
Ask a Vet
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My
dog loves hanging his head out of the car window when we
drive.
Is that OK?
It’s kind of fun watching your dog’s
ears and tongue fly in the breeze, but he could get debris in
his eyes and possibly scratch his cornea. There is also always
the danger he could jump out. The safest place for your pet is
the back, preferably in a belt or crate so he doesn’t get
injured in case of an accident and isn’t a distraction
to you.
Is it true that all calico
cats are female?
For the most part, yes. For calico and tortoiseshell colors,
there need to be two X chromosomes. Very rarely, you will find
an XXY male that could be that color. However, he will be sterile.
My rabbit seems to have
trouble eating and she drools. Is she sick?
She may have overgrown teeth. Rabbits are not rodents (they are lagomorphs),
but they are similar in that their teeth continue to grow throughout their
lifetime. If the teeth get too long, they may have difficulty eating. She
should be seen by your veterinarian right away to determine if her teeth
need to be trimmed down.
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| Past Ask A
Vet questions — click question to view response. |
| General Questions |
My
daughter was diagnosed with pinworms from her doctor — did
she get it from my dog? |
No.
Human pinworms are from other people. Dogs get whipworms,
and the eggs do look similar under the microscope, but
people do not get whipworms. Cats do not, either. |
I
found a baby squirrel on the ground with no mother
around. What should I feed it? |
The
best thing to do is to call a local rehabilitator who works
with small mammals. It is illegal to own a wild animal
without a permit and a rehabber will be much more successful
in raising the young squirrel. |
I’ve
heard that I shouldn’t cook food near my bird — why
is that? |
It’s
not the cooking that’s a problem — the issues
occur if you use a Teflon pan and it burns on the stove.
The fumes that are produced from the hot Teflon is toxic
to birds and can be fatal. |
Do
you see fish? |
I
have actually seen a couple of fish (one had a swim bladder
infection and one got burned on the heater in the tank).
Fish medicine is a whole different ball game and in fact
there are aquatic vets — they mainly deal with fish
production farms. |
Last
month, you said my pet can’t get swine flu,
but I just read about a cat that died from it. What
gives? |
I’m
only partly guilty of inaccuracy on this one. When the
question was originally posed, there had not been any reported
cases of pets getting H1N1 from a person. However, shortly
after that, there was a case of a cat which did indeed
die from confirmed H1N1 infection after being exposed to
the owner who had it. So now the recommendation is if you
are sick, stay away from your pets as well as your other
family members. |
Since
it’s getting colder outside, can I stop my
pet’s flea and tick preventative? |
Don’t
stop yet. Believe it or not, fall is the worst time of
year for ticks. While consistent frost brings the end of
fleas for the season, ticks will still be around. Even
in very cold weather, they will be hanging out in sheltered
areas like wood and brush piles. I’ve pulled ticks
off dogs on twenty-degree days. Also, if you have had fleas
in the house, it is important to continue treating the
pets well into the winter. Since no new fleas will be coming
in from the outside, it’s the perfect time to get
the problem under control. It is perfectly safe to these
products year-round. |
Can
my pet get the flu from me? |
Generally,
speaking, no. Most viruses are species-specific. However,
ferrets do get human influenza, so if you are sick, don’t
sneeze on your ferret. H1N1 (swine flu) is also not spread
from people to pets or vice-versa. |
I’ve
been told my pet needs an MRI. Where do I go? |
MRI
equipment is extremely expensive and is only available
at referral hospitals where not only can the MRI itself
be performed, but also interpreted by a specialist. We
can make recommendations of some excellent facilities. |
I’ve
thought about getting a monkey as a pet — they
are just so cute and clever. What do you think? |
Monkeys
and other primates do not make good pets. Bear in mind
that these are not domestic animals. Even small monkeys
are very strong for their size. They can deliver a damaging
bite and can transmit a number of diseases that people
can get. |
I’m
going to be taking my pet on an airplane. What do I need? |
You
need to check with your airline, but usually pets need
a health certificate issued within ten days of travel and
he has to be current on his distemper and rabies vaccines.
