Various Pet Issues

[Peacock]

I don't have nearly as many animals as some folks here, but we do have quite a few. We have 4 cats, 2 dogs, 4 chickens, and 1 gerbil.

So...my first "issue" is our 5 year old German Shepherd Dog. He is a wonderful dog - we adopted him about a year ago. I've posted about Maverick here before. He's been abused and doesn't trust women. He's come a long way since we brought him here, and we love him very much. He's starting to have some problems with his hips. This is getting worse with cold weather. We were wondering why, when you tell him to "sit" he does "down" instead. I guess it's easier. What can we do to help him? Exercises? Nutritional supplements (glucosamine, etc.)? Since the weather turned we brought the dogs' crates from the back porch into the warmer garage, and this seems to have helped. Advice welcome.

Second...my cat "Stink" is really weird. Unlike my other cats she will eat anything, her most recent favorite is cheese crackers. That's why she earned her nickname "stink" - her real name is Angelica. She "stinks" you...heehee...plus she's a little stinker. She's a black cat, part siamese. Her latest problem is that she has a string hanging out of her butt. Eww. I think it's dental floss, and if so, the piece she got was about 12". I am predicting it will pass with her next poo, but I am a little concerned. What do you think?

Third...is a nice thing. We have a male cat named Sterling and a female named Daisy. They are very good friends. Their relationship really makes me wonder about cat relationships, because they act very much like a loving couple. They are always together, grooming each other, napping together, sometimes with a paw around each other. It is so cute; I've never seen animals do this.

[MaineFarmMom]

Originally Posted by edayna

What can we do to help him? Exercises? Nutritional supplements (glucosamine, etc.)? Since the weather turned we brought the dogs' crates from the back porch into the warmer garage, and this seems to have helped. Advice welcome.

If he becomes too uncomfortable he can have aspirin. I think you're on the right track with supplements. I need to get my 9 year old farmcollie on glucosamine this week because she's lame at the end of the day and sometimes in the morning. I'll be watching this to see what others tell you so that I can learn more too.

Her latest problem is that she has a string hanging out of her butt. Eww. I think it's dental floss, and if so, the piece she got was about 12". I am predicting it will pass with her next poo, but I am a little concerned. What do you think?

Watch her for diarrhea, vomiting and lack of appetite. Piper didn't pass the embroidery floss he ate. It went from one end to the other, literally. It acted like a saw and started cutting his intestine. We had it surgically removed.

Third...is a nice thing. We have a male cat named Sterling and a female named Daisy. They are very good friends. Their relationship really makes me wonder about cat relationships, because they act very much like a loving couple. They are always together, grooming each other, napping together, sometimes with a paw around each other. It is so cute; I've never seen animals do this.

We have Piper, the string eater, and his sister Sidney. Piper's huge at 30 pounds, long haired, looks like a Maine Coon. Sidney is 10 pounds, sleek, black, half Siamese. They hate each other! Hiss, spit, whack, hiss, growl. We stand around ohhing and awwing on the rare occasion that they'll curl up in my chair together to sleep. Sibling rivalry I guess.

[cricket]

2000 mg of glucosimine/day for a month, then back off to 1500mg. You will also want to start MSM (solid gold makes a wonderful product but there are others out there) and yucca (also solid gold). MSM is food grade DMSO and it increases circulation throughout the body. The Yucca is a natural pain alliviator and anti-inflammatory. Be careful with any grains in his food. Corn is the worst and will actually make arthritis type problems much worse. (humans too) All grains cause inflammation in the joints but corn seems to do an extra big job of it.

As for the cat, grab the string and pull it. Gross but if it's a tapeworm you'll know it. He might need worming....

[SunsetSonata]

Originally Posted by cricket

2000 mg of glucosimine/day for a month, then back off to 1500mg. You will also want to start MSM (solid gold makes a wonderful product but there are others out there) and yucca (also solid gold). MSM is food grade DMSO and it increases circulation throughout the body. The Yucca is a natural pain alliviator and anti-inflammatory. Be careful with any grains in his food. Corn is the worst and will actually make arthritis type problems much worse. (humans too) All grains cause inflammation in the joints but corn seems to do an extra big job of it.

