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  (through 4/15/01) By Dr. Kelly Brodnik 1) Dog Needs Medical Attention for Weeping Wound Question: My dog has a nabscess on his side that is weeping blood. We need some help in curing this problem. Should we be washing this area and if so with what? We have a cream to put on it but it seems to be getting worse. If you could give us an idea on how to help him heal it, it would be great. Thanks, Shirley, Summerside, Canada. Answer: This dog needs some immediate
medical attention. Any time there is an open wound or bleeding
there is the possibility of infection and untreated infections
can lead to life-threatening septicemia (bacteria in the bloodstream).
Causes of weeping wounds can be more than just abcesses such
as mast cell tumors, foreign bodies, cysts, etc. You need to
find out why the wound won't heal and get your dog on an appropriate
treatment plan. Good luck!
Question: My cat constantly coughs up hairballs. What can we do to stop this behavior? J.C., New York, New York. Answer: First, you must rule out vomiting vs. hairballs and your vet will be able to help you with that. If the problem turns out to truly be hairballs, there are many over-the-counter remedies that can be used with the advice of your veterinarian based upon his/her knowledge of how severe your cat's condition may be. Grooming frequently (brushing and combing) your cat's fur will help eliminate excess fur (and any other cats in the house as they groom each other often). There are special diets available now with hairball remedies in them as well as gels, treats, etc that can all help. Good luck and get your cat in today for a checkup.
Question: My puppy is a 3.5-mo-old female Lab. She has a green vaginal discharge after she pees. What can be causing this? She is on amoxicillin and it continues, does not seem to help. M.A., Weaverville, North Carolina. Answer: If she hasn't been checked
by your vet yet (I am assuming she has hence the antibiotics)
she should be. Your vet may want to evaluate her for a simple
urinary tract infection, congenital urinary problems, or puppy
vaginitis. I have treated vaginitis before with antibiotics and
the use of vaginal douches (made by your vet). Often, they generally
don't clear up until they are spayed which she could be spayed
any time now if you are not breeding her. Do get her in for an
exam and evaluation for the problem if you haven't already. Good
luck! It isn't a bad idea to have a reference around about puppies
and potential medical problems, check out: Guide
to Owning a Labrador Retriever : Puppy Care, Retrieving, Training,
History, Health, Breed Standard (Re Dog Series)
Question: I have a puppy who is about 4-5 months of age and I am curious to know about how old a dog will be when it reaches it's adult size and weight. Can you please tell me? S.E., Coos Bay, Oregon. Answer: The age at which an animal
will be at approximately its adult size and weight depends alot
upon what breed it is. Many large breed dogs do not reach their
full size and weight until they are adults (about 2 years of
age). Medium dogs will reach their full size and weight at about
1 year. Smaller dogs can reach their full size (but often not
their adult weight) when they are about 6-10 months of age. The
same is true in cats of different species, as some are normally
larger (Maine Coone Cats) vs smaller cats (Siamese). If you want
some sort of estimate of size and weight check out the breeds
that you think your dog is (or is mixed with if mixed breed)
and estimate an average size. For more information on breed standards,
check out: The
Akc's World of the Pure-Bred Dog
Question: I found the dog (Pomeranian) several days ago and I am still checking for signs for him but none have been put up. The dog seems to have a sneeze and I took it to a local vet and he prescribed an antibiotic along with another drug. I looked online and saw some postings that said that this kind of dog often sneezes. I was wondering if I should discontinue the medication because the dog dislikes it and it causes diarrhea. The sneezing seems to be heaviest and loudest in the morning. Hya, Brooklyn, New York. Answer: You should NEVER discontinue a medication that is prescribed for your pet without discussing it with the vet that put the animal on the medicine. Your vet needs to recheck this dog and find out why the treatment is not working. Sneezing can be caused by severe dental disease, foreign objects lodged in the nasal cavity, viral, bacterial, or fungal infections, as well as allergies or other problems. The dog needs to be evaluated as well for the diarrhea since it is a stray and may also have a parasitic infection or it may be a result of the medications. Either way, the dog needs a recheck exam. Good luck!
Question: My 2-yr-old spayed Siamese female is yowling all of the time and it is driving us crazy. Why does she do that? M.E., Canada. Answer: To be on the safe side, you should provide your cat with a routine physical examination to rule out causes of medical problems such as anything that could be causing the cat pain. Common problems are urinary tract infections, upper respiratory infections, intestinal obstructions, parasites, etc. Once your cat is deemed to have a clean bill of health from your vet, then you may just associate it with a behavioral problem or its breed. Some breeds, such as yours (Siamese) tend to be more vocal than others, but you must be sure your cat is not trying to tell you something.
