Veterinary Viewpoint PetsWeekly

Dr. Florez will be answering all of your questions on this page, so please email us at petdoc@petsweekly.com for answers to the questions you've always wondered about.

Dear Dr Florez,
My cat Pusska (a black cat) seems to being going bald under her chin/on her neck (not a large patch).
Have you any idea why this might be happening?
Thanks,

Hi Wendy!
First of all, the area that you are describing as well as the symptoms, sound remarkably like "feline acne". If you are using a plastic bowl for food or water, trade them out for a metal or ceramic bowl. Generally cats get this ailment from leaning over the bowls to eat. The oils build up on them and like humans, it is transferred back into the skin.

Second, you may want to incorporate some Omega Fatty Acids (I prefer Omega 3 supplements) and/or Biotin and salmon oil. They are all natural. You can either pick these up in any health food store, or you can find them at this address: Fatty Acids

This is the product that I use for my cats. All 18 of them! Last but not least, I would consider changing foods. I'm not sure what you are feeding Pusska, but food allergies (particularly allergies to grain) can cause this type of ailment. I have just put mine on Life's Abundance, which I highly recommend. You can either order a sample pack (which is very small, but also contains the supplement), or you can just order an entire set of the food and supplements. They guarantee EVERYTHING 100%. So if you have any problems, you can just return it for a refund. Here is a link to this food:
Healthy Pet Net

Dear Judy,

Pets can develop pancreatitis for any number of reasons, including anything from gum infections to tumors to consuming people food. You will need to do have a vet do a full exam that includes blood work and x-rays ato discover how your pet is doing physically. When you collect this data, it will be a lot easier to determine if this is a physical or emotional response. We recommend a ful exam twice a year exam for pets over 10 years of age. Also keep in mind that pets have difficulty recovering from diseases as they grow older.

You need to have a full testing on your pet to see why he’s not recovering as quickly and why he is “getting old”. Arthritis and other problems could also be contributing factors.

Best of luck, and please keep us posted as to your pet's recovery!

Diego Fernando Florez, DVM

Dear Dr. Florez:

I live in northern Minnesota and have a 7-year-old altered female lab mix with multiple issues. Spaying occurred at 6-months.

As a young dog, she vomited on a regular basis. We went through multiple brands of dry dog food, including prescription, before finding one (non-prescription) that seemed to agree with her. Also, she drinks only distilled water.

At the same time she has dry skin with excessive shedding as well as continuous licking and scratching. It was thought that this was an allergic reaction to the foods; but even after finding an agreeable brand, the dry skin, etc. issues remain. Furthermore, the skin issues remained despite the winter season killing off all outdoor allergens.

To combat these "allergy" issues, she was placed on daily Prednisone (.5 mg currently). During this time, her T4 was tested and it was found that she had hypothyroidism. She was subsequently placed on Soloxine and after a time, leveled out at .3 mg daily. While on the Prednisone and Soloxine, she would develop "hot spots" occasionally which would subsequently weep and ooze. They looked as if they were untreated poison ivy that had been scratched excessively. One of these resulted in a short "surgery" and antibiotics to clean it up. We have caught the others before they reached this point and have managed to clear them up with out a visit to the vet by washing them a couple of times a day and blotting/spraying them with the product Allercaine.

At the age of 6 1/2 years (in October), she ruptured the ACL in her left rear leg. The emergency vet we took her to said surgery was the best thing for her, but she needed to be off of all meds for one to two weeks prior to surgery. Following his advice, we reduced both the Soloxine and Prednisone over the next four to six weeks. We were able to eliminate the Soloxine entirely, but when trying to do so with the Prednisone, it proved impossible. The best we could do was reducing her to .5 mg daily. Without the Prednisone, she is in misery with the skin issues. To date, she has not had the ACL surgery.

Just this month, her regular vet has checked the T4 again and placed her back on Soloxine. However, we had NO "hot spot" issues while she was off of it. Off of the Soloxine, she also gained weight. Her vet recommends she lose 30 pounds before doing any surgery (she currently weighs in at 90 lbs). I know losing any weight at all will be the best thing for her and we will move her back to a weight-management dog food again. Also, the regular vet says the Soloxine will help with weight loss as weight gain is a symptom of hypothyroidism.

Anyway, here are my questions:

-could the Soloxine be causing the "hot spots" to develop? If so, what is an alternative for the thyroid issue?

