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| Subject | Date Asked |
| Dog daily Exercise | 2/8/2012 |
| Q: Question : Shown below exercise is harm for his joints and bone? How much exercise for ... A: For a 3 month old puppy, I would limit his exposure to other dogs in a dog park because he is not ... | |
| prolonged use of Prednisone for tx of skin allergies | 2/8/2012 |
| Q: I have a Westie who just turned 15 yrs. old. He has been treated for skin allergies for years. We ... A: Dogs livers are very sensitive to steroids. It causes a benign liver enlargement called steroid ... | |
| Possible Deaf Puppy. | 2/2/2012 |
| Q: I have a 9 week old female boxer puppy. She is pure white,the only mark of color that she has on ... A: Many white colored puppies are deaf. There is a pigment called melanin that gives color to the ... | |
| dog walking problem | 2/1/2012 |
| Q: hey hi sir, I have 2.5 month old Labrador retriver male puppy,while walking from house to park,i ... A: I cannot advise you to pull him. You need to train him to walk with you by using a treat or some ... | |
| what is making my sister's dog itch so much? | 1/31/2012 |
| Q: my sister has a golden retreiver/german shepard mix; I don't know how old the dog is. But since ... A: Sores are made from the dog self traumatizing the skin. The intense itching causes many dogs to ... | |
| what is making my sister's dog itch so much? | 1/27/2012 |
| Q: my sister has a golden retreiver/german shepard mix; I don't know how old the dog is. But since ... A: Flea allergy dermatitis is a possibility as are other types of allergic skin disease. Your vet can ... | |
| Possibly Malassezia Dermatitis | 1/26/2012 |
| Q: Dr. Gotthelf, I have a 2 year old spayed female labrador retriever (up to date with vaccinations) ... A: Malassezia skin and ear disease is almost always secondary to an underlying allergic condition. It ... | |
| Great Dane Losing hair | 1/24/2012 |
| Q: A year and a half old black Dane. Developed little pimple like growths about the size of a pencil ... A: This is most likely a bacterial infection caused by something. If his thyroid was only 1, then a 30 ... | |
| my cat | 1/23/2012 |
| Q: So my cat is having fur problems we thought it was her food cause we changed it to seafood and her ... A: Many cats are allergic to things including foods, fleas, and environmental allergens. In itchy ... | |
| Dog vomiting yellow bile | 1/21/2012 |
| Q: My dog is 5 years old and she is a Brittany Spaniel. For the past few months she has been vomiting ... A: Yellow in the vomit is bile. Bile should not be in the stomach!! It should be in the intestines. ... | |
| Circular Skin Lesions | 1/19/2012 |
| Q: I have a 65 lb, 9 y/o male Aussie. He has hypothyroidism and has been on Soloxine twice a day for as ... A: Hypothyroid dogs are very prone to bacterial skin infections. A 3 week course of an antibiotic like ... | |
| sores on skin | 1/18/2012 |
| Q: My 8 month old Himalayan has sores that magically appear over night and take just a few days to go ... A: If he is only 8 months old, then I would treat him with a drug like metronidazole for the ... | |
| Pomeranian Skin Issue | 1/16/2012 |
| Q: I have a nearly 2-year-old male Pomeranian named Shadow. For as long as I've had him, he's had a ... A: If he is having an allergic skin reaction, he will need powerful systemic drugs to treat him. Take ... | |
| Split whiskers | 1/14/2012 |
| Q: Gotthelf, I have a question about my girl, Karlie. Karlie is turning 2 years old, I adopted her ... A: It is very common for normal cats to have split whiskers. Some vets think that there may be ... | |
| need help please!!!!!!! | 1/11/2012 |
| Q: i live in south africa, i have a american pitbull terrior which name is zeus,his skin is full of ... A: Most of the time,bumps on the skin are from a bacterial infection so antibiotics by mouth as well as ... | |
| meningitidis ? advice | 1/10/2012 |
| Q: I have an 11 years old American Pit bull Terrier that I adopted 10 years ago. Very healthy and ... A: Meningitis is very rare in the dog. A spinal fluid tap would give you the answer to that one. If ... | |
| Cat's skin 'crackling' | 1/8/2012 |
| Q: A week ago tomorrow my 1-year old female cat was brought in to be spayed. She was in first thing in ... A: This is called subcutaneous emphysema and it results from air being pumped under the skin because ... | |
| Puppy Hair Loss | 1/2/2012 |
| Q: We got a puppy in October (she was 3 months old). She is a toy poodle & boston terrior mix. We were ... A: I would culture the hair and skin for ringworm fungi and look for Malassezia yeasts. That can cause ... | |
| Himalayan cat idopathic facial dermatitis | 1/1/2012 |
| Q: Dr. Gotthelf, I have been asking you privately about this problem. Now I will post so that others ... A: Idiopathic means that we have no idea what this is. If there is chin acne, there could be yeasts, ... | |
| Severe Dandruff & Possiblly Flea Infestation | 12/30/2011 |
| Q: Dr. Gotthelf! I have 4 cats (parents & their babies) and all four of them are indoor-only cats. Of ... A: For some uinknown, unexplained reason, fleas have apreference for something on the cat or dog skin. ... | |
| my cat's swollen paw | 12/30/2011 |
| Q: My cat has a swollen paw this is the second day he has had it. Let me mention he is an outside cat, ... A: In my experience, swollen paws in cats are almost always abscesses from fight wounds. The cat's nail ... | |
| Excessive Ear Wax on Cat | 12/27/2011 |
| Q: Dr. Gotthelf. I have one more question. My other cat has excessive wax in his ear. I can see it and ... A: Excessive ear wax in cats is often a complicating factor from a skin allergy. The glands inside the ... | |
| Severe Dandruff & Possiblly Flea Infestation | 12/27/2011 |
| Q: Dr. Gotthelf! I have 4 cats (parents & their babies) and all four of them are indoor-only cats. Of ... A: If you think it is flea dirt, put some on a white piece of paper and add a small amount of water. ... | |
| My dogs giant neck lump | 12/26/2011 |
| Q: My dog has a giant lump on her neck and we have no clue what it might be or what to do? A: You obviously need to let a vet look at the lump. Sometimes there are enlarged lymph nodes or large ... | |
| dog nipple tumor | 12/22/2011 |
| Q: my landlord has a dog which has something that looks like an ulcer on its nipple (it bleeds). It had ... A: Mammary tumors don't just go away!!! Licking a wound can help to keep it clean, but the problem is ... | |
| My cat has a hot spot | 12/21/2011 |
| Q: My cat does have skin allergies that come and go in cycles. About 2 yrs ago she got a hot spot and I ... A: You can continue what you are doing. If the steroids help to relieve the skin reaction to the ... | |
| Itchy Dogo Argentino | 12/20/2011 |
| Q: Gotthelf, I appreciate your time and expert advice. I was very relieved to find a Doctor who ... A: Since this seems to be prednisone responsive, I would have to say that with the other symptoms, that ... | |
| Schnauzer skin problem | 12/19/2011 |
| Q: I have a mini schnauzer we adopted from a rescue, he is about 18 months old. For the past two ... A: Revolution will take a long time to kill any sarcoptic mites. I would recommend having him dipped ... | |
| Schnauzer skin problem | 12/17/2011 |
| Q: I have a mini schnauzer we adopted from a rescue, he is about 18 months old. For the past two ... A: I think your vet proved that this is not a bacterial skin infection. It could be many other ... | |
| Coat odour | 12/14/2011 |
| Q: My dog has had a really offensive stale odour for the past few months. I've bathed her in tea tree ... A: Many dogs with skin disease as well as intestinal problems are allergic to their food. That can ... | |
| Labrador puppy | 12/12/2011 |
| Q: My puppy having red eyes,cough,nose discharge...what should be the home care for the puppy?? A: Those symptoms are not specific to any one disease. You should have the puppy checked by a vet to ... | |
| Deaf bilateral puppy | 12/8/2011 |
| Q: I purchased a Bernese Mountain Dog puppy at 8 weeks of age and had it flown to me. By 11 weeks of ... A: I am unaware of any genetic deafness in Bernese Mountain Dogs. We usually see genetic hearing ... | |
| cats face and base of tail is swollen. | 12/8/2011 |
| Q: My inside cat Suki has had a swollen tail(base of tail) and swollen face for about a month now. Also ... A: Without a complete examination, I cannot diagnose on the internet. But if the prednsione helped, ... | |
| Hit by car/paralyzation | 12/7/2011 |
| Q: I'm just asking this question to get Other opinions. I know this isn't your "expertise" but I'm ... A: Neurological problems can take a long time to resolve. Nerves grow very slowly and nervous tissue ... | |
| cocker spaniel puppy | 12/6/2011 |
| Q: I have a 14 week old female cocker spaniel puppy. She has developed small pussy spots on her ... A: This is very common in pups and it is most likely a bacterial infection (pyoderma). You can wash ... | |
| 5 Month Old Husky Injury | 12/5/2011 |
| Q: I had taken my 5 month old husky to an indoor dog park yesterday because of the weather and she was ... A: If there was a bruising, then the best treatment is tincture of time and rest. She may benefit from ... | |
| puppy dermititis | 12/5/2011 |
| Q: We are looking at a puppy from a litter (6 total pups) that is now 6 weeks old. All but one of the ... A: I would be very concerned about demodex mange as the cause of the dermatitis in the areas you ... | |
| Colds | 12/4/2011 |
| Q: Is it possible for my dog to have a head or sinus cold. My 3 year old chocolate lab has been ... A: It is possible for a dog to have a sinus problem, but that usually shows up with a restriction of ... | |
| ear infection | 12/4/2011 |
| Q: My chocolate lab was diagnosed with food allergies in the ear they said it was a yeast infection and ... A: Many labs with yeasty ears are allergic. Steroids seem to help nicely to relieve the itching. I ... | |
| taktic | 12/3/2011 |
| Q: I have 1 year old local dog from Philippines. i ask vet about what's the best i can apply for fleas ... A: Taktic is an insecticide called amitraz. This does not kill fleas!!! It is used in dogs to kill ... | |
| Teacup Yorkie skin problem | 12/1/2011 |
| Q: My teacup yorkie is 6 years old and weighs 3 lbs. She has recently developed a skin problem that ... A: The spots you are describing are probably remnants of pustules caused by a bacterial skin infection. ... | |
| Mystery skin ulcers | 11/30/2011 |
| Q: Our 7 month old puppy has now developed her 3rd skin lesion on her head/face area. They start as ... A: These are probably pustules from a bacterial infection. The vet can culture a pustule before it ... | |
| Dog Pads | 11/29/2011 |
| Q: I have a 1 year old Shiba Inu and I had notice today that his pads are soft with a very slight shade ... A: Although allergies and excessive abrasions from a rough surface commonly cause the footpads to be ... | |
| 13 yr old labs ears | 11/28/2011 |
| Q: My 13 yr old lab has been under a vet care for over 2 years for ear fungus/yeast infection in right ... A: My guess is that there is a ruptured eardrum with a serious middle ear infection. That's why they ... | |
| Skin Problem - Persian Cat | 11/26/2011 |
| Q: I have a male persian cat 1 year and 7 mos. old. I noticed that he's losing hair around his ears, ... A: You should have the cat's ears examined by a vet to see if there is an infection, ear mites, a ... | |
| cats | 11/23/2011 |
| Q: alright so, my cat is 13 and has recently been diagnosed with liver failure. He was in the vets for ... A: Liver disease is a very complex syndrome because of all of the functions that the liver does. Your ... | |
| Dog, | 11/21/2011 |
| Q: My 3 year old Yorkshire Terrier has been acting strange lately.He sits in a certain spot then moves ... A: He needs to be checked by your vet. They can check to see if there is an ear infection or a skin ... | |
| question about my pug puppy | 11/17/2011 |
| Q: i am amisha from India, my pug puppy name tobby,he had postive sign of genralist demodex mange which ... A: Demodex mites are controlled by the puppy's immune system. All dogs have these mites, but most have ... | |
| 5 week old puppy not eating or drinking | 11/16/2011 |
| Q: i bought a 5 and a half week old puppy today, we were told he was nearly 7 weeks but then we rang ... A: If the puppy was eating solid food, then call and find out what the pup was eating and try that. It ... | |
| ear infection | 11/15/2011 |
| Q: my 3 year old shihitzu is going to be sedated on Thursday he has a ongoing ear infection that has ... A: Those are questions you need to ask your veterinarian. There are many anesthetic protocols ... | |
| Bathing a nursing dog | 11/15/2011 |
| Q: Can I bathe my yorkie 4 days after she gave birth? Can I use dog shampoo on her? A: Sure, you can bathe your dog. Make sure that you dry her completely and that she is warm before ... | |
| Bumps on an incision libr | 11/9/2011 |
| Q: My dog had an ohe about a month ago her stiches were removed and now she has developed bumps on her ... A: IF there was a reaction to the sutures placed under the skin, that is what you may be seeing. If ... | |
| Dog has huge raised lumps and is off his food 2 days | 11/4/2011 |
| Q: My ABPT (approx 3 years old) was out for a run in the woods with my husband a few days ago. Today we ... A: This looks to be an allergic reaction to something causing hives (angioneurotic edema). Often dogs ... | |
| dog fees in house | 11/3/2011 |
| Q: i have a 5 year old male dochshound not neudered,he pees in the house at night. i try to diceplind ... A: Yes, he could have a urinary problem. Your vet would have to run a urinalysis to be sure. He may ... | |
| Itchy Lab | 11/2/2011 |
| Q: My 2 year old 50lb lab, Bella, has been itching incessantly, licking her paws and arms and ... A: If the Temaril-P helps, then it is most likely an allergy. Prednisone only temporarily helps ... | |
| My Cat Has some kind of abrasion | 11/1/2011 |
| Q: I noticed my cat had some kind of lump under her fur, it collapsed to the touch as if it were full ... A: My first thought is an abscess from a puncture wound from fighting or a spider bite. If it was a ... | |
| Itchy dog | 10/27/2011 |
| Q: I have a itchy westie who is almost 8 years old. We adopted her last year from a breeder. We are at ... A: Because your dog is a Westie, she is most likely is suffering from Atopic Dermatitis or ... | |
| Labrador Puppy with Fungal Infection | 10/26/2011 |
| Q: I was recently given a Labrador puppy (female, 6 weeks old) by someone, and she had a weird scabby ... A: Without some testing, like a fungal culture or a skin cytology, it is hard for me to tell you if it ... | |
| Dark Spots | 10/26/2011 |
| Q: My 10 year old Chihuahua's skin has started to develop some dark patches. It first began on her ... A: Many older dogs will develop pigmented areas on their skin with age. If there was an insult to the ... | |
| German Shepard Skin Problem | 10/25/2011 |
| Q: My 6 year old male German Shepard has got a skin infection on his underside (photo attached) he was ... A: If the pustule is still there after antibiotics, it may be time to have a bacterial culture done to ... | |
| Choc Lab Ear Infection | 10/25/2011 |
| Q: My 8 year old Choc Lab is always getting ear infections, the vet has never stated what type or cause ... A: Over 80% of dogs with ear infections have some type of skin allergy that causes it. So if the vet ... | |
| Cat Lethargic | 10/24/2011 |
| Q: My cat was acting a little strange but I then noticed fleas and figured it was the cause of her odd ... A: Without a physical examination and perhaps some blood work, it is hard to diagnose properly over the ... | |
| grooming | 10/24/2011 |
| Q: About a month ago, my cat started grooming himself much more than normal. I put flea drops on him ... A: This could be behavioral, but not usually. More than likely, the cat is allergic to something. ... | |
| Dog is licking skin raw | 10/22/2011 |
| Q: My 5 year old rat terrier Fritz is licking the hair off his tail and making the skin raw. We treated ... A: More than likely he is suffering from flea allergy. You can kill all the fleas on him and he will ... | |
| What could be causing my cat to loss patches of hair on his legs | 10/22/2011 |
| Q: I have a white cat,just in the past week I have noticed my cat scratching more and seems to be ... A: This cat is obviously itchy and that's why the hair is being pulled out. YOu can try givine the cat ... | |
| Soloxine | 10/20/2011 |
| Q: My dog (a lab) has been on SOLOXINE 0.8 MG since this past June. Though we have seen a big ... A: Normally when dogs are on Soloxine for 60 days, we measure the serum T4 concentration about 2 hours ... | |
| ear infection | 10/17/2011 |
| Q: My dog was had a severe middle ear infection which was pseudomonis. He was operated on to take out ... A: Using an antibiotic systemically in ear disease is not as good as using it topically. If your dog ... | |
| ammonia cat smell | 10/16/2011 |
| Q: I am trying to find a natural and noninvasive answer for my tenant. Her cat has always has a strong ... A: Using a low protein diet specifically designed for kidney patients usually reduces the amount of ... | |
| Staph on German Shepherd | 10/14/2011 |
| Q: Tikka our 4 year old German Shepherd started scratching a little over a month ago after we left her ... A: Without a complete exam, I cannot tell you on the internet what is wrong. I see that you are in ... | |
| Popping/ clicking noise | 10/14/2011 |
| Q: I have noticed a popping/ clicking noise in my 9 month old Samoyed mix puppy, she does not appear to ... A: The joints in puppies are not mature and the cartilage is mostly composed of water. It is not ... | |
| Golden Lab | 10/13/2011 |
| Q: My golden lab has been shaking his head quite frequently. He isn't whining or grouchy or anything, ... A: IF YOU ARE SEEING BLOOD IN THE EAR, THAT SHOULD TIP YOU OFF THAT THIS IS BEYOND YOUR SKILL LEVEL. ... | |
| springer spaniel...black white | 10/9/2011 |
| Q: My dog 3 Yes old has first infection...took to vet got Med. Been a week..I still hear water in ... A: The ear cleaner you use should be based on the type of infection that the dog has. If it is a ... | |
| english bulldog | 10/8/2011 |
| Q: I have an English bulldog who is 8 1/2 yrs old, my husband usually trims her coat in the spring so ... A: These black specks could be flea droppings or dead skin cells. The easiest way to tell is to put ... | |
| Hair/fur loss on dog's inside hind leg | 10/7/2011 |
| Q: I just realized that my 3 yr old cream coloured female pomeranian, cockapoo, maltese and shih-tzu ... A: She may have abraded her skin and removed some of he hairs in that area. If the hair does not grow ... | |
| Ok to allow dog to get wet regularly? | 9/23/2011 |
| Q: I am allergic to dogs, but don't react to the "hypo-allergenic" breeds, like Poodles, Malteses, etc. ... A: There are many conditioning sprays that you can use on your dog's skin to prevent the aerosolization ... | |
| lump on my dog | 9/19/2011 |
| Q: My lab is 8 years old and has a red bump that is on the front right paw. she has had this for about ... A: It could be something we call a lick granuloma. Some dogs will just lick one spot because it feels ... | |
| Licking Fur From Tummy and Inside Legs | 9/14/2011 |
| Q: My male cat (4 yrs)began with a small patch on his tummy where he licked the fur away. The vet said ... A: This is called barbering and it is most often related to itching from allergic skin disease. It is ... | |
| Mass on Dogs skin | 9/13/2011 |
| Q: I found a mass on my dogs hip. It sits on the skin not under it. A first it kinda looks like a pink ... A: This could be what we call an epidermal collarette. This is often a bacterial infection and it may ... | |
| Our Golded Retriever named Skye | 9/12/2011 |
| Q: my beloved dog skye is about 12 and has these lumps and bumps showing up on her body and one ... A: This does look like a skin infection. IF her skin is as bad as you describe, she is probably an ... | |
| morkie back tooth | 9/9/2011 |
| Q: Im the sleep expert on this site and have a question. I have a little 11month morkie her back baby ... A: At this age, if they were going to loosen up themselves, it would have been happened already. ... | |
| Dogs ear | 9/6/2011 |
| Q: Last night we were outside playing with the dog-later on I bent down to pet her and there was this ... A: This is probably an aural hematoma and it needs to be surgically corrected. It is a pillow of blood ... | |
| Whiteish colored dots | 9/3/2011 |
| Q: My Border collie/mixed dog has whiteish colored spots on his nose and on his lips. Is this something ... A: Without an examination, I cannot be specific. Often bacterial skin conditions can show up as white ... | |
| kennel cough | 8/29/2011 |
| Q: My small mix breed dog spent the night at the pet ER this past Wednesday night. Thanks to a bufo ... A: Bordetella is kennel cough!!! So she probably inhaled some of the fluid they used to flush out the ... | |
| Eye problem | 8/28/2011 |
| Q: I have a 9 year old female golden retriever. She has had a problem in her eye since after her ... A: There are many things that can cause a "blue eye." This results from blood vessels putting fluid ... | |
| Small Skin Growth | 8/28/2011 |
| Q: My female American Staffordshire Terrier Always has 'blackheads' on her nipples no matter how often ... A: The only way to prevent blackheads is to clean these areas with alcohol frequently. Alcohol will ... | |
| skin problem | 8/27/2011 |
| Q: My pek has some kinda skin problem the vet has said it was a skin infection, gives him antibotics ... A: If this is a recurring skin infection, then there is some type of underlying skin problem causing ... | |
| Small black bumps on penis | 8/27/2011 |
| Q: I have a male schnauzer, 5 yrs old. Two weeks ago I noticed about 4 small black bumps on the skin ... A: I seriously doubt that there is any type of venereal disease going on. There are a lot of glands ... | |
| black crusty-s in hair | 8/16/2011 |
| Q: I have a 2 1/2 year old Cardigan Corgi who I've had for a little over 2 years. Since I got him he's ... A: This sounds like a sebaceous cyst or a small sebaceous adenoma. There are oil glands surrounding ... | |
| Beagle with skin/ear irritation | 8/16/2011 |
| Q: I have a 7 year old male Beagle. Over the past year/year and a half he has developed an irritating ... A: Yeast ear infections are almost always related to skin allergies. The scabs you are seeing are the ... | |
| I want to become a Vet! | 8/15/2011 |
| Q: my name is Aria. I am 15 years-old, and I want to be a Vet. My questions for you are, "how do you ... A: There is an excellent veterinary school at NC State in Raleigh. In high school, I would recommend ... | |
| Problem diagnosis | 8/9/2011 |
| Q: I have a 4 year old male poodle/mix. He has a bad cough almost choking or gasping for air, when he ... A: I cannot diagnose on the internet, but I would definitely have a vet check him and possibly do a ... | |
| ears are sore | 8/7/2011 |
| Q: Every time I slightly pull on my dogs ears he starts yelping. I looked into his ears and they look ... A: You should have the dog's ear examined by a vet. The dog's ear canal is like a boot with a vertical ... | |
| skin problem | 8/7/2011 |
| Q: My pit bull terrier has had a cluster open sore on her head all summer...there is no hair in this ... A: Your vet DID treat for allergies. This could be something else, like trauma, ringworm, a flat ... | |
| fleas | 8/2/2011 |
| Q: I have 2 cats with fleas. I used Frontline yesterday afternoon (7/28/11)and they still have fleas. ... A: Lemon will not do anything. There was a product that once contained d-limonene, which is found in ... | |
| fleas | 7/30/2011 |
| Q: I have 2 cats with fleas. I used Frontline yesterday afternoon (7/28/11)and they still have fleas. ... A: Frontline works well. It can take 3 months to get rid of all of the fleas. YOur problem is most ... | |
| dog itchy skin | 7/23/2011 |
| Q: i have a shih tzu - 4 years old-weighs 17 or 20 pounds he is constantly scratching his ears, mouth, ... A: You are describing the classic symptoms of allergies...atopic dermatitis. Food changes and ... | |
| Puppy skin | 7/21/2011 |
| Q: I have a 5 mnth old Australian Cattle Dog. He has no fleas, but he scratches constantly. I have ... A: There are many reasons for itchy puppies. Fleas are not the only parasite that can get. Often we ... | |
| Cats with fleas | 7/18/2011 |
| Q: I have two cats with fleas. When we got infested with the fleas, about 8 months ago and we attempted ... A: In older cats, there are many things that are possible including hyperthyroidism. Have blood tests ... | |
| Cat w/ diarrhea | 7/14/2011 |
| Q: What can I give my cat for this & how much do I give him? I have read that I can give him ... A: Immodium can help and you can use the 2mg capsules or tablets twice daily for a large bowel ... | |
| Poison Ivy/Oak? | 7/13/2011 |
| Q: I have a 6m/o Catahoula FE who recently broke out with some pustule-like bumps on her lower abdomen ... A: She is too young to be atopic. Poison oak and poison ivy resins can get to dogs on the unhaired ... | |
| Undergraduate | 7/12/2011 |
| Q: I know this isn't QUITE in your field of questions to ask, but I'm sure you know the answer. How ... A: There are really no Master's degree programs in veterinary medicine unless you are already a doctor. ... | |
| cat has patches with little or no fur | 7/1/2011 |
| Q: Our 6 year old spayed female Tortie has spots on her belly and back legs where she is bald or has ... A: IF the steroid helped, then it is probably some type of allergy. YOu can try giving some ... | |
| kitten health | 6/25/2011 |
| Q: I just adopted a stray female kitten one week ago. I am not sure of the age as I have not taken her ... A: I would recommend taking the kitten to the vet right away. A quick way to estimate a kittens age is ... | |
| dog suffering from hypothyriodism | 6/19/2011 |
| Q: My dog is female of 2 yrs and 7 months. She got spayed on 18 th March, 2010. For past 2 months she ... A: Weight gain and hair loss are common findings in hypothyroidism. Ear problems and skin infections ... | |
| rash on puppys belly | 6/15/2011 |
| Q: my dog has a bad rash with blister like fluid filled eruptions on her stomach and privates. frequent ... A: Most likely, this is a Staph bacterial infection, which is common in puppies. Sometimes an ... | |
| lhaso apso 2 yr. old itching back legs and behiind ears | 6/7/2011 |
| Q: Greetings~ Sara is my 2 yrs. old lhaso, I feed her "Blue" dogfood only. as well as her "blue" ... A: There is a possibility that the dog may be allergic to something either in the environment or in the ... | |
| Hair loss an flaking skin | 6/7/2011 |
| Q: My pitull is almost 7 this year and i have had many years of having to bring her to the vet an get ... A: Usually with hair loss and itching in the rump area, this indicates a flea allergy. Has the dog had ... | |
| Mometamax/deafness | 6/6/2011 |
| Q: like so many others who have written in, my dog went deaf after I used Mometamax in her ear. My Vet ... A: The antibiotic in Mometamax, Gentamycin, can be toxic to the nerve cells within the inner ear. ... | |
| Boston Terrier with sudden dandruff | 6/3/2011 |
| Q: I'm hoping you can help me with a question about our almost 7-year-old male Boston Terrier. He's an ... A: I seriously doubt that the new food would cause flaking after a week. Flakes are usually the result ... | |
| my chihuahua | 6/3/2011 |
| Q: my dog has dry flaky skin she is constanly biting herself on hind legs and she has a rash on her ... A: She probably has allergies to something. She may need some steroid medication to decrease the ... | |
| RE: Tiny moving specks on cat | 5/31/2011 |
| Q: My black Persian Cat has a lot of real teeny weeny brownish specks on his fur. It is especially ... A: Any flea spray that has cats on the label should kill any bugs on the cats. For the crusts around ... | |
| Cat Open Sores | 5/23/2011 |
| Q: My indoor/outdoor 14 or 15 year old cat recently developed bald patches and an open sore on her rear ... A: Ask your vet if your cat can have a shot of DepoMedrol to determine if this is an inflammatory ... | |
| Heartworm | 5/18/2011 |
| Q: Okay, please don't judge my pet ownership credentials. I have 3 dogs, a mother and two daughters, ... A: If the dog has heartworms (a simple blood test will tell you) and you give the preventative, no more ... | |
| Dog itching | 5/14/2011 |
| Q: I have a 2year old sheepdog he keeps scraching his legs from his elbow up,the skin is red and patchy ... A: He may be allergic...especially with an ear infection. I would recommend two things for you to try. ... | |
| Heart worm treatment | 5/11/2011 |
| Q: My dog started HW treatment on May 1st. We are doing the 3 injection plan. She was adopted from a ... A: If the dog received Immiticide, the first dose is when the majority of the worms are killed right ... | |
| Nuvet plus vitamin dog supplement | 5/8/2011 |
| Q: I have a 7 year old Wire fox terrier with skin allergies and I read that the Nuvet Plus vitamin dog ... A: Certain vitamins, minerals, and fish oils (not cod liver oil) are helpful for the skin, but if the ... | |
| black spots and scabs | 5/6/2011 |
| Q: My 14 yr old yorkie has a skin condition the vet diagnosed as food allergies, but she said it is a ... A: Erythema multiforme is a reaction of the skin to something. It could be allergies or it could be ... | |
| chihuahua's ears infection | 5/5/2011 |
| Q: My 8 year old Chihuahua has a bad ear infection. His ears are almost closed and the vet is going to ... A: When ear infections are present for a long time, scarring inside the ear canals happens and that ... | |
| Vizsla excessive shedding | 4/29/2011 |
| Q: I came across a question posted in July of 2010 about Vizsla and excessive shedding. We are having ... A: No, the prednisone will not help his thyroid. If he is taking the prednisone, then ask your vet to ... | |
| Mange | 4/26/2011 |
| Q: My dog is an adult, female, BlueHeeler who lives outside. She has what looks like mange ALL over, ... A: It is fairly easy for the vet to diagnose mange. It requires a scraping of skin examined under the ... | |
| poison oak on my 10 year old chihuahua | 4/22/2011 |
| Q: I live in the center coast of california and I think my dog has come into contact with some kind of ... A: Dogs rarely get the effect of poison ivy or poison oak. The treatment for that type of skin problem ... | |
| Vizsla excessive shedding | 4/21/2011 |
| Q: I came across a question posted in July of 2010 about Vizsla and excessive shedding. We are having ... A: Have you had the dog tested for low thyroid hormones? IF they are normal and the Omega 3 fatty ... | |
| red nose!!! | 4/16/2011 |
| Q: .... I have a female lab of 15 months(faun color). From her birth till last 2 months months her ... A: If it is just depigmenting, there are many reasons for that. If the skin is actually coming off, ... | |
| Vestibular Infection | 4/14/2011 |
| Q: We have an 8 year old male DSH who shows signs of vestibular infection (head tilt, darting eyes, ... A: IF it is a brain tumor, then an MRI is what the neurologist will want to see to determine that. But ... | |
| My Yorkipoo keeps itching and biting herself | 4/11/2011 |
| Q: We just adopted a 1yr old yorkipoo female. We do not have much history on her background and what ... A: There are any number of reasons for itching. I would ask your vet to dip the dog in a solution of ... | |
| dog | 4/9/2011 |
| Q: my dog has a spot on his leg with no hair on it .. it used to bo red but now its just his skin it ... A: There are many reasons for this. If the dog is licking it a lot, that may be a lick granuloma. But ... | |
| Black thick scab like in my dogs ear | 4/8/2011 |
| Q: My dog Eddie is 10 yrs old....at one yr he went almost blind n had lens transplant surgery...about a ... A: YOu need to find a dermatologist veterinarian to look at the ears. There is some reason for this ... | |
| chronic ear problem | 4/7/2011 |
| Q: I have been taking my dog to the vet for since the beginning of the year for ear infection and still ... A: This x-ray is of no value in evaluating the ears. It is the wrong view. What is needed is an open ... | |
| My Japanese Spitz | 3/30/2011 |
| Q: Hey my japanese spitz gets really itchy skin every year maybe once or twice a year. she pulls at her ... A: If she is experience an allergic reaction in that area, it is a simple matter of giving her some ... | |
| Chocolate Lab Allergies/food recommendation | 3/20/2011 |
| Q: My 1 1/2 year old chocolate lab is experiencing hair loss around her ears, eyes, and down her nose. ... A: You can use any single protein source food as long as you do it for at least 6 weeks. That means no ... | |
| Hair loss | 3/20/2011 |
| Q: My 8 year old cocker spaniel has recently had a skin rash, for which the vet gave us some cream. ... A: Without examining the dog I cannot tell you the cause of the hair loss. It may be some type of ... | |
| Kitten & roundworm | 3/15/2011 |
| Q: We adopted a kitten 2 mos ago from the pound & she is now about 6 mos old. She threw up a roundworm ... A: It is not the worms themselves that you should be worried about. It is the infective larvae that ... | |
| Stud Tail | 3/14/2011 |
| Q: Our vet said that our dog (neutered male, mixed breed, 18 lbs) has stud tail and to use Stridex. I ... A: Sometimes these sebaceous glands making up the "stud tail" are infected. Systemic drugs like ... | |
| Spayed Female 6 months | 3/11/2011 |
| Q: I recently got my 6 month old cat spayed. She woke up great from the surgery and was raring to go ... A: If you can keep the cat confined to a crate or a small room, you probably do not need the cone as ... | |
| Dogs Skin Problem | 3/9/2011 |
| Q: I am writing, with permission from our vet, for your professional advice. We are expats living in ... A: I think that I have already answered this question. Malassezia skin infections are almost always ... | |
| Cyst on cat's paw | 3/8/2011 |
| Q: I have a nearly 17 year old, overweight cat. Aside from some elderly issues such as arthritis, he's ... A: The anesthetics we have today are extremely safe and fast acting. I cannot advise you as to what to ... | |
| Cyst on cat's paw | 3/8/2011 |
| Q: I have a nearly 17 year old, overweight cat. Aside from some elderly issues such as arthritis, he's ... A: As you indicate, it is impossible to tell what type of growth this could be. I can tell you that ... | |
| Diet issue | 3/7/2011 |
| Q: My dog was prescribed your k/d canned food due to suspicion of a liver shunt condition. This was ... A: Whether it is k/d or l/d, it is a low protein diet. The liver gets rid of excess dietary proteins ... | |
| dog is constantly rubbing ear and shaking head | 3/5/2011 |
| Q: 6 year old dalmation had occasional problem with left ear up until last summer, I was given drops ... A: IF she has an ear infection on only one side, then I would not recommend a diet change yet. ... | |
| Infected Tick Bites | 3/4/2011 |
| Q: I have 5 female Brussels Griffons and I live out in the country surrounded by 13 acres of brush. ... A: There are many infections that ticks can transmit, so yes, you should work with your vet to get ... | |
| German Shepherd / Drum abruption | 3/4/2011 |
| Q: , I have a german shepherd. I bought it from a certified fancier in Greece (Del Vento Marcio). She ... A: In my experience, the oral Baytril medication will only make the bacteria more resistant. The ... | |
| Greenstick fracture | 3/3/2011 |
| Q: I have a nine month old Alaskan Malamute. He has a greenstick fracture in his right front leg. I ... A: Since it is a greenstick fracture there is no displacement of the bones. Two weeks in a splinty ... | |
| standard poodle with cronic ear infections | 3/2/2011 |
| Q: i have a standard poodle who just turned 8 at the beginning of january. we have a groomer and have ... A: If you have seen numerous vets and there is no resolution, then you might need to see a skin and ear ... | |
| elderly black cat turning brown | 3/2/2011 |
| Q: My 14 year old domestic shorthair cat is recovering well from a severe pancreatitis episode last ... A: Hair color change is often indicative of something internal causing the skin not to get the proper ... | |
| German Sheperd's Ear's? | 2/28/2011 |
| Q: How old should my German sheperd puppy be before his ear's stand?? He will be 4 moths March the ... A: Pups can have their ears up for a while and then down for a while. You can exercise the ear muscles ... | |
| Cat sneezing | 2/26/2011 |
| Q: Our cat was seen by the vet 1 week ago. She was given Mometamax for ear infection. also Neomycin and ... A: Most likely, she has some type of virus. It will take at least 2 weeks for her to get over it. Many ... | |
| itchy puppy | 2/25/2011 |
| Q: i recently adopted a 9 month old long hair jrt. he is constantly scratching himself and he has a ... A: At 9 months, if there is an allergy, it is usually to the food. If you have had the dog on a ... | |
| German Shepherd / Drum abruption | 2/25/2011 |
| Q: , I have a german shepherd. I bought it from a certified fancier in Greece (Del Vento Marcio). She ... A: This seems to be a middle ear infection. That is best treated with a deep flush of the bony chamber ... | |
| Pitbull Snorting | 2/23/2011 |
| Q: When I first became the owner of my then 5-month old pitbull puppy, his breathing was "weak." In ... A: Snorting is not normal, but it may indicate a narrowed part of the breathing apparatus. It could be ... | |
| Furunculosis | 2/22/2011 |
| Q: My dog, a 10 years old one, was diagnosed by the vet as having Furunculosis He was given anti ... A: So often these interdigital cysts are full of foreign material like plant material or even ingrown ... | |
| Hairloss | 2/20/2011 |
| Q: I rescued a dog about 3 months ago and recently she has been losing a lot of fur. She has lost most ... A: If she is not having any itching or scratching right now, you can try using Omega3 fatty acids added ... | |
