Albuquerque Journal Articles
Today, I have good news and bad news. First the bad news. Dr. Samantha Uhrig, DVM, state veterinarian with the New Mexico Livestock Board, explains that “Since March 20, 2024, multiple dairies reporting an acute decrease in milk production in Texas and New Mexico have been diagnosed with highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1).” Should we haired humans be as worried as our feathered and uddered friends? Even if you’re not a dairy farmer you should know that birds and cats who contract avian flu may show neurologic symptoms. Dr. Uhrig added that, “Individuals with exposure to animals with suspected or…
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Last in a series
Birds are rather different than mammals; it’s more than feathers vs. hair. Like us, it takes a male and a female to reproduce but their sex organs are internal.
Fourth in a series Anybody with a major trauma, including a 5-day-old eviscerated turkey, is assumed to be shocky. Blood vessels lose their tone, meaning that their diameter expands – fast. Blood pressure drops like a stone. The best surgical skill is meaningless if the heart and brain fail because they’re oxygen starved. Feathered “John” (namesake of the aforementioned poodle) needed a rapid fluid infusion to fill up his vessels and raise his blood pressure. The little squirt weighed mere ounces; attempting to find a vein would have been an exercise in futility. Luckily, bone marrow can distribute fluids almost…
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Third in a series “John” the 11 year old poodle bounced in the door for his suture removal 10 days later. If it weren’t for his undignified tummy haircut you would never suspect that he’d been disemboweled by a dog 8 times his size. Happy endings is what we’re all about. It was shaping up to be a good day. The door had hardly closed when a man and his granddaughter arrived carrying a cardboard box – never a good sign. Martha at the front desk took a peek, raised a quick index finger, and grabbed the box. I was…
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Second in a series
I admit to being an annoying adherent to the Queen’s English, having shaken my head when hearing the noun ‘geek’ misappropriated. In our highly digitized society people can be fondly referred to this way or even adorn themselves with this moniker. It was not always so.
Early in my career my veterinary clinic had a feed store as a next-door neighbor. Being a backyard poultry farmer, I visited often for chicks (baby chickens, that is) and lay pellets. I lived the life of North valley chic. The only thing missing was the chic. This was the pre-emergency clinic era; veterinarians handled calls at all hours, day or night. If you had an associate doctor you could rotate nights and weekends. At my place, I was it. It was a weeknight around 10:30; I was just snuggling into bed after a long day when my pager beeped…
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Question: I have a 15 year old male cat about 7 kg. In the last 8 months his fur has been falling out in small chunks. He has not been licking or scratching himself. He has a very good appetite. He is drinking much more water than usual and urinates a lot. He has bad breath. The veterinarian checked his mouth and teeth. They did some tests and said he is OK. I do not know if a thyroid test was done. Dr. Nichol: Your cat is not OK; he actually should be licking himself at least some of the…
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Limping is a strong clue, but a dog who’s not prone to drama may just get up more slowly or try turning back on leash walks. Arthritic cats might quit jumping onto the counter or their cavorting may have lost its youthful flourish. Some kitties start making unpleasant deposits because it’s gotten painful climbing into the litter pan. Arthritis lasts a lifetime. Oral medications like Rimadyl for dogs and Metacam for cats often help. And most pets do fine but there can be adverse effects including stomach and intestinal damage and injury to the kidneys or liver. There are new…
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Last in a series Koko’s anxiety extended far beyond her antipathy against aerial aliens and her TV predator panic. She pestered for attention, nudging and pawing her people to distraction. She followed from room to room. They couldn’t even enjoy their privacy in the loo. Annoying? Sure. But from my side the of the exam table I saw a dog who desperately needed peace, not to mention her long suffering humans. Half -baked attempts to improve behavior disorders deliver paltry results. Pets like Koko deserve the best shot at a good life. Research-based behavior modification and management methods were essential.…
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Fourth in a series Koko’s fear of her backyard and its airborne threats were making her crazy. There would be no point in applying human behavior solutions; she wasn’t a little person in a furry suit. She was a dog: a denning creature. Her species can find security in a snug enclosure. Her well-meaning people tried putting her in a wire crate which, unfortunately, felt like a cage to her. There’s an easy fix for this common error. I advised Jan and Marty to use a sheet to cover the top and all sides of the crate except the bottom…
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