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Week 3 - Oct 08, Weekly Ask a Vet Q&A

  • Q: I have a 10 month old Dalmatian called Pepper. She has a 'rash' mainly concentrated just below the top of her back on either side. She is on Advocate - and has no fleas, and rarely scratches and the area in question does not seem to bother her greatly. The cause seems to stem from when she occassionally gets a small hard lump (around the size of a mozzie bite - but not a mozzie bite) which clears in a day or two, but the skin where the lump was will then be bare and the follicles from hair coming off on the spot will have dark markings on the end (where as other shedding hair does not). A large patch of the hair around these spots is off colour (browny-orange) and does not wash clean. Overall the area looks moth-eaten - but there is no spot that is so bald as to show through the overlapping hair. The skin surrounding the 'bump' does not appear inflamed or red and the 'bump' is not overly red either, the skin is never broken but sometimes appears flaky. I have been using Malaseb antibacterial shampoo and Aloveen leave in conditioner. Neither of these have improved or worsened the area. Her diet is Eukanuba puppy with a small portion of fresh meat mixed in as well as training treats that vary but are preservative free.
    Jenny, Brisbane, QLD, Aus (Question of the Week)

  • A : The symptoms that you describe sound very much like a condition known as Superficial Bacterial Folliculitis. The condition shows up in a particular way in short haired breeds and commonly occurs in Dalmations. Shorthaired dogs with this condition often have patchy hair loss, tufts of hair raised above the coat surface and/or reddish or brown “staining” of white hairs. The back is often affected, there is thinning of the coat and the coat is often described as “moth eaten”.  Treatment involves oral antibiotics for three to four weeks or longer, depending on the response and antibacterial shampoos. The Malaseb is a good shampoo to use for this condition. Often the condition is secondary to other conditions such as an allergy. Supplementing the diet with a fatty acid supplement rich in omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids such as Mega-Coat may help.
     
  • Q: We took in two abandoned kittens 4 months ago. They are well and healthy. Now we want to get them spayed. The Vet wants to charge extra ($30) each if he uses an IV on them during the surgery. Is the IV on healthy 5 mo. old kittens necessary? We will pay for it if it's important for their safety during surgery, but since we have several pets, we are trying to keep the costs down. We don't want to be taken advantage of. Thanks so much, Sincerely
    Ellen U, Clark, NJ
  • A : IV fluids are given to cats while under the anesthetic to help prevent kidney problems. This is quite important for older cats under anesthetic which are more at risk of complications. For young healthy animals I would not say that IV fluids are necessary for the majority of animals unless the vet had a specific concern with a patient. I would phone around a few different vets to find out their recommendations also.
     
  • Q: I have a 6 year old cat that is named is jerry, he is big for his size, yesterday he had a seizure and last vavlue movement and peeed on the carpet. We been giving him a cup of food each day? Is that to much or do we have to reduce the portion of food? I'm very worried about my cat, Please Help
     Susan, Maryland

  • A: If he has any more seizures I think it best you have him checked by your vet. If he is overweight then you will need to reduce the amount of food that you are giving him and at the same time encourage him to exercise more. Try reducing his food down to 2 thirds of a cup a day or try a diet food. To get him to exercise more try getting him to chase balls of paper or wool, or shine a light from a torch and let him chase the spot of light around.
     
  • Q: We have a pit and, he has a bad rash on his back near the rump and all down his tail. He constantly chews at it. The vet said he is allergic to fleas. I can't afford to take him to the vet all the time so, is there a cheaper remedy for his skin solution.? We do treat him for fleas but, it seems we just can't get rid of them. Thank You
    Michelle, IN
  • A: For dogs with a flea allergy dermatitis (FAD) you really need to get the fleas under control. I usually recommend one of the better once a month treatments such as Advantage, Advantix, Revolution or Frontline Plus for flea control however for dogs with FAD I recommend the Permoxin spray.  With this spray you mix it with water and place in a spray bottle. Spray your dog daily for 14 days. Usually you will see a significant reduction in fleas in that time. You cannot use this product on cats though – it is very toxic to cats.

