A: A scratching dog is probably one of the most common reasons why people seek veterinary care in South Florida. The scratching could be caused by a number of conditions including fleas, ticks, allergies to grasses, trees, pollens, etc., mange, food allergies, endocrine problems, and skin infections to name a few. We’ll ask some important questions during your pets’ exam so pay attention to things such as what food you are using, what types of shampoos you use, and what medicines if any have helped in the past. There are many remedies for scratching; most of them are aimed at eliminating the cause and relieving the symptoms. For more information on allergies, which are very common, see Dr. Sheldon’s article Canine Allergies: Art or Science? elsewhere on this web site. Also of interest is his article, The Uses and Abuses of Corticosteroids.

A: Good question! A spay is a complete removal of the ovaries and uterus of a female cat or dog. A neuter is removal of the testicles. Both procedures are surgical procedures requiring anesthesia. You should spay your dog before the first heat cycle which can be anywhere from 6 to 14 months depending on breed. We recommend 6 months of age as the best time. There is a very good reason too; spaying BEFORE the first heat cycle reduces the incidence of breast cancer in female dogs to almost nothing. If you wait until after the second heat cycle the risk jumps up to a whopping 25%! This is a very significant rise. Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in female dogs and it has a 50/50 chance of being malignant. Male dogs and cats should also be neutered early; 6 months is also a good time. FYI, studies done across the nation at Humane Societies have shown no adverse effects from neutering or spaying at an early age; they routinely do them at 8 weeks of age.

A: This is a hot topic among animal lovers these days. We do not feel it is a cruel procedure or cruel to the animals if they are provided a nice, loving, indoor home and only the front claws are removed using the proper surgical technique. We have 4 clinic cats that are all declawed; we would switch lifestyles with them in a heartbeat! For a more detailed discussion see Dr.Dodds’ article The ABC’s of Declawing in this web site.

A: CPR on pets is done very similar to CPR in people. First remember your ABC’s. Establish an open Airway, check for Breathing, and check the Circulation. Then you need to start chest compressions and inflate the lungs. Dr.Sheldon often lectures paramedics and pet clubs on the basics of CPR and First Aid in pets. Check out his articles in this web site Be Your Pet’s Bets Friend: Learn First Aid and Be Your Pet’s Best Friend: Learn First Aid Part 2.Print them out and keep them in a handy location!

A: Either that or he has learned how to read magazines! Spending more time in the litter box usually means one of 2 problems, gastrointestinal or urinary. Both are fairly common. Having problems defecating can mean your cat is constipated; more fiber in the diet is needed. Enemas might also be indicated. This can progress to a more serious problem called Megacolon which may require surgery, so just to be safe have your pet seen by a veterinarian.

Spending more time trying to poop might also be colitis, inflammation of the colon; it is also seen in cats but causes a diarrhea characterized by mucus and blood streaks. Believe it or not it might be caused by stress (or one of 20-30 other causes). Antibiotics and special diets are used to treat idiopathic colitis (idiopathic means we can’t determine the cause). If your cat is straining to urinate he probably has FLUTD which stands for Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease. This is a serious condition and can lead to total obstruction (blockage) of the urinary system resulting in kidney failure and death. See Dr. Dodd’s article, Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease: New Name, Same Disease in this web site.

A: I knew this question would come up sooner or later (hey wait, I wrote it!). Anyway, this is a topic that deserves discussion. No one knows for certain how long immunity lasts in animals (called DOI, or duration of immunity). DOI has not been adequately researched believe it or not. There very well may be changes in the future based on results of current studies being done at some of our major Veterinary Universities. Until then most major universities are not recommending changes in current vaccination protocols. Interestingly enough, the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Canadian VMA, and the American Animal Hospital Association are also recommending no changes until further data is available. An interesting study done at University of Missouri tested antibody titers of every animal admitted to the hospital for a 2 month period and found anywhere between 1/3 and ? were unprotected for diseases like canine distemper and parvo and feline distemper. This was regardless of whether or not the animals were current on their immunizations. However, a problem with just checking antibody titers is that it does not evaluate the other half of an animal’s immune response to diseases which is the cellular component (i.e. T cells, lymphocytes etc). Some further work is definitely needed. Unfortunately, we still see animals suffering from preventable viral diseases like parvo, distemper, and panleukopenia and while we all want what is in the best interest of pets, we certainly don’t want to take any steps backwards. Stay tuned, until then, don’t change that dial (um, I mean don’t touch that remote.