Pets Blog

MY 13 yr old lab mix has had a mild case of arthritis for a few years and has been on meds for that but about one month ago he started having trouble walking. Just thought the arthritis was getting worse. He has quickly detoriated. His whole back side and legs seem to have developed atrophy. He walks swaying and drags his legs at times. Today he has just laid in our garage all day. Barely eats and I get him to drink. The vet has put him on steroids but he has progressively gotten worse. His upper torso is still strong and muscled and he is attentive but he just can’t walk. Is the inevitable here Should I put him down to keep him from suffering.
iluvlucyricky
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If your vet hasn’t run a blood panel recently (like within the last week), I suggest you have him do so immediately. If you are giving your dog one of the NSAIDs for his arthritis, it’s possible the med may be seriously damaging his liver and/or kidneys. All of the NSAIDs have been linked to such problems in some dogs, even after years of successful, trouble-free use in an individual dog. Inappetance is a common sign of liver and/or kidney problems (although it can also indicate pain), and such problems can be quickly fatal. If I were you, I would immediately stop giving the dog any NSAID meds (not including the steroids - you must NOT stop steroids cold turkey) until you have the blood panel results and know how his organs are functioning. Get that blood panel done tomorrow, if possible.

If you do feel it’s time to put him down, wouldn’t it be best to know exactly what you’re dealing with first, just in case it’s something treatable that can give you more quality time with your beloved companion?

I wish you and your boy the best.

Tempest
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I had another thought that doesn’t sound too likely from your description of the progression of your dog’s condition, but I’ll throw it out there, anyway.

If your dog has a head tilt, talk to your vet about vestibular. You didn’t mention a head tilt, but the drunken type movement is consistent with vestibular. Vestibular typically hits hard and quickly, then gradually resolves and gets better over the next few weeks. But it sounds like your dog’s condition has been more gradual and getting progressively worse, so it’s probably not vestibular. If he has a head tilt, however, vestibular is definitely worth investigating.

Tempest
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Thanks for your concern. He was put to sleep yesterday. It was very hard but I know it was the best for him. We brought him back home and buried him in the back yard. He did give us 13 years of unconditional love and we will miss him. Thanks again.
iluvlucyricky
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I am very sorry to hear about your loss. That is never an easy thing to go through. Sounds like not only did he give you unconditional love but you did the same for him….

Again I am very sorry. Take care
hscvt
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I am so sorry to hear about the loss of your dog. It is a very difficult thing to go through but at least you know that he isn`t suffering anymore and that he is in a much better place with no sickness or pain.You will see him again one day.
puppy
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I am sorry for your loss. (I am new to this group)

I just put my Star down, she was 14 years, 2 months..

My husband did it, I just could not stand it anymore….
She just lie on the floor, and in the end looked at me with her beautiful eyes, and I said “mommy will help you”….Star stopped eating, was in kidney failure, and had cushings….I hate to talk about $, but my star was costing us about 300 a month, not that she wasn’t worth it and more…

But the reason she was put down, was the eating, she wouldn’t eat, and then would eat, and I was going nuts.
Almost every day, I had to clean up diahea…

Truthfully, I felt Iwas going mad.

I couldn’t stand it anymore…

So, she was put down 4/5/05…She was a good dog…

She was probably the only thing that ever loved me.

I do hope to see her again though…That sustains me.

Love, Jada
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Knowiing that I will see my Puppy again is what gets me through losing her too. She`s waiting for me in heaven and will be the first to greet me when I get there and after that we will be together for eternity.
puppy
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HOW VERY SORRYI AM YOU HAD TO PUT HIM TO SLEEP AND OF YOUR LOST, I NO THE PAIN AND YOU ARE FEELING, I WAS JUST LIKE YOU WHEN I PUT MY BABY TIGER TO SLEEP, BUT HE WAS IN SO MUCH PAIN.I LOVED TIGER AS MY CHILD NOTHING COULD HAVE HURT ME WORSE BUT WE WILL SEE THEM. AGAIN THEY ARE TOGETHER PLAYING IN FIELDS OF FLOWERS, GREEN GRASS NO MORE PAIN. IT TAKES TIME TO HEAL, BUT YOU WILL NO YOU DID THE RIGHT THING .AGAIN I AM SO SORRY MAY GOD BE WITH YOU REBA
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I hope your dog is okay. I just came across this.
We have a 12 year old Doberman; he also was getting around and he was in pain. I’ve never seen him cry; it was so sad. My husband would have to pick him up so he could urinate without wetting himself. He also had to take the bowl of food to him to feed him. We took him to the vet and he said he had arthritis/hip displasia. He prescribed pain pills for a couple of days and recommended Bayer asprin if needed. They also sald 2000 miligrams of glucosomane a day. In just a couple of days he was moving around again. It’s been about 2 years and although he’s not 100%; he does get around on his own and without pain. I’m glad we didn’t put him to sleep like some suggested we did.
catlover

