Is tail docking and ear cropping cosmetic surgery?
Canine cosmetic surgery: do you consider tail docking and ear cropping to be cosmetic surgery?
It is safe to assume that no responsible dog owner or veterinary practitioner would object on moral or ethical grounds to emergency surgery that repairs an animal’s broken limb, prevents it from bleeding to death or removes a lethally cancerous tumor from its pancreas or lungs.
The same might be said about certain elective surgical procedures, such as early spaying, which will almost surely prevent a female dog from experiencing mammary cancer later in life and or prevent pyometra castration, which, among other things, will keep a male dog contributing to the growing overpopulation of unwanted puppies.
However, tail docking and ear cropping is an elective surgical procedure so should it be allowed?
MY dogs,MY choice!!!
& nobody else’s business.
I will NOT be bullied by lying cry-baby know-nothing buttinski humaniacs !
I *know*…they merely IMAGINE.
Experience versus anthropomorphism,brains versus fluff…..guess which “wins”?
If you’re like most dog owners, you may think that canine urinary tract infections are no big deal. All you need to do is give your dog an antibiotic for a couple of weeks, and the problem’s solved, right?
Wrong. Sometimes it’s hard to tell if your dog even has canine cystitis.
Does My Dog Have A Canine Urinary Tract Infection?
As smart as dogs are, they can’t talk and tell us what their problem is. The only way they can communicate is with their behavior. If your dog has canine cystitis, she’ll try to tell you by her actions.
If you’ve ever had a bladder infection, you know that the main symptom is pain and burning when you urinate. Your dog will tell you she’s unhappy, with restless behavior like pacing around the house and whining. She may want to go out again right away, even though she just came in.
Worse, she may urinate on the floor, your bed, or in other inappropriate areas. Many dog owners mistakenly think this is a behavior problem. Before you start looking for a dog trainer, rule out bladder infections in dogs first.
Tests Your Vet Should Do To Diagnose Canine Cystitis
Tests to diagnose a canine urinary tract infection include urinalysis, a dog urine culture, and a sensitivity test.
A urinalysis should be done to see if bacteria or stones are present in your dog’s urine. If bacteria are found, a urine culture needs to be done to find out exactly which bacteria they are. The sensitivity test will tell your vet the correct antibiotic to use.
The problem arises because urine culturing and sensitivity testing increases your vet bill by $25 to $100. Some dog owners can’t afford the extra money, and others just won’t pay for it even it they can afford it.
So what happens? Your vet ends up prescribing an antibiotic that may or may not kill the bacteria causing your dog’s bladder infection.
Why Using The Wrong Antibiotic Is A Bad Idea
The first reason is that you can spend a lot of time and money treating your dog with an antibiotic that won’t do the job. Giving a dog an expensive antibiotic for two or three weeks is no picnic, so you don’t want to waste time with the wrong drug.
Secondly, if you skip the sensitivity test, you may be treating your dog with a drug that won’t kill the bacteria causing the infection. This can lead to a life-threatening bacterial infection that’s very hard to treat.
An even more important reason to use the right drug is the problem of antibiotic resistance.
Natural Remedies For Pets Can Prevent Bladder Infections In Dogs
Wouldn’t it be great if there was a safe, effective, natural remedy you could give your buddy every day to prevent bladder problems in dogs? Well, you’ll be happy to know that there is. This remedy is manufactured specifically for pets, not humans, which is very important. And it’s made by a company with a great reputation for producing the highest-quality products for pets.
Now that you have this information, you can use natural remedies for pets to protect your dog from the pain and stress of canine urinary tract infections.
About the Author
Darlene Norris has combined her long-time interest in natural healing with her experience working at a vet clinic to bring you her new website, Natural Pet Urinary Health. Here you can discover how herbal and homeopathic remedies can help prevent and treat painful canine urinary tract infections. Find the best place to buy these remedies at http://naturalpeturinaryhealth.com
What is canine Chronic hypersensitivity dermatitis and what treatments are available?
My dog, Lady keeps having recurring outbreaks. The diagnosis was made by a lab from samples taken from the vet. Treatments with Prednisone 10mg have given some relief. After treatment Lady may stay cleared up for a couple of weeks but soon has a relapse. Of course with the treatments of Prednisone she inflates like a basketball and it causes her to be unable to control her bowel and bladder. Hair loss, and itching are prevalent prior to treatment. She has been on this current treatment at least 3 times but continues to have outbreaks.
Skin conditions in dogs can be a real bear to combat. There are literally hundreds of factors that can contribute to generally itchy or unhealthy skin – things eaten, things breathed in, things layed upon… it’s a very frustrating problem, and I understand your desperation with your dog’s condition, as one of my greyhounds suffer some of the same problems.
This condition is often referred to as “atopy”. In short, it’s a predisposition to become allergic to normally innocuous substances, like pollens, molds, dust mites and other environmental allergens. It’s estimated that only 3-12% of dogs have this condition.
I’m assuming the diagnosis was made via skin biospy performed at your vet’s office. It’s unusual that the lab or your vet wouldn’t then try to identify the irritating agent more in depth – often times they run a series of allergy tests to determine what steps should be taken to avoid contact with said irritants. The condition is rarely in remission and cannot be cured; it’s simply a matter of maintaining as healthy a state as possible.
Prednisone is the most common used form of controlling the discomfort associated with atopy, and sometimes you won’t see a response for 3-6 months after starting, but if you’re interested, there are some more natural methods that may help keep things under control. Sometimes, supplementing your dog’s diet with essential fatty acids can help promote healthier skin and coat. Frequent bathing in shampoos labelled “antipruritic” can be beneficial. There’s a great company based out of Wisconsin called Animals Apawthecary – they make a stellar formula called “Detox Blend” made specifically for chronic allergy sufferers that’s manufactered with herbal remedies like burdock, dandelion, milk thistle and red clover.
Best of luck with your dog – I really commend your effort to become more educated and do the best you can for her. I hope this response wasn’t too long!
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Our 3.5 yr old Rottie has liver disease and has gone off her LD dog food.?
Molly is meant to eat a diet of only LD dog food which she needs to help her liver. Does anyone know if there is an alternative to this food? We found LD wet food which she loves, but is very expensive when brought thru the vet – it’s $4 a can and she needs 2 a day (they are small cans). SO I am on the search for other food for dogs with liver problems. We are told she can’t eat human food also! Would love some feedback from anyone who can help!! Thanks
As for prescription diets, Royal Canin also makes a liver-support diet, but it is only available thru vets, and I doubt much cheaper than the Science Diet L/d diet you already feed. Dogs with liver problems benefit from eating the special diets, however, they are not required. It’s merely another thing you can do to support the liver and it’s function. I would talk to your vet or a different vet and look for other options if cost is an issue. What kind of liver disease does your dog have?? Your dog can probably eat normal dog food depending on what exactly is going on with her liver. You can also try some prescription drugs that support the liver such as Marin or SamE (please ask a doctor before giving these!). Good luck!
