Albuquerque Journal Articles
Ear infections are the most common problem seen by veterinarians. Sadly, we don’t’ get the chance to help enough of them in time to prevent severe pain. Redness, swelling, and yeasty discharges are common. By the time the head shaking and scratching starts they’re already advanced. Take a whiff of your dog’s ears and gently massage below the flaps to check for tenderness. Of course, there is a language barrier. If you ask if her ears hurt, and she shakes her head, she means yes. The ear canal is a long tube that courses down the side of their head,…
We don’t like seeing our pets itch and scratch. I’ve treated lots of them. Our best management, back in the day, was corticosteroids like prednisone but long term use often led to serious problems. Now we have better, safer options. But, of course, it’s seldom that simple. Once daily Apoquel (oclacitinib) has been a godsend. It calms the itch quickly and seldom causes side effects. Now it’s available as a pork-flavored chewable. Rather than prying your nervous dog’s mouth open or trying to hide the pill in caviar you just gift your pupster or your kitty with an irresistible treat.…
Last in a series Had Evie been genetically equipped with a healthy, well-adjusted brain she might have stayed in her first home. Sadly, those folks found her reactive outbursts annoying and, believing that they’d “tried everything”, succumbed to frustration and surrendered her to a shelter. While struggling to cope with that calamity she got lucky. Vicky and Richard adopted her. Change of any kind was not her friend, however. Evie wigged out even worse. She desperately needed structure and predictability. Richard and Vicky taught their girl that by high-tailing it to her Treat & Train, she would earn an immediate…
Every fearful pet is different. Genetics is often the big culprit but life’s traumas can be another major factor. Dogs who’ve been abused, predictably avoid or react badly to their perpetrator but not toward others of that sex. It turned out that before meeting Richard, Evie had only lived with women. From day one in her new home, this dog was a nervous wreck, especially when the big guy lumbered around, rattling the windows with his normal booming voice. Getting in touch with his feminine side was one solution but poor Evie was on-edge, ready to lose her mind, most…
Second in a series Despite her struggles, Evie was a fun dog, throwing her toys around and then treating them like puppies. Vicky and Richard were strongly bonded to her. They were willing to do whatever was necessary to help her feel better. Pet parents manage with whatever information they can find. Evie’s folks worried about her damaging their house when they were away so they confined her to a crate. After I advised them to set up a surveillance camera they realized that their dog was not as sanguine as they had thought. Videos showed her barking frantically as…
First in a series Evie was a 5 year old cattle dog when we met. Now she’s 7 but she’s still a cattle dog. Vicky and Richard adopted her from a foster home when she was 2. Now they needed help. Evie was barking, chasing, and sometimes snapping at Richard when he moved. He’s a good guy. He deserved better. There was more unhappy history. Vicky worked from home and reported Evie being relatively calm – until 3 PM. Like clockwork this dog sat near the door, anxiously anticipating Richard’s arrival. The intense barking and jumping that greeted him daily…
Question: One of our higher-density foster homes has a cat who had a UTI, which has now cleared up after medication. She is now on gabapentin, but is still not always using the litter box. They are using Feliway and isolating her from the other cats, but things are slow to improve. Dr. Nichol- There is a flip side to the kindness invested in fostering homeless pets. Cats living with strangers, in a crowded environment, are prone to severe stress. Subtle bullying and intimidation often lead to fighting, house soiling, and physical symptoms like sneezing, eye discharge, and the frequent passing…
Your dog wants nothing to do with fleas because they’d make her itch. What she’s unaware of is that these narrow-bodied little broad jumpers can carry tapeworms and plague. She doesn’t want ticks either. Those nasty blood suckers are vectors for Lyme disease and several blood parasites. All of this can be avoided with effective prevention but there may be a downside. What if you could made this simpler with a once yearly injection? Get an email reminder and bring your pupster to her doctor. Bravecto Quantum is new and it works. The active ingredient, fluralaner, has a proven record…
Question: I have a cat who eats too fast and throws up. I bought a slow feeder bowl, but it doesn’t seem to be working. Are there any slow feeder bowls that are better than others, or should I try feeding him only wet food. Dr. Nichol: Bolting food and then vomiting are important symptoms. This is not a feline eating disorder. Something worrisome is going on. We shouldn’t just treat the symptoms. Your cat has an internal illness that is causing him to eat like a fiend and then toss his cookies. If he is over age 9, benign…
We have no idea who came up with the idea that cats have 9 lives but we know from research that they are inveterate survivors. A recent study published in Current Biology enlightened my brain on a sleeping survival adaptation. Lateralized Sleeping Positions in Domestic Cats by Sevim Isparta, et al, explained that the average cat sleeps 12-16 hours/day. That makes them vulnerable to predators 60-65% of their lives. A “leftward” posture is preferred by 2/3 of kitties so that when they wake up, they have an immediate, unobstructed view to the left. Their left brain recognizes a threat, allowing…