Pet Care Tips to Improve Pet Health and Quality of Life

Help! Any suggestions for my 4 year old dog fighting for his life?
Originally went to local vet for lethargy, breathing issues and runny nose and notice of tinge of blood in discharge. Put on steroids and multiple antibiotics. Pigment color in one nostril turned pinkish white from black. They weren't sure but thought auto-immune. Couldn't do a biopsy b/c of infection so put on new antibiotic med. 1 1/2 months later, at ER vet b/c vomit was brown. They thought pneumonia, took him back for xray and 30 min later came rushing in w/blood splattered pants and told me he had been bleedidng profusely out of his nose, even throwing up clots. $$$$ spent on CT scan and rhinos copy. Diagnosis w/invasive aspergillosis - already ate away some bone and cartilage in his sinus cavity. Also diagnosed w/pneumonia. Placed on anti fungal med (itraconazole), pain pills, docycline for secondary infection and Chinese herbs to stop bleeding.

Bleeding finally stopped for 2 weeks now but he stopped eating. Learned he had high fever and now he is only taken small dose of steroid to help make him want to eat plus antifungal Med. They had also put him on denamrin b/c his liver numbers are going io due to side effect of anti fungal med. Got him to eat raw food yesterday and actually take his pill but want him to get better! Think he is sick of all his meds! He previously was eating Now kibble and Taste of the Wild. Any suggestions? Tried hot dog (whole foods of course), rice and chicken, soup, steak, grilled chicken, canned dog foods (premium brands, all types), cheese, cream cheese, cottage cheese, ice cream. I've been told the anti fungal is his only fighting chance so the disease does not spread to his brain cavity. The med is a capsule 2xday and so far he will only take in cheese but I need a backup plan b/c finicky now. Also want him to get well and beat these to any holistic advice for what I can do is beyond helpful. I've spent a ton of money thus far and can only manage something at home now.

My dog, lab mix, got bit by a spider. I was not sure what kind of spider but it swelled up within 6 hours. I would not have even seen the bite if it had not been for the bloodish/pus spot on his back. It had 2 distinct puncture wounds and there was a red ring, discolored skin where the punctures were, his hair fell out around the site and it was seeping a kind of pus/blood discharge. It was hot to the touch and ALL kinds of pus came out of it when I tried to apply a compress to it. Needless to say, I freaked out! Just so many things went through my head... Can't afford a vet, would my dog die?, how could I help him, how long ago did he get this bite? etc. , etc...

First I tried to wash the wound out with peroxide and some antibiotic ointment. Probably NOT a good idea because I didn't want the bite to be sealed up and was not sure how the peoxide would affect the poison. Then I thought about what I had on hand here at the house. I mixed up a saltwater solution and washed the wound. I tried to get the saltwater in the puncture holes. Then I grabbed a box of baking soda and added a few drops of water to make it pasty. I applied this over the wound and covered the area around the wound. Next I got on the internet and scanned vet sites, spider sites, just ANYWHERE for a picture to help me identify WHAT had bit him.

Next, I got on EC and started scanning everything I could find about spider bites. I found the charcoal post and thought it may be worth a try. I went to Walmart and in the pet section they have activated charcoal for your fish tank. Comes in a large plastic jar. (asked the pharmacist about charcoal but they only had some capsules. ) I took some charcoal, about a tsp. , crushed it and added a few drops of water, and applied it directly over the wound. It seemed to stay on pretty good. I thought it might fall off but it didn't. I left it on for a day and when I went to check it and change the charcoal I found the wound had formed some kind of scab with the charcoal. It seemed bonded with it and I didn't want to tear it off, so I left it on. This was 48 hours after the bite and I could see the red ring was gone, the swelling was gone, and the wound area seemed to be much smaller. The next day the scab seemed like it was hardened and smaller. By the evening it had fell off and there was no swelling, no redness, no discharge, in fact, there were NO HOLES either. It was almost like he had not been bit! Like it had totally healed up under the charcoal and was gone. Total time from finding bite to scab falling off was three 1/2 days.

