This will be the first of an on-going series of how to own a dog - or several dogs - without having to shell out a fortune in keeping them healthy and taking care of them properly. It will also include an entry on whether you are "fit" to be a dog owner, what kind of dog you should consider getting and how much training you will need to get your dog into "obedience" mode versus going hog-wild crazy mode.
Now, to the subject. Antibiotics. From time to time, your dog may need antibiotics. I have 4 dogs, 2 of them are Great Danes and they are brothers. They used to fight each other endlessly when I first got them, took a while to get that bad habit removed from them, and even now I still occasionally have a problem with it. When a dog is bitten by another dog - you can pretty much expect that bite wound is going to get infected.
Clean it out as well as you can, remove the fur from around the wound, clean clean clean it - it's still 90% guaranteed to get infected. Well, I was having this problem with my dogs and taking one of them to the vet was $50 just to walk through the door. The vet looks at the dog, tells you he needs antibiotics, information you already knew before you went in there, gives you a prescrpition, walaah, you have just shelled out at least $100.
I started an intense online search. That first visit cost me $125 and I wasn't about to have to pay out that much again if I could help it. I kept looking for dog antibiotics in the search field of a Google search, I kept seeing references to Fish Flex and Fish Mox. What is that? It's antibiotics for your fish tank. You can buy those antibiotics legally without a prescription.
What I didn't understand was why I was getting to all these sites for this fish flex business and what does that have to do with my dog? More searching revealed the answer. This fish flex antibiotics comes in capsules in varying amount of milligrams per capsule. 250 and 500 milligrams being the norm. I found out through some other websites that this stuff was being packaged for aquariums, but the intended use was for your dog. NOTHING on the label or packaging can say that, if it does, then kablaam, you have to have a prescription - and pay a lot more money to get it.
I ended up buying 300 capsules of Fish Flex and Fish Mox. If you don't buy them in advance of a problem, then there IS no usefulness to having this option. Obviously, your dog can't wait for a week or however long any specific company is going to take to get them to you while your dog has this huge and growing infection on his neck or wherever. Vets don't want you to know, but the packaging tells it like it is: It lasts up to TWO years in storage. I keep them in my refrigerator to ensure they stay cool and for optimum storage life.
I just went through a round of one of my dogs with an open wound that was infected. That stuff knocked it out in a couple of days. I do, however, give them the stuff for 7 days minimum, because that's what the experts say to do. You can do it however you like and as a disclaimer, the views expressed on this blog are my opinion and my opinion only. I do not claim to be a vet or have any educational background in dog medicine. What I do claim is that I want to be able to afford to have dogs - and to do that, I have had to search out a lot of stuff online to figure out how to get things done without paying a fortune for it.
You can also buy rabies vaccinations online - at a GREATLY reduced price over going to a vet, and all the other vaccinations that your dog/s need to stay healthy. The last round of antibiotics I bought was from Revival Animal Health, you can Google that and you will find a whole line of "fish" antibiotics and drugs available at a pretty good buy, and no, I don't work for them or get anything out of it, I am just trying to help people get the stuff they need for their dogs without having to - get rid of them. There are already enough dogs being turned into shelters because of the terrible economy and people not being able to afford them and tragically, many of those animals have to be put down due to lack of sufficient people adopting pets.
BTW, for those that have trouble giving dogs pills, here is the easiest, albeit the grossest, method to do it:
Grab the dog by the snout with one hand and pull up - it will open up his jaw. Take the pill that is already in your other hand on the tips of your fingers and yes, with dogs like mine with mouths as big as they are, I have to stick my entire hand inside their mouth. Shove that pill to the very back of his throat. It must go in far enough that he can't reject it with his tongue, cause' if he can, rest-assured that pill is going to end up on the floor. Close his mouth, keep his head lifted up and massage his neck, he has no choice but to swallow it. It takes 2 seconds to do this method compared to people attempting to hide the medicine in doggie treats or whatever other nonsense that goes on out there. I know it's gross, but it can get very annoying trying to lure a dog to eat a pill as opposed to just shoving it down his throat, and no, it doesn't hurt the animal in any way and it isn't considered abusive.
