Veterinarian here: ask me anything!

Hey Deagle, now the off-topic was cleared haha, could you comment on this please? https://www.zoovilleforum.net/threads/fem-dog-anatomy-pics-from-zv1.262/post-2613611

Also, my dog finally entered her cycle, after 18 months, could have been that the other one or two were silent cycles? I noticed a few days ago that her vulva grown a little and that she was more hungry, and yesterday she started with a regular red bright watery discharge. I was a little worried since the first discharge the day after was only a thick and big dark red/brown drop.

I was just about to take her to a third vet, since the second one last week told me I must take her to a specialist in canine reproduction, since she could do ultrasound but maybe can't see if anything is wrong.
Glad to hear she is doing better! ❤️ 18 months is not an amount of time I’m concerned about for the first cycle to happen. If your vet isn’t comfortable doing repro work, you may want to establish a relationship with the reproductive one for additional options going forward, to better manage your girls health as the case may be.
 
Glad to hear she is doing better! ❤️ 18 months is not an amount of time I’m concerned about for the first cycle to happen. If your vet isn’t comfortable doing repro work, you may want to establish a relationship with the reproductive one for additional options going forward, to better manage your girls health as the case may be.
Thanks, yes, I'm going to check anyway, but I'm less worried now.

But she isn't 18 m.o. now, I mean she is on heat again 17-18 m.o. after her first and only cycle (when she was 17-18m.o. too). I wasn't that sure about that first cycle, and if she has a second one 6 months later, since she was with my mom. But I have been with her for 11 months, and it's the first time I see her in heat. Could be that the previous one and the maybe the one before where silent heats?
 
My male dogs top me regularly and despite my best efforts, when they pull out it's not uncommon for it to not be clean. I also have had a lot of free-catch urinalysis tests that say bacteria is present. Do I have to worry about that if my dog shows no symptoms or discomfort? Should I let it clear itself out or should they get antibiotics every time? I suspected the results could be due to contamination since I've seen no association between test results and signs of sickness.
 
Thanks, yes, I'm going to check anyway, but I'm less worried now.

But she isn't 18 m.o. now, I mean she is on heat again 17-18 m.o. after her first and only cycle (when she was 17-18m.o. too). I wasn't that sure about that first cycle, and if she has a second one 6 months later, since she was with my mom. But I have been with her for 11 months, and it's the first time I see her in heat. Could be that the previous one and the maybe the one before where silent heats?
That’s possible. Or she could have done a great job cleaning herself in combination with your mom not paying as close attention as you do. The most important thing is to monitor her heat and make sure it progresses normally, now that you’ve noticed it.
 
My male dogs top me regularly and despite my best efforts, when they pull out it's not uncommon for it to not be clean. I also have had a lot of free-catch urinalysis tests that say bacteria is present. Do I have to worry about that if my dog shows no symptoms or discomfort? Should I let it clear itself out or should they get antibiotics every time? I suspected the results could be due to contamination since I've seen no association between test results and signs of sickness.
Free catch urinalysis reporting bacteria is super common—you’re getting some from the urethra as well as the sheath itself, so we usually do direct syringe draws from the bladder for bacterial culture. Giving antibiotics every time should be avoided to help deal with the rise of bacteria that build resistance to them and are then impossible to treat, and without clinical signs you don’t even necessarily have a clinical disease issue.
 
Howdy zooville!

I work as a mixed animal veterinarian, and am willing to answer any and all animal health questions you may have to the best of my ability. Keep in mind that I’m only one person, and my medical opinion is just that—an opinion, however well informed it may be.

Anything you’re curious about?

Edit: feel free to Dm me if needed!
My dog has one tiny testicle and the other one is the size of a golf ball (30kg dog, 1 year old) doesn't show any pain or other health issue, should I take him to a local vet ?
 
When a free-catch comes back bacteria positive, should I ask for a syringe draw test every time or just wait to see if symptoms develop?
Nope! The vet term that they will use is “Cystocentesis”. I wouldn’t be worried about the bacterial value unless your doggo also has clinical signs. Also, if there’s a situation your vet feels a cysto is necessary, they will of course recommend one, you don’t need to worry about them skipping it if you don’t ask. ❤️
 
My dog has one tiny testicle and the other one is the size of a golf ball (30kg dog, 1 year old) doesn't show any pain or other health issue, should I take him to a local vet ?
As long as it is in fact the other testicle, which you can verify by gently palpating both of them, you should be fine. Normal canine testicles can vary in size depending on breed and developmental characteristics. If it’s only one, however, that’s a different scenario and should be addressed.
 
