Week 3 - Jan 09

Q: My dog, Kodiak, will not eat her regular dry dog food. She used to eat it, but has become rather picky and only eats dog treats and canned dog food (and any people food that is offered to her). Please provide advice on how to get her to go back to eating her dry dog food. Thanks 
Christna M, PN (question of the week)

Q: I have a17 year old female beagle. Our vet says she has arthritis in her hip. They said she could be treated with Duramax. I see where I can get Sasha 250g from Pet Med. Is this a comparable medication and would it have the same effect. 
Frank B, Louisburg, KS

A: I think that medication you mean is Deramaxx. Deramaxx is an anti-inflammatory medication belonging to the NSAID or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug family of drugs. Sasha’s blend is a natural supplement for dogs high in glucosamine and chondroitin and other ingredients which have joint protective properties. Sasha’s Blend aids in the control and management of dogs with arthritis, but it is not a medication. The two can be used together and often when used together the dosage of the Deramaxx can be reduced.

 

Q: My dog is a Springer spaniel mixed she's probably 8-10 years old ..she is having problems get up the basement stairs...i usually have to carry her up..what is the best meds i can give her..probably arthritis..thanks?
Cindy, Pigeon, MI

A: Arthritis is a common disease in older dogs and one of the first signs is difficulty in getting up or climbing up stairs. There are several treatments that you can give for this condition. The two main groups are the natural supplements such as Joint Guard, Sasha’s Blend or glucosamine tablets which contain glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM, Vitamin C and other ingredients proven to support and maintain joint health and help in cases of osteo-arthritis or degenerative joint disease. The other main treatments are the NSAID ( Non Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs) such as meloxicam, caprofen and deracoxib. These medications are effective and have few side effects. These medications are prescription only medications so you will need to visit your vet for these.

Q: I have a golden retriever/black lab mix female who is 12 years old. She is having trouble getting up. Is it ok to give her enteric coated aspiriin or do I have to give her the more expensive medication specifically for dogs?
Linda, Las Vegas, NV

A: Aspirin is used to treat arthritis and degenerative joint pain in dogs, although it is not recommended by many vets, as there are several medications which are more suited for dogs such as meloxicam, caprofen and deracoxib, which are more effective and have fewer side effects. The standard dose of aspirin is 5 to 10 mg/lb of body weight twice a day and should always be given with food.

Aspirin, like many NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) can cause serious side effects including vomiting, loss of appetite, depression, lethargy, diarrhoea, kidney, liver problems and ulcers. You should always consult with your vet before administering aspirin to ensure that this medication is appropriate for your dog.

Q:We have 2 cats and a dog. Both cats live indoors, the dog only comes in at night or bad weather. The problem is a few months ago, we became infested with fleas. We are in the process of trying to fix that situation now. We have had an exterminator come twice. We also have put the pets on medication. At some point there has been a lapse in something, because the fleas are back. My issue now is that one cat has become extremely unsociable and hides all day. His fur is also coming out in patches. He also is losing weight. I am wondering if this is caused by a flea allergy or is it something worse? He constantly scratches and has even been bleeding in spots. Will the medication even help him at this point? I feel terrible, but he won't even let us near him anymore. Also, what is the most effective flea bomb you are aware of?.
Samantha, AL

A: It is very probable that the change in his behavior, the weight loss, hair loss, itchiness etc is all caused by the fleas. The first thing you should do is work on the flea control. I’d recommend using one of the better topical flea treatments such as Advantage, Frontline Plus or Revolution on your cats.  I have had a number of customers who tell me that they are finding that Frontline Plus is not working as well as it once was. For your dog you may like to consider k9 Advantix or Permoxin spray. These are very effective but cannot be used on cats as the active ingredients are very toxic to cats. You should frequently vacuum all carpets and rugs, set off the correct number of flea bombs for the size of your house, wash the animals’ bedding frequently. I’m not familiar with the flea bombs available but try to use one that has an IGR or insect growth regulator in it, such as methoprene. The IGR will stop the flea eggs from hatching.

Q: I have a bullterrier that is 10 months and his tail is getting very dried with no hair. What kind of medicine can I put on him so it can be back to normal? 
Robert D, Idaho

A: The vaccinations you require depend on where you live, but commonly include vaccination against Canine Parvovirus, Canine Distemper virus, Canine adenovirus and Rabies virus. Most vaccines are prescription only medications so are only available through your veterinarian.

Q: Have a 14 year old schnoodle diagnosed with incontinence. Vet put him on Ipron but it is not working. Even increased the dosage. Any other suggestions or is it time for me to consider putting him to sleep. Dog is still active otherwise?
Dottie E, Ocala, FL

A : That medication is probably Proin which is phenylpropanolamine. There are a few other medications available to treat this condition. If one medication does not work, it is worth trying a different medication. A common medication that is used to treat this condition is DES or diethylstilbestrol. Another is imipramine which is often used in combination with Proin. Alternatively surgery may be effective in some dogs. When medication does not control the condition, diapers are available made especially for this purpose.
 

Q: I have a 9-month-old Chorkie. I bathe her every 10 days to 2 weeks. My husband says this is too frequent. My mom says this is just about right for a small breed. Who is right.
Shelly S, Rich Lake, WI

A: There are no hard and fast rules about how often a dog needs bathing. It is generally accepted that bathing once a month is fine for most dogs. In between time brushing will help maintain a healthy coat. If a dog has a medical condition or has rolled in mud or something smelly, or your dog develops a strong ‘doggy’ smell, bathing more frequently may be required, however bathing more often then once every 2 weeks can strip the oils from your dogs coat and actually make the coat less healthy. Humans can tolerate harsher detergents than dogs skin can and human shampoos have a different pH level to dog shampoos therefore you should only use a shampoo developed for pets. I would not recommend not bathing more often than 2 weekly and using a properly balanced pet shampoo such as the Aloveen Oatmeal shampoo.

Q: : I have a chihauhau/dashaund mix that is 9 weeks old and i am tring to find the best flea med. there is.So my question what would you recommend to be the best flea med
Laura, Yuba City, CA

A: I would recommend one of the better once a month ‘spot on’ type treatments. Revolution is a very good product. It is safe and effective. It will also control heartworms so their is no need to also give a separate heartwormer and it conveniently comes in sizes suitable for small dogs and puppies.
 

Q: My dog has what they say is old eyes. is there anything for this?
John N, USA

A: By ‘old eyes’ I suspect you are talking about a greyish/whitish change that occurs to the lens in older dogs. This condition is known as Nuclear Sclerosis and is due to a hardening of the lens. This condition usually only results in a slight decrease in vision and does not require any treatment in most dogs. If the lens becomes very opaque and interferes with a dog’s vision, surgery is available to remove the lens similar to surgery available for humans.

Q:Hi, I was wondering if the popantel for cats is only a preventative or if they already have worms it will kill them and prevent it as long as I treat them every three months? I tried looking up information about it but I counldnt find anywhere that said if it was just a preventative. Thanks for your help =)
Kayla, KS

A: The Popantel tablets will kill any worms that are present at the time that the tablets are given. In this way they are similar to Drontal and other wormers. They don’t actually prevent worms for a period of time, actually none of the wormers work this way. Worming every 3 months is an accepted regime to control worms in most adult cats, however in some circumstances more frequent dosing may be required.