Question by ilf rettub: In desperate need of advice. What would you do? A tough choice.?
The dog that I share custody of with my ex husband has severe allergies. Between special food, meds, and other products used to treat them, the general cost per month is AT LEAST $ 250. This average cost does not include any extra visits to the vet for infections or other complications secondary to the allergies. Nor does it include his annual regular check up, heartguard, or flea and tick prevention. My guess is after all that other stuff is taken into account and averaged out, the monthly cost would be somewhere around $ 350-400 a month to care for the dog.

The dog recently tore his ACL and needs surgery. Luckily the pet safety insurance I had bought for him will cover 80% of the cost. But despite that, this is where things get tough. My ex wants to go through with the surgery. I however feel that given his severe allergies and the fact that he has hip dysplasia with slight arthritis already (he’s only 4), that the best decision would be to put him down. After all, my ex and I are already struggling to keep our heads above water financially just from the allergies alone. But my ex won’t hear of it. He wants to not only go through with the surgery but he said he wants to take the dog permanently since I am completely against the surgery and want no part of it. Now, I know that my ex does not have an extra $ 400 just laying around every month. Heck, he just took a second job to make ends meet and he wasn’t even paying half of the dog’s bills as it were. He says that he will make it work at all costs, working more hours, giving up going out, eating out, cable ect… However I am so hesitant in giving up the dog knowing what it costs and extent of care that needs to be given to him in order to keep the allergies tolerable. He will chew himself bloody and bare, he will get major skin infections, and his hair will fall out if a strict regime isn’t followed. And let’s just say that my ex isn’t exactly the best at following it because it take a lot of time and dedication (baths every 4 to 6 days each lasting approximately 40 mins from start to finish to allow the special shampoo and conditioner to be in contact with his skin for the specified time).

So that’s my dilemma. Ultimately these are my choices:
1) Give the dog to my ex knowing that he is going to put him through the surgery (which I strongly don’t approve of), probably won’t care for his allergies as well as I do, and that my ex can’t exactly afford him at this point either. But I would be able to pay my bills but never see my dog again
2) Continue to share custody, and support the surgery but make my ex pay for whatever part of the surgery that isn’t covered, any follow-up appointments and any care related to the knee surgery, but split the rest of the bills evenly (which wasn’t happening previously), knowing that the dog is a complete money pit and that the bills are only going to continue and get bigger because of the hip dysplasia and arthritis.
3) Give the dog to my ex, but offer to pay maybe his food bill (about $ 125 a month) just so that I have a piece of mind that my ex will have enough money to care for the allergies and other necessary things that come with having a dog and then just not see the dog, or maybe still get to spend a little time with the dog but a lot since I’m not paying all that much to support him?

I just don’t know what to do. It would be great to have my ex husband out of my life forever, but I don’t want my dog to have a poor quality of life either. And since my ex is forcing this surgery do I just say screw him and not worry about my ex struggling to pay for the care of the dog? I know my ex loves this dog like crazy and is very good to him, but I just don’t know if giving him over is the right thing to do knowing what I know about the money factor when it comes to this dog. Not only that, but giving up my dog is obviously going to be really hard! But I so don’t support this surgery knowing what I do about his general health.

What would you do?! Please help me.

Putting the dog down without my ex’s consent is not an option, I could never live with myself.

Best answer:

Answer by kdoulos
Well, my dog has allergies as well, but not to that extent. Benedryl three times a day, Taste of the wild prarie recipe along with raw meats eggs and other tasty things, and brewer’s yest has him at his best again.
Owning a dog isn’t easy, and just like parents who have children with downs, you don’t just give up on them becasue they are a burden. Personally I’d tell your ex that he will be paying for the portion of the surgery, and somehow get it in writing. I wouldn’t give the dog to your ex. I can just see it now, he finds out he’s bitten off more than he can chew so he has the dog put down, and says something allergy related killed it or something equally bad.

Add your own answer in the comments!

