So the in-laws puppy who we're dog sitting until they move down here at the end of the summer...he pretty much plops out Hershey's kisses type poops. When we first got him, he had semi-hard/soft poops and he was sharing food with our dog (he's 10 months, our dog is almost 4 years). We took him to the vet and she told us to put him back on puppy food. Since we did that, his poop has pretty much turned to the aforementioned soft hershey kiss. It's a fucking pain in the ass to pick/clean-up...especially because he likes to eat his own shit and goes at least three times a day, so we have to do it right away in the backyard (obviously we do it when we're away from the house as well).

The bag is almost empty and we're contemplating a change in food. I know you're not suppose to change your dog's food often, but I don't want another month of trying to pick up runny dog shit. Anyone gone through something similar and found a dog food that makes your dog shit bricks instead of pudding?



[Edited on February 11, 2016 at 3:15 PM. Reason : .]

2/11/2016 3:14:10 PM

I'd try to find something low in fiber

2/11/2016 3:19:58 PM

^That's the exact opposite of anything I've read/heard for soft stools. Our vet recommends green beans or canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling) to stiffen up our dog's poops. Worked great when she had issues with her anal gland.

2/11/2016 3:42:08 PM

^ Did something similar with our older dog (anal gland issues...gave him pumpkin puree).

Probably going to start adding pumpkin to the young one as well. Also saw that someone mentioned fruitables dog treats. Might give that a shot too.

^ Also read the same thing about fiber.

2/11/2016 3:46:04 PM

Giving organic pumpkin puree to both of the dogs now (older one for anal glands, younger one for more solid poop)...and both seem to be working pretty well. Older dog is now shitting bricks and we haven't had anal gland issues in a while. Younger dog's poop is getting more solid by the day. Much easier to pick up now.

Also started giving the younger dog this:



And it seems to be working pretty well. He use to poop and eat it right away. Now he's pooping and leaving it alone...which gives us time to pick it up. It's also not that expensive. Would recommend if anyone else is having the same issue.

2/18/2016 11:48:06 AM

If you didn't hear about it, a few months back a shelter got raided in Hoke county and some 650 animals in very bad condition got seized. Next weekend many of them are going up for adoption at a big adoption drive in Sanford- no adoption fee, will be spayed/neutered and chipped. March 18-20, 10am-6pm 2215 Nash St Sanford.

http://www.wral.com/hundreds-of-dogs-cats-seized-in-hoke-raid-now-ready-for-adoption/15512530/

Probably gonna go at least check it out...might come home with another cat too.

3/10/2016 1:18:16 PM

^+1

3/10/2016 1:26:45 PM

Does anyone have suggestions for dog park etiquette? I love bringing my corgi and dachshund, but some people's dogs are just WRETCHED! I was walking in the other day and someone's lab mix jumped on me immediately and starting nipping at dachshund who I was carrying. I kept pushing it away and the owner was lazily going "Stop...don't jump" but made no move to help. Would you be offended if your dog was doing that and I kneed it away?

3/12/2016 11:04:31 AM

Whether or not a person would be offended is irrelevant when it comes to your and your dog's safety. Dogs in general should be trained to greet others properly. A dog that can't do that shouldn't really be at the dog park, imo.

Anyone ever built an outdoor run for the cats? I envision something that connect to a first floor window and allows them to walk out of the house but still be enclosed.

3/17/2016 9:31:06 AM

Quote :

"Whether or not a person would be offended is irrelevant when it comes to your and your dog's safety. Dogs in general should be trained to greet others properly. A dog that can't do that shouldn't really be at the dog park, imo."

Yeah this is totally true. Our favorite dog park is essentially 100+ acres of hiking trails in the mountains and they'll be dogs coming from every direction covered in mud from the stream. Typically bad behaved dogs are quickly identified. Usually people are pretty good about not bringing them.

However our aussie/collie does like to herd all the other dogs up.

[Edited on March 17, 2016 at 9:55 AM. Reason : s]

3/17/2016 9:48:58 AM

Some feels for you today:

https://www.facebook.com/insiderpeople/videos/502450003295970/

3/17/2016 1:54:21 PM

To anyone who has lost a pet:

Looking back now, is there anything you wish you had done in your pet's final days that you didn't?

Does anyone have experience with any at home euthanasia services in the area? I see a few on google but wanted to know if you guys had any experiences.

3/19/2016 5:53:22 PM

^ Here is a thread on The Brickyard (PackPride's non-sports forum) about someone's dog dying and they used a local service and several people chimed in on it being great and definitely worth it:

http://www.scout.com/college/north-carolina-state/forums/2531-the-brickyard/14598609-said-goodbye-to-my-buddy-this-morning

"Lap of Love" is the one that was brought up several times.


We think we might have an issue with our dog. On the left is a picture of him a few months ago. He was close to 90 lbs and very hairy (normal for his breed). On the right is a recent picture of him. He's now closer to 80 lbs and obviously much less hairy. He's almost 4 years old and he's never lost hair like this, or weight. He's had no change in his diet, eating habits, or stool. No throwing up. We also haven't noticed any change in his demeanor.



