Albuquerque Journal Articles
Taste Bads & Funner Alternatives. Avoid Punishment Question: My cat has a terrible chewing problem. He chewed through my curling iron cord, leaving exposed wires. He chews the plastic top on my water bottle, the plastic on my shoe laces, my computer and printer cords, and cell phone cords. Is there any type of discipline you recommend? I love the cat but I’m so frustrated. Dr. Nichol: Frustrated? You sound positively flummoxed. You’re crashing your hard drive. You may be tempted to chew your computer mouse! Back away slowly and take a few deep breaths. I get it. Our cat…
A More Enriched Environment will Provide Healthy Alternatives Question: My dog brings feces into the house from outside almost as an “offering”. How can I stop that behavior? Dr. Nichol: Maybe she’s like Lassie and she’s trying to tell you something. These tokens could represent your dog’s depth of feeling for you or her payment for room and board or perhaps an honest critique of your cooking. You want the truth? Some dogs play with their feces like toys because they exist in an otherwise sterile environment and it’s all they have to do. Remove temptation by cleaning up the…
Care for the Behavior & the Physical Pain Daffodil (not his real name) is a cat who complained so much and so loudly his owners could hardly talk over the din or sleep through the night. He followed one of them constantly but hissed at the other four household cats. He demanded food often but would eat only a little and then lobby hard for more. Daffodil also had a long history of diarrhea and painful vomiting. A change in diet brought an end to his physical symptoms but sharing a home with a gaggle of cats he didn’t even…
Weight Reduction is the Best Medicine Question: We have a 10 year old German shepherd/Malamute mix who is using the bathroom in the family room every night. She is house broken and knows she should not. She does have some difficulty getting up; however we cannot live with a dog using the bathroom in the house. She is overweight but will not go for walks. We love her very much and just don’t know what to do. Dr. Nichol: Aging is unkind to big dogs. Their joints endure serious wear as they lug that oversized load through life. The added…
Adult & Senior Dogs can Make Great Pets Sometimes I volunteer to direct the behavioral rehabilitation of pets in shelters and foster homes. One of these was a German shepherd mix named Sarge, whose reactive aggression toward other dogs made him unattractive to potential adopters. Sarge’s plight caught the attention of Melinda, a committed volunteer at Albuquerque’s Animal Welfare Department. Here are Melinda’s comments on this dog she had worked hard to save. Dr. Nichol, Sarge was put to sleep. It seems my half hour training session each day could not overcome the frustration of an active and intelligent dog…
Complications like Urinary Infections Derail Good Control Question: I have a 14-year-old cat who was diagnosed with diabetes about 3 years ago. She was completely healthy and stable; her insulin (glargine) dose was 1 1/2 units. A month ago she became lethargic and indifferent to food. Her fructosamine test showed 400 and there was sugar in her urine. Her insulin was increased to 2 units. She’s had good and bad days since but hasn’t completely returned to her normal self. I’m no longer convinced that Prescription Diet m/d is the best food for her. Dr. Nichol: Something important is still…
Similar to a Human’s Alzheimer’s Dogs can have Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome Question: I have an older Lab cross that has undergone extreme personality changes. He is withdrawn, does not want to be around us and refuses to come indoors at night. Is this condition treatable? Toby’s regular vet thinks he is in pain due to severe arthritis but, he is not sure what is going on. Dr. Nichol: Your veterinarian is probably right about the joint pain. Degenerative arthritis affects a whole lot of dogs as well as cats of retirement age. Big kids like your Lab mix are especially…
A Steady Diet of Dry Food is Best Question: I’m a new dog Mom. Is it okay to give peanuts to my little dog? She won’t eat peanut butter but loves those peanuts. Is it okay to give can pumpkin when she has not gone #2 in a day or more? I’ve given her some baby food pumpkin and apple which she loves and that seems to work. I also give her a 3.5 oz of Cesar gourmet filets along with some dry food twice a day? Dr. Nichol: That’s quite a menu. Peanuts are fine, in moderation. While not…
Have a good Christmas? Great! The carousing and cavorting has only begun. With New Years Eve right around the corner everybody who’s anybody is certain to accessorize with glo-sticks and glow-in-the-dark jewelry. Lots of laughs for us but for an inquisitive pet the experience can quickly turn from exhilarating to excruciating. Biting through the chewy plastic casing releases the vile tasting luminescent dibutyl phthalate. Your furry friend’s festive frolicking will plummet at warp speed as he drools, foams, and shakes his head. Swallowing even a small amount will cause retching and vomiting. Cats have been known to dash around and…
Time to Cat-Proof for the Holidays Canine dietary indiscretions like chocolate, raisins, grapes, and turkey carcasses are well known. Let’s be fair; cats deserve recognition for their high risk Christmastime binging too. Tinsel tops their list. Once swallowed peristaltic movements often advance it safety toward the proper exit but if a strand gets hung up, those back and forth motions cause major trouble. Wads of tinsel form serious obstructions. Lengths of it saw holes in the intestinal wall. At our house recognized a choice: decorate with tinsel or have a cat. We’ve chosen our cat. The silica gel packs included…