| Pitbull with chronic ear infection/yeast infection/skin problems/food allergies/extremely lethargic | 2/17/2011 |
| Q: I have a four year old pure bread american pitbull terrior that adopted about 2 years ago. When we ... A: Food allergies rarely affect the feet, so I would think of a condition called Atopic Dermatitis. ... | |
| Can Hypothyroidism have other symptoms? | 2/15/2011 |
| Q: I got a Red Doberman from someone who didnt have a clue or time for him. My first look i saw: ... A: This looks like a bacterial pyoderma unique to the Doberman called Dobie Bumps. It seems to be a ... | |
| Ear Infection/Hearing Loss | 2/14/2011 |
| Q: My 10 yr old Westie was diagnosed with an ear infection (yeast) about 2 weeks ago. Our vet ... A: The medication in mometamax is called Gentamycin. It can be toxic to the inner ear and it can cause ... | |
| Thyroid | 2/14/2011 |
| Q: Dr. Gotthelf, I adopted a mixed breed dog. He is about 3 years old and is suspected to be Cocker ... A: Most ear infections are caused from skin allergies. The prednisone helps decrease the skin reaction ... | |
| bald spots | 2/12/2011 |
| Q: I have 2 king charles cavalier spaniels. They both have several small bald spots (almost exclusively ... A: IF the fluconazole is not helping, then it is probably not a fungal disease. It could be bacteria, ... | |
| Persistent skin rashes in german shepherd puppy | 2/11/2011 |
| Q: I have an eight month old German shepherd who has had itchy skin problems since she was about three ... A: In itchy puppies with raised red rashes, I would first want the puppy treated for sarcoptic mange. ... | |
| Vizsla excessive shedding | 2/9/2011 |
| Q: I came across a question posted in July of 2010 about Vizsla and excessive shedding. We are having ... A: IF there is a chronic yeast infection in the ears, then it is most likely allergic. Almost 80% of ... | |
| foot problem | 2/8/2011 |
| Q: Dr. Gotthelf. Thank you for reading this. My Mom's 10 year old male Labrador - Miller - started on ... A: If this is a lick granuloma, then neither the metacam, nor the cephalexin will do much good. Lick ... | |
| Dogs hair | 2/7/2011 |
| Q: We ave a 12 year old miniature yorkie. Over the last 2 months she has lost 1/2 of her body weight. ... A: Obviously, with that profound weight loss, even if she is eating well, she needs to see a vet. If ... | |
| recovery rate/time for dogs with MRSA | 2/6/2011 |
| Q: My 3 year old Basset Hound, Mini, has been diagnosed with MRSA. She contracted it because she has ... A: True Methcillin Resistant Staph Aureus is extremely rare in the dog. Dogs have MRSI (Staph ... | |
| Strange skin bump | 2/6/2011 |
| Q: I have a 14 year old min pin. She is our first baby. She is overweight (in the last couple years), ... A: If it looks like an artichoke, I would think of a papilloma or a skin tag. These are benign and can ... | |
| scratching and biting | 1/30/2011 |
| Q: I have an 11 year old black cat who recently had a stroke. After recovering I find that he is ... A: If the dog and cat are chewing, it may be that both have allergies. Fleas are one thing that can ... | |
| dog allergies | 1/29/2011 |
| Q: I wanted to ask a few questions about my 6 yr. old female boxer. For years now she has suffered ... A: Once the allergy tests are done and the vet determines the most likely antigens in your area that ... | |
| Cat | 1/28/2011 |
| Q: My cat has scabs on her back and neck that she is continually itching. She also has some hair loss ... A: IF your cat had fleas, this could be a flea allergy called miliary dermatitis, which usually affects ... | |
| dog allergies | 1/27/2011 |
| Q: I wanted to ask a few questions about my 6 yr. old female boxer. For years now she has suffered ... A: When I am faced with cases like this, the very first thing I do is to dip these dogs in a solution ... | |
| bumps on his skin | 1/24/2011 |
| Q: I have a 4 year old great dane named Thunder. He has bumps on his nose,ears and now sides. They ... A: If the cephalexin has not helped, then it may not be a bacterial infection or it is a bacterial ... | |
| Impossible allergies | 1/22/2011 |
| Q: I rescued a male cat several years ago. The vet currently estimates his age to be around 9. When he ... A: Some of these refractory cats actually have ringworm or skin parasites, like mange. The steroids ... | |
| cat balance | 1/18/2011 |
| Q: My 9 year old cat has been outside for 2 days. Came inside with balance problem and scratching at ... A: This is most likely a middle or an inner ear infection. Many vets can treat this type of infection, ... | |
| Skin lesions/sores on cat | 1/14/2011 |
| Q: My daughter's cat, Jack is aprox 3 years old, altered male, indoor/outdoor cat. He has developed ... A: Many cats with allergies can benefit from an over the counter antihistamine called chlorpheniramine. ... | |
| Deafness | 1/13/2011 |
| Q: My 13y/o dog was treated with Neomycin,Polymyxin B Sulfate Dexamethasone Ophthalmic Suspension for ... A: Oral cephalexin will not do much in a middle ear infection. You said that your dog had a yeast ... | |
| secretions after brushing my cat | 1/13/2011 |
| Q: I've noticed that, after brushing my cat, small clumps of fur accumulate along his spine. They seem ... A: This could be the result of an allergic problem resulting in sensitivity of the skin. This "stud ... | |
| Deafness | 1/9/2011 |
| Q: My 13y/o dog was treated with Neomycin,Polymyxin B Sulfate Dexamethasone Ophthalmic Suspension for ... A: I cannot tell you if your vet can look at the eardrums or not. If he has a good otoscope and the ... | |
| Hot Spots on my Bichon | 1/8/2011 |
| Q: Good Afternoon.What is the best treatment for a large "hot spot" on my 4 yr old Bichon. Thank you ... A: The best thing to do is to shave the spot until you see normal skin. Wash it twice daily with soap ... | |
| Deafness | 1/8/2011 |
| Q: My 13y/o dog was treated with Neomycin,Polymyxin B Sulfate Dexamethasone Ophthalmic Suspension for ... A: Both polymyxin and neomycin can be toxic. I can't imagine a vet prescribing that for a yeast ... | |
| My 13 year old cat is showing signs of bad dental health, I need help. | 1/6/2011 |
| Q: My cat Khepera, one of three in my household is not doing so well. By my research, it seems to me he ... A: Bad teeth can cause poor digestion because the food is not getting chewed up properly. In addition, ... | |
| Spondelosis | 1/4/2011 |
| Q: My one year old lab has a bridging of his spine over two vertebra. When he was a puppy he had an ... A: Spondylosis in a young dog is unusual. Just radiographic evidence of bridging does not mean that ... | |
| blood from my dogs penis | 12/30/2010 |
| Q: I have a Jack Russell he is around 7 yrs old, He is humping my leg and sometimes going after my son ... A: Bloody discharge is never normal. IF there is an infection or small stones in the urethra in his ... | |
| Dog scratching one ear to point of hair loss | 12/29/2010 |
| Q: I have an 8-month old mix [rescue dog] who seems increasingly tormented by a problem with her right ... A: If the ear responded to hydrocortisone, then ter probably is some type of allergy. Allergic dogs ... | |
| chocolate lab ear infection | 12/29/2010 |
| Q: our 7 year old chocolate lab has always suffered from ear infectons she has been treated with ... A: The only way to know if the infection is back is to take her in and have the ear looked at. It ... | |
| Brown spots on my Yorkie | 12/28/2010 |
| Q: My 5 year old Yorkie Lucy, has recently developed brown patches on her underbelly. It looks like ... A: If the brown spots are flat and not greasy, this could be pigmentation. If there is any flake to ... | |
| Ear | 12/28/2010 |
| Q: I have a 1 year old and some months Dog.She is a shih-poo. And we know that cleaning her ear is ... A: If the dog is not bothering the ear, you do not need to clean it very often. YOu can wipe the outer ... | |
| German Shepherd with Atopy. | 12/27/2010 |
| Q: Our german shepherd dog of 8 years has been diagnosed with Atopy which is a skin condition. We have ... A: If she has had so much cortisone to cause Cushing's disease, that is why the skin won't heal. YOu ... | |
| skin disease/hair loss | 12/23/2010 |
| Q: We have a cat whose had a 1 inch by 1 1/2 inch strip on her back/haunch for over a year. It would ... A: This may be an area where the cat has licked or chewed the hair off the skin. Your vet can culture ... | |
| Cat with a sore by her eye | 12/20/2010 |
| Q: My female half Siamese cat came home with a small "ding" by her eye. I'm pretty sure she got in a ... A: I would suggest leaving the hydrogen peroxide off. That will just burn the skin as it bubbles. You ... | |
| Cyst/bump on my cat | 12/17/2010 |
| Q: I have two male neutered Siamese- from the same litter. On one cats face are two lumps/bumps that ... A: The photos are not very clear, but I would think of something called a mast cell tumor from your ... | |
| puppy under weight | 12/16/2010 |
| Q: I have a 9 month old doberman she is 23 inches in height but only 45 pounds her mother is 80 pounds ... A: Has her stool been checked for intestinal parasites? Some worms, like whipworms will prevent weight ... | |
| Deafness caused by Mometamax | 12/14/2010 |
| Q: My 10 year old pug, Roxy, gets the occasional ear infection and experienced temporary deafness from ... A: It could be that there is an impaction of the ear canals. When Mometamax congeals, it can seal up ... | |
| Deafness caused by Mometamax | 12/12/2010 |
| Q: My 10 year old pug, Roxy, gets the occasional ear infection and experienced temporary deafness from ... A: The antibiotic in Otomax and Mometamax is the same: gentamycin. THis can be toxic to the inner ... | |
| Cat nose | 12/11/2010 |
| Q: Two of our three cats have suddenly got a cracked line (like cracked lips or athletes foot) in the ... A: The skin of the nose may be getting cold enough for the blood vessels to contract and the skin over ... | |
| bald areas on dog's elbows | 12/11/2010 |
| Q: our 2 year old border collie mix has a circular, bald, dime size area on the outer edge (not bend)of ... A: I agree that this is most likely from pressure. If you doubt this, then you can have a biopsy done ... | |
| test run by vets | 12/8/2010 |
| Q: We live in China, and so have very few English speaking vets from which to choose. Therefor I am ... A: There really is no easy test for rabies in a cat. YOu can have a serum rabies titre run and in some ... | |
| dog elbow patch | 12/8/2010 |
| Q: My 5 yr. old border collie/aussie mix has elbow bald patches, which look red and sore like dry flaky ... A: It is common for the elbows to get sore and ulcerated if the dog is laying on a hard surface, like ... | |
| Itchy bum tail down? | 12/7/2010 |
| Q: I have a labrador neutered 1 year and a half yesterday he started with what we think he has an itchy ... A: Whenever I see a Lab with his tail down, I think of a condition called "Cold Water Tail." This is a ... | |
| dog deafness mometamax | 12/5/2010 |
| Q: my older dog went deaf after using mometamax. is this reversible? how? A: Mometamax contains a very toxic antibiotic called gentamycin. That is most likely what is causing ... | |
| Shi Tzu allergies | 11/29/2010 |
| Q: I have a 10 ish year old shi Tzu (Teddy) he has had bad allergies his entire life since I have had ... A: Has he been on medications like steroids for his allergies for a long time? That may cvause it. ... | |
| Min Pin Ears | 11/28/2010 |
| Q: I have a female min-pin who will be 1 years old on December 16th. A few weeks ago I took her to the ... A: Pain can make these dogs droop their ears. When she was onthe steroid eardrop, the pain subsided ... | |
| Skin condition in older female boxer | 11/27/2010 |
| Q: We have a female boxer who joined our family 6 years ago. The owner at the time claimed she was 10 ... A: 100mg of Cephalexin will not do very much for a dog the size of a boxer. Based on the Rimadyl dose ... | |
| concerned about my chihuahua | 11/27/2010 |
| Q: my chihuahua has had his shots for parvo and has been dewormed, i've been told i might have parvo in ... A: If your dog has been properly immunized for parvo, you don't have much to worry about. There are ... | |
| doberman ear crop | 11/24/2010 |
| Q: I need to talk to a vet that crops doberman ears Mine was cropped, he is 7.5 months old. His rigt ... A: By 7 1/2 months, the cartilage has probably hardened in a folded position. There is a technique ... | |
| My puppy is having head tilt. | 11/23/2010 |
| Q: I would like to know what had actually happening in my puppy and what's the cure for the sickness. ... A: Cortisone is an anti-inflammatory drug. I would not use that in a young pup unless it is absolutely ... | |
| My puppy is having head tilt. | 11/22/2010 |
| Q: I would like to know what had actually happening in my puppy and what's the cure for the sickness. ... A: A head tilt can be caused from either a problem in the brain or in the inner ear. If the eyes are ... | |
| dog skin problem | 11/21/2010 |
| Q: My dog Buddy is 11 yrs young and weight 55-60#. I have changed his diet and other things to help ... A: There are many types of allergies, including allergies too environmental things like pollens, molds, ... | |
| skin on underbelly and underarms turning black | 11/20/2010 |
| Q: I have a five year-old male pug. He's had two mast cell tumors removed in the past year, but ... A: Sometimes this black pigmentation is actually thickening skin. This can be the result of allergies ... | |
| Allergies? Help Please | 11/17/2010 |
| Q: My dog (yellow Labrador) has had chronic ear infections treated with numerous antibiotics and ... A: Food allergies can happen, but they are really rare. More commonly, dogs are allergic to protein ... | |
| Jack Russell skin fungus | 11/16/2010 |
| Q: My Jack Russell is 12 years old and developed spots on her body. The hair has fallen out and look ... A: If it is a fungal infection and you have treated for that long, ask the vet to do a fungal culture ... | |
| Really bad cat mats | 11/14/2010 |
| Q: My cat is about 6 years old. We got her spayed at around 6 months old and ever since then she has ... A: There is a drug called acepromazine that is a very commonly used tranquilizer. You can give a pill ... | |
| Skin problems in German Shepherd | 11/9/2010 |
| Q: Hope you can help. I am 80, terminally ill, on oxygen, limited income and cannot afford a vet for ... A: If he is an allergic dog then the prednisone tablets should help if it is used on a regular basis. ... | |
| liquid in cat's ear | 11/5/2010 |
| Q: A few weeks ago I noticed that my cat was shaking his head rather violently, constantly had his ears ... A: Your cat most likely has a middle ear infection and has a ruptured eardrum. I would have him ... | |
| Deafness --Surolan | 11/2/2010 |
| Q: My 12 year old border collie, was put on Surolan (one drop twice a day in each ear) for an ear ... A: Surolan contains polymyxin, which is an antibiotic that is very ototoxic to the inner ear. If the ... | |
| cat has a cut | 10/24/2010 |
| Q: just found a dime size wound on my cats mid section on his back; has to be about 2 to 4 days old; ... A: Just keeping a superficial skin wound clean will help it heal. You probably do not need to use a ... | |
| dry winter skin | 10/24/2010 |
| Q: My dog is a long haired Corgi. She is brushed thoroughly every night. I don't over bathe at all. ... A: To moisturize the skin, you can feed her Omega3 fatty acid supplements in her food. In addition, ... | |
| ringworm | 10/19/2010 |
| Q: Is ringworm something you know about? I have two young cats (about 4 months old). One had a small ... A: Ringworm is a fungus of the skin. These fungi make spores (seeds) which can re-infect the kittens. ... | |
| black specks | 10/17/2010 |
| Q: what are the black specks in her fur on her back above her tail and what can i do about them? they ... A: This is probably flea dirt. Scrape some off and put them on a hite towel or tissue. THen add a ... | |
| does my dog have Rabies | 10/16/2010 |
| Q: bald spot on front leg where she was bit by a racoon her apitite is normal and up until a couple of ... A: Rabies is a neurological disease where the dog will exhibit unusual activity and will not be able to ... | |
| Cat pulling out hair | 10/15/2010 |
| Q: My 5yr old male cat is pulling out his hair on his abdomen and inner thighs. He does not have fleas ... A: This is most likely an allergy problem. Allergens such as mite antigens, molds, trees, grasses, and ... | |
| My cat constantly scratches her head | 10/11/2010 |
| Q: My female cat of 7 years scratches her head a lot, specifically the patches between the ears and ... A: When cats scratch that area I think of two possibilities. One is ear mites, so you need to have ... | |
| bleeding ears after plucking | 10/8/2010 |
| Q: My little guy is a Shi Tsu/Bisshon cross. He is 6 months old and just had his ears plucked for the ... A: Plucking the hairs from a normal dog can lead to severe inflammation and infecion. Sometimes there ... | |
| black dots burrowed in my dog's skin | 10/7/2010 |
| Q: For the past few days I noticed small black dots embedded inside my dog's skin, near his genital ... A: What you are probably seeing are truly blackhead or comedones. These are very commonly found on ... | |
| Bald and itchy | 10/6/2010 |
| Q: I just adopted a 1.5 yoa westie who was neglected so badly she pulled out all her hair. I was told ... A: Westies are one of the breeds that are highly allergic to many things. Allergy testing is probably a ... | |
| Cat stitches "problem?" | 10/6/2010 |
| Q: I noticed my 2 year old kitty had a dime-size hole in his armpit area last Thursday. He wasn't ... A: It is very difficult to suture the armpit and to get the stitched to hold because of all of the skin ... | |
| Sarcoptic Mange | 10/3/2010 |
| Q: Two weeks ago, a stray Chocolate Lab wandered into our garage and made himself at home. I think he ... A: Usually 2 shots of ivermectin are effective at killing the sarcoptic mites burrowed into the skin. ... | |
| VESTIBULAR DISEASE | 10/3/2010 |
| Q: 3 days ago my 11 yr old female Yorkie became sick. She threw up for 2 days and then yesterday she ... A: At her age, she may have a middle or inner ear problem. I would have the dog evaluated for inner ... | |
| 13 day old kitten losing fur | 9/30/2010 |
| Q: About 10 days ago we found a newborn kitten in our garage with its 4 dead littermates. We received ... A: Some kittens with poor nutrition can lose their hair, but I would like to also rule out a ringworm ... | |
| kitten | 9/25/2010 |
| Q: My kitten had blood in her poop, which smelled really bad. She also didnt go inthe litter box like ... A: Usually the bloody poop is from straining. That is most often caused by intestinal parasites. Even ... | |
| excessive allround hair-loss | 9/19/2010 |
| Q: I have a female lab, 4 years of age. She sheds moderate to excessive hair about 3 to 4 times in a ... A: Excessive shedding may be the result of skin disease, like allergies or low thyroid hormones. It ... | |
| hair loss | 9/15/2010 |
| Q: My dog steel is a 2yr old blue IG and has significant hair loss. Test came negative on skin ... A: Even though the skin scrapings did not find mites, that does not mean that there are no mites. It ... | |
| 2 week old kitten with fleas | 9/14/2010 |
| Q: I am a surrogate mom to a 2-3 week old kitten that was found in my yard. I took her to the vet ... A: Frontline is not an instant kill. It takes a few days for the Frontline to distribute all over the ... | |
| Stenotic Nares | 9/13/2010 |
| Q: I have a 5 month old Boston Terrier. I have been told from my vet that she sould have surgery to ... A: Stenotic nares don't usuallyt open up on their own with age. There are 2 other things that go along ... | |
| Ear wax? | 9/12/2010 |
| Q: My dog Blondi Is a 2 y/o shepard/lab mix ever since she was a puppy the vet said she had ear build ... A: Wax in the ears is actually good as long as the dog does not have any redness or itching in the ... | |
| Cat worries | 9/10/2010 |
| Q: I wonder if you can give me your opinion, as I'm so worried about my cat. He is coming up to 11 ... A: Have the vet anesthetize the cat and do a good, deep throat exam to see if there is any problem ... | |
| Vaginal discharge | 9/9/2010 |
| Q: I own a 9yr old Am Pitbull that has had one litter of pups and subsequently spayed. She was 2 when ... A: There is a condition called pyometra (pus in the uterus) that can occur in a spayed bitch if too ... | |
| dog skin problem | 9/6/2010 |
| Q: My dog is a 2yr old, 7lb, Jack Russel/Corgy mix. For the past 1 to 2 months he has been gnawing and ... A: Licking the paws and belly are signs of allergic dermatitis. Benadryl will not help, but a 2 week ... | |
| SKIN MISSING PATCHES BUT NO ITCHING | 8/29/2010 |
| Q: I just adopted a pit bull from the shelter today and I have a scheduled vet appointment but it is ... A: There are many tings that can cause this hair loss. You have mentioned mange, ringworm, and ... | |
| puncture wound | 8/26/2010 |
| Q: My dog has a through and through puncture wound in his chest. Don't have the money to go the vet or ... A: If the wound went through the chest, there may be a collapsed lung on that side. You would not know ... | |
| dog skin problem | 8/15/2010 |
| Q: it started as a couple of tiny areas of missing fur which my dog kept licking, over a few days lots ... A: It is more likely an inf4ection with the top layers of skin and hair peeling off. THey leave a moth ... | |
| Dog is Itching | 8/13/2010 |
| Q: My dog has been continually biting at and itching the lower half of his belly. I have looked at it ... A: In cases like this there are two immediate things I would recommend. First, I would have the dog ... | |
| plumbago allergy | 8/12/2010 |
| Q: My english bulldog has developed a nasty shin condition on the back of her neck. I think it may be ... A: Apparently, pumbago makes a sap that can cause contact allergies. I have never seen a plumbago ... | |
| Lab's open sores above eyes | 8/9/2010 |
| Q: My yellow lab has recently developed an open sore above his right eye, at first I thought maybe they ... A: If there is no rough play or trauma, then there may be infected glands under the eyelids. These ... | |
| My Dog......Roscoe | 8/6/2010 |
| Q: Roscoe is a pound rescue, mostly American bulldog, mostly white, who has a major shedding problem... ... A: IF there is excessive shedding, then I would use an Omege3 fatty acid diet supplement to strengthen ... | |
| Paws | 8/1/2010 |
| Q: My old english sheep dog has sore paws and they bleed she has had antibiotics and treatment with ... A: There are some autoimmune diseases of the pads that can make them split and bleed. The quickest way ... | |
| Keep Fleas Out Of The House | 7/25/2010 |
| Q: I have had a terrible flea infestation in my rental home in the past which cost me hours headache ... A: Fleas do not live very long off of the dog. They need blood. But the eggs, larvae, and cocoons can ... | |
| Kitten, ear mites and flea dirt | 7/23/2010 |
| Q: I hope you can help. Firstly I apologise about the length of this question but I felt you needed to ... A: You can let him in the house and use a water based flea spray for kittens. That way, you can keep ... | |
| re bad odour comming from cat | 7/23/2010 |
| Q: .i used excellpet for flees on the back of my cats neck 4 days ago and she hasn't been right since ... A: I looked up Excellpet for cats and there is not one listed. Are you sure this is a cat product? If ... | |
| 91/2 wk puppy with suspected mange | 7/18/2010 |
| Q: I have a 9 1/2 wk old rat terrier puppy whose vet suspects that he has mange. I refuse to use ... A: If it is demodex mange, over 80% of them will not have it at a year of age. The pup will suffer ... | |
| Itchy skin | 7/16/2010 |
| Q: My dog is a 4 year old puggle. He has recently been biting his legs and feet like they are itchy. I ... A: This is typical of summertime environmental allergies to things like pollens, molds, grasses, trees, ... | |
| Dog with broken nail! | 7/15/2010 |
| Q: My pomeranian broke her nail couple of days ago, half of her nail has ripped off, but the other half ... A: We normally clip off the damaged nail. Sometimes they bleed so we cauterize them if that happens. ... | |
| Cat with ruptured eardrums | 7/14/2010 |
| Q: Dr. Gotthelf, We have a healthy, thin 15-year-old male neutered cat. He is very nice and calm with ... A: Cats can spontaneously rupture their eardrums from sneezing. While it is possible that the vet ... | |
| Bald skin patch | 7/12/2010 |
| Q: I have a male Maltese that has a bald patch of skin. He had some sort of fungal skin disease a ... A: If the original skin problem damaged the hair follicles, then there will not be re-growth of hair in ... | |
| 5 year old yorkie 4 lbs | 7/6/2010 |
| Q: my yorkie has developed a skin itching problem he scratches until he causes small open wounds he ... A: I would first treat him for sarcoptic mange with either dips or with injections of ivemectin. Then ... | |
| dry nose and scars? | 7/5/2010 |
| Q: I hope you don't mind if I ask you two questions. I have a chocolate standard poodle and since I got ... A: It looks like nasal hyperkeratosis on Bambi. That is not uncommon, but it is sometimes the result ... | |
| Vizsla excessive shedding - almost like a winter coat that won't go away | 7/4/2010 |
| Q: we have a 6 year old Vizsla who has had a enviously stellar coat for years but has taken a turn in ... A: You are doing all of the right things, but they are obviously not helping. There are 3 things I ... | |
| Dog bed contaminated by engine antifreeze coolant | 7/3/2010 |
| Q: I bought a new bed for my 8-month old puppy and put it in the trunk of my car. In the trunk, there ... A: The antifreeze will only be a problem if the puppy gets a lot of it at one time. If you rinsed and ... | |
| Skin rash | 7/1/2010 |
| Q: I just got a American pitbull terrier and she has a bad rash all over her body. I give her science ... A: In a young puppy these are either pustules from a bacterial skin infection or sarcoptic mange. I ... | |
| mange in my long haired retiever | 7/1/2010 |
| Q: my longhaired retriever has been suffering a highly case of mange and let me tell you it is really ... A: If you cannot afford to take care of your pet, then you must re-think pet ownership!!! Oral ... | |
| cat bite | 6/29/2010 |
| Q: my cat must have been in a fight since he has a "piercing" through his ear...was tired for a day ... A: When the ear is punctured, the cartilage is punctured, too. The release of chemicals from the ... | |
| 8mth old pit bull in heat | 6/27/2010 |
| Q: I have an 8mth old pit bull that has started looking "swollen" over the last few days and today ... A: It is not unusual for an 8 month old bitch to go into season in the springtime. She will bleed for ... | |
| Dog health question | 6/26/2010 |
| Q: I have a 1 year old male Doberman. About 2 weeks ago we discovered that he has 3 quarter size lumps ... A: There are many things that can cause these lumps. The most obvious one is after a vaccination ... | |
| allergies / frontine | 6/25/2010 |
| Q: I have a 2 part question. I adopted my dog in Feb. '10. He looked like he was an outside dog and ... A: If the tavist helps, it can be given long term. It is safe. In allergic dogs, we try and stop the ... | |
| Bubbles under cat's skin | 6/22/2010 |
| Q: Please help, I live in a country where I have had issues with the vet care, and feel they do not go ... A: You are describing subcutaneous emphysema. That is usuall from a hole in the skin near the loose ... | |
| Raw flesh on dog? | 6/18/2010 |
| Q: I doubt this is a disease, but my dog has a very small area on her leg joint where the skin is raw. ... A: This sounds like the start of a "lick granuloma." This is a very common problem in dogs. They lick ... | |
| My cat i losing hair | 6/16/2010 |
| Q: My cat is just over one year old and she started to lose alot of hair the last weeks, however ... A: There are many reasons for hair loss in kitties. There may be a ringworm infection on the skin or ... | |
| newly whelped bitch with possible bed sore? | 6/13/2010 |
| Q: I have a chocolate lab who gave birth to 10 puppies on Wednesday night. Last night and this morning ... A: This is most likely a hot spot. That is an acute area of inflammation. Rather than using a zinc ... | |
| My dog's chronic ear allergy infections | 6/12/2010 |
| Q: My dog whom is three years now-part Australian Shepard/Lab mix-Named Hiedi has been suffering from ... A: Most of the time dogs get ear infections because of skin allergies. The ear is made of skin. So ... | |
| Paw licking | 6/11/2010 |
| Q: I have a year old maltipoo since she was 8 weeks old (our first dog). Daisy licks her paws and ... A: True food hypersensitivity is rare. If your dog is licking the paws, it may be allergic to ... | |
| my dog has itching in ear | 6/6/2010 |
| Q: i have a nine month old female dog, she has itching in right ear since two months. from last three ... A: She probably has an bacterial or a yeast infection or ear mites deep in the ear canal. The best ... | |
| hair loss on Maltese | 6/1/2010 |
| Q: I have a female Maltese that is approximately 4 years old. Over the last year she has lost a lot of ... A: Sometimes hair loss is from a hormone imbalance. It could be low thyroid hormones, high cortisone ... | |
| Vulva irritation in French Bulldog | 5/31/2010 |
| Q: I found you on allexperts. My french bulldog is almost 3 and she's had this ongoing problem for a ... A: I did not get a photo. If the antibiotics are the only ting that helps, then you can use them on a ... | |
| Cats Eye Problem | 5/27/2010 |
| Q: I am wondering if you can help me. Our cat has had a frequent eye problem, it has been occuring for ... A: In most cases of cat conjunctivitis, it is a herpesvirus. This is most commonly called Feline Viral ... | |
| Animax Ointment | 5/23/2010 |
| Q: My vet just prescribed Animax for my 20# dachsund/beagle mix who is 12 years old. He gave him drops ... A: Yes, the medicine can cause deafness. Neomycin is not as potent an ototoxic as some other ... | |
| Deaf Chow after using Mometamax | 5/22/2010 |
| Q: We have an 7-9 year old chow that had developed an ear infection. The dr. prescribed Mometamax. We ... A: It is well known that Gentamycin, the antibiotic in Mometamax, can cause temporary deafness. It is ... | |
| pekingese skin problems | 5/21/2010 |
| Q: i was wonerin wat my adult male dog has its on his back we get him cut like a lion ever seance ... A: Without a good exam, I cannot be specific on the internet, but this looks like post-clipping ... | |
| Excessive Hair fall for Labrador - 6Months old | 5/20/2010 |
| Q: How to control the excessive hairfall for our female six months old labrador ( Yellow) ? She is ... A: Most likely, she is shedding off her puppy coat. Comb and brush her to remove the loose hair. I ... | |
| red spot on dogs nose | 5/20/2010 |
| Q: My miniature American Eskimo recently acquired a red spot on the top of his snout just before his ... A: If he injured it, it will take a while for it to re-pigment. If there was no injury and it is ... | |
| chesapeake bay retriever biting herself | 5/17/2010 |
| Q: i have a 4 year old Chesapeake bay retriever that is having some major skin problems. in the last ... A: An "allergy shot" will only last a few days. What you are describing is typical of flea allergy. ... | |
| Yelping Madness | 5/13/2010 |
| Q: I have a Chihuahua, and she is about 10 years old. Recently, she has been yelping (throughout the ... A: Without an examination it is hard for me to diagnose anything on the internet. If she is biting at ... | |
| Cat steroid injections | 5/12/2010 |
| Q: We have been struggling to clear up an inner ear infection in my 4 year old cat. She has feline ... A: With feline leukemia, the cat's resistance is very low and it is difficult to get them to ... | |
| skin issue | 5/7/2010 |
| Q: I have a 9 year old cat that had fatty liver disease, she was intensive treatment for 2 months but ... A: Many of these lesions are part of the eosinophilic granuloma complex. You will need your vet to do ... | |
| No hair re-growth after operation | 5/6/2010 |
| Q: My own veterinary surgeon is himself stumped. Fourteen weeks after a hip operation, my ... A: Sometimes there is slow hair growth around surgical wounds. It will eventually grow back. ... | |
| cocker with skin problem | 5/5/2010 |
| Q: i have a 5 year old cocker that has had problems with chronic ear infections and skin problems for ... A: From your description, it would seem that the dog has an allergic dermatitis complicated by a skin ... | |
| Sheltie ear infections | 5/3/2010 |
| Q: My 6 1/2-year-old female Shetland sheepdog has had chronic ear infections for several years. We've ... A: If your dog has had chronic ear problems, then there is some type of underlying skin disease that is ... | |
| puppies legs injury | 5/2/2010 |
| Q: my puppy was playing in the park yesterday and had her leg accidently trodden on by a small child. ... A: If the pup is walking OK, then just rest him for now. If the swelling gets worse or if the pup ... | |
| Allergy in cats | 5/1/2010 |
| Q: My cat began itching and scratching a lot and she began to lose hair. I took her to the vet and he ... A: Cats are very tolerant to steroid injections. On rare occasions, some cats will develop diabetes ... | |
| My yorkie has a skin problem | 4/24/2010 |
| Q: I was wondering if you can help me identify my yorkie's skin problem. under her left arm I noticed ... A: This is called lichinification. IT is the result of an infection with either a bacteria or a yeast, ... | |
| puppy going to the bathroom excessively | 4/24/2010 |
| Q: I have had my puppy, Zoe, for about 2 months. She was great with going to the bathroom outside for ... A: There certainly could be a medical problem like intestinal worms or another parasite, but in my ... | |
| Food | 4/23/2010 |
| Q: I have a two and half year old basset hound. She's allergic to corn so I have her on Nutro Lamb and ... A: It is true that extra fats can cause pancreatitis. Usually we will hear the the dog got the ... | |
| Beagle Ears | 4/20/2010 |
| Q: Our dog has had ear infections her entire life. We have spent a lot of money taking her to the vet ... A: Thee is no dog ear disease caused by yeasts in her blood. Most likely, she has some type of allergy ... | |
| stinky boxer | 4/17/2010 |
| Q: I have a boxer mix that I got from the pound several months ago. Every time he gets up in the ... A: So often, there is a skin disease that creates this odor. What usually happens is that the skin ... | |
| Slight hair loss 6 month old border collie mix | 4/15/2010 |
| Q: My parnter and I adopted a border collie/german shephard mix from a rescue, when she was 4 months ... A: I would ask your vet first to do a skin scraping to check for demodex mange. This tiny parasite ... | |
| too much shedding of my pug | 4/14/2010 |
| Q: wanted to know can I feed my 8 month old pug adult food now?. She is barely eating as is really ... A: There must be a reason for her shedding. There may be a skin problem. If I was to recommend ... | |
| Bad skin day - too often | 4/12/2010 |
| Q: I have a wonderful American Bulldog, some say part pit, that is so good and smart. My problem is ... A: Without a good exam it is hard to actually diagnose on the internet. I can only say that if it is ... | |
| A Major Skin Rash : Please Help | 4/11/2010 |
| Q: Sir, I have a White Female Labrador Retriever. She is 4 1/2 Years old (Born in July 2005). Of late, ... A: This could be some type of skin parasite or a chronic bacterial infection. Without a good ... | |
| Rash arround the neck | 4/8/2010 |
| Q: My female cat about 1 year old has been scratching terribly and I noticed that she has bumps around ... A: The neck is where we see inflammation that results from allergies in the cat. There is not much you ... | |
| allergies ? | 4/8/2010 |
| Q: I adopted a cat from a rescue shelter 2 weeks ago - his name is Logan and he is approx. 2 years old. ... A: To answer the question of food allergies, I would advise you to put him on a special food called z/d ... | |
| male golden retriever rash on underbelly | 4/5/2010 |
| Q: My granparents are big dog lovers and have this pure breed male golden retriever that is about 5 ... A: In a golden retriever with this lichinification of the skin, I would first think of hypothyroidism. ... | |
| skin questian | 4/4/2010 |
| Q: I HAVE A 2 YEAR OLD MALE MINI AUSTRALIAN DOG. HE WEIGHT IS ABOUT 30 TO 35 POUNDS . I GOT HIM ABOUT 8 ... A: He may have skin allergies or some type of skin parasite. Because he is traumatizing his skin so ... | |
| Anethesia Reaction | 4/1/2010 |
| Q: We are Min Pin owners and recently had his ears cropped. The Veterinarian that did the procedure is ... A: That is very unusual. Some of the intravenous barbiturate anesthetics can cause some tissue damage ... | |
| Chinese Crested blisters on hair line | 4/1/2010 |
| Q: My hairless Chinese Crested gets blister along her hairline of her back. As long as shes on ... A: There are many dogs that have chronic bacterial infections. Sometimes this is from a food allergy ... | |
| lump on top of paw | 3/24/2010 |
| Q: My chihuahua has a lump on top of his paw. Its pinkish, hard with no hair and about 1/2 inch wide ... A: This looks like a growth called a histiocytoma. This is one of the "bald man" looking tumors. These ... | |
| DEMODECTIC MANGE | 3/23/2010 |
| Q: STRAY DOG CAME UP ABOUT 6 MONTHS OLD.CARRIED HER TO OUR VET. SHE HAS DEMODECTIC MANGE. VET GAVE HER ... A: The best treatment for mange is amitraz dips. Your vet can buy this specific insecticide and can ... | |
| Dirty Ears and drippy eyes | 3/21/2010 |
| Q: My 7 year old Brittany has chronically dirty ears with a darkish brown substance. I wondered if she ... A: I doubt that your husband is getting anything from the dog. Second. although it could be ear mites, ... | |
| Damaged hair follicles | 3/15/2010 |
