Question by Boo-Bee Bay-Bee: Are there any concerns with working at a dry cleaners and nursing/pumping?
I have a job interview for a dry cleaner’s. I’m not sure how closely I will be working with the chemicals if at all.

What concerns are there in regards to nursing and pumping? Will I need to change my clothes before I touch my baby. She’s 9 months old and breastfed. She has a dairy allergy and an allergy to dogs. She’s pretty senstive to any sort of food product touching her, but detergents never have.

Best answer:

Answer by Jess:Alyssa Ann is here!!
First let me say Congrats on breastfeeding a dairy intolerant baby..I know first hand how hard it can be to avoid lactose. I give you props!

I have a friend that actually works part time at the dry cleaners in town. I know she breastfed her baby..and I never have heard anything about the chemicals having any affect on it.
If you use universal precautions your milk should be fine.

Give your answer to this question below!

Question by Nerdy MILF: Are there any concerns with working at a dry cleaners and nursing/pumping?
I have a job interview for a dry cleaner’s. I’m not sure how closely I will be working with the chemicals if at all.

What concerns are there in regards to nursing and pumping? Will I need to change my clothes before I touch my baby. She’s 9 months old and breastfed. She has a dairy allergy and an allergy to dogs. She’s pretty senstive to any sort of food product touching her, but detergents never have.

Best answer:

Answer by Suspension Notice
I think as long as you keep the dog hair and creamer off your boob you should be good to go:)

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!

Question by the sun will come out tomorrow: Dog in possible distress? Is there something the owners and their vet might be missing? Or refusing to see?
This dog is a playmate of my dog and she seems to have a lot of issues. I know the dog came from a Backyard Breeder and I don’t think the breeder ever even saw the father dog. She sent her female to be mated with this male. But my friends have learned a valuable lesson about bybs and puppymills through this dog. This dog though is maybe 1 or 2 years old I’d be surprised if she is any older and she is some sort of small breed. Poodle or Bichon Friese or Maltese or Westie. Its a little white dog, I’m not good at keeping those small breeds straight.

The dog when she is at play she can’t seem to keep up with the other dogs. She wears out in the first 10 minutes of play. The dog is constantly panting even when not at play. We are talking that this dog pants most of the day active or inactive. The dog chokes and coughs a lot when running and sometimes even more so when resting. I dog sat this dog last weekend and the dog in the middle of the night would wake up having severe coughing fits. I gave the dog her allergy medicine as instructed by the owner but it did nothing for the dog. The owner said she is being treated for some sort of allergies. She is on a very special diet due to allergies. So she has food and breathing allergies they say. She gets very nervous when left alone and so she is on some sort of sedative or anti anxiety medicine as well, the vet is treating her for some sort of anxiety. I had no idea the dog had this many problems but I keep seeing that something else isn’t right with this dog and I can’t put my finger on it.

Why would a dog this young have so many problems running and playing, especially when the weather isn’t hot. Why would this dog constantly pant? Why would this dog wake up coughing at all hours of the night and start coughing really hard when she is at play? And when you pick her up her heart always feels like it is trying to beat right out of her chest.

I’m thinking something is wrong and they and the vet haven’t caught it or something like that?

Could something else be wrong? What does it sound like? I just can’t put my finger on it but I think this dog needs to be checked out further.
What should I say to the owners? I know something else isn’t right with their dog. I’m to watch her again this weekend. They are possibly moving out of state, job interview and they are going back down there to house hunt. I just can’t let this dog move away possible really sick and not say anything

Best answer:

Answer by mauveme49
You could suggest they get another vet to give them a second opinion. Other than that there is not alot you can do.

What do you think? Answer below!

Question by Corry: Any veterinarians out there? My dog has conjunctivitis…?
I have 2 chow/labs– brothers that are 11 months. One is gold, Billy, and the other is white, Charmin. Around May, I began to notice some pinkish color slightly around Charmin’s eyes. Then, this afternoon, I started a small fire in the backyard which the dogs quickly investigated. When Charmin came in, we were cuddling when my husband noticed his left eye is pink and the skin around it is pink. He has some (not a lot) greenish discharge and he is tearing a bit. I’m positive that it is conjunctivitis, probably related to allergies, since he has had the slight pink around his eyelid this spring and summer.

I am curious, because many websites recommend simply using a mild saline eye drop or a lubricant to help clean tears. Anyone else experienced this before and had success with an OTC product? I know that if it continues, I will bring him to the vet, but must be cost conscious first.

A friend said white animals are more prone to conjunctivitis. True or false?
I forgot to mention that he is not exhibiting any signs of pain. He is eating, drinking, and playing normally. He doesn’t seem to notice except that it appears itchy– because he keeps rubbing it.

