My little Yorkshire Terrier, who is 3.4 lbs and is almost 13 years old, has been having fits lately. He gets very rigid and his legs go out from under him. It lasts about one minute, then he likes to be cuddled. The vet said it is because he is getting older. I would like a second opinion. Thanks.

Holly
Yarmouth, NS, Canada

It sounds like your dog is having seizures. The intensity and nature of seizures can vary dramatically between animals and between episodes. Some seizures are very minor, and consist only of a brief period of altered mental status. Others, called gran mal seizures, result in loss of consciousness, collapse, and violent convulsions. Your dog’s seizures are in between these extremes.

Seizures are relatively common in both cats and dogs.

Although seizures can be terrifying for a pet owner, most seizures stop in less than two minutes. Seizures may be followed by a period of unusual behavior (in your dog’s case, his extraordinary cuddliness) that can last from a few minutes to a few days.

Seizures that do not end within a few minutes are medical emergencies.

Seizures are never normal, and are not a natural part of aging. They can be caused by a large number of medical conditions, including epilepsy, metabolic problems (particularly with the liver), certain types of infections, and certain types of tumors.

Any pet who has a seizure should have a thorough neurologic examination by a veterinarian. In most cases, basic blood and urine tests are needed to assess the body’s metabolic function. In some cases, if you have the resources, your vet may decide that diagnostic imaging procedures such as ultrasound, CT (also know as CAT scans) or MRI are appropriate as well.

One final note. If your pet is having a seizure, never stick your hand (or anything, for that matter) in his mouth. You have a very high chance of being accidentally bitten in these circumstances.

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Dear Dr. Barchas,

My husband and I are planning to adopt a 12-week-old kitten from the local shelter. Do you have any tips for introducing her to Sassy, our six-year-old, indoors-only Calico?

Mona
Santa Fe, NM

My most basic suggestion is to go slowly.

Cats are territorial creatures. That means Sassy views your house as her territory. When you bring a new cat home, she will feel much the same as you might feel if a new person moved into your house uninvited. It could be a very nice person, but you probably wouldn’t want him there. That said, you pay rent or mortgage, which entitles you to your own space. Since I doubt that Sassy pays any bills, she is not entitled to veto your decision to get another cat. And, with time, Sassy should get over it.

I recommend that you set aside a room in your house which will serve as the new kitten’s home territory. The room should be comfortable, with food, water, a bed, and a litter box. Confine the new kitten to that room, but don’t let Sassy in, during the adjustment period. Be sure to give the new kitten plenty of love. Sassy and the kitten do not need to meet face-to-face at this point. Trust me, they both will know the other one is there.

Meanwhile, before they meet, take the new kitten to your vet. He or she will be able to offer more advice for smoothing the transition. More important, your vet will be able to assess the kitten to make sure that she is healthy. Kittens from shelters may suffer from a number of health problems. Some, such as respiratory infections, ear mites, fleas, and ringworm are major inconveniences. Others, such as feline leukemia, are very serious. These problems could spread to Sassy if you skip this step.

Once the new kitten has a clean bill of health and both cats are used to the idea of another cat in the house, you can open the door to the kitten’s room and let them meet. Do this very carefully. Cats always should be supervised during the introductory period. Although some sparks may fly, most cats ultimately learn to get along with each other.

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Hello, I have a seven-month-old Pit Bull/Beagle cross. He has really bad fleas. I’ve tried flea collars, flea baths, tea tree oil… and now he’s chewing his back by the base of his tail like crazy, and he’s starting to get dime-sized scabby things. HELP.

Anonymous

I have good news for you. Taking care of your dog’s flea problem will be simple.

As you have learned, flea collars, flea combs, area treatments (flea bombs), Advantage knock-offs, and most over-the-counter products simply are no match for fleas.

However, several new products are available that are extremely safe and effective. My favorites are Advantage (real Advantage) and Frontline, but Revolution, Capstar, and Program also are very good. For a flea infestation as severe as yours, you may want to combine a topical medication that kills adult fleas, such as Advantage or Frontline, with Program, which helps to keep fleas from reproducing in your house. You may have to treat your pet for several months to eliminate the problem while new fleas hatch from eggs that have already been laid on your floor and furniture.

Fleas cause great misery in pets. Your dog’s symptoms are very typical of flea allergy reactions in both dogs and cats. However, things could get much worse. In my practice, I have seen fleas cause or contribute to tapeworms, ringworm, autoimmune disease, asthma, feline infectious anemia, eosinophilic granulomas, “psychogenic” alopecia, behavior changes, and death. That’s right, I have seen both dogs and cats die from heavy flea infestations. Fleas are not just a nuisance. They are a serious health threat.

In case that’s not motivation enough for you to get serious about eliminating your pet’s fleas, you should know that in people fleas are known to spread bartonella (which is often, incorrectly, called “cat scratch fever”–it’s actually spread by fleas), typhus, and the bubonic plague. That’s right, fleas wiped out a third of the population of Europe in the dark ages.

Fleas deserve no mercy. Buy a good flea product and take care of the problem.

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I have noticed something unusual when I play fetch with my six-year-old Labrador. If I throw the ball a short distance, he has no trouble retrieving it. However, if I use a bat to send it really far out, he seems to lose sight of the ball. He heads out in the right direction, but then has to spend a long time searching for it. Could he be nearsighted? Is there anything I can do about this?

Damien
Santa Barbara, CA

Your dog could be nearsighted. In fact, both nearsightedness and farsightedness have been documented in dogs.

Since they cannot read eye charts, animals’ eyesight cannot be measured using standard human vision tests. However, it is possible to measure nearsightedness and farsightedness using a series of lenses and a device called a retinoscope. Studies have been done on enough dogs to show that toy poodles and possibly English springer spaniels are predisposed to nearsightedness. Australian shepherds are more likely to be farsighted. Labrador retrievers most frequently have good vision, but there can be exceptions.

Testing and treating for nearsightedness is possible through veterinary ophthalmologists (veterinary eye specialists). Believe it or not, some dogs have been fitted with contact lenses to resolve the problem. I swear I am not making that up. Laser eye surgery probably is on the horizon.

Even if you are not interested in going to such extreme lengths to test and treat your dog’s vision, you should take him to the vet if you are worried about his eyesight. A number of problems besides nearsightedness can affect vision. Some of them can be serious. A veterinarian should be able to determine whether there is anything to be worried about.

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