EpilepsyQ: Our 5 yr. old, sunny, was diagnosed with epilepsy when he was 1 yr. old. he took phenobarb for a couple of yrs. but the seizures were still coming frequently and some were quite severe. we were living in california at that time. we left there and moved to alabama almost 2 yrs. ago. just before the move, our vet there added potassium bromide to his treatment. he is doing much better now! it has been just over a year since his last seizure! our vet has said we can cut back on the medication some, and we have. i just wonder how much should we keep cutting back? is it possible he has outgrown the epilepsy? also, do you think the change in climate made a difference? he is a pure bred siberian husky- is epilepsy common in this breed? thank you for your help! he is such a loving dog and we want to keep him healthy and with us as long as possible! we also have his dad (10 yrs old) and he doesn't have epilepsy. neither does his mother, or any of the other pups. A: Epilepsy is very common in this breed and we often dont pinpoint why certain dogs develop this disorder. i would suspect that he will need to be on this medicine rest of his life which is fine as long as his blood levels and chemistries are checked periodically. if you want to try cutting down dose, needs to be done gradually under care of your vet in your area, but if things all well i would probably elect to keep things as they are
SkunksQ: What should i use to get the smell of skunk out of my dogs when they get sprayed ? i have a golden retriever who gets sprayed atleast 4 times a summer and he smells for months. A: Great product called skunk off. if not available then could bathe in tomato juice
Barf dietQ: Is the biologically available raw diet able to give my dog all the nutients that he/she needs? A: No. i suggest you consult your veterinarian for a diet that would be best for your dog.
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.
ConfusedQ: I have a 15 month old cocker spaniel. i took her to the vet and they said not to use any over the counter flea treatments( like flea collar, etc) so i took it off and i shampooed her with a mild shampoo and now she has fleas again. i applied the frontline treatment they gave me but she is still not flea free. she is an indoor dog and i don't want to get them. how long does it take for the frontline to work and are over the counter flea shampoos and collars bad? help!!! thanks!!!! A: Frontline is itself an over the counter product and is very effective at controlling fleas. it usually begins to kill fleas within 18 hours of application. contolling a flea problem involves treating the pet, treating the house and treating the yard.
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Sudden deathQ: I had a 10 month old white boxer puppy. she was fine earlier in the afternoon. happy, healthy, playful. she was eating and drinking normally and exibited no signs of sickness. several hours later my husband found her dead. there were no signs of struggle, no blood, vomit, or foaming around the mouth. she seemed to have just fallen over dead while walking. we also have an adult dog in the same pen. she seems fine. no signs of illness. could it have been parvovirus or poison? A: Could have been viral or poisening or many possibilities. however in this breed i would place genetic heart defect at top of my list as cause of sudden death
How much worm medicationQ: I have a dog that is over 50 lbs and i bought the erliworm tabs, it says 1 tablet for every 4 lbs. so that means i need to give my dog 12 tablets? mary A: That is correct. however, you can mix the chewable tablets in with your pets food for ease of administration.
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Dog urinating in houseQ: I have four dogs and one of them seems to go around marking everything , he will do it right in front of u......all dogs in the house has been fixed and they are all males...he is let out alot and knows better.......if u stand there outside he will pee on u too...i dont want to crate him when i leave because of all the other ones...help.....he is two years old...he just started this a few months ago A: I would make sure no urine infection first by having urine checked at vet