The Pet Info Thread

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

Yeah, that sucks, and it's pretty common. Fair warning: she'll probably blow out the other knee as well.

Yeah they mentioned that too. My other Pit had almost the exact same injury but didn't completely rupture it. Luckily he never reinjured it nor busted the other one. Interestingly he'd always favored that leg a bit since the injury. Then we got this new dog and with all of the play he's also put on a few new pounds of muscle. He also stopped favoring the old injury. I think he built some muscle around it.

[Dirtydutch 8]

German Pointers are pretty adorable. Definitely a high-end puppy, imo.

[speedz99 145]

If I had the motivation to properly train and exercise a high-energy dog that's what I'd get.

[SweetDee 0]

No real advice needed, just coffee talk. My fat orange cat with the occasional poop problem was doing his thing, he was hiding for a few days, which he does when he his having stomach issues so I thought nothing of it. Last night I go into his hiding room (he's a lazy hider) to pet him and make sure his ass isn't a mess. I look at his ass and nothing, but he smells horrible, like make you want to vomit as soon as it hits your nostrils horrible. I look him over and he has got three open puncture wounds near his right front leg, and they are oozing and it just looks scary. Reminds me of patients we used to get in when I worked at a long term care facility, basically bedsore like but smaller, and he is hot as hell. Now, that being said he has managed to get most of the fur away from the site, he is doing a decent job keeping it clean, he is still eating and drinking water,even going up and down the stairs a bit. So, I give him a sponge bath because I guess he was to busy with the wound site to clean anything else, and he is just dirty. He was happy with that, even let me clean the wound a bit more. I go to bed but didn't sleep all that well- that's my baby, you know? So, I take him to the vet today, vet says it probably happened a week or go and we would have never known, they get punctured, it scabs over but the scab seals in infection, the infection makes a sac full of puss and shit, it bursts and you have what we have now. They gave him two shots, one antibiotic and one anti-inflammatory, and then gave me oral antibiotics to give him as well over the next week or so. Vet says for me to help him keep it clean, put a warm compress on the site two or three times a day, and he will most likely heal just fine. I've seen a thousand times worth heal on a human with proper care, so I am optimistic he will be just fine.

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

I have two options for surgery for my dog. Option 1: Replace ligament with synthetic band connecting bones (Tibula & Femur?). More simple and proven surgery. Shorter recovery time and less painful. Synthetic can wear out.Option 2: Bone splice. Involves reshaping the bone and replacing ligament. Newer procedure. Much longer recovery period. Reports on the effectiveness of this approach vary. Proponents claim it lasts longer and is ultimately more effective. More recent findings seem to indicate it is similar in long term results to Option 1. 4X as expensive.Let's assume that the cost is not an option (I want the best solution for my dog). I am leaning towards Option 1 because of the shorter recovery time and pain to the dog.Thoughts?

[Randy Reed 0]

For the record, since I only want good information in this extremely serious and important thread, canned tuna meant for human should not regularly be fed to cats.

Heading to Maddycats mom in few minutes to have this exact conversation. The cat is getting soo fat.

Question regarding canine athleticism:I'm considering a puppy to replace my cat. Such a puppy would be required to grow into a dog that's not a fag, though. I am looking for a particularly cute, well-behaved, trainable breed, but one that is capable of comfortably running 80+ miles in a week consistently, at <6minute miles paces, in brutally humid conditions. Recommendations?

Australian Shephards can run all day a well and are very trainable. Just please have a place for them to get daily exercise and know what you are getting into. Active dogs take tons of work and commitment along with daily exercise and trainging. If you aren't in to getting up early and taking him for a run or a training session in rain or snow or the cold, then don't bother.Also, what speed said about running on concrete, use trails.

[speedz99 145]

I have two options for surgery for my dog. Option 1: Replace ligament with synthetic band connecting bones (Tibula & Femur?). More simple and proven surgery. Shorter recovery time and less painful. Synthetic can wear out.Option 2: Bone splice. Involves reshaping the bone and replacing ligament. Newer procedure. Much longer recovery period. Reports on the effectiveness of this approach vary. Proponents claim it lasts longer and is ultimately more effective. More recent findings seem to indicate it is similar in long term results to Option 1. 4X as expensive.Let's assume that the cost is not an option (I want the best solution for my dog). I am leaning towards Option 1 because of the shorter recovery time and pain to the dog.Thoughts?

Sorry, I don't know anything about option 2. I do know that option 1, the vast majority of the time, is very effective and relatively easy on the animal. Seems like the way to go until someone is actually able to prove that option 2 is better in the long run. But that's only based on your descriptions, I'm no expert on cruciate surgical techniques.