| Q: My Golden's hair is always cut in the summer because she gets so hot. Usually a beautiful cut, the ... A: Was the thyroid test recently done? If it was tested a year ago, it can be low now, since thyroid ... | |
| Damaged hair follicles | 3/13/2010 |
| Q: My Golden's hair is always cut in the summer because she gets so hot. Usually a beautiful cut, the ... A: Check this dog for low thyroid hormones. Goldens are very prone to that and when the hair doesn't ... | |
| Australian terrier female's black lips changing color to light pink? | 3/10/2010 |
| Q: We have 2 NSW registered female Australian terriers, both reds, littermates, age 4 years, show ... A: Pigmentation can change naturally or from disease. Unfortunately, the only real way to know is to ... | |
| Please Help Me. Scared Rising ALT and BUN | 3/7/2010 |
| Q: My 13 yr old red haired maine coon boy had a blood panel for the first time in 10/09. His BUN was ... A: The lab tests are OK for a cat that age. A BUN over 80 with an increasing Creatinine and Phosphorus ... | |
| Cat losing hair | 3/3/2010 |
| Q: My 16 year old short-haired, spayed female cat has been developing bald spots over the last couple ... A: The photos don't really indicate a bacterial skin infection. THat is very rare in cats. It does ... | |
| excessive grooming | 2/28/2010 |
| Q: My black and white 10-yr-old kitty has been licking all of the hair from her stomach and hind legs ... A: Chlorpheniramine works best of all of the antihistamines in cats. The dose is 2 mg twice daily. ... | |
| Yellow Lab | 2/26/2010 |
| Q: I have a 5 year old Yellow Lab that has, what I think, allergies. She is always licking her paws ... A: Allergies are seasonal, so it is not surprising that you get different allergy results when tested. ... | |
| Boxer with skin issues | 2/26/2010 |
| Q: My Boxer just had a yeast infection on his belly. Can you tell me what causes that in dogs? He is ... A: Over 85% of dogs with yeast infections have allergies to something. It will be up to your vet and ... | |
| Springer Cocker Spaniel Smelly Ears | 2/20/2010 |
| Q: We have a 2 year old Springer Cocker Spaniel. Her ears give off a terrible odor. What is the cause ... A: In Springers, they are very prone to external ear disease. This could be a bacterial or a yeast ... | |
| Itching | 2/19/2010 |
| Q: I have a 12 year old wheaten / chow mix. He has pretty much scratched himself all his life. It seems ... A: IF the Temaril-P works, then it is allergies. The "P" in temaril-p is prednisone, which is good for ... | |
| Lick excessily the front paw | 2/4/2010 |
| Q: I have a year 4mth mini poodle. She seem like to lick her front paw until the inner skin turn red. ... A: In a puppy that young, she may have an infection there or she may have gotten something in the foot ... | |
| Cat - Eosinophilic Granulomatous Disease | 2/3/2010 |
| Q: Female 7-8 years old. Indoor after first two years. EGD for about 1.5 - 2 years manifested by ... A: Allergy testing in cats has not been perfected as in dogs. So you may never know what this cat is ... | |
| Pressure sore | 2/1/2010 |
| Q: My young male cat lives mainly outside. Late last year he developed a pressure sore on the back of ... A: I would advise that if you can't get it to heal up then there is something going on there. It is ... | |
| Dog's ear is red | 1/29/2010 |
| Q: Gotthelf, My dog, (he's a one year old Goldie) has a red ear. Can I give him an old dose of ... A: The Betagen is probably still good and it does have a very potent steroid in it, but without knowing ... | |
| My cat | 1/28/2010 |
| Q: I got this cat from the local shelter and in the past couple of days it's left ear has started to be ... A: He may have a deep ear infection, like a middle ear infection. He may also have ear mites. I would ... | |
| Tiny black dots? | 1/25/2010 |
| Q: I have a dachshund-lab mix that I got from a shelter about a month & a half ago. When I got him, he ... A: It is very hard to be specific on a lesion as you described without doing a complete skin ... | |
| chronic ear infections | 1/25/2010 |
| Q: My 11 y/o Shepherd mix has had ear infections for about 3 years. My vet has given me tons of ... A: Ear infections result from some type of underlying skin disease, like allergies or low thyroid ... | |
| Vestibular cat now possibly deaf | 1/23/2010 |
| Q: I have a himalayan mix breed cat, Squeekah, female spayed, approximate 10 years of age. She is ... A: It seems as if the cat has had a ruptured eardrum at some point. This is usually from the q-tips ... | |
| Omegas | 1/23/2010 |
| Q: My lab mix has allergies, she chews on feet, and so far I've been able to feed her cooked beef and ... A: Omega 3 fatty acids are helpful in allergic diseases in dogs. They help in reducing the inflammatory ... | |
| itchy butt dog | 1/22/2010 |
| Q: I have a female black lab named "chelsie",she don't have any fleas but she keeps biting her butt and ... A: Itchy butts are not always caused from fleas. Sometimes the anal sacs are full causing pain from ... | |
| KILL FLEAS | 1/16/2010 |
| Q: MAYBE MY HOME GOT FLEAS BECAUSE MY FAMILY MEMBERS INCLUDE ME ARE BITE FROM SOMETHING. MY SKIN SO ... A: I would recommend either Frontline plus Topspot or Comfortis oral tablets to kill fleas on your dog. ... | |
| scottie dog skin irritation | 1/16/2010 |
| Q: My 10 year old Scottie has had some minor skin irritation but lately it is spreading. Crusty flaky ... A: There are so many things that cause scratching in the dog. The crusty, flaky skin is usually a ... | |
| Cat scabs | 1/15/2010 |
| Q: I have a year and a half year old cat, I don't have much money to spend and my cat seems to be ... A: This looks like a condition called miliary dermatitis in cats, which is an allergy. THer is a shot ... | |
| clicking noise in puppy's legs | 1/13/2010 |
| Q: my 13 weeks old maltipoo dog has been having cracking/clicking noises in her legs.. she doesn't act ... A: Until the joint cartilage hardens, there will be laxity in the joints and you are hearing these ... | |
| Cats With Sores Near Tail | 1/10/2010 |
| Q: I have two cats. One came home the other day with a sore spot like a cut near her tail that almost ... A: Obviously, without seeing the cats, it would be hard for me to make any type of diagnosis. But cats ... | |
| Chihuahua/no hair & yeast ear infection | 1/8/2010 |
| Q: Approx. 1 year ago I rescued a female Chihuahua--she had NO hair and her little ears were FILLED ... A: About 80% of dogs with yeast infections have atopic dermatitis. THat is allergy to environmental ... | |
| skin issue with my cat | 1/8/2010 |
| Q: I have an American shorthair, spayed female about 2yrs old. Her days are CONSUMED with constant ... A: YOu are describing something in cats known as "miliary dermatitis." THis is how cat show skin ... | |
| Dog has a reaction to ear cleaners | 1/6/2010 |
| Q: She has had a sever reaction to Advantix (now use Frontline and the reaction is not as bad). She ... A: The dog needs to be on a steroid to take away the skin reaction to topical products. The ears can ... | |
| Constant Itching, redness, Hair loss | 1/6/2010 |
| Q: I've got a 6 year old Jack Russell X and recently he has been scratching a lot just above the tail ... A: If the steroids helped, then you can leave him on a low dose alternate day treatment with the ... | |
| black scaly rash on my dog | 1/5/2010 |
| Q: My 6 year old havanese (Abby)has a rash on her head and tail for about two years. It first appeared ... A: Your dog is most likely allergic. Zyrtec will do nothing for allergic skin in the dog. Dogs really ... | |
| Ticks | 1/4/2010 |
| Q: I took my dog on a hike in the woods and started finding ticks on his fur. I got about 10 off but by ... A: MOst tick shampoos will kill ticks. If you are worried, then go to your vet and get something like ... | |
| Need Help! My dog has a ruptured ear drum with Severe inner ear infection. Vet bill is close to $3,000.00 | 1/1/2010 |
| Q: I need some URGENT expert advice on my 1 year old labradoodle who has severe inner ear infection and ... A: Rarely will Baytril get into the middle and inner ear in any therapeutic amount. In fact, Baytril ... | |
| Dog Hives | 12/29/2009 |
| Q: I have a tea cup dog at 8 pounds. He has developed bumps and redness all over his body. It started ... A: If it is an acute allergic reaction to something the dog may have eaten, then Benadryl may help. If ... | |
| Beagle Ear | 12/27/2009 |
| Q: my beagle has a lot of black wax in her ear. It has become alot worse over the past couple of days ... A: The first thing you need to do is to have a vet examine clean out the ear. They need to do cytology ... | |
| sores on chow chow's testiclesl | 12/27/2009 |
| Q: my chow is 5 years old, not neutered. This past summer he had sores on his testicles that were ... A: This is scrotal dermatitis and it is usually caused from the testicles becoming moist either from ... | |
| skin lesions/ dry scabs/ hair loss | 12/21/2009 |
| Q: My fiancee and I rescued an ~9 week old puppy, Newman, from a local shelter. They told us he is a ... A: Some pups have allergies to things in their foods. You might need to use a very strict ... | |
| german shepherd ears | 12/18/2009 |
| Q: My German shepherds ears are red and itchy there is no odor no dirt or debris that I can see. He ... A: If he resp0onded to the shot, then he has allergic ears. Rarely is it a flea allergy, that usually ... | |
| frontline plus | 12/16/2009 |
| Q: Gotthelf, my question is can i just inject fronline plus in between my jack russell dog's shoulder ... A: DO NOT INJECT IT!!! It is designed to absorb into the sebaceous glands, the oil glands of the skin ... | |
| scatching and lumps | 12/15/2009 |
| Q: My friend is too poor to pay for a vet, and I am worried about her 12-year-old terrier. The dog is ... A: Itching can be a result of infected skin, which are probably the brown marks they are seeing. They ... | |
| Rash | 12/15/2009 |
| Q: I have a 3 year old Pug/Terrier Mix. About 2 months ago she developed a red infection in between her ... A: When dog start to get foot problems at this age it is often related to allergies. That's where ... | |
| Ear infection and skin rash | 12/14/2009 |
| Q: Our 12 y/o anatol mix has had what our Vet has called an ear infection for six months. The drops ... A: Most ear infections are the result of skin allergies. Even in temperate regions like Hawaii, there ... | |
| dry rash | 12/13/2009 |
| Q: I have a boston terrier. If she has an allergy in my home how do i find out what it is. Please help ... A: IF the pills were an antibiotic, then there is probably an infection. If it was a steroid, then it ... | |
| Mange | 12/12/2009 |
| Q: I have puppy he got sercoptic mange I am using advantage multi. How long after I have it to Him ... A: With Advantage-multi, it may take 2 applications, 2 months apart to kill all of the mites in the ... | |
| No winter coat | 12/11/2009 |
| Q: We have a 6 yo Corgy/Chow mix that up until this year has always produced a heavy undercoat. He is ... A: Some of the heavy coated breeds will get this so called Alopecia-X. The undercoat just won't grow. ... | |
| Welsh Terrier Ear Problems | 12/6/2009 |
| Q: My family and I have had our Welsh Terrier since she was a puppy and she is now 12 years old. She ... A: Antihistamines like claritin have very little effect on dog skin allergies because dogs have very ... | |
| fleas | 12/5/2009 |
| Q: I applied frontline spot on treatment to my 6 month old miniature schnauzer 2 weeks ago but he still ... A: Frontline is very safe, so re-apply it. There are fleas still in the house and they may take a ... | |
| Recurrent Ear Infections - Black Lab | 12/2/2009 |
| Q: I have received fabulous advice on here about my Bearded Dragons, so I have a lot of faith in using ... A: You can find a vet that does a lot of ear and skin work. Almost all ear infections in dogs are ... | |
| pom/chihuahua mix skin conditions | 11/28/2009 |
| Q: my 15 year old dog, 12 lbs. is missing hair on rear sides and lower back and tail and legs. she is ... A: If she has been on steroids and they helped, you can use low dose steroids to keep the skin from ... | |
| fleas | 11/24/2009 |
| Q: Are dog has fleas. Do fleas lay eggs on the dog. We fogged are apartment and put biospot on are dog ... A: Fleas do lay eggs on the dog and as the dog walks and runs all over the house, it is dropping flea ... | |
| my scratching cats | 11/23/2009 |
| Q: I have two indoor cats and in July we had an infestation of fleas; I don't know how they got in. I ... A: Even though there are no fleas, the cats are most likely allergic to the flea bites. Many animals ... | |
| ear flap swelling | 11/21/2009 |
| Q: my part, great pyrenees/spanial mix dog, weighing about 110 lbs and is 13.5 yrs, in great health it ... A: This is probably an aural hematoma, which is a pocket of blood between the skin and the cartilage. ... | |
| 25 week Scottish Terrier | 11/20/2009 |
| Q: My Scottie has been a happy, active and energetic little guy since the day I brought him home. He's ... A: There are probably 2 things going on here. The skin may be itching from the poison ivy, which is ... | |
| Black Lab "odor" | 11/19/2009 |
| Q: Dr. Gotthelf Our 11 year old black lab has a really offensive "doggy" odor problem that we can't ... A: Most of the time doggie odor is a combination of oils on the skin and bacterial infection. If there ... | |
| Bald spot | 11/14/2009 |
| Q: Our dog is 4 years old (no prior health problems), and recently she has started licking her front ... A: This is called a lick granuloma. IT is an obsessive-compulsive disorder that may require something ... | |
| Problem with the tail | 11/14/2009 |
| Q: I have a 11 month old American Eskimo/Maltese dog that keeps chasing her tail, biting it and pulling ... A: Sometimes it is compulsive, but sometimes it is rectal pain or cramps. Often the tail itches. Ask ... | |
| recurring itchy dog rashes | 11/13/2009 |
| Q: I have a 2 1/2 year old rat terrier mix whom I adopted from a rescue organization as a puppy. Since ... A: I agree with the possibility of allergies. Thyere is a drug called ATOPICA (cyclosporine) that has ... | |
| my 8 yr old sheltie | 11/11/2009 |
| Q: Please help: my sheltie is exhibiting dry, itchy, scaly,and bumpy patches all over his body. This ... A: If these patches are bumpy, then I would first think of a bacterial infection in the skin. He may ... | |
| Springer Ears | 11/7/2009 |
| Q: I have three Springers, Two of they have very bad ears. Their ears smell really bad and drain brown ... A: I would suggest that you find a vet that does a lot of ears and skin. Ear cleaning requires special ... | |
| ear question about my cat | 11/7/2009 |
| Q: We are at our witts end. We have been to the vet twice now and have treated the cat for what we ... A: Cats are very prone to getting middle ear disease, which makes mucus in the ear canal and can be ... | |
| cat has dirty ears the day after i clean them | 11/6/2009 |
| Q: I have 2 cats they are siblings from the same litter and are 17 months old. The girl has very clean ... A: Just having an overproduction of wax is OK as long as the cat is not symptomatic...scratching, ... | |
| Cat fat infection? | 11/5/2009 |
| Q: My dog bit a neighbor's outdoor cat. I am paying the vet bills. The vet put the cat through surgery ... A: Yes. Cats often get abscesses, which is a spreading infection under the skin. It is common for the ... | |
| cyst that burst | 11/4/2009 |
| Q: I have a 16 year old Australian Shepard. A few days ago she presented with what looked to be a ... A: Cysts are common. If you are treating it, you are only treating one small area of something ... | |
| flakes in cat hair | 11/3/2009 |
| Q: I have a 14 months old persian female cat. I noticed lately that there are some tiny flakes attached ... A: In a Persian, I would be worried about ringworm fungi. Let your vet look at the cat and possibly do ... | |
| lumps on my 7 yr old female German Shepard | 11/2/2009 |
| Q: She was poisioned June 24 2009. We had to take her to a new Vet. The vet did save her life but since ... A: If there is a wound, then the lymph nodes are responsible for draining the area and making immunity ... | |
| beagle ear flap filling with fluid | 11/1/2009 |
| Q: we have a beagle that his one ear flap fills with fluid we drained it once and it was just bright ... A: This is an aural hematoma and it requires surgery to fix it properly. The blood and clots are ... | |
| Our bulldog | 10/25/2009 |
| Q: We have an English Bulldog that is brindle in color. She was given to us about one and a half years ... A: There are many reasons for itching including parasites like sarcoptic mange, allergies, infections ... | |
| Miniature Schnauzer ear problem | 10/24/2009 |
| Q: My miniature schnauzer has developed thickening of the tips of the ear flaps and these have become ... A: This sounds like a vasculitis, which is an inflammation of the tiny blood vessels at the tips of the ... | |
| Cutaneous Aesthenia | 10/22/2009 |
| Q: I have a 2 1/2 yr old Golden Retriever.Who has stretchy skin and erratic movement.He's having a ... A: A skin biopsy will tell your vet if it is Cutaneous Asthenia or something else. The one dog and two ... | |
| itchy bichon | 10/9/2009 |
| Q: my dog mollie is a bichon frise , she is 14 weeks old.. when i got her she had ear mites so my vet ... A: It could be flea bites or sarcoptic mange. The flea medicines are not repellants and do not prevent ... | |
| Demodicosis mange | 10/8/2009 |
| Q: I have a 2 pound 2 ozs 5 month female chihuahua who have demodicosis mange and is seeing a vet for ... A: Young puppies do not have much cell mediated immunity. That will take time for it to develop. ... | |
| Demodex Mange in young dog | 10/3/2009 |
| Q: My dog was just diagnosed with generalized demodetic mange through a skin scraping. He's about 23 ... A: Adult onset demodex is hard to cure. The skin may look better after 30 days of ivermectin, but it ... | |
| pug with itching problem | 10/1/2009 |
| Q: We have only had him for about 2 months. When we first got Piggy, he was fine. After a couple of ... A: When dogs on steroids itch that much, I have to think about some kind of parasitic problem, like ... | |
| Black skin | 9/27/2009 |
| Q: My yellow lab had a severe allergic reaction to what we think were red ant bites a couple of months ... A: In those areas, I would think of chafing causing the skin to thicken and pigment in her armpits. ... | |
| Skin Disorders | 9/26/2009 |
| Q: I have noticed here lately that my 2 female long haired dachshunds have been scratching all the ... A: There may be some allergies going on in the two dogs that are itching. Because all of the dogs are ... | |
| Puffy swollen ear on my dog | 9/24/2009 |
| Q: My dog woke up unhappy and shaking his head,with a puffy red hot ear, brought him to the vet asap ... A: I would not relate these two events together. Aural hematoma results from shaking the head. If ... | |
| INGROWING HAIR FOLLOCLE | 9/20/2009 |
| Q: CAN I CURE INGROWING HAIR FOLLICLES ON MY GERMAN SHEPPARD A: These require removal. The hairs grow back into the skin and create a foreign body reaction. ... | |
| excessive hair fall | 9/18/2009 |
| Q: My doggy is at the age of 6 months (golden labrador) and recently he is having excessive hair fall. ... A: Some puppies lose hair and then it regrows. Other pups have mange mites that affect the hair ... | |
| Boston Terrier Loosing Hair | 9/18/2009 |
| Q: I have a 16 month old Boston Terrier male (acquired at 8 mos). Neutered in July, 09. Since about 1 ... A: If you suspect mites, either demodex or sarcoptes, they will need treatment. If your funds are low, ... | |
| ear infections | 9/17/2009 |
| Q: My dog is a three year old golden retriever.Shes constantly scratching her ears.when we take her ... A: There are two great topical ear mite medications I use, Accarex and Milbemite. I also give ... | |
| Lip Droop & Balance Problems | 9/17/2009 |
| Q: I have a 5 year old German Shep/Lab mix. He's always been healthy except for some mild allergies ... A: This does seem like a balance problem and that indicates an inner ear problem. YOu can ask your vet ... | |
| Siberian Husky Nose Issues | 9/12/2009 |
| Q: We have two Siberian Huskies who are litter mates, Ace and Zephyr. They are a little over 3 years ... A: Simplicef is an antibiotic and will only help a bacterial infection, It will do nothing for any ... | |
| white german shepard with persistent itching on both sides? | 9/11/2009 |
| Q: I have a female white German Shepard approx 6 yrs old who has persistent itching on both sides of ... A: She is probably allergic to something. Ask your vet to give her a shot of Dexamethasone. Wait a ... | |
| My 10wk GSD | 9/9/2009 |
| Q: Hey Dr Gotthelf, I have a healthy PB GSD who is current with all routine vaccinations and well ... A: Many young pups itch because of a food allergy. Yeast is a secondary infection and itches like ... | |
| skin rah/disorder | 9/8/2009 |
| Q: My schnauzer (miniature mix with Pekinese) is 3 yrs old. He does got to a vet. Just recently (about ... A: The brown stain you are seeing is a pigment from his saliva staining the hair coat. That indicates ... | |
| Swelling after surgery | 9/3/2009 |
| Q: I have a nine year old boxer who just had stiches taken out of her leg. It has been about a week ... A: It sounds to me like they put in a continuous absorbable suture under the skin to close it. By ... | |
| strange ear | 9/2/2009 |
| Q: My pug's ear looks strange inside. One ear looks completely normal, yet the other looks very "bumpy" ... A: Pugs are very prone to small tumors or increases in the thickness of the skin of the ear and ear ... | |
| Ear mites and miticide | 9/2/2009 |
| Q: I noticed my cat, Marco (male, aprox 5 years old) had signs of ear mites. I purchased miticide and ... A: Did you actually see mites before you put in the miticide? Older cats with ear problems usually ... | |
| Cats Fleas Scratching | 9/1/2009 |
| Q: Gotthelf. I have 3 cats who go in and out of the house all day. I've used Frontline as directed ... A: The black "crumbs" are most likely flea "poops" composed of your cat's dried blood. Frontline is ... | |
| Round raised bump on dog's leg | 8/31/2009 |
| Q: My dog has a round, hard, raised bump on his hind leg, about the diameter of a dime. It is not red, ... A: IF this just cam up, it may be an immediate hypersensitivity reaction to something in the woods. ... | |
| Diabetic Cat - Boarding Decision | 8/28/2009 |
| Q: I'm going away for a week. My cat has been pre-diabetic for years but 3 weeks ago was diagnosed with ... A: I would definitely board this cat with a vet clinic!!! Even during holidays, someone checks the ... | |
| Fleas | 8/28/2009 |
| Q: we always use frontline plus and heartgard plus on are two dogs (one is a pomeranian about 9 lbs, ... A: The answer to the first question is that your dog can get on a short course of steroids for the ... | |
| Fleas | 8/26/2009 |
| Q: we always use frontline plus and heartgard plus on are two dogs (one is a pomeranian about 9 lbs, ... A: I deal with this exact problem all summer long in the SOutheast. Fleas inthe environment are the ... | |
| 6 month old English Mastiff with chronic diarrhea | 8/25/2009 |
| Q: I have a 6 month old English mastiff who has had diarrhea since the first day I brought him home. ... A: Do you know if he has been on metronidazole? That is a drug that kills many of the microscopic ... | |
| Wobbly Kitten | 8/23/2009 |
| Q: My queen cat (age 1 1/2) had her first litter of kittens about 6 weeks ago. As the kittens got ... A: IT could be the maggot, it could be an inner ear problem , or it could be a birth defect affecting ... | |
| Spayed cat acting like she's in heat | 8/21/2009 |
| Q: My cat was spayed in March. A month or so later a long piece of plastic started working its way out ... A: This could just be cat affectionate behavior. IF the uterus and ovaries were removed, there is no ... | |
| Skin irritation | 8/19/2009 |
| Q: My dog is 4 years old and is a Yorkie mix. For his entire life he has had some sort of skin allergy ... A: In this case, the first thing I would do is to treat him with a dip in either phosmet or amitraz to ... | |
| Bott fly | 8/19/2009 |
| Q: What does a bott fly infection on a dog look like? Does it look like a big scab? My dog has a scab ... A: I am not aware that dogs get Bot Flies. Bot flies lay eggs on the surface of horse skin and the ... | |
| Vitiligo in Manchester mix | 8/18/2009 |
| Q: I adopted a black Manchester mix,about a year ago and a few months ago I noticed some white flecks ... A: The white flecks and vitiligo do not go together. Vitiligo is an absence of pigment production in ... | |
| german shepherd arthritis in hip leg joint | 8/12/2009 |
| Q: my german shepherd is losing use of her back legs due to arthritis. she weighs 80lbs and i cant ... A: Glucosamine and chondroitin have been scientifically proven not to be very useful in arthritis. ... | |
| ear/tooth problem | 8/11/2009 |
| Q: My cat is just under one year old. He was a stray and about a month old when we found him. About 5 ... A: He is a little young for allergies, so I would have to say that pain is the problem. If there was ... | |
| HAIR LOSS | 8/10/2009 |
| Q: I HAVE A 15 MONTH OLD CHIHUAHUA/YORKIE MIX. I ADOPTED HIM WHEN HE WAS 1 YEAR OLD AND I NEVER NOTICED ... A: There are so many reasons for hair loss. If he is itchy and chewing or rubbing the hair off, then ... | |
| ear infection | 8/8/2009 |
| Q: My Vet said my 7 year old female cat has a yeast ear infection. He gave me oti-clens and mometamax ... A: Actually, yeast infections are uncommon in cats. The yeast they get is non-pathogenic. The ... | |
| Yeast infection in our mastiff's ears | 8/6/2009 |
| Q: Our english mastiff has had a yeast infection in his ears and skin. His vet gave us ear drops and ... A: Almost every ear infection in dogs is the result of allergies. So you will need to identify or ... | |
| Skin Rash/Tumour on Scotty | 8/2/2009 |
| Q: Hope you van help because my Vet has cost £500 with no real help. Merlin is 18months old, a growth ... A: You did not say what the biopsy showed, just that it showed no malignancy. But what did the report ... | |
| Red spots on dog's lower abdomen | 8/2/2009 |
| Q: My 8 month old silky terrier has various sizes of small reddish, dark brown spots on her lower ... A: Most likely, this is a Staph bacterial infection. It is very common in puppies. If she is OK with ... | |
| Cats | 7/29/2009 |
| Q: This is not a disease. I would like to know what to do ? This is the first time I had a indoor cat ... A: Cats cycle just like women every 28 days during the early part of the year. The rest of the year ... | |
| puppy scrating hair out | 7/27/2009 |
| Q: MY BICHION PUPPY IS CONSTANTLY SCRATCHING HERSELF. SHE IS 4 MONTHS OLD. I'VE WASHED HER IN OATMEAL ... A: They can get sarcoptic mange from many sources including the mother, any animal they contact, and ... | |
| dog skin | 7/26/2009 |
| Q: Hey Doc my dog has had skin allergies for as long as i can remember. she is a blue pit and a little ... A: You can soak her feet in a 50:50 mixture of vinegar and water. Young dogs with allergies often are ... | |
| cellulitis & swollen abdomen | 7/25/2009 |
| Q: My dog, Coco, had an operation for a mast stem tumour on her leg in March, and another in June in ... A: Dogs with systemic mast cell tumors often have stomach problems. Mast cell tumors make lots of ... | |
| odiferous dog | 7/24/2009 |
| Q: Dr--I have washed dog 2x in 3 weeks. He is 10yrs., healthy, no change in behavior. Order has ... A: Any shampoo with salacylic acid can be used for the odor problems. Salacylic acid removes the dead ... | |
| Carpal pad hair discoloration? | 7/14/2009 |
| Q: Louis N. Gotthelf, I have 2 black haired labradoodle pups about 6 months of age and I recently ... A: There are many reasons for discolored hairs on the feet. Licking is one of them. Intstinal ... | |
| dog wont eat | 7/12/2009 |
| Q: i cant get our new puppy to eat anything from puppy chow gibbles bitz etc even canned food? A: HAs he been checked for worms? YOu can try milk products like cottage cheese. There is a product ... | |
| just a quick simple question | 7/12/2009 |
| Q: just a quick simple question I have 2 cats one everyone says she is the runt of the litter.. She is ... A: There are some small framed cats. That is genetic. It does not mean that the smaller cat is ... | |
| Asymmetrical appearance of Ears | 7/8/2009 |
| Q: My pom's ears have always been fine, but last Sunday, when his ears are in relax condition, his left ... A: This could be a problem with the muscles on the head. Has there been any loss of tissue where the ... | |
| Cat having balance, weight problems. | 7/7/2009 |
| Q: I have a cat who is approx 9-12 years old. In the last few months she has dramatically lost a lot ... A: I think the cat needs to be seen now and not in August!!! She may have something serious going on ... | |
| my 10 month old pitbull is having a breakout | 7/7/2009 |
| Q: I have a 10 month old baby girl pitbull.She is white with black spots. She is breaking out in what ... A: Most likely this is a bacterial skin infection. It is common in puppies. You can ask your vet for ... | |
| Dachshund Skin Condition | 7/5/2009 |
| Q: My 4 year old male dauchshund has is being treated with prednisone and clavamox for his skin ... A: IT does take some time for the infection to go away. Depending on the dose of prednisone, the ... | |
| demodex australian shepard | 7/4/2009 |
| Q: CAN YOU USE PROMERIS BI-WEEKLY ALONG WITH INTERCEPTER DAILY TO CURE DEMODEX MANGE ON MY AUSTRALIAN ... A: Yes, that is an alternative therapy. Promeris contains amitraz, which is the normal topical ... | |
| Skin Irritation | 6/30/2009 |
| Q: We have a lab that has red bumps with scabs in her ear and there are similar ones on her front legs ... A: This looks like self trauma. Does she have an ear infection? SOmetimes these lesions on the legs ... | |
| Cushings Disease | 6/29/2009 |
| Q: My dog has Cushing Disease.for a month now my Vet has her taking Mitotane 750mg twice a week, but ... A: Mitotane kills off the adrenal gland. Only a part of the adrenal gland makes cortisol. There are ... | |
| pup constipated | 6/28/2009 |
| Q: I have 10 day old puppy. His stomach is very distended and I haven't seen the pup have a bowel ... A: YOu can just use more concentrated milk to help relieve him. Also, you can mimic the mother by ... | |
| hair loss & death in puppy | 6/28/2009 |
| Q: my dad got my kids a perfectly heath puppy then a week ago it started getting sores on its ears and ... A: I cannot be very specific, but 2 things come to mind. First is demodex mange, this will cause hair ... | |
| virus | 6/27/2009 |
| Q: My new cat might have either calici virus or herpes. She does not have any nasal discharge, ... A: Although this can be viral, it can also be chlamydia. The other cats that are vaccinated should be ... | |
| hair loss | 6/26/2009 |
| Q: FIRST OS ALL THANKYOU FOR TAKING THIS TIME OUT TO ANSWER MY QUESTION. MY DOG IS 2 AND SHE IS LOSING ... A: This could be allergies. You can bathe her frequently, put her on fish oil supplements (Omega 3 ... | |
| dog that scratches a lot | 6/26/2009 |
| Q: I have a blue heeler/ black lab mix and he has scratched so much he is missing a lot of hair on his ... A: This could be mange but it could also be an allergy. YOu should check with your vet and have him ... | |
| Skin, Ears, belly | 6/23/2009 |
| Q: I have a 4 year old shar-pei, we lived in Indiana for most of his life. Through the years I have ... A: Allergies can be year round, so treating intermittently will allow the allergies to flare up ... | |
| Ear infection in dog | 6/22/2009 |
| Q: I have a rot/chow mix 11year old dog years ago she had an ear infection and I took he to the vet. ... A: You can use a 50:50 mixture of vinegar and water as an ear flush. That will help disinfect the ear ... | |
| my cat is sick | 6/20/2009 |
| Q: My cat's lost all its hair on both ears, they seem to be bleeding on the outside and it has been ... A: I would first check for ringworn for the hair loss on the ears. If the cat is outside and the ears ... | |
| My English Bulldogs Dry Itchy Ears... | 6/19/2009 |
| Q: My bulldog has been shacking his head and scratching his ears for about two weeks now and I don't ... A: This sounds like an allergic ear to me. Often the ears with get red and itchy, often dry and scaly. ... | |
| Pregnant with possible threat of mange? | 6/18/2009 |
| Q: I recently found a stray puppy near my home and took it in hoping to find its owner or a good home. ... A: There are 2 types of mange, demodectic and sarcoptic. Demodex is not contagious to people, but ... | |
| Matted fur | 6/13/2009 |
| Q: I have a cat that we found as a stray. We brought her home with us and she put on a little weight. ... A: MAtted hair is pulling up on the skin and it is painful. Owners who try and remove matts often cut ... | |
| hair fall !! | 6/12/2009 |
| Q: I have a yellow lab, he is 1 yr 8 months old. he is healthy but sheds lots of hair every day , i ... A: Labs do shed in the summertime. Some labs have low thyroid levels, which will make the hair fall ... | |
| ongoing skin condition in older collie | 6/10/2009 |
| Q: We adopted a rough collie a couple months ago, and were told that she had very bad flea allergies, ... A: If she is still on high doses of cortisone and antihistamines and still itches, then it may be ... | |
| Evil Flies!!! | 6/9/2009 |
| Q: My German Shepherd has got flies attacking her! They are biting her, and they have the tips of her ... A: There is a product called VIP Fly Repellent that you goop on the ear tips once or twice a day. ... | |
| cat flea treatment | 6/9/2009 |
| Q: Dr, I realize this question isn't specifically a dermatological question, but fleas can be ... A: Depending on which topical flea treatment you use, they do spread all over the cat's body. Some act ... | |
| Ear infection and convulsion | 6/7/2009 |
| Q: My dog is very sick and I don't knot what else should I do, I already took him to a vet near my home ... A: You did not indicate if the vet ran any blood tests to check for kidney function, anemia, infecton, ... | |
| Ears | 6/5/2009 |
| Q: I am the owner of a 2 year old male ragdoll cat, an 6 year old tabby, and a 7 year old chow chow I ... A: Without actually having an ear exam, I cannot be sure, but it seems as if the mites are spreading. ... | |
| 14 day old kitten care | 6/4/2009 |
| Q: We recently found two (im guessing 10-14 days old)kittens. The mother and rest of litter was killed. ... A: KMR is pretty digestible, so they may not make much fecal material. Stimulate the belly with a ... | |
| kennel Cough | 6/4/2009 |
| Q: I have a Doberman pinscher mix he is about 4 months i got him at the shelter two weeks ago and ... A: IF it is kennel cough it can take weeks for the cough to resolve. Ifhe is still eating and drinking ... | |
| Cauliflower like spot on dog's nose | 6/3/2009 |
| Q: My (almost) two year old dog, a peekapoo, had a hard spot on her nose. It looked like dirt but upon ... A: This is most likely a small tumor of the oil gland on he skin. It could be a sebaceous adenoma. ... | |
| 1 week puppy feeding and caring | 6/2/2009 |
| Q: I kinda need help on caring for him untill i kno he is good to go A: Use a bitch's milk replacer, like Esbilac and dilute it with warm water. Feed the pup what is will ... | |
| sudden deafness | 6/2/2009 |
| Q: My 12 yr old corgi has had sudden hearing loss. The vet doesn't see anything and says the only thing ... A: IF the dog is truly deaf, then this would have to be in both ears. If a dog is deaf in only one ... | |
| soreness | 6/1/2009 |
| Q: What causes my dog to yelp in pain each time you touch her. It seems anywhere on her upper body, ... A: Obviously, there are many possibilities to this sopreness. It could be skin sensitivity, a bad ... | |
| steroids | 5/31/2009 |
| Q: copd in dogs, taken Depo Medrol/pen, how dangerous is it to be given this on a regular base? I know ... A: The problem with DepoMedrol in dogs is that once the shot has been given, there is no control on how ... | |
| Red Raised bumps with puss | 5/30/2009 |
| Q: My Queensland Heeler has red raised bumps that are filled with puss and seem to be appearing rapidly ... A: This is most likely an infection. She may need a 2 week course of antibiotics to help. YOu can ... | |
| panosteists / skin care | 5/26/2009 |
| Q: "Hello, Thank you for taking the time to answer this question. I would like to know your thoughts ... A: I am not sure if it has ever been confirmed that food has any relationship to panosteitis. There is ... | |
| dog allergies (yeast) | 5/26/2009 |
| Q: I have an 8 year old springer which i know is prone to skin allergies. My vet told me that she has ... A: All steroids will do is to reduce the itching. If you want to kill the yeasts, then use the ... | |
| daschound with lots of really bad skin problems | 5/9/2009 |
| Q: i have 4 1/2yr old daschound who has really bad skin problems, her skin is dry and bumps come out ... A: WIth all of the vets and the specialists you have seen, it is hard for me to guess what may be the ... | |
| Rash on both dogs | 5/9/2009 |
| Q: both of my dogs started with a rash today near their private areas. They are outside a lot, would ... A: If they are both bothered, then there may be something outside that may be causing this. YOu should ... | |
| my new puppy | 4/27/2009 |
| Q: i just got a 4week year old puppy. he is half pittbull and half german Shepperd. we have tried to ... A: He may get diarrhea from whole cow's milk, so dilute it. Add a little honey or pancake syrup to the ... | |
| Ear Care for basset hounds | 4/26/2009 |
| Q: Dr. Gotthelf, I have a 2 yr old basset that i just adopted from the pound. I took him to the vet ... A: It is hard to prevent ear infections since in Bassetts, they have a genetic predisposition to yeast ... | |
| Cat with head tilt | 4/25/2009 |
| Q: My 1 year old Female DSH has a head tilt, down and to the left, Pet is lethargic and has had a ... A: Head tilt indicates an inner ear problem. You cannot diagnose that from looking at the ears. ... | |
