Puppy Survival Thread: muddy footprints into Spring 2022

[tizwozliz]

Discussion of all things puppy...

Previous thread here

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/the_doghouse/4451767-Puppy-Survival-Thread-surviving-into-2022

Teenagers also welcome

Well we went to dogfest. Wouldn't rush back tbh just glad we only paid a tenner each for the tickets.

Ada was mostly well behaved, tried the dock jumping but it was too much for her. In theory you're meant to be able to go back for multiple goes but that would have meant spending most of the day queuing. We also did some hay bale racing, Ada was up against a collie and a lab and won her race. Flyball wasn't on which was disappointing. Queue for agility try a go was huge so didn't bother there. Picked up a drying coat and a few JR ostrich treats.

We've had a stressful day. Yampup's eye blew up and went super red and gooey. Managed to get to vet and they said she's got a really bad ulcer.
They couldnt do a proper examination as yampup would not let anyone near her eyes but they dont think its an object thats caused it, but they want to be sure so she has to go back on Monday for sedation on an empty tummy. In the meantime she has 2 different eye drops plus pain killers, and a cone of shame. She wont let us near her with eye drops, and she's so sad in her cone. I'm so worried about how we're going to get the antibiotic drops into her eye. Have tried everything. Even gave her the whole tub of Muttbutter to distract her. Didnt work.

@Yamyam13 do you have 2 people available to do the drops - one to hold the dog still and one to do drops? Alternatively get the drops ready, get your dog into "middle" between your legs, hold them in place gently with your legs, with one hand firmly grip the fur under their chin as that makes it hard for them to struggle their head away or snap at you, then quickly do drops.... can you tell I've had to do this lol?! You'll prob have to remove the cone to do the drops as it will be in the way. I also ended up having to buy a soft muzzle to do the drops when she was very snappy at a younger age which made it easier to do the drops and she didn't mind it but that would freak some dogs out so try the above methods first but if you can't get the drops in sometimes a muzzle is necessary.

Hey @Aria20
Thanks for the tip! We have tried similar but have found she is best one doesn't restrain her. The vet's nurse noted that too. 'Less is more with this one' she said. Distraction by way of licki matt is working ok-ish - managed to get some antibiotics in last night, and am about to try again now!
Arggh.
Maybe I'm naive but I never anticipated feeling so fraught when my dog gets ill, like i do with my human child!

Eye drops are so hard to get in! Our dog only has to see the bottle come out the fridge and she gets anxious. The only time she has ever snapped at us was trying to get eye drops in. The only way I could get them in was to squeeze some on my finger then try and wipe it in her eye with my hand. I don't recommend but it was the best I could do! I did think about getting some kind of misting dispenser if she needs them again. For mildly gummy eyes our doggy day care recommended milk in the eyes! Sounds crazy but it cleared them up. It was super mild though not the sort of infection requiring drops.

Milk, that's interesting. I wonder how that works?

I saw a tip online about diluting drops and spraying them.. but it was on reddit so wasn't sure if it's a reliable source! But it does seem like a possible solution in a worst case scenario!

I've just spent the last hour trying to train her to be more comfotable with the tube approaching and even touching her face, near her eye by using a bowl ful of tiny cheese crumbs om the floor and everytime she let me near her with the bottle rewarding her with a bit of cheese from the bowl. It worked quite well, i manage to get one drop in but she wont let me come near her with both hands so i have to drop it in from above and hope to hit the target!

Going to keep doing it like that for now and hope it gets easier and easier.

I was looking so much better this morning but after a game of tug it suddenly got worse again. I wonder if the activity made it worse... all the blood pumping around?

I googled milk and cleaning dogs eyes, but no results, so it may not be a common remedy, but I did see that scientists in Sydney had found a protein in milk that helps clear bacteria in (human?) eye infections!

Also wiping a cold used tea bag over the eyes helps mild conjunctivitis

Yes this true, we do this usually when its mild and it works a treat, and I did do it a few times in the week and thought it had done the job but then suddenly it went crazy like this.
I wonder if its worth carrying on with it just incase...

@Yamyam13 def not a grass seed or pollen got in?

That's what they want to check tomorrow at vets under sedation. They couldnt sedate yesterday as she had eaten.
Vet said doesnt look like foreign body but they want to be sure

We had gel type cream for conjunctivitis, was easier to get in.

Grass seeds are the devil's work!!!

I'm forever having to check for grass seeds and picking them and those sticky prickly balls out of my dogs fur!

What does a grass seed actually look like? Off to google!

I'm forever having to check for grass seeds and picking them and those sticky prickly balls out of my dogs fur!

The benefit of a labrador coat is most things brush right off. Only bramble thorns I have to pick out.

Yampup is a black lab too so it's easy to spot and remove things!

Cockerdileteeth - yep we’re very near HH so will check that one out too.

Although typically his behaviour the last 5 days has been just lovely, listening, great recall and calm at home. I’m sure it’ll change again!!

Poor Yampup, I hope it clears up soon x

Thanks @Autumn101 xx

How did yampup get on at the vets @Yamyam13 ? Hope it wasn't too traumatic

@tizwozliz thank you for asking!
She didnt have to be sedated as the ulcer has reduced in size so they are confident there is nothing in there. It was a different vet today and he asked if we had building works going on...
Well, we don't, but my mum does, they are building an annexe in the garden, and we had been there the night before! So Vet suspects strongly it was caused by unmixed concrete powder, he said it's often cause this type of ulcer!
So we just continue with the eye drops which we can't actually administer 🙄
But fingers crossed enough go in and she continues to improve.
So be careful anyone having works done!

Currently sat up with Dpup after he has been unsettled since we went to bed. Came down and he was sick and then cried to go out and had diarrhoea. Poor little thing. He has his second vaccination last night I wonder if it's that? He is asleep next to me on the sofa and his tummy is making amazing noises ☹️

@Yamyam13 glad you have an answer and pup didn't need sedation. Hope you get eye drops in soon.
@GenderCriticalTrumpets poor little pup. Could be jabs or did he have worm treatment as well? Or eat anything in garden?

@Aria20 he just had the jabs, we were waiting on the flea and worm treatment. He's done more diarrhoea at 6 and doesn't want breakfast. Should I ring the vet or chill tf out? Is there any chilling in dog ownership?

We've had a few tummy episodes like that with yampup.
But being a Lab never went off her food. If you can get dpup to eat then sweet potato works a treat for us for firming up poos, and boiled rice and chicken. Also try to get some probiotics- you can order online or get from vet.
To get yampup to drink when she's had diarrhoea we put a few drops of milk in her water bowl and she chuggs the whole lot.
I'd say docall vet as they are not eating and just had jabs - see what they say.
Hope better soon