Hello,

My one-year, four-month-old German Shepherd, Appu, started limping in the rear legs the past few days. Please suggest me what has to be done now.

Thanks and Regards

Prashanth

Bangalore, Karnataka, India

Limping is one of the most common problems I see in young, otherwise healthy dogs and cats. The reason is simple. Young animals are very rambunctious and active. They are likely to engage in rough or wild play that can lead to a joint or muscle that is twisted, strained, or pulled. Such injuries are called soft tissue trauma, and soft tissue trauma is the most frequent cause of limping in young pets.

Limping caused by soft tissue trauma usually is mild, and usually will resolve if the pet rests for several days. Therefore, if your pet is suffering from a mild limp, I recommend that you let him take it easy for a week or so. For dogs, avoid all running, jumping, climbing of stairs, and off-leash activity. Keep cats confined to a small area of the house. If the limp resolves, gradually increase your pet’s activity to a normal level over the next week.

If the limping doesn’t improve steadily, or if it returns when activity is increased, you should see your vet. As well, if your pet suffers severe limping in which he does not use his leg at all, or if there are other symptoms, such as lethargy or decreased appetite, your pet may have a more serious injury or syndrome. In that case, you should contact your veterinarian immediately.

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My five-year-old Golden Retriever, Sunny, was treated yesterday for a hot spot. The vet recommended that I start using Frontline. Sunny doesn’t have fleas, so I don’t think he needs flea medicine. What do you think?

Ernest
Walnut Creek, CA

Hot spots are painful skin infections that typically occur in response to skin irritation. In areas where fleas are present, the leading cause of skin irritation is fleas. So I think your vet was right. You should use Frontline (or Advantage).

Even though Sunny doesn’t have fleas, they may still be contributing to his problems. Here is an analogy. A few weeks ago, we had a heat wave in San Francisco. One night, I slept with the window open, which is the closest thing to air conditioning available in San Francisco. Mosquitoes flew in through the open window, and I was bitten several times.

Five days later, I was still scratching my mosquito bites. I did not “have” mosquitoes. Nonetheless, mosquitoes were the source of my skin irritation. The same thing can happen with dogs (and cats) and fleas.

Fleas are not a contagious phenomenon. Sunny does not have to encounter an infested dog to be bitten. In endemic areas, fleas are ubiquitous. Sunny can be bitten any time he is outside. And those bites can lead to all kinds of problems, including hot spots.

Fleas also are very mobile creatures. I once treated a flea infestation in an indoor only cat that lived on the 18th floor of a downtown high rise. The fleas came in through the lobby, rode up the elevator, hopped down the hall, and climbed onto the cat. And the cat was miserable.

I recommend good flea control for Sunny, and for any pet suffering skin problems.

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I am a new Catster member. I have been reading on about the “best cat
food” to feed your cat. My cat Boomer just turned one year and I plan on keeping him forever. I want to make sure I feed him the best food for his health, keep him active and keep his long-haired coat healthy too. I have even read about people who feed their cats human food and real meat. Is this good for your cat? With so many brands out there, I have NO idea which is the best. Could you please give me some tips? Thank you!

Leah
Utica, MI

There are dozens of brands of cat and dog food out there, in hundreds of flavors and varieties. Special foods exist for kittens, puppies, senior dogs and cats, animals with sensitive stomachs or sensitive skin, cats with hairball problems, indoor cats, small breed dogs, large breed dogs, specific breeds of dogs, and on and on. It’s overwhelming.

What’s more, plenty of people, from pet owners to pet store owners to dog trainers to breeders to veterinarians, have plenty of opinions on which foods are best. And the favorite pet food of one “expert” may be the least favorite food of another.

In my practice, I see pets that eat every type of food under the sun. I see which ones are healthy, and I see which ones have problems. And I have come to one major conclusion about feeding pets.

That conclusion is: feed a premium brand of food. As long as you do that, and as long as your pet is otherwise healthy, it’s hard to go wrong. In my experience, there isn’t much difference in the health of animals fed different premium brands. So, whether you pick Iams, Nutro, Science Diet, Innova, Royal Canin, Eukanuba, Purina One, or any comparable brand doesn’t really matter. I recommend you feed your pet the food that works best for him and for you, as long as it’s a premium brand.

Many of my clients prepare their pets’ diets at home from human food. I’d recommend that you exercise caution with that. Pets, especially cats, have different nutritional needs from people. I have seen many pets who suffered nutrition-related problems when their owners fed human food without thinking the matter through properly.

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