Question:

I adopted a 1-1/2-year-old calico cat from a shelter. She needed to be spayed. I chose to take her to a "state of the art" vet hospital instead of the shelter. The day after she was spayed, she went into "heat" -- she rolls, meows, etc. The vet performed an ultrasound, which showed nothing. He suggested exploratory surgery with no guarantee this could be corrected.I have had many female spayed cats, and nothing like this has ever occurred before. The cat meows all hours of the night, and I lose many hours of sleep. What do you think?.

S.K., Albany, NY Jan 28, 2007

Answer:

Both cats and dogs, after being spayed properly, do sometimes go into heat. Fortunately, this is extremely rare.The reason most often given is that a remnant of so-called aberrant ovarian tissue (possibly a microscopic fragment that separated from one of the ovaries during early embryonic development) became activated after the ovaries were removed. This is because the pituitary gland sends out more ovarian stimulatory hormones as a reaction to the neuroendocrine feedback system being disrupted by spaying.This tissue sometimes becomes cystic and so may be easily found and removed surgically. Alternatively, treatment with progesterone, which bears some risk, may help subdue your cat for some time.

Question:

I have a 4-year-old Rottweiler mix. He''s a great dog in every respect and a part of our family.My problem is that, lately, he smells extremely unpleasant. When we first noticed the smell, we found a scratch on his neck and assumed that it had gotten infected. We took care of the scratch, and he seemed to be getting better. Then it started again -- even worse than before. We found a sore on the other side of his neck and took him to the vet. He gave us some antibiotics and told us it was a skin infection. The sores have since healed. It''s been well over two months now, and we thought the smell was getting less noticeable.But now he smells so bad we don''t even want to be in the same room with him. He is ruining our furniture and carpets, and we just don''t know what to do. I would hate to get rid of him. I absolutely can''t even think of doing that, but my entire house smells just awful, and I am embarrassed to have company.Do you know of any reason for this, and is there a cure? We bathe him every week, but he

M.C., Stratford, CT Jan 28, 2007

Answer:

I come from the old school of veterinary medicine that recognizes the importance of using our senses, including sense of smell as well as common sense, in diagnosing and treating our animal patients. A recently bathed animal who stinks is clearly not well.Instinctively, a bad smell means something toxic is going on. So your dog should be given a thorough clinical evaluation. The article on my Web site, www.doctormwfox.org, titled "Endocrine-Immune System Disruption Syndrome (EIDS)," may help guide you through detox steps for your dog. Preparing a homemade diet as per my basic recipe for dogs and cats on this Web site may help your dog -- and help your family enjoy his presence in your home.

Question:

I have a poodle that I''ve had for two months. He is going to be 2 years old in February.My problem is that he goes to the bathroom in the house every time I leave the house. As long as I''m in the home, he is fine. I keep him in the kitchen when I''m gone so he won''t mess in the other rooms.What can I do about this? I love him so much, but I''m getting very upset with him, too.

A.F., Schenectady, NY Jan 28, 2007

Answer:

You are not alone with this dilemma. Most often, dogs become house-soilers because they suffer from separation anxiety: They get very upset when left alone. Taking your dog out for a walk just before you leave might make a difference.While a short course on a mild anti-anxiety drug, like Xanax, may help, first try leaving a radio or television on so he feels less alone. Put a disposable urine pad on the kitchen floor.Buy him a small kennel or crate that you can encourage him to lie in, and keep it in the living room when you are home. Occasionally, hide treats and toys under a towel or blanket in the crate. Make him feel like it''s his den. Put it in the kitchen when you are away. The den may help him feel more secure and make his house soiling a thing of the past.

Question:

My daughter lives in North Carolina and just had very expensive landscape work done. She is experiencing a problem with geese. They walk and relieve themselves all over the lawn, which creates quite a walking problem. Can you suggest a deterrent that will not harm the geese but will keep them off the landscape?.

L.M.B., Forestville, Md Jan 28, 2007

Answer:

Like deer, Canada geese have become a problem in many areas, in part because we have altered their natural habitat, and this has changed their normal migratory behavior and increased their numbers. They can be a year-round problem in places where they used to come only during the breeding season.Landscaping with extensive lawns is attractive to them. Lawns should be a thing of the past, especially when lawn chemicals, which should be outlawed for environmental and health reasons, are applied routinely.Either string fishnet above the grassy areas or, better still, replant with indigenous plants to attract other wildlife and turn the expensively landscaped property into a more natural sanctuary. Think "wild," and let the geese become part of your landscape, with some gravel areas where you can walk and they will not graze and poop, and import some decorative rocks, hardy shrubs and decorative grasses. The less you have to mow, the better.

