Question
Profile Image
Pawbly | 9 years ago
She Has Been Really Itchy Lately And When I Was Bathing Her With Oatmeal Bath…

She has been really itchy lately and when I was bathing her with oatmeal bath i noticed this lump on her tail. Any idea what it is?

Visit Page  
1 Response

Comments

  1. Anonymous

    a vet would really need to take a look at it to truly determine what it is.

Question
Profile Image
Pawbly | 9 years ago
She Took 3 Days To Pass The First Stool. We Aren’t Over Feeding But Not…

She took 3 days to pass the first stool. We aren’t over feeding but not under feeding. About once every 5-6 hours. She’s gaining weight very slowly. No worms in stool from what I can see. Anything other suggestions are helpful because we can’t afford a vet but don’t want to give her up because we intend to keep her and nurture her back to health.

Visit Page  
2 Responses

Comments

  1. julie brader

    Hello Brandon…well done for giving this dog a home. 

    Firstly you really do need to take her to a Vet. Not only to see if she’s microchipped (she may actually belong to a worried owner) but she is obviously not in good health and needs checking over. All new pets should be checked by a Vet within the first 3 days of getting them.

    That said she needs worming and a flea treatment, also heart worm meds if they are prevalent in your area. She needs a top quality food, small meals and often. Split her daily allowance between 4 or 5 meals to start with, as she gains fitness and body weight you can gradually knock them down to a meal morning and evening.

    Glucosamine is a good bone/joint supplement as is Wild Salmon Oil which will also improve her skin and coat.

    I do hope you and take her to the Vet as that is honestly what she needs. If she hasn’t been spayed it would be a good idea to have her done

    Good

  2. julie brader

    Sorry wrong button!! Oh dear its nearly bed time I think….

    Spaying when she is fit and well will protect her from Pyometra, mammary tumours and also stop unplanned puppies of course.

    I wish you the very best of luck!

Question
Profile Image
Pawbly | 9 years ago
I Have A 17- Month Old Male GSD. We’ve Had Him Since He Was 8…

I have a 17- month old male GSD. We’ve had him since he was 8 weeks old. He is attached to me but is OK when I go out. He watches me from a window and then lays down and waits or goes to my father and sits by him. He goes into his crate with no problem when we go out and he may bark for a few seconds but that is it. I work from home and felt daycare would be good for him to combat boredom, socialize him and allow me to work with focus. My vet recommended the daycare. My dog freaked out when I left him and just paced and panted. He then boarded at the daycare for 14 days to overcome the anxiety. He came home happy and calm and obedient. I took him back to daycare after one day at home, he ran right to his favourite staff person for a greeting and then he freaked when I left. I called to check on him and the owner said he is anxious again and that we need to address this now and we have scheduled a home visit. Before the boarding, my father had a habit of yelling and didn’t see anything wrong with a snout slap and I was overly affectionate and babying. The daycare owner feels this is the problem and that my dad abuses and I coddle. However, we were models of calm and patience and positive reinforcement when our boy came home. We really want to create and enjoy a fabulous dog so we agreed to police each other and give our dog what he needs and deserves. After the drop off this morning and the call with the daycare owner I am feeling dejected and I really don’t know what to think. Is my dog too attached to me? Does anyone have any advice or suggestions?

Visit Page  
4 Responses

Comments

  1. Kasia R

    Sounds like separation anxiety, which a trainer could give you advice on. Also, a “snout slap”..that is a form of abuse, please, don’t let anyone hit your beloved puppy!!

  2. Kasia R

    Not saying that you abuse your dog at all, but hitting is hitting, and some might think nothing of it but my dogs are “family”, and I’d never raise a hand to them.

  3. Anne Wright

    Just as a follow up, I do not agree with any form of hitting, or threatening with anyone’s pets. The reason he was boarded was to combat the separation anxiety. And as I said, even though my dad is 89 and “old school” he has agreed to never raise a hand or yell and we are now watching out for each other to curb any bad behaviour on our part. My worry is that after two weeks of boarding/training to curb the separation anxiety my boy was anxious again and not happy about me leaving him.