Small animals can travel in the cabin with you, which is
definitely safer. Larger animals need to go into the cargo
section. There are new regulations in place to try to make
this safer, but you should contact us for details. |
I
found a turtle in the road — should I help
it cross? |
Yes,
if you do it the right way. This time of year, there a
lot of females are getting ready to lay eggs and they are
heading to their nesting places. Move the turtle off the
road in the direction she was headed. If you put her back
where she came from, she’ll just try to cross again.
Caution, though, if it’s a snapping turtle, use a
shovel, not your hands! |
I
found a baby deer hiding in the bushes — what
should I do? |
The
short answer is nothing. Mom is probably close by. The
fawns will lay hidden by instinct to keep themselves safe
from predators. And also remember — if a deer runs
across the road, she may have a fawn or two in tow, so
stop and wait a few seconds before continuing to drive. |
I
found a baby squirrel — what should I feed
it? |
It
is illegal to keep wildlife, so instead of trying to feed
it yourself, you should contact a licensed wildlife rehabber.
We have a list of local volunteers who have a thorough
knowledge of small mammals, birds, reptiles and deer and
who are best equipped to help them. |
My
rabbit has fleas — can I apply my cat’s Frontline
to him? |
No,
you can’t. Frontline is not safe for rabbits. There
are several products which are, including Revolution. It
is important to remember never to use any medication or
other product on any animal other than the one it was prescribed
for. |
Can
my pets get swine flu? |
Not
unless your pet is a pig (don’t laugh — I’ve
seen a number of pet pigs). The human influenza that is
spreading rapidly in the US, Mexico and other countries
right now is a mutant form of swine and avian influenza.
However, it is very unlikely it will be able to infect
dogs or cats. So if you’re feeling sick, go to your
doctor and keep your friends and family away, but feel
free to cuddle up in bed with your pet to keep you company.
We get regular updates from the State Department of Health,
so if this changes, we will know right away. |
I’ve
been reading about the salmonella outbreak caused
by contaminated peanuts. Can my pet get food poisoning? |
Absolutely.
Dogs and cats are not immune to the same poisoning we get.
Salmonella, staph and e.coli are all things our pets can
get. Raw chicken and eggs especially can contain salmonella.
Spoiled food can breed staph and raw or undercooked beef
can harbor e.coli. Vomiting and diarrhea are the signs,
just like in people. |
Can
my dog give my cat any diseases (and vice-versa)? |
Not
too many, really. Parasites such as fleas and worms can
be spread between species. Rabies can also. Most of the
bacterial and viral diseases cannot, although cats can
get one of the forms of “kennel cough”. Cat
distemper and dog distemper are also two completely different
diseases and are not transmissible between dogs and cats. |
What
diseases can I get from my pet? |
People
can get roundworms, hookworms and giardia, which are intestinal
parasites, toxoplasmosis (from cats), which is a problem
for women in their first trimester of pregnancy, cat scratch
disease , rabies, ringworm (which is actually a fungus,
not a worm), salmonella (from reptiles) and psitticosis
(from birds). It is not common for people to get these
diseases, but it can happen. |
Do
all ticks carry lyme disease? |
No,
in fact the only species of tick in this area of the country
that carries lyme is the deer tick and not every deer tick
carries lyme. However, if you are seeing dog and wood ticks,
there are probably deer ticks, too, but they can be so
small, they are difficult to find. |
I’ve
heard about vaccines causing cancer — should
I stop vaccinating my pet? |
The
answer to that is a resounding NO. There is a tumor called
a fibrsarcoma that has been associated with certain vaccines
in cats. It occurs at the site of the vaccination. It is
extremely rare, and realistically, your cat is more prone
to getting the disease the vaccine is made to protect against
than the tumor. Much research has gone into this and newer
vaccines and vaccine protocols are available now to decrease
this risk. If you have questions about this, please feel
free to discuss it at your next appointment. |
I
just got a pet rabbit. Does it need any shots? |
We
do not routinely vaccinate rabbits, but it is a good idea
to have a physical exam and fecal sample run on your new
bunny. We can then discuss basic care and make sure he
is healthy. |
Is
there any advantage to getting my pet spayed or neutered
besides not having to worry about puppies and kittens? |
Absolutely
yes. Spaying a female dog or cat before the first heat
(usually 6-9 months of age) decreases the risk of breast
cancer by 95%. Spaying before the second heat decreases
the risk 85%. Male dogs are less likely to get prostate
infections and enlargement as well as anal gland tumors.
