Q: I’m at a total loss with my long-haired dachshund. I follow the Spot’s Stew recipe. She doesn’t get any processed/store-bought food of any sort.

However, she licks her front paws constantly. We had an allergy test done on her and were told she was basically allergic to almost every type of grass/pollen there is. Besides using vetwrap on her front paws, is there anything I can do?

A: The most common dog allergy symptom is itching. Dogs with allergies will lick their bodies or feet, rub their faces on the floor or furniture, scratch their ears, bite around their tail or scratch under their arms. Their hair may turn reddish in areas and they lose large amounts of hair. The first step, which you’ve already done, is to talk to your veterinarian, who can provide a diagnosis and treatment plan that will give your best friend relief.

For some additional things you can do at home to minimize your dog’s allergy symptoms, as well as information on different types of allergies, please click here to read more.

Dr. Donna Spector, DVM, DACVIM

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Q: I have an exotic short hair persian cat that is 4-years-old. Just had blood work done and there was nothing out of order. She is vomiting up small amounts of hair each day; it never reaches the intestines. I brush her every day, and nothing seems to help. I feed a cat food for persians — I don’t know what to do. Can you offer any advice?

A: Thanks for the question — daily vomiting in cats is not normal. The good news is that it is likely something minor and a few adjustments in her feeding routine or diet may take care of it.

• Feed a high quality natural cat food. Make sure the food has a low amount of grains and contains no by-products.
• Feed canned food. Cats are carnivores and require very little carbohydrate in their diet. Excess carbohydrates in cats can cause poor digestion, gas, bloating, diarrhea or nausea. In general, canned food is lower in carbohydrates than dry food and tends to be a better choice for cats with digestive problems.
• Feed small meals multiple times daily. Multiple meals daily prevent bile build-up which can cause nausea and vomiting. TIP: Split the same amount of food into three or four meals — do not increase the amount of food or you may run into problems with pet obesity.

If these tips don’t ease the vomiting in your kitty, see your veterinarian to discuss other possibilities. Food allergy and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are other common conditions that cause vomiting in young cats. Both conditions are treatable but need to be managed under the watchful eye of your veterinarian.

Good luck!
Dr. Donna Spector, DVM, DACVIM

Do you need vet advice? Post a comment with your veterinary questions and we will send them to Dr. Donna Spector to be answered in a future column.

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Q: In the book, The Whole Pet Diet, it is suggested that the use of cottage cheese should be limited. Can you explain why? Are there symptoms that a pet has had too much cottage cheese?

A: In general, animals lose their ability to properly digest milk products after weaning due to a decrease in the enzyme called lactase. If animals are constantly exposed to some milk products, they can re-develop proper levels of that enzyme, but in general most are almost like quasi-lactose intolerant. Cottage cheese might be too fatty or high in protein for some animals.

If a pet has been consuming some dairy throughout life, they will likely never have a problem. If dairy is new, they may have some temporary (few weeks) diarrhea while they regain some of these enzymes.

Do you need vet advice? Post a comment with your veterinary questions and we will send them to Dr. Donna Spector to be answered in a future column.

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Q: We live in an area which is high risk for Lyme Disease. Our dog has been on a major brand tick and flea medication year round. We purchased the medication at our vet. Last week he showed a strong positive test to Lyme disease and is now on an antibiotic. His symptoms were lethargy, fever and limping on right back leg. He is 4 1/2 years old and the breed is Old English Sheepdog.

Could you please suggest some Halo pet products to help during this health crisis?

A: Sorry to hear your guy isn’t feeling so well right now. Has he ever been vaccinated for Lyme disease? Many dogs test strongly positive because of the vaccine and not because of true Lyme disease. Your veterinarian can run a test (called a Western Blot) to make sure that your dog’s symptoms are truly a result of Lyme disease and not another form of inflammatory arthritis.

The Old English Sheepdog is very prone to a condition called immune mediated polyarthritis, and it also can cause lethargy, fever and limping and is treated differently than Lyme disease. Regardless of the cause, there are some Halo Pet Supplements that can help. Dream Coat has omega 3 and 6 fatty acids which help with inflammation and the Hip and Joint Supplement contains glucosamine and chondroitin which can help lubricate his joints to make him more comfortable. The Hip and Joint should be used long term as many patients will have residual arthritis after the infection (Lyme) is over. Hope this helps.

Do you need vet advice? Post a comment with your veterinary questions and we will send them to Dr. Donna Spector to be answered in a future column.

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Q: My dog is a 10 year old English Bulldog. He was diagnosed with Cushing’s Disease. Currently he is taking Lysodren and we are changing his diet. Can you recommend anything we should do to help him get better?

A: Cushing’s Disease is a complex hormonal disorder that affects many body systems. Often these dogs are obese and this complicates their condition. Have your veterinarian tell you how many calories your dog requires each day in order to lose excess weight. Then choose a natural dog food with high quality proteins that will help promote a lean body. Exercise is also important for dogs with Cushing’s Disease, and as they are often overweight or intolerant to warm temperatures, swimming is an excellent form of exercise to promote weight loss and good health.

Dogs with Cushing’s Disease frequently have problems regulating their blood sugar (what we call insulin resistance). It is best to feed them a natural dog food that has limited grains (carbohydrates) in order to keep blood sugar levels lower. Exercise also helps keep their blood sugar levels in check.

If your dog with Cushing’s Disease has high blood pressure (hypertension), you should minimize the amount of salt (sodium) he eats by feeding a high quality natural dog food as well as avoiding high sodium treats (packaged treats, lunch meat, cheese and dairy products, etc).

With proper medication and appropriate diet changes, your dog with Cushing’s Disease can live a healthier and happier life.

Do you need vet advice? Post a comment with your veterinary questions and we will send them to Dr. Donna Spector to be answered in a future column.

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