Question: How can I stop my bunnies from eating their poop? My bunnies eat their poop every time they are about to poop. How should I stop this? -Mavis Answer: Dear Mavis, Rabbits are herbivores, meaning they eat fibrous plant material for the bulk of their calories. It’s amazing that they can maintain their… Read More
Question: Why is my dog licking his skin all the time? My dog has been licking himself consistently and I noticed his skin is red. I decided to put a cone on him to help stop licking himself. What could this be caused by, and how do I treat it? -Nilka Answer: Dear Nilka, Thanks… Read More
Question: Why does my dog’s breath smell so bad? My Lab is 9 years old. His breath is horrible. It smells rotten. You can smell it when he walks up to you. We have looked at his teeth and they all look good. He is eating fine and acting normal. What can I give him… Read More
Question: What can I give my cat for hairballs? Cat has a severe hairball problem. My question is in the old days we used to give them mineral oil. Is there anything we can do to help her pass them any easier? –Edward Answer: Dear Edward, Thanks for writing in about your cat’s hairball… Read More
Question: Is my dog’s thyroid condition making him itchy? My dog has a thyroid problem and takes meds. Can this condition cause him to scratch a lot? do I need to increase his meds levothyroxine 0.2mg 1 a day? -Arleen Answer: Dear Arleen, Hypothyroidism is a pretty common problem in dogs. The most common cause… Read More
When you’re cuddling with your cat, you expect to feel soft, smooth fur, not lumps and bumps! It’s alarming to feel unidentified bumps under your cat’s skin. If you’ve been told by your vet your cat has a sebaceous cyst, you may still be a bit confused about what it is and how to treat… Read More
Question: My diabetic cat is eating tissues and plastic at night, what should I do? Adult diabetic cat on a controlled diet. Eating plastic and tissue at night. Can anything be given at night to make the cat feel full till morning? -Gary Answer: Dear Gary, You’re wise to be concerned about your cat eating… Read More
Most of my clients are somewhere between horrified and confused when little pink nodules sprout in their puppy’s mouth. If your best buddy has come down with warts, you probably want to know how to remove warts on dogs. First, let’s talk about what causes warts and how your dog got them in the first… Read More
Question: Why does my dog keep coughing after being treated for kennel cough? My dog was treated for kennel cough still has this same cough. Seems to happen as soon as we go outside it is winter here so I couldn’t see allergies being the issue. – Hunter Answer: Dear Hunter, You’re wise to be… Read More
Constipation is a condition in cats where they have trouble emptying their bowels and is usually associated with abnormally hard feces. Constipation happens occasionally even in healthy cats, but when it happens more than once a month, there may be a more serious problem. Let’s discuss why cats get constipated and what can you give… Read More
Question: Why does my dog constantly lick the air? My baby is a 4-year-old Maltezer cross Toy Pom. Abbi. She started licking “air” since she was 1 year old. She is constantly sticking her tongue out and licking at nothing. She stops when we ask her. She looks happy while doing it. I’m just afraid… Read More
Question: Why do my cats have dry, brown spots on their noses? We have moved to a new country and our cats have developed these dry patches on their noses. What are these and is there a home remedy to get rid of it? Thank you! – Nana Answer: Dear Nana, Thanks for sending… Read More
Why does my cat have diarrhea? Surprise! Your kitty left you a slimy, stinky mess to clean up at 3 a.m. But why? Let’s talk about a few of the more common causes of diarrhea in cats. I’ll also discuss some safe home remedies you can try for mild cases. Types of Diarrhea in Cats… Read More
Question: My dogs refuse to eat their dry dog food. What can I do to get them to eat? I have two female Dachshunds age 2 years. Recently they have both walked away from their dry dog food. I have been giving them the Healthy Weight Hill’s Science Diet for small breeds for about 1 year…. Read More
Question: What are these worms in my dog’s stool? I found a worm crawling out of my dog’s butt. The day after, I found multiple worms in her stool. How do I find out what type of worm she has? –Brianna Answer: Dear Brianna, In our civilized world, we are often lulled into a false… Read More