Spayed females obviously can’t get cancer of the
uterus and ovaries because they are removed and the same
goes for testicular cancer in male dogs. |
What
can I do to stop my pet from shedding? |
Shedding
is a normal loss of the winter coat in the spring, but
also occurs all year round as the hair goes through its
regular growth cycle. You can’t stop normal shedding.
If your pet is shedding abnormally because his coat is
dry, adding a fatty acid supplement such as 3v Caps, can
help. Frequent grooming will at least control where the
hair goes. A shedding blade, available at most pet supply
stores, works well to pull out the dead undercoat. Many
cats don’t like being brushed, but may accept a grooming
mitt. |
I
have heard that sugarless gum is toxic to pets — is
that true? |
Yes
it is. In fact, it can be extremely toxic. The toxin is
called xylitol (it will be on the label) and is an ingredient
in many sugarless foods, candies and gum. It can cause
a dangerous decrease in blood sugar and liver failure and
can be fatal. Just one piece of xylitol-containing gum
can cause serious effects in a 20-lb dog. If you suspect
your dog has eaten any or suddenly starts vomiting and
becomes very lethargic and you have sugarless products
in the home, you should call immediately. |
I
read an article in the paper about some people getting
very sick from eating wild mushrooms. Can this happen
to my pet? |
Absolutely. Dogs and cats are not immune to
toxins by any means. The people you read about in the
paper ate mushrooms that caused liver disease and in
one of them, liver failure. Poisonous and nonpoisonous
mushrooms look very similar, so try and keep them out
of your yard as much as possible. If you think your pet
has eaten any or starts acting sick suddenly, call us
right away. |
My
pet tends to lose his collar outside. How will someone
know he is mine if he doesn’t have his tags? |
You
can have your pet microchipped! This small chip is injected
under the skin between the shoulder blades. A great time
to do it is when your pet is here to be spayed or neutered,
but it can also be done during any office visit. It is
encoded with a unique number that can be picked up by a
scanner. Most shelters, pounds and veterinarians across
the country have the scanners. We scan the chip, call the
company and they give us your information so we can get
your pet back to you as soon as possible. |
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| Dog questions |
I
have poison ivy in my woods — do I have to
worry about my dog getting it?
|
Dogs
seem to be resistant to the rashy, itchy effects of poison
ivy. However, you can get it from him if you pet him and
get the oil of the plant on your skin. So if you think
he has run through a patch, hose him off and bathe him
thoroughly (wearing gloves) to protect yourself. |
My
dog tore his nail and it’s bleeding all over — what
do I do? |
You
can use flour or corn starch to try to stop it — cup
it in your hand and hold his toenail (or what’s left
of it) in it. There are commercially available agents such
as kwik-stop and clotisol to use as well. The good news is,
although it looks like a lot of blood, it really isn’t.
However, it does make a big mess. If the nail is hanging
or broken at the base, he should be seen to remove it. |
My
dog keeps shaking his head and I see black stuff
in his ears. Could he have mites? |
He
could, especially if he is with a cat who has them. Dogs
more commonly get ear infections caused by yeast and/or bacteria.
They can be very itchy and painful, so a trip to the vet
is warranted. We may want to do a cytology of the discharge — this
involves taking a sample on a swab and looking at it under
the microscope to see what is causing the infection so we
can treat it appropriately. |
I
don’t know anyone who has had a dog with heartworm
disease. Why do I have to keep giving the preventative? |
Heartworm
disease used to be the number one killer of dogs in NJ.
Because of so many conscientious pet owners using heartworm
preventative, we do not see heartworm disease much anymore.