| rotti problem | 4/25/2009 |
| Q: it has apear on hes hipps a bit of a hair loos. we was to the wet, he had all the skin tests of that ... A: I cannot diagnose on the internet. I would have to know what the disease is to help you with ... | |
| Confused dog health issue | 4/20/2009 |
| Q: "Hello, this is a strange story but try to bear with it, its important to me. for a couple of weeks ... A: Your vet has made some kind of tentative diagnosis and wants you to confirm it with other tests. Of ... | |
| Infection in German Sheperd | 4/18/2009 |
| Q: My German Sheperd is suffering from infections for last 2 months. Photo attached Despite on ... A: nb German Shepherds, they get fistulas in their tissue surrounding the rectum. Your vet may ... | |
| black stuff in dog's ears | 4/14/2009 |
| Q: I hate to bother you, but we don't have the money to take our dog to the vet, and he's always had ... A: You can mix vinegar with water in even amounts and flush the ear three times a day. Sometimes there ... | |
| tapeworm | 4/11/2009 |
| Q: I bought roundworm wormer before I went on the internet and to do a lil research. I realized that ... A: No. The roundworm dewormer will not kill tapeworms. It is very difficult to kill tapeworms in ... | |
| Dog's Eye | 4/9/2009 |
| Q: I have a 4 year old Viszla. I've noticed for a couple of months now that he a small raised black ... A: There are a few tumors and cysts that can show up on the eyelids. Have your vet look at it. I have ... | |
| food allergies | 4/7/2009 |
| Q: I have a cat that has severe food allergies. He has had several depomedrol shots. He will NOT eat ... A: You need to try several foods to find a hypoallergenic diet that the cat will eat. I have had the ... | |
| Stoarage mite allergies | 4/6/2009 |
| Q: Dr. Gotthelf, I understand there is a correlation between storage mites in dry dog food and dry, ... A: The problem with the storage mites is not whether they are alive or dead when the dog eats the food. ... | |
| Itchy dog! | 4/4/2009 |
| Q: We have a 7 month old Blue Cattle X Jack Russell and she is a very itchy girl. She has been itchy ... A: This could either be mange mites or a food allergy. I would recommend that you ask a vet to dip the ... | |
| Infected Cat Paws/Nailbed | 4/3/2009 |
| Q: Took my cat to vet 2 weeks ago for red sore butt and diahreaa (had for about 3 days). Two nail beds ... A: What a fiasco. I am not sure what to make of these nails unless that is some type of problem with ... | |
| chronic ear infections | 3/31/2009 |
| Q: My 9-year-old German Shepherd mix has had chronic ear infections for over a year now. My vet has ... A: With any chronic ear problem, it is common for the eardrum to rupture resulting in an infection in ... | |
| Dog with allergies on food trial | 3/26/2009 |
| Q: My dog was adopted from a shelter about 3 and half months ago and we don't know anything about his ... A: IF the dog is Z/d responsive, then adding one protein at a time to the diet will tell you if he is ... | |
| Great Dane Skin Allergy ? | 3/24/2009 |
| Q: Our 6 year old Male Dane (Merle) has an exaggerated case of skin lesions on his paws, jowles, and ... A: It would be very unusual to have a 2 year old dog with hypothyroidism (not hyper). So I would have ... | |
| pet shots | 3/23/2009 |
| Q: I want some non biased info on how often getting my pets vaccinated. We have 2 dogs and a cat. All ... A: We recommend vaccinations based on potential exposure. For example, unless the dog is outside, a ... | |
| Little bumps n my english bulldog | 3/23/2009 |
| Q: We have a one year old ebd and recently he has got some bumps on his body.....there are tiny tufts ... A: This does sound like a bcaterial infection on the skin. I would need to know which antibiotics you ... | |
| pseudomonis of the ear | 3/20/2009 |
| Q: My Basset has had this infection for over a year now, I am on my third vet, I feel very confident ... A: Pseudomonas is not a contagious disease. Ask your vet to use Tris EDTA as a flush for you to use in ... | |
| open sores around dogs eyes | 3/15/2009 |
| Q: i have a 8 year old Labrador that has very bad symptom around his left eye. we think it is an open ... A: IF this is not an injury, and if the dog is constantly rubbing the eyes, then it may be an allergy. ... | |
| German Shepherd with itching and flaking skin....??? | 3/15/2009 |
| Q: I have a GSD that will be 4 in July, he has had problems with him bitting at his front paws when I ... A: Dogs that have foot itching and ear itching have allergies!!! The omega 3's can help, but it takes ... | |
| 2 skin questions | 3/13/2009 |
| Q: my first question is that i've noticed raised bumps around the neck area of my female cat. They ... A: The bumps on the neck could be the result of allergy. This is called miliary dermatitis. A shot of ... | |
| American Cocker and lip fold infection | 3/12/2009 |
| Q: My dog has had this problem for weeks now, he has been on antibiotics for 2 weeks. Cleaning folds 2x ... A: Unfortunately surgery may be the only answer. You can use hydrogen peroxide or a chemical that we ... | |
| CAT QUESTIONS | 3/11/2009 |
| Q: MY CAT HAS WHAT LOOKS LIKE A BLACK SPLINTER GROWING FROM HIS LOW EYE LID. IT GROWS, FALLS OFF THEN ... A: Without seeing the cat, I cannot be specific, but this sounds like a fast growing tumor of some ... | |
| weimaraner | 3/8/2009 |
| Q: My 4 year old thriving Male W. 4 weeks ago got his annual vacs at locat vet. 5 days later he became ... A: That is a very unusual vaccine reaction. If they really think that it is the vaccine, then only ... | |
| My dogs ears | 3/7/2009 |
| Q: My cross collie has been having ear trouble on and of for a while he can go a couple of weeks ... A: I suggest a deep ear canal examination with the dog sedated or anesthetized. SOmetimes there is ... | |
| Continual Scratching | 3/7/2009 |
| Q: We have a 2 year old Female Cavachon dog. In case you are not familiar with this breed of dog, she ... A: Sometimes it is a bacterial folliculitis called juvenille acne. Often this is from plastic food ... | |
| feces eating dog | 2/25/2009 |
| Q: i have a husky who eats his own feces, i was told it could be a result of poor quality dog food, ... A: It is either poor digestion or poor absorption of the food. The first thing I would recommend is to ... | |
| Dachshund nose and nail problem | 2/24/2009 |
| Q: we have been having problems with our 11 year old dachshund's nails and nose. His nose gets very ... A: I agree that it could be autoimmune. Pemphigus is a disease where the body makes an antibody to the ... | |
| Tear Stain Spreading | 2/23/2009 |
| Q: I'm not sure if this qualifies as a skin problem but in case it does i'll ask. I have a 1.5 year ... A: The tear staining occurs because the tears are not draining through the duct that runs from the eye ... | |
| Kitten Paws Problem | 2/19/2009 |
| Q: A month ago, i noticed that my 7 months old cat had his paws looking like if they were real dry, so ... A: That is a weird case. The Omega 3 fatty acids may take 30-45 days to work, so keep up the lotion ... | |
| Ear Infection | 2/17/2009 |
| Q: My dog has had an ear infection for quite some time now. I took him to the vet and she gave me drops ... A: Almost all ear infections arise because of some type of skin problem that affects the skin in the ... | |
| cat chewing hair off | 2/14/2009 |
| Q: the younger male about 6 months ago began going bald around the base of his tail. We took him in the ... A: When cats are chewing or have hair loss, we first think of allergies. The shot may have helped ... | |
| 2 year old beagle | 2/14/2009 |
| Q: I have a 2 year old female beagle. She has a small scab on one of her nipples. We think she may have ... A: It could be a flase pregnancy. If she is not spayed, then that is something to consider. It could ... | |
| Itching Dog | 2/13/2009 |
| Q: My dog does not have fleas...I checked every inch of her, especially when she's itching. Yet she ... A: Without a diagnosis, I can't offer any treatment. So many things other than fleas can cause ... | |
| 7 yr old cat with skin problems | 2/11/2009 |
| Q: My 7 yr old siamese cat has some odd bumps on the front part of her neck. They feel like raised ... A: This is all part of the eosinophilic granuloma complex in cats. Miliary dermatitis is what you are ... | |
| Eosinophillic | 2/10/2009 |
| Q: My dads older cat has had a rash for the past 6 years it started on her neck near were the collar ... A: You are describing miliary dermatitis, which is an allergic skin disease. The eosinophils come out ... | |
| Rabies vaccines | 2/10/2009 |
| Q: My husband got really badly dog bitten today and had to go to the hospital for treatment. The owner ... A: If the dog has had a rabies vaccine previously in its life, then the chances of the dog being rabid ... | |
| Hot spots & lymph glands | 2/7/2009 |
| Q: My 8 yo basset hound girl recently was treated for a hot spot in her armpit. At that time our vet ... A: It is rare to have a true hot spot in the armpit. If she has 3 different lymph nodes swollen,then ... | |
| Flea drops plus coller? | 1/30/2009 |
| Q: I am seeking an answer to a question that is best recieved from a vet such as yourself. I was ... A: The flea collars really are not effective in preventing or killing fleas. I would just use the ... | |
| itchy pup | 1/28/2009 |
| Q: I have 8wks old lab pup for past 3- 4 she is scratching herself all day . I noticed her belly skin ... A: This could be scabies, or sarcoptic mange. There is nothing you can do at home for this. It is ... | |
| Alergies causing licking of paws | 1/26/2009 |
| Q: I hav a portugese water dog with discoloration of paws from chronic licking. How can we solve this? ... A: Allergies do cause licking of the paws. Cortisone type drugs help relieve the itching. The dog may ... | |
| kitty | 1/25/2009 |
| Q: I am writing in a frenzy as I need some advice quickly. I have a cat, whose probably around six ... A: It is difficult to cure ear mites with ear drops since the mites are also on the skin. There is a ... | |
| Cat not eating | 1/22/2009 |
| Q: My cat has stopped eating, drinking and just generally being herself. I have thought of every ... A: WIthout examining the cat, I can't be very specific. I use 2 things to get a cat to eat. First, I ... | |
| My dog has this nasty black stuff in her ear. | 1/20/2009 |
| Q: I have a 10 yr old mutt and she had surgery on her ear to remove a hematoma about a year ago. Her ... A: This is most likely an ear infection. Usually it is the infection that makes the dog shake the ears ... | |
| Weird Skin Problems and Fur Loss | 1/19/2009 |
| Q: I live in China where vet medicine is a little archaic still and have a cat with some interesting ... A: This is most likely ringworm from your description. I am sure that there are topical medications ... | |
| crusty dog | 1/18/2009 |
| Q: I recently met a cocker spaniel that is crusty and bald all over. Three years ago she was completely ... A: For the skin, there may be a skin infection or a low thyroid level. If there is mange, then a ... | |
| Ear cuts will not heal | 1/17/2009 |
| Q: I have a one year old boxer. He split open the edge of both ears back in August 2008. His ears ... A: He is shaking his head from allergic disease or from pain. Ask your vet to put the dog on steroids ... | |
| Dog - falling over, balance issue | 1/14/2009 |
| Q: My 10 year old lab/pitt mix fell down the steps a little over a week ago. Since then, she has been ... A: IF she had this vestibular disease when you got her, it is probably not going to be curable. They ... | |
| my siamese cats ear problem | 1/13/2009 |
| Q: I have a 1yr. old siamese cat Kenga, who is a male. We bought him from a well known breeder. He ... A: This is most likely a middle ear problem. My best advice to you is to call around your area and ... | |
| My pekengese | 1/11/2009 |
| Q: My dog has been diagnosed with pyoderma, which I understand is related to allergies. I inspect him ... A: Pyoderma is a secondary problem to many skin diseases including allergies. Often between the toes, ... | |
| Skin Allergy | 1/10/2009 |
| Q: I have a 5 month old male bull terrier puppy. He is current on all shots and vet care. He has ... A: I am very surprised that your vet does not know that antihistamines are almost useless for itching ... | |
| Cat, open sore on nose | 1/9/2009 |
| Q: I have a cat who has rubbed a very sore looking area along the bridge of his nose. It is so raw that ... A: Three thoughts come to mind from your description. Your vet will need to rule these out. Mosquito ... | |
| my dog is sick | 1/8/2009 |
| Q: my dog is 4 years old and right before thanksgiving she was diagnosed with pancreatitis and it was ... A: Hair loss after any illness is not uncommon. The skinis the last body organ to receive nitrition and ... | |
| Canine sudden deafness | 1/5/2009 |
| Q: Our 13 year old golden retriever/chow mix has gone completeley deaf over a period of a day or two. ... A: Without any other signs, like staggering or a head tilt, I would tend to think of something in the ... | |
| Dog warts 30 lb Yorkie terrier mix | 1/4/2009 |
| Q: Dog warts My 30lb Yorkie terrier mix approx 9 yrs old suddenly has warts all over her body and seem ... A: These are probably sebaceous adenomas and they are benign. THere is no relationship to diet or ... | |
| Dizzy Kitty | 12/30/2008 |
| Q: I have a 5 year old female cat. She is generally in good health, but is a bit overweight. Despite ... A: These "dizzy" spells may be the result of an inner ear problem. When she is having these, do her ... | |
| Question about Puppies | 12/29/2008 |
| Q: "Hello, Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. I am going to rescue a German Shepherd ... A: If the pup is dirty, he can have a bath and make sure you dry him really well. If there are no ... | |
| Sever Itching for Our Collie | 12/26/2008 |
| Q: My mothers 7-1/2 year old Collie has developed sever itching and has practically scratched most of ... A: Benadryl is not good for dogs that itch. There just is not much histamine in the chronic skin ... | |
| cats upper lip swollen | 12/25/2008 |
| Q: We were told it was an allergy, but it is getting worse and now she is having problems breathing and ... A: This is called a rodent ulcer. It is treatable with steroids. It is an allergy to something, ... | |
| puppies skin | 12/24/2008 |
| Q: we have a new puppie she is six weeks old, she is half shitzo and half lhasa apso, she is a doll, ... A: If she is not itching or losing hair in those areas, just keep bathing her twice a week. They could ... | |
| Puppy Itches | 12/23/2008 |
| Q: I have a 4 mos old Shih Tzu. Lately she is scratching herself continuously and rubbing her face on ... A: Without a proper diagnosis, it is impossible for me to tell you what the treatment should be. There ... | |
| raised sore on paw | 12/23/2008 |
| Q: We have rescued a 7 week old Malamute. He hads a variety of puppy health issues but has now been ... A: There are many ringworm fungi and each one causes a different type of skin lesion. THat's why it ... | |
| Cat Dandruff + Shedding | 12/22/2008 |
| Q: I own a 2-year-old male short-haired Tabby (Stanley) and recently I've been noticing that he has ... A: Yes, dry skin can be a cause of this. Environmental dryness causes flaking, and you can use a bath ... | |
| swollen ear | 12/22/2008 |
| Q: My Dalmatian Mickey has a swollen left ear. There is a slight odor from it also. Can you tell me if ... A: IF the ear flap is swollen and soft, like a marshmallow, then it requires surgery to correct. This ... | |
| Hearing loss in a schip after Tri-Otic | 12/20/2008 |
| Q: My schipperke had been swallowing hard, no known cause, took her to vet and found MILD ear ... A: I know of nothing that can hasten diffusion of gentamycin out of the inner ear hair cells. As far ... | |
| skin irritation | 12/18/2008 |
| Q: I have a female boxer that is about 1 1/2 years old. She has skin irritation on her stomach where it ... A: The first thing that you should o is to find a vet in your area that does a lot of skin work. In a ... | |
| swollen paw pads-cat | 12/17/2008 |
| Q: my cats paw pads are swollen, reddish purple, & peeling. they seem to be very sensitive when i touch ... A: This could be something that the cat is getting into on some surface. SOmetimes chemicals on the ... | |
| Cat head tilt | 12/15/2008 |
| Q: I volunteer at a shelter. A long haired cat, male, approx.6 months old was turned in found roaming ... A: The head tilt may be a neurological response to a middle ear or inner ear problem. Of course, it ... | |
| chocolate labrador | 12/8/2008 |
| Q: My chocolate labrador's hair colour is begining to change in patches to a different and lighter ... A: That is not uncommon in Chocolate Labs. Sometimes it is from parasites, allergic skin disease, or ... | |
| Clustered sores on chin and lip | 12/8/2008 |
| Q: My male cat has small, concentrated sores and scabs on his chin and one a little smaller than a ... A: This is called chin acne and is common in cats. It may be hormonal, allergic, bacterial, or yeasts ... | |
| Feline pulling hair out of tail | 12/7/2008 |
| Q: My cats is 7 and has ALWAYS chewed the fur off his tail. His tail isn't totally devoid of fur but ... A: This could ba an allergic skin problem. Ask your vet to give the cat a shot of DEpoMEdrol. It ... | |
| Demodectic mange | 12/6/2008 |
| Q: Dr. Gotthelf, I recently rescued a shelter puppy. He is now 13 weeks old, current on his vaccines ... A: You have asked many questions that can only be answered with time. Yes most pups recover from ... | |
| Bichon itching | 12/6/2008 |
| Q: Our Bichon will be 2 next March. This summer she started itching and scratching incessantly. We ... A: This is a typical scenario with allergic skin. Since she is young, allergy testing and allergy ... | |
| Mange/demodex | 12/5/2008 |
| Q: what you would do to treat a localized demodex infection? My chihuahua mix with another breed (?) is ... A: I do recommend the treatment as your vet prescribed. If the pup reacted to the amitraz dips, then ... | |
| cat with ear yeast | 12/4/2008 |
| Q: My cat was diagnosed with a yeast infection in her ears in late September. Her vet gave her ... A: Cats may have seasonal allergies, but they may also have year round allergies to things in their ... | |
| cat with ear yeast | 12/3/2008 |
| Q: My cat was diagnosed with a yeast infection in her ears in late September. Her vet gave her ... A: Yeast infections in the ears are really rare in cats. THey do get yeast in their ears, but mostly ... | |
| puppy with demodectic mange | 12/2/2008 |
| Q: I have a 13 week old male puppy who has been diagnosed with demodectic mange. He has two small spots ... A: Any stress can make the immune system weaken, including a poor diet. Science diet is an excellent ... | |
| My Min-pin has a swellen paw | 11/30/2008 |
| Q: I have two Miniature Pinscher as of now only one has a swollen paw and it hurts her when I touch the ... A: Without a proper examination, I wil not be able to give you anything specific. Sometimes chemicals ... | |
| Sick Dog | 11/29/2008 |
| Q: I have a German Shepherd and Border Collie mix that has a bad problem with arthritis and mange. She ... A: There are better ways of treating both arthritis and mange. Aspirin causes too much intestinal ... | |
| smelly ears | 11/26/2008 |
| Q: I've had my dog for about a year or two and ever since 5 months ago he's ears have smelled, so we ... A: Most puppies with ear problems either have ear mites or they are allergic to their food and they get ... | |
| anal gland | 11/24/2008 |
| Q: I have a female cat, she is 8 years old now. 2 years ago she had a rupture on the left anal sac and ... A: When the anal glands abscess, it loses its shape, like an almond, and parts heal inside the scar ... | |
| Seizure in our White German Shepherd | 11/23/2008 |
| Q: and thanks for helping with my question. We have a 4 year-old White German Shepherd we rescued two ... A: Any dog can have a seizure. You need to see how often these happen and mark it on a calendar. If ... | |
| Black Lab | 11/21/2008 |
| Q: I have a 4 year old black lab and we just noticed that his left ear i puffy, like a water pocket. My ... A: This is an aural hemoatoma and it needs to be repaired surgically before it starts to heal. When ... | |
| Paw pad question | 11/19/2008 |
| Q: My dog cut her paw a month ago and now her skin on her pad is hard as a rock and she limps, what ... A: If the pad skin is hard, it could be causing discomfort when the dog places weight on it. Let the ... | |
| Dog was bitten | 11/18/2008 |
| Q: I have a 10 year old Shepard. He was bitten by something about two months ago and the swelling has ... A: I would take the dog back to the vet and let them see if there is a problem with the joint fluid ... | |
| urinary crystals | 11/3/2008 |
| Q: i have been having a problem with these crystals... my cat was on s/d and he stopped bleeding and ... A: I hope that you are using the canned s/d or c/d. One of the reasons that cats make crystals is ... | |
| jack russel skin complaint | 11/2/2008 |
| Q: my jack russel itches constantly. The skin around her belly and feet is pink and she chews the fur ... A: Itching in a 14 year old Jack Russel may be a food allergy type of reaction. Intermittent cortisone ... | |
| Fur problem | 10/31/2008 |
| Q: I think this is a dermatology problem, and actually nobody could find a solution. I've a 1 year old ... A: You can give him an omega 3 fatty acid dietary supplement in addition to the vitamins. You might ... | |
| suspected ear mites | 10/29/2008 |
| Q: This past summer my almost 2 year old lab mix had a bad flea infestation. She stays in the house ... A: Fleas and flea allergy rarely affect the ear. Ear mites are rare to find in an animal that is ... | |
| Unbeatable Ear Mites in my Cat | 10/28/2008 |
| Q: My 7 yr old indoor only Manx/Siamese mix cat has severe ear mites(or at least I think they're mites) ... A: With all that you have done, I would guess that it is NOT ear mites, especially since the other cats ... | |
| Older Lab with Limp Tail | 10/27/2008 |
| Q: I'm bringing him to the vet but this is killing me. He's a 12 yr old lab that usually always has his ... A: This is called limber tail or cold water tail. It is unique to labs where their tail will go limp. ... | |
| skin under dogs eyes | 10/27/2008 |
| Q: My boxer's skin is raw under his eyes (those creases that run down his face from the corner of his ... A: Either the dog is making too much tear film or it is not draining tears properly. YOur vet will ... | |
| Yeast Infection | 10/26/2008 |
| Q: I have a 10 weeks old Shih Tzu. I took her to the vet and I was told that she has a ear yeast ... A: In young puppies with yeasty ears, they are often allergic to their food. All you have to do is to ... | |
| Scabs all over dogs body. | 10/25/2008 |
| Q: I have a 5 year old mix who is supposedly half Irish Terrier, half German Sheppard. In April of ... A: MAny of the drugs used for chemo lessen the body's ability to fight off infection. SO there may be ... | |
| skin rash/scab on belly of mini dog | 10/24/2008 |
| Q: My dog got a weird rash/scab 3 weeks ago. He eats dry food, gets bath every month, only walks in ... A: This is most likely a bacterial infection. Topical antibiotics do not seem to work well in animals, ... | |
| recurrent flea problem | 10/17/2008 |
| Q: I adopted a stray (mixed breed, probably mainly border terrier). She came with fleas and ticks. ... A: If the Caspatar anf FRontline are not doing the trick, then there is an overwhelming flea population ... | |
| vestibular symptoms | 10/13/2008 |
| Q: My Italian Greyhound has been on antibiotics and prednisone for 6 weeks for what my vet believes is ... A: I would have 2 additional recommendations. First, the vet needs to evaluate the eardrum and middle ... | |
| Dog ear infection | 10/12/2008 |
| Q: I am so frustrated! My 2 yr. old Cairn terrier popped up with yeast/bacterial ear infections. More ... A: In my experience, Mometamax does not really do much except to relieve the inflammation. If there ... | |
| sick labrador | 10/11/2008 |
| Q: Advice for Labrador(4year, Male). *Scrotum is red,occasionally gets swollen and wet and last 4 ... A: Do you know if your vet has run any blood tests to see if this is an internal problem? Any skin ... | |
| Irritated skin on my puppy. | 10/9/2008 |
| Q: I have a year old mini-sheltie. For the past few months (about 6), she's been bighting her skin so ... A: IF she has fleas, then she may have a flea allergy. Ask your vet for some steroid tablets to see if ... | |
| english bulldog infected wrinkle | 10/8/2008 |
| Q: I have a 11 month old english bulldog who has one tear stain under his left eye. I try to keep it ... A: First, Benadryl is not very helpful for much in dogs. The tear staining can be helped by using ... | |
| Yeast infections in dogs | 10/7/2008 |
| Q: my french bulldog has pretty bad tear stains that i can only seem to dent with soap and water on a ... A: Yeast infections between the toes are common in allergic dogs, so if your vet is just treating the ... | |
| ear mites | 10/7/2008 |
| Q: I have a 5-month-old kitten who scratches his ears a lot. How can I tell if he has ear mites? He ... A: Ear mites are bugs that live in the ear. If you can take some of the goo in the ear and put it on ... | |
| Dog skin condition | 10/6/2008 |
| Q: My 8 yr. old male German Shepherd has developed a skin condition on the underside of his jaw. It is ... A: Allergies can show up around the mouth and lips. Ask your vet for a dsteroid shot and some ... | |
| cat with mange? | 10/6/2008 |
| Q: 11 year old neutered male cat. Starting getting black specs on his skin. chin and face mostly. He ... A: For mange in cats, they need to be dipped in LymSulfur. Ivermectin will help only a few mites. I ... | |
| Cats: fly/mosquito bite caused dermititis | 10/4/2008 |
| Q: My cat has been coming in with bites on his ears and bridge of his nose. I'm not sure if it is from ... A: Cats do get mosquito bite hypersensitivity on the nose. Advantage only kills fleas. You can use ... | |
| chronic ear problems | 10/3/2008 |
| Q: I have a 5 year old pug, his ears are very very waxy, black ear wax and it smells bad. I clean his ... A: If your dog has a yeast infection in his ears, then he has an allergic skin disease. YOur vet needs ... | |
| lump on neck | 9/30/2008 |
| Q: my dog had a lump on the right side of his neck about 8 months ago. i took him to the vet and they ... A: Sometimes when dogs do not respond to the things we expect them to, we need to know what disease is ... | |
| Alergy Test? | 9/28/2008 |
| Q: 00 Test are carried out by mailing a sample of your dogs hair in a sealed plastic bag,which you then ... A: There is no effective allergy test for foods!!! Many companies offer tests, but none of them ... | |
| my dogs mouth | 9/22/2008 |
| Q: My dog has recently come down with a bad irritation on her jowels we have been cleaning but it does ... A: THERE IS NOT TOO MUCH INFORMATION IN YOUR QUESTION, BUT THERE ARE 2 PRIMARY REASONS FOR THIS. ONE ... | |
| Scabs on ears | 9/17/2008 |
| Q: I have a 7 month Chihuahua named Rocky, he has scabs on the inside of his ear on each side, in the ... A: Biopsy will tell the vet what type of disease is causing the problem. if it is vasculitis, that ... | |
| scratching | 9/15/2008 |
| Q: my 13 month old german shepherd cannot stop scatching it is mainly on the joints of his paws the vet ... A: Even if the vet did skin scrapings and did not see any mites, like demodex, I would treat him ... | |
| Scab on golden retriever's chest | 9/14/2008 |
| Q: I was brushing my 1-year old golden retriever tonight (something I don't do as much as I should), ... A: Golodens are prone to skin infections. I fshe had mange and you only spot treated her, then it ... | |
| mini dachsunds skin irritation | 9/12/2008 |
| Q: our dachsi has these folds under her front legs that she constantly scratches. she has hair loss in ... A: This is pretty common in doxies. It could be an allergy, low thyroid hormones, or the start of ... | |
| POMERANEAN | 9/12/2008 |
| Q: MY DOG IS 6 YRS. OLD .AFTER HAVING HER GROOMED SHOT FOR THE SUMMER HIS HIND PART HAIR IS NOT GROWING ... A: This is common in Poms that have the hyperadrenal syndrome. It can take 6 months for the hair to ... | |
| Poodle Shakes head alot and has alot of red lil rashes | 9/10/2008 |
| Q: I have a 12 year old poodle. He has all of a sudden started to shake his had alot and his ears are ... A: This sounds like he is having something affecting his skin. The ear is skin also and that is why ... | |
| growth on cat's bottom lip | 9/10/2008 |
| Q: I have a 14 year old male cat, that foe the past few years has had a benign growth apear on his ... A: Eosinophilic granulomas are generally allergic. If the cortisone isn't working, the dose may need ... | |
| BREEDING | 9/4/2008 |
| Q: I AM TRYING TO BREED MY 2 TABBIES. THE FEMALE IS 15 MONTHS OLD, AND THE MALE IS 5 MONTHS OLD. IS THE ... A: MAle cats at 5 months can be fertile, but not mature enough to know what to do. SInce cats are ... | |
| Inner Ear Infection - Cat | 9/3/2008 |
| Q: After a week of being off colour and off his food, my cat suddenly could not keep his balance and ... A: If I were you, I would DEMAND to speak to the doctor. YOu are paying the bill, so you have a right ... | |
| French Bulldog Allergies | 9/2/2008 |
| Q: Can you tell me how reliable skin testing is in determining allergies? One of my frenchies keeps ... A: Skin testing is very reliable for those antigens that are tested for. That means that if allergy ... | |
| chihuahua yeast ear infection | 8/28/2008 |
| Q: We have a one year old chihuahua who is on his 3rd ear infection. The vet says he will always have ... A: I agree that in a young puppy with yeast infections, a food hypersensitivity is likely. There is a ... | |
| My Kitten and her sore on her neck | 8/28/2008 |
| Q: I bottel fed three kittens. They never go out of the house. The one in question I had declawed and ... A: There are so many things that may have caused this lesion, it is hard for me to be specific. IT may ... | |
| itching and panting | 8/25/2008 |
| Q: I have a small mixed breed dog, she is over weight by around 3 or 4 lbs. I had her anal glands ... A: You are seeing a side effect of the steroid, probably prednisone. The vet can try a different type ... | |
| Hearing Loss | 8/24/2008 |
| Q: My dog was shaking her head and scratching her ears but appeared to be hearing fine. My vet gave me ... A: The antibiotic, gentamicin, in Mometamax can be toxic to the cochlea. Fortunately, if you stop the ... | |
| scratch | 8/7/2008 |
| Q: we have a 10 year old part dotsun /chihuaua.spelling not great.but she scratches alot and does not ... A: Not all dogs that scratch have fleas. There are many dogs that get skin allergies to things like ... | |
| Kitty - ear infection? | 8/5/2008 |
| Q: About 10 days ago I sent my 8 year old Maine Coon cat to the animal hospital to get groomed. She ... A: If she was perfectly normal before the grooming visit, then my guess is that something probably ... | |
| Black crud under cat's chin | 8/5/2008 |
| Q: My cat Bella was a stray and I have had her for about 2 year. I believe she is about 8 years old, ... A: This is most likely chin acne. It can be a bacterial infection or in some cases a yeast infection. ... | |
| Mini Schnauzer skin lesion | 8/4/2008 |
| Q: My alt and pepper schnauzer, Juliette, is 9 years old. She has always chewed on her paws (my vet ... A: There is a pigment in dog saliva that turns the hair a rust color when they lick. If she is licking ... | |
| Cocker Spaniels betty turned black | 8/3/2008 |
| Q: My 9 year old cocker spaniel's belly turned black about 7 weeks ago. Recently, while grooming, I ... A: IF this black stuff is pigmented skin, there is probably not much that can be done. However, if the ... | |
| Yeast infections in ears | 8/1/2008 |
| Q: My 9 year old lab has a yeast infection of the ears, and she has had it for a few years. We have ... A: Almost all yeast infections are due to allergies. In a lab, it could be a food allergy or an ... | |
| kittens | 7/31/2008 |
| Q: I July 24 recently bought 2 Bengal(10 weeks old) kittens from the same litter from a breeder. Both ... A: Depending on the type of parasite, they can get most of them from their mother. If the breeder was ... | |
| demodex | 7/22/2008 |
| Q: I have a 3.5 month old siberian husky that was diagnosed with demodex and that vet that admitted it ... A: Demodex is not really contagious except from a mother to her puppies. The treatment your vet is ... | |
| Swollen Foot With Hair Loss | 7/22/2008 |
| Q: My 2 yr old dog Macie's back left foot started getting this welt looking bumps. It was just 3 at ... A: This is called pododermatitis. If it is infected then that may be caused by many things. Foreign ... | |
| Urinary Trac Infection | 7/21/2008 |
| Q: I have a 4 year old female cat who has been straining in the litter box and either very little comes ... A: IT IS VERY RARE FOR A URINARY TRACT INFECTION TO OCCUR IN A CAT. IN ADDITION, DOXYCYCLINE IS NOT A ... | |
| Urinary Tract Infection | 7/20/2008 |
| Q: I have an 8-year old female cat who had/has her first UTI. A culture was done and did not show ... A: It is EXTREMEMY rare for a cat to get a urinary tract infection. If the culture was negative, then ... | |
| Sadie is losing her hair. | 7/19/2008 |
| Q: My dog Sadie is an 11-month old blue Pitbull. She randomly started losing her hair so I brought her ... A: Even though the skin scrapings were negative, she may still have mange mites on her skin. Ask your ... | |
| skin disorder | 7/8/2008 |
| Q: Our Great Pyrenees is hypothyroid and has lost patches of hair on her back and she is now developing ... A: If she is an allergic dog, that would explain the hair loss and the itchy, flaky skin. Being ... | |
| pustule on shiba's labia | 6/30/2008 |
| Q: My 10.5 mos shiba inu has 2 tiny pustules on the exterior of her lady part-labia. When she was in ... A: Puppies get Staph pyoderma on the belly and private parts as they grow. If it is not bad, then her ... | |
| Severe Skin Allergies | 6/28/2008 |
| Q: I have a Cocker Spaniel that I rescued 3 yrs ago. During this time, I have spent $1000s of dollars ... A: MY best recommendation is to find a vet that specializes in skin diseases to help you. If this is a ... | |
| allergic reaction | 6/25/2008 |
| Q: i have a little staffy her name is lara and she is allergic to just about everything outside ( grass ... A: You can have her alergy tested then immunize her against the allergens she is allergic to. There ... | |
| Cat Allergies | 6/20/2008 |
| Q: We have a 2-yr old neutered male cat. He is constantly biting the inside of his legs. We ran a ... A: Where the allergies show up is a function of where the mast cells are located. Mast cells have the ... | |
| Ear Infection | 6/19/2008 |
| Q: My maltipoo was diagnosed with an ear infection at the vet about 5 days ago. They flushed out her ... A: It usually takes 3-5 days for the pain of an ear infection to go away. But there are so many ... | |
| Cat Allergies | 6/17/2008 |
| Q: We have a 2-yr old neutered male cat. He is constantly biting the inside of his legs. We ran a ... A: If you are giving the cat a shot every three months, he probably will never have a side effect from ... | |
| Hair regrowth | 6/12/2008 |
| Q: I have a 7 year Pomeranian rescue - I have had her shaved about 6 weeks ago and her hair is growing ... A: Yes, there are many cases of post-clipping alopecia out there. Give it time and it will re-grow ... | |
| sores on out side of ears | 6/12/2008 |
| Q: I WENT OUTSIDE TODAY AND SAW THAT A LOT OF FLYS ARE FLYING AROUND MY DOGS EARS AND I WENT OVER AND ... A: This is called "fly strike" and the best thing to do is to put the dog inside an area that has ... | |
| mangy dog | 6/11/2008 |
| Q: is it okay to bathe a mangy dog with sulfur soap? if so, is it effective? are there any alternative ... A: Sulfur soap wil not help mange. There are specific treatments for the particular type of mange ou ... | |
| Ear Indection | 6/11/2008 |
| Q: My Chocolate Lab has a smelly dark substance in her right ear have been treating her by cleaning ... A: Unfortunately, amoxicillin will not get into the ear. And cleaning the top portion of the ear does ... | |
| Shiba Inu | 6/10/2008 |
| Q: My dog has been chewing herself up on her paws (biting and licking them so much that she has eaten ... A: If the dog is allergic, that can be the cause. Ask your vet if your dog can have a dexamethasone ... | |
| dog | 6/8/2008 |
| Q: my 6=year-old dog was attacked by a neighbor's unleased dog 11 days ago and required emergency ... A: Dogs that lick their feet often have allergies to things that they walk on. Many of these dogs also ... | |
| uneven pupils after ear cleaning? | 6/7/2008 |
| Q: We took princess, our cat, to the vet on 6/3/08 due to some redness and ear itching and though she's ... A: Uneven pupils after an ear cleaning can indicate that there is something going on in the middle ear ... | |
| ears and skin - poodle | 6/1/2008 |
| Q: Its scablike and is sometimes a small red spot but can get very big. My vet said its baby ticks and ... A: Ear disease and skin disease go together. Most of these problems are allergies. Have you seen ticks ... | |
| Skin "infection"....? | 5/30/2008 |
| Q: My 9 1/2 month old kitten has a weird skin infection looking thing on his chin. There is no blood; ... A: This is chin acne. The best way to treat it is to shave the hair very short and use rubbing alcohol ... | |
| More than an Ear Infection | 5/21/2008 |
| Q: I hope you can help us. I have a four year old cat prone to ear infections. She scratches until she ... A: IF the ear canals have scarred in from the surgeries and the chronic infections, the ear canals may ... | |
| Is my kitten blind??? | 5/18/2008 |
