Hello Beth,

You can resume the eye antibiotic but I am concerned that once you stop it you will be right back to where you are now. It sounds like there is an underlying allergy? or something going on, and that the steroid is just quieting it down or masking it while you are suing it, but the underlying problem remains.

IF the eye returns to being swollen and itchy make a re-check appointment (preferably) with one of the doctors that you have seen already and keep investigating the underlying cause.

Sounds ike it is time for an answer to the problem because the medicine we prescribed hasn’t cured it yet.

Thanks for your question! And please don’t hesitate to call for a re-check.

Sincerely,
Krista

Krista Magnifico, DVM
Owner Jarrettsville Veterinary Center
Jarrettsville, MD
http://www.jarrettsvillevet.com

Hello Brenda,

Thanks for your question.

There are a few things to discuss.

I would like to know how long you have had your puppy, and if she has been to the vet yet? I would also like to know if she has had a fecal check, she might need more than one? I always worry about intestinal worms with puppies, especially if they are vomiting or having diarrhea. (I tell my clients that "most puppies come with worms, it is very common, and worms come with the puppy package. So expect them, check for them, and treat for them.").

I am unclear as to whether the vomiting is related to the car trip? Or, if she is vomiting without it being related to the car? Many pets, especially puppies get car sick due to anxiety about being in the car, and the motion of the car. I always recommend taking your puppy with you in the car as often as you can so they get used to the car, used to the motion of a car, and over come their anxiety associated with the car.

Getting car sick and vomiting because of being in the car, but then stopping vomiting after you get home or to your destination is fairly common. But, if your puppy is still vomiting after the car ride stops then I am concerned that we have a puppy who is nauseous.

There are many things that can make a puppy nauseous. The best way to try to determine the triggers for nausea are to visit your veterinarian and start talking.

I am also concerned about your last statement; "Will eating the grass hurt her or will it help her to vomit?" Eating grass can cause a few things. Pets can pick up the eggs of the worms that evolve into the intestinal parasites that can be dangerous to the health of your puppy. Also, I have seen dogs that have eaten so much grass that the stomach becomes a vat of fermenting green discomfort. This grass becomes a stomach full of un-passable, un-movable, obstruction. It can get stuck in the stomach like cement, except this cement is fermenting. So their belly gets stretched to the point that the grass is stuck and may eventually cause the stomach to rupture. These dogs are miserable. They are trying to burp to expel the fermenting stomach gas, trying to vomit, to relieve the pressure in the stomach and feeling terrible. I have actually had to do surgery to remove grass from dogs because their stomach is bloating. Bloat is incredibly painful and can be fatal.

So, I don’t want you to think that she should be eating grass. A small amount of grass eating is likely to be safe and may be normal for a curious puppy who investigates the world by tasting it, but I am concerned that she is eating grass because she doesn’t feel good.

I hope that I have encouraged you to try to identify why she is vomiting, why she is eating grass, and that you will have a meeting with your vet soon to help your puppy feel better.

If you would like to discuss any of this, or see a veterinarian and you live close to us at Jarrettsville Vet we would love to help.

I also have other puppy tips available on our Pawbly blog.

Best of Luck, and here’s to wishing you and your puppy a long, happy, safe life together!
Krista

Sincerely,
Krista

Krista Magnifico, DVM
Owner Jarrettsville Veterinary Center
Jarrettsville, MD
http://www.jarrettsvillevet.com

Hello Edie,

This is a great question, and a condition I see a great deal in my general private practice.

A hot spot is the common term used for a skin condition called pyoderma. (Our fancy way of saying inflamed skin). It can be either a superficial pyoderma or a deep pyoderma, referring to the amount of skin depth affected.

There can be many causes to this dermatological condition. In general I see an itchy condition that has turned into a self-traumatizing big giant ‘boo-boo’. The dog (it can happen to cats too, but I see in more commonly in dogs) gets an itch, from either a flea, a bug, a parasite, an allergy, or some other impetus to cause the dog to start scratching. We all know how hard it is to stop scratching when the itch persists. Sometimes the scratching is so soothing that we keep scratching thereby making the small itch into a big pyoderma.

I most commonly see hot spots around the face of long haired larger breed dogs. I especially see them in dogs with recurrent or chronic allergies including ear infections.

If you see your pet licking or scratching a particular spot please investigate it. Most owners may see a small red spot at the base of the hair, or a moist area in the hair coat, but don’t think it is much of a concern until we examine it in the vet hospital and shave the overlying hair off. In almost all cases what appears to look like a tiny red spot ends up being a very large very red, very raw, area of skin. I tell people that a hot spot looks like rug burn, or road burn on us. Abrasions to the skin that then cause the skin to become inflamed and oozing of serum that makes the red inflamed skin sticky.

I included a very good article to help you with a good overall description of this condition.

If you think that your dog has a hot spot I would recommend seeing your veterinarian as soon as possible to start treating it. The hope is that we can significantly reduce and eliminate the pain, itching, swelling, discomfort and infection before the easier to treat superficial pyoderma turns into the much harder to treat deep pyoderma.

I hope that this helps.

If you need any other assistance or think that your dog has a hot spot I can be reached at the clinic anytime to see you and you pet.

http://vetmedicine.about.com/cs/dogdiseasesh/a/hotspots.htm

Sincerely,
Krista Magnifico, DVM
Owner Jarrettsville Veterinary Center
Jarrettsville, MD
http://www.jarrettsvillevet.com