    A fatty acid supplement rich in omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids will reduce your dogs response to the allergen (flea saliva). You should consider starting on a fatty acid supplement such as Mega-Coat.
     
  • Q: My dog has been having an ear infection for mos. We have taken her to the vets and given her antibiotics, nothing seems to work, is there anything stronger that we should give her, can we buy this online.
    Annie, Concord, CA
  • A: Some ear infections can be difficult to clear up. For infections that do keep reoccurring, it is best to have a culture done of the ear to determine the actually organism involved. This infection is then treated with the appropriate antibiotic. These antibiotics are prescription only medications which require a prescription from your vet.

    Once the infection is under control, there are a few things you can do at home to minimize the chance of the infection coming back. You should clip the hair around the ear canal and on the under side of the ear to allow air to circulate around and keep the ear dry. You should consider using an ear cleaner such as the Professional Groomer Ear Cleaner. These products do more than just clean the ear. They help dissolve the wax and clean the ear but as they are also mildly anti bacterial they reduce the number of bacteria in the ear and also dry the ear. You should not use the ear cleaner when your girl has an infection – she will need antibiotics to clear that up, but once clear you should use the ear cleaner 2 to 3 times a week and every time after she has a bath or goes for a swim.
     
  • Q: My cat is infested with deer ticks. I have been using Frontline Plus monthly which I purchased from VetShop Online. My vet says this is the proper product and I should try putting it on the cat twice/month while tick infestation is heavy. I'm not all that sure that this is the right product. Despite the information at VetShop Online the box I received has no claim at all that it treats ticks. Do I have the right product for my poor cat?
    Linda, New Hampshire
  • A: Your vet is correct in saying that the Frontline Plus is the correct product and to use it twice a month while the tick infestation is heavy.  When you received your order, there should have been an insert explaining about our Frontline Plus

    Frontline® Plus for Cats is registered for the control of fleas and all stages of deer ticks (the major carrier of Lyme disease), brown dog ticks, American dog ticks and lone star ticks in the US. This product is sourced from Australia and is not registered for the control of the ticks found there, so no mention is made of ticks on the packaging. The product has exactly the same ingredients as Frontline® Plus for Cats sold in the US so it will cover ticks here.

    Directions: To kill fleas and all stages of deer ticks (the major carrier of Lyme disease), brown dog ticks, American dog ticks and lone star ticks. Hold applicator upright and snap applicator tip away from face and body. Place applicator tip through cat's hair to the skin level between the shoulder blades. Squeeze applicator, applying entire contents in a single spot to the cat's skin. Avoid superficial application to the cat's hair. Only one applicator per treatment is needed.

    Frequency of application: Research demonstrates that Frontline® Plus kills fleas up to six weeks and ticks for at least one month. A once monthly use is recommended where there is a high risk of reinfestation, if the pet has fleas, which may cause flea allergy dermatitis, or in situations where tick control is needed. When used monthly Frontline® Plus completely controls both flea and tick infestations. In areas with less severe flea infestations or in areas where ticks are not a threat, Frontline® Plus can be applied once every six weeks. Frontline® Plus remains effective even after bathing, water immersion, or exposure to sunlight. Avoid contact with treated area until dry.

    Active Ingredients:
    9.8% Fipronil (100 g/L) & 11.8% (S)-Methoprene (120 g/L), 78.4% Inert Ingredients (780g/L)

  • Q:My eleven year old mixed terrier (35 kg) who is healthy and in good shape was chasing a squirrel on pavement and came up lame. It looks like she pulled a hamstring or a muscle in her left back leg. This was on Sunday. She can put weight on it, however she is favoring her three other legs and has severely reduced mobility. What do you suggest as a remedy. Ice or heat, massage, aspirin? Please advise.
    Nick, Port Robinson, ON, Canada

    A : It’s a bit hard to say what the exact problem is. A pulled hamstring is not that common, I would suspect a joint or ligament problem. If there are any swellings then ice for the first day can help, followed by heat. Massage can help as long as it does not cause pain. If it doesn’t improve over a few days, I’d suggest that you take her to a vet for a check up. 
     
