Trouble controlling big dog during walks?
Gentle leaders work very well. Its a harness that goes over the nose so when the dog starts to pull their nose gets turned toward you therefore making pulling impossible. The downside of a gentle leader is that inexperienced people think it is a muzzle on your dog and get scared your dog is aggressive. Note that this is not a permanent fix, your dog is still going to pull whenever he doesn't have it on. Use the gentle leader to aid in your training of the heel command! Train faithfully and in several weeks to a couple months you will have no need for the training tool!
My dog suddenly couldn't walk on her hind legs. She seems fine now. What's wrong?
Something you may want to have your dog tested for is IVDD (Inter-Vascular Disc Disease). Dog’s that have longer bodies than normal can get this degenerative disease. I suspect my Boston Terrier has it, and he was just about 4 years old now when he first started exhibiting symptoms, which was a sudden inability to walk, hind legs were shaking, and he was whimpering (probably because he was scared, not because he was in pain).If we over-exercise him or he runs too hard, he’ll limp for a day or two afterward.Take your dog to a vet to be sure. There are tests they can do to rule out IVDD. If your dog does have it, you’ll have to take it easy on her walks and make sure she doesn’t over do it. Plus, you can massage the hind legs and lower spine on a regular basis to give your dog some relief and to promote greater mobility. I don’t think there is a cure for it.
Chihuahua leg problems?
Yep sounds like patella luxation. Grade one and two are fairly painless, and the dogs can kick their knees back in line. Grade three and grade four are crippling, and they will lose straight shape, hurt to stand on, and the knees will rotate and the hips get out of joint, and your dog will become miserable. Grade 3 and 4 need surgery and not getting them surgery could get you in trouble with animal control for neglect. Grade 2 can turn into grade 3 or 4...or stay the way it is. You need a consultation with a vet, to get his advice on how mild or severe your problem is, and if surgery is needed. The fact that your dogs grandmother, has really bad legs, is not a good sign. If the relatives are ok, and your dogs problem is only and occassional slip out... less to worry about, that could have been caused by letting the dog jump on and off furniture , or off steps when it was under age 2. I'm founder of SugarNSpice Chihuahuas. See my profile. Trust me, it's worth getting to a vet, surgery in time is much cheaper and works much better than waiting too long.
Can a dog on prednisone be taken for walks and runs?
prednisone is not a good way to help allergies. it might help the symptoms temporarily but that's it. yes steroids have many side effects including liver and kidney failure. if i were you what i would do is see a different vet and look into healthier ways to treat your dog. depending on his age and whether he has a healthy heart to begin with, you should ask a vet this question..but a better vet than the one who prescribed pred. add: *sigh* since people will refuse to think out side what their vet says, at least add Milk Thistle to your dog's diet to help the liver (and kidneys too), and you can add fish oil (only omega 3) that may help the heart. Taurine also is good for the heart. I do not know whether it can help with the side effects of pred though. The milk thistle will definately help and no side effects. But unless my dog was in pain that could not be managed any other way, there's no way I'd put them on prednisone. add2: I never recommend pumpkin, and when I see it asked I always say not to give it because it masks symptoms, raises the glycemic index, and may cause slight dependency for normal stools. you should do a little more research about holistic health, but i doubt you want to. That doesn't hurt me, only your dog. if my dog had excema or asthma, I would address and treat the cause, not just treat the symptoms. superstition? you really have no idea, Add3: Has he been tested for diseases that can cause itchy skin instead of allergies? Well prednisone will help with any pain but it cures nothing. It treats symptoms, and imo it's side effects are usually worse than any benefits that could have been gotten in a safer way. You may want to consult with this person if you're willing to http://www.aquilinedanes.com/Homeopathy.... who is very reputable and has healed many dogs. It can't hurt at this point.
Why does a dog take so long to recover from panting after exercise?
How much exercise is involved? A run down the block is different from taking a one-mile run or playing ball for a half-hour or so.Dogs pant to release body heat, like humans perspire. If a dog pants for an unreasonably long time after mild exercise, have him checked by your vet. He could have physical problems.If you perspire for a few minutes after a run, that’s normal. You don’t stop perspiring when you stop—you stop perspiring when your body has reached normal temperature. The longer and the more strenuous exercise will heat your body so that it keeps perspiring 10 minutes or so after you stop.The same thing is true for dogs: they pant until their body temp reaches normal. If you want to shorten this, offer cool water. If the dog appears to be in distress, covering him with a wet towel might help, especially if the humidity is low. Cold towels on the back of his head will help. If he his breathing hasn’t slowed after five minutes of treating him, go to the vet—emergency clinic if necessary. He could have heat stroke. Keep him as cool as possible on your way to the vet.Dogs will sometimes overheat themselves trying to keep up with their human whether it’s running or play. Short-snouted dogs are far more sensitive to overheating than dogs with more normal sized snouts.Be aware of how long it takes your dog to recover from exercise, so you can tell if he’s in trouble. They can go beyond their abilities trying to please their people.
Is there such a thing as over exercising a dog? Will she become grumpy with to long a walk? My dog is fearful (barks and growls) at strangers and have heard that getting energy out can help.
Yes, just like humans, dogs can be over exercised. Especially older dogs, who should be taken on short walks as a rule. Sore muscles, joint damage, heat exhaustion, and paw damage are just a few things to consider when starting exercise. Be sure to hydrate often, I always carry a bottle of water for my dogs on walks.Even young dogs who want to "go and go" should have distances increased gradually to avoid injury. Paw pads can easily suffer an injury such blisters, burns, sores, etc. Again, start slow and work your way up to longer distances. Keep in mind if the pavement or sidewalk is too hot for your bere feet, it's too hot for your pets feet also. There is a product I use for snow (and heat) called "Musher's Wax" that helps protect paws.You mentioned your dog is showing signs of fear/agression toward strangers. A lot of times this is caused by a lack of socialization during their first year. While exercise will help in some dogs, you need to speak with your vet about local trainers in your area that can help you with this issue. At least get some advice based on your breed, dog's age, your location (city or rural), etc. Simply put it is too dangerous to take a chance on someone getting bit until you have some strategy's in mind on how to train them.Hope that helps .
My 14 yr old dogs back legs are weak she has a lot of trouble walking & keeps falling. What should I do?
dog is 14 years old. Her back legs cross when she tries to walk then they give out and she falls down. We have tried arthritis medicine it makes her feel better but then she falls a lot more