Scooting can be a sign of anal gland impaction. The anal glands are located on each side of the rectum. They fill with fluid that is normally expressed or eliminated during a bowel movement. Anything that interferes with this normal draining process can cause the glands to become full, or "impacted," and will make the dog uncomfortable. Sometimes the impaction is bad enough to form an abscess. To treat this problem, the doctor drains the glands, either manually or surgically. Scooting can also be a sign of tapeworms. Tapeworm segments pass out of the dog's rectum, and often catch in the fur on the legs and tail.

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WHY DOES MY DOG/CAT HAVE BAD BREATH?

Bad breath or "halitosis" is often caused by chronic periodontal disease with bacteria, living under the gumline. A normal healthy mouth has 750 million bacteria per ml of saliva. In dogs and cats, as in people, most oral odors are a result of the by-products of oral bacteria located above and below the gumline. Low grade gingival disease usually exhibits minimal disagreeable odor. As gingivitis progresses, the bacterial population changes from the typical aerobic, gram-positive bacteria to anaerobic, gram-negative rods like Bacteroides, Fusobacterium, and Actinomyces species. These anaerobic bacteria produce more volatile sulfur compound by-products which results in more significant mouth odor. As a general rule, the stronger the bad breath, the worse the mouth disease.

Oral malodor can also be due to other reasons including oral tumors, immune-mediated oral disease, upper respiratory infections, sinusitis, tonsillitis, lipfold pyoderma, cirrhosis of the liver, kidney disease, diabetes, and others.

To learn more, read Dr. McGuire's article about the prevention of dental disease in the Pet Care Library.

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Some lumps are cancerous, or malignant, and the doctor may want to remove these surgically before they get too large. In general, small lumps are easier to remove than large ones. The first step is for the doctor to examine the cells that make up the lump. This is done by gently extracting a few cells with a needle (a procedure called a needle aspirate) and examining them under a microscope. Some lumps -- lipomas -- are made of harmless fatty cells, but some are cancerous. Just as with humans, the sooner a tumor is removed, the better the chance for recovery.

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Runny eyes may have many causes, and pets should be seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible. Causes include infection, allergies, foreign bodies in the eye, corneal ulcers, and others. Treatment depends on the specific cause of the problem, and could involve antibiotics for infection, antihistamines for allergies, or others. The wrong medicine can often make the problem worse, so a patient should always see a veterinarian first before eye ointment or drops are prescribed.

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State law requires that a licensed veterinarian administer the rabies vaccine to ensure it has been given properly and for accurate record-keeping purposes. Rabies is still a serious public health problem, and rabies-control officers keep accurate records of the number of rabies vaccines given and the type of vaccine used. If your pet should ever bite someone, the doctor will be able to officially confirm his/her vaccine status.

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The early series of vaccinations insures a good level of protective immunity in young puppy or kitten. This is the age when they are most susceptible to many of the contagious diseases. Adult pets will need yearly vaccine boosters, but will not need to repeat the series.

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Cats and dogs have higher body temperatures than people, so they sometimes feel "hot" to the touch. A normal dog or cat body temperature is 100º-102.8º F (37.7º-39.3º C). The best way to see if your pet is running a fever is to take his/her temperature with a rectal thermometer.

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The best method is to cover the tick with vaseline and let it sit for 15 minutes; then carefully remove it, using tweezers, with slow gentle pressure, gripping the tick very close to the pet's skin. Note that ticks can carry a variety of infectious diseases.

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4340 Coal SE  Albuquerque, NM 87108
Phone: 505-265-4939  Fax: 505-265-4950
 

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