However, if we stopped using the preventative, the disease
would certainly make a comeback. Foxes and coyotes can
carry it and we also see many rescue dogs brought up from
the south that have heartworm disease. The preventative
also controls roundworms, hookworms and whipworms, which
we do see frequently in this area. |
Is
it OK to give my dog ice cream? |
Dogs
have a real sweet tooth, and the occasional tasty frozen
treat is something they love. Large amounts could cause
diarrhea, but most dogs tolerate some licks just fine.
They do make a frozen dog treat caught Frosty Paws that
they seem to enjoy as well. |
Why
does my dog eat poop? |
Well,
it’s mainly because he is a dog. Most of the time,
dogs eat poop because they want to. It rarely indicates
nutritional deficiencies. Adding canned pumpkin, MSG or
a commercial stool-eating-discouraging agent to the food
may help if he is eating his own or other dogs in the household’s
feces. |
I
was told to bring in a urine sample from my dog.
How on earth do I do that? |
Male
dogs are pretty easy since they are higher off the ground.
Just use a cup to catch some urine. You can stretch out
a coat hanger and put a cup in the hook part to avoid getting
too close if you want. For female dogs, slide a paper plate
under her when she squats and transfer the urine to a clean,
dry container. If it will be more than an hour before you
can bring the urine in, put it in the refrigerator. |
My
dog sometimes makes this horrible snorting noise
and he looks like he’s in distress. What is
it? |
It
could be a reverse sneeze. Smaller dogs, in particular
beagles, are prone to this. What is happening is that their
soft palate is too long and it gets trapped in the airway.
The snorting blows it back out. The good news is that it
rarely is a big enough problem to have to treat. If you
get on YouTube and search “reverse sneeze”,
you’ll find lots of videos. We can examine your dog
to make sure there is nothing else going on. If you can
bring in a short video clip of what your dog does, that
is also very helpful. |
Why does my dog eat grass? |
They
probably do it for many reasons. Some dogs just seem to
like it (especially in the spring when it is sweet). It
may make them vomit, but no one really knows if the dogs
eat it specifically for that purpose. Eating grass does
not indicate they are missing anything in their diet. |
My
dog keeps testing positive for lyme but he feels
fine. What does that mean? |
It
means he is either getting reinfected (being bit by new
ticks which are carrying lyme) or is persistently infected
(the infection is not going away). If he is not sick, he
does not have active lyme disease, but he should be monitored
for signs. For more on lyme, please see the April
2008 Nibbles and Bits. |
Do
I really need to brush my dog’s teeth? |
How
timely a question — February is National Pet Dental
Health Month and our Nibbles
and Bits features our dental
information brochure. Brushing your pet’s teeth is
quite beneficial — helping to control plaque and
tartar accumulation. The dog and cat toothpastes are flavored
so that they will like them and accept the brushing better.
It is not recommended to use human toothpaste as pets don’t
tend to like the mint flavor and also because they may
ingest too much fluoride. We also have a variety of rinses,
sealants and water additives that can improve oral health. |
I
was watching an agility competition on Animal Planet
and it looked like a lot of fun. Could I do that
with my dog? |
Absolutely!
Agility is a great way to bond with your dog. Some breeds
tend to be better at it than others (you’ll see lots
of border collies and shelties in competition), but many
dogs love the challenge of the course. There are a number
of local training facilities that have classes. If you
get some basic plans, you can even build some of the equipment
for your own yard. Gather some of your friends and have
a contest of your own. |
My
dog’s rabies vaccine isn’t due until
June, but the town says I need to get it before I
get his license this year. Is it OK? |
State
law says that the rabies vaccine must be good through the
first eleven months of the licensure period (so for most
towns, that is through November). It is perfectly safe
to give the vaccine early. |
My
dog is always shaking his head. Could he have an
ear infection? |
He
certainly could. He should have an exam to determine exactly
what is going on in his ears and how best to treat them.
