Monday, November 21, 2011

HELP!! My dog has ticks, and I have tried Everything!! Any one know anything that will work?

I know he is getting them from outside. But let me explain the tick cycle that I have discovered....First, about a month ago, he was laying in the hall way and all around him on all of the walls were these little itty-bitty ticks full of blood. Since that incident I bought him a tick collar and have given him several baths with flea and tick shampoo, and put tick drops on his back. The problem stopped for about a week. Then, I was petting him and felt a few bumps on his skin, so then I checked and they were the hard ticks!! Not full of blood. It's unusual to me because every tick I find is NOT full of blood as if they wont bite him for some reason, I dont know if its from the tick collar or the drops, or something? But I also found one in his ear and quickly removed it, afraid that it would go further in his ear causing some sort of infection. I just dont know what to do, nothing is working, and I cant afford a vet bill right now. Can someone please help me ? thanks

HELP!! My dog has ticks, and I have tried Everything!! Any one know anything that will work?
Advantix - as long as you DON'T have cats. (can cause seizing and death if the cat injests any product, ie. grooms the dog after application of the medication) It's a repellent for ticks and fleas. Works well.





Frontline Plus - a good product. Ticks will bite, but die within 48 hours and cannot transmit diseases to your dog.





Preventix collars - as long as it sits tight on the skin.





Don't use any of these products at the same time.
Reply:My vet uses revolution- it's a heartworm. flea, tick preventative- and it's $12 a month for my 22lb dog. If you dog is already on a heartworm preventative (and I hope he is)- why not switch?
Reply:Do not use tick collars or shampoo. Won't help. Frontline is the only thing to use on your dog to get rid of these nasty little creatures. Don't buy any walmart crap or things made by sargeants or hartz company. it's like throwing money out the window. Frontline is more expensive, but you will at least get results. Go to your vet and pick some up. No prescription needed.
Reply:have you tried bombing your house or having someone come to spray your house? you will need to have both inside and outside done. Make sure you remove your animals from the property for at least 3-4 hours. the person who will be spraying will also tell you the same thing.


the ticks on his skin were probably dead or dying from the drops. keep using it, to control and eventually eliminate them. ticks are very difficult to control Once the dog brings them home, and the female tick feeds, (the big grey ones), they drop off the animal, dig into the soil or the foundation of a home, and lay eggs. the little ones you saw are probably the babies from last year, that have hatched.


call a professional immediately, and have them check your home and the yard. they will tell you if you have a tick problem.


the best drops to use are frontline. if you do not have cats, then you can also try k-9 advantix.


good luck!
Reply:check drfostersmith.com ...or take him to a vet...he needs an ongoing treatment to prevent ticks and fleas...it can be topical or oral....all outdoor pets need this ...also needs heartworm preventative
Reply:Hi ,


If you cant afford the vet bill then try some of these. Call up your local vet and ask what to do. Even though you cant afford the vet bills you still can get the advice you need from them for free. Try using a better quality product if you dont already.


Hope this helps!
Reply:First of all I'm really sorry!


The reason that all of them aren't full of blood is because it takes them 24-48 hours to start. What we use is the drops and this spray. The name of it is Natrepel. It works!!


Good luck with everything!!!!
Reply:Add garlic to your dog,s diet fleas dont like it. And also you can bath the dog in used motor oil. Ps Spray some sort of posion around your home to stop the ticks from breeding
Reply:If its ticks, get Frontine its MAGIC

bougainvillea

My dog keeps scratching, but he doesn't have fleas. Any ideas?

Hey guys,


I have a 2.5 year old black Lab, who will not stop scratching!


He’s on monthly prescription-strength flea treatments because he had a flea problem in the past, however we have not been able to find a single flea on him. He stays outdoors (by choice) and rarely goes into any buildings, and sleeps under our carport (covered, enclosed by two walls, concrete floors).





I'm beginning to think it is partly dry skin, but he also has gnats flying around him often. But it seems like all other animals (and humans) have gnats flying around at this time of the year.





Should I try a medicated shampoo, something with a moisturizer?





He doesn't seem to have any visible signs of where he has been scratching, like scabbing or anything.





I can't stand seeing him so frustrated! We're still paying for past vet bills, and also have our OWN medical bills to pay for, so seeing a vet again, unless there is an emergency, isn't really ideal.





Any ideas? Thanks!

My dog keeps scratching, but he doesn't have fleas. Any ideas?
If you're not in the UK, make sure the dog is on heartworm treatment if there are lots of mozzies around.





You're using proper treatment, so it's probably something other than fleas causing the scratching. This could be many things - mange (caused by mites, and there are different types) allergies to different foods or plants, even dust or grass. I think you will have to go to a vet if you want to find out what the problem is - no one on here can suggest more than I have, we can only make guesses and suggestions.





Chalice
Reply:My husband and I have a Lab as well and she scratches quite often. Especially this time of year because it's getting cold. If you notice that s/he is scratching one particular spot, there is a hot spot medicine found at Wal-Mart that will soothe the itching. We keep our Lab on monthly flea meds as well and that has helped some. I'm guessing that the dog probably has dry skin and there are different shampoos that can aid in that situation. If it continues, I would call your vet and see if s/he has any other suggestions.
Reply:i think its allergys. go to another vet.
Reply:He could be allergic to any number of things. My uncle's dog was actually allergic to fleas- so even if you couldn't find a flea on him- he always seemed to have a rash. Take the dog to the vet. Don't just go bathing him with different shampoos. It could agitate the area and cause him more pain.
Reply:it could be worms. i'm not to sure but it's the only thing i can think of. i know you don't want to hear this but if all else fails, try the vet.
Reply:He probable has skin allergies. He might need a cortisone shot. Try giving him some human benadryl.allergy medication. It will help. Have a black lab myself.
Reply:it could be several things two of the most obvious to me would be Demodectic Mange (mange mites) and a simple food allergy, try changing his food, to something with different ingredients, often times dogs do as adults get a grain allergy, and most foods especially cheaper foods are made of a considerable amount of grain, because it costs less, but if you go to a food with more protein, cut down on the amount, because he will not require allot. many people are now trying a raw food diet, but i only recommend that if you take extreme car in handling the food. I do this with my two dogs and it has worked well for us, we buy it locally in frozen portion controled form, and thaw a days worth at a time, they love it and ait is much healthier, but more costly. Demodectic Mange is a immunity defeciancy. normally there are small bugs microscopic bug that live in harmony with the dog (humans too in fact) however sometimes the dogs imunity that fights these bugs weakens and the dog begins to itch, eventually hair loss and skin discoloration will occur, it is very treatable and requires a oral does of mediceine daily but it is very reasonabyly priced.





but in all cases you need to take him to a vet for a proper diagnosis....
Reply:What are you feeding him? It could be an allergy to something in his food. Or perhaps not an allergy, but a sensitivity to an ingredient.





Most (all?) of the supermarket brands and so-called "premium brands" (Science Diet, Eukanuba, etc.) are full of corn (highly allergenic and indigestible to many dogs), fillers, and by-products. You might find that switching to a better food helps with his skin.





Oatmeal shampoo is also something you might want to try.





If these measures don't help, you really have no choice but to take him to the vet and have the problem evaluated. Good Luck!
Reply:what kind of food are you feeding him? My Golden was scratching ALL the time and then we changed her food to an all natural potato and duck diet and she has been fine ever since. Apparently, some dogs are allergic to chicken and rice blends. We also don't bathe her with medicated (flea)shampoo, just oatmeal based shampoo for sensitive skin. And I would just make sure that all of the shampoo is rinsed out because the residue makes our dog itch like crazy after a bath.


I personally wouldnt try any ointments or medicated shampoos until you try changing his food and bathing him with the oatmeal based shampoo. That way you can see if its just sensitive skin :)
Reply:It could also be a food allergy. Go to dogfoodanalysis.com. Look up the food you are using for your baby. See if it contains alot of food allergen ingredients (like corn) or low quality ingredients which might be low in nutritional value. Sometimes switching to a better quality diet will help too. Always give the best food you can AFFORD to buy. A couple dollars extra a bag may save alot of heartache and frustration, not to mention vet bills to treat these allergies. Also, the vet will try to push that Science Diet stuff. It's full of corn, which is a high allergen among dogs. I would try to steer clear of that, and lean towards something of higher quality. Unfortuantely, most vets don't know enough about nutrition, and the Hills-SD people are very persuasive and the sale of this food is very lucrative. In fact, the stuff my vet wanted me to give my girl contained a known cancer-causing agent as a preservative. Know your pet food ingredients before you buy. If you can't afford a better dog food, consider adding an additional source of beneficial oils to help the dry coat.





Also, oatmeal doggie shampoos may do the trick if it's an issue of an enviromental thing. Dogs generally are not allergic to gnats. They can, however, be allergic to grass, the same way we are, or pollens, etc. Maybe you can ask the vet about giving him some benedryl to help with the itching. It won't get rid of the cause, but it might make him feel better.
Reply:Do you have him on high quality food? A lot of dogs (Labs especially) can't handle the cheap fillers in most commercial dog foods. The main things that you want to avoid are corn, wheat, and animal by-products. Also, giving him an omega fatty acid supplement will probably help. I like flax seed, either oil or meal. You can get the meal pretty cheap at bulk food stores.





