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Perplexed By Dogs? We Have The Knowledge You Need

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<h3>Have Questions Related To Dogs? We'll Answer Them</h3>



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Adopting a dog is a great idea. They make perfect pets and are incredibly loving. To ensure that your dog is healthy and happy does, however, take some effort. Utilize the great dog-care tips discussed in this article to avoid problems and ensure that your doggy lives a happy and healthy life full of fun and joy.


While you can hug your dog, you should avoid kissing your dog. Your dog's mouth is fairly dirty at any given time. Dogs are always getting into garbage, drink from places like the toilet, and they clean their bodies with their tongues. There is an old wives' tale that says that the mouth of a dog is cleaner than that of a human. This is not the truth!


Have your dog spayed or neutered. Research has proven that this can reduce your dog's risk of cancer and make them healthier in general. Also, dogs that get fixed won't feel the need to wander away so that may mean that they won't get into accidents like getting hit by a vehicle.


If you are in the market for a new puppy, make sure you will have enough time to devote to his training. On average, you need to take a young dog outside to do his business eight times a day and that can take a lot away from your schedule. Training takes more time and patience than most people realize.


Giving your dog a bath is essential to his health. Depending on his size and activity level, toss him in the tub weekly or monthly and always use a shampoo that is made for dogs and is pH balanced. Pets have different pH levels than humans and a good dog shampoo will leave your canine clean with a beautiful shiny coat.


You need to ask your vet to make sure the food you are feeding them is good. Depending on the type and age of dog, if you purchase the wrong kind of food it may upset their stomach. You should be careful when you are feeding your dog.


Accept the aging process in your dog and know how to meet his changing needs. Your older dog may require dietary changes, more rest and not be as playful as he once was. This doesn't mean he should be left to grow old in a corner. Adapt to his needs and make his golden years enjoyable!


You may be tempted to use your favorite hair shampoo on your dog, but this should not be done. Human shampoo can cause dog skin to dry out. Instead, find a quality shampoo that is made for dogs. When you bath your dog, make sure to rinse all of the residue out of his fur.


Before you have your dog fitted with a microchip, be sure and check the database of the company that will store his information. Not all of them are created equal and you want to know that you'll get a fast response if your dog is lost. Look for a large database that connects to shelters and vets near you.


Never leave your dog home alone for more than a few hours each day. For example, if you are planning on being away from home for a few days, you should find a place to house them where they can get regular care. Dogs can become anxious when left alone for extended times, so consider their feelings and provide them with the care that they need.


If your dog is covering everything in the house with his shedding fur, grab a paper towel. Lightly wet it with water and rub it down his back in the direction of fur growth. The loose hair should come off easily on the paper towel and your dog will love the attention too!


Were you aware that vitamins are not good for your dog? If you are feeding your dog a well-balanced dog food, specific to his age, weight and health needs, additional vitamins can do damage. Too much of some vitamins can cause injury to the bones, joints and blood vessels. Always seek your vet's advice before giving supplements to your dog.


Always be sure that your dog understands that you are the master if you want to have a well behaved pet. This is important because if your dog believes that he is dominant over you, then you have a much smaller chance of getting it to obey your commands and behave according to your wishes.


Make sure that you carry small bags and gloves with you while you are out walking your dog. If he uses the bathroom outside, it is your responsibility to clean up the mess. It is unsanitary for you to leave it there, and it some places you may receive heavy fines for that.


It is natural to want to get your dog trained as quickly as possible. However, remember that there is a limit as to how fast this process is going to go. If making a how to socialize an aggressive dog with other dogs are not realistic, you are much more likely to get frustrated with your pet, which could damage your relationship. Your pet will learn over time, but it may not happen as fast as you would like.


Bigger is not better when selecting a dog house. Allow for room for growth, but do not go much bigger than what you will need for him to be comfortable as an adult. This will allow the entire house to heat from his body heat during the cold winter months.


Even if your dog does not spend the majority of his time outside, it is still important that you bring him or her to the vet for their yearly shots. Your dog could come in contact with other dogs at the dog park or at your home. If the other dog is sick, it could pass on to your dog. This is why it is important that they are vaccinated every year.


