Question:
Dr. Wages, can poison ivy cause dermatitis in dogs?

A:  Not usually.  Dogs are not susceptible to it, like humans.

Most dogs are not sensitive to the oils from poison ivy.  They can, however, carry it on their coat and spread it to people. 

I would use caution, however, with any dogs with severe skin allergies.  (However, there are not any documented cases of poison ivy infections in dogs)

~Dr. Page Wages

Oberlin Animal Hospital

Question:
Why does my kitten bite? Is he teething?

A:  Your kitten is probably teething if he/she is less than 6 months old.

Your kitten is most likely biting as part of a play behavior.  I would encourage your kitten to chew on a toy, rather than your hands or feet.

He/She is most likely teething as well, but most kittens don't need to chew on things like dogs do when they are teething.  The last adult teeth should be in place by 6 months.

~Dr. Page Wages

Oberlin Animal Hospital

Question:
Can my dog have nuts?  If so which ones ?

A:  Most nuts can cause some GI irritation in most dogs, however there are some nuts I would avoid.

The most toxic nut is the Macademia nut.  Cashews, Walnuts, and Almonds should all be avoided.   Plain peanuts and pecans should be OK.

I would recommend not feeding your dog any nuts because of the high fat content.  Too much fat at one time can overload the pancreas and lead to pancreatitis.

~Dr. Page Wages

Oberlin Animal Hospital

Question:
Why does my dog have so many tears?

A:  Some dogs, especially the smaller breeds, may have closed tear ducts causing the tears to drip onto the nose.

Many dogs, especially the smaller breeds such as Maltese and poodles can have closed tear ducts.  The tear duct (or lacrimal duct) connects the eye to the nose.  This the pathway that allows your nose to run when you cry. 

If the duct is not patent, the tears will spill over the eye onto the nose, and may cause some staining.  There is a surgical procedure in which the duct can attempt to be opened to help alleviate some of the tearing.  But, some dogs have closed ducts and these cannot be opened. 

I would recommend speaking to your veterinarian about the tear staining if it becomes a problem.

~Dr. Page Wages

Oberlin Animal Hospital

Question:
I take my new puppy out all the time for long periods of time why as soon as we come in she is either peeing or pooping on the floor what can i do?

A: House training is a very difficult task.

Sometimes, if your puppy smells an area where he/she has urinated or defecated in the house, he/she will go in the same spot.  Dogs have the tendency to use the bathroom in the same places.  I would recommend taking some of his/her poop and pee outside and put it in an area of the yard where you want your puppy to go to the bathroom.  Then, when you take your puppy outside, take him/her to that area in the yard, and hopefully the smells will stimulate him/her to do his/her business.  Then, give your puppy a treat! 

I would also recommend teaching your puppy to urinate and defecate on command.  For now, while your puppy is still young, just say "Go Potty" over and over while he/she is using...

Question:
What can I give my dog for carsickness?

A:  What size dog do you have?

~Dr. Page Wages

Oberlin Animal Hospital

Question:
Can you offer an alternatives to having a cat declawed? I got new furniture and I want to train him (12 week old kitten) not to claw it because I can't stand the thought of having him declawed. Any suggestions? He also bites a lot while playing (non aggressively)... any suggestions to train him not to do this? Thanks!

A:  There are a few other options to declawing.

Usually, if you can train your cat to scratch on a scratching post, your cat should avoid using the furniture.  Try a wood post and a carpet post to see which one your cat prefers.  There is also a scratching post with catnip built in it that will entice cats to use it.  Also, keeping your cat's nails short will help reduce any damage from scratching.  Trim your cat's nails every few weeks to keep them at a short length.

The is also a popular product, called Soft Paws, which is a plastic coating that can be glued over your cat's...

Question:
I have 2 wire fox terriers that are littermates. While one is relatively normal (Pokey), the other (Mollie) has had severe skin problems for the two years that we have had her. Her skin is very, very oily and it smells even after washing her. We've sent her to a dog dermatologist in Cary, NC but not much came out of those visits other than a few thousand dollars and no information. The vet gave her some itching medicines because she tends to scratch herself raw and continually has a raised red rash all over her stomach, hind legs and armpits. She also suffers from constant ear infections that are usually noticed when Pokey starts to lick Mollie's ears (I guess Pokey is more in tune to what's going on than any human could ever be!) It's painful to see such a young dog suffer so much. We've changed her diet numerous times and nothing seems to work. We've had her allergies tested and she's not allergic to anything. Also, other than the severe scratching and...

