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VetAdviceForFree
Q and A
Dogs / Canine page
Do you have a question? Please look through questions and answers listed on this page, you might find help there. Sorry, no vet available at this moment.
Last updated 11th of September.
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Picky eater
I have a Great Dane and he is approximately 10-15 pounds under weight. I had blood work done to see if there was something wrong and it came out perfect. Do you have any other suggestions? I can tell you that he is a very picky eater and I have had to mix his food with soup, hamburger meat, or pasta to get him to eat his dog food but this can’t be very healthy for him. I rescued him from a kid that could not afford to feed him so he fed him beans. He was about 10 weeks old when I got him and I never had a problem with him eating until he was approximately 10 months old. It seems like it started after he was taking antibiotics for a urinary tract infection so at first I thought it was the medicine bothering his stomach but he hasn’t taken it for months and he still wont eat good. Any suggestions?
Great to hear that you had the blood work done and that it was ok. A few thoughts: it’s not unique that dogs learn there are other things that are tastier than ordinary dog food. You know how kids can be… this could be the same thing.
It’s still a fairly young animal, I understand he is ca 1 year old. Until this age I often tell people not to worry too much as long as the dog seems bright and happy. It’s not unusual with a period of slight overweight or underweight in a young animal. This should be automatically corrected.
However, if it seems to be a real problem (an obvious underweight that persists) further investigation is called upon. Further blood tests might need to be done, all in all an in depth investigation. I take for granted you have dewormed him properly. Sometimes a change of dog food will mean a great difference. Some of the manufacturers have special products for large breeds, perhaps something to look into.
Golden Retriever - profuse salivation
Our 6 1/2 month Golden Retriever became very quiet recently, went off his food, no longer chased the cat, lay around very morose etc. He also dribbled constantly. The vet could identify nothing. On return from the vet he vomited a small amount of mucus and also had one pass of runny stools. His energy has returned after seven days and he is no longer sick and his stools are normal however he is dribbling profusely; mostly after food but not always. Any ideas please?
A few thoughts: Presented with a case like this most vets would have a good look in the mouth (not forgetting the back of the mouth: tonsils sometimes get infected). If everything looks ok and the tummy feels ok… I sometimes then assume the dog feels sick (think about how you drool before throwing up). You mention that it’s mostly after food, which would make it interesting to try a medication aimed at reducing the amount of acid in the stomach. Or simply try a different sort of food and see if it makes any difference.
Limping Dog
We own a three year old lab/collie cross. Our dog has shown reluctance in the past to be treated at the vets even for simple things like his yearly booster. Therefore we are terrified of taking him for any treatment. He is a very active dog and even on occasions follows us on our mountain bikes. But recently he as been limping slightly. He seems to be having a problem with his back leg. When he first gets up after lying down or sitting he doesn't seem to put any pressure on the rear leg in question but after a few minutes can be running freely again. In effect it looks like he's got pins and needles? Is this possible in dogs or could something else be to blame? There are no obvious cuts or abrasions to the base of the paw. Can you offer any advice? Many thanks for your help.
Usually given a history like this the diagnosis made is some sort of degenerate joint disease. Often the dog is reluctant to use the leg for moments or minutes and then seems fine, as you describe. Compare these symptoms to soft tissue problems: they tend to get worse the longer the dog supports on the leg.
The symptoms you describe seem mild. Maybe your dog doesn’t need any treatment right now (elderly dogs with joint problems are often on painkillers and do just fine). The question is what his exact problem is and if he needs any treatment.
I’ve met many dogs with great reluctance to being examined at the clinic who seem maybe not fine when examined at home but at least better off. Any vets around able to do visits?
It doesn’t matter if the dog is reluctant or not, if recently means weeks I would advice you to contact your vet.
Mammary cancer
I have a 12 year old boxer bitch with mammary cancer and also some other lumps on her back. Would you advice surgery? If yes, what are the dog’s chances? If no, how long does she have to live and how can we tell if she is in pain? Do bloodshot eyes indicate anything? She also sometimes looses control of her bladder. Is this connected to the cancer? All in all she seems to be ok, maybe a little sad (unhappy) and tired with stiff joints.
If she seems to be ok apart from her age-related symptoms I would consider surgery. Chances are fairly good. Two thirds of mammary gland tumours are benign (favourable for recovery). Step one is to x-ray the lungs to make sure there is no obvious spread. Usually a blood test is also performed. A spread to the liver might show up as abnormal blood test results. And also, let’s say the blood test shows signs of a kidney problem… you might want to reconsider.
Stiff and sore joints and loss of bladder control are common in elderly dogs. There is treatment for both of these conditions, ask your vet. Your vet will also guide you through the tell signs of possible pain. I wouldn’t assume the bloodshot eyes have anything to do with the tumours in the mammary glands.