Just for thought....I have a horse that is EXTREMELY allergic to flies. Itches himself completely bald and even bloody in some spots for 9 months out of every year. On one visit with my vet, he mentioned a study he read where arthritis supplements (Glucosamine, MSM, Shark Cartlidge, Hyaluronic Acid, etc..) was helping with skin problems in animals. I have been giving them to the horse ever since, but its difficult to tell if it has made a difference. It wasn't a magic cure all...but its good for his joints too at least! By the way...his condition is a result of him being a PMU baby. Because his mom was deprived adequate water and proper nutrition while she was pregnant with him, and improper care of him at birth. PLEASE! If you or anyone you know takes Premarin...STOP!!! There are many synthetic alternatives that do not kill hundreds of horses every year! Bear was one of the lucky ones that actually survived...


Something is wrong with my puppy's skin coat, can you help?

I'm going to ask the vet about it (don't have the money yet- soon hopefully) but I'm just trying to prepare on what to expect. I took him in about a week ago and when he first came to me, he looked malnourished and his stool was not solid. We determined that it was the change of environment and got him on an esbilac regimen. He's a happy and lively pup after a week. Now, the problem is, his little head had little 'patches' and i figured a bigger dog had bitten him or something...These patches have multiplied over the course of the week and are slightly starting to appear on his body. I'm very concerned (obviously) trying to pin point what it is that he has.





here's a a pic of his head...


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please help. thanks!


-t

Something is wrong with my puppy's skin coat, can you help?
Could be an allergy. A puppies immune system is always weak in the beginning, just like a babies. My pit had some red spots and it turned out to be staph infection. Got some antibiotics for like 12 bucks, he had to take 3 cycles and since then, he hasn't had a problem at all. I doubt it's mange, it's most likely a reaction to something. The vet will know! Good luck! You could even just call a vet and ask them and they may subscribe you something right there.
Reply:Looks like mange to me. Take him to the vet as soon as possible and they'll give you a special shampoo to bathe him in.
Reply:wheat in the dog food? put him on a good food that you can get from a pet supply store.
Reply:I cant really make out the the pics but it looks like ringworm,


ringworm is contagious to other animals and humans,


Well done for taken this poor dog into your home but you will have to seek veterinary advise as soon as possible.
Reply:could be mange either demadex mange or sarcoptic mange .


if it is its highly contagoius to humans get a vet to look at your dog
Reply:now im saying im the best judge but i think your dog has an allergy to something or as what happens to evry pup , the skin slowly starts to change colour until a totally different colour , i would still advise you to take him to the vet once you save up the money.





Good Luck!
Reply:This looks like dermatologic mange, this is serious, although all PUPPIES are born with this, it passes at birth from the mother... If treated early it can be cured with cow wormer, however you need to have a vet figure the dose, if left untreated the dog will die... I lost a dog to it about three years ago, spent $400.00 in vet bills and products and it just ate at her, couldn't cure it and she had to be put down....


Seriously call a vet and ask for a payment plan or call the humane society and ask for help.
Reply:probably your dogs mom hurted him when he was a puppy.
Reply:It could be that he has ear mites and is digging his ear, mange, a fungal infection, or dermatitis.


Why is my dog so itchy?

My poor 2 y/o golden retriever has been suffering from a skin condition of some sort since around March of this year. He had little bumps under his fur in several places on his skin, and he would scratch and chew at them until they became scabs.





The vet originally told us he just has "allergies", and told us to give him an antihistamine everyday, which we do. It doesn't help. This problem hasn't ever gone away, and its December. All airborne allergens should be frozen off by now anyways... live in the midwest and its been well below freezing more than 10 times at night so far.





We tried a limited ingredient diet too, in case it was his food he was allergic to...no luck there either. Never got better.





No, he doesn't have fleas or ticks, and yes I am sure. The vet checked, too.





WHAT ELSE COULD THIS BE? I feel like we are getting no where, and the poor guy is miserable. Just looking for some other things to ask the vet about...





Oh and no it isn't mange, we checked that.

Why is my dog so itchy?
You said you tried a limited ingredient diet; does this mean you changed his protein source? I.e. from lamb to fish or something along those lines?





Maybe you've already explored this, but you could try another protein/carb source until you find something that works. My dog has food allergies and so I had done a little research. See attached link. Our dog is on fish and potato...there are various protein sources out there....venison, kangaroo, etc. Also, be sure to have your dog on the diet for at least 12 weeks to notice an improvement--we noticed around 8 weeks. You'll see all of this in the link.





Also, vets can do allergy testing on dogs just like they do on humans. If you're willing to spend the money on the tests, you might be able to figure it out. Good luck! It's hard to see our buddies suffering!
Reply:try to think if there were any changes in the home at the time she started itching.





New carpet or flooring?





New furniture?





New dog bed?





Maybe a new cleaner you started using?





Any new pets?








You may also want to ask your vet for a referral to a veterinary dermatologist. What your vet may think is allergies, could be some type of yeast infection.
Reply:I used to have a Chinese crested who had skin problems and it turned out to be a case of what we class as acne. It might just be sebaceous glands (boy that is some word) getting clogged up. Have you tried a good medicated shampoo or aloe vera might help?





Diane
Reply:It could be an adverse reaction caused by something in their food. Or possibly just very dry skin. I have a Pomeranian and the poor girl is allergic to almost everything, normal medication didn't help her either, she had to get steroid shots and it was still a month or two before we saw any results.
Reply:Dogs can be allergic to everything humans can be allergic to. my niece's dog is allergic to humans, some other dogs, grass, dirt, foods, flea bites, i could go on %26amp; on. she is an american bull dog, and very large. at 7:00am she takes a 25mg benadryl, and another one at 9:00pm. no table foods, only her special dog food, treats are hot dogs cut up, greenies, bullie sticks, and that's about it. the hot dogs are used to put a pill in for her to take her medicine. she also gets a bath twice a month with hypo allergenic shampoo, and advantage , or front line applied monthly, along with some shots monthly for allergies.


Preventing flakey, dandruff elbows on my dog.?

I have a one yr old Japanese spitz - for those unfamiliar, it is a pure white, double coated breed, resembles a mini-samoyed. He has recently developed a symmetrical discolouration on both his front 'elbows' - and when I inspected it more carefully, there was flakey skin there. When I scratched it a little, the area became quite 'dandruffy' and more skin came loose.


I do have wooden floors so it may not enough elbow padding, so to speak. He eats a virtually raw diet, and the problem is more of a chronic thing, not really causing discomfort, so I don't think it's an allergy. And it's not really severe enough to take him to the vet.


But has anyone else had this problem? Any ideas on remedial therapies before I have to resort to a vet?

Preventing flakey, dandruff elbows on my dog.?
My dog has the same thing. It's a callous from the hard floors. I have 3 dog beds all around the house for him, so that he always has something soft to lie on. He still lies on the floor though - sometimes right beside the bed! You could moisturise the elbows with oil.
Reply:Try rubbing a little olive oil into the skin.
Reply:If you do not want to take the dog to the Vet. Get on-line to Dr. Foster and Smith.com. They have something called Herbal Skin %26amp; Coat Rub. It is all natural non drug mixture. For pets with allergies, grass itch,dry skin and other skin discomforts. The cost $9.99.


I have ordered from this site and you get the items very fast.


Good Luck
Reply:you can take him to the vet, it sounds like he might have a skin allergy. you can rub non-scented lotion with aloe on his elbows too, jus make sure he doesn't try to eat it. The doc might not even perscribe something, he might jus give you a home remedy, or he might tell you to give him a drug you already have at the house.
Reply:I DILUTE SKIN SO SOFT OIL (AVON) WITH WATER AND RUB MY DOG WITH IT ESPECIALLY IN THE WINTER WEATHER. IT'S FOR SENSITIVE SKIN AND MY VET TOLD ME IT'S OK TO USE. WORKS WELL, SMELLS GREAT

shell flower

A MUST READ for pet owners?

Not a question but an answer for pet owners with scratching , eye , and urin probloms A MUST TO READ?





dry skin ans scratching problems ;;;; Apply oil to the spots the oil is found in the cooking section of most grocery stores it is COCONUT BUTTER easy way to apply is with an eyedropper it melts easily and tastes great to the dog or cat .


eye problems;;;find some one that is using a breathing treatment using ALBUTERAL it has a steroid in it I use it in my eyes daily and have researched it well.


urine problem;;; You could wast your money on sprays OR you could just use the basic ingredient in it all and that is VINAGER invest in one of those pump sprayers and just hose the house and furniture down with it .


AND PLEASE BE COOL NOT CRUEL TO YOUR PET THEY ARE LIKE CHILDREN AND HITTING THEM SHOULD BE A LAST RESULT I have 4 house dogs of my own

A MUST READ for pet owners?
Long-term use of steroids poses a risk to health, to humans as well as dogs. If you're putting steroids in your eyes every day I'd suggest you seek medical advice for yourself.


Albuterol as used in inhalors and respiratory medicine relaxes the muscles, particularly those of the central airways - it's used for bronchial difficulties, lung problems and asthma in animals and humans - what the hell are you doing dripping it into an animals' eyes?! Dose related toxicity is very common. What research have you done which suggests it's good for general eye problems? Whether any medication is suitable for dogs, do you realise how irresponsible and dangerous it is to suggest people use their own medication to home-treat their pets without consulting a vet?





