loves scratches from anyone, anywhere, at any time, and if you stop scratching him, he whines non stop. Could this behavioral issue be due to the lack of early touch? As much as we love this lug, having our hands on him every waking moment isn’t feasible.
I would love to know what we can do to keep him occupied that doesn’t include belly rubs, butt scratches, and tickling his ribs non stop. He has toys he.plays with as well as two other Jack Russell’s to terrorize squirrels in the back yard with, so it’s not a lack of stimulation. Open to suggestions! Oh, and the breeder was breeding pit bulls in the same place with Russell’s and at 30+/- lbs, we are pretty sure dad, well you understand!
Thank you
A year and a half ago we rescued a 4 week old kitten who presented unresponsive with a body temp so low it did not register. She was revived. As the caretaker was going to put her back out that evening I stepped in and offered to take her with the plan to rehome her. I have rehomed dozens of kittens over the years, all who came from feral colonies. From the get go Annabelle was incredibly sick and had behaviors that weren’t what we were used to. When held she would attack faces, when stimulated she would attack, we continued to work with her and a year and a half later she lays with us at night and as long as we don’t touch her does not attack people. Instead she attacks items. This occurs whenever there is any stimulation in our home, folding laundry, cleaning out a closet, dogs playing, children laughing, the list goes on and on. She has destroyed a sofa, armchair, curtains, tablecloths, comforters, sheets, duvet covers, etc, etc. We can not trim her nails….because we can’t handle her and truly even with her nails trimmed I am sure she would rip things apart with her teeth. We are no stranger to ferals, I am happy to allow them to hide until they feel comfortable, there is no hiding with Annabelle instead she literally runs into the chaos. When we let our dogs out and at feeding time out she runs into the chaos, when I vacuum she runs around the room, when we have company she runs around as I warn our guests not to touch her. We are no stranger to keeping cats happy, we have cat towers, scratching posts, scratching boards, elevated areas, areas to hide. Our other 4 cats are incredibly happy members of our family. I am at my whits end, I honestly feel like we attempted to tame a raccoon and are living with it in our house. I do wonder if Annabelle would be happier outside, but with no sense of danger and a habit of running into the chaos I can’t help but worry she would get killed….and I didn’t save her to have that happen.
I am open to suggestions and curious if anyone has ever had a similar experience.
Hi Jenn- I don’t know if this advice will help, but Dori is crazy like that too. While she has free roam of the house, we have things set up where she also has areas that are just hers, and that seems to have helped a little bit. She still “kills” furniture and pillows, but it isn’t as bad as it was.
Thank you, I am comforted in knowing we aren’t the only ones with a different cat. We are finishing our basement. The cats will have the laundry room completely to themselves with a kitty door. We are also making our screen porch a cat haven. I am hoping that helps.
Some cats truly are happier outside – usually far fewer than people think, but she sounds like one of them. Do you happen to have a catio or a large dog crate you can put her in outside, just to see how she does?
Would you consider rehoming her to a farm?
The fact that she doesn’t seem capable of integrating is frustrating, and I can only imagine how you feel.
We do have a large screened porch, she does enjoy spending time out there. We are in the process of making a cat “jungle gym”, an area where the cats can climb and be up high while on the screened porch. We also actually do live on a little farm. If she wanted she could be an outdoor or indoor/outdoor cat. Her tiny stature and inability to assess danger make me nervous, we have fox and coyote….I guess I am afraid she would be killed. On the other hand I really don’t know if she is “happy” being kept as a house cat.
I completely understand that fear. I’m of the opinion that the vast majority of domesticated felines should be kept safely behind walls and screens, so I get your reluctance. I also know some cats really just cannot be housed indoors. Good luck.
Hello,
I think it comes down to a few key points to consider.
One is she just a wild child at heart. And if so could we break her free form that with time, containment (to which I mean she would have to be caged for a long time. Think Diedra’s cat Tulio)… and then still be prepared to just having an angry hostile cat. I don’t think this is my favorite option because she isn’t afraid of people she just plain old doesn’t want to be around people.
2. Try to medicate her into being happier. May take a few months and may cost you value finger sensation for the rest of your life.
3. Let her be who she is and be happy. Maybe she is just the free wild spirit and maybe she won’t live as long as possible but maybe that’s how she wants it.
I think it really comes down to a spring her as who she is. Allowing her to live her life in her terms and loving her inspire of not being able to advise her.
I’m sure this is of no help. Sorry. I can help with the caging and meds if needed. Xox
Hi Dr. Mag, I noticed one of our dogs shaking and scratching at their ear tonight. I looked in the ear and it is red and has dark brown ear wax on the outer ear and smells a little musty and sour. The other ear is normal, no smell and no redness. I removed the wax with cotton but do not have ear cleaner. Would I be able to purchase some cleaner from the vet? Or could you recommend one for purchase? This is for Zoey. Thank you!
