We recently took in a stray daschund about 8 weeks ago. He is the best dog I have ever known. He is already a couple of years old, because he was already fixed when we found him and VERY housebroken, also extremely smart.

The past 4-5 days, her started puking, has not eaten since. At first he could not hold down any water, now today he is doing a little better holding down water.

He broke out with these yellow/green blisters along his underbelly also. A couple on the chest, most are clustered around his groin. He is incredibly weak and shakes and shivers a lot. He seems to be weak in his back legs a lot, too.

He does not seem to be running a fever at all. He will not eat ANYTHING, this has been since like Thursday night. The first couple of days he didn't want to be around anyone and was finding places to hide- he seems to be coming around a little more today.

What can I do? We cannot afford a vet right now, I am hoping we can help him somehow? I have been keeping him hydrated by water in a dropper, a little at a time so he keeps it dowm. It has helped so far- his nose is starting to moisten up again. Thanks... ken

It sounds like he has an infection. If it is bacterial, some antibiotics from the vet would clear it up fast. On the other hand, little can be done about viral infections except prevent them by having the dog up to date on shots. In some cases, the vets use IV to support the body while it fights the disease. That is very expensive.

I am not sure there is too much more you can do except hope for the best if you can't take him to the vet. You could go to the drugstore and buy I think Pedalyte. It is meant for babies with diarrhea. Use it instead of the water you are using to help maintain his electrolytes. As he starts to recover, some boiled chicken and rice or potatoes may be easier for his stomach at first. Get him back on dog food as soon as you can. Even the cheapest stuff is formulated to AAFCO standards now, and the dry food is better for their teeth and jaws.

Unless where you live is blessedly free of mosquitoes, he won't last long without being on heart worm medicine. That means at least one vet visit a year to be checked before starting it.

Look for the once a month cream style flea remedies. You can buy effective ones at pet stores. I have even found good stuff cheap at big Lots.

OK sounds good... thanks! I will give it a shot!

Why don't you take the poor dog to the vet and ask them to work with you on making payments. Most vets will do that especially if they knew you had rescued the dog. You could also contact the daschund rescue they would take the dog for you. Or just take it to a vet and drop it off. Most of the time they will care for the animal and find a home for it unless it has to be put down. But I wouldn't let the dog suffer. I think it is great that you are trying to help this little guy.

I hope by now the issue has resolved itself and you were either able to contact the daschund rescue or find a vet who could assist you. There are several disorders this mimicks and it does not have the etiology of a bacterial infection. One disorder, which is rearing its ugly head in this breed, is portal caval liver shunt. While many times it reverses itself, if the disease progresses you are in danger of losing the poor little guy. Only a vet can diagnose and treat this disorder and many organizations are out there to assist people to treat their pets.

By now, however, I hope all is well and the little guy is happy and healthy, once more.

All the best,
Dr. B

I hope by now the issue has resolved itself and you were either able to contact the daschund rescue or find a vet who could assist you. There are several disorders this mimicks and it does not have the etiology of a bacterial infection. One disorder, which is rearing its ugly head in this breed, is portal caval liver shunt. While many times it reverses itself, if the disease progresses you are in danger of losing the poor little guy. Only a vet can diagnose and treat this disorder and many organizations are out there to assist people to treat their pets.

By now, however, I hope all is well and the little guy is happy and healthy, once more.

All the best,
Dr. BNever heard of portal caval liver shunt? What is it and what causes this to occur?

The disorder can be congenital and the gene must be carried by both sire and dam. It can also be acquired. The condition seems to target dogs at either end of the size-spectrum, although it can arise in any dog or breed. Shunts are categorized as intrahepatic, within the liver or extrahepatic, outside the liver. The intrahepatic form is predominant in extremely large breeds, whereas the extrahepatic form is found in small breeds.

Portal Caval Liver Shunt is a condition in which a portion of the blood in the body by-passes the liver and goes directly to the heart. Toxins, especially ammonia, build up in the blood stream and the dog has seizures due to the increased ammonia levels. The liver is usually smaller than normal (atrophied) and will have decreased function and secondary liver infection can occur.

