Female dogQ: My female dog thatwas fixed wehn she was young and is now 12 years old all of a sudden started leaking while laying down and leaving wet spots and sometimes a big big wet spot not even knowing it. i saw her lay down and in minutes there was a big wet spot. i took her to the vet and she said sometimes it happens early in there life or later. she gave me phenylpropanolamine and said to give it to her every 12 hours. she said if this worked she wouldn't have to come back for blood work ect. seems to be doing the trick so far and she said if it does she would have to take it the rest of her life. is this true that she has to stay on it or can i take her off of it after the pills are finished? thank you so much for you time. a concerned pet owner A: In most cases, pets that are placed on phenylpropanolamine therapy for urinary leakage will need to be on this medication for life.
Ear infectionsQ: My lab has a problem with her ears again. she has had several ear infections and always seems to get them back every few months. she has had drops, drops with prednisone, and prednisone pills at times. she usually starts with a very dark brown wax in her ears and then she starts shaking her head and her ears get all red under the flap. she had kennel cough several months ago and i have some doxycycline left from that. would it help to give her some of that to clear up the infection? A: I wouldn't without checking with your own veterinarian. antibiotics are prescribed based on the type of infection. what's going on in your pet's ear may require a different antibiotic. only an examination can tell.
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One a day pillsQ: I have been giving my dogs one a day pills (nemacide) since 1980. i am having a hard time finding them. do you know where i can purchase them? if not, what is the best possible monthly to give them? i have irish setters over 50 lbs. i do frontline for fleas and ticks and have never had a problem with any types of worms. i would perfer the one a day if they are still around. any help would be appreciated. thank you, dorothy kumpula A: Nemacide has been discontinued. you need to begin using a monthly heartworm preventative such as interceptor. however, interceptor needs to be started within 30 days of the last nemacide dose, otherwise a new heartworm test needs to be done.
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Cat issues! help!Q: I have two indoor cats, b.c. (male, 1yr) and diesel (female, approx. 7 mo.). bc used to be an outdoor cat and he had fleas and an open surface wound just below the ear from scratching when we got him. i assumed he was scatching at fleas, but now, as they are below both ears and my other cat is doing the same thing- they are litterally attacking their ears, i beleive they may have ear mites. what treatment would you recommend? recently, when left in the bathroom all day accidently, bc pooed on the floor and it was a bit bloody and wormy, something i had never noticed on account of the litter. i think he got them a couple of mo. ago when he got out. we tried hartz dewormer pills on both cats, on two different occasions, and it didn't work on either cat on either occasion. again, what treatment would you recommend? my third and final question... fleas!!! i plan on getting frontline b/c it actually works,however, the apts we live in are 80yrs old and even before we got cats there were fleas via cracks in the floor boards, etc. what can i do in addition to the frontline and mgnmt's occasional exterminator visits (do those high frequency sound thingies work)? thank you very much for the advice and store! this is a god send, esp. for financially challenged college students &our poor li'l kitty meows! A: Try mitaclear from 1800petmeds for ear mites. also for worming try nemex also given at two doses 3 weeks apart. also for flea control in house check out fleabusters who can find on line. natural and best environmental flea control
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Use of vetalogQ: My dog has seasonal allergies. it only happens late summer and into fall. our vet gives us vetalog 1.5mg to use, and starts her off with an injection of the same, stating the pills will not be as affective without it. is this true, and after what i have read of the recommendations give to others in the same situation, is this treatment safe? i was not made aware of the risks or longterm affests of vetalog. this is used only during the summertime when the symptoms occur (which seem to be early this year). A: I am not fan of long acting steroids like vetalog and much prefer with similar results tapering dose of short acting prednisone over a few weeks to alternate day therapy as best way of using cortisone in practice. no need for injections. oral way is less toxic and stressful on immune system and adrenal glands and way most vet dermatologists use cortisone
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Dog eats fecesQ: Is there a long term solution to this problem? we have given deter in high dosage to both our dogs to stop one of them from eating feces. this 7 yr golden does stop but then restarts when we lower the dosage or run out of the pills. although it is only cosmetic, it is hard to get friends/family to not mind getting licked by a dog that eats feces in plain view. surely there must be some remedy to kick this habit long term. A: Nothing really proven to definitively get rid of it. i would make sure she is on good natural diet like pet guard or california natural by natura brand as well as good supplements like missing link from designing health as well as prozyme available from 1800petmeds Shop for: prozyme, 1800petmeds
Alaskan malamuteQ: We have a malamute that has trouble getting up. he is 10 yrs old (125 lbs.) and we got a perscription of rymidl and he wouldnot take it, we also got glyco-flex and he will not take them either. right now he is on eucanuba veteranry diet dog food. we also have a 10 yr old sheltie that is over weight that is why they are on diet dog food. what do you recomend that we try for him. he does eat treats, but he will not eat a pill and i can't force him too, he is too strong, he will not open his mouth. if i do get it in there he just spits it out. i tried stuffing some in a hot dog (they normally don't get people food) but he ate the hot dog and spit out the pills. if you have any ideas please let me know. thanks A: You may want to try cosequin ds. these are capsules that you can open and sprinkle the contents on the dogs food.
