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My cat Sam was crying when he went to the litterbox. I’ve noticed him jumping in and out of the litterbox more often lately. I took him to the vet and she said he had FLUTD and put him on a special food. What is that? [ click here ]

FLUTD stands for Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease. This is a group of problems noted in both the male and female cat. The most common symptoms noted by the owner are straining to urinate, blood in the urine, "housesoiling" which includes peeing in unusual places such as in the bathtub or sink. Cats may have recurring episodes of blood, crystals or small stones in their urine that cause irritation and the symptoms noted above. The most severe symptom in the male cat is being unable to urinate ("Blocked Cat"). Usually the owner will notice that their cat is straining to pee and/or crying when in the litterbox. This is always an emergency and if you suspect that your cat cannot urinate, help for your cat should be sought immediately. The veterinarian may pass a urinary catheter to relieve the obstruction and to empty the bladder. There is no one cause of FLUTD, often the exact cause of the syndrome cannot be determined even after urinalysis (test on the urine), bloodwork, x-rays (to look for bladder stones) and cultures to look for an infectious agent. Treatment for cats that have any of the FLUTD symptoms usually includes a special diet and medications. The vet will need to re-evaluate the urine periodically to monitor progress. It is important to follow all your veterinarian's recommendations in this complicated syndrome to prevent recurrence and keep Sam happy and healthy.

My two year-old dog Max vomits and has diarrhea a lot. I am beginning to think it may be related to the food I am giving him. He seems to vomit at night after getting the dinner scraps. Then he gets diarrhea with a slimy film on it. Sometimes he has accidents in the house. What should I do? [ click here ]

Many dogs and cats cannot eat the same things that we eat. Acute or sudden-onset vomiting in the dog or cat can be caused by numerous things including obstruction (secondary to a foreign body), infection (due to viral or parasititic organisms) and toxins (such as radiator fluid and household plants). Pets that chronically vomit (daily or weekly) require specialized testing as part of a complete evaluation by a veterinarian. These animals may need long term medications and prescribed food to control the vomiting. The most common cause of acute vomiting and diarrhea in the young pet is what is generally referred to as “dietary indiscretion”. Dietary indiscretion is when the pet eats something not usually consumed by the pet. Some examples of things that can cause problems include, table scraps, garbage, dead or decomposing animals, grass, feces, treats and other things that are not part of the pet’s normal diet. Pets with dietary indiscretion often vomit for 12-48 hours, do not eat well and then get diarrhea. The vomit often contains what they should not have eaten, bile and fluid. The diarrhea is watery with mucus (slimy film) and sometimes blood. Your pet can have pain in the abdomen and will become dehydrated if the vomiting and diarrhea are protracted. Other organs can be affected by dietary indiscretion including the pancreas, liver and kidneys. Your pet can become significantly ill from eating things that should be off limits. Take Max to your veterinarian when he has vomiting and diarrhea. There are treatments and medications that can control vomiting and diarrhea to prevent it from worsening. The best treatment for dietary indiscretion is to avoid the problem in the first place. Do not give Max any more food from the table! Feed a quality pet food and limit the treats. Make sure he does not roam loose or have access to garbage or decaying food. Controlling what goes into Max reduces your time spent cleaning up after him later.

When I took my three year-old Golden Retriever, Maxie, to the vet for her annual visit, the vet said she is fat! I don't think there is a problem because Maxie is very active and we go for long walks every day. What is the big deal about being overweight? [ click here ]

Obesity and overweight issues are an 'enormous' problem for our pets! Many pets have trouble exercising enough each day to burn all the calories consumed. It is important to feed only the amount of food recommended with minimal treats on the side. The best rule of thumb for pets is NO HUMAN FOOD treats! An animal that is overweight or obese (15% or more over ideal body weight) is at risk for more health problems including heart disease, thyroid problems and diabetes mellitus. There is more wear-and-tear on the musculoskeletal system too. The spine, hips, knees and elbows have to work harder with each stride your pet makes when it is overweight. This, unfortunately, will cause more problems with arthritis and/or ligament problems. We find more problems in all our overweight pets, but the problems are worse for the medium and large breed dogs. Please follow Maxie's veterinarian's diet and exercise recommendations and try to get Maxie down to her ideal body weight. Maxie and you will notice the benefits over the long term!

My dog Holly is scratching again. It seems that every year in July she is itchy and has bare patches. My vet said the cause could be infection, fleas, allergies or low thyroid. While we are waiting for the blood test results for the thyroid, what should I do? [ click here ]

There are a number of reasons that dogs and cats itch. Often when animals itch, they cause secondary infections (pyoderma) in the skin due to their teeth and claws. The skin can be itchy from the dried saliva after licking and skin infections themselves are itchy. The tricky thing for owners and veterinarians to figure out is why the animal is itching in the first place. Many pets have problems with fleas and ticks. Fleas on the pet and in the house cause itchy skin, infections, allergic reactions and intestinal parasites. Every pet owner should use some form of flea and/or tick prevention on a regular basis as part of their well-pet program. Allergies are common in dogs and cats. Some allergies are due to things in the environment, such as pollens from trees or grasses, contact irritants or from something in the food. Inhaled allergens (like hayfever in people) can cause runny eyes and sneezing, and often pets will break out in an itchy rash. Inhalant allergies (also called atopy) are seasonal and will often recur each year at the same time. Abnormal thyroid levels in pets can make them susceptible to recurring skin infections. The important part of treating an itchy pet and controlling skin infections is to stop the itch so the pet will stop injuring itself! To give your pet some relief while waiting for the blood test results you can (with your veterinarian’s approval) give your pet a bath to wash off the dried saliva and cool the skin. You can get an Elizabethan collar (plastic cone-shaped collar that fits around the head) from your vet which prevents your pet from chewing itself and protects the head from being scratched by the paws. Make sure to give the medications exactly as prescribed. Determining the cause of skin problems in pets can be frustrating as there are often several ongoing causes at once. Your vet may recommend various treatment protocols or a referral to a specialist (Dermatologist). So, if Holly is still itchy and having problems, please take her back to your vet for more testing and treatments.

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