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Post by Tara on Jan 30, 2011 13:19:03 GMT -5
So I really can`t catch a break with this dog....as it is quite cold here, and he has chewed everything in the house, and now everything in the van, (where I was keeping him on the very cold days). so I had a dog house made it took two weeks, and was delievered on Thursday. BUT. It won`t fit threw my back fence, so it sat there for three days, while we came up with a plan. It weighs three hundred pounds they guy told me. We finally got it over the fence with four people lifting it yesterday in the very cold weather. Now will be a challange to get him to go inside. But at least now I don`t have to feel guilty about leaving him outside.
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Post by loveshoes on Apr 22, 2012 14:23:43 GMT -5
Hi Everyone! I'm reviving this thread with the help of Jenaya pointing it out to me. My kitty is old and she usually gets a UTI about 2x a year. I have her on grain free food, only bottled water. She had one about 4 weeks ago, we did a vitamin b12 shot, fluids and 14 days of antibiotics (zenequin I think it is called )1/2 tablet 1x a day. We did the full round of antibiotics, she seemed good for 2 weeks and this weekend it came back. Luckily the vet was nice enough to just refill another dose w/o me having to take her in. I have done alot of research and found that D-mannose, or vitamin C or even this UTI free product is supposed to work very well. Has anyone tried any holistic remedies? I don't want to use cranberry powder b/c her PH is 6.0-6.5 which is normal range so the place that I buy the food from said I shouldn't mess around with cranberry. Any suggestions would be great! Thanks!
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Post by loveshoes on Apr 23, 2012 12:20:13 GMT -5
Paint - I saw your cat is now on a probiotic - what brand is it and what is the dose you give? I read online today that since the antibiotics wipe out the good and bad bacteria, that a probiotic is critical to give in addition to the holistic items. I'm still researching but found 2 good sites.....1 of them does not offer the probiotic and that's the one who's product I'm leaning towards trying so just curious on what to use for that to replenish her good bacteria. Thanks!
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Post by Heather on Apr 23, 2012 20:13:46 GMT -5
I love to see tanks of fish, though I'm slightly scared of them. I know, one of my many neuroses right? I went to a big pet place once and we checked out the kittens and hamsters and flocks of cage birds and carp. But there was this fish that was swimming upside down in one of the tropical tanks, I think it was black and white striped. And it was looking at me. I was freaked out that it was either dying or living a freaky life and that it's eyes were following me. So I'm scared of keeping fish. I may have discovered this thread before, but I think I am just now discovering it for the first time--or maybe just now reading through it. Cherry, there are catfish called upside-down catfish that live their lives upside down. I don't know why they do that. Most fish though, if they can't swim normal, are sick.
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Post by Heather on Apr 23, 2012 20:22:33 GMT -5
I bought 4 Tiger Barbs, but within 24 hrs 3 were dead, and the next morning the 4th was dead. Dunno what I'm doing wrong.... Once again, super hella late on this, but I may be able to offer some insight so that if you do get fish again, it will be a better experience. The biggest mistake I have seen people make (from years working in pet stores) is that they buy the fish the same day they buy the tank. The tank should actually be set up at least a week (preferably two weeks) before you put any fish in it. Completely set up, filter running, heater on, all decorations put in, and water dechlorinated if necessary. This is so that the beneficial bacteria can begin to grow on the filter media, the gravel, and the decorations. These bacteria are a big part of keeping the fish alive. After the tank is established, it's best to start with a very hardy species like livebearers (guppies, mollies, platies, swordtails) or tetras, unless you know exactly what you want and don't want to mess around with "starter fish". Note that tiger barbs cannot be kept with any of these guys generally; barbs are very aggressive and will pick on the other fish until they are killed. Before you put any fish in though, you want to have the water quality checked. Most fish stores/pet stores will do this for free. Make sure you have a clean container to bring the water in (disposable plastic zipper bags are great). They will test pH, chlorine level, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, water hardness (calcium) for freshwater. I'm not as well versed in saltwater, but I think all of those values are tested as well as a few more. Ammonia, nitrite and nitrate should all be very very low--the tests usually have color-blocks showing ranges, and you want those three values to be in the lowest range. Chlorine should be non-existent, pH really depends on the species you are keeping, and I honestly don't remember what values were good for water hardness.