-she seems to be fine with the ACL issue. No limping, walks normally, will run if she feels like it. (She is not and never has been an ambitious dog. Chasing the rabbits in the yard for about four feet is enough exercise in her mind and always has been enough.) She does not weight bear 100% on the left rear leg. I would say she uses it about 85% to 90% but seems to me to be able to get up and down just fine. Would you recommend the ACL surgery anyway? My concern is her developing an infection post-surgery because of her skin issues and I'd rather have a live broken dog than a dead repaired one.

Any advice you could give me would be truly appreciated. I simply don't know what would be the best thing for her; and that's all I want for her...the best.

Thank you in advance for your help-
Shawn (Daisy's mommy)

Hypothyroidms seem to be one issue Soloxine more or less should be at 0.8mg every 12 hours by mouth; however she might be allergic to specific components in the Soloxine pill; also I have seen issues called vasculitis that can occur with any medication.

I also would recommend you to get her off prednisone ASAP due to long term side effects. There are other alternatives for the allergies, which your vet can address with you. If they cannot come up with an alternative to Prednisone, please search for another veterinarian that may offer alternatives. Prednisone is very hard on the liver and long term use should be avoided.

Atopica can be an effective method to control allergies, but before you put her on anything else you need to see a specialist for the skin issues. They can do an allergy test and proceed with the indicated tx at that point.

If she is not limping, I would hold off on the surgery and concentrate on the weght reduction program.

Your first order of business is to see a specialist for the allergies and hypothyroidism. You should also change her diet to help with the weight loss and allergy issues, and a diet change may also help with the hypothyroidism.

Good luck!
Diego Fernando Florez, DVM

My 7 year old male border collie has recently began repeatedly licking his front legs and this has resulted in a brownish pink discoloration on his white legs. There has been no noticeable dermatological reason for this sudden onset of licking. Is there anything I can do to relieve this obsessive licking and resultant discoloration?

You are very observant; most people would not associate the licking and discoloration together!

As our pets get older they can develop a few issues associated with aging, and each of these symptoms need to be addressed accordingly.

You pet could be suffering from many things, including something as simple as an allergic reaction - either to his food, grass or anything else that have changed within his environment. Your pet may also be developing arthritis. As he is 7 years old, such changes are normal. If your dog did experience some aches and pains, he would lick that area in an effort to relieve the pain.

Your pet may also be exhibiting signs of metabolic disease, a thyroid deficiency or one of many other issues. Your best bet is to begin cleaning your dog's paws thoroughly and check for any injuries. If you do not see any injuries, you should take your dog to a veterinarian for a regular check-up. As always, this is generally the best route to take for diagnosis of any problem. Your veterinarian will be able to examine the area and determine if it is simply an allergic reaction, or if additional tests are needed to correctly diagnose the problem.

We’ve got a 7yr old lab/spaniel. Lately we've noticed blood in her urine (now that we have snow!) Any thoughts?

Your pet might be either developing a bladder infection, bladder stones or other problems related to the urogenital system.

I would advise you to take your pet to your veterinarian for further diagnostic and treatment since can be an array of issue and it cannot be resolve on the Internet.

Dr. Florez,

Our Sharpei was recently put on Soloxine for hypothyroidism, however, he constantly breaks out in oozing sores and lesions. Is this because he is allergic to the medication? He needs this medication for life but we cannot subject him to this.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you,

Trish

Dear Trish,

As you know, hypothyroidism is a condition that often requires lifelong medication. The sores and lesions that you describe may or may not be related to Soloxine. I have not seen the type of reaction that you describe in any of the SharPei's that I have treated or know about. Shar Pei breed dogs often have many issues related to the skin which can range from mild skin infections to severe allergies and atopy.

Your pet needs to be seen for the skin condition. The thyroid medication is probably not the cause of these symptoms. I believe they are likely related to a separate issue. However, while it is rare for a pet to develop an allergy to the Soloxine medication, it’s certainly not impossible.

You should have a dermatologist take a look of your pet and follow their recommendations. Oftentimes an additional medication or ointment can be prescribed, or simply changing your pets food could help. This type of condition definitely merits the attention of a dermatologist, though, and I highly recommend that you locate one in your area for an immediate checkup.

Best,

Diego Fernando Florez, DVM

I have a kitten that I got form Humane Society. It had a cough & sneezes. Took it to a vet & got medicine for it. Vet said it was upper respiratory infection. A week after meds are finished, she is a lot better & her eyes aren't gooky any more but she still has a bit of a cough & sneezes. Her chest is not wheezy any more. Vet said something about it evidently being virule (?) . Is there anything I can do? Have to have her spayed in about 6 weeks & am afraid of her being put under for the surgery. Have just lost my bestest friend end of Nov. A cat I had delivered & fed because her mom couldn't. She was only 10 1/2 years old. Am so afraid of something happening to this little one. She is a bit over 4 months old.

