Need some doggie medicine help.

[MountainMan]

Or he's hooked...

[MadModeler]

The Samoyed/Golden Lab mix mutt my family had when I was a kid had rhuematism in her neck. It was really bad in cold wet/damp weather.

Vet recommended one Bufferin crushed into her food each morning. It worked. She lived to 14 yrs of age and the Bufferin really made a difference.

[Charlie B]

You just have to be very careful what you give your dog.
Most drugs and the effects can be found on the Internet. Your Vet doesn't always know what drugs some breeds can't tolerate.
Samoyed's have a problem with sulfa drugs. Our 4 month old Sammy female had a reaction to Ditrim, a sulfa based drug, this past weekend. We had her in the emergency clinic for 2 days. Thank God we caught it in time. The tough part is we knew the breed can't tolerate these drugs but didn't think about it when the vet prescribed it.
Vets often are too rushed to check these things out, so give them a hand and know what you pet should avoid. Some drugs should be closely monitored for side effects too.
Charlie

[Dave Harris sctchbld]

Thanks for all your help & advice about Tank.
The rimidyl helped him for a while but in the end his age finally caught up with him . I finally had to have him put to sleep in November of 2009. A very sad day for me . I will take his ashes to Colorado when I go -- Tank spent a lot of time in the mountains when my son had him there & he loved it there --so------- in the mountains he will be.

[Charlie B]

Dear Dave, I'm sorry to hear you lost Tank. It is like losing a family member, sometimes even worse.
These fur kids just give and give and all they ask is a little pat on the head.
Charlie

[Dave Harris sctchbld]

Dear Dave, I'm sorry to hear you lost Tank. It is like losing a family member, sometimes even worse.
These fur kids just give and give and all they ask is a little pat on the head.
Charlie

Thanks Charlie, I appreciate your comment. You are right about how much ones dog add s to your life without wanting anything but love in return.
Tank was a very exceptional dog ( I know every dog owner says that -- but in Tanks case EVERYONE who ever met him echoed that thought.
Tank served a very important part in my life -- I spent 50 years or so scared to death of dogs, especially large ones. It was only after much begging & pleading & being told what a mean rotten dad I was that my kids got a cocker- poodle mix --- this little beast loved to chase cars , finally getting hit by one. On top of that she had just had pups which were hid under the house!! Rushed her to the vet who said that she would loose one front leg & the rear one the same side would need major work --- the initial estimate was 2,000 plus ! The course MOST would take the vet said was putting the dog to sleep. Well, my charming wife turned to me and said " well , it's up to you, of course the kids will be crushed ---------" "They KNOW you don't like CeeCee anyway!" She didn't leave me much option!! So we went home & began raising newborn pups!!

The Vet had CeeCee for the better part of TWO years saving her !! After about 6 months I went to see him & told him I had NO IDEA how I could pay the horrendous bill that must be building up ----this just after hearing he had flown a specialist out from Boston to try to pin & save the rear leg & had considered buildng a wheelie thing like that doggie in the Buckles comic strip. He told me that if he charged me what he had in CeeCee right then I would OWN the Clinic & not to concern myself with it ---- he had never seen such a plucky --fighting to survive dog in his life.

He even sent her home for the Chritsmas holiday one year & then did more surgery--- when I finally got her back all he would take was another 500 dollars for her feed!!! So we had 3 legged CeeCEE for a number of years till she was killed by two rots that were coming after my then 10 year old daughter for whom she gave her all for in saving my daughter.

Some time after that my son brought Tank home , a little ball of fluff -- not even open eyes yet because the people who had the mother were going to kill all the pups & Tommy would not let that happen --he found homes for all but Tank so home he came!
Knowing Tank was going to get pretty big, I was not real hot on the idea but gave in anyway.
Now Tank was fAR TOO YOUNG to be without a mother, We had a Cat who had just had kittenns & the next thing I knew Mamma cat decided he might be a bit strange but he must be hers!! So she raised him~!! She taught him how to hunt out in the back yard, When he laid down it was always like a cat --the sphinx pose!
He never barked except at an intruder or some valid state of alarm -- why I'm not sure but I can only guess Mamma told he could catch more stuff by being quiet---- . He always would climb up in your lap on the couch & TRY to purr ,but it came out more of a growl
He SURE taught me a lot about being a dog!!
I miss him.

Here are a couple of pics of him with a friend of mine.

   


   


   

[Charlie B]

Dave,
Thanks so much for sharing the stories of Tank and CeeCee. Our story about Taff, the stray Samoyed that showed up at the railroad is interesting too.
If you care to read about him, his story is here. <!-- w --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.taffylaffy.com">www.taffylaffy.com</a><!-- w --> It is quite a story, or series of stories written by my wife.
Taff came to us when we were in no position to have a pet, but we made room, and I don't think I'm the same person I was.
Charlie