Dog urinating
I live in a terraced block of flats where 6 flats share the stairway. I have a cat and new neighbours have a dog. The dog has started urinating on the stairway in various places but particularly at my door. Is there anything I can put down on the walls/stairs to stop this behaviour? The dog is let out on its own and left to its own devices.
Your letter made me think of the television show ‘Neighbours from hell’. Sorry, I can only think of actions that would send you straight to jail. Instead of changing the dog’s manner I would try to change the neighbour’s. More easily said than done, I’m sure.
Hit by a car
I have an 11 year old cross Border Collie. In November she was hit by a car but she has recovered well from her injuries with the only complication being damage to her rear hip. She walks on three legs but occasionally she puts weight on her leg when walking on soft ground. She does not appear to be in pain or significant discomfort and I am reluctant to put her through surgery. What would you suggest the prognosis is for such a case? Thank you in anticipation of your response.
First of all, are we sure she isn’t in pain? If not, how come she usually isn’t putting any weight on it? I would advice you to try and make sure.
Many dogs with a similar history, when perhaps surgery is not the number one option given the age / life expectancy etc, do just fine, maybe with the support of painkillers. I’ve met many dogs walking on three legs that don’t seem to be troubled by it.
I often think that the biggest problem in many of these cases is what we people think (or what the neighbours might say).
A large bone…
I recently purchased a large bone from the pet supply store for my dog Scarlett.
It was one of the pretreated flavoured bones that all the stores sell here. The dog took the bone outside and promptly chewed it up and ate it. She is now having accidents in the house and passing small amounts of blood in her stool. Last night she also vomited. Will she be able to pass the rest of this safely and is there anything I can give her that will help her.
If a foreign body gets stuck in the gastro-intestinal channel, the dog usually vomits and passes no stools. Sometimes they do both. So given the history I would be a little bit nervous.
Fluids given IV will help to soak up the intestines and objects will pass more easily. This might not be enough; it’s not unusual that surgery has to be performed.
However, this could all be a hefty stomach upset due to the chewed bone, maybe no large pieces that could get stuck were swollen. I would play it safe if I were you. My advice is that you should contact your vet.
Arthritis and prednoleucotropin
My dog has been diagnosed with arthritis of the knee. The vet prescribed prednoleucotropin tablets. I have been told that they have side effects by a friend.
Are they safe to use? If not what alternatives are there?
PLT tablets (which must be what we are talking about) have been used for the treatment of osteoarthritis in the canine species for years. Recommended dosage is half a tablet for ca 8-kg bodyweight (one tablet for 16-kg etc).
It is recommended that the dog is re-examined after 3 days if there is no improvement and re-examined in any case within the following weeks.
The tablet contains a small amount of prednisolone (a corticosteroid) and cinchophen. As with all steroids there may be significant alteration of fat, carbohydrate, protein and mineral metabolism. Excessive hunger and thirst may be seen. Gastrointestinal ulceration, suppression of the immune system and delayed wound healing may also be seen, but usually only at higher dosages.
An interesting thing to note is that it’s very hard to find any data on cinchophen. But as mentioned, these tablets have been used for years.
All this might sound scary. Please remember that potential side-effects should be looked at in the light of potential benefits.
The alternative is to use a non-steroid anti-inflammatory drug such as Rimadyl or Metacam.
Cocker Spaniel bringing up fluid
Please advise my 11 and a half year old cocker spaniel is coughing up clear fluid from his lungs. He has heart trouble and been on Digoxin for the past year. He also had a melanoma removed from his mouth some four months ago. Could this tumour have spread to his lungs?
I take him to our local vet about every 10 days to try to get him right, he has been bringing this fluid up for the past week. Thank you
Yes, there could be a spread. This could also be caused by the heart failure (which I think is more likely). I wouldn’t have said anything without x-raying the chest and abdomen.
If there is fluid in the lungs (often accumulates with heart failures, depends which sort of heart failure) so-called water tablets need to be given.
Bleeding from the rectum
My daughter bought a dog from the shelter a month ago. She is bleeding from the rectum started this morning and has progressed since this afternoon.
Abbie is not crying or when picked up does not yelp. What this could be? She has all of her shots.
Well, first guess is an inflammatory reaction of the large intestines (usually caused by viruses, parasites etc). If it’s progressing I think you should see your vet first thing in the morning. Some infections causing this are very serious (don’t mean to scary you but you never know) but as long as she seem fine in general I wouldn’t bee too nervous.
Greedy eating is also a possibility.
Swollen Paws, Mucus and Blood
Hello, I am having difficulty getting a diagnosis for my 6 year old Beagle. He has an infection of some sort in three of his four paws, causing swelling and a mucus discharge, which he licks at constantly. My vet has tested him and put him on numerous medications, which have not worked at all. Are these symptoms of a greater problem that my vet may be overlooking? Thanks
From your description I would start with antibiotics. If these wouldn’t help, I would perform a bacterial culturing and perhaps a biopsy in order to get more information. The biopsy plays an important role. Apart from informing us of odd infections such as fungi (not too common but antibiotics will not solve the problem) or parasites (such as demodex) it also will help us to understand underlying causes. What you are referring to might be an allergy.