Dear Kathy,

I’m sorry about your loss last year. It's always difficult to lose our loved ones. But, you have a chance to help another creature now and it should not be a problem.

Your kitten most likely had a viral infection. It’s very common in places where there are a large number of pets being boarded. Your kitten should be fine for spaying at 6 months of age. You should, however, bring your kitten in for booster vaccinations and also for physical exams periodically until your kitten is fully vaccinated.

As usual, your veterinarian should examine the cat before he/she is put under anesthesia to be sure it’s safe.

Best of luck with your new kitten!

Diego Fernando Florez, DVM

I have a 6-wk- old Chihuahua that I just brought home. My 2 year old dog was very anxious to meet the puppy. So much so that she began salivating.

Could you confirm for me that this only an unconditioned response due to excitatory stimulus. My wife thinks Maya wants to eat the puppy because she associates her salivation with dinner time. Could you shed some light on this subject.

Thank You for response in advance.
Herman

Salivation increases as a result of excitation of the salivary nuclei in the brain stem. Stimuli that may lead to this are taste and tactile sensation involving the mouth and tongue. The new arrival would create an excitatory response from you older dog. I do not think that your dog wants the puppy for dinner. However, you want to be certain that you never leave both pets together unattended.

If the salivation continues, you may want to have your pet seen by a veterinarian. There are other medical factors that could contribute to excessive salivation and only a veterinarian can determine if you should be concerned.

My dog, Chance, all of a sudden became really clingy. He will hardly leave our sides. He's constantly under foot and he practically jumps into our laps when we sit down now. He's always been a loving pup but this clinginess is a little new for him. Could this just be a result of the kids going back to school schedules and he's just missing them? Or do you think it could be something we should be worried about? Please let me know....

Dear Jennifer,

I would not be overly concern with your pet's clinginess for now. However, if this continues you may want to have a vet rule out any disease, or other physical causes why your pet has become so clingy.

Most of the times, pets look for attention and love from the people that they are surrounded the most by. This may simply be a result of your pet seeking reassurance from you, as he may feel abandoned from your children attending school and leaving him alone all day.

Best of luck and please contact us if you have any other comments. Also we would like to hear from you later on and see how your pet has recovered, or if additional care is required.

Dr. Florez,

We have two Bloodhounds, Bonnie and Clyde. They are brother and sister, and 2 ½ years old. Bonnie is very much the "Alpha" dog, and Clyde is very much the coward. Clyde has taken to becoming very aggressive when approached during his naps. He sleeps on the bed and if accidentally touched during the night, he gets mad and snaps at whoever tapped him. We love our dogs, and Clyde is neutered, Bonnie is not fixed.

What can we do to stop Clyde from snapping at us when he is sleeping? Bonnie is very gentle, and you can roll on top of her and she will not snap. But Clyde is so aggressive that we have even purchased a muzzle for him.

Thank You, Adrian & Jennifer Herrera

Dear Mr. and Ms. Herrera

I think that the first thing that you should do is have you dog evaluated for physical problems and go from there. In the event of arthritis, metabolic diseases or behavioral changes, pets can become aggressive and is a higher risk for bite incidents at home.

It's concerning to me every time that a pet starts to change its behavior. I generally find is primarily due to physical problems that the pet has, and they are expressed through negative behavior, such as biting and other behavioral changes.

You should schedule Clyde for a full examination; occasionally even aging can cause your pet to react this way. If you your dog is cleared of any physical problems, it could very be a jealousy issue and may easily be solved by obedience training or through a trainer.

We recently adopted a mini dachshund from a rescue shelter in Tucson. The history of our daxy, named Caddy, is that she came from a puppy mill and was never socialized to humans. She is great with other dogs, but cowers in the presence of humans and jumps at any new movement or noise. She is scared of everything and won't even go for walks without being forced to go outside. What do you recommend? Training? Meds? Any suggestions would be great. We will be making an appointment with your clinic soon for a check-up. Thanks

Dear Mr. Weberg,

First of all, I would recommend that you be patient and go slow with your puppy since any major changes will obviously create a negative impact on her.

