17 yr old dogQ: My (puppy) 17yr old chow/mix has used frontline in the past. now since this past winter he is really showing his age. do you think bio spot would be a better soultion for him? if not, what do you suggest? the vet said at last vist several months ago he could live another year or two. but this winter was hard on him. sincerely, his loving mom A: If frontline has worked successfully in the past i would continue using it.
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Crusted matter around eyesQ: My dog's eyes have a thick buildup of crusted matter after a few days. i have asked the vet about it, but he seems to dismiss it. it is very unsightly and i have tried over the counter products to no avail. i am worried that he may develop an infection around his eyes because of this. he was a severly abused dog when i got him, he also had demodec mange. he's been an expensive proposition but i love him dearly. any suggestions on what else i can try. A: If you are that concerned with eyes and your vet is dismissing your concerns, then see a veterinary opthomologist for peace of mind. your vet may be right to leave alone, but you sound like you want to be certain
Dog allergiesQ: I have a rednose pitt bull(male) in the 100 lb. range approximately 5 y.o.a. and he suffers from severe allergies. when he gets these allergies, he looks like he has been in a fifteen round boxing match and lost. eyes swollen and allmost shut, snout swollen, and welts all over his body along with excessive scratching of the side of his face and his underside... paws included. is this common with this breed of dog? also i give him 50mg.of benadryl 3x a day until allergies diminish which may take a couple of days. should i increase the dosage to 75mg.or will that be to much. any suggestion concerning this condition would be greatly appreciated. this occurs 1 to 2 times per year and it started about 3 y.o.a A: You could try increased dose of benadryl and if no help with that than you could try different anthistamines like chlortrimeton at dose of 8 mg twice daily in this sized dog or tavist at dose of 1.34 mg tablets--two tablets twice daily. of course if no help should see your vet for stronger meds. also consider supplementing with omega 3 fatty acids which can help allergies long term like brite coat es from 1800petmeds Shop for: 1800petmeds
Flea & tickQ: I have a terrier dog under 30lbs and would like to know the best flea and tick medicine to buy? he scratches a lot but i do not see any fleas or ticks on him. the vet said some flea medicine u can buy can harm your pet and get in their blood stream.the last time i applied tick medicine for him on 08/11/2003 and never applied any more. A: Frontline plus is an effective flea and tick preventative. when applied as directed on the manufacturers label, this product is safe to use.
Shop for: tick, frontline plus, frontline
Any heartworm medicine i can giveQ: I took my dog to the vet the other day and was told my dog had heartworms, and the treatment cost would be $1,000 i am not working and i am unable to pay that much. is there anything else i can do?is there any medicine i can administer and buy myself? help please, i love my dog, but my finances will not permit me to pay for this costly treatment. A: I would ask for retest of heartworm test and have it sent to outside lab. i have occasionally seen in office heartworm tests be false positives. that being said if true positive, then i woudl call around as this sounds very high to me for two injections of immiticide over 24 hours which is how we treat heartworms now. if still not affordable, then you could consider putting dog on monthly heartguard or interceptor which will prevent further reproduction of existing adult heartworms but will not kill adults
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MaggotsQ: Can i give my dog an otc diarreaha med? i have a 10+ yr old german shepherd i've been fostering for a few weeks and his bowl movement is almost liquid in its loosement. he has a maggot problem in that the flies are attracted by the feces and lay their eggs in his coat, i can't let him in because of the maggots and feces so its a catch 22. A: He needs immediate vet attention as maggots can lead to progressive worsening infection and skin ulceration, etc. need to be treated professionally. i dont recommend any at home treatment here
We need helpQ: We have an aprox. 11 yr old jack russel male dog who is constantly itching his belly on the floor. he is extremely red and irratated almost constantly, unless he is laying in the sun. he is given benadryl but it doesn't seem to help at all. he is washed with an oatmeal and aloe shampoo and has used advantage for flea control but w/o checking with companion pet clinic we cannot be sure of the last administration date or whether it is still active or not. however, even after having been given the flea control he still was constantly itching w/in a short amount of time. he has very short hair (obviously due to his breed) so you can see fleas and their eggs but he doesn't really appear to be infested at this time. he had been prescribed gentocin spray 2x p/day for 7 days at a time for no more than 14 days. he has long since been out of this but it really did not seem to make a difference either. he also takes phenylpropanolamine 50 mg. 1/4 tab 2x p/day for bladder issues. we seriously need some advice. we are a group home with 4 clients who love their dog but the itching is driving everyone crazy, please help. thank you. A: Cheapest solution is low dose alternative day prednisone therapy if dont want more extensive workup at vet for allergies. need to totally get rid of fleas in allergic dogs as even a few fleas can cause problems. also consider low allergy diet like california natural lamb and rice diet by natura brand. also consider brite coat xs as well as prozyme from 1800petmeds added to food long term.
Shop for: prednisone, prozyme, 1800petmeds, advantage
RimadylQ: I am aware that rimadyl can affect dogs liver and kidneys. is rimadyl used for occasional pain or should it be used or a continual basis? my 9 yr old shepherd is on the super joint enhance and the vet has her on l00 mg of rimadyl..daily..and she has been on it for quite some time. i am concerned about the long term effects of the rimadyl. A: With regular testing it should be o.k. to continue with the rimadyl. your veterinarian may at some point reduce the dosage.
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5 month pupp with roundwormsQ: Okay, i believe my puppy has roundworms in his stool. what treatment & care do you suggest? A: After a positive diagnosis for roundworms, you can use a product such as nemex-2 (pyrantel pamoate) for dogs and puppies
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Pregnant dogQ: Is is ok to give my pregnant rott advantage? she is due within one week. A: Products such as advanatage should not be used on pregnant or nursing animals.
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