Question by amy312003: Can you give Metacam to reptiles?
My vet prescribed Metacam to my leopard gecko for pain. I did some research, and found it is usually prescribed to dogs for arthritis.

It is not endorsed for reptiles by the food and drug administration for reptiles, either, only dogs and cats.
So I can assume that it is possible to overdose a gecko on this medicine? What if he accidentally got one more dose than he was supposed to? (He was supposed to get .1 cc per day, and I think, I’m not sure, though, he got 2 doses in one day).

Best answer:

Answer by scarfiespudsushi
Yes, it is also safe for small animals and birds as long as the suspension is correct.
One extra dose should not hurt him, they will sometimes prescribe it twice a day instead of once a day if they think the pain should be bad enough.

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Question by Sweetpea has two boys: What am I going to do about this dog? I think it might die?
I”m watching my parents’ old, decrepit dog while they are on vacation, and the dog just doesn’t seem to be doing all that well. he’s 12 years old, and has arthritis so he has pills, which I have been giving him, but he won’t eat or drink anything ( other then the pills that I stuck in yogurt, and I don’t think dogs should just eat yogurt, that is what my mom told me to do to give them to him) He just lays there and doesn’t really move, and sighs loudly, I have to half lift him to put him outside. He just doesn’t look good. maybe he just misses my parents and will get over it, or should I try to get him to a vet? The last thing I need is for the dog to die while they are out of town.
I only gave him the one a day that my mom said he is supposed to have. He does have hip problems and needs help standing a lot.

His mouth is still wet and drooly, so maybe he is drinking and I just haven’t seen him do it, but the food bowl is untouched.
oh, and he will shuffled from outside of my parent;s bedroom door to the front door, since I just went to check on him and he had moved. Maybe he is just totally depressed that they left him

Best answer:

Answer by Dog Section Regular
He might just be depressed suddenly being in a new environment, away from his owners, and doesn’t feel good.

Make sure he is drinking water. I’m sure your parents left an emergency contact number for you, or at least have internet access so you could email them.

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Question by •Poppy•: DS: Advice/Opinions? (Possible surgery on an older dog)?
I have an 11 year old, male, unneutered (if that even matters) Sheltie named Sam. He’ll be 12 in mid-October.

He’s never had any kind of surgery whatsoever. He’s, in fact, a very healthy dog overall – a bit of arthritis and he had Parvo as a pup but since has been in good shape.

Last spring, I noticed he had a bit of a bump on his eyelid, touching eye. Naturally, I was concerned and called the vet and explained it. She said if he didn’t seem overly bothered by it to wait until his vaccinations that were coming up (she seemed to know what it was).

Anyway, she looked at it and said that it wasn’t a big deal – I forget what it was. She said if he began to paw at it, or if it began to get puss-y to bring him back in and she would remove it, or if he ever needed another surgery she would remove it then.

Anyway, his eye is starting to get sort of puss-y and we have made an appointment for him tonight. I’m just concerned (maybe unnecessarily) if she suggests any kind of surgery for this dog what may happen. Obviously I will talk to her about the risks beforehand but this dog is just everybody’s favorite little guy and I cannot fathom something happening to him.

Anyone out there had anything similar?
Thanks for the answers so far. He’s got pretty great teeth, so he’s never had them cleaned, no. His appointments at 5 so I will keep you posted as to what she says.

Best answer:

Answer by Premier Snow
As you probably already know, there is always a risk when anesthesia is used, and probably more so with an elderly dog. The Vet will want to do blood tests before the surgery, to see if his counts are all in the normal range. I don’t think the Vet would even risk putting the dog through surgery if the blood test results came back poor. So, I guess you really don’t have much of a choice since this thing seems to be bothering the dog and is indeed getting worse. I have several friends that have had surgeries on elderly dogs, including a surgery for bloat. All were successful. I personally haven’t had any experience, thus far, with a senior dog needing to have something like this done.

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Question by Aj Jay: Is my dog going to be ok?
My 15 yr old aussie shepherd as arthritis. It as suddenly become worse and she as now gone off her food. Is this very serious and will the problem be resolved? Would a vet be able to help? Thanks.

Best answer:

Answer by TROLL Season has begun
15 years? it’s probably time to let her go, yes a vet can help put her down, sounds like it’s time.

Sorry.

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Question by PeaceLoveDolphins: My dog is getting fatter…but?
So we took my dog Petey, a 9 year old toy poodle, to the vet a few weeks ago. The doctor x-rayed him and found arthritis in his lower spine. he was having back back pain.

Anyway, he is really fat but we feed him well and he runs a lot. BUT in his x-ray, it showed everything.. and he has no fa ton him. SO does this mean his organs are expanding or what? The doctor said he was perfectly healthy but i think this is very weird…

any professionals or people who know about this, please help.
he did a lot of tests, he did xrays, an MRI, blood tests, and some others. I really don’t know what a thyroid test is..

Best answer:

Answer by Launi ~Thundering ~ Wild Angels~
Did your vet do a thyroid test? I suggest it.

