Teeth Cleaning in Dogs with Heart Murmurs
Hello, I have a tiny 5 year old dog that was recently diagnosed with a grade 2 heart murmur. She needs a dental but I fear its too risky to have her put under. Is there anything else I can do for her teeth? She's also had 2 very mild seizures in the past 6 months. They last for roughly 20-30 seconds. Bloodwork has been done but everything came up perfect. She also had a 6-panel thyroid test but that was perfect as well. I'm not sure what to do at this point but her teeth are bad. Thank you for the help.
Dr. Tracy Barlup of Longmeadow Animal Hospital responded:
Water Gulping Puppy
Question: I was wondering my 8 month old husky drinks her water too fast and then ends up throwing it back up. I have tried giving her a little at a time but sometimes that doesn't help either. She just acts like she can never get enough. Is there anything that you can suggest?
Dr. Tracy Barlup of Longmeadow Animal Hospital responded
Puppy Urination
My puppy will not stop peeing, I have no clue what to do.
Should I give him less water? Or is it just a phase?
Dr. Tracy Barlup of Longmeadow Animal Hospital responded:
Teeth Cleanings for an Older Pet
We have a small dog that is unable to be put under for a dental cleaning due to health concerns. Is there any other procedure that can be done to clean his teeth? Thank you
Dr. Tracy Barlup of Longmeadow Animal Hospital responded
Puppy Shedding
Hi I have an 8 month old Irish wolfhound shepherd mix. And he two recently is shedding awful! Could he be losing his puppy fur? He is very healthy and is indoors most often. I Feed preimuim lamb and rice large breed dog food. Will a simple bathing help this if this is just shedding of his puppy fur?
Spaying an adult dog
question:
I have a german shepard, He just turned 3 last week. Is it to late to get him fixed?
Dr. Tracy Barlup responded:
Concerns about Unsupervised Overnight Stays at the Vet Office
Staci asked:
Hello! My 6 month old puppy is due to be neutered in about 2 weeks. I feel so bad for having to leave him alone in the vets overnight. Is there a reason why they are kept overnight? It seems a little strange to be kept with no one to watch over them. I know he needs "fixed" for his own good but I am really starting to feel apprehensive. I don't know if some of its cause I feel bad about him being alone overnight or what. We are very attached to each other and I'm very worried if something was to go wrong and no one is there to notice. Thanks!
Excessive Shedding
I have an 8 month old yellow lab who has recently started shedding excessively. In October he went through his seasonal shedding which lasted about a month, and after that i could rarely pull a loose hair out of his coat for a good two months. His coat is also looking a little duller than it had been. Nothing has really changed to cause this new shedding and I was wondering what the problem could be. He doesn't scratch or appear to have irritated skin, and he seems pretty happy so I don't suspect it is stress related. I feed high quality food and he is inside all day. We have been grooming with a shedding blade daily.
Dr. Tracy Barlup of Longmeadow Animal Hospital responded:
Head Bobbing in 3 year old Labrador Retriever
MY 3YR OLD LAB STARTED HAVING WHAT I CALL "BOBBERS" ABOUT A
YEAR AGO. ONE NIGHT HIS HEAD JUST STARTED INVOLUNTARILY BOBBING UP AND
DOWN. I HAVE RESEARCHED IT ON THE INTERNET AND NO ONE KNOWS WHAT CAUSES
IT. HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF IT OR KNOW WHAT CAUSES IT? IS THERE
ANYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE FOR IT? HE WILL GO SEVERAL MONTHS W/O GETTING
THEM AND THEN HE MAY GET THEN SEVERAL NIGHTS IN A ROW. THEY ALWAYS SEEM
TO START WHEN HE IS AT REST.
Dr.Tracy Barlup of Longmeadow Animal Hospital Responed
Playing Tug with a Dachshund
I adopted a dachshund mix at the Humane Society several months ago. He loves to play and shake his toys, and tries briefly to tug when I take something away from him. I would like to play "tug," but I've read that since dachshunds are susceptible to spinal injuries, you should not play tug with them? Should I avoid this? Thanks.
Dr. Tracy Barlup of Longmeadow Animal Hospital responded
Spay and Neuter for Young Kittens
Jennifer Asked:
I have just recently moved to the area and have taken in two stray kittens we have had them since nov 1 they look like they are from different litters by their sizes we have decided to keep them for they have become part us. They are wonderful kittens. I would like to get them spayed and de-clawed, as well as their first visits. I think one kitten is about 16 weeks and the other 8 weeks(her eyes were still closed and we had to bottle feed her when we found her) how old should they be? When should i bring them in, and are their any programs/discounts for them? Thank you
Dr. Tracy Barlup of Longmeadow Animal Hospital Responded:
Pugs and Snoring
Pat wrote to Dr. Barlup:
Hi. I have Chewie, she is 4 years old. When she sleeps she
does snore loudly. She also sounds like she stops breathing for a short time. This really scares me. Is this normal in a Pug?
Dr. Tracy Barlup of Longmeadow Animal Hospital Responded:
End of Life Issues
Chuck asked:
My dog is 14 years old. He is a mutt, around 30 pounds. His
age is now bothering me. I can tell that he is losing his sight and his
hearing. He has trouble with steps and as you can imagine, he does not
have a lot of energy anymore. I'm not sure how to begin preparing for
what I fear will happen in the near future. Is there something I can do
for him to make him more comfortable, and what kind of things can I do
now to ensure he is taken care of when IT happens?
