I decided to give Kiba one more series of vaccinations now that he's a year
and a half and stop there. I will probably keep up with rabies, though, as
we do have it in our area, and we may want to travel to the States with him
at some time. Today he had his check-up and shots. I was a tiny bit
nervous about his weight, as I thought he was a little heavy a few months
ago. I have adjusted his food intake, and cut out snacks/training treats
for a while, except for kibble as rewards. He has a visible waist and
"feelable" ribs, but it's pretty easy for a Cavalier to get too big, so I
was a little anxious to see what the vet thought. Kiba has also been
"scooting" and a Google search lead me to "anal glands". Ugh. This
something totally new to me. I didn't even know they existed before now. I
saw a video of a groomer "expressing" them... oh my. Kiba has also been
chewing and scratching a bit, although I know it isn't fleas. I needed to
ask the vet about that too. And he needed a bordatella treatment as we
leave him with a babysitter/boarder on occasion.

So we arrive at the vets and before we're even out of the car, Kiba is all
excited. He LOVES the vets. I have no idea why, but I'm glad. I look
through the door before going in, to see who was in the waiting room, and
there's two small dogs, the vet cat, and another customer waiting at the
counter. OK. Kiba's nose is going a mile a minute and he just wants to
RUSH into the office. I keep him close and walk him to a far chair, fairly
close to the office cat, but away from the mini-schnauzer and the
spaniel/daschund cross now at the counter. I have no idea what her real
breeding entailed, but she was very fat, and very short, although about
cocker size in body. "Keg on very short sticks" came to mind. Kiba does
not see other dogs very often in his daily life, and thinks all he sees are
friends. He's submissive, but wants to visit. Of course, you can't allow
that at the vets, so it can be a bother to keep him calm when there's other
dogs around. He virtually ignored the little schnauzer, and was all
a-quiver towards the spaniel/whatever she was. He actually started to shake
and make these little rowwrrr-rowwrrr noises, like whining but with more
tone. He wanted to be near her! This was not "normal" behaviour from him.
He was giving calming signals like crazy, yawning so violently he made
noise, licking his lips and nose with great vigour and turning to his side.
The other dog, for her part, mostly ignored him, but did turn her back at
one point. I was so busy trying to keep Kiba from becoming a nervous nut,
that I didn't see if she was giving any more calming signals. A man came in
with a fat (*sigh*) pug, and saw the three other dogs and left his wife to
wait while he took his dog outside where it was a little less "doggie".
Kiba continued to be very excited about the black dog. Her owner and little
daughter (who wanted to touch Kiba soooo badly, but her mother wouldn't let
her) finally finished at the counter, and headed for the door. Just they
open the door to walk out, the little dog kind of hunches over, as in pain,
and stops walking. She just hunkers there, as if afraid to go out. Her
owner immediately says, "Oh, Oh" and closes the door and gets down on the
floor with her dog. Now we can see there is something serious going on with
dog: her eyes are facing different directions, and she starts to drool.
"It's a seizure, " says the owner. Oh, dear. I've never seen one before.
The little dog wasn't shaking violently or anything, but you could see her
muscles were very tight. The owner stayed very calm, held her dog, and
talked calmly and quietly to her. The vet staff of course came over and I
heard the owner say the dog has a seizure about every three or four weeks,
lasting just a few minutes. It was over fairly soon, and the dog kind of
shook herself, and trotted out the door afterward as if nothing had
happened. Kiba, for his part, settled down to his normal
sniffing-everything-within-reach self, and even got too close to the office
cat and almost got a swat for his troubles. I'm sure I'm overthinking it,
but it seemed to me that Kiba knew something no one could see about that
little dog. Or maybe I'm just an overly proud dog-mom who is willing to
believe anything is possible where her dog is concerned. Or maybe I have a
psychic dog who can sense illness. Jeez, which is more likely? *sigh*

So Kiba's weight was just fine and the doctor proclaimed a perfectly healthy
"delight". It's great when your vet likes your dog! He wasn't due for
rabies until November, so Kiba was spared that. Although his anal glands
were full of something the vet called a "very abnormal particulate" or
"depositure" or some such word. It meant the goo that came out of his butt
wasn't normal. AACCCKKKKK!! Apparently this is a common thing in little
dogs, and we will need to keep an eye on his "scooting". If it gets to be
too often, the vet said we can have the glands removed. During our
conversation I told him all this was new to me, but Google is our friend and
that's how I even knew to mention it to him. I said I had read that some
people do it themselves or have their groomers do it, and he said he could
teach me if I wanted. I said, "Brian, I have a hard enough time even SAYING
anal gland without feeling icky. I sure the hell don't want to do what you
just did!" Also, I had read that you can really injure your dog if you
don't know what you're doing, so I'd rather leave it to the expert. He
agreed.

Kiba has had some itchiness accompanied by some mad chewing lately. The vet
asked if it's driving me crazy, which I guess is indicative of bad it is.
It's not that bad, he just mats up a bit on the very sparsely haired part of
his tummy end so it makes me have to be very careful brushing. I think we
have it narrowed down to a contact allergy from the summer grass or residue
from my husband's psoriasis shampoo in the tub. One is easy to fix, the
grass, not so much. There is some allergy spray you can get for contact
dermatitis, but I'll try the clean tub thing first and hope that works. Oh
and oatmeal shampoo, left on for at least ten minutes. And cool water on
his coat, lots of cool water. Vet recommended.