Question: I have a female Yorkshire Terrier who is 2.5-yrs old. I brought her to the groomer and learned she was menstruating! I know it would happen but everyone is telling me that its time to get her neutered (spayed). I am so afraid because she is so small she is only about 3-4 pounds and very fragile and delicate. Can you please shed some light as to what you suggest I should do? What do they actually do to her? How much does it cost? Thanks. A Deeply Concerned Mommy, Hollis, New York. Answer: Yep, it is time to get her spayed. Actually, she should have been spayed as a puppy (anytime after 12 weeks of age). She will go into estrus (menstruate) every six months if you don't. Each time she increases her chances of developing tumors later in life or life-threatening infections of her uterus, called "pyometra", as well as getting pregnant or experiencing a pseudopregnancy. Spaying involves an abdominal incison and removal of her uterus and her ovaries, a procedure that normally takes about 1/2 hour-1.5 hours depending upon whether she is in estrus. This surgery is done under general anesthesia so she doesn't feel any pain and she is monitored closely by the vet and the nurses (technicians) and she may have to spend the night to allow recovery. Most dogs do very well with this surgery despite their size and that proper precautions are taken. Make an appointment as soon as you read this.
Question: My bird (Conure) only eats seeds in his diet and a friend told me this is not good for him. What do you suggest? W.P., Littleton, Colorado. Answer: Most of the birds I see have
problems that can be related to malnutrition. First you must
research the type of diet that is normal for your pet bird (based
on breed) and then try to provide a similar diet. Some birds
are nectar eaters only, while some will forage for all types
of foods. Conures generally forage for all types and a well mixed
variety of foods is very important. Seed can still be fed but
should only be in moderation (about 1 teaspoon a day). Adding
a commercial pelleted diet (I prefer Zupreem Foods made by the
same people that make Science Diet Dog Food) as well as fresh
fruits and vegetables every day will help. Cereals, bagels, breads,
grains, etc can all be added. Meat should also be fed, but only
kept in the cage when you can remove any uneaten food within
1 hour to prevent bacterial poisoning. Stay away from avocados
and chocolate, greasy foods such as french fries, etc. and try
to feed your bird anything you would eat that would be considered
healthy. My conure enjoyed raspberry yogurt, mozzarella cheese
(low fat), crackers, Cheerios, pizza, cooked and uncooked spaghetti
with or without sauce, and just about anything I gave him. It
is actually very fun to try new foods, but remember you must
try often enough and leave it in there long enough for him to
become curious and want to try it. Never take the seed away completely
in the beginning as some birds may starve themselves to death
out of fear of trying new foods. For more information on bird
diets, check out: The
Conure : An Owner's Guide to a Happy, Healthy Pet (Owners Guide
to a Happy, Healthy Pet)
Question: I just noticed my dog has some kind of growth directly on her eye that looks like a boil or wart. Could you please tell me what this is and what I can do for her? Thank you very much. K.L., Knoxville, Iowa. Answer: The growth should be evaluated by your vet immediately. It can be a sign of injury to the eye or may be an infection caused by bacteria or a virus, or may be causing her some problems with pain or with her vision. You also want to be sure the "growth" is not affecting how her eye closes and the protection her lids provide by being in the way depending upon the location of the mass. Please get her in immediately.
Question: My puppy (Shetland Sheepdog) had an adverse reaction to his puppy shots (given without leptospirosis). Will he be able to complete his shots? What are the ramifications of stopping after second shots? R.P., Framingham, Massachusettes. Answer: Your vet will still be able to vaccinate your dog but the dog may have to be "pretreated" to avoid a severe allergic reaction and observed for a couple of hours following the administration of the vaccination. Your vet may also elect to spread out the vaccinations over a couple of weeks to try to determine which vaccine the dog is allergic to. In most cases, dogs are exposed to lots of other dogs in their lifetime and they will need to be protected from life-threatening viruses such as canine parvovirus, canine distemper, and rabies (by law in most states). Your vet should be able to help you plan a vaccine schedule in which your pet can be safely given vaccines and properly observed and monitored in a hospital or clinical setting. Good luck! 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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