Best answer:

Answer by Peyton
Yes white dogs are more sensitive to skin and eye issues.

Keep the eye clean with saline. If it keeps on for 3 days bring him to the vet for a prescription drop.

If it looks like it is getting better always keep some saline on hand for things like storms, pollen and wind.

Good Luck

Give your answer to this question below!

Question by sciencechick: Will there ever be a reason to even attempt a new breed?

Are there any new breeds truly on their way to being recognized by the AKC (or UKC or whatever reputable club you look to)? Could there be any breeds being created now (not just being refined from years ago) that may eventually be recognized?

Should there be? Do you think that the breeds out there should fulfill every possible dog owners needs, or do you think that a new breed (done right) could be beneficial?

Designer dog supporters love to say that “all” purebreds were mutts at some point, and while those origins are not always true and completely unrelated to the random breeding of mutts, does any argument about creating a new breed even matter? Should people either find a breed/ individual dog in a shelter that fits their needs, or is there a niche that has yet to be filled?

I think it would be nice to have a truly hypoallergenic dog but that still doesn’t mean that you can have a one size fits all dog for anyone with allergies, and since they are skin shedding, salivating animal I think it really is pretty impossible.
I am inquisitive
Good answers, but you are forgetting one huge thing Fur and FIction: breeding true! The standard does not mean they breed true- you can write a standard for anything you want it won’t make it reality. No matter how good of a purpose the dog was bred for, how is it a breed without predictable results?

I know that the AKC can’t recognize all breeds, but some of these “breeds” still do not produce predictable results. Mini Aussies are the equivalent of teacups, and even if they were recognized wouldn’t they just be a different size of the Aussie we have?

And Bengal cats are problably the worst breed I have ever heard of as far as “playing God”, its from a wild animal not just making a breed! We domesticated dogs, I have no issue with slectively breeding for a purpose. Bengal cats are a different issue…

Best answer:

Answer by Fur and Fiction
You really love to spark the great debate, don’t you? =]

I do believe there are many breeds in the making. A faily recent one, the Shiloh Shepherd, has gained quite a following.

Though there are many who will disagree with me, I consider the Mini Aussie, Shihloh Shepherd, and Silken Windhound (among others) to be breeds.

I think it all comes down to what our definition of breed is. Some refuse to recognize dogs not registered by the AKC. While I appreicate a good deal of work the AKC does, it cannot be denied that one of the biggest supporters of puppy mills is the AKC. In their own commericals they mention kennel inspections- no doubt inclduing inspections of puppy mills that pay hundreds in fees to register litters each month. And who is one of the largest producer of designer breeds? Puppy mills.

So if the AKC is supporting an industry that makes thousands off of designer breeds, how reputable is the AKC when it comes to definiing what is and is not a breed?

Dogs such as the Catahoula Leopard Dog have been in the United States for decades, yet is still not recognized by the AKC. Does that mean the Catahoula is not a breed?

The same is true for registries in other countries, and while I understand that it is truly impossible to recognize absolutely every breed, there are many people who shun breeds because they are not recognized.

To me, a breed is a dog that has been bred for a purpose (often work related), a dog that has a breed standard set by a parent club, has enthusiasts, and has gained some kind of recognition with reputable breed books.

To answer your question, I do believe there are breeds on their way to being recognized by the AKC. Two breeds were added last year (the Pyrenean Mastiff and Swedish Vallhund), so I am sure there will be more. I also believe breeds can, and will, be created now. However, this is not to say that the correct way to “create” a breed is through designer breeds. I do think a new breed, done correctly, could be beneficial. I would be more than interested in seeing what types of breeds are possible in the future, given the variety of breeds we have today. Dogs have gotten more and more diverse over the past several hundred years, and will continue to do so. I only hope the selective breeding is used for health just as much as it is used to give dogs a new look.

I agree that it would be nice to have a truly hypoallergenic dog, though I think the real cure to that problem would be eliminating “the allergy” rather than the allergen.

EDIT: So many good points. And so my inexperience shines through =]

I agree, breeding true is the most imperitive part of creating a breed. I do wonder how many breed standards have been adjusted because the original standard was either impossible or incorrect (for the work the dog is being bred for)? And so a breed must include predictable results, something I was trying to say yet apparently couldn’t find the right words for!

It isn’t my battle to fight, but I know quite a few people who would argue the skin off anyone for comparing Mini Aussies to teacup dogs. I have seen quite a few well bred Mini Aussies, which is why I have the opinion that I have. The breed has a breed standard, and predictable results when wellbred dogs are used. Unfortunitly, puppy stores have caught onto the Mini Aussie craze (the reason I was involved with Mini Aussie rescue over the summer).

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!