The only big change is that we've been fostering my in-law's one-year dog. The new dog definitely has a ton of energy, is much more needy, and takes a lot of attention away from our dog. With that being said, we make sure to give him tons of attention to make up for it. While not a bully or physically aggressive, the new pup is more of an alpha and can be very pushy. Our dog is extremely laid back, so he tends to get taken advantage of.

We're wondering if it's just stress that has caused the hair and weight loss. Has anyone had a similar experience with introducing a new dog into the home? Unfortunately we will be keeping the new dog until at least the end of the summer (when the in-laws retire down here and take him back). We don't want to wait that long to see if he improves, so we're going to take him to the vet and get some blood work done.

3/21/2016 11:57:41 AM

:bring bring bring:

Hello?

Hi, this is your son in law, find somewhere else to board your dog or it's getting dropped off at the pound

Solved.

3/21/2016 2:02:17 PM

Ha. I love my in-laws and their dog is great...he just acts like a puppy because he is a puppy.

They dropped $70k on our wedding...the least I can do is take care of (and train) their dog for a bit. They pay for anything we buy him (or we have to purchase because he fucks something up...like yardwork because he likes to dig holes). I imagine we're going to get at least a year or two of free dinners when they finally move down here.

3/21/2016 2:09:43 PM

Just found out one of my dogs has heart worms

He was a rescue and has been on heartworm medication since we've had him, so must have got them before we adopted, but not long enough before that it showed up on initial tests. Anyone here been through the treatment process? I'm mostly concerned with the full month of zero exercise after he gets his shots. Right now I walk him about 2 miles every day and he is free to run in our large yard all day. Not looking forward to having him locked up in a kennel for all that time.

4/5/2016 8:46:39 AM

^One of my dogs had it when adopted. The treatment itself is pretty easy. It's just injections near the tail spread over a few months. It was kind of hard to keep her from being active afterwards, but she's a small dog and had been a breeder and I don't think was cared for well so she was kind of lethargic anyway. The injection itself doesn't seem to slow them down any. Maybe you can talk to your vet about getting something to sedate your dog for awhile?

4/5/2016 9:07:21 AM

BTTT...


the last couple of times we've bathed our dog her back has broken out considerably. It looks to be some sort of folliculitis and they're really tender and i can tell it hurts when we pet her or rub against them the wrong way.

The bath before last they bumps went away after about 2 full weeks, but this most recent time they appeared a lot faster and are much more visible.

Two notes...we changed shampoo (but both were oatmeal based) and also made sure we rinsed extremely well. any thoughts?

10/13/2016 2:38:37 PM

I got nothing...but I would just start googling the main ingredients in each shampoo and see if any showed the symptoms you are seeing. If that didn't go anywhere, then I'd probably just take my dog to the vet after the next occurrence. And obviously, would shy away from the oatmeal based stuff next time.

10/13/2016 2:56:24 PM

Anyone have any recommendations for hot spot treatment?

10/13/2016 2:58:47 PM

^to heal it or prevent dog from aggravating it?

10/13/2016 3:16:45 PM

both? but i'll settle for the latter.

10/13/2016 6:29:04 PM

client I used to sit for swore by Burt's Bees Itch Soothing Spray with Honeysuckle for Dogs, I haven't had to test it myself though. Her dog had a crazy amount of skin and allergy issues, allergic to EVERYTHING poor guy, but they used a few things that would help it out until they finally got the right medicine combo. I can't remember the other thing they used, but I distinctively remember this stuff

https://www.chewy.com/burts-bees-itch-soothing-spray/dp/121647?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=hg&utm_content=Burt%27s%20Bees&utm_term=&gclid=CLeztqTP3s8CFVEvgQodEfgOMQ&gclsrc=aw.ds

[Edited on October 16, 2016 at 1:47 AM. Reason : .]

10/16/2016 1:45:49 AM

Jeepin, Burt's Bee's also makes hypoallergenic dog shampoo that I use for my allergy-prone poodle. I'd recommend giving that a try since the oatmeal shampoos are aggravating the problem.

10/16/2016 4:46:08 PM

^^ thx much!

10/16/2016 5:05:53 PM

thanks!

10/17/2016 8:06:07 AM

BTTT...

so our pit-mix has started favoring her right rear leg, but it's not all the time. It happened one time after running at the dog park and now it's happened the last two visits to dog camp (once per week). She doesn't show any pain when we or the vet applies pressure or stretches/manipulates the leg. And once she's rested for a short period of time she is fine. Doesn't affect her on walks, going up and down the stairs, or playing at home. I'm scared that it could lead to an ACL tear, but the fact that she isn't favoring it during her normal routine is what puzzles me. Thoughts?

3/13/2018 11:34:18 AM

torn ACLs are more common in dogs than hip dysplasia. YOLO

3/13/2018 5:17:37 PM

Maybe muscles cramps or a strained muscle that becomes inflamed or irritated with the running/exercise (as opposed to everyday walking)?