| Q: My cat had a litter of 4 kittens yesterday and one of them was born with it's eyes open. it's eyes ... A: It is unusual for a kitten to be born with the eyes opoen. The cornea may not develop properly and ... | |
| Demodex | 5/14/2008 |
| Q: My 11 yr old beagle/terrier has demodex. While we thought she had problems with the thryroid, she ... A: There are many immunosuppressive diseases including cancers, diabetes, autoimune diseases like ... | |
| Ear mite infection | 5/13/2008 |
| Q: A neighbor's cat had a severely swollen ear and they weren't taking him to the vet due to the ... A: This is called an aural hematoma and if the cat's ears are treated properly, the hematoma only needs ... | |
| Veterinary Medicine | 5/12/2008 |
| Q: I've researched the internet, but I can never get a straight answer. I've decided to come here. I ... A: I don't know where you live or how much college you have had, but basically you will need a ... | |
| staph infection | 4/30/2008 |
| Q: How do i prevent my pit bull from getting this skin irritant again? She has had it twice now and is ... A: Most skin diseases in dogs are allergic in origin. So you need to ask your vet if your dog is ... | |
| Eczema is killing my cat! | 4/23/2008 |
| Q: My 4 yrs old cat is having Eczema, I've tried everything ( creams, aloe vera plant, changing food) ... A: IT is more than likely an allergy to something, so I would recommend that you ask your vet for a ... | |
| beagle's paws | 4/15/2008 |
| Q: Our 11 1/2 year old male Beagle started licking and chewing his paws at least 4 months ago. It seems ... A: It would seem thatt here are many things going on at once. First, diabetes can cause some of these ... | |
| Italian Greyhound hair loss | 4/8/2008 |
| Q: I have a 3.5 year old female IG named Izzy who has been experiencing hair loss. When she was around ... A: This is obviously a hair follicle problem. The pigmentation is wrong in the follicles where the ... | |
| Re: Retriever in pain and itching. | 4/1/2008 |
| Q: Is it ok to give my golden retriever a pain pill containing 110mg acetaminophen and 162mg aspirin? ... A: Do not give anything with acetaminophen to a dog. There are so many great medicxations to give older ... | |
| severe itching/scratching | 3/31/2008 |
| Q: I have a 2 yr. old pom over the last couple months he has developed severe itching/scratching. His ... A: Food allergy is a possibility, but it seems as if the big problem is a skin infection. Check with ... | |
| itching and odor | 3/30/2008 |
| Q: i have lasa apsa 1 year old he always itches and has odor even 1 day after bath there is no rashes ... A: I doubt that the odor is from the diet. It is most likely from a bacterial or yeast skin infection. ... | |
| flea collar reaction? | 3/30/2008 |
| Q: I realize this may not be your expertise, but you were the only one available. I recently purchased ... A: Many cats get toxic from insecticides. This is what you are describing. Ask your vet to check with ... | |
| Allergies | 3/29/2008 |
| Q: My Chow/Lab has had allergies. It seems to be the absolute worst when the seasons change. Mainly ... A: The scabs around the mouth are all part of the allergy. You can have the dog allergy tested and ... | |
| skin reaction to a epinephrine injection | 3/28/2008 |
| Q: my 5 month old Yorkie had a epinephrine injection so she wouldn't react to her rabies injection ... A: Epinephrine is a very potent vasoconstrictor and that means that the blood vessels in tha area of ... | |
| amitraz dips - safety | 3/26/2008 |
| Q: I am 8 weeks pregnant. My dog has had a treatment of the amitraz dip and has come home. He usually ... A: Reproductive Effects: Doses of 200 mg/kg/day of amitraz for ten weeks decreased fertility in male ... | |
| Allergy | 3/26/2008 |
| Q: I adopted my 3yr old lab/golden mix about 4months ago. She has been itching and scratching for the ... A: If it is a food allergy, then you will need a specific hypoallergenic food for 8 weeks minimum. ... | |
| cat licking bald spots, cortisone doesn't help | 3/24/2008 |
| Q: Gotthelf, I have a 2 year old British Shorthair cat. For the past year, she has been licking ... A: If she does not respond to Depo, then try chlorpheniramine 2 mg twice a day. If after 2 weeks, ... | |
| demodectic mange | 3/22/2008 |
| Q: I am treating a couple of pups for demodectic mange. This service was very helpful in giving ... A: Many puppies will self cure as they get to 9-12 months. Their immunity kicks in and then they are ... | |
| dog rubbing hair off | 3/21/2008 |
| Q: I have a german whirehair that has been rubbing and itching her self until her hair has come off. I ... A: If she is itchy, then she may have some type of parasite, like mites, on her skin. That would need ... | |
| My cat's ears | 3/20/2008 |
| Q: My cat has recently decided that it is my job to clean her ears. She is 5yrs old and has alot of ... A: She may just want the attention if that's all that is required to fix the problem. Cats with ... | |
| skin irritation | 3/19/2008 |
| Q: My alaskan malamute is licking the tops of his paws until they are raw. He doesn't seem to have any ... A: When dogs get allergies, they lick their paws. Often a secondary bacterial or yeast infection ... | |
| sores on cat | 3/18/2008 |
| Q: I have an old black and white boy kitty who has been getting deep(no drainage to speak of) ... A: Does this cat root with its nose...putting the nose under things and pushing up? Anything can be a ... | |
| siberian husky | 3/18/2008 |
| Q: my male siberian husky is 10 months old. he is very thin and his stomach is sunken in slightly. is ... A: Do you know if the puppy is gaining weight? Some pups will grow and look very thin until they put ... | |
| Scab on 19 year old cats nose | 3/16/2008 |
| Q: Our cat bunny is female, 19 years old spayed when she was 4 or 5. She's a BIG cat, slightly ... A: Sometimes the treatment of some of these thing is worse than the disease itself. If it is not ... | |
| My cats ear infection | 3/15/2008 |
| Q: I took my cat to a new Vet. in Virginia because we are new to the area. My cat has an ear infection ... A: Without know what type of infection there is in the ear, Mometamax can be dangerous if there is a ... | |
| dog skin conditions | 3/14/2008 |
| Q: my 2year old rottweiler keeps chewing at her skin, it started with just small patches but now she is ... A: This is very likely an allergy. But it may be complicated by secondary skin infection, which is why ... | |
| Cat Scratching | 3/2/2008 |
| Q: Gotthelf, I've read many of your answers involving cat scratching, but it seems that my cat has a ... A: Atenolol is usually indicated for irregular heartbeats and to lower blood pressure. One shot of a ... | |
| Dog scratching nose... | 3/2/2008 |
| Q: My 2.5 year old American Eskimo has recently started scratching his nose...quite often. In fact, ... A: Scabs on the nose can come from him itching his nose, which is common in allergic dogs. Also, there ... | |
| Bacterial skin infection in dog just diagnosed with Lupus | 2/28/2008 |
| Q: Gotthelf, A couple of weeks ago my almost-10yo lab/beagle’s only health issue was a stiff back ... A: Almost all skin infections in dogs respond to cephalexin, so I would continute that. Cephalexin ... | |
| ear pinna inflamation and itching | 2/27/2008 |
| Q: i have a 2 year old lab cross that is pregnant, 5 weeks at the moment. she has started with very ... A: Thius does not sound like any common malady. The pinna is swollen, but there is no infection in the ... | |
| Skin Crusty Scabs on Springer Spaniel | 2/15/2008 |
| Q: I have English Springer Spaniel, 15 years old but in very good health for his age. He tends to get ... A: This could be a bacterial (Staph) infection. Antibiotics shouls clear this up. But it could also ... | |
| staff infection that 3 vets cant cure | 1/31/2008 |
| Q: i cant tell you how much money i have spent on my dog. while money is not the issue, the staff ... A: I have 2 suggestions. First, have the vet do a skin biopsy of an active pustule and have a ... | |
| effects of ivercide | 1/30/2008 |
| Q: I have a mastiff/pit bull mix & he has been diagnosed with demedex. Also, has bad bacterial ... A: This cvould be caused from the medication and in many cases, the dose can be reduced so that the ... | |
| Dog itching | 1/17/2008 |
| Q: My dog is constantly itching and biting herself. She bites her feet and her tail and her body. She ... A: Dogs that lick their feet and are very itchy often have allergies to environmental allergens. YOUr ... | |
| mites | 1/15/2008 |
| Q: I have 1 1/2 old female chihuahua name Chella. she got mites and has a her liver is not working. any ... A: The mites can be treated with a solution of Amitraz dip. Do this once a week for 8 weeks all over ... | |
| HELP Please--dog diagnosed with red mange (demodectic ) | 1/13/2008 |
| Q: I have a jack russell he is now 3yrs old as of November. November of 06 he was diagnosed with ... A: The dose of Ivomec is 300 - 600 micrograms per pound of body weight orally daily for 60-90 days. ... | |
| squeemish(?) tail,licking off fur | 1/12/2008 |
| Q: My about 7 year old spayed fem.short hair cat is licking off the fur on her lower tummy and now ... A: Her skin is readcting to something and she itches. That can be from many things, but allergic skin ... | |
| Boston Terrier with possible cushing disease | 1/9/2008 |
| Q: I think my 9 Year old Boston Terrier, Otis, has cushing disease or PDH but am having trouble getting ... A: IF they have run the ACTH stimulation test and/or the dexamethasone suppression test and these tests ... | |
| demodectic mange | 1/4/2008 |
| Q: Gothelf. Thank you for reading this. My australian shepherd, age 2, had some (3) rashes on her ... A: We see this reaction more in Collies and Shelties, but it has been infrequently reported in Aussies. ... | |
| pulling out hair | 1/1/2008 |
| Q: My three year old cat has recently begun pulling out her hair. While grooming, she rips out hair ... A: There is not much you can do for dry skin other than adding oils to the food. That is a very ... | |
| hi i have some questions that im just wondering to | 12/28/2007 |
| Q: they arent skin and ear questions. my first question is why do vets charge so much for all there ... A: Put in simple terms, it costs 80 cents out of every dollar charged to run a veterinary hospital. A ... | |
| Using Revolution for dogs on cats | 12/28/2007 |
| Q: I have done this in the past, but have moved and cannot find my notes. I rescued a cat found in the ... A: I do not use revolution bevcause it works too slowly. Ifthe cat has bumpos and the shot helped, ... | |
| hematoma ear Choc. lab | 12/27/2007 |
| Q: My Choc. lab had what the vet called a hematoma in his right ear. Did surgery "stitch method" I ... A: We don't know exactly what causes it, but so often it results when there is an external or middle ... | |
| demodectic mange | 12/26/2007 |
| Q: I have been a Vet Tech for 5 years and am still unsure of the dosage rate in cc's for running a ... A: The oral dose of ivermectin varies from 300 micrograms per pound to 600 micrograms per pound per ... | |
| dog ears? | 12/26/2007 |
| Q: I have a shiba inu he's 1 year old. Recently I noticed that he is missing hair in his ears. First ... A: There are several possibilities here. Hair loss along the ear margin can be from shaking the head, ... | |
| vestibular syndrome | 12/22/2007 |
| Q: we recently took our 13 1/2 year old german shepherd/doberman to the vet. he said that our dog, ... A: Peripheral vestibular disease indicates the ear or the 8th cranial nerve is affected. Central ... | |
| puppy | 12/20/2007 |
| Q: OK I HAVE A PIT BULLMIX PUPPY WHO WAS RECUED IN ALABAMA WHO WAS LEFT OUT IN A CAGE IN THE SNOW TO ... A: If he is itching all the time, this could be some type of mange. There are 2 types. Sarcoptic ... | |
| Shaking Head | 12/17/2007 |
| Q: We have a 4 year old Yorkie (Tanner). We have had him to our Vet. for about 3 years for ear ... A: The Temaril-P contains prednisone and if he is responsive to that, then he is allergic. You can use ... | |
| mometamax and ear deafness | 12/9/2007 |
| Q: rescued 7yo sweet alert mixed terrier eval Sept 2007 with 3+ cocci bacterial otitis externa.. has ... A: Why would your vet put the dog back on Mometamax???? I can't tell you if her hearing will come back ... | |
| hi i have alot of questions to ask you | 12/5/2007 |
| Q: i want to know if beniful is a great food for dogs also how do dogs get ear infections A: Beneful is an all vegetable dioet, which is wholesome for most dogs. Dogs get ear infections from ... | |
| Ear Problem | 12/4/2007 |
| Q: I have a lab who continuously has problems with one or both ears. Twice the vet has perscribed ... A: Mometamax contains a powerful steroid that will make the dog feel better while the steroid is in the ... | |
| hair loss | 12/3/2007 |
| Q: My 3 year old American Eskimo is losing his hair so much that you can actually see the skin. He is ... A: Although there are many many reasons for hair loss, at this time of year and with the breed you ... | |
| red mange | 11/29/2007 |
| Q: My seven month old golden retriever puppy was diagnosed with demodicosis or Red Mange and we took ... A: Mitaban has an affinity for hairs so by shaving the dog, the hairs remaining in the follicle will ... | |
| Black Skin | 11/18/2007 |
| Q: We have a golden Retriever 11 years old has been very healthy, now for the last 3 months his skin is ... A: At 11 years old, I would want to know if this dog is hypothyroid. That is common in older Goldens ... | |
| mometamax | 11/16/2007 |
| Q: After a trip to Fla. a few weeks ago where we encountered a strong,windy cold front for days, my 11 ... A: It surprises me that your vet did not know that there are a small number of dogs that can go deaf ... | |
| Ferral Cat with Ear Infection | 11/12/2007 |
| Q: What would you recommend doing for a ferral cat with an ear infection. She’s very skittish, hardly ... A: The best thing you can do for this cat is to get a tranquilizer pill from a vet and put it in the ... | |
| Sudden strong itching in Pomeranian | 10/31/2007 |
| Q: my 4 year old male Pomeranian suddenly started itching his sides ferociously with his back paws ... A: Some dogs do have food sensitivities. But there are many diseases that itch. Have you seen any ... | |
| Cat licking itself | 10/8/2007 |
| Q: My cat keeps licking itself raw in different locations on its body. Why would this just start all ... A: This is most often caused by the cat itching. That is usually due to allergic dermatitis. Ask your ... | |
| cocker spaniel with lipfold dermatitis | 9/28/2007 |
| Q: Can you tell me the best treatment for this condition. have tried antibiotics and steroid injection ... A: Lipfold dermatitis can be caused primarily from 2 things. tHe first is a fold of skin on the lip ... | |
| My puppy and tresaderm? | 9/25/2007 |
| Q: Gotthelf, my dachshund puppy is 4 months old and ever since we purchased him he has had some sort of ... A: Tresdarem contains a very potent corticosteroid called dexamethasone. This can be absorbed from the ... | |
| Cat loosing hair | 9/10/2007 |
| Q: I am not sure if this is a skin disease but seems like it. I had her on science diet for hairballs ... A: Most cats that are losing hair do so because of skin allergies. This can be an allergy to some ... | |
| Equal hair loss - Brussels Griffon | 9/8/2007 |
| Q: I rescued a one - two year old female brussels last spring. She'd had a litter of pups and was ... A: Hair loss in a young bitch can be hormonal if the dog is not itching. Sometimes overproduction of ... | |
| female spayed dogs | 9/3/2007 |
| Q: i have two spayed female chihuahuas. 4 and 5 years old. they have recently developed nipples on ... A: When we spay dogs, we remove the ovaries, which are the major sources of estrogen and progesterone. ... | |
| Puppy CHow Verses Adult food | 9/2/2007 |
| Q: I've read some great replys by Labman that you might want to change your puppy ( I have a 17 week ... A: Yes, we have known for at least 10 years that too much protein and calcium in puppy diets fed to ... | |
| dog-Blood in urine | 8/31/2007 |
| Q: I have a 5 year old black lab/springer spaniel who had occasional blood in his urine. He has been to ... A: There are many reasons for blood in the urine. Stones are only one of them. If the vet took ... | |
| bark collars | 8/25/2007 |
| Q: what is the treatment for pressure necrosis A: Pressure necrosis comes from too much weight being placed on a particular point. That cuts off the ... | |
| My cat is very ill, what's wrong with her? | 8/17/2007 |
| Q: My cat, after what appeared to be an ear infection, then spread to the other ear, was quite ... A: Ear infections do not spread from ear to ear. I n a cat, often if they have an upper respiratory ... | |
| French Bulldog with black crusty skin eruptions | 8/4/2007 |
| Q: Please see the 11/20/05 item about French Bulldog with black crusty skin issues. That precisely ... A: Pyoderma is caused by allergies, usually. So even if you get rid of the infection with antibiotics, ... | |
| Skin and diet | 7/30/2007 |
| Q: What sort of diet do you feel is best for dogs' skin, and do you have any links supporting your ... A: If the dog is allergic to his food, then a single source protein food that your dog has never been ... | |
| Dogs | 7/30/2007 |
| Q: My dog is 5 and 1/2 months old, and he was running a lot today and the pads on his front two feet ... A: When the foot pads have been worn off, you need to let them air out. I would advise soaking them in ... | |
| ear infections | 7/29/2007 |
| Q: The vet said our dog had an yeast infection, gave us mometamax for it. After giving the dog the ear ... A: Mometamax contains Gentamycin, which is very ototoxic when the eardrum is not intact. It does not ... | |
| Rukkus, my dog | 7/27/2007 |
| Q: I recently adopted Rukkus from the S.P.C.A. He was a basement dog in a large city for approximately ... A: If the steroids (prednisone and depomedrol) did not help, then this is probably not an allergy. ... | |
| My Yorkie Gabriella | 7/23/2007 |
| Q: My yorkie is 6 years old. I have taken her to the vet this past Saturday because her vulva was all ... A: Dogs to not get Candida yeast infections like women do, so using an antifungal drug will not help. ... | |
| dog dry skin | 7/23/2007 |
| Q: I have a two-year old Beagle/Fox Terrier/Dachshund mix who has developed a persistant itch over the ... A: Some shampoos contain proteins that cause a topical allergic response. My suggestion to you is to ... | |
| sores on our 11 year old beagle/dachsund mix | 7/20/2007 |
| Q: We have an 11 year old beagle/dachsund mix that is being treated for pyoderma(sp). She looks very ... A: If she has been on Cephalexin with no help for 6 weeks, it is most likely not a skin infection with ... | |
| dog skin irritation | 7/18/2007 |
| Q: Our dog has a patch on his neck without hair. It's red, scabby and irritated. We thought, at ... A: The neck is a common site for a fungal infection with Malassezia yeasts. You can try shampooing it ... | |
| Reaction to rabies vaccine | 7/12/2007 |
| Q: My 5 pound Chihuahua had a rabies shot a few months ago and about 6 weeks later had a patch on her ... A: It could be related to the vaccine, although the typical rabies skin reaction is a slowly thinning ... | |
| Dog question | 7/7/2007 |
| Q: I have a 6 year old pug who has allergies. I just recently got him about a year ago. I am not sure ... A: This could be from the allergies. What happens is the allergy causes the skin to itch and thicken, ... | |
| cat hair loss/skin | 7/3/2007 |
| Q: I have long haired cat who's hair started to matted really bad around her collar. I took the collar ... A: Cats show allergies around their neck and face. If you take the collar off and this mattng ... | |
| odd mole like bumps | 7/2/2007 |
| Q: my 6 year old tuxedo male cat (chance) has 2 mole like bumps on his right side, they are smooth and ... A: Any growth on a cat's skin is worrisome. You need to have the vet look at these lesions. If your ... | |
| Landseer Hairloss | 6/30/2007 |
| Q: I have a Landseer Newfie that is experiencing hair loss on his chest, groin, and "arm pit" areas. ... A: Until you get the dog seen by the vet, you can use dog shampoo on these areas. If you can find a ... | |
| Cat hair not growing back evenly | 6/23/2007 |
| Q: I have a persian and I get her shaved 1-2 times a year, And about 2 months ago I got her shaved ... A: Hairs grow according to temperaure. Wehn you shaved the cat, so me hairs will be at the proper ... | |
| dog's heat | 6/23/2007 |
| Q: my 8 month old 50# mixed breed started bleeding 2 weeks ago & is bleeding EVERYWHERE. I would throw ... A: Some bitches bleed profusely, while some hardly bleed at all. You can have her spayed now, while ... | |
| ear trouble | 6/21/2007 |
| Q: Today, 6/20/07 I took my German shepard in to have his left ear cleaned.. lots of *gunk* in there. ... A: This is most likely a middle and inner ear infection. It is common in Shepherds. It could also be ... | |
| lupus? | 6/19/2007 |
| Q: My 3 year old chow/Golden Retriever mix developed a hypopigmented area on the top part nose about a ... A: Discoid lupus can be confirmed with a biopsy sent off to a pathologist. If it is discoid lupus, a ... | |
| itchy Yorkie...Tried everything!!! | 6/15/2007 |
| Q: My girl is 9 MONTH old Yorkie. She started itching and biting herself at about 4 months old. In the ... A: Even though they tested her for mites, have her treated for sarcoptic mites. Also ask your vet if ... | |
| Keeshond with Skin Condition/Hair Loss | 6/10/2007 |
| Q: My 14 year old, neutered (as a puppy) Keeshond has developed black skin around his neck & shoulders ... A: Has your dog's thyroid level been tested to see if the Soloxine is correcting the low thyroid ... | |
| 15 year old DSH | 6/8/2007 |
| Q: When I visited the vet recently for routine vaccinations,I was told my cat should be on a low ... A: If his blood work does not show any kidney problems, then it is fairly safe to anesthetize him for ... | |
| swollen exterior ear in chocolate lab | 6/4/2007 |
| Q: My chocolate lab's exterior ear is swollen and she also fights yeast infections in her ear. Is ... A: IF there is a pocket of fluid or blood inthe ear flap, that needs to be surgically fixed (aural ... | |
| My dog is walking in circles. | 5/21/2007 |
| Q: We have had are dog for about 9 years now. She just started walking in circles but only to the left. ... A: This is called vestibular disease. She is basically dizzy. There may be something going on in her ... | |
| my black lab/sharpie | 5/18/2007 |
| Q: bella has a rash on her private parts and i would like to know what kind home remedies i can use on ... A: Most dogs do not need to be bathed unless there is a skin problem. In this case, I would wash the ... | |
| hair loss | 5/17/2007 |
| Q: my gsd has an ongoing problem with hair loss it always starts on her back near her tail,then ... A: In that location, I would think of flea allergy first. If the dog gets one flea every month, that ... | |
| PitBull Skin Problem | 5/15/2007 |
| Q: I have a 2 year old pit bull which I found about a year and a half ago. He had mange and I took him ... A: Dogs develop allergic skin reactions after 1-2 years of age. I fyour dog had mange as a pup, I would ... | |
| german shepards | 4/23/2007 |
| Q: i am not sure one what all goes wrong with german shepards hips and hind legs can anyone explain it ... A: Sometimes they will get fibrocartilagenous infarcts that will cause temporary loss of use of the ... | |
| question | 4/14/2007 |
| Q: my name is Michael i am 14 and i was wondering what classes i could take to become a vet and also ... A: Dogs breathing is affected by many things that can get in the way of the air that is moving. You ... | |
| Scabs on my dog's skin. | 4/13/2007 |
| Q: I have been doing some research and noticed for the first time that my dog has 2 large scabs on his ... A: Some dogs are sensitive to the clipper blades and others are sensitive to the shampoos. If there ... | |
| ear shaking | 4/13/2007 |
| Q: My son has a beagle/fox hound mix who is 10 months old.He rescued him from the animal shelter when ... A: Not all ear problems are infection. Many dogs get skin problems that make the skin of the ear canal ... | |
| skin problem on Poodle | 4/11/2007 |
| Q: I have a standard poodle and he is going on 14yrs and he is full of what I call warts,don't know if ... A: These sebaceous adenomas are not uncommon in older dogs. They are rarely any problems, but they are ... | |
| RND Dog chewing toenails off | 4/9/2007 |
| Q: My year old boxer mix has radial nerve damage from an accident in December. He started walking and ... A: With injuuries and nerve damage, often these "tingle" and the dog goes after the discomfort. They ... | |
| pseudomonas aeruginosa in geriatric cat | 4/8/2007 |
| Q: My 14 year old neutered cornish rex has had chronic nasal discharge most of his life. He has also ... A: Pseudomonas is very difficultt o get ot and to fing an antibiotic that will kill it. There are many ... | |
| lab ear bit in half cant stop bleeding | 4/7/2007 |
| Q: my two dogs were playing and one nipped the others ear how can i stop the bleeding A: The best way to stop bleeding in with pressure and ice. If that doesn't help, then a styptic pencil ... | |
| German Shepard | 4/2/2007 |
| Q: My 6 month old GS has junk in her ear. I wanted to know the best of getting it out without hurting ... A: If there is "junk" in her ear, it is there because of something. It could be an infection or it ... | |
| my cats skin and coat | 4/1/2007 |
| Q: d be great thankyou sandra A: MAny cats with itchy ears actually have skin allergies. Cats rarely get infections, like dogs, but ... | |
| Dog chews discolored hair area. | 3/28/2007 |
| Q: My yellow lab for the past couple of years has a spot of hair that turns orange during the warm ... A: There is an orange pigment inthe saliva of dogs, so when they are chewing in one spot, the hair will ... | |
| Tuesday's Allergies | 3/17/2007 |
| Q: I have a year and a half-old Golden Retriever named Tuesday. She's had allergy problems for most of ... A: I don't believe that any of the enzymes are helpful in dog allergies. If these allergies started ... | |
| Dog w/ cut on ankle, possibly broken | 3/16/2007 |
| Q: My dog was tied outside today and got his foot wrapped around his leash and has a cut all the way ... A: You can flush the wound with warm water to keep it clean. In this type of injury, there is crushing ... | |
| cat licking fur off on tummy and inner legs | 3/13/2007 |
| Q: Dr. Gottthelf. My elderly mother has a five year old spayed black and white short-haired cat. She ... A: This usually indicates an itchy cat. They lick and chew off the hair. Are there any fleas or has ... | |
| ear bleeding, cat walking funny | 3/12/2007 |
| Q: My cats ear lobe is wounded with blood for a week. Two days ago, he started wobbling while walking. ... A: IF there is a wound on the ear, then maybe there is ap roblem deep in the ear canal. Middle eare ... | |
| liver problems in young cat | 3/10/2007 |
| Q: My cat is almost 3 years old, young compared to other cats that I have read about with similar ... A: If the cat isn't eating, then this is most likely hepatic lipidosis, which results in a fatty liver ... | |
| Shera | 3/9/2007 |
| Q: In October my 16 year old dog had an ear infection and they put her on Cephalexin 500mg she took ... A: At 16 years I would think of some type of metabolic disease present rather than the cephalexin ... | |
| Chronic Ear Infection | 3/9/2007 |
| Q: 12 year old Siberian Husky: she has had an ear infection for 16 months. Have seen 3 different vets ... A: You may need to find someone that can look with a video otoscope for evidence of a middle ear ... | |
| red mange | 3/7/2007 |
| Q: We found out about 2 weeks ago our red heeler has red mange. She is taking antibiotics and has been ... A: With red mange, do not use cortisone at all. It wil make the mange spread. Dippings need to be ... | |
| shih tzu chews his paws non-stop | 3/6/2007 |
| Q: My shih tzu (deuce) has very dry skin. I notice that if we go two or more weeks w/ out bathing him ... A: Chewing and licking the paws is caused by atopic dermatitis. Dogs get all kinds of pollens, moolds, ... | |
| German Shepherd ears | 2/27/2007 |
| Q: Gotthelf, Thank you so much for the time you are taking to read this question. I will try to be as ... A: DepoMedrol is probably the worst thing that can be done. I wouold advise you to fing a vet ... | |
| my one and half year old pitbull | 2/16/2007 |
| Q: My 1 1/2 yr old pit bull has ear and skin problems since he was a pup, and the vet keeps testing him ... A: If he is a very allergic dog and the cortisone shots help, then ask your vet to prescribe prednisone ... | |
| Itching | 2/15/2007 |
| Q: my dog is 5 years old and over the last 2 or 3 weeks he has started itching at the bottom of his ... A: While anal gland problems can cause this, I would be more likely to think of a flea allergy. That is ... | |
| German Shepherd and lick granuloma | 2/12/2007 |
| Q: I own a five year old German shepherd who has dealt with bouts of lick granuloma for the last three ... A: Lick granuloma in dogs is an Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) which originates in the brain, not ... | |
| My cat is losing her hair! | 2/10/2007 |
| Q: We recently had a major flea infestation and our two cats have suffered dearly. I am still trying to ... A: You need to do two things. First, get the cat to the vet for a shot of DepoMEdrol, a long acting ... | |
| Skin condition and orderof my German Shepard | 2/9/2007 |
| Q: I have a 4year old Female German shepard she recently started giving off a bad order and she has a ... A: This is most likely seborrheic dermatitis. Antibiotics, antifungals, and special shampoos called ... | |
| shampoo, conditioner, and paws | 2/8/2007 |
| Q: My cat had huge static issues, so I gave her a bath and used human shampoo and conditioner. Her ... A: Some animals are very sensitive to components of shampoos. Some cats can be senstive to animal ... | |
| Jack russell allergies | 2/6/2007 |
| Q: A: The 3 month old one may have sarcoptic mange. If it is allergies, then it is allergic to the food. ... | |
| Infection on the ear | 2/3/2007 |
| Q: we noticed that our cat has a purulent infection - probably caused by a fight - in the top of the ... A: In most cases a topical antibiotic like neomycin will help. Ointments tend to slow wound healing ... | |
| Scottish Terrier skin biopsy | 2/2/2007 |
| Q: Ok my 9 year old male had a skin biopsy today and they are looking in particular for Pemphigus ... A: Pemphigus causes separation of certain layers of the skin and lymphoma is a cancer within the layers ... | |
| Puppy's Face is Swollen | 1/31/2007 |
| Q: I have a four-month-old male beagle puppy, and we woke up this morning to find that his face and ... A: Yes, it could be a reaction to food or anything else. Many compounds will cause this as well as ... | |
| bumps on face | 1/31/2007 |
| Q: my 1 year lab has a few bumps around his lips and toward his whiskers. they are red wart looking ... A: This is most likely a bacterial infection, which is very common in labs with food sensitivities. ... | |
| What do I do? | 1/23/2007 |
| Q: My malti-poo has something on his ear. It looks like if he scratched alot and has a small piece that ... A: If he scratched the ear and cause an abrasion or an ulcer, you can put any type of antibiotic ... | |
| tick bite | 1/23/2007 |
| Q: My cat goes outside for a day or two at a time, and last night he came home and as always I ... A: If the head remains, it will take a week or so for the tissue over it to die and then it will come ... | |
| itchy ears in dog | 1/8/2007 |
| Q: Dr. Gotthelf, Thank you for your time. My dog has been itching in one of his ears for a few weeks. ... A: If he has an infection, then the discharge may be brown. You need to have your vet check to make ... | |
| Shedding Husky | 1/5/2007 |
| Q: I have a 1 year old Siberian Husky. He shed all during the summer, as normal, and he seemed fine ... A: In a 1 year old hushy, he may just be getting rid of his puppy coat and replacing it with the adult, ... | |
| My dog | 1/4/2007 |
| Q: My small terrier has small bumps on his back. I have bathed him and have seen no fleas, he doesnt ... A: These can be sebaceous cysts or even comedones. Sometimes a bacterial infection will start as these ... | |
| Puppy strangles | 1/4/2007 |
| Q: My chihuahua has been suffering from puppy strangles-this is his 2nd week. I was advised that he ... A: Puppy strangles is a severe bacterial infection, so he needs to be on very high levels of ... | |
| shih tzu itching problem | 12/28/2006 |
| Q: i have a 6 month old male shih tzu and ever since we have had him he scratches himself like ... A: In a young dog like yours that scratches all the time, I would be worried about Sarcoptic mange. it ... | |
| Cat walking in circles.... | 12/24/2006 |
| Q: About three years ago I adopted a blind cat from the pound. In the time I have had her she has had ... A: A middle ear or an inner infection can affect balance. YOu should have the cat checked by a vet to ... | |
| Hair loss clumps | 12/23/2006 |
| Q: We have an 11 yr old orange short hair indoor tabby. We recently noticed hair clumps (5 to 10 ... A: If he is "barbering" the hairs, then this means that he iotches. The scratching will be done when ... | |
| male pup with mange | 12/22/2006 |
| Q: I bought a male pup from a good kennels with papers. The pup was born on 9/6/06 and I just found out ... A: All dogs have mange mites ontheir skin. We think that those pups that get it really bad have a ... | |
| Cat Hair Loss | 12/22/2006 |
| Q: My cat started losing hair on the back of her legs, and had some sore spots. The hair loss is ... A: In my area, flea allergy in cats is extremely common. But so are other types of allergies that will ... | |
| DEMEDEX MANGE | 12/21/2006 |
| Q: My Alaskan Malamute was diagnosed with "DEMEDEX MANGE". My vet suggests using "Mitaban" My breadder ... A: Both mitaban and ivermectin will help treat demodex mange. Ivermectin has to be given every day and ... | |
| Dog has Odor and Digging | 12/15/2006 |
| Q: I have a german shepherd Mix . He's 12 week's old he dig's night and day not just his body but his ... A: You are describing seborrhea. Many of these things are allergic in origin, so that wouold need to be ... | |
| canine condition concerns | 12/12/2006 |
| Q: I own an 8 year old male chihuahua, neutered. He suffers from chronic tooth plaque, and my vet just ... A: An advil is very toxic to a small dog, so please avoid that. The insecticide in Biospot, ... | |
| cat hair loss | 12/7/2006 |
| Q: my name is Stephanie and I have a 5 year old female cat who has been loosing hair on her belly and ... A: Cats can be allergic to many things including fleas and their foods. When cats are allergic, they ... | |
| otc meds for our dog | 12/5/2006 |
| Q: we have a 6 yr old golden retriever who has arthritis-we have been giving her deramaxx but its so ... A: Human pain relievers often cause an upset stomach, diarrhea, and sometimes ulcers. That's why there ... | |
| my dog stinks | 12/5/2006 |
| Q: i was wondering what to do for a stinky dog, she smells like wet dog all the time, even after ... A: Doggy odor is the result of the bacteria and yeasts on the skin breaking down the oil being secreted ... | |
| age | 12/4/2006 |
| Q: I have a 10 year old Jack Russell. She has started to show signs of stiff joints. What do you ... A: I recommend a drug called Previcox for the pain and I also recommend using dietary Omega3 fatty ... | |
| dog ear infection | 11/29/2006 |
| Q: My dog, a 8 year old Border Collie mix, has been shaking her head viciously today. I looked inside ... A: This is probably some type of allergic reaction. YOu should let the vet look at the dog and look ... | |
| Licking bald spots | 11/17/2006 |
| Q: my cat is having a problem where he is licking himself bald in little nickel sized spots on his ... A: If the steroid shots help, ask the vet if you can come in once every 6 weeks for just the cost of ... | |
| itching | 11/12/2006 |
| Q: We have an 8 month Maltese/bison with an itching problem..had her on a variety of foods such as ... A: Many of these young dogs that itch may have sarcoptic mange. The Revolution is not a good medication ... | |
| Inflammed vulva | 11/12/2006 |
| Q: Our 6-year old female beagle began having an inflammed vulva area about 6 months ago. The vulva ... A: Low dose pred has very few long term side effects. There is a steroid spray that you can try called ... | |
| treatment for red mange | 11/11/2006 |
| Q: like to know standard treatment for red mange in boxer A: The only approved medication is called Amitraz. It is a dip solution applied to the dog every 2 ... | |
| puppies with fleas | 11/9/2006 |
| Q: i just got these puppies. their about 2-4 weeks old. i just realized that they are covered in fleas. ... A: If you cannot afford your pets, you may think about thinning out your herd. Puppies with fleas can ... | |
| skin infection? | 11/3/2006 |
| Q: I have a outbreak of somthing in all my young outside barn cats. They are all getting oval leasions ... A: Without seeing the cats, it is hard for me to diagnose anything over the internet. If they are all ... | |
| yeast infection in great pyrenees | 11/2/2006 |
| Q: i have 2 great pyrs. they have a yeast infection in their ears. i have been cleaning them out with ... A: I would stay away from Malaseb in these ears. It contains chlorhexidine which can be very toxic ... | |
| Dog shaking his head excessively | 10/25/2006 |
| Q: I have a question about my 3 year old husky/lab/shepherd mix named Nash. About 4 months ago I ... A: If you changed the diet and the head shaking stopped for a while, he may be a food alergic dog. ... | |
| Dog pregnant? | 10/16/2006 |
| Q: I have an english bulldog. I have a feeling that she is pregnant. She has gained a lot of weight ... A: A vet visit can range from $35 to $50 for an evaluation. There is a blood test to see if your dog ... | |