As for the cat, grab the string and pull it. Gross but if it's a tapeworm you'll know it. He might need worming....

Only if there's NO resistance. If it's anything like what was already mentioned, it could saw right through the guts. If it's long, cut it so it doesn't snag on anything while it hopefully works its way out. If you cat exhibits ANY lethargy/discomfort/lack of appetite, it's time to call the vet as peristalsis might be doing the sawing job itself.

[anniew]

Your dog might benefit from some kind of cushioning if you haven't given him anything to sleep on. Inside where it is probably warmer than the garage would help also. You know how our old bones creak and hurt...same with the dog.

[suzyhomemaker09]

I'd have to caution against pulling that bit of string, if it's a problem (which I'm sure it's very unpleasant) cut it off as close to her body as you can. I would never pull something like that as you have no idea what's going on inside the animal.

[lgslgs]

Originally Posted by edayna

We were wondering why, when you tell him to "sit" he does "down" instead.

Has anyone told him to "sit down"? That will confuse a dog quickly.

Usually if a dog lies down instead of sitting it isn't clear on exactly what "sit" means. We teach "doggie pushups" so the really understand it. We teach them to go into a sit from standing position AND we also teach them to rise into a sit from a down position.

Most dogs only understand "sit" as lowering their rears onto the floor. By teaching them to come out of a down into a sit position they can learn that it means a very specific position that involves a certain placement of both the front and rear of their bodies.

My guess is that your dog has been trained that the down position is a perfectly acceptable response to the command "sit" and needs clarification, or someone in the house (or in the dog's past) gives the dog two commands at once by saying "sit down".


Even if the dog is in physical discomfort a well trained dog will try to respond to a command correctly. If yours is just lying down when you say sit that an indication of a training issue. You should also check to see whether family members are confusing the sit command by accepting a down position as a correct response because they think the dog is uncomfortable and think they should give it a break.




Lynda

[Ardie/WI]

I wouldn't recommend pulling that string either. Cut it off and watch his droppings for evidence that it is passed. If not, it's Vet time.

You got good advice about doggies with arthritis problems. In his last years, goldie slept on a heated bed in winter since our floors are cold and drafty.

We had two drop-off cats that were like an old married couple. When they got here, they looked like skeltons wearing fur coats and the male did everything he could to keep the female warm and safe. After they got healthier, they'd greet each other with kisses and rubs and we think they actually communitcated. I can still see them taking their walks, as close to each other as possible with their tails held high and almost intertwined.

[Ernie]

We had a dog once that loved those little red curtain tassels. I kept finding them in the yard amid a steaming pile of fresh poo. I kept wondering was he just stupid, or perhaps felt he needed more fiber in his diet.

[Jen H]

Glucosamine and MSM are wonderful for joint problems. They've really helped my kelpie out. (knee and hip problems) While you're waiting for the supplements to take effect, you might check with your vet about rimadyl. It's a anti-inflamatory pain med for dogs.

[Maura]

I remember your posting about Maverick. You've been very good to him.

Try switching him to a raw diet. Raw chicken has all of the nutrients he needs for his bones: bones, omega 3 and omega 6, muscle, skin. I feed a prey model diet: mostly chicken, also eggs, organ meats, meaty beef bones, leftover vegetables. Sometimes lamb.

[cricket]

The raw diet would definitely be better for him. Then you wouldn't have issues with sugar and grains and all of the problems associated with them.

I'd still pull it out. Of course, if it doesn't come easy and quick then off to the vet I would go. Don't just yank it. Tapes look quite different up close than dental floss. You'll know quickly what it is once you get your hands on it.

[patnewmex]

Your dog may have hip dysplasia. It is quite common in certain breeds of dogs. Probably take him to the vet for x-rays and tell your vet that is why you are there, to see if he has dysplasia. It may hurt him to sit. I'd do that before assuming it can be taken care of with medicines of any kind. Make sure it is not a "mechanical" failure. You'll want to rule that out. Some good friends of ours that used to breed dogs were known for carefully breeding and checking their dogs for this common ailment. (larger breed dogs.)

