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 The Bird Lady
Posts: 6440
   
Location: The end of the Earth, SE AR | My Chinese pug is 15, has severe arthritis in his back and is on several medications to ease his pain. We had to stop Metacam because it gave him severe diahrrea. Bubby is my world, and when he passes I will be a lost mess of sadness.
My English mastiff has always been subservient to Bubby the pug, to the point that Ruger almost seems to take care of the pug and knows that the pug is lord and king of the dogs. When the pug had diahrrea (sorry this is gross) Ruger would clean Bubby's bottom. Then Ruger started licking Bubby's back as if he knew that is what hurt Bubby and he was trying to make it better.
The past 2 days, the licking has gotten out of hand and I wonder if that means Bubby hurts worse or if Ruger knows Bubby is going to have a seizure or something?
Tuesday I came in from the barn and there was water all over the floor around their water bowl, Ruger was panting hard and Bubby was soaking wet with mastiff slobber all over his back. I filled up the water bowl and Ruger went and got a drink and I put him on the porch to cool off while I washed Bubby's back and dried him off.
Yesterday when I went to the barn I put a sweater on Bubby thinking Ruger wouldn't lick a fuzzy dog sweater. Came back to the house and it was the same scene, water bowl empty water all around it and Bubby and his sweater were soaking wet. I have to reprimand at Ruger the rest of the evening to stop him from trying to continue to lick Bubby's back.
Its dry enough now after Sunday's storms that I can take Ruger with me to the barn in the evening without him getting muddy. But I am concerned about why the mastiff slobber bath of the pug has been happening the past 2 days when I go to the barn (displacement behavior by mastiff? impending additional illness issue with pug that mastiff can sense?) and if its going to start happening when we are at work?
Does anyone know what all this means or have you experienced something similar with your dogs?
Edited by rollingrfarm 2014-05-01 9:09 AM
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 Midget Lover
 
Location: Kentucky | My Dad's dog will lick my Dad's legs. My Dad always has problems with his legs, they hurt all the time. I think they know when someone is hurting. |
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  Keeper of the King Snake
Posts: 7622
Location: Dubach, LA | Call a pet communicator. I recommend Kay Davis. |
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I just read the headlines
Posts: 4483
| CanCan - 2014-05-01 10:58 AM
Call a pet communicator. I recommend Kay Davis.
I second this. Kay is a really nice lady and has helped me alot in the past. |
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I Really Love Jeans
Posts: 3173
Location: North Dakota | Animals can understand some things we can not about each other. I have a mare that is usually really rude on the ground and pushy but she stopped all of that and will just stand quietly and put her head against me, I am pregnant and I KNOW she can tell by the way she reacts. Maybe your dog is extremely sick and the other dog can tell!!! |
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 Expert
Posts: 2276
Location: ohio-in my own little world with pretty ponies :) | I recommend an animal communicator as mentioned above. I believe you will find out a lot. She should be able to pick up on both dogs. Report back to us as well :) |
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Hungarian Midget Woman
Location: Midwest | Well dogs will often "mother" a friend if they are hurting. You know the dog has arthritis, and other animals are intuitive to this as well. He's prob treating the pug like a pup in a way.
I would concentrate on treating the symptoms and going from there. I wouldn't worry too much about the licking, unless the pug gets some hot spots or something.
This is common behavior.... and I'm not a "communicator" believer... so I won't comment on that portion LOL... but I did send you those other suggestions and I hope they help! |
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 Sock eating dog owner
Posts: 4557
Location: Where the pavement ends and the West begins Utah | Let the mastiff lick the pug, as long as there is no biting. The mastiff can smell the arthritis in the pug. Some times nature has a way with healing animals. He is doing your pug a favor by giving him a massage with his tongue. Let him be and clean the water mess for the time being. My gelding sliced his front leg and I had the vet put in stitches he pulled the sttiches, His buddy was standing next to him licking his leg for him, I just kept the wound clean of dirt and let the animals do their thing. Healed up better than I hoped for. Sometimes we just need to step back. they have a way of talking in their own language. For now the mastiff is the care giver. |
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