Albuquerque Journal Articles
Diagnose first; treat second Question: I have a 7 month old puppy who itches and scratches herself constantly anywhere she can reach. I have taken her to my veterinarian twice and after checking her over, I was told that her skin and coat looked healthy and didn’t see a problem. A groomer used a special shampoo for dry skin – that hasn’t helped either. I’ve also been feeding her dog food that contains salmon hoping that might help – again it hasn’t. She hasn’t been around any animals. I hate to see her so miserable and don’t know what else…
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Calm; Don’t Punish Question: My 6-month-old corgi knows that she’s supposed to pee outside and does a really good job most of the time. But when she’s inside, every once in a while, if we approach her, she will squat and pee. This doesn’t happen every time. Just sometimes. She could be inside for an hour or two with no issues, but if we approach her a certain way she squats and pees. Dr. Nichol- Dogs who strut around beating their chests are the confident, take-charge type. Your corgi, on the other hand, came genetically programmed for the low rung…
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[alsointhisseries series-slug=”faith”] Doing the right thing for our injured stray cat would take courage-and faith. She needed a name and I really needed to unite my team. I told my compassionate but frightened staff that our struggling patient would be named Faith. Pets can be powerful teachers. Each of them has a spirit. Most are more pure and uncluttered than ours. They share our lives to help us learn the real meaning of being. The next morning with bright lights, a magnifying loop, and our tiniest instruments, I carefully re-repaired Faith’s jaw fractures. I did the first of three skin…
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[alsointhisseries series-slug=”faith”] Without warning our homeless cat went crashing, mouth wide open, into the cage door. She clamped her freshly operated jaws around the bars and howled. It was horrible. In the blink of an eye, she had not only completely undone the surgery; she had created yet one more jaw fracture. Veterinary hospitals are staffed by good people with generous hearts. But tragedy can be frightening. I untangled our painful, agitated, and delirious patient from the cage door. Doing my best to comfort her, I looked up at what seemed like a hundred glares. Our attempts at helping this…
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For help with behavior problems, you can sign-up for a Zoom Group Conference on my website, drjeffnichol.com. [alsointhisseries series-slug=”faith”] Faith was important not just because we loved her but because she taught valuable lessons. She has long since passed but the memory of what she did for us has never faded. Martha had been in the office only ten minutes when she heard banging on the front door. Holding a cardboard box and shifting her weight from one foot to the other, a nervous young woman waited as Martha unlocked the door. Then things happened fast. Only half way through…
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Their Shared Blanket Question: My Honey, who passed Christmas Eve 2019, found a litter of puppies in the dumpster. We kept the big boy. She named him DD (Dumpster Dog). Being a widowed man, I put her stuff in storage (threw it in the closet). DD found a blanket I used to cover her with. I would cover her and put DD in bed with her when she was ill. Now he drags the blanket around the yard wherever he goes. DD snuggles with it almost like he is praying! Can he still smell her or is it the blanket…
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Itching & Anxiety Question: I adopted an anxious 3 year old cat 3 years ago. Recently I’ve noticed Bella appears more anxious when I’m away from our home. She has been overgrooming to the point of slight bleeding. Dr. Nichol: Cats who lick their skin excessively are not happy campers. Denuding one’s body leads to issues with body image, an affliction many prefer to keep private. When you’re home with Bella she’s focused on enjoying your company. But, when she’s alone with her skin, it’s driving her @#%&* crazy! Anxiety can cause a lonesome cat to self-mutilate but allergies, skin…
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Sick People Infect their Pets This COVID19 pandemic continues to hang over us like a dark cloud, new variants putting unvaccinated people at increasing risk. Now we know that pets can get this from their people. New research has shown that dogs and cats, exposed to COVID at home, are significantly more vulnerable than homeless pets. Are we having fun yet? A study at the University of Guelph tested pet dogs and cats, those staying in shelters, and strays with no history of human contact. The results were striking. About 70 percent of cats and 40 percent of dogs who…
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Many Great Ways of Helping Scared Cats & Dogs Startled by earsplitting blasts, many otherwise stable pets will endure almost continual panic this weekend. Dogs may hide, tremble, drool, cry or howl, and even urine soil, vomit or pass diarrhea. Many get clingy but some escape the home and risk serious injuries. A freaked-out dog or cat needs reassurance, but shelter from the bombardment is much better. Allow an anxious pet to find relief anywhere she feels better. A bathroom, dark closet, or an open, covered pet crate, located away from windows and exterior walls, should be available. Unpredictable flashes…
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Question: I feel bad for the dogs of homeless people during these really hot summer months as their owners beg for food on street corners. Just today I saw a man begging while his dog was next to him under a small tent. When it gets in the 90s and 100s that small tent is useless. These animals really suffer. Dr. Nichol: I, too, have worried about people and dogs who are exposed to our scorching sun. I have treated many cases of heat stroke. It’s tragic; they don’t all survive. The City of Albuquerque is taking steps to improve…
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