Nope! The vet term that they will use is “Cystocentesis”. I wouldn’t be worried about the bacterial value unless your doggo also has clinical signs. Also, if there’s a situation your vet feels a cysto is necessary, they will of course recommend one, you don’t need to worry about them skipping it if you don’t ask. ❤️
Thank you
 
To my knowledge, this hasn’t been studied. But I’ll give it my best stab!

Many Parasites like Toxocara canis, the canine roundworm, use milk as a transmission method, and are also able to infect humans (though they are very unhappy in us and just wander around to no avail) so I wouldn’t be surprised if transmission was possible. However, at least with Toxocara, the infective stage to humans is the encysted egg, while the infective stage to puppies is the actual larvae. Does this make a difference? I don’t really know, but the best way to prevent it would be to have your dog on good parasite control and medication before engaging in anything, just to be safe.

Wikipedia : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toxocara_canis

clip from Wikipedia :

Toxocara canis (T. canis, also known as dog roundworm) is a worldwide-distributed helminthparasite that primarily infects dogs and other canids, but can also infect other animals including humans.[1][2] The name is derived from the Greek word "toxon," meaning bow or quiver, and the Latin word "caro," meaning flesh.[3] T. canis live in the small intestine of the definitive host. This parasite is very common in puppies and somewhat less common in adult dogs.[4] In adult dogs, infection is usually asymptomatic but may be characterized by diarrhea. By contrast, untreated infection with Toxocara canis can be fatal in puppies, causing diarrhea, vomiting, pneumonia, enlarged abdomen, flatulence, poor growth rate, and other complications.[1]

As paratenic hosts, a number of vertebrates, including humans, and some invertebrates can become infected. Humans are infected, like other paratenic hosts, by ingestion of embryonated T. canis eggs.[5]The disease (toxocariasis) caused by migrating T. canis larvae results in two syndromes: visceral larva migrans and ocular larva migrans.[6] Owing to transmission of the infection from the mother to her puppies, preventive anthelmintic treatment of newborn puppies is strongly recommended. Several anthelmintic drugs are effective against adult worms, for example fenbendazole, milbemycin, moxidectin, piperazine, pyrantel, and selamectin.
[1]
 
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Wikipedia : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toxocara_canis

clip from Wikipedia :

Toxocara canis (T. canis, also known as dog roundworm) is a worldwide-distributed helminthparasite that primarily infects dogs and other canids, but can also infect other animals including humans.[1][2] The name is derived from the Greek word "toxon," meaning bow or quiver, and the Latin word "caro," meaning flesh.[3] T. canis live in the small intestine of the definitive host. This parasite is very common in puppies and somewhat less common in adult dogs.[4] In adult dogs, infection is usually asymptomatic but may be characterized by diarrhea. By contrast, untreated infection with Toxocara canis can be fatal in puppies, causing diarrhea, vomiting, pneumonia, enlarged abdomen, flatulence, poor growth rate, and other complications.[1]

As paratenic hosts, a number of vertebrates, including humans, and some invertebrates can become infected. Humans are infected, like other paratenic hosts, by ingestion of embryonated T. canis eggs.[5]The disease (toxocariasis) caused by migrating T. canis larvae results in two syndromes: visceral larva migrans and ocular larva migrans.[6] Owing to transmission of the infection from the mother to her puppies, preventive anthelmintic treatment of newborn puppies is strongly recommended. Several anthelmintic drugs are effective against adult worms, for example fenbendazole, milbemycin, moxidectin, piperazine, pyrantel, and selamectin.
[1]

To re-iterate, the infective part for humans to get visceral/ocular larvae migrans, (which is just the parasites searching around for their appropriate habitat and not finding in, because they are in the wrong species), hits as most common candidates are children and folks who are immunocompromised. The infective stage for them is an embryonated egg—an egg that has been released and developed in the environment to an infective stage.

The form of the parasite released in milk is a larva, which is not the infective form for humans.
 
I appreciate that! I didn't know that "ivermectin" could mean different things for different products. How can I know if the active ingredient is the same when doing the kind of drug math that I did?
There’s different formulations and concentrations, but they will all be ivermectin. And then of course you have the horse ones with apple flavoring and other tasty stuff—dogs also like the taste, and this is one of the high risk toxicity situations like I mentioned previously.

If you have time/are able to, can you give me a dosage so I know if I was doing it right?
Nope. In just about every state, prescribing or giving out dosage information is considering practicing veterinary medicine, and is illegal without a valid patient client relationship. Sorry bout that. ❤️

For non intact basement membranes—are you trying to clean out their ears? Or figure out whether or not the membrane itself is intact?
 
Howdy zooville!

I work as a mixed animal veterinarian, and am willing to answer any and all animal health questions you may have to the best of my ability. Keep in mind that I’m only one person, and my medical opinion is just that—an opinion, however well informed it may be.

