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whoops – that new procedure is PUBIC – not public – Symphysiodesis. :@(
Like the person who answered your question on the puppy site, I’m not a vet nor am I an expert in the field of canine disease. Take my answers with a grain of salt and discuss your questions with your vet. Here goes.
Depending on the type of strep, your puppies could have gotten it from their mother if she had any kind of bacterial infection, a prolonged delivery of the puppies, or a vaginal discharge. It could also have been due to various environmental factors, including catching it from a human.
Since Strep bacteria is transmitted through saliva, it would probably be wise to keep the sick puppies separate from the well ones until all the medication has been given (probably about two weeks). Also make sure bowls are kept clean, preferably by soaking them for ten minutes in hot water to which a small amount of bleach has been added. After soaking, wash with dish detergent and rinse well.
I’m surprised your vet was able to diagnose hip dysplasia in such a young puppy and would suggest getting a second opinion. Hip dysplasia is believed to be congenital (passed by genes from the parents) and is caused by the abnormal development of the ball-in-socket joint. The ball head of the femur (thighbone) does not fit snugly into the socket of the pelvis. This in turn causes friction which damages the cartilage and ultimately leads to inflammation, joint deterioration and arthritis. Unfortunately, hip dysplasia is a progressive disease and will not get better as the dog ages. It gets worse. (Believe me, I know about this. My 13-year-old Golden Retriever, Teddy (see my avatar), has such a bad case of hip dysplasia and arthritis that his back legs sometimes collapse, and it’s extremely difficult for him to get up from the floor).
Surgery is the best option, preferably before the dog reaches 8 months of age and/or exhibits signs of arthritis. The most commonly preformed prophylactic procedure is a triple pelvic osteotomy. A new procedure called Public Symphysiodesis is now under clinical testing in young dogs. This is a preventive surgery that manipulates the way the pelvis grows to create tighter hips.
I’m wondering if the puppy may have some neurological damage, which may account for the inability to use its hind legs and the wobbly gait.
Hope this helps.My GR is about the same age as your guy and has good days and bad days. I, too, worry about taking a vacation because I want to be with him if he becomes really sick and either passes away naturally or has to be sent to the Rainbow Bridge with the vet’s help.
I know how hard it is to have a prognosis that’s pointing the way to a final resting place. Since it sounds as though the relationship you have with your dog is very special, my suggestion would be to spend as much time with him as possible. Love him as he has loved you for all these years. Send your love to him by placing one hand on his head, the other on his heart and sending your feelings of friendship and joy to him. You may be surprised at the feelings you get back!
Last but not least, he will tell you when it’s time to let go; You will see it in his eyes.
May your remaining time with him be filled with joy rather than sorrow.What you’re describing doesn’t sound like Parvo, which, as you noted, usually cannot reoccur in an animal who has survived it. It sounds as though you dog may have an intestinal problem, possibly a growth of some kind, that is causing the weigh loss and bad breath. You should consider taking him to a vet and having a complete blood workup and exam to try and determine the cause of his problem. Good luck.
I truly doubt your dog is smelling embalming fluid. It’s possible she’s picking up on decomposition, particularly since many dogs are trained to locate dead bodies and do so by smell. Of course, there’s another possibility, which the majority of people would boohoo; the presence of spirits in the graveyard.
About ten years ago I went to a B&B where my daughter was working and had a strange psychic experience in the main house. The next time I visited, I took my Golden Retriever with me. He’s always been laid back and easy going and at the time was used as a therapy dog and visited nursing homes, hospitals, libraries and schools. Usually when I’d visit someplace new he’d just plop down in a corner and falls asleep. Not that night. He paced, got up, laid down, and paced some more. I finally put him outside on the big wraparound deck, where he immediately laid down and fell asleep.
I believe he may have experienced some kind of paranormal phenomena inside the house that made him anxious and slightly upset since he’s never had that kind of reaction anywhere else.I’m fortunate enough to live on a fenced acre in the woods, so my dogs have free rein of the house and yard via a dog door. I usually aim for at least an hour of play time twice a day for my Lab mix, and a short swim for my elderly GR. If I’m gone all day, I’ll usually have someone come over and throw the ball for my Lab and take him for a walk. If I’m late, all my animals are fed and checked on by a neighbor.
A good example of leaving animals alone for hours on end are my neighbor’s Beagle and Lab mix (my dog’s brother). Both these dogs live on 20 unfenced acres and usually end up spending the day, and sometimes the entire night, at my house. They’re lonely and bored so they leave their property and go where they know there will be pets and cookies, not to mention a soft sofa.
