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Dogs sleep about twice as much as humans in general, so if you're home as opposed to at work, you might notice that your dog is sleeping around you, rather than sleeping while you're away. That said, dogs can't get rid of excess heat as efficiently as humans, so your dog might be sleeping through the discomfort of being hot. Try putting ice cubes in their water bowl, freezing and serving chicken broth cubes or peanut butter in a kong toy. You can also take them to a local beach if that's an option for you. This courtesy of my girlfriend: you can get a fan and put cool but not cold water on their inner thighs and tummy (where their skin is more exposed) and let the water evaporate and cool them off. Sleeping can be a sign of heat distress.
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Jul 4, 2015 17:13
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Kurtofan posted:Is it ok for a dog to sleep all day during a heatwave? I stayed with my parents over my long Christmas/summer break last year/early this year (QLD Australia) when we had crazy hot weather. 40+ every day, starting early in the morning and going until well after dark, for weeks until we finally got a storm. The dogs were very tired out and wanted to do nothing but lie around all day, only moving to drink water. Very much the same with people too. We made sure they had water, including ice water, in their favourite cool spots and the outside dog got a paddling pool of water put in one of his favourite shady spots, so that even if he didn't feel like drinking it or splashing around in it, it would cool him down. (Protip: if you're having an outside meal during a heatwave, soak plain sheets in water and then hang them around your outside area to make "walls" and it will cool you and your guests down immensely. So many Christmas lunches I would never have got through without this.) Inside dogs got fans too. Mostly the dogs just hung out in their favourite shady places and glared if you tried to take them elsewhere for a walk etc. So I'd personally say this is normal. However I am absolutely not a vet so don't take my word for it if you're worried. Sleeping a lot can also be a sign of other things going badly, so ask your vet too, and keep an eye on your dog. e: Oh, and we made sure that the long- or thick-haired dogs were well clipped and groomed (Border terrier and Maremma sheepdog). If you've been putting off grooming your dog (either by trimming or by pulling hair out with a Border terrier etc), now is a great time for your dog to do it. Also, remember dogs are naturally more nocturnal than humans, so in summer they're often going to sleep a lot more than usual. CROWS EVERYWHERE fucked around with this message at 00:11 on Jul 5, 2015 |
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Jul 5, 2015 00:05
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Sometimes my cat growls in her sleep. I don't really have a question except I'm wondering if anyone has ever seen their animal do this, and should I feel bad for laughing at her? 
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Jul 5, 2015 05:25
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Hummingbirds posted:Sometimes my cat growls in her sleep. I don't really have a question except I'm wondering if anyone has ever seen their animal do this, and should I feel bad for laughing at her? She is dreaming about being a giant sabre toothed cat and hunting down and eating puny mans! Cats and dogs do it all the time, it is fun to watch them.
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Jul 5, 2015 09:41
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Thanks for the advice.
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Jul 5, 2015 09:46
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My 14 yr old lab has been walking around on concrete all day and the pad on one of her paws ripped off and now she is limping. I made my made my pops take her back to their house but I am freaking out. Is there anything we can do?
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Jul 5, 2015 21:40
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My 4 year old husky cut one of her pads on a walk a few months ago. I went and got the car then drove her home and kept her inside for the rest of the night. She limped for a few days and was back to normal within 3 days I think. Just my experience.
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Jul 5, 2015 23:57
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Thank for the reassurance. My baby is showing her age so I am getting over-protective. Texted my mom this morning and she wrapped her foot in gauze and put a sock over it. 
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Jul 6, 2015 13:52
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Not an animal question directly, but I figure you are the forum to ask: I'll soon be moving into a new house that has a strong cat smell to it, plus some carpet stains. I'll be changing out the carpet / carpet pads, and may have to put some sort of sealant on the concrete underneath, but for places that I can't change, what's the best cat-smell-b-gone type products to use? I'm especially worried about floor vents, because those are set in the concrete and thus if the cat pissed into them, I've basically got nothing I can do beyond spraying something down 'em. Bobulus fucked around with this message at 07:53 on Jul 13, 2015 |
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Jul 13, 2015 07:50
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Natures Miracle
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Jul 13, 2015 13:24
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Nightmare Zone posted:Quick dog question: we have a dog that has some major issues with chewing his skin. We've gone to a vet about it and changed his diet, used all sorts of sprays, regular baths with all sorts of sensitive skin wash - but he keeps chewing himself up. Any suggestions? Go back to the vet about it. If you are 100% compliant (as you often have to be with derm issues) and things aren't getting better regardless then ask for referral to a dermatologist.