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Post by Heather on Apr 23, 2012 20:41:53 GMT -5
If you try the bicarb, you have to let it dry out first. Just think, while it's wet it'll smell worse cos it's lovely damp molecules able to float around as opposed to a dry carpet with nothing much to carry the scent. Having dealt with an OCD sufferer I know what you mean. In cases like this they can't leave it alone and just lock on. And you want to punch each other In my experience, I have a separate mop and mop/dab it clean: I mix up a really hot mixture of scented bleach, boiling water, Flash (general disinfectant) Zoflora (some old fashioned stuff that works on everything and smells lovely for ages) and Ariel gel (laundry detergent) as well as some stuff called Cillit Bang. I don't know what it is but it's strong as household cleaners go. I kinda soak the area with the wet mop and then keep dabbing it dry with the mop. Once it's dry I put bicarb down, vacuum it up the next day. Then neautradol shake and vac, and then vacuum again. Then I spray with an aerosol antibacterial called Dettol, apple flavour. That's to kill any bacteria left from his pee. It's the freaking ammonia that makes the pee smell stick! Just make sure whenever you clean up pet stains, you keep the pets away from the area. I know it sounds like a no-brainer, but I was totally not even thinking about it and we had a house full of vomiting animals. And of course, whenever one would vomit, we'd clean it again with those enzyme cleaners... they walk over the spot and lick it off their paws and it makes them sick.
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Post by loveshoes on Apr 23, 2012 20:52:41 GMT -5
I found a probiotic to try, the pet food place had samples so I will start her on that. I also am going to order some holistic items online to help. I spoke to my vet and she was happy with my research so looks like after the antibiotic is done, I can get started on the natural remedies. If anyone else has any experience with d-mannose or other holistic UTI treatments for cats I'd love to hear what you have found to work.
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Post by Heather on Apr 23, 2012 20:58:12 GMT -5
So I am back from the vet. They also suspected a UTI but I opted not to do the urinalysis because the way they extract the urine is by sticking a needle into her abdomen! I just couldn't bring myself to do it. I opted to just get the antibiotics and go from there. If she doesn't get better then I'll spend another ass ton of money to do some tests. So now I get to look forward to shoving pills in her throat 2x a day! Poor baby. I hope this is all it is and nothing serious. I completely understand not wanting to do the syringe urine sample, but there are other ways to get it. If it happens again, see if she will pee in an empty, clean litter box. No, it won't be a perfect sample, because there will always be bacteria, but at least they will be able to tell if there are crystals or blood in the urine, and get the pH. The only way to get a perfect sample is with the syringe, unfortunately. Here's the catch 22: occasionally, if you give antibiotics without doing a culture & sensitivity test first, you run the risk of the bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics because the one you gave was ineffective. I'm not saying don't ever do it, but I do want you to be aware of the risks, because most vets that I have found do not fully explain things--hell, neither do most people doctors. As far as prescription food--both of my boys have had urine crystals, Gryphon actually had a blockage a few years ago that was really really scary. They were on prescription food for a while, but I am really uncomfortable with the amount of filler and ingredients that are harmful in the foods (both Royal Canin and Hill's), so I began looking for alternatives. I found that urine crystals are much more common in cats fed exclusively dry food. They are descended from desert/scrubland animals, so they do not instinctively "know" to make up for the lost water by drinking from a dish. I very rarely see my boys drink from the dish, even when they were on dry food. I took a gamble and switched the boys to an all canned food diet. I checked their urine frequently for crystals and pH, having a urinalysis done every 6 months or less. That was about 2 years ago, and the only urinary problem either of them has had was a short lived UTI for Gryphon about 6-8 months ago. pH and lack of crystals has always been good. I do not recommend that everyone do this, but if you really know your cats well (and know how they react to being in pain), are comfortable having urinalyses done every 6 months it may be an option. If nothing else, I think it's crucial to switch them to canned prescription food. Right now the boys are on homemade raw, and have been since January. They LOVE it! By the way, if I had some more time I could find references to back up what I'm saying about the foods, I'm not just talking out my rear. I'll be glad to look for them later and supply them if anyone is interested.
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Post by Heather on Apr 23, 2012 21:11:46 GMT -5
I am home on disability so the only time I go out is to take the kids to school, so all the damage I told you about was done in half an hour, twice a day..... Today we straped out new dog to a sled and let him pull the kids around the block, the kids were laughing the whole time. There is nothing better to cheer you up than kids laughting. ( don`t worry he is an alaskan malamute, so he is made to pull things). I've been training my 42 lb. American pit bull terrier to pull as well. I got a great pulling harness from www.weightpullharness.com/. It's important to distribute the weight evenly across their chest and shoulders, rather than their neck. And this may be just what the dog needs on a regular basis to wear him out. Dogs chew for many different reasons, but separation anxiety and boredom are two of the big ones.
