Popping pills is a pain in the bottom

Dear Dogs Today

My six-year-old Wheaten-Irish cross, Brady, has been a very healthy dog until a few months ago, when he developed perianal fistulas.

The vet first tried shots and then switched to pills. After taking flagyl (one pill), antirobe (two pills), atopica (one pill) and ketoconazole (one pill) for five weeks, the condition seems to be much under control, but apparently it is a different condition to cure completely, and could recur at any time, so he will need to continue medication.

Getting him to take five pills a day isn’t easy. He’s figured out every way I’ve tried to hide them. He’s also gone off his food this week.

Do your experts have any advice to give? I’m interested in conventional and/or holistic methods. I should be so grateful for any help you can give me and perhaps other readers.

Thank you in advance,

Eileen Halliday, New York, USA

Good dog etiquette

I have a problem with my 11-month-old, female Whippet called Diesel, she is far too friendly!

On a walk, she always pulls on the lead to see other dogs or people to say hello. Also, Diesel always jumps up on people whenever she greets them - often people think she is being aggressive and are scared of her. It does not occur to her that it might hurt people who are smaller so she also jumps up on toddlers and children who are often smaller than her when she jumps up on her hind legs! This also happens with dogs - Diesel jumps on other dogs and scares them, it often ends in dogs thinking she is being aggressive when in fact she is the most friendly dog ever! I try getting her away with treats, spraying water at her - but nothing seems to work! She does not understand that people are scared of her when she is trying to be friendly.

Any ideas?

Anna Gorrod, by email

Sigh of relief needed

My 11 year old Jack Russell, Berkeley, is suffering from what the vet thinks might be Chronic Canine Bronchitis. There is definitely a problem with his lungs as he has very tight and wheezy in-breaths when at rest. But further tests to analyse the inside of his lungs would be too risky. So we are all assuming it is most likely, as I say, Chronic Canine Bronchitis. He is taking a low oral dose of steroids daily, 8 hourly broncho dilators and a daily puff (via an MDI and dog spacer) of Beclazone 50mcg (which I am thinking of changing to Flixotide 125mcg but have no info on this or what might actually be the best drug).

This issue started in April 2009 but his breathing has been particularly poor since February this year and as he suffers from anxiety, we (me and hubby) have not both gone out the house together for months because we know it will stress Berkeley out and that will make his breathing even worse. However, on Wednesday we had no choice and in the evening we had to go out for two hours. When we got home Berkeley was stressed, as we knew he would be. He did start to calm down but, as I feared, his breathing suffered and became alarmingly tight and sticky sounding with his ribs expanding massively in order to try to draw breath into the lungs. He was really struggling. By 1am I could see it was not going to improve on its own so I gave him a puff on his Salbutamol puffer, which the vet gave us for emergencies. Berkeley has used it once before with seemingly no ill effects (or advantage either but it is all we have) but this time things went crazy. He seemed to go into what I can only describe as a blind panic. He started to hyperventilate and became incredibly anxious… licking everything in sight. Licking is what he does when he wants to calm himself. His breaths were about 45 per minute, which sounded dreadfully fast. And it did not get any slower for 6 hours. It was very scary indeed and can’t have been good for his poor little heart.

Mostly I am asking please if anyone has any ideas for helping a dog in a panic and/or a dog who is hyperventilating? But also I would be grateful for any thoughts on lung conditions and what might make his life more comfortable? He is a happy boy and has no problems in the day but at night or when he rests his breathing is wheezy and tight. I wish we knew for sure what it could be. Chronic Canine Bronchitis seems to fit the bill in many respects apart from one big question mark… he does NOT have a cough.

Any thoughts much appreciated as our vet seems a little in the dark, as do we and I am starting to doubt what we are doing.

Thank you.

Jenny

A friend in need

My six-year-old Miniature Schnauzer, Skye, is terrified of my friend. She used to love her until bonfire night last year when my friend came round just as the fireworks started. Now I think Skye associates her with the fireworks and gets completely stressed out when ever my friend comes round.

Skye sits and pants and shakes the whole time she is round. I have tried to get my friend to give Skye treats, which she loves to try, and get help but its not working and Skye will not eat any of the treats, even if my friend throws them to her from a distance.

I don’t want to stop having friends over but I can’t stand to see Skye so stressed out by her being there. Can anyone help us?

Allison and Skye, by email

Searching for a dog-friendly holiday in the Lakes

A friend of mine has just rehomed a four-month-old Jack Russell and is thinking of going to the Lake District for a walking holiday, just the two of them.

Does anyone know of any reputable companies that organise this kind of holiday, she doesn't want to be walking on her own but would like to be with other dog walkers.

Thanks,

Carol, West Sussex

Balloon phobia

My doberman is scared of hot-air balloons. He is four-years-old, and I have had him since he was eight-months.

Ty has always been a fearful dog but ever since a incident with a hot-air balloon letting the gas go right above us and very low when he was about a year old, his fear has worsened.

He now refuses to go out on his walk in the mornings, and is ok when he goes out in the afternoon, but refuses to go out again in the evening.

Hoping someone can help me help him.

Michelle, by email

How can I teach my dog some manners?

Dear Dogs Today Think Tank

I have a Pomeranian-Maltese cross who is 13-months-old, female, and unspayed at the moment. When I take her for walks she pulls really hard on her lead. She also barks and goes to attack any dog she sees on her walks.

I’ve tried dropping treats to distract her but this did not work - I tried for three months but no improvement. Then I tried spraying her in the face with water, but no improvement at all.

Please can you suggest anything else to try? There are no training classes in my area and I am getting desperate for ideas.

Tina, Southend-on-Sea