Is daily leg and belly bathing safe for my muddy outdoor Akita?

Washing him when it is dry or wet does not make much of a difference other than the fact that it will take longer to remove dry mud than it will to remove wet mud. Mud will not damage his fur coat but the longer it sits in the fur the more chances of fur clumping together are likely to occur.

Swelling of the legs can be infectious in nature most definitely. Other possibilities are heart condition that has lead to edema, masses along the soft tissue that won't allow proper drainage of fluid through the capillaries, etc. However you still have to consider a lot of factors including core body temperature, bloodwork if findings and physical examination findings to make that determination m. If the vet cannot figure things out then perhaps some empirical treatment (treating the symptoms) can still help matters. Or even a referral to an internal medicine specialist may be needed to best help stabilize Jades condition. I would be happy to discuss the details of your pets case more through consultation if needed, as this sounds like a rather involved case.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Bear! There are many reasons for scratching/biting. It could be from fleas, mites (scabies or demodex), skin infections from either bacteria or yeast, allergies or atopy. I'd have him looked at by your Vet to check to see if he has a skin infection. If he does they will prescribe antibiotics or antifungals, something to relieve the scratching and biting, and possible a medicated shampoo. Mites are diagnosed on skin scraping. Mites are treated with either ivermectin orally or topically or even edible flea and tick products have been found to have an added benefit of getting some types of mites. If allergies your Vet may recommend changing his diet to a novel protein (from chicken to venison, duck, fish) or a prescription hydrolyzed diet, starting Omega 3 fish oils, an antihistamine or long-term apoquel. I hope this helps! Good luck!

Although a picture would help to give you more specific advices, generally speaking I would recommend to wait until the lesion is completely resolved before having him groomed and bathed. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

As long as your neighbor can be sure he gets some type of exercise even if that's just running around the backyard that should be fine. You may try using toys to encourage exercise such as tennis balls, Kong's, or even rope toys. I would recommend trying this out with your neighbor in the backyard before you leave to make sure everything goes smoothly.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. As long as there are no wounds it should be fine to bathe Brixy. If the legs are sore, you can place a towel or rubber mat down on the shower floor so that he does not slip. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Lexi. I am concerned that her elbow callus has become infected. She may require antibiotics to help it heal. In the meantime, have her sleep on soft surfaces. This will prevent any further trauma to the area. She will likely need to wear an E-collar as well to prevent her from licking. I hope this information helps!