Welcome to our “Ask Dr. Paola” sequence, the place each Monday we deliver professional recommendation straight from Dr. Paola Cuevas (MVZ) to assist our readers higher perceive their canine’s well being and well-being.
Whether or not you’re a brand new pet father or mother or a seasoned canine lover, Dr. Paola is right here to supply solutions to your most urgent questions. From diet suggestions and preventive care to troubleshooting widespread behavioral points, Dr. Paola is able to provide insights that can maintain your furry buddy pleased and wholesome. Keep tuned for professional steering on a variety of matters that matter most to you and your canine, so you can also make knowledgeable choices and supply the very best care on your canine companion. Have a query? Ship it in right here!
Assist! My Canine is Chubby!
“I imagine Linus may be very obese. What do you advocate as an applicable
food regimen?” – James
Hello James.
Recognizing {that a} canine could also be obese is an important first step towards serving to him stay an extended, extra snug life. So, thanks! Extra physique fats in canines, very similar to in folks, places pressure on the joints, coronary heart, and different organs, and might contribute to severe well being points corresponding to diabetes, arthritis, and decreased immune perform. Earlier than adjusting Linus’ food regimen, it’s important to substantiate his perfect weight vary primarily based on his breed, age, and physique situation. A hands-on analysis utilizing a physique situation rating (BCS) chart is a useful information; it isn’t rocket science, however if you happen to’re uncertain, a session with a veterinary skilled, like certainly one of our veterinarians at PangoVet, can present an correct evaluation.
In terms of weight reduction, a species-appropriate, portion-controlled food regimen is the muse. This sometimes means a food regimen wealthy in high-quality animal protein, average in fats, and low in carbohydrates. Some commercially accessible weight administration diets are formulated to help fats loss whereas preserving lean muscle. Nevertheless, the important thing lies within the portion measurement and consistency. Measure Linus’ meals with a kitchen scale fairly than counting on cups, which are typically imprecise. Incorporating mild, common train tailor-made to his present health stage is equally essential. Keep away from feeding desk scraps or high-calorie treats. As a substitute, use small parts of his each day meals as coaching rewards or go for low-calorie options like inexperienced beans or carrot slices. A gradual, regular weight lack of round 1 to 2 % of physique weight per week is taken into account secure and efficient.
I want you and Linus good luck on the burden loss mission!
Dr. Paola
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Assist! I Discovered Worms in My Canines Poop!
“I just lately dewormed my Yorkshire Terrier Lucy with treatment that I obtained from my native vet. After deworming her, she began coughing and gave the impression to be nauseous. This went away after a day or two. A number of weeks later, I attempted a pure treatment of ground-up papaya and pumpkin seeds, and I seen what gave the impression to be some kind of worm in her faeces—like lengthy grains of rice. Does deworming with Milpro or comparable merchandise kill all worms, together with the eggs, or does it solely kill the grownup worms?“ – Robert
Hello Robert,
Thanks for taking note of Lucy’s well being. It’s commonplace for canines to point out temporary indicators like coughing or nausea after deworming, particularly if there’s a major parasite load. These indicators usually mirror the physique’s response to the dying parasites and often resolve shortly, as you noticed. Pure treatments like papaya and pumpkin seeds are in style in holistic circles. Though there may be, to my information, solely one preliminary research that gives promising proof supporting their antiparasitic results, they haven’t been scientifically confirmed to completely get rid of intestinal parasites. What you noticed in Lucy’s stool resembling lengthy grains of rice is almost definitely tapeworm segments, that are shed by the parasite as a part of its life cycle. That is how they unfold their eggs into the setting.
Milpro is a broad-spectrum dewormer that targets a number of grownup intestinal worms, together with roundworms, hookworms, and tapeworms. Nevertheless, like most anthelmintic medicines, it primarily kills grownup worms in addition to immature levels, not the eggs. That’s why repeat therapies or strategic timing primarily based on the worm’s life cycle are mandatory to interrupt the cycle and forestall reinfestation. That is what we often check with as a deworming schedule. Tapeworms, particularly, are intently linked to fleas, so it’s essential to additionally guarantee constant flea prevention. For a parasite management plan to really be efficient, it’s essential to think about each the native parasite dangers and your canine’s life-style. Components like whether or not Lucy spends time outside, interacts with different animals, or lives in a high-risk space can all affect which strategy is greatest. That is why looking for steering from a veterinary skilled is vital to tailoring a plan that matches Lucy’s particular wants and setting.
For pet mother and father used to giving their canines the identical deworming chew month after month, it’s value mentioning that parasites can regularly develop resistance if the identical kind of dewormer is used repeatedly over time. It is a public well being concern, however rotating or combining therapies beneath veterinary supervision can assist forestall this.
One very last thing value mentioning is that as a result of parasites can simply unfold between pets in the identical family, it’s advisable to deal with all animals within the residence on the similar time, even when just one is displaying indicators of an infestation. Contemplating all of those steps could make a giant distinction in maintaining your pet wholesome and parasite-free. I hope this helps!
Dr. Paola
Assist! My Canine Growls at Guests!
“Elsa is a mild German Shepherd, however generally she growls at sure guests, however not others. It’s not all the time new folks both, some new folks she is okay with, however others she growls. She scares folks due to her measurement, however I do know she may be very mild. I simply marvel why she picks sure folks and never others? Is there something I can do to cease this, or is it good habits to have as a result of she would possibly sense issues that we don’t?“ – Karol
Hello Karol,
Thanks on your considerate query. Elsa appears like a delicate and clever lady, and, understandably, her growling will be disturbing to some guests, even when you understand her mild nature. What you’re describing is a typical habits amongst canines, particularly breeds like German Shepherds, who’ve robust protecting instincts. Canines rely closely on physique language, scent, and vitality, and Elsa is probably going responding to delicate cues within the folks she meets. This could embrace nervousness, unfamiliar scents (like one other canine, alcohol, or sure medicines), and even posture and tone of voice. Her growling isn’t essentially an indication that somebody is “unhealthy” however fairly that she’s uncertain or uncomfortable in that second.
Growling is definitely a invaluable type of communication. It’s Elsa’s method of claiming, “I’m not snug,” with out escalating to extra severe habits. The aim isn’t to suppress the growl however to know and information her by these moments. One useful strategy is to create a predictable, calm routine when company arrive. You may need Elsa on a leash close by with some high-value treats and reward her for remaining calm and relaxed. If she growls, don’t punish her, as that may educate her to skip the warning subsequent time. As a substitute, calmly redirect her consideration and transfer her away to present her house. Right here, the principle problem for you is to attempt to determine what it’s that triggers her; is it a hat? A fragrance? The voice tone? It’s not straightforward, however a little bit of detective work is all the time wanted as we are attempting to decipher or higher perceive our furry relations. As soon as recognized or not less than narrowed down to some potentialities, you’ll be able to work on counter-conditioning these triggers with the assistance of a optimistic reinforcement coach and even a few of your triggering guests, so long as they will comply with directions and stay calm. The clue is all the time to bolster Elsa’s calm habits whereas educating her that what she perceives as a deal with is nothing to fret about.
If the habits turns into extra intense or unpredictable, a session with a skilled in individual can assist you assess her setting and patterns in additional element. Many occasions, it’s we who want some behavioral modifications to efficiently handle our pets, and that’s completely tremendous; in the long run, what’s most essential is that we’re all making an attempt our greatest to know and defend one another’s well-being.
Good luck!
– Dr. Paola
This text is part of our weekly Ask Dr. Paola sequence