The first thing you should do to acclimate her to both you and your home is to begin slowly. Place her on a leash and move slowly throughout your home. Eventually you can take her on a leash outside of your home. You may need to incorporate a trainer who is familiar with this condition. Training is very important, but it must be done correctly for effectiveness, or it could create more damage.

When playing with her, or calling her to you, try to stay down on her level by kneeling instead of being in a standing position. This will help her feel less threatened, and will help her through the initial acclimation period.

At this point, I would discourage medications, leaving them as a last resource. She will likely need to be evaluated by both veterinarians and behaviorists for the best diagnosis.

Congratulations on your new charge!

Dr. Florez

Losing Fur

I have a 4 year old Springer Spaniel. The fur on her back is not growing. It is very similar to a white strip on a skunk. The brown color is very light from the sun or aged. She has new fur growing on the sides that is dark brown. We shave her completely down in the spring & summer. It stopped growing after her last shave in early April. What do you think? She is very active.

Dear Colin,

It's a difficult to determine what condition your pet has at this point without seeing her. Dermatological conditions consist of many variables and they could either be multiple issues occurring at the same time or it could be one single issue.

From the brief description you have provided me in your email, your pet may have a delayed hair re-growth. Occasionally, depending on which phase of hair growth you trim it in, the hair may stop growing until the next time that the hair follicles become stimulated. Then the hair grows again. It is a very common condition, but the hair should grow again, it will just take some time.

Nevertheless, the skin needs to be evaluated by a veterinarian; if your pet has fleas or your pet is scratching, biting or the skin is infected you will need to treat the skin in a different way. I always recommend Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids and multivitamins for the skin when we are treating dermatological conditions, as well as for pets that might have issues with hair re-growth.

Dr. Diego Florez, DVM

We have a 10-month-old beagle named Lily, you may remember her, and she has been to your office a number of times for shots and check ups. I just wanted your opinion; she has been licking her front paws quite a bit, more than normal. I know that dogs will do that when they have allergies but I was talking with someone about it and they had mentioned that it could be a sign of Valley Fever. Is this true, and are there other symptoms to look for before we come in to have her checked? Knowing beagles and their noses to the ground I suppose it could be a possibility considering valley fever is found in the dirt. Please let me know what you think at your earliest convenience. Thank you for your help!

Dear Mrs. Pentecost,

Thank you for writing with your questions. Of course I remember Lily! She was here not too long ago.

I doubt that her paw-licking could be a symptom of Valley Fever. However, Lily should be evaluated for other things such as allergies, foreign bodies or lesions in the paws. (By the way, I did not see anything during our last evaluation, but this is always something that we should re-evaluate as it can change day-to-day.)

There are also alternative foods that we can try for awhile to see if her symptoms may be a result of allergies. We can also run a blood test to determine the root cause, and discuss ways that we can make Lily's life more comfortable. Lily’s age group makes me think that we might be dealing with either food allergies or a lesion of some type.

The best thing to do is have Lily evaluated. Please give us a call and make an appointment. At that time, we can discuss testing her for allergies and check her paws for any type of lesions.

Hypothyroidism

I have a large, 65lb. mixed breed dog that has been put on Soloxine for regulation of his thyroid. I was just wondering if there are any long-term side effects from using this drug and what exactly I should be on alert for in the line of complications. He also has some severe skin discoloration on his abdomen (dark patches)...could this be a side effect or is this something else I should be worried about?

Dear Ms. Allen,

Your dog’s Thyroid levels should be monitored, particularly at the beginning of treatment, as Soloxine doses must be properly regulated for each individual animal. However, once the dose is initially established, the thyroid levels can be checked less frequently, but it is still necessary to do so often.

When Soloxine is properly administered, it generally does not present any side effects. Most side effects are observed when pets receive an over-dosage of the medicine. These side effects consist of over-eating, drinking obsessively, over-excitability, and excessive panting.

As I mentioned, these side effects are not observed when the drug is properly administered and the thyroid levels are checked frequently. Your veterinarian will place your pet on a maintenance schedule of routine office visits, and it is very important that you follow his or her recommendations.

If I were to hazard a guess about the patches on the skin that you are observing, I would say that they are due to the sun. If your pet spends a lot of time outdoors, or lies in the sun for any amount of time, it could cause these types of spots. They could also be age spots. However, you should consult with your veterinarian to see if they require any medical attention. Any changes or abnormalities in your pets skin should be checked out in an office, as pets are as susceptible to skin cancer and other sun-related issues as humans are.