Heading to Maddycats mom in few minutes to have this exact conversation. The cat is getting soo fat.

Elderly people are awful about this kind of thing. Let me know if you need any extra ammo to help convince her, but I'm sure you have it covered.

[Jeepster80125 0]

http://nm.merz-akademie.de/~helene.dams/icanhashistory/

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

My girl had her surgery on Friday.She is in some pretty bad pain. It is going to be a long recovery - she desperately wants to play and exercise. I am a bit worried because of the amount of pain. She is whimpeing and whining quite a bit. Also she has some blood in her urine. Spoke with the Vet today. We will go back tomorrow to see about the blood.

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

Another day, another Emergency vet visit (and bill).This is turning into an expensive dog.When I went to take Bella out of her crate this evening to go outside, I noticed she was a bit usteady on her feet. We went back in the house and I put her back in the Crate. She was very lethargic. I thouhgt it might be from pain or just stiff from being pretty inactive. We gave her dinner and she was completely zoned. Didn't care about the food at all. I knew at this point that something was wrong - she NEVER is uninterested in food. I started checking her more closely and she was getting more and more unresponsive by the second. It looked like she was going to pass out. After surgery, the vet put a fentanyl patch on the lower leg (not the one that was repaired). I found half of the patch on the floor of her crate. She had chewed the patch off her leg, ingesting the medication.We immediately called the Emergency Vet as we loaded her into the car.They induced vomiting and are giving her activated charcoal. When we left the vet she was looking 10,000% better. She will spend the night there as a precaution.The fentanyl patch really should have been applied to the middle of her back where she couldn't reach it.

[speedz99 145]

The fentanyl patch really should have been applied to the middle of her back where she couldn't reach it.

Yeah, your vet better have a phenomenal excuse for that, otherwise he (or she) has to answer for your unnecessary ER bill. That's awful...putting the patch on the back of the neck should be standard operating procedure.

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

Yeah, your vet better have a phenomenal excuse for that, otherwise he (or she) has to answer for your unnecessary ER bill. That's awful...putting the patch on the back of the neck should be standard operating procedure.

Yeah. It was a bit chilling this evening when I realized that if we hadn't returned home when we did AND recognized her lethargy AND noticed the half eaten medication patch AND reacted quickly she may have gone to sleep and never awoke.

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

After spending the night at the Emergency Vet, Bella the Pitbull Puppy is home and recovering nicely. When they induced vomiting they also found a large hunk of a chew toy. It was rubber and easily big enough to have caused some nasty blockage. Who knows, but by having to induce vomiting due to the Opiate OD, we may have avoided a different future issue.

[Mercury69 3]

After spending the night at the Emergency Vet, Bella the Pitbull Puppy is home and recovering nicely. When they induced vomiting they also found a large hunk of a chew toy. It was rubber and easily big enough to have caused some nasty blockage. Who knows, but by having to induce vomiting due to the Opiate OD, we may have avoided a different future issue.

Maybe she watched Snatch and got the wrong idea...

[Jeepster80125 0]

Pot Odds, did you ever get an explanation from your vet re: why the medicine was applied to the foot?

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

Maybe she watched Snatch and got the wrong idea...

Damn movies glorifying drug usage.

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

Pot Odds, did you ever get an explanation from your vet re: why the medicine was applied to the foot?

Not yet. We have an appointment on Monday & plan to bring it up face to face.

[Jeepster80125 0]

Not yet. We have an appointment on Monday & plan to bring it up face to face.

If you remember, post your trip report. My interest is piqued.

[Jeepster80125 0]

Dear Speedz,A girl I know just got a small puppy, a black terrier mix of some sort, 4 months old now, 4 pounds maybe.There is already a three year old cocker spanial in the house. This female puppy won't potty train. She's tried newspapers, puppy pads, positive reinforcement with treats when she goes outside, negative reinforcement by me threatening to punt her off the balcony, etc. Nothing works, she is still pissing and shitting inside.She'll go outside with the cocker, they'll run around after being kenneled all day, or we'll usually take a walk. She'll follow him around and smell his piss and shit and still do nothing. 95% of the time, the second we come back inside she'll go behind the couch and piss and shit. I have tried with holding water except to daytime, I've tried longer walks to try to tire the stuff out of her, but nothing seems to work.Any suggestions?Also, if this has been discussed let me know and I'll go back through the thread.Thanks in advance.