Cleaning is often involved and we can show you the best
methods and solutions to use. |
I
cut my dog’s nails too short and now they are
bleeding — how do I stop it? |
The
nail will stop bleeding eventually, but it makes a big
mess in the meantime. You can use regular flour or corn
starch cupped in your palm and hold your dog’s nail
in it to plug the end. There are also several commercially
available products such as Kwik-stop and Clotisol that
you can use. Rest assured, unless your dog has a clotting
disorder, he will be fine. |
What
is a dog’s normal temperature? |
Dogs
and cats are normally 100.5 to 102.5, so they are much
warmer than we are. In fact, at 98.6, people run colder
than most domestic animals, which are usually over 100. |
My dog was boarded at the kennel
for a week and now his bark sounds funny. Should I be concerned? |
If
he’s just a little hoarse, he probably just barked
his head off for the past week and his voice will come
back in a couple days. If he is coughing or not acting
himself, he should be examined to make sure he doesn’t
have a respiratory infection. |
My
dog is going to have surgery and I’m really
worried. Will he be OK? |
Anesthesia,
surgical monitoring, and pain management have progressed
dramatically over the past twenty years. With the availability
of in-house bloodwork, many different anesthetics, state-of-the-art
monitoring equipment and multi-modal pain management, we
will keep your pet as safe and comfortable as possible.
|
My
dog just found a bat — should I be concerned? |
A
little. Bats can carry rabies. It is important not to touch
the bat. You can call the health department and have it
tested for rabies. If your dog is current on his rabies
vaccine, he should probably have it boosted — call
our office to see if it is necessary. |
I
just saw a rattlesnake — can you treat my dog if
he gets bitten? |
Snake
bites are actually quite rare in this area. We do have
rattlesnakes and copperheads but they aren't very aggressive.
If a dog gets bitten, the area will immediately swell and
become very painful. Usually as careful search will reveal
the two fang puncture marks. We treat with supportive care
— IV fluids and pain medication for as long as needed.
The faster we can start this, the better the prognosis.
In general, snake bites are rarely fatal. |
My
old dog doesn’t seem to see or hear well anymore.
Is there anything I can do? |
It’s
hard to see our beloved friends get old. Aging changes
in the lens called lenticular sclerosis causes poor night
vision and decreases the lens’s ability to focus.
The age-related deafness is a nerve issue and not reversible.
The good news is that these changes are gradual and your
pet will usually adapt quite well. If your pet is showing
these problems, we should perform a physical to make sure
they aren’t caused by something we can fix like an
ear infection or cataracts. |
My
dog has been limping — can I give him an aspirin? |
You
have to be very careful using over-the-counter pain relievers
for dogs. You never want to give Tylenol (acetaminophen),
Advil (ibuprofen) or Aleve (naproxen) as these can all
be very toxic. Aspirin, while the safest, is not the best
for your dog. The prescription anti-inflammatories specifically
for dogs are much safer and more effective. |
My
dog is not due for his rabies vaccine until the summer,
but the town says I need it now to get his license.
Will it hurt him? |
The
rabies vaccine we use is very safe. It is not a problem
to give it early. This law started when rabies was reintroduced
back into New Jersey in the late 1980’s. It was epidemic
at that point and the towns wanted to make sure all the
dogs (and in many towns, cats also) were staying current
on their rabies vaccine. Sometimes, the town would issue
a license to a dog whose vaccine was due in March, for
example, but the owners never got the booster done. The
law designed to prevent these lapses in protection. |
My
dog is always itchy — what can I do? |
That’s
a big question because there are so many things that can
make a dog scratch. Fleas, allergies, scabies (“mange”),
and skin infections are a few of the things that can make
for an itchy, uncomfortable dog. A thorough exam can find
out the cause and then we decide on the best treatment. |
