imported_Cassie

I agree with bk_blue...definately take Zebra in to the Vet's for a complete physically exam. I would also suggest some serious training for Zebra...it sounds like she is possessive & dominant. Here is a wonderful web site which will help you and Zebra... [url]http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=2&cat=1551&articleid=2415[/url] I just wanted to let you know that you & Zebra can make it through this...I had aggression problems with an 11 month old Rottweiler I adopted she was neglected before I got her. She attacked me (for no reason while walking...she would stalk me and then run and throw her whole body into the attack and grab for my arms and face) she would not allow me to pat her on top of the head ( a good sign a dog is dominant) and she was snappy and protective of her food. I worked with a good animal behaviorist (obedience classes were not an option as she is also dog aggressive) My dog now (2 years later) is a wonderful pet...she is submissive and great to work with I do lots of obedience work with her and make sure she is well excersised! a tired dog is a less aggressive dog, and keep her mind busy with obedience, kong bones filled with peanut butter or cream cheese, or you can put treats inside kong bones and she can work at getting them out...I give my dog a femur bone daily which keeps her busy and she gets 3 walks a day...2 short ones about 20 minutes then a long walk for about 1 hour 45 minutes I found other dogs she likes and plays with and they can run and play (I have Newf's also but they are not hyper enough to tire my Rottie out) I also get all my dogs out swimming when the weather is nice. One last thing, all envolved with Zebra must work on this together to resolve this dominant behavior.

This may ease your mind... [quote]Puppies quite commonly get hiccups. When puppies eat and drink, they tend to ingest large quantities of air. Air, as it enters the esophagus and stomach, tends to trigger the hiccupping response. The authors have never seen an instance where hiccups was the result of any disease disorder. Consider hiccupping normal and common in dogs, and especially in puppies less than eight months of age. There is really nothing you can do for a puppy with hiccups, other than have him rest quietly until the hiccups are gone. If you find certain circumstances such as extreme excitement seem to trigger the hiccups, you can try to avoid those types of situations.[/quote] I found this article on Drs Foster & Smith website

Yup, know all about it..having 3 Newfoundland dogs with way too much coat and I live by the ocean, walking them on the beach is like bringing it back home with ya! it is fortunate I work at a Grooming facility so I can properly bath them once a week! in between baths I use a high velocity dryer to blow out the sand and dirt (I put it on cool setting so I won't dry out their skin)

Here is an article on anal glands, their function etc... [url]http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=2&cat=1571&articleid=510[/url]

One more thing to be aware of, if Ben has round worms these parasites are zoonotic, which means humans can be infected as well. Be sure to clean up after Ben after each bowel movement and don't let feces stay in the yard for too long (the eggs can stay in the soil for quite some time) be sure to wash your hands throughly each time you handle ben (the transmission of the eggs to the human host would have to be injested from the mouth) also when worming your Dog, if it is for Roundworms be sure to follow up with the medication in 2 weeks to kill the larvae.

The scooting you described can also be a sign of impacted anal glands....you should take ben to the Vet and have him examined to rule out impacted glands and take in a fecal sample to check for worms....a fecal exam is the only way to know for sure your dog has worms. Tapeworms you would notice the segments around the dogs anal area or around the feces, but with roundworms and hookworms etc some times the only way to know for sure is to look at the feces under a microscope and see the eggs. Alot of wormers for dogs will not treat Tapeworm and roundworm both together.