I have a 3 month old great dane puppy. What do you suggest she can have as supplements so she can grow to her full size and be a strong dog? When do you suggest she can have puppies?
perla
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don’t know about supplements, but my vet suggested i give my bloodhound salmon and tuna, along with the occasional raw egg mixed in her food. The low-fat protein has the omega-3 fatty acids, good for building brain cells. And the egg will give her a beautiful, shiny coat. If you can get her to eat the egg shell, there is alot of calcium in them. Raw vegetables, like carrots, are great for their sight, and help keep their teeth free from tartar. These foods, along with a good large-breed puppy food will make her strong and healthy. ( i like Iams–the yellow bag for puppies, the green bag for adults)
deedee

My hamster, Sasquatch, had a respiratory infection last winter and my veterinarian gave her amoxicillin for her sniffling and sneezing. She recovered just fine. A few days ago she got another cold, only this one seemed a little worse because she was breathing loudly and her nose was making a squeaking noise like she could barely get any air through. I had to take her to a different veterinarian because mine was out of the office due to an illness. This new veterinarian gave her an antibiotic called Baytril and she seemed to be improving up until last night. I noticed when I was giving her her medicine her stomach was pretty bloated. I figured she was constipated so I gave her some fresh vegetables to see if they would help her have a bowel movement. She wouldn’t eat them though and as the night progressed she started acting lathargic and when I opened her cage she wouldn’t even lift her head up. I planned on taking her to the veterinarian first thing this morning, but when I woke up this morning she was dead. My question is, can a hamster die of constipation that quickly or was something else the cause? I looked up the side effects of Baytril but I couldn’t find anything. I wanted to call the vet and ask but I’ve been crying all day and I know I couldn’t get through explaining everything without breaking down, so I figured I’d see if anyone has any ideas in this forum. Thank you for any reply. -Kyli
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Dear Kyli~
I have no answers for you - I am sorry. . .but I just wanted to let you know how very sorry I am about what happened to sasquatch. I hope you find the answers you are looking for. Lori
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Baytril is what they use in most rodents when they get respitory infections. with hamsters and many other animals , they don’t show any sign of illness until its almost to late. and from the sounds of what you said it was pretty bad, and could have had phnemonia. More than likey the animal was all ready to far gone and the baytril just wasnt strong enough .

Sorry for you loss though.

Rachel

I just Adopted a Boxer from Boxer Haven Rescue.
He is about 4 yrs old and has a thyroid problem that is taking meds for it and he seems to be ok, He just has a little trouble laying down and getting back up.

I’m REALLY glad I got him and the reason I’m writing is to ask if there is anything I should do with the thyroid problem, Like play more or let him rest or diff. foods to or not to feed him ect..?

Thank you,
Bob
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I, too, have a hypothyroid dog who is on thyroid meds. My dog also happens to be severely arthritic, which causes considerable weakness and stiffness. As far as I know, her thyroid condition doesn’t have anything to do with her arthritic symptoms, and I doubt it does in your dog, either.

What has your vet said about your dog’s stiffness? Does he associate it with the thyroid? Depending on the cause of your dog’s stiffness, exercise may improve or may aggravate it. You really need to discuss this matter with your vet so you understand exactly how to handle your new boy’s medical concerns appropriately.

With hypothyroidism, it’s important to give the thyroid med at the same time each day. Also, have your dog’s thyroid level checked at least once a year to make sure he’s uptaking and utilizing the med in proper amounts. A “Free T4″ is a far more accurate test than a standard T4 done at a vet’s office, though it is somewhat more expensive.

Hypothyroid dogs generally do just fine on thyroid meds as long as they’re getting the proper dosage. Keep an eye on your dog’s weight, though, and make sure you don’t let him pick up any unnecessary pounds. He’ll be healthier and less stiff if you maintain him at a lean weight.

Have fun with your new boy!

