Black spot on kitty’s tongue
Q: While feeding my eight-year-old orange tabby cat, I noticed a black spot on his tongue that was not there previously. Is this something that I should be concerned about?
Ask The Experts
Shaving off a matted coat
Q: I sent my seven-year-old Shih Tzu for a groom recently and was told that her fur was heavily matted. As a result, she had to be shaved down. Why can’t the groomer just brush the tangles out?
My toy poodle suffers from luxating patella
Q: My nine-month-old Toy Poodle was recently diagnosed with grade one luxating patella on her left hind knee. There wasn’t much the vet could do except to prescribe some supplements. However, I am concerned that the condition might deteriorate over time as she is relatively young and extremely hyper. What are some of the holistic treatments I can explore to prevent her condition from worsening?
Itchy dog
Q: My six-year-old Shih Tzu cross has been experiencing serious skin problems for the past nine months. We have visited several vets but his condition has yet to improve. While he does not lick or scratch when he is out on walks, he does so relentlessly at home. Could his condition be due to boredom or is it medically related?
Puss keeps bringing me her dead prey!
Q: I am terrified of lizards but my three-year-old female Calico cat brings me dead ones and it is freaking me out. What can I do to stop her behaviour?
My cat has struvite stones
Q: My three-year-old male Maine Coon suffered from urolithiasis and had to undergo a procedure to have the struvite stones flushed out. Although he has fully recovered from this episode, I understand that there is a high recurrence of the condition. What can I do to prevent this from happening again?
Brushing fido’s teeth is an ordeal!
Q: My newly adopted four-year-old Terrier mix does not let me brush his teeth. What can I do to improve his dental health?
Help! My cats don't get along!
Q: I have a seven-year-old Ragdoll named Cuddles. I recently adopted a year-old local cat, Dimples, from a shelter. Unfortunately, Cuddles did not take to the new feline well and the two sometimes get into aggressive fights. Is there anything I can do to help both of them live peaceably?
My rabbit has wet eyes!
Q: George, my rabbit, seems to have wet eyes. It’s been going on for about a week and despite my flushing it with water and drying it as often as I can, the wetness still persists. He doesn’t seem to be suffering or experiencing any changes in appetite and behaviour. Could it be something in his cage that is causing the eye irritation?
Raw diet for skin allergies?
Q: My six-year-old Great Dane, Gloria, was prescribed a semi-raw diet by my vet as she has sensitive skin. Her diet consists of prescription kibble for her breed and age as well as frozen raw meat (Gloria is only allergic to chicken; she takes rabbit and kangaroo mostly). Her skin has improved tremendously after two weeks but she recently rejected her meals (I usually mix the raw meat with the kibble), picking at it when she’s hungry but never finishing the entire serving. Should I combine kibble and raw meat and if there is any way I can switch it up so that she will like her food again?
Will castration make my dog less nippy?
Q: My eight-year-old Shih Tzu bites people when he is not happy. He especially likes to do this when he’s being showered, groomed or when he has to wear shoes. Everyone in my family has been bitten by him before. Will it help if we castrate him?
No jumping on the table!
Q: My Russian Blue cat, Janelle, likes to jump onto my dining table whenever we have dinner. How do I teach her that it’s inappropriate? She is generally not allowed in the kitchen and eating areas but she has free run of the rest of the house, including our coffee tables and writing desks. Is that why she cannot tell the difference?
Sore and red eyes
Q: Recently, I noticed that my eight-year-old Holland Lop rabbit’s eyes have turned sore and red. His right eye seems to be a little more blood-shot than his left but he does not seem to be experiencing any pain. What could be the cause of this redness and what can be done to treat it?
Ear Irritation After Grooming
Why is my Jack Russell shaking her head and scratching her ears incessantly after a cleaning session by the groomer?
Black specks on my dog’s skin
Q: My Golden Retriever has started growing black pore-like specks on his skin. They first started from the inner legs to the groin and stomach, and are now growing around the ears and chest. This has resulted in a dull and darkened fur coat. My vet has tested and found these specks to be harmless. I tried to lightly scrub them off during bathing, but they became raw and red. Is there any way to remove them?
