All posts by Dr. Marty Becker

Why I ask you to pray for pets – and my reasons may surprise you

This and That

Why do I ask my followers to pray for pets in trouble? I have several reasons, and I’m betting some of them will surprise you.

First, of course, is because I’m a person of faith and I believe in the power of prayer. I don’t want to minimize that reason, but at the same time, I realize many of my followers don’t share it.

I know that because I receive frequent comments from those followers. Some simply tell me they don’t pray or don’t believe in prayer. Others offer good thoughts, as opposed to prayers. Others indicate that while they don’t pray, they will share the request with those of their friends and family who do.  I respect all of those views, and welcome anyone who loves animals to participate on my Facebook page, regardless of their religious beliefs, or none.

Still other people, however, express frustration with those who pray instead of offering more tangible help, such as fostering or volunteer work or donations. And it’s this last group to which this post is addressed.

Let me begin by assuring you that I believe in active faith. I believe that God helps those who help themselves and others, and I put my time, money, and hard work where my prayers are every day of my life.

But I know some of my followers are facing disability, poverty, and other struggles that make it difficult or impossible for them to donate to causes, build fences for dogs on tethers, or foster pets in their homes. Their prayers are what they have to offer, and I believe they have value and will be heard by the Lord.

But you don’t need to share my belief to find value in their comments about prayers they are offering. Because of the way Facebook works, every single comment made on a post means more people will see that post. Even if you don’t believe in the power of prayer at all, it doesn’t change the fact that those comments drive the post out to more and more people, who in turn will hopefully offer help to the pet in need, and share them with their friends and family.

Of course, I hope you’ll donate, volunteer, foster, and adopt if you can, but know that whether  you can or not, your prayers — and comments and shares — are very welcome on my Facebook page, and provide a form of practical help you may not have known about until now.

 

Can dogs get ear mites?

Pet Connection, Veterinary Medicine

Do dogs as well as cats get ear mites? You bet! Here’s a reader’s question about her dog’s ear mites, and what I had to say in response:

Q: I always thought that dogs didn’t get ear mites, but my puppy has just been diagnosed with them. What’s up with that? — via Facebook

A: It’s true that ear mites (otodectic mange) are more commonly associated with cats, but an infestation of these parasitic insects is one of the most common problems we veterinarians see in puppies and young adult dogs. The tiny critters are easily transmitted between puppies, and they are also contagious between cats and dogs. (Bunnies and ferrets can get them, too.) The general rule of paw is that if one pet in the household has ear mites, all of them should be treated. Otherwise, they’ll just keep passing the bugs around.

If your pup has an infestation, you can bet that his ears are mite-y itchy. Scratching constantly at both ears instead of just one is a good clue that you’re dealing with ear mites instead of an ear infection. Another sign is an accumulation of what looks like coffee grounds in the ears. If you remove a sample and look at it under a magnifying glass, you might be able to see tiny white specks — the mites — moving around. All that scratching can cause your pup to develop red, raw skin or hair loss around the ears, and bacterial infections can be complications as well.

To treat ear mites, your pup’s ears will need a deep cleaning by the veterinary technician, followed by a systemic medication or ear drops prescribed by your veterinarian. Ear mites under attack can flee the ears and move to other parts of the body (they’re especially fond of the base of the tail), heading back to the ears once you’re no longer medicating them. To prevent that from happening, it’s important that your pet be on a whole-body parasite prevention product.

Read more, including about rattlesnake aversion training for dogs, in this week’s Pet Connection!

A pet owner’s guide to deadly mushrooms

Pet Connection, Veterinary Medicine

Few things are as terrifying as seeing a dog in the throes of mushroom toxicity. How can pet owners tell the deadly from the safe? A reader asked me that exact question — here’s her query and my reply:

Q: My chocolate Lab ate a poisonous mushroom and ended up needing five days of hospitalization. What types of mushrooms should I be concerned about, and how can I recognize them?

A: Thousands of the fleshy fungi exist around the world. Only a small percentage of them are toxic or deadly, but that’s not much comfort when it’s your dog who is suffering. Adding to the danger is that mushrooms are difficult to identify; toxic varieties may have only subtle differences from the delicious edible species.