I have listed the below web pages, these are new Cancer treatments that are being researched. I really feel bad for you and what you are going through...I recently lost a Newfoundland to Osteosarcoma (Bone Cancer) amputation was not an option for a Newf...he was happy up until the end...the first day that he was in discomfort and I knew he was suffering (Newf's have a very high tolerance level to pain) I took him in and had him put down...I wanted my baby to be happy to the very end and comfortable...and I wanted to remember him as being happy...I did'nt want to have any bad memories of pain and discomfort that my dog may have had to suffer through. [url]http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=0&cat=1534&articleid=1316[/url] [url]http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=0&cat=1524&articleid=1272[/url] [url]http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=0&cat=1539&articleid=1577[/url] Here of some Commandments of Cancer Care...I hope this helps. [quote]Commandment One Do Not Let Them Hurt: Comprehensive pain management is critical to the quality and longevity of life for cancer patients. Research has shown that once an animal is in pain, there is magnification of the pain response. The goal then is to prevent pain, not try to alleviate it once it occurs. local anesthesia may be helpful in those animals that have localized pain. Pain-relieving medications can be used, including fentanyl patches, which are applied to the skin and slowly release the active ingredient. Oral pain relievers can be of benefit, especially if the pain is mild. If an animal is undergoing surgery, the pain medication should start while the animal is still anesthetized, so as the animal wakes up, the pain reliever is already working. Proper care of the animal also helps in pain management. The animal should be handled gently. Use orthopedic beds and other devices to make the animal more comfortable and decrease the risk of painful secondary problems such as "bed sores." Commandment Two Do Not Let Them Vomit: Nausea and vomiting are actually uncommon problems for animals undergoing chemotherapy. If either one becomes a problem, however, it needs to be managed swiftly. Vomiting animals can quickly become dehydrated and develop electrolyte imbalances. Nauseated and vomiting animals will generally not eat, which brings us to the Third Commandment. Commandment Three Do Not Let Them Starve: This is perhaps the most vital of the three. If an animal will not eat, but has a functioning digestive tract, enteral dietary therapy should be used. The first step is to increase the appetite. This may be accomplished by warming the food: serving palatable, aromatic foods; and feeding in a stress-free environment. Medications that stimulate the appetite, such as diazepam (Valium) and cyproheptadine may be used. If the animal will not eat on his own, a "stomach tube" may be used. Depending upon the animal, the tube may be inserted through the nose and then into the stomach or intestine; or the tube may be placed through an incision in the skin into the esophagus or stomach. the diet of the animal will need to be tailored individually. The correct diet may not only limit weight loss, but also improve the response to chemotherapy, and decrease the adverse effects of radiation therapy. In general, the diet should: Limit the amount of simple carbohydrates Contain moderate amounts of highly digestible protein, with possible supplementation of certain amino acids including glutamine, cystine, and arginine Include moderate to relatively high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids In providing care for pets with cancer, the medical management of the cancer is only one part of the goal. Other needs of the pet and owner need to be met to achieve the quality of life they want and deserve.[/quote]

I'd have to see a picture before giving advise on a name :) If you look on the index on this site there is a place you can view names for your new pup. A little advice, be sure to finish the anitbiotics your vet has given you exactly as prescribed and give them till they are finished (as on the label on your script...for example administer 3 pills daily with meals for 5 days give for the 5 days even if your pup looks better) and I would supplement the pups diet with yoghurt after the antibiotics are finished to replace the good bacteria.... [quote]Overuse of antibiotics should always be avoided. More bacteria are becoming resistant to antibiotics; in fact, there are some bacteria which are virtually resistant to almost every antibiotic available. As a result, stronger and stronger drugs need to be developed, and there is always the possibility the bacteria will become resistant to these as well. If antibiotics are prescribed, be sure to give the entire prescription, even if the pet appears to have recovered. Not doing so may contribute to the development of resistant bacteria. This is bad news for both you and your pet[/quote].

I have never been a fan of invisable fencing either. A real fence is a physical barrier for out side animals... Here is a bad experience we saw with a dog on the invisable fencing... have a Lab that comes into our shop for a bath every once in awhile and the owner called one day saying his dog smelled horrible...they brought the dog right in (us thinking it may have rolled in some thing horribe :roll: ) when it got to the shop the owner of the grooming facility took off its invisable fence collar...the prongs had burned through the dogs neck and the skin was rancid! it was horrible, she had the owner take the dog directly to a vet to have the dog examined and properly looked after! some owners leave the collars on just like a normal collar! Oh yes, another story...the Vet clinic I had worked for had dogs which lived at the clinic (the vet had a big heart and took in alot of unwanted dogs & cats, she kept them as the"house dogs") the vet had them all trained on the invisable fencing...it worked well for the dogs that she had.. the only problem was for our clients who brought their dogs in...some times they would go out in the back yard of the vet clinic (the area the vet had for her "house dogs") and the clients would have their dogs do their duties out back before going into the clinic...you would'nt beleive the amount of people who did'nt take the shock collars off and their poor dogs were getting zapped...I guess the owners did not see the 6 large signs we had posted notifying people of the invisable fencing...and the vet left all the flags up to show the boundries. :o

Quote by Shannon C [quote]Many breeds with hair covering there face have very sensitive eyes, thats why its a must not to cut it...a trim is fine but to remove it all is cruel for the breed. [/quote] I am just wondering where you heard the above information??? to my knowledge these breeds eyes do not require the hair to cover their eyes due to the eyes being sensitive to light...remember purebreds are not "orginal" dogs...they have been bred by people to have the look or pocess the motor patterns that either help us or are pleasing to the eye...for most long haired breeds (for example the Old English Sheepdog) the working dog does not pocess as much coat as the "show" quality dog has. Most breeders keep the dogs in long coat for show, but would probably recommend to a pet owner to have the dog scissored.