If you and your vet feel you are stuck, ask to see a dermatologist.
Loss of Control in Hind Legs
I have a 13 year old lab and maybe Golden Retriever mix. She is basically in good health but has been showing clear signs of ageing in the last year, such as confusion about how to go out the door. Recently she has starting losing control of her hind legs so that her bottom falls to the floor and she has been dropping her faeces as she walks without seeming aware of it. How is something like this generally treated? I live on a limited income and cannot afford surgical bills or expensive treatments. However, I love my dog and do not want her to suffer. Do you have any suggestions? I realise this may just be a part of the ageing process but I don't want to just ignore it. When we go out walking she seems fine after she gets going a bit. Thank you.
The most common cause behind these symptoms is spondylosis, or we could call it a disease of the discs between the vertebrae. A disc prolapse (slipped disc) in the end of the lumbar region often produces these symptoms. The prolapse will cause a swelling of the tissues surrounding the nerves or produce a direct pressure on the nerves, thus impairing it’s function.
The most common treatment is to administer corticosteroids or NSAID (non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs). The anti-inflammatory effect will help to take away the swelling of the tissues surrounding the nerve. If there is a direct pressure on the nerve by the disc or other tissues (secondary to the disc disease) medicines will not offer much help.
Corticosteroids are very cheap; NSAIDs are not very expensive.
Panic and fireworks
My dog gets really stressed and scared by crackers and fireworks. He is not himself for days after. Is there anything I can do to help him?
Yes. Contact your vet and ask for a sedative, given as a tablet or syrup. Your vet might want to do a health check before administering the drug.
Seizures
My daughter has a rotty, 2 year old diagnosed with epilepsy, the vet has put the dog on phenobarbital 60mg 1.5 per day could you comment on this please, they say that’s all that can be done.
One could say this diagnosis and following treatment is based on general examination and blood works without any abnormal findings (for example, a liver failure can cause seizures, obviously in these cases the liver failure is treated). The main objective is to rule out conditions that require specific treatment. Having done that, symptomatic antiepileptic drug therapy is the only therapeutic option.
Recommended initial dosage is 1-2,5 mg / kg twice daily so that seems normal. After a couple of weeks serum concentrations should be evaluated (a blood test to see if the dosage is suitable for this particular individual). If it isn’t, the dosage is changed and new blood tests are taken a few weeks later. If adequate seizure control isn’t obtained a second drug is added.
Distended abdomen
I have a puppy Pit Bull 1 and a half months old. A doctor saw him last week because his belly was large. Thought it was worms and got 1 dose of medication for worms and is due for second dose on Dec 27. Well his belly is very large now. I feed him milk for weaning puppies and IAM's puppy food & water. I give him the milk twice a day total of 4 oz. and puppy food once very little. What is the problem with his belly or is that normal?
A puppy that young appears to get a swollen abdomen after a meal. A deworming procedure is though correct, as always. Maybe less food per meal but instead give meals more frequently. If this distended abdomen isn’t normal… there could be several reasons. It’s impossible to comment without having seen your puppy. So, if unsure, see your vet again.
Hit by car
I have a basset-hound and springer spaniel mixed dog that is about year old. Her name is Molly. She wonders around a lot and will not stay home. She was hit by a car last night close to our house. I didn't find out till the next day that the city animal control person had brought her in because someone had called and reported it. The Vet that has her says that he gave her some pain medicine this morning. He hasn't taken any x-rays yet, but seems to think she has a broken or fractured pelvis or a broken leg. He said that she is alert, shows no signs of internal injuries, she has eaten, and even got up on her front legs, but has a very hard time with the back legs. She is a very good dog and we don't want her to suffer at all, but we aren't sure about how much a surgery is going to cost if it is a broken leg. He said that the pelvis will heal on its own, is that true? Or do you have to put the dog to sleep? I am suppose to go to Vet in the morning to see her and find out what the results are of the x-rays. Could you please give me your opinion on what you would do?
As of now you have probably already seen your vet and hopefully he was able to explain things better. These matters are often difficult to discuss over the phone.
If your vet says the hip fracture has good chances to heal without an operation, that’s good news!
Reacted to vaccination
I have a 1 1/2 year old Chihuahua. He had his first round of shots when we first got him, and everything went fine. Yesterday I took him to get his booster. He got rabies and DHLPP-C vaccinations. He also had his anal sacs suppressed. He did fine. About 3 hours later he got very sore all over. He started having chills. When I tried to pick him up, he would yelp as though he was in acute pain. I called the doc and he said to give 1 baby aspirin. The aspirin seemed to help. Last night all he did was lay around. He would even get up and walk around. This morning he seemed very stiff. I gave him another aspirin, and within the hour he seemed to being doing a little better. However, he still won't let you pick him up. He will play a little bit if I am the one who starts it. He has not lost his appetite. I can tell that he is very sore not only at the site of injection, but all over his body. Is this normal? Should I be concerned? Thank you
It does indeed happen that pets react to given vaccines. It is not common at all but not unheard of. Usually the stiffness goes away after hours / days. Sometimes antiinflammatories need to be given (as your vet recommended you to do).
