Subscriber Archive
First in a series My general veterinary practice was busy. That might sound like a good problem but despite meticulous preparation I was seldom caught up. There seemed to be more going on with every pet I saw than what it came in for. My patiently waiting clients knew I’d spend all the time necessary to help their dog or cat. Or ferret. Ferrets, lumped into the pocket pet category, are more popular than you may realize. They can be a bit odiferous but they have playful, engaging personalities. They spend little time in pockets but they generally do well as indoor pets. And, fortunately for all involved, they don’t seem mind bathing. Midway through this particular over-scheduled Monday there was a new client, Sue and Davie Davenport with their ferret Miss Ellie. As I hustled in to the exam room I looked up – way up – at 6’…
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Destruction & Panic when Alone So what can you do if the dog who’s stolen your heart damages your house while you’re away-often? If you have a dog like this you can feel desperate. Dogs with separation anxiety can actually look forward to their alone time because that will be their chance to engage their innate survival instincts.
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Question: Amber was a feral cat. Last summer she had ear mites. Of course, I went online to find a cure. It was olive oil. She would not allow me to get it into her ears and the problem became worse. Being irritated by the mites, she scratched off the side of her face. I brought her inside and she and I are now as bonded as a cat and human can be. I took Amber to the veterinarian. The mites were killed. Surgery was done on her face and the wound began to heal but every time I removed the cone she damaged her face all over again. I don’t want Amber to wear a cone for the rest of her life. Dr. Nichol: Amber needs out of that cone. She has so had it with those ‘life of the party’ jokes that I consulted a specialist. Veterinary dermatologist…
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Pets who eat nonfood items can pay a big price for their curiosity. Swallowed linear foreign material, like yarn, ribbon, or dental floss, can saw holes in the intestinal wall leading to septic peritonitis. We can protect these little guys by cat–proofing the house.
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Dr. Jeff Nichol answers your questions about the pets in your life on News Radio KKOB. Listen here: https://omny.fm/shows/the-bob-clark-podcast/cats-and-dogs
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Last in a series When anybody feels trapped and panicked there’s an adrenaline surge that can trigger fight or flight, and maybe a bite. Avoid the whole debacle. Dogs who aren’t happy with guests should hang out some other place. Put a nervous pupster in another room prior to the arrival of visitors so she can relax away from the action until those alien creatures depart. Everybody’s boundaries should be respected, including nonhuman members of the group. I was a fortunate 4 year old; Buster the Boston terrier could have inflicted a severe facial injury. The resulting abrasion bled slightly, which of course caused great parental alarm. I could have gotten rabies or tetanus or been permanently disfigured!!! Instead there was a lesson: compassion for a small dog who did not speak a human language. His brain’s synapses were firing fast as I invaded his under-the-card table hideout. He could…
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Worried about Your Cat? – At Home Exam There are important reasons to keep a close eye on our cats. They tend to hide their illnesses and injuries. It’s just who they are. Their genetically programmed reality puts the responsibility for their well-being on their people. In this 8 minute video I will show you how to do a physical exam on your cat. Do it once a month whether you feel concerned or not. It’s not in her nature to complain.
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Third in a series Fear is the driving force in nearly all dog bites to humans. Really? Fear of a toddler or preschooler? Don’t bother trying to apply human logic to a split-second canine reaction. Dogs think differently. They share many social traits with us but they are members of a different species, not little people in furry suits. Instead of taking up residence in a human domicile Buster the Boston terrier could have lived in a feral canine social group. (Dogs, by the way, don’t live in packs. Wolves do.) Like others of his ilk he would be free of unnatural constraints like walls and furniture. Had I invaded his personal space he would not have felt trapped and bitten my face. He would have bolted and run far enough to feel safe from this @#%&* slobbering 4 year old. The simple way for the grownups to set this…
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Scratching stuff is normal for cats. Forget punishing your kitty for scratching your good things. Our job is to set them up to scratch right.
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