Dog Wont's Stop Whining in Kennel at Night

Question:

My dog, Rosey, always scratches and whines in her kennel at night. It is keeping my family up and we would like to get some sleep! What could help her stop whining in her kennel?

- Lexus

Answer:

Lexus,
The only way to remedy this problem is to ignore the behavior ENTIRELY. ANY response to the whining and scratching is considered to be positive reinforcement. You should put her kennel in an area that you cannot hear her and do not interact with her until the next morning. You might try a special toy, possibly one that is like a puzzle to distract her, or a chew stick, that is only given to her when she is in her kennel to alleviate her boredom. The most important thing is to not respond to the protesting, NO MATTER WHAT!

Good Luck,
Sara F. Jennen DVM

Fat Cat Refuses to Eat Any Other Foods

Question:

My cat is overweight but will not eat any other make or flavor of food besides Sea Blend Whiskas. I have tried following vet instructions and she will either drive me crazy with her howling or starve before eating anything else. Any suggestions?

- Sharon

Answer:

Sharon,
Thank you for your question. You are dealing with a very tricky situation and although it is a very common suggestion from veterinarians or well-meaning friends to "let them starve, they will eventually eat it" this can be a very hazardous thing to do with an overweight cat. A fat cat that suddenly goes off his feed for any reason can develop a condition called "hepatic lipidosis" whereby the fat that is suddenly "lost" rapidly infiltrates the liver and can actually cause the liver to cease performing its very important functions, or "fail". This is one reason that gradual weight loss is very important in an overweight cat, especially one with arthritis.

A prescription diet for weight loss would be recommended. The customary high fiber, low fat diets may not be as palatable (tasty) as the high protein diets that are normally used for helping to correct diabetes. These high protein diets are more appropriate for cats, which are carnivorous by nature and usually very agreeable to the cat. The food should be 100% refundable as well, should your cat not eat it.

As with any diet change, it is very important to do it gradually in order to avoid upsetting the cat's stomach. The gradual change may help your cat accept the new food more readily.

Good luck with this very difficult endeavor,
Sara F. Jennen DVM

Cats with Black Eye Discharge

Question:

We have 5 male and 4 female cats. All are healthy and playful but have developed a black discharge from their eyes over the last year or so--what can this be? It doesn't seem to bother them as much as it does us.

- Terri

Answer:

Terri,
There could be a number of things that could be causing a dark ocular discharge. Most likely it is a part of the feline upper respiratory complex. It is most likely contagious, since all cats are showing signs. Your veterinarian may want to try a broad-spectrum ophthalmic ointment or do a culture and choose an appropriate antibiotic based upon the results.

I wish you luck with this problem,
Sara F. Jennen DVM

Cat with Hard, Bulging Stomach

Question:

My cat's stomach is always so hard and bulging out makes her look like she is pregnant. She has a good appetite and drinks water everyday. When she has bowel movement it is hard can you tell me what possibly could be making her tummy bulge and feel so rock hard?

- Lisa

Answer:

Vickie,
It sounds like your cat may be constipated. This is usually due to ingesting hair from grooming. A simple fix may be to give hairball remedy, which is a mineral oil gel. If this does not help the situation you may need to take her to your veterinarian and have an x-ray taken to make sure there is no fluid or other problems in her abdomen.

Good Luck,
Sara F. Jennen DVM

Dachshund Barks only at Husband

Question:

My dachshund is very calm with woman and most men, but always is barking at my husband. I can do anything to this dog, from cutting his toe nails to putting on his hoody. But the dog just insists on barking at my husband. He will even go looking for my husband to "instigate" a show down. When I'm not home, the dog is pretty mellow with my husband, although he the dog does not seek out attention from him. If my husband offers the dog a treat the dog will take it ever so daintily, but then after he finishes will go right back and bark at my husband. Is there a trick to at least getting the dog to stop barking at my husband?? We have tried many different approaches and it might last for a day, but then it's back to non stop barking?

- Lisa

Answer:

Lisa,
Barking dogs can be very frustrating to deal with, especially if they are barking at their owner. Your husband can begin to establish dominance over your dog by taking him on daily leash walks. This will help put him in "calm-submissive" mode. If he is sitting in your lap when he does this barking, he might think that he "owns" you. When he begins this behavior you should immediately put him on the ground and ignore him. If this does not work, you should snap your fingers to distract him and interrupt the behavior and immediately put him in his kennel.

Another thing that may help is to have your husband be the only one to feed and water him. If he is being babied by you at all, you need to stop immediately and "treat him like a dog". Dogs are pack animals and respect the hierarchy. If he sees you as Alpha and himself as the next in line, this needs to be remedied as soon as possible. Do not let him on the furniture or in the bed until this behavior is resolved. If he knows tricks, your husband can put him through the motions daily. If he does not, he can begin to teach him tricks to help him establish dominance. The dog should not be rewarded at all for this behavior, mainly including attention from you. If he becomes anxious or dominant at any point, he should be isolated immediately.

I know how frustrating behavior problems can be, but I encourage you to be persistent and "think like a dog". If you do not back down to him, he will learn his place in the hierarchy and hopefully become a more pleasant member of your household.

Good luck!
Sara F. Jennen DVM

Cat Licking Paws Raw

Question:

I believe my cat is licking her paws raw. I have been nursing one front paw off and on for a year with neosporin, goes away and comes back again, a large sore and she leaves several blood spots on my comforter at the end of the bed. I noticed her other front paw looks like it has sores, but small ones. Does she have a problem? She is a licker, herself quite often, and she likes to lick my hands when in front of her.

Thanks,
Donna

Answer:

Donna,
If he is declawed, one possibility may be that he is having complications from the procedure, even if it was years ago. It the procedure was performed improperly, it is possible that a small piece of bone was left behind in each toe that is acting like a foreign body and irritating him. Your veterinarian should be able to diagnose this with x-rays. If tissue adhesive was used to close the wounds and too much was applied, it is possible that there are pieces inside the skin (glue foreign bodies) that are trying to work their way out. It may be necessary for your veterinarian to anesthetize him and explore or biopsy the area to diagnose the problem.

If he is not declawed, biopsy may be necessary to find the cause. Even if he is declawed it could be something totally unrelated to the procedure. However, it would be highly unlikely that he is licking his feet to the point of creating sores unless there is an underlying health issue.

Good luck to you!
Sara F. Jennen DVM

Cat Losing Weight and Thowing Up

Question:

My cat, Zoey, has been losing weight and throwing up at least three times a week. I feed him the same food as always dry food and moist food, he has water available anytime he needs a drink. He has also been sleeping a lot more. What could be causing this? I have wormed him and given him hairball stuff but it does not seem to help.

- Andrea

Answer:

Andrea,
Vomiting is a very common problem in cats, unfortunately. It is also the #1 sign of heartworm disease in cats. There are myriad other problems that could be causing his vomiting, such as hyperthyroidism or even the possibility that he has developed an allergy to the food he has been eating. You should take him to your veterinarian to have a good physical exam performed and possibly bloodwork, including a heartworm test.

Good luck and I hope it is nothing serious!
Sara F. Jennen DVM