Question:

I have a 4-year-old German shepherd, and he has hip problems and arthritis in his back legs. I realize this is quite common in these breeds. My vet gives him Rimadyl for pain. I only give him one tablet about three to four times a week because I was told it has negative side effects on the liver and kidneys. I also give him yucca, an herbal potency pill for pain.Can I give him one or two aspirin per day, two or three times a week, alternating with the Rimadyl?.

E.K., Poughkeepsie, NY Jan 28, 2007

Answer:

Many dogs suffer from painful arthritis, which can reduce their activity levels and cause them to gain weight, which only aggravates the problem.Your dog needs a soft sleeping pad, attention to his diet (if he''s overweight) and regular walks (four to five times a day). I would phase out the Rimadyl, not give him aspirin and put your dog on glucosamine-chondroitin and MSM (methyl sulfonyl methane) capsules. A daily massage (as per my book "The Healing Touch for Dogs," Newmarket Press, 2004) will also help improve your dog''s quality of life. Massage therapy is an integral part of holistic medicine and can be coupled with acupuncture treatments, which help many dogs like yours.

Question:

Although I have many concerns about animals, there's one that really bothers me. Although Springfield, Va., is now more of an urban area than suburban, I continue to see people driving pickup trucks with their dogs in the open truck bed. This really upsets me, and I have seen it in my neighborhood. Just a few days ago, when the weather was fairly warm, I saw a man with a large dog (a Rottweiler mix, it appeared to be) drive past my home going well over the 25 mph speed limit. As he went around the curve, he hit a pothole, and the dog lurched forward. (I just closed my eyes.) Luckily, the dog managed to catch himself, but it would have been a very sad ending if the dog had broken his neck or had otherwise been seriously injured. Please tell me why people are so thoughtless. Isn't there a law to protect animals from this kind of idiocy? And if there isn't, can't one be put into place? What kind of recourse would I have if my passengers and I are traumatized by having to see a poor dog bounced out of a truck.

M.A., Springfield, Va Jan 21, 2007

Answer:

Macho men in their pickup trucks think it's cool to have one or more dogs in the back. All too often, they have their dogs free rather than tethered, which would prevent them from falling out on a fast turn or sudden acceleration. Drunken drivers are problem enough, but those on the road with dogs unsecured in the backs of their trucks put other drivers at risk, as well as their dogs. They are an abomination. I confronted one recently backing out of a parking lot and politely told him that I've seen dogs fall out and get injured or killed. He assured me that he thought his dog was OK, had never tried to jump out and that he would think about tying him up in the back next time. Every state should pass vehicular and road-safety laws to make it a moving violation to have an unsecured dog in the back of a pickup truck. And there should be severe penalties for having a secured dog in the back of a pickup truck in the pelting rain and in subzero temperatures, as I have witnessed from Maine to Minnesota.

Question:

We have a golden retriever mix (Sheeba) that has had a severe skin condition since this past March. She has had two biopsies, and both indicated allergies (allergic to certain elements in dog food), so I have been making homemade dog food. She is also allergic to grass, weeds and trees.She''s taking DepoMedrol injections, which give her relief for about two weeks, and then the intense itching returns. Her skin has black scaling spots, and when we started her on the allergy serum, the spots started to come off with raw, bleeding skin underneath. She went downhill after several serum shots, and we haven''t been able to get her back to the point where she was before the serum.The vet says there''s nothing more she can do. Sheeba has seen four vets, and our present vet has consulted with experts in Raleigh, N.C. No one has seen anything like this. The vet indicated we might need to decide to put her to sleep. I''m not opposed to this if there''s nothing else that can be done.If there were anything you could suggest,

K.G., Hendersonville, NC Jan 21, 2007

Answer:

Your poor dog, judging by the photos you sent, is indeed in a tragic state. Treatment with prednisone may give temporary relief, but it will worsen the problem because your dog''s immune system is clearly compromised.You did not say whether the veterinarians ruled out Cushing''s disease and hypothyroidism. Those are the first things to consider and are two endocrine diseases all too common in older dogs.Postscript: I telephoned K.G. to learn that her four veterinarians never considered the above, or that allergies are a symptom and not a primary cause of disease. Sheeba suffered a stroke on prednisone medication and was euthanized.