I would urge you to carefully note which vaccine was used and ask your vet to use a different vaccine when his booster is due.
If you are unsure about his condition as of now, go see your vet.
Runny faeces
I have a German shepherd, 90% of the time he is fine, but then he will have a spell of having runny faeces, tonight there was a lot of blood, antibiotics will clear it up until the next time. All the time he is a big eater and in fine condition, any suggestions? Thanks.
Usually owners with dogs having this sort of problem will say this will happen more / less often with certain foods. In other words, diet is important.
Worth mentioning is this breed's problem with the pancreas, EPI. It's a condition when the pancreas doesn't produce enough enzymes. Dogs suffering from this often have yellow stools and usually respond well to enzymes given orally. Diagnosis is based on blood tests and perhaps a faecal examination. This test is worth investing in if it happens more often.
Barking
I have a 6-month yellow lab female, and a 1 and 1/2 year old black lab male.
Every morning the female, who is in her kennel in the other room barks continuously. We have tried to discipline her by almost every means available. We've put bark collars on her, that don't even seem to stun her, now we have tried a muzzle, that doesn't keep her quite either. She just barks, and barks some more. She shouldn't have to relieve herself, for we are certain she does this before going to sleep at night, and she isn't in her kennel more than 8 hours at night. Do you have any other suggestions? Also my black male is at the bedroom door whimpering for no reason. I'm not sure what to do to try to make them stop so I can get a good nights sleep. Thanks.
These are sometimes difficult problems for a vet (who is trained in the medical field) to solve as we are probably dealing with a social problem here.
If the problem is social or behavioural doesn't matter, it gets on anyone’s nerves.
Would it help if they were kept together at night (I assume from your letter that they are kept separate)? Would it help if they were kept in your bedroom, if possible?
That's just a couple of quick ideas, in general I advice dog owners with this kind of problem to seek help from people that work with canine social / behavioural problems only.
Scratching
I have a 1 1/2-year-old male cocker spaniel. He has consistently scratched all summer. I have tried food supplements, moisturising dog shampoos, dandruff shampoos etc. he has no fleas or ticks. We are very careful about his treatment for those. He is party color black and brown. I thought that most of it was due to heat when he is outside because he is relieved somewhat when he is inside in the A/C. He is an inside dog 90 % of the time. He also continuously licks and cleans his paws. I thought this to be very unusual. He is a cocker that has also had the more troublesome ears. We have treated for ear mites continuously for the past 3 months with "otomite" and ear cleaner. I also clean them regularly with q-tips to get the blackened gunk out. They seem to clear temporarily and then start back up. The scratching of the body and ears is most annoying to us and I can only imagine the grief he feels to continuously do it or the need to do it. Any suggestions?
This is obviously a complicated case. First of all I would recommend you to keep using the ear cleaners. Some dogs need it done twice a week, some once a month. In some cases you will get a better effect with a different cleaner. This probably depends on which sort of infection we are dealing with.
Scratching body, paws and ears… it wouldn’t surprise me at all if we are dealing with an allergy. If it’s pollen, dustmites etc… to find out, an investigation including skin tests (+ scraping looking for parasites etc) has to be done.
If he is allergic he will be better of with steroids, soothing shampoos and fatty acids. Some respond well to antihistamines. In some cases repeated injections with the troublesome agent (ex pollen) will help (hyposensitization). So do arrange a date with your vet.
Grumpy dog on pain killers
I wonder if you could possibly give me some advice about Misty. Misty is a 15 year old cross breed. He has always been a grumpy dog but lately we noticed he was getting worse. We were afraid to even walk past him as he would snap for no apparent reason.
We took him to his vet nearly 2 weeks ago who thought that one of hid testicles had shrunk due to a tumour on the other. He gave him a pain killing injection and suggested we bring him back in a week. He improved a bit and on returning to the vet he suggested continuing on pain killers and see how it goes.
I thought the vet would have taken a blood sample to see if the cancer had spread elsewhere but he didn't suggest it. Misty is eating and drinking well, still wants to go for his walks. His quality of life seems very good. Our main concern is we don't want him to suffer and would try anything to help. The last resort is putting him to sleep.
Any advice would be gratefully appreciated. Thanks
It's indeed very common for elderly dogs to have sore hips / joints / backs. It's seems to be true for both humans and pets that this sort of pain for a long time is depressing and does affect the mood. Therefore, in a case like this, it's very common to try a painkiller for some time... and see if there is any change.