[speedz99 145]

Sorry man, I've got pretty much nothing. I assume you've tried blocking her run to behind the couch and taking her right back outside...you've tried giving her treats and praise when she does go outside...you've tried cleaning her usual spot(s) in the house and blocking access...I honest don't know. Four months is still pretty young though, plus she hasn't had her for that long, right? When you hit your patience limit it's time to try a behaviorist. I don't have any experience in that area, so I'm not the best resource.Good luck.

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

If you remember, post your trip report. My interest is piqued.

Bella the PitLovabull had her 10 day check-up this AM. She had her soft cast and sutures removed. Her incision looks great. She has already been putting weight on the leg and now that the bandage is gone, she is walking without much of a limp. She desperately wants to run & play, but it will be months before we can allow that.When I talked with the Vet about the Fentanyl patch, she didn't have much of a response. Something along the lines of "yeah, we used to put them on their backs, but that meant an unsightly bald patch." Better than a dog ODing on Opiates.Oh well. We may look for a new vet after this. The good news is that the surgery appears successful and the dog is healing well.

[Jeepster80125 0]

Bella the PitLovabull had her 10 day check-up this AM. She had her soft cast and sutures removed. Her incision looks great. She has already been putting weight on the leg and now that the bandage is gone, she is walking without much of a limp. She desperately wants to run & play, but it will be months before we can allow that.When I talked with the Vet about the Fentanyl patch, she didn't have much of a response. Something along the lines of "yeah, we used to put them on their backs, but that meant an unsightly bald patch." Better than a dog ODing on Opiates.Oh well. We may look for a new vet after this. The good news is that the surgery appears successful and the dog is healing well.

I won't comment on the medical stuff, but I'm glad that your pooch is doing better.

Sorry man, I've got pretty much nothing. I assume you've tried blocking her run to behind the couch and taking her right back outside...you've tried giving her treats and praise when she does go outside...you've tried cleaning her usual spot(s) in the house and blocking access...I honest don't know. Four months is still pretty young though, plus she hasn't had her for that long, right? When you hit your patience limit it's time to try a behaviorist. I don't have any experience in that area, so I'm not the best resource.Good luck.

What are your thoughts on negative reinforcement, like making her smell her own crap or flicking her nose when we catch her in the act?Right now, I feel that she likes to go inside because it's cold outside and it's warm and comfortable inside. What if I can get her to equate shitting inside with poo nostrils?

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

I won't comment on the medical stuff, but I'm glad that your pooch is doing better.

Thanks!

What are your thoughts on negative reinforcement, like making her smell her own crap or flicking her nose when we catch her in the act?Right now, I feel that she likes to go inside because it's cold outside and it's warm and comfortable inside. What if I can get her to equate shitting inside with poo nostrils?

Please don't do this. Sticking her nose in it or flicking her will make her fear you and the act of pooping.Keeping her crated and then taking her directly outside and waiting her out and then praise and reward is going to be the only thing that works. Patience. When you do catch her in the act don't yell or scold, again this will make her fear you and the process - Get her outside IMMEDIATELY to complete the process and praise/reward her. Put up barriers if you have to to keep her from her favorite spot until she is house broken. Scolding her after the act is NOT going to work. If you are trying to change behavior, you MUST act within 2 seconds of the dog's behavior if you are going to associate your actions with the animal's actions.More Patience. Reward and praise, not punishment.

[Jeepster80125 0]

Thanks!Please don't do this. Sticking her nose in it or flicking her will make her fear you and the act of pooping.Keeping her crated and then taking her directly outside and waiting her out and then praise and reward is going to be the only thing that works. Patience. When you do catch her in the act don't yell or scold, again this will make her fear you and the process - Get her outside IMMEDIATELY to complete the process and praise/reward her. Put up barriers if you have to to keep her from her favorite spot until she is house broken. Scolding her after the act is NOT going to work. If you are trying to change behavior, you MUST act within 2 seconds of the dog's behavior if you are going to associate your actions with the animal's actions.More Patience. Reward and praise, not punishment.

I knew that's what you and speedzy would say. I'm glad I don't have to see the damn thing every day. I was hoping that violence would be the answer, in this case.She's had the dog for 3 solid months, with zero improvement. She might be a little older than four months I guess.3 months is a long time to potty train, isn't it?

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

I knew that's what you and speedzy would say. I'm glad I don't have to see the damn thing every day. I was hoping that violence would be the answer, in this case.She's had the dog for 3 solid months, with zero improvement. She might be a little older than four months I guess.3 months is a long time to potty train, isn't it?

Yeah. Sometimes you're gonna hope that the "right" answer is to ring the little darling's neck.I have heard that small dogs can be more difficult to house train than large dogs. Also this is still a puppy, so you' may still have to wait for her to mature a bit. How much supervision does she have? Is she alone for most of the day?