  4. PK Dennis

    I say skip the daycare.  Your dog is happier being at home waiting for you and spending time with your dad.  I really don’t trust vets to give advice on behavior – most of them have not been trained in this!  I would spend the time, energy, effort and money on training your dog to entertain himself at home so you can focus.

    I worked out of my home for years with 2 to 7 dogs in my house.  I fenced in 4 acres of land (I know most people can’t provide that much land for their dogs) and my terriers & shelties would go in and out the dog door – hunting for chipmunks, sunning, and occasionally checking on me while I worked.  They were never disruptive to my job and if I was on the phone with a client a snap of my fingers told them to be silent.

    For what you pay in daycare you could afford to have a trainer come to your house and work with you, your dad, and the dog!  Or, you could take the dog to training classes to expose him to more dogs and people (this will be even less expensive than daycare!).  Letting your dog be with his pack, and giving him a strong leader (a well trained YOU!) is going to make for a happier dog in the long run.  Believe me! 

    What do dogs really want?  They want their pack, their familiar space, a strong leader, and routine.

    PK

Question
Profile Image
Pawbly | 9 years ago
We Got A New Kitten, And Ever Since Then, My 13 Year Old Cat…

We got a new kitten, and ever since then, my 13 year old cat has been vomiting. She acts normal otherwise, and is aggressive towards the kitten. She still eats though.

Visit Page  
1 Response

Comments

  1. Laura C

    Likely stress
    Make sure you’re giving established kitty attention
    Supervise play
    Perhaps a pheromone collar or feliway

Question
Profile Image
Pawbly | 9 years ago
When I Straighten My Dogs Front Paw She Cries Out In Pain And Tries To…

When I straighten my dogs front paw she cries out in pain and tries to keep me from touching her paw again. However when I was feeling her bones she had no reaction and I felt no difference when compared to the other paw. Sometimes she limps and other times she’s fine, even has the energy to chase after me and play. I’m really worried because she’s a small 2 year old 4 lb. Yorkshire Terrier and when she cries out in pain it sounds like she’s screaming.

Visit Page  
2 Responses

Comments

  1. julie brader

    Yes take her to a Vet….there is obviously something going on with her foot that needs investigating.

  2. Dawn Ferara, DVM

    It sounds to me that she needs to see a vet, if nothing else, a vet could prescribe pain medicine to make your dog more comfortable.

    Good Luck

    Dr Dawn

Question
Profile Image
Pawbly | 9 years ago
My 16 Yr Old Yorkie Had A Tooth Out And Was Given Antibiotics And Liquid…

my 16 yr old yorkie had a tooth out and was given antibiotics and liquid pain killer,about 2weeks ago but everytime she eats or drinks she seems to be in pain why is this

Visit Page  
3 Responses

Comments

  1. PK Dennis

    I would call the vet that did the extraction and ask these questions.  They may need to do a followup check.

  2. Dawn Ferara, DVM

    You need to return to your vet for a recheck as soon as you can.

    Good Luck!

    Dr Dawn

  3. yvonne mawhinney

    Thankyou ,I did take her back vet said he could not see anything anything wrong he said I was to take her back and they would put her under again to have a look im so worried about this as she is 16 and is on heart tablets and its not been a month since they operated I just don’t know what to do help anyone please

Question
Profile Image
Pawbly | 9 years ago
My Almost 5 Year Old Chihuahua/dachshund Mix Bit My 8 Month Old Daughter In The…

