This link to an article by Jon Katz on Slate.com is a few years old, but its topic remains utterly timely. The article discusses the heartbreaking story of a nice, affluent family that adopts a lovable Golden Retriever named Ernie.

The family is made up of well-intentioned, decent people. The Golden is a friendly, sociable, normal dog.

But the family members are busy. Nobody takes the time to bond with and train the dog properly. Lacking the proper bonding and training, the dog becomes confused and anxious, and begins to act out. From the article:

As he went through the normal stages of retriever development—teething, mouthing, racing frantically around the house, peeing when excited, offering items the family didn’t want retrieved, eating strange objects and then vomiting them up—the casualties mounted. Rugs got stained, shoes chewed, mail devoured, table legs gnawed. The family rejected the use of a crate or kennel—a valuable calming tool for young and energetic dogs—as cruel. Instead, they let the puppy get into all sorts of trouble, then scolded and resented him for it. He was “hyper,” they complained, “wild,” “rambunctious.” The notion of him as annoying and difficult became fixed in their minds; perhaps in his as well.

A practiced trainer would have seen, instead, a Golden Retriever that was confused, under-exercised, and untrained—an ironic fate for a dog bred for centuries to be calm and responsive to humans.

A vicious cycle developed in which the dog, through no fault of his own, ultimately became marginalized and unloved by the family.

Complaining that he was out of control, the family tried fencing the back yard and putting Ernie outside during meals to keep him from bothering them. The nanny stuck him there most of the day as well, because he messed up the house. Allowed inside at night, he was largely confined to the kitchen, sealed off by child gates.

At no time did the family fail to offer Ernie high quality food, veterinary care, or walks (although the walks he did receive seemed wholly inadequate to me). However, in my opinion they failed to give Ernie one of the most basic necessities of a dog’s life: true love.

Sadly, I see this situation regularly as a veterinarian. Clients ask about behavior problems in dogs that are well-meaning, but have not benefitted from appropriate training and bonding. The dogs are not at fault for these problems. There is no way to avoid it: if you want a good relationship with your dog (or with anybody, for that matter) you must invest your time in it.

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I have an eight-month-old Boxer and since she’s been
about two months, she’s had severe recurring mange.
It’s a cycle: she starts losing fur, we take her
in, get her diagnosed, she gets a mange bath,
antibiotics, she takes the meds for three weeks and is
fine! Her fur grows back, the meds stop then
another two or three weeks will go by and she gets it
again! We feed her high quality food, exercise her
regularly and keep her kennel very clean. Any
suggestions on how I can help take care of this
myself? The vet bills are mounting!

Katherine
Moreno Valley, CA

I am sorry to hear that you and your dog are going through such a frustrating ordeal. Based on your description of the problem and your dog’s age, it sounds like your dog is suffering from infestation with Demodex, also known as puppy mange.

Demodex is ubiquitous. It is a type of mite that is present in the hair follicles of virtually every dog. Most dogs suppress the mite with their immune systems. However, some dogs’ immune systems can’t keep the parasite completely under control. This happens most often in dogs less than 18 months of age–hence the name puppy mange.

In these dogs, hair may fall out in small patches, or it may fall out over large portions of the body. In either case, the problem can be persistent and frustrating.

The good news is that the vast majority of dogs outgrow the problem by the time they are two years old. The syndrome resolves as the immune system matures.

If your dog is losing only small amounts of hair and her skin is comfortable, you may not need to treat her at all. Many people simply monitor the spots and wait for the problem to resolve.

However, if your dog is losing large amounts of hair, she needs to be treated to prevent skin infections and secondary problems. Your best bet will be to have regular mange baths performed for a period of at least six to eight weeks. The most effective form of mange bath can only be performed at a veterinarian’s office, because the active ingredient in the shampoo is potentially toxic. I realize that this option is expensive, but in the long run you will save money if you tackle the problem aggressively.

Either way, take heart in one fact: your dog will almost certainly outgrow this problem eventually.

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My sister’s cat Snooky (an 8-year-old female
Maine Coon) has a bleeding nose. My sister
thought it was from allergies but the bleeding,
while not effusive, has continued. Snooky is
eating, drinking normally, energy is normal, no
fever, no signs of lethargy or depression. My
sister has an appointment with the vet but she is
terrified that it is some form of cancer. Snooky
does venture outside but mostly is an indoor cat.
She lives in Georgetown, near DC, and is across
from a large park. Can you please comment on this,
Doctor? Thank you.

Joanne
Staten Island, New York

I am sorry to say it, but nosebleeds in pets are often caused by serious conditions.

Unfortunately, your sister is correct to worry about the presence of a nasal tumor. They are a leading cause of bloody noses in older pets (8 years of age isn’t that old, but Snooky is still at risk). However, nasal tumors often are accompanied by wheezing and weight loss, and there are other causes of bloody noses. So it is by no means a foregone conclusion that a tumor is present.

