Subscriber Archive
Holy Moly Question: I have a 4 year old dachshund mix who insists on chewing our blankets to soothe herself for few minutes before she goes to sleep. I have tried giving her toys or chewies but she prefers the blankets. Our blankets are full of holes. Dr. Nichol: I’m glad you haven’t used moth balls. They’ve been recommended (not by veterinarians) as a deterrent for indoor pets and in landscaping to discourage visits from stray cats but the risk of poisoning is just too great. Instead of trying to discourage this behavior let’s understand it and manage it. Many dogs suck and chew throughout their lives because they were weaned too young from their mothers. Others do it, as you suggest, for self-soothing. Your dachshund chews blankets to relax. If you prevented this behavior her cortisol (stress hormone) would increase until she found a different ritual to serve the…
[alsointhisseries series-slug=”hyperbole”] A Feud Gone Wrong “Blue’s” backyard was separated from the neighbor’s by your average chain link fence. Some dogs ignore this contrivance but for others it’s a formula for disaster. Think about Blue if your dog engages in through-the-fence displays of aggressive madness, aka fence fighting. If these dogs were actually fencing, I’d be less concerned. Dogs communicate almost continually. They’re genetically programmed to protect territory as well as to connect socially. Fences get in the way and often lead to trouble. The natural response to the approach of another dog is body signaling that conveys their intentions. These greeting rituals require freedom of movement for sizing each other up, along with rear end sniffing for identification. A clear sign of a budding friendship is competitive urinating. Blue and the golden retriever next door had a long history of running the fence, growling, barking, and snapping. Unable to…
[alsointhisseries series-slug=”hyperbole”] Amputations are unfortunate but sometimes necessary. The anatomy is complicated; a good doctor follows established procedure. “Blue” the blue heeler didn’t benefit from any of that until he landed on my operating table. His amputation was performed by the golden retriever next door who, unless I missed my guess, was not a trained surgeon. Treating the wound, where Blue’s right front leg once lived, was not my only priority. He’d suffered significant fluid loss when this appendage was unceremoniously ripped from his body only 30 minutes before his arrival at my veterinary hospital. As generous volumes of IV fluids restored his blood pressure, the severed arteries began to leak. My training and experience served him well. I was able to quickly identify and ligate the big vessels and then concentrate on the smaller branches. Electrocautery made quick work of stanching the loss. As our blood pressure, oxygen saturation,…
[alsointhisseries series-slug=”hyperbole”] Back in the day, before the advent of computers, I was writing notes in a medical record when Martha, our unflappable receptionist, appeared at my side. “A lady on the phone says the dog next door has torn off her heeler’s leg. What should I tell her?” Really? In the space of one second, my mind darted from: when frightened by sudden events people exaggerate often minor injuries to: could that have actually happened? And so I replied, “Tell her to bring that dog right in”. How-ever severe the problem truly was, it would need our help. While waiting for the injured dog to arrive I finished my records as my mind recalled hyperboles of past pet parent panic. “There was blood everywhere” and “He vomited all over me”. Surely, I hoped, this wouldn’t delay dinner. Then Martha burst back into the treatment room. Her wide-eyed expression said…
Most of us are nervous at the doctor’s office and so are our pets. Some get fearful and defensive. It doesn’t have to be that way.
Diagnose first; treat second Question: I have a 7 month old puppy who itches and scratches herself constantly anywhere she can reach. I have taken her to my veterinarian twice and after checking her over, I was told that her skin and coat looked healthy and didn’t see a problem. A groomer used a special shampoo for dry skin – that hasn’t helped either. I’ve also been feeding her dog food that contains salmon hoping that might help – again it hasn’t. She hasn’t been around any animals. I hate to see her so miserable and don’t know what else to try. Dr. Nichol: I’m sorry that your puppy is so uncomfortable and, no, you are not imagining all that scratching. The two of you have endured way too much. It’s time for a diagnosis and targeted treatment. There are several possible causes. Allergies are common. Airborne particles like pollens,…
Calm; Don’t Punish Question: My 6-month-old corgi knows that she’s supposed to pee outside and does a really good job most of the time. But when she’s inside, every once in a while, if we approach her, she will squat and pee. This doesn’t happen every time. Just sometimes. She could be inside for an hour or two with no issues, but if we approach her a certain way she squats and pees. Dr. Nichol- Dogs who strut around beating their chests are the confident, take-charge type. Your corgi, on the other hand, came genetically programmed for the low rung on the ladder. When you march around like you own the place she demonstrates her subordinate status by whizzing at your feet. You can make it easy for her to communicate without embarrassment by walking a little slower and ignoring. Avoidance of reprimands and punishments will make success possible. Your…
A normally placid pussy cat can turn terrifying when facing unfamiliar visitors of the human or canine kind. They can even be dangerous.
[alsointhisseries series-slug=”faith”] Doing the right thing for our injured stray cat would take courage-and faith. She needed a name and I really needed to unite my team. I told my compassionate but frightened staff that our struggling patient would be named Faith. Pets can be powerful teachers. Each of them has a spirit. Most are more pure and uncluttered than ours. They share our lives to help us learn the real meaning of being. The next morning with bright lights, a magnifying loop, and our tiniest instruments, I carefully re-repaired Faith’s jaw fractures. I did the first of three skin grafts on her lower lip. She and I became close in the weeks that followed-but so did everybody in our group. Faith got well and became our staff’s pet for the rest of her life. She was a happy, shiny, beautiful cat. She would proudly saunter through the hospital reminding…