# Peeves and I made a vet run yesterday



## Beautiful Blue (Apr 24, 2017)

Hope all turns out well for Peeves...

This might be a good place to mention that every time I used the Gentle Leader on the Brown Clown - with the exception of the briefest of walks - she would get excessive tearing and the resulting "****" in the corner of her eyes. It took me a couple of times to figure out the cause and effect, but she normally had very clean, dry eyes and no discharge. 

So I used it only when necessary, and after a certain age it was not necessary.

She was very good about wearing it, and I certainly did not have it too tight. Nor did the Leader ever cause a similar problem with the other two dogs I have used it on. (They not the puller/squirrel chaser of the Brown though, so not used much)

But it certainly must have had to do with the light pressure the strap that rests over the muzzle would put on - what? - sinus cavities, tear ducts, drainage passageways. 
And her muzzle's particular construction.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

I would guess the head halti was pressing on a tear duct. The is the only thing I can think of that is superficial enough to be subject to pressure like that. Personally although I understand the use of all manner of tools, head halters and no pull harnesses are not something I favor using since with a head harness I think some people have an incorrect perception that the dog is not nice and perhaps nips or bites (let's face it some people wouldn't know the difference between a gentle leader and a muzzle). With a no pull harness some types restrict the dog's natural gait and could be injurious to the dog if used on a regular basis. As you point out Beautiful Blue you were able to fade the use of the gentle leader and that should be the goal of how any corrective methods and tools are used.


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

Glad to hear it's nothing too serious. Let's hope it clears really fast. 

Does the medication come in a pill form, that would make it much essier to give to Peeves ?


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Dechi the flagyl is in a pill, but it tastes terrible apparently. The cyclosporin needs to be in the drops. Cyclosporin is immune suppressive if given systemically. It used to be used as an anti-transplant rejection drug. Given topically its effects are localized and therefore it is safer to use. I am hoping that by giving him a cookie every time we give the medication (especially the drops) he will come to accept it as a new normal and continue being the good boy I know he can be.


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## Bevvie (Jun 17, 2017)

Poor Peeves ... but I'm sure the rx remedy will work. Question: do you have to keep him on the flagyl for a whole month or can you stop it if he improves?


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Bevvie I will be calling the vet on Monday to discuss the progress that has been made and then will have new instructions. I sort of had the feeling he viewed this as lifetime therapy, but maybe that is really just for the drops. I don't know why he would have given me a month's worth of the flagyl if he thought I wouldn't need it though. Our vet is pretty good about not nickel and diming us for things that aren't necessary.

I am planning not to look too closely until Saturday, partly to not antagonize Peeves but also to make sure that I am seeing a real improvement rather than trying to guess on little bit by little bit.


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## zooeysmom (Jan 3, 2014)

Aww, Peeves. lily, have you tried pill pockets? The chicken flavor is particularly palatable. I give Maizie her drops in one and Zooey her pill in one. I give them a tiny treat first, followed by the pill pocket w/med, and then another tiny treat to make sure they don't get any of the bitter taste of their horribly tasting meds.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

zooeysmom I will get pill pockets or use American cheese if I start to have a hard time with the pills. We have worked hard to make sure that we can put our hands into our dog's mouths for any reason at any time, like giving pills. He was really good last night and this morning.

I appreciate everyone's good wishes!


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## Asta's Mom (Aug 20, 2014)

Fingers crossed for dear Peeves - hope he soon takes the medication process as a routine. Keep us posted on his progress.


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## Click-N-Treat (Nov 9, 2015)

Oh, hugs for all of you, especially Peeves. Feel better dear doggie. I hope the medicine is helpful and he feels much better soon.


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## Johanna (Jun 21, 2017)

Poor Peeves. I have a dog who has chronic crusty nose issues. I just ordered a new product for it - hope it works!

The one surefire method I have found for administering tablets and capsules is peanut butter. All our dogs have just loved it. If anyone is getting medicated, we have to give some peanut butter to all the dogs, not just the one getting the pill!


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Johanna that is funny about how all your dogs love peanut butter. Oddly none of mine like it at all!

Thanks again for the good wishes folks.


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## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

Awwww, poor Peeves. I hope he's feeling better soon and good thing you picked up on this. 

I'm fond of the pill pockets too. I have found sometimes I can slip a pill in the middle of a controlled jackpot. If I don't have pill pockets I do my best to hid a pill in chicken or some other tasty treat and I hand it out followed immediately with more of the same treat so the focus is on gobbling treats and not one what is wrong with what is in their mouth.


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## galofpink (Mar 14, 2017)

So glad to hear that it is nothing "serious"! Hope the drops and pills work well for Peeves and that he heals up quickly!


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## Mfmst (Jun 18, 2014)

Best wishes to Peeves on his recovery and great pill bribes.


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## marialydia (Nov 23, 2013)

How is Peeves doing today?


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

marialydia, thanks for asking. He is doing well with taking his medicine. We are making sure we pay well for good cooperation. I haven't looked closely enough to know whether his nose looks better since BF has a better handle on what it looked like at the beginning before we started the treatment. I will make sure he takes a good look later today or tomorrow.


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## Axeldog (Aug 29, 2014)

Oh no! I'm sorry to see your Peeves is going through this episode. I trust he will progress and get better quickly! Good luck with giving the pills. It's good that you have trained him so well and practiced touching/reaching in his mouth. That really helps a lot.


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## marialydia (Nov 23, 2013)

Catherine I don't know if this applies or not, but if it's useful...

Pericles has pretty much always had some discharge from his eyes. According to a friend who is a retired vet, this is due to the structure of a poodle's eyes and nose, in which the tear ducts often don't drain properly, of course some poodles having more discharge than others. Also, it's less after having eliminated or reduced allergens found during the Dr. Dodds nurtriscan.

Nevertheless, pretty much every day I rinse out Pericles' eyes with saline, mush it around a bit very gently, and what floats out onto a cotton ball usually looks significant (it's whitish gray, and not an infection). 

If course Peeves is not a poodle, but he does (I will assume!) have a gorgeous long muzzle...


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## mashaphan (Sep 4, 2014)

Poor Peeves! Hugs from upstate!:chicken: (just to keep the ladies involved!)

Martha et al


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

We took a good look when we gave him his medicines this morning and it is starting to look better. the runnyness is way less and the swelling inside his nostril looks smaller too.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

I never had a chance to call my vet's office today, but I will in the morning and I am happy to tell you all first that I will be reporting good progress. His eye is less teary and nose less runny and you can see into his nostril around where that swelling is. The swelling is still there but subsiding. I will ask vet what the long term medication strategy will be. Peeves is outside right now and has been for over an hour since I can't get him to come to me. I suspect he thinks I have a nasty tasting pill in my hand. I did bribe him with a piece of chicken jerky to have him let me take a rake through his heavily shedding coat, but he still doesn't want to come in. BF should be home any minute and they can play in the yard then I am sure Peeves will come in.


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