Hi Dr. Barchas,

Does my four-year-old standard Poodle really need shots every year?

Michelle
San Jose, CA

Your dog probably does not need vaccines every year. But I don’t know for sure. And neither does anybody else. Vaccines are easily the most contentious subject in veterinary medicine, and there is no simple answer to the question of how often pets need shots.

In fact, the more you learn about vaccines and pets, the more confusing the subject becomes. I have met only two types of people who truly believe that this imbroglio has simple answers: ignoramuses and scoundrels.

There are, however, some principles regarding animal vaccination that apply in general.

1) The most important principle is that no single vaccination protocol is appropriate for every pet. Always talk to your veterinarian before vaccinating your pet, and tailor a protocol that is appropriate for his age, lifestyle, and health status.

2) In general, younger pets need more vaccines than older pets.

3) Although older pets require less vaccination, they need more frequent veterinary wellness checkups. So, although you may decide that your pet doesn’t need shots this year, please don’t use that as an excuse to skip his annual (or semiannual) exam. All pets benefit from regular, high quality veterinary checkups.

4) Vaccines are especially controversial in cats. In extremely rare instances, certain feline vaccines have been correlated with development of a tumor at the injection site. It is always appropriate to discuss this matter with your vet before vaccinating your cat.

5) One of the cat vaccines that may cause tumors protects against feline leukemia virus. However, a recent study suggests that cats who do not receive the vaccine, and therefore contract the virus, may in turn be more likely to develop those same tumors. Therefore, although the leukemia vaccine may contribute to the development of tumors, it may also prevent them by preventing leukemia. Could it possibly be more confusing?

6) Tests (called titers) exist that may, some day, be able to tell whether your pet needs a vaccine at any given time. However, except for the previously mentioned ignoramuses and scoundrels, nobody actually knows how to interpret these tests yet. Therefore, they cannot safely be substituted for a well thought out, individually tailored vaccination protocol.

The debate surrounding pet vaccination may, or may not, be resolved in our lifetime. Until then, my recommendation is that you regularly discuss the matter with your vet in light of your pet’s individual circumstances.

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My dog Ty is an eight-year-old German Shepherd cross. Recently, I have noticed that he has been scratching his ear very often, and now he will squeal as he scratches it. I took a peek at his ear and there appears to be either dried blood or dark ear wax build up, or a combination of both. I cleaned his ear, but it has since returned. Does he need to see the vet ASAP?
Thanks for your help.

Janny
Castlegar, BC, Canada

It sounds like Ty has an ear infection. Ear infections are very common in cats and dogs.

Most ear infections are not contagious. Some animals have a genetic predisposition to ear problems, and will suffer multiple infections during their lifetimes. Others may develop infections after stressful events that weaken the immune system, or if water is left inside the ear canal after swimming or bathing.

When an animal has an ear infection, bacteria and sometimes yeast proliferate inside the ear. The ear responds by making wax and turning red. A pet with an ear infection may shake his head, hold his ear back, scratch his ear, rub his ear on the ground, or wince when his ear is touched. You may notice redness, wax, or a foul odor in the ear.

Ear infections usually are quite painful, and Ty certainly sounds like he is in pain. Therefore, I recommend that you get him to the vet as soon as you can. The infection probably won’t go away on its own.

There are a number of ways to treat ear infections. Mild infections usually can be cured by cleaning the ear daily with a special cleanser that your veterinarian can recommend, as well as placing a prescription ointment into the ear once or twice daily. Severe infections may require oral medication as well.

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My Boston-Chihuahua cross has recently lost his appetite. He is 18 months old, and he used to eat everything as fast as he could, but lately he hasn’t been eating his food with the same enthusiasm. Should I be worried?

Abby
Vancouver, BC, Canada

Several times each week clients express concern to me that their pet’s appetite is not what it used to be. In fact, it happened three times today alone.

Loss of appetite is a symptom of a number of serious diseases, including problems with the kidneys, liver, and pancreas. Cancer and poisoning also can cause loss of appetite. However, these syndromes usually cause other symptoms as well, such as weight loss, lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, or increased thirst. And, with the exception of poisoning, they are rare in young animals.

In the case of your dog, I suspect nothing is wrong. Young growing puppies and kittens naturally need much more food, on a pound-for-pound basis, than adult animals. Therefore, most puppies and kittens are continuously hungry. As they reach adulthood, their metabolic needs decrease, and so should their appetites.

There is a very simple measure of whether your pet’s appetite is adequate: his weight. Simply put, if his weight is stable or increasing, he is eating enough. If his weight is decreasing, he isn’t. This applies to all healthy animals, except those on diets.

Most veterinary offices will be happy to weigh your pet, free of charge, any time. If that is not convenient, a slightly less accurate method is to hold your pet and step onto your bathroom scale. Subtract your own weight (try to be honest), and what’s left over is your pet’s weight.

Keeping track of your pet’s weight will give you insight into whether his appetite is adequate, and also can help prevent another major problem among pets: obesity.

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Dear Dr. Barchas,

My two-year-old Labrador only has one testicle. Should I be worried?

Steve
Seattle, AZ

Most likely, your dog has two testicles. However, only one of them is visible. The other testicle is “undescended,” meaning not in its proper place. Undescended testicles most commonly are located under the skin of the dog’s groin, although sometimes they are inside the abdomen. The syndrome occurs frequently in dogs. It is less common in cats.

Believe it or not, dealing with this situation is very important. Undescended testicles are dramatically more likely to develop cancer than their normal counterparts.

I recommend that you have a veterinarian assess your dog. He or she may be able to locate the missing testicle during a physical exam. Regardless of whether you wish to neuter your dog, the undescended testicle should be removed.

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