(Frequently Asked Questions)

Q ... from Amy G...I have a 5 month old toy poodle who has a very picky palate. He was eating dog food when we brought him home form the breeder, and didn't really like it. A month after we had him, he got sick from a can of wet food that sparked in the microwave. Due to his sickness, the vet put him on chicken and rice for a week. Unfortunately the transition back to dog food has been rough. We try to give him two teaspoons of Nutrimax dry at each sitting (3 times daily), but have to mix it with chicken, lean ground meat and even filet! He still spits out the dog food when it is mixed. The vet is not concerned because his weight is good (almost 3 lbs) and he is healthy and active. I've been told by people to just give him the dog food and when he is hungry he will eventually eat it. He is very tiny though, and I would hate to see him go hungry for days. I am also told that you can cook for the dog, which I am willing to do, and subscribe to a holistic diet with supplements. What is the best route, in your opinion, and how do I go about making his meal time easier?

A ... Hi Amy,
I think you may be overestimating the dog's capacity to eat. For example...a 3 pound poodle eating 4 ounces of food at one time would be equivalent to a 150 pound human eating one and one-half pounds of food. These little dogs (and I also have a 3 pound poodle!) often do not need nor care to eat 3 times a day. WE seem to think they need to eat 3 meals because WE seem to need to eat 3 meals each day (plus snacks like popcorn at 8 p.m. and ice cream at 10 p.m.!)
My suggestion: Feed a very good food such as Purina Pro Plan Chicken and Rice dry food and a little AFS meat (go to for info) once or twice a day. If the little guy doesn't feel like eating...don't force it or get worried that he HAS to eat something. I have never heard of a dog starving while good food was accessible. You probably should readjust your concept of how much this dog HAS to eat...he really only needs a few ounces daily. And if you do not give the dog choices, he eventually will eat more consistently and be more accepting of what you provide. Dogs do NOT need variety in their daily rations. Get accurate weights over a period of time and you will probably see that his weight is stable...he is eating only what he needs.

A ... Hello Richard,
If I were to have your dog as a patient there are a number of things that could be done to see if she has a problem, for example some dogs that have intestinal parasites will vomit on occasion and have a sensitive stomach...so check a fecal sample for parasites. (Even if you don't see any in her stool!)
I would definitely want to do a barium swallow followed by x-rays to see if she has any defects in ability to swallow food directly into the stomach or possibly a foreign object in her stomach (
I would want to be certain that there isn't some ingredient in the food to which she is sensitive by placing her on a test diet (see http://www.animalfood.com for a good test diet).
Also...many dogs that are fed only once a day and would prefer and really need to be fed more often because their blood sugar levels may at times be quite low, will vomit in anticipation of being fed. It is almost as if they are so hungry that the stomach goes into contractions and they will vomit a small amount of gastric juice ( there's nothing else in the stomach to vomit) because of the stomach contractions. These dogs clear up nicely if the owners will feed them two or three meals daily. Just divide the day's ration into equal portions and feed more often. Also if she seems starved for food...is she slightly thin?... she may really need more calories on a daily basis so just feed her more total food each day and she may seem more satisfied.
Be sure to let your DVM know that you would like to find the reasons for the vomiting and consider checking a stool sample (and maybe a worming for tapeworms anyway since these worms are very difficult to establish as being present), check an x-ray, feed 2 or 3 times a day, and check for food intolerances.

A ... Hi Julianne,
This drooling problem is pretty common, actually. Sometimes it occurs when the dog's lower lips droop, like in Saint Bernards, and the normal amounts of saliva cannot be directed to the back of the throat. And I have seen a few dogs that when they get excited, exercise, or are about to eat will hyper-salivate. There are medications, such as atropine, that will inhibit salivation but probably shouldn't be used unless the problem is really causing trouble. Be sure to have your veterinarian check his mouth for any bad teeth,and check to see if the lower lips can be the cause of the trouble...there may be some surgery that could be done on the lower lips that might help to direct the saliva back to the rear of the mouth instead of to the outside.
Good luck!

