Pets Blog

Hello, our lab has developed some strange hypersensitivity along his back in the past two days. If touched in a single spot along the middle of his spine (as one would press a doorbell quickly), it seems that the surrounding muscles contract. If rubbed, he will start kicking one of his hind legs as if here were being rubbed on his belly. This interferes with his ability to walk or stand. He does not wag his tail while touched or rubbed, but seems normal and happy at all other times. We have also noticed some nasty sores (the largest about 1/3 inch in diameter, total of 7 or 8 sores in a 3 square inch area) just between his neck and where his front shoulders meet. The sores do not seem to have a direct relationship to the sensitivity, but since they are a recent development I thought I would include them here. Does anyone know what may be causing this, or if we should worry? We have not found any fleas, although he does seem to be scratching a bit more than normal. Thanks for any info.
houston
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This sounds like something your vet should be evaluating. The sensitivity might be a spinal or neurological problem of some sort, perhaps caused by an injury or mismovement. The sores could be anything: allergic reactions, bug bites, or injuries of some sort. They may or may not be related to the back sensitivity. Perhaps the sensitivity is a precursor to him developing sores in that spot. You really won’t know what’s going on with your boy until you have him examined by a competent vet.

Good luck,

Tempest
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I completely agree with Tempest that an exam is in order for your boy. Usually with a hypersensitivity it is something which causes the nerves to become hypersensitive to stimuli. In the area such as the back, this could be narrowed disc spaces, bulging disc, collapsing disc, etc…there could be numerous causes as to what is causing this..and no one is going to be able to tell for sure without having a vet palpate the area and see what is going on and where the sensitivity is stemming from. I am a bit concerned about the comment of it affecting his ability to walk or stand.

I dont’ know what the sores could be a cause from..skin infection? Mites? Fleas? Immune disease? Again the possibilities could be a number of things.

Hope things turn out for him and let us know what happens.
hscvt
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Thanks for the info and suggestions everybody, we also found three lumps during one of our impromptu and amateur inspections (they are all movable and a bit squishy and pliable, giving us room to hope that they are just cysts). The sores are still crusty and don’t seem to be improving. I’m carting him off to the vet in a couple of hours, so we’ll see what they come back with. At the very least I can make them clip his nails, so I won’t have to be the one trying to hold him down
houston
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Big relief - the lumps turned out to be fatty, and the vet attributes his sensitivity to an allergen (we haven’t narrowed down the specific agent yet). Thanks again everyone!
houston

My 10 month old dog has been shivering this morning and acting like he doesn’t feel good. I think he may be running a fever. I tried to take his temperature, but he does not like me to take it and will not be still. I have noticed that he does not want me touching his ears and he tried to bite me earlier when I touched his ear. Normally, he does not mind me touching his ears.

Could he have an ear infection and do dogs run a fever with an ear infection?

Is there anything I could give him at home to make him feel better until the vet opens tomorrow?
all4upets
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Usually dogs do not run fevers with ear infections. Has he ever had one before? If he has allergies and his skin is inflammed then he may feel hot to the touch but not have a fever. You could try mixing a half vinegar 1/2 alcohol solution to clean his ears but the symptoms you are describing do not really sound like an ear infection. Perhaps you should just wait to take him to the vet. Keep us posted!
redfire
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He had ear mites about 3 weeks ago and his ears were cleaned at the vet then. His ears still smell bad, though. He is supposed to have the last treatment today. As far as I know, he has never had an ear infection. I just remembered that he kept shivering when he was only 3 months old and when I took him to the vet, he had a temperature. I decided to give him 1/2 of a baby aspirin in case he was in pain. He does not feel hot. I took his temp under his leg (even though it probably isn’t accurate there) and it was 101. He is still eating good, but I did notice him coughing a couple of times yesterday. Last night I thought he was going to vomit but he never did.
I will keep an eye on him and take him to the vet tomorrow if he is not better.

Thank you for your help.
all4upets
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I wanted to let you know what the vet said about my sick dog. He had an abcess on his throat that was causing the fever and listlessness. I don’t know what caused it but it is a possibility that my older dog could have bit him on his throat when they were playing. If this is the case, does anyone know what I can do to keep my older dog from biting him on the neck again? They both bite on each other when they play, and I never thought something like this could happen. The other possibility is that something like a stick got could have stuck him in his throat. He was given antibiotics and hopefully will get better. He is acting more like himself now, but not completely well. My vet did not drain the pus and said to watch it closely and bring him back if it got any bigger. Does anyone know why my vet chose not to drain the abcess on his neck? Could it be the location of the abcess? I read on the Internet that an abcess should be drained and was wondering if it will get smaller like my vet said or if it needs to be drained first.

