Subscriber Archive
Cats can be cranky, pesky, and a bit snarky with other pets. Scolding and water spraying doesn’t teach them better behavior. Instead of reacting badly, our kitties can have fun with their people by working for clicks and food.
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Don’t Let Your Cat Fool You Do you examine your cat’s mouth? That would mean putting him on a table under a bright light with an assistant gently holding his shoulders as you slowly open his mouth big enough to see all of his teeth. Actually, about the only time that really happens is during the annual physical exam. What? Your cat doesn’t see the doctor every year? Mmmm. Well, don’t feel bad. Pretty much everybody hates going to the doctor. There is a widespread disinformation campaign, surely promulgated by our cats, that they need little in the way of medical care. Nonsense! They are lying because they’re scared. Other than hiding their illnesses kitties are no different than the rest of us. They aren’t programmed to fuss and belly ache because it would expose them as vulnerable to predators. A study published in the Journal of the American Veterinary…
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Newt’s River The anxiety and blood pressure spikes of white coat syndrome aren’t fun for us. Most pets have the same problem. That long walk to the exam room, running a gauntlet through other jumpy dogs, is especially harrowing for those already losing their grip. Instead, I emerged through the side door of the clinic to invite “Newt” and his folks, Anna and Tom, inside for their behavior consultation. Bichon Frise’s are usually bouncy dogs but this 3 year old slunk in and immediately crept under Anna’s chair in my consulting room. You’d think he was headed for the gallows. I kept one eye on Newt as I gathered a history of urine soiling, fear of visitors, clingy attention-seeking, and aggression. When I peeped over the table for a better look I saw him focusing on my feet. He growled and trembled. He would rather file his knuckles with a…
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Question: My 4 month old blue heeler puppy is crate-trained perfectly. He always pees and poops when he’s outside. Then he comes inside and pees on the floor every 20 or 30 minutes. He eats fine and doesn’t drink excessively, but it’s as if he’s doing it on purpose. He’s completed obedience class with flying colors. I lived in NM for years and am now in Louisiana but I remember your on-point answers. Dr. Nichol: Aw shucks. Your adolescent heeler’s brain is the most complex organ in his body. He’s very good at learning obedience skills but there are different neural pathways upstairs that are involved with behavior problems. The real cause of all this mayhem may actually reside in a different organ system. This little guy’s need to urinate every 20-30 minutes suggests a bladder problem. Some male puppies have a sticky yellow discharge, teaming with bacteria, accumulating on…
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A full home consultation with Dr. Jeff Nichol. Dr. Nichol helps this family address their dog’s fear of storms.
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Question: I recently adopted a 1 1/2-year-old cat. She’s as sweet as can be but she defecates just outside the cat box on the floor so I named her Lou. She tries to cover it up but she’s pawing at the floor! She urinates in the box. I’ve tried different litters and different boxes but the behavior continues. There are 2 other cats in the house but they live in their own sunroom. Dr. Nichol: Your new kitty knows how fortunate she is in her new home but she needs to get her %$&# together. There can be a variety of reasons for this conundrum. A sudden thumping or buzzing from a laundry appliance, while Lou was blissfully using the loo may have startled the you-know-what out of her, resulting in an immediate and permanent fear association with that bodily function in that room. Cats can be fastidious. Clumping litter…
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Know what to do, when to act when a dog or cat gets foxtails stuck in their ear canal.
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Is everybody ready for earsplitting blasts? Mick, the Nichol family Border collie will do OK; he knows his folks will be on duty. There are pure bred and mixed dogs, and plenty of cats of indeterminate parentage, who are genetically programmed for noise phobia. And because the brain is a plastic organ, meaning repetition tends to strengthen its circuits, July 4th freak-outs can worsen each year. It’s a problem that often shares canine cabezas with separation anxiety. Shelter from the aerial bombardment and light flashes will be essential. Dogs may hide, tremble, drool, cry, vomit, urinate or even pass diarrhea. Some escape their yards. Allow your cat or dog to find relief anywhere they feel better: a bathroom, closet, or a crate that’s covered on top and all 4 sides (door open), nestled away from windows and exterior walls. Close the blinds and turn off the TV. You can mask…
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Dr. Nichol addresses a letter in which a dog owner asks about the effectiveness of “Thunder Shirts” on dogs who fear storms and loud noises.
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