I understand there is a change for the better so I can only repeat the advice you were given, keep on giving those painkillers!
Lots of elderly dogs are on painkillers for the rest of their lives.
I can't really comment on the possibility of a testicular tumour. Blood tests and poss. X ray will help to tell if there might be a spread. However, these tests are far from 100% sure. Testicular tumours are in most cases 'of the kind sort'. Your vet will guide you in this matter, I'm sure he will be glad to perform the tests if you discuss the matter.
Mating… terminating pregnancy
I have 2 questions, if that is ok? The first: If you have a litter of puppies and get a hermaphrodite amongst them, is this hereditary or just bad luck. Or are there some breeds more susceptible than others, this was a cocker spaniel litter.
The other question was if a bitch gets into whelp accidentally and you wish to terminate it, how much time do you have, I thought 3 days but have been told only 24 hours. Thank you for your help
Hermaphrodites: the body contains tissue of both male and female gonads. Pseudohermaphrodites: Chromosomal and gonadal sex are in agreement but the genitalia are ambiguous.
Cocker spaniel is one of the breeds listed as XX sex reversal (chromosomal and gonadal sex do not agree). It’s inherited (autosomal, recessive).
Terminating pregnancies can be done weeks after mating (not nice). It all depend on what sort of drugs that are used. It’s obviously ok to spay the bitch although pregnant.
Urination problem
Hello. I have a 3 year old Malte-Pom that urinates/sometimes defecates in his crate while I am working for 5 hours, but can "hold it" for 9 hours while I'm sleeping. He will also, at times urinate in the house while I am there. I adopted him 1 1/2 years ago. He has a regular schedule to go outside, to eat and to play. Would this be separation anxiety, bladder infection, or something else? Any help/advice is greatly appreciated.
Thank you for your time.
Could be, could be… sorry, I’m afraid I don’t have much input to offer in this matter. How about bringing a urine sample to your vet?
This might be a way of territorial marking. Are the walks always the same (thus maybe boring)?
Cancer
My fifteen year old border collie cross has recently (four weeks ago) been diagnosed as having cancer of the nose. I first observed a bloodstained mucus discharge from his right nostril and took him to the vets immediately. A biopsy revealed the cancer. My vet has told me that he has maybe only two to three months to live, and yet he is so healthy otherwise. He goes for long walks which he enjoys, wants to play and has a good appetite. I find it hard to believe that I am going to have to have him put to sleep in such a short time. I have been trying alternative treatment and have been giving him flax oil in the hopes that it may help, even if it only slows down the spread of the tumour. However. five days ago he was bleeding quite a profusely from his right nostril and I took him back to the vet who prescribed Medrone 4mg. and Vitamin K. He again reiterated his prognosis. The bleeding has now stopped and he is back to his usual self. Is it possible for you to advise on any form of treatment, alternative medicine is probably the only chance of any success as we have ruled out radiotherapy and chemotherapy. I would appreciate any advice you can give me. Thank you
Since a biopsy has been taken there is a definite diagnosis. Sorry, I have no help to offer…
Swelling on side of rectum
I have a 10-year mixed breed dog (mostly black and some white) half beagle and half-Australian Shepard. Today I noticed a swelling on the side of her rectum. I have no idea what it is or what to do. I saw her have a normal bowel movement yesterday. Could it be anal glands or what are the options? Thank you.
It could be one of the anal glands. Or a tumour (usually those are benign). Another possible condition involves loss of muscles keeping the rectum in place. However, this is usually seen in male dogs.
Yellow Lab dragging rear end
Our 3 year old Lab, Rockne, has been dragging his read end across the floor. It has only happened two or three times and not for days at a time. Just every now and then. Is this from his anal glands and does this occur frequently in Labs? I've never had a dog do this before.
Anal gland problems are common among dogs. If the anal glands cause this (or if there are any other obvious anal-related problems) is fairly easily investigated by your vet. If so, squeezing them empty should make a difference. Remember this symptom is also seen in allergy / atopy. However, they tend to have other symptoms as well.
Brittle Nails
We have a 6 year old Golden Retriever who has had no health problems up until this summer. When she runs after a toy or stick she has been breaking her nails. I have had her to the vet 5 times for 5 different nails and the vet has removed two nails. The other three nails came completely off by themselves. When we took her in the first time the vet simply removed that nail by putting her under. The next time the vet clipped the nails by at least 1/4 of an inch and my dog licked the nail until it came completely off. The next time the vet told us that the nails were still to long and he clipped them again and removed the nail by putting her under. Anyway, to make a long story short, she broke another nail last night and as you can imagine she is limping around in a great deal of pain. She has never had this problem in the past. It just doesn't seem like it can only be caused by long nails especially since the vet has clipped them up twice in less than 1 1/2 months. The 5 (now 6) nails that she has broken has all happened in less than 3 months. I think the nails look brittle and are splitting but the vet says they are normal. What could be causing this all of a sudden? We have not changed her diet or anything else. If you can help please let me know. Thanks
Onychosis is disease or deformity of the nails. Paronychia means inflammation or ulceration of the soft tissues around the nail base. Infections due to bacteria / fungi may cause it or it might be part of a systemic disease (autoimmune disease, diabetes, hypothyroidism etc). Onychorrhexis is the term for brittle nails. It might result from trauma. In some breeds, particularly Dachshunds, it may arise spontaneously in all nails. There is no known cause.
