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Sudden death

Species: dog | Category: other | Submitted: 24-Sep-07 | viewed 41428 times

Judy asks:

Yesterday, we left our lab in our fenced in area to play for a few hours. It was a nice day with no humidity. When we came home, he was laying on his side. And couldn't get up. His skin felt warm on his belly, we wiped him down with a cool cloth, we were so panicked and crying hysterically because we didn't know what was wrong. Within minutes, he died in front of us. His tongue turned purple instantly. We are sick and confused over this. He was only three, updated on all of his shots and on heart guard plus preventative since he was a puppy. He was a large lab though. Do you have any idea what could have happened to him?

Samantha says: I am so sorry to hear about your dog. There are several possible causes of sudden death and it is not easy to say what would have caused it. He could possibly have had a brain haemorrhage or some sort of cardiac problem (heart attack). It could also have been heat stroke if he had no access to shade. It may be possible to find out more by having a post mortem examination done. Sometimes what can seem like a sudden death is actually a problem which has been subclinical (inapparent) but present for some time prior to death. There is no way that I can really say what it is most likely to have been, but I do offer my condolences at this very sad time.

Keiko sick

Species: dog | Category: medical-surgical | Submitted: 23-Sep-07 | viewed 41081 times

Randy asks about Keiko (dog - Boston Terrier, F) (age 3 years, 2 months):

I have a 3 year old Boston Terrier. Yesterday morning she broke out in bumps all over her body; they went away a few hours later. She still has some visible red spots but they are not raised bumps. Since then she has not been eating, has been vomiting and has diarrhoea. She drinks water but has typically vomited a little bile afterwards.

Samantha says: Obviously it is impossible to make a specific diagnosis over the internet but I would be suspicious about a possible allergic reaction to something. Could she have eaten something unusual? Whatever the problem is, this sounds as if it could be a problem if it is left untreated and I think you should seek veterinary care and attention for your dog as soon as you can.

Cat Dribbling (A Lot)

Species: cat | Category: general | Submitted: 22-Sep-07 | viewed 37439 times

Steve asks about Cole (cat - not known, M) (age 4 years, 4 months):

I have noticed today that everywhere my cat has been sitting is a damp patch. He is dribbling all the time at the moment and hasn't eaten properly this morning. This has only started happening since yesterday evening.

Samantha says: It could be many things including painful teeth, a foreign body stuck in the mouth, an oral tumour or irritation of the mouth caused by some substance your cat has come into contact with. I know that some users of this website are from foreign countries (this is a UK site and I am a UK vet) if you are from a country where rabies is a possibility this should be considered too; you should take great care and not handle your cat until rabies has been completely ruled out. I would suggest you contact your local vet for a proper diagnosis to be made.

Toilet training

Species: dog | Category: behaviour | Submitted: 21-Sep-07 | viewed 38363 times

Violetta asks about Benjy (dog - Jack Russell Cross, M) (age 0 years, 10 months):

My 9 month old dog is still not toilet trained. We live in flats and I take him out as much as possible, he will generally urinate outside but usually does his poos back upstairs. He mainly does this when we shut him in the hallway whilst we have dinner, at night and after his morning walk whilst I get ready for work. I really don't know what to do about this and it is really getting me down. Help!

Samantha says: It does sound like a difficult problem. Firstly consider if your dog has any problems with his faeces- are they loose or runny? Does he have problems with constipation? If so get these problems sorted out first- he may benefit from a visit to the vet or change of diet if these things are a problem. Feeding a good quality diet which is highly digestible may also decrease the fecal volume- which might help.

Your dog is also still quite young and may not be able to control his urges too well- one of my own dogs was not fully house trained until he was a year old when I lived in a flat. This was because he suffered from bowel problems anyway and he did not have good access to a garden at the times he needed it. I know how difficult it can be.

Try to time his walks so that he is most likely to need to defecate while he is outside. It sounds as if he needs to go in the morning and evening/night and not too much during the day. If this is the case it may be related to his feeding times. Do you feed him after his walks? Often the act of eating will make defecation more likely so always feed him before his walks. He might need to go out first thing in the morning- when he is likely to need to urinate, then come back to have breakfast, after which he could be taken for his main walk before you go to work. Likewise if you feed him early in the evening and then take him out for a couple of walks just after feeding and before you go to bed. It is just a suggestion, but if you try to work things out with his timings of eating and walking it may help.

The other thing to consider is if anything has happened which would make him frightened or nervous of defecating outside. It could be something as simple as a car backfiring and scaring him once when he was passing faeces outside- often dogs are scared of really strange things- just like children can be.

If nothing seems to be working it would be worth finding a good animal behaviourist in your area who will be able to take a detailed history and hopefully help to overcome these difficulties. Do it sooner rather than later because the longer these problems go on the more difficult they are to sort out generally.