Here is a really good site regarding house training it gives other methods as well as crate training. :) [url]http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=2&cat=1548&articleid=157[/url]

I was not a vet Tech but I did work as a Receptionist at a Vet clinic. The Tech's in the clinic I worked at assisted with all surgeries, monitored sick patients (check the iv's etc) pre-ops, post op's and other blood work...they are basically the other eyes the Vet does not pocess :lol: ) they did Urinalysis, fecals, other lab work. The tech's would help set up patients on deitary menues - for diabetic animals, weight loss etc...they did pedicures, mainly did the x-rays and gave the results to the Vet to examine, get medical info ready to be sent to the main lab (things we were unable to do in house) if a cat/dog was too hard to groom the tech's would groom them, shave them off (the Vet's have to sedate the cat /dog) and a whole lot more that I probably did'nt know about! :o most times after surgery the tech's were responsible for making up the invoices for the client, and preparing all scripts & labesl (the receptionists also made up scripts for clients as well for appointments) the tech's would advise the owner of post surgery care if it was a elective surgery, any other surgeries the Vet would speak with the client them selves....

[quote]I[quote] highly doubt that the dogs which are normally house dogs would have attacked the child in a menacing way but when the kid got going it excited them and the outcome was almost inevitable. more than likely the child was running from the dogs and ran to the backyard and was downed instead of being dragged like the article says. There are so many times when the media will reword a story leavinf out facts or adding in thier own opinion to swing the readers.[/quote][/quote] The media did not take this out of context...I really wish I could find the article in the local paper about this accident. The owner of the Rottweilers changed his story a few times. The child's jugular was ripped out of his throat....the child was really scared of these dogs also...in our local paper the attack was blamed on the fact there was a bitch in season in the house and the child was attacked/mauled/torn apart by the 3 male Rottweilers.

Here is a story of a child who was mauled to death by Rottweilers. [url]http://www.cbc.ca/storyview/CBC/2003/03/03/dogmaul030303[/url]

:o by walking in front of the dog, you are cutting him/her off...so they will be hesitant to pull...

You could try a haltie or Gentle leader...when you have control of the dogs head you can keep them from pulling...or if you can't afford a Gentle leader and you don't want your dog to pull what I used to do was walk in front of the dog and do a full circle...

[quote]I thought the West Nile was from mosquito's? can fleas have it too? Thats what we were so worried about since we go to our cottage for the summer, there are so many mosquitos, and theres no prevention 'cept bug spray for them.[/quote] West Nile Virus infected Mosquito's are the primary source for West Nile Virus, although ticks infected with West Nile have been found in Asia & Africa...their role in the transmission & maintenance of the virus is uncertain...however, there is no information to suggest ticks played any role in the cases identified in the United States...I have never heard any information suggesting fleas can transport or even carry West Nile Virus.

Here is a site on how to properly remove a tick... [url]http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=1&cat=1333&articleid=599[/url]

Good for Ellie! sounds like she is starting to come around...I have always found my dogs respond more eagerly to people who don't "force" their affections on them...perhaps now you could have a few people in your class have treats for her when she comes over to see them... :multi:

Actually there are two breeds of dogs which are barkless (vocalize with trills) Basenji New Guinea singing dog

What a nice post :wink: It is nice to be needed ...I went through a very bad time a few years back, and what got me through was the fact I had to get up every morning and feed the dogs, and walk them...they kept me going through that time and it amazes me how they were still excited that I woke up every morning...they don't care about about the big problems in life...as long as they have love, food and plenty of walks...my obligation to them helped me focus on some thing other than myself...and it's amazing how I started appreciating the small things in life...and that big problems can & will set you back, but if you take that focus off those problems things always get better. It also seemed that my dogs made more of an effort to cheer me up by being extra silly and cute...

Mary's Mama, you make it sound so easy! I just love the peteducation site, it has also saved me many a Vet visit also...and helped when I worked at a vet clinic to answer questions for customers (they make every thing so easy to read and understand)... have you read the new Cancer research lets see if this works for me! :lol: [url]http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=0&cat=1539&articleid=1577[/url] and the Hip Dysplasia research: [url]http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=0&cat=1517&articleid=1239[/url]

[b]Mary's Mama[/b] How are you able to direct a person to the exact page required on another web site....we must have been looking at peteducation at the same time!!! :o :lol: I am not very good with computers.... :roll:

