🐱 NEW!

Introducing the Cat Food Advisor!

Independent, unbiased reviews without influence from pet food companies

anonymous

Forum Replies Created

Viewing 6 posts - 2,351 through 2,356 (of 2,356 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • anonymous
    Member

    Sorry, I was afraid it might be to late for the aquatic therapy. I have a young adult terrier that I sneak over to the lake for swimming (mild arthritis) and it seems to be helping him.

    I recently had to say goodbye to a 16 year old small breed, he had spinal degenerative issues and did well on rimadyl for a while, but the side effects (diarrhea) put a stop to that. Anyway, the dementia was even harder to deal with. They are worse at night. Funny thing though, he loved to eat…… at the end he was on an antipsychotic that had strong sedative effects.
    All you can do is try to keep them comfortable for as long as you can. With seniors you need the guidance of a good vet to help you decide how much treatment you want to put the dog through. Care and comfort vs aggressive treatment.

    PS: Make sure you know where the nearest 24 hour emergency veterinary clinic is, in case she takes a turn for the worse and your regular vet isn’t available. Peace

    anonymous
    Member

    Help for Dogs With Dementia—And Their People

    Your comment about ā€œa long night of heavy pantingā€ made me think of this site. Panting can indicate pain and discomfort as well as anxiety and confusion.

    anonymous
    Member

    Sometimes old dogs can suffer from dementia. Your comment about ā€œa long night of heavy pantingā€ made me think of this.
    Panting can not only indicate pain and discomfort but also anxiety and confusion.

    You may find this site helpful: http://dogdementia.com/

    in reply to: At wit's end with skin conditions #90207 Report Abuse Edit Post Visibility
    anonymous
    Member

    https://www.acvd.org/tools/locator/locations.asp?distance=10&zip=&city=&state=VA&Submit=Submit

    Regarding finding a veterinary dermatologist in your area. Or, ask your veterinarian for a referral.

    anonymous
    Member

    Did your vet suggest any type of gentle exercise such as aquatic therapy? Otherwise known as swimming in a heated pool, one minute of swimming is equivalent to 4 minutes of running, easy on the joints and might lift her mood a little.
    If that’s not an option, see if your vet can prescribe pain meds that come in a liquid form. It might be easier to dispense with a small syringe.

    ā€œSupplements are not medication, they are not FDA approved. They are food supplements, not intended to diagnose, treat, or cureā€

    Per the search engine here: /forums/search/supplements/

    in reply to: At wit's end with skin conditions #90163 Report Abuse Edit Post Visibility
    anonymous
    Member

    Please consider making an appointment with a board-certified veterinary dermatologist, asap. Environmental allergies have nothing to do with the food. If you care to disclose the state/location you are in, I will do a search regarding a dermatologist. Allergies don’t go away and they get worse with age. The good news is that the condition does respond to treatment, but, it is lifelong treatment as there is no cure.

    per the search engine here /forums/search/allergies/

    PS: I had to change my user name to anonymous 101, formally anonymously….in case that concerns some of the regulars here.

    Hope this helps:

    By Klaus Loft, DVM
    Angell Dermatology Service

    Anyone who suffers debilitating environmental allergies tied to changing seasons, pet dander or household dust mites knows first-hand the misery of a scratchy throat, itchy eyes or painful rashes.

    Not everyone knows, however, that our pets can experience similar allergic reactions — and other very bothersome dermatological issues. But our pets need not suffer in silence. Modern veterinary science has evolved such that advanced, comprehensive treatments are now available to treat a range of skin conditions.

    Top pet dermatological issues

    Our four-legged friends suffer from some of the same skin issues as we do — and several that we do not. The most common conditions we see at Angell include:

    •Parasites, such as mites, fleas and mange (scabies)
    •Infectious diseases, such as Staphylococcal pyoderma (ā€œStaphā€) skin infections, yeast and fungal infections and skin fold infections
    •Systemic diseases, such as autoimmune diseases
    •Skin cancer, such as Squamous cell carcinoma, cutaneous lymphoma, Mast cell tumors
    •Allergies, such as flea allergy dermatitis, adverse food reactions, environmental allergies, etc.

    All of these conditions can become serious and, if untreated, dramatically reduce quality of life. But the tremendous strides made in veterinary innovation, however, is very good news for our pets. Specifically, the testing and treatments for allergies now rivals human healthcare in its sophistication, quality of care and long-term health outcomes.

    Unlike humans, dogs and cats cannot tell us about their dermatological health issues. So we as pet owners must look for the signs. The most common indicators that a pet is suffering from some kind of allergy involve frequent episodes of ear infections, red raised or open sores on the skin, constant licking or biting of paws or groin — sometimes causing wounds that will not go away.

    Allergies present a particular challenge because there can be hundreds (even thousands) of potential allergens that impact pet health, from foods to pollen from grasses, weeds, trees, dust mites and more. Today’s specialty veterinary hospitals have access to the very latest diagnostic tests to get to the bottom of what’s ailing our pet. Among these tests is the Intra Dermal Test (IDT).

    IDT is generally considered the gold standard of testing for identifying allergens that cause pets to suffer from chronic skin and/or ear diseases. IDT involves injections of a series of concentrated allergens into the skin to determine which of them generate allergic reactions in a given animal. The use of fluorescein — a chemical that illuminates the inflammation caused by the injected allergens in order to visualize the strength of individual reactions — is key to accurately diagnosing pet allergies, and is just one of the many ways veterinarians use new technologies to improve care and diagnostics.

    The results of IDT (as well as a review of the pet’s medical history) can then inform comprehensive immunotherapy treatments to relieve suffering. Veterinary dermatologists rely on IDT to build customized treatment plans for patients called Allergen Specific Immuno Therapy or ā€œASITā€ for short.

    ASIT involves a series of injections specifically created for the allergic animal’s skin. These injections, of diluted allergens, are designed to make a pet less sensitive to their allergens over time. In most cases these injections must be continued for life to reduce symptoms, but they are highly effective. Seventy to 90 percent of pets experience a reduction in symptoms as a result of ASIT treatment. These treatments can be delivered even more easily via droplets under the tongue, perfect for pet owners who are squeamish about giving injections to their pet.

    This treatment is very new to the North American field of medicine (both human and veterinary) and underscores just how far innovation in veterinary medicine has come.

    When it’s time to see the vet

    Many pet owners are understandably concerned about taking their animals to the veterinarian because the cost (to say nothing of the fear some animals experience when going do the doctor) may outweigh any perceived reduction in suffering. To help pet owners know when it’s time to bring Fido to the doctor I’ve compiled my ā€œTop Tenā€ list of dermatological symptoms that should never be ignored:

    •Intense itching of the skin (head shaking, running the face into the carpet, furniture, etc.)
    •Biting at the skin that creates red, raw crusting areas of the skin
    •Multiple ear infections (head shaking, odor from ears, scratching at the ears with hind legs)
    •Paw licking or chewing and frequent infections of the skin in the webbed skin of the paws
    •Staining of the fur of the paws and nails on multiple feet
    •Reoccurring skin infections in the groin, under the shoulders, perianal areas (on or under the tail)
    •Greasy scaling skin and/or fur with odorous skin
    •Hair loss, or thinning of the fur
    •Dark pigmentation of the skin that is chronically infected
    •Sudden depigmentation of skin

    Allergies and other dermatological issues can be as frustrating for pet owners and their veterinarians as they can be for pets. I encourage any pet owner whose animal is experiencing any of these symptoms to consult with their veterinarian.

Viewing 6 posts - 2,351 through 2,356 (of 2,356 total)