My almost 5 year old Chihuahua/dachshund mix bit my 8 month old daughter in the face a few days ago. He is currently “quarantined” at home for 10 days. He is a normally good dog. He has always been very protective, hyper and a bit jumpy of new people. He has growled at people before but never attacked. My 8 month old daughter and the dog have never had a problem, but this day they were sitting next to each other and she was petting him, and then she grabbed his tail and he turned around and bit her in the face. I can no longer feel comfortable with the dog in the house around her. I do not want to put the dog to sleep as I feel this was a pretty isolated incident but she is too young to learn from her mistake so I feel it is very necessary to find him a new place to live. I am weary of trying to find him a new home in the chance he bites again, and I do not want to have that guilt over my head. Also, he is showing no signs of rabies but he has become more anxiety ridden since the attack/barking at all noises/people outside (with being quarantined though, I believe he is feeling depressed and scared). *Side note – I have a 9 year old son as well, who has been with the dog since a puppy (and my son was 4) and they have never really had any issues. The dog would get upset sometimes but he has never bitten my son. *Another side note – we recently moved (About 3 weeks ago) into a new home, and he has shown more anxiety/jumpiness since the move. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated as I do care about my dog a lot and want him to have a good life as he is not that old yet.

Visit Page  
15 Responses

Comments

  1. Anonymous

    ANY sudden behavior changes should be met with a vet visit first to rule out any medical problems.  please, take your dog to the vet and get him checked out.   i’d also talk to a veterinary behaviorist about this situation.

  2. PK Dennis

    DO NOT TAKE HIM TO A SHELTER!  Doing so will condemn him to death.  Even shelters that say they are no-kill often turn over dogs that have bitten to other organizations that then put the dog down.  This allows the first place to keep their “no kill” label, but does not save the dog. These are highly strung dogs.  You have made a lot of changes in his life, adding stress upon stress.  I am not surprised that he defended himself in this way.  The rule in my house is that NO CHILD UNDER THE AGE OF THREE gets to touch a dog, sit beside a dog, be allowed in a room alone with a dog.  And – I do not approve any home with a child under the age of 7 to adopt one of my fosters since I feel 7 is the minimum age of reason in a human child (in other words at that age they can understand to LEAVE THE DOG ALONE).

    Any dog that feels endangered will bite.  
    Keep in mind that you will be causing trauma to your older child by giving this dog away.  The BEST solution would be to find a trainer that would come to your home to work with you, your family, and the dog.  But if you can’t consider that, the next best thing would be to find a Chihuahua rescue.  You can find a dedicated Chihuahua Rescue by googling or looking through the AKC website for Chihuahua rescue.  You will find there are Chihuahua organizations nationwide that, for the love of the breed, will accept your surrender of this dog and will help him find the perfect forever home. 
    And be sure you don’t compound your mistakes by bringing another dog into your home before your youngest child is seven years old or older — or you will be doing this all over again with another innocent dog.  It wasn’t the breed that bit, it was the compilation of mistakes that created the situation and led to the bite.
  3. Kasia R

    If you have to remove that sweet dog from your home, call a reputable rescue in your area and try to find a good home for him. Perhaps his tail was pulled harshly and it was just a warning to your child, but I understand she is too small to know better. You can take him to a behaviorist and see what that say but please don’t put a family member in a shelter. Can you imagine what he would feel like after only know your family all these years. Best of luck to you!

  4. Brittany Irons

    Thank you for your honest advice.

  5. Brittany Irons

    This is one of the hardest situations I have ever had to deal with. He is definitely a family member, and this is why it is very conflicting for me. I have family members telling me to just send him to the humane society but I know what would happen and I cannot do that without feeling extremely guilty. If it was just me I would do anything to help the dog, but my husband does not agree. I am in a very difficult situation and heartbroken. I thank everyone for their honest advice and will take this all to heart and continue to soul search in which road I should take. I do not believe he needs to die in any way shape or form.

  6. Brittany Irons

    This is one of the hardest situations I have ever had to deal with. He is definitely a family member, and this is why it is very conflicting for me. I have family members telling me to just send him to the humane society but I know what would happen and I cannot do that without feeling extremely guilty. If it was just me I would do anything to help the dog, but my husband does not agree. I am in a very difficult situation and heartbroken. I thank everyone for their honest advice and will take this all to heart and continue to soul search in which road I should take. I do not believe he needs to die in any way shape or form.