If you are looking into getting a dog you should ask as much about the dog that you can think of. For example, you will want to know about its mannerisms, level of activity and how affection it is. Ask whatever you can think of, so that you do not regret your decision later.


Healthy dogs that are happy are the most fun of all. That is why you need to heed the information presented in this article. You will see that when you really start concentrating on providing the best care for your dog, your dog is a better companion for you and your family.

<blockquote cite="https://championofmyheart.com/2021/08/05/dogs-with-skin-issues/">
<h3>Best Advice for Dogs with Skin Issues</h3>

<p>I still need to publish a real post about Mr. Stix's full backstory, but this feels more pressing. For nearly 18 months, Mr. Stix's permanent nakey spot (from unknown injuries before he was rescued, including 15 fractures and this big patch of coat missing) has featured several inflamed, peeling areas. Initially I tried to fix it myself at home with things like aloe vera, vaseline, a veterinary ointment called animax that the shelter had give us while we fostered him most of 2019, etc. It's sort of a combination of steroids, antibacterial, and antifungal stuff. I took him to see our main veterinarian in spring 2020, when there was a 2-month wait to get into see a board-certified veterinary dermatologist. It has been quite a journey since then, and it's nowhere near over. Here's my best advice for dogs with skin issues. </p>

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<h2>Before I tell the ongoing saga with Mr. Stix's skin. Here is my best advice for dogs with skin problems.</h2>
<ul>

<li> See a board-certified veterinary dermatologist as soon as you can. Yes, your main veterinarian can probably help, but it's honestly best to go right to the top experts. </li>


<li> Agree to whatever skin scrapings / cytology the veterinary dermatologist recommends. This provides information about what types of secondary infections currently grow on your dog's damaged skin. </li>


<li> Do NOT assume every skin issue is allergies. It often is some sort of allergic process, but NOT always and assuming so (and acting accordingly may only delay real solutions and subject your dog to all kinds of quack advice and home remedies).</li>


<li> Buy the best quality fish oil and Vitamin E supplements you can afford, if it's recommended for your particular case of a dog with skin issues. </li>


<li> When necessary, agree to the skin biopsies (yes, like minor surgery) and have them reviewed by a veterinary pathologist that specializes in dogs with skin issues. The one we used is at Texas A&amp;M.</li>


<li> Follow your veterinary dermatologist's advice and plans, and keep the faith. These dogs with skin problems often don't improve quickly. (I need to take my own advise. See below.)</li>

</ul>

<h2>Mr. Stix's Story as a Dog with Skin Problems</h2>

<p>This is what Mr. Stix's nakey spot looks like when it's normal. Photo from May 2019 soon after his hip surgery. The bald patch is permanent. That's not the issue. </p>

<p>This is how bad the red / peeling areas got in mid-2020 when we saw our main veterinarian, who added a low-dose of oral Vitamin E and some topical too and told me to keep using the animax. </p>

<p>This is how it looked when Mr. Stix first saw the board-certified veterinary dermatologist in early August 2020, but the specialist had me STOP the animax and instead use a prescription anti-bacterial ointment (mupirocin) ... as well as add a better quality oral fish oil and continue both topical and oral Vitamin E (but at a higher dose twice a day). We knew from the skin scrapings / cytology they did onsite that Mr. Stix had a bacterial infection. </p>

<p>But, without the daily topical steroids (which long term are a bad idea), Mr. Stix's skin got much, much worse -- even breaking open and scabbing over.</p>

<p>Our veterinary dermatologist had recommended doing the skin biopsies right away in August 2020, and I *almost agreed to it then, but I was VERY worried about the cuts resulting in skin that would NOT heal. And, I figured it was at least worth a try to use the prescription antibiotic ointment and other supplements and stuff. </p>


<p>But, by around Thanksgiving, it was clear we had to do the biopsy. That photo is kind of gruesome, so you can see it here, if you want. I wish I had done the biopsy sooner. I feel like I wasted time from August through November. </p>

