Vet Q&A-SmallAnimal

Hi. What are possible side effects of penicillimine? My mixed breed dog has Chronic hepatitis (asymptomatic), very high liver enzymes, severe copper storage seen in liver biopsy. Vet plans to use penicillimine for chelation therapy and keep feeding homecooked diet. Are organic foods better than nonorg. for less copper? Do you know of a particular water brand with low or no copper? Thank you.

From Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook: In dogs, the most prevalent adverse effects associated with penicillamine are: -Nausea, vomiting, and depression. While penicillamine should be given on an empty stomach (at least 30 minutes before feeding), if the animal develops problems with vomiting or anorexia, four remedies have been suggested: -Give the same total daily dose, but divide into smaller individual doses and give more frequently. -Temporarily reduce the daily dose and gradually increase to recommended dosage. -Give a long-acting antiemetic one-hour before dosing. -Give with a small amount of food (e.g., cheese or bread) if one of the first three do not alleviate vomiting. -Although thought infrequent or rare, fever, lymphadenopathy, skin hypersensitivity reactions, or immune-complex glomerulonephropathy may occur. A case of hemolytic anemia in a cat has been reported. -Penicillamine can reduce GI dietary mineral (zinc, iron, copper, and calcium) absorption and cause deficiencies with long-term use. Pyridoxine deficient states may occur; supplementation advised. Dietary restriction of copper intake is an important part of therapy but does not replace copper chelation if excessive copper storage is already present. Dietary copper is restricted to <5 mg/kg (ppm, dry matter basis). Most puppy and adult dog foods contain 15-25 mg/kg (ppm, dry matter basis). Prescription hepatic diets contain lower levels of copper. For example, Hills L/D contains 4.9 mg/kg copper (ppm, dry matter basis). Organic diets may or may not have an appropriate copper level - being organic does not necessarily mean it is healthier. You may want to contact your local municipal authority or water utility company to inquire about mineral contents. Copper level could also be increased if you house uses copper pipes. you can get your water tested. If the water contains more than 100 micrograms per liter, then bottled demineralized water should be used. This water should contain only 1 microgram of copper per liter. Demineralized water and distilled water are processed differently and may not contain the same amount of copper. I am not aware of the specific copper contents of different brands, you may have to call the information number for a specific brand to ask about the copper contents.

At what age can I start giving my dog glucosamine and chondroitin supplements for her hips and joints? Since she is a German shepherd and the breed is predisposed to hip and joint issues? Or would feeding a food with glucosamine and chindroitin in it help to postpone the supplements for later on?

Hello and thank you for choosing Boop by Petco! Since glucosamine and chondroitin fall under the category of medications we refer to as nutraceuticals (fancy word for supplements) there is no specific age that is recommended. Generally, we start recommend using these types of medications when pets reach the senior stage (7+ years of age). Since Bella is still young, I would recommend feeding a quality food that is formulated specifically for large breed dogs as it will include all of the beneficial joint health additives. I am personally a fan of Purina foods, but any of the other brands (Hills, Royal Canin, etc) are all excellent foods. This way you don't have to worry about trying to remember giving Bella pills everyday and nothing in her routine has to change. The supplements may be needed further down the road. Hope this helps a bit. Best of luck to you and Bella!

Can you breed a sister and brother from different litters?

You can breed a sister and brother but is is not recommended because this is considered in-breeding and poses the risk of selecting for certain genes that can lead to increased chance of a lot of disease processes and abnormalities.

Are Pit Bulls a vicious breed?

Pit Bull-type dogs - the American Kennel Club does not recognize a specific purebred dog as a Pit Bull - have been implicated in a higher-than-average number of bite and fighting incidents. However, these dogs have also been trained to fight by nefarious individuals, and that has contributed to their aggressive reputation. As a group of dogs, Pit Bulls are smart and loyal, but like any dogs, when trained to be vicious, they will be vicious.

My dog has a hard black lump on the inside of her ear. It's not massively bothering her but it is quite big. Last night we also found a similar smaller lump on her belly near her back leg. I am going to book a Vets appointment but was wondering if you had any idea what it could be and should I be worried. She is a rescure mixed breed (beagle/staff/lab possibly others) and around 8 years old x

Any lumps/bumps that you notice on your dog should be checked out by your vet so I'm glad you are planning a vet visit. Lumps are usually one of these things: * abscess * cyst * tumor/cancer There is no way I can tell you what it is just by looking at a photo but I have a suspicion it is a tumor of some sort; may be benign or malignant. Your vet will be able to tell you more after the exam.

Is it okay to mix 2 different brands of dog food (1 dry, 1 wet)? I have a great dane puppy that won’t touch her dry kibble unless something else is added on. I’m feeding her Holistic Select Large & Giant breed kibble. For wet canned food, I looked into their brand, but didn’t like some of the ingredients listed since all their wet food are grain-free. I ended up getting Nutro Kitchen Classics wet food. Would it be okay to mix the 2 brands?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Karen. It is not typically not a problem to offer to different brands of food especially if you are using small amounts of canned food to entice her appetite. If you cannot find a large breed puppy formula canned food, then I would use an adult version. Being a giant breed dog, you what her to grow very slowly. As with any diet change, monitor for any vomiting and diarrhea. Problems are usually seen when abruptly switching from one dry brand to another without mixing the food or going from dry kibble to strictly wet food again without a gradual transition. I hope this information helps!

Hi. My dog is 8 year old purebred Yorkie. She is having few symptoms: swollen/puffy eyes, itchy/dry skin, and black around vaginal area with a bit white puss. Also I have noticed slightly darker skin in mostly itchy areas. I'm not sure what's happening to her and would like to know if she is just getting old, or if she is starting to get sick.

Poor Lillie, those eyes look very uncomfortable. It is possible there may be mites, a bacterial or yeast infection causing such signs and your vet may wish to do some tests to identify any underlying factors such as hormonal disease. I recommend you full check up as soon as possible

Our Great Pyrenees will be 1 year old next month. He has been on Blue Buffalo Large Breed Puppy food...what Adult food do you suggest we switch him to?

Large or giant breed puppies should be fed an appropriate large/giant breed puppy diet until about 18 months of age. The reason being that they develop slower than other breeds. Many do not stop growing until around 2 years of age. Most above average and premium brands have a diet for large breed puppies. Brands include Canidae, Orijen, Acana and Taste of the Wild. Choose the diet that is easy to buy, that Sarge will eat and will not cause stomach upset. Personally, I'm not a fan of the BB line. This is my own opinion based on personal experience and in no way reflects the opinion of either Petco or Boop by Petco.

My friend has a female dog with Lyme's and is being treated. He wants to breed her to my male. I don't think it's a good idea. Will the puppies be affected if she does get bred?

I would not breed her while she has Lyme disease. She is already sick and multiple organs can be affected by this disease. A sick dog should never be bred, it could cause multiple problems with the pregnancy.