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  (through 3/07/01) By Dr. Kelly Brodnik 1) 1) Do Veterinarians Cut Hair?
Question: I have noticed my 3-yr-old cat losing weight lately, but did not think much of it. This morning I saw him sitting hunched over staring at the floor. I approached him to see what he was looking at which of course nothing was there. I patted his side and he simply fell over and meowed. He has been doing this all day. When he tried to walk, hi head remains down and his gate is extremely wobbly. It is as if he cannot lift his head. He is still loving towards me, however he is quite unresponside at times and very lethargic today. What could be wrong with him? T.B., Thomasville, North Carolina. Answer: It is possible that he may be suffering from a number of things such as trauma (especially if he is an outside cat), kidney or liver problems, toxic ingestion, heart disease, urinary problems such as stones, nutritional deficiency or overdose, or many infectious diseases such as FIP (feline infectious peritonitis), feline leukemia, feline immunodeficiecny virus, etc. Please get him in immediately. I am definately worried about him as this is very abnormal behavior.
Question: My 5-yr-old Dalmation has a hairless spot on his tail. It is not spreading and hair doesn't grow back. The local vet did not find anything with his scrape (?). Any suggestions what it might be? Katarina, Fayetteville, North Carolina. Answer: A skin scraping is a good idea but sometimes you must do several to get a positive result. It may be a good idea to have your vet check another skin scraping and a fecal sample (stool sample) for parasites. If the spot is not growing or enlarging, it is possible that something traumatic happened to the tail fur and it is just in the process of growing back (which can take several weeks to months). If it is red or the dog is bothering it, then your vet should also check the dog's anal sacs (glands just inside the anus) because some animals will drag their behinds when they have impacted or infected anal glands. If the problem seems to be spreading, then consider bacterial or fungal infection and test for these, as well as for allergies. Good luck!
Question: My iguana looks sick. His coloring has been changing and he has days when he is green but at times turns brown and scaley. J.F., Fort Worth, Texas. Answer: As iguanas mature (especially males) they will become darker and less colorful. There are also some problems that can cause skin changes such as improper humidity and heat in the cage. Dietary problems may also be a concern as well as a possible parasitic infection. He may not be drinking enough (or getting enough water from food) that he needs. My recommendation would be that if he looks sick to you, you know him better than anyone else, and he probably is sick and needs to see a vet that specializes in reptiles. Your vet may do it or be able to refer you to someone in your area that does. For more information on iguanas, check out: Green Iguana: The Ultimate Owner's Manual  5) Doberman with Torn Cruciate Ligament Question: My 86#, 9-yr-old Dobie Mix was diagnosed with a torn ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) of his rear left leg, surgery is recommended-with a referral to an orthopedic surgeon in Lebanon, New Jersey. How do I find out if this is a qualified surgeon? B.W., Scranton, New Jersey. Answer: You can try calling the American College of Veterinary Surgeons at 1-301-913-9550 and asking them to verify that this Dr. is board certified to perform veterinary surgery. or you can email them at acvs@aol.com. You can also call the Veterinary Medical Board in Lebanon, New Jersey and ask if there have been any complaints and if his veterinary license and board certification are in good standing. Good luck and keep asking questions.
Question: Quigley (6-8 mo-old kitten) has been sneezing a lot the past couple of day, and today he has watery eyes. His breathing doesn't sound congested, appetite appears to be ok, and he's not lethargic. There are several cats in the household, and none of the others are showing these symtoms. Answer: Kittens (though usually very young ones) will come down with more infections than most adult cats who have been exposed to many different viral infections. It is possible that the kitten may have a viral or bacterial infection and it is also possible that the others may get the infection from him. Also, be sure he is tested for feline leukemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus when he is checked by your vet, which I recommend. These symtoms can quickly escalate into full blown infections that, if treated early, don't have to be. Your kitten may also have allergies or may have a foreign object up inside the nose. Either way, be safe and have him looked over. Good luck!
Question: Hyperkeratosis of pads. Could this be caused by potassium bormide? How is this treated? Is presently soaking in propylene glycol but not sure on how long to soak. Does the glycol cause pain? I need more information please. M.E.M., Windsor, Ontario Canada. Answer: I, personally, have never heard of soaking hyperkeratotic footpads in propylene glycol, so I cannot address your question and direct you to whomever prescribed the treatment. I don't have propylene glycol listed in my formulary as a particular treatment but that doesn't mean that is not effective. Causes of hyperkeratosis of the footpads can be from many things such as in-utero infection with canine distemper virus, autoimmune skin diseases (Pemphigus, Lupus, etc), dry climate and conditions (desert living, dirt dog run, etc), and dietary deficiencies or other causes. It is best to check with your vet regarding other signs of any of these other problems and possibly testing form auto-immune problems (which are seen more commonly in northern breeds such as Siberian Huskies, Malamutes, etc). Good luck!