My
dog has been shaking his head and scratching his
ears. Could this be an infection? |
It
certainly could be. There are different things that can
cause this, but the most common are yeast infections, bacterial
infections and allergies. By looking in the ear and possibly
doing cytology (taking a swab and looking at it under the
microscope) and/or culture (sending a swab to the lab to
find out what organisms are growing in the ear and what
antibiotics to use), we can decide on the best course of
treatment. |
My
dog lives outside — how can I keep him comfortable
in the winter? |
You
need to make sure he has adequate shelter. It should be
small enough that he can conserve body heat and protected
from wind and rain getting in. You need a heated water
bucket or check the water frequently to prevent it from
freezing. He may need extra food because he will burn more
calories staying warm. If it is going to be particularly
bitter, you may want to bring him in, even if it’s
into a mudroom or garage. And remember that most dogs are
companion animals and would rather be with you than out
by themselves. |
When
my dog gets excited, she urinates. I’ve tried
telling her “No” but it doesn’t
stop her from doing it. What can I do? |
This
is a common problem in young female dogs especially. The
best thing to do is to greet her without getting her too
excited. Don’t pay her immediate attention. If you
punish her, it will get worse because she’ll become
anxious. Luckily, most dogs grow out of this behavior. |
Do
dogs sweat? |
The
only place the dogs (and cats) can sweat from is their
footpads. They cool themselves mainly by panting. |
|
| Cat questions |
What
is that glow I see when a light shines in my cat’s
eyes at night? |
You
are seeing the tapedum, which is part of the retina in
the back of the eye. Cats see very well at night because
their tapedum reflects the light. It is usually shades
of green or blue but in blue-eyed cats, it is usually red. |
My
cat likes chewing on my spider plant and then he
vomits. Is it poisonous? |
No,
spider plants are not toxic, but since your cat can’t
digest it, either, he’s vomiting it up (usually on
the lightest color carpet you have — it’s an
uncanny animal talent). |
My cat lets me pet him for about two minutes and
then will bite me and run off. What can I do? |
Remember
the joke that goes “Doctor — whenever I do
this (fill in the blank), it hurts, what should I do?” And
the punch line is — “Don’t do that.”?
Well, it’s
the same thing. Even the behaviorists will tell you that
you can’t really stop the cat’s reaction. What
you need to do is read the cat’s response to the
petting and stop before he tells you to. |
I
ran out of Biospot for my cat, but I have my little
dog’s Biospot. Can I use it? |
Absolutely
not! Biospot for dogs is a completely different product
than Biospot for cats. It contains permethrin, which is
used to kill ticks in dogs but is very toxic to cats. If
you accidently apply it, wash the cat off immediately with
Dawn dish detergent and call us. Cats will have severe
tremors that look like seizures and they can last for several
days. They need to be hospitalized for supportive care
until the tremors stop. |
My
cat has diabetes and I have three other cats — how
can I prevent this from happening to them? |
For
cats, the number one risk factor for the development of
diabetes mellitus is obesity. By keeping your cats at a
normal weight, you will greatly decrease the risk of diabetes
as well as urinary problems. |
With
all the ticks out, I wanted to put something on my
cat for ticks, but I ran out. Can I apply my dog’s
flea and tick medicine on my cat? |
The
answer is a resounding NO. With the exception of Frontline
Plus, most flea and tick spot-ons for dogs contain a product
called permethrin. It is perfectly safe for dogs but very
toxic to cats. Should you accidently apply a dog product
to your cat, wash him/her immediately and call us. Permethrins
cause severe tremors and seizures in cats. There is no
antidote, but they need supportive care and medication
to limit the reactions until the permethrin is excreted
from the body. |
Is
it okay to give my cat milk? |
It’s
fine as long as it doesn’t cause diarrhea. As much
as cats like milk, it often doesn’t agree with them.
