Weekly article archive

The following questions and answers have appeared in my weekly column in the Albuquerque Journal since July, 1996. Each week a new one is added. You'll find information on the physical and behavioral maladies of dogs and cats and a few other species too. I invite you to use the search feature to find the specific answer that you and your pet need.

It all Came Out Fine in the End

sheepdog

Last in a series Most of us would rather file our knuckles with a cheese grater than face surgery but “Chase,” the full-body itching Old English sheepdog, was running out…

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Fireworks Freak-Out

fireworks

There will be a whole lot of scared pets this weekend. It’s hard enough if they tremble and hide but some panic and escape the yard in search of safety…

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Facing the Rear – What’s Back There?

skunk

Fourth in a series It was time to address Chase’s rear. Beyond her side scratching, paw licking, and head rubbing, she was a serious scooter on her painful derriere. I…

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Ears and Rear – No End in Sight

scratching dog

Third in a series We’d put an end to those ear infections, whatever it took, but unless we controlled Chase’s scratching and rubbing, the population of normal organisms in her…

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Good Buddies

buddies

Friendships happen between creatures of different species because they share empathy and kindness. Our species could do better with other humans  – we aren’t really different than each other. We can…

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Showered in Discharge on the Way to Ear Redemption

Dog watching

Second in a series Miss Manners did a fine job of holding “Chase” on the exam table. After evaluating this big shaggy dog’s skin I examined her teeth and gums.…

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Ladder of Aggression

Ladder of aggression graphic

Click graphic to open a larger version as a pdf   Don’t be surprised by reactive aggression. If a dog even begins showing the body signals from this text book…

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Itchy Ears & Body – Where does it End?

sheepdog

First in a series Poking my head into the reception room, my gaze fell on a nicely groomed Old English Sheepdog – my next patient. As I invited her and…

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Avoiding Conflict – Living Gracefully

dog

A peaceful existence is difficult for a lot of us in today’s world. Strife and acrimony should be rare. For a canine senior called Grace, getting up and around is…

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