Need to vent alittle!!

[pmcrae71]

I have a kitten that needs his booster shots and to be neutered (plus my dogs need care as well). I have been calling vet offices to get prices on the services, To get the feline lukemia/aids test, distemper, rabies and neuter, at the vets offie, will cost me over $300!! The SCPA will charge me $88. The vets want upwards of $66 to do a heartworm test, the SPCA... $35. The ONLY draw back to going to the SPCA is that you have to leave a message and they call you back to make the appts (well, that and the fact that it is a 40 min drive thru heavy traffic areas). It took me almost 2 weeks for them to call me to get Connor seen for his spots, we had that appt today, I will explain that later on. While I was there today, I wanted to go a head and make the appts for Mathom (the kitten) and Oz and Connor, but I can't come back until the first week of November, they can't make the appt for November until the 1st. The vets will see them right away, the next day even and there is always someone to answer the phones. So I have to wait a little over a week to make the appts.

Anyway, the vet at the SPCA did a skin scrap on Connor and put it under the scope and didn't see any mites so he doesn't have any form of mange. He does, however, have a little yeast infection from his allergies and his harness and the heat so she put him on a medicated shampoo, twice a week until gone, and an antibiotic for two weeks. He doesn't have any fleas, which is good since we live in Florida and the fleas can get pretty bad here (I walked in my back yard a couple years ago wearing white sweat pants and it looked like I put pepper in my pants from the fleas jumping on me). I can't use the topical drops on him, they make Oz have breathing problems and with the issues with Connors allergies to most everything it seems, I don't want to risk putting them on him so I treat the yard twice a year. She's not sure if the yeast/allergy problem is why he is loosing him fur, so hopefully this shampoo will help clear up some of these issues and his fur will start to grow back. Either way, I have to take him back in two weeks for a check up on this. Wish us luck!!

[emmabeth]

Remind me what you are feeding?

Yeasty problems do respond well to changes of diet - specifically low sugar, grain free type diets (oro rather, grain filled sugar filled diets tend to cause skin problems and prolong yeasty infection problems!).

Grr about the vets, how awkward is that!

[pmcrae71]

He is on Natural Balance, sweet potato and chicken. He is allergic to grains, wheat and barley, and this doesn't have any grains, not even rice, and the protein is only 21%. My vet told me that high protein diets aren't good for little dogs as they cannot process the protein and will cause kidney failure. He is allergic to grass and when we walk he likes to 'run' thru the tall grass, then gets a rash and licks it because it itches. Silly boy!! The vet said that maybe what caused the yeast infection. I have noticed that when he wears his harness, his arm pits are 'sweaty' and that's where he has alot of yeast growth, so I have to keep him in a regular collar for now on. Which is hard because he can pull out of the regular collar and run off and he pulls to the point he is chocking himself. Yes, I have tried what VS teaches about leash pulling and he just doesn't get it, he'll do well the first walk and then it's like it all goes out the window on the second walk and I have to start all over again. His harness attached at the chest instead of the shoulders and he didn't pull then, but what can ya do?

I have been working with him on getting used to the toothbrush. I thought if they were on a dry food diet that that cleaned their teeth, but I was way wrong. He has some tarter build up and his breath smells aweful!! The ASPCA has training info on how to train your dog to brush their teeth. So far he is letting me use my finger to rub his teeth and open his mouth. Next step is to introduce the brush, that will be this afternoon... wish me luck on that one.

[maximoo]

I certainly hope the shampoo & antibiotics you've been given its the cure.

Can you give him a little benedryl when his allergies act up?

Read this regarding small dogs & protein. It was a link on another post.

http://www.rawfed.com/myths/toybreeds.html

[pmcrae71]

He takes an allergy med twice a day already. He's been on it for about a year now because of his grass allergy. I had rather not take any chances with feeding my baby a raw food diet. I know humans with kidney failure and I know what they go thru everyday (I am a home health aid for seniors with health problems) and I will not put my dog thru that torture. He is doing very well on the dry food he's on now, He hasn't had any tummy issues since I put him on it. I, personally, don't think dogs should be on a raw food diet, there is just too much contraversy on the matter. This is just my opinion and I am not telling anyone what they should do with their own animals, or that they are wrong for doing it, I just prefer not to do it with mine.

[Mattie]

Do they know what is wrong with him or are they only guessing? I know about the grass allergy but having had a dog with so many allergies I had problems finding a food that he could eat, the best way if possible is to find what he is allergic to, which isn't easy, and to keep him away from it. Once I worked out what foods Joe was allergic to he never had another seizure.

[pmcrae71]

I wanted to give him the allergy tests but they were over $300 at the vets office but I found out yesterday that the SPCA charges $180 so I may be able to that in a few weeks. I talked to a friend of mine, she told me that her dog had some of the same issues Connor had and that a lot of dogs are allergic to wheat and will cause the tummy issues. I finally found Natural Balance, it has no wheat, and he hasn't had any tummy issues since then. It's about $35 for 15 lbs but it's well worth the money if it doesn't upset his tummy.