week 1 - Apr 09
Q: Hi my name is Nancy, and I am really concerned about my 8 month old hamster Moonlight. Moonlight has had a swollen eye for 4 weeks I called Valley Animal Hospital and they said it would cost 43$ to get her in and I don't have that kind of money. What do I do I don't want her eye to shut. Their is no medicine sold in any pet stores either.
Nancy, Merced
A : In mild cases of an irritation or a mild conjunctivitis, bathing the eye with saline may help, however as you said it has been swollen for 4 weeks, I would suspect there is a more serious problem occurring. Most eye drops are prescription only and cannot be purchased without a prescription from a vet.
Q: My dog is 25 or more lbs and I want to give him revolution. On your website it says to give them virbac every 3 months with it. However, I only saw virbac for up to 22lbs. Is there a higher dosage for virbac? Or is there another intestinal wormer I should give him with revolution?
Nicole, Vassar, IN
A : You will need to give more than one tablet for dogs over 22lbs. The tablets are scored so that they can be broken in half. You would give one and a half tablets for your dog every 3 months.
Q : Hi Our Vet just told us that our Lab, Giz tested positive for Lyme during his blood test. We were told only to bring him back in three months for another test. I feel we should be treating him?
John D, North East PA
A : Fortunately, we don’t have Lyme disease here in Australia where I am based. I have managed to research the disease for you and found some interesting information. The majority of dogs that test positive for Lyme disease will not develop the disease. Approximately 10% of positive dogs will show signs of the disease. If your dog starts to show any signs, you should definitely start treatment immediately, however information from the Virginia Veterinary Medical Association says on their website “If a dog is positive that was previously negative, treatment may be indicated, but in an asymptomatic dog treatment will not cure the infection.” This is based on information from Animal Health Diagnostic Lab at Cornell University.
Q: would it be ok to put front line plus for cats on a 4 month old puppy.
Marlene, Long Beach, CA
A : There is no problem using the cat Frontline on a puppy up to 16.5lbs. You would need a higher dosage for pups over this.
Q: My cat Jasmine has come down with rhinotrichitis. My 19 year old male cat Jinx had it the last 2-3 years of his life. I gave him a human antihistimine-Tavist- per a suggestion on a pet vet website....didn't do much. Tavist is no longer made --substitution was Chlortrimitron, which is what I'm giving Jas. She's still sneezing and has a constant runny nose. What is the approved med for this disease and do I have to go to my vet to get it?.
Joan U, Milwaukee, WI
A : There is no one medicine used to treat rhinotracheitis in cats. The medications used depend on the clinical signs and the duration of the disease. Medications for the treatment of rhinotracheitis can include antibiotics, eye ointments, antiviral medications and decongestants. The disease usually lasts for about 10 days but in some cases a chronic rhinosinusitis can develop. Treatments for this disease include antibiotics, Lysine and steroids. In some cases, antihistamines or decongestants are administered. The most appropriate medication should be determined by your veterinarian depending on the signs that your cats are showing.
Q: I was wondering how often do a dog need parvo shots?
Patty S, Slyvania, GA
A : The number of shots a dog requires depends on the vaccine used. Some vaccines need 2 or even 3 shots initially as puppies and then once every year thereafter, however there are vaccines available that only require one shot as a puppy and then a booster once every 3 years. You should check with your vet to determine what the appropriate regime is for your dog.
Q: I have a 10 year old golden retriever. lately he has a problem getting around. I am sure it's arthritis. What can i give him?.
John L, New Jersey
A : The most common cause of difficulty in older dogs is arthritis that develops in the hips and other joints. There are a number of supplements that help with this problem. These are supplements which contain glucosamine and chondroitin such as Sasha’s Blend powder, Joint Guard or Glucosamine tablets. These supplements have been shown to reduce pain and inflammation, stimulate healthy joint function, protect cartilage and stimulate healthy joint fluid production. Most dogs show a noticeable improvement on these products
Q: what is the difference between heartguard and heartguard plus chewables for dogs.
Richard W, USA
A : Heartgard is available in 3 different presentations. Heartgard Tablets, Heartgard Chewables and Heartgard Plus Chewables. The Heartgard Tablets and Heartgard Chewables contain Ivermectin and are for the prevention of heartworm only whereas the Heartgard Plus Chewables contains Ivermectin and Pyrantel, which prevent heartworm and treats some but not all of the intestinal worms such as roundworms and hookworms. It does not treat whipworm and tapeworm. I recommend an allwormer, for example Drontal, Popantel or Canex tablet administered every three months according to the weight of the dog, for dogs on all three versions to ensure complete internal parasite control.
Q: Revolution for dogs only show up to 85 pounds, my dog is about 115-120 lbs would that require the use of 2 doses?
Darryl, Beeville, TX
A : Yes you can apply 2 doses at the one time. Many pet owners use a syringe to measure out half a dose (2cc.) from the second pipette of the Revolution for dogs 40.1 to 85 pounds, and save the rest for the following month. Fortunately, Revolution comes in a screw top pipette so that it can be used again providing that it is stored in a cool, dry place.
Q: I have an 11 year cat that just recently started hiding under the bed and will eat very little food. Has lost weight and he has a lower than normal body temp I have taken him to the Vet and he tells me he finds nothing wrong with the cat. He admits the cat is sick but cannot find the problem. He said I could have some very costly test run on the cat that may or maynot show the problem, which I cannot afford. I don't want my cat to die. Can you help me? Thanks
Mae M, Columbia, SC
A : I would suspect the problem is either behavioral or medical. A cat that hides a lot may be due to fear, a new cat in the neighbourhood, different people in the house etc. Any medical condition that would make your cat feel unwell could cause him to hide. I would recommend taking him to another vet for a second opinion.