Hello,
Is there anyway you could have her seen? The reason I ask is that we always want to differentiate between inflammation (red ears can be a sign) and infection as they take different treatments. I am at the clinic tomorrow. For now you can give Benadryl (50 mg) by mouth to see if it helps the redness. If you prefer to not leave your home we can start with an ear cleaner you can pick up here and see if this helps. If there is pain or a foul odor coming from the ears you really should have her seen ASAP. Be safe. Krista.
Hi. Thank you. I can bring her for an exam tomorrow. I will call the clinic in the morning to see what time is best. Thanks again!
Hope you are all well. Please stay safe!
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.
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!)
I work front desk at a vet and a client brought in a stray. No chip and shelters wouldn’t take her. She was going to be released outside since no one would home her and it’s so cold in VA.. so I took her in. I got her shots and tested for FIV, FeLuk, etc to know if she’s safe around my 10 yr neutered male cat. Then the vet said she seems to be pregnant but the ultrasound was inconclusive. But she definitely matches the description of “pinking” and has no hair around her nipples. But I have no idea how far along she is! Last week we didn’t see kittens on ultrasound but now they think she looks pregnant for sure. How do I know? Vet doesn’t want to stress her with more imaging. Also, what do I do when she goes into labor?? Will my male cat be okay around her? They’ve been ok the few times I’ve let them interact but will she change personality when she has kittens? Is she’s likely nicer now than she’ll be after just since she’s “nesting”? Is the stress too much to introduce her to my cat? She’s scratching through the door to get to the rest of the house so I’d like not to keep her cooped up 24/7. Also, when do I know labor is starting? Will she pick a place? How can I make that not be the bed or couch? Or can I cover them? And she eats like she’s STARVING! She looks so tiny to be pregnant.. I read you feed them all they want at a certain point; when is that? How much should I give her each stage? I have Hills ultimate care adult. I went ahead and got some Iams kitten food but when do I start mixing it in? I’m even more lost not knowing how far along she is. I’ve had her 1 week so at least that far along but I could use as much help as possible. Especially regarding labor. I know she’ll most likely do it all on her own but I see so much of what can go wrong working at a vet and I’d like to be prepared. I’ve attached pictures of her. Please help me help her.
Good morning-
She’s a cutie!! Seeing as you work at a vet’s office, I would ask my colleagues there. I’m sure your vets and the techs and other staff members are very happy that you have opened up your home to this kitty and would be happy to share their knowledge. I would start to introduce the two cats more often- the more comfortable they are together or around each other, the less stressful things will be all around. I would also keep an eye on where this new cat likes to settle down most often and put either a box with a blanket or some other nice nesting bed for her and hopefully she will use it. As far as knowing for sure about pregnancy- again I would talk to the vet. I am guessing another ultrasound and then maybe you can even count babies to see how many you might expect to have. Best of luck!????????
Thank you. I have been asking but I feel bad when they have busy days with surgery and so many clients. But I’ll keep asking. The only thing they did give an answer on already that you mentioned is ultrasound; said they don’t want to do another or even X-ray when she’s further along. They want to avoid stressing her out. Though in my opinion she doesn’t seem to mind. She’s very dog-like. Would rather get out of the house or she starts being destructive. They said I could board her there for thanksgiving since I’m leaving town and don’t know if she’ll be ready for labor. They’re helping me out like that but pinning down a vet or even a tech for a slew of questions is harder than you’d think. I appreciate your help! Have a good day!
Is a spay abort an option? If so, I’d go with that.
My 11yr old cat Snowball…has the issue on side of face…Can anyone tell what this is??And yes been to VET..did skin scraping..found nothing…
My cat has the skin issue on side of his nose n eye
Hello,
I’m sorry but we need a better description to help provide some direction. Please provide a photo. Your vets notes and all treatment options tried so far. Also is your cat indoor or out? Vaccinated? Any preventatives used? Etc
I provided 2 photos of my cat with his issue…And hes totally indoors..Hes had all the vaccinations that The VET would give..I have told the VET ever since I had him from a kitten..to give him every vaccination that he could to prevent any disease etc..Yes hes up to date..The VET put him on Famciclovir..I think it was compounded..But this was like months ago..n that area was REALLY bad..n the VET told me he didn’t want to keep giving him stuff…to do a wait OUT period n NOT stress him out by bringing him to the VET as often as I was doing…Like two times aweek..at one point..said i may be STRESSING him out n NOT giving him a chance to heal with the medication…That was 6 or more months ago..n YES his area on side if face n eye is ALOT better than it was..but never could find out what it was
..Vet did bloodwork..a scraping..n nothing showed up..n shined a light to see if it was ringworm…n that was negative…
Skin Issue on side of my cat’s face n eye
Could someone in the staff area PLEASE explain to me how the posting pics n asking questions is applied on here..Ive posted question n pics but im beginning to wonder if im doing it right on here..Cause that’s been couple days ago…n I need to know if its seen or not…I just joined couple days ago..so maybe im not doing it right.or something..HELP
I provided information..why am I not getting a response
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Please help!