  7. Anonymous

    i can’t imagine how difficult this is, but please, do the medical checks to make sure there isn’t something else going on. it’ll make it easier for a rescue to place him, as well.

  8. PK Dennis

    The Humane Society should not even be on your radar! It is a sure death sentence for this poor boy. They take in so many dogs each year that they can only save the ones that are most adoptable! And a dog that has bitten is usually considered unadoptable by the HS. Your family members may mean well, but they don’t understand that by giving this boy a home you made a life long commitment to doing what is best for him – not just your human children. The only way to be sure he is not put to death is to keep the dog yourself (and work with a trainer to resolve the issues) or to surrender him to a Chihuahua Rescue. The Chi people understand the personality of this breed and will work to ensure he gets a home that understands how to work with his stress – helping him to be the best dog he can be. It comes down to how much time, energy and effort you want to expend to keep your family (dog and all) together. If you can’t make the time and spend the money for training then you have to find the Chihuahua rescue. Another option may be a ‘small dog’ rescue. There are some that specialize in small, feisty, dogs that have fear aggression issues.

  9. Brittany Irons

    Thank you, I will be looking into the Chihuahua rescue to see if they can assist me, I truly appreciate your help and honesty!

  11. julie brader

    Totally and absolutely agree with P K here. The brutal truth is you allowed this to happen by letting an 8 month old baby pull your dog around, and how many times has she done it before? Look at it from the dogs point of view, if someone was constantly poking you and pulling your hair what would you do?
    You would retaliate. Which is just what your dog has done.
    This is honestly not your dogs fault. You shut him away now and you are compounding the problem, I’m not surprised hes stressed and barking….dogs pick up on our emotions very well indeed.
    Please don’t rehome this dog. Rather be sensible and keep your baby out of his way for both their sakes. Again I agree with PK I would not let a dog go to a home with a child under the age of 7 years when they are old enough to treat a dog with respect.

  12. ashlyn hag

    I had a problem like that, sometimes the Humane society won’t take a dog that has bitten before, also you would be killing that dog, also I believe I made the wrong choice by putting my dog down he was still a puppy (9 months old) but he had bitten and had drew blood, and I just didn’t feel safe around him, and like I said we put him down which was the hardest decision of my life, so I don’t want you to make a decision like me, be good and caring person and do not let that dog go, like you aid you had recently just moved and some dogs aren’t good with stress, and when you moved you cause your dog stress, don’t make the same ,mistake that I did and keep that dog, other wise whreveer you take him he will probably just die anyways, because not most dogs find good forever homes and live happily ever after your dog could likely get beaten or killed by others, so NO MATTER WHAT KEEP THE DOG.

  13. PK Dennis

    Hey Brittany,

    I just came across an article in The Whole Dog Journal about getting your dog ready to deal with a baby – this article mentions a company Family Paws Parent Education in Cary, NC which has a program, “Dogs and Toddlers” which is available to families through a worldwide network of more than 200 licensed presenters.  Jennifer Shryock developed this program in response to a huge number of families that wanted to surrender a dog after an incident (bite) had already occurred with a child in the home.  This program takes an in-depth look at helping the family dog successfully live with kids (and since he has been living with the 2 boys successfully I don’t think you have a big leap to hurdle!).

    I can’t encourage you enough to give a trainer a try – they can help you design a training plan to keep everyone safe, while minimizing the dog’s anxiety.

    One of the techniques recommended in the article is to teach your dog to be calm and happy in a room that is gated away from where the baby has access.  This works best if it is a room where the dog can see your family.  For example gate the kitchen so the dog can be in there with you while you cook and he can peek out and see the living room or family room.  Since it is dangerous for babies to be in the kitchen anyway (hot food or knives falling, reaching for pot handles…!) it makes sense to let the dog be in there, but not the baby.  The older boy can let himself through the baby gate to interact with the dog but the younger children are kept safely away in an area where they can be overseen but not touching the dog.