Anything you’re curious about?

Edit: feel free to Dm me if needed!
I'm so happy we have a veterinarian in here. Your expertise and friendship here is valued. Thank you so much.
 
Nope. In just about every state, prescribing or giving out dosage information is considering practicing veterinary medicine, and is illegal without a valid patient client relationship. Sorry bout that. ❤️

Also, isn't it illegal to practice veterinary medicine outside the state you're licensed in? Well, I don't think illegal is the right term. More a question of ethics. I don't think you get thrown in jail for doing so, but you do lose your license. So even if you did have a long distance client, you wouldn't be able to help anyway
 
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Often about 30 minutes after a hand job, my dog starts whining to poop. Seems urgent and uncomfortable. He has an enlarged prostate and has cummed blood a while ago, if that's related. Why does the bowel movement get triggered? Anything I can do to help?


are you trying to clean out their ears? Or figure out whether or not the membrane itself is intact?
Both. I can clean what I can see easily enough but I can't pour ear cleaner deeper without violating the warnings on all the products that say not to use with dogs that have damaged tympanic membranes.
 
Hi, not sure if that has been asked already but in most states they require you to spay your dogs. Can they force me or could I just ignore the demand?
 
Hi, not sure if that has been asked already but in most states they require you to spay your dogs. Can they force me or could I just ignore the demand?
I think you might be a bit confused. I don’t think there is/are any laws in the US that specifically require you to spay/neuter your pets, HOWEVER - should you choose to rescue your pet from a shelter or humane society, virtually all of those facilities will require the pet to be spayed or neutered prior to being released to their new owner. So, should you adopt from a breeder and raise your dog from a puppy, then there is nothing requiring you to spay or neuter your dog.
 
I think you might be a bit confused. I don’t think there is/are any laws in the US that specifically require you to spay/neuter your pets, HOWEVER - should you choose to rescue your pet from a shelter or humane society, virtually all of those facilities will require the pet to be spayed or neutered prior to being released to their new owner. So, should you adopt from a breeder and raise your dog from a puppy, then there is nothing requiring you to spay or neuter your dog.
This is exactly correct! And other than less than professional vets bullying you about it, (after which you should swap medical providers) there is no obligation to spay or neuter your pup. ❤️
 
I think you might be a bit confused. I don’t think there is/are any laws in the US that specifically require you to spay/neuter your pets, HOWEVER - should you choose to rescue your pet from a shelter or humane society, virtually all of those facilities will require the pet to be spayed or neutered prior to being released to their new owner. So, should you adopt from a breeder and raise your dog from a puppy, then there is nothing requiring you to spay or neuter your dog.
Ohhhhh that’s it I think!! Thank you sooo much
 
You MIGHT encounter breeders who force you to sign a spay/neuter agreement prior to selling you a puppy, but I don't know how legally binding that is or how they can even check
That's crazy, specially since you pay for that dog.

I have seen that in the case of puppies that are given away for free, some even 'force' you to spay/neuter a 5 or even 4 m.o, which is insane. I don't know what they can do if you don't do it, if they can take you away the dog, or just harass you on social media.
 
That's crazy, specially since you pay for that dog.

I have seen that in the case of puppies that are given away for free, some even 'force' you to spay/neuter a 5 or even 4 m.o, which is insane. I don't know what they can do if you don't do it, if they can take you away the dog, or just harass you on social media.
Can confirm. Pup has such contract, worded as "you do not fully own your dog until you provide spay/neuter evidence no later than 18mos of age" . I doubt they would ever try to take you to court to enforce such contract especially if there is no injury to the fact to them. Goes on to state that any accidental breedings , they are entitled to 80% of the sale of any puppies, etc. It is mostly to give them options to go after people looking to buy breeder dogs for backyard puppy mill use and they find out about it. Without such contract they would have no legal recourse to go after such people.
 
Can confirm. Pup has such contract, worded as "you do not fully own your dog until you provide spay/neuter evidence no later than 18mos of age" . I doubt they would ever try to take you to court to enforce such contract especially if there is no injury to the fact to them. Goes on to state that any accidental breedings , they are entitled to 80% of the sale of any puppies, etc. It is mostly to give them options to go after people looking to buy breeder dogs for backyard puppy mill use and they find out about it. Without such contract they would have no legal recourse to go after such people.
That’s alarming. Though, I can’t imagine how on god’s green earth they could ever hope to enforce that. I mean, why don’t they just have a questionnaire for new puppy owners like they do with handguns?

“Do you plan on ever having sexual intercourse with this dog once she is fully grown?” No way! C:
 
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