Dr. Florez,

I live in AZ and I see that you do too. I often see people walking dogs across the hot concrete and asphalt in the summer and I don't think that's good for the pets. My question is: how hot is too hot? How do you tell when it's too hot to walk on the pavement? Are paws less sensitive?

Also, my girlfriend is allergic to my dog. I've tried some different shampoos, but I was wondering if there was something that will help my dog shed less. I have a Labrador mix.

Thanks in advance,

Arlo

I always want to see someone try to walk on concrete without shoes at 1 pm in Phoenix, AZ just as they expect their pets to do so. It is important to walk your dogs very early in the morning and to always bring water. If your schedule does not allow this, then wait until the late evening hours. This will allow the pavement to cool down a bit.

If adjusting your walking schedule is not something that you can do, there is always the option purchasing your pet some “doggie boots.” These boots are designed to protect your pet’s paws from the heat of the pavement, and also provide an extra layer of safety against broken glass and other hazards.

In regards to your girlfriend’s allergies: people are allergic to the saliva from their dogs, not to the pet hair. When animals clean themselves, they transfer this saliva to their coats. Giving your pets cold baths in plain water will help close your pets pores, and will not remove too much oil from your pets skin as regular warm baths with shampoo will do. If you choose to bathe your pet, you should supplements your dog’s diet with fatty acids, such as Omegas 3 and 6, as well as fish oils, to help preserve the oils in your pets coat. This will also help your dog to shed less.

Your girlfriend should also be seen by a physician and/or allergist to determine the true origin of her allergies by way of a blood test. It is possible to desensitize her against a number of allergies, such as allergies to dogs, and there are a number of new pharmaceuticals available that will help ease her suffering.

Q: Dr. Florez,

I have always fed Purina Brand dog food to my dog. But, with the new diets coming out (raw diet, etc.) I am a little confused as to which one might be best for her. Do you have any suggestions on the best type of food for my dog?

Thanks,
Meggin Portenier

Purina is a good diet. I would not alter your pet's diet unless you notice changes (sometimes these changes can be as simple as changes in lifestyle) that may necessitate a chance in her diet. Lifestyle changes may include issues with weight due to an increase or decrease in activity levels, age, or even weather changes (extreme weather can alter a pet's normal exercise schedule). I always look at the pet's coat as a reflection of the nutritional health of the pet. The coat should be shiny all over the body. If the coat looks dull, you may want to consider changing your pet's diet, or at the very least, supplement her diet with multivitamins and fatty acids. Your vet can provide additional information on this subject. In addition, Purina has supplied a chart that will allow you to see if your pet is overweight or underweight, and PetsWeekly has posted it at this location: click here

You should always keep in mind the breed of your dog, her age, activity level and a number of other factors to properly choose the diet for your pet. I also like to supplement my patients with fatty acids Omega 3, Omega 6 and multivitamins.

There are a number of wonderful diets that you can choose for your pet, and each one is highly indidvidual. You should consult with your local veterinarian to guide you through this selection if you are thinking of changing diets for any reason. Remember that any diet change should be made slowly, over a period of several weeks, as your pets digestive system will need time to adjust to changes.

Dr. Diego Florez is originally from Colombia, South America. He's been in the U.S. for over 12 years. After originally obtaining his D.V.M. from the Universidad de Caldas in Colombia, he then pursued his ECFVG Certificate from Purdue University in Indiana. He has practiced since 1994 in Colombia, New York, Indiana, and finally in Arizona. He currently owns a practice at Aztec Animal Hospital where he specializes in small animals and pocket pets. Cat, dogs, rabbits, ferrets and other small creatures are regularly seen at his Scottsdale practice. He has a special interest in dental, orthopedic surgery, and internal medicine. He currently resides in Scottsdale, Arizona with his Chihuahua, Chile’. In his spare time he enjoys traveling, hiking, mountain biking, wake-boarding, and any outdoor activities. For more information on his practice, you can go to www.aztecanimalhospital.net.

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This service is provided for educational purposes only. Neither www.PetsWeekly.com nor Veterinary Viewpoint is a substitute for the regular veterinary care for your cats, dogs or other pets, and we strongly recommend that a licensed veterinarian provide regular, routine office visits. Neither www.PetsWeekly.com nor Veterinary Viewpoint is a substitute for the advice of veterinarian care and does not provide advice or consultation regarding immediate emergency attention. If your pet has been in an accident, or is in need of immediate medical attention, you need to contact your regular veterinarian or local animal hospital immediately.