Often no definite diagnosis is made until a biopsy of the claw is sent of to a laboratory. Your vet will guide you in this matter.
Anaemia
Well I am truly convinced that I have the sickliest dog in the world. I am getting very distressed and my bank account is gone now as well. It all started a little over a year ago. I have had my dog for 3 years. He is about 3 1/2 years old now. He is an Italian grey hound.
We were going to take him to doggy day care to socialise and get some exercise. One of the requirements for this was that he need his kennel cough vaccination. We made the appointment and brought him down. All seemed fine about 3 - 5 days later he wasn't eating he was himself in any respects. He was urinating what looked to be blood but, in fact it was bilirubin (destroyed red blood cells). I took him to my local vet he was very jaundice.
The Dr. at the local clinic admitted him right away. After a day or so she had a suspicion that it was anaemia. So asked me if she could give him a transfusion of oxyglobin (helps carry oxygen through the blood stream). I told her what ever it takes. The oxyglobin did wonders he was like a new dog for about a day but she could still not put the hyper active immune system into remission. She had him on high doses of prednisolon and a leukaemia drug to reduce the number of white blood cells in his system and to shut down his immune system. After 3 more days in the ICU at the local vet’s office she called us in and gave us bad news. He had to have a transfusion.
But, they had no pack red blood cells. She didn't give him more then a few hours.
I then asked what if any thing I could do? She said you could try and bring him to one of the best Animal hospitals in the country. When we arrived (4 hours later) they were waiting outside with a gurney. They started an immediate blood transfusion. They moved him to the ICU. He had two more transfusions since the first one when he arrived and he was in ICU for 21 days.
When he came home he was on all kinds of medicine 2 pills 4 times a day. But since he has been home we have been back to the vet’s office a minimum of once a month. It now seems that he has ulcers that may or may not be side affects from all the pills he had to take and is talking now. It seems as though he becomes very sick (stops eating, vomiting, dehydrated) after some change in pace. For example we had a birthday party at our house on a Saturday.
Monday we had to bring him the Dr. at our new vets seems to think the same thing that he may now have some sort of anxiety that cause the ulcers to act up. But, she has no way to prove it. Is there Prozac for puppies? How do we socialise him now that he can never have another vaccine? The reason for no more vaccines is that we are unsure what had brought on the Haemolytic Anaemia. So the recommendation is not to do what ever might have brought it on. Please excuse the spelling I am not a doctor. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Autoimmune haemolytic anaemia (which I guess this is) is sometimes very difficult to treat. You’ve taken your pet to a recommendable place so I can only advice you to rely on their advice. If you ask me to guess I'm guessing we are dealing with sideffects (the ulcers). Anxiety drugs are used in dogs but I doubt it would make any difference in this case.
I don’t think the vaccination has anything to do with this.
Collapsing trachea
I have an 8 year old Yorkshire Terrier Bitch suffering from a collapsing trachea. This mainly causes a problem when excited but problems occur when at all mobile. I understand there is no surgery for this condition, I have tried small quantities of Imodium to harden the cartilage but this made her very constipated - a smaller dose of Imodium had no result. Is there anything you can advise to make her more comfortable. Thanks for your time.
This is a condition that can’t be cured. Only the symptoms can be treated. What made you try Imodium? My only advice is that you should ask your vet about trying steroids.
Puppy care / vaccinations
I am getting a 6 week old staff and just want some information on injections. How old should he be for his injections and how much will they cost? Also what should I feed him to start off with? Many Thanks
Most vets prefer to start off with the first (parvo) injection at ca 9 weeks of age. Parainfluensa and / or Bordetella (kennel cough) may be added. Additional injections (for example distemper) are performed at 12 weeks of age.
Feeding: make sure you use a product designed for young (and growing) dogs (it says on the box).
I shouldn’t comment on brand or prices… sorry.
Dog’s bladder
Hi. My dog is about 2 years old and is a mix possibly Labrador Retriever and unknown other possibly terrier. He gets excited when we return home and he wets all over as he's walking. Sometimes it seems he purposely wets on us. Why do you think this happens? And what can we do to correct the problem? Thanks
To make a long answer short: there are drugs (quite harmless) that will help the muscles in the urinary pathway to constrict, thus preventing leakage. My advice is that you discuss this with your vet.