82 comments:
dude, i could KISS YOU!! for sharing this info!! I get that revival catalog and NEVER realized thats what those things were!! I am so psyched because this will def save me $$. I have 4 rescue dogs too and we totally have the occasional scuffle so we need stuff like this in the house. Seriously, thanks so much for sharing the knowlegdge!
Well, you're quite welcome. My only intent on posting this entry was to hopefully help people. If info like this were to get out more, the numbers of dogs being turned into pounds might decrease - even if ever so incrementally. I am now thrusting myself into the unknown world (at least to me) of having a pond with fish - so - this kind of stuff will help out with that as well. Good luck and kudos to you for saving the lives of your dogs - and undoubtedly loving them to death, too : )
Updating this (instead of just inserting it into the original text):
I have read a lot of commentary the web wide from so-called experts telling you that you must go to a vet to get antibiotics, this that and the other thing. That's all nice, find and dandy. If you have the money to take your dog or dogs to a vet every time something happens, I'm happy for you. It's definitely the preferred method. But, having had dogs for 40 plus years, I can pretty much tell you what a vet is going to do before I take my dog in there for whatever.
In the case of another dog having had bitten one of my dogs, they are going to clean it out and they are going to prescribe.......get ready for it........are you sitting down?......ANTIBIOTICS. One of my Great Danes had an infection so bad from another dog that bit him at a doggy park, half of his neck was almost twice it's normal size. There was a huge, gaping hole that wasn't healing. I would squeeze around the hole and these bead like things along with blood and puss would come pouring out - yes it was pretty gross. At the time, I didn't HAVE the money for a vet visit. $150 at LEAST for a visit like that. I DID have enough money to order the antibiotics and have them FedEx'ed to me next day. I didn't even want to wait that long, but I had little choice.
If I recall correctly, a dog that size - 150 pounds - would get 4 of those pills twice a day. You can look it up on the net whatever the size of your dog is and the milligrams of dosage the dog should get. Be SURE to do that, actually. I based the dosage length on the length of time the vet had given to them in the past, which was usually a minimum of 7 days.
Anyway, the antibiotics showed up the next morning, I ended up giving the dog the entire bottle of them since he was such a large dog and needed a much larger dosage than smaller dogs. The infection went away, the wound healed up nicely, done. It was then that I decided to order more antibiotics - without having to pay overnight shipping rates - and get them in my possession so that if something happens again, I HAVE them on hand.
Here's the point: If you could afford a veterinarian, you would not be looking online for the kind of information that I am giving here. I am NOT a veterinarian, I want to re-iterate that, the advice I am giving here is purely my opinion. But, we are still in the worst recession that America has ever seen (the US government says we were out of it 2 years ago, even if that is true, the aftermath certainly hasn't gone away): many people can't afford the things they could afford before they - lost their job; home; hours cut at work; significant other losing his/her job; etc, etc etc. I've had to give antibiotics to all 3 of my dogs and none of them have had adverse side effects to it.
That's anecdotal evidence: any drug COULD possibly have a negative effect on an animal or human, not everyone is wired the same.
You take your chances anytime you try a new medication, you take your chances anytime you give your dog a medication. I had no problem shoving those pills down my dog's throat, I didn't lose any sleep over it the first night I gave it to any of them and I wasn't fretting. They are all alive, healthy and happy doggies!
Do your research, look all of it up online, make your own decision!
Directions:
• Amoxicillin is a broad-spectrum penicillin antibiotic available by prescription used to treat various infections caused by susceptible strains of bacteria.
• Amoxicillin can be used to treat infections such as ear infections, urinary tract infections, and skin infections. Amoxicillin may also be used for purposes other than those listed.
• Amoxicillin is available in tablet form in 100mg and 400mg strengths, and in capsule form in 250mg and 500mg strengths.
Tip: Contact your veterinarian immediately if your pet develops severe or bloody diarrhea. Give all of the amoxicillin that is prescribed for your pet. Symptoms may begin to improve before the infection is completely treated.
Dosage:
Pet Weight Dosage
Dogs/Puppies:
Cats/Kittens: All weights Give 5-10mg per pound of pet's body weight every 12-24 hours. Your veterinarian will determine the actual dose based on the type of infection being treated.
Horses:
Storage: Should be stored at room temperature.
December 25, 2011
Another update.