Vinegar might be harmless, but I think most people would rather their house didn't smell like a fish and chip shop all the time. I certainly wouldn't want to "hose down the house and furniture with it" - I hate to think what your place smells like. Surely getting a dog medical attention to cure whatever problem is causing them to urinate all over the house, or toilet training efficiently and consistently should be the standard a dog owner aims for - not how to hose the smell away?
Reply:We did use vinegar and the pet got immuned to the smell and peed-pooed on the floor instead on the pee pad.
Reply:sometimes the scratching and hot spots are an allergic reaction to the wheat found in so many dog foods. since switching my pack of 5 to CANIDAE all scratching and hot spots have disappeared.


nice to know of some things that can make a dog feel better, but it's a good idea to solve the problem too.
Reply:You should NEVER hit your pets....it only teaches them fear!
Reply:WHAT? Albuterol? Are you insane?





What the heck IS this anyway? How is this supposed to be helpful?
Reply:hemorrhoids ointment is good for scratching problem too.


and it will hurt your animals . the vet told me and it works.
Reply:are you crazy? I do hope no one takes your advice seriously.
Reply:wow! looks to me like your gonna get alot of grief over this one! I think seeking vet care is always the best answer to a health issue!! and..I do agree with other usere....hitting as a last resort???or...how about..NEVER!! under any circumstances!!!!


Dog bit my son twice, what to do?

She is a doberman, 4 years old and has been bought up with my son who is the same age as her. The problem is, she has been ill, on and off, for the last few years, and is finally showing some improvements, but she has never shown any aggression towards my son at all, if anything i was worried she was too tolerant. Well, that changed last week, she bit him on the back, not badly, but she did break skin. He was leaning across her back and trying to get her to take his full weight, so it was kind of his fault. Well, both him and her got punished. But this morning, he had kind of been giving her a hard time for about an hour, just being a boisterous boy, but she hasnt been well the last couple of days, off her food and just mopey, so i separated them. Then he went to sit next to her, and she snapped at his face, no broken skin, but she did connect, scared the hell out of all 3 of us. She was just as shocked as i was. I am thinking about doing some more training with her, but dare i risk it

Dog bit my son twice, what to do?
From my position as a trainer this sounds like it would be very easy to manage thru training of the dog and family members by a good trainer....however not being able to view the dog makes me add use caution....





Dog bites are lumped into one single group by most as you can tell by reading the "nay' sayers here in response to your post.....seldom do dogs bite in a manner or from a motivation that requires they be put to sleep...Most dogs bite from the position of defense avoidance...meaning they simply get overloaded with stress or fear...


A good start would be making it well known your children are first in your circle by chasing the dog from them thru out the day...Please find a trainer who has adopted this attitude and start soon...





I am a NY Court certified expert in dog bites and I have saved many a dog.....
Reply:Well seems like your dog needs space.





Most dobermans can be like this.


Try not being so aggresive and training might actualy be the only thing you want to do.





If the aggression increases=horrible and dangerous





Before it attacks a neighbor.


Try giving her space
Reply:She is obviously not feeling well. Keep your son away from her until she feels better. Kids annoy dogs,even the best tempered dogs can get snappy if they don't feel good. If he keeps pestering her you may be looking at a serious bite and then you'll have to kill the dog. Be kind to them both and give her some space.
Reply:First of all I'd take her to the vet for a check-up, especially since you've noticed that she hasn't been feeling well. One of the most common reasons for well adjusted dogs to suddenly start snapping is pain. Dogs are extremely good at hiding discomfort, so she could be in pain without you even noticing it.





So take her to the vet and then take it from there.
Reply:You absolutely have to train her, and your son. It doesn't sound like she's violent or aggressive, but it does sound like she has boundary and dominance issues. Humans have to be seen as pack leaders, even the little ones or this behaviour begins to manifest.





Since you don't want to instigate her 'snapping' try having your son learn to give simple commands and take him with you on walks letting him help hold on to the leash (Make sure you're holding on to it to, of course). This should help.





Like I said, you need to work both sides of this issue, but since I have no experience in training kids, I'll let you work that one out yourself. ;)





Never euthanize a dog because of obedience issues. If you can't resolve them, take it to a no-kill animal shelter.
Reply:Any dog that bites a child and especially more than once needs to go to a home that does not have kids. That is a very large dog and could really hurt your young children. Hard as it may be, your childrens welfare needs to come before a pet.
Reply:Train your SON! How the hell in all conscience can you allow a child to carry on like that for AN HOUR when the dog is sick as well? This is YOUR failing as a parent. If you can't make your kids behave properly to their pets, you should not have pets. Do the poor dog a favour and give her to a family with no kids, or with well behaved kids that will treat her properly.
Reply:ok right!!


1%26gt;the dog has put your son in danger!


2%26gt;your kid could get killed


3%26gt;this dog you may love but you love your son more, right??


also just think about it XOXO
Reply:she probably gave him a warning,that she was fed up with his playing and that she did not want to play and he only being 4 did not see the signs she showed,dogs do not just bite out of random there is always a reason weather it is out of fear,dominance,play,or warning they have reasons,and maybe hers was to say "hey stop"and she seems like a really tolerant dog,I would worry about it but you will need to watch her,read her body signals,reactions,and movements with him so you will know when she has had enough.and also maybe teaching your son at an early age to respect the dog.and I understand putting her in a shelter is not an option my huskey bit me twice and with training he has not bit since.now to show that your so id is higher in the heirarchy you can let him walk her or feed her,or tell her to sit and stuff
Reply:Understanding that she doesn't feel well, you need to find out what's wrong.. But, if she's starting to defend herself from your son, he may get bit.. Maybe she needs a new home with no kids around to bother her. I wouldn't risk my kids either. If he won't leave her alone, and she's getting snappy, it's your call!
Reply:Your SON should be old enough to understand to leave the doggie alone because she is sick.





Your dog is not capable of speaking and did the only thing she could to communicate. I'm sure she gave a warning sign before she nipped. I DO think it's a great idea to get training for her.
Reply:you definitely need to monitor your son. although ur dob is having problems, this kind of behaviour cannot be tolerated. you should buy a baby gate and keep either your son or your dob in the room.
Reply:No doubt the dog would be history!!!!!!
Reply:I'll be upfront. I do not believe in killing a dog because it defended itself from a pestering child. A dog might actually start to hate all children if he gets annoyed and hurt by them too much.





Your dog is clearly ill, you have known this for a while. Taking the weight of a child across her back, might hurt her quite a bit. Would you expect a dog to endure pain indefinitely just because it is a child that is inflicting it?





A dog will NEVER recognise a small child as higher up the ladder. That's why most reputable dog clubs refuse to accept children as handlers for training purposes, unless the child is at least 10 - 12 years old.





A child needs to know that a dog can bite, and I your 4 year old son seems to be a slow learner.





Why do you think that nobody else can train your dog, if you can't? That sounds pretty arrogant to me. You dog might need an invironment where it is not being harrassed by children, or where it has an owner with more time for them. I am sure with 2 and 1/2 children, soon 3, there will not be too much time left for your dog.





I really sound more critical of you than I mean to, but I really think that even to consider having a dog euthanized is terrible. You yourself said, " if one of my kids hurt their sibling badly, i wouldnt be dumping them in a shelter, would i?"





So what would you do with that kid instead, have them euthanized?





I do not agree that you need help put your dog back in her place. Your dog needs peace and quiet to recuperate and I doubt that your household will ever be the right place for her. Please think about it, and don't deny her the joy of living, if she can't live with your family.





+++
Reply:It doesn't sound like it your dog fault actually-I get a dog muzzle, or take it to the shelter-I don't think they euthanise her because of her previous lovely nature.





Tell you son not to be rough with her. Consistently rough play will make the dog rough and aggressive.





Other people can train dogs not to bite! No need to kill her!
Reply:any dog that bites should not be kept in a family home. especially with that many children. When was younger i was bitten gby a dog, got stitches went home and my dog ripped them open, mum was in the car with the dog wihin 10 mins and took herto a shelter. If yu keep the dog away from your children thn obviously there is no way that she can hurt tem but otherwise it is irresoponsible no to do anything about it.
Reply:Big red, you are one of the few people here who's answer's I admire and I think that you have more sense then most. While I understand that the child is a child and the dog may not be feeling well, my question to you is, can you ever trust that dog again? If it were me, that dog would be gone in the manner you described in your question, that day, period. There is no dog in the world worth my child's safety and well being. I do not think, from what you described, that it is a training issue. You know the dog better than anyone of us and you know what kind of nerve she has, you need to make that decision. I wish you good luck.
Reply:I really mean no offense here but it sound to me that you are not teaching you child how to properly respect an "animal". All to many times owners just assume the dog should know better when its the parents who need to teach the child how to "know better". Humans are the intelligent breed here.





I have been an owner of large breed dogs my whole life. I see too many times when I am at the vet a child will run up to my Rottweilers and try to hug them or pet them without asking permission.





If you were in a doctors office and some stranger came running up to you to hug you would you not get offensive. I know I would. You own a working dog who has a high prey drive. I have two nephews that come to my home often and although everyone classifies my dogs as "Mushes" they are NEVER left alone with my dogs. I don't care if I had a tea cup poodle. A dog is a dog and a child is a child. So many times I see children pull at dogs lay on top of them and say to myself why are these children not taught to respect the animal. A dog of any size cannot handle the weight of a 4 year old on top of it.





