Subscriber Archive
Third in a series Young Mr. Lancaster was a kitten whose behavior was sometimes, as they say in learning theory, undesirable. He did turn out to be a pretty good cat, hanging out at the reception desk, accepting attention from our clients. On the flip side, even at 6 months he was a wild animal masquerading as a cuddly pet. We love our kitties like little people in furry suits but they are stalkers, slayers, and devourers of helpless creatures. Even in our compassionate veterinary clinic there had to be somebody who needed killing. One fine summer day a couple arrived with a Pekin white duckling with a fractured leg. In their futile attempts to avoid veterinary bills they had fashioned a homemade splint that failed miserably. The little guy’s mother and siblings, crowded in a muddy pen, had stepped on him, sat on him, and pushed him away from…
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Does this first photo scare you? Pepper not only bared her teeth but lunged and sometimes bit her people when they reached for her on the couch or approached her when she had a toy. She had her reasons. Like many small dogs she was easily startled and became defensive-aggressive when a much bigger creature loomed over her. She also suffered from joint pain. Nobody gave up on Pepper. Her people learned to lure her for hugs and cuddling rather than inadvertently triggering her reactive fear. We also reduced her anxiety with safe medication. Antiinflammatory and pain meds helped too. No side effects. The result was a happier dog who still occasionally reacts and shows her teeth but she never tries to bite anymore. A better life for everybody.
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Veterinary behaviorists, like me, see them often. There can be many different reasons for this aberrant behavior including crowding with too many other indoor cats, messy litter pans, the stress of nearby outdoor creatures, the list goes on. Our first job is to rule-out internal physical problems. An abdominal ultrasound of this 3 year old female tuxedo kitty showed the problem; bladder surgery removed it. There is no amount of behavioral treatment that can eliminate a bladder stone.
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Second in a series My practice was in its infancy in 1978 but we were ready for anything. I had an ECG, x-ray machine, and a full array of surgical instruments – everything but stationery and business cards. The equine veterinarian next door recommended a printer, so I called Mr. Franklin Lancaster. He offered to come by to design my spiffy new letterhead. When this senior gentleman arrived he cordially greeted Martha at the front desk and waited patiently as I finished with a client who had brought in an duck with diarrhea. That’s right – a duck named Harley (not Donald) who recovered just fine, thank you very much. I washed my hands of feathers and duck droppings and invited Mr. Lancaster into my slightly-bigger-than-a-phonebooth-sized office. Despite being old enough to be my grandfather he treated me with deference. I was struck by his courtly manners. Examples of good…
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First in a series I was wearily motoring home, down unlit El Pueblo Road, when my Triumph’s headlights lit up a slow moving small while object. Grocery bag in the breeze? Ah, no. White kitten on 3 legs. The day wasn’t over yet. Cats are predators for sure, but they are also a prey species. When sick or injured the wild ones tend to hole-up to avoid being coyote bait, making them impossible to catch. I made a U-turn and rolled to a stop on the gravel shoulder. As I approached the little guy he blinked slowly at me and then limped in my direction. Martha and Amos, my two staff members, had left for the day. I threw the deadbolt, switched on the light, and carried my 6# runaway to the treatment table. He actually looked good on exam – except for that right femur fracture. I’d need some…
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Are there any helicopter pet parents out there? Well, of course there are. There is such a thing as healthy stress. Moderate risk is essential to confidence building. And so, at age10 months, Mick Nichol, shouldering his backpack, was faced with a stream crossing. With the encouragement of his family, all of us ready to step in and rescue the situation if necessary, our boy mustered his courage and made it across. We repeated the same crossing the next day. Mick is happily building his backcountry skills.
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Question: I have a female mini dachshund who is 8 months old. She’s been chewing the spaghetti irrigation tubes in the yard to pieces! I thought she was doing it because she was thirsty so I keep a water bowl outside for her. Next I used a spray to keep her from chewing but she just licked it off and then chewed. She then brings them in and chews them into smaller pieces. I put up a fence around the areas but she just jumped it and chews and climbs out. She has many chew toys and has chewed up two rawhides completely. Dr. Nichol: What a naughty little dog! I think your dachshund must be our Border collie puppy’s sister. “Mick” Nichol has never met a spaghetti hose he didn’t like. Sadly, there is no effective deterrent for indiscriminate irrigation chewers. Dogs think taste-bads like Bitter Apple are marinara…
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It was rainy in the Pecos Wilderness for Mick’s first hike wearing his backpack. While carrying my water and snacks, he found bones from a deer’s front leg. Under good supervision we let the little guy be a dog, scavenging for his survival. It wasn’t long before he dropped the bone for more sniffing and investigating the natural world. Nature is beautiful, even when it’s wet.
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Last in a series As word got out that I was the go-to veterinarian for suspected dog poisonings I also became the default repository for conspiracy theories, “common sense” solutions, and intense emotional catharses. Everybody with anything to say (I mean anything) contacted my office, straining at the bit to speak to me directly. But I was busy pumping stomachs. Of course, the sheriff’s office had been deluged with pleas for help but then, just as suddenly as the poisonings had begun, there were no more. I didn’t believe for a minute that every dog in Placitas was now securely kept home; there weren’t many fenced yards in this village. It was another month before my staff and I finally exhaled. Rodent poisons like diphacinone can stay active for a long time. Surely, whatever had been so widely distributed in the area hadn’t all been consumed by itinerant dogs. What…
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