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Jul 13, 2015 13:50
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I adopted a chihuahua mix one year ago. Earlier this week my husband told me be is allergic and the dog has to go soon. He has had sinus related problems for a while. Runny nose, sneezing, especially in the morning. I also have a poodle mix that he may also be allergic to, but the poodle is not constantly in my arms and in the bed. My husband said he will probably see a doctor for diagnosis and treatment and I am minimizing contact with my dog, including keeping him off the bed. Also I will bathe him more and keep up on the dusting/mopping. If we do have to rehome the dog, I might be able to give him to a friend, or my parents that live several states away. I really adore this dog. The thought of sending him away AND never having dogs again borders on personal tragedy. I feel selfish that I want to keep him and resentment towards my husband for finally saying something. Had anyone else been in this situation? Any ways to minimize the allergy symptoms or my dog's allerginess? Do I really have to give up dogs?
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Jul 22, 2015 13:58
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A friend of mine is allergic to cats, loves cats, and owns four. She takes monthly allergy shots. Sometimes, allergen exposure causes people to become less allergic, sometimes more. If your husband is willing to work with an allergist, you will probably be able to find a solution.
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Jul 22, 2015 15:34
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My dad is super allergic to dogs and has also lived with dogs for about 20 years now. He takes allergy medicine and has an inhaler for when it gets bad. They also keep the dog out of the bedroom, have air filters going, cover the furniture when the dog is on it, and my mom vacuums a lot to keep the dander down. My dad is still pretty sneezy but he loves my mom and my mom loves her dog and they make it work. Talk to your husband and suggest you make some changes to your household to maybe try to cut down on the allergies before giving up the dog. Explain your feelings and if he's a good guy he'll be willing to at least give something a try. You may have to accept that his allergies are so bad that dogs aren't an option for him at this time though. It's totally ok to love your dog and not want to give up owning dogs forever, but it's also ok for him to want to be able to breathe.
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Jul 22, 2015 16:22
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Does anyone have a recommendation for pet GPS trackers? My sister lives out in the mountains and she had a scare after one of her dogs got lost for most of a day. A decent review site is also good! I tried googling but can't seem to sort the wheat from the chaff. Edit: we're not in the U.S. but I don't know if these devices are region specific or work like a car GPS?
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Jul 26, 2015 06:04
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I have a little Pom-Chihuahua who *used to * have a cyst that stuck out by his whisker; 'it would pretty routinely fill up and then drain naturally on its own. He rolled in something revolting in the yard and I ended up having to cut his fur a bit and when i did, I accidentally cut off the cyst near the base. He didn't seem to care at the time, or even notice, really, but now it is this bloody stumpy thing that doesn't seem to really heal. It isn't inflamed, there seems to be no pus but it doesn't go away, it just keeps leaking bloody discharge. My question is, how long does it take for one of these things to heal? He shows no sign of infection or it bothering him, so I don't know that he needs to specifically see a vet for it. Has anyone got experience with this? Edited for veterinarian advice--he's getting his cyst removed today. That's the answer, just cut the dang thing out. obviously I fucked it fucked around with this message at 14:03 on Oct 7, 2015 |
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Sep 29, 2015 01:04
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My dog occasionally has these sort of humping fits. He has never been much of a humper, but in this case he will have these bouts where it looks like he's twerking. He's on all fours when it happens. What's concerning is that it looks completely involuntary--that is, he seems in complete control of his front half, but not his back half. He has been known to run into a chair or a wall with his back half while this is going on. When it's over, he usually licks his genitals/butt. The vet said to take a video of it but it's usually a duration of 10-15 seconds, which doesn't give me time to find my phone let alone change it to video. So far I have not managed to capture this. We do herd him away from the stairs in fear that he might go down them, since he's obviously not fully in charge. Anybody have a dog who does this, or something like? He's a 5-year-old neutered Border collie mix (or something--a mutt). He is otherwise checked out as healthy.
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Sep 29, 2015 18:57
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Perhaps related? This is my dog, who is normally indistinguishable from a rug: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sq3DLeHlXQQ He gets the basement when we're at work, this has been just a fine arrangement for 6 years. Radio on, treats distributed, etc. This is from today, I had been gone for about an hour and a half. Usually he lies on the left side of that couch all day, but lately he's been tearing poo poo up down there once in a while. It looks kind of like humping? He's neutered and has never humped anything in my presence -- well actually once, a Labradoodle, it was extenuating circumstances. Currently we give him doggie Xanax (prescribed) when we see one of his episodes starting up, but today he was inert when I put him down so I thought things would be cool.
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Oct 14, 2015 23:05
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My cat is 17 years old and pretty arthritic. She refuses to take medication or any sort of supplement (she's incredibly picky about food), so is there anything I can do to make her more comfortable? Anything by mouth is pretty much a no-go.
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Oct 16, 2015 15:38
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When I take my dog (12 pound, 1yr old Havanese) for walks there's a cat that lives down the block; when we walk past the cat's house it comes running out onto the sidewalk and shoves its butt into my dog's face then rubs up on the dog while purring. Is this behaviour friendly or is it, uh, trying to molest my dog?
