Q. Red tick hound boston Terrier mix shes 11weeks old when she pees shes peeing what looks like mucusey pee why would this be n what can I do

ANSWER : A. You should see a vet to check what is wrong. It can be urinary tract infection. Collect a fresh urine sample before visit to help to make a diagnosis

ANSWER : A. Your question is a good one, and unfortunately the answers are going to differ based on who you ask. Many vets are seeing resistance to Frontline, which has been the go-to product for many of us for many years. It contains the active ingredient Fipronil, which is very safe and typically extremely effective. I use it on my dogs and never see fleas or ticks. However other vets will tell you in their areas, for whatever reason, they are seeing fleas and ticks on dogs and cats on which this product was used.

Another reason opinions differ is that some people like to give an oral product, and some like to put a topical product directly on the skin. That’s a matter of personal preference mostly. Bravecto, as mentioned below, is one of those products. Most people find it safe and effective. It uses a different process that Frontline to kill fleas and ticks.

In general the products you buy over-the-counter are likely going to be less expensive and less effective than what you get from a vet. I think the reason is that the more expensive products contain newer insecticides, and likely less resistance to these products has built up in the flea and tick population but also they are maybe less “proven”, so it’s important for a vet to be involved in the use of the product in order to ensure that there won’t be a negative reaction to using it.

If I lived in an area where there was Lyme disease (in the US that’s the northeast and upper midwest) I’d most definitely add a tick collar to my standard oral or topical flea and tick prevention. AND I’d search both of my dogs everyday for ticks. It’s because nothing you buy will be 100% effective, and Lyme disease can be a very serious problem.

If you want to talk further and talk more specifically about where you live and what products you’re considering, I’d be happy to do a consult with you. Nobody here is paid to recommend products, but we do develop preferences based on what we use on our own pets and in our practices.

ANSWER : A. If you mean the ticks are embedded deeply in the skin, you can use a pair of tweezers to gently remove the tick. If the head becomes detached, most healthy bodies will push the head out of the skin naturally over a period of time. Using Vaseline over the tick can also sometimes cause it to back out on its own and be removed. Getting your dog on a monthly flea and tick preventative can help prevent future ticks from hopping on, also, if you are in an area where tick-borne disease are a problem it is always a good idea to have any tick bites examined by your local veterinarian.

If you mean the ticks were eaten, they will most likely pass through your dog without problem. However if you suspect there is an issue, your vet should take a look.

ANSWER : A. If you can gently remove the portion of the tick you can see with tweezers you can try that. Usually leaving the head behind doesn’t cause additional problems, and the body will gradually expel it. If you see excessive swelling, or if your dog is bothered by these, I would recommend taking him in for care to see if your vet can get the parts left behind out. And depending on where you live (i.e. If tick-borne diseases like Lyme are a concern) watch your dog carefully for signs of illness following this infestation. And consider using a veterinary product to prevent tick bites.

ANSWER : A. If your dog is uncomfortable with other dogs (of any sort), it is important that you bring your current dog to the shelter so he can meet the dog you plan to adopt. You should check out your local shelter, and walk around looking at all of the dogs. Mixed breeds have mixed amounts of energy and it’s tough to recommend a breed. I suppose I would say calm breeds would be the Great Pyrenees, the Newfoundland, the Bernese Mountain dog CAN be a calm breed.. really with any breed you will have mixed litters. Many breeders breed specifically the “calm” Newfies, or the “hyper” Bernese. If you are going to adopt from a shelter however, it’s impossible to expect that level of breeding.

As I said, just be sure you bring your dog along so you can slowly introduce the dogs. If your dog is uncomfortable, immediately separate them, and try again in a couple of minutes. You don’t want to force them to get along, and you don’t want to move too quickly when introducing them.

ANSWER : A. A tick’s bite can be very irritating and frequently results in a ‘granuloma’ after the tick completes feeding and drops off. These granulomas typically resolve in a week or two. Monitor for redness or discharge. Keep the site clean and dry. Prevent licking or scratching if possible. Use a monthly tick preventative such as Frontline Plus, K9 Advantix or Vectra to prevent tick bites.

ANSWER : A. My first question (if you could answer me back) would be how does anyone know it’s a hematoma, and not a hemangiosarcoma or a hemangioma? Hematomas usually resolve (eventually) on their own – they’re essentially bruises. So they don’t need to be surgically removed, typically. It could also be a hemangioma, which is a benign growth arising from a blood vessel. Typically no one can tell on cytology alone (that’s a needle sample taken from the mass and examined under a microscope) whether a growth like this is cancerous (hemangiosarcoma, or HSA) or benign (hemangioma, or HA). If a biopsy has been done and a diagnosis of HSA has been made, or it’s a HA and it’s causing your dog pain or discomfort, then I would agree that surgery is necessary.

As to whether she would survive the surgery, if your vet is competent in anesthesia (preoperative blood work and chest x-rays have been done to ensure that your dog is healthy otherwise, anesthetic monitoring on blood pressure, heart rate, EKG, oxygenation, etc will be done) and the mass is in a spot that is amenable to removal (i.e. There is plenty of skin in the area to close over the defect created by the excision) then I would say her chances of survival are very good. All this is assuming that the mass is subcutaneous (under the skin) and not actually inside the chest. If it’s in the chest, that’s a much more serious procedure. You can select “consult” if you want to talk about this further.

ANSWER : A. Yes, I would have her checked over by your vet. It is likely that you have left the head of the ticks under the skin and it could cause irritation and infection. Your vet will also be able to prescribe the best treatment for fleas and ticks and show you how to safely remove ticks for future reference.