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Post by Heather on Apr 23, 2012 21:23:02 GMT -5
So I was in bed last night watching my little dog cocoa, He is a litttle sh*tzu, and I think he must have a lick quota that he has to fill everyday. He will lick just about anything including my husbands feet, my clothes, our other dog, the floor, the carpet, himself, and not to mention anyones face, but it is really weird when you look over and the arm of the chair is sopping wet where he is sitting because he just finished giving it a bath. Licking is often either appeasement or a soothing activity. For instance, my dog looks at us and licks the end of her nose, to let us know that we're in charge and she is submitting to us. As far as the invisible fence, I feel very strongly against them, and I'll tell you why. Most dogs will go through it at least once, but the shock they receive makes them not want to come back through to get to their yard. They have the potential to (and often do) create fear issues. Personal story--when we first moved to rural Vermont after growing up in Virginia Beach, I really didn't know anything about livestock fences. Our neighbors keep cows, and being that pit bulls are descended from dogs originally bred for cow herding, I was curious what my dog would do if she met a cow. I took her over to the fence, and she stuck her nose out to sniff, and promptly got zapped on the throat. I felt AWFUL, and to this day she associates the cows with the zap, rather than the fence. If she sees a cow she will go ballistic growling and barking, and she is normally very calm and well behaved. Now imagine this happening when your dog is looking at your kids. Fear aggression is a very nasty, and very real problem that is often hard to fix. I have done a lot of training with our dog in the 4.5 years we have had her, and I am convinced that all problems can be overcome with a combination of training and supervision, with the exception of problems that are bred into the animal. This means don't expect your dog with a very high prey drive to cuddle up to the cat, though sometimes that happens as well.
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Post by Heather on Apr 23, 2012 21:33:17 GMT -5
Tara, girl, my jack russell is being an absolute sh!thead too, pooping up in our loft where we only go every couple days, each time there's another little pile.... yeeesh! hate it! and if she pees, likely I don't even find that unless it's super obvious.... all we can do is feed only at night and then let her out about 5 million times (with her jacket on of course, and she hates her dang jacket lol) such a chore! stupid pup. Pretty, have you tried crate training? Or using pee pads?
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Post by Heather on Apr 23, 2012 21:46:53 GMT -5
I found a probiotic to try, the pet food place had samples so I will start her on that. I also am going to order some holistic items online to help. I spoke to my vet and she was happy with my research so looks like after the antibiotic is done, I can get started on the natural remedies. If anyone else has any experience with d-mannose or other holistic UTI treatments for cats I'd love to hear what you have found to work. I started taking our animals to a homeopathic vet in November, and so far I am really happy with the progress. All of our animals have an assortment of problems ranging from the menial (obsessive toenail chewing) to the serious and chronic (heart disease). I urge you to see a homeopathic or naturopathic vet rather than trusting your normal vet on this. I'm sure she means well, but without training, how will she know how your animals will react to the supplements you buy, or how the supplements will react to any other drugs your cat is currently on? I know it's easy to get sucked in by the "natural" label, I struggle with this too, but natural does not mean safe. Remember, alcohol, tobacco and opium are also natural. I actually found our homeopathic vet through my naturopath. I'm sure if you do a google search in your state for homeopathic vet or naturopathic vet it will bring something up. If not, try looking up a naturopath for humans and call and ask if they have any recommendations for an animal naturopath.
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Post by Heather on Apr 23, 2012 22:15:06 GMT -5
I've read a few awesome books about dog behavior and cat behavior (and even rabbit behavior!). Anyone who is having cat issues, I urge you to read Starting From Scratch by Pam Johnson-Bennett. For dog issues, read The Other End of the Leash and For the Love of a Dog by Patricia B. McConnell. I think McConnell also has another book dedicated to separation anxiety, but I have not read it as I have thankfully not had to deal with it.
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Post by painttheseconds on Apr 24, 2012 0:42:28 GMT -5
Hi loveshoes. My kitty is currently not taking probiotics. He took them on and off for various health reasons. Lately we've been giving him a break because he has gone through so much. Have you discussed probiotics with your veterinarian?
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Post by loveshoes on Apr 24, 2012 8:24:47 GMT -5
I found a probiotic to try, the pet food place had samples so I will start her on that. I also am going to order some holistic items online to help. I spoke to my vet and she was happy with my research so looks like after the antibiotic is done, I can get started on the natural remedies. If anyone else has any experience with d-mannose or other holistic UTI treatments for cats I'd love to hear what you have found to work. I started taking our animals to a homeopathic vet in November, and so far I am really happy with the progress. All of our animals have an assortment of problems ranging from the menial (obsessive toenail chewing) to the serious and chronic (heart disease). I urge you to see a homeopathic or naturopathic vet rather than trusting your normal vet on this. I'm sure she means well, but without training, how will she know how your animals will react to the supplements you buy, or how the supplements will react to any other drugs your cat is currently on? I know it's easy to get sucked in by the "natural" label, I struggle with this too, but natural does not mean safe. Remember, alcohol, tobacco and opium are also natural. I actually found our homeopathic vet through my naturopath. I'm sure if you do a google search in your state for homeopathic vet or naturopathic vet it will bring something up. If not, try looking up a naturopath for humans and call and ask if they have any recommendations for an animal naturopath. I'm not just randomly giving her supplements, these are all noted on various homeopathic sites so I feel very confident in what I am researching/purchasing.
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