They make a product called “cat milk” as a
treat (available in the pet food aisle) which may be a
better choice. |
Can
cats tolerate over-the-counter medications better
than dogs? |
In
a word: NO! All of the over-the-counter anti-inflammatories
are toxic to cats including aspirin. Cats’ livers
are very different from ours and dogs’ and they cannot
metabolize these medications well. |
How
do I give my cat a pill? |
There’s
a million dollar question! If you are very lucky, your
cat will take it in some food, but most cats won’t
fall for that (or you think they do and when you move the
sofa, you find a pharmacy’s worth of pills under
there). You can get the pill down by tilting the cat’s
head back, opening his mouth and popping it on the back
of the tongue, pushing it down with your finger. You can
also use a “pet piller”— the pill loads into
one end of a rubber plunger and you use that instead of
your finger to push it down. We also have “pill pockets”—
treats that you hide the pill in. Many cats are actually
quite good at taking them this way. |
Why
does my indoor cat need a rabies vaccine? |
Because
you just never know when it comes to animals. Sometimes
on a whim, even a totally indoor cat may get frightened
and bolt out the door. There are also cases of wildlife
(especially bats) getting inside houses. Don’t think
it can’t happen — I had a bat flying around
my upstairs hallway last year! I caught it in a fishing
net, and had it tested for rabies, but don’t try
this at home — I’m vaccinated for rabies. |
Is
it true that white cats with blue eyes are deaf? |
Actually,
that is often true. You can try and test your cat’s
hearing by making a sudden loud noise behind her, but let’s
face it, being the independent creatures they are, cats
only hear what they want to hear anyway, so sometimes it’s
difficult to tell! Rest assured, deaf animals adapt quite
well and will often learn to read your sign language. And
they always seem to know when it’s feeding time. |
I
have a lot of stray cats hanging around my house.
Is there a way I can get them spayed and neutered
so they won’t keep having more kittens? |
There
used to be a state feral cat program, which unfortunately
has succumbed to the big budget cuts. You can try contacting
local rescue groups which sometimes can help with funding.
If you can trap the cats, we would be happy to spay/neuter
them on short notice and can use dissolvable sutures so
they don’t need to come back. |
My
cat often eats and vomits but seems fine otherwise.
Why does she do that? |
You
should first have your cat examined to make sure she does
not have a physical problem. Many things can cause vomiting.
However, if everything is OK, it could be a behavior issue.
Wild cats (like lions and tigers) will hunt and then gorge
on the prey. They then will go back to a safe place, vomit
it up and eat it again. Some behaviorists think this is
where the “eat and vomit” cycle comes from. |
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| Hospital questions |
How
long does it take to become a veterinarian? |
Veterinary
school is four years after undergraduate school, so it
takes seven or eight years altogether. There are only 28
veterinary schools in the US so competition can be pretty
stiff. Unlike MDs, veterinarians are not required to do
an internship and residency although many do. Many vets
have spent their earlier years working as a kennel help,
so we can appreciate the hard work our staff puts in cleaning
cages and mopping floors (sometimes endlessly!). |
How
do you get an X-ray of a dog? |
We
have a digital radiography machine — that means we
do not use film. The images are stored to the computer.
Sometimes we need to use sedation if the dog is very active
or is in pain. We generally have one of our technicians
and an assistant in the room holding the patient. They
wear protective lead gowns, thyroid shields and gloves
and we measure the amount of their exposure with a special
radiation badge that you may notice our staff wearing on
their clothes. |
Do
you accept pet insurance? |
Yes. It isn’t like an HMO where you
have to go to participating Doctor. There are a number
of companies out there, including VPI and ASPCA. They
generally offer major medical and preventative health
care options. The key is reading the fine print so you
know exactly what you are paying for. Look for comments
on deductible amounts, pre-existing condition limits,
age limits, and maximum amounts allowed and percentage
of coverage per incident. Generally, you pay us and then
submit your claim for reimbursement. |
What
types of animals do you see at your hospital? |
We
see primarily small animals (dogs and cats) and exotics
— which include rabbits, ferrets, rats, mice, guinea pigs,
hamsters, birds, snakes, iguanas, bearded dragons, chameleons,
turtles and others. We also take care of the wolves, foxes
and bobcats at the Lakota Wolf Preserve in Knowlton.
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*The contents of the Ask a Vet page are for informational
purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for
professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek
the advice of your veterinarian with any questions you may have regarding
a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice
or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on the Ask
a Vet page.
If you think you may have a medical emergency,
call your veterinarian or 908-362-6430 immediately. Blairstown
Animal Hospital does not recommend or endorse any specific tests, physicians,
products, procedures, opinions, or other information that may be
mentioned on this web site. Reliance on any information provided by
Blairstown Animal Hospital is solely at your own risk.
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