I am so glad that I found this site and so glad that my dog is okay! I still don't know what bit him, but it was just wonderful to have him healed up and alive. I hope this helps someone else. If I had to do it over, I would probably remove the scab and add fresh charcoal to the wound daily. As this was my first time dealing with spider bites, and as the charcoal was working so well, I was hesitant to mess with the process. I also live rurally and don't have access to a GNC or health food store, so Walmart pet section had to be the choice. Good luck to all....

I need a treadmill for my herding mixed puppy- (she's #20 now). Can you name the best brand and if I use a smaller one (for example one made for #30 lb max and my dog grows beyond to #40)-will the treadmill still work?

I hope people don't mind me sharing this information with every one?

The person that wrote this about animals and experiments on them needlessly sounds like he may know what he is talking about. I give him thumbs up for his courage and integrity as well as knowledge.

http://www.all-creatures.org/articles/ar-ifyou.html

I couldn't believe it either but, it does work. My almost 13 year old Cockapoo Miranda, although paper trained, does miss and over time, that specific section I keep her papers in, needs extra cleaning. I first steam clean with regular cleaning solution. I then RINSE several times with just hot water. THEN, I add a solution of Apple Cider Vinegar and go over that area 2 times. Amazing how within a day, there is no sign of urine smell.

when my dog was on steroids she pee'd a lot, she couldnt help it but if u take some biological washing powder and a little water and once you have taken up as much of the wet as u can rub in your washing powder leave for a minute or two then with a wash machine soak that up as well till dry, leaves the floor smelling great.

Yes, you have to stand your ground. When my great pyr started having problems.. Throwing up, etc. , I took her to 3 different vets and $1500 later, they still couldn't tell me what was wrong. One vet wanted to keep her on an iv, so I let them keep her one night and she wound up chewing the iv up and pulling it out. Not to mention all the dogs barking there were very nerve wracking. So when I went to check on her, I told them that I wanted to take her outside on a sheet or blanket and keep her hooked up out there. They looked at me like I was crazy and said that nobody ever had that request before... SO we went outside in the sun, laid on a sheet and she got hooked up to her iv.. She was a lot happier - and so was I - that she could be outside in the sun, away from all them barking dogs and with her owner. So no matter how crazy it seems, stand your ground and do what is best for your pet. If it doesn't seem right, it probably isn't. Go with your gut!

Jonna;It might be good to order a few videos from Cesar Milan or watch his show on TV the history ch. I believe. I trust in his training 199% He also come on Friday eves. which is a special, I have never heard a bad review yet. Please don't give up on your dog, these animals all depend on us. I'm quite sure the dog is willing to learn we all just need the right techniques. We need the training first then the dog. :o() good luck

I actually believe that we have a lot of balls to be altering animals unanimously, based on the assumption that they do experience sexual pleasure?! I choose not to do so, and to be a responsible guardian. So there, you who are being amused. if we must, vasectomies are much easier to perform and better for our pets.

Ummm, that's a very strange way of thinking. But did you know that humans & dolphins are the only animals that have sex for pleasure???
So regardless of desexing or giving your dog a vasectomy unless he can smell a bitch on heat he isnt going to have the urge. That's kind of how it works. But thanks for the amusing post :)

Warning

Avocado is lethal for birds, so much so that my avian veterinarian has a sign about it in the entry of her offices. This is avocado in ANY form, dip, guacamole, or just a tasty (to us) ripe avocado. Many of us who read this site's helpful tips are caretakers of beloved companion parrots and cockatoos or smaller winged merry-chirps. Let's keep them all happy, healthy and singing.

I learned this trick from a vet when my first dog became a master at locating and discarding pills from food/treats. Take any soft food they like (jam, cream cheese, a small chunk of dog food etc) and bury the pill inside. Then place on the end of your finger and pop onto the back of the dog's tongue, close its mouth and stroke the throat. The whole process can be achieved before the dog even knows what's going on. I've always fed pills this way since and never had any problems, even with my grumpy Collie/Terrier

This is what I call my "puppy buster" formula when I was training our dogs. Mix equal parts of white vinegar, alcohol, and water in a spray bottle. Spray on the "accident" and blot up. Vinegar takes care of the odor - alcohol takes care of the stain. Works great!!!

