Molly, 13 yr, shih tzu - lhasa aspo - Molly has passed

When her tail is longer, she has plenty of hair to suck on and never gets near the actual Tail, just the hair. This short hair really did her in though. She'd never had her tail cut like that before. (and never will again if I have any say about it)

I have some all natural peanut butter, I guess that would work when I catch her at it. I worry most when I am asleep at night or at the office during the day. She can get up to a lot of trouble when I'm not looking. :)

Hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

Does she eat canned food? I put Zoe's dehydrated food in it so that way she works for some of her dinner but when I need to distract her I just smear some of her canned food in it. They have tons of things to stuff it with if you go to the Kong.com website.

She gets about a teaspoon of can food with her liver supplement sprinkled on it in the morning. (the only way she'll take it) So that is a good idea too. Thanks!

Sharlene and Molly Muffin

Hi Sharlene, how is Molly doing today? Is she still licking at her tail? That is a hard thing to manage, especially once they have licked it to a raw spot. My Angel lab Dakota did that a couple of times on her tummy. I don't know how, but by the time I noticed she was licking, there was already a quarter size or larger spot where the skin was completely gone, and it was completely raw and bright red. It looked absolutely horrid, like a burn! :eek: (One of many Mother of the Year awards I have earned through the years). And of course, with it that bad, she couldn't leave it alone.

I had to get some special cream from the vet, I think it had an antibiotic, anti fungal, and maybe hydrocortisone in it. That was always the only thing that worked, and I had to watch her like a hawk for the first day or two until the cream made it feel better enough to where she wasn't messing with it all the time. At times I covered it for a while with whatever bandage I could keep on it. I hope you can get a handle on it before you are out of town.

Hugs,
Tina and Jasper

Hi Tina,

She left it alone last night and so far today she hasn't bothered it. It's in the evening that you have to really watch her like a hawk. Hopefully it's healed up fine by Monday afternoon when I have to take her in to be boarded. I'm going to see if I have anything here at the house like maybe an A&D cream. I thought neosporin, but molly will probably lick it so the A&D might be better.

We're leaving Tuesday morning, so will be away from 12 - 17 Feb. Our daughter is going to pick her up on Sunday since they only have pickup for 1 hour on Sundays and we won't be in till that evening. Probably exhausted but at least we'll have molly at home waiting for us. I really hate to leave her, I think I probably have more separation anxiety than she does. So cross fingers she does well while there.

Thanks checking in!
hugs,
Sharlene and Molly muffin

She'll be fine. I think we all have those separation issues when it comes to our pups. Dang, I have issues leaving Zoe just driving across town to visit my Mom.

Dont you wish you had a built in babysitter at the house? That's what we need, a doggie nannny.:):):):):):):):)

Just think, no snow, no cold, warm breezes tickling your face, a cool umbrella drink, hot sun.....paradise found:D:D:D:D

You'll be back home in the blink of an eye;) She'll be fine.

Sharlene-I'm sure if you make sure to point out the area to the vet where she'll be staying that they will make an effort to see that she doesn't keep after it. I thought about Neosporin as well, but I figured that would just get licked off. Bailey likes to lick anything and everything. Perhaps the vet could put a soft cone on her for her visit?

I put peanut butter inside the cone and then freeze it. It's always ready (I have 3) and it's been amazingly helpful at times.

Have a great trip! I know what you mean about separation anxiety. I didn't think I'd ever be able to be comfortable boarding Bailey, but sometimes it just has to be done. I'm sure you have confidence in the staff that will be looking after her. We have had to board Bailey a few times, unexpectedly, recently. We also are planning a couple of longer trips later this year. They love Bailey so much and I know she gets the attention she needs while she's there. They talk about how much she likes to be held. Fortunately, she does not pout or have adverse reactions once she is returned home. Absence makes the heart grow fonder!
-Susan

Hi Susan, did I read PJ party at your house! Count me in! :) I'll wear my doggie pj's, bright pink with little white dogs and black bows.:eek::D

I will definitely mention it to the vet staff when I take her in tomorrow. Last night she was at it again when we went to bed and I laid down on the floor with her for a bit. She started off by growling at me and wouldn't let me touch it, then I got a wet cloth and soaked the area really good with cool water. I stayed with her petting her and talking to her till she lost interest and went to sleep. If I can get her to settle down and roll over on her back for belly rubs, then I can pretty much count on her dozing off and being calm. If she has any kind of anxiety it seems she goes straight for it like a soother. (that is what our eldest calls a pacifier)

Molly has gotten better over the separation anxiety over the years (and I've gotten worse). LOL I think much depends on how much time they spend with her. Now they have a doggie day care there too and I think this will be better. More play time out of the kennel area. She did well over our last weekend trip.

Thanks for the tips,
hugs,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin

Quote:

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Originally Posted by molly muffin

If she has any kind of anxiety it seems she goes straight for it like a soother. (that is what our eldest calls a pacifier)

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haha, we call it a Dummy! :D

As for the tail, I really don't know! Fraser does something similar in licking his paws. The more I tell him to stop, the more he does it out of plain defiance. But when I start to ignore him (he gets a couple of warnings then I leave the room) he stops (to follow me - cant lick paws and walk at the same time ;))

It may be that when you aren't there to make a fuss over her, she leaves her tail alone. Got a nanny cam you can set up to spy on her for a day? :D

LOL Dummy, that's funny.

Ugh, tail, nope, she doesn't seem to do it at all during the day if I am away and very seldom if I am. This is a purely night time activity. ugh.

I have been looking at something called subclinical cushings this morning. Not in relation to atypical cushings. Mainly trying to still figure out, why Molly continues to suppress at 4 hr and 8 hr on the LDDS testing which is now into year 2 and yet have a high ACTH test, with the ultrasound seeming to confirm cushings or another problem, unknown, but yet, not the symptoms of cushings. So, I came across a mention of subclinical cushings, and found one article that Dr. Feldman contributed on here:
http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/cont...15/489.extract
Where they were studying inverse LDDS test (which molly doesn't meet) but 5 of the 86 dogs had negative LDDS readings at both the 4 and 8 hour markings. (molly I guess could be one of those rare few)
So, then I found an article that talks about subclinical cushings and I think this is in humans, but I'm wondering if it would occur in dogs too.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21988204

Quote:

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Subclinical Cushing's syndrome is an ill-defined endocrine disorder that may be observed in patients bearing an incidentally found adrenal adenoma. The concept of subclinical Cushing's syndrome stands on the presence of ACTH-independent cortisol secretion by an adrenal adenoma, that is not fully restrained by pituitary feed-back

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Although they didn't see an adenoma on her adrenal gland in the ultrasound.
It is so hard to try and figure this out, so I'd welcome any input of your thoughts.
I'll pick this up later when I return from vacation.

hugs to all,
Sharlene and Molly Muffin