One of my dogs got a BAD ear infection that had that side of his head all swollen. I didn't see it at first because he has giant ears that covered it up, but I got suspicious when he started holding his head at an angle. This is when I am soooo glad I have antibiotics available in the refrigerator. He's a very large doggy, so I am giving him 4 of them twice a day for a minimum 5 days. It will wipe me out of antibiotics, though, meaning I will have to order some more for the "just in case". The point is that I didn't have to take him to a vet and spend $150 to have the vet tell me what I already know and sell me antibiotics at a greatly inflated price. I'm not dissing veterinarians, I just can't afford them. There are some cheaper clinics around in the case that something happens that I can't deal with myself, but infections are usually pretty easy to get rid of. Having the antibiotics around is a peace-of-mind thing, especially when you own 3 giant dogs!
Individuals posting garbage on my blog in the comments - such as the 4 above which are anonymous and obvious in the intent to get people to click on the links to go to their page - will have their comments removed, thank you.
I think my dog has a UTI but he is too aggressive to take the vet. What would you suggest I give him?
I'm not a vet so I cannot give you qualified suggestions, but I use fish flex for most things that the dogs have gotten and have had good results.
Also, have you checked all the vets in your area? I would imagine that some would take the dog in and if nothing else, give it a sedative to check it out.
Another find: EBAY!!! There are dealers selling Fish Flex and Fish Mox on there at great prices! It just popped into my head to check and see. They are the exact same thing I have been buying all along at even better prices!
I have to say, I hadn't thought of fish meds. Thanks for the tip. I will have no problem using them since I used to dairy farm and have raised most types of farm animals. Giving shots, pills, etc. is part of that life. That being said, I'd like to add a couple of sources for you and your readers. I breed pugs so keeping costs down is essential. Your local farmer's co-op is a great source for a lot of pet needs. They have antibiotics, wormers, and flea control products. There is usually someone that can help you figure out dosage when using an antibiotic intended for a farm animal.
Another source is a website called pets_megastore.com. This is an Australian online store. Prices are really much better than here and shipping is usually free. I buy Doxycycline and all wormer in bulk. Make sure you use the underscore in the web address since there is another site with the same name that is not Australian. Hope this info helps.
Thanks for the tip, Kat, I will check all of that out.
The site with underscore comes up with nothing. It does come up with an Australian site when you use a regular dash in the middle.
Again, for clarification: deleted comments were from "persons" that had links to porn sites. I will not allow such trash to be posted on my blog and when I find it, I remove it immediately.
How much do you reccomend giving a 30 pd Boston Terrier?
thank you for this info...most of us live pay check to pay check and do not have money for vets.
You're amazing, my dogs fight from time to time, sometimes over the mail man delivering the mail. But normally they get along entirely. So to find out that there's a more cost effective way to keep them healthy, is a huge sigh of relief!
This is AMAZING! Thank you so much! I have 8 dogs and a Sheltie prone to ear infections. I've been trying to keep it clean and even flush her ear (like the vet said) but they keep coming back. I just cant afford the vet visits and the infection is coming back so I need to get some meds! I cant tell you how much this has helped me! I will be sending your advice do ALL of my animal friends!
How much fish flex do you buy in capsules? 250mg or 500mg. My dog is around 100 and more pounts.
You are great to help people. I despise people who say "if you can't afford to properly take care of a pet then don't have one". Well I found all mine on the street starving and sick. Would you rather I left them there to die?? Just because someone can't afford hundreds at a vet doesn't mean they can't give a pet a good loving home and do the best they can. I support anyone who will take a starving pet off the street, feed it, love it and do their very best to take care of it.
Revivalanimal, Petmeds, etc all of them required a Vet prescription, I know that..the point in here is the burocratic system need to change..is ridiculous that you need to go and pay a lot of money to have a prescription for a dog who is wounded...if there is other unknown thing on the dog that will be different. Is sad to see people who can not afford to have a pet, because Vets are not here to help, but to make money and to make a big fortune for their retirement !! is very sad!
Why you remove comments,,,where is the freedom speech in here ? dam
You are a good person!��
I apologize, this is an old entry and I did not know people were still reading it. You would get 500 capsules and give at least 3 of them to a dog over 100 pounds twice a day. I'm not a veterinarian and I am not an expect, take that advice or not, you can look it up online though.