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Oct 21, 2015 01:51
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cyberia posted:When I take my dog (12 pound, 1yr old Havanese) for walks there's a cat that lives down the block; when we walk past the cat's house it comes running out onto the sidewalk and shoves its butt into my dog's face then rubs up on the dog while purring. Is this behaviour friendly or is it, uh, trying to molest my dog? rear end to the face is the highest form of cat flattery.
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Oct 21, 2015 23:37
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cyberia posted:When I take my dog (12 pound, 1yr old Havanese) for walks there's a cat that lives down the block; when we walk past the cat's house it comes running out onto the sidewalk and shoves its butt into my dog's face then rubs up on the dog while purring. Is this behaviour friendly or is it, uh, trying to molest my dog? My grandad's dog and my cousin's cat are gay for one another so, maybe?
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Oct 22, 2015 09:33
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Maybe better suited for the reptiles thread but, does anyone know if snakes have any allergens associated with them? Poop or whatever? My partner's deathly allergic to a lot of fuzzy animals (even "hypoallergenic" breeds) so idk I'm just being cautious. I've fostered all sorts of reptiles and the only thing I can think of might be a reaction to the bedding? Depending on what is. I guess there's always carefresh but even that's kinda dusty.
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Oct 22, 2015 15:45
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micropath posted:My cat is 17 years old and pretty arthritic. She refuses to take medication or any sort of supplement (she's incredibly picky about food), so is there anything I can do to make her more comfortable? Anything by mouth is pretty much a no-go. My kitty is 12 and broke his FHO when he was 6 months. Broke my heart and I was told he would have issues later with age. I have yet to see it (Cats are predators and do not show pain like dogs) Regular vet visits and try to find some meds that work? Try to set time daily where you exercise/play with your kitty a little, it will help with circulation and keep muscle strengh up. The best thing you can do is try to help and make things easier for the cat. Bigger litterbox, easier access to water/wood. Hell you could even try acupuncture.
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Oct 28, 2015 13:28
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Catnipped posted:Maybe better suited for the reptiles thread but, does anyone know if snakes have any allergens associated with them? Poop or whatever? My partner's deathly allergic to a lot of fuzzy animals (even "hypoallergenic" breeds) so idk I'm just being cautious. I've fostered all sorts of reptiles and the only thing I can think of might be a reaction to the bedding? Depending on what is. I guess there's always carefresh but even that's kinda dusty. The reason I could never own a snake is because I am very allergic to the mice they eat. 
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Oct 28, 2015 16:54
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Yeah, thankfully I'll be the one feeding! I try to pick snakes that will take frozen/thawed without issue so I don't have to house any mice. They're gross tbh.
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Oct 28, 2015 22:09
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I found a baby banded water snake outside my apartment a few months ago and kept him. Seems to be doing well, he's molted once. I was feeding him frogs and toads but now that the weather is cooling off there aren't many around. I started a fish tank with live breeders (I'll still have to supplement with feeder fish most likely, especially until the guppies start loving and build up their population) but is there any reason I can't feed him an occasional goldfish? I feel like I read something about goldfish being bad for snakes. E: once he gets big I know I'll have to feed him stuff other than fish but he's only about 10 inches long right now. Hummingbirds fucked around with this message at 13:42 on Oct 29, 2015 |
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Oct 29, 2015 13:39
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 I know it's kinda hard to see, but my basset has developed this small grown by her ear. It's not like the other bumps she has, this one is pretty scary looking. I'm of course gonna get her into the vet, but is this cancer, a scab, a wart? It doesn't seem to bother her, she doesn't scratch at it, etc.
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Nov 1, 2015 23:15
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My cat's new way to annoy us in the morning for breakfast is to absolutely obliterate the box of tissues I keep on my nightstand. I've had to hide it in a drawer the night before. Does anybody have any cat-proof suggestions for a tissue box holder/cover? He pulls it down and then starts pulling tissues out of it. Don't see anything on the internet that would solve this, other than hiding it every night.
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Nov 2, 2015 00:26
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My gf's mom was going on this spiel about desexing animals (what she calls spaying and neutering) and it causing diseases and other issues in animals as they get older. She cited hip dysplasia and Cushing's (which I thought were probably caused by the selective breeding of the animals). She cited this webpage I googled around, but everything was about the importance of getting the animals fixed (which she agrees with just doing vasectomies or tying tubes). Is there really anything to what she is saying or does are there any sources I can show her that shows it's bs so I don't have to hear the spiel anymore?
