A friend’s pooch is suffering from mange. The docs
here say there is no complete cure for it. He
is up to the bleeding sores stage. The poor animal
is suffering and its only a year old. My
friend lives in Goa, India, where facilities for
vet care are not great. Please advise on the
best medical treatment for the same. I hate seeing this pup suffer. Any information would be useful. Thank you and God bless.

Sonia
Calcutta/Goa/Mumbai, India

Based on his age and where he lives, your friend’s dog likely has either puppy mange (also known as demodectic mange) or sarcoptic mange (also known as scabies).

In the United States, a number of medicines are available to treat these parasites. I would imagine that the full variety is available in India’s large urban centers as well, although it doesn’t surprise me that a more remote location such as Goa has limited facilities.

If your friend can find a vet who is able to prescribe a medicine called Ivermectin, or who has access to shampoo containing lime sulfur, these products are very likely to help the dog. Ivermectin cannot safely be given to collies or sheepdogs.

Even if neither of these medicines is available, there are steps your friend can take to help his dog. First, the bleeding sores are likely the result of a skin infection that has developed because of the mange. The infection can be treated with antibiotics.

I also recommend bathing the dog at least twice weekly. Use a gentle shampoo. This will help to keep the skin clean so that it can heal. Take care to ensure that the bathing does not dry out the dog’s skin–this could make the problem worse.

Anything that strengthens the dog’s immune system will help with this problem. He should have access to high quality nutrition, which is most easily accomplished by including good dog food in his diet. Also, a stable home life and good shelter will reduce stress, which in turn will help his immune system.

If possible, eliminate other parasites such as fleas, worms, and mosquitoes. If flea control products and dewormers are available, tell your friend to use them. One product, Revolution, may be of particular use, because it has activity against fleas, worms, and some types of mange.

All cases of mange can be frustrating to treat, and can take months to resolve. However, if your friend can keep his dog comfortable and otherwise healthy, there is a good chance that the dog’s immune system ultimately will bring the problem under control.

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I have a mini Dachshund. I missed his last appointment at the vet.
Now they tell me he has to have blood work to restart his heartworm pills. Can’t I just buy heartworm pills at the pet store?

Patti
Georgia

Let me start with a little background information on heartworm disease. Heartworms are blood parasites of dogs and cats. They are spread by mosquitoes. The risk of heartworm disease varies geographically, with greater danger in warmer and more humid areas. Dogs are at greater risk than cats.

When an infected mosquito bites a dog or cat, it injects microscopic heartworm larvae into the pet. Over time, the larvae develop into worms that live in the heart and the arteries leading out of the heart. In some circumstances, the worms can lead to heart failure or death.

Fortunately, it is very easy to prevent heartworm infestation. Pills (most commonly Interceptor or Heartgard) or topical treatments (Revolution or Advantage Multi) are used monthly to prevent the disease. In the United States these medicines are not legally available without a prescription.

Although they are safe and effective when used properly, there is a downside to the preventatives. If you miss a dose, your pet will be vulnerable to heartworm disease. And, in rare circumstances, pets that are infected with heartworm disease may have adverse reactions to some preventatives. Therefore, if you miss a dose your dog should undergo heartworm testing (a blood test) at an appropriate time. This will help to confirm that it’s safe to use the preventative.

In my experience, the above-mentioned adverse reactions are uncommon. However, that is not a reason to skip the test. If your dog is infested with heartworms, the situation could be life-threatening. I recommend that your dog be tested so that you can be sure he is free of the disease.

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Every summer the furred part of the ears on my black cat turn into
constant open sores. As soon as it turns cooler they heal up. My vet did
a scraping, no pests but no diagnosis. I suspect she is sensitive to
strong sunshine. It is impossible to keep her indoors. What can I do
to stop, help or treat this?

Nancy
OK

You are correct that exposure to strong sunshine can cause skin problems in pets. In cats, the problems most frequently occur on the tips of the ears, on the nose, or around the eyes. The affected areas develop scabs or sores, which may or may not be itchy or painful. In some cases, the sores can be precursors to certain types of skin cancer, so they need to be taken seriously.

However, it is by no means certain that the sun is responsible for your cat’s problems. Skin problems anywhere on the body can be caused by allergies. During the summer, allergies to a wide variety of insects and plants can cause the sort of problems you describe.

