June 3rd Questions and Answers:
Dog licking armpitsDegu question
Cat with bleeding gums
Puppy vomiting
Cat hairballs
From Melissa,
Question: For the past week or so, my dog has been itching and licking herarmpits to the point that they are getting raw and then forming scabs. Anyidea why or what I should do? She does not have fleas, it's just her armpitsthat bother her.
Answer: It sounds like your dog has allergies. I agree with you that she probably doesn’t have fleas, check out my page about dog allergies by clicking here. I will show you what you can do at home and when you need to see your Vet. Dr. Suckow
From Lisa
London, Ontario
Question: My degu Darwin seems perfectly healthy in every way, except that 3 or4 days ago, he started losing the fur on the 'trumpet' part of his tail. Nowthe end just looks like a regular rat's tail. I haven't seen him chewing it,and it isn't damaged or sore. His teeth are bright orange, no diarrhea, eatingnormally, bright eyes, perky ears, and playing normally. Does anyone know whatmay be causing this? Any suggestions? He's eating the same diet as he has beenfor the last 6 months, 1/2 guinea pig & 1/2 chinchilla food, with a sprinklingof seeds. Timothy hay and rodent blocks daily. Fresh filtered water daily. Sandbaths every few days. Anyone know anything about this?
Answer. Degus teeth are naturally orange. The fur loss may be due to grooming. I have limited experience with degus. Please check out the Degus breeders association website for more information. Dr. Suckow
From Blaney
Wichita Falls, TX
Question: Our cats gums are bleeding - what might have caused this?
Answer: It sounds like your cat has gingivitis or inflammation of the gums. It is a fairly common condition in middle to older cats. Your cat needs to have a dental cleaning and exam done by your Vet to determine the extent of the inflammation. For more information please read read this about pet dentals
From Jude
Waterloo, Ontario
Question: My cat is 9 months old and recently has been vomiting a lot. Ithought it was because I changed her from a kitten to an adult food (IamsBrand). I transitioned her back to kitten food and she was fine for about 2weeks, but it has started again. Everything else about her is normal. Herpoop, her eating habits, sleeping, and water intake. She is also still veryactive and affectionate. What could be wrong? P.S. She is up to date on allshots and is spayed.
Answer:If everything else about her appears normal and healthy, it could be hairball related. You could try a hairball remedy from your local pet store. If this doesn’t clear it up, please see your Vet. Also check out this this article.
From Christine
Sunland, CA
Question: I have a german shepherd who is 15 months old. He at the moment isonly on canned food. (1 large can) a day. Every time I try to get him startedon kibble he gets terrible diarrhea. My question is two fold, how much shouldhe eat and is it normal for him to get diarrhea from kibble after being off ofit for a few months? Thank you.
Answer:
Hi Christine, Have you tried to switch over gradually over a period of a couple of weeks, instead of abruptly? Just mix the different types of food together for a couple of weeks, gradually increasing the amount of kibble. Also check out Dog Vomiting.
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