You need to do some more training for your dog and the family and possible seek professional training. When training your animal ALL family members should be involved. Even your four year old. He needs to learn that he should treat the dog the way he himself would like to be treated. I doubt your son would like it if your Dobie layed on top of him.





I do suggest a vet visit to see if their is any illnesses your Dobie is suffering with. Bloodwork shows alot. I would not wait on this. If your Dobie decides to really bite your son the damage will be devistating. And the animal will unfortunately be put down. And annoying an animal for a whole hour and you expect the dog to be tolerant, I wouldn't be and I am human. Like I said before I hope you don't take offense but it seems its your own fault that this is all happening. Take some time to teach your son how to respect your dogs space and "make nice" to your Dobie.





Hope this helps.
Reply:Sounds like you need to do more training with your children as well on how to treat a dog. Perhaps the dog is tired of being mistreated and being ill has taken its toll on her patience. Small kids and dogs should never be left unattended. Has the dog recieved vet care for her illness? Maybe the dog would be better off in a family with no kids.





You would really kill the dog because you never taught your kids how to behave around her? Find a doberman rescue and give the dog a chance at a happy life...
Reply:i have been though this my dog bit my son once and he never did it again as my child came first ,and the dog went to the vets once a dog bit a child thats it and i dont care what anyone thinks cause it mit not be bad at first but what about next time, think about why would you even risk it as your child could be dead next time and you got welfare at your door as you did not do the right thing for your kids this really happens ,get the dog a new home or do what you said before your son or other kids are gone,better the dog gone then you children gone ,please remove the dog from the children till you find it a home or take it to the vets
Reply:Teach this kid something first of all. Sounds to me like the child is right out of control. Why in the world would you let your child act like this. And you have another and another on the way. I would place the dog in another home. I would take her in a minute, I already have 5. This dog needs a fricken break. Your family should not have pets if the kids are going to be allowed to act like this with them. I have raised four girls with a houseful of Dobes and over the 29 years have never had one single problem. I even found my second daughter nursing alongside the litter once. That shows you how accepting they can be. It is your out of control child that needs training.
Reply:Most deffinately work with the dog and train her as much as possible... Have you ever thought about sitting your son down and explaining to him what might happen if he doesn't stop being so rough with her? Not in a scary way but does he totally understand that if he teases the dog or is rough the dog will have to be put to sleep.





be very very careful if you consider this that your son will not be petrified at the thought or take any blame on board. Infact forget my suggestion altogether - it's way to risky and could be a huge burden for your son to handle.
Reply:I seriously don't hink it is a training question. The dog is sick.... When you get the flu, and running high fever, doesn't your whole body aches, want to be left alone and rest? Think about that.....and then apply those feelings to your dog.


How do you let your son bother the dog for an hour? You know how she's feeling and you know it will tick her senses at some point.


I have a dog and a 5 yr old and when I think they have had too much of each other I give them time away from each other and then they can play again.


TRAIN YOUR SON!!!!!
Reply:I am a firm believer in the idea that young children + dogs do not mix well. Children are just too clueless up to a certain age when it comes to animals, no matter what you do, and dogs aren't understanding of any off-kilter behavior. I don't care what kind of dog it is. No matter how much you love the dog, it will always be unpredictable, because that's just the nature of dogs. You can't assume you know the dog well enough that it would/wouldn't do something that would shock you. And your child isn't mature enough to realize the consequences of his actions before he does something bad.





I'm an animal lover, but having a dog in your house right now, particularly one that has shown any aggression, is irresponsible. You may love the dog, and it sounds like you're trying everything you can to avoid the idea of having to lose it. But this is your son; you brought life in the world, you need to make the right decision and let the dog go. It stinks, yes, but you have two fire starters in the same room together, and it is undeniably dangerous to both your son and your dog. Give the dog a better home with someone that either has older children or no children at all. If you want a dog, that's fine, but you have a responsibility to your child right now; wait until he is of a somewhat mature age to have another dog in the house, please!
Reply:Why are you blaming the dog? It is clearly your son's fault. You had no right to punish the dog for defending himself against your son's actions.
Reply:I don't blame the dog in this situation at all. You need to teach your child to respect animals by not climbing on their backs and "giving them a hard time." Especially if the dog is sick. It seem to me that she was just warning him to leave her alone, which you should be grateful for. Believe me, if the dog was being aggressive, your son would now be in the hospital.





As for establishing the order of the pack, which you definitley should do...have your son do some of the feeding. Have him give her the "sit" command before he gives her a bowl full of food. Let him work with her on training a bit, but it's imperative that you teach him how to treat the dog first.





I think you should contact a trainer to help out.
Reply:If my dog bit my child l would not hesitiate to take the dog to an animal shelter.





No matter how much it would hurt me to get rid of my pet my child is far more impotant.


Is there no chance??

I have 2 children and 2 dogs. My kids are 12 and 13 and I have a Yorkshire Terrier and a Chihuahua. My Yorkshire Terrier is pretty good at using the restroom on the doggie pads and such but my Chihuahua has a slight problem, he marks his territory on walls and bookshelves. He also has a skin problem. He scratches himself so hard he bleeds. We took him to the vet and spent a lot of money on him but no one knew what the problem is. The thing is, my kids don't seem to like the Yorksire Terrier. They seem to like the Chihuahua more. We've tried a lot of things but it's not working. I'm planning on giving the Chihuahua away to a good owner but I know if I do so my children would be ery depressed. Is there any other choice besides giving the Chihuahua away?

Is there no chance??
I'd hate to see you give away a problem pet (the pet still has the problem, so you should really be honest with the new owner).





If the kids love the Chi so much, it should be up to them to fight for him. They can try to distract him from the scratching, clean up the mess, work on non-marking behavior. They're old enough. While they're in school, the Chi could be crated. If you're home during the day, then you could at least give him a potty break at some point).
Reply:i think u should give away your chihuahua. if ur the one who takes care of it u should be the one to decide
Reply:well i would jst say sum1 left him outside, he ran away !! :D the silly traditional way !!





or simply explain to the kids that its hard wrk n u cant keep up with it !! its really difficult to keep .. n promise that they can see him when they want to !


Not a question but an answer for pet owners with scratching , eye , and urin probloms A MUST TO READ?

dry skin ans scratching problems ;;;; Apply oil to the spots the oil is found in the cooking section of most grocery stores it is COCONUT BUTTER easy way to apply is with an eyedropper it melts easily and tastes great to the dog or cat .


eye problems;;;find some one that is using a breathing treatment using ALBUTERAL it has a steroid in it I use it in my eyes daily and have researched it well.


urine problem;;; You could wast your money on sprays OR you could just use the basic ingredient in it all and that is VINAGER invest in one of those pump sprayers and just hose the house and furniture down with it .


AND PLEASE BE COOL NOT CRUEL TO YOUR PET THEY ARE LIKE CHILDREN AND HITTING THEM SHOULD BE A LAST RESULT I have 4 house dogs of my own

Not a question but an answer for pet owners with scratching , eye , and urin probloms A MUST TO READ?
righto

alstroemeria

Friend Problem?

I have this friend. And a couple of weeks ago, my dog was chewing on a bone. So i was petting him, and his bit me a little. It was a bad bite, but there was broken skin. so i told my best friend. and then she told her parents. now her motehr wont let her come to my house. (becasue she thinks my dog is kinda bad.) and we were about to get him nuetered. however, she wants my dog to get a personal trainer, and when my dog does, THEN she will let her daughter come over to my house. do you think thta this mother is over reacting?

Friend Problem?
i think she is overreacting a little


its not like your dog bites ppl all the time right?


just cuz it had a bone and you were bothering it
Reply:a mother is over protective of her child. Honestly she is not over reacting because if she wanted to she could have the state tack your dog. She is actually being nice about it. Just go to her house for a while and talk to some one about your dog because if she does bit again your dog will probably get taken away and you can get suede.


Last vet visit my vet recommended large adult Science Diet for my 4 m/o puppy. Why? I'm feeding her Canidae.

I went to the vet for my 4 month old Scottish Terrier to the vet for her last set of shots a couple days ago. My vet asked what I was feeding my dog so I told him I was feeding her Canidae - All Life Stages. My vet told me that Canidae is un-healthy dog food and that I should swap my precious Scottie on to Adult Large breed Science Diet formula. What is my vet going on about? I want Kara to be as healthy as possible and considering that Scotties are prone to skin problems, I want to feed her the best possible food to maintain her health. Is Candiae really bad food? Kara's breeder was feeding her dogs Solid Gold but that's more expensive and slightly less quality than Canidae. Kara is only a small pup and he wants her to be fed LARGE ADULT food! I don't understand why. He is said it's much better because it was formulated by vets to keep dogs at optimum health. I'm also feeding my 9 year old arthritic Labrador Canidae and I'm a bit wary of changing her food as this is so good for her.

