Albuquerque Journal Articles
Be Careful this Easter Everybody loves springtime flowers and plants but some buds, bulbs, leaves, and seeds can be unsafe for our pets. Swallowing any plant material can cause a dog or cat to vomit or have diarrhea so the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center has provided a list of potentially dangerous plants. If you suspect a plant problem with a pet, contact your veterinarian or the 24-hour emergency poison hotline at 1-888-426-4435. Here are some common plants your pets should avoid. Don’t try to teach them what not to chew and why; just keep them safely separated. Lilies are…
Read More
Foil Foliage Filching Question: I have a rabbit living in my front yard and eating the leaves off my evergreen shrubs that are about 30 years old. He’s eaten all of the bottom leaves and I see him standing trying to reach the upper leaves. I have tried shooing him away every time I see him to no avail. I don’t want to hurt him and want to know a safe way to get rid of him. I can tell he’s a wild rabbit and not a store bought rabbit; he runs very fast when I approach him. I called…
Read More
Feel Better; Sleep Well Question: My cat will be fast asleep, then she wakes up suddenly and flies out of the spot she was in and acts very terrified. Is she having night terrors? Dr. Nichol: Your cat may be having a sleep disturbance but we don’t want tunnel vision. Her terror, as she is jerked out of a restful slumber, tells us that her brain is reacting with intense emotion but the real issue may be somewhere else in her body. Pain can come from almost anywhere. Cats with allergies may be startled by an intense itch. Whether deeply…
Read More
The Mind-Body Connection is Worth Investing Lulu is a sweet, 2 year old Australian cattle dog who was adopted from a shelter just 2 months before I met her. She had itchy skin and a rather delicate gut. She’d already started eating a special diet and was taking an anti-itch medication called Apoquel. Lulu landed in my exam room because of her reactive aggression toward men of all shapes and sizes. Actually, anybody who rushed onto the scene could trigger Lulu’s fear-related displays. She never actually bit anyone. Those histrionics were intended to send a message. “Scary monsters don’t belong…
Read More
Help Faster, Better, Cheaper Retching and vomiting or straining to pass diarrhea is pretty miserable. Some dogs struggle often with these symptoms. When does it become too much? You can try different diets or give probiotics, antibiotics, or supplements and still make little progress. Fouling the living space is not natural canine behavior. The stress that besets these dogs needs to evaporate. They need relief from their cramping and belly aches. Nobody should have to endure this. I’ve treated a whole lot of these sick dogs. I have hunted long and hard for the underlying causes, often with the help…
Read More
Peace & Privacy Question: I need advice on displaced aggression in my 2 cats that are normally very loving to each other. It started after a neighborhood cat started appearing in my back yard. It’s gotten much worse with them fighting and I’ve tried the Feliway plug- ins. Dr. Nichol: Your cats have done just fine indoors together and they don’t need no stinkin’ visitors. Unable to lunge through your windows to drive-off that alien monster your frustrated kitties have redirected their aggression toward the closest target with a pulse – each other. This is a serious problem. Fights can…
Read More
A Fecal Exam may Reveal the Cause Question: My 5 month old adopted kitten is Pimienta “Pimi” and she is such a good girl. I waited for a kitten that chose me and it is the best thing I have done because she is so cute and she sees me as her mummy (I think). At the beginning Pimienta drunk water from the bowl but now she just wants to drink from the tap. I’m worried she won’t drink enough. The other problem is that she farts. This is obviously very disgusting. Her veterinarian suggested a diet change. Dr. Nichol:…
Read More
Simplify the Politics Question: We adopted a jenny to be a buddy for our elderly horse. At first she was happy to share food, but with time and confidence she has become rather bossy. I have to lock her out of the shelter at feeding time or she would aggressively devour the horse’s food. When he is done she can go in, but will state her displeasure by peeing the place up. Dr. Nichol: Horses and their ilk (including donkeys) are social creatures who generally do best in groups. But confinement to a pen or even a generous-sized pasture, in…
Read More
Improvising Indoor Cat Question: My grandmother and I got my cat Remus in September. In the last few months he has been causing major problems by tearing up our toilet paper. Do you have any suggestions as to how I can break him of this bad habit? Dr. Nichol: Toilet paper???!!! Remus is a naughty cat. Have you tried scolding or spanking? I hope not. Punishment would damage your friendship with him and it wouldn’t change his behavior anyway. Remus is a normal cat (I was joking about him being naughty) whose claws must be maintained and put to use.…
Read More
House Rules & Freedom to Move Question: I just brought home an 8 week old puppy and want to ensure the best possible crate training. It’s been 4 days, however he is still having accidents. I believe the crate may be too big. How do you recommend starting a new puppy out when they need to have their space and for potty training? Dr. Nichol: Teaching a shiny new puppy how to find the bathroom can be challenging. Momma cleans up after her infants but as the kids mature their genetic programming motivates them not to soil their living area.…
Read More