A ... Hello,
My advice would be to get your dog to another veterinarian as soon as possible. From your description there is certainly something wrong and you need to find a veterinarian who will be more helpful...fast!

A ... Hi Deb,
This often happens when the female dog has a bladder or vaginal infection. Somehow the male dog can detect an odor that arouses him and he won't leave the female dog alone. Have your DVM check a urine sample and examine her vagina with a scope. Odds are good that there is an infection going on and once cleared up the old guy will forget all about her. You can also give her a little scrubbing with a mild shampoo , well rinsed, twice a day around her genital area to clean up any superficial odors that may be present. Also...I have neutered many old male dogs and subsequently seen their quality of life greatly improved. Many old male dogs have prostate problems that neutering helps to alleviate...not to mention the male dog's subsequent lack of interest in females after the neutering. But start with having the urinary tract evaluated in the female first.

A ... Hi Barb,
Yes, dogs can have strokes but they are very uncommon and happen in very old dogs. Usually a stroke will cause long term disability. I believe that your dog had an episode of what is called Vestibular Syndrome...something (such as a blood clot, slight hemorrhage, infection,etc.) disabled the balance mechanisms in the dog's inner ear structures called semi-circular canals, and sent nerve impulses to the brain that were inappropriate. The dog feels like it just got off a merry-go-round, cannot walk straight, has a head tilt, and has uncoordinated eye movements called strabismus. This disorder can be very scary at first but most dogs recover in ten to 14 days.
I am sure your DVM looked in both ear canals (the outer ear...the inner ear cannot be visualized with an otoscope) to see if any infection is present. Be sure to have a complete physical exam done and, because I am guessing your dog is 9 or 10 years old, a good blood chemistry analysis and urinalysis is
very important, too.
Hypothyroidism is an unlikely cause of Vestibular Syndrome but if you suspect hypothyroidism, why not check for it?
Hope this helps a bit and best wishes!

A ... Hi Linda,
It would be extremely unlikely that the lump is a tumor...fortunately. There are a number of causes for what you are describing, such as a small abscess that often occurs in puppies in the lower mammary gland area, or even a small cyst.  I honestly don't feel comfortable telling you "not to worry" without actually checking the lump myself. Sooo...it might be best to schedule a quick visit to your DVM for an opinion, that way there will be no guessing involved. But do have it checked out when you can.

A ... Hi Tom,
If she can breathe normally 99% of the time (and your DVM sees no signs of an obstructive airway), my guess is that the dog is experiencing what
is called reverse sneezing. These episodes of reverse sneezing are characterized by repeated spasms of sucking air INWARD through the nose, happens 6 or 7 times in a row, and the dog has to stop what it is doing when these episodes happen. They make a sort of snorting noise when this happens. Then when the episode, lasting only a few seconds, is over, the dog acts perfectly normally.
If these occurrences are reverse sneezing, it is a result of mucous or other irritation in the nasal sinuses toward the back of the throat and are not a sign of anything serious...that is unless the episodes happen often during the day. If they happen only occasionally I wouldn't be concerned because they aren't anything worse than a regular sneeze. If they are occurring often during the day, then they can be a sign of pathology within the nasal sinuses and should be checked out further.
Hope this helps a bit!

A ... Deb, I have never seen a correlation between dogs (and cats) that like to eat grass and a specific dietary deficiency.  There are a lot of old myths that aren't true...like dogs eat grass to get rid of worms, or to make themselves vomit, or because they need some roughage in their diet.  Certainly eating grass probably will make a dog vomit but I can't believe the dog thinks  "Guess I need to heave so I'll eat some grass". 
I have noticed that many dogs and cats that vigorously eat grass often have a sore or irritated throat from abrasions or infections.  They may not eat that meat scrap or their usual food but if they get outside they'll graze and actually make their throat more irritated...so then they eat more grass and so on... And I do think that a dog that has some stomach or bowel difficulties may eat grass, sticks, paper and other foreign material out of frustration with the discomfort. Does she seem gassy or have loose stool?
If she doesn't have any intestinal or throat trouble, eating the grass won't hurt her (she may deposit a clump of grass on the living room floor tonight, though), but be sure she is on a good diet and is free of worms and just try to distract her when she starts her cow imitation.  And I am not convinced that those "Greens" you can buy to feed a dog or cat are valuable additions to a well balanced diet.

