Indoor domestic cats usually urinate twice per day and defecate once per day. In my experience, there are two golden rules when it comes to litter boxes. First, it is important to have at least one box per cat. More is better, but one box per cat is the absolute minimum. Ideally, it is best to have …
Category Archives: Ask The Vet
Diagnosis and Clinical Signs of Separation Anxiety
Separation anxiety occurs in animals who love their owners too much! The animal suffers a panic attack whenever it is separated from its human or animal family. Although this may occur in any pet, it is most common in those who were adopted from a shelter or rescued from an abusive situation. I see the condition most often in dogs. …
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My Cat Doesn’t Cover In The Litter Box
Why doesn’t my cat cover their feces and/or urine in the litter box? This is one of the most common questions people ask me when they find out I am a veterinarian. Some people think their cat was taken away from its mother too young and never learned how. Others think it is a sign …
Canine Labor: When To Call The Vet
Here are my rules for knowing when your female dog (bitch) needs help with the delivery of her puppies. These are general rules that apply to all breeds. Please consult your veterinarian for additional breed-specific guidelines. Also, get a pre-whelping x-ray. It will tell you how many puppies to expect and if any are too large for …
Normal Stages of Whelping In Dogs
In normal canine parturition, the female (bitch) goes through three specific stages of labor. Prior to its onset, her body temperature will drop a few degrees. (The normal body temperature for dogs is 100.0 to 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit.) Labor should start within twenty-four hours of the temperature drop. In stage one, the mother-to-be is restless. She pants and paces. …
Rabbit Dietary Recomendations
In my experience, obesity and intermittent soft stools are the two biggest health problems of pet rabbits. Both may be caused by an improper diet high in protein and calories while deficient in insoluble fiber. It is important to remember that rabbits are born nibblers. In the wild, they eat a combination of grasses and leaves. In …
Parrot Care
General recommendations for parrot care: Nutrition/Diet: Fifty percent of the diet should consist of high quality pellets. My favorite brand is Harrison’s. (Available on line at www.harrisonsbirdfood.com.) Forty percent of the diet should be high quality vegetables. Dark green, leafy and yellow vegetables are best. Five percent of the diet should be made of fruits. My …
The Proper Way To Pill A Cat
The following entry is a guide to pilling your cat. My cat Tigre is the not-so-willing participant in this demonstration. Note the displeasure on his face. Step 1: Wrap the cat in a towel. Make them a ‘kitty burrito’. Step 2: Hold the cat’s head from the top with your non-dominant hand. Point the cat’s chin …
Taming Feral Cats
I divide feral cats into two groups; passive-response cats and active-response cats. Both groups are terrified of people. During kitten hood, they missed a critical window of socialization that removes their fear of people. As adult cats, they view humans with trepidation. The passive-response or scaredy-cats freeze when forced to interact with us. They avoid eye contact …
IVECCS Tip #5: Owners Self Diagnosing And Treating Their Pets During The Economic Slow Down
During IVECCS, I heard many stories from other veterinarians about owners treating their pets with human medications to save money. Unfortunately, this happens every time the economy slows. This practice may be harmful to the animal and result in large veterinary bills to undo the damage. It is essential to understand that physiologically, pets are not miniature humans! Just …