Other causes of bloody noses include trauma, dental disease, foreign objects lodged in the nose (which is more likely in cats that have access to outdoor areas such as parks), and blood clotting disorders. Allergies usually do not cause nosebleeds.

Snooky definitely needs to see a vet. However, I should warn you that getting to the bottom of the problem may be difficult. Diagnosing chronic bloody noses may require blood tests as well as anesthesia for a thorough oral exam, X-rays and rhinoscopy (a procedure in which an instrument is used to visualize the inside of the nose and sinuses). Some cases require CT scans.

I wish I could offer better news. I hope, for Snooky’s sake, that the problem is easy to uncover and treat.

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Hi Dr. Barchas,

Lexington, KY

I think you’re performing a wonderful service for your clients by brushing their dogs’ teeth. And, as you point out, you are contributing to the health, well-being, and longevity of the dogs you walk.

I am continuously surprised by how many people refuse to brush their pets’ teeth. Of course, I understand that it’s inconvenient. Nonetheless, dogs and cats need their teeth brushed for the exact same reasons that we brush our own teeth. Tooth brushing is incredibly beneficial for feline and canine health.

However, I’m afraid I can’t sign off on using the same tooth brush for all of the dogs that you walk. I realize that dogs sometimes eat garbage or other revolting and unmentionable substances, so it doesn’t seem like sharing a toothbrush between several of them would be a big deal. Nonetheless, there is a slight risk of spreading some viral and bacterial diseases between the dogs, even if you thoroughly rinse the brush between each pet.

If your clients absolutely refuse to buy tooth brushes for their dogs, you can try to find low-priced soft bristled human toothbrushes and buy them yourself. Human toothbrushes work fine for pets, and they may cost less than canine-specific brushes.

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Chemotherapy for cancer causes severe side effects in many people. Patients may lose their hair, become weak, and suffer from extreme nausea. Some patients feel that the treatment is worse than the disease.

In cats and dogs, side effects from chemotherapy usually aren’t as severe. In fact, many pets tolerate entire courses of chemo without showing any side effects whatsoever. But not every pet that is treated for cancer is so lucky–side effects do occur sometimes.

Therefore, an article in the April 18, 2008 issue of The Week offers encouraging news for pets and people who are diagnosed with cancer. An excerpt from the article follows.

A new technique minimizes the nausea and other side effects of chemotherapy at the same time that it kills more cancer cells. Curiously, the method isn’t a drug or a therapy, but an extremely restrictive diet: Patients are told to starve themselves for two days before every dose of the toxic chemotherapy drugs.

The method works by causing normal cells in the body to enter a state in which they are less affected by the chemo drugs. Cancer cells, however, do not enter this state and therefore are still susceptible.

Although the method appears promising, I confess that I have some reservations. Weight loss and emaciation are common among animal cancer patients, and I personally would be extremely hesitant to withhold food for two days from an already underweight animal.

However, studies on the technique are still in the early stages. As we learn more, it may turn out that the method could help some pets as well as people.

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Pets are good for people. I firmly believe that, and I have mentioned it repeatedly on this blog. People with dogs get more exercise, on average, than people who don’t have dogs. (The other day I saw a very elderly man walking his Jack Russell Terrier. Without the dog, I have a hunch that gentleman would rarely leave the house.) Pets provide companionship and a sense of well-being to the people with whom they live. Cats and dogs are used in hospitals and nursing homes to cheer and comfort patients–with remarkable success. They can be trained to assist people with vision impairment, Parkinson’s disease, hearing loss, and even diabetes.

Of course, most of us on Catster and Dogster will agree that pets are good for our health and well-being. And a growing amount of scientific evidence is proving that pets benefit us in ways that are not so self-evident.

A recent article published by the AFP (a French global news agency) states that children who live with dogs may get an immune system boost from the family pet.

Blood tests showed that, in households with dogs, children were less at risk from becoming sensitised to pollens and inhaled allergens–the triggers for asthma and wheezing, allergic rhinitis and eczema–than counterparts in dog-less homes.

Sadly, the article also contains some disappointing news.

Oddly, though, the benefit seen in the children’s antibodies did not show through in terms of symptoms, the study found. Children with a dog were as susceptible to asthma and the other problems as counterparts without the pets.

This statement should not be construed to imply that the children were not receiving a health benefit from their canine companions. The study provides potent evidence that a household pet can help to stimulate the development of early childhood immune systems.

As scientists and doctors love to say: more research is necessary.