Last vet visit my vet recommended large adult Science Diet for my 4 m/o puppy. Why? I'm feeding her Canidae.
Science Diet is crappy food and should not be fed to any dog! Canidae is a fantastic brand so forget about switching foods. Your vet is crazy if he is suggesting you feed a small breed puppy, large breed adult formula! The only reason why he is suggesting you swap to Science Diet is because 99% of vets sell it! Dump that vet and get one that understands that whether formulated by vets or not, it's RUBBISH! Canidae is a very natural dog food with very natural, human grade ingredients so it will work wonders for dogs with allergies and dogs who are more prone to allergies. Also, if a vet is willing to lie as much as that one (eg. feeding Science Diet to your Sheltie will rid him of his allergies completely when it will make them WORSE), I would make sure he even completed all his schooling as that's just complete lies! I'm surprised he didn't say it will rid him of PRA, too! So, don't change the food - CHANGE THE VET!
Reply:Canidae is excellent -- Science Diet is crap. I'll just bet your vet sells Science Diet out of his office, huh? If he is, he's a distributor, and makes a profit -- the more food sold, the more money he makes. Stick with Canidae, dump your vet. Email me if you'd like, I have a list of dog foods and their grades -- Canidae graded an A+, Science Diet got an F.
Reply:Keep on with the Canidae..Science diet is the crappy food..It is full of fillers, and far less nutritious..My dogs have never been so vibrantly healthy as since i switched to Canidae 3 years ago.


My oldsters are rejuvenated, and my pups have grown nicer than ever..Science Diet teaches the nutrition class at Veterinary schools..


this is the ingredient list from Science diet Large Breed Adult%26gt;


ingredients


Ground Whole Grain Corn, Chicken By-Product Meal, Soybean Meal, Animal Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), Soybean Oil, Chicken Liver Flavor, Dried Egg Product, Flaxseed, %26lt; the rest are vitamin and mineral supplements, colorings and preservatives.%26gt;





Edit: this holistic supplement will really help your dogs with allergies%26gt; http://springtimeinc.com/product/88/2
Reply:the Vet is full of CRAP !!!......Canidae is a GREAT food, and rates 5 stars of a possible 6 stars on one survey, and rated 112 of 100 possible points, that's an A+ on another survey !!!.....it has all natural human grade ingredients, all made in the USA, in their own factory, no fillers, no additives, no corn or wheat, and is recommended by many breeders !!!...i used to feed my dogs Purina dog chow, and upgraded to Purina One, Lamb %26amp; Rice on my vets advice, and have switched to Canidae since all this recall stuff started !!! i researched dry dog food for 5-6 hrs one day, and Canidae is one of the best dry dog foods available!!!!! its all life stages, can be fed to puppies, young, regular, senior, and dogs even needing to lose weight !!!......my two dogs like it, %26amp; my JRTerrier loves it !!!...i would go even further!! i would report your vet to the state dept.of licencing in your state, complaining of his bad and biased advice !!! save some other poor pet owner, having to follow his biased advice, because he sells Science Diet, and do terrible harm to their pets!!! this vet does not deserve to practice in my opinion !!! I am a retired CPA, %26amp; CFP %26amp; detest people who practice un-professionally !!! they should be run out of their chosen profession !!! report this vet to the state board of Veterinary medicine, and any other authorities you can !!!
Reply:HANDS DOWN CANIDAE!!!!!! My breeder feeds Canidae to all her dogs. You are right ! Keep your dog on the Canidae. Vets are supplemented with extra perks for pushing certain brands of foods. I have talked to people who had health issues with their dogs until they found Canidae. Don't give in. You are feeding a holistic food with less fillers, chemicals, and yet having 24% protein, and vitamins. Would you want to eat what's on some of those dog food labels? Not me!
Reply:We're feeding Canidae All Life Stages also, we have a 7 year old Lab, and an 11 week old Lab - they both love it!


Vets will always recommend you use the product line they are selling, but don't be fooled! Prior to getting our 11 week old, we were feeding Iams/Iams equivalent. But we needed a food they could both eat that was the proper nutrition for both stages - Canidae is it! We did a lot of research before we chose Canidae, and asked a vet we completely trust, several shelters and pet stores for their recommendations also. We did ask at Petsmart if there was a food for all life stages and we were told NO! Of course, that is because they don't sell Canidae :p


Hands down - stick with Canidae! (and find a new vet!)
Reply:When a vet recommends store brand foods (and this includes Science Diet) simply smile nod and forget it. You are feeding a very good quality food..don't change. Canidae is far from being an unhealthy food..it is far superior to Science Diet or any other store food.





Vets often aren't familiar with the better foods..they don't have the training in nutrition %26amp; foods since their studies are general not species specific..the classes they have take in everything from cats to rats, dogs to hogs. Vets only know what reps tell them and they tend to recommend foods they are familiar with.





Vets that are familiar with quality foods (and thankfully more of them are begining to be) will recommend foods such as Solid Gold,Canidae, Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover's Soul, Wellness, Merrick, Innova just to name a few.





One of our area vets no longer sells Science Diet except for prescription diets..they now sell Solid Gold,The vets where I work and all the techs except one don't feed any store brand foods at all..we feed Canidae, Wellness, Chicken Soup...So continue to feed a quality product.
Reply:Canidae is high quality food. Yes, the vets get grant money, research money and a piece of the action when they sell Science Diet, or as they say in the trade "incentives" We had our pups to a university in March, right after the recalls for Iams. The "specialist" there told us to put our dogs on a "high quality" kibble like Iams. They had no answers for me when I asked about the recall. Then I told them my dogs were staying on the commercial raw diet they eat now. I tried every kibble, including a Science diet prescription. Finally, my own vet was convinced that 100% raw was the way to go. In 2 days, months of problems resolved. It isn't the way to go for everyone. Every dog is a little different. But, Canidae, Eagle Pack, Sold Gold, EVO, Nature's Variety are all high quality foods. One Science Diet prescription food is 28% peanut hulls. We switched vets shortly after that I told the woman it was unnatural to feed a canine peanut hulls and I didn' t care what experts or vets or the company claims, my dog wasn't eating peanut hulls. Never mind me paying about $1.25 per can for peanut hulls.
Reply:Well, for one thing, a lot of vets have a contract with Science Diet and sell it in their office. It is a good food, but it is mostly for helping a dog to gain or loss weight. The truth is, I don;t know much about the food you are using, i have never even heard of it. I use Iams and recommend it and also Purina One or Pro Plan. Rule of thumb when selecting a dog food, especially for a puppy, check the ingredients and the amount of protein that the food supplies. IF the first ingredient is not a Meat, but instead like Corn, corn meal, or rice, then pass it by, that is the main ingredient for the food and is mostly a filler. You will find that Purina and Iams both have a meat as the first ingredient and also, both have a crude protein of about 26%. For a puppy, that is growing and needs the protein, this is ideal.
Reply:i would just go with petigree puppy formula. science diet is crap. He is just trying to sell the brand to you. also I would ease up on wet foods because it can lead to teeth problems a little bit of dry food can help. for older dogs there is special soft but not wet food that you can buy as well.





I had a poddle that i feed science diet to for a while and her hair started to fall out so i personally hate science diet. I then swiched back to petigree and her hair grew back :)


Dog infested with ticks- How do I ease his pain and itch?

My 4 year old male Shih Tzu is suddenly infested with ticks.


For the last 4 years we have gave him Frontline Plus which worked very well, until this infection.





Now he has baby ticks and eggs in/on his skin which my vet and groomer have tried their best to remove by shaving him botak and giving him an injection to get rid of the ticks. My groomer and I also spend hours searching and picking the ticks off him everyday.





Some patches of his skin is red and raw and painful upon touch him. Some parts, especially near his bottom is so painful he has problem sitting/lying down. He has also lost some of his appetite and appears very sad.





Is there anything I can do further for him? Like, any cream I can buy to reduce the pain and itchiness?





My vet does not recommend me to wash/spray him with anti-flea/tick products or salt water right now because of the raw skin.





He's on antibiotics and vitamin C from the vet right now. He also has a slight yeast infection in 1 ear

Dog infested with ticks- How do I ease his pain and itch?
Ask your vet about a "Preventic" collar it is just for ticks and kills and detaches them. Also make sure your dog is on an antibiotic such as doxycycline that can prevent some tick-borne diseases. Get your pet an antihistamine shot and see if you can bathe in a skin soothing shampoo.
Reply:sounds like thats all you can do =/


oh and switch to K9 Advantix it is alot better A LOT better
Reply:Poor dog - Frontline does not repel ticks, you need to put Advantix on him.





Sounds as if he definitely needs


a shot of prednisone or the like to ease his discomfort and itching. My vet has a spray for skin irritation that works - you need to ask your vet to do more for your dog, doesn't sound as if he is getting enough help.
Reply:If he,s had all this treament and still covered in ticks, have you also washed all his bedding etc etc.There must be ticks in your garden if he keeps being reinfested,get the pest control in and tell them its ticks.If you have done all that, I would get myself a new vet,The poor little bugger is getting the life sucked out of him,he needs help and he needs it now.


My dog wont stop scratching plus now he is losing the hair What can i do?

I got a beautiful black newfoundlander who wont stop scratching himself seriusly its like that for 45% of the day now he is losing hair and his the skin is turning hard and pretty ugly, obiusly is is not a fleas problem cause i tried evrything for that and still

My dog wont stop scratching plus now he is losing the hair What can i do?
you have to take him to the vet, only a vet can really help your dog. mine was itchy too after getting some kind of rash from a grooming place. the vet gave her a shot, a cream and pills, and the bill wasn't that bad. take your dog to the vet now, before it gets worse and the bills get higher. but most importantly your dog is suffering from being so itchy.
Reply:Its most likely stress, or a disease, or a skin problem. Dogs can have allergies too so that might be another possibility. First wash him with some oatmeal dog shampoo, that soothes they're skin and helps with skin problems. Then take him to the vet asap to make sure its nothing serious. He might have a parasite even. And if he has floppy ears please clean them very often. Dogs with droopy ears tend to get ear mites or ticks. Also some dogs shed once a year and it comes out in big clumps.