Question: Could you tell me a little about lung worms and how they affect a cat? My cat has had chronic coughing, wheezing, and asthma-like symptoms for about 5 months now. He has been to the vet and a respiratory specialist numerous times, to no avail. They now want to do a tracheal wash. How would this determine a possible diagnosis of lung worms? Thank you for your time. Amy, Andover, New Jersey. Answer: The diagnosis of lungworms (several types) can be made based on several important test results such as the clinical examination, history, xrays, and identification of the particular parasite in both fecal and respiratory secretions (via tracheal wash). They will not only look for eggs from worms, but they can also tell by cell types present in the secretions about what type of response the body is having to the problem and this will also aid in the diagnosis. Some animals require bronchoscopy (going into the lungs with an endoscope) to view and identify nodules or for a biopsy of tissue. Lungworms can be transmitted to cats through transport hosts such as birds, small mammals, snails, slugs, raccoons, other dogs and cats, and reptiles. Some live in different parts of the respiratory tract, making diagnosis that much more difficult. Treatment is usually with dewormers, but it is important to know what TYPE of parasite so that the proper drug can be chosen as there is no one dewormer that will kill them all. Good luck and don't give up.
Question: Our class is doing a pet research project and the children have many questions. They would like to know if you could answer just one for today? Do dogs get shots like little kids do? We appreciate you taking the time to help us. Mrs. Dabney's PreK Class Answer: Anytime. Dogs (and cats) get shots just like little kids do. They need to have a series of shots just like kids to be sure their immune systems are ready to fight off infections from certain viruses and bacteria. A puppy generally gets shots at 8 weeks of life (2 months of age), 12 weeks, and 16 weeks, then every year to keep the immune system at effective levels. Dogs get baths just like little kids only not as often. Puppies, like little kids, are full of energy and require lots of love and affection, as well as a good diet, fresh water, and lots of exercise. Good luck on your project and write in anytime. We also do an Ask the Vet Live Chat room every Monday night from 7:00pm-9:00pm Mountain time.
Question: My parents own a 10-yr-old Golden and over the last 5 years she started having seizures. She has been to 2 different vets and just the past 6 months she's been there 3 different times. Each time they take blood and check her sap counts and other counts. The SAP has had a drastic rise from the first check to the last one. So far, they have done nothing else to see what could cause these seizures. Now they want her to go back again for more blood work. Isn't there something else they can do? S.C., Newmanstown, PA Answer: If they are seeing a rise
in certain enzymes in the blood (I am not sure what SAP is, but
there are two enzymes called ALT and ASP in the liver they may
be checking) then they may have thought there is a toxic insult
to the liver (if that is what they are checking) if the levels
drop and so do the seizures, then problem solved. If the levels
continue to rise, more testing will be necessary. If they suspect
an organ problem, they may ask for an ultrasound examination
of the abdomen. Seuizures have over 100 causes and it is difficult
to determine sometimes, what is the cause. I break it into 2
categories 1) inside the brain (such as tumors, old scars from
old trauma, new or fresh trauma, blood clots, anuerysms, etc)
and 2) outside the brain (such as toxin ingestion, kidney or
liver failure, cancer, metabollic diseases such as diabetes,
etc). A cat scan of the brain may be the next step as well. It
is difficult to watch an animal have a seizure though they are
relatively not harmful other than causing exhaustion. Some vets
won't treat seizures unless they are more than 3 a week, come
in clusters, or the animal seizes for more than a few minutes
at each episode (or suffers from blindness or other problems
post-seizure). Good luck and continue on, but if you are not
satisfied with the care you are receiving for your pet, you need
to ask more questions. If you are still not satisfied, then seek
a second opinion from a veterinary neurologist in your area.
Good luck to all and thanks for the
questions! You can always join me on Monday evenings from 9:00
PM - 11:00 PM (Eastern) 6:00 - 8:00 PM (Pacific) on our
website at www.petservice.com for our Ask the Vet Live. We would
love to have you join our LIVE CHAT! |
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