I've been advised to start Kiba on monthly worm medication. I haven't
wormed him since he was a pup, but the vet says there is new evidence
that...oh, blah, blah... Kiba is now on Interceptor. I have done zero
research on it, but I really do trust this vet. Since we just got home from
the mainland, I haven't had a chance to look it up. I'm hoping I won't find
anything too awful, as I bought a whole year's supply.

So all in all, a good visit to the vet. Kiba has no sensitivity at his
injection site and is certified healthy and happy, and in good weight. Oh,
and cute, did I mention cute?
--
Phyrie
Kiba the Cav's Pics:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/phyrie/...758930/detail/

In article ,
"Phyrie" wrote:


I've been advised to start Kiba on monthly worm medication. I haven't
wormed him since he was a pup, but the vet says there is new evidence
that...oh, blah, blah... Kiba is now on Interceptor. I have done zero
research on it, but I really do trust this vet. Since we just got home from
the mainland, I haven't had a chance to look it up. I'm hoping I won't find
anything too awful, as I bought a whole year's supply.

Heartworms are very different from fecal worms. Mosquitos are the
culprit and unless you don't have any, using preventative (most take
care of intestinal worms as well) is very wise. We keep them on it year
round around here although some folks stop during winter months. Too
risky for me.

You really may want to acquaint yourself with common canine health
issues.

--
Janet Boss
www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com

"Janet Boss" wrote in message
...

Heartworms are very different from fecal worms. Mosquitos are the
culprit and unless you don't have any, using preventative (most take
care of intestinal worms as well) is very wise. We keep them on it year
round around here although some folks stop during winter months. Too
risky for me.

We keep our dogs on Interceptor year round here as well. Just in case we
decide to take a January trip to someplace warmer.

Alsotoo, if we were to stop during the winter months, we would have to do
bloodwork each spring before starting them back on it. That would involve a
second trip to the vet - just to do the bloodwork -since we do a December
trip for their annual check-up and kennel cough spray (for those winter,
indoor trials). By keeping them on Interceptor all year, we only do
bloodwork every two years and can combine it with their other appointment.

Judy

"Janet Boss" wrote in message
...

Heartworms are very different from fecal worms.

Interceptor helps control fecal worms, as well (hookwork, roundworm, and
whipworm). It isn't meant to treat heavy infestations, but it will keep
the dog from *getting* a heavy infestation in the first place, if he
takes Interceptor regularly.

You really may want to acquaint yourself with common canine health
issues.

Ahem.

--
Shelly
http://www.cat-sidh.net (the Mother Ship)
http://esther.cat-sidh.net (Letters to Esther)

In article ,
"Shelly" wrote:

"Janet Boss" wrote in message
...

Heartworms are very different from fecal worms.

Interceptor helps control fecal worms, as well (hookwork, roundworm, and
whipworm). It isn't meant to treat heavy infestations, but it will keep
the dog from *getting* a heavy infestation in the first place, if he
takes Interceptor regularly.

You really may want to acquaint yourself with common canine health
issues.

Ahem.

Ahem?

--
Janet Boss
www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com

"Janet Boss" wrote in message
...

Ahem?

For criticizing Phyrie for being ignorant of something you apparently
didn't know, either.

--
Shelly
http://www.cat-sidh.net (the Mother Ship)
http://esther.cat-sidh.net (Letters to Esther)

In article ,
"Shelly" wrote:


For criticizing Phyrie for being ignorant of something you apparently
didn't know, either.

But I did, and included that in my post. I said HWs are very different
from intestinal worms, but that HW preventative TOOK CARE OF INTESTINAL
WORMS AS WELL.

--
Janet Boss
www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com

In article ,
"Shelly" wrote:


For criticizing Phyrie for being ignorant of something you apparently
didn't know, either.

To quote myself:

Heartworms are very different from fecal worms. Mosquitos are the
culprit and unless you don't have any, using preventative

*****(most take
care of intestinal worms as well) *****

is very wise. We keep them on it year
round around here although some folks stop during winter months. Too
risky for me.

You really may want to acquaint yourself with common canine health
issues.

--
Janet Boss
www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com

--
Janet Boss
www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com

"Janet Boss" wrote in message
...

But I did, and included that in my post. I said HWs are very
different
from intestinal worms, but that HW preventative TOOK CARE OF
INTESTINAL
WORMS AS WELL.

I totally missed that part. In that case, I *totally* don't get why you
made that last comment. I assume (perhaps incorrectly) that there isn't
much concern about HW where Phyrie lives, so her dog would not really
need to be on HW preventative. I doubt that many people use HW
preventative specifically for fecal worm prevention, so why criticize
Phyrie for not knowing that it can also be used for that?

--
Shelly
http://www.cat-sidh.net (the Mother Ship)
http://esther.cat-sidh.net (Letters to Esther)

In article ,
"Shelly" wrote:


I totally missed that part. In that case, I *totally* don't get why you
made that last comment. I assume (perhaps incorrectly) that there isn't
much concern about HW where Phyrie lives, so her dog would not really
need to be on HW preventative. I doubt that many people use HW
preventative specifically for fecal worm prevention, so why criticize
Phyrie for not knowing that it can also be used for that?

I didn't. I was explaining that "worms" are not all the same. I don't
know whether she has HW in her area, but it sounds like it's likely,
since they sell Interceptor (rather than just an intestinal wormer).
She didn't know anal sacs exist. I found that odd.

--
Janet Boss
www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com