Dr. Tracy Barlup of Longmeadow Animal Hospital responded:
End of Life Issues
Chuck asked:
My dog is 14 years old. He is a mutt, around 30 pounds. His
age is now bothering me. I can tell that he is losing his sight and his
hearing. He has trouble with steps and as you can imagine, he does not
have a lot of energy anymore. I'm not sure how to begin preparing for
what I fear will happen in the near future. Is there something I can do
for him to make him more comfortable, and what kind of things can I do
now to ensure he is taken care of when IT happens?
Dr. Tracy Barlup of Longmeadow Animal Hospital responded:
Allergy Problems
The question from Jerry:
I have a 2 year old female Rottie and she is having problems with her skin. We have had her to the vets numerous times with no results or answeres. She is very itchy, and sucks her paws continuously! and she is now starting to lose hair. We had her on Nutro all her life and just switched her in hopes it would help and put her on Beneful by purina. This has been a problem for about a year or more, can you suggest anything to help? Thank you
Response from Dr. Tracy Barlup:
Arthritis in An Older Dog
Elizzabeth Asked:
My beagle Larry is thirteen years old. He is arthritic but was getting around well for his age. Yesterday afternoon very suddenly his leg 'went out.' He could barely stand & kept falling & stumbling around the house & yard.
This morning his mobility is better but still not very good. I can tell it hurts him due to him whining just from getting up from his bed.
His breathing is pretty heavy, almost like he is dehydrated. He drinks so much water; if I fill up a bowl he will stand there & drink half & then come back 10 minutes later to gorge himself again. This has caused his bathroom habits to change & his bladder is not doing it's job very well.
I am very worried about him & would like to know any ways of making him more comfortable until I can take him in to get a check up.
Euthanasia is also weighing heavy on my mind & I would like to know any ways of preparing in case the worst happens.
Dr. Tracy Barlup of Longmeadow Animal Hospital
Responded:
Arthritic Older Dog
Elizzabeth Asked:
My beagle Larry is thirteen years old. He is arthritic but was getting around well for his age. Yesterday afternoon very suddenly his leg 'went out.' He could barely stand & kept falling & stumbling around the house & yard.
This morning his mobility is better but still not very good. I can tell it hurts him due to him whining just from getting up from his bed.
His breathing is pretty heavy, almost like he is dehydrated. He drinks so much water; if I fill up a bowl he will stand there & drink half & then come back 10 minutes later to gorge himself again. This has caused his bathroom habits to change & his bladder is not doing it's job very well.
I am very worried about him & would like to know any ways of making him more comfortable until I can take him in to get a check up.
Euthanasia is also weighing heavy on my mind & I would like to know any ways of preparing in case the worst happens.
Dr. Tracy Barlup of Longmeadow Animal Hospital
Responded:
Pugs and Breathing Sounds
Victoria Asked:
question: i have a pug that acts like he can not breath it is like he is
sucking in is that normal for pugs
Dr. Barlup Responded:
Cat Chewing Electrical Cords
Helen asked:
I have a four year old Manx. I do play with him a lot,
throwing his mouse for him to retrieve. I have had two other Manx
kitties over the years, he is the first one who chews on electrical
cords.
Is there any thing I can do to stop this habit? He
almost ruined the cord on my cd/record player.
Dr. Tracy Barlup of Longmeadow Animal Hospital responds:
Flea protection: Year Round or Not?
Audrey asked:
I put Frontline flee protection on my dog beginning of this month. I used another like product two previous months. What month should I discontinue use until next summer. I asked because on TV I saw that flea protection should be used year around. What is your advice since we live in the colder climate.
Dr. Barlup Responded:
Cat Elimination problems
My cat of 6 years has been doing #2 upstairs in the hallway,
only when I am home, randomly. After doing it he doesn't come up to sleep with me. He does use the litter box, even if i'm in the room,
where it has been since the first.
Dr. Tracy Barlup of Longmeadow Animal Hospital responded:
Lupus and Dogs
My dog has what looks raw and sore in all moist areas, including his eyes, nose and outside of mouth. It does not seem to hurt him, two vets looked at his eyes when it first started about 9 months ago and basically blew it off as not a problem. It is getting worse not better. Have you ever heard of this happening? Is it possible to have Lupus a blood disease. Someone told me this was a symptom.
Dr. Tracy Barlup Answered
Dry Skin in Dogs
What Can You Do To Get Rid Of Dry Skin On A Dog?
Dr. Tracy Barlup of Longmeadow Animal Hospital responded:
Obesity in Cats
I have a HUGE problem...my cat! He's 6 yrs old, has been a big boy ever since kittenhood, but now he's 20lbs. When he was a year old, he was "blocked" due to crystals in his bladder according to his vet. He eats Science diet(light),and he averaged 15lbs until Feb. when I no longer allowed him to go outside. That's when the weight really creeped up on him. He does have others to play with, and he's still active. Do you have any advice? Thank you so much!
Dr. Barlup of Longmeadow Animal Hospital responded:
Health Concerns
Dear Dr. Barlup,
My dog has red spots on her belly. They don't seem to bother her but they don't look healthy either, sometimes they open up a little or peel. She also has things that are like scabs on the bottom of her chin that used to open up and bleed when she got excited...they haven't for a while so I was wondering if it was possible that they were stress related...I recently left my husband whom she was terrified of.
Her left ear has brown stuff that smells...she'll scratch at it until she yelps. I tried the rx7 or 8 ear cleaner but it only helps for a little while.
I love my dog very much. She had been through three bad homes by the time I got her and was still a puppy. I can't part with her and was wondering if there was anyway to get her vet attention at a reduced rate or maybe on a payment plan. Please if you have any advice or can help us please write back. Thank you very much. Looking forward to hearing from you!
Dr. Barlup Responded
Vet
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Hagerstown, MD 21740 