I HOPE HE GETS BETTER SOON!


Best wishes.





For any more information I'll be glad to help ;)





My e-mail is


puppylover6071@sbcglobal.net.
Reply:He could have some sort of very small parasite. The vet will scrape some of his skin and look at it under a microscope. Then he'll need to be dipped in a special medication. I forgot what the bugs are called but my chi had it once when he was a puppy, but his hair grew back, and he was fine after.


**it wasn't mange.
Reply:Take the poor dog to the vet, if it were you you'd go to the Dr,wouldn't you ?
Reply:He needs to see a vet. There are several reasons why the hair falls out. It could be contact dermatitis, an allergy, predisposition for skin problems %26amp; it could be mites. Your Vet will take skin scrapings %26amp; look for mite %26amp; if it is not a mite your Vet will help with shampoos or dips or meds.





If you haven't been brushing him he could be just loosing his winter coat. It comes out in bunches but it doesn't usually leave bare skin unless a big Matt was attached %26amp; he yanked out the whole matt.
Reply:Thake him to the dr.
Reply:It could be fleas, but you should take him to the vet to get it checked out
Reply:Hi,


I'm concerned that your dog is itching but you say that he doesn't have fleas. The fact that the skin is hardening and there is hair loss means that you need to get him to a vet right away for a skin sample to be taken. It may be that your dog has one of two kinds of mange, one is very disfiguring if not treated and both cause constant pain for animals infected with it. If not treated, it can spread all over the whole body, causing more scratching and damage to skin and coat. It is contagious so if you have other animals you will need to be careful.





Please get your dog to a vet--to leave it in constant pain is not good for him--when you could be getting treatment and relief for him right away.





Good luck!
Reply:He may not be infested with fleas, but all it takes is one or two to bite and he may just be super sesitive to flea bites...another thought...something in your yard?


What are you feeding? Foods with "colored kibbles' contain dye and dogs truely do not care what color the food is. Corn is a big problem for many dogs...


You can give the dog benedryl to slow down the itching, if the skin is sore 50% peroxide and 50%warer mixture to clean and dry the areas tht are sore. Follwed with a triple antibiotic ointment (storebrand is fine) or one with hydrocortisone in it to help stop the itchies.


If not open sores, try either gold bond medicated powder or the ointment to sooth his skin. Last ditch effort, go to the vet for more extensive testing??
Reply:Fleas aren't the only cause for itching. It could be severe allergies or mites or mange---either needs to be immediately treated by the Vet. If he is itching sooo much that he is scratching non-stop and now losing hair and the skin is hardening, he is suffering. Imagine if you were itching non-stop like that. Please take him to the Vet asap.

elephant foot

Dog wont stop scratching..im having to help her, she's over weight..?

she has a skin disorder, so has little sores on her that itch really bad. the problem is, she is EXTREMELY over-weight and cant scratch them herself. So i have to find the spot she wants scratched..that can take a really long time. any suggestions on what i can do?





and yes..we've taken her to the vet, she's on meds to help them go away. and we also have her on a diet to help her lose weight, her last owner left food out for her all the time..so all she did was eat. She is easily 15+ pounds over weight, if not more.

Dog wont stop scratching..im having to help her, she's over weight..?
The weight is probably the key to everything.....as she loses weight the skin will be less tight, and more resistant to infection, so the scratching will lessen.


I am disgusted by owners who allow their dogs to become obese, there is NO excuse for it....fat dog = lazy owner. I did read your Q and I know it was the previous owner - I'm, not having a dig at you. Though I would if it WAS your fault lol ;-)


Good luck. Does the vet know HOW itchy she is? I'm sure he could give her an antihistimine or something to lessen the itch?
Reply:Instead of assisting her scratching cycle,..why don't you give oatmeal bathes or soft brushing with a firm brush all over.


It would be like a massage,.. rather than re-aggravating the scabby rashes.
Reply:Scratching does not help the situation, it worsens it and keeps the spots from healing. I would have the vet give her a steroid to stop the itching so her skin can heal.
Reply:What kind of skin problem does your dog have?


There are a lot of reasons why dogs can itch.


Sometimes they have fleas.....usually you will see them or see flea dirt in your dog's coat.


Your dog could have a protein allergy to its food. Some dogs are allergic to chicken and so you could try another protein such as lamb or venison or fish and see if that doesn't help the situation.


Some dogs have pollen, dust or other kinds of allergies that compound any allergy that they already have so if you help to treat one of they symptoms that will reduce their itches and make life a little better.


There are products to put on to the coat that help as well. There is a product from Veterinarian's Best which is a spray to reduce itching. It has tea tree oil in it and helps to soothe the itchies. I have used this before on my dogs and it seems to have an almost instant relief. You can almost see it on their faces. There are also creams/lotions that you can put on that would help to reduce the itch from Kenic. I have also used the emu oil. It is a little messy, but well worth the results.


If your dog has dry skin you might try using a vitamin E capsule to put more oil into the skin.


Hope this helps.


Your d


Considering buying a Puggle?

I am seriously considering getting a dog and throughout all the research I've done, the dog that best matches my lifestyle is a Puggle. After all the literature I read on Beagles, they seemed like affecionate, yet stubborn and strong willed dogs and I want a dog that is easily trainable and won't have the tendency to wander off. I've never been a huge fan of Pugs and I'm aware of the breathing and skin problems they tend to have. Is there anyone who is a Puggle owner that can offer me some insight? I want to know if they can handle being left alone for a few hours, (I work in a setting which allows me to bring my dog but I know that having a new puppy at work isn't conducive with productivity), what their level of trainability is, and if they can handle rough play (ie, a dog you'd want to wrestle around with).

Considering buying a Puggle?
You should email some of these puggle breeders and ask them for their insight.


http://www.breederinfocenter.com/index.p...


Many dogs can handle being left alone for hours, it just depends if they have something to keep them busy like chew toys, a comfy dog bed to sleep on and so on.





P.S. Don't let the designer dog haters get to you, they are always like this when someone asks a question that is similar to yours. Most of them are breeders of purebred dogs who see designer dog breeders as competition.
Reply:They're not a breed, they're an over-priced mutt. If you want a Beagle mix, or a Pug mix, go to the shelter. I bet you can find Beagle/Pug mixes, considering many "designer dogs" end up in shelters when their owners realize they DO shed and they aren't any better than any other dog.
Reply:Please don't buy one. Adopt one. After last year's Puggle craze, there are plenty up for adoption all over the USA. This is not a real breed and you should not pay more than an adoption fee for one. It is a 'designer' mutt. By going to someone who produces these mixes and rewarding them with a big fat purchase price, they'll just make more that will end up in shelters when the next 'designer' comes along. My shelter has Puggles. We also have "Schnoodles" and "Labradoodles" and the all-time champion mutt, "Cockapoos." All of these dogs are deliberately misbred, and SOLELY for profit. Please don't support the heartless people who do this. Save a life. ADOPT a leftover 'designer' dog. Thank you for your time.





PS: Yes, they can be left alone for a 'few hours'. No more than that. Yes, they can tolerate semi-rough play, but may have breathing issues, as previously mentioned. They don't do well in excessive heat and will need to be bathed and groomed often because of the oily skin of the Beagle part. Please consider all these factors carefully, but the main point of my response is by far the most important.








Dear Sid Vicious: You are VICIOUS! I am not a dog breeder and I don't see 'designer' breeds as competition for anything except a race to the euthanasia chamber. I'm tired of your posts suggesting everything with testicles should have a go at it. You are totally reprehensible for comparing a champion show breeder to a backyard money-maker. If they won't say it, I will- shut your yap, you know NOT what you speak of!!!
Reply:Beagles aren't all that strong willed. All it takes is consistency and patience (and a good obedience class doesn't hurt)





As far as puggles go, go into this with both eyes WIDE open. A puggle is a mutt. There are NO guarantees about its temperment or trainability. And usually the people who breed 'designer breeds' are not in it for love of the animal (meaning you could get a very, very sick dog).





If you want a mutt, go get one from the shelter. It's got the same guarantees that a 'designer breed' does. Which is to say - none.
Reply:I have a beagle mix (with dachshund or minipin or something?) and I have no problems with him. Don't know much about puggles.





I do know that no responsible breeder breeds mixes so if you buy one you are supporting awful backyard breeders or puppymills who breed solely for $$ with no concern for the dog's health etc.





If you decide to do puggle then go to petfinder.com and search for 'pug' (there are less of them than beagles). And go through the list looking for pug beagle mixes. Please don't support these awful people- save a shelter dog instead.
Reply:A "puggle" is not a breed of dog. It's a mutt given a cutesy name to fool the public. If you'd like to own one, or any other mixed breed dog, the shelters are full of mutts waiting to be euthanized. Please don't support a scam by buying one.


Those individuals who are producing mutts and dubbing them with "Designer dog" names are motivated solely by greed and are not only perpetrating an unscrupulous scam on the public, but doing harm to the very dogs they breed. They do NO health screenings or genetic testing at all. They do not even breed to a standard, (because there is none). In the case, for example, of the "Puggle", they are risking the very lives of the dogs they produce by virtue of the breeds they are crossing (pug + beagle). A brachycephalic dog, (such as a pug) with the lung power and prey drive of a beagle would be in serious danger or dropping dead while playing on a hot day. In fact, someone posted HERE asking why their neighbor's "puggle" died suddenly for no apparent reason.