3/13/2018 6:10:58 PM

yeah it could be. at dog camp yesterday she played really hard in the morning session and started limping so they put her up so she could rest. During the afternoon they said they did 30 minutes on and 30 minutes off and she showed no signs of limping or pain at all.

3/14/2018 11:42:54 AM

did they do imaging? was the knee swollen or anything?

is the dog overweight?

3/14/2018 12:02:10 PM

no, no, and no. she's right at her optimal weight, active, no swelling.

3/14/2018 2:07:10 PM

How old is the dog? Sometimes (just like in people) a small injury like a muscle pull can reoccur or be aggravated with exercise, especially in older dogs. My 7yo GSD pulled something in her leg months ago, and she still limps on it a day or so after any strenuous exercise. We've just tapered off her exercise, and done longer, slower walks rather than 50yd sprints with the frisbee. It sucks when dogs start getting old =/

That being said. I'm neither a vet nor a vet tech... just giving my $.02

3/14/2018 5:41:40 PM

She's four. But i think you're right. When she first gets to the dog park or dog camp she goes at full speed. So i think she probably tweaked something that very first time and keeps reaggravating it.

3/15/2018 2:44:24 PM

Four seems a little young for that to be happening, especially if she's been active for a while leading up to the injury. But, I'd just maybe take a month break from the dog park and day care if you're able. But keep up your walking routine. See what happens. Good Luck!

3/16/2018 7:41:48 AM

so... we're starting to think that she may be faking the injury in order to get away from other dogs or when she wants to be left alone. She spent the weekend with my parents and their dog where she has free reign to run around and not once showed a limp. After a full weekend of hard playing and wrestling and running full speed around the yard no signs of any soreness, limping, or hurt leg.

3/19/2018 9:38:59 AM

Does anyone give their pets a CBD/Hemp supplement? They seem to help my dogs, but jebus they are $texas. Anyone found an affordable source for them?

7/5/2018 4:53:02 PM

Dog/Pot Discussion

7/5/2018 9:44:56 PM

You could just hotbox them.



Just saw the picture of my dog above. He actually ended up having a pretty major surgery after I posted that. He had a displaced colon..which apparently is common in horses, but can occur in larger dogs. Our vet had a vet-friend who specializes in these surgeries come down and cut him open, basically took out all of his intestines, and moved his colon back and stapled it in place. He's now back to 100% (except for his damn skin allergies..which he takes stuff to help, but its just really bad this time of the year). We thought we were going to have to pay texa$ (I was thinking anywhere from $5k to $10k because of the specialized vet, two overnight stays over the weekend, etc)....but the specialized vet didn't charge anything because he really wanted to do the surgery on a dog and our vet is just the shit and it was only a couple grand. Our dog wasn't eating while he was staying over night, so the vet went and got him a rotisserie chicken from Harris Teeter and hand fed him. And when my picky dog wouldn't eat the left over chicken the next night...he went and got him another hot-and-fresh one.

[Edited on July 6, 2018 at 8:45 AM. Reason : .]

7/6/2018 8:38:39 AM

That's good to hear!


We learned our dog has Floating Knee. No surgery right now. Just supplements including fish oil and glucosamine and plenty of rest between play sessions.

7/6/2018 10:21:43 AM

Y’all think Vets get a kickback from “Science Diet” food or what?

Overpriced vomit in a can from what I can tell.

9/10/2018 6:25:03 PM

^ when our cat was sick, it was the only thing it'd eat... not sure what they were putting in there but the cat would nom it down like there was no tomorrow

9/10/2018 11:39:57 PM

My dog is the best

9/13/2018 4:24:24 PM

Dog Owners -

What are your experiences with bringing a second dog into the family? Looking for things that you found to be easier or harder in the long run. Things outside of the obvious (more $, more food, more hair, etc).

9/24/2018 8:42:03 AM

So you know, mine are big. So the biggest downside is food consumption but, they are more fun to play with they have become his and hers dogs.

Really once they are trained its almost all pros just less space on the couch now... ohh and if you have hardwoods they'll die faster because the kids will play in the house. Its usually worth it to watch them.

and honestly i joke that they are eachother's emotional support animals.

9/24/2018 7:34:32 PM

Anyone ever have to do an ACL repair on a dog. Any recommendations on where or ideas on costs?

10/26/2018 3:12:48 PM

Friend's dag had 2 ACLs, both done at a place called Wake North Animal Hospital in Wake Forest. Think they were < $1k, but that was 6+ years ago and the place has since been sold, but still operating so i'd check with them. Someone else had one done more recently at NC State Vet Hospital and think it was like $4k. I'd imagine those would be the two rough extremes.

10/26/2018 4:11:47 PM

^Thanks

Yeah there are a couple different types of procedures, one we are looking at is anywhere from $2500~3000 so in the ballpark there with what I'm seeing but will look into the place mentioned.

10/29/2018 10:56:12 AM