A small kitten came back to my hospital three days ago with an eye infection that would not go away. I had tried three of my best ophthalmic antibiotics and still the red, swollen eye remained.
 
A lot of kittens get eye infections. It is so common that I always lecture new kitten owners about it on their first visit with me. When the owner brought the kitten in for the re-visit appointment, I told her to leave the kitten and I would make sure it didn’t go home until the eye was clear. The owner had already spent over $200 on this kitten so I also told her there would not be any charge.

In truth, I thought the owner was incorrectly applying the medication, though this had never happened in 17 years of practice. I treated this kitten myself for the next two days but the eye did not get any better. This one had me stumped. 

The owner called me back saying that her child had gotten pink eye after they got the kitten. I told her that pink eye is not zoonotic (a disease that is transmitted from animals to people). Apparently, the child’s physician told her the same thing. Out of curiosity I asked her what antibiotic her physician prescribed for her child. Well, I ordered the medication and started applying it to the kitten’s eye. Within 2 hours the kitty started to open her eye. And today (12 hours later) she is almost 100% better.

Q.  What breed of dogs do you not recommend? 

This is another tricky question because every breed has different characteristics, and every family has different needs.

One of the more difficult dogs that I have dealt with in our hospital is the Chow Chow. Most Chows are great dogs, but some are rather stubborn and mean. I don’t think there is any “in-between” for this breed. 

Another breed that is popular but I find difficult at our hospital is the German Shepherd. I’ll probably receive a lot of flak for mentioning this breed but I have seen my fair share of “fear biting” German Shepherds. This is where the dog looks at you like he is shy, but if you put your hand near his head he will bite you. This has happened to me on many occasions.  Again, the German Shepherds are a great breed but there are a few that can be “bad.”

As predicted, we are treating a lot of parvo dogs this month.  A dog came in yesterday with vomiting and diarrhea.  He had received a few vaccinations but did not complete the series of shots.  We ran a parvo test, and sure enough, it came up positive. 

Parvo is an intestinal virus that really tears up the lining of the small intestines. The natural bacteria in the intestines start to multiply and create toxins that enter the bloodstream. It is these toxins that circulate through the body and start affecting the heart, kidneys, and blood vessels. Most parvo dogs die if not treated.

I started this dog on intravenous fluids spiked with potassium and glucose.  I then added some antibiotics and antihistamines. Something new we’ve added is a drug called TamiFlu. It is a human anti-viral that is used to treat human influenza. It works great for parvo dogs. We will see how this dog does.

Early this week I had a Jack Russell terrier come in to the clinic that was weak and lethargic for about one week. 

On examination he had a normal temperature, pink mucous membranes, and a normal heart rate. He was breathing with slight difficulty, but it was not that bad. He wouldn’t walk around the exam room, and the owner stated that he had not eaten for five days although he did drink a lot of water. There was no vomiting or diarrhea.

But, when I lifted up his lips I saw that he had what we call petechial hemorrhages. This is basically bruising. When doctors see hemorrhages like this a lot of red flags are raised. Something serious is happening, and immediate medical attention is needed. There are a few things that could cause something like this: a platelet problem, a clotting disorder, or a capillary issue.

We ran some blood work and discovered that he either had a platelet problem or a condition called DIC (disseminated intravascular coagulation).  Another meaning for DIC in the veterinary world is “Death Is Coming.”

Q.  Do you have any dog breed recommendations? How about for active singles, families with little kids or older, not-so-active people? 

I get asked this question often, and I can’t help that I do have biased opinions on pets I see at my hospital.

Some of the questions I ask before giving recommendations are:

a.) Do you want a dog that you have to groom monthly? 

b.) How large of a house or yard do you have? 

c.) Do you have children? If so, are they young or old?  

A good dog for families with young kids is a beagle or a corgi. Both these breeds are small to medium size and will not bowl over the kids. As the kids get older a Labrador or golden retriever are excellent pets.

If you have a lot of room, any of the working breeds are excellent such as the shorthairs or the cattle dogs.  

This week we saw a cat with a chronic ear problem. On the first visit she presented with a lot of pus in the ear. We immediately started the cat on oral antibiotics, a topical ear antibiotic, and an ear wash. The cat improved after a few weeks, but in a few months the infection returned. 

This time I anesthetized the cat, flushed the ear clean, and saw a polyp deep in the ear canal. These polyps are tricky because they are difficult to treat. I surgically twisted the polyp from its base, but if there is anything left of the polyp in the ear canal the polyp will grow back.

I always prescribe a medication that prevents these cells from multiplying.  I have about an 80% success rate. In this cat’s case we will have to see if it works.

                            -- Rob Santos DVM, Monte Vista Small Animal Hospital     

Q.  We saved a Norfolk terrier from the Pound. He is about one-year-old and was emaciated and sick when we received him. His kennel cough developed into pneumonia, and after a four-day hospital stay, he recovered. He is now healthy, happy, and a wonderful part of our family. There is, however, one behavior that has us stumped. He scratches frequently. We purchased and applied Frontline flea medicine but this has not helped. He has a white coat and very pink skin. We think he may have dry and sensitive skin. Do you have any thoughts? 

A: Fleas are just one of a hundred things that can cause a dog or cat to scratch. It is also important to know that it may not be “one thing” that causes itching but rather a multitude of things coming together, driving your dog crazy.

Frontline is a good anti-flea product so fleas are probably not the problem, although you need to remember that one fleabite can cause an allergic reaction that may last weeks even after the flea is dead. If this is the case, your dog may need a short-term course of an antihistamine or steroid.