It usually shows up later in life, not when they are puppies. So, please have him checked.

http://www.peteducation.com/article....&articleid=444

Edited to add:
From the link above:
Who gets hip dysplasia?

Hip dysplasia can be found in dogs, cats, and humans, but for this article we are concentrating only on dogs. In dogs, it is primarily a disease of large and giant breeds. The disease can occur in medium-sized breeds and rarely even in small breeds. It is primarily a disease of purebreds although it can happen in mixed breeds, particularly if it is a cross of two dogs that are prone to developing the disease. German Shepherds, Labrador Retrievers, Rottweilers, Great Danes, Golden Retrievers, and Saint Bernards appear to have a higher incidence, however, these are all very popular breeds and may be over represented because of their popularity. On the other hand, Greyhounds and Borzois have a very low incidence of the disease.

[Peacock]

Oh, I wouldn't doubt at all that he has hip dysplasia. His previous owner said a vet told him the dog did have it...he was going to have the dog put down...got a second opinion, which said the dog didn't...wishful thinking, perhaps. But it's not as though we paid big bucks for him or are breeding him; we took him in for free, and he really is a great dog. If he does have this condition, we'll take care of him as well as we can until it becomes cost prohibitive and he's in too much pain.

The cat seems to have passed the string. She's no longer "Stink on a string." Hooray! I was worried it was tapeworm too, but I actually did touch the thing and it was definitely a string. Geez, the things we do for our pets.

[bluetick]

Has your vet examined the dog? My 9 year old female GSD started to have problems walking a few months ago. In the meantime, she needed surgery for a mass on a mammary gland. While she was under anesthesia, I asked my vet to take x-rays of her hips and spine.

Her hips were fine, and her spine wasn't bad. She had a couple of discs that were bulging a little, but nothing too serious. Her ability to walk continued to decline. I took her to a specialist last week who diagnosed degenerative myelopathy - the sheathing on her spinal cord is deteriorating, and there is no cure. It is not painful as her back feet and legs are getting more numb. She is on a medication that may keep her on her feet a little longer.

If your dog does, in fact, have hip dysplaysia, your vet can recommend medication to ease the pain. A steroid shot may help too. It is so sad to see these wonderful dogs go downhill at such a "young" age! My 11 year old male GSD died a few weeks ago and I still haven't gotten over that loss!

[Christiaan]

Our Anatolian has dysplasia and during the colder, wetter months I give him twice weekly injections of SOD, which seems to help him quite abit.

[Wags]

If your dog accepts pills easily you can give them the same glucosamine/chonridtion that people take. Humane grade is actually cheaper than dog grade - Costco has the best prices.

Every morning hubby doles out one pill for the dog, one for me and one for himself. Helps all of us make it through the winter. If any of us get to gimping around too much we up it to 2 pills a day.

[Terri]

Hip replacement surgery for a dog is possible.

[ihedrick]

The things our pets will eat...I had a cat once who had a strand of christmas tinsel hanging from her rear...until it passed.

[TheBiscuitQueen]

If your dog is carrying any extra weight, put him on a diet ASAP. Go to a high quality diet or homecooked or raw. My Newfoundland who had severe hip displaysia gained another 3 years from dropping 20 pounds. The less weight on the dog, the less weight on the hips.

Glucosamine did not work for my dog. I found it expensive and a waste of money. I know many people swear by it, but there have been little to no actual scientific studies showing verifiable improvements the last time I checked. It will not hurt anything, but I personally would do other things first and see how it goes if you are at all tight for money.

Make sure the dog has a good, padded warm place to lie down. Also make sure he still walks around. I would give an aspirin twice a day at the dose for his body weight. Observe when his best times are, and after stretching him out a bit take him on a nice easy walk. Keeping muscle tone is important to keep him from sliding even more into problems.

It is so hard to watch the effects of displaysia. The dogs heart has not changed, but his body fails him. Makes me hope I go with a sudden heart attack.