Thank you for any input on this.
all4upets
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There are some abcesses that we do not drain- the location might be a factor. But yes, what you read on the internet is correct. Most abcesses do need to be drained before they get better. Where was the abcess on your puppy? Was it right under his chin? It wasn’t puppy strangles was it? Because we do not drain those type of abcesses.

With antibiotics the abcess will probably get smaller on its own. Beware though-the abcess might open up and drain itself. If it does, that is normal and you should just clean it with peroxide and a cotton ball or something like that.
redfire
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Just letting you know that his abcess went down and he is acting 100% normal. Thanks for all your help!
all4upets

I am wondering if anyone has a similar problem with their cats. I have 2 ragdolls–one a 9 year old male and an 8 year old female and recently, against my better judgement added a 12 week old kitten whom we all love. My older cats have the herpes virus in their eyes–we have dealt with it for several years—don’t know how they got it–I have kept them vaccinated–but we do have to deal with the runny eyes. I am wondering if anyone has this problem–I know there is no cure–but how to control it better—we have had numerous visits to the vets and we are always just given antibiotic ointment to avoid infection. My oldest cat did get a nasty infection in the eye this time around—and I feel so sorry for them—and me—when it comes to treating it.
annie
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Unfortunately because herpes is a virus that your cats won’t be cured from, eye problems are a part of the virus…mostly what can be done is treat the symptoms that they are displaying. So how things are currently being handled is probably what is going to continue happening.

One thing that you can ask your vet about and get their opinion on is something called l-Lysine (which is an anti-viral) l-Lysine is a food supplement which can interfere with viral replication and may help in the long run. It can be expensive..but check with your vet.

Hope this helps.
hscvt

I have a 35 lb dog who isn’t too active- runs for about 10 minutes once a day. My vet told me that I am feeding her too much- I feed her one whole can (the larger ones) in the morning and at night. She said that I should be doing 1/2 in the morning and 1/2 at night.

Does that sound right to anyone? The feeding guidlines on the can say I should be feeding the whole can.
bmack
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Feeding guidelines on food bags or cans are always going to tell you to feed more than you should..think about it..the more you feed, the faster you go through their product, in turn means more often buying more of the product…therefore you should look at what the manufacturer recommends and then REDUCE…..especially with your dog who isn’t very active.less calories are required…so 1/2 can am and pm sounds very reasonable..
hscvt
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I agree. 1/2 can sounds very resonable to me also. If I knew how big the can was it would be easier to help you. You should typically feed one cup per 20lbs. That amt can be cut back if your dog is less active and/or overweight.
redfire
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Why feed canned at all? Dry is much better for their teeth, & doesn’t have as much junk in it as the canned. If you change to a good quality food you will feed much less too. You can add fresh green beans to the dry to make up for some of the bulk of the canned. You can wean him off the canned by just using a tablesthingy of canned & mix it in thoroughly.

When reading the instructions on the bag - go by the amount the dog should weigh, not what it does weigh. Even a half a can sounds like a lot to me.

Don’t give junk foods for treats. Apple slices, carrots, brocolli, pear slices are a very good substitute.

Is there some reason the dog doesn’t get exercised more often? If there are no health problems it should get walked at least twice a day. Runs about 10 minutes a day is not nearly enough altho “running” it like that could be harmful because the dog is clearly not in shape.
suebgone
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BLAH. Who needs guidelines to feed a dog?

I just look at my pets. If they start getting too fat, I cut back on the amount I feed them. If they start to get too skinny, I increase the amount of food. I own many pets and they have always been the perfect weight at the vet. This is like an old timey remedy. It works for me and I don’t plan to ever follow any guidelines unless given by my vet.
furrypals

What is the normal temperature in a dog? My vet told me 102.5, but I saw 103.5 somewhere else. Now I am confused at what temperature is normal for a dog.
furrypals
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From 100.5 to 102.5 is considered within the normal limits.
suebgone
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Yup 100.5 to 102.5 is normal..isn’t abnormal to see 103 when in a clinic situation especially if they are worked up from the car ride over and nervous about going into the clinic.
hscvt
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Thanks all for your help. I thought 103.5 was a bit high.
furrypals
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103.5 is definetly not abnormal if your dog was really hyper/nervous/active. It is a little higher than normal, but not at all uncommon. I wouldn’t worry at all if your dog is otherwise feeling good.
redfire
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What would be considered high in a nervous dog?
furrypals
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A nervous dog would be a dog that shakes alot, runs away from the doctor or just acts abnormal. It is hard to say, you know your dog better than anyone so it is hard to say what your dog would act like if he was nervous.
redfire
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The other thing to factor in for very nervous dogs is do they run a higher temp normally. When dogs came into the clinic and they had a higher temp, we could look back to see if they normally ran that high..and could then point it to nervousness and being worked up/excited. As redfire previously stated..have to see if there are other things associated with it..how is the animal acting? Do they show any symptoms of illness? etc.