I want to second the advice to make sure there is a stable piece of carpet at the bottom of the stairs for old dogs. I have a carpeted stairway in the small house I am renting, but it ends in the entryway which is hardwood. My older dogs can make it up and down the stairs, but in coming downstairs, they seem to rely a lot on gravity and momentum. When there was no carpet on the floor in front of the stairway, their front paws would slip out from under them and their bottom halves/hip would hit the ground hard (I only saw this happen once and then I put an anti-slip entryway carpet down at the bottom of the stairs; I think they had fallen before at times when I just didn't see it happen). Apparently when they were younger dogs, they were more elastic and could twist around quickly and compensate for slipping front paws. As they got older, they couldn't do this anymore. So please do watch your aging pets as they negotiate stairs and do what you can to make sure they don't fall. That last step was a big problem for mine until I saw what was actually happening - even after falling, my dog got right up with his tail wagging and tried to look like it didn't hurt (even though he was limping afterward).

I got my beloved dog Max, who recently passed away at age 16, a mobility harness to help him go up and down stairs during the final months of his life. I had to hunt around online for a medium but saw it in several pet stores in large. Was a very helpful item. I only found out about it after bumping into a man in the parking lot at the grocery store whose 15 year old lab (90 pounds) was wearing one. After I inquired about what she was wearing, he told me it was a lifesaver because she couldn't get up on her own.

I live in a converted barn with stairs to living room and all hardwood floors; my St Bernard sometimes slips or needs help going down them as she is also blind. I painted the stair runners and part of landing at top and bottom with a fine white powder used to put in paint or stain that reduces slippery surfaces. It is not noticeable and has helped her alot. I got it at a hardware store in the paint section. Hopes this helps.

White vinegar is excellent to clean our tile floors, we just got a puppy a few weeks ago, and with house training him he of course had accidents inside, we went to pet store to buy some stuff with enzymes to use on the urine spots, and the lady at the store said that vinegar is a great way to get rid of the scent and clean the floor. She said to avoid most all commercial cleaners, esp. anything with ammonia because a dog will be attracted to that and will be able to smell where it urinated before, and thinks it is ok to keep going there.

Microchipping is a wonderful way to ensure you will always find your pet if he/she gets lost but double check on the materials that are used as some chips may cause cancer.

Good suggestions... However, If your dog is allergic to dairy, tree nuts, wheat, corn, and soy. Don't laugh, I have this special dog. :) You can use mashed potato.... or some other mashed-up vegetable (carots, sweet potato, spinach, green beens). If they aren't going for the bait, add a little sea salt or honey to the outside of the vege ball. Then dab the seasoned portion to their lips and they will lick it. Once they get the taste on their tongue, it usually isn't a problem. Most dogs have a thing for either sweets or salts. The more it sticks to the pill the better. They can't separate it from the pill and naturally just swallow it down.

A very sick dog won't eat and is not motivated by food at all. This is a problem. So, I usually take a small amount of honey or a popsicle... you cant usually use a solid pill for this method. But, it works with crushed pills. Dogs like sweets... even when they are sick! I've even made popsicles in an ice tray to get some fluids and nutrients into a sick dog before. They make them for kids... why not dogs? :)

If you're not sqeemish about RAW meat... any ground meat works very well! If that doesn't work for you, perhaps some nice gooey canned food in a spoon. The key here is to hide the pill good, make sure the food comes off the spoon easily and small enough for them to swallow... If they need to chew it. They will most certainly discover the pill.

This maybe a stretch for others. Because my dog isn't the norm. But, I'll put it out there just in-case it helps someone. I recently found out my dog has a fetish for coconut oil... I mean he goes crazy as soon as he smells it or even sees the jar come out of the cabinet. If I place a pill in a spoon full of oil and he licks it all up... pill in all. He wouldn't dare let a little pill come become between him and his oil. BTW: I believe this oil has also helped with his allergies, skin infection, itching, and he seems like he has more energy now. But, not sure if it was the oil or one of his other 5 supplements/remedies that are finally starting to work coincidentally at the same time. Anyway, 1 Tsp. per meal and a little dab as a treat at night before bed (he weighs about 65 lbs).

