Dog vomitingQ: My 5 year old female german sheppard has been vomiting a lot this past few days(3 times) its only her food and she seems fine otherwise should i take her to the vet or wait thank you A: I would ideally take to vet for exam and x rays. you could try fasting her for 24 to 36 hours only offering small amounts of fluids and pediolyte to maintain hydration. after this time introduce bland hamburger and rice diet. also at same time as fast can try pepcid ac at dose of 1/2 mg per pound orally twice daily in addition to slippery elm from health food store which can soothe bowels
Most efficient allergy treatmentQ: My dog is a shar-pei, lab mix and she weighs about 63lbs. she's had five ear infections and she's only a year and a half old. she's constantly licking her feet and her groin. we believe she has allergies, but i can't afford to give her allergy immunization shots. i'm leary of giving her too much steroids. (my sister's cat was given steroids for allergies many times and he died of liver cancer) aren't there pills for dogs similar to zyrtec of allegra? what can i do? A: If it is an allergy there are antihistamine such as benadryl, clemestine or chlorpheniramine that you can use.|you can check our website for the doses and details.
Shop for: antihistamine, chlorpheniramine
NeuteringQ: I have a male lab who has already fathered 3 litters and is 2 years old. he is becoming more aggressive lately to our other dogs, even when a female is not in heat. would neutering help him any, as far as aggressiveness and marking his territory in the house? A: Certainly worth a try and is next step
Skin disorderQ: We have four dogs, only two are having skin problems. biteing, scratching and itches. large areas will become hairless and raw. been to vet's, no sign of mites, have spent a fortune already but nothing seems to work. can you help? A: Could try various antihistamines like benadryl at dose of 1/2 to 1 mg per pound twice daily. sometimes these dont help. then left with cortisone or newer drug known as atopica which is expensive alternative. best for long term control is allergy testing with blood test so that allergy vaccine can be made
Shop for: antihistamine
Revolution and heartwormQ: I chose revolution for my dog thinking it would not only protect her from fleas and ticks but for heartworm also. am i not correct in this? A: You are correct, it prevents both heartworms and protects agains fleas & ticks.
Shop for: tick, revolution
Choosing low cost alternativesQ: Hi, i'm on a fixed income and need to cut expenses. is it ok to switch from sentinel to iverhart for heartworm prevention? is it ok to switch from frontline to proticall for flea & tick prevention? also, my dog won't take the heartworm med without it being hidden in peanut butter or cream cheese but she swallows the heartworm tab whole. is it less effective when administered that way? should i crush tab first? thanks! A: Iverhart is an option. however, this medication is not equivalent to sentinel in that it will not protect against fleas or whipworm. you can use proticall instead of frontline. swallowing the tablet whole should not make any change in effectiveness.
Shop for: frontline, sentinel, tick
Dog eating habitsQ: My dog has just recently started eating from the cats litter box an i don't know why. she is well fed but we have had no luck stopping this bad habit. is she missing something in her diet? A: Not necessarily. many dogs love to nibble on cat feces for unknown reasons
Cyst?Q: My dog is about 10 years old and has had problems with allergies from flea saliva. she has developed over the years a type of "cyst" about 1/4" large on her tail and another between her shoulders, i believe from areas where fleas have bit her. they are slowly getting larger. should we have them removed? are they anything to be concerned about? lisa ps: my dog is a maltese A: Tough for me to say since i would have to see them directly. many of these cysts are benign and i leave them alone as often they recur elsewhere so often i just monitor them as this will save you time and expense and putting dog through surgeries but should have direct vet visit to make sure cysts dont appear to be something more involved