Those "breeders" are very adamant in perpetuating the lie that "mutts are healthier", yet these puggles are already exhibiting epilepsy (a disease that has virtually been eradicated in the lines of responsible beagle breeders), before the age of one and a defect where the bones break very easily and do not properly heal. They don't guarantee to take back their dogs, so these sick animals are now growing in numbers in shelters. By the way, they charge more for a "puggle" than a beagle pup from a responsible breeder would cost.
Reply:A mixed breed, like the "puggle" doesn't necessarily end up with the best traits of each breed. It's really a genetic crapshoot, you could just as easily end up with a stubborn, strong willed, wandering dog with breathing and skin problems. There is no way to predict the outcome when you are dealing with mixes.





If you want a cute little dog, and you're not too fussy about the characteristics, by all means adopt a mutt. But please don't line the pockets of greedy BYBs and puppymillers that are only breeding for money (that is the ONLY reason puggles are bred, since there is no breed standard to uphold). Go adopt one from the shelter or a rescue.





If you want to have a reasonably good idea what kind of dog you will end up with, then buy a well-bred purebred dog from a reputable breeder.
Reply:Sincerely, I think the pugle might end up costing you a lot in vet bills because of health issues, moreover, if you're not a fan of pugs, be aware that some cute pugles puppies might end up being really pug-like as adults. If I were you, I'd have a beagle (it seems that this is a breed you really like) and I'd train him or her really hard from the first day at home, proper training really makes the dog. Good luck :)
Reply:Sid Vicious is right. Whenever you ask a puggle question or anyother "designer dog" question, they're all over it.





Ignore them. Especially K.





Puggles are great dogs. Training is about normal. You'll need patience. We leave ours alone during the day while we work. She sleeps while we're gone. But you do need to leave the dog in a puppy proof room with a comfortable area to sleep and with toys, food, water, etc. Our puggle loves to wrestle.





The one thing about puggles is that they are quite hyper, at least as puppies. As long as you know that going in, you'll be fine.





Good luck with your search!
Reply:Since most of these answers seem to be the typical puggle haters that answer these questions... Ill answer as a puggle owner :)


We got our puggle from puppyfind.com you can search for breeders within or out of your area for a reasonable price. We got our puppy for 500$ with his first vaccinations, worming, vet certificate with 6 mo health guarantee, papers from the mom/dad of puppy, and kennel. He has had ZERO health problems. We brought him into the vet about a month after getting him for the rest of his shots, rabies, and schedule and neutering. The vet said he was very healthy and happy. When we got him I was home 24-7 for about a week and then after that went back for school and when I wasnt home my boyfriend was. We started training him outside on our balcony with puppy pads (live in WI and it was snowing out) he learned very quickly (about 3-4 weeks and he was fully potty trained) Everytime we took him out we rang a bell by the door and said outside! Then whenwe brought him out said go potty and when he did gave him ALOT of verbal and physical praise. We only gave him a treat when he pooped. He had a few accidents in the house the first week the second was less and the third virtually none by week four he had zero.


We bought a large wire kennel for him and he goes in it now for about and hour or two a day. When we leave him we give him a toy with peanut butter to distract him and then we leave. I started by leaving him in the kennel while we were home, cleaning, eating, cooking, etc... Then eventually leaving. He has never slept in his kennel except the first night he was here. he cries way too much in his kennel so he sleeps with us and again, no accidents even early because wed wake up before he tried jumping off the bed. If you want him to sleep in the kennel then do not acknowledge his crying and when he starts say something like quiet! and when he is give him praise to let him know thats the right thing to do (be quiet when told).


Training- we taught him how to sit in about a week, lay down, give high five, shake. Now were working on stay and come and hes getting better- its been about 2 weeks. My take is that hes very easy to train. Stubborn, yes but thats the pug and beagle! You have to show dominance! :) My little brother took his dog to an obedience class and gave me the practice sheets if youd like I can scan and email them to you, otherwise Id say to get set up in a puppy kindergarten class, or obedience class for puppies. Theyre very effective to help with potty training, mouthing/biting, leash walking, commands, etc...


The dog himself! Hes great! Happy, fun loving, plays alot- fetch (loves it!) frisbees, ropes, balls- loves it. Hes a snuggler- takes up alot of the bed and hes only 20lbs! lol


I wouldnt change a thing! I have had alot of animals- cats dogs guinea pigs etc... this is the first "mutt" I have had and hes the best so far! I had a golden retriever that was nothing but issues with seperation anxiety, a jack russell that had tons of allergies and had to have special food, boxer with hip dysplagia lots of work! And they were all pure breds! supposed to be the best, HA Ill take my "mutt" over a pure bred anytime.


Check your shelters, sometimes they have puggles there. People get these "designer dogs" and realize they dont want a dog and its too much work and drop them off- NOT because they are bad dogs like the other people say. Also check out puppyfind.com -- we got ours from a breeder named Sam in Oklahoma (airplane shipping is included if you dont want one in your area). Ask the breeders to see the kennels, puppies, mom of puppy, and get records of the worming/vaccines. DO NOT get a puppy from a pet store they are backyard breeders and tend not to be good to their puppys. Only get one if the owner of the shop knows the breeder and can give references. I hope this helps. You can see pictures of our puppy go to www.puggle.org, puggle pictures, search the gallery, name: petey, city: oak creek. Good luck!!! email me if you want the obedience sheets...


fuzzy_peach_15@yahoo.com





Probably more than you wanted but... oh well :)


OH! And rough play! LOVE IT! My boyfriend pushes him around the room and he jumps and bites (not hard most the time) wrestles around on the floor, plays tug o war, you would think he was a huge dog hes pretty strong!


Snake Bite?

My dog was bitten by a snake several months ago, and about 2-3 weeks later, she started having problems with her skin....it is progressively getting worse....I had originally thought that it was due to something in the water in our lake (she loves to go swimming), but I think that only "aggrevates" something that is already there, if that makes any sense...I posted another question about her skin condition if you would like more details feel free to check it out under my questions. We don't know what kind of snake, and it was 2-3 hours before we found her and rushed her to the vet. She was about 3-4 months old, and the snake was fairly large (fangs 1 1/2 inches apart), and she was bitten twice on the same leg (one on ankle, and one on elbow). Does anyone know of any long term problems like rashes, allergies, depression, etc. that could be caused by a poisonous snake bite?


I will be glad to give more details if needed...and, yes, she has been to the vet for the skin problems.

Snake Bite?
i hope this helps





Snake Bites





General Information


Snake bites tend to occur on the pet's head or neck. Bites involving the trunk of the body have a poorer prognosis. Snake bites may affect one or more body systems including the cardiopulmonary system, the nervous system, or the coagulation system. Usually, if the snake is not poisonous or the venom was not injected, the pain, swelling, and bruising at the bite site will be minimal.





Toxic Dose


Varies. Envenomation does not always occur. The severity of envenomation is related to the time of the year, the volume of venom present in the snake, the location of the bite, the number of bites, and the amount of victim movement after the bite (movement increases the spread of the venom). The amount of venom is not related to the size of the snake. Systemic signs such as kidney damage may take 24-72 hours to develop in mild envenomations, so the animal should be observed closely for several days.





Signs


May see one, two, or several small puncture wounds, bleeding, bruising, immediate and extremely painful swelling at the site of the bite, and tissue necrosis. The more severe systemic signs may take up to several hours to appear and include hypotension and shock, lethargy and weakness, muscle tremors, nausea, vomiting, and neurological signs including depressed respiration.





Immediate Action


Identify the snake if possible. Restrict movement of the pet. Loosely immobilize the limb in a functional position if bitten on an extremity. DO NOT incise the bite wound to aspirate the venom and DO NOT apply a tourniquet without veterinary assistance. DO NOT apply ice to the area. Seek veterinary attention.





Veterinary Care


General treatment: The animal will be kept quiet and the bitten area immobilized if possible to decrease the spread of the venom. The area around the wound will be clipped and cleaned.





Supportive treatment: Antihistamines may be administered and IV fluids given to help prevent low blood pressure. Oxygen is given if needed. Antibiotics are used to prevent secondary infections. Pain medication is provided as necessary. Laboratory tests to check for bleeding problems and organ damage will be performed repeatedly. Blood transfusions may be necessary in cases of severe coagulopathies. The area above and below the bite wounds may be measured every 15 minutes to monitor the edema. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are contraindicated in the early phase (first 24 hours) of treatment because of the different types of venom and the anticoagulant effects of NSAIDs. The use of corticosteroids may be contraindicated also, as some research shows they increase the severity of the bite.





Specific treatment: Antivenin* may be administered. The use of antivenin is controversial and is used at the discretion of the attending veterinarian. To be most effective, antivenin should be given within 4 hours of the bite. It becomes less effective as more time passes.





All snake bite victims should be observed for a minimum of 12 hours, even when there are no clinical signs. If clinical signs are present, the length of observation is increased to 48-72 hours, as damage to organs may not appear immediately.





Prognosis


A study of animals bitten by pit vipers showed that those treated with antivenin, intravenous fluids, and antibiotics had a mortality rate less than 1% and local tissue damage was rare. The mortality rate in untreated patients depended on the species of snake involved. For example, in patients bitten by the Northern Pacific Rattlesnakes, the mortality rate was about 10%. In the much more dangerous Mojave rattlesnake, it could be as high as 35%.