Leukaemia - terrier cross
Hi there. I have a cross terrier (almost Norfolk with floppy ears) aged around 12 who is a diabetic and has swollen lymph nodes in his neck, tummy and rear legs. My vet carried out a biopsy on the neck and we are awaiting the results.
The vet advised that the most likely cause was leukaemia and if that were the case she could prescribe chemotherapy.
I'm more than happy to cover the finance for the treatment as he's all I've got, but is it really worthwhile? As much as I desperately want to keep him, I don't want him to suffer or be miserable - will all his fur fall out?
At the moment he's a really happy dog and no signs of any problems except the swelling.
His diabetes is controlled by strict diet and regular exercise at the same time of day.
I'd really appreciate a 2nd opinion...many thanks.
There has been some excellent progress made in veterinary cancer treatment. Not many years ago this diagnosis equalled ‘the end’.
There are different sorts of leukaemia, so it all depends on the lab results. Some sorts have a favourable prognosis with correct treatment. Others are hopeless.
Most of the cases that I’ve seen on chemotherapy have been doing really well. I’ve never seen hair loss due to chemotherapy.
Not much later we received this letter:
Results confirm that prognosis is poor. I'll take him for his favourite walk and give him is favourite meal before letting him go. I've had 12 great years with him and it's been a pleasure.
Great to know you have helped out...many thanks.
Brittle bones?
Hi, we have a 1/2 Boston Terrier, 1/2 ?, and about 6 weeks ago, he broke his back leg, pretty bad. We took him to the vet, where our options were to either amputate, put him to sleep, or do surgery. We elected for the surgery, where they used a plate, and screws to hold the bone together. After about a week, the screws came out, and we had to take him back, where they put bigger screws in. It has been about 4 weeks since then, and he was doing fine when we took him to the vet last Friday and they gave him the ok to be let out of the kennel, but they wanted to see him this week for an post-op x-ray. The x-ray revealed that he not only rebroke his leg in the same spot, but there are two new breaks. My question is, is there some kind of a brittle bone problem that he could have, or could it be that they used to big of screws to hold his leg together, and this caused the leg to break in other places. I am wondering about this, because our vet has recommended that we put him to sleep, and I wanted to find out all I could about his condition before it comes to that.
Thank you so much for any help that you can give me
Sorry, but it’s really hard to say anything without having seen the x-rays. There are so many possible reasons for this to happen. There could be a systemic disease causing weakness of the bone. There could be a tumour in the bone (is he old?), thus the weakness (however, this should have showed up on the x-ray).
I wouldn’t assume the fractures were caused by incorrect choice of screws. Most vets that are doing this sort of surgery know what they are doing so to say. Trust your vet! If you feel unsure, ask for a second opinion (but that might be hard in this case, I’m assuming the dog is kept stationary etc). Trust also applies to your vets recommendation to put him to sleep… your vet probably has very good reasons to suggest this.
Hair loss. Skin infection?
Hi. We have a collie / rhodesian ridgeback mixbreed. I noticed a 1 x ½ " spot with hair loss. By next a.m. the spot had doubled in length.
Took him to the vet, who gave him shot for scratching prevention even though he doesn't seem to be scratching it and Gentocin topical spray. Have treated him for 2 days and spot has grown larger. At first there seemed to be little red dots and vet used very fine comb and said there weren't any insects. We also have a cocker spaniel which has no signs of any of this. This a.m. the spot of hair loss has increased by 1 1/2" x 1" and there are a number of red spots like bites, largest one is about 1/4" around. I'm still treating him, but can't really afford another vet bill of $70. Do you have any suggestions that might help? Thank you
From your description it sounds like we are dealing with a bacterial skin infection which obviously isn’t controlled. I would guess there is a need of systemic antibiotics (tablets). Often these cases do better with a medical shampoo and perhaps fatty acids.
Many clinics charge less when a patient is shortly seen again for the same problem…
Cruciate ligaments
Dear Vets. My 6 year old dog "Midge" had surgery to her right hind knee for ruptured cruciate ligaments just over 3 months ago. She made good progress and the vet said she should be able to exercise and play off lead quite well. Sadly this has never been the case, but she remains quite happy in herself and we were resigned to just lead walking her for the rest of her life.
Now, however there is a big problem. She is showing signs of lameness in her left hind leg (the vet told us she had slight rupture to this leg) and we are desperately worried that this has now ruptured too. Since surgery has proved fairly useless except to relieve her immediate pain we are wondering if there is anything else at all that you could suggest. I am also wondering if you can advise me on the onset of arthritis that is sure to come. I've heard green-lipped mussel tablets can be wonderful? Midge is quite fit, she weighs about 22kg, perhaps a little more since first op.
Yours faithfully
Just because the first operation wasn’t successful … a second operation doesn’t have to end with poor results (if your vets wants to operate). So if your vet recommends surgery I would go for it.
