ANITA'S ANIMAL CORNER
Things You Always Wanted To Know!
By Jean Sutherland

     My dog eats grass, help! Grass eating by dogs and cats is considered normal by most veterinarians. I would only be concerned about access to grass that has been treated with herbicides, insecticides, or fertilizers that might cause illness.
     How can I stop my dog from drooling so much? Dogs drool for a lot of reasons, including nervousness, excitement, and the anticipation of mealtime. To save your furniture from your drooling dog, you can wipe his mouth periodically. Chew toys may also encourage your dog to work his mouth and swallow more.
     For Mike & Jackie: Why does my dog eat droppings? It is a very common problem. Actually in most canines it is a normal behavior. Dogs will eat other dogs’ feces and even that of other species. At this point, your dog’s habit of eating feces should be approached from a behavioral perspective. Whatever you do, it will take some time to modify the behavior. Carry a squirt bottle when on walks and squirt water when the dog offends.
     Why does my dog scoot his rear end along the ground? It probably means that your dog has full or infected anal glands. They usually empty themselves every time a dog defecates. When full your dog feels a constant, itchy pressure. Kellogg’s All Bran will help. One-two tablespoons a day in food for a 20-pound dog. Increase as necessary.
     Why doesn’t my dog bark as much as other dogs? Some dogs just don’t need to talk as much as others. As long as your dog barks normally when he does bark, you probably don’t have a problem.
     Cold, wet noses are good, right? A cold, wet nose is one sign of good health in dogs and cats. However, even a healthy pet can have a warm, dry nose on occasion. On the other hand, really sick pets can also have cold, wet noses. What does all this mean? Simply that any one indicator of health is not 100 % accurate all the time. Sick pets with cold noses should be seen by your veterinarian. And by the same token, pets with warm, dry noses that are showing other symptoms such as lethargy or not eating should also be seen by a doctor.
     How do I get rid of my dog’s bad body odor? Many dogs are afflicted with seborrhea, which is a skin condition producing excessive oil and odor. The ears can also be affected, adding to the smell. Seborrhea can be primary, or secondary to such conditions as hypothyroidism. A complete physical examination will be helpful in your diagnosis and management plan that may include tar shampoos on a regular basis, as well as other medications.
     Why does my dog’s breath smell so bad? Most often, bad breath is caused by dental or periodontal disease. These pets need frequent dental cleaning and treatments. Internal diseases such as kidney disease can also cause bad breath. A trip to your veterinarian is recommended in order to pinpoint the cause of your dog’s bad breath and to ensure he is in good health.
     Why is my dog sneezing? There are many upper respiratory viruses and bacteria that can cause sneezing in dogs. These upper respiratory infections are usually self-limiting in otherwise healthy adult dogs. In other words, the symptoms should be mild and pass quickly. A more common malady is kennel cough. Kennel cough also results from any of a multitude of viruses and bacteria. Dogs exhibit various coughing symptoms, from a mild hack to a very strong cough (which may sound like choking).
     We would like to thank the Lakeside Spay & Neuter Group, AC, for their help in spaying some of our puppies and dogs and cats. We get a special price for spaying and if you would like to help us spay some puppies, e-mail: mexico4us@yahoo.com
     Our snowbirds are here and many often take pets home with them that they brought with them or have adopted here. If you need helpful info for traveling with a pet, please email me at the address above and I would be happy to help you and your pet get home safely.