Yo're right, you can own a dog without being a millionaire. There are ways around all the expensive stuff. The quality of the food you feed them is very important, but if the dog is going to end up in a grave, then cheap dog food is better than a dead dog, IMO, but may eventually lead to health problems.
Just plain THANK YOU. !!!!!!!
This is very much appreciated 😆
Have you ever treated a dog for HGE before with this?
No and I don't want to give any advice about such things. I have mainly kept antibiotics for infections. I'm sure you can find good info about it online and what treats it.
The posts that were removed were spam ads. Had noting to do with quelching anyone making a comment or posting a question.
Again, because people are asking, the only comments that are being deleted are spam/links to porn. I don't think most people want to see that here, do you?
I am not trying to bypass veterinarians altogether. I just don't feel the need to spend that kind of money every time something happens. I just got a puppy Great Dane, 1 year old, and yes I took him to the vet to have him checked out. I thought it money well spent. His only issue was worms - and btw, if your dog has worms? A feed store has medicine without need of prescription to deal with it easily, inexpensively and quickly. Very simple to know if they have worms, just look at theeir pooh, lol. They are also likely to have parvo and other shots that you can give your dog yourself - very easy to give, been doing it for decades. You can actually also buy rabies shots online, but I had the vet do it this time for I wanted it documented with the county that my new pup had his rabies shot. BTW, if you are not able to buy the better brand dog food, try Tractor Supply I know sounds like an odd place to find cheap dog food, but they have it!. I was a 50 pound bag the other day for $14. Again, I don't recommend cheap dog food because the main ingredients are usually corn products, not meat. It can cause health problems in dogsBut, I say, better to have a living dog on cheap food than a euthanized one!
Your a Genius!Thank You !
which one would you prefer more fish mox or fish flex ? thankyou
BenB, it should be made very clear to people that Amoxicillin is a PENICILLIN type antibiotic, which sometimes has bad allergic reactions, requiring an emergency vet visit, or chance of death is high.
So dogs must be observed after dosing, any weird behavior, severe itching, rash, swelling of face or limbs....anything weird requires quick action, and likely treatment with Epi or steroids.
You really need to Google it and make a few printouts for yourself. Each type of anti-biotic has strengths and weaknesses in different tissues and different types of infection.
That said IT IS NOT ROCKET SCIENCE. But do an hour of due diligence, and watch for allergic reaction.
THANK YOU! 6 years later and we are still finding your blog. We are all pet lovers, but not all with money for vets. I will try this too. :)
You know I forgot about getting fish anitbiotics for dogs - and I keep fish! Thank goodness I came across this page - THANKS! My dog has a terrible infection ATM and I just can't afford a vet but love my dog! Thanks again!
You say you use revival animal and you say you are getting antibiotics for your dogs without a prescription. So tell me, how are you doing that at revival animal when you have to have a prescription???
Thank you! After several vet visits we learned how labs are prone to ear infections. We can't afford these visits every 3-6 months, so this info is so helpful! While watching the vet clean her ears and getting some tips, I am going to try ordering these antibiotics online so we will be ready for the next time.
thank God for you and many of the comments that reminded me that I'm not a piece of s**t pet owner. I LOVE my dog more than my own self but she's getting older, and I can afford the vet every time something comes up. Only if I can't fix her myself do I then take her (pay that vet bill instead of a utility bill) anyway, thank you
On a 15 pound dog how much 500 mg fish flex to give him?
I want to kiss you!!!!! KISS KISS KISS!!!!!!!! I have been sick with worry - my baby (Mastiff) is old - and not so friendly - and taking him to the vet at this point.... well.... ya know. I have been googling all day and then I found this site!!! GET THIS... WALMART! I quickly did a search on the Fish Mox and Walmart came up! If you look at the bottle (on line) - holy hell there is just one ingredient listed: Amoxicillin!!! WOW WOW WOW! Nerry Christmas to you and your fur babies. I have bookmarked this site and plan on reading all of it tonight (well - most of it anyway) - xo
http://www.thedogplace.org/health/medication-conversion-pets_penn-126.asp
what do you feed your dogs?....we had alot of dogs when l was growing up,chickens,pigs...they all eat the same things..they were healthy...well the chicken were given some type of grain,anyway l believe there's too made of what type of dog food is best....l'm reading your site because l need a antibiotic for my dog,last time l took him to a vet,they charged me 400.00...l can't afford that now...thanks for your information....