| bite wound on cat ...necrosis ? | 10/15/2006 |
| Q: my 7 month old kitten was attacked by anouther cat she had bites on her back and side and had to ... A: Cats have a lot of extra skin that they can stretch over a wound as it heals. With good therapy ... | |
| Hair Loss | 10/14/2006 |
| Q: I have a three year old daschund that has been experiencing hair loss for a couple of years. Had her ... A: There are many reasons for hair loss and if this has been going on that long, I would recommend that ... | |
| Black dots on chin | 10/11/2006 |
| Q: my cat a few months back had gotten fleas when we were staying at my friends who had a dog infested ... A: Black dots on the chin could be chin acne in the dog. It can be caused from bacteria, yeasts, or ... | |
| Wound on Head | 10/11/2006 |
| Q: My cat a few months back was attacked by a dog. Her sinus cavity was puntured and the bone on her ... A: Yes, these frontal sinus injuries can show up like that. The sinuses produce mucus and when there ... | |
| Rice and Chicken Breast diet | 10/8/2006 |
| Q: Two months ago the Vet told me to put my dog on a white rice and chicken breast diet when we found ... A: Some dogs do develop food reactions, but I doubt that is what this is. Ask your vet o treat the ... | |
| rash near dog's private parts | 10/7/2006 |
| Q: My dog recently developed a rash never his private part. they are red and he scratches. i don't know ... A: A rash in that area may be a bacterial indfection. That is usually caused by something itrritating ... | |
| Allergies | 10/5/2006 |
| Q: My 1,5 year old Yorkshire Terrier started having coat and skin problems around February this year. ... A: Many dogs with allergies show these symptoms. There are a couple of recommendations that I would ... | |
| Fleas?? I'm not sure. | 10/2/2006 |
| Q: Lately my cat, Missy, has been acting strangely. The last time she acted in this fashion the problem ... A: There are many allergens that can make a cat itchy other than fleas. There are molds and pollens, ... | |
| my cats ear | 9/30/2006 |
| Q: my question is,my 3 year old cat goes outside most of the time. He was gone for at least a month. ... A: Cats rarely get ear infections like people or dogs. They can get ear mites (bugs) or they can get ... | |
| ears | 9/28/2006 |
| Q: my dog ears has a very bad oder. what caouses it and what can I do to help stop it A: Odor in the ears is often from infection in the ears. These are related to allergic skin disease ... | |
| ears | 9/22/2006 |
| Q: My dog (a Chihuahua) scratches his ears constantly. He was also scratching his body until we put a ... A: Itchy ears can be a sign of environmental allergies or even a food allergy. If there is an ... | |
| My dogs ears | 9/21/2006 |
| Q: We have had a lot of rain and it has brought out more weeds and we are invested with flies. The ... A: Fly strike is very common. There is a product called VIP FLY REPELLANT that is a creme that can be ... | |
| Skin irritation | 9/20/2006 |
| Q: My Italian Greyhound keeps biting his feet and the hair is almost gone on his back feet. Whate can I ... A: When dogs bite at their feet, this is most often some type of allergy to something that they are ... | |
| smelly dog | 9/15/2006 |
| Q: My 9 yr old Lab mix neutered male has recently begun to stink to the extreme. He has been on ... A: The dog has some type of inflammed glandular secretion that is stinking. Ask the vet if your dog ... | |
| SKIN | 9/13/2006 |
| Q: Dr. Gotthelf, I have 5 beautiful bullmasitffs that never have had skin problems until we moved to ... A: I would agree that if all 5 dogs are exhibiting the same thing, then there has to be something ... | |
| Dogs health | 9/12/2006 |
| Q: I have a Sheltie mix that was given to me by a friend about 4 or 5 years ago. Cozie was about 8 ... A: The truth is that this didn't just happen. When skin diseasses like this go on for a long time the ... | |
| My 2 1/2 year old cat has sore on cheek | 9/10/2006 |
| Q: Since March 2006 my cat has had 3 wounds on the side of his face. The first time I took him to the ... A: I would ask the vet if your cat has ear mites. That can cause a chronic cheek sore from scratching. ... | |
| kitten /cat tape worms | 9/6/2006 |
| Q: My 7 yr old cat has had tape worms twice. Both times I bought pills to get rid of them. Now I have a ... A: Reoccuring tapeworms result from the cats eating the fleas. There may be only a few fleas, but when ... | |
| ear hematomas | 9/6/2006 |
| Q: My dog has had 3 ear surgeries to remove hematomas in the last two months. They keep coming back. ... A: Aural hematomas result from violent head shaking. If they are reoccurring, then you should have the ... | |
| Dog has infection on ears | 8/24/2006 |
| Q: My husband's is 8 months old and we have noticed that she has the tips of her ears that are infected ... A: This is called fly strike. The biting flies open the skin and the ear tips get a scab on it. You ... | |
| Cat distress after ear mite medicine | 8/21/2006 |
| Q: I picked up some over the counter flea medicine at the local pet store (my cat was biting and ... A: You need to take the cat to a vet to have the ears examined to see if there is a ruptured eardrum. ... | |
| skunk! | 8/18/2006 |
| Q: my cocker spaniel was sprayed by a skunkn last night we left him in his room and the house smellys ... A: There is a product called SKUNK-OFF that takes the odor away. Also, some people advocate using ... | |
| Skin Question | 8/18/2006 |
| Q: I have a pekingese dog that's 3 years old and she recently got spadded. Lately I've been seeing some ... A: Discoloration of the skin on the belly is normal in older dogs. If there is any oil coming out of ... | |
| dog skin condition | 8/16/2006 |
| Q: I have a large brown dog, short hair, a stray that took up at my home 2 yrs ago. Over the past year, ... A: The first thing I will recommend to you is that you take the dog to a vet for an evaluation. There ... | |
| Constant itching and chewing -irritation caused by unknown source | 8/15/2006 |
| Q: I'm so excited that your expertise is Dermatology! We just moved into an apartment complex and our ... A: If the dog it itchy and the prednisone helped, then it is probably an allergy. Low dose steroids ... | |
| stray cat & infant | 8/12/2006 |
| Q: there are two small stray kittens living in a wood behind my home. I want to keep them. They seem to ... A: Costs depend on what is being done. If they are kittens, they need to be checked for worms, and ... | |
| Ears/Skin | 8/12/2006 |
| Q: My cat is 10. All of her life she has had itchy ears. She itches them until she cries. There is a ... A: If she has skin allergies, that often makes a cat's ear produce more wax. There may also be a ... | |
| Allergies | 8/11/2006 |
| Q: My dog has intermittent yeast infections in her ears. What would be safe to give for allergies. ... A: Benadryl does not work in chronic dog allergies because it is not a histamine problem. The best ... | |
| dog always chewing on tail and legs. | 8/5/2006 |
| Q: i have a 2 year old male pomeranian. he is constantly chewing on his tail and itching on his legs. ... A: Vegetable oil will not help itching. There are special oils called Omega3 fatty acids that decrease ... | |
| Lab Ear Infection | 8/4/2006 |
| Q: I have an 11 year old male chocolate lab that has had problems with his ears (especially his right ... A: This treatment is acceptable if it helps. If the ear is beyond help medically, the easiest thing to ... | |
| dogs ear infection | 8/1/2006 |
| Q: I am taking my dog to the vet on wednesday and I was wonding what my options were. Thank you for ... A: If there is a tumor in the ear, that requires surgery. Depending on the type of infection, they may ... | |
| Puppy Strangles | 7/29/2006 |
| Q: The 3 month old female Golden Retrevier we were planning on bringing home tommorow has been ... A: Strangles is realted to a Staph infection in puppies. Prednisione takes down the swelling. He ... | |
| Demodex | 7/25/2006 |
| Q: My 4 month old female pug puppy just started Mitoban dips for demodex. It makes her quite drowsy, ... A: Usually after the first couple of dips, they do not get the side effects. There is a drug called ... | |
| Itchy Skin? | 7/25/2006 |
| Q: I Just recently adopted a dog from a local animal shelter. An 8 year old Jack Rusell. When i first ... A: This dog needs to see a vet. He may have one of the mange mites, either sarcoptic or demodex. The ... | |
| SKIN PROBLEMS | 7/24/2006 |
| Q: GOTTHELF MY DOG PRESSLEY IS A 9 YEAR OLD GERMAN SHEPARD. HE DEVELOPED ALLERGY LIKE SYMPTOMS ABOUT ... A: If he has a housedust mite allergy, that can be treated with allergy shots that you can give him at ... | |
| dogs chewing on his nails and ear infections | 7/23/2006 |
| Q: MY BICHION IS 2 YEARS OLD AND HAS ALOT OF EAR INFECTIONS. HE IS ALWAYS INSIDE AND CLEAN. HE ALSO ... A: Ear infections are almost always caused by skin allergies. In the dog, skin allergies also make ... | |
| skin and coat | 7/22/2006 |
| Q: we have four irish setters one of them is a show champion who always ends up with some skin problem ... A: Flaky skin may mean either infection or fatty acid deficiency. IF there is an infection that ... | |
| sebboreah | 7/21/2006 |
| Q: my dog has sebboreah..his skin is dry,itchy, and it smells..i know he needs to be treated with ... A: Seborrhea can be treated with special medicated shampoos that contain sulfur and salacylic acid. ... | |
| Skin Issues | 7/18/2006 |
| Q: I recently adopted a cat from my father, he passed away 6 weeks ago and we have had his cat since ... A: Yes, cats pull hair when they are stressed. But they also get allergies from things inthe ... | |
| Ear Hematoma | 7/18/2006 |
| Q: I have a 7 year old male golden retriever. He has allergies and is always itching and rubbing his ... A: If the hematoma was fixed properly it should not come back. Most hematomas are caused by the dog ... | |
| Tick Bite in dogs ear ? | 7/16/2006 |
| Q: My dog had a tick in its ear last week that I removed and discarded.But now it looks all sore there ... A: When ticks get into the ear they insert their sucking mouthparts all the way into the cartilage of ... | |
| Major head sores | 7/14/2006 |
| Q: My parents labrador (1.5 yrs old) is struggling through some really big, bad lesions that have ... A: Labs are very prone to allergies. If it is seasonal, then it is likely allergic in origin. Your vet ... | |
| Tactic medication for demotectic mange | 7/14/2006 |
| Q: Gotthelf, My male peke was 4 months old when he developed demotectic mange. After a costly ... A: Taktic is very effective at preventing mange. IT is mixed at 5 ml per liter and is is used only ... | |
| welt like sores on her belly | 7/11/2006 |
| Q: Yogi, is a 9 year old female tortoise cat who is fixed. She has what started out to be small red ... A: Many cats with allergies will have open sores on the belly, neck, and legs. IF she is having ... | |
| puppy with white gums | 7/10/2006 |
| Q: My granddaughter found a puppy, female, approx.l5 wks old. Itis skin and bones and will not eat ... A: Get this puppy to the vet right away. The puppy is anemic and may have fleas and hookworms that are ... | |
| the jaws | 7/4/2006 |
| Q: My boxer has really low hanging jaws and recently one side off them has swolen and is hanging twice ... A: Some dogs will get inflammation in their lips from food being caught or from allergies. Check the ... | |
| skin question | 7/1/2006 |
| Q: My 3-year old male chihuahua has many insect bites/bumps on his front legs and on his head. Some of ... A: Revolution is not a fast kill insecticide, so whatever bugs are on the dog will have to be on the ... | |
| Demodex Mite | 6/29/2006 |
| Q: My 5 month old beagle puppy is dignoised with Demodex Mite. She only has 1 spot so far and her vet ... A: It is rare for only one spot of mange to be present. That one spot is the only one that has lost ... | |
| my cat's ears | 6/23/2006 |
| Q: To get right to it, my cat has dirty ears. She is about 7 1/2 years old or so, and I've had her for ... A: If the vet see ear mites, then there is a chronic problem and the mites are not being treated ... | |
| my cat's ears | 6/21/2006 |
| Q: To get right to it, my cat has dirty ears. She is about 7 1/2 years old or so, and I've had her for ... A: Chronic discharge from a cat's ear is often a middle ear infection that drains and dries up in the ... | |
| Eosinophilic Granuloma Complex - Treatment | 6/19/2006 |
| Q: My cat is suspected to have eosinophilic granuloma complex (2 vets have suspected the same thing, ... A: Although the steroids do have side effects, fortunately cats do not have the serious side effects ... | |
| Fleas, fleas, everywhere FLEAS!!! | 6/18/2006 |
| Q: I have a wonderful pup, a 10 year old cocker spaniel we rescued from a kill shelter a few years ago. ... A: You need to get him a shot of some cortisone and some tablets to follow up. You should be using ... | |
| Pekinese with Strange Behaviour | 6/15/2006 |
| Q: Gotthelf, My peke 11 months old since coming back from a grooming session, he has been acting ... A: If his butt is itchy after groomig, it could be that the anal glands are irritated or that the shave ... | |
| Ear Infection | 6/14/2006 |
| Q: I have a puppy about 14 weeks old. I took a bath with the puppy. I washed the puppy with puppy ... A: You can rinse her ear with plain water, but it is a very long, deep ear canal in a dog. You may ... | |
| Fungal/Bacterial/Viral Infection on paws spreading to rest of body | 6/12/2006 |
| Q: My 12 year old lab/spaniel mix has been fighting the above-referenced subject since late February. ... A: The lyme sulfur should be great for the fungus topically, but you can also use ketoconazole or ... | |
| Blisters/dried on Cat's ears--sunlight exacerbates | 6/10/2006 |
| Q: My korat or russian blue (not sure) cat, Sasha, has scabs on the outside of her ears, which are ... A: Tis is most likely a solar dermatosis. It is similar to a pre-cancerous lesion in people called ... | |
| Bad Odour/loosing fur | 6/9/2006 |
| Q: i own a 3-year old male black lab. he is having a peculiar problem of losing fur in excess than ... A: This is seborrhea and it is caused by allergy. The skin gets inflammed and the oil glands secrete ... | |
| Claws Lick Granuloma | 6/9/2006 |
| Q: My 7-yr. old Rottie won't let me trim his claws and they're getting very long on his hind legs. I ... A: You may have to have him sedated by your vet to trim his nails. Lick gtanulomas are almost always ... | |
| Lumpy dog ears | 6/8/2006 |
| Q: My border collie has red lumpy ears. I have been to the vet and they have given me some drops to ... A: Without an examination, it is hard for me to diagnose skin diseases on the internet. Does she have ... | |
| my puppy's scabies | 6/6/2006 |
| Q: My puppy pitt bull have a scabies 2 weeks ago. I used dog shampoo but its not work. How to cure ... A: There is an insecticide available at the vet's office called PHOSMET or PARAMITE dip. That kills ... | |
| In Heat | 6/5/2006 |
| Q: I have a female Jack Russell Terrier and she just came into Heat. How long will this last???? Thank ... A: The first part of her heat, called Proestrus, lasts 10-14 days. That's when she will swell and ... | |
| Min Pin skin rash | 5/31/2006 |
| Q: I have a male 2 year old min pin. He recently has been scratching a lot. We brought him to the vet ... A: This could be an allergy. I would recommend that you leave the dog on steroids regularly for a ... | |
| Female with Struvite Crystals | 5/30/2006 |
| Q: I have a darling female I rescued as a kitten. Her name is Cookie Bugchaser & she is now around 5 ... A: Struvite crystals are a problem with the diet. Magnesium, ammonia, and phosphates make up these ... | |
| Dog's tail | 5/28/2006 |
| Q: I have a Pomerian/Poodle mix. he has a long tail taht is always curled up. Yesterday and today his ... A: If you pinch the tail, does he feel it? If he doesn't feel anything, then it is a serious problem ... | |
| Runny Tummy851pb | 5/26/2006 |
| Q: lynnwalk@tiscali.co.uk wrote: > Hi can anyone help! I have an indoor persian cat, he is 7 years old ... A: This could be inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Ask your vet if that is possible. This causes the ... | |
| white dandruff | 5/24/2006 |
| Q: i have 2 cats ages 4 and 1 both females, the 4 yr old started a white dandruff on her fur going down ... A: Dandruff is OK usually. It is the dead skin coming off. I would recommend having the cats bathed ... | |
| Parvo recovery | 5/22/2006 |
| Q: My 9 month old is recovering from parvo. With lots of money we kept her alive and caught it early ... A: It is very unusual to have jaundice or liver disease from parvo. I would suggest having the vet run ... | |
| periodic up-chucking of my dog... | 5/20/2006 |
| Q: I have an approx. 9 months old Terrier mix. he is no more than 10 lbs and pretty healthy and very ... A: If he is throwing up food, it may be regurgitation rather than true vomiting from being sick. Dry ... | |
| Yorkie with chronic skin disease | 5/20/2006 |
| Q: Dr. Gotthelf, I have a seven y.o. yorkie with a chronic skin condition that worsens in the spring & ... A: Allergies are chronic problems, so as soon as the steroid wears off, the allergic skin disease and ... | |
| kitten hairloss | 5/20/2006 |
| Q: I have a kitten who has had difficulties since birth. His littermates are already twice his size and ... A: My best guess would be some type of ringworm fungus. See if you can find something at the drug ... | |
| Dog hair and dog fur. | 5/19/2006 |
| Q: Is there a difference between dog hair and dog fur? Do some breeds have one rather than the ... A: Hair grows constantly and does not have a seasonal shed as does fur. Fur is usually composed of a ... | |
| urinary tract | 5/19/2006 |
| Q: My male Jack Russell Terrier, 8 years, had problems urinating a couple weeks ago. Urine would just ... A: s/d diet should only be used for a short time...usually 6 weeks until the stones dissolve. Then k/d ... | |
| Bump clusters on kittens head | 5/19/2006 |
| Q: We have a litter of 4 kittens that are 8 weeks old. The other day I noticed A small, movable bump an ... A: Without an examination, I can't be very specific. At 8 weeks, they should be ready for their forst ... | |
| Dog Ear Mites??? & Eye Problem | 5/18/2006 |
| Q: I have two questions to ask: The firstMy 12 year old Akita (female) has had ear problems for some ... A: Ear mites are rarely found in older dogs. If she has black stuff, that is more likely an infection. ... | |
| cat vomiting | 5/18/2006 |
| Q: my wifes cat is being sick shortly after each meal, he is a long haired 2 year old and this has been ... A: This does sound like haiballs. A good combing daily helps to remove loose hairs that the cat ... | |
| collie dog | 5/16/2006 |
| Q: My collie dog approx 10 years old has lately started to have involintary tremors/spasms through her ... A: This could be some type of neurological problem, like a mild epilepsy. Although you said that she ... | |
| CAT VOMITING | 5/16/2006 |
| Q: MY MUM HAS AN 8 MONTH OLD SIAMEASE KITTEN.SINCE WE HAVE OWNED HER,SHE HAS BEEN THROWING UP IN THE ... A: Since yur Mum already lost a cat to Feline Leukemia Virus, then it could happen again. You need to ... | |
| cat keeps peeing | 5/15/2006 |
| Q: this isn't a question about a disease but hope you can help. Well, my cat is a about 3 year old male ... A: If it is an older cat, it could be arthritic and can't get into the box. Some cats with urinary ... | |
| Revolution for mange? | 5/14/2006 |
| Q: My dog was diagnosed w/ mange (sarcopic) on her tail. She has completed the ATB. as well as the ... A: If the dog has allergic dermatitis, there are several things that are done. First, allergy testing ... | |
| cat pain med | 5/14/2006 |
| Q: Our cat hurt his leg outside. It's swollen and he limps. No open wounds or anything. I think he'll ... A: Ther are some pain medicines that cats can take, but they are all prescription. Anything you might ... | |
| sick kitten? | 5/13/2006 |
| Q: i got a kitten a few weeks ago from the local animal shelter. i took her to the vet, she was ... A: Kittens with worms get very large bellies. When the worms are gone, the belly goes down in size. So ... | |
| Lab Puppy - Foul Metallic Odor - Glands vs. Penis | 5/13/2006 |
| Q: I adopted a yellow lab "mix" puppy at 8 weeks and he was already neutered (which I considered quite ... A: You are asking about 2 separate sets of glands. The anal sacs have a thin, oily material that has a ... | |
| Black Skin | 5/12/2006 |
| Q: We have a 3 year old golden retriever. She has developed black skin on her belly. It also looks a ... A: In a Golden retriever, the first thing I would rule out is low thyroid hormones. Ask your vet to ... | |
| Cat losing fur in patches, and itchy | 5/11/2006 |
| Q: My 7 yr old cat seems unusually itchy. She is losing fur in a spot behind neck, and skin seems ... A: YOu probably should let your vet look at this cat to see if it is a toxic drug reaction from ... | |
| Green Watery Poop | 5/11/2006 |
| Q: We just got a puppy from the pound where we live. She is about 3-4 months old. She has been going ... A: Some puppies do not have good reactions to severe changes in their life. Having gone from somewhere ... | |
| swelling in jaw of beagle | 5/11/2006 |
| Q: Our 11 year old beagle has had a lot of ear problems (allergy related)over the years, and has been ... A: Any abnormal swelling should be investigated. It could be a salivary cyst or an abscess. Your vet ... | |
| misdiagnosis of red mange? | 5/10/2006 |
| Q: Well, we took our 8 month lab puppy to the vet yesterday (Tuesday). Sunday, we were told she has ... A: If the emergency clinic veterinarian saw demodex mites on a skin scraping, then that's what it is. ... | |
| Red Mange Treatments | 5/9/2006 |
| Q: My 8 month lab was diagnosed with red mange. She has lost quite a bit of hair on her legs and ... A: Dipping a dog with Amitraz is the best way to treat red mange. Certain oral medications, like ... | |
| Voice Change in Cat | 5/9/2006 |
| Q: For the last 5 days, my 3-year-old Siamese cat (who is normally very vocal), now sounds weak and ... A: Voice change in the cat can be a sign of many conditions...polyps being one of them. Sometimes ... | |
| my dog | 5/8/2006 |
| Q: my dog fern is a hurriacne catrina dog, i resucued her from the spca about 6 months ago and she ... A: If she did well during the winter months and is now just starting to itch, she may have seasonal ... | |
| pregnant stray cat | 5/8/2006 |
| Q: There is a strat cat living under the house next to me and I'm almost positive she is pregnant. She ... A: If you can't get to the mother, then there is not much you can do. I would put some kitten food out ... | |
| my 6 yr, pomeranian is chewing on her pad on foot and it is infected | 5/7/2006 |
| Q: please tell me if an infected pad is serious as i cannot get into her vet for a couple of ... A: An infected pad usually indicates something stuck in the paw. If there is, it will need to be ... | |
| Cat Dandruff | 5/6/2006 |
| Q: My cat appears to have dandruff, which is usually worse in the summer. He recently had a sore patch ... A: Some cats with dandruff actually have ringworm. Ask your vet to check for that. If that is not the ... | |
| ear pain | 5/5/2006 |
| Q: My dog shakes her head, digs in her ear and whines. We have taken her to the Vet many times. She ... A: Many dogs with chronic ear infections and pain have middle ear infections. Ask your vet to check ... | |
| Doberman Ear Cropping | 5/4/2006 |
| Q: We are about to purchase a doberman puppy and have been reading up on ear cropping. My question is- ... A: Ear cropping is better earlier, but vets don't want to do it until the puppy is fully immunized ... | |
| Revolution for mange? | 5/3/2006 |
| Q: My dog was diagnosed w/ mange (sarcopic) on her tail. She has completed the ATB. as well as the ... A: Revolution is indicated for treatment of sarcoptic mange, but it works very slowly. A better thing ... | |
| Hair loss in cat | 5/1/2006 |
| Q: Our 3 month old cat which my husband found hit on the road about three weeks ago -which has made a ... A: So often when animals heal one part of the body, another part gets neglected. In this case the skin ... | |
| my dog | 4/28/2006 |
| Q: i have a akita male 5 years old he recently started to develop some gas and he farts alot. his ... A: The first thing I would do is to change his diet to a high quality commercial food. Then measure ... | |
| Kitten with heart murmur | 4/28/2006 |
| Q: I placed a kitten with a loving family and have just learned that kitty was diagnosed with a heart ... A: There are many people and kitties with mild heart murmurs that are of no significance. In cats, the ... | |
| dogs diet and teeth | 4/28/2006 |
| Q: I have a teacup chihuahua she white with dark pink eyes and weight about 2 1/2 pd. Her name is ... A: No, oatmeal is not a balanced diet for dogs. You can try warming dog food in warm water and ... | |
| Jack Russell Skin problems | 4/26/2006 |
| Q: My friend has a Jack Russell and she constantly itches raw under her arms pits and ears. My friend ... A: This sounds like allergic dermatitis. There is a shot to help stop itching, but it does not last ... | |
| ear mites in the nose | 4/25/2006 |
| Q: Our whippet has a problem with reverse sneezing and a friend referred us to an article which stated ... A: Ear mites do not get into the nose, but some dogs get nasal mites, which are extremely rare! ... | |
| about veterinarians | 4/25/2006 |
| Q: 1. What type of skills and talents are needed for the career of a vet.? 2. What type of ... A: To become a veterinarian, you must love math and science. You must also be able to do things with ... | |
| Pemphigus | 4/24/2006 |
| Q: Gotthelf, I have a 7 year old chocolate lab that has been diagnosed with Pemphigus via biopsy. The ... A: Without an exam I cannot tell you if something is lodged in the conjunctiva. Dry eye results in a ... | |
| tummy trouble | 4/23/2006 |
| Q: 2 days ago my dox chewed up a wooden spoon. he is a chocolate lab aprox 8 months old. yesterday he ... A: Puppies eat anything. Sometimes things can pass right though and sometimes pieces break off and get ... | |
| dog ear | 4/21/2006 |
| Q: I took my schnoodle to be groomed. (She was well overdue and thus, hairy). On my way out the door, ... A: If the groomer suspects an ear infection, then let your vet look in the ears to see if there is a ... | |
| my dog is allergic. | 4/20/2006 |
| Q: Gotthelf. I have 3 dogs, and one of them is allergic to almost everything imaginable, (he is even ... A: You can use cortisone type drugs to reduce the skin reaction to the allergens. Bathing removes the ... | |
| Yeast Infections | 4/18/2006 |
| Q: We have a weim who is 5 years old. He has always been prone to yeast infections, and often has red, ... A: Yeast infections are almost always secondary to allergies. If the dog only does it after being ... | |
| MY DOG HAS A SEVERE SKIN PROBLEM (TESTED NO MANGE) | 4/16/2006 |
| Q: MY DOG IS ABSOLUTELY PITIFUL. HIS NAME IS ELVIS AND HE'S ABOUT 7 YEARS OLD. HE HAS HAD SOME ... A: If there are allergies, then the shots should give SOME relief especially immediately after the ... | |
| Temporary Over-the-counter relief for skin irritation | 4/16/2006 |
| Q: Gotthelf, My cat has a skin irritation he is biting, and taing out his fur. It's not bloody, ... A: Some cats will respond to an antihistamine called chlorpheniramine. It is very cheap. The dose is ... | |
| my 7month old puppy got burned... | 4/15/2006 |
| Q: my 7month old puppy got burned by hot water on her hind leg and a small patch on the same side of ... A: It will take 2-3 weeks to heal AFTER the dead skin comes off. The best thing is to keep the area ... | |
| ruptured cyst | 4/13/2006 |
| Q: My 12 year old golden had a small sebaceous cyst that was first diagnosed about six years ago. ... A: Sebaceous cysts should be removed because they are lined with secretory cells that will make the ... | |
| Please help my cat | 4/12/2006 |
| Q: Raven, is a calico cat. She is shorthaired and is only 1.5 years old. Since I adopted her, and her ... A: She may be allergic. With that hair loss pattern, it would appear that she is chewing the hair out. ... | |
| cats | 4/12/2006 |
| Q: I have two 9 yr old cats Menace & Joy-my adored treasures! They are both indoor cats & have dry ... A: The skin flakes off normally, but if these flakes are not removed from the skin, they will show up ... | |
| undiagnosed itching | 4/12/2006 |
| Q: I have an 8 year old spayed mix dog...possibly an Italian Greyhound mix. She has had issues with ... A: It seems as though you need to have your dog seen by a qualified veterinary dermatologist. If you ... | |
| 7 yr old chocolate lab- dandruff | 4/11/2006 |
| Q: In January 2006, my dog began experiencing dandruff and flaky skin. The vet gave him dermatabs with ... A: Often, the flakiness is actually ruptured pustules from skin infection. Ask your vet if that is ... | |
| Mass in dogs snout | 4/3/2006 |
| Q: My dog has some sort of problem within her nose.She will be going in for her second surgery in 4 ... A: If they operate again, they need to get a sample to send to a pathologist to see what this mass is. ... | |
| Skin problems with my Dachshund | 4/3/2006 |
| Q: Louis N. Gotthelf, Recently, I noticed that my 1-year-old Dachshund is getting a dark pigment on ... A: Heather; You should take the dog to the vet for an exam. Several things can cause this ... | |
| are they bites or what? | 3/28/2006 |
| Q: Dr. Gotthelf, We recently discovered while carressing our cat that he (Ozzy) was scratching an ... A: This is probably an allergic reaction in your cat. Animax contains a topical steroid which will ... | |
| Puppy chin bumps | 3/28/2006 |
| Q: My lab puppy is 8 months & developed bumps under her chin the size of BBs. There are probably 10 - ... A: This is probably a bacterial infection. SOmetimes this chin acne can be infected with demodecx ... | |
| a lump on the back | 3/28/2006 |
| Q: my 8 months old toy poodle has a lump grown on her back beside the vertebral column. The lump is ... A: Often this is where the shots were given. The puppy can get what is known as an injection ... | |
| Raw spots on dog's nose | 3/27/2006 |
| Q: I have a year old terrier/mix with two raw red spots directly below her nostrils. The spots are ... A: This could certainly be trauma in which case a steroid ointment should help. It takes several weeks ... | |
| Purebred vs. non-purebred | 3/26/2006 |
| Q: I'll attempt to be brief: My wife and I are in the process of looking for a Golden retriever puppy ... A: There is a concept in genetics called "hybrid vigor." This means that cross breeding makes the ... | |
| plucking or not plucking? | 3/25/2006 |
| Q: I am a Vet assistant, but working in the field of pet grooming at this time. I see many dogs come in ... A: Plucking creates trauma and inflammation to the ear canal, which can lead to infection. If the ... | |
| Cat - hair loss on ears | 3/25/2006 |
| Q: Got a kitten about a year ago from a shelter. Kitten was diagnosed with ringworm on first vet visit ... A: I always shave the cats with ringworm so that we can treat topically (with miconazole or ... | |
| 6 Yr Old Cat W/Constipation | 3/24/2006 |
| Q: I have a 6 year old cat that recently within the last two months has had a problem with pooping. I ... A: Hairballs can cause constipation! If she is licking alot, she may need something like a steroid shot ... | |
| Lab Ear infection | 3/24/2006 |
| Q: Dr. Gotthelf, I have a 9 month old yellow lab. In the fall, I noticed that both ears seemed to ... A: Labs are so prone to allergies, but you may be thinking of pollen allergies. Many young labs with ... | |
| Itching | 3/23/2006 |
| Q: I have a three year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. For the first two years of his life he has ... A: If your vet thinks it might be allergies, try a short course of some cortisone tablets to see if it ... | |
| Sex of cat | 3/22/2006 |
| Q: Just logged onto your site Dr. Very silly question, but we are very much a dog family and a very ... A: There are 2 ways. One, in the male cat the diatance from the rectum to the urethral opening is ... | |
| german shepherd's ear | 3/19/2006 |
| Q: We have a 1 1/2year old german shepherd whose ears are both up and strong at the base but they both ... A: At this age, it is hard to get the cartilage of the ear to straighten out. There are some things ... | |
| skin problem | 3/19/2006 |
| Q: i have a doberman puppy which is 4 months old now. a couple of weeks back something which looked ... A: I would suggest that these pustules be looked at under the microscope by your vet. These pustules ... | |
| Skin infection on 13 year old Cocker Spaniel | 3/17/2006 |
| Q: We have a 13 year old Cocker Spaniel. I know they are known for ear and skin problems but the skin ... A: This may be a yeast infection, but without an exam it is hard for me to be sure. HAs your dog been ... | |
| cat is becoming violent to own tail?? | 3/12/2006 |
| Q: please if you can't answer would you give me to someone that can?this may sound very stange,..my ... A: Often this behavior is associated with itching or pain. I would first have the cat examined to see ... | |
| Cat / tapeworm | 3/9/2006 |
| Q: My cat has tapeworms. She has had them before so I know that the small light brown rice hulls ... A: Tapeworms are transmitted by fleas, so flea control is the best way to prevent tapeworms. Are you ... | |
| Dog rubbing face | 3/8/2006 |
| Q: My dog rubs her face all over the house. We know she has allergies but we feed her ZD Ultra for ... A: Face rubbing is typical of allergies. MAny times the allergy tests will not be very strong, ... | |
| Young cat illness? | 3/8/2006 |
| Q: My cat will be 3 years old in October and she weighs about 5 lbs. In the past week I have noticed a ... A: A 3 year old cat that weighs 5 lbs is either unthrifty or very small. Lethargy in cats may indicate ... | |
| OK to declaw a cat? | 3/7/2006 |
| Q: Asking for opinions about declawing a cat seems to result in as much emotion as the abortion ... A: Declawing a cat is very safe. It can be painful for a few days after surgery, but that is not the ... | |
| doggie dental care | 3/6/2006 |
| Q: We have an old (12 yrs) Mutt (terrier, mostly) we love dearly, but when we took him in for shots, ... A: If there is plaque or tartar on the teeth, you can remove this with a damp cloth wet with hydrogen ... | |
| FIP in cats | 3/5/2006 |
| Q: What I want to know is if you have had any success in treating FIP cats and if so what have you done ... A: FIP is not a treatable disease. THe problem is that this virus punches holes in the lining of the ... | |
| Ear Cleaning | 3/5/2006 |
| Q: My 14 1/2 year old lab mix (75lbs) had an eardrum burst. His vet said it was the result of an ... A: Unfortunately, with the eardrum ruptured, your veterinarian will need to go behind the eardrum and ... | |
| skin | 3/4/2006 |
| Q: I have a little cockpoo who is always itching but he does not have fleas, he does most of his ... A: Antihistamines like benadryl rarely help dog's itchy skin. If it is only at night, it could be a ... | |
| Retriever hair loss | 3/3/2006 |
| Q: I have an 18 mnth old retriever, gold/blond colour with short hair. He losses hair on a dialy basis ... A: You can try Omega3 fatty acid supplements. These are available from most vets and health food ... | |
| dry, itchy skin | 3/1/2006 |
| Q: I have a small standard dachshund, about 16 lbs. He is almost 2 yrs. old. We live in Southeastern ... A: I really doubt that the indoor heat would cause that much itching unless the skin is dry and cracked ... | |
| What is MANGE condition? | 2/28/2006 |
| Q: I'm interested in adopting a puppy but it has a "possible mange condtion". I think this has to do ... A: There are 2 types of mange. One involves the mite called DEMODEX. This is also known as "red ... | |
| black wax build up | 2/25/2006 |
| Q: I have a 22 month old little long haired chihuahua who is an inside dog. She has had black "wax" in ... A: Often these pups have allergies that cause the waxy buildup and infection. Some of these infections ... | |
| veterinarians | 2/24/2006 |
| Q: i have three: 1.Do you have top have a certain GPA to be accpeted to a accredited college? 2.Was it ... A: Most people have at least a 3.5 GPA. It is hard to get in to vet school. You need to have animal ... | |
| skin sores on my cat | 2/16/2006 |
| Q: My cat keeps getting dry scabs on his skin. The latest outbreak is on the neck/head/shoulder area. ... A: You are describing a condition called "miliary dermatitis." This is often a sign of allergy. Your ... | |
| Sick Cat | 2/16/2006 |
| Q: My cat Indo recently became an outdoor/indoor cat. The past day he's been acting lethargic, won't ... A: He may have gotten into a fight and is running fever. Cats with fever won't eat or drink. Often ... | |
| Anal Gland Removal | 2/13/2006 |
| Q: Our vet removed the anal glands from our miniature schnauzer in August after they became hoplessley ... A: There are only 2 anal glands. Often when they are removed, the entire gland is not removed and it ... | |
| Melatonin | 2/11/2006 |
| Q: We have a dog, siberian husky, that the last time we shaved her hair, it isn't growing back in some ... A: There is a condition caled post clipping alopecia. Some thinkthat the hair does not grow because the ... | |
| Hyperkeratosis on dog's nose. | 2/9/2006 |
| Q: Gotthelf, My dog Sasha is 8 yrs old,and for the past year plus has this ugly crusty lesion on tip of ... A: Hyperkeratosis on the nose is actually benign. It can be related to things like rooting with the ... | |
| limited mobility | 2/9/2006 |
| Q: Since this morning my cat has been having trouble with his legs, he's only about 7 years old, eats ... A: A good examination would be needed here to see why the cat is having trouble. Some cats get ... | |
| RE: Sick Dalmatian | 2/8/2006 |
