Buffy, my brown cocker spaniel, who many of you met at BlogPaws has a health issue. I don’t know if I could have done anything to stop what happened, but I could have reduced her suffering last weekend—if I had only paid more attention and done a bit of research.
Dog Diseases
Tick Season – Is it time to change your routine?
- What do you use for a flea and tick preventative?
- Do you use the same product year after year since it works?
- Did someone recommend the product?
- With new stories about flea and tick preventives available, are you rethinking your usual strategy? I know I am.
For many years, I was against using flea and tick pesticides on my dog.
Why is my dog scratching his face?
Chipper, my cocker spaniel, rubbed the left side of his face everywhere, on my legs, the kitchen cabinets, even on the asphalt driveway. He would scratch at his face, but not to the point of damaging the skin, so I couldn’t tell exactly where he itched.
He drooled puddles of saliva while he sat patiently hoping for a tidbit while my husband and I ate dinner. I frequently grabbed paper towels to wipe a string of slime from his jowls. Every morning I used a fine-toothed comb to remove most of the dried gook, which collected on his neck and the inside tip of his long droopy ear. His white jaw and neck developed a brown stain. Chipper normally wasn’t such a drooly, itchy dog.
Bad Dog Breath – Why You Should Clean their Teeth
“Come Buddy,” I motioned my arm for my sister’s deaf twelve year-old cocker spaniel to approach me as I sat on the kitchen floor, toothbrush in hand. He patiently sat in front of me while I inserted his new toothbrush into his mouth. He had just moved in with me since my sister didn’t think he would survive the four-day drive to California where she was re-locating.
I turned my head away as he exhaled a rotten egg smell. His yellow and black teeth suffered from years of neglect. I only hoped I could reduce his bad breath by starting a daily brushing routine. His foul breath prevented me from giving him many hugs and pets he needed at this time of transition so late in his life.
Wobbly Gait in Dogs – Is it Serious?
Cassie tripped as she walked on the driveway, caught herself and kept walking toward me. How many times had this happened today? At least ten, or was it closer to twenty? I watched her walk, awkwardly curving to the left. My vet thought she had arthritis in opposite legs, causing her to trip and walk abnormally. A week later, she couldn’t walk and was diagnosed with a brain tumor. We had to put her down less than a week later as her condition deteriorated.
Ataxia or abnormal gait, takes many different forms, most of which are neurological, although there could be joint issues such as arthritis.
Ear Infections – Yuk!
On a Sunday morning in early August, I sat on the kitchen floor with a brush, comb, toothbrush, poultry flavored toothpaste, eye drops, ear cleaner and cotton balls in a pile next to me, while I called Buffy to come to me; a typical grooming session for both cocker spaniels. Sundays and Wednesdays were ear-cleaning days, while tooth brushing, combing, and eye drops were included every morning. Chipper’s ears were normal, a little bit of brownish wax, but Buffy had one clean ear and one ear with thick brown gook on the cotton ball that I had rubbed inside her ear. Yuk – probably an ear infection.
West Nile Virus in Dogs – is it a problem?
Here in northern Illinois we are at the height of mosquito season anytime we go outside near the grass or shrubs. Stepping on the lawn to pick up your dog’s morning dump causes a wave of mosquitoes to rise up to your bare legs, instigating a dance as you swat one, then another ,and another of these blood thirsty fiends.
Leptospirosis
Does your vet ask you if your dog drinks out of puddles and streams? I discourage puddles, but lying in a stream and gulping cool water on a hot summer day, now that’s a water dog, or at least a hot dog trying to cool off.
The Decision
Deciding if it is time to put your best friend down has to be one of the hardest decisions to make.
- Is it too soon?
- Will the dog get better?
- What is her quality of life?