    Ways to keep the dog happy in this space is to interact with him there, and when you are not interacting give him toys and chews to work on.  A Kong stuffed full of goodness and then frozen will keep him content for hours.  A trainer can help you with this!

    I am just so worried for this sweet little guy!  My best wish for him is that he stay in the home he has known his whole life, with the people he loves.  But if that is out of the question I wish I could come scoop him up!

  15. Brittany Irons

    Thank you again for this information! I am full-heartedly trying to convince my husband that we can help our dog and keep him at the same time. He has had no prior aggressive behavior towards anyone in the family or anyone I bring into the home (the only aggression he has ever showed is to strangers when he is outside in the fenced yard – but I just think this is because he is very protective of his territory)…. I really do appreciate your opinions, help AND suggestions (rather than just being told I am at fault for everything).

Question
Profile Image
Pawbly | 9 years ago
My Standard Poodle Scratches Her Head And Snout Until It’s Raw And Bloody… Could This…

My standard poodle scratches her head and snout until it’s raw and bloody… Could this be a skin condition? I feel so helpless and don’t want her hurting herself anymore 🙁

Visit Page  
2 Responses

Comments

  1. teresa vogt

    Not a Vet, just looking thru the questions.. I have had Cats that would do similar to the back and tail.. it was thought to be an allergy.. some one cortisone shot later she stopped the chewing and rubbing we now give her a mild half childs dose of antihistamine.. Pets can be allergic to Fleas, Grass it is as wide as humans.. the shampoo used, it could also be a sinus flair up causing the need for the poodle to try to get the irritant out.. you might look at is there something that happens before she starts her active irritation like walk and sniffing.. rubbing face on Grass anything like that Wait for a Vet to give advice as to meds or dosages etc.. it may also be some type of scabies or other mite infestation.. I may be just missing it by a mile, I just wanted to offer my 2 cents worth..

  2. Ashley Labelle

    I was told to give her Benedryl as it was probably an allergy. But it’s been continuous

Question
Profile Image
Pawbly | 9 years ago
My Standard Poodle Is A Little Over A Year Old And A Couple Months Ago…

My standard poodle is a little over a year old and a couple months ago I noticed her head was bloody. After having it cleaned out thinking she just scratched it on something… I noticed she would get irritated red areas on her head. And then would scratch and leave it raw and bloody… It’s happened multiple times now and this morning again when I woke up her head was full of dry blood and wounded. Could it be a skin condition? it’s only on her head and snout that this happens

Visit Page  
2 Responses

Comments

  1. Dawn Ferara, DVM

    It could be an allergy or a skin condition Iike a pemphigus however, a vet needs to examine your dog to make a proper diagnosis.

    Good Luck

    Dr Dawn

  2. PK Dennis

    Just as Dr. Dawn mentioned, it would be an allergy, reaction to fleas, something going on with her thyroid, etc.  Or it could be mange.  I was just reading up on sarcoptic mange since one of my boys is showing signs of this — and read that it is often one of the most difficult things to diagnose.  And as a result, it is suspected that this condition is severely under diagnosed!  This article recommended that if a dog is severely itchy, with no fleas present, then they should treat for sarcoptic mange.  Then, if that does not solve the itch, only then start working on the assumption that it is an allergy.

    So, if you don’t have a flea problem I would take her to a vet and discuss sarcoptic mange.

Question
Profile Image
Pawbly | 9 years ago
I Have A Shitzu/poodle Mix. She Is Lethargic, Hard Stomach And When I Squeeze Her Abdoment…

I have a shitzu/poodle mix.
She is lethargic, hard stomach and when I squeeze her abdoment lightly there is definitely some pain.

Visit Page  
0 Responses