Toxicologists separate toxic mushrooms into eight categories depending on their type of toxin and the effects they produce, according to my colleague Sharon Gwaltney-Brant, DVM, at the University of Illinois. The mushrooms that most commonly kill pets belong to the cyclic peptide group, the best known being Amanita phalloides (death cap). A single mushroom cap can kill a dog or cat. They are found in most areas of the United States and in southern Canada. Other mushrooms that can be deadly to pets — or at least make them really sick — include members of the genus Tricholoma, hallucinogenic mushrooms such as Psilocybe and Conocybe, false morels and members of the genera Clitocybe and Inocybe.

Unless you’re a mycologist (mushroom expert), though, this information probably isn’t going to be of much help to you. The best thing you can do, if you know or suspect that your dog has eaten a mushroom or toadstool, is to seek veterinary help immediately. If possible, bring a sample of the mushroom — either one like it or a piece that your dog has thrown up. Dogs don’t learn from past experience, so if your property has a lot of mushrooms, you may have to limit access to them by having him wear a muzzle when he’s outdoors, or supervise him closely.

Read more, including pet blood pressure and how to get your children involved with animals, in this week’s Pet Connection!

My top tip for litterbox problems in multi-cat homes

Veterinary Medicine
Do you have a cat who doesn’t use the litterbox reliably? Or do you just want to make sure that situation doesn’t arise? You may need my “plus one” rule.

Before I explain, let me add this caution: Many if not most cats who develop a new litterbox problem have a physical condition that requires veterinary care. In other words, if your cat used to be fine with the litterbox and isn’t anymore, go to the vet before trying anyone’s behavior tips, including mine!

Now, back to the “plus one” rule.

Cats require clean litterboxes, which means you need to scoop or change the litter at least once per day. The boxes should be large enough for the size of the cat, and the litter should be unscented. They also need them to be placed in areas where they feel secure — after all, they’re very vulnerable when they’re in the middle of doing their business.

But if your home already meets those needs, the vet can’;t find a medical issue, and the problems persists, then you might just need more litterboxes.

The rule of thumb is that you should always have at least one litterbox for every cat, “plus one.” So if you have four cats, you need five litterboxes.

In fact, this isn’t just a rule if you have a problem; it’s a general rule. One cat needs two boxes. Two cats need three. And so on.

For a variety of reasons, cats are particularly prone to urinary tract conditions of several kinds, but making sure they have plenty of water to drink and plenty of stress-free opportunities to relieve themselves can help prevent or mitigate some of them. Not to mention protect your floors, carpets, and laundry.

So if you’re having litterbox problems, or you just want to prevent them, remember: Plus one!

Dr. Marty Becker and Gracie

Veterinarians: I want to meet you in Los Angeles next week!

This and That

I think most of my veterinary colleagues know I’ve been on a “mission from Dog” to spread the Fear Free® message to our profession. That’s mostly been about the fear the pet experiences, but they’re not the only ones fighting fear. Their owners are, and so are we, their veterinarians.

That’s because our clients want more care for their pets, but are often fearful of cost. That fear can sometimes translate into resentment of their veterinarian – you. This can make the daily practice of veterinary medicine difficult and demoralizing.

The good news is, there’s a path forward into the compassionate, profitable, rewarding practices we all dreamed of when we were new graduates!

If you’re a veterinary practice owner/manager in the Los Angeles area who would like to find out how the combination of Fear Free® veterinary practice and a fresh approach to pet insurance can make veterinary medicine the fulfilling work we always believed it would be, I’d like to have lunch with you on May 9 — and it’s free!

On Saturday, May 9, from 10 AM to 2 PM, I’ll be joining Laura Bennett, FSA, in a free practice roundtable discussion and lunch in Newport Beach, CA, to show you how to ease fear in your clients and grow your bottom line. You’ll get a full belly and actionable information to help you:

  • Understand the revolutionary potential of Fear Free practice
  • Find out the answer to, “What impact does pet insurance have on your practice finances?”
  • Learn how your practice can get started with measurement and analytics
  • Make specific changes, at little or no cost, that will put pets back into your practices

Space is limited — sign up now!

This event is free, and will be held at:

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar
455 Newport Center Dr.
Newport Beach, CA

You can sign up at this link. I hope to see you there, my friends!