Sometimes A Vet Is Necessary

Discussion in 'Pets & Critters' started by Marie Mallery, Nov 16, 2022.

  1. Marie Mallery

    Marie Mallery Veteran Member
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    We got Molly and Becky 'RIP [the two dogs in my Avatar] from a roadside sign " free puppies". They were still on the breast a litter of 8, Jake could hold them in his hand.
    We took them to the vet because we saw worms. Vet treat3ed them but still worms, he used a different treatment and no more worms.
    The reason for this post is that the other pups were treated with OTC wormer and all 6 of them died from eating the sides of the house tac's and nails. They were being driven nuts by the worms.
    Also dogs like we adopted, starved, abused and chained like to eat and chew on metal,[plastic wood,etc,etc,etc,.
    We knew after hearing about the 6 pups not to trust OTC wormer. Sometimes the feed store will have good wormer but not always. Ivermectin only kills certain kinds of worms.

    Not just about worms so if you have other reason to help please post them.
     
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  2. Don Alaska

    Don Alaska Supreme Member
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    The OTC wormers are generally fine for the worms and parasites they are labeled for. Many of the "feed store wormers" only address roundworms, and it will say that on the label. Ivermectin kills many other types of worms, but I don't remember if it kills hookworms, whipworms, or tapeworms. We don't have many parasites here to worry about, so I haven't used them for many years. The feed store people--if it is a REAL livestock feed store and not Petco or something--should be able to tell you what works for what. Florida and much of the South has quite an assortment of parasites, so unless you are good with concentrating and using a microscope, a vet is your best bet as you said. We don't even have heartworm here unless your neighbor brings it up on his/her pets from the Lower 48.
     
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  3. Marie Mallery

    Marie Mallery Veteran Member
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    here in the south we have all kinds of parasites that OTC meds don't kill.
    Sometimes the vet has to go to a much stronger medication that usual is all I was saying.
    Don its fortunate you folks don't to have to deal with this kind of problem. It is just frustrating when you do and bad for the animal too. That man that had those 6 dogs die was a slow painful death that could have been avoided if he wasn't fooled into thinking all he had to do was buy wormer. They were a nice couple who tried to care for their dogs.
    Now we are dealing with two dogs who got into habit of chewing on everything. Habits are hard to break.
    Foxy was throwing up hard taillight from boat trailer [ which makes me want to kill her at times] plastic, which can kill her if she keeps eating the crap.Leo already chewed up yard ornamental swans, cattle fencing from AC unit then he tore the PVC pipe off it. Plus they both chewed up the pet beds we bought.Drag towels and cushions off the porch.
    Miss Nice Guy is gpoing out the window if Jake won't stay more motivated with training. I told Foxy to sit, she knows what it means so I " sat " her down and told her to stay!!!
    I keep trying to train them.
    ' Its not worms causing them to act up its lack of training. But they were loaded up with all kinds of worms when we took them to vet which helped get them into chewing is my whole point.
     
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  4. Don Alaska

    Don Alaska Supreme Member
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    I understand the South, @Marie Mallery. I lived in North Carolina and south Georgia for a total of 12 years. I lived in Florida briefly, but had no animals then. Like I said, the OTC stuff is labeled for what it is effective against. If you have parasites in yourself or your animals that are killed by the OTC stuff, all is well. The problem is that most folks don't have the ability to determine what parasites are being dealt with. That is something that a vet can do that you cannot. Vets also have access to drugs that you do not. Don't blame the drugs if they are used against things they are not supposed to cure. Roundworms are the most common parasite in dogs, but in many areas, there are many other problems to deal with. I don't disagree with the idea that sometimes a vet may be necessary.
     
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  5. Yvonne Smith

    Yvonne Smith Senior Staff
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    Many years ago, when I was growing up, my folks had an oil stove and the man from the delivery station would come when needed to top off the oil tank for us.
    He explained to my mom that you could worm a dog by giving it a copper penny. He said that the stomach acid would dissolve the penny, and the copper would kill any intestinal parasites.
    Mom used to make little hamburger balls, and she would call the dogs up, and they were so excited about the treat that they would catch the hamburger and gobble it down as fast as they could when she would throw each of them one of the little meatballs. They never even noticed that penny in there, they swallowed it so fast !

    As far as I know it either worked, or the dogs didn’t have any worms, because they all seemed to do just fine with the penny every now and again. We had large dogs, and this would not work with a tiny dog or a puppy, or a picky eater; but ours just inhaled the meatball and didn’t even chew it.
     
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  6. Mary Stetler

    Mary Stetler Veteran Member
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    Ivermectin does not kill tapeworms but it does most of the others.
    I saw an interesting item on pumpkin seeds being a natural de wormer, (grind them up, dried and raw to add to pet, chicken and other foods) as well as papaya seeds.
     
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  7. Marie Mallery

    Marie Mallery Veteran Member
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    Your correct, there are organic remedies too. We give our hens diamacious earth, guess that may work for dogs too, don't know.
     
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  8. Yvonne Smith

    Yvonne Smith Senior Staff
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    Diatomaceous earth is the skeletal remains of tiny sea plankton, and even though it feels like flour to us, it has sharp edges that slices up the parasites inside of any animal that has parasites. It is effective against most, if not all, parasites and intestinal worms.
    Since it is not a chemical like most de-wormers, the parasite can not build up any immunity to the DE like they do with a dewormer. This is why people have to rotate which worm medicine they give their livestock or pets, because the parasites build up an immunity after one is used several times.

    With the DE, you can just add a little bit into the pet/livestock food and it not only kills the parasites, it has minerals that are beneficial for their skin and hair. Always be sure to get food grade diatomaceous earth, and not the kind used in swimming pools.

    Here is an excellent page that has all sorts of information about the use and benefits of diatomaceous earth for people and animals.
    http://wolfcreekranch.net/diatomaceous_earth.html
     
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    Last edited: Nov 21, 2022
  9. Marie Mallery

    Marie Mallery Veteran Member
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    Thanks Yvonne and we do get food grade, my daughter even takes it herself, we haven't taken it yet, but we do give it to the animals. Now that you mentioned it, we will give it to the dogs too.
     
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  10. Hedi Mitchell

    Hedi Mitchell Supreme Member
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    Last night Radar would not get out of my way while cooking. I put him in recliner with blanket thinking he would lay down and go to sleep ..nope. I went back to kitchen he jumped from recliner and apparently dislocated his leg :(. Just what we need money wise. Will try to get him into vet today.
     

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  11. Mary Stetler

    Mary Stetler Veteran Member
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    :(
     
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  12. Beth Gallagher

    Beth Gallagher Supreme Member
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    Aw, man. Sorry to hear about little Radar, G.
     
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  13. Hedi Mitchell

    Hedi Mitchell Supreme Member
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    He was on heating pad almost all of yesterday. Still favors that leg this morning, and still hopping around. He does not mind me massaging or moving it around. Regardless probably will see vet tomorrow. I am sure the vet will not mind me Charging this visit :eek:
     
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  14. Hedi Mitchell

    Hedi Mitchell Supreme Member
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    The vet is not overly worried about leg. At most just bruised, but will keep an eye on it. She is treating him for heart conditions in hopes will stop his hackin, non stop, almost. I love the way the doctors and vets here do.. its like hey save money try this first. BTW in a town of over 115 thousand going to the a doctor required filling out at least ten sheets of paper. Here you get one sheet front and back.
    Even in the ER when I went. Love it.
     
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  15. Don Alaska

    Don Alaska Supreme Member
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    Welcome to rural America as it still is.
     
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