Tempest

Does anyone know what it means when a dog wages it’s tail?
supergirl
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Usually, it means he or she is happy.
TCAP28
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okay, but some people say it mean they’re happy, and some people say it means they’re friendly.
supergirl
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Not every dog that is wagging his/her tail is friendly though. When they are wagging it yes they are happy..but for a strange dog dont’ automatically assume that they couldn’t bite you just because you saw the tail wag.
hscvt
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Actually, tail wagging means a lot of different things. It’s how they wag that makes the difference. When they swing it hard and high (sometimes even round and round), it means that they are happy (like when you come home from work) or excited over something they like (like the anticipation prior receiving a treat or your throwing the stick for them to retrieve). Then there is the steady, slow, low position wagging (usually accompanied by a slight lowering of the head) when they want you to forgive them. There is the once or twice heavy and lazy movement of the tail which is usually a reply to a ‘good’ stimulus (like when they are half-asleep and you caress them and tell them ‘good boy’ in a soft voice and without even opening their eyes, they go tock-tock with their tail like saying ‘I love you, too’). There is the ‘I-want-to-be-your-friend’ wag, which is very similar to the ‘forgive-me’ wag but the head and ears are up and they have an alert look to their faces (instead of the ‘poor-me’ look they get when they did something bad). And, lastly, there is the ‘I-am acknowledging-you-are-more-powerful-than-me-but-I-can-still-bite-you’ wag. This is the one that you have to watch for because, depending on your behavior and the degree of timidity or how abused the dog has been (and 99% of the time it is with problem dogs that happens), it can go both ways. It looks kind of like the ‘forgive-me’ wag but the ears are folded back or against the head, they only wag a few times, they look at you from under their lashes and do not keep their eyes on your eyes. In cases like this and for people that have not been trained to deal with problem dogs, it is always better not to approach them, just in case.
I am not sure if this is what you were looking for. I know the differences when I see them but it’s hard to describe body language without showing you. Let me know if I can clarify anything further.
Bibi
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thanx u helped alot i just wanted to know and yes it was wat iwas looking 4.
supergirl

I need help iam a first time guinea pig owner his name is midnight i got him wednsday and all he does is scratch and bite at himself and i dont know what could be wrong if anyone knows. plz help
angelips20
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First off what kind of bedding do you have him on ? If its cedar or any kind of wood shavings you need to get him off , they are so dusty they can cause respitory infections and excessive itching . Otherwise it might be fleas or mites . i would check with your vet and have him taken in, and if its mites or fleas there is a medication to get rid of them for small rodents !

GOod luck
Rachel

Whenever our 2 yr old Boxer female gets excited she pees on the floor, maybe 2 or 3 times.
Any suggestions on how we can avoid this?
Pat
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Me being a vet in all I have learned that there isn’t really to many options to help this problem but you might want to try a special diaper for your dog.I would also try to keep her from getting to excited.
Good Luck!
Also,you might want to take her to your local vets office so they can give you more reccomindations on the type of diaper she might need.
Tvet
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That’s called submissive urination, and many dogs outgrow it as they mature. You can help the situation by taking some basic obedience classes with your girl. The confidence she builds as a result of the classes and the trust she develops in you will help alleviate the anxiety that causes submissive urination.

In the meantime, make a point of greeting her outside, playing with her outside, and training her outside. That’ll keep the accidents out of your house while you’re working on building her confidence and trust.

Good luck,

Laurie
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I agree that she needs to build some confidence. One thing that you can do that will help is avoid intense greetings with her when you enter the house. Ignore her as if its no big deal when you come in and wait about 3 - 5minutes before greeting her but don’t make a big fuss during the greeting and advise guests to do the same.
opokki
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My Dog Duke had the same exact problem! Especially whenever anyone new came to visit. Whenever he got excited he’d pee all over the floor. He just eventually out grew it. Was annoying in the process though. Took a lot of patients and a lot of potty training reinforcing.
suarezfe

I have a 2 year old pup who is fixed nad has lost all of her control and wets, especially at night. The worst part is she has been diagnosed with addisons disease and the meds counter act her leaky medicine. I would like and suggestions to take to my vet since he says there is nothing he can do.
pupsmom
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I’m so sorry about your young dog’s physical difficulties. I’m afraid I don’t know anything about Addison’s or the meds used to treat it or incontinence. I can tell you, though, that I never hesitate to seek out second, third, or fourth opinions when baffling veterinary conditions arise. Ask your vet for a referral to a specialist at your nearest university vet school. If your vet is reluctant to assist you in acquiring a second opinion, try Googling “Addison’s AND canine” and see which clinics seem to have substantial experience treating that disease. Those are the clinics you may want to consider contacting. Assuming your vet has run all pertinent tests, you might be able to get the answers you need through telephone consults alone.

I wish you and your pup all the best,

Tempest
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My friend has a dog with addison disease. The vet gaver her a perscription for fludrocordasone or something like that. spelling probably not right
she said it took care of the problem.
Vic

Hi everyone! I have a male toy poodle, Charlie is a year and three months old. After I thought he was potty trained, he has begun to act up. Any chance he gets he will pee in the house. I take him out often so I do not understand his behavior. Can someone help?
Maya Garcia
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Is Charlie neutered? If not, he’s at an age where he is becoming increasingly territorial and may be working overtime to mark his territory. Neutering should help eliminate the behavior, if that is the problem.