Are you taking temps at home? Are these related to when your pet goes to the vet?
hscvt
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I take the temps at home when they are sick and the vet takes them when we go there. I just saw that 103.5 was normal and wanted to clarify it.

Thanks for replies.
furrypals

My 8 months old puppy has had diarrhea on and off for about 3 months now, I already spent about $2,000 in vet’s bills and we still don’t have a diagnosis. His blood and stools are “normal”. Even on a cottage cheese and rice diet and flagyl, he still has diarrhea . We tried to change his food, Chinese herbs, nothing is helping. I can hear his stomach growling from the other side of the room and he gets very bloated as well. It was under “almost control” and yesterday I gave him one of those cow knees you find at the pet store supposedly high digestibility… BIG mistake, it got worse.

Please help, I would appreciate your suggestions!!
smsteffy
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What foods have you tried & for how long a time for each?

Have you considered another vet for a second opinion?

Have you ever fasted him & then brought him back on boiled hmbg & rice before giving dog food?

He’s not getting any milk is he?

Take away any rawhides, cow hocks etc.

Were there X-Rays done?
suebgone
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The first thing I would do is get a second opinion! 2,000 dollars is ALOT of money to waste on just diagnositcs alone. Have you tried an ultrasound yet? Ultrasounds are great for detecting things that x-rays and bloodwork can’t. They are especially good at detecting GI abnormalities. I would be surprised if your current vet has not yet recommended or done an ultrasound.
redfire
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GET A SECOND OPINION. I DID THIS WITH MY DOG RECENTLY AND IT WAS THE BEST THING I HAVE EVER DONE.
all4upets
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I feed him Nature’s Recipe easy to digest Chicken-rice-barley dry food. I’ve tried every food for at least 3 weeks. The funny part is that the first “poop” in the morning is normal, thereafter it is diarrhea. The ultrasound did not show anything special (aside from a pelvic bladder…). No milk, raw or human food.

I just don’t understand why we can’t find a solution.
smsteffy
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I would get a second opinion in this case. Has their been any mention of inflammatory bowel disease or irritable bowel syndrome? How about mention of colonoscopy with biopsy? That might be a consideration also.
hscvt
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They mentioned a lot of things, including pancreas issues but they did not want to run those test yet.
smsteffy
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Try him on bottled water only for a couple weeks & see if that makes any difference.
suebgone
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Does he act sick or like he doesn’t feel good?
redfire
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I am waiting for a call from the vet as the puppy got extremely sick this week, pooped in every single room of the house and in the car 4 times. I gave him imodium and pepto bismol, it helped until this morning at least. But he went back to intense diarrhea this morning. He currently is on a rice and cottage cheese diet, again. He doesn’t act sick, he still have a lot of energy, the only moment I can tell he is in pain is when he is bloated (on top of the diarrhea), and this happens pretty much every day. I just don’t understand what can be wrong that the vet cannot figure out! I started introducing a new diet on Friday with some rice, recommended by the pet store (wellness white fish) and I suspect that was enough to worsen the all problem. If you think about an exam an particular that I should suggest to the vet, please, please let me know… Thanks smsteffy
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Has any allergy testing been done? If not that might be a way to go….have you called a different vet or still going to the same one?
hscvt
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Still going to the same one. they did a good job so far on my other dog.
smsteffy
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As long as you are comfortable with them..that’s what matters. I hope that they can find something out soon for your pup’s sake! Things I might think about are (and most of these may have already been done)…

fecal float and direct smear (checking for things like coccidia, giardia, and any other intestinal parasties)

Bloodwork

Allergy testing

Abdominal radiographs/ultrasound

Colonoscopy with biopsy

Those are some of the things that come to mind….
hscvt
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The vet now recommends an endoscopy/biopsy, she thinks the bloating and the diarrhea would be more of a bowel issue. He had diarrhea last night but none today (so far). I am putting him on bottled water has somebody suggested, rice and boiled chicken. For some reasons I have a hard time putting him through this although I would like to know what the problem is. If I can maintain him “Diarrhea free” for 1 month, I will just keep this diet and spare him the biopsy. Thanks for all your answers, I will keep you posted on the evolution!
smsteffy

