Weekly article archive

The following questions and answers have appeared in my weekly column in the Albuquerque Journal since July, 1996. Each week a new one is added. You'll find information on the physical and behavioral maladies of dogs and cats and a few other species too. I invite you to use the search feature to find the specific answer that you and your pet need.

Puppy crying, barking, chewing

Dogs of any age who struggle with Separation Anxiety are miserable – and so are their people. Incessant barking disturbs neighbors; frantic attempts to escape can damage your home. You…

Circulatory Collapse, Seizures, 1980s Medicine – Who Won?

Third in a series Lying semiconscious in the hot summer sun had driven big, fuzzy, and black-haired Sadie’s temperature into heat stroke territory. Her seizuring ratcheted it to 105. I…

Meeting Dogs: Hand up? Hand Down? Hand Bite?

We love dogs and so do our kids. When encountering a canine beauty with a gently wagging tail you want to make friends and rub his fuzzy little head. Are…

Big Dogs in Hot Weather – What Could Go Wrong?

Second in a series – There were no cell phones or GPS in the early ‘80s. I had no idea where Susan and Greg Trujillo lived but not to worry.

Rambunctious, mouthy, wild puppy

Yell? Spray? Teach? Yelling and jerking a leash hurt the heart. Some puppy parents are advised to hit a mouthing/nipping puppy on the nose. But punishment may trigger fear and defensive behavior.

Big Dog Flies

First in a series Lots of the pets I’ve treated have lived with horses, cattle, chickens, and goats. And flies. So many flies that fly paper, fly traps, and fly…

Calm the Heebie Jeebies

We love our pets like little people in furry suits – that’s the way I feel about mine. But if we’re going to get the calm behavior we want we…

Leash Walking Blues? Set Your Pupster up for Success

Question: My 7 year old Australian Shepherd is difficult to take out in public. If someone walks too close, she will jump up at them with mouth open and has…

Yowling, meowing, pacing cat

Do you have a talkative kitty? One who has more to say than ever before? There may be good reason for all that yakking/complaining/crying.