Broken Nail (paw)

Category: general | Submitted: 21-Sep-07 | viewed 35902 times

Taymaz asks:

My dog stepped on something and his toe is broken from the middle and he is hurt. What should I do? The nail is still on half way.

Samantha says: Broken nails are very painful for dogs and the problem will be even more painful if the toe is also involved. (I am not quite clear about if you think the actual toe is broken or just the claw). Pain and possible infection will be the main problems which need to be addressed (by a vet who is local to you and can examine your dog to find out what the extent of the injury is). Treatment may involve cutting the nail back so that nothing is left hanging, possible bandaging or sutures, antibiotics and pain relief could also be required. Treatment will obviously depend upon how serious the injury is and could be very simple or more complicated, but you really do need to take your dog to your vet so that these decisions can be made.

Anal secretion

Species: dog | Category: general | Submitted: 18-Sep-07 | viewed 37525 times

Kerrie asks about Willow (dog - not known, N) :

When Willow sits on us, sometimes she leaves small, dark, wet patches on us which smell really bad. She is due her second season but it does not appear to be blood. We think it is probably coming from her anal glands. Why is this and do we need to get it looked at?

Samantha says: It does sound as if it could be her anal glands. These two glands are situated close to the anal ring and are designed to be emptied during the act of defecation. If for some reason the process of emptying them is inefficient (often due to soft stools), then the anal glands may become blocked and possibly leaky as you describe. It is a problem which should be addressed, since if left, the blocked anal glands can form abscesses and eventually rupture. There is also the slight concern that it could be something more serious such as a vaginal or uterine infection (which can be fatal) as well as other less common problems such as a rectal tumour etc. Please do take Willow along to your local vet for an accurate diagnosis and any appropriate treatment.

Eye Problem

Species: cat | Category: medical-surgical | Submitted: 18-Sep-07 | viewed 37165 times

Jamie asks about KiKi (cat - Domestic, F) :

I put a flea collar on my cat and after that I noticed her eye is pink/reddish and she either holds it half closed or all the way closed. I was looking at it and it looked like her eye lids are inflamed. Any way to know what this is? Could it be the flea collar?

Samantha says: It may be conjunctivitis which is an inflammation of the membranes around the eye. This type of problem can have a variety of causes including allergies and infections. It is possible that your cat is reacting badly to the flea collar. However, I would think that such a reaction would be most likely to affect both eyes rather than just the one. You could try removing the collar and see if the swelling goes down after a while without the collar on. If that does not work fairly quickly I would recommend that you do get her seen by your own vet. They will be able to check that it is not a serious problem such as an ulcer or foreign body on her eye and may also be able to provide treatment to soothe the eye and reduce the swelling around the eyelids. If necessary they may also be able to perform various tests to try to find out what the cause of the problem could be.

My kitten can't control his bowels

Species: cat | Category: general | Submitted: 17-Sep-07 | viewed 37358 times

Rob asks:

I have a british blue kitten, 15 weeks old & although he is litter trained, he can't seem to control his bowels. His rear seems to be constantly leaking but he doesn't seem to notice. He only eats dry food at the moment. Please help as he's costing me a fortune in cleaning materials!

Samantha says: It sounds as if your kitten may have diarrhoea. This is a common problem in young cats and should be taken seriously since it can lead to dehydration, poor growth and possibly even death in severe cases. Your kitten could have an infectious problem (so take care with hygiene since some problems, such as salmonella for example, could be passed on to humans) or it could be something like a dietary intolerance. Another possible explanation could be a problem with his anal glands.

In this situation your kitten really does need to see a vet who will be able to help by treating the symptoms and hopefully will be able to find out what is causing the problem.

I know it can seem expensive to take your cat to the vet but in the long term it may be cheaper than spending all that money on cleaning materials, food which possibly passes straight through your kitten without providing adequate nutrition and ultimately perhaps even losing your pet. I hope things go well.

Cat Breaking Window Blinds

Category: general | Submitted: 16-Sep-07 | viewed 35890 times

MrWhiskers asks:

Please help. My one and a half year old cat likes to get in each of my window sill blinds to look outside and such, and at first it was okay until he started breaking the blinds whenever he gets in them. I'm kind of on a low budget. What are some home-remedies or things that I maybe can do to make sure he doesn't get back in the window. I've tried the water bottle trick, the aluminum foil trick, the lemon juice trick but it doesn't work. He will sneak around whenever I wake up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, I would see him sneak in the window sill blinds again.

