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View Full Version : How do I get my dogs ears to turn pink?


MelanieRay
Jun 28, 2012, 07:26 AM
I appologize that I couldn't think of a better way to ask that. My puppy Luna is/was a parvo pup. She has been "better" for almost a month. My vet won't give her vaccines because her ears are still white on the insides. I give her about 2cups of puppy kibble a day plus a can of something the vet gave me for her tummy, training treats and whatever she can sneak from the older dog. She's gaining weight, getting bigger but still has that white ear thing. Is there anything else I can do?
Her meds are
Lixotinic
Cimetidine
And fortiflora
There were others but, they are gone

JudyKayTee
Jun 28, 2012, 07:31 AM
It's dangerous to give a dog with a health problem any vaccines. My dog has an ear infection so I have to wait to get her distemper shot.

Wonderful that she had Parvo and is doing well!

Some other people are experts about how/what to feed and they'll come along.

LadySam
Jun 28, 2012, 09:28 AM
Your vet doesn't want to give vaccines until he/she is sure she is well into recovery.
Although the ears, to me are an odd place to check for color, the gums are a quick and easy check.
Her gums should be a nice pink color and if you press on the gum with your finger it should blanche out to a white color and then turn back pink within about 3 seconds.
If you are feeding a good quality kibble and giving the lexotinic (I'm guessing the same as pet-tinic) which is a vitamin supplement you should be fine I wouldn't tax her tummy with different things at this point, her intestines are trying to repair themselves.
Glad she is doing better.
Your vet will know when it is time to vaccinate her safely.
Has she been rechecked by the vet to asses or are you watching at home and keeping in touch?

MelanieRay
Jun 28, 2012, 09:36 AM
When she made it through the vomiting and diareaha part I took her back. That's when we got all of the medications. The ones I mentioned plus metronidazol sulcralfate and panacure. He told me at that point to bring her back in 15 days. I did and he said he wanted to wait longer. The ears are what I'm looking at, the vet checked her gums and her ears and said that's why we were going to wait.

LadySam
Jun 28, 2012, 09:41 AM
My thought was this, the lighting in your house is not going to be the same as the clinic lighting, where they may be brighter.
So the ears may look paler to you than they actually are, I still say the gums are a much better indicator. It's easy to do and a good indicator, comparably the ears may be lighter or darker given her coloring.

I apologize for running away, but I must get back to work.

tickle
Jun 28, 2012, 10:02 AM
I agree with LadySam that the gums are a much better indicator. When my Taffy was very ill, her vet always checked the gums. I understand why you are anxious for the proper vaccinations at this time, because after getting back to square one, you don't want her to come down with anything else to impede her progress.

How well do you know your vet. Would you be okay with checking in with another one for this issue?

MelanieRay
Jun 28, 2012, 10:39 AM
I hate my vet. We got of to a really bad start and I would love to go to another but my puppy funds are gone. She is going to this one because her shots and visits are paid for during her first year. This is something I did without all of my cards on the table. Im looking at her gums and they are black but I'm assuming the same rules apply, they will blanch to grey then back to black? Both the puppy and I are tired of staying home and would like to go visit but, your right we started on a really bad foot and I can't risk going through it again. I also don't know how long the recovery is suppose to take. As suggested by lady sam, my older dog and I went for a "meet and greet" at our new everybody vet. Sadly he is my hamsters vet and costs a fortune but I like him very much. If current vet doesn't vaccinate her in the next month ill take the puppy there.

Lucky098
Jun 28, 2012, 03:01 PM
You also don't want to vaccinate your puppy so fast after she just recovered from parvo. Let her immune system heal!

Another good way to check capillary refill time is to check the pink part of her eye...

Not sure why the vet is basing vaccinations on CRT... I always thought that was to measure blood pressure and oxygen in the blood itself..

Alty
Jun 28, 2012, 04:05 PM
I have nothing to add, my fellow pet experts said it all. I just want to wish you and pup the best of luck, and to tell you how very happy I am to meet someone that takes their pets health so seriously. You're a breath of fresh air from what we normally get here.

When I read "he is my hamsters vet and costs a fortune", you had me crying. I don't know one person that cares enough about their hamster to take it to the vet. You are a remarkable human being, and I'm so very glad your puppy found you.

All the best to you and pup. We'd love pictures. :)

LadySam
Jun 28, 2012, 04:24 PM
You also dont want to vaccinate your puppy so fast after she just recovered from parvo. Let her immune system heal!

Another good way to check capillary refill time is to check the pink part of her eye...

Not sure why the vet is basing vaccinations on CRT... I always thought that was to measure blood pressure and oxygen in the blood itself..

I wondered that myself, I think I assumed that he was having MelanieRay watch and bring her in so he could use that as one point of assessment.

I guess the black gums are the reason for checking her ears, but all of my animals have varying degrees of pink in their ears only my solid white cats ears look pink to me all the time. And my black dogs ears always look pale to me.
So in that case use Luckys suggestion of looking at the pink of the eye.
I do agree though that the vaccination time will vary from animal to animal, and always at doctors discretion. Usually around 3-4 weeks after being released from the clinic after being treated at the clinic I work at.
Depending on how ill the pup was it may even be a little longer.

LadySam
Jun 28, 2012, 04:27 PM
I have nothing to add, my fellow pet experts said it all. I just want to wish you and pup the best of luck, and to tell you how very happy I am to meet someone that takes their pets health so seriously. You're a breath of fresh air from what we normally get here.

When I read "he is my hamsters vet and costs a fortune", you had me crying. I don't know one person that cares enough about their hamster to take it to the vet. You are a remarkable human being, and I'm so very glad your puppy found you.

All the best to you and pup. We'd love pictures. :)

Amen!!

MelanieRay
Jun 29, 2012, 08:32 AM
http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/8378/luna3flipped.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/151/luna3flipped.jpg/)
With luck, this worked.
This is luna. Her name started as a moon reference (she slept alot) but, now its just short for lunatic. I originally thought she was a german shephard mix but now I'm leaning more towards a manchester terrier mix. She likes to dig in odd spots like the center of the yard.

*pictures are a bit harder than I thought*

JudyKayTee
Jun 29, 2012, 08:41 AM
http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/8378/luna3flipped.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/151/luna3flipped.jpg/)
with luck, this worked.
this is luna. her name started as a moon reference (she slept alot) but, now its just short for lunatic. I originally thought she was a german shephard mix but now im leaning more towards a manchester terrier mix. She like to dig in odd spots like the center of the yard.

*pictures are a bit harder than i thought*



She could be my puppy's twin! I'm not joking.

How do you post photos?

MelanieRay
Jun 29, 2012, 08:44 AM
I used image shack but there were 7-8 little codes to choose from. I couldn't pick the right one so I tried them all. I hope no one has to clean up my edit mess

LadySam
Jun 29, 2012, 11:13 AM
She is beautiful, looks in good form too considering she is on recovery road.
I'm glad she is doing well.;

Alty
Jun 29, 2012, 02:37 PM
What a cutie! She's absolutely adorable!