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My dog (approximately 12 years old) keeps having
bouts of diarrhea. This has gone on (off and on)
for about two years. My vet has given him several
rounds of medicine (one for tummy upset and one
for loose stools). Additionally, he has given him
some powder to try to balance the “flora” in his
digestive tract. Also, he recommended I feed him
Purina EN (dry and canned) to help with his
stomach. Nothing seems to help. He likes to eat
grass, which seems to be the only thing he gets
into when he is out in the yard. We give him
Meaty bone biscuit treats. I generally mix in
rice with his food when his stools are very runny.
And now he is starting to lose weight.

Liz
Margate, South Florida

I am a bit troubled by your final comment–that your dog is starting to lose weight.

A number of syndromes can cause intermittent diarrhea, and some animals have irregular bowel movements throughout their lives. For instance, a syndrome called infiltrative (or inflammatory) bowel disease (also known as IBD) is a common cause of chronic, intermittent diarrhea. This disease is frustrating, but treatable.

However, when an older dog develops diarrhea in combination with weight loss, something more serious may be going on. For instance, disorders of the liver, pancreas, kidneys, and intestines can cause this combination of symptoms.

It sounds like your vet has treated your pet for some causes of chronic intermittent diarrhea with special diets and dietary flora supplements. But you don’t mention whether he has run any tests to determine what is causing the problem.

For your dog, I would recommend stool, blood, and urine tests. This combination may lead to an answer. If not, you may need to follow up with X-rays and ultrasound.

Unless you know what is causing the problem, you will face an uphill battle to eliminate your pet’s symptoms.

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We took our dog Toby (mixed Yorkie) to the vet
today to have his teeth cleaned. We had to leave
him for the day. They pulled 11 teeth–mostly all the
front ones.

Rosemary
Winder, PA

I certainly realize how shocking it can be to learn that your pet has lost such a large number of teeth. However, it is extremely unlikely that you have shortened Toby’s life through such extensive dental work. In fact, it is very likely that the opposite is true–he almost certainly will live longer as a result of the dental work.

That seems counterintuitive. After all, pets use their teeth and mouth for many functions that humans perform with our hands. So how can it be beneficial to lose teeth?

Of course, it is not beneficial to lose healthy teeth. However, vets don’t pull healthy teeth. In most cases, teeth that are extracted are so severely diseased that they no longer are functional. They may be too loose to be useful. They may be infected or have exposed nerves that cause intense pain. There is very little chance that Toby was using any of the teeth that were pulled. Therefore, the loss of the teeth should not interfere with his ability to eat or play ball.

Although Toby most certainly would have been better off keeping 11 healthy teeth, the extraction of 11 severely diseased teeth will benefit his health dramatically in the long run.

The key for the future is to try to prevent such serious disease from developing on other teeth. The best way to prevent dental disease in pets is to brush their teeth daily with a soft-bristled toothbrush and veterinary toothpaste (don’t ever use human toothpaste). However, remember that heredity plays a role in dental disease. There is a chance that no matter how careful you are, Toby will need more dental work in the future.

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In the aftermath of the catastrophe that occurred on September 11, 2001 a large number of search-and-rescue dogs were deployed at the World Trade Center and Pentagon.

Sadly, many people who performed rescue work at Ground Zero developed health problems, most likely due to exposure to dust at the site. Animal lovers must naturally wonder whether the canine counterparts to these people are suffering similar problems.

The March 15, 2008 issue of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association contained a news item about an ongoing study of 9/11 rescue dogs. Here is an excerpt.

For six years, scientists at the University of Pennsylvania, led by Dr. Cynthia Otto, have been monitoring the health and behavior of 97 search-and-rescue dogs deployed Sept. 11. No clinically obvious differences have been observed between the dogs and a control group of 55 nondeployed dogs.

That is good news. However, the study isn’t over yet. The researchers intend to continue the study for the duration of the dogs’ lives. Let’s hope that the next batch of results offers similar encouragement.

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Dr. Barchas,

Karin
Phoenixville, PA

Sadly, many cat lovers have experience with feline kidney disease (also known as chronic renal failure). Kidney failure is the most common major medical problem in elderly cats. It is a leading cause of feline death.

Veterinarians test their patients’ kidneys in a variety of ways. Physical examinations, X-rays, ultrasound exams, and urine tests all provide important information. But the most commonly used benchmarks are two values that are measured in the blood: BUN (pronounced “bee-you-inn”) and creatinine.

To understand the meaning of BUN and creatinine, you must understand the function of the kidneys. In the course of normal metabolism, the body’s organs and tissues consume nutrients and produce waste products. These waste products are released into the blood. It is the job of the kidneys to remove these waste products from the blood and eliminate them as urine.

If the kidneys begin to fail, the waste products accumulate in the blood. Higher levels of waste products correlate with lower levels of kidney function.

BUN and creatinine are two such waste products. Their levels generally correspond to the overall levels of waste products in the blood. Measurements of BUN and creatinine therefore allow veterinarians to assess the status of the kidneys, as well as to monitor each patient’s response to treatment.

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