We also started feeding the RAW/BARF diet... and nothing is easier than placing a pill in the middle of a peice of raw meat about 1" square. For a medium size dog, it's too small for them to chew and just big enough to hide any size pill. And a dog that is on this diet for awhile who has an apetite... isn't going to pass up a nice peice of meat. It won't take them long on this diet before they have an appetite!

In addition to Kelly from Cincy, OH... Really great suggestion. For the people treatments as well. But, also, please include your pets weight or perhaps the breed if you do not know (at least small, medium, large, extra large). Weight is so important. A 10 lb. chijuajua is going to require a lot less than a bull mastif.

We had a golden retriever and everytime she peed on the lawn we ended up with yellow spots. A friend told us to pour some tomato juice on her food at each feeding, so we did. She loved it, and no more yellow spots!

ACV is very acidic so please be very careful that it does not go down wrong and enter the trachea or windpipe. This can cause alot of pain if your pet chokes on the acid. My mother had told me the story of how her friends once had played a practical joke on her by gaving my mother a drink with vinegar in it. As she started laughing with everyone else around her, she choked on the sour drink and it went down wrong into her windpipe. The result was WEEKS of miserable pain in her windpipe and lungs that she will remember for the rest of her life that she would warn us kids not to ever play this kind of pranks on anybody.

I totally believe in the healing power of ACV, but please, please be careful when forcefeeding it to your pet and know that if they choke on it and it goes down the trachea, the result could be pain that they can't tell you about.

Lawn Tip - Brown Spots?

Does anyone have any suggestions about what I can do concerning brown spots from pets' urine? I thought I read a while back that there is something I can add to the dog's food or water, but I just can't remember what it is. Any help would be appreciated!

Warning

This is a plea to all dog owners to please not leave your dog in your front yard, even if he/she has an electric collar/fence. I live in the Atlanta suburbs and another dog in our neighborhood, a beautiful white bulldog, was stolen last week out his front yard. I was out walking our dogs and encountered the family in their SUV, calling for their dog. They told me he had disappeared from their front yard, which he never left. The next day I saw that they had posted signs everywhere. I hope they find him.

I am very saddened when I hear about people leaving dogs in their yards because I know for a fact that dogs get stolen from their yards quite often. I had a roommate years ago in Los Angeles whose beautiful siberian husky was stolen from the front yard of my roommate's rental house. There is a happy ending to this story. He recovered the dog a year later when his jeep was stopped at a light in downtown LA and heard a dog howling nearby. A friend in the car said, hey that sounds just like Pierman! So my roommate pulled over, jumped out of his jeep and ran around the corner to find his dog sitting with a homeless person. The dog apparently recognized the sound of his owner's car a block away and started howling. The poor dog was in very poor health after a year on the streets and had developed an eating disorder. But how amazing that he was reunited with his owner!

So this is my plea to all pet owners to please be very careful when you leave your dog outside. Microchipping is a great idea in case the dog is stolen or runs away, but better to always supervise your beloved canine friends.

Thanks for reading...

i have found that Borax (a natural enzyme) works quite well. mix an appropriate amount with hot water and our on carpet...then if the smell is really strong sprinkle some extra borax right on the stain. allow to sit for some time and ten blot dry with paper towel. it can be found at any grocery store.

IF your doggie doesn't like cream cheese; Take a slice of bread. Spread some peanut butter on it. Put the pill on top and fold the bread in half. This will leave the pill encompassed in peanut butter and bread.

Tear off pieces of this "pill sandwich" and feed your eager poochie. He (she) won't even realize that he has taken a pill! I've used this technique for 35 years on several dogs and it has never failed.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE when you share a remedy for pets INCLUDE MEASUREMENTS. It is vital as they cannot speak and rely on us not to unintentionally use incorrect doseages. even natural remedies can be harsh if not administered properly. THANKS.

EC: Great advice, thanks!