Question by Hm: What dog food would you recommend?
I’ve recently discovered that my young 1 year old siberian husky might have some food allergies. She’s had some irritation of her skin on the back part of her hind legs and around her rump for quite some time now, but we didn’t know what the cause was. Just recently when I switched her from Iams Healthy Naturals lamb & rice to the plain Iams Proactive Health lamb & rice her ear became red, itchy, and inflamed. After a cytology where nothing was found, the doctor suggested food allergies because she is so young & is kept on flea prevention. She said I should consider a food trial, but I’m already suspicious of something such as corn, wheat or soy. When she was a puppy, the breeder had her on the food Annamaet (which is a holistic natural high quality food) and she had no issues on that through about 6 months of age. This issue didn’t start until after I switched her food to Iams… so it’s all making sense now! She also gets intermittent diarrhea every once in a while which can also point to food allergies.
I’ve been looking into brands and I’m leaning towards Blue Buffalo, but I’m unsure as to whether I should stick with the Lamb & Brown Rice, or go with something like the Fish & Sweet Potato. Any suggestions for a dog with possible food allergies both in brand and flavor?

Best answer:

Answer by More Bored Collie
I feed Blue Buffalo to my dogs.
My one dog has bowel issues that causes him to have diarrhea with many brands of food. However, he does not have this issue with any of the Blue Buffalo “flavours”

I would definitely say it’s worth a try, sometimes fish can be considered better for dogs with allergies. Although there is also controversy about fish in dog foods as well.

Give your answer to this question below!

Question by charcoal: Would you recommend rotating my dog’s food?
After my puppy Libby was weaned she ate diamond naturals small breed puppy until she was 4 months. Then I switched her to iams small breed puppy which she is still on at 8 months old. (I did not know about dog nutrition) I have been looking into dog nutrition lately and some sites suggest rotating foods. I don’t know if this would be good for my dog. Libby is a toy australian shepherd/ toy poodle hybrid. She is 6 pounds and is done growing. (She is a little underweight) Would you recommend rotating her food and which food would you recommend? How much food per serving? Right now I feed her 1/4 cup twice a day. I would prefer grain-less and in a small bite form. If I do not rotate her food, should I switch her to EVO turkey and chicken small bites right now? Would she be able to eat that for life? (unless an allergy or something occurs) Please let me know your thoughts on this.THANKS!
May I tell you that diamond naturals is NOT grain-less!!

Best answer:

Answer by Noggles
rotating food is always a good idea keeps them from becomming finiky.. if you rotate keep to good foods like nutro iams eukanuba… that way if your pet store is out of one you can get another and know your dog will eat it.

What do you think? Answer below!

Question by Lou-Lou?: what shampoo would you recommend to use on a white sentive skinned stafford shire bull terrier?
i have a white staffordshire bull terrier, after a bath she goes an off-white colour after about 5-8 days! so i was wondering about this shampoo:
http://www.petsathome.com/find/category-is-2+dog/category-is-2g+grooming/category-is-2G04+Shampoos+and+sprays/product-is-20931#product-detail
but should i stay away from that because she gets skin allergies in the summer or should i use the ‘whitening’ one in the winter and this one in the summer:
http://www.petsathome.com/find/category-is-2+dog/category-is-2g+grooming/category-is-2G04+Shampoos+and+sprays/product-is-20936#customerreviews
because at the minute she has ‘hives’ which are lumps on on the skin, also a while back she got bald patches they went but her fur has thinned out and skin has became dry and a bit flakey which is unusual for her skin allergies.

would you go with health or looks, i would go wih health but what would YOU recommend
thanks
the vet recommended us to look around because she has been having allot of shampoo’s from the vet she has had 6 differen ones all costing around £20-£35 and also £20 to be seen and this is happening every month so we are wasting around £50 a month and money isn’t flying around our household

Best answer:

Answer by Dogmom CA
The whitening shampoos work well, but can be drying to the skin. I would not use it on a dog with these issues. Your best bet would be a prescription shampoo from your vet that is designed to help with these issues. Most shampoos are just going to add to the skin irritation she already has.

Give your answer to this question below!

Question by COLLEEN B: I live in Bramton Ontario and would like to take my dog to a naturopath. Help.?
Allergies seem to be the problem with skin and hair, but to what? steroids can’t be that good for her.

Best answer:

Answer by walking lady
Can you look in the phone book for a holistic vet? They should be able to help you.

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!