Our Lowchen is 3 years old and a delight. Saturday morning (3am) I heard found her sitting on the floor staring after she had vomited. Cleaned her up and put her back on the bed where she sleeps. An hour later I found her vomiting again. Feeling something was wrong I attempted to calm her down and she started running in circled trying to get her left flank until she fell down and stretched her legs ridged. Thinking she was choking or having a heart attacked I tried to look down her mouth and she got me (not bad but wow). I held her while hoping she would start breathing again. She finally did after it seemed like hours. Calmed her down and were able to contact a vet (very nice to talk to us at 4 in the morning) who informed us that we had just experienced a seizure. Pet owners can identify with our horror while we watched this in our vacation home where we knew no vet. We obviously took her to the vet next morning and are awaiting the results of blood urine etc tests. Heart temp etc. were all fine.

Here is the gist of our question: next day at six in the morning she vomited again. Then again during the second mornign walk. This morning she vomited again (3am). She still eats, deficates so I don’t believe there is a blockage and we quite sure she has not eaten any poison, been hit on the head etc. We are addressing the seizure but on all the articles that I have read I have not seen mention of vomiting once or twice a day for several days…. Has anyone?
bcd52
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I have, over the years, had several dogs, one cat, and I’m fairly certain a horse who have all experienced seizures, but never once have I known seizures to be accompanied by vomiting.

I would suspect poisoning or some other toxic exposure in your dog’s case.

I do hope the test results can shed more light on your alarming situation. I can well understand your worry, particularly when away from home and your regular vet.

I hope your dog recovers quickly and completely.

Tempest
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Vomiting associated with seizures I would tend to also think of a toxin that might have been ingested. I don’t know of seizures otherwise being related to vomiting> Really check around to see if there is anything possible that your dog could have ingested..even something like grapes which is toxic could cause this type of reaction.

Bloodwork should give you some answers to what is going on as well. It will check internal organ enzymes such as kidneys and liver…

I hope that things turn out well for your dog and you have answers quickly.
hscvt
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Thanks for information / suggestions. Still vomiting. Went to the vet this morning for an x-ray and they could not see anything. Tech is coming in this afternoon to check. If nothing they will do a sonogram and or barium test. I supposed if she ingested something soft it would not show up. Waiting is the pits. I guess that could have caused the seizure.
bcd52
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An obstruction would show up on x-rays or ultrasound (depending on the type of obstruction) but toxins would not. Did her blood/urine tests all come back normal?
Tempest
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I completely agree with Tempest regarding obstructions. Sometimes even if the actual item that is causing the obstruction can’t be seen on an xray..you are able to see gas patterns, abnormal shape of intestines, etc…to determine that there is “something” obstructing. How were the bloodwork results? Were there any elevations there especially with liver enzymes.
hscvt
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Blood work is normal. urine normal. I do believe there must be a blockage of clothe or tissue (although wouldn’t tissues have disentigrated by 5 days). I hope they can resolve this soooooon. Why do dogs crave those tissues etc
bcd52
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Well I’m glad to hear that bloodwork was normal. Now let’s focus on the vomiting. Tissue will usually pass through the body…but if there is cloth…that won’t..not all the time..so there is a potential for that. Check around your house and look for anything that could be missing. Are you missing a sock somewhere? Any parts of cloth that have been chewed etc…

Why do they crave these things? Good question…Why do dogs eat their own feces? Another good question. I guess only they will know!!!
hscvt
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This time of year people are spraying the weeds to kill them out also spraying, to kill bugs dusting their flowers for mites. your dog could have got some on his feet licked it got a toxic from this worth checking. good luck
REBA
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Went up to VT to see my wife and dog. Dog is fine. She vomited for the week. Had x-rays, sonograms, barium swallow test etc. etc. and has finally stopped and returned to her happy self. We are scouring the house for anything she might have gotten into. Even to the point that we remouved a plant that is supposed to be very dangerous…name escapes me now….and even thought she might have bitten one of the many toads that are in the grass. I hope it never happens again and thank you all for your help.
bcd52

my cat that we just adopted has ear mites and i think that now my other cat has ear mites too, is this possible? and is it possible for cats to get mites around their eyes?
bonztgr4
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Yes it is possible for your other cat to also get ear mites as they are contagious between pets. It is also possible for the mites to migrate out of the ear canal and be on places such as the neck…so around the eyes could be a possibility. BUT…if this is something new I would have the vet check it out and make the appropriate diagnosis.