This is the best news ever, my dog is mixed with retriever and gets frequent ear infections. It cost at least $400 every trip to the Vet. I am so excited to learn I can purchase an antibiotic on my own without a prescription. Great Post!
I want to say Thank-you for the info. I too LOVE my dogs (all 12 of them) & no, I didn't go out & adopt or buy them. Most were dropped off here at my farm, & I got a couple that were living on the side of the road, & one was living under a bridge. So, yes, this will help someone like me. But I have spent thousands in the past on my animals. Last visit was $462 just for something on the simple side for a cat. Can't do that every time unless it's something major. My dogs seem happy & they are loved, so if I can buy an antibiotic online for an infection, I don't think there is nothing wrong with that.
OMG, thank you so muchhhhhh!!!!!
Hi I have 3 kids and unemployed right now. I have a toy breed dog who was up all night havking and shaking and cryjng. Ive researched and think she has problem w her trachea. Or said could be a parasite. She is having problem breathing. I wanted to try an antibiodic to see if that helps. I feel so bad and though she was dying. My girls would be devastated. Any ideas would help. Thanks
Nicole c
Ncapela78@gmail.com
Sorry first time using this
Are you still using the fish antibiotics for your dogs? Looking for help for our golden...cam across your post.
Off topic: ever try them for yourself?
OMG! thank you thank you thank you ...Just because this blog is a few years old does not mean it is dead! all of us who love our dogs need info like this! you are wonderful. My dog has severe hot spots due to allergies. I have cleared most of them with triple antibiotic ointment, antiseptic shampoo..and a spray for hot spots, but the one under her jaw is now swollen. I am getting the fish mox.. you are sooo awesome!
Would like to know if you have a preferred brand. What is the price for the one you purchase? Thank you
Maybe I missed it somewhere but my female pit has a pretty bad ear infection I've taken her to the vet several times always the same thing gives me the antibiotics. What can I get without a prescription for her? Can't afford the vet bills anymore. Please help
Thank you.
Wow thank you for sharing. I have 2 bitches that are pulling for rank every other week! Really Thank You
it would be helpful to have a link on a reputable site to buy the Fish Flex
I read that Post and got it fine and informative. Please share more like that...
fish mox can be bought at your local feed an seed store if not try on line..
excellent expertise gaining article. This submit is actually the quality on this precious topic. you can look here about the Mastiff
Thanks so much for this info. I have a 8 year old female lab that gets a lot of ear infections. I've tried ear drops for ear mites, as she had brown icky stuff. It didn't help much. I clean her ear a couple times a day. She gets better for a day or two, then it comes back. I know she needs an antibiotic. I've tried to buy them, but no luck without the dreaded vet visit. I'm going to try the fish anti. You're doing a good thing with this blog. It's book marked...thanks again from Bancroft Ontario.
Would this help with respiratory infections?
omg ty so much for ur blog u have just saved me 200 bux at that is the min. damn I might even try it myself if I get sic save me money from going to doctors have shit for health insurance I'm am broke just spent 4grand on porch that was falling apart so cant even afford to pay attention thx again
I truly like you're composing style, incredible data, thankyou for posting. Diamond dog food reviews
I have a 55 pound english bulldog, gets scratches every once in a while and area gets infected. I saw in earlier post the you got the fish mox and fish flex. Do you give your dogs both? I just ordered the mox as amoxicillin has worked great in the past. Please advise, Thx
I have a 55 pound bulldog that gets scratches every now and again and sometimes get infected. I noticed you purchased both Fish Mox and Fish Flex. Do you give your dogs both? I just purchased the Fish Mox as amoxicillin has worked great in the past. Can you advise? thx
Try https://www.pets-megastore.com.au instead.
I can't advise anyone of anything. This is my "opinion", I am not a veterinarian. But, the Fish Flex is what i use for infections caused from other dog bites or deep scratches that have become infected. One of my Danes once was bitten and his whole neck became filled with this marble looking things. I was poor and broke at the time, just ordered fish flex and walaah, within a few days his neck was almost back to normal.
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