Boston Terrier Rescue

Hi all, I recently adopted a Boston Terrier and he's been rubbing up against furniture and people like he's trying to scratch an itch….this happens pretty frequently. I gave him a bath as soon as I got him home b/c he smelled bad, so I'm thinking it may be a reaction to the shampoo. (there were no fleas in the bathwater, so I've ruled that out)I've also done some research and I see BT's are susceptible to food allergies. The rescue org. I got him from was feeding him Gravy Train (so have I), which doesn't look like quality food. So now I'm thinking it could be food allergies. Any ideas on whats causing this and what to do about it?

P.S. I'm a first time dog owner, so all of this is new to me.

Food is a likely source of the itching if you don't see fleas or ticks. But try an oatmeal based shampoo, a neutralizing spray like Betagen topical spray and ask your vet. about a small dosing of antihistamines. Also the best food is the food that is closely like our own, no fillers, no additives and free of rice, wheat, etc. The ones we use is Natural Balance which is like that or you could use the recipes that are on some sites that use food that you can make and freeze. Good luck with the rescued puppy and for your adoption of him, you're being a good pet owner to ask!

I adopted a Boston Terrier and half of his medical records say he is two years old and the other half say he is almost five.

http://www.seefido.com/html/dog_age__how_to_tell_dog_s_age.htm

http://www.geocities.com/petsburgh/Zoo/1224/canineteeth.html

http://www.pet-tails.com/LPMArticle.asp?ID=224

Hope these help! Go to the vet and ask them to be for sure though.
GOOD LUCK! Thanks for rescueing!

we rescued a boston terrier and not only does he eat his own feces but also that of all the other dogs. what's worst than that, he now has the other dogs following suit. i tried the pumpkin, it does not work.
help!!!!!!!!!

When adult dogs begin to eat stools, it may also be due to malabsorption of nutrients or nutritional deficiencies. In addition, any condition that might cause an increase in appetite or an unusual appetite, such as diabetes, Cushing’s disease, thyroid disease, or treatment with certain drugs such as steroids, may lead to an increase in stool eating. Some dogs that have been placed on a highly restrictive or poorly balanced diet may also begin to eat their stools. It should also be noted that if a dog develops a taste for a particular dog’s stool, that dog should be tested for any type of condition that might lead to poor digestion of the food (and therefore excessive food elements remaining in the stool).

Buy a food additive – such as Deter or Forbid – or dry kibble that makes feces unappetizing to dogs, and add it to your dog's food if he's into eating his own. These products contain a chemical, monosodium glutamate, that is made bitter tasting during the digestive process.

I adopted a Boston Terrier and half of his medical records say he is two years old and the other half say he is almost five.

http://www.seefido.com/html/dog_age__how_to_tell_dog_s_age.htm

http://www.geocities.com/petsburgh/Zoo/1224/canineteeth.html

http://www.pet-tails.com/LPMArticle.asp?ID=224

Hope these help! Go to the vet and ask them to be for sure though.
GOOD LUCK! Thanks for rescueing!

we rescued a boston terrier and not only does he eat his own feces but also that of all the other dogs. what's worst than that, he now has the other dogs following suit. i tried the pumpkin, it does not work.
help!!!!!!!!!

When adult dogs begin to eat stools, it may also be due to malabsorption of nutrients or nutritional deficiencies. In addition, any condition that might cause an increase in appetite or an unusual appetite, such as diabetes, Cushing’s disease, thyroid disease, or treatment with certain drugs such as steroids, may lead to an increase in stool eating. Some dogs that have been placed on a highly restrictive or poorly balanced diet may also begin to eat their stools. It should also be noted that if a dog develops a taste for a particular dog’s stool, that dog should be tested for any type of condition that might lead to poor digestion of the food (and therefore excessive food elements remaining in the stool).

Buy a food additive – such as Deter or Forbid – or dry kibble that makes feces unappetizing to dogs, and add it to your dog's food if he's into eating his own. These products contain a chemical, monosodium glutamate, that is made bitter tasting during the digestive process.

I adopted a Boston Terrier and half of his medical records say he is two years old and the other half say he is almost five.

http://www.seefido.com/html/dog_age__how_to_tell_dog_s_age.htm

http://www.geocities.com/petsburgh/Zoo/1224/canineteeth.html

http://www.pet-tails.com/LPMArticle.asp?ID=224

Hope these help! Go to the vet and ask them to be for sure though.
GOOD LUCK! Thanks for rescueing!

She seems like she's trying to kill him, we spray her with water and it doesn't work. Is there a way to break her of this? She was a rescue from a puppy mill.

Any help would be appreciated! How do you get her to stop when she's attacking our older pug? It's mainly over jealousy of one of us, food, or a toy.

when she acts like this, tell her NO firmly and move her away from the other dog. be consistent. if she keeps doing it, put her in another room, like a time out.
when she behaves around the other dog, praise her a lot.
be sure to give her plenty of one to one attention when you can, so she doesn't feel the need to compete for it.
bostons are very territorial and want to be top dog all the time.
she probably had to compete for food and attention at the puppy mill.
don't punish her as it could make her fearful.
also make sure she gets a lot of exercise and play time. ex. play fetch with her.
they are very high energy dogs.

I have a 3 year old Boston Terrier that I got from a rescue about 8 weeks ago. From the beginning he has had problems with an upset stomach. At first I attributed it to his new food and his nervousness since he is high anxiety. He has now been on anti-anxiety medications for about 6 weeks and has had plenty of time to adjust to his food (which is high quality, high protein, very low carb Evo Innova small bites). He still throws up on average every one to two days, mostly small amounts of undigested food. He also throws up when he drinks his water too fast. And whenever he eats something out of the ordinary, he vomits. The last few times he has vomited a lot (more than the usual small amount of undigested food) were about 3 weeks ago when he ate poo when I wasn’t looking, both of the times he’s taken his deworming meds, and today when I gave him new treats.

From the research I’ve done, it seems to me that it’s difficult to pin-point what causes dogs to have such upset stomachs. I cannot afford to go to the vet and put him through extensive testing that gets me nowhere. I already know from a recent check-up that his bloodwork came back normal and that his internal organs are fine. What I’d like is some ideas of what I can do to help him, or some possibilities of what might be causing this.

Have you ruled out Hyperthyroidism? Some of the symptoms in dogs with hyperthyroidism are:

Hyperactivity
Weight loss
Increased appetite
Vomiting or diarrhea

Hyperthyroid pets often lose weight despite a normal appetite and become nervous and irritable. For several days they may be hyperactive and have a rapid heart beat, then lethargic, apathetic and uninterested in food, play or grooming. Thyroid imbalances are extremely common in North American pets.

If you think this is what it might be you can give your dog a herbal supplement like ‘Resthyro’ which is made specifically for Dog Hyperthyroidism. It balances thyroid hyperactivity and relieves the related symptoms. It can be bought online here: http://www.petwellbeing.com/dog-hyperthyroid-p88.cfm

Alternatively, your dog could also be allergic to an ingredient in the food that you are giving him. Try and switch to an allergen-free diet, such as a grain free diet.