I have always used enzyme cleaner to get the odor of dog out of my carpet. Usually, you can find it at janitorial supply stores in your area.

I used one of those battery operated toothbrushes to brush my dog's teeth. It worked amazingingly well! You can really get to those hard to reach back places in the dog's mouth.

Recently I took my dog to the vet with a dislocated shoulder (don't ask) and they wanted to keep her overnight, in a cage, no one there, lights blaring, cats in the same room - without even fixing the shoulder till the next day! (surgery hours). I stood my ground. I took her home on painkillers and mild sedative, made a cubby enclosure, slept on the floor with her so she wouldn't move, and took her back in the morning. I absolutely stand by this decision, even if I had to argue with the vet to achieve it. She would have done herself physical and psychological damage in that cage.

If you have transport and are willing to take care and responsibility, take them home!

vasectomy for male dogs!!! If your only goal is to prevent your male dog from fathering puppies, please consider this as an alternative to castration.

Yes, castration reduces "issues" related to having testosterone (roaming, having a sex drive, possible prostate cancer, etc).

But at least he would be intact and still able to have sex. Sex is very healthy (and enjoyable!!:-) )for humans - so why not for dogs?

Shop around for vets who are willing to do it. I'm not sure if I can put this website address - but for more info go to

http://www.dolittler.com/2008/2/25/pet.vet.dog.cat.neuter.castration.vasectomy.veterinary.html

The vet from this website states:

"Sure, neutering will typically rid you of the roaming, the pee-peeing over any available surface, freaky behavior around bitches in heat, and the triple terror of testicular tumors, perineal hernias and prostatic enlargement. Yet sometimes owners want just the reproductive issue addressed, thank you very much.

But the jury has spoken-for now, anyway. The veterinary establishment is loath to relinquish its recommendation that full castration (neutering) is the end all and be all when it comes to canine sterilization.

Indeed, vasectomies are so rare that I recall being laughed at by my professor in my Principles of Surgery lecture when I asked whether anyone was performing this technique in lieu of castration. That was fourteen years ago when I was still stupid enough to slink back into my seat and make myself invisible after such an oratory "fiasco."

Now that I've wisely shed such inhibitions, I can proudly proclaim: Vasectomies are surgical procedures, too! They have a place in vet medicine along with the unrecommended (but still sometimes necessary) anal gland-ectomy and feline thyroidectomy. Yes, sometimes they are indicated.

Given the new wave of discussions on the potentially dubious medical benefits of castration, it seems reasonable to look to vasectomies as a sound solution for those in doubt as to whether a normal neuter is best for their dog.

Today's patient was a perfect example: A young, fit Frisbee dog, this Border mix was all muscle. His owner wanted to ensure his "safety" around her friends' breeding bitches for a couple more years of competition on full testosterone overdrive. She'd read about vasectomies online and immediately knew "Rolf" needed one.

It just made sense. "No problem-I'll do it." (Though I've never had cause to do one before.)Afterwards, I had to wonder: Why haven't I ever been asked about this before now?

Though it's an easy surgery (far less painful than a routine castration, with fewer complications, to boot), it's clear that we vets have serious power over what procedures become accepted as the norm. Yet as science advances, as it inexorably does, what was laughed at by a gray-haired professor over a decade ago may just be the most responsible thing I might advocate ten years from now. "

Think about it.....would you want your man castrated just so that he would not roam??? Not me.

How to Easily Dose your Cat: I tried the ACV and read with smiles the struggles to get the cats to drink. I have had cats for over thirty years and here is an easy method. I THOROUGHLY washed a small clear tube in which water soluable hair product had come in. (you can use conditioner or shampoo, clear is best and nothing oily to be SURE you can clean it out). Mine is a small one ounce squeeze tube that a sample of hair gel came in. Squeeze the sides in and draw into the tube the dose of ACV (mine was 1/2 tsp. fill rest with water. Lay cat on back in your lap and place tube to side and back of mouth and squeeze gently. They swallow by reflex if you don't put too much it all goes down. Squeeze too hard and they can cough it back out (but some still goes in). Clear tube is important so you can measure how much you are giving them so as not to over/under dose. My vet told me this years ago, cats have to swallow when you hold them this way and put the liquid in this way, and I have done it for years.

