Albuquerque Journal Articles
Prevention is the Best Medicine The time honored American tradition of conspicuous Christmas consumption isn’t just for humans; pets too can be guilty of dietary indiscretion. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center provides the following list of holiday hazards. There are bound to be others. Edibles: alcoholic beverages, chocolate, coffee (grounds, beans, chocolate covered espresso beans), moldy or spoiled foods, onions, onion powder, fatty foods, salt, yeast dough. Plants: Lilies are potentially deadly for cats, poinsettias may cause vomiting or nausea, mistletoe can cause heart problems but usually just stomach upset, and eating Holly leads to vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, and…
Read MoreMicrochip and Caring People Saved this Life The following narrative is a difficult story with a good ending and an even better lesson. A friend and longtime reader wrote this and titled it: “A story of Good vs. Negligence!” “My neighbor visited his ranch twice on a recent weekend. It abuts the National Forest near Ruidoso. On the first trip, he noticed a dog in the distance. Accompanied by others 3 days later, he noticed the same dog in the same place. They walked over and saw that it was caught in a coyote trap. They freed the poor retriever’s…
Read MoreDementia is Common in Canine Seniors Question: My 13 year Sheepdog has started barking since he came out of kennels in March. I have gotten complaints from my neighbour as I live in second floor flat. My dog is kept in the kitchen where he has an area to walk about since he started to have incontinence about a year ago. Even if he has been out for a nice walk and toilet he is still barking. I thought it was due to seagulls squawking. Dr. Nichol: This poor fellow has been losing his mental faculties dating back to the…
Read MoreReliable Food Trials Require Rx Diets Question: We have a 13 year old female cat. Recently she started itching above her eyes and has removed most of the hair. Our veterinarian scraped the area and did a culture. The test was negative so we were told it was probably a food allergy. She currently eats BLUE/Mature/Healthy Aging Cat. She gets sick to her tummy, often vomiting undigested food. She seems to be getting very thin. She acts fine, plays, cuddles, etc., but she is constantly itching. Dr. Nichol: The skin scraping and culture were important diagnostic starting points. I agree…
Read MoreCrowding & Political Stress Question: Why does my 3 year old neutered male toy poodle Jack urine mark in the house? He is house trained and goes outside. I also have Barney a Beagle- Jack Russell and two females – Jill a Jack Russell and Frankie a toy poodle. Dr. Nichol: With that house full of active young hellions you’re lucky to have only one graffiti artiste. Dogs are social creatures–party animals who sometimes need to avoid, escape, or repel interactions. Unfortunately, for Jack, you live in a house with walls and doors that limit his choices. Jack is the…
Read MoreGood Management Prevents Infections Question: I have southwest box turtles. I don’t even know how many anymore, since I find them mating and occasionally find a baby turtle. At one time I had them named but now have lost track. They live in an enclosed yard. I have found a couple of them with a white spot on their shell. I no longer have a large pond for them to swim in, but I do have a couple of submerged bowls with water. Dr. Nichol: Finding babies really shouldn’t be surprising; your turtles are breeding like, well, like rabbits. Don’t…
Read MoreReevaluate Diagnosis & Treatment for Best Results Question: My 5 year old beagle has a grade 4 heart murmur. She is on 3 medications: furosemide, enalapril, and spironolactone. Do all these drugs really help, or just make her gain weight and add to her lethargy? I don’t take her on true walks anymore, as she tires so easily. She has a little bit of fluid in her lungs, but as yet is not coughing and to my knowledge has not passed out. Dr. Nichol: I’m sad about your beagle’s struggles. The medications she is taking are often safe and effective…
Read MoreCheck first for Bladder Disease Question: I read with great interest (and often amusement) your weekly column. I have two female Llaso Apsos. They are sisters and are ten years old. One is quite docile and the other one can have an attitude. In our bedroom, I have placed runners on three sides of the bed. One of the girls is urinating on them. I don’t know which one is the culprit. Dr. Nichol: I’m sure you’ve sat these two young ladies down but that no one is talking. Now they’ll both have to go to the doctor for a…
Read MoreAvoidance & Antianxiety Treatments Question: Help! My dog is terribly afraid of hot air balloons, causing him to bark uncontrollably. The occasional balloon I could deal with, but my home is directly under a regular balloon flight path. Dr. Nichol: You and your petrified pupster are not alone. There is nothing in the evolutionary adaptations of Canis familiaris (domestic dogs) that prepares them for this annual Albuquerque aerial assault. We humans may regard balloons as beautiful, peaceful, and profitable but many nonhuman creatures see only flying monstrosities. Dogs like yours suffer from a true phobia, defined as an extreme, irrational…
Read MoreGood Treatments depend on Age & Severity Question: My husband and I are the owners of a beloved one year old Airedale terrier. Toby has been x-rayed and diagnosed by our local veterinarian and by Dr. Michael Wey as having hip dysplasia. When Dr. Wey checked him out some months ago he said he didn’t recommend surgery just then. However, in the ensuing time he’s been spending more and more time getting around on three legs. Toby has hip dysplasia in both hips and we wonder if we should consider stem cells for our little guy. Dr. Nichol: Toby’s age…
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