My Pet World: Do more tests to pinpoint cause of cat's ear infections
DENVER, CO. -- These reader questions on dog behavior were answered by veterinary behaviorists at the Convention of the American Veterinary Medical Association, held July 25-29 at the Colorado Convention Center.
Q: I feed my cat about half a manufactured raw diet (and half) other healthy brands. Still, Charlie keeps getting ear infections, which my veterinarian believes may due to do food allergies. We now have the cat on a prescription duck and pea diet with the raw food. What do you think? -- N.F., via cyberspace
A: Dr. Kate Knutson, of Bloomington, MN, says food allergies usually manifest with itchiness around the face, and perhaps on a cat's flanks -- not with ear infections -- although this can occur.
Knutson suggests your veterinarian look into your cat's middle ear and get a sample of the fluid there, which requires anesthesia. The problem may be a deep ear infection, unrelated to food. While your cat is under anesthesia, consider full mouth x-rays. Knutson says she's seen dental abscesses which may cause secondary ear infections.
Knutson says your veterinarian has likely ruled out ear mites, which don't generally occur in healthy adult cats unless they have some sort of other illness compromising their immune system.
If the above possibilities don't apply, it's time to consider a food allergy, says Knutson, a participant in the Pet Nutrition Alliance and immediate past president of the American Animal Hospital Association. Talk to your veterinarian about putting the cat on a novel protein diet, featuring something your cat has never eaten. The pet must remain exclusively on this diet, with no other food or treat supplementing, for 12 weeks.
If, at that point, the cat does better, there's a strong implication that allergies were causing the ear infections, after all.
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Q: We adopted a sweet 2-year-old Chihuahua from our local humane society. Buddy was saved from a puppy mill. His name truly fits; in the short three months we've had him, he's become a valued family member.
Alas, he does have a problem. For the first three months, he never fussed when people came to the house. Now, he's begun to howl when visitors arrive, and won't stop until they leave. We've tried to get him to stop by picking him up, isolating him and offering toys, but nothing helps. Any advice? -- S.W., via cyberspace
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