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  (through 3/18/01) By Dr. Kelly Brodnik Disclaimer: Only received one "Cat" Question this
week. The rest were all dogs. Tune in next time for more cat,
bird, mice, snakes, etc. I put them on as I get them! Due to
the nature of the questions this week, I recommend the following
book: The
Dog Owners Home Veterinary Handbook 1) Call Heartgard with Unusual Reaction Question: After heartworm rx (Interceptor, Heartgard) dog acts very skittish, antisocial, and exhibits unusual behavior such as hiding in places he never goes, not eating, seems almost paranoid. Lasts no less than a week, sometimes more. Rx sensitivity? Allergic reaction? P.C., Spring Hill, Florida. Answer: The symptoms you are describing
could be from too high of a dosage of Ivermectin (an active ingredient
in Heartgard) and the symptoms can range from dilated pupils,
ataxia (walking funny), tremors (shakes), decrease in appetite,
depression, etc. Collie breeds are somewhat more susceptible
to toxic side effects than other breeds, but usually the recommended
dose has been proven to be safe. Check with your vet on the dosage
of these medications and call the manufacturer of Heartworm and
Interceptor and report the problems you are having. Good luck!
Remember, though, that in all cases of drug sensitivities, you
must weight the benefits of the drug against the risks. Question: My cat has been coughing and sneezing a few times each day, his nose is cold and wet, and he doesn't go outside. He did get out accidentally this last summer. He is about 6 years old, still does race around at nite, but doesn't seem to be as active as he used to be. D.H., Geneseo, Illinois. Answer: You didn't mention whether or not he was current on his vaccinations when he "got out" last summer. Any contact with other cats could have infected him with feline leukemia, feline immunodeficiency virus, or feline infectious peritonitis (though rare). Most of these diseases are transmitted through bite wounds but some can be transmitted through aerosolized particles. It would be best to get him in for a complete examination, as well as some blood work to test for atleast feline leukemia virus. This should help you figure out what is going on with him. Good luck!
Question: My 1-yr-old Golden has developed a tremor (chattering) in his lower jaw. There's no pattern as to when it occurs, but it's happening more often and he slobbers more each time. Also, he breathes heavier now. His foreleg shook when he was younger but that stopped. Is this serious? N.E., Slidell, LA Answer: There is no way to tell if the problem is serious without knowing what is causing the problem to begin with. A good start would be to ask your veterinarian to perform a neurological examination on your pet and rule out the possibility of focal (localized) seizures. Sometimes a problem can be elicited from the examination, other times it will require some more testing. Good luck!
Question: Hello. My healthy (10-yr-old) Lab has been having a problem with fecal incontinence for several years. I have managed it with exercise and diet. The vet is unable to assist me. Now, my lab is experiencing urinary incontinence as well. He is trying to hold on but its dribbling out as he goes outside, then he empties. Please help he is a good friend. Thanks. M.B., Brockville, Ontario Canada Answer: You didn't mention why your vet was unable to assist you in this matter. This type of problem may be neurological in nature, meaning a problem with nerves that go to those particular areas as they can run closely together. Hip, leg or back injury may be a cause of the problem, as well as scar tissue if there is an old injury (such as previously being hit by a car, etc.), at a younger age. Sometimes, the problem can reside in a portion of the brain. Urinary stones, hormonal influences, urinary tumors, etc, may also exacerbate the problem. An inflammed or enlarged prostate gland should also be ruled out. If your vet is not able to help you elicit what is going on, you should seek a second opinion with your records and your dog and be ready to perform some tests to find out what is going on. Good luck!
Question: I recently found a large lump on the right side of my dog's neck. Could it be just swollen glands? She has just been laying around the house and sleeping, which is not like her. What could the problem be? L.D., New Castle, Pennsylvania. Answer: Dogs have what we call "submandibular" lymph nodes which lie just underneath the jaw line in the neck area. It is possible that your dog may have a swollen lymph node, or it may be something as severe as a tumor, foreign object, abscess (infection), etc. Lymph glands drain certain areas of the body that are infected and if your dog has an infection on the right side of the head somewhere, such as severe dental infections, sinus infections, ear infections or even inflammation, that may be all it is. But, this does not rule out the other possibilities. Only your vet will be able to ascertain what is causing the swelling and be able to treat it appropriately, so get the dog in today. As early detection leads to early prevention or treatment and better survival and less suffering for the pet. Good luck!
Question: A friend of mine has a 7-yr-old Shih Tzu that she has only had about a month. We just rescued a cat and she took it in, now she has problems with the dog getting into the litter box and eating the cat feces. What can she do to break this? D.S., Kaukauna, WI Answer: She needs to get a sample of stool from both the dog and the cat and have her vet test it for parasites. Once they both are tested negative and/or treated for parasites, she needs to put some type of barrier around the cat box so the dog cannot get to it. This is the only solution. I have three dogs that all love to eat cat feces and have placed the litter box in a corner surrounded by a baby gate in the basement that only the cats can get into. Good luck and hope this helps.