Personally, I don’t think it’s fair to leave animals alone for hours on end, especially if they’re crated. However, I can appreciate the fact that it’s essential due to work schedules. As long as the dog gets plenty of together time with the owner, and lots of play/walk time, I don’t think the dog will suffer unduly if left along. However, if the owner is gone for more than eight hours, I believe it’s wise to have someone take the dog out to relieve itself and have fifteen minutes or so of play time. Doing this twice during the day would be ideal, especially with a young, active dog.I’m so sorry to hear you lost your best friend. It sounds as though you and your vet did everything possible to keep his heart pumping properly. Unfortunately, there is no known "cure" for pulmonary hypertension, only supportive measures. I’m wondering if an underlying cause was determined by your vet and measures taken to correct it.
Hope you didn’t lose him. Sounds like he got into something that either poisoned him or had Parvo. You should never buy an animal from a pet store; most of these pets are from puppy mills, in or out of the States, and are poorly bred, come from unsanitary conditions, and are usually sick. If your puppy died, which I certainly hope he didn’t, adopt your next best friend from a pound, humane society or breed rescue. Also look into pet insurance. Puppies can be insured with Trupanion for a low monthly amount, and having insurance will help you cover the expenses associated with vet visits, especially in an emergency.
I wouldn’t touch Beneful, ProPlan, Pedigree, Old Roy, Iams, Priority, Purina I, or other supermarket-type brands with a borrowed dollar bill. Beneful is nothing but corn, wheat, sugar, salt, and artifical colors and flavors. The other brands aren’t far behind, including Iams. Thanks, but I want a named meat source in my pets’ food: chicken or chicken meal, turkey, beef, trout, bison – whatever. Not poultry, unnamed meats, or by-products. Very few of the premium companies got nailed by the melamine recall because most of them don’t use wheat or corn gluten.
I can get Food for the Dog Lover’s Soul, canned, for $.99/can when I shop at a feed store about 40 miles from where I live. Nearest Petco and PetSmarts are 2 hours away. Evanger’s canned is $1.29/can, but some of it is almost $2.50/can!
Not sure about "organic" foods, but I stick with the higher end brands, including Taste of the Wild, Canidae, California Natural, and Innova. I’m a bit worried about the latter 2 because Natura was purchased by Proctor and Gamble last month. They messed up Iams and Eukenuba in 1999 by changing the recipes and have had more recalls in the past five years than any other major pet food manufacturer. Their food isn’t quite the garbage can quality of Old Roy and Beneful, but it runs a close second.
All of the higher end brands are getting terribly expensive, which puts those of us with a mid-range income between a rock and a hard spot when it comes to buying decent pet food. I’m beginning to think it might be cheaper to make my own, especially when chicken is on sale for .70 cents a pound.She’s got that collar and lead pegged for the end of the good times, and she’ll play catch me if you can if you don’t nip it in the bud right now.
Best thing to do is call her while you have the collar and lead in hand, throw her a treat when she gets close, praise her, then let her go back to her fun. A few minutes later, call her again, put the lead on, praise and treat, then take it off and go for a short walk. Keep her off guard. You don’t want her to know exactly when that lead is going to mean an end to her fun. Throw in a few surprises. Call her, praise, treat, get into car, then let her out of the car for another five minutes of playtime.
Do this repeatedly so she doesn’t think that having the lead means the fun times end. My Lab was pulling something like this with his ball: When he thought we were leaving, he wouldn’t "find it" or bring it back. So, I’d open the back of the car, ask him to load up, then tell him he could get out and play with his ball. I interrupt play time with load up and he’s never sure whether there will be more fun in the offing, so he always brings back the ball and usually gets into the car with it.Where on earth can you buy a quality canned food for .79 cents?
My dog boys get variety every day. Neither one is picky, there’s never a problem with stomach upsets as a result of changing their diet. This morning they ate Taste of the Wild kibble mixed with Evenger’s Chunky Turkey Stew canned; tonight they got Taste of the Wild mixed with EVO canned. Tomorrow will bring something new, probably with the edition of some gravy from our dinner. No picky eaters here! When I run low on kibble, that changes, too.
If you’re puppy isn’t to young, i.e., under six months, provide some variety. I jump around with lots of different canned foods: EVO, Soup for the Dog Lover’s Soul; Canidea, Evenger’s, Blue Buffalo, Nutrisca, Innova Adult, and CA Natural.It’s quite possible your dog got zapped by the collar. Those stupid things cause more problems than they solve. Maybe the woman would be willing to take the collar off her dog when it plays with your dog, or at the dog park.
I doubt if your dog has "forgotten" the experience, but may think of it in terms of "place" rather than an association with the other dog.It’s not the best food out there, but it’s not the worst, either. If you want pretty much the same thing for less money, look into buying the Lamb and Rice from Costco. It’s made by Diamond, as is Food for the Pet Lover’s Soul, which is one step up from what you’re feeding right now.
http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/showproduct.php?product=1486&cat=5