My soon to be 11 year old shnoodle (6 pounds) has to follow me around everywhere. We moved to a new house about two months ago and she has went pee on the stairs, bedroom and hallway at the new house. I finally had to gate the stairway and confine her to first floor only. Which has hardwood floors. She crys the whole time I’m upstairs getting ready for work or folding laundry. I’ve been crating her with my other dog at night and all she does is whine cry and scratch at blankets, the bed and metal bars on crate. Yesterday I went and bought her a crate of her own because I thought maybe she just didn’t have enough room to lay down with being in the same crate as my other dog. Well it was the same old thing last night plus she pooped in her pin and this afternoon pooped right by the pin after she had just been outside. I’m afraid she’s going to her herself too by scratching those metal bars. I tried a mesh crate and she got her toenail stuck in the mesh material and I had to cut the material to get her lose. Any thoughts on what I should do? I’ve tried crating her in my room but she doesn’t sleep she just whines, crys and scratches… PLEASE HELP!!!
Thank you
DeAnna
Hello,
I’m not sure what your question is? Can you please explain what you are concerned about and why?
I think maybe it’s the flooring you around part? But I don’t know if this is a new behavior or not? And I don’t know why it concerns you exactly? And was your dog housebroken before?
Any idea what changed and why?
I will say that I emphatically believe that pets do things for a very specific reason. The key is to figure out what they are telling you they need or want and then help them resolve it. It sounds like your dog is desperate for help. Have you seen a vet to discuss any of your concerns? That’s always the best place to start.
I assume this is a dog? Retrain – new places often mean new rules, and sometimes our dogs need to be reminded of the rules. I’d also get her to the vet for a checkup with urinalysis, just to be safe.
Good morning! Even though this dog may have already been trained, this is an entirely new situation to them. THey may be regressing. With the new change comes a new challenge. Start with the basics- positive reinforcement for good behaviors. Check with your vet to make sure there isn’t an unseen medical issue going on. My guess is that because of all the change in lifestyle (sudden crating, new smells, new house) and routine that your dog is having a hard time adjusting. Hope this helps.
My cat has been scratching her neck and behind her ears lately (which is normal), but when i watched her do it, today, clumps of her hair came out. I looked at her fur and noticed a couple kinda bold spots. Her skin isn’t red or anything, you can just see her skin more. I am wondering if this is just a shedding thing or if something else is wrong. I live in Illinois so weather is pretty average, and my cat is an indoor cat. She has been throwing up a lot lately, but i think thats just because she eats so fast. She also is allergic to some food. The vet said she is allergic to the protein in some types of meat, she will get red spots on her face and ears but after trying a couple types of food i think the rash is mostly gone. I really hope this is a normal thing but i am not sure. The bold spots keep getting worse with every scratch. What should i do?
My dog has scratched himself raw. No signs of fleas anywhere. Any ideas? I can’t get him to the vet till next week.
Hello,
It could be allergies or infection (amongst a host of other possibilities). If your dog is not on a flea preventative I still recommend you use one. Please use a safe one (lots of otc’s are not). Also you can ask your vet about trying Benadryl or an anti itch bath. In lots of cases a prescription medication is needed to stop the itch and treat the secondary skin infections.
All it takes is one flea to cause misery if your pet is allergic to their saliva. I hope you’ve found relief for him.
My bunny has been acting very strangely lately. We put her harness and leash on her and took her to the park. We spent a lot of time with her. Then, people were watching her (family) and I wasn’t there so I don’t know what happened. When we brought her back, she looked really scared. My family said that when I left, she just sat there staring at everyone. At home, she hasn’t been eating as much as she used to. She would practically snatch the food from my hand. Now, she sniffed, took a bite and walked away. We tried again with her favorite food, but she didn’t eat it. She’s been laying and sleeping way more than usual (practically all the time). During training sessions with me, she used to care and loved it. Now, she just sat there staring me for a while. She’s also been super scared. Every time I walked in the room, she’d jump up to me, now she runs away at the slightest noise. She’s also been pretty aggressive. She was laying and I reached over to pet her. She let me pet her for two seconds before she reared back on her hind legs and tried to scratch me. Hard. She’s also pretty stressed (her breathing is really fast). What is going on with her?
I would first and foremost make an appointment with the vet to make sure she is healthy. It may be the stress of the situation (you not being there for a bit) and will take time to get things back to the way they were. I would also ask my family who were watching her if anything happened while you were away. Hope everything is ok.
So, by feeding in to the whining, you’re reinforcing the behavior. At his age it will be difficult to stop. I’d reach out to your obedience trainer for ideas for this one.