Question: My cat is squinting. Is anything wrong with her? Today we brought in a stray kitten to my house. I already have a cat and my cat didn’t like the kitten. I noticed today when I got home that she was squinting a lot and it was light pink around her eye. Is anything… Read More
You’re not weird if you look at your cat’s poop. You’re a responsible kitty guardian. What would you do if one day, when you’re cleaning the litter box, you notice some of the stool has slimy, red clumps of blood on it. Don’t panic! Let’s talk about what to do if your cat has blood… Read More
Question: What is cherry eye and is it dangerous if left untreated? We are looking into adopting a dog from a rescue. He has a cherry eye. The vet they work with recommended they leave it alone with no treatment. I don’t know how long he’s had it as he is a rescue, is there… Read More
With approximately 20% of adults in the Western world being sleep deprived (Stranges, et. al, 2012), melatonin supplements have grown in popularity. Some folks find it helps them get a good night’s sleep without harsh side effects. Pet owners have experimented with it to treat their pets, too. But is melatonin safe for dogs? What… Read More
My dad used to have a sweet brown Chihuahua named Taco. That little guy would start sneezing like mad anytime he thought he was going for a ride in the car! It was his way of communicating that car rides were a very special event for him. As cute as happy dog sneezes are, it… Read More
Question: Why does my cat have irritated, weepy eyes? My cat Bindi’s eyes have been weeping lately. I noticed today that they look more irritated than they have in the past. Another thing I’ve noticed is that they don’t weep when she is inside. Only outside. I’m wondering if I should have a vet take… Read More
“I swear this just started a few hours ago. He was fine yesterday! What happened?” The nice lady was clearly worried about her beautiful Golden Retriever, Boomer. He sat in front of me, panting and trying to rub a sore on the side of his neck about the size of a small dinner plate. The… Read More
Question: My 10-month-old pug (female) sometimes eats her poop. Why? –Glenda Answer: Dear Glenda, Thanks for sending your question. Your pup is adorable, but I bet it makes you wary of puppy kisses when she has this strange habit! The official term used to describe the eating of feces is coprophagia. Dogs engage in coprophagia… Read More
The word “bloat” is not appealing even under the best circumstances. When it’s applied to a medical condition in dogs, it takes on a deadly meaning. Before I answer the question, “What are symptoms and treatment for bloat in dogs?” let’s discuss what is meant by the term bloat. Definition of Bloat or GDV in… Read More
Question: My puppy has an odor inside his ears. Can you tell me what’s wrong? I have recently bought a Chiweenie he’s 8 weeks old and his name is Jackson, Jax for short. I noticed that he had an odor inside his ears. I’ve given him baths and cleaned it out with Q-tips and warm… Read More
Question: My dog has a line on one tooth and the other one is chipped. Is this an emergency? Hi! I’m on vacation with my dog and noticed a line on his tooth. I think it might be cracked? I called a local vet and they suggested to wait until I get home to take… Read More
Question: Why does my puppy have blood and mucus in her stool? My new puppy Too Too has had blood and mucus in her stool, not all the time but it’s happened twice now. She’s still playful and has an appetite and drinks water. I thought worms might be the problem. Sometimes it sounds like… Read More
Question: What is a good food for a cat with hyperthyroidism? My 16-year-old cat was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. He is currently on methimazole tablets. He has lost a lot of weight and is barely 8 lbs. I am looking for a good dry and canned food for him. I also have 4 other cats and… Read More
Question: My female puppy is in heat. How long will it last? My 6-month-old new female puppy is in heat. How long will this last? How do I deal with this besides crating or just leaving her in a confined area? –Kathy Answer: Dear Kathy, Thank you for writing with your question about your puppy…. Read More
