Papillon Kisses

It’s an annoying thing to hear but I’d go back to the vet. Sometimes it can be a process of deduction where we try first line interventions then move on to the next thing. When we just try tips and tricks that others have found helpful, we can end up spending a lot of money on things that were never going to help or have much of an impact, only to end up in the same place of needing more veterinary work ups and treatment. Meanwhile the dog is suffering… and humans also annoyed by the constant scratching!

I’d like to add that is all too common (with any size dog or problem behaviour) to not consider or only give lip service to medical conditions, including but not limited to anxiety disorders or chronic pain or discomfort of any sort. I know many little dogs whose toileting mishaps were solved with anxiety medication and/or analgesia. Sometimes it’s a rapid behaviour change because they very much knew what to do, they were simply too worried or sore to do it! We do our dogs a tremendous disservice when we write off a behaviour as normal just because it is common in a particular type of dog. As an example, imagine you’re a Toy Poodle or Chihuahua with luxating patellas, or perhaps a Dachshund or French Bulldog with IVDD. Your human thinks you should be perfectly fine walking down slippery stairs to toilet in the rain, when it hurts and feels sketchy at the best of times. They don’t make the connection because you can toilet outside some of the time, and you can run around when adrenaline or happiness mask your pain. They might not realise you’re in pain at all until you’re in such agony that you yelp or stop walking entirely, and even then they might call you dramatic.

Why do you say this? It’s illegal in national parks but not in state forests

If you have the funds for it, you could get input from a rehab vet or physiotherapist. Maybe the team at SASH Ryde. They can do manual therapies and put together an exercise plan beyond just a gradual return to activities.

Not a vet, however I would save your money. Have you heard of Canine Arthritis Management? They’re lead by veterinarians and have a super informative website and social media presence, including private Facebook support groups you could check out. I’d see what they have to say about the evidence/risks/benefits of various supplements and other modalities.

Aww be sure to take photos and videos of her changing ear styles. When she settles on her final look, which will be perfectly (and perhaps uniquely) Athena, you’ll love looking back at them.

Those tests have no evidence base unfortunately. They also bring up false negatives and positives (including on fake samples!), so those who get results have essentially thrown spaghetti at the wall and lucked out with something happening to stick. https://www.vngpets.com/post/hair-and-saliva-testing-for-food-allergens-don-t-waste-your-money

I suspect it may be more of a case that when breeders are specifically selecting for certain colours other things get unintentionally baked in.

Hi Georgia, a few things I’d suggest. 1. Keep a short diary / notes and see if you can pick up on any patterns with the behaviour change. Things like exercise, food, weather, or changes in routine could provide clues. 2. Get a wellness exam at the vet, including bloods and considering whether your dog may have pain or discomfort anywhere in their body. If nothing comes from it, you will at least have a baseline should anything happen in the future. 3. When discussing this with your vet, try to be specific about the behaviour changes you’re seeing. In addition to energy levels and whether you’ve picked up on any patterns, they’ll probably ask about appetite, any vomiting diarrhoea or constipation, and any changes in the way your dog is moving (e.g. limping or reluctance to go for walks, play, climb stairs, jump up on furniture if that is their usual resting spot). A millennial vet would probably interpret emo as your dog seeming lethargic and losing interest in activities they usually enjoy, but others may be confused (as seen in this thread). Vets love doing wellness exams and preventative care, so don’t feel silly or awkward about getting things checked out. Attentive pet parents can sometimes pick up on little things before they become big problems. And if nothing is wrong, it will put your worries at ease and give you some baseline health data.

In case you’re new to seizures, be aware that sometimes vets just have you keep an eye on things and come back in if they keep occurring. It’s not uncommon for dogs to have one seizure and then no others for the rest of their lives, or have them at some other low frequency, and it’s decided that the risks of medication (side effects) would outweigh the benefits. This is not to make you fear medication if your dog needs it, just to explain that there is a tipping point like with other medications.

Some people say it helps. I didn’t think it did anything. I like to look for products that carry the VOHC seal. https://vohc.org/accepted-products/ Gold standard care is frequent toothbrushing using an enzymatic dog friendly toothpaste and getting dentals at the frequency recommended by the vet.

I think that’s poor reporting since it’s not a direct quote from a vet. Usually vaccinations are part of the pet’s annual wellness exam so a number of things are being checked and as well additional diagnostics or care where needed e.g. bloods. However an unaware client or reporter may not register that, thinking well I went to the vet for their “annual shots” so that’s all I’m paying for. ~$100 was the cost of a long consult at our vet maybe 8 years ago.

Would it show on blood tests?

You could also look for a long ramp that runs alongside the length of the bed if you can make that work in your space. It will provide a more moderate incline; little dogs can slip slide around even on a good quality non slip surface due to their coefficient of friction. I’ve seen some relatively skinny ones marketed towards Dachshunds and other smalls. On a related note, I’d suggest checking out Canine Arthritis Management. On Facebook they have a group called “CAM Product Share and Reviews AUSTRALIA” which may be another good place to ask this question. It’s best to avoid it anyway due to the wear and tear on their joints, but your boy’s increasing reluctance to jump up and down is a sign of pain. Dogs are very, very good at hiding pain. So talk to your vet so you can get treatment started for whatever is painful in his body (probably arthritis) and delay progression of the disease. By the time you see him yelping, whimpering and limping his pain will be severe. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TzgqyPMv7Tk

Are you unable to add your race bred girl to a national registry as well? I had Malcolm on both NSW & CAR. Just need to remember to update both if your details change.