Ask the Vet (Week of 7/6/10)
In this issue: July 6th, 2010
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| Having a pet can be the most enjoyable and rewarding experience for many people. What comes with this wonderful experience is a lot of responsibilities, questions and concerns. To ease and enhance the experience of pet ownership, each month we will be featuring answers to common questions you have submitted to our Vets. |
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| Question: | | My dog Abigail has developed the habit of chewing on our tennis shoes. I've tried to hide them but it doesn't seem to stop this behavior. What should I do? | - Abigail's Mom | | | |  > | | Chew on this. Keep your pet preoccupied with a durable toy such as the Rita Ball> to get your pet to stop chewing on other items. | | | Answer: | | Unwanted chewing is a common problem and you are not alone. If this behavior is not corrected immediately your pet may take a liking to chewing on other household items as well. When you first see your pet doing this you should redirect their attention towards you and away from the item. When you have your pet's attention give them a chew toy that they like and praise your pet for using the chew toy. Soon they will recognize the praise and start to use their chew toy instead of your tennis shoes or other items. | | Recommended products: Rita, Bettie, CET Chews, Nylabone NutriDent. | | | | Question: | | I'm having a hard time getting our cat to take her medications. We've tried hiding it in her food but she seems to be able to sniff it out and eat around it. I'm all out of ideas, is there anything you would recommend? | - Cat won't take meds | | | | Pill Pockets are available in various flavors that are sure to suit your pet's taste and mask the fact that they are taking their medication as well. | | | | Answer: | | Some pets are definitely finicky when it comes to taking their medication. Depending on the type of medicine it may be possible to crush pills and mix it into your pet's food rather than hiding it and hoping they accidentally ingest. If that should not work out there are products like Pill Pockets to make giving your pets their medication easier. Pill Pockets are treats that have a cavity where you hide your pet's medicine. Pinch close the opening and give to your pet as a treat and your pet will probably not even notice. Pill Pockets come in various flavors, so you're sure to find something that suits your pet's tastes. | | Recommended products: Pill Pockets, Pill Gun, Pill Crusher/Splitter. | | | | Question: | | I am in love with our Yorkie. I'm not sure if it's the food we've been feeding her but she's developed a bad case of doggie breath. We brush her teeth and give her dental treats but the problem seems to appear again almost immediately. | - Yorki3Lov3r | | | | A regular dental hygiene routine with the use of a dental cleanser such as Ora-Clens will help control bad breath. | | | Answer: | | Bad breath or halitosis is a common problem that can lead to be very unpleasant for everybody surrounding your pet. Proper dental care should effectively deal with bad breath. It's good to keep a routine for your pet's hygiene and follow that routine. If the bad breath doesn't seem to go away with proper brushing and other hygienic measures, this could be a sign of a more serious problem and you should consult with your vet. | | Recommended products: Ora-Clens, Yip Yap–Breath Mint, CET Pet Toothpaste. | | | | Question: | | Our rescued kitten has taken a liking to one of our love seats and started urinating on the side of the arm rests. The problem has been reduced greatly once we got her a new brand of litter. However, from time to time, she will start marking the love seat again. Soap and water do an OK job of cleaning but the odor seems to linger around even after cleaning. Any suggestions or remedies to get rid of the stink? | - Cat Owner | | | | Urine-Off breaks down chemicals in pet urine to remove odor and stains. | | | Answer: | | A lot of pet owner experience this problem and take the wrong approach to cleaning. If you use an ammonia product or bleach it will not get rid of the smell and the kitten will continue to use that area as a bathroom. Products such as Urine-Off will effectively break down the chemicals found in urine and remove all odors and also the stains that come along with it. | | Recommended products: Urine-Off, Urine Gone. | | | | Question: | | We are soon to be proud parents of a Shiba Inu puppy. The puppy has had all his shots scheduled so far and been de-wormed as well. I'm pretty excited and was wondering if there are any essentials we should have ready for him when we take him home. | - For my new Shiba | | | | Food and water bowls are essential. Pick one that is tip-proof like the stylish Lucy Bowl to prevent messes. | | | Answer: | If you recently became a puppy owner you're going to need quite a few things to start your puppy off. You want to first start off with the basic puppy essentials:
- Wire or plastic dog crate
- Easily washable, hard-to-destroy bedding material.
- Food & water dishes that won't easily tip over
- Adjustable collar.
- ID Tag with your phone number to wear on the collar
- A collection of high quality chew toys.
- Grooming supplies.
- Puppy Food
- A wire, wooden or plastic "baby gate" for blocking doorways.
- A good book on puppy care & training . Read through them before bringing your puppy home. | | Recommended products: Otis and Claude Lucy Pet Bowls, Nylon Dog Leash, Joint Treats. | | | |
The preceeding information is for educational and entertainment purposes only.
For serious problems please consult with your veterinarian.Next Issue >> |
