Dear Dr...How do I get those really big pills down her little bitty throat?
 

Dear Challenged:  If her nose is pointing up at the ceiling, her jaw will be slack.  Take your index finger and pull down her lower jaw and drop the pill in.  (If she can have a little butter it will make it slide down easier!)
 

Dear Dr...Muffy was sent home eye medication.....

Dear Monterey,  If you approach Muffy from behind she'll be more cooperative.  Gently pull her upper eyelid open by placing your finger on the top of the lid and then drip the eye drops from above.  If you have ointment, place a tiny amount on your clean finger tip and wipe it gently into the outer corner of the eye.  People with long fingernails BEWARE!!  You do not want to cause further harm to Muffy's eye!  If the eye condition gets WORSE after treating it be sure to contact your veterinarian immediately.
 

Dear Dr..I try to get my dog to brush his teeth...

Dear Richmond,  Be sure you are using pet toothpaste...people toothpaste, if swallowed, will cause stomach upset.  Get him used to the taste first by letting him lick the paste off your fingers.  Gradually introduce a soft brush or put the paste on a soft cloth and wipe the outer surface of the teeth, especially the back upper molars and the upper canine teeth (the fangs).  Soon he will look forward to having his teeth brushed and the attention you are giving him!  If you notice any bleeding of his gums or see any growths in his mouth make an appointment with his veterinarian for a check-up.  It may mean he needs to have some professional cleaning and dental care.

Dear Dr.....BATHING MY DOG

Dear Benicia,  To bathe your puppy, use shampoo that is safe for puppies...DO NOT USE HUMAN SHAMPOO.  Gently wet the dog all over with warm water, taking care to keep water out of its ears..put cotton balls in the ears but remember to take them out when done.  Mixing a little water with the shampoo first will help to spread it all over the body.  Rub the shampoo into the fur thoroughly and let it soak for a few minutes as you massage it in.  Then rinse with lots of warm water until no suds can be felt when you rub the fur.  Let the dog shake off excess water (you can hold a towel up to  protect yourself, the walls, and the floor), then towel dry.

.....BATHING MY CAT

To bathe your cat, start when it is young if possible and be sure the shampoo is safe for kittens and cats.  Most cats hate the sound of the running water so fill a bucket with warm water and use a plastic cup to scoop water over its body.  If you can't trim its claws (all owners should learn how to trim a cat's claws---ask your veterinary assistant to show you) put wide masking tape on the bottom of the paw and fold it up over the top of the foot, making little mittens to cover the foot and claws.  Start at the head and gently get the cat wet.  Sometimes to save time and effort one can have a cup full of warm water with the shampoo already in it and then the first wetting of the cat will also apply the shampoo! Gently rub all over the body, but protect the eyes and ears.  Rinse with warm water scooped over the cat's whole body.  Wrap in a towel and dry.

Dear Ticked   A quick and simple way to remove a tick from your dog is to place your index finger on top of the tick just like it were a button and then with gentle pressure, spin the tick in a circle.  After a few moments, the tick will dislodge.   This removes the tick AND its mouth parts without rupturing the tick and potentially exposing you to the tick's body fluids which may contain infectious organisms.  Removing the mouth parts of the tick from your pet also helps prevent tick bite reaction (although it is not vital that the mouth parts be removed and they will eventually be extruded out as the pet's skin grows, much like we eventually have splinters come out of our skin. Your pet may still experience a local reaction to the tick bite much like a reaction we have to a mosquito bite.)  Prevent ticks from attaching to your pet with tick collars like Preventic or with topical treatments like Frontline.

Dear Offended     Your pet's odor can be from various sources.  With a Lhasa, it is common for tears to collect on the hair surrounding the eyes and this can then become odorous.  Keep the hairs trimmed from touching the eyes, and gently clean the face with warm water frequently.  Moisture on the hair around the corners of the mouth is another source and again, gentle frequent cleaning can help.  Another common source of odor near the face in dogs is the mouth.  Have your veterinarian examine your dog for any possible dental trouble.  Also have your dogs ears examined.  You can look in the ears and see if there is any waxy debris (Lhasa's have hair in their ear canals that can be plucked to keep the canal cleaner, but should not have any significant amount of wax).  Healthy ears do not have an offensive odor.

Dear Scabbed    I share your pain.  Cat's claws can be weapons on the wrong cat!  Keep them trimmed to blunt the tips.  This should be done to all kittens to get them used to having their feet handled.  Pressing lightly on the bottom of the foot pad will cause the claw to come out of its sheath (if you have a lion or tiger, the claws are always out.  Another reason not to have them as a pet).  The claw will be thin and curved.  Using nail trimmers for people (no need to purchase any special gizmo) trim the WHITE portion of the claw, avoiding the pink area where the blood supply and nerve are located.  For some cats, weekly trimming will be necessary.  For longer protection of your skin and furniture you might want your veterinarian to apply SoftPaws, a plastic nail cap that is superglued on and lasts for several weeks.  (Come in a variety of colors as well.  Coordinate with your Lee Press-on Nails!

Dear Disgusted     Me too.  But your pet really doesn't have any sense of rhythm.  This is likely a response to full anal glands, a scent producing gland inside the anal orifice.  The glands normally exude an oily substance that covers a dogs bowel movement with a scent marking.  If for some reason the gland doesn't express (the reasons can range from unformed stool to infected and impacted glands) this can cause an irritating sensation for the pet and she will scoot in an attempt to force material out of the gland.  See your veterinarian for help in expressing the gland.  Serious infections can also present like this as can rectal tumors so it is best to have a professional examine the pet.

Dear Baffled   IF your pet has a minor skin wound home care can likely resolve the problem.   A good antiseptic to clean wounds is betadyne, a variation of iodine that has antiseptic properties without being too harsh.  NEVER USE IN THE EYES.  Most people mistakenly use hydrogen peroxide, but other than making a big fizzing display that looks like something really cool is going on, hydrogen peroxide is not very effective for wound cleansing.  (It is quite effective in removing blood stains)  Puncture wounds can look minor but later will prove to be a problem as most deep puncture wounds become infected with bacteria that are normally found in cats and dogs mouths.  Most cat bites are contaminated and all the external cleaning will be for nothing as cat's teeth can sink deeply and put bacteria out of reach of surface cleaning.  That's why many cats several days AFTER a fight develop an abscess.  All significant bite wounds should be assessed by a veterinarian and any wound that is painful, hot or inflammed should be examined immediately by a professional.  Dogs and cats are realtively resistant to tetanus but wounds can become infected with tetanus bacteria and left untreated could develop into tetanus toxin paralysis.  Unlike humans who require tetanus antibody-inducing vaccines, many cats and dogs can avoid tetanus disease with antibiotic treatment.
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