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Puppies and dogs of any age can be unrelenting chewers and destroyers of all things we may hold sacred. We can love man’s and woman’s best friend like a little person in a furry suit but they are actually members of a different species. Chewing from a carcass for survival is hard-wired into their brains. Rather than trying to put an end to a natural behavior, give your pupsters a productive, canine-specific job: survival by extraction of sustenance from food-dispensing toys and/or puzzles. Mick, the Nichol family Border collie, is working hard at being a real dog. And having a good time doing it. To keep him on the straight and narrow we load all of his food into gizmos like this Twist ‘n Treat. He never gives up while exercising the muscles of his face and paws. He also focuses his brain on this challenge. A tired dog…
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Last in a series For many dogs, separation anxiety has a hereditary basis but changes in their environment often worsen the problem. It turned out that Newt had been adopted from a shelter, followed by a few moves with his new family. Videos of him home alone showed him not barking or vandalizing but quietly pacing, nonstop – except for the occasional indoor restroom break. There was no changing Newt’s genome or his life story but we could reduce his anxiety triggers. That confident visiting cat, who routinely scared the daylights out of this nervous little dog, needed to snack at someone else’s cafe. Sadly, it wasn’t that simple. When I flatly stated that this interloper had to go, the sour looks on Anna’s and Tom’s faces made it clear that this was not some annoying stray; they regarded him as one of their own. I would have felt…
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Third in a series Newt did well on his antianxiety medication. He was alert, happier, and playing with a new puppy but there was no home run. He continued to douse the house when his people were out of sight, although somewhat less often. He certainly suffered from separation anxiety but I was still missing something. We needed to gather intelligence on Newt’s activities when his people were away from him. Drones? They’d only cause paranoia. So I advised Anna and Tom to purchase a home surveillance system like a Nest Cam. Of course, this was an invasion of Newt’s privacy. We assured him that his secrets, some of them anyway, were safe. I swear. Watching the video, I knew right away that we were onto something. The great Dane mix and older golden Retriever snoozed on the furniture. And there, in the corner of the screen, was Newt pacing.…
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Second in a series Our dogs are not little people in furry suits. We love them that way but their upstairs wiring is somewhat different. With his significant anxiety disorder, Newt the Bichon Frise, struggled mightily with life in a human world. He was strongly bonded to his people, Anna and Tom, but his mind overflowed with angst. Contrary to what they had come to assume, urine marking was not his favorite pastime. Newt was often on the edge of losing impulse control; almost anything could set him off. If Anna reached for him while they sat on the couch together he might curl his lip and spew nasty epithets at the woman in his life. He’d urinate on his water bowl and his people but then suddenly abandon these targets in favor of the walls and furniture. He’d even jumped onto the dining room table and, well, you know.…
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First in a series The anxiety and blood pressure spikes of white coat syndrome aren’t fun for us. Most pets have the same problem. That long walk to the exam room, running a gauntlet through other jumpy dogs, is especially harrowing for those already losing their grip. Instead, I emerged through the side door of the clinic to invite “Newt” and his folks, Anna and Tom, inside for their behavior consultation. Bichon Frise’s are usually bouncy dogs but this 3 year old slunk in and immediately crept under Anna’s chair in my consulting room. You’d think he was headed for the gallows. I kept one eye on Newt as I gathered a history of urine soiling, fear of visitors, clingy attention-seeking, and aggression. When I peeped over the table for a better look I saw him focusing on my feet. He growled and trembled. He would rather file his knuckles…
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Pets who age gracefully bring comfort to their doting pet parents. But not all of them do well in their golden years. Some get dementia that their families mistake for normal aging. Alzheimer’s disease is pretty common in older people. The symptoms of dementia and the unhealthy brain changes seen in some older dogs are similar. In dogs it’s called cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS). Like nearly all physical and behavioral problems we can make a bigger difference with early diagnosis and treatment.
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Question: l have a 17 year old Pomeranian. She is in heat and no, l never had her fixed. She is bleeding way more than usual. It’s not bright red like blood but l know she’s uncomfortable. She is usually very active but I know she’s hurting. Should I be concerned? Is there something l can give her for pain? Dr. Nichol: I am concerned about your senior girl. Unlike humans, a normally aging female dog’s reproductive cycle continues throughout life. There is no canine menopause. The normal, somewhat bloody, vaginal discharge from a dog “in heat” should reoccur in a similar way about every 6 months, interrupted only for a few months if she finds herself in a family way. Any change causes us to suspect trouble. Reproductive problems are common in aging girl dogs, more often seen in those who’ve never had puppies. If your Pomeranian’s cervix (the…
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What’s wrong with this kitten? Why go after a child? Cats are hard-wired for predatory behavior to survive in the wild. Kept as pets, they must still be cats. This indoor, 5 month old kitten had no rodents to stalk and hunt. She was riveted by this child’s movements. Punishment? No. Lots of hunt and pounce toys and, if safe for all creatures great and small, plenty of outdoor time.
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Last in a series I’m residency trained in veterinary behavior medicine; I have no business venturing into the brains of humans. But, in this case, I did it anyway. Looking back on Kendra, it was clear that our effigy planting, blood gutter knife displaying, wicca enthusiast, short-term employee arrived with her own agenda. I don’t believe she was proselytizing her spiritual inclinations; her behavior was attention-seeking. She was good with clients at the desk and helpful in caring for pets like Princess, the fishhook swallowing poodle, but her shenanigans had become a serious distraction. Owning a veterinary hospital was harder work, requiring greater multitasking skills, than I ever imagined. The dogs and cats in our care surely have better outcomes if the entire staff stays focused. After Kendra stalked out the door we heaved a collective sigh of relief, Amos and Martha wondering aloud, “Who would want to hire somebody…
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