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Second in a series A highly skilled, and tired elephant Will Rogers once said, “I have always felt that the best doctor is the veterinarian. He can’t ask his patients what is the matter…he’s just got to know.” Old Will had a point. When I queried Irene, the Asian elephant, about why she wouldn’t lie down long enough to catch a few Zs, she just smiled. Who knew elephants could be smart alecks? Clearly, we would have to resort to modern medicine. Dr. Carol Bradford, of the ABQ Biopark, had already x-rayed Irene’s feet and found them normal. She would have imaged other joints too if they weren’t too enormous for portable x-ray equipment. Physical exam findings and blood results were also fine. She considered a behavioral cause and contacted me. I had my suspicions; Irene is an old timer, after all. I watched as Callie, the Biopark’s elephant trainer, put…
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Dr Jeff Nichol joins the dog pound to talk ticks, licks & sticks for your pooch.
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First in a series A big, older girl with a gentle soul was having a hard time sleeping. She laid down during the night but popped back up after a few minutes. She was also getting easily startled. There had been a lot of birthdays along the way, accompanied by a thick medical record. Everybody was worried. Her doctor contacted me for behavioral advice. No, not for herself – for her patient. Jeez. Sleep happens in the brain but problems elsewhere in the body can have an impact. Veterinary behavior medicine includes all of it. So I offered to have a look. I’ve consulted for the ABQ Biopark in the past, on a jaguar, a capybara, and a spider monkey. This time it was “Irene” who needed help. The matriarch of the Asian elephant herd is 58 years old and generally doing well for her age. She arrived in Albuquerque…
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When well-meaning dog lovers approach or reach for your dog, does she tremble, growl, or lunge? Early puppy socialization means exposing them to gentle people and pets. It’s a great way of preventing fear-driven, defensive aggressive behavior later. Healthy behavior management should start as early as age 7 weeks.
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Last in a series As Scott slowly recovered from distemper he began to eat on his own and even play. It was a huge relief; my best friend was going to be OK. To my parents, though, he was “a dog.” Actually, they were right. We love our pets like little people in furry suits, so shouldn’t they comport themselves like good children? Canine brains are hard-wired differently. Scott was genetically programmed to point and retrieve birds with mental focus, along with a generous helping of physical stamina. Confined to the kitchen, only allowed outside on-leash to prevent damage to the suburban landscaping, he was a fish out of water. Maybe I should have raised guppies instead. Not! I was clueless and, sadly, so were my parents. Scott’s house soiling and woodwork chewing were “bad behaviors.” I did my best. We tugged on chew toys together and played ball outside…
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During Luna’s first weeks she missed out on gentle social exposures, causing her to be afraid when approached by anyone. Well-meaning human attempts to make friends triggered defensive lunging and snapping. You can side-step fearful encounters for your puppy by providing the kid with choices. Let your puppy choose to interact when she is ready. And NO DOMINANCE moves. Dogs were not put on this earth to challenge us humans for global supremacy.
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Third in a series
It was with gravitas that I began young Scott’s feeding regimen. I knew I was up to the task.
Cats aren’t hard-wired to be couch potatoes. They are meant to hunt and pull the guts out of the helpless creatures that keep them alive. It’s not pretty but it’s nature’s way. You can import a dozen lab mice to turn loose in your living room (not a good idea, really) or you can provide all of your cat’s food from food-dispensing toys like the Twist ‘n Treat that Gaston is scavenging from. He expends energy and stays busy doing work that is similar to his innate survival skills. And he’s taken off a bit of that holiday weight gain. He has another food toy that he pushes around to get dry food. He never eats from a bowl. It wouldn’t be natural.
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Second in a series Father and son trundled off in the family station wagon to a somewhat dilapidated quasi-farm. In the corner of an ancient barn sat a plywood enclosure of delightful Britanny puppies scampering around their haggard-looking mama. Looking back, it’s clear how badly she needed a break from the unrelenting demands of puppy production. Because I was a boy it somehow made sense to me that a male puppy would be a good choice. The first cuddler to hop into my lap was my immediate BFF. My father’s childhood cocker spaniel was named Scott; my dog would be his namesake. I was the luckiest kid on the planet. I am older now, wiser and a bit battle scarred, but still lucky. Now it was time for Responsibility. No more fun and games. Vaccinations for puppies, a concept in its infancy at the time, got my attention next. I…
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