I have a fish tank and there is green algae growing in it. My cat has been drinking out of the tank for months, but recently the algae has really built up. My cat has been throwing up, and it is the same color of the algae. Is this what could be making him sick??
Jessica
Anaheim, CA
Please help. I have a 12 year old neutered male long haired cat. Recently he has been throwing up after nearly every meal. He seems fine otherwise. Any idea what could be causing this???
Sincerely,
Joe
Springfield, IL
My cat seems to spend almost every waking moment licking herself. Her fur is damp and sometimes she licks so much she creates a bald spot. She also throws up more than average. I think it is a bad habit. What can I do to get her to stop?
Bill
We have an 8 year old dalmatian/pit bull mix who is having trouble walking with his back legs, especially his right hind leg. He has episodes where he shakes. He has been diagnosed with arthritis where his spine meets his tail from an episode of the same problem he had in May, now he has it again. We have been giving him chondroitin and carprfofen which seems to help. He has days where he seems almost ok, then days like today where we can’t get him in the car to go to he vet. We don’t know what to do. Is a house call warranted, and if so, how much would it be?
Our Labrador has been having some swelling in his face. It comes and goes. Sometimes it is from his nose all the way to his forehead and other times it is just spots on his nose. He did have one day of vomiting and diarrhea. His eyes will even look a bit droopy. It never stays swollen for long. The only thing I can think of is that it looks like he has been eating the leaves off one of my houseplants. Any suggestions if this doesn’t stop occurring soon?
Thanks, Renee
I am looking for a good vet. Just because they are licensed dose not mean they are good.
That is obvious by some of the vets listed.
How do I tell the difference?
Teresha
I have two dogs (one is 13 the other 11). The older dog has had hip issues and poor health for a while. We have been trying to let her go naturally in hopes that it will be easier on the younger dog. However, in the past couple of weeks the younger dog has gone from 70 lbs down to about 50. When I noticed the rapid weight loss I started spoon feeding her soft food and she now eats the soft mixed with crunchy on her own but doesn’t appear to be gaining any weight back. I noticed this after she was wormed. She has always been and extremely healthy and happy dog so this change is painful to watch. Any suggestions on how to get her to gain weight back? I am heartbroken to think that I might have to have her euthanized. 🙁
I have tried calling a few vets in the area but they all suggest I bring her in but it is far too tramatic for her. She panics when her sister isnt within view.
Any suggestions is appreciated.
Terri
My 13 year old Golden has been on Prednisone and Previcox alternating daily for the past 5-6 years. He’s now having a terrible time with his bowels. He’s had two episodes in the house, it’s just like water. I’ve tried several medications, but nothing seems to work? When I walk him he squats to poop, and once he starts going he gets up to walk while he continues to have poop coming out. Poor guy goes 5-10 times a day and it’s always either very lose or liquid. My vet just said to take away all food and give him nothing but rice for now and continue giving him the prescription medication to stop diarrhea twice a day. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you for your time.
Recently we received this article from the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, and it answered a question we’ve received from pet owners in the past – and something we’ve wondered ourselves.
Here is the answer and what to do about it:
Man’s best friend has some baffling habits that sometimes offend man’s best sensibilities. Nobody likes to talk about it, but everyone wonders, “Why does my dog eat poop?”
Dr. Kelly Ballantyne, a veterinarian at the University of Illinois Chicago Center for Veterinary Medicine, has a special interest in animal behavior and offers behavior consultations for pet owners. Veterinary behavior integrates medicine, research, learning science, and deductive reasoning, but some behaviors can’t quite be figured out.
Dr. Ballantyne says this habit of dogs usually has nothing to do with their health, and it falls into the “unexplainable behaviors” category. While there is no solid answer as to why dogs eat poop, there are some linked behaviors for the majority of the dogs who do.
Ironically, the dogs who eat poop tend to be very fastidious. They do not soil their sleeping or resting areas. So contrary to human logic, this behavior is not a “dirty dog” behavior.
There has been limited research on this puzzling question. One study showed that in domestic dogs, those that had been spayed and neutered were 50 percent more likely to eat stool than intact dogs. There is also evidence that dogs that eat quickly are twice as likely as to eat stool as dogs who are picky or slow eaters. If you have a dog that’s a picky eater, that behavior might have a positive side!
Published findings also indicate that the behavior is most common among basset hounds, shelties, poodles, and various retriever breeds.
The next question that comes up actually is more important: How do you keep your dog from eating poop?
Unfortunately, behavior modification does not seem to be a very reliable or effective way to prevent poop-eating. Commercial food additives marketed as addressing this problem also have not been found to be effective.
The most effective prevention method is to be diligent. Keep the yard clean and pick up stool immediately after your dog defecates. When walking your dog, have good control with the leash and, well, have great reflexes!
So while it isn’t completely understood why dogs eat stool, the best advice is to minimize their access.
For more information, contact your local veterinarian.
An archive of Pet Columns from the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine is available online at http://vetmed.illinois.edu/petcolumns/
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