Albuquerque Journal Articles
Joint Pain makes it Hard to get Outside Question: 15 year old terrier/collie mix is losing control of anal muscles. Has difficulty holding squat position. Outside walks in straight line, dropping as she goes. Occasionally drops several “bombs” in house without meaning to. Looks sheepish. Have not scolded her. Dr. Nichol: Thank you for not punishing your senior dog for her bombing missions. She knows she’s breaking the rules but her tired old joints hurt so much she just can’t get outside in time. Joint pain is common in geriatric dogs, especially those who are large breed or…
Read MoreForget Tempting Treats-Get Medical Attention for that Sick Senior Dog Question: In January my 16-year-old dachshund/cocker cross stopped eating her dry dog food. Canned food caused her to have diarrhea and vomiting. Now she’s eating very little. She’s very thin, and I’d like to know what I can feed her that might help her gain a few pounds. Dr. Nichol: I can tell how much you love this girl. The reason for her weight loss and poor appetite is that she’s sick. No amount of tasty morsels will make her well. She could have cancer, organ failure, or a…
Read MoreSARDS is Incurable Question: We discovered a few weeks ago our Brittany dog, Val, is experiencing SARDS, Sudden Acquired Retinal Degeneration Syndrome. I am devastated at how quickly he is losing his eyesight. He is only 8 years old and in good health otherwise. It is difficult to see how confused he is. His activity level has dropped dramatically. He used to love to hunt lizards but now I’m afraid he’ll scratch his eye since he can’t see if something is going to poke him. Dr. Nichol: I’m really sorry to hear about Val’s blindness. Like anybody who…
Read MorePrevention is the Best Cure Question: I hope you will remind your readers about the importance of making provisions for their beloved pets should they die before the pets. A friend recently diagnosed with terminal liver cancer committed suicide last week. Prior to that, I promised him I would care for his two dogs (he had originally planned to kill them first). I had no idea one of the dogs is on Xalatan (a $100 vial lasts three weeks). He did not give me a clue about the cost. It is an exorbitant expense for which I was not…
Read MoreCataracts or Lens Instability are likely causes Question: Our cat, Stevie, is 12 years old. In the last few months she seems to have a hard time jumping up on the bed. She still runs up the stairs, has no problem squatting to do her business, and doesn’t seem in pain. She will launch up halfway on the side of the bed, then pull herself up with her front paws as if she were on a climbing rope, or doing chin ups. Could it be her eye sight? Dr. Nichol: It’s a good thing you’re paying attention. Cats don’t…
Read MoreBlindness can Result but it Can be Treated Question: We adopted the cutest little dog from a shelter. She was a mess-matted, fleas and smelly. The vet said she was virtually blind-something about not enough tears as a puppy. We love our little Buttons to pieces. Is there an eye specialist you would recommend? She is happy but would be such fun if she could see further than her nose. Dr. Nichol: Buttons sounds delightful. Her eyes may respond well to treatment but she’ll need help soon to prevent permanent damage. Poor tear production, keratoconjunctivitis sicca, KCS for…
Read MoreFeline Herpes can Cause Severe Eye Disease & Death Question: We have recently taken home 3 kittens to nurse them back to health. Two of them are healthy, but one is much smaller than her siblings, and doesn’t play or anything. She is about 7 weeks old. Her eyes have been getting hard, crusty stuff in them (sometimes yellow), and it looks like something has formed on the outside of one eye. Dr. Nichol: You are doing a kind thing to care for these homeless kittens. That sick baby may be in serious trouble. None of these kids has…
Read MoreSmall Tumors Should be Removed Question: I am a widowed senior citizen. I have a 10 year old miniature poodle. This little dog has lost most of her eyesight due to cataracts. For several months she has had sties appear on her right eye. She now has one that has grown to the size of an English pea. It does not seem to bother her. The sty seems to have some drainage. Dr. Nichol: Your poodle is not alone. We see a lot of eyelid masses in middle aged to older dogs. Most of these lumps cause irritations and…
Read MoreEffective Treatment will Eliminate Pain & Preserve Eyesight Question: My elderly cat has red rimmed crusty eyes. What causes this and how do I treat? Dr. Nichol: Your kitty is really uncomfortable. Cats whose tear glands fail in their job of keeping the eyes moist have dry eye, also called keratoconjunctivitis sicca (abbreviated KCS). It’s somewhat unusual in cats but common in dogs. KCS is a serious problem. Symptoms can go well beyond chronic redness and a pus-like discharge. Many squint and have swelling of the third eyelid. The membranes beneath the upper and lower eyelids may also…
Read MoreMost Dogs Adjust well to Blindness. Brain Aging Changes are More Likely & Treatable Question: We have a 14 year-old, female Japanese Chin who is blind. Sometimes she complains and whines, but she doesn’t seem to be in pain. She can’t run and play like she used to love to do and just walks in little circles for hours on end. She has to be taken outside and taken to her bowl and, of course, she runs into walls and furniture. She is still loving and sweet but are we keeping her alive for us or for her? Dr.…
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