I have a dog fight emergency. Please help.

[Katy]

My vet has prescribed aspirin for my dogs before. Not ok for cats, but it is for dogs.

 

[Opa]

Sad to say I went through 3 years of dog fights. I had 2 female JRTs. Turns out it is quite common for female dogs to fight. Ours got along great for 7 years and then they started fighting over everything and nothing. They would be playing one minute and tearing each other apart the next. The fights were severe enough to require stitches. It happened so often and became so expensive I started super gluing them. Five minutes after a fight they would be back to playing with each other. We tried everything but the fights were increasing in frequency and severity. When one started snapping at us and then the granddaughter it was time for her to go. Be warned, females very often fight.

 

[jjthink]

I just wanted to add that I'm sorry to hear the vets around you wouldn't be kind enough to allow payments. I received the same response from one of my vets at a particularly difficult time - I think the bill that day was something like $3,000 (this isn't a a typo). They had known me for 20 years and I had paid thousands and thousands of dollars to them over the years with pets and rescues, and always paid in full at time of service. They knew I would do anything for any beings in my care - and always had - I had hoped they would be more helpful but I got to see just how 'corporate' they really were and it still stings.

At one time I was going to be a vet. There is no doubt I would be the poorest one out there, because there is no way that I could act like that or turn away any being in need no matter what.

JJ

 

[Anny]

Quote:
Spaying your females will decrease the urge to fight. (but not get rid of it all together) Are your girls spayed?

JRT are evil hahaha they are the most snap happy dog I've ever come across.

A lot of human society and shelter offer very low cost (and some times free if your income is low enough) spaying.

 

[TurtleChick]

glad that all is (somewhat) well for now! a word on pain relief for dogs: NO tylenol, NO ibuprofen - both exceedingly toxic to dogs (their livers do not process the same way ours do). you can safely give aspirin, but frequently a high enough dose to give effective pain relief can cause intestinal issues. poopy sore dogs is NOT what you need right now!

i'd call your vet and see if they'd tell you what a safe dose of aspirin would be, and give it a tentative try. but at the first sign of soft poops, i'd quit. otherwise, maybe they'd be willing to just dispense some good pain meds without seeing the dogs, if you could afford that?

good luck. hope everyone feels better soon (including you!)!

 

[jjthink]

Quote:
Just a quick clarification for cat folk out there - I don't want to interfere with the OP's post, but in case this helps any cat folk reading this - lots of people are advised not to give aspirin to cats so Katy's impression is the same many have. And it's an understandable impression given the info that circulates "out there". The real scoop on this is that aspirin is often prescribed by vets for cats but proper dosage is crucial, as is the abscence of certain health problems. For a cat without kidney or liver problems, a small dose of 1/2 baby aspirin once every 3 days is at times prescribed by vets for pain management. I work with several vets offices for my cats rescues and pets and that is the usual dose. I've given it for cats with extensive dental work and a lot of mouth pain, cats with pain from arthritis, etc. It can bring tremendous relief but it is crucial that the recommended dosage AND frequency not be exceeded - cats process aspirin much slower than humans do so it stays in their system longer. In the right circumstances it makes all the difference in the kitty's quality of life. I've watched totally pained faces turn to peaceful, content faces an hour after their 1/2 baby aspirin. Just have to be very very careful to count the days correctly so as not to overdo it. There will be vets who won't prescribe it and someone on BYC I'm sure will know one or more but just getting it out there that many do - including a state of the art east coast veterinary hospital I bring many a furry to - and it can be really helpful in the right circumstance.Someday the intelligence on this might swing in one direction or the other but this is the thinking out there right now.
JJ

 

[sundance]

my GS pitt jumped my yorkie and we had to take him to the vet. He has been our vet for 7 years and my DD for even longer and he would not take payments, so we had to borrow the $250.00 he had to have, He washed J,R. puncture out with Peroxide and put a rubber drain in them. I went by the co-op and bought a bottle of penicillin and since i take shots saved the needles and cleaned them with alcohol, now my SIL gives any one shot if they need it.He's the ony vet in town, but I don't take my dogs in like I used to, Now we give all the shots except rabies, and we hit the rabies clinic for that.Keep the wounds clean, you can buy sterile water at most hospital supply stores, and keep antibotics on them. Let us knowwho they do.will be thinking of you aspirin willhelp to.butIwould give only a baby aspirin or halfan adult. marrie

 

[Opa]

Both of my dogs were spayed and extremely obedient except when the urge to fight hit them. The all hell would break loose. Flaps of skin hanging, teeth pulled out, blood everywhere. I don't see how anyone could enjoy going to a dog fight. When mine would fight I would feel devastated.

 

[Katy]

Quote:
Just a quick clarification for cat folk out there - I don't want to interfere with the OP's post, but in case this helps any cat folk reading this - lots of people are advised not to give aspirin to cats so Katy's impression is the same many have. And it's an understandable impression given the info that circulates "out there". The real scoop on this is that aspirin is often prescribed by vets for cats but proper dosage is crucial, as is the abscence of certain health problems. For a cat without kidney or liver problems, a small dose of 1/2 baby aspirin once every 3 days is at times prescribed by vets for pain management. I work with several vets offices for my cats rescues and pets and that is the usual dose. I've given it for cats with extensive dental work and a lot of mouth pain, cats with pain from arthritis, etc. It can bring tremendous relief but it is crucial that the recommended dosage AND frequency not be exceeded - cats process aspirin much slower than humans do so it stays in their system longer. In the right circumstances it makes all the difference in the kitty's quality of life. I've watched totally pained faces turn to peaceful, content faces an hour after their 1/2 baby aspirin. Just have to be very very careful to count the days correctly so as not to overdo it. There will be vets who won't prescribe it and someone on BYC I'm sure will know one or more but just getting it out there that many do - including a state of the art east coast veterinary hospital I bring many a furry to - and it can be really helpful in the right circumstance.Someday the intelligence on this might swing in one direction or the other but this is the thinking out there right now.
JJ

My vet is one of those who says it can kill a cat. He has prescribed other pain meds when my cats needed them. I'm not willing to chance it.

 

[jjthink]

It's of course up to every person to do what they think is best - no need at all to explain - I just wanted to relay a more complete picture about aspirin and cats since it is not simply "not okay for cats" when major hospitals are recommending it in many cases. There are indeed other pain meds; unfortunately many of them can have undesirable side effects - so there's no one thing that is without any risk - drat to that!

OP, I hope things will work out.
JJ