Samantha says: It is a bit of a difficult problem to solve. Could your cat be confined to an area where there are no blinds to break? Can you provide different kinds of stimulation which would be more interesting than looking out of the window? Is it possible to let your cat out during the day to explore and exercise? Could any of the blinds be left up so that the cat does not need to get past them? Would curtains be a possible option rather than blinds?
I think the basic problem here is that you have a very young cat, no doubt with boundless energy and enthusiasm for life. Being confined to the house is difficult for these young creatures because they naturally want to get out, explore and hunt- it is their basic nature to do such things. When we confine them as pets it can be difficult because sometimes their natural urges conflict with out own interests- however much we love them.
I would recommend allowing your cat to explore as much as possible outside during the day (if this is an option for you), play with your cat and provide interesting and stimulating games during the evening, before you want to go to bed, (allow a calm down time before you need to go to bed) and then perhaps consider confining your cat to an area where quiet toys can be played with, hidden food could be hunted and one window could be looked out of during the night without disturbing you or breaking things!
Good luck.

Soppy Cat

Species: cat | Category: general | Submitted: 13-Sep-07 | viewed 37034 times

Emma asks:

Unfortunately my cat was killed by a car last week. He was my baby. He was the soppiest thing in the world. In the near future I would like to get a kitten. If I go to a house to see some kittens, are there any signs to look out for to tell if they are going to be soppy cats?

Samantha says: Sorry to hear about your recent loss, your cat sounds as if he was lovely. Remember that he will always have a special place in your heart and you will never quite be able to replace him because he was a unique individual.

When looking for a new kitten you should always look for a healthy animal (never take a sickly one just because you feel sorry for it). Try to see the parents of the kitten, (although often the father may be unknown you should at least be able to see the mother). See how the mother cat reacts to you- does she seem "soppy" in the way you like? If so, her kittens may well have inherited this characteristic too.

Next pick out a kitten you think you may like and handle it gently for a while. Try to find a kitten which is reasonably confident since very shy animals require much more work and may never make good pets however hard you try. If you like the way the kitten interacts with you and you also like the mother, you are most likely to be able to form a good bond with your new pet.

Of course there is no guarantee that your new pet will be as "soppy" as your previous cat and obviously you will never be able to completely replace him, but hopefully you will be able to form another unique relationship with another unique individual in your new kitten. Good luck!

wild mouse

Species: mouse | Category: general | Submitted: 13-Sep-07 | viewed 34695 times

Caroline asks:

Hello, My cat brought in a tiny mouse which I have 'rescued' and put into a shoe box with food and water. It was dragging its hind legs earlier but managed to get around OK. Now it's lying on its side, eyes closed, mouth opening and closing and making 'clicking' noises. Is it OK, or should I do something? Many thanks

Samantha says: Unfortunately it sounds as if this mouse is dying. It may have internal injuries and haemorrhage which you cannot see. If it is still alive and seems to be obviously distressed you could take it to your local vet who will possibly put it to sleep. Many vets will treat wildlife for nothing- check before you go.

Getting another hamster!

Category: general | Submitted: 12-Sep-07 | viewed 35669 times

Lindsey asks:

I have a full grown adult, female, Blueberry Dwarf Hamster that is not neutered. I was wondering if I could buy another hamster, but a new baby one (of the same sex and breed) and put in the same cage with my current hamster! Would this be a good idea or might this not turn out good?

Samantha says: Hamsters tend to be solitary animals and do not really enjoy company except to breed. Hamsters forced into close proximity will often fight. Such fights can be severe with serious injuries and sometimes death resulting from the encounter. I would suggest you do not house the two hamsters together at all, and do not consider getting another hamster unless you are able to provide separate housing for the new one.

puppy habit

Species: dog | Category: behaviour | Submitted: 12-Sep-07 | viewed 36676 times

Lynn asks:

We have 10 day old puppies and they have been sucking each others private parts, is this normal? The females are getting swollen also the mother has no milk, the puppies are on puppy formula and doing well. Any answer would help, thank you.

Samantha says: Just like any other young mammal puppies love to suck. As well as the nutritional benefits of milk (when the mother lactates normally) I strongly believe that there is probably an emotional benefit too. I believe that pups are probably comforted and calmed by the action of sucking just as human babies are- with or without the associated milk. Perhaps since the pups are not able to get milk from Mum their nutritional needs are being satisfied by the formula but not their behavioural need to suck for longer periods of time (bottle feeding is quicker). They are therefore sucking each other. You need to look out for any areas of soreness/ redness etc or pups which seem distressed by another pup's sucking on them- if all seems OK then I would not worry too much about this kind of behaviour in such young animals.

My cat won't eat!