A ... HI Brian...
This is a common problem...even more so in cats. Is your dog neutered? If not there's a good chance neutering would correct the problem. Also try to put something over the bed before leaving for the day such as a plastic sheet...the dog won't like it and may gradually turn off to the idea of relieving himself there. If you do close the door (an apparent easy solution) you may find the dog will pick out another spot to baptize somewhere in the house. Try the sheet trick and hopefully that will work. By the way, whenever there are ANY difficulties associated with urinating, I always recommend checking a urine sample for any abnormalities.

A ... There are all sorts of hernias and their seriousness depends upon where they are located and how big they are.  A hernia refers to an abnormal opening in a body wall.  For example a  diaphragmatic hernia can result from trauma where the diaphragm separating the chest contents and abdominal structures tears.  Now some of the internal organs may move to areas they don't belong through the hernia in the diaphragm.  You are probably referring to an umbilical hernia.  This opening through the abdominal midline where the umbilicus (belly button!) is can be so large that sometimes the abdominal fat and other structures may push out of the abdomen and end up under the skin.  Your veterinarian should examine the hernia and let you know if surgery should be done to close this opening before it gets even larger.  Sometimes these hernias can be very serious.

A ... I t sounds like your veterinarian has done just about all that can be done for your dog medically. The KBromide is sort of a last resort as far as medications go. Sometimes increasing dosages can help but then the side effects often are worse than the problem. My suggestion would be to consult with a veterinary specialist in neurology. Dr. Allen Parker at the U. of Illinois Veterinary school in Champaign, IL is one I am familiar with but there are more. Your veterinarian could look up one for you or call the
AVMA office in Schaumburg, IL and they will refer you to one.
    I have had a number of dogs, a schnauzer, Golden Retrievers and a boxer come to mind whose seizures simply could not be subdued by medication. We finally euthanized because we had a choice between a very unfortunate existence of drug clouded, seizure-filled days for the poor dog or ending the ordeal for the dog and the owner.
    However...you may go as far as getting a CAT Scan done ( very expensive even if the human doctors will allow you access to the machine...but why not try?!) and search for brain pathology. Just so you know, too, there are humans who suffer from repeated seizures and sometimes specialized brain surgery is done to block or deaden the areas that trigger the seizures.
    My overall impression would be to think of the dog's quality of life first...

A ... Nat, many dogs of almost any breed have an underlying urge to pursue and catch moving objects (even live objects such as possums, squirrels, birds, people on bicycles!).  Some of these dogs will quit the chase when they actually arrive at the game; others will actually bite and even kill the victim.   So your dog's behavior isn't unnatural or unusual.  HOWEVER!!  You absolutely must monitor the dog's actions because it is a very tiny step up to the level of killing someone else's pet dog or cat.  And even worse would be the possibility of the dog treating an unfamiliar child as if it were a possum.  Believe me, tragedies like that happen every day...and usually the dog's owners react with curious surprise and say "Gosh, he never went after a human before."   Some dogs are very docile and compatible with children they know and see everyday...and suddenly turn on a child that is unfamiliar or running and yelling in playfulness, or perhaps is wearing clothing that is giving off odors of the child's own dog.
As far as contagious things...tapeworms, fleas, sarcoptic mites and skin funguses (ringworm) come to mind as possibilities.  Rabies vaccine is positively a good idea and the usual distemper/combination vaccine should be up to date although I am not sure just what viruses possums might carry.  They certainly could be a source for Rabies.