Hope this helps!
hscvt
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thank you very much for your information,but i have one more question…. do mites look like little black dots?
bonztgr4
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You would not be able to see ear mites with the naked eye. Are the black dots you are seeing move? Maybe you are seeing flea dirt. Fleas like to congregate around the head so if you are seeing black dots around the head then it is likely flea dirt.

Also, yes ear mites are contagious but to be transmitted there must be close contact between your cats. Do they snuggle close together?
redfire
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I think it would be best to have a vet make a diagnosis on what is going on. It is hard to tell over the internet exactly what it could be.

Ear mites are contagious to other animals in the house and if you have introduced the new cat to the other one, then is a possibility that it could have been transmitted.

As far as black dots, no…ear mites will not appear that way…as stated you can’t see them with the naked eye. ..Usually what owners will see is debris in the ear that can resemble coffee grounds.

Ear mites generally are found in the ear canal but can migrate to other areas of the body, mainly around the head.

Again if you are not sure what is going on , I would have the vet take a look at your cat to make the appropriate diagnosis.
hscvt
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thanks for your help, i will try and get him into the vet
bonztgr4
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My 7.5yr old male lab/golden mix has begun having accidents over the last several weeks. Some of them do not seem like accidents, in fact, he usually does not even make an effort to go to the door. He also has been having tremors, will pace endlessly and sometimes just stands and stares into the closet. He has been tested for kidney function, urinary tract infection, and has had a normal abdominal ultrasound and pelvic x-ray. Has anyone had a similar experience? Could this be behavioral? I don’t know what to do next.
GlenBethJ
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All of these tests were normal and the vet has no idea what is going on?

Has the vet discussed any kind of neurological disorder with you?
redfire
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No. He does have a history of seizures but has not had one in over 5 years. He has been off of seizure medication for this long as well. One of the incidents he lifted his leg on the side of our couch. This one almost seemed deliberate. At the same time, he clearly is not right. (i.e. tremors, etc.)
GlenBethJ
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The tremors and the past history of seizures seem to almost suggest some sort of neurological disorder. However, lifting his leg on the side of the couch does seem deliberate…has he been under any stress lately? New family members? Renovation to the house, etc?

I would seek a second opinion about him and maybe even speak to a specialist.
redfire
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Thanks for the help. Yes, it did seem to begin the week we had a new septic system installed and there were lots of new people around and lots of digging and work in the yard.
GlenBethJ
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Everything you described in your first post are symptoms of seizures. Dogs do not always thrash about when seizing. Some even sit & bite the air as tho catching flys which is also a seizure.

Have they not done any nurologicial testing? I’d insist on it. I don’t think his actions are behaviorial or of his choosing.
suebgone
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I’d also recommend having his thyroid checked. That probably wouldn’t have been done as part of a standard blood panel, so you’ll have to request another blood test specifically for thyroid testing. Hypothyroidism is a common cause of seizures in dogs.

The pacing and closet staring also may be symptoms of Canine Cognitive Dysfunction. There are meds that can be used to treat CCD. Ask your vet to explore that possibility.

Tempest

I hope someone has some insight into what might be going on with my English Bull Terrior pup. He is 4 months old and about two weeks ago his ears stood straight up. Then last week one flopped over. A few days later the other one started laying across his head pointing towards the flopping ear. Quite a sight!!!!
Today the floppy one is straight and the other one remains laying across his head. Is this common? Will they finally straighten up? Thanks
Jackthebull
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probably his growth..my boston had that problem when he was a pup and as he grew older, they both stood up.
Beachbaby
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They might straighten out or they might not. Only time will tell. Both of my Aussie mix’s ears flopped when she was a young puppy. As she aged one ear stood up. The other looked like it was going to stand up, too, but it only got as far as flopping over a bit closer to the ear tip. That’s where it remains to this day as an adult dog - one ear pricked, the other floppy.

Tempest
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Puppies ears go through all kinds of changes until the settle into a permanent position and shape so you’ll have to wait until he is fully grown to see what they end up looking like.
According to the breed characteristics, the ears are supposed to stand up when adult but, having said that, I also have to tell you that not all purebreds conform exactly to the breed characteristics. Even among purebreds there are diffferent qualities (in most breeds just ’show’ and ‘pet’ but in hunting dogs you also find ‘field’ and their looks differ, sometimes a lot, like in the example of Labrador Retrievers).
The other thing is that, unless you got that dog from a reputable breeder (somebody who is registered with the breed association and well known for quality puppies), there is no way you can tell if your AKC registered puppy is actually pure… and even if he really was pure, he could still not conform (white Boxers o German Shepperds with crooked ears, etc).
But that does not mean that he won’t be a great dog so don’t worry so much about details and enjoy your puppy, funny ears and all.