Species: cat | Category: general | Submitted: 10-Sep-07 | viewed 36972 times

Hannah asks about Carla (cat - not known, F) (age 10 years, 9 months):

My cat is 11 years old and last summer she had a kidney stone removed. After that our vet said she needed to eat Kd prescription cat food for the rest of her life to prevent her from getting another stone. He recommended wet food, but she wouldn't eat it so I have been feeding her dry. She's been eating it for about a year, but now she won't go near it. She meows and meows until I put a different kind of cat food in her bowl. She starves herself until I feed her the other food. I tried mixing a little bit of the cat food that she likes in with her kd food, but she will sit there and pick out all of the good food until it's gone. I don't want her to get sick again from eating normal food, but she is starving herself. She hasn't meowed like this in over a year, since before her surgery and I am worried that she is already sick again. When she does eat, she throws up almost every day. I don't know what to do! Please help!

Samantha says: The first thing you should do is to take her back to your vet to be checked. Hopefully your cat will be fine but it would be better to be safe than sorry especially if you are concerned already. Discuss with your vet the problems you are having with the k/d diet- they will be able to help more than I can because they know your cat.

Species: cat | Category: medical-surgical | Submitted: 09-Sep-07 | viewed 38307 times

Richard asks about Karly (cat - not known, F) (age 3 years, 9 months):

Karly is overweight and cannot clean herself. She has a drainage from the anal area that is dark brown. It dries very dark. As my wife says it is like the end of a woman's period. It has a fairly strong odor. She will scoot along using the floor and/or rug to scratch the area leaving brown streaks. She seems to be bothered by this and seems to hide most of the day and has a very pleading meow. We have taken her to a vet several times and they say they think it is a urinary tract infection and have put her on several antibiotics but nothing has done anything. The vet says they don't know what to do. Please help!!!!!

Samantha says: I am sorry about Karly's problem -it sounds uncomfortable. The best suggestion I can make is for you to ask to speak to your vet again about the problem. I am sure your own vet will be able to help much better than I can over the internet, but it may be a more complicated case and require some time. I do hope it all goes well for Karly.

abscessed tooth

Species: cat | Category: medical-surgical | Submitted: 09-Sep-07 | viewed 36491 times

Tim asks:

What can I do for my cat if I just found out she has an abscessed tooth?

Samantha says: There is little you can do yourself- you need to take her to your local vet for treatment.

Feeding a lizard

Species: reptile | Category: behaviour | Submitted: 08-Sep-07 | viewed 34396 times

Mike asks:

I tried to feed my plated lizard a live mouse for the first time (he or she is just over a year old) and it now has a new friend. It has eaten mice before but only dead and by my hand. Can anyone tell me why its not lunch? Is this good for them to live together? Will my lizard get sick, should I leave them together or what? I didn’t plan on having a mouse so it is eating Finch bird seed and the lizard decided that he wanted to try it and chowed the whole bowl is this good for it or not? It is mostly very small seeds and dried fruit and cinnamon. If anyone could let me know the answers that would be awesome. Thanks

Samantha says: Your lizard probably simply does not know what to do with a live mouse and may not even recognise it as "food". In this situation we need to think about the welfare of both animals. It is very stressful for the mouse to live with a predator and it would be humane to remove the mouse and possibly find it a new home. I would not let the lizard eat too much of the bird food- many problems in reptiles are caused by dietary deficiencies and it would be best to keep your pet on its normal balanced diet.

Worm symptoms after already being wormed

Species: cat | Category: parasites | Submitted: 06-Sep-07 | viewed 37097 times

cm asks:

Our cat has just been treated with a worming and flea treatment and he still has some undesirable symptoms. He smells bad and is still dragging his bottom on the ground like it is irritated.

Samantha says: It would be worth taking your cat to your local vet. Worms are not the only reason for this type of behaviour. Problems such as diarrhoea and anal gland impaction could be involved which can cause considerable discomfort. The only way to get an accurate diagnosis and treatment is to get your pet seen by your vet.

Sticky eye

Species: rabbit | Category: petcare | Submitted: 04-Sep-07 | viewed 36293 times

Isobel asks:

Hey! I have noticed that my rabbit has wet sticky fur around his eye. Should I leave it or take him to a vet ?

Samantha says: Yes, you should take your rabbit to the vet. Stickiness/ wetness around the eye is usually due to a discharge from the eye and possibly indicates that there is a problem with the eye itself or associated structures. This type of problem could even be related to the teeth- so your vet does need to see your rabbit to diagnose and treat the problem.

lumps on my dogs face

Category: general | Submitted: 01-Sep-07 | viewed 34003 times

smudges mum asks:

My dog has got loads of lumps all over his face and they are very itchy what could this be?

Samantha says: It could really be anything and you should take your dog along to your local vet since it sounds as if he is in discomfort. Unfortunately it is impossible to make a diagnosis of a problem or suggest specific treatment over the internet. Sorry I can't be more help in this case.


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