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Careful Evaluation & Dosing are Critical to Success Question: I have a 14-year-old diabetic cat. She was healthy and stable; her insulin (glargine) dose was 1.5 units. About a month ago she became lethargic and indifferent to food. Her fructosamine was 400 and there was sugar in her urine. Her insulin was increased to 2 units. She’s had good and bad days since then but hasn’t completely returned to her normal self. Is Prescription Diet m/d best for her? There seem to be canned foods out there that are lower in carbohydrate and higher in protein. Dr. Nichol: When diabetes…
Kindness – on everybody’s part – is a key ingredient. In my work I see life lessons on the power of kindness every day. A few months ago a little girl and her big scared dog were students and they were teachers. The story of Buster the boxer, and the little girl who loves him, will have meaning for anyone who cherishes dogs and values kindness. Long before the arrival of their daughter, Shelly and Bill adopted Buster as a puppy right after they moved-in together. Buster went everywhere with his pet parents. They were an excellent family of 3.…
The Mind-Body Connection is Worth Investing Lulu is a sweet, 2 year old Australian cattle dog. She was adopted from a shelter just 2 months before she and I met. She had itchy skin and a rather delicate gut. She’d already started eating a special diet and was taking an anti-itch medication called Apoquel. Lulu landed in my exam room because of her sudden reactive aggression toward men of all shapes and sizes. Actually, anybody who rushed onto the scene could trigger Lulu’s fear-related displays. She never actually bit anyone. Those histrionics were intended to send a message. “Scary monsters…
Panic is No Fun for Anybody Buddy, a really cute 2 year old girl dog, lost her composure and released a bladder full of urine with almost any hint of excitement. When I met her she was scanning the room, on the lookout for any possible threat to her well-being. She held herself somewhat low, her weight shifted back. Her tail hung at about 30 degrees below the horizontal. It didn’t move. Her ears were retracted. She was still under control, but not by a lot. Sweaty paws, to be sure. I quietly invited Buddy and her mom to follow…
Panic is No Fun for Anybody Buddy was a really cute 2 year old dog when we met. Her problem was that she lost her composure and released a bladder full of urine with almost any hint of excitement. She didn’t show up alone, though, but with her Mom in tow. Buddy may be an unusual name for a girl dog but I am nobody to judge the monikers other people bestow on their non-human companions. I call my dog Miss America and that works just fine for both of us. So there was Buddy, in the reception room, ready…
Propranolol can Help Question: I have a 5-year old female border terrier who is almost the perfect pet except when I visit someone else’s home. Even if I let her empty out before we enter, the first thing she does is mark her spot. She also does this going to the veterinarian or to the groomer. I would like her to come with me when I play my weekly card games but cannot trust her. Dr. Nichol: There’s a lot of pressure in trying to be the perfect guest: witty and socially adroit while charming the host sans faux pas.…
Atopic and Zylkene can Help Question: Our cat is a bit of scaredy cat but is also aggressive towards me and my husband. He was poorly socialized as a kitten. I love him to death but am so saddened by him. He can be so mean when all we want to do is love and care for him. His ears are always full of wax. He has scratched the fur off his face and the backs of his ears. Dr. Nichol: Your cat’s reactive aggression is sad for him too. If I had such intense itchies that I damaged my…
Stem Cells Advance Healing with Corrective Surgery Question: I have a 3 year old cockapoo and she was trying to jump and did something to her leg. She cried for about 30 seconds, it was horrifying. She was born with loose kneecaps. My veterinarian was telling me about stem cells. I’m skeptical with any new procedures. Are there side effects or possibly future problems? She loves to play and I’m afraid it might happen again. Dr. Nichol: If your cockapoo has somewhat bowed rear legs, one or both of her knee caps (patellas) may slip out of its groove at…
Food Toys & Cord Covers Bring out the Best 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 might lose control and chew your computer mouse! Step back from the ledge and take a few deep breaths. And…
Rarely Fatal, Pet Rats can be Tested There is a subset of animal lovers with pet rats. I like these gentle creatures. I’ve have had their genetic cousins, gerbils, myself. What’s new with rats is that the CDC has made us aware of Seoul virus. Originally discovered in South Korea, this infectious organism is found in wild rats all over the world. There is nothing new about the Seoul virus in urban and feral rats, but, according to a recent report, this infectious organism “was recently found in their tamed counterparts in the United States. Since December 2016, 17 people…