| Q: I emailed you this past weekend about my 6 y.o. Dalmatian, Marley. I have since taken him for a 2nd ... A: I am glad that you got another opinion. Many of the facts that you wrote about did not stack up! I ... | |
| My Vizsla & Sebaceous Adenitis | 2/8/2006 |
| Q: Last year my 5 year old Vizsla was diagnosed with SA. She started with hive-like bumps and then was ... A: There are two phases for SA. First, the sebaceous glands get inflammed and second, scar tissue ... | |
| cat health | 2/7/2006 |
| Q: my friend has an 8mth old cat at home that never had any shots. Is this dangerous for a cat that ... A: Indoor cats are much less likely to be exposed to contact type of diseases, like rabies, feline ... | |
| possible vestibular disease | 2/7/2006 |
| Q: Dr. Gotthelf- thank you for your follow up. The antibiotics did bring her fever down to normal and ... A: Gald to hear that she is feeling better. If she has a bad tooth, that can explain many of the ... | |
| puppy loss of hair | 2/6/2006 |
| Q: My 3 month old min pin is beginning to loose hair.She is also forming bumps in many of the spots she ... A: This is likely a pyoderma (bacterial infection). These can be caused from several things including ... | |
| Eye Growth on Dog near tear duct | 2/6/2006 |
| Q: I have a 5 1/2 year old black lab mix that has developed a growth in her right eyelid over the past ... A: Many of these eyelid "tumors" are actually blocked ducts of the glands on the eyelid that keep the ... | |
| Lab skin problem | 2/5/2006 |
| Q: This morning I noticed my 10 month old black lab had a patch of matted fur on his back at the base ... A: This sounds like a hot spot or acute moist dermatitis. It could be caused from an injury. The best ... | |
| possible vestibular disease | 2/5/2006 |
| Q: We have an eight year old lab mix female who has gotten sick.We took her to the vet, but he was ... A: I would agree on a vestibular problem if it wasn't for the fever. That rarely happens in vestibular ... | |
| Can dogs have eczema? | 2/4/2006 |
| Q: I have a ShihTzu that is 12 years old. For many years he has had problems with his skin but this ... A: Skin allergies and ear disease go together. Dogs can be allergic to a variety of things in the ... | |
| Brain Tumor??? | 2/4/2006 |
| Q: OK...here are the facts: AKC Dalmatian 6 years old, not as eager with his food lately, increased ... A: I cannot make a link between hypothyroidism and a brain tumor. Some hypothyroid dogs wil have ... | |
| Labrador Retriever- Chronic Ear infection | 2/3/2006 |
| Q: Gotthelf I am really looking for a second opinion regarding my 11 month old yellow labrador ... A: Most food allergies occur in very young dogs, especially Labs. Atopy, or allergic dermatitis, does ... | |
| skin problem on my german shepherd | 2/1/2006 |
| Q: I have an 11 month old male shepherd. A couple of months ago I noticed he was scratching and chewing ... A: It could still be a skin infection. There are other things besides foods that cause pyoderma. I ... | |
| Miniature pinscher skin problem | 1/31/2006 |
| Q: I have a 10 mo old miniature pinscher and he has some problem with his skin. His back is very dry ... A: Omega fatty acids may take a while longer to work, so continue them. There are some antiseborrheic ... | |
| allergies? in Scottish Terrier/Lhapso Apso Mix | 1/31/2006 |
| Q: I have had my 24 pound, 2 year old scottish terrier/lhasa apso mix in to visit the vet several ... A: Yeast on the skin of dogs is almost always allergies. Benadryl won't work, so ask your vet for a ... | |
| Plugged Nostril | 1/31/2006 |
| Q: I have a 5 yr old Boxer that I got from Boxer Rescue 4 months ago. After having him 3 weeks, he ... A: A head tilt usually indicates a middle ear infection. That could result in a mucous discharge, but ... | |
| cat dermatology | 1/30/2006 |
| Q: I have a small black domestic shorthair female cat named Boo. She's had a recurring dermatology ... A: This could be "chin acne." Some cats have infected hair follicles or yeasts. Sometimes they get ... | |
| my pekingese had puppies | 1/30/2006 |
| Q: my pekingese had puppies and she is bleeding still and lost alot of weight is that normal? and how ... A: Bleeding is abnormal and could indicate a condition called "subinvolution" of the placenta. That ... | |
| cat constanly licking | 1/28/2006 |
| Q: my cat is about 1yr and she had fleas at one time .and we seemed to get rid of them .well every now ... A: If she is occasionally getting a flea, then it is likely a flea allergy. It could also be ear mites ... | |
| tumor? | 1/27/2006 |
| Q: Im am guessing my question is regarding the skin since I recently found a hard, odd shaped, less ... A: I agree with your vet. You can have the lumps sent off to see what they are, but in an 11 year old ... | |
| Allergy that has caused skin infection | 1/27/2006 |
| Q: We have a Doberman who has been suffering from allergies over the past 6 mos. We know he is ... A: z/d is a good food for helping diagnose food allergies. The dog should be on it for 2-3 months ... | |
| My dog's diet | 1/26/2006 |
| Q: I have a mixed dog. I believe he is an English Foxhound/German Shepherd mix. He is about 3 1/2 ... A: If he needs to lose weight, then he needs to be on a vet supervised weight loss diet like OM or R/d. ... | |
| shedding | 1/25/2006 |
| Q: Yes, I have a friend that claims her terrier doesn't shed? Is this true? Do all dogs shed? ... A: Some dogs have hair and some have fur. Many types of terriers have hair that will come out in ... | |
| My kitty's skin condition | 1/24/2006 |
| Q: I've had my cat ABBY for about 3 months. I'm told by her previous owner that she is about 2 years ... A: This is called "barbering" and it is very suggestive of some type of allergy. The cat's skin ... | |
| Nose | 1/24/2006 |
| Q: My dog's nose, which is usually black, is turning brown and with some pink. What would cause this ... A: That may be normal for your dog. Some breeds depigment. But there are 2 diseases that commonly ... | |
| cronic ear infection | 1/24/2006 |
| Q: my Yorkie has had cronic ear infections for over a year. Two cultures both ecoli--escherichia. ... A: Ear disease results from some type of skin disease. It is most often associated with environmental ... | |
| Demodex on dog | 1/23/2006 |
| Q: I have an Australian Shepherd, 1yr & 2mo. old. At 8 mo. he was diagnosed with demodectic mange. He ... A: The Goodwinol is good for spot treatment of demodex. The problem with demodex is that it is all ... | |
| EYE | 1/22/2006 |
| Q: i know u anwser ear and dermatolgy only but my cat has had its eye,well it seems to be scratched ... A: If the cornea is scratched, that is really painful and it can cause deeper infection. That may be ... | |
| dog with severe allergies | 1/21/2006 |
| Q: I have a 10 yr Lab/husky/Shep mix. He lived in wash. state until moving to SW Florida 1 1/2 yrs. ... A: I practiced in South Florida for a while and I agree that the skin allergies are terrible there all ... | |
| seizures in old dogs | 1/20/2006 |
| Q: My dog is 10 years old and he started having seizures, he had 2 last night. What causes these to ... A: That is a very hard question to answer specifically. There are many things that can cause seizures ... | |
| DOGS EAR MITES | 1/20/2006 |
| Q: WHAT DOES THE EAR LOOK LIKE INSIDE WHEN YOUR DOG HAS EAR MITES A: Dogs with ear mites can present in different ways. If there are only a few mites, the dog's ears ... | |
| dogs and chocalete | 1/20/2006 |
| Q: can dogs it chocalete or is it bad for them A: It is bad for them. There is a dose dependent effect of theobromine in different kinds of ... | |
| my cats are sick | 1/18/2006 |
| Q: my 4 yr old cat (grace) and her 2 yr old kitten(vo-ho) have scabs all over from scratching and are ... A: This is how cats show allergies. It is called Miliary Dermatitis. Ask your vet to first check the ... | |
| Schnauzer skin | 1/18/2006 |
| Q: Gotthelf, This is kind of a follow up question to one I asked several weeks ago. I have a mini ... A: This very well could be a bacterial pyoderma. Ask the vet for a 3 week course of an antibiotic like ... | |
| Cyproheptadine & Cats | 1/18/2006 |
| Q: I see you specialize in dermatology & ear diseases, but do you know about using cyproheptadine as an ... A: Cyproheptadine does seem to stimulate appetite in some cats. In a cat with CRF, they get stomach ... | |
| sprained tail | 1/15/2006 |
| Q: what are the signs of a sprained tail & what do I do about it? It is also a possibility that it was ... A: Tail injuries are painful. If it was just a bruise, she will get over it. If she can raise her tail ... | |
| dog tumor around anus | 1/14/2006 |
| Q: My dog was diagnosed yest with a tumor around his anus. I do not know the exact medical term for ... A: This is probably a perianal adenoma. They are very vascular and can bleed, but not enough to bleed ... | |
| Itching, Allergies, and Vaccinations | 1/11/2006 |
| Q: Dr. Gotthelf, I adopted my dog about a year and a half ago when he was 9 months old. Tanner is a ... A: Vaccinations do sttimulate the immune system, so giving him vaccinations on a staggered schedule is ... | |
| Eating Habits | 1/10/2006 |
| Q: We have a 11 month old brussels griffon puppy and a few months ago we switcher her slowly from ... A: Puppies have reflexes that will cause a bowel movement shortly after they eat. I would suggest ... | |
| black dotted rash | 1/9/2006 |
| Q: I have a dog that is 1/2 Chinese Crested- Powderpuff and 1/2 Cocker Spaniel. She was scratching and ... A: Omege 3 fatty acids take 30-60 days to work to stop itching and scratching. They do not have any ... | |
| lump on German Shepherd's ear | 1/8/2006 |
| Q: My 9-year-old German Shepherd suddenly developed a large lump (approximately 2 inches in diameter ... A: This sounds like an aural hematoma. It is an accumulation of blood under the skin of the ear flap. ... | |
| rare hairless dog has skin allergies | 1/7/2006 |
| Q: I have a 5 year old american hairless terrier. He wears clothing year round because otherwise he ... A: In addition to the steroid therapy, bathe him twice a week. Add Omega3 fatty acids to his diet each ... | |
| Whelping | 1/7/2006 |
| Q: I have a Pug and she had her first litter of pups and she just does not want them to touch her. We ... A: It is difficult to make a dog accept her pups. That should be instinctive. Continue the milk ... | |
| gray spots on coat | 1/6/2006 |
| Q: i have a 51/2 yr old male boston terrier, and in the last month or so he's been getting gray spots ... A: When the black hair turns gray, there is a problem within the hair follicle. If the dog is not ... | |
| Lhasa Apso allergies | 1/6/2006 |
| Q: I have a two year old Lhasa Apso who suffers from allergies which causes dry skin, scratching, hair ... A: There are many alternatives. First off, the monthly shot can be replaced with daily or every other ... | |
| My manx's hair loss | 1/6/2006 |
| Q: Hes 5 yrs old and we have always fed him wet and dry friskies cat food canned at night and a little ... A: THe hair loss in these areas is most likely the cat licking and chewing at his itchy skin. Check ... | |
| chronic ear infection and thyroid | 1/3/2006 |
| Q: My labrador is a 15 year old female who has always had a chronic ear infection mostly consisting of ... A: Some dogs with seizure activity have low thyroid hormone levels and supplementation can prevent ... | |
| Feline Dermatitis | 1/1/2006 |
| Q: My 6 year old male cat has had a skin condition for about 8 months now. It is mostly on his lower ... A: This is probably an allergy and if the cortisone shots help, then the vet can "tweak" the treatment. ... | |
| Boxer mix skin condition | 1/1/2006 |
| Q: We rescued a boxer mix about 3-4 months ago, he had been hit by a car with severe damage to his hind ... A: Any time a dog is injured and there is tissue repair, they will lose hair and their skin condition ... | |
| cat problem | 12/31/2005 |
| Q: I am looking after my Son's cat and I notice she smells at times. She is spayed. It is like the odor ... A: There are many reasons for odors in cats. Rarely does their skin or coat smell unless she is ... | |
| year old with food allergies | 12/31/2005 |
| Q: We have a 7 year old aussie shep mixed with a Britt spaniel. The poor thing has awful food allergies ... A: It sounds like you have his food allergies under control. I would remind you that dogs can have 4 ... | |
| Hot spot on dog | 12/30/2005 |
| Q: I just found a hot spot on my 8 yr old Jack Russell Terrier. She's never had them before. I did ... A: Hot spots are best treated by rtemoving the hair from over it and washing the skin to remoove the ... | |
| Dog's ears | 12/27/2005 |
| Q: My dog has small sores inside her ears that appear like they possibly might be bug bites. Sophie ... A: At this time of year, bug bites would be unusual. If she is scratching at her ear, she can make ... | |
| 6 yr old male cat losing hair on legs | 12/26/2005 |
| Q: I have a 6 year old, long haired male cat, Hades. He has been losing the hair on the inside of his ... A: If you look carefully at the bald spots, you will probably see some hair stubble. This is very ... | |
| Sick Puppy Shedding | 12/26/2005 |
| Q: I am a first time dog owner. I just bought little shakespeare two weeks ago. He became lethargic and ... A: A Lhasa pupp can shed some of its puppy hair, but in general they don't shed. Anytime a dog gets ... | |
| Excessive and persistent scratching | 12/25/2005 |
| Q: We have a Shih Tzu/Poodle mix. He is a 1 1/2 yr old. He is an indoor dog. About 2 months ago he ... A: I would recommend that you have the dog treated for sarcoptic mange even though the vet cannot ... | |
| ear hematoma | 12/24/2005 |
| Q: My 11 and a half year old Golden Retriever has an ear hematoma that is alsmost half of her ear. She ... A: Aural hematomas never rupture. They organize into blood clots and then scar tissue which deforms ... | |
| balding red sores | 12/24/2005 |
| Q: Please help, my 8 yr old Min Pin has developed a nickle size chalky patch that just rubbed off with ... A: It is very difficult for me to diagnose on the internet without actually seeing the lesion. It ... | |
| skin problems | 12/20/2005 |
| Q: My 4 year old shih tzu has had skin problems ever since she was little. She stinks! She has break ... A: If she stinks, she probably has seborrhea and if she has been on antibiotics a long time, she may ... | |
| fat cat | 12/19/2005 |
| Q: I have a fat cat.she got fat after being spayed. I've tried diet food (Iams) and exercise, but the ... A: There are not many commercial foods for weight loss in cats. Most of them are weight maintenance. ... | |
| kittens | 12/19/2005 |
| Q: We have three barn kittens approximately ten weeks old. They have matted eyes, green runny noses, ... A: If they are eating, you may just need to give them an antibiotic until the virus runs its course. ... | |
| Chin Buggers | 12/19/2005 |
| Q: My two cats recently began getting bumps on their chins that kind of dry out, turn to scabs and ... A: THIS IS CALLED CHIN ACNE. THERE ARE MANY REASONS FOR IT INCLUDING MANGE MITES, BACTERIAL INFECTION, ... | |
| Cat's skin | 12/18/2005 |
| Q: I have adopted a stray cat, and I have noticed that she's pulled all the hair out of her inner leg. ... A: Any time a cat is losing hair or pulling it out, it is a problem. It could be something that itches ... | |
| Use of Hydroxyzine for itch relief | 12/17/2005 |
| Q: Gotthelf, We have two dogs: a Chow/Lab mix (58 lbs) and an Aus. Cattledog/Border Collie mix (41 ... A: I think your vet is living in the past. We no longer use coal tar shampoos or hydroxyzine (Atarax). ... | |
| 10 month old Lab | 12/16/2005 |
| Q: Her skin and anal area have just started to stink. Like this awful smell, I gave her a bath ... A: She may have released her anal glands or she may have rolled in something. You can get special ... | |
| Dog Dandruff | 12/14/2005 |
| Q: My 2.5yr old Chocolate Lab has developed flaky skin. It doesn't seem to itch him but I want to ... A: I would definitely use a better quality dog food. Even though it is more expensive, it is also more ... | |
| Multiple Welts/Bumps on Back | 12/13/2005 |
| Q: We have Shar Pei that is about 5 years old. She doesn't have many wrinkles. About three weeks ago ... A: A biopsy will give you information on the type of problem that is in the skin. Needle aspirates are ... | |
| Mycodex Pearlescent Shampoo | 12/13/2005 |
| Q: Is this a good product for 5# poodles who bite a lot - I'm presuming because of sensitive skin since ... A: The shampoo is fine and it will only remove the Frontline on the surface oils. Frontline actually ... | |
| Bacterial skin disease? | 12/13/2005 |
| Q: 2.5 yr old yellow lab (Yukon), constant bacterial skin infection, 1.5 yrs., a shot and 10 days of ... A: If there is an infection, then it is secondary to some other type of skin disease. Some dogs have ... | |
| Springer Spaniel's ear infection | 12/12/2005 |
| Q: My 9 year old Springer Spaniel has had an ear infection for several months. I've seen two ... A: Most dogs get ear infections because of an underlying skin problem like allergies to foods or ... | |
| skin scratching | 12/10/2005 |
| Q: I have a 10 year old golden retriever who recently started scratching the underside of her neck till ... A: There are so many reasons for itching. In Goldens, many are allergic. SO the best thing is to keep ... | |
| Urinating Lab | 12/10/2005 |
| Q: We have a 7 mo. old Lab mix. She urinates constently. She went to day care yesterday and they said ... A: You need to have her urine checked to make sure that she doesn't have a urinary tract infection or ... | |
| Cat Shots | 12/9/2005 |
| Q: I have a kitten that is about 6 months. She was maybe about 2-3 months when my boyfriend found her ... A: Cats need distemper shots and the shots for upper respiratory diseases. They also need a Rabies ... | |
| scabby skin on calico's back near her tail | 12/7/2005 |
| Q: Gotthelf -- my calico has developed a scabby-feeling, crusty, dry, area on her back. I have not been ... A: This is a condition called "miliary dermatitis." It is how cats show skin allergies. Very often it ... | |
| My dog won't stop itching! | 12/6/2005 |
| Q: I have an 8 year old 30 pound mixed breed (terrier type) female dog. She has a severe ... A: Your dog does have allergies. The only way to know just what she is allergic to is to have her ... | |
| Skin condition | 12/6/2005 |
| Q: Gotthelf, I have a 10+ year old Lab(mix)that has a dry skin problem. She almost lose all her body ... A: Yes, labs do have skin problems related to their diet. The odor comes from skin irritation from ... | |
| could my 5 yr old beagle have a brain disease from chronic and poorly treated otitis media infections | 12/5/2005 |
| Q: my beagle has in the past two weeks developed a tremor when awake, muscle weakness (his legs splay ... A: It is very rare for an ear disease to spread to the brain, but it is not out of the realm of ... | |
| poodle-ear problems | 12/5/2005 |
| Q: Dr. Lewis- Thanks for your time! we have a 6 year old poodle who has ear problems-that cause him to ... A: Most older dogs with ear problems do NOT have ear mites. Most of them have allergies that affect ... | |
| MULTIPLE BUMPS ON DOG'S SKIN | 12/5/2005 |
| Q: We have an Australian Shepherd that is almost 2 1/2 years old. He over the past 2 weeks has ... A: Without doing an examination asnd some tests, I could not diagnose the problem. It could be an ... | |
| Hair Loss | 12/4/2005 |
| Q: I have a 10 yr old very active Aussie. He seems to be loosing his coat on his back haunches. Could ... A: Yes, this could be a skin problem. You should have your vet check the dog to see if there is a skin ... | |
| Ear infections / Ear mites | 12/1/2005 |
| Q: I have a labrador retriever and need to know the best method to control ear yeast growth, ear mites ... A: Yeast infections are usually the result of allergies. Ina lab it could be a food a lergy or a ... | |
| ear troubles | 11/30/2005 |
| Q: I have two goat guard dogs that are very shy of people. I live pretty far out in the country, and ... A: I really cannot tell you what to use in the ear without knowing what is in the ear. I would ... | |
| Skin lesions on my cat | 11/27/2005 |
| Q: Dr. Gotthelf. We have a spayed female cat, about 9-10 years old. About a year and a half ago she ... A: Unfortunately, the only way to know what this is is to have a biopsy or a culture done of these ... | |
| Fat Cats | 11/27/2005 |
| Q: We have 2 one year-old cats who we took in after their mother was killed. We have had them since ... A: If you are feding dry food, then it should be about 1/3 cup per day for the average cat. There are ... | |
| Smelly Hear | 11/25/2005 |
| Q: My dog has a terrible smell coming from his ears and he shakes them all the time. He was on an ... A: When there is liquid in the ear canal, it is trouble. Either there is a severe ear infection with ... | |
| unexplained hair loss on cat ... | 11/24/2005 |
| Q: my cat has lost a circle of hair on her belly...now she has lost a small patch next to her ... A: This hair loss pattern is typical of itchy skin disease in cats. This is called "barbering." If ... | |
| Yeast infection in ears | 11/21/2005 |
| Q: Gotthelf, I have a 9 year old pug in good health who has had off and on problems with a yeast ... A: Dogs can have food allergies to a number of proteins including milk, eggs, wheat, chicken, beef, ... | |
| Dry flakey itchy skin | 11/21/2005 |
| Q: My dog Laddie will periodically violently bite and chew on his haunches and extremities he ... A: Laddie probably has some type of allergic skin disease. If the skin is also dry, then it would not ... | |
| Ticks on my dogs | 11/21/2005 |
| Q: I found a couple of lumps on my dogs the last couple days some looked like dry spots some looked ... A: If you did not get the heads out, there may be a lump there for a while until the body can either ... | |
| black crusty rash on french bulldog | 11/20/2005 |
| Q: My four year old frenchie (neutered male) has been battling a rash for over 6 months now. My vet is ... A: I think that what you are describing is a pyoderma. That means that the skin is infected with ... | |
| SIBERUAN HUSKY HAS WHITE WORMS IN STOOL | 11/19/2005 |
| Q: WORMS 20-30 FOUND IN HIS STOOL, HE ALSO VOMITED A WHITE WORM. HOW DID HE GET WORMS! HE GOT LOOSE ... A: Small white worms are usually tapeworms and dogs get them from eating fleas. Panacur is not ... | |
| bite? | 11/19/2005 |
| Q: I have a dachshund and a Pomerainian (sp) the dachshund had a red swollen bump between his toes,it ... A: It is hard to tell what type of insect or foreign material like plant awns, etc. may have caused the ... | |
| Dog Smell | 11/18/2005 |
| Q: We have a 9 year old pitbull/american staffordshire cross (don't really know what she is - she's 70 ... A: Without an exam, I cannot be very specific with you. But it sounds like a condition called ... | |
| Dog Ear infections | 11/17/2005 |
| Q: I have a dog, part pit and lab, who continually has ear infections and will scratch her ears until ... A: Almost 90% of ear infections result from skin allergies. Labs are very prone to allergies including ... | |
| PITBULL KEEPS VOMITTING | 11/17/2005 |
| Q: I have a 4 month pitbull and for 3 days he's been vomitting and he doesn't eat at all. he drinks ... A: It costs money for vets to treat pets. Often we do not know what is wrong without tests and ... | |
| allergies | 11/16/2005 |
| Q: are yorkshire terriers known to be non- allergic to humans? my daughter has been having all sorts of ... A: Certainly dogs with hair rather than fur that sheds tend to be less allergenic. But many people are ... | |
| Hot Spots | 11/15/2005 |
| Q: I have a 3 yr old rottweiler that is prone to "hot spots." Can you tell me what causes hot spots, ... A: "Hot Spots" are known as acute moist dermatitis. It usually results from bacterial infection in a ... | |
| ear mites | 11/13/2005 |
| Q: Gotthelf, Buster, a blind Beagle-Hound mix has ear mites. I clean his ears once a week, at the end ... A: If a vet has not examined the ears to be sure that it is ear mites, then have that done. Mites are ... | |
| Cats - urine, spraying and I'm pregnant | 11/12/2005 |
| Q: I have two cats w/ two different problems. One sprays; he's male and has been neutered, I just ... A: There are certain foods,like the urinary tract health foods, that reduce the odor of cat urine. If ... | |
| Worms | 11/12/2005 |
| Q: I noticed my 6 yr old lab has been dragging his bottom on the grass the past couple weeks. Could ... A: If he is rubbing his bottom, it could be an allergic dermatitis or it could be his anal glands ... | |
| Hair in ears | 11/11/2005 |
| Q: We have a young malti-poo, and two different people have told us that we need to pluck out the hair ... A: Plucking hairs in dogs with normal ears is not necessary. If there is an infection or a clump of ... | |
| No hair | 11/9/2005 |
| Q: I recently got a one year old yorkie from a friend who has hair loss/no hair on his spine back to ... A: IF the hair is gone then there are two possibilities. He could have been born with a defect in the ... | |
| scratching | 11/8/2005 |
| Q: Good morning Doctor, I have a question about my dogs scratching. I realize nutrition has a lot to ... A: If a dog is sensitive to a component of the diet, then they can itch. Have you recently changd ... | |
| Schnauzer back or flea dirt? | 11/7/2005 |
| Q: Gotthelf, I have a 7 year old Schnauzer. About 3 days ago, I noticed on his back, above the tail, ... A: If the "flea dirt" did not turn red, then it is probably oily secretions from the skin glands common ... | |
| Black Lab puppy has severe itching. | 11/7/2005 |
| Q: Gotthelf, I have a two 5 month old lab puppies, one chocolate and one black. The black puppy has ... A: Well it sounds like most of the common diseases have been treated and you should have seen a ... | |
| Dog food | 11/6/2005 |
| Q: My dog always swallows her food whole and then chokes. She will also eat until she pukes, she just ... A: Actually, I would recommend pre-soaking the food so it swells before she eats it. That way it moves ... | |
| fleas | 11/5/2005 |
| Q: Our small dog has lots of fleas. We have been using a shampoo that we bought at a pet store. We ... A: You can spray the house and yard with an insecticide, but that is not going to kill all of the life ... | |
| tick or cyst? | 11/2/2005 |
| Q: my cat has either a tick or a cyst on his neck. it looks like a small, black popcorn kernel, and ... A: With a magnifying glass you should be able to tell if it is a bug or a small tumor or cyst. If you ... | |
| dog chewing on paws & itching constantly | 11/1/2005 |
| Q: Our dog has been treated with Resicort lotion, a medicated shampoo, Baytril & several other ... A: Westies are very prone to allergic skin disease. They are also very prone to secondary bacterial ... | |
| ears & skin | 11/1/2005 |
| Q: I was recently given a 2yr, female Yorksire dog, her ears are not erect. I am told that the hair on ... A: Yorkies should have 1/3 of the hair on their ears cut at grooming time. If they don't stand at 2 ... | |
| 6 yr old Yellow Lab skin problem | 10/31/2005 |
| Q: Every summer (only) six year old lab gets extremely irritated skin on entire underbody. Hair comes ... A: Labs are very prone to seasonal allergies as well as food allergies. Some antibiotics can cause ... | |
| ears | 10/30/2005 |
| Q: I have taken my 3 month old shih-tzu to the vet because she scratches her ears alot and there is ... A: In a pup this young, I would think of ear mites or a food allergy causing some other type of ... | |
| Pulling fur out | 10/28/2005 |
| Q: I have a male Jack Russell Terrier (2 1/2 years). Just the other day he started pulling at his fur ... A: When dogs itch their legs it is often an allergy. Ask your vet to see if allergic dermatitis is ... | |
| Standard poodle with sensitive skin | 10/28/2005 |
| Q: I have two white Standard Poodles, brother and sister. The bitch has no problems at all and her ... A: I believe you are describing atopic dermatitis or contact allergies. If the dog reacts in the ... | |
| dermatology | 10/25/2005 |
| Q: I have two older american cocker spaniels. They are both constantly chewing at their skin this time ... A: Benadryl is almost useless in dog skin allergies. You need to get the dogs on a short course of ... | |
| Cat | 10/22/2005 |
| Q: Our cat has recently started to urinate in my laundry basket (clean clothes) We never had any ... A: This is not a question about skin or ears, but the cat is marking territory. It is a very common ... | |
| intense itching | 10/21/2005 |
| Q: i have three large mixed breed dogs. recently, all three have started scratching, with two of them ... A: There may be something common to their problem like sarcoptic mange. There may be a fungus in the ... | |
| Dermatitis in my Labrador Retreiver | 10/21/2005 |
| Q: I have a 4 1/2 year old female chocolate lab. At least my husband or I are always home with her, ... A: If the dog is allergic, then she would need to be on some type of low doses steroid therapy during ... | |
| nasty ear | 10/18/2005 |
| Q: I have a shepard hound mix, his one ear is lopped, but has the shepard hair inside. I try to keep ... A: Ask the vet for some tranquilizers to give him before the visit. The ear needs to be scoped and ... | |
| Ivermectin | 10/18/2005 |
| Q: I am a foster for a cat rescue. I just picked up two persian cats from a high-kill shelter. My ... A: I do not use Ivermectin in the ears. I use it as an injection because the mites live all ver the ... | |
| infected hotspots | 10/17/2005 |
| Q: My dog has had a really bad time with hotspots. They started last winter when we got a different ... A: "Hotspots" are actually acute, moist dermatitis. We never put anythnig occlusive on a weepy skin ... | |
| MANGE | 10/16/2005 |
| Q: What are symptons of Puppy mange? I have a Boxer-5 1/2 month old. She has been itching a bit in ... A: There are 2 types of mange. One is called demodex and causes hair loss without itching. It starts ... | |
| He used to like to be petted... | 10/16/2005 |
| Q: I live on an island in the Caribbean and the veterinarian only comes once a month. My cat "Monkey" ... A: Ear mites do not cause lymphadenopathy. They can cause a ruptured eardrum, though. There are many ... | |
| crusty lesions | 10/15/2005 |
| Q: I was wondering if you could help me. I have a 2 year old rotti/pit and she tends to suffer from ... A: This may be a bacterial pyoderma. That is usually secondary to a skin allergy, either a food ... | |
| dog acne | 10/11/2005 |
| Q: my male nutered scottie is 19 months old and is suffering from a form of acne predominatly along the ... A: That is an unusual place for acne. Did the vet actually examine the dog and say that? You might ask ... | |
| water in ears | 10/10/2005 |
| Q: I bathed my puppy this weekend and must have got water in her ears. They are swollen and hard and ... A: Water in the ears should not cause all of the symptoms that you are describing. If there is an ... | |
| Poisoning of cat? | 10/9/2005 |
| Q: My cat is making really different noises before throwing up a clear yet foamy looking substance. He ... A: Cats can voluntarily vomit. They do make quite a bit of noise when they vomit, so that would be ... | |
| Bubba, My Lab mix | 10/9/2005 |
| Q: My Lab is not eating his food, I have tried several different kinds but he eats them for a short ... A: Sorry that I didn't answer the neutering question. Yes neutering will calm him down. Obviously it ... | |
| New Dog House | 10/8/2005 |
| Q: Gotthelf, We have a 5 month old puppy and we have had him for about 31/2 months. He sleeps outside ... A: Dogs like getting in places like a dog house. Try putting his water bowl or food in the dog house. ... | |
| Tip of tail problem | 10/8/2005 |
| Q: I have a Belgian Melonois mix. Just recently I have started noticing that at the tip of her tail the ... A: If she is licking her paws, that is typical of allergic dermatitis in dogs. Often when the tail ... | |
| Cat skin irritation | 10/7/2005 |
| Q: Ever since I moved into my new place last october my cat has been suffering from skin irritations on ... A: You are describing one way that cats show skin allergies. If the cortisone shot helps, it may last ... | |
| help | 10/7/2005 |
| Q: my name is Rebecca and am a owner of a silky terrier, a shih tzu and a english cocker spaniel. My ... A: Without a proper examination, I cannot tell you what to do over the internet. You need to take the ... | |
| Bubba, My Lab mix | 10/7/2005 |
| Q: My Lab is not eating his food, I have tried several different kinds but he eats them for a short ... A: If the dog is losing weight or not thriving, then his diet may be an issue. Some dogs just need to ... | |
| how do you become a vet? | 10/6/2005 |
| Q: I was wondering how you become a vet. What if you can not get into a veterinay college and you have ... A: Becoming a vet requires several things. 1. Get experience with animals of all types. Working in a ... | |
| Hot Spots | 10/4/2005 |
| Q: We have two chow chows - both adopted from rescue groups. My female, in particular, develops hot ... A: Hot spots often result from allergic skin disease. So have the dogs tested and hyposensitized to ... | |
| skin and ear | 10/4/2005 |
| Q: My 4&3/4 yr old black lab has chronic ear problems, itchy, rashy, dandruffy skin. He chews his ... A: IF he is chewing his paws and having ear problems, this may not be a food allergy entirely. This ... | |
| skin irritation and fur loss | 10/4/2005 |
| Q: Our white German Shepherd has always had skin problems. Her belly is usually red and irritated ... A: It could very well be an allergy. It may be a contact allergy if it is limited to the belly or it ... | |
| cat | 9/30/2005 |
| Q: I have noticed that my cat has scabs around his neck and ears, I first noticed one about 1 week and ... A: This is called miliary dermatitis and it is the result of skin allergies, most commonbly to fleas or ... | |
| Excessive shedding | 9/28/2005 |
| Q: My 12 year old lab has begun shedding more than she ever has before in the last couple of days. ... A: Excessive shedding is not normal. Some older dogs shed in response to diseases resulting in poor ... | |
| dermatology | 9/27/2005 |
| Q: I have two weimaraners, one a 6 year old silver gray and the other is 9.5 month old blue (both ... A: It is hard for me to diagnose your dogs' problems on the internet. Your vet will be in a better ... | |
| Dog | 9/26/2005 |
| Q: On the 21st of this month I adopted an abandoned female dog that was living in the streets. ... A: As far as the exercise, if she is willing to go on long walks without your coaxing, then she is OK. ... | |
| Hematoma in flap of ear and skin problems in the autumn | 9/26/2005 |
| Q: My 6 year old golden retriever underwent an operation 3 weeks ago for a hematoma in the flap of her ... A: The vet may need to resuture the ear up and leave the stitches in for 3 weeks. In addition, there ... | |
| Warts/Cysts on Yorkies | 9/24/2005 |
| Q: I have a 16 year old Yorkie who is not "old" she is still spunky and active. However within the ... A: Older dogs get small skin tumors on their skin. Fortumately most of them are benign. You are ... | |
| Basal cell skin cancer | 9/23/2005 |
| Q: I had a cyst removed from my 5yr. old Labradors shoulder area and the biopsy came back maglignant ... A: Most basal cell tumpor are benign, but occasionally there will be a carcinoma. These can extend ... | |
| ears | 9/22/2005 |
| Q: i have adopted a golden who had chronic ear infection. i have had them cleaned and have been ... A: Chronic ear infection in Golden retrievers is usually the result of allergic skin disease. Your ... | |
| deaf dog | 9/22/2005 |
| Q: I have a Cocker Spaniel named Toby who is almost 10 years old. He's been bothered off and on with ... A: Deafness in dogs is difficult to deal with. Dogs can get nerve deafness, which is almost impossible ... | |
| Skin disease on dog | 9/22/2005 |
| Q: I have an 11 year old Corgi-mix that has had an ongoing skin problem for a couple of years, one vet ... A: If it is a yeast/fungus infection, then antibiotics will not help. What I do for these dogs is to ... | |
| allergys? | 9/20/2005 |
| Q: I have a 1year old cat that started scratching constantly after he was about 6 months old. My vet ... A: There are many foods that treat food allergies in cats, but z/d is really the best.....as long as ... | |
| Dog Behavior | 9/20/2005 |
| Q: This question isnt about any disease. I hope that it is a just a general question that you can ... A: I would suggest to pick up their water about 7PM and take them out to pee several times before you ... | |
| cat neutering | 9/19/2005 |
| Q: I know your expertise is not in this subject but maybe you can help me out. I just got my 3 male ... A: Recovery from anesthesia depends on what drugs were used and the body temperature. I am surprised ... | |
| Ears | 9/18/2005 |
| Q: In the last week or so my 4 yr. old lab has been shaking his head so hard which makes his ears flap. ... A: The first place to start is at the vet's office. There could be an allergy to food, pollens, molds, ... | |
| Dog - Scratching | 9/18/2005 |
| Q: I have a year old border collie/springer spaniel mix named Buster. When I adopted him as a puppy ... A: If it is a food allergy, you need to leave him on one food for a minimum of 3 months with no other ... | |
| skin disease | 9/17/2005 |
| Q: My pug/beagle mix has been itching a lot lately. She does not have fleas. I have tried bathing her ... A: Without an examination, I cannot tell you why the dog is itchy. It could be an allergy to something ... | |
| Front leg hotspots | 9/16/2005 |
| Q: Can you give dogs a childs dose of benadryl? My Golden Retreiver has recurring sores/hotspots on ... A: In dogs, benadryl has very limited use. We use it for bee stings, fire ants, and acute allergic ... | |
| Cat strawberry?? | 9/15/2005 |
