Diarrhea in puppy
Q: I have a 5 month old shih-tzu male puppy. he is eating everything and keeps getting loose stools and sometimes diarrhea. i have given immodium pills to my other dog before. is it alright to give this to my puppy? it seemed to work for the other dog in the past. thanks, helen hernandez
A: It is ok for a day or two but can cause constipation and cramping if used longer than that. if continues take to vet
Frontline plus
Q: I recently spent a lot of money and bought frontline plus for my dog and cat. my dog weighs 30 pounds and my cat weighs 5 pounds. so far after three days, frontline plus is not working! both animals are scratching just as much as ever except more on their heads! what should i do now. i hate seeing my animals suffering, but i don't have a lot of m oney to spend and i am disappointed on the product i recently used. is there some pills i can give them that will work better? please let me know. thanks
A: You can order capstar tablets which will kill the existing fleas within a short time and allow the frontline plus to function as it was intended.
Shop for: frontline, frontline plus, capstar
Itching
Q: My dog, a male shepherd/sheltie mix has suffered for approx. 2 years with itchy feet. in the last year, it has become an itch problem all over his body. initially, it was so bad, he would bite himself bald on his feet and legs!now his scratching is less severe, however, it seems more widespread and has extended to his eyes which are starting to drain. he is also constantly scratching his ears. he has been to the vet every month for the last year. he was getting prednisone shots and pills for a long time, but started developing cysts on his body and we feared long term organ damage. we have stopped the shots and pills. this is when the scratching became milder but more consistant. any ideas what could be the root cause? we have tried allergy diet foods recommended by the vet to no avail. if no cure is known, what about treating the symptoms? we have tried benedryl, no help. anything you can suggest would be appreciated.
A: I would recommend blood allergy testing to see if inhalent allergies involved like allergies to ragweed, grasses molds danders pollens, etc allergy vaccines can be made up. you could also ask vet about new drug for allergies known as atopica which is less toxic than chronic cortisone
Shop for: prednisone
Heartworm in a golden retriever
Q: My 12 year old golden retriever, "sunshine," has been diagnosed with heartworm disease. the recommended treatment (injections, rest for one month each time, etc) seems very harsh as my dog is outwardly extremely healthy. i realize that she is quite old for a golden retriever and most likely only has about two more years with a good quality of life. thus, my inclination is to not give her the more drastic treatments that may impair the quality of what life she has left. we keep her at a healthy weight, she runs a great deal, has little or no arthritis and is a happy, (seemingly) healthy member of the family. what is your opinion? is it possible that preventatvie medicines such as heartworm pills would keep the disease at the same level it is now? our veterinarian seemed to only recommend the most involved of treatment. it is not the cost that is stopping me from nor treatment. also, as a physician's daughter, i do use and believe in modern medicine. however, i just believe that dogs (and humans) are often treated late in life with prodecures and medications to cure diseases and they would be better off just living their last days or years on their own. any information would be helpful. thank you in advance.
A: A tough decision to make as you are right about wondering about side effects of treatment in older dogs. some vet cardiologists have no problem putting such pets on monthly heartworm pills if decide not to treat to cut down on heartworm larvae and baby heartworms, but of course does nothing for existatn adults but at least stops reproduction
Knee/ligaments pulled, she's my 12yr old wolf
Q: Ihave 2 questions, my wolf's son started getting very angry towards his mother, about 6 months ago. he is a hy-brid. please do't get me wrong he is a good boy, but his attitude is scaring me. number one , why would he get angry at his mom? and 2 sasha the mom, got tackled by him, they both weigh 100pds. we took her to an alternate vet, and she said sasha'a knee was out , but this lady was really wrenching to make her cry. sasha won't cry in pain unles she really is . my ? the vet said she had torn and or strecthed ligaments, will she be okay, or will she need rimadyl for the rest of her life. these pills have calmed her a bit, but i don't want her life to cloudy. and she still has the spritit of the wolf in her. thank you tiger
A: If ligaments are torn, best is surgical repair of cruciates. i dont think life long rimadyl necessary if underyling surgical issue. if not, then try supplements like super joint enhancer from 1800petmeds as well as extra antioxidant nutrients like vitamin e at 400iu or vitamin c in form of ester c at dose of 1000 mg twice daily
Shop for: rimadyl, vitamin, 1800petmeds, joint enhancer
Hip pain
Q: What can i do to help my cat with hip joint pain. tried the powder on her food but would not take it. any liquid i can give her? she cannot take pills either.any help would be appreciated.
A: You can ask your vet about new prescription drug known as metacam. although not approved for use in cats, many vets across north america have been using it very effectively off label for arthritic cats. has to be dosed just right and monitored for side effects. also you could try cosequin for cats from 1800petmeds which can help long term. also consider giving cat extra antioxidant vitamins like vitamin c in form of ester c which may come in liquid at dose of 250 mg twice daily(try health food store) also vitamin e at 100iu daily mixed on food. also consider proanthocyanidins from health food store at dose of 10 mg once to twice daily
Shop for: vitamin, 1800petmeds
Abscess
Q: My dog had a lump just below his eye. the lump broke and drained. it has been draining for 3 weeks. in that time i have used antibiotic pills and triple antibiotic ointment. i am currently using baytril. as soon as the wound heels shut it swells up and then breaks open and starts draining. i wash it off several times daily with a wash cloth. and have used three different antibiotics and there doesn't seem to be an end to this problem. my dog is under a veterinarians care. is there more first aid that i can do to end this. as will i consult the veterinarian too.
A: Make sure vet has ruled out underyling foreign body or tumor under eye which needs to be addressed. also might want to culture discharge to make sure right antibiotic has been used for long enough time
Thyroid pills
Q: I would like to get thyroid medication for my dog online but when i try to find thyroxine or soloxin there are no listings. what about a prescription? do i need one before i can order the medication?
A: The product is levothyroxine and we do dispense it on the prescription of your veterinarian. you can mail the prescription, or we call contact your veterinarian for you.
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