First and foremost, Oklahoma is flea country. Fleas are much more common in warm weather, and they could be causing, or at least contributing to, your cat’s problems. Remember that your pet does not need to have a visible flea infestation to have flea-related skin problems. In sensitive individuals, an isolated flea bite now and then can trigger major issues. Keeping fleas out of the picture is a must.

As well, a large number of plants that bloom during the summer could be playing a role in this matter. Believe it or not, mosquito bites might be involved as well. These types of allergies may be treatable with antihistamines or, in severe cases, cortisone. For the record, you should not apply insect repellents to your cat.

Here are my recommendations. Try to keep your cat indoors during peak sun hours, which typically occur from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. Apply Advantage or Frontline every 3 - 4 weeks. If the sores still develop, I recommend that you have your vet perform a biopsy. This is a relatively simple procedure (although a brief period of anesthesia will be required), and it will likely yield a great deal of information about how to prevent or treat this syndrome. As well, it should tell you whether your pet is at risk for more serious problems, such as skin cancer.

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Dear Sir: My seven-pound Yorkie has to have his anal glands expressed every month! I am concerned because this is too frequent to have them so full! Is there anything that I can give him, holistically speaking, that could help this process? I have heard that animals do it to themselves… but for some reason he doesn’t take care of this. When he is full, he will look at me and sit! He doesn’t scoot.

Thank you so much, and we do hope to hear from you!

Jan and Lord Pippin

Dr. Janet H.
St. Augustine Florida, USA

Anal glands are not a savory subject. However, a tremendous number of cats and dogs suffer from anal gland problems. So, although this column won’t make good dinner time reading, it’s a worthy subject.

Anal glands consist of two bulbs adjacent to the anus. The bulbs are connected to the anus by thin ducts. The glands produce a foul-smelling fluid that, under normal circumstances, is expressed through the ducts onto feces as animals defecate.

Many pets are blessed with anal glands that function normally their entire lives. However, in some animals the glands do not empty as they should. This may occur because the fluid is too thick or because the ducts get clogged. When this happens, the glands become distended and uncomfortable. This syndrome is known as impaction.

Dogs and cats with impacted anal glands often drag their rear ends on the ground. This is known as scooting. Other animals may chew on their rear end, sit down abruptly, or act as if it hurts to defecate.

Treatment for impacted anal glands involves manually emptying them. This is called anal gland expression and is well known to be one of the least desirable jobs in the world.

Some animals with impacted anal glands recover permanently after one treatment. Others, however, require regular expression for their entire lives. Many pets require the procedure at least once each month, so your dog is not exceptional in that regard.

The best way to prevent anal gland problems is to promote normal defecation. This is most readily done by adding fiber to the diet. A small amount of canned pumpkin each day works well for most dogs. For cats, natural fiber supplements are available. However, even pets with good stools can suffer from anal gland problems, and manual expression of the glands is usually the most effective way to keep them comfortable.

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Dear Dr. Barchas,

Our two-year-old, healthy and playful Cocker Spaniel has
suddenly rejected his Beneful dry dog food. We have been pouring
milk, gravy, etc. on the food, and he still will not eat. We have tried canned dog food. We slipped up and started giving him a few table scraps and treats from the dinner table, and now that we have stopped that he refuses to eat
anything. I can feed him his dog food out of my hand and he will eat it.
Any suggestions? I know… I should have never started the tasty
treats… but he kept on staring at me with those eyes.

Ann
Tennessee

If your dog truly is healthy, then he is trying to manipulate you. Believe it or not, this happens quite often.

Many dogs (read: Labrador Retrievers) are phenomenally food motivated. You can expect them to eat anything that remotely resembles food, and often things that don’t, any time they encounter it.

Other dogs are more picky. They may have strong preferences for certain types of food, such as table scraps. Or, their desire for attention may trump their desire for food. These dogs may refuse to eat until they get table scraps or are hand fed.

Here is my recommendation. Offer your dog a bowl of dog food for breakfast. If he eats, that’s great. If he doesn’t, don’t worry about it. Either way, don’t let him know that you care about the matter. If, after half an hour, he hasn’t eaten his breakfast, remove the bowl and try again at dinner time.

Once he realizes that he can’t manipulate you by refusing to eat, he will probably resume his normal eating habits.

Be aware that if your dog is acting sick, or if he goes more than 24 hours without eating, a veterinarian should evaluate him. There are many illnesses that can suppress appetite. The above recommendation applies only to healthy dogs.

As well, cat owners should not employ the above tactic. When a cat stops eating, it usually means he’s sick.

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