Section: Veterinary Medicine
Q:
My family has several dogs and I am the one who bathes them. I use washes that are specifically for pets and they can be pricey. I was wondering if it is okay to use a mild soap (like baby wash) instead to bathe them.
A:
I have on occasion advised pet owners to use baby shampoo for their pets. But baby shampoo should not be used all of the time. Human hair and pet hair are very different and therefore require very different shampoos. I would be afraid that baby shampoo use longterm would possibly dry out and irritate your pets hair coat. This could lead to unnecessary veterinary visits. Another concern is over bathing your pet. Most dogs shouldn't be bathed more than every 2 weeks. It is better to bathe them even less often if possible. Cats shouldn't be bathed but every two months or less often if possble. You can minimize the need for frequent baths by doing daily brushing. Brushing helps to remove loose hair and will help to clean your pet.
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Section: Veterinary Medicine
Q:
My friend adopted a feral kitten about 8 months ago. The cat has not adapted to social behavior. Can anything be done to change the behavior?
A:
Your friend has done a very kind thing by adopting a feral kitten. These kittens can be a real challenge. The only thing that can be done is to continue to be very patient with this kitten. There will be more damage done if the social relationship is forced. Your friend should try to start associating contact with this kitten with food.I would suggest that the kittens food be placed in an area that the pet owner will be . Try to ignore the kitten as it comes in to feed. Then as they notice that the kitten begins to come in to eat while they are present start slowly moving the food closer to them. During the first few weeks don't reach to touch the kitten. Once the kitten is trusting of the owner ( weeks to months ), the owner may try to touch the kitten. I wish your friend success and enjoyment of their new kitten.
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Section: Veterinary Medicine
Q:
I have a 3 year old yellow Lab. He seams to shead alot. Im wondering is they are a way to help or control his sheading ?
A:
Yes there are ways to help control shedding . There is nothing that will totally do away with shedding. Diet can pay a large part in shedding . Many diets that have a proper level of omega fatty acids can help to promote a healthy hair coat and therefore help minimize shedding . Good daily grooming at home will help to get rid of the loose hair from your pet. There are several health reasons for excessive shedding , and your veterinarian can help you to put together a plan for diagnosing your beautiful pets excessive shedding . Contact your veterinarian office to make an appointment to discuss excessive shedding . Good Luck
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Section: Veterinary Medicine
Q:
Do you recommend that someone should adopt from the local Humane Society instead of a pet store or indiviual? I have an interest in having a dog again after several years and I hear that all Humane Societies are completely full, but I have also heard that the younger dogs have health problems such as parvo.
We have small children and I fear that we may loose a puppy if we go to the humane society.
We want to help our community's Humane Society as well so that so many are put down.
A:
Yes , I strongly recommend that you consider the local humane society. There are always concerns and possiblities of infectious disease in puppies from some animals shelters. But there are similar concerns from some private breeders as well as pet stores .You should always ask the private breeder , pet store or humane society if they have had any problems with recent parvo disease or other infectious diseases. If they have had recent outbreaks , then I would consider other options for pets for adoption. Our local humane society is very full with pets for adoption, therefore your consideration of one of their pets for adoption would be a great service to our community. I would also recommend that you have a veterinarian examine your adopted pets as soon after adoption as possible. Your veterinarian can review vaccine records and formulate a plan for the remaining vaccines and parasite management that will most likely be needed. Responsible pet ownership is a great lesson that you can teach your children. The local animal shelter and your veterinarian can provide you with great information about how to be a responsible pet owner. Pet ownership does require some risk that we may lose a pet to disease but this risk can be minimized with quality preventative health care and responsible pet ownership.
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Section: Veterinary Medicine
Q:
My cat has stopped urinating in his litter box. Why?
A:
There are a couple of reasons that your cat could stop urinating in the litterbox. These reasons are usually broken down into two categories- Behavorial and Medical. I begin by asking questions such as - How many cats do you have and how many litterboxs do you use? Have you added a new cat to the household recently? How often do you clean the litterbox? These are all issues that could be related to behavorial problems associated with urinating outside the litterbox.Medical problems that could be an issue typically involve urinary tract infections . Your veterinarian will need to perform certain diagnostic test to ruleout an infection . These can include a urinalysis, radiographs ( x-ray ) , and possibly ultrasound . Medical issues that we are concerned with can even include bladder stones and bladder cancer. Most of the time behavorial causes are more common that medical, but you never want to miss a medical cause for which there could be an availble treatment .
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