All posts by Dr. Marty Becker

Making sure litter boxes pass the smell test

This and That, , , ,

When it comes to bathroom behaviors, cats aren’t much different from humans. All they want is a little privacy, a clean facility, and no surprises. Yet the number one behavior problem that lands cats in the shelter is litter box misfires.

If you cat isn’t using her litter box, the first thing you need to do is take her to your veterinarian for a check up. Some medical problems, like urinary tract infections, will make it difficult for your kitty to use her box.

Once she gets an all-clear from your vet, you need to work out what’s bothering your cat. One thing people often overlook when they’re dealing with litter box problems is smell. Unscented brands won’t give off any smells that bother your feline friend’s sensitive nose, so swap out any perfumed litters with something odorless. What smells “clean” to you can be distressing to your kitty.

You should also consider using open boxes instead of covered boxes, which can trap smells even after a thorough cleaning.

Don’t expect your cat to use the bathroom in conditions that would make you cringe! Making sure litter smells don’t bother your cat will reduce litter box mishaps and keep you and kitty happy.

 

 

 

dog swimming

Sink or swim: How to keep your dog safe in the water

This and That

There are few better ways to beat the August heat than taking a nice relaxing dip in a local swimming spot. Our dogs can benefit from swimming, too! Not only is it great exercise, but many dogs enjoy paddling around a pool or a lake.

Of course, you always need to consider your pet’s safety. Some dogs take to water like champion swimmers while others struggle. Bulldogs, for example, are more likely to sink than swim because of the shape of their bodies, and they should always be closely monitored around water.

Even dogs with plenty of swimming experience need to be watched. If you’re diving into an ocean or river, current changes can sweep your pet (or you) away unexpectedly. It’s also important make sure a dog who is having fun doesn’t become exhausted. Even the strongest swimmers run into trouble when they get tired. If your pup seems like he’s flagging, taking him out of the deep-end and keep the frolicking to a water depth that comes up to your dog’s belly.

If you’re boating, make sure everyone has life vests – including your pets. Several companies make canine life vests that can be a life saver in a dog overboard situation.

In the dog days of summer, it’s great go for a refreshing swim with your best friend by your side. Make sure the trip is safe for people and pooches and have fun!

 

Saliva 911: When your pet’s drooling is an emergency

Veterinary Medicine

Is your pet’s drooling normal for them, or something to worry about?

Some breeds like Basset Hounds, Mastiffs, and St. Bernards are notorious for a deluge of slippery saliva, and some individuals simply salivate more than others.

But not all drooling is normal.

This summer I saw a dog at North Idaho Animal Hospital whose owner brought him in because he’d started drooling, which he usually didn’t do.

Upon examination, I found a bone lodged firmly between the inside sides of the teeth in the upper jaw. It was causing irritation, infection, and a lot of pain. The excessive salivation was just a clinical sign of the inflammation. Once we removed the offending item, the salivation stopped and the dog felt much better.

If you dog doesn’t normally salivate and begins, you should head for the vet. Here are a few of the things she or he will be checking for:

1. Foreign object in the mouth. I’ve taken out shards of bone, splinters, pieces of plastic, toys, toothpicks, fishing hooks, porcupine quills, you name it.

2. Car sickness or other forms of nausea. This can be on long car rides or also shorter ones if the pet is stressed (such as trips to the vet or groomer).

3. Dental problems. These can run the gamut from a chipped tooth, loose tooth, and periodontal disease, to a major abscess.

4. Rabies. While rabies is rare, this is one of the classic signs.

5. Poisoning. I’ve seen this from a pet chewing on an offending or poisonous plant, certain types of medications (both pet prescriptions and human drugs), or from getting into some chemical. If you suspect any type of poisoning, treat it like an extreme emergency and contact your veterinarian or pet poison hotline immediately.

Are your pets really ready for a disaster?

Pet Connection

We’ve learned from countless disasters that people often will put their own lives at risk — and the lives of first responders as well — if there are no options for relocating with their animal companions. Public planning now includes pets, and your own planning should, too. Here are the basics you need to know:

— Have a plan. Prepare for all possibilities, and make sure everyone in your family knows what to do. Try to figure out now what’s most likely for you and your community, and how you will respond. Where will you go? What will you take? You need to get these answers in advance. Get to know your neighbors, and put a plan in place to help each other out. Find out from local shelters and veterinary organizations — and your family’s own veterinarian — what emergency response plans are in place and how you fit into them in case of a disaster.

— ID your pets. Many, if not most, animals will survive a disaster. But too many will never see their families again if there’s no way to determine which pet belongs to which family. That’s why pets should always wear a collar and identification tags with your cellphone number and the numbers of a couple of out-of-area contacts. Better still is the additional permanent identification that can’t slip off, such as a tattoo or an embedded microchip.

Read the rest in this week’s Pet Connection!

sad dog in car

Does altitude change affect pets the way it does people?

Pet Connection

A reader is planning a move that might impact her pets:

Q: We’re moving from Louisville, Kentucky, to Albuquerque, New Mexico. We know people can sometimes have issues with the altitude change, but what about our pets? We have two cats and a dog.

A: Humans and animals can experience physical signs when they go to a higher altitude. Albuquerque’s altitude ranges from 4,900 feet to more than 6,700 feet in the foothills. Signs that altitude is affecting you include tiring easily, headaches and vomiting. Usually these symptoms don’t kick in until much higher elevations are reached — more than 8,000 feet — but it’s not unusual for people and pets to experience milder signs.

To ensure that you and your pets adjust without problems, it’s best if you can drive to your new home instead of flying, says Julia Veir, DVM, an internal medicine specialist at Colorado State University. That will allow all of you to slowly acclimate to the change.

Once you’re settled into your new home, limit physical activity at first to short, on-leash walks. Albuquerque has low humidity, so it’s easy to become dehydrated, even if you’re not sweating a lot. Be sure you and your pets drink plenty of cool, fresh water throughout the day. Encourage your pets to drink with a fountain — cats, especially, enjoy lapping running water. Another good way to get water into them is to feed them canned food.

It’s also a good idea to become familiar with the appearance of your pets’ tongues and gums in Louisville. That way, you will more readily notice changes that might be related to altitude, such as having a blue tinge instead of being a healthy pink.

Take things slow, and you will probably find that you all adjust with little problem. Most important, establish a relationship with a veterinarian before problems crop up.

Read more, including tips on hiking with your dogs, in this week’s Pet Connection!