Question:

Recently, I have seen several columns in which you mention annual immunizations, and you believe they are not needed for elderly pets.I have three elderly indoor-only cats. Whenever I take them to the vet, they insist the cats receive full vaccinations or they will not treat them.I''ve looked at your Web site, but I don''t see anything addressing this issue. Could you please explain, in simple terms that I would be able to convey to my vet, why you feel that vaccinations are unnecessary and even dangerous for elderly pets like mine?.

L.M.W., Minneapolis, MN Jan 21, 2007

Answer:

Some veterinarians (for reasons of belief if not for money alone) are still insisting that cats and dogs should be "up-to-date" on their vaccinations and have annual booster shots.But they are not up-to-date on the vaccination protocols that more informed and responsible veterinarians are now following. Rabies vaccinations are the only exception because they are mandated by law in most states. But they can be waived by veterinarians who can certify that an animal is too ill or infirm and thus at risk from being vaccinated, and has zero risk of exposure because the animal in question never goes outdoors.Check my Web site at http://www.DrFoxVet.com/info/Cat-Vaccination-Protocols-Services (click on the link "Cat and Dog Vaccination Protocols" in the "Companion Animals" subsection of "Essays, Reviews and Articles" on the home page) for further information on the new minimal vaccination protocols for dogs and cats established by the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association. Your cats do not need any more vaccinations unless mandated by

Question:

I have been reading your column for several years and, as an evangelical Christian and animal lover, my question is, on what authority do you base your belief that animals are not inferior to us humans?.

K.M., St. Louis, Mo Jan 21, 2007

Answer:

Arguably, more harm than good has come in the name of religion (not just Christianity) to animals, nature and the environment. Harm has also come to people whose beliefs are contrary to those who seek to convert, control and exploit them through indoctrination, intimidation and the paternalistic, patronizing promise of "saving their souls."My "authority" is based on the heart''s core of Christianity and other religious traditions (that have been perverted for human gain) promoting love and respect for all of God''s creation, whom we are to serve -- "to dress it and to keep it" (Genesis 2:15, King James version).For more details, see my book "The Boundless Circle" (Quest Books, 1996). Our fellow animals are neither inferior nor superior to us. They are simply different, but, like us, they have lives of their own, and therefore interests. In terms of our "duty of care," as the new British Animal Protection Act refers to human responsibilities for animals'' health and welfare, these interests are animals'' rights.E

Question:

Three months ago, I adopted a dog from my local animal shelter. They said he was a mix of German shepherd, collie and possibly Great Dane, approximately 7 years old. I fell head over heels in love with this gentle giant but soon found out he had ear infections, and I started a course of treatment with a veterinarian.Last Saturday night, right after he ate dinner, he started acting like he was going to throw up and seemed very uncomfortable. Nothing came up, but he couldn''t seem to lie still for very long. After watching this for a short time, I took him to an emergency veterinarian, who told me he was suffering from bloat and needed surgery right away. They said the surgery and hospital stay would cost between $2,500 and $3,500. Since I am a widow raising three teenagers, the price was very high to me and, with all he''d gone through, I decided to put the best thing that has happened to us in the last year to sleep.Now I grieve more for this dog than I do for my husband. Do you think I made the right choice?

J.M., Lincoln Park, MI Jan 21, 2007

Answer:

I share your grief, knowing how agonizing such a financial and emotional decision must have been for you. The symptoms you describe should be read by all, since often the seriousness of this condition is not always recognized, being dismissed as acute indigestion that will soon pass.Deep-chested, big dogs are especially prone to bloat. Preventive measures include feeding three to four small meals a day and not allowing strenuous physical activity or drinking a lot of water soon before or after eating. Also avoid exposing bloat-prone dogs to emotional distress, such as having an in-house dog caregiver when you must travel rather than putting the dog in a kennel, where separation anxiety could trigger bloat, as well as any change in diet and feeding regimen.The one consolation is that, despite the expense, your dog would most likely have gone into shock and never recovered from emergency surgery.