ADD: It is a seperate blood test. Not included in the blood profile vets normally do. He should have suggested it.
It will tell you if your dog is hyperthyroid. Which means he will just have to take a very simple drug every day. My Lab has been on it for 9 years. He is 11 years old. When he went from 70 to 95 pounds in a short period of time that is when I found out he had thyroid problems. Google it. Help you understand.

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Question by Alex: My dog favors his left hind leg, and has unresponsive toes on his right leg.?
So, I’m staying with my family at the beach with our 7 year-old dog. He has had somewhat of a ‘off-and-on’ limp, where he will have a little trouble walking, or he might run around in the yard.

But, after taking a small walk and run on the beach yesterday, the next day he isn’t using his right leg at all. He’ll get up when called, with some trouble, and sit in front of you like he normally does. Being concerned for my pet, I felt his right leg when he was laying down. I moved his toes, and there wasn’t any resistance, I could just move them to and fro. His left leg was fine, and he got up and left when I squeezed it, like he normally would. But he didn’t when I squeezed his right leg.

So does anybody know what this may be? I have a feeling that it’s a mix of arthritis and a pulled muscle, since he has had some leg trouble before, but he didn’t start this huge limp until after a run on the beach; something he never usually has.

It’s not as simple as consulting the vet either. We are far away from the vet, and from the huge array of things this could be there’s simply no way he could know without seeing him.

Best answer:

Answer by Callie
not sure if front right or right rear leg.
Arthritis is common as is soft tissue injuries (pulled muscle, ligament, tendon) just like in humans.
If a rear leg–cruciate ligaments are commonly injured. Not sure what breed of dog it is but luxated hip/shoulder possioble as well as fracture.
Lots of things to consider without knowing more history etc.

Since walk on beack made it worse–I would definitely rest the pet until can be seen by a vet. Good luck to your dog!

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Question by morgan: What to give my dog after getting lyme disease & anemia?
The tick that caused my dog’s lyme disease basically caused her to become anemic, and her blood was seriously lacking in hemoglobins.

What kinds of foods / dog foods should I give her to help her recover ? She no longer has lyme disease, but I feel like she still has anemic tendencies like her front legs are weak some times. I’m giving her glucosamine not everyday, but every other day to prevent arthritis [she's 12 y/o]

so I was wondering what foods to give her to help with those tendencies thank you ina dvance

Best answer:

Answer by Vashti
My Pom has AIHA. He is on an extremely low dose of prednisone and his red blood count is coming up, albeit slowly.

In addition to his regular food, I have special iron fortified vitamin drops (which I got from the vet) that I put on his food.

Here’s what he takes: http://www.prnpharmacal.com/liquitinic/feline.php

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Question by rosebud: My dog has a lump on his leg…?
So my dog has been having difficulting getting up from our wood floor. Once he lies down, he has a really hard time getting himself up, it’s gotten to the point where we need to get a carpet to put in front of him in order to get up.

also a few months ago we noticed a lump on his front right leg. when we touched it he didn’t show any pain. so we figured it would go away. today it is half the size it was before. today I noticed another bump, this time on his back left leg. it is smaller in diameter compared to the first, but larger (as in pokes out further) compared to the first.

is this cancer, broken bone, signs of arthritis?????

he is a chocolate lab, 7 years of age, and is overweight.

Best answer:

Answer by VW
could be cancer take your dog to a Vet to be checked and it being over weight isn’t helping him

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Question by Adrienne: dog won’t go outside?
So we had an ice storm last night and my dog is old and has arthritis. He doesn’t like to go down steps because he thinks he’ll fall. He knows the deck is slippery and I can’t get him to go down the inside steps to go out the front door. I’ve tried food, ringing the doorbell etc. He hasn’t gone to the bathroom since 7p.m. last night and it is now 10 a.m. Will he be alright if he waits until the ice melts?
He weighs close to 100 pounds.
he’s on medication for his arthritis, I think he’s just scared. I’m going to try putting a few long rugs on the porch so he can walk on it without slipping.

Best answer:

Answer by Teacup Irish Doodlehound
Try getting him some puppy pads so he won’t have to go outside (you could put them in the garage if you don’t want him using them in the house).

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Question by Gossip Girl!: Almost 16 year old dog?
I have a dog who I have had since I was 2. He will be 16 in March. We are the same age. He is an Australian Shepard mix. Anyway, he is, from what we can tell, pretty much deaf. He is possibly also partway blind. He also has arthritis. He also has fatty tumors. He sometimes has trouble getting up the stairs on the porch not all the time but sometimes. He is an outside dog, but he comes in when it is cold. When he comes in though, he sometimes goes to the bathroom on the floor. He used to be able to hold it for long lengths of time, but since he has gotten older he can only hold it for short times. Does anyone have any advice on anything? Anyone had this type of experience?
But how do you know when it is time? How do you know when he is to the point that he may be suffering. He is outside for the day. Just in at night. Unless it is snowing, then he is in.
I would have him in more, but my parents don’t like to have him in because our house is relatively small, and we already have 2 other small dogs in the house. And I don’t think they have any sympathy for him.

Best answer:

Answer by Sunny
Sounds like your dog is getting near the end of it’s life. I would take him to the Vet and have him checked over. You don’t want to prolong his life if he is in pain. Good luck.

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