| Q: Recently, I found my cat with a sore on its skin that looks like a scurb. I didnt look bloody but ... A: Without an examination it is hard to tell what this is. if the cat got injured, then it may be an ... | |
| Boxer allergies | 9/15/2005 |
| Q: I have a 3 year old female Boxer. We had her tested for allergies because she was scratching her ... A: You can try different protein source foods like deer meat, salmon, duck, or even kangaroo. There is ... | |
| scratching and odor | 9/14/2005 |
| Q: I have a 9yr old yellow lab (male), he constantly scratches behind his front shoulders, the areas do ... A: If this happenned after a diet change, then I would suggest going back to the previous food. If it ... | |
| Severe diffuse pyogranulomatous panniculitis | 9/13/2005 |
| Q: My cat has been diagnosed with the above condition and my vet is thinking of referring me to a vet ... A: It is difficult to know how to specifically treat these without the culture results. Some recommend ... | |
| Cat Paw Problem | 9/13/2005 |
| Q: Gotthelf, We have a 1 year old cat who developed a 1cm linear area on the skin between the pads of ... A: This sounds either like an abscess that closed up before it drained out all the way or a foreign ... | |
| Weimaraner Skin problem - bumps/pimples | 9/12/2005 |
| Q: I have a one year old weimaraner that developed what looks to be a skin allergy over the past two ... A: This is most likely a bacterial infection on the skin. Ask your vet for a 2 week supply of an ... | |
| Frontline/Advantage not working on my cat | 9/11/2005 |
| Q: Yes, please--I assume this is a dermatology question--that my cat's problem isn't systematic. I ... A: Neither Frontline or Advantage are flea repellants. What you are probably seeing are the fleas on ... | |
| dogs for children with asthma | 9/10/2005 |
| Q: This question is indirectly related to dogs and skin, but I thought you may be the perfect one to ... A: I get asked that all the time and there is no right breed for a child with a dog dander allergy ... | |
| Dog Odor | 9/8/2005 |
| Q: In the last few days we have noticed our dog has an odor that smells like bad canned tuna. What is ... A: If she is not getting in to something rotten eiher outside or inside, then she probably has a ... | |
| allergies | 9/8/2005 |
| Q: I am so glad I found this site - I have so many questions for you... My husband and I recently ... A: Some dogs do have reactions to proteins in foods.Some other dogs have allergiesto things inthe ... | |
| English bulldog Eyes | 9/8/2005 |
| Q: I just recently got a 3 yr old english bulldog, She is a little over weight but healthy other than ... A: Bulldogs can get something called entropion, which is a rolling in of the eyelid. The lashes or the ... | |
| Why might I be pushing my mother's dog away? | 9/7/2005 |
| Q: I am not sure that this question is for a veterinarian to answer, but here goes: This past Sunday, ... A: Laura; I am sorry to learn of your dog's passing. Dogs are a part of our lives and we love them as ... | |
| Mac the Million Dollar Westie. | 9/7/2005 |
| Q: went to Abilene. Had tumor removed from Mac's left ear again. think surgery was botched this time. ... A: Without really getting in and seeing what is actually going on, it would be hard for me to be very ... | |
| dog housebreaking | 9/6/2005 |
| Q: My chihuahua is 7 months old and everytime we come home after being gone for even a short while she ... A: This is called "submissive urination" and it is common in puppies. When you get home,the first ... | |
| Derm | 9/5/2005 |
| Q: I live in southern CA and I walked her earlier today so I don't know if dogs can get heat rash or if ... A: This is most likely a bacterial infection. If it is really itchy, it could also be something like ... | |
| Ear and noes reaction | 9/1/2005 |
| Q: My two year old German Sheppherd is having some sort of allergic reaction, or atleast this seems to ... A: Whenever a black nose turns pink, I tend to thoink of an autoimmune disease. Ask your vet if that's ... | |
| Bichon derm problem | 8/30/2005 |
| Q: My bichon has bumps-our vet says it is a virus under the skin but they itch and my dog bites at ... A: Skin viruses are very unusual. Are you sure he didn't indicate that there was a bacterial infection ... | |
| bleeding elbow callouses | 8/29/2005 |
| Q: My 11 year old chocolate lab has had callouses on his elbows for years now. Recently, both elbows ... A: These lesions are as the result of pressure on the elbows. Soft padding or bedding will help. ... | |
| So I want to be a veterinarian... I think | 8/28/2005 |
| Q: I am a freshman at the University of Florida right now and am currently planning on becoming a vet. ... A: Katy; Believe it or not, I graduated from the University of Florida (1972) before I got in to vet ... | |
| Cat Ear Scratching Issue | 8/26/2005 |
| Q: My female indoor domestic shorthair cat who is about 2 years old, seems preoccupied with itching her ... A: If the cat does not have ear mites (which a vet can tell you) it may be that she has facial itching ... | |
| recurrent ear infections | 8/26/2005 |
| Q: My golden retriever keeps having ear problems, and was recently operated on for a hematoma. A ... A: Golden retrievers are so prone to allergies, that it is almost a given that when they have ear ... | |
| abyssinian cat - eosinophilic granuloma | 8/25/2005 |
| Q: Anything new to treat Eosinophilic Granuloma Complex? Our 18 mo old Abyssinian kitty has lost fur ... A: There is a new drug called ATOPICA that is cyclosporine. It is a substitute for depo medrol and may ... | |
| Cat skin problem | 8/24/2005 |
| Q: Gotthelf, I would be delighted if you could advise me. My cat, Mabel has something going on with her ... A: Rachel; You are describing a condition called "miliary dermatitis." This is usually associated ... | |
| ears | 8/24/2005 |
| Q: my dog has been to the vet and has been seen by three different ones and none of them can agree on ... A: If this has been going on for 5 years, there is not a normal ear canal anymore. Sometimes, food ... | |
| skin disorder | 8/22/2005 |
| Q: I have an 11month mix. golden retriever, yellow lab. Fantastic dog. Cream coat lays flat, not real ... A: Your Golden/Lab may have some type of allegic skin disease. These lesions are most likely a ... | |
| German Shepherd's ears | 8/22/2005 |
| Q: I have a German Shepherd around 7 years old. Lately her ears seem to be itching her and they smell ... A: In the summer months, when dogs smell it is usually because their skin is reacting to some type of ... | |
| feline acne | 8/22/2005 |
| Q: My 9 year old cat has developed feline acne on his chin and around his nose. We have removed house ... A: I would advise shaving the cat's chin and affected facial areas so you can wash these areas with ... | |
| patches of skin on cat | 8/21/2005 |
| Q: My cat, (who is over 5 years old and has no known health problems), will occassionally, usually ... A: Sctratching the neck and getting little bumps in that area is typical of allergic skin disease in ... | |
| allergies | 8/20/2005 |
| Q: I own a 5 yr old mixed breed female. She is about 40# and we think german shepherd/ husky. As she ... A: Usually a steroid shot relieves pain and itching and the dogs are nicer. In people there are ... | |
| Itching and Licking | 8/20/2005 |
| Q: Louis N. Gotthelf, I have a 10 month old Border Collie and all she does lately is stratch and ... A: The oil is an Omega3 fatty acid supplement. The one that I use is called Eicosaderm ... | |
| Cat Laryngitis | 8/19/2005 |
| Q: A week ago, my cat's meow started to get hoarse, and within 2 days, it was completely gone. He gags ... A: Anytime a cat loses its voice there is something wrong in the throat. You should have your vet ... | |
| cat hairloss below ear | 8/17/2005 |
| Q: I'm not at home to attach the picture..I will do that later if you think you can help me. I have an ... A: This could be the result of him scratching at his ears from ear mites. Ask your vet to check this ... | |
| Bichon Frise skin care | 8/16/2005 |
| Q: Our 4 year old Bichon practically chews his hind quarters off every time he gets groomed or bathed. ... A: He may be having an allergic reaction to something. If it occurs after a shampoo, it could be the ... | |
| about cats | 8/15/2005 |
| Q: i have some questions about cats.. hope u can help me finding an answer for them.. (1) A month ago, ... A: Sars; Younbg kittens are prone to respiratory diseaqses. If the Persian kitty is making breathing ... | |
| Dandruff and excessive cerumen | 8/15/2005 |
| Q: Gotthelf I have a two year old female black longhaired chihuahua. She has had problems with ... A: Karen; If it is flaky and does not itch, this could be a problem with fatty acid metabolism. See if ... | |
| cat with lumps, hair loss, red spots | 8/15/2005 |
| Q: My cat is 1 year old. He recently developed several symptoms. I've taken him to 3 vets and they ... A: Without examining your cat, I can't be very specific. But you can ask the vet to take a skin biopsy ... | |
| ear wax/yeast infections of the ears | 8/14/2005 |
| Q: Dr.Gotthelf, my siberian husky has problems with her ears. She constantly has large amounts of ... A: Yeast infections in dogs' ears are almost always related to a skin allergy. You might want to let ... | |
| post FLEA treatment | 8/14/2005 |
| Q: Dr. Gotthelf: Our 2 scotties, 1, 4 months and 1, 22 mos have been treated for fleas, (the puppy ... A: Flea bites are like mosquito bites on you. You can kill the mosquito, but the bump that itches ... | |
| bumps on pug's legs and belly.... | 8/14/2005 |
| Q: This evening I noticed my pugs hair by his legs looked lifted- as I got closer I noticed there were ... A: If these bumps just started, it could be an allergic reaction on the skin causing hives. Usually ... | |
| Am I wrong? | 8/13/2005 |
| Q: I asked you a question several days ago about possibly having mange (I am seeing a dermatologist ... A: The first thing I would do is to call Pfizer and report that the kitten died after a treatment with ... | |
| skin condition | 8/12/2005 |
| Q: My 10 year old lab mix has had a skin condition for many months that is only getting worse. She has ... A: If your vet thinks that this is a fungal infection, then systemic drugs like ketoconazole or ... | |
| My Dogs Skin and Ears | 8/12/2005 |
| Q: My dog Katie is a seven-year-old German Shepard/Husky mix and she frequently scratches especially ... A: You should take the dog to the vet for skin treatment for flea allergies. You should also get her ... | |
| redness in pads | 8/10/2005 |
| Q: My dog has redness in his pads of his paws and to make matters worse he constantly bites and chews ... A: Dogs that lick and chew at their pads often have allergic dermatitis. Sometimes this is complicated ... | |
| skin irritation and loss | 8/10/2005 |
| Q: I was wondering what mange looks like. My dog has been itching and pulling his hair out. He is on ... A: There are 2 types of mange, which are caused by small insects called mnites. One is sarcoptic mange ... | |
| Mini Pin | 8/9/2005 |
| Q: I have a friend who has a mini-pin and the dog is addicted to water. He will drink water till he ... A: This sounds like a condition called "Psychogenic Water Ingestation." The dog just likes to drink. ... | |
| My dog 's ear rash | 8/9/2005 |
| Q: My dog is a miniature pintcher (5y/o) (f) our dog has been excessively scratching her ears to the ... A: NEVER use chlorhexidine in the ears! It is extremely toxic. If there is an itchy ear, it is most ... | |
| hair loss | 8/8/2005 |
| Q: why would a puppy start losing hair, she is itching a lot. It started after a trip to the groomers. A: Puppies lose hair for a variety of reasons including mange, allergies, bacteria infection or ... | |
| Can humans get mange from animals | 8/7/2005 |
| Q: I have this horrible itching and red splotches all over my body (and the worst are where my bra ... A: Demodex mange is not contagious to people, but sarcoptic mange (also called Scabies or the Mad Itch) ... | |
| Boxer puppy ear problem | 8/5/2005 |
| Q: My boxer had puppies on July 4 2005. When they were 4 weeks old I put the puppies into a larger box ... A: The fall could have caued this if she damaged her eardrum or her vestibular apparatus in her ear was ... | |
| Hot Spots | 8/5/2005 |
| Q: What exactly are "hot spots" on dogs' skin? What causes this problem and how does one avoid it? A: "Hot Spots" are acute moist dermatitis. These weepy lesions are often associated with allergies. ... | |
| Skin Irritation from Flea Collars | 8/3/2005 |
| Q: My cat has fleas so we washed her and put a flea collar on her, but now I noticed that an sore which ... A: The cat probably scratched at the collar and made the neck bleed. Removing the collar is the right ... | |
| Bald Patches on Lab Dog | 8/2/2005 |
| Q: Gotthelf, my Labrador Retriever Female (pure bred, as far as i know) is exactly 1 year old now. ... A: It takes a month or two for the Derm Caps to work. If it is really itchy, then it could be one of a ... | |
| Bug bites? | 8/2/2005 |
| Q: My black cat is an indoor/outdoor cat. Lately I have noticed 'spots' on her nose. They are not ... A: For some reason cats seem to get insect bites on the nose. There is a mosquito bite ... | |
| frontline tick spray | 8/1/2005 |
| Q: I am 12 weeks pregnant. my dog was found to have 2 ticks while he was being groomed. groomer sprayed ... A: The insecticide in Frontline (fipronil) is very specific to a receptor in the insect's nervous ... | |
| Bump on ear | 8/1/2005 |
| Q: We have a new puppy, 9 weeks old. 2 days ago 2 bumps appeared on the end (outside) of her ear flap. ... A: Young pups are very prone to Staph infections on their skin because they have little natural ... | |
| Beagle Yeast Infection in Ears | 7/28/2005 |
| Q: My poor beagle has recurring yeast infection in his ears. Because he is an extremely difficult dog ... A: Yeast infections are caused by allergies. So you need to have those treated somehow. If you can't ... | |
| Melatonin | 7/28/2005 |
| Q: My Golden is on Melatonin for Seasonal Flank Alopecia. He started taking 6 mg twice a day starting ... A: Seasonal flank alopecia is just that.....seasonal. During certain times of the year, usually spring ... | |
| Dog's fur isn't growing back | 7/27/2005 |
| Q: My dog got a summer cut in early June as he does every year. His fur has not grown back as it ... A: This is called post clipping alopecia and is not uncommon in certain breeds like Chows and Huskies. ... | |
| Dogs ear yeast infections | 7/27/2005 |
| Q: I have a 6 yr old american pit bull terrier (Diamond),who has horrible skin ailments. She has ... A: My first advice to you is to find a vet that know how to treat skin allergies properly. I find that ... | |
| poison | 7/24/2005 |
| Q: I own a precious 11 month old Golden Retriever, I usually have him tied up and take him for swimm ... A: Whatever it was, it was toxic enough to cause the skin to die off. If it was something like a ... | |
| removal of parasites | 7/22/2005 |
| Q: How do I remove ticks from my dogs muzzle and ears without risking infection? A: I recommend that you get something called FRONTLINE SPRAY. It is available from most vets. Ticks ... | |
| ear infections in chocolate lab | 7/21/2005 |
| Q: Dr. Gotthelf. We own 2 chocolate labs, one of which has been diagnosed with allergy-related ear ... A: Antihistamines, like banadryl, have been proven to have no benefit in dog allergic skin disease. ... | |
| Handling the stress of work | 7/21/2005 |
| Q: My dream has always been to be either a vet, or a pediatrician. I have always leaned towards the vet ... A: Sometimes ending a patient's life by relieving pain and suffering is a blessing. We never take ... | |
| Swollen Ear | 7/20/2005 |
| Q: When I came home from a week long vacation my cat's ears had swollen up like there was fluid between ... A: This is an aural hematoma and requires surgery to correct it. Often there is an ear infection that ... | |
| skin condition in 12 year old German Shepherd | 7/20/2005 |
| Q: my 12 year old GSD has developed a skin condition recently. I have been reading up on Hot Spots and ... A: This is most likely an allergy to something causing a severe inflammatory reaction. The skin that ... | |
| ?Atopy | 7/17/2005 |
| Q: I have a 5 yr old labrador retriever who has an scratching problem. For a while he occationally ... A: If he tolerates the pred, then you can maintain him on it until the fall. I wouldn't want to see ... | |
| ringworm | 7/15/2005 |
| Q: my kitten, an orphan we adopted about a month ago, was just diagnosed with ringworm. The vet gave us ... A: Ringworm is contagious to people and the way we get it is from the spores (seeds) that are on the ... | |
| Springer problem | 7/15/2005 |
| Q: My Springer Spaniel has a bad allergy problem. We have been feeding him non-alergen food to no ... A: Sometimes dogs with itchy skin are miserable and do not have good temperments. Some Springers ... | |
| pregnancy | 7/13/2005 |
| Q: What are some signs that my dog may be pregnant? A: Obviously, weight gain and large belly would be the best indicator. Other signs are mammary ... | |
| yellow lab puppy | 7/12/2005 |
| Q: Good morning Dr. Gotthelf, My girlfriend an I are picking up a Yellow Labrador puppy this week. ... A: I would be concerned about mange, bacterial infection, or ringworm. You should take the puppy to the ... | |
| ear tumor | 7/11/2005 |
| Q: My 21 year old cat was given an ultrasound today on a large growth behind her ear. The Vet suspects ... A: This could be a tumor or it could be a polyp, which looks like a tumor. The only way to know is to ... | |
| My 9-year-old Chihuahua was... | 7/11/2005 |
| Q: My 9-year-old Chihuahua was just diagnosed with pancreatitis, and I'd like to make some food she can ... A: With pancreatitis, we try and NOT feed the dog for a few days to let the pancreas rest. Food ... | |
| A kidney question, begging your pardon | 7/11/2005 |
| Q: The other two cat veterinarians are maxed out, so I'll give you a try. I'll understand if you don't ... A: There is an old addage in medicine "Never make a diagnosis from one test." This applies here. ... | |
| Young puppy | 7/10/2005 |
| Q: I've been given a young puppy. I have been told that the dog is around 3 to 4 weeks old. I was ... A: Get a milk replacer for puppies from a vet or a pet store. Cow's milk will give the puppy diarrhea. ... | |
| Cleaning a wound | 7/9/2005 |
| Q: I hope this falls under the "skin" category. My German Shorthair has a very deep wound on her back ... A: Don't use Hydrogen peroxide for this type of deep wound. It will heat up and further damage the ... | |
| loss of hair | 7/8/2005 |
| Q: We have a 9 year old cocker spaniel the is losing his hair in spots all over his body. Some places ... A: If the therapy does not seem to help, ask your vet to do a skin biopsy to see just what the skin ... | |
| Why use Fluvicin? | 7/8/2005 |
| Q: I have two kittens (approx 12 weeks) with ringworm; one has chronic URI, but both have tested ... A: The problem is that if you don't kill the spores, then every hair that falls out of the kittens will ... | |
| skin condition? | 7/7/2005 |
| Q: I have a 9 mo old min pin whose skin on her belly and under her front arm is starting to develope a ... A: In young animals, this is usually a Staph. bacterial infection. I would recommend having it treated ... | |
| old age, itching | 7/7/2005 |
| Q: We have a 14 year old neutered male Yorkie who has itching problems. I have tried different ... A: Ask your vet if he is using ATOPICA, a new non-steroidal allergy drug for dogs. It has the same ... | |
| Dog hemorrhoid | 7/6/2005 |
| Q: For a few months I've noticed that my dog (a large mixed-breed stray we adopted years ago) sometimes ... A: Dogs rarely, if ever, get hemmorhoids. They do get tumors on their rectums and the one that you may ... | |
| American bulldog itchy skin and musty smell | 7/5/2005 |
| Q: I have an 8 month old female American bulldog with itchy bumps that appear under the skin on inside ... A: At 8 months, I would have to think about mange and secondary yeast infection. That may be why the ... | |
| Tumor in left ear Westie. | 7/5/2005 |
| Q: You have helped so much with Mac so here I am again.Mac is now about 9/10 yrs. He has little tumors ... A: Sometimes, we do not get all of the tumor out with the laser and it can come back. I often re-laser ... | |
| Golden Retriever hair loss | 7/4/2005 |
| Q: I have a two-year-old Golden who slowly,but steadily, appears to be losing his coat. He has two ... A: The dog is most likely itchy. Goldens are known for their severe skin allergies. If the vet ... | |
| Ear Wax | 7/3/2005 |
| Q: ..I have a 4 month chihuahua that has quite a bit of brown wax deep in his ears, otherwise they ... A: This is definitely not normal in a young puppy. There may be ear mites even though the vet didn't ... | |
| ear cropping | 7/2/2005 |
| Q: what is the best way to keep a great danes ears errect after they have been cropped? A: There are many types of props that are used after the ear crop has healed. I prefer to wrap a piece ... | |
| condiction of coat | 7/1/2005 |
| Q: My freind has a very sweet older cat. She is about 14. I baby sit their little boy so I have been ... A: The matts of hair are there because the cat is scratching the skin. So it could be an itchy ... | |
| dog sheds to much | 6/26/2005 |
| Q: I have an 8 year old female yellow lab. She sheds all the time. Winter, spring, summer, fall. I ... A: Excessive shedding can be a sign of hypothyroid disease. Ask your vet if they can test for low ... | |
| Ear Infections | 6/24/2005 |
| Q: We have an English Mastiff, who is now 4 years old. Within the last year he has been having back to ... A: Yeast infections are almost always associated with allergies. If the steroids had no effect, then ... | |
| Soloxine | 6/24/2005 |
| Q: Do you know of any side effects with dogs taking Soloxine? My dog tested positive for Hyperthyroid ... A: First, your dog is HYPOthyroid. That means that the thyroid hormone level is low. In that case, ... | |
| The manges? | 6/23/2005 |
| Q: we have a beloved golden retriever and he has this sore on his face Im not sure how it got there. It ... A: To see if your dog has mange, ask your vet to do a skin scraping and look for the insects that cause ... | |
| Dog yearly shots | 6/23/2005 |
| Q: The last 2 years when our dog recieves her yearly booster shots the skin dies and hair come out and ... A: That is an extremely rare reaction to a vaccination! In 27 years of practice, I have never seen ... | |
| My cat is biting the fur off her belly and constanty licking the area. | 6/23/2005 |
| Q: Gotthelf Last summer, my cat began biting the fur off her belly and constanty licking the area to ... A: This is most likely an allergic reaction to something. When cats get allergies, they "barber" the ... | |
| hot spots | 6/22/2005 |
| Q: My dog (silky terrier) is biting at her hind leg and has made it red and raw and sore looking. I ... A: She will probably lick any ointment that you put on her leg. Most hot spots are caused by ... | |
| dermatology-allergy | 6/22/2005 |
| Q: My dog, Teddy is a 70 lb. chow/german shepherd mix. He is 8 years old. He has a severe problem ... A: Benadryl is not good to stop itching in an allergic dog. If you are using Prednisone, you can use it ... | |
| brittle nails | 6/14/2005 |
| Q: I have a two year old female Min Pinscher. About 6 to 8 months ago we noticed that her nails were ... A: There are several things that can be done to diagnose the problem. The first is to have your vet do ... | |
| Cat Dandruff | 6/13/2005 |
| Q: We have a two short-haired black cats, both neutered males, five years old (they're brothers). One ... A: If it is true dandruff, then supplementing the diet with Omega3 fatty acids may help (Eicosaderm, ... | |
| chronic ear condition | 6/13/2005 |
| Q: Gotthelf, Kitty Carlisle is my 21 year old indoor cat. She has had a chronic ear condition on and ... A: At this age, I would have to think of something going on in her middle ear. Many of the nerves that ... | |
| yeast? | 6/12/2005 |
| Q: I have a going on two year old bitch that has had cronic yeast ear infections. She gets them so bad ... A: She most likely has allergies that are not being treated. If the vet is using an ear mite medicine, ... | |
| skin Promblems | 6/11/2005 |
| Q: My dog keeps getting a disease called "Licking ?" can't remember the name. The vet explained it as ... A: This is called a lick granuloma. I remove these with my laser and they heal up nicely. The problem ... | |
| cats hair | 6/9/2005 |
| Q: my cat is licking herself bald, or her hair is falling out what should i do? it is mostly on her ... A: When cats do this, they are most likely itchy. They actually cut the hairs with their teeth. You ... | |
| cut to paw pad | 6/6/2005 |
| Q: What do we put on (medication) for a cut to the pad on a dogs paw? A: You can put on any type of antibacterial creme. You should rinse the foot out with lots of water to ... | |
| hard of hearing dog, possibly deaf. | 6/2/2005 |
| Q: Have you found Cockapoos to have trouble hearing? I rescued one last year that had been left out in ... A: Deafness is very rare in dogs. I seriously doubt that a thunderstorm would cause hearing loss, ... | |
| Dry Flaky spot on my dog's nose | 6/2/2005 |
| Q: My 7 yr. old English springer spaniel is being treated for allergies. I noticed a spot on his nose ... A: It depends on where it is on the nose. If it is on the area that is black near his nostrils and is ... | |
| my cats eyes | 6/1/2005 |
| Q: Louis n. Gotthelf, We just brang two kittens into our home .They have an eye infection like ... A: Just because you got an antibiotic does not mean that the bacteria in the eyes will be killed by ... | |
| ear infection | 5/29/2005 |
| Q: can you use human kind of ear drops from a doctor on a dog with ear infection? A: Depending on the type of infection in the ear, sometimes we use human drugs. However, many dogs ... | |
| Poop | 5/29/2005 |
| Q: How can I stop my dog from eating her own poop? A: Decreasing the amount of food you are feeding and increasing digestibility by buying high quality ... | |
| Flea infestation | 5/25/2005 |
| Q: What is the best and safest way to de-flea my cats? Are there any OTC medications which last longer ... A: The BEST thing is Advantage Flea Drops. Be careful about over the counter flea medicines. Read the ... | |
| Pyr enees hair loss | 5/25/2005 |
| Q: A Pyr rescued from puppy mill has experienced loss of hair and bald sports only on rear half of ... A: Check and treat for parasites, both intestinal parasites and skin parasites. Get him on a good ... | |
| REtraining my cat to use his liter box | 5/24/2005 |
| Q: Gotthelf, My three year old spayed cat has stopped using his liter box and I was told to retrain ... A: Sometimes it is the litter itself that is the problem. Sometimes it is too dusty or has an ... | |
| Red Spots on the stomach | 5/24/2005 |
| Q: Gotthelf, We have a black and white 5 yo greyhound. She has been getting dark red spots (blood red ... A: It is hard to diagnose on the internet. If these are large red spots, they can be from irritation, ... | |
| skin allergy | 5/24/2005 |
| Q: Gotthelf ~ What makes one puppy develop allergies over another? Is there a predisposition or a ... A: Atopic dermatitis is mostly heredity. Many breeds are prone to atopy. We think that there is a ... | |
| 8 month old Dalmation w/ ear problem | 5/23/2005 |
| Q: Our dalmation's ears itch a lot and hurt. He won't let us touch them. They also stink terribly. ... A: You need to have this looked at by your vet. It could be an ear infection, but it could also be ... | |
| Hot Spots on Bichon Frise | 5/22/2005 |
| Q: My three year old Bichon Frise gets hot spots throughout the year. Switched to Science Diet ... A: If the dog has been on Z/D for 3 months or more, then it is not a food allergy. If the steroid ... | |
| bacterial infection in 10 year old Beagle | 5/21/2005 |
| Q: Bobbin is the Beagle. She suffers from a skin allergy since 2001, although it might have been ... A: Bacterial infection is a common result of allergies. Ina 10 year old Beagle, the allergies should ... | |
| skin allergy in golden | 5/21/2005 |
| Q: I have a female golden retriever age 10. We live in the same area since we've had her. Overnight she ... A: If there has been no effect to the steroids, then I would have to think first of sarcoptic mange. ... | |
| 6 mo. old lick granuloma | 5/20/2005 |
| Q: My dog has been licking at what was diagnosed as a lick granuloma for over 6 mos. now. This is not ... A: MAny of these lick granulomas are actually allergic in nature, so some allergy treatment may be ... | |
| Ear Hematoma | 5/20/2005 |
| Q: We are going out of town for a week and our dog has his 3rd Hematoma in a year. I am trying to find ... A: Draining hematomas is not a good idea. They will only refill unless the blood inside clots. If it ... | |
| Side effects of cortizone | 5/19/2005 |
| Q: (1) What are the side effects of long-term cortizone use for canine allergies? (2) Can anything ... A: The side effects of LOW dose cortisone for things like allergies is minimal. Some dogs drink ... | |
| I would like to know the dosage (cc's) of Kenolog that is given for relieve of chewing and itching for a 25 lbs. Boston Terrier. | 5/18/2005 |
| Q: My boston terrier (age unknown but about 10 yrs) has consistently had red rashes on her belly, chews ... A: I cannot tell you how much to give because steroids have to be given to effect. The dose in one dog ... | |
| Watery Eyes | 5/17/2005 |
| Q: I have a 6 month poodle and her eyes water most of the time and they have an odor. Is this normal? A: It is not normal, but it is not unusual in a Poodle. Many Poodles have not developed tear ducts ... | |
| growth on dog's eyelid that rubs on eye | 5/17/2005 |
| Q: My golden retriever [almost 9 yrs old] has a skin growth on her upper left eyelid. During the last ... A: Would you want something rubbing your eye? That will eventually cause a thickening of the cornea. ... | |
| Golden with allergies | 5/17/2005 |
| Q: A little background with a question at the end... I have a 2 and 1/2 yr old golden retriever who ... A: Golden Retrievers are very prone to allergies. It is a genetic thing! There are many ways of ... | |
| Dr.Gotthelf, ... | 5/16/2005 |
| Q: Dr.Gotthelf, My cat has suffered on and off for 2 years with a skin rash,itchiness and ... A: This skin rash around the neck indicatees an allergy, but probably not a food allergy. This is ... | |
| Healthy but itchy | 5/16/2005 |
| Q: My dog has dandruff. We feed him Iams Lamb and rice formula and bath him only when he is stinky, ... A: It is possible that this could be a nutritional problem. A hypoallegenic diet from the vet with only ... | |
| Golden Ret. Skin | 5/10/2005 |
| Q: I have a 1 1/2 year old golden. I just noticed that he has two spots on each side of him where he ... A: As long as the skin is not itchy or reddened you can wait. Many of these skin diseases have to do ... | |
| coughing and choking | 5/9/2005 |
| Q: My 11-yr. old yorkie/peek-a-poo male is very healthy and up to date on all of his shots and exams. ... A: If this is like a snort, he may be having a reverse sneeze. There may be a bad tooth leaking pus or ... | |
| Golden Ret. Skin | 5/9/2005 |
| Q: I have a 1 1/2 year old golden. I just noticed that he has two spots on each side of him where he ... A: If your vet prescribed Melatonin, then it may be a seasonal flank alopecia, sometimes called ... | |
| Cheyletiella | 5/8/2005 |
| Q: We need your advice desperately! We have a 2 year old female boxer named Boots who was recently ... A: Cheyletiella is not really common in dogs unless they are around cats that carry it. Revolution is ... | |
| Lab's Ears | 5/8/2005 |
| Q: Everytime I take my lab to the vet he has an ear infection and I end up spending a lot of money on ... A: Most labs have allergic ears. Some have allergies to a particular protein in the food, while others ... | |
| excessive licking | 5/7/2005 |
| Q: About a month ago my wife and I were given a 3 - 5 yr old male Shitzu, "Pudge". He was abandoned at ... A: Dogs often have food allergies AND pollen, mold, mite allergies as well. Usually when dogs are ... | |
| Hairball treatment and prevention, best grooming brushes | 5/5/2005 |
| Q: What is the best treatment and prevention for long haired persian cats? What is the best grooming ... A: The treatment is usually oral petroleum jelly. It is disguised in many hairball remedies but if you ... | |
| Cat dermatitis: Is DepoMedrol the only answer? | 5/5/2005 |
| Q: .. My 5 yr. old shorthaired 'tuxedo' cat was diagnosed about 6 mos. ago by our vet as having ... A: There are many causes of itching in the cat. Allergies to environmental allergens occur commonly. ... | |
| Feline ear infections | 5/4/2005 |
| Q: I'm sure you get this question all the time. I have a female diabetic cat that has developed an ... A: How do you know that the ear is infected if it hasn't been checked by the vet? Many cats will get ... | |
| Long-Haired Cat Losing Hair | 5/3/2005 |
| Q: My 8 yr old long hair is losing her winter coat clumps in large patches that leave bald spots. Her ... A: With bald spots, this would not be a normal winter shedding process. Look carefully at these bald ... | |
| dog bothered by her ear | 4/23/2005 |
| Q: My friend Linda has an indoor, friendly, affectionate bulldog, who is bathed about once/month. This ... A: Black stuff in the ears can indicate many different things. Ear mites, bacterial infection, yeast ... | |
| skin problem | 4/20/2005 |
| Q: I have a 10yr old mini longhair doxie, on her underbelly she looks like she has dirt allover her, ... A: I doubt that this would be contagious. Older doxies with darkening skin may be low in their level ... | |
| ears | 4/19/2005 |
| Q: my cat has itching ears and I have spent $235.00 the vet has cleaned them and he has no ear mites ... A: Without examining him, it would be very difficult to tell you what is wrong. The cat needs to be ... | |
| pregnant cat with fleas | 4/14/2005 |
| Q: Can I use Advantage on a pregnant cat? If not, what can I do for fleas. After having the kittens, ... A: It is OK on a pregnant cat and on kittens. They have not submitted data to the FDA and that's why ... | |
| DESPERATE - seizures/dog | 4/13/2005 |
| Q: I am desperate to help my dog. Two nights ago my 2 year old weimereiner was not walking straight, ... A: I understand your concern, but on the internet it is impossible for me to give you any type of ... | |
| Dog Rash | 4/13/2005 |
| Q: Cheemo is a very large 8 yr old white sheppard. He's been licking the top of one of his hind paws ... A: This sounds like a lick granuloma. It is an area that gets scarred up due to the constant trauma. ... | |
| sort of general question... | 4/12/2005 |
| Q: Hey! I'm really hoping to work with animals one day, and I really want to get some experience in a ... A: You can call around to different vets in your area and ask them if you can volunteer one day in ... | |
| flaky skin on cats | 4/12/2005 |
| Q: I have a 1 year old black cat. He almost always has white flakes on his back. Obviously they are ... A: I would suggest using a food supplement with Omega3 fatty acids to help the skin and coat. YOur vet ... | |
| Ear infection | 4/11/2005 |
| Q: I have a 13 yr old black lab who is having trouble with one ear. When I rub it she leans right ... A: If there is liquid in the ear canal, that is not good. Treating her at home is difficult in dogs ... | |
| Declawing | 4/11/2005 |
| Q: My cat is around three years old and has been tested positive for feline leukemia. While my vet ... A: Declawing a cat is painful for a few days after the surgery. If it is done with the laser, then it ... | |
| ear mites | 4/9/2005 |
| Q: i was wondering what the symptoms of ear mites are. i think my cat my have them. can they be treated ... A: Older, isolated cats rarely get ear mites. The cats that do get them are around other cats and the ... | |
| dandruff in cat | 4/8/2005 |
| Q: I have two cats - brother and sister - 8/9 yrs old. The boy has no dandruff and is quite lean, his ... A: Dandruff in cats can be several things. It can be parasites like mites on the skin, it can be a ... | |
| psudomonis | 4/8/2005 |
| Q: My dog has had a skin problem for 6 months which was at first thought to be caused by rubbing under ... A: Pseudomonas is an opportunistic bacteria. In other words, there is damage to the skin from ... | |
| Cat skin problem | 4/8/2005 |
| Q: My 10 year old American short hair female cat (indoor only) has recently been losing her hair on her ... A: Cats that lose hair in the rear end area are often chewing it out. That indicates that something is ... | |
| Shar-Pei | 4/7/2005 |
| Q: I have a one year old shar-pei whos name is Fetch. When we got him he developed a skin condition ... A: Chewing on the feet is a sign of allergic dermatitis. Some of these paw lickers also have secondary ... | |
| dog chews paws | 4/7/2005 |
| Q: Dr Gotthelf, first of all thank you for the last problem you solved for me....the little Scottie who ... A: Chewing on the feet is a sign of allergic dermatitis. Some of these paw lickers also have secondary ... | |
| cat food allergies | 4/7/2005 |
| Q: I have a 2 year old domestic short hair cat. By process of elimination (vet visits) we have come to ... A: Venison and pea is Ok for a diet if your cat will eat it. I would wait for a minimum of 2 months on ... | |
| loss of hair | 4/5/2005 |
| Q: we have 2 cats. i was wondering.... one of our cats seems to be loosing hair by his eyelids, i know ... A: Loss of fur on the head indicates that the cat is rubbing the head. This is also true for matting; ... | |
| Cat injured tail | 4/5/2005 |
| Q: My cat got his tail stuck in the doorway and his tail was injured with some of his skin off and some ... A: You should keep it clean and if it is a superficial wound, it will heal. The tail may not have ... | |
| Dog shaking his head constantly and crying | 4/5/2005 |
| Q: Since 2:00 hrs. my dog (3 months old afghan puppy) awoke me | |