CongestionQ: What type of antibiotics are used for congestion and how much do they cost? A: The choice of antibiotic is made by a vetertinarian who examines your cat. we will be happy to quote you a price and guarantee you a savings at that time.
Heart murmur/mitral valve diseaseQ: I lost my cavalier king charles spaniel toby 3 weeks ago today. we don't know what exactly he died from, but we suspect he'd had a stroke. he was 8 years/8 months old. his half-brother skyler, also a cav., was diagnosed a week ago with mytral valve disease and a heart murmer between 3 and 4. he had an echocardiogram. our vet put him on 5 mg. enalapril and science diet h/r dry food. he will be 9 in november. my fondest wish is that skyler will be around a long time, but i am almost afraid to leave him. he is in mourning for toby, sleeps most of the day, is very reluctant to go outside to relieve himself, and i have to encourage him to eat. our vet said before the echocardiogram that he wasn't to have any exercise, so i won't even take him for a walk, and she's delaying any dental work because that requires sedation. we are planning a short vacation and we will need to board him for a few days. i guess i just want to know if we are doing everything we can. is there anything else we can do? my vets are wonderful, but a second opinion might help relieve some of my fears. cavs have a strong history of mitral valve prolapse or disease. what else can you tell me so i might relax and live a reasonably normal life and let skyler live his!? A: I would try making him as healthy as possible with all natural diets such as pet guard or california natural by natura or more ideally a home made diet as described in book dr. pitcairns guide to natural health for dogs and cats by richard pitcairn. also consider supplements for heart such as coenzyme q-10 at dose of 50 mg daily as well as vitamin e at same time at dose of 400iu daily. also consider supplement known as formula cv from company known as rx vitamins for pets centered in scarsdale, new york. this excellent supplement has supportive nutrients for heart such as hawthorne berry and trace minerals for heart
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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.
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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.
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Which product?Q: I have a 15lb papillon 17 mos. old. which brand flea & tick product do you recommend for him. i am currently using advantage but notice you favor frontline. i noticed bio spot for dogs is inexpensive and according to your comparison chart does the same thing as the more expensive ones. thank you dolly sanders A: Biospot is another flea preventative but it is not waterproof and can be washed off. we really don't favor one product over another but the frontline plus gives added protection against the flea eggs & larvae. if you are using advantage and are satisfied with the results, "if it's not broke, don't fix it"!
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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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