  • Q: I have a minature poodle who is now 15 years old. She has been showing signs of getting old now for 2 years. She has started going potty in her pet taxi also, so far that is just urinating and I cant let her have the run in the house no morebecause she will also have bowel movments on floor. She also is grouchy most of the time, she dont see well, and cant hear. any suggestions on what to do with her. At night she dont want out of the pet taxi to go out to potty, I have tip it to to let her slide out. This dont help the sitituation either. Thanks for any help
    Laura, IL
  • A : There is a condition similar to dementia in older dogs called Cognitive Dysfunction. The signs are similar to what you would expect with dementia and include general confusion, vocalization at inappropriate times, sleeping during day and staying awake at night, soiling inside the house and personality changes. There is medication available called Selegiline that helps reduce the severity of this condition available from your vet.
     
  • Q: It's about my cat, I am worried about, he's getting thin day by day and he only eat chicken food. We tried so many times to give another variety but he doesnt eat. he'His nose is always wet and urinate everywhere. His muscle too is now weak and I dont know what to do. We dont have pet vaccines or hospitals in this country. Your great help would be much appreciated...really am counting on you.
    Zadha, Maldives
  • A : It is very difficult to know what is going on with your fellow without a proper examination. Have you tried worming him? Intestinal worms are very common and lead to weight loss. You can use an allwormer tablet such as Drontal or Popantel. Some cats do become fussy and only eat one kind of food. To encourage them to eat other food you need to mix a small amount in with the chicken, slowly increasing the amount over time once he gets used to the taste.
     
  • Q: HELP!!! I have three dogs of various sizes , 1 -80 lb. boxer,1 -15 lb. jack russell, and 1 - 120 lb. bloodhound. I have been using advantage on them faithfully , every 30 days but they still have fleas. I have owned my dogs for six years and have never had a flea problem before this year. the digging is driving me crazy so I can only imagine how my poor dogs feel. could you PLEASE tell me that there is hope for them and me? thank you . sincerely val, morgan and mocha.
    Val, Mayfield, NY

    A: This year has been a particularly bad year for fleas. I haven’t heard of any resistance to the Advantage, however when there are very large numbers of fleas hatching, I believe the Advantage may be a bit ‘swamped’

    In very bad flea infestations I recommend the Permoxin spray. With this product you mix the concentrate with water and place in a spray bottle. Spray the dogs daily for 14 days. You should see a significant reduction in fleas in that time. You cannot use this product on cats though – it is very toxic to cats. Once the fleas have been brought back under control then you can continue with the Advantage. I also recommend treating the fleas in the environment as well as on the pet. So this would usually involve using a flea bomb in the house and a yard spray outside. There are environmental sprays available which contain an IGR or insect growth regulator which will stop the flea eggs from hatching. With the spray you will be able to treat the areas such as pet bedding where the animals spend most of their time.
     
  • Q:  My cat is 5 years old, weighs 15.5 pounds and uses the Revolution from your store on-line. Question is what else does she need for other worms as I quit giving her Heartgard??? 2. What is the consistency of the 2 types of hairball medicines you have? 3. How are they applied?? 4. Any preference which one to use? 5. How often will I need to give it to her? 6. Thankx.
    Pat M, Thompson's Stn, TN
     
  • A : The Revolution covers fleas, heartworm, intestinal worms (roundworms and hookworms) and ear mites in cats. It does not cover tapeworm so it is a good idea to worm with a separate tapewormer such as the Virbac tapewormer once every 3 months. As the tapeworms are spread by fleas, and the Revolution covers fleas, they should not occur in any great numbers, however it is best if you do give a tapewormer. That way you will know that you are covering everything.

    The Cat-Lax gel is a similar consistency to toothpaste, the Cat Lover Cat Laxative and Hairball Remover is slightly more runny, like a thick syrup. The best way is to administer the products is to squeeze directly into the cats mouth, about a one inch long strip. Most cats find the products both quite palatable. Alternatively you can apply the gels to your cats forearms, where they will lick it off. Both are affective. The Cat Lover Cat Laxative and Hairball Remover is more of a generic version and is a lot more economical but still works well. Most long haired cats will need a dose about 2 to 3 times a week to prevent hairballs..

 

 

 

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