Question:
Hey everyone,

I have a question. I am taking my dog, harley, to the vet for the first time, well for me anyways. He has been there before with his previous owner. I am just wondering what can I expect? Are they automatically going to muzzle him for being a rotti? He is going for his shots and to get his ears check (He has been scratching at them), How do they do this and what, how many shots is he going to get? He is two, last time he got his shots was a year ago, when he got neutered. I think I am more scared then he is.

Answer:
Vets for the most part dont have any qualms about the breed. I have a pit and have been to two different vets and an emerg. vet. Not one asked me to muzzle him. They won't. They actually went out of there way to say that these por guys get such a bad rep and that they are such great patients. Be prepared to spend money on heart worm meds and stuff along those lines. Im not sure how many shots but large dogs barely flinch. Ask alot of questions and soon you will realize there is nothing to worry about.

Answer:
If your vet is good and knowledgeable, he/she certainly won't automatically muzzle a dog based on breed. If your dog (or any dog) tries to bite or threatens, then muzzling is necessary.

A good vet will take a minute to get to know the dog, and not rush things!

The shot given is normally a 5-in-1, but someone else can tell you for sure.

He will also need to be tested for heartworms if this has not been done.

You must force yourself to be calm during the visit. Dogs pick up easily on body language, and you act nervous and fearful he will too.

Let us know how it goes.

Answer:
Thanks for the information. How come they have to be tested for heart worm? Is this common in large breeds? Is there anything that they may test for? I am a little less scared now.

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Well since hes new to this vet or new to you they will mostlikely test. Then they will recommend you get heart worm meds to prevent him from ever getting it. Just relax honestly its nothing. Since this dog is new to you and you dont know how he reacts at the vet. My pit has no problem but my old border collie would hold on to the door for dear life until I yanked him through. So keep in mind that he may have already developed a fear of the vet so you need to be available to comfort him. Most dogs are fine so not to worry.

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When I called to make the appointment last week, the receptionist got me to get his records from his old vet. So they do have his records. Maybe they have already tested him for it at a year old? How often do dogs how to get their needles? Is it a once a year thing like with kids, until they are a certain age?

Thanks for all the information. I am sure he will be fine. He loves people. Just me being a worry wart as usual.

I will let you all know how he makes out tomorrow. I am taking him today after work.

Answer:
Your dog might be nervous or excited once he gets a whiff of all of the sites and smells at the Drs. office Is he good around other dogs? Or cats? Make sure you have a good leash/collar on him or a Halti if he wears one, just to have him under your control. I have 3 large dogs and even though they are gentle, other people or dogs can be nervous around them, due to their size and number!

As for the needles, my dogs usually receives 2: one for rabies and the other covers 4 or 5 different viruses and diseases. My vet gives these in the shoulder area by the back of the neck, and do not really bother the dogs, except for the husky who makes it sound as though an axe murderer has just entered the room! What a suck!

As for the ears, the Dr. or assistant will use an "otoscope" which is like a flashlight with a funnel on the end to be able to see deep into the ear canal. If there is any yucky stuff, the Dr. may want to take a swab using a long
q-tip and this may be somewhat painful, but they'll be quick! If an infection is found, you will likely be sent home with drops for the ears and perhaps some antibiotics.

Hope this is helpful and don't worry. It's all toward making your dog happy and healthy!

Answer:
I will say one thing my vet loves Buddy but he gets chronic ear infections so I am usually on top of them but I do get lax once in awhile. But to the point I usually ask him to muzzle Buddy because he is fine with me touching his ears but is not happy about someone else doing it. He has never snapped at the vet but I really don't want to risk it I really like our vet and he is so good with Bud I don't want to be asked to find a new one. He is only muzzled when we do his ears other than that he lies on the floor and lets the vet do whatever else no problem.

Answer:
About the heartworm test, this is only done once a year, (as with vaccinations), usually in the spring to rule out that heartworm is not present in the dog. They take a bit of blood from the forearm, (forepaw? foreleg?) and screen it for this. Preventative heartworm medication cannot be given to a dog UNLESS it has been tested for heartworm, which can make a dog very ill or cause death. A wise test to get, considering the prevalence of mosquitos around in my area.The heartworm treatment only lasts as long as mosquito season, depending on where you live. For me in Southern Ontario, from May to November. And this medication is found within the Revolution medication or Sentinel, which take care of heartworm, fleas and a plethora of other foul buggy types of infestations and illnesses, all in a drop to the neck or a pill to swallow! Very easy and effective treatments! There are a number of things out there, and your vet will guide you in choosing the best for your pet.

Answer:
My Rotti is a super uber goober dawg, she never read the "Big Bad Rotti Book"....really. When she goes to the vet, (she grew up & spent the first 3 years at the vet's)..I will muzzle her once in the exam room. It's to keep her "honest". She has had a few bad experiences and is frightful of certain strangers, and she has never bitten. I want to keep it that way. Ciara understands this also and puts her snout into the muzzle when presented.
No fuss. Then, when it's all over..slobbery kisses to all!

Answer:
Usually we don't automatically muzzle an animal when they come in. We generally take our cues from you, if you think your animal may bite (and they generally do this out of fear) then we may muzzle him. We've had to muzzle many breeds of dogs to examine them, from shih tzu's to labs, it's not a breed specific thing. I've seen a pitbull that thought he was a lap dog, he didn't even know he was getting shots, and I've seen one that we had to sedate before our vet could check his ears.

It all depends on your dog. You have to take in to consideration the staff and doctor's safety, and the well being and comfort of your pet, that's generally what we look at when examining ANY animal.

Vaccinations are different everywhere. In Nova Scotia our animals are vaccinated yearly against distemper, corona, parvo, etc. as well as rabies, which they recieve in to shots.

If your dog has infected ears, or mites, the vet will probably clean or flush them out, maybe run a slide under the microscope to be sure what it is, and prescribe medication (depending on what it is) usually drops.

Hope I helped a little! Have fun at the vet...and try not to stress...we usually don't bite!

Answer:
Well we made it. Harley was great at the vets. No trouble at all, no muzzles anywhere. The vet was awsome. She got to know him first and pet him. He took to her right away.

She gave him two shots, rabies in one and in the other there was three other vaccinations. He didn't even flinch. I was so proud of him. Well she was giving him the shots he just layed on the floor and I petted him and gave him a treat. He was better there than he is at home. lol. Just like kids always better with someone else.

She checked his ears, but couldn't find anything wrong with them. She told me to keep an eye on them and bring him back in if they get red or get dirty inside.

I am just so proud of him. Now I know what to expect from him next time we go. I have to take him back in three weeks for a follow up for one of the vaccinations that we received. I forget what the name of it was, but it is to prevent a bacterial infection that is cause from them drinking out of puddles or other sources of water out in the wild that other animals may have pied in.

Thanks for the information everyone. I am definitly a happy mommy.

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The vaccine booster he is going back for is Leptospirosis. So glad he had a pleasant vet visit and so did you.

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Yay!! Good for you and Harley!! I'm glad it was a happy experience and you have a healthy dog.

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Yes that is the vaccination that he received. She told me that it was up to me on whether or not I wanted to vaccinated him with it. She said it usually isn't given as there aren't very many cases of this bacteria virus around. It is most common if you live out in the woods, which we do. So I thought it would be best for him to get it. Better safe than sorry.

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