There are many signs and symptoms and all vary from dog to dog. Early signs differ from later signs, especially in severity, as one might imagine. Some of these include but are not restricted to poor appetite, poor muscle development, behavioral abnormalities - usually a complete change in behavior - (circling, disorientation, unresponsiveness, staring into space, head pressing), quiet demeanor, drinking or frequent urination, apparent blindness, diarrhea and vomiting, slow recovery from anaesthetics (barbituates) or sedatives (acepromazine) and, seizures. In some animals, these signs are associated with eating protein. Hepatic encephalopathy can arise shortly after eating and may appear as depression, muscular incoordination, coma, and seizures - signs caused by ammonia (a by-product of protein digestion) reaching the brain instead of being cleared by the liver.

Please note that this is only an explanation of Portal Caval Shunt disorder and should not be used to diagnose your dog. Only a licensed veterinarian should perform the proper tests to make any diagnoses.

Hope this helped to bring understanding of the disorder.

Hello I am new to owning mini daschunds. I presently am trying to crate train them. I need to know if it is better to train them in separate crates or is it OK to train them together. They are 7 1/2 weeks old. Also is it common for them to wake up to potty at 300am or sooner? I've had puppies before and most of the time they slept threw the night. I work during the day so I will feed them in the early morning and take them out to use the bathroom before I go to work and when I return 9 hrs later I feed them again and let them out. It that going to hurt them if I don't come home at lunch to feed them and let them out? When they eat in the morning and evening it is a pretty good portion. Also I try not to feed them after 700 pm so they won't have to use the bathroom through out the night or in there cage, which they still do. All advice is welcomed. Please help I am a newbie with this breed. I also have a 2 1/2 yr old and 10 yr old kids.

I would go with separate crates. That way if one has to relieve itself, both won't have to lay in it. This is more important since you can't give them a mid day break. Put them close together where they can see each other. It might be better if you could find somebody to do it. Perhaps a responsible older child from now until school starts. And it is normal for younger puppies to need a middle of the night break.


Housebreaking starts before you get home with the new puppy. If you don't have
A crate, buy one. I prefer the more enclosed, den like plastic ones. Skip the
Bedding. At first it gets wet, and later it can be chewed into choking
Hazards. A wire rack in the bottom will help keep the puppy up out of
Accidents at first. They are available with the crates, but a piece of closely
Spaced wire closet shelving from a home supply place is cheaper. If you
Already have a metal crate, covering it may help. Just make sure you use
Something the puppy can't pull in and chew. Dogs that start in crates as
Little puppies, accept them very well. Never leave an unattended puppy loose
In the house. If nobody can watch it, put it in the crate. I suggest letting
The dog have its crate all its life.

Choose a command and spot you want it to use. The less accessible to strays,
The less chance of serious disease. If it is a female, choosing a
Non grassy spot will avoid brown spots later. When you bring it home, take it
To the spot and give it the command in a firm, but friendly voice. Keep
Repeating the command and let the puppy sniff around. If it does anything,
Praise it. Really let it know what a good dog it is and how much you love it,
And maybe a treat. Note, being out there not only means you can praise it,
But it also keeps it from being snatched by a hawk. If it doesn't go, take it
Inside and give it a drink and any meals scheduled. A young puppy will need to
Go out immediately afterward. Go to the spot and follow the above routine.
Praising it if it goes is extremely important. If it doesn't go, take it back
Inside and put it in its crate and try again soon. Do not let it loose in the
House until it does go.

At first it is your responsibility to know and take the puppy out when it
Needs to go. It needs to go out the first thing in the morning, after eating,
Drinking, and sleeping. If it quits playing, and starts running around
Sniffing, it is looking for a place to go. Take it out quickly. You will just
Have to be what I call puppy broke until it is a little older.

By the time most dogs are about 3 months old, they have figured out that if
They go to the door and stand, you will let them out. The praise slowly shifts
To going to the door. Some people hang a bell there for the dog to paw. If
Your dog doesn't figure this out, try praising it and putting it out if it
Even gets near the door. A stern "Bad dog!" is all the punishment that is
Effective, and only when you catch it in the act and are sure you didn't miss
It going to the door. Clean up accidents promptly. I mostly keep the little
Puppies out of the carpeted rooms. Still I need the can of carpet foam
Sometimes. First blot up all the urine you can with a dry towel. Keep moving
It and stepping on it until a fresh area stays dry. A couple big putty knives
Work well on bowel movements. Just slide one under it while holding it with
The other. This gets it up with a minimum of pushing it down into the carpet.
This works with even relatively soft ones, vomit, dirt from over turned house
Plants, or anything else from solids to thick liquids. Finish up with a good
Shot of carpet foam. Note, do not let the puppy lick up the carpet foam.
Once the dog is reliably housebroken, your carpet may need a good steam cleaning.

