Albuquerque Journal Articles
Work with COVID19 Restrictions Question: With stay home in place, what do we do if we get an 8 week puppy who needs classes and socialization? Dr. Nichol: You are right to make this a priority. The sensitive period for puppy socialization is ages 3-12 weeks. This means healthy, happy play and handling with lots of gentle people, dogs, and cats of various descriptions. A series of classes, with each puppy pupil current on vaccinations, is the gold standard. The developing canine brain will accept – for a lifetime – nearly any creature who treats them well. Dogs who missed…
Most Cats are Not Party Animals Question: I adopted two female cats a couple of years ago. The younger one has always been energetic and playful. The older cat recently died. I’m now wondering if my remaining cat “needs” a friend. I’d prefer to not adopt an additional cat due to the risk of unknowingly choosing one that comes with high medical bills or potential behavior problems, since my current cat was the dominant one. Dr. Nichol: Relationships can be challenging. The maxim, “You can pick your friends but you can’t pick your relatives” doesn’t apply to pets. A bullied…
Treatment Matters Question: My cat Harry is very special at age 14, a little flame point Siamese. He suffers from an eye condition that became much worse several months ago. What freaks me out is the brown discoloration in one eye. I’m crippled and stranded, so it’s scary. Despite it all Harry works hard to rid the house of mice and even likes my flugelhorn playing as long as it’s Misty or Pink Panther. I’ve been playing a good set here and there, though. Maybe if I’m lucky I’ll cheer somebody else up. Everyone who plays something, please open your…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…