Vet Q&A-SmallAnimal

My dog has contractions we suspect she is pregnant because we tried to breed her and now she is lactating and having contractions, i just recently discovered this yellow liquid that was leaking from her vagina what does this mean?

IF she is having contractions then she is probably coming into labor very soon, the yellow fluids from the vaginal area are not uncommon at this stage, you should probably expect puppies in the next 24 hours.

Could I breed a dog who had parvo? He is fine now, but would it affect the litter if I used him?

It's fine to breed Ruger, as parvo is not transmitted genetically, but I would make sure that both he and the female are vaccinated for parvo to prevent the puppies from potentially getting it after they are born.

Hi, I have a GSD who has just turned 3 months old. I have been feeding him Farmina Puppy Starter food till now. Now, I have been told that since he has turned 3 months old, I should start feeding him Farmina Maxi Breed puppy food. Please suggest !!!

Farmina Puppy Starter is for puppies up to three months of age to assist in weaning, after which Bosco should be fed a puppy food. I would follow that recommendation, but be sure to slowly change over his food so that he doesn't get GI upset. Start by mixing together the old food and the new food, and then slowly increase the amount of new food while decreasing the amount of old food until Bosco is eating the new food only.

I want to prepare a homemade diet for my 6 month old havanese puppy . It consists the following , chicken meal , chicken organs(liver,heart,neck) ,pumpkin ,carrot ,mustard greens ,apples,yogurt,seaweed ,red lentil ,barley . She is currently eating acana small breed kibble but she doesn't like the taste of it . Would you help me modify my dog's diet to avoid any possible deficiencies ?

Getting a homemade recipe that is balanced for dogs is very difficult, but I will give you a link to a website that gives recipes for balanced and nutritious meals for dogs. It's run by the UC Davis veterinary school, and is an excellent resource: https://secure.balanceit.com/

What's a good DNA kit/program I can purchase that will give me a detailed description of the breed mix my dog is. I think she may be some sort of pitbull chihuahua mix, but I think it'll be ingesting to see exactly what her breed make up is.

The commercially available DNA tests I am familiar with are Wisdom Panel by Mars, DNA My Dog based out of Toronto, Paw Print Genetics out of Spokane and Embark out of Austin, Tx. Wisdom Panel® Canine DNA Tests determine the breed ancestry of a dog by determining the genotype of the dog, at hundreds of individual sites in its DNA. The results are then compared with the genotypes of the more than 12,000 breed samples in their database. Similarly, DNA My Dog tests for 85 of the most common breeds that make up approximately 97% of the common North American mixed breed population. Paw Print Genetics is designed to assist breeders and has the advantage of testing for several genetic diseases. The breed-specific panels offer a comprehensive service at a discounted rate, and you can choose genetic diseases you would like to test for. Embark tests for over 150 breeds including wolf, coyote, and village dog ancestry (feral dogs) - accounting for 98% of dogs in America. Additionally, Embark screens for over 160 canine genetic diseases including MDR1, degenerative myelopathy, dilated cardiomyopathy, PRA blindness, exercise-induced collapse. It is certified by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA), partnered with Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine. All tests require taking two samples of cells from the dog’s inner cheek on swabs, which are then air-dried, sealed, and mailed off to the lab. The turn around time varies from 2-8 weeks. As far as the cost, DNA My Dog is the most economical at about $60, followed by Wisdom and Paw Print at about $80 and Embark at $200.

I have just purchased a whites tree frog from petco. I was wondering if my 29 gallon long tank 30x12x12 is suitable for this species(petco advised me it was but I'm not sure). I noticed that he/she is very active at night climbing all over the branches and inside walls of the tank. I am afraid that my frog might be under stimulated ( getting bored). Should I add a 2nd frog to keep it company? Also I currently have no night light (I have a daytime light) for it would a black light be suitable?

A 29L is a good sized enclosure for this species of tree frog. Juvenile frogs are much more active than adults. As your frog matures, it will "settle down" and spend more time on the ground. You can still use branches and perches to make use of the vertical space. You can keep two in the tank if you choose as long as there isn't a significant size difference. Different species cannot be kept together though. They do not need a night light. They do best with a 12 hours on/off light cycle.

My puppy Leo is from the shelter and when I adopted him they told me that he was a pure Lab mix. However I believe that it is not accurate as I have been told he looks like a mix and he does have other traits that Lab should have. So to be sure I want to do a DNA test to get a better and more accurate answer. With that being said I would like to know which DNA test is reccomended to know the actual breed of a dog. Thank you for your help.

Hi, thanks for using Boop by Petco! Unfortunately the shelters don't really know the actual breeds of dogs unless the original owner gives them the Pedigree paperwork. Sometimes we assume they are purebred based on how the dog looks. All the DNA test available, even for known pure bred dogs, will show multiple breeds on the test. Most Vet hospitals stopped offering the test because a lot of the results were unbelievable. You can find tests online and if you want to run it for fun, there is no harm in it. Good luck!

Is it healthy for my cat to snore? How do I know what kind of breed he is? What about his age?

Some kitties, just like humans, do snore. I have two cats who snore very loud, when they are completely relaxed. This can be quite normal, but in some instances it could be a sign of an upper respiratory infection, or a mass or foreign body in the upper airways. If your cat has always snored, and if it is not a recent condition and he has no discharge from his nose, I would not worry. I see that Salem is not neutered, which makes him develop a broad head and cheeks. This can also change the anatomy of the airways and cause a tom to snore. If Salem coughs, has a discharge or trouble breathing, I suggest you take him to your veterinarian for an exam.

Want to know my dog breeds mix

Jerry looks like a Shepard mix. I would have a DNA test done to be sure. It’s fun to read about the different breeds that are in his background. I use the MARS wisdom test. You can order it online and just send in a cheek swab. Thanks for using Boop by Petco to help you care for Jerry.