Frequently Asked Questions
Why do dogs eat grass?
Truthfully, this is a question with no known answer. Even veterinary
nutritional experts do not know the answer. There are many theories,
however, including dietary mineral deficiency, inadequate fiber, nausea,
inflammatory bowel disease, and others. Many people report that when
their dog seems sick, he goes to the backyard to eat grass, and then
vomits. But which comes first...the stomach upset or the eating grass?
Certainly a stomach full of grass will lead to nausea, but this doesn't
mean that a dog intentionally meant to induce vomiting. It's actually
quite unlikely that a dog can make that many intuitive leaps in logic
(hmm...I feel bad...I should vomit...Grass makes me nauseous...I'll eat
grass to make me vomit!). The most likely reason a dog (or sometimes a
cat) eats grass is that there is something about the taste that is
appealing; perhaps the grass is bitter and tangy.
When do dogs/cats come into heat?
Female dogs usually come in heat (estrus) twice a year; on average
the heat cycle takes about three weeks to complete. Female cats are
different; they come into heat seasonally. Cats cycle at approximately
21-day intervals during the spring, summer, and fall.
What can I do about my dog eating poop?
The ingestion of fecal material, termed coprophagia, can be a
frustrating problem for dog owners. There are a few documented medical
reasons for coprophagia: pancreatic disorders, intestinal malabsorption
disorders, diabetes mellitus, and others. In many dogs it is unclear why
they like to eat stools, but it may just be one of those weird dog taste
preferences. Treatment depends on whether the coprophagia is purely a
behavioral problem or is a symptom of an underlying medical problem. For
those dogs displaying feces ingestion for what appears to be behavioral
reasons, your veterinarian may prescribe a product that changes the
taste of stools, making it unpalatable.
Can I give my pet Tylenol?
No! Cats and dogs should never receive Tylenol (acetaminophen) for any
reason. Acetaminophen is very toxic; just one tablet can cause anemia,
bloody urination, and liver disease, possibly resulting in death. In the
case of ingestion, a veterinarian should be contacted immediately.
I forgot to give my dog his heartworm preventative pill on time; what
should I do?
Both Heartguard Plus and Interceptor, the most common oral heartworm
preventative products, should be given on a monthly interval. If the
dosing interval exceeds one month (30 days), the efficacy of the
products can be reduced. For optimal performance, the medication should
be given once a month on or about the same day each month. If treatment
is delayed, whether by a few days or many, immediate treatment with
Heartguard Plus or Interceptor and resumption of the regular monthly
dosing regimen minimizes the opportunity for the development of adult
heartworms.
What can I do to treat and/or prevent dental disease in my pet?
The most effective preventative measures we have identified are the
following:
1) Dental Treats and Chews - Abrasion from chewing mechanism cleans soft
plaque off tooth surface.
2) Brushing of Teeth - Abrasion from brushing helps remove plaque and
bacteria and massages gum tissue.
3) Dental Cleaning / Polishing - If the plaque has progressed to tartar
and gingivitis, a dental cleaning / polishing will remove the buildup
and help to reverse the degenerative changes.
Now that we've had the first frost, it's OK to stop the topical flea and
tick treatment, right?
It seems that the ticks are very hardy creatures and will persist
even after we have a frost. In fact, over recent years, we have found
that the HEAVIEST tick activity is September and later. A General Rule
of Thumb is to apply topical tick control ANY month of the year that you
can see mud, muck or grass anywhere on the ground - even if there are
snowbanks!!
I've heard that chocolate and antifreeze are toxic to pets, anything
else around the house that I should be aware of?
Grapes and Raisins – It has been noted that ingestion of
grapes or raisins in dogs can lead to acute kidney failure. The toxic
substance has not been identified, but it has occurred in both
store-bought and homegrown grapes and in all regions of the US. The
toxicity has occurred when variable amounts have been ingested, so it
does not appear to be volume related. Usually, vomiting is the first
symptom, followed by loss of appetite, diarrhea, lethargy and abdominal
pain. If ingestion is noted, inducing vomiting followed by
administration of activated charcoal is recommended. Intravenous fluid
therapy for a minimum of 48 hours is performed, with daily bloodwork to
assess kidney function. If bloodwork stays normal for the first 3 days,
prognosis is good for recovery.
Xylitol Sweetner – sugar-free products sweetened with the product
Xylitol can cause a profound lowering of blood sugar in dogs, leading to
neurologic signs (especially a sudden onset of seizures). If not showing
signs, inducing vomiting and feeding frequent small meals or oral sugar
supplementation can manage symptoms. If symptoms are apparent,
intravenous fluid therapy and dextrose administration are needed.
Potassium levels are frequently affected and need to be managed also.
My neighbor said her dog had a "new" heartworm blood test this year.
What is that?
For the past several years, we have been performing a "3DX" test
which detects heartworm infection and antibodies to Borrelia burgdoferi
("lyme disease" bacteria, carried by the deer tick) and Ehrlichia canis
(carried by the brown dog tick). Recently, the "4DX" test has been
released. This test also detects antibodies to Anaplasma phagocyophilum,
also carried by the deer tick. There is evidence of increasing incidence
of infection with this bacterium, and it is estimated that up to 25% of
deer ticks can be "co-infected", meaning that they can carry and
transmit both Borrelia and Anaplasma. Symptoms of Anaplasma can include
fever, lethargy and swollen, painful joints. There are also changes seen
in the blood, including anemic and/or low platelets count. This new
richettsia is treated with the same antibiotic as is used to treat Lyme
bacteria, so we have been treating it in the past without being aware of
the infection.
A piece of glass cut my dog’s foot and it’s bleeding like crazy. What do
I do?
Feet have a very good blood supply, and most cuts do bleed
profusely. It’s best to get a towel or bandage and wrap the foot up for
transport to the hospital. DO NOT APPLY A TOURNIQUET! If applied
incorrectly or for too long, they can cause serious damage.
I pulled a tick off my dog, now there is a lump where the tick was. Did
I leave part of the tick in the dog?
Ticks secrete a substance that helps to "cement" themselves into the
dog while they feed. This substance can cause local tissue inflammation
resulting in a swollen area where the tick wasremoved. This lump will
generally resolve in 2-3 weeks. If your dog has a lump that is growing
quickly, draining fluid, or is painful to the touch, we recommend that
it be checked by a veterinarian.
My neighbor's dog was just diagnosed with "Lyme Disease". What does this
mean?
A positive Lyme test does not necessarily mean a dog has Lyme
disease. Lyme tests are measures of a dog's antibody to these bacteria.
About 20% of the dogs in our practice are Lyme positive - meaning they
carry antibody. Only a few (less than 1%) actually gets clinically ill
from the Lyme disease bacteria. Signs of actual Lyme disease are fever,
anorexia, swollen and painful joints (polyarthritis) and / or a host of
other signs related to specific organ dysfunction if they occur.
The most common situation is a positive test in a healthy dog, meaning
exposure. This does mean you have ticks in your area carrying Lyme
bacteria and you should protect your animals against ticks with
Frontline Plus, Advantix, Preventic collars (available at our hospital).
You should always protect yourself and your family! We also
recommend treating positive dogs with at least one 30 day course of
Doxycycline (an antibiotic). Lyme vaccinations increase the dog's
immunity so it is better able to fight future infection. We recommend
Lyme vaccines in all dogs because of the high rate of exposure in our
area, preferably before exposure, but any time is acceptable.