*Two companies, Fort Dodge and Wyeth Ayerst Laboratories produce antivenin. Veterinary clinics and human hospitals in areas that have a high population of pit vipers have this product on hand. Many owners want to carry this product with them, but because of the intravenous administration and instability of the product, it is recommended that a veterinarian give it.
Reply:I have never had any experience with a dog and a snake bite, nor a person either for that matter. I would think that the skin problems would be from allergies, being in the water too much, something like that other than something caused by a snake bite. What did the vet say about her condition?
Reply:Get a skin treatment or something from a local animal hospital!!
Reply:Here are some things I found about long term effects.





loss of limb


decreased mobility


tissue death


necrosis at the site of the injury


swelling


pain


problems with functioning of the limb


fear of items "slinking"








I think you did all that you could.





Good luck to you and your dog!


~Sophie


French Mastiff or Boxer?

My partner and I would love to get a dog. He was talking about buying a French Mastiff, but I prefer Boxers.





Does anyone know of any health issues these breeds may have? I know that labs have hips problems, shar peis have skin problems... things like that. If you're not sure about the breeds:





Mastiff: http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl...





Boxer: http://www.pet-dog-magazine.com/boxer-do...

French Mastiff or Boxer?
Potential health problems of the Dogue de Bordeaux


( French Mastiff ) can include:





Hip Dysplasia (abnormal development of hip joints referred to as CHD - Canine Hip and Elbow Dysplasia)





Entropion (the inversion, or turning inward, of the border of the eyelid against the eyeball)





Gastric Torsion





As for Boxers:





Hip Dysplasia (abnormal development of hip joints referred to as CHD - Canine Hip and Elbow Dysplasia)





Bloat





Aortic stenosis (a heart ailment)





Digestive problems





Hypothyroidism





And cancerous and benign tumors.
Reply:I can never choose... I love all breeds! BUT if i had to choose... I'd pick a boxer =)
Reply:dunno but boxers are way nicer
Reply:I think boxer is better.
Reply:I don't know about health issues but I've found boxers to be have better temperaments and are good around kids. Their fierce loyalty is a quality I personally prefer in a breed as well.





Make sure you and your partner are secure enough as a couple if you're going to share a puppy. Splitting up is hard on pets too!





best of luck (in all things)
Reply:the french mastiff will be a calmer dog and if purchased from a good breeder it will be a healthy animal, mastiff are more prone to cherry eye even when well breed, otherwise both can have similar problems as a lab as far as hips and elbows. a boxer will be a cheaper dog overall because of size, but boxer are one of the most active dogs out there and require alot of work the mastiff is more laid back and won't care if he misses a long walk once in a while.


I think you sould go for the mastiff as the boxer is so active and I work at a shelter where people give up boxers because the family wasn't ready for a dog that never slows down, if your BF isn't for high energy dogs then stir clear of the boxer.


I don't know where people are getting that boxers are friendlier than a mastiff, that isn't true at all french mastiffs are gentle giants like most mastiffs not attack dogs or loud there guarding ablity is to hold there ground and look mean, boxers can be biters and may stop an intruder with more than just an imposing look. A well breed well trained dog will be good with kids anyhow. and as long as I have worked at the shelter no one has ever turned in a French Mastiff.
Reply:Not ALL labs have hip problems, so don't rule them out because they are great dogs. I love my girl... :-) I also have an English Mastiff who I love to pieces. She is so sweet. She's a biggun', but worth it all. These were both pound puppies so don't discount that as a source either! They have great dogs.
Reply:both breeds have their health problems, but most pedigree breeds do!!! look on the Internet for these problems.


i love french mastiffs, that would be my choice, but the boxer is a lot smaller and they live longer, most larger breeds have a shorter life span, and are prone to health problems, also more expensive to keep,


go and have a look at both breeds, if your getting a puppy, talk to breeders before you decide.


boxers are great when kept in pairs!!!
Reply:It really depends on the taste, as well. A Mastive is considerably larger than a Boxer. Do you have enough space? Temperaments are also different. Research both of the breeds very well.





There are too many issues for me to type up, so here's a link on the Boxer health problems: http://www.gopetsamerica.com/boxer/boxer...





For Mastiffs, their problems mostly include: Elbow dysplasia,


Hip dysplasia, Eye problems which can lead to blindness, among them, PRA (progressive retinal atrophy), Hypothyroidism, Epilepsy, Wobblers, Dilated Cardiomyopathy(DCM),Cystinuria, and Cancer.





Purebreds are more likely to get these genetic defects. If you didn't already know, mix breeds are a great alternative. They are less likely (by a lot) to get genetic defects such as all of those. Consider adoption as well, or make sure you get a great reputable breeder. Stay clear of Pet Stores, they are associated with Puppy Mills.





Hope this helped.
Reply:If i had to choose between the two, i would say boxer.
Reply:Oh man, my friend had 5 boxers, and they ALL had way too many health problems. 90% of PUREBRED boxers have to get their jaw done. If i were you I wouldn't get a purebred, they have way too many problems. If you got a Boxer mix, you'd be ok.





BOXERS: Some major concerns are cardiomyopathy, sub-aortic stenosis, and hip dysplasia. Sometimes prone to epilepsy. From age eight on they are more likely to get tumors than other breeds. Tendency for allergies. Also heart problems. These dogs may drool and snore. May have excessive flatulence. Some white Boxers are prone to deafness.


FRENCH MASTIFF: The Dogue de Bordeaux is not an easy dog to breed. Litters are generally small. Cesarean sections are often needed at birth because of the puppies extremely large heads. The dams are so broad chested that they often lie on their stomachs to nurse their pups, sometimes squashing them. Breeders must watch out vigilantly for the pups or some will probably be lost. Females can be very protective of their puppies.





Maybe, you can get a french mastiff/boxer.......Mastiffs grow real huge and boxers are more clean, they're like cats they clean themselves!
Reply:Mastiffs- being bigger- have more joint problems. They also do not ( as a whole) live as long as Boxers.





Boxers are plenty of dog to have around with the energy they have-plus they have good temperaments as a whole and are known for being good with kids.





I'd stick to Boxers- but I am partial.
Reply:I just lost my 4 year old English Mastiff to an Accident as he was hit by a car.





We have lost a part of our family. Mastiff owners experience unique relationships with their mastiffs. It is hard to explain until you have had one...I have had several dogs in my life time and it was like the closest thing to a humanized pet, it is hard to describe... they are always there for you... they dont have to be aggressive..just look at their size... thats what they bank on...they ususally are very tolerant of kids and protective and watch over from a distance as a natural instinct whether children are part of their family or not....





Good luck with your partner....I felt like I lost mine...even though I have a happy husband, I lost my best friend...
Reply:If you're worried about health issues you should just get a mutt. Pedigree dogs are likely to be inbred. A mutt's genes will be more heterogeneous so any recessive genes (usually genetic health problems are recessive) will be masked by dominant healthy genes.
Reply:i would get a boxer i have 3. my two kids just love them .i could not see myself with out a boxer they are great pets
Reply:Whoooaaa...! Mastiffs are not friendly, nice? Where are some of you getting your info??


I own, show and breed Bordeaux's. My first dog was an adorable boxer then I got into mastiff rescue 10 years ago and had my first french mastiff. I will never have another breed. You should talk to some people that own them; you will most likely hear what I tell people; and that is that I have been around many dogs of all different breeds and I have never met another breed like a bordeaux. They are sensitive,calm, quiet, loving, beautiful giants! I have four and they are so amazing with my 15 month old, and I do mean amazing!


they are easy keepers actually, they like a good walk twice a day and then they would like to lay on the couch!





the only issue I have with them is that we do not get to enjoy them long enough because they only live for about 8-10 years normally.

agave

Shih-tzu that smells?

Yes, my dog smells bad. You know, from the eye area and he has signifigant skin problems.





After being on "answers" for a while now, I am thinking it could be the food I am feeding (Iams puppy). He is 3 yrs. old, weight is normal, but he smells due to the allergy skin.





Ok....so I need PROFESSIONAL ANSWERS..


What are the foods out there now that you have had experience with to help in this matter? Websites to back your info would be appreciated. I have looked myself, but there are so many out there now, I just wanted personal feedback on what has worked for others in my situation.





Thank you for your time.

Shih-tzu that smells?
Natural Balance Lamb %26amp; Rice formula.
Reply:First why do you feed a 3 yr old dog Puppy food? Second ask a vet. I had a shih tzu, he was fed a balanced diet of only people food and lived to be 16. Healthy the whole time.
Reply:I would definitely change the food. What to change to depends where you are. Basically look for a food that has meat as the first ingredient in the list of ingredients. For skin problems a lamb and rice food is usually better than other types.
Reply:My dog,a Shih-Tzu mix,age 15,started smelling "doggy" last July,(after a grooming at a Petsmart). He was itching terribly,but for several months his skin showed no signs of inflammation or irritation. Lately, we've seen a different vet,and he diagnosed the problem as "canine scabies" and recommended a series of dips. After one such treatment our pal quit scratching and began to sleep much better. It's been one week,and he's starting to scratch again,but today is the day for his second treatment,(there will be four).


Oh,yeah,right after the dip the smell when away,and just started to return when the scratching did,about a day ago. Try to find a good vet and ask about taking a skin scrapping to look for "scabies"(pronounced -skay-bees).