A ... Hi Colleen,
That is a great question and I will make a note to put up some photos of a declawing procedure.  It really does sound like an awful thing to do to any animal.   However, if the cat is going to be an indoor pet and it is causing either physical harm to a person or other pet...it's time to declaw.  Also, if the use of the claws is causing destruction to your house and furnishings, and trying to direct the scratching to a "scratching post" isn't helping, you might consider declawing. 
The procedure is done under general anesthesia and the claw is secured and pulled slightly to expose the first joint (between the first and second phalanx).   The incision is made just behind the first digit at the first joint and the tiny bone with the nail is removed.  Trying to remove only the nail has not proven to be a good procedure because too many times part of the nail will regrow and further surgery is necessary.  Plus a nail remnant can be very uncomfortable for the cat.
The incision can be glued shut, sutured shut, or simply bandaged for 24 hours.  Rest is recommended for ten days after the surgery...REST!  What else do cats do anyway!  Most cats are slightly uncomfortable for a few days post operatively then get right back to their usual tricks.  There should be no bleeding or discharge after the surgery and the toes should heal well.

A ...   Hi Brenda,
Very common problem! Be sure to have a urine sample checked by your DVM just in case there's an infection or bladder stones/irritation present. Probably there is a psychological motive for the misdirected urinating. Maybe there was a pet in the house prior to your moving in and the cat can smell that he's in another's territory. Or maybe he doesn't like the scenery near his litterbox...so try putting it somewhere very private and don't clean it every day. If the cat is selecting a particular area in which to eliminate, try blocking that area off or placing books/furniture over the spot favored...make it uninviting.
You may have to resort to placing another litterbox at the site favored by the cat temporarily, get the cat to use it, then gradually every day move the litterbox about 2 inches toward the area you wish the cat to utilize for elimination. You may have to keep the cat confined to a single room while you are gone. Plus, when you get the new carpeting, everything will smell different again to the cat and you may have to start all over again!!

A ...   Hi Erin,
What you describe is a common problem with some cats. They have so much energy that they need you to play with them! They don't care what time it is, either. Her personality probably is on the active side rather than one
of those cats that simply watch, purr, and sleep the day and night away. Soooo.....what do you do? My suggestion would be to get another cat about the same age and let the two of them play all day while you are at work. They will entertain each other rather than causing you to provide the entertainment. Two cats are often much more fun to watch and entertaining for their owners, too. Plus the maintenance and upkeep of two cats isn't
that much greater than to have only one. Watching cats interact can  really be a riot so if you are inclined, get one more, introduce them gently and soon they'll be great pals.

A ...   Lou, vomiting cats have kept thousands of veterinarians up all night wondering what to try next to stop the problem.  So for every owner awakened to the retching in the middle of the night, or who discovers that unpleasant blop of "what-the-heck"  on the carpet, there's a veterinarian planning his/her next move.  The root of the vomiting problem is determined by ruleouts.   You must rule out foreign material in the stomach with x-rays, rule out intestinal parasites such as tapeworms, rule out simple fur-balls acquired via grooming, rule out food intolerances, rule out organic disorders such as kidney and liver dysfunction, and rule out colon dysfunction such as constipation  or inflammation.   Actually constipation is a very common cause of feline vomiting problems.  My own cat, BUMPER, had intermittent vomiting for two years and I ruled out all those thing I mentioned.  So I did an exploratory abdominal surgery and examined all the organs and took a few biopsies of the intestine...everything was normal!  After about 6 months more of the same thing I repeated the abdominal exploratory surgery and this time I discovered a subtle stomach wall cancer that most certainly was triggering certain nerves along the stomach causing the vomiting.
One thing to be cautious of...if your cat is losing weight over a period of time or its appetite is poor, here's a very real problem somewhere and you better find it even if it means surgery.  If the vomiting is more of a nuisance and the cat is maintaining weight, is happy and otherwise healthy, after you rule out those things mentioned above, you may be able to control the vomiting by customizing the diet.   Occasionally anti-emetics can be used, too, if all else fails.