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Westie paw infection/allergies
Q: My westie has continued problems with her paws. they become red and swollen around the nails and eventually become infected. my veterinarian has prescribed baytril and also tried zenequin(?) for her to take on a permanent basis. these will work for a few weeks or months, but eventually the paws begin to become inflamed again. are there any other medications or treatments that might work?
A: The antibiotics are only treating the secondary infections but not the primary cause. westies commonly have inhalent allergies to inhaled dust, mold, dander, etc. unlike us who get hay fever, dogs show their allergies often by intense feet licking. antihistamines and low doses of oral cortisone can often help, but if the problem keeps recurring you may want to have her allergy tested to see what she is allergic to, and then your vet can formulate an allergy vaccine to hopefully help desensitize her to these allergens.
Shop for: antihistamine
Epilepsy
Q: My 2year old dog has what appears to be epileptic seizures.is there any treatment for this ?
A: Phenobarbitol or potassium bromide are drugs of choice. see your vet for workup
Sick puppy
Q: Such a pleasure to be able to ask a veterinarian for advice! i got a 10-week old puppy from a rescue as an "as-is" adoption, and he was very bony and his fur was in very bad shape and he had little bald spots on his back legs. i was told his previous owner did not feed him very much, and abused the entire litter to the point of all of them having submissive urination (which he is, thankfully, not doing as much). i was also told that he had recieved a de-wormer, (hartz brand) sold at a local publix. i checked every time he pooped, and about 3 days later i didn't see any worms any more. i have had him for about two weeks, and he has not gained any weight, his fur has not improved much, and his little bald spots are still there. he doesn't act sick, but i can tell something is wrong because he is so skinny still. he is a wonderful dog with a great disposition despite his rough start, and i am looking to train him as a therepy dog if i can take care of this problem. can you possibly help me find a solution to this problem, and a possible treatment cost?
A: I would take him to vet for exam and stool check as i find these cheaper over the counter wormers dont work as well as ones vet have. you could try wormer known as nemex from 1800petmeds which is very effective for roundworms, hookworms. i would also consider supplmenting pup with prozyme to help digestion as well as feed natural diet like pet guard or natura brand foods
Shop for: nemex, prozyme, 1800petmeds, wormers
Ear mites
Q: I took my cat to the vet for ear mites. she gave him revolution and it did not work. can you suggest something else that is not a drop to put in the ear?
A: Various commercial ear preparations are available to kill the mites. these products contain an insecticide, usually pyrethrin. ear products without an insecticide will not kill the mites. milbemycin (interceptor) and acarexx (a form of ivermectin) have recently been approved for the treatment of ear mites in cats. fipronil (frontline), and selamectin (revolution) have also been used by some veterinarians. depending upon the medication used, the ears may need to be treated two to four weeks until all mites are killed. as previously mentioned, many ear mites live all over the body, including the feet and tail. these areas should also be treated. most products designed for fleas and ticks such as sprays, dips, and shampoos, which contain one of the above ingredients will be effective. be sure to use products approved for use on cats, and to treat the tail. this is because while sleeping, the tail is curled around the kitten's body where it lies in close contact with the ear. because mites are very easily transferred between pets, it is best if all pets in the household receive simultaneous treatment. most types of mites do not survive long off the pets, so the treatment of the house and yard is usually not necessary.||
Shop for: ear mites, revolution, tick, interceptor
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