Albuquerque Journal Articles

Question: Our 6 year old, mostly red heeler was rescued from an Indian reservation, then rescued again with her companion dog after her owner died, then rescued by us because of dominance issues in her adopted home. She came without her companion. She had serious separation anxiety and some nervous urination. We moved and now she is urinating on the beds whenever she is threatened (emotionally) by visitors, i.e. grandkids or houseguests. We can deal with her anxiety, but we sure would like her to quit peeing on the beds. Dr. Nichol: What? You don’t like sleeping with dog urine?…

Question: Our small rescue dog is 14 years old. During a recent senior checkup we discovered a bladder stone (from an ultrasound during a draw for urinalysis). She has no symptoms. She is increasingly distressed when we go to the veterinarian (panting, shaking, defecating). What is the worst case scenario if we do nothing? I love my dog, but I do not want to upend her mellow senior life. Dr. Nichol: I appreciate your concerns. We consider different factors with a canine senior on cruise control. Some problems advance so slowly that they never catch up to the patient. Bladder…

Living Gracefully                            Last week I introduced a handicapped Chihuahua mix named Grace and her canine compadres of the Heart and Soul Animal Sanctuary. The healthy interactions of this free-ranging group are a great example of how well dogs can get along when they are unencumbered by contrivances like houses and fences. Pet dogs, with limited indoor and outdoor space, can feel crowded by their canine housemates. Their inability to create distance from each other can intensify competition for food, human attention, and other perceived “scarce” resources. Set your dogs up for success by feeding them in separate rooms. And be…

Together in a Crowd Grace is a 13 year old Chihuahua with a bad back, permanently dislocated knee caps, and a staggering rear gait. You could say she has pluck and courage but she doesn’t consciously throw her shoulders back and “power through”. She doesn’t need to. She just runs and sniffs and eats and plays with the other 24-30 dogs in her free-ranging canine group as though she were as able-bodied as any of them. If you watch carefully you see her compadres making allowances, giving her a clear path. On late afternoon hikes through the hillsides of the…

Be Kind – Pet Proof your Home         The growing popularity of marijuana edibles, along with the increasing likelihood of this drug’s full legalization, has created significant animal welfare concerns. Dogs believe that every filched snack may be their last shot at survival, making them natural born thieves. The chocolate in “magic” brownies is a serious risk all by itself. It’s rare for a dog to die from marijuana toxicity but their wellbeing certainly suffers when they’re overcome with lethargy and unable to walk or climb stairs. Because an overdosed pet can’t verbalize its anxiety and fear the dilated pupils, slowed…