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Nov 9, 2015 10:43
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So I got this fella from the streets: Well, actually, he just came by himself. I didnt want him to stay, but he insisted and I ended up letting him in for a while. I call him Benjy, cause he likes to holler. But I cant keep him, I have 3 cats already and that's my limit. In any case, I plan to neuter him and give him the vaccines and all, and then try to find someone to adopt him. But his behavior is a bit worrying, he seems like a bit of a problem cat (and maybe that's how he ended up living on the streets). Besides the screaming thing (sometimes he will just holler and holler for a while, for no apparent reason) there's something a lot worst: he likes to pee on things. Inside the house. He just ignores the litter box (usually goes in the garden) and will often pee on the house walls, the sofa, my clothes etc. He usually does it when someone is looking, and he seems to do that on purpose, like a statement or something, not like he really needs to pee and cant hold it: when he does it, is usually just a bit he pees, like he just wants to leave a mark. Not only that is very unpleasant for me (my whole house is smelling like cat urine), but I fear that, if he keeps behaving like that, even if I find someone to adopt him, they will return him to me (or to the streets) in no time. Other than that (and the occasional bellering), he is not a bad catte: he is sweet and gentle, and cute. But why is he doing this? And what can I do make him stop? Elias_Maluco fucked around with this message at 16:36 on Nov 9, 2015 |
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Nov 9, 2015 14:07
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dalstrs posted:My gf's mom was going on this spiel about desexing animals (what she calls spaying and neutering) and it causing diseases and other issues in animals as they get older. She cited hip dysplasia and Cushing's (which I thought were probably caused by the selective breeding of the animals). She cited this webpage
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Nov 9, 2015 14:10
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dalstrs posted:My gf's mom was going on this spiel about desexing animals (what she calls spaying and neutering) and it causing diseases and other issues in animals as they get older. She cited hip dysplasia and Cushing's (which I thought were probably caused by the selective breeding of the animals). She cited this webpage More people are beginning to question the auto-spay/neuter that used to happen simply as a matter of course. Spaying & neutering can reduce the risk of some illnesses while increasing the risk of others. If you're nigh certain that your intact animal won't get get pregnant/impregnate another dog, science is suggesting that it's best to wait a few years before spaying & neutering. Pyometra and prostate issues can be very serious, and as animals age, the risks of them developing increase. Unfortunately, dogs are really good at making babies and a lot of people aren't really willing to put in the time & effort to manage the issues that come hand in hand with intact dogs, so it's easier to spay & neuter pretty early on.
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Nov 9, 2015 16:35
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Elias_Maluco posted:So I got this fella from the streets: Try to see if the behavior decreases after he is neutered
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Nov 9, 2015 17:56
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EXTREME INSERTION posted:Try to see if the behavior decreases after he is neutered I hoping he will, but I had non-neutered cats before and never seem anything like this
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Nov 9, 2015 22:30
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Elias_Maluco posted:I hoping he will, but I had non-neutered cats before and never seem anything like this I'd consider you very lucky then.
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Nov 9, 2015 22:41
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a life less posted:More people are beginning to question the auto-spay/neuter that used to happen simply as a matter of course. Spaying & neutering can reduce the risk of some illnesses while increasing the risk of others. If you're nigh certain that your intact animal won't get get pregnant/impregnate another dog, science is suggesting that it's best to wait a few years before spaying & neutering. Pyometra and prostate issues can be very serious, and as animals age, the risks of them developing increase. Unfortunately, dogs are really good at making babies and a lot of people aren't really willing to put in the time & effort to manage the issues that come hand in hand with intact dogs, so it's easier to spay & neuter pretty early on. She is committed to sterilization, she is getting her puppy's tubes tied after she goes in heat once so I'm not worried about that. It did make me curious why we go the route of spaying and neutering when they could tie the tubes or give the dogs vasectomies.
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Nov 10, 2015 03:55
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If she's just going to wait until after the first heat, then I would just get it done. For most dogs, the time difference between 6 months and after the first heat is not very long, and unlikely to give benefits. It will however, significant increase her risk of mammary cancer. Edit: Although honestly... by tying tubes, do you mean leaving the ovaries in? Then it's really not much different from having an intact animal. I'm surprised you guys found a vet willing to do only that.
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Nov 10, 2015 04:58
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Elias_Maluco posted:I hoping he will, but I had non-neutered cats before and never seem anything like this It varies from cat to cat. Some un neutered toms spray everywhere, some do not
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Nov 10, 2015 07:39
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So my cat has been peeing in the living room, and exhibiting strange behavior like hiding under the bed. He's 8 years old and has never done anything like that before. I took him to the vet yesterday and had urinalysis done. Apparently he's developed crystals. I've had him and the other cat locked in the spare room with food, water, litter box etc. I just let him out and he went and peed on the same drat spot, even though I've already cleaned it with Nature's Miracle. HALP. In related news, the vet wants to put him on Science Diet. Is this going to be a permanent thing, or just until the crystals clear up? Also. The cats won't eat if separated. Is it going to be a problem for her to eat as well?
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Dec 19, 2015 03:01
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