Question: I have two 5-mo-old Bichons. I am having a hard time with housebreaking their urination. My trainer states to feed water in the morning and evening only. I am concerned that this would not be enough. We give water midday as well and this seems to create the problem. My question is, how much water does a 5-month old puppy need and how often, is the trainer correct? Thank you. D.R., Boynton Beach, Florida. Answer: Dogs, cats, ferrets, birds, humans, etc. all need to have access at all times to fresh water. Every individual of a species may require different amounts of water to stay hydrated, and some of this is based on activity level, overall health of the animal, etc. I recommend that all puppies, up to the day they die, have access to fresh water 24/7. Training isn't about withholding food or water, but is about forming the dog's behavior to what is expected of it. Try taking the dogs out every 2 hours to use the bathroom, take them to the same spot, use the same command. If they go, make a huge deal out of it, if they don't go back inside (after about 10-15 minutes). Don't play with the pets as they are outside. Let them know this is business and if they don't go, bring them out every 15-20 minutes til they do go. After a few days of this (including getting up in the night every two hours) you will know how often they have to go. Do it over a weekend. Once you know how long they can "hold it" you can modify their training. If you are still having problems, don't forget that some animals may have urinary tract infections (more common in dehydrated animals) and may not be able to control their urination. Medical attention may be necessary, so consult your vet. For more information about dog training, check out:The Dog Whisperer : A Compassionate, Nonviolent Approach to Dog Training 
Question: I recently rescued a 3-yr-old Sheltie last November. Ever since we brought her home, she has been suffering from diarrhea. After successive stool sample evaluations, she was finally diagnosed with whipworsm. She has been on a course of Panacur liquid once a day for 3 days and retreated in 3 weeks. We are starting the 3rd round of this treatment. It does not seem to be solving the problem. Is there a more effective medication for this problem? Are our cats suceptible to infection from this parasite? J.B., Fithian, Illinois. Answer: You didn't mention whether or not you have treated the ground where the dog has defecated (and deposited) whipworms, which can live in the environment (outside of a dog) for 4-5 YEARS! This may be why the dog is not getting any better. Cats get a different type of whipworm and it is rare that it will cause them any problems, but you should watch them as well for any clinical signs. A second thought would be to have the stool tested for bacterial and protozoans (Giardia, Coccidia, Salmonella, etc). It may be a secondary problem due to the whipworm infection. Another disease can be associated with severe whipworm infection is pseudohypoadrenocorticism, which you vet would be able to diagnose based on some blood tests (hyperkalemia and hyponatremia) and this may not be a bad idea. Keep all of the stool picked up (wear gloves and wash your hands thoroughly after handling any stool) to help keep the ground from reinfecting your pet. Also, your vet may want to try a 5-day treatment regime with Panacur instead of a 3-day. Concrete runs should be disinfected with a 1:32 bleach to water solution. Good luck!
Question: My Cocker has had his first bacterial infection. The lab determined it is staph and he has been on amoxicillin/clavulanic acid for 1 month with no improvement. What should be the next step? Once resolved, what would be the best preventative regimeen? G.B., Destin, Florida Answer: Your vet may need to re-examine the dog and possibly run a culture and sensitivity test to be sure the staph is susceptible to that particular antibiotic. You may have already done this, but if not it is worth a try. Trying a different antibiotic that was also susceptible may be an alternative. Often, an ear flush (flushing out the debris and infection in the ear canal) is done under sedation as well as applying topical AND systemic (oral) antibiotics may be necessary. If the inflammation is bad, then a dose of an antiinflammatory may be necessary to help the ear heal. Some animals may have underlying allergies, hypothyroidism, foreign objects in the ear canal, or a secondary yeast infection on top of the bacterial infection or may even be the cause the bacterial infection. Get back in with these suggestions and get that dog feeling better! Good luck!
Question: My 2 1/2 yr-old Black Lab bitch has lymphodema (not lymphoma) and has been prescribed steroids. After 2 days of this drug she is limping on her right back leg. There is pain also in there somewhere. Is this a side effect of steroids? Please, any help would be gratefully received. D.P., Trinity, Jersey, Channel Islands. Answer: In my collection of books,
I could not find a discussion on lymphodema (I have seen it and
read about it in humans, though). The question you have about
the steroids, then, I cannot answer. I would need to know the
cause of the lymphodema (usually from a lymph node removal or
problem with the drainage system of the lymph glands or thoracic
duct in humans and cats). You may want to ask your vet who diagnosed
the lymphodema if this is in fact related to the underlying problem?
I don't see limping as a side effect of a steroid injection,
but may be a joint problem, muscle problem (did the dog get an
injection of a steroid in that area?), or nerve problem if the
other problems are related. I'm sorry I can't be more specific,
but without seeing the animal or a complete physical, blood work,
test results, etc. it is very difficult to say whether the steroids
are implicated or not. 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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