[b]Bubblezzz[/b]...here is an article for you to read...your dog doesnt sound like it has any problems with impacted glands...as you mentioned your dog is blowing the glands just at inappriote times.... [b]quote by Bublezzz[/b]...[quote]His anal sac secretions don't seem to be expelled along with his poop, but come out in a seperate puddle. From time to time, we'd find these oily pools of brownish liquid left as surprise presents for us.... (Once on my fav pair of jeans as I was carrying him!!!!) I know that they're not supposed to have control over their anal sac secretions - does this mean that when he expels his, he basically thinks he's pooping? (we'll try getting him to poop on command then)[/quote] the glands on your dog sound as though they are working...the only time I would be overly concerned is if the dog starts scooting and or licking at his anal area and can't express them on his own...then you know they may be impacted... I have seen dogs express their glands at many inappriote moments...I'm quite embaressed of one time I was brushing a dogs behind and lifted the tail to brush the pants and got it on my face and top...nobody hung out with me on my lunch hour that day! :o We have alot of dogs that when they are surprised or excited blow their glands, it's normal...it doesnt just have to happen during a bowel movement..although this is when most dogs do express their glands normally. [quote]Anal gland disease is a common problem in dogs and cats. The anal glands, also called 'anal sacs,' can become impacted, infected, and abscessed. Affected pets may lick the anal area, 'scoot' along the floor, or have problems with defecation. This article will help you better understand anal glands. Location and function of anal glands As the dog or cat is viewed from behind, anal glands (also called anal sacs) are located on each side of and slightly below the anal opening, at the 4 o'clock and 8 o'clock positions. A tiny duct or tube leads under the skin to an opening directly beside the anus. All predators, whether they are canines or felines in the wild or skunks in your backyard, have anal glands. They just use them differently. Skunks discharge the secretion from these glands as a form of defense, while dogs use it primarily for territorial marking or as a form of communication. In dogs and cats, every time a stool is passed, it should put enough pressure on the anal glands that some of the secretion is deposited on the surface of the stool. Other dogs and cats are then able to tell who has been in the neighborhood, just by sniffing the stools they find. Additionally, dogs and cats recognize each other by smelling each other in the general area of the anus, since each animal's anal glands produce a unique scent. Diseases of the anal glands Anal gland impactions, infections, and abscesses can occur. Here is how: For various reasons, such as the conformation of the animals, the thickness of the gland's secretions, or the softness of the stool, these glands and their ducts often become clogged, or 'impacted.' When this occurs, the animal will sit down on its rear quarters and drag its anal area across the floor or ground. This is called 'scooting.' Both dogs and cats may lick the anal area excessively. Impacted anal glands are a very, very common problem for dogs, especially the smaller breeds. Anal glands may also become infected and abscess. Bacteria make their way into the glands, probably through the ducts. This is a very painful condition, and the first sign you may see is that the animal attempts to bite or scratch when you touch the area near the tail. Treatment and prevention When the glands become impacted, a veterinarian, groomer, or the pet's owner must clean them out, or 'express' them. This empties the glands of all material. It is done by applying pressure with the finger, start below the gland and then pushing upwards. In some dogs, this needs to be done every week or two. Impacted glands do not affect the overall health of the pet. The problem is that pets may injure the anal area when scooting across the ground, or discharge the secretion on the carpet or floor. And this material has a terrible odor. Anal gland abscesses must be lanced by a veterinarian, and antibiotics are usually given to the pet for seven to 14 days. Using warm compresses on the area often helps to relieve some of the pain and reduce swelling. Secondary problems sometimes occur with abscesses, as they may cause scar tissue or other damage that may affect the nerves and muscles in this area. This can cause fecal incontinence, meaning the pet cannot retain its stools. If an individual pet only has an occasional problem with the gland, they can be dealt with as needed. However, for pets with repeated or chronic problems, surgical removal of the glands is recommended. With the removal of these glands all problems associated with these glands are eliminated for the remainder of the pet's life. Although a fairly simple procedure, complications such as fecal incontinence can rarely occur. Dogs with recurrent anal gland impactions are often placed on a high fiber diet. The high fiber makes the animal's stool more bulky. The stool will put more pressure on the anal glands and hopefully the glands will express themselves when the animal defecates. There are several commercial brands of high fiber dog food available. Animals may also be supplemented with bran or medications such as Metamucil which will increase the bulk of the stool.[/quote] Quote by Dr Smith/Dr Foster

I have Newfoundland Dogs, and no I don't shave them (they do get scissored, newf's these days carry way too much coat)...for one thing they are still being shown by the breeder who still owns them...and most times a double coated breed's coat comes back in terrible after being shaved off, the undercoat will some times grow faster than the outer coat...I had an old Newf. which I used to shave off every summer...the only reason, she was very old and did not enjoy being groomed, grooming would stress her out and it is impossible to keep a Newf's coat without constant grooming....so we did shave her (only at the being of spring)...but every winter her coat came in horrible.