Bad news from the vet

[rebelcowboysnb]

Bad Vet!........ No Chew Toy!

 

[chickerdoodle]

I give heartworm preventive along with the flea meds once a month as it is seen in my area and having seen it firsthand I would not risk it.

There are safer preventatives now as well. Where I live its not uncommon to pay $300-400 for a dental if x-rays are done and the pet is on IV Fluids and given pain meds if additional work needs to be done. A routine cleaning is closer to $300.

Hard natural bones do break teeth--again I've seen it firsthand. I was a certified technician for many years before I became an animal behaviorist. It all depends on the dog and how healthy their teeth and gums are and their chewing style. My dogs have always been voracious chewers and we give frozen KONGS to them (with a yummy treat inside) and Nylabones as well as lots of toys. If the dog just gnaws on the bone it may be fine but some actually try to chew it and can crack a tooth if its a really hard bone.

Some bones splinter which can cause other problems (some quite serious if they swallow the splinters) so it is a decision you need to make for each individual whether or not it would be safe.

As for the hips, its hard to say without an x-ray if your dog truly has HD. It is not somthing you have to jump in and do right away if the dog is not limping or in pain. I agree with giving Glucosmaine Chondroiten tablets daily.

Parvo--any age can get it. I've seen puppies to adult dogs get it. It is a miserable and possibly fatal virus if not treated--and some die even with the long and expensive treatment. As for the DHP and Parvo vaccines I get a titer done annually to see if she needs another vaccine. It's been over 4 years since her last vaccine (except rabies--they need to have it every 3 years by law) and her titers are still high so I haven't needed to re-vaccinate. Its better to not over vaccinate any animal to help prevent auto-immune disorders . The latest research is saying rabies vaccines give protective titers at least for 7 years so far so I hope the law that dictates every 3 years for rabies changes too.

 

[chickerdoodle]

Quote:

 

[bock]

Chickerdoodle, I appreciate your input! I was aware that the dental cleaning could cost anywhere between $100 and $800. I just thought she might be able to tell if she needed a cleaning without x-rays. I agree that bones *could* break their teeth or splinter. I take all the steps to make sure it doesn't happen. I do not give them weight-bearing bones or small, breakable bird bones. I supervise them the entire time they chew and I only let them have it for 30-45 minutes at a time. Thanks for the Glucosmaine tip! I think I will definitely look into getting some. She has also had a parvo vaccine before, I think it was 2 years ago. She is also due for her three year Rabies in January. I want my dogs to be as healthy as possible, and I think minimal vaccines are a good start. I will probably be contacting the holistic vet soon. I might start bringing all my dogs and cats there.

 

[Akane]

All dogs probably need heartworm preventative irregardless where you live in the US. It's not a dog specific problem and is carried by mosquitos so if you have mosquitos you are at risk. Even in colder climates it's best to give it year round because it takes many months of heartworm preventative to kill any missed worms that have established themselves. It is possible for some wildlife particularly canids like coyotes and foxes to carry illnesses your dog might get even if it never leaves your property in the country. I don't really believe the vaccinations need to be done yearly though. We have to do them because our dogs go to the dogpark, petstores, and obedience or agility classes. Plus occasionally boarding one of them. I wish I had the money to do titers and vaccinate only when it was really necessary.

A dog should be supervised when first chewing on anything until you know your dog well. They can break teeth on a variety of approved chew toys as well. Nylabones and frozen black kongs have caused broken teeth before. They can choke on about anything too. If you listened to every story of a dog dying or nearly dying from something there'd be nothing left they could play with or chew on. Every person has their own items they think no dog should ever have because those are they ones they've happened to see a dog do something weird with. If my dogs are gulping something or chewing too hard I take the item away and give them something else for awhile. Later when they are no longer in the same mood I can usually let them have it again. No raw bones chewed properly should splinter. Only cooked bones or gulpers that don't chew right and ingest large pieces have that problem.

 

[Rammy]

Dogs of any age can get Parvo. Its horrific and deadly and can kill your dog in days. It doesnt matter if you live in the country. Parvo can travel in ground water and can live in the ground up to seven years. A dog with Parvo can leave a "present" in your yard that you never would know it passed thru your property and of course, probably wont see the deposit, and this can infect your dog. Get the shot. If you dont want to pay the vet, go to TSC or CO-OP and get them for a couple dollars. If you care about your dog, you should. I would also see about the teeth cleaning. Small dogs, especially chihuahua's have the same amount of teeth in thier mouth as a doberman. Thats why they have such problems with thier teeth. I would get Petcals, a calcuim supplement to help with the hips. Poor dog might of come from a puppy mill, but he should get the best care possible while you have him.


Rammy

 

[chickerdoodle]

Quote:
You are correct! You always need to be there when a dog is chewing anything. I don't use Black Kongs as I like the Kong to give a little and do replace KONGs more frequently than most. I do this because I freeze them and to clean them I put them in the dishwasher.

I used to hand wash them but find its too hard to clean the inside of them once food has been put in them. I also give our dog Natural Rubber toys by "Tough by Nature," Planet Dog Orbee Tuff Orbee Balls (a special non toxic compound) as well as Chuckit Ultra Balls. She LOVES all of them!

Bottom line --think of them as toddlers--never take your eyes off them if they have a toy or a something in their mouth!

 

[Tala]

Another vote for Orbee balls!!!! Hawk LOVES them!!
Unfortunately they quit carrying them locally here, used to get them at Target......Ordering the online is a lil pricy and the neighbor's Boxer mix ended up with the last one I bought

Yes dogs are a lot like perpetual toddlers. Some mature a bit, but some are ever-puppies!

 

[lasergrl]

I think I see a misunderstanding but could be wrong. They may be suggesting an xray of the heart because of the murmur, or they might be saying they need xrays to determine of any of the teeth need pulled. You dont xray to determine if a dental is needed, you just look. A good vet wont even consider anethesia without a heartworm test, and usually an xray of a heart with a murmur to make sure its ok to put them under.
Ive seen adult dogs get parvo BTW. BUT the vaccines do last a long time now.

 

[lemurchaser]

A good dental cleaning often includes x-rays. Just like with people. It's the only way to tell if there are problems in the root. You can decline the x-rays, but I know a veterinary dental specialist who would consider it very bad practice to pull a tooth without x-rays. If she just needs a cleaning though, and there are no loose or damaged teeth then you could ask to do it without.

The vet is absolutely right about those items could break a tooth, but its up to you whether it is worth the risk. Veterinary medicine is a tough field, to be a good vet they have to tell you about the best care possible, which might include ways to prevent teeth getting broken, dental x-rays, etc. It can be a liability if they don't recommend it, but you can always talk with them and find a solution that works better for your budget. If you don't have a vet that will take the time to explain why when you ask, then maybe try someone else.

You should probably get a heartworm test done, and then start on monthly preventive. It should not decrease their immune system, there have been no studies that even suggest that. And heartworm can kill your dog. Studies about how effective various methods are can be found, so I would pick one that works for you and stick with it.

If you don't want to vaccinate yearly you can always do a vaccine titer level. This will show how much immunity your dog has to a certain virus. I just did my dogs and my dog was at risk for parvo after 5 years since her last vaccine. I do the puppy series and 1 year old boosters and then titer until they need to be revaccinated. Dogs are not immune for life, just longer than the vaccine says. And each dog will be different, depending on their immune system. I always vaccinate for rabies though, that should always be kept current.