<h2>Post-Biopsy Diagnosis</h2>

<p>As I expected, despite all the know-it-alls trying to tell me it was an allergic issue, it turns out that Mr. Stix instead has an autoimmune condition called erythema multiforme. They believe it was triggered by the trauma of his earlier injuries. They don't think it is life-threatening. They don't think it will spread to other areas of his skin. Just the already damaged, permanent nakey spot. </p>


<p>With that information in hand, we updated the treatment plan to include a topical, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory ointment (tacrolimus -- often pricey, but we used a Good RX coupon at Costco to get the cost down). They use a version of this medication orally for people who have had various kinds of transplants. It's the smallest / safest option for treatment, and that's where we started. </p>


<p>I was so hopeful it would work at the once-daily application, but the skin still didn't heal completely. </p>


<p>So, in early 2021, we started applying it twice daily on the advice of our veterinary dermatologist.</p>


<p>But, it still hasn't healed completely. It often improves a lot and then comes roaring back, so we had another appointment to see the specialist last week. We had to try something new. </p>

<h2>Enter the Big Immune-Suppressing Drug</h2>

<p>Despite my concerns and form of veterinary PTSD about major immune suppression drugs (after our experiences with Lilly), I agreed last week to add oral cyclosporine, which is also a drug that people get after various transplants. Mr. Stix would need to take it daily for life. </p>


<p>It smells like it's made from skunk butts, so each gel-cap pill is individually packaged, and you keep them in the freezer because that can help with nausea it can cause (since it's recommended you give on an empty stomach). </p>


<p>I found some good info on this med, and our veterinary dermatologist assured me that it has been safely used in veterinary medicine for like 20+ years, etc.</p>


<p>The med only comes in doses of 25 mg, 50 mg, and 100 mg, and at his size Mr. Stix's ideal dose is around 88 mg once a day. So we went with 75 mg (25+50) to err on the lower side. </p>


<p>It takes like 3-7 days for the med to build up in the blood to therapeutic levels, but it takes more like 4-6 weeks to know if it's going to help the skin (or not). </p>


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<p>We made it to day 4, then the barfing started. </p>

<h2>Pet Insurance Baloney</h2>

<p>Because Mr. more on how to socialize an aggressive dog with other dogs can be learned here. from the shelter include that he had an ear infection after likely spending 6 weeks alone and starving (with 15 fractures and a chunk of skin missing), our pet insurance excludes ALL DERMATOLOGY issues as pre-existing ... which seriously pisses me off.</p>


<p>So, we have gotten exactly ZERO help with any of the expenses related to his skin issues ... even though they are immune-mediated and NOT your typical allergy-driven stuff that often cause ear and skin issues in dogs. </p>

<h2>Anxiety</h2>

<p>I wish I could say that this is all going to be fine, but I just don't know. I feel like I just have to accept that the skin will never fully heal, even though seeing his raw spots up close while applying the topical med twice a day and topical Vitamin E once a day causes me so much angst and anxiety. </p>


<p>I supposed to check in with our veterinary dermatology team next week to confirm that Mr. Stix's weirdness and apparent suffering has improved. </p>


<p>It took a lot of convincing to get Mr. Champion of My Heart to agree to try the cyclosporine, so even if the specialist comes back and recommends maybe a lower dose, I doubt we'll want to risk it ... because Mr. Stix sure seemed to be having some neurologist issues to me, and after the Lilly situation, I just cannot do that again. </p>


<p>He is only 3 years old. I don't want to make anything worse. It honestly felt like I'd poisoned him.</p>


<p>The good news is that most of the time his skin doesn't seem to hurt or itch or anything -- though I do have pain meds, if he needs them. It mostly just looks bad, and he has to wear a no-lick collar for about 20 minutes after I apply his meds so that he doesn't lick it off. </p>


<p>His nakey spot is prone to sunburn anyway, and the topical tacrolimus increases the risk of burning, so I used his earlier sun-reflecting coat (which started to look ragged) as a pattern and sewed him a new / light sun protection coat. He looks very cute in it. </p>
<p><strong></strong> https://championofmyheart.com/2021/08/05/dogs-with-skin-issues/ </p>
</blockquote>

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