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Older Joints – Never Assume Question: I read that most older cats have arthritis. My 14 year old female spayed cat does not show any overt signs of pain. She is a little overweight (working on it) but is otherwise healthy. I’m planning on getting ramps and stairs for her, a more accessible litter box, and she already has heated beds. Should I ask my veterinarian about putting her on a daily pain medication even though she doesn’t seem to be in pain? Dr. Nichol: Your natural empathy benefits everyone around you. The stairs and ramp will make it easier…
Diagnose First, then Decide if Treatment is Necessary Question: I have a cock-a-poo with several warts. Our veterinarian said to use antibiotic cream but that didn’t help. He did not want to remove them because she is 14. What about using thuja or multi vitamins? Dr. Nichol: Everybody seems to get lumpy and bumpy with age. Miss America, the Nichol family dog, has a few beauty accents. We don’t mention them to her, she would only fret. It’s my job to worry. An accurate diagnosis always matters. Dr. Rebecca Mount, board certified dermatologist at the Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Center,…
Can Old Cats & Young Puppies Mix? Question: We have a 15 year old cat who is well, happy and calm. In September we will receive a Golden-Doodle puppy from a family member. How can we introduce a good sized, bouncy puppy to our lovable old girl? Dr. Nichol: This could be a tall order – unless your feline senior had the right childhood friends. Appropriate socialization of kittens sets their fuzzy little brains up to permanently accept species they friended early in life. The “sensitive period” is a fixed window from 2-7 weeks age. If your cat shared her…
Dogs Competing for Attention Question: How to help with competition between dogs for human attention? Rosebud acts like she owns me and Helmut (new dog) acts like he owns my husband. How to reduce this behavior? Dr. Nichol: Rosebud and Helmut believe that access to their leaders is limited. What? Why that’s ridiculous! Love and affection for your dogs is boundless – from the human perspective. But they think differently. Their species has scraped by for thousands of years believing that resources, like food and interactions with leaders, are scarce. Rosebud and Helmut are genetically programmed to assume that their…
Unsightly but Rarely Dangerous Question: Do you have an opinion on what to do about papillomas in our dog Ella’s mouth and how/whether to treat with azithromycin? The dog Ella plays with and Ella both have them. The other dog’s owner wants to treat with the antibiotic for them to be able to play together again. Dr. Nichol: Oral papillomas are a blight on the good looks of young dogs unlucky enough to be infected with this contagious virus. The mess of bumps and cauliflower-like masses on their gums, lips, hard palates and throats bleed easily and may harbor smoldering…
The Right Care Goes a Long Way Question: My 12 year old male cat Prancer was diagnosed with diabetes. He was immediately put on insulin injections. He has his regular blood tests and changes in the insulin dosages. He does not appear to be making very much progress. Will he show improvement in eating and drinking habits? Will he regain some weight? Will diabetes affect his life expectancy? Dr. Nichol: Prancer is not alone; there are a whole lot of diabetic kitties. Dr. Julie Stephens, board certified veterinary internist at the Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Center, has been kind enough…
Comfort Scared Pets with Good Management Startled by earsplitting blasts, many otherwise stable pets will endure almost continual panic this weekend. Scared dogs may hide, tremble, drool, cry or howl, and even urine soil, vomit or pass diarrhea. Many get clingy but some escape the home and risk getting hit on the road. A freaked-out dog or cat needs reassurance, but shelter from the bombardment is much better. Allow an anxious pet to find relief anywhere she feels better. A bathroom, dark closet, or an open pet crate, located away from windows and exterior walls, should be available. Unpredictable flashes…
Teach, Don’t Punish Question: My 2 year old female Corgi will fight any dogs or people that get too close. While she’ll let me pet her, she will not get on my lap. She will get on my husband’s lap, nuzzle his hand, and sleep (with one eye open) but if he tries to hand me the TV remote she’ll growl and snap at him. If he passes by my chair she scurries over and growls and snaps. House creaks or my husband moving anywhere in the house causes her to sound the high pitched yapping alarm. Dr. Nichol: Yikes!…
Regular High Quality Pet Food is Best Question: Dr. Nichol, what are your thoughts on grain-free diets for dogs? Dr. Nichol: Well, I thought you’d never ask. Considered a fad diet by many, grain-free has been dogged by controversy from the get-go. There are a small number of dogs suspected of gluten intolerance who’ve improved with these special foods but we have little in the way of research supporting their value outside of this small subset. Information from the FDA, on the other hand, shows a link between grain-free pet foods and a potentially fatal disease of the heart muscle…
Mutual Disdain Likely to Fester & Explode Question: Apparently this cat found us. She is part of Community Cat Program here in El Paso. She is not feral; she is more of a stray and very social with humans. She’s around 5. We are trying to acclimate her to an indoor environment. Our older cat is 13. She is being territorial. There is no serious confrontation, mostly growling, hissing, and chasing. The new cat “Baby” gets stimulated easily. For correcting we’ve been using the water bottle, with treats when she is good. Dr. Nichol: Foisting a younger free-spirit on an…