From: ce293@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Gail E. Brookhart)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.dogs
Subject: Re: Dog moves to Colorado, has problems, HELP!
Date: 26 Jan 1993 12:26:51 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH (USA)
Reply-To: ce293@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Gail E. Brookhart)
NNTP-Posting-Host: hela.ins.cwru.edu


In a previous article, jkl@fsl.noaa.gov (Jennifer Longstaff) says:

>I'm "dog-sitting" for 8 months while my parents are in Poland with
>the Peace Corps.  The dog is Casey, a 9-year-old spayed female
>Golden Retriever.  I flew out to Seattle to get her, then back with
>her last week.  So as of now, she's been here (Boulder) for one week.
>
>Since it's too cold to keep her outside during the day, she stays in
>the enclosed front plant room (south-facing windows in half of it; shade
>in other half.  temperature during the day between 50 and 70).  She gets
>to go out and run around (chase the tennis ball, sniff things, etc) for 
>1/2 hour in the morning, 1/2 hour late afternoon after work, then for a 
>long walk (on leash) before bedtime.
>
>My parents had her on a Science Diet Lamb/Rice food which I wasn't able
>to find, so I got her IAMS Lamb/Rice.  (The folks are pretty insistent
>that she get a lamb/rice diet; urinary stuff a few years ago that the
>lamb/rice cleared up.)  So all week I've been giving her the IAMS.  Plus
>Saturday afternoon when I was out she nosed open the big plastic canister
>with the food in it and chowed down on about four helpings (I've since
>put the canister behind closed closet door).
>
>Anyway, that's the background.  Now to the problems.
>
>Sunday morning during tennis-ball chasing I noticed her pads on her
>paws were bleeding in places.  I thought it might be due to the dry
>climate here, plus the snow (crunchy, granular) she had been running
>around on all week.  I bathed her feet and smeared vaseline on her pads
>for moisture.  
>
>Sunday night she seemed restless and for good reason; this morning I awoke
>to find 5 piles of diarrhea that had occurred during the night.  She's a
>very fastidious dog and would *never* go indoors unless it was an emergency.
>
>Now, my questions are:
>(1) on paw pads: should I try to toughen them up, or continue bathing
>her paws and putting vaseline on?  Is there something better than
>vaseline to smear on them?  Should I get her some of those little doggie
>booties to wear (she does like to go out for long hikes, so the boots
>might be good to have for that, anyway)?

There are products available that will toughen a dog's pads but I cannot
remember any brand names.  Your vet should know of them or you might want
to contact some of the mushers in your area.

>
>(2) on diarrhea: could the IAMS diet be causing it?  did her Saturday-
>afternoon pig-out cause it?  The plane ride out here last week?  Just
>the change of scenery?  How should I clear it up?  I gave her some plain
>yogurt this morning; will that help or hurt?  (I presently have a call
>in to the vet about this, and am calling all the vets and pet stores
>looking for the Science Diet lamb/rice but no luck finding it so far).
>
Any of these things could be causing it.  Since you mention that she is in
a room with plants all day I would also look around and see if she has been
snacking on the plants.  A great many houseplants are poisonous to dogs. 
Make sure that she can't get to anything she isn't supposed to have.


>I have had dogs while growing up, and have had many roommates with dogs,
>so I'm somewhat familiar with caring for them, although I would call myself
>"a cat person."  (don't flame me, here in the dog group!  I love dogs;
>I love all animals but love cats best.)  So any suggestions you dog-lovers
>have regarding any of my new-adopt-a-dog questions would be appreciated!
>
>Either post, if you think the information is useful to all, or send email
>if the information is specific to my situation.
>Thanks a lot!
>
>- Jennifer
>  jkl@md.fsl.noaa.gov
>
>
>
>

Good luck!

Gail Brookhart
ce293@cleveland.freenet.edu
 
Newsgroups: rec.pets.dogs