Many people strongly strongly push cleaning up all evidence of past accidents. I am slower to suggest that. Dogs will return to the same spot if they can find it. When you see one sniffing the spot, that is your clue to run it out.

I have 2, 7 1/2 week old mini's. I am in the process of crate training . But I do have a question. I work all day and I let my puppies out in the morning and in the evening. But I was wondering if I bought an outdoor fence would that be better for them since they would not have to stay in a crate all day. The fence would have a top to keep the sun off them and I would get an igloo dog house for them. I do not want them to be cramped in a cage all day. Would this be a good idea for them so they have some freedom to run and potty during the day and eat?

That is a fairly common solution. It works for many people. It can lead to problems. The puppies can be stolen, teased, carried off by hawks, become creative about getting out of the fence, etc. Once they are older, they can decide to bark enough to annoy the neighbors. They will have plenty of time to dig up the yard.

The puppies are safer inside in a crate. Check around. There may be some older, reliable kids out of school that would be happy to have a few bucks for giving them a break mid day.

That is a fairly common solution. It works for many people. It can lead to problems. The puppies can be stolen, teased, carried off by hawks, become creative about getting out of the fence, etc. Once they are older, they can decide to bark enough to annoy the neighbors. They will have plenty of time to dig up the yard.

The puppies are safer inside in a crate. Check around. There may be some older, reliable kids out of school that would be happy to have a few bucks for giving them a break mid day.

Hello Labman,
Thank you for all the advice. I really don't have kids around here that will be able to help out. I have a 6 ft privacy fence. That is why I was thinking about getting a doggy fence. I know they won't get stolen or teased. I would use a cover from hawks. But would it confuse them when it comes to crate training? I just want them to be happy.

I have 2, 7 1/2 week old mini's. I am in the process of crate training . But I do have a question. I work all day and I let my puppies out in the morning and in the evening. But I was wondering if I bought an outdoor fence would that be better for them since they would not have to stay in a crate all day. the fence would have a top to keep the sun off of them and I would get an igloo dog house for them. I do not want them to be cramped in a cage all day. Would this be a good idea for them so they have some freedom to run and potty during the day and eat?
... of the indoors and out with a doggy door installed in the door leading to the outside. Pets like freedom to roam about their 'hood... makes them feel like the "Big Dogs" they really are. Works for mine!

To cris_rainey. The 6 foot privacy fence will give your dogs more protection than the ordinary wire fence. Although I only leave my dogs out when I am at home, many of them prefer to spend hours each day out in the fenced yard. I have never seen any problem with using the crate because the dog spends time outside.

I doubt you would be so irresponsible, but I must comment on ''Pets like freedom to roam about their 'hood... makes them feel like the "Big Dogs" they really are. Works for mine!'' So Flickit, how does it work for your neighbors? Are you sure your dog isn't fouling their yards, digging up their flower beds, chasing their pets, raiding their garbage, etc. I have been giving dog advice on the net for years. In that time I have seen hundreds of complaints from people whose neighbors let their dogs run loose. Only an irresponsible, clueless idiot, caring nothing for their dog or their neighbors, lets a dog run loose.

To cris_rainey. The 6 foot privacy fence will give your dogs more protection than the ordinary wire fence. Although I only leave my dogs out when I am at home, many of them prefer to spend hours each day out in the fenced yard. I have never seen any problem with using the crate because the dog spends time outside.

I doubt you would be so irresponsible, but I must comment on ''Pets like freedom to roam about their 'hood...makes them feel like the "Big Dogs" they really are. Works for mine!'' So Flickit, how does it work for your neighbors? Are you sure your dog isn't fouling their yards, digging up their flower beds, chasing their pets, raiding their garbage, etc. I have been giving dog advice on the net for years. In that time I have seen hundreds of complaints from people whose neighbors let their dogs run loose. Only an irresponsible, clueless idiot, caring nothing for their dog or their neighbors, lets a dog run loose.
... my dogs are fenced in on the side of the house just exiting the doggy door. I don't believe in allowing them to wander about, although I know what you mean.