Oral rabies vaccineQ: Is there a oral version of the rabies vaccine that can be given to my dog(rottweiler) although he is a great dog and has been trained he has a great fear of needles and becomes very aggressive when i need to muzzle him for this.. its to the point now that i need to have him sedated completely to accomplish this(which makes me feel terrible for days that i have to do this) although this only happpens once a year it would be nice if this type of vaccine is available for dogs as it is for wild/zoo animals. thanks jim A: There is no oral form of the vaccine. you might also ask your veterinarian about the new once every 3 year rabies vaccine that certainly be helpful in your situation.
Hot spotsQ: My boy, noah, is eight years old. it seems that, every two to three years, only during the summer, he gets "hot spots". we have taken him to our vet. the vet, who has been his doc. since day one, gives him an injection of "o/c first?", some cephalexin 500 caps, and sends us home. now, this dog already has a thyroid issue. has been diagnosed for about a year with an underactive thyroid. he takes thyrozine, .8 mgs, twice a day. we are going on three weeks now, with this bout of "hot spots", an no results. he still bothers himself. it is starting to bother me. is there anything other than cortizone, to help relieve and heal my boy? we're very close, yet i find myself scolding him for irritating himself, so he gets more sensitive to my voice tones, well, he hides from me sometimes. i know it's just to chew on himself. this is going nowhere. please help comfort us! thank you for your time deb felts A: Try topical sprays to area such as gentacin topical sprays to hot spots. can also use antihistamines at same time as low dose cortisone including benadryl at dose of 1/2 to 1 mg per pound orally twice daily. also consider fatty acid supplement long term for allergies such as brite coat xs from 1800petmeds. if persists, then consider blood or skin allergy test to find out what allergic to so vaccine can be made for best long term relief
Shop for: antihistamine, 1800petmeds
Ear infectionsQ: Can you give oral antibotics for ear infection for a dog instead of ear drops. i have a dog that i can't put ear drops in. she was hit by a car several years ago and broke both legs and spent alot of time with treatment. since then unable to give any type of treatment. can 't even get a muzzle on her A: Sometimes oral meds can work a bit. most of time most effective however whihc often will reduce pain/inflammation to allow you to place ear drops in would be low dose cortisone as well in addition to antibiotics orally which dont penetrate ears enough as do topicals directly applied.
Gas & moreQ: My dog, a 3 yr. old jack russel terrier, has a more than usual problem with gas, my god is it a problem. he eats grass a lot to make himself throw up, recently. today my wife said he had blood in his stool as well. what could cause these symtoms and what can we do to treat it? his gas was bad enough, smelled something terrible!! now, with the blood in his stool, we are more concerned.we've changed his food severial times in the last month, it dosen't seem to help.this has been going on now for a few months now, please help. thank you, sincerely, tatum A: Needsd complete workup at vet including stool check for intestinal parasites includign whipworms, hookworms and giardia which i like to check at outside lab. if all negative sometimes we will still worm with broad acting wormer like panacure just to make sure. might want to try low allery prescription diet like purina ha as well as adding prozyme from 1800petmeds o help with digestion. consider slippery elm from health food store for symptomatic relief of upset stomachs
Shop for: prozyme, 1800petmeds, panacur
Expiration datesQ: Does hearguard have a shelf life beyond the expiration date? after giving my dog his monthly dose of heartguard, i noticed the expiration date was 3 months ago! is he protected or should i re-medicate? A: Expiration dates are the point at which the manufacturer can no longer guarantee effectiveness of theproduct. you should not use any medication beyond it's expiration date. i would not re-medicate since there is a lingering effect if you have been giving heartgard each month. however, i would suggest you give in-date medication for the next dose.
Shop for: heartgard
Heartworm/regular wormsQ: I have a 140# great dane, and she just started licking around her anus/rear end area. i am suspecting worms. i have heartguard, however, i didn't keep up on the monthly schedule, it has been approx 4 months since i gave her a dose, is it ok to give to her now, or do i need to have her tested again? i live in western oregon. also, from reading other e-mails, you suggest that heartguard helps control intestinal worms, do i need to buy a different wormer, or will heartguard take care of all of them. A: Anal gland disease is a common problem in dogs and cats. the anal glands, also called 'anal sacs,' can become impacted, infected, and abscessed. affected pets may lick the anal area, 'scoot' along the floor, or have problems with defecation.|dogs with recurrent anal gland impactions are often placed on a high fiber diet. the high fiber makes the animal's stool more bulky. the stool will put more pressure on the anal glands and hopefully the glands will express themselves when the animal defecates. there are several commercial brands of high fiber dog food available. animals may also be supplemented with bran or medications such as metamucil which will increase the bulk of the stool.|i would also recommend your using the heartworm prevention throughout the summer months.
DogQ: My shepard rukus is an outside dog,she shakes her head quite often and will put one of her ears down some times and scratches it, it doesn't seem to hurt her or have an odor,could u please offer me some ideas on what this could be.and how i could treat this without spending a forturn at the vet.........thanx lynn A: Sounds like could be allergy which is most common cause of head shaking. you could try oral benadryl at dose of 1/2 to 1 mg per pound orally twice daily. also consider topical synotic which is prescription item to be applied down ear canals