Question:
How hot is too hot? Our golden retriever tends to stay outdoors in our screened-in back porch. At what point should she be allowed into the interior of our home? Is the garage (with fan) acceptable as we want to avoid dealing with the hair?

A:  I would recommend keeping your dog indoors while the temperature is above 85 degrees outside. 

Heat not only affects people, but animals can suffer heat related illnesses as well.  I recommend ensuring any dogs or cats that spend time outdoors to be kept inside once the temperature rises above 85 degrees.  Especially for dogs and cats with longer hair.  Unlike people, dogs and cats cannot sweat to cool themselves when they get hot.  Dogs will pant in attempt to cool their bloodstream, but when the air is hot it is not an effective cooling mechanism. 

I would recommend placing your dog in an area where there is air conditioning when the weather...

Question:
Are the medications from 800Petmeds.com as good as the ones from my vet. They tend to try to steer us away from them

.A:  The products on the sites are the same as the products carried by your veterinarian.  However, I would recommend using caution when ordering medications online for your pets.

The concern with ordering medications online, such as heartworm and flea prevention is that some of the online companies do not store the medications at the proper temperatures.  This causes the medications to lose efficacy.  Ensure proper storage prior to purchasing products online. 

~Dr. Page Wages

Oberlin Animal Hospital

.

Question:
I just got a new kitten so cute! But by husband likes to play fight with will this make her play ruff when she gets older?

A:  I would recommend encouraging your kitten to play with you, using toys.

I would recommend not using your hands or feet to play with your kitten.  Use a toy or something to prevent your kitten from thinking your hands (or your husband's hands) are toys and attacking them.  Typically, by playing with toys (feathers on strings, balls, fake mice, etc.), your kitten will learn to associate play behavior with the toys.  If the behavior is taught with just using your hands or feet, you may find that your kitten will try to continue to "play" with your hands and feet once she gets older.

~Dr. Page Wages

Oberlin Animal Hospital

**CLICK ON THE PETDOCTOR LOGO FOR A SPECIAL OFFER**

Question:
If you have gotten a dog that is about a year old how do you know what shots to give them if the previous owner does not know.

A:  I would recommend getting all the required vaccines.

I recommend getting all the required vaccines in all dogs and cats with unknown vaccine histories.  It does not hurt to vaccinate an animal more than once.  The vaccines recommended are Rabies, Distemper/Parvo combo, and Bordetella.  I would also recommend an intestinal worm examination (stool check) and heartworm screen to make sure the dog is completely healthy.

~Dr. Page Wages

Oberlin Animal Hospital

Question:
Why won't my dog eat? My 3 year old Schnauzer will not eat his morning meal most days, and we have to coax him to eat all of his food in the dish. We keep him exercised and we have cut back on food portions. He eats his evening meal fine though. In the morning he will push his dish of food around on the floor but won't eat the food. Why does my dog do this?

A:  I recommend twice daily feedings.  Leave the food out for 20 minutes and if your dog doesn't eat it, pick it up!

Some dogs only like to eat once a day.  I recommend twice daily feedings, because it helps to promote a better metabolism. 

For a Schnauzer, it is recommended to feed 1/2 cup dry food twice daily.  If you are feeding more than that at either feeding, your dog may not be hungry in the morning.  I would recommend continuing to offer the food twice a day, and if he/she only eats one of the meals, that is fine!  I would...

Question:
I just got back from taking my dog to the vet for vaccinations and a check up. They said he has roundworm. Is there something I can treat the backyard with to get rid of them so it isn't an ongoing problem? This is all new to me and the vet didn't know.

A:  I would recommend using the dewormer your veterinarian prescribed and retrieving any feces from the yard.

Roundworms are a parasite, commonly found in dogs and cats.  This is a parasite that is found in the environment, usually from eating another dog's contaminated stool.  There is medication that can be given in two doses, two weeks apart, to expel the parasites from the gastrointestinal tract.  It is recommended to clear any stool from the yard during the treatment stage to prevent re-infestation.  Once the majority of the parasites are cleared, monthly heartworm treatment is usually all that is needed to prevent re-infection.  Heartguard,...

Question:
I have a ten week old Pekingese. Every morning she wakes up sneezing. What can I do?

A:  I would recommend having your puppy checked to make sure she doesn't have an upper respiratory infection.

Does your puppy only sneeze first thing in the morning?

If the sneezing persists at different times of the day, I would be more concerned about an upper respiratory infection.  I would recommend taking your puppy to a veterinarian for a complete examination.

~Dr. Page Wages

Oberlin Animal Hospital