Hey I completely agree had the same thing happen but worse they needed to send him "out" because he needed more urgent care and 24' monitoring.???what was he getting and I had to pay before I had to pick him up and bring him to another vet and hospital which was sooooo wonderful. 24/7 open can go visit any time day/night don't have to call we usually did to talk to doc and because he was having alot of tests. It's really important and I didn't know this place was in the next town just 10min away. The end wasn't good but they all new him by name and treated him like he alway went there. I knew he was in good hands. I now have my new baby going there and am completely satisfied w/ the care and cost. I loved my old vet but was ignorant to what really goes on there.

does anybody know of a natural remedy to get rid of odor in carpet? I have cleaned and cleaned the carpet where my Lab urinated, but the smell remains....uhg.

A friend of mine told me of an easy method to get my dog to swallow pills and capsules. Her method is to wrap the pill or capsule in cream cheese. I tried this by first giving my pets a small wad of cream cheese with no pill inside it. They loved it and stood there waiting for more. When I wrapped a pill inside, they took it the same way - EVERY TIME!!! And it never gets stuck in their mouth like the peanut butter. I have three dogs - a tiny toy poodle, a pug/chihuahua mix, and a border collie/lab mix - and it works for all three of them.

Cesar Milan (aka the Dog Whisperer) has made a number of amazing contributions to the general public's awareness level regarding the needs of dogs. We feel very strongly that one of his most important contributions is drilling people to take their dogs on walks every day! Dogs need to get out and move forward on a regular basis --it's imperative for their well being! Have you ever seen a dog that didn't glow after returning from a walk?!

Someday we hope it will be illegal to keep a dog cooped up in a backyard or inside without taking him or her for a walk at least once a day. In the meantime, California is ever progressive. A few years ago they made it illegal for dogs to be tied up for more than 3 hours at a time [The Tie Out law]. It's a great start!

I have a large german shorthair who is 13 and has arthritic hips. He took a couple of spills down our stairs before I came up with this idea. We already had a doggy seatbelt harness for him. He now wears it 24/7. With this on I am able to walk down with him holding the harness in one hand and railing in the other to steady him to ensure his safety. I'm thrilled and he's learned quickly to wait for me.

re: Stairs without Carpeting and Dogs (pet section)-- When my german shephard turned 12, he started to have a tough time going up and down stairs. Unfortunately I moved into a second floor apartment without an elevator, not thinking about how difficult this would be for him. He ended up slipping and falling down the stairs a few times. I tried to solve the problem by putting a towel under his belly to steady him as we both went down the stairs, but he was too heavy and I sometimes lost my grasp. It was a terrible situation and I feel guilty to this day.

Our 3 year old Rott mix was scared of going down the stairs in our townhouse. We purchased a $10 baby gate and placed the gate on the bottom three stairs, so that he would not be able to go further up the stairs, but would need to go back down. We hid in the upper stairs calling him to come up the stairs, once he came up the stairs and reached the baby gate, he was forced back down. We then placed the gate up a few more stairs and continued repeating the process until he came to the top of the stairs and made it back all the way down. After removing the gate completly he would walk up and down the stairs with us. Not shortly after long, he was doing this on his own.

re: Hardwood Floors for older dogs. You can also use SoftClaws - they are rubber tips that work great. They attach using surgical glue and stay on until the dog's nails grow out. they help grip the floor. An even better product (but does not have sizes for really small dogs) are grip tex by ruffwear. These boots are amazing - they have a breathable fabric and the best rubber soul i have ever encountered. I know 3 senior dogs that wear them for gripping the floor at home.

I have a pug that is now 13 years old, and has been having trouble with our hardwood floors. We went and purchased baby socks and put rubber cement on the bottom of them. We then placed a strip of velcro around the top of them to make sure they wouldn't fall off. They bothered him at first but has gradually gotten used to them, and doesn't have any trouble anymore. So hopefully this can help others :)