Albuquerque Journal Articles
Don’t Panic-Be Careful Staying home is a real drag but if you have pets you’ll never be alone. We don’t need social distancing from them, do we? Here’s the update which, of course, is subject to change. Idexx Laboratories tested thousands of canine and feline specimens and found no positives for the coronavirus strain that causes disease in humans. Idexx has stated that, “These new test results align with the current expert understanding that COVID-19 is primarily transmitted person-to-person and supports the recommendation against testing pets for the this virus.” Simple, yes? No. A Pomeranian in Hong Kong had a…
Read More
Why must a Dog Act-Out? Question: I walk my 2 year old standard poodle on a trail. He’s a great dog. When he’s on a leash he often rears up and barks at dogs we meet who are on- leash too. I need to keep the leash on (he gets free runs at the dog park). The rearing and barking make him seem like a dangerous dog, but he’s not. Dr. Nichol: The simple answer would be to drop your leash. Just letting your high energy dog run amok would be great fun for him but it would be impractical…
Read More
She’d Feel Better if She Could Cry Question: One of my dogs has a crusty discharge from her eyes. It doesn’t wipe away, and when I pull it off, the skin underneath is red and sore. After reading your column on rabbits recently, I wondered if it could be mites, but if there’s such a thing as dog eye mites, the net won’t tell. Dr. Nichol: We get serious competition from the Internet. Dr. Google expounding on eye mites would make for fake news. There are worms, called Thelazia, that can live beneath the eyelids but these are rare in…
Read More
Amusements, Separation before Reconciliation Question: I have two cats that aren’t getting along. One is my husband’s and the other one is mine. We moved in together 7 months ago and they still can’t be together. We keep them separated and have been only successful a couple of times in the same room for a few minutes on leashes. My cat jumps over and they start hissing at each other. We have had 2 big fights. Aurora (my cat) is on fluoxetine. Dr. Nichol: Kids these days got no respect. All they do is bicker. Never mind the wedded bliss…
Read More
Water Matters Question: My cats don’t like to drink cold water and since giving them lukewarm water I haven’t had any problems with urinary infections. I used to have a cat with a urinary problem at least once a year. You might want to suggest it to your patients who have a cat with a urinary problem. Dr. Nichol: You have made a rather canny observation. While only 1.4% of bladder disease in cats is related to infection about 64% of these problems are inflammatory but sterile. Research has shown that increasing a cat’s moisture intake is associated with a…
Read More
A Bleeding Malignancy: Painful and Life-Ending Question: My 17 year-old beagle was diagnosed with a splenic tumor last week. She has arthritis in her hips and knees. She is too old for surgery. What is her life-expectancy? I’m assuming the tumor is malignant and aggressive since it wasn’t palpable a few months ago and her hematocrit has dropped 12 points, which means it is hemorrhaging. She is eating well and walking without assistance. I think she has discomfort. She doesn’t cry much, but groans sometimes when she gets up and down. I’m giving her tramadol and Previcox. Dr. Nichol: I…
Read More
Manage – Don’t Suffer or Punish Question: I have a little cat of horrors. He is a 4 year old black American Short hair and when he is hungry he will attack my feet and hands. I am a diabetic and he leaves long lasting wounds that take forever to heal. None of my other four cats do this. He will not attack my children or my husband. I tried playing dead and ignoring him, nope, he is not stupid. He even screams in my ear “Feed me Seymour, Feed me!!” Your articles state not to spray with water. You…
Read More
Not always Pretty Question: We have had a truly organic constantly changing “rabbit garden” within our backyard. Bunny Town USA has had many happy years and happy healthy rabbit broods. Three years ago we had wild mice and a feral cat. Sometime after, the rabbits began their battle with mites. Even in the cold the rabbits have heavily crusted ears. They have self-aborted/not had baby bunnies for two years. We are down to five elderly rabbits, surviving but not thriving. It has become a “beaten down bunny town world”. Dr. Nichol: Bunny Town needs a revival. Rather than or, if…
Read More
Young Cats with Enriched Lives more likely to Succeed Question: I have always had a cat. Several months ago we lost our last cat and we were heart broken. I would like to find two cats/kittens from the same litter. Would it be a problem finding two different kittens that would live together? We want a cat that would be inside only and who loves to be in our lap. Dr. Nichol: We all want pets who personify peace and tolerance, holding paws, singing kumbaya, and behaving more like pacifists than politicians. Witnessing feline brawls, cat calls, and other slurs…
Read More
What’s Better than Yelling? Question: I have a Chihuahua who wants to attack everyone. In the car she goes crazy; she barks at everyone on the street. She doesn’t stop until we get home. At home, if we have guests and if they move or walk, she runs to them to scare them. She doesn’t bite, just pretends. She’s really sweet and never has bitten anyone. It’s just fear and protecting her territory. Dr. Nichol: It’s hard for small dogs to feel safe because everybody else is bigger and capable of stealing their lunch money and squashing them like bugs.…
Read More