If you have added a new dog or other animal to the household, that can also trigger the marking behavior, whether he’s neutered or not.

If there are no new animals in the house and if he was neutered for more than a couple of months before the house soiling began, you should get him checked out by a vet. Urinary tract infections or urinary crystals can cause frequent urination in inappropriate places. Fortunately, those conditions are curable with treatment. A quick trip to the vet will tell you if there is an underlying medical cause for his behavior.

Best wishes to you and Charlie,

Tempest
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Another question would be whether he was neutered as a juvenile (before he was four months old). More and more we are seeing incontinence problems in dogs and cats that were neutered or spayed too early. Specially with females.
Bibi
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I think that all the replys here are good ones. But also consider what kind of food you give him. Is it loaded with additives and corn? My moms poodle bishon and my maltipoo develope health issues when we give them Milk Bones or food with additives and corn. And is he nervous.
mattiesmom

I have a 1 year old Boston Terrier named Papi (poppy phonetically) hes a great dog that I rescued from a coworker that had him crated for the first 10 months of his life. He started peeing in the kitchen while we were at work. We crated him but he would pee and poop in there. He has access to our basement and is going to the bathroom down there. He does not do it during the weekends while we’re home. I really want to stop him from doing this…any suggestions We have baby gated him in just one room, that doesnt work, crating him doesnt work, letting him out at regular times doesnt work either. Hes completely healthy, so we know this is a psychological issue. Im wondering if I should take all food and water away during the eight hours that we are gone. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
kelly cardona

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It sounds like Papi may be suffering some separation anxiety while you’re gone. Here are a few things you can try to alleviate his anxiety:

1) Get up early enough so you can spend some active play time with him outside. If you can get him tired before you leave, he’ll be more likely to relax and nap once you’re gone.

2) Confine him to just one room - the kitchen, if that’s convenient - and cut off his access to the basement and other areas while you’re gone.

3) Set up a TV where he can watch and hear it. The sights and sounds will comfort him and make him feel less alone.

4) Leave lights on if you’re gone when it’s dark outside.

5) Turn off the phone ringers and lower the volume on your answering machine so they won’t startle him if someone calls.

6) Provide his favorite toys. A Kong filled with peanut butter and frozen will keep him busy for quite a while.

7) Give him one of your old t-shirts or an old blanket with your scent on it (unwashed) to snuggle up with.

Don’t make a fuss when you leave in the morning. If you make a big deal out of saying goodbye to him, he’ll associate it with your leaving for the day. Instead of setting him up for that sort of anxiety, just slip out the door quietly.

If all else fails, you might want to consider getting a second dog - perhaps an older dog who is used to being left alone all day and has no separation anxiety. Such a companion may help calm your Boston and resolve the house soiling problem.

Oh, and it’s not healthy to withhold water for 8 hrs at a time. He should have access to water all day. He really doesn’t need access to food while you’re gone, but those frozen Kongs might prove to be useful distractions when you’re gone.

Good luck with the little guy,

Tempest
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I raised Bostons for many years before getting my Jack Russell. I love em’. In fact I love terriers in general and the energy they have. What I did for Sonny, Sam and Missy, was put in a doggie door. They loved it and when I would come home from work, would all be out in the back yard sunning themselves (of course, bad weather they were not doing that). Make going outside for him alot of fun. In fact, play with him out there, so he looks forward to going outside. Make water available to him at all times like Tempest said.
Beachbaby
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I think you have three problems here:
1 - his size, he’s a little guy with a very small bladder
2 - the fact that he comes from a neglect, borderline abuse situation
3 - the anxiety he must feel whenever you leave him by himself (does he cry or howl when left alone?).
I would relax about the whole thing, give him more time to get used to things and buy him wee-wee pads for during the day. If he cries or howls, then you are dealing with separation anxiety disorder and that takes a long, long time to fix (if ever -it depends on each dog). I have a cocker spaniel (Josh) who was starved and abused by his owner on a regular basis and, to put the icing on the cake, abandoned in an empty apartment without food or water where he stayed for, at least, six days by himself so he ended up with a severe case of SAD. It took me 18 months to get him physically healthy (he had gangrene in one leg, very serious infections in his eyes and ears and weighted half his normal weight) but almost three years to cure him of his SAD and, even now, every once in a blue moon, he would still revert and howl when he thinks he was left alone. Psicologically, it’s extremely hard on dogs when their owners mistreat them, it does things to their heads, you know? …and even when you ‘rescue’ them, and give them all your love, it still takes a long time for them to feel secure again. Be patient, you might be asking too much of him too soon, give him time to adjust and to learn what you want out of him at his own pace. If you do, he’ll be the best friend you’ll ever have.
Good luck!
Bibi