Question: I just moved to a new place and now my cat won’t eat. How can I help him? So I just moved in with my boyfriend on Sunday and I brought my cat along of course. For some reason, he is not eating or drinking of what I know of. Food/water hasn’t been touched…. Read More
Question: Which vaccines does my 11-year-old dog really need? My mini Schnauzer is 11 yrs old he has been diabetic since he is 3 yrs old. What shots does he need at this age? He is never boarded and he is inside all day except for his walks. I do not want to give him… Read More
Question: Is it safe for a rabbit to stay outside when it’s 88 degrees F? Hi, we are rabbit-sitting for a friend for 3 weeks. They told us the rabbit recently went through an ear infection and completed a course of antibiotics. He is normally kept in a cage indoors, but my son built a… Read More
Question: How can I ease the pain of my dog’s ear infection? We just brought a foster dog home. He has terrible ear infections, the left one is worse. He is taking prednisone, neomycin polymyxin sulfate with hydrocortisone, ciprofloxacin. He is in a lot of pain. I was wondering if I could put ice on… Read More
Question: What are these scabs and bumps on my dog’s skin? We have taken my dog to numerous vets to get more opinions but they all want to give us the same medication (Cephalexin) to “treat the problem.” It doesn’t treat anything. All it does is give him diarrhea and puke up his food. Onyx… Read More
Question: What is This Lump/Swelling on My Dog’s Cheek? I discovered this lump near my dog’s cheek. The area feels hard and solid. She recently had an infected tooth (or so the vet said but wasn’t positive) that would not stop bleeding a few weeks back but I thought that had passed. Perhaps this could… Read More
Question: What are These Red Spots on My Dog? My 10-month-old dog has red round spots on her belly. She does not lick or itch them. Here’s a picture. -Sandra Answer: Dear Sandra, Thanks for sending the great photos of your dog’s skin. I would describe the red spots as “papules,” meaning circumscribed, elevated solid lesion… Read More
Question: My Dog Just Ate Chocolate! Should I Be Worried? My 60-pound female shepherd mix just ate about a half bar (standard size) of dark chocolate. What are the consequences and is there anything I should do? –Mike Wagner Answer: Dear Mike, Dogs seem to love chocolate almost as much as we humans do. In… Read More
Question: How Can I Help My Dog Recover from Chronic Staph Infections? My dog, Riley(Long coat Chihuahua) started having these breakouts on him in either 2014 or 2015… My vet said that he had staph. She gave him an antibiotic shot & it cleared, however it ended up returning… I have noticed that it isn’t… Read More
Question: What Can I Do for My Cat with FIP? My 9 month old kitten has just been diagnosed with wet FIP, my vet has offered no curative plan. Can you please enlighten me on the latest research and what medicinal plan can we put him on. We adopted a family of four brothers, and this… Read More
When most people see their dog straining to defecate, they assume he’s constipated. The truth is that often the dog is straining because he has diarrhea, not constipation. In fact, most dogs will strain a lot when they have diarrhea due to intestinal cramping. How Do You Know If Your Dog Is Constipated? You may… Read More
My mom used to have a greyhound named Earl, whom we called “Earl-o-Meter 2000.” He would hide under furniture and tremble from head to toe. It happened regularly and was a bit concerning at first. Have you ever wondered, “What does it mean when my dog gets the shakes?” We figured out that Earl was… Read More
As the old brown dog stood on my examination table, her fur seemed to have taken on a life of its own. In fact, her fur did have a life of its own: thousands and thousands of fleas. She had lived most of her life fastened to a chain in the yard, unable to move… Read More
Each spring, my clients ask, “How do I safely remove a tick from my dog?” Great question. Ticks are a reality of life for most dogs at one time or another, but unfortunately, these cringe-inducing little parasites can pass very serious diseases to dogs and humans. In this article, you’ll learn how to detect and… Read More
Do you know how to tell if you have a sick dog? Every day in my work as a small animal veterinarian, I encounter at least one pet whose problem is listed on the schedule as “ADR.” ADR is a questionably cute veterinary industry acronym for “ain’t doin’ right.” If you’re a literalist, you might… Read More