According to the literature small and medium dogs (restriction of activity, weight reduction and analgesics are used.
I could imagine the onset of arthritis is a lot quicker in a knee not stabilised since there will be more wearing and tearing. With or without a couple of stabilising sutures in the knee, dogs usually do a lot better with a painkiller. Your vet will guide you in this. Sorry, I’ve never heard of green-lipped mussel tablets.
Inflammatory bowel disease
My springer spaniel, who is 7years old, has just been diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease. This is causing him to have lots of ulcers in his stomach and he is very much under the weather in himself. We are awaiting the vet’s advice on treatment, although apparently the drugs used to control his bowels disease causes ulcers also so this seems to be a vicious circle. Have you any suggestion on this matter.
IBD is intestinal inflammation and can be caused by chronic infection, food allergy, other systemic diseases or could be idiopathic.
Treatment involves dietary modification, antibacterials, and immunosuppressive drugs (anti-inflammatories are reserved for local control of colonic inflammation).
Gastric ulcers as such can be treated with Omeprazole just to mention one drug.
In short, since so many things can cause IBD it is difficult to comment on the treatment and possible outcome.
Urinary tract infection
Dear Veterinary Advisors. I have a seven year old female Sealyham Terrier and urgently require a second/third opinion to enable me to make a very difficult decision regarding a third abdominal surgery.
A urinary tract infection with large amounts of protein and blood was treated with Synulox Antibiotics and was cleared only to return again and again and again. My vet took the decision to operate and open the abdomen to make sure that no womb material etc was left causing these infections. The abdomen was opened again by a specialist and the offending material removed without the need to break the pelvis. At about five years of age my dog presented the same urinary infection symptoms and has again had several series of antibiotic treatments shortly followed each time by a return of the problem. Further investigations have included two ultrasounds and X-rays. Although the ultrasounds revealed some kidney deterioration it was thought that this was probably due to the constant infections.
Once again the infection has returned and there is blood and protein in the urine. I have to make one of two decisions. To continue to treat these infections with antibiotics which will reduce their effectiveness and may be hiding something more sinister. Or to open her abdomen yet again to make extensive investigations of her abdomen and kidneys. Unfortunately, the veterinarians seem to be baffled and are unsure what if anything they might find but have advised me that if I leave the unknown condition untreated and uninvestigated for a further year or so it may be too late to treat. A third/fourth abdominal surgery seems so cruel but I really want to make an informed decision assessing all the risks including a further anaesthetic. Thoughts of my dog dying on the operating table are somewhat swaying my decision. Your comments and advice would be very welcomed. (letter shortened)
This is obviously a difficult case. I can only suggest you to seek help from other specialists. At one of the vet schools you should easily find someone specialising in urinary tract disorders.
You have already seen several vets and much time has been invested in making a diagnosis so please don’t ask me to solve this mystery because I can’t. But still, here follows a few comments on your case.
I find it hard to believe the tissue left (vagina + cervix) would cause any trouble. I take for granted vesicourachal diverticula has been ruled out (they predispose to urinary tract infection) at the last operation and that full evaluation of ruin and blood has been performed.
One thing to add to the list of diagnostic techniques is cystourethroscopy. However, if you find an expert in the field he / she will guide you in what they are looking for.
Megaoesophagus in a G.S.D
Could you please advise me on the care of a German Shepherd with this condition. I am his trainer as he was donated to Guide Dogs For The Blind from the police who do not seem to have any information on his background. I noticed the usual symptoms i.e. vomiting, odd "clicking" noise in his throat, hungry and not putting on weight. He has also had a chest infection which is now perfectly cleared up.
Obviously he has been rejected and I am looking for the right home for him.
I have never had a dog with this condition before and am unsure of the advice on care and future prognosis to give his new owners.
I have raised his feeding height and increased the number of meals to 4. He is fed Pedigree Adult Supreme (about 24 oz altogether) and soaked so it is very sloppy. Since his diagnoses there has been no vomiting but I am unsure what to and what not to recommend his new owners to feed. I am also unsure about how much excursus he should have. At present he gets a fair amount as I own a lively bearded collie and he is living with me at present. I also walk him on a harness so as to avoid pressure on his throat. Will this make a difference or not.
I will be very grateful on any information are advise you could give me.
This is a syndrome in which the oesophagus is weak and flaccid and subsequently becomes much larger than normal. Because of the potentially devastating side effects (dogs can die from severe aspiration pneumonia) it is wise to look for an underlying cause. Underlying causes are found in ca 20% of the cases. If a cause is found treatment tends to be more successful. The other 80% are referred to as idiopathic.
As far as care in your home is concerned I think you are doing everything right. Are you feeding him high enough? It’s better if he has to stand on his hind legs. Still even better if he remains standing some 5-10 minutes after feeding.
Prognosis: there will always be a risk of aspiration pneumonia (daily we do swallow a fair amount of saliva…).
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