Subscriber Archive
Question: I was truly dismayed reading your article in the Albuquerque Journal last Sunday. Feral cats are well known to be a major threat to small birds. The numbers of wild birds have dropped in America since researchers began counting in 1970. Some estimates are 30%. If someone had a pet lion or tiger and let it roam the neighborhood hunting children, would that be acceptable? Of course not. You may not want to admit it, but feral cats are an invasive exotic species, just like the Cheatgrass, Salt cedar, and Tumbleweed. You telling people to respect their freedom-loving pets and help them spend all of their time outdoors killing whatever they can overpower is not helpful. Dr. Nichol: Cats are not indigenous to North America but they’re not the only menace to our ecosystem. Horses, cattle, and nonnative plants have also upset the apple cart. Louie the feral kitty,…
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Mick and his doggy daddy (ah, that’s me) practice our Rally skills twice a day for about 5 minutes each time. You can tell that he loves to earn treats and praise. Then we play “kick ball.” I kick the ball for him to catch mid-air, with a great flourish (Mick’s flourish, not mine.) Rally is an AKC sport similar to obedience but more fun for the dog – person team. We’re entered in our first competition this weekend. Anybody can attend but only the dogs and their people ever show up.
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Question: We have a beautiful, long-haired black cat hanging around our backyard. My husband feeds the birds but the kitty is hunting and killing them. We set out food for the kid (we call him Louie) so he/she wouldn’t slay the birdies. We can’t get within ten feet before he/she skitters off. With cold weather coming, we purchased a “kitty condo”. It’s insulated and has a large space. He just doesn’t want to get into it. I’ve moved his food bowl into the main entrance and he’s still apprehensive. Dr. Nichol: You’d think that Louie would be delighted with his 5 star cat house but he’s a rugged individual. It may be too gentrified. He’s overwhelmed by your generosity. Cats, the feral variety in particular, are risk averse. They are predators but they’re also a prey species. Louie worries that you folks are eyeing him as a holiday meal, similar…
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These splendid birds arrive every fall in our beautiful state. Many folks drive to Bosque del Apache to get a glimpse but we can enjoy these almost prehistoric creatures up close at the Rio Grande Nature Center in Albuquerque’s North valley. If you listen carefully you will hear my family chatting on our Thanksgiving hike. Sorry about that. Crane-speak is more interesting.
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Question: We adopted “Peaches” from Animal Humane 9 weeks ago. She is a 5 year old Australian cattle dog mix. She has escaped 4 times, like playing, but won’t come when called and bounds away covering lots of territory in a short time. She has crossed Tramway twice. Otherwise she completely blended into our home–so loving, cooperative, fun. Dr. Nichol: I understand how frustrating this is. Peaches means a lot to you. She needs to quit her gleeful and dangerous jail breaks. People like us love our pets like little children in furry suits but that special bond can fool us. Canine behavior is similar to ours in some ways and very different in others. Our dogs belong with us in our homes but their brains are also genetically programmed for survival in the wild. If Peaches were part of a free-living canine group she would spend most of her…
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Mick and I have practiced his new trick, “Night, night.” He’s watching me intently because he’s ready. Even though he gets it, mostly, I help him do it right. He earns the treat at the end and gets praise and, most important, physical contact as he rolls onto his back. He wins throughout the whole event. He’ll do it faster and better with more practice. We have good fun together.
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Question: My bulldog is 9 years old and losing hair. Her skin is dry and it smells bad. Her ears have gooey junk in them and they stink too. Is this just because she is old? Dr. Nichol: Dry skin problems and hair loss are not signs of good health and, except for humans of a certain age, aren’t considered a normal part of membership in AARP. Your bulldog’s foul odor and her infected ears are indicators of a serious skin problem. More than just exuding B.O. she may have seborrhea and chronic infection. I consulted with veterinary skin specialist Dr. Rebecca Mount of Dermatology for Animals. Here is her response. “This poor pup! The odor is a strong sign of a secondary skin infection. It is really important to have a microscopic evaluation of her skin to ensure we are treating the right infectious agent. I have seen hair…
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Puppy kindergarten teaches healthy play during the sensitive period of socialization. Mick and his BFF (Welsh corgi) wrestle with wild abandon. A fun loving pug considers joining the fun and then says, “Ah, no. I’ll find a kinder, gentler smack down.” For all the juvenile canine fisticuffs and trash talking no one ever gets hurt. They’re all delighted to have another go next week.
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Question: I have an elderly female cat, age 18. She has for 10 years pooped next to the litter box, not in it. In the last month she has started pooping all over the living room and dining room carpet. Once in a while it looks like she had poop stuck since it is smeared like she’s dragging her rear end but most of the time it looks very deliberate. I can’t get her to stop. What can I do??? Dr. Nichol: There is no poop messaging being spelled-out on your carpet. Your cat’s long history of near misses indicates that she’d actually use her pan if it didn’t resemble a septic tank. Cats are fastidious by nature; in the wild they always find a fresh place to scratch and eliminate. Indoor kitties faced with stinky, soggy restroom facilities really want to bury their waste but just can’t take the…
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