ArcaMax

Q: I recently adopted Missy, my mother's middle-aged, mixed-breed dog. She was never spayed, and she has two small masses in her mammary glands. Are these masses likely to be cancer? If not, should I have her spayed?

A: Mammary tumors develop in one in four unsterilized female dogs, making them the most common tumor in this group. Dogs that had...Read more

Q: When my cat was injured outdoors, his veterinarian boosted his rabies vaccination, in case a rabid animal had inflicted the wound, but did not administer a tetanus shot. When I cut myself in the yard, my doctor gave me a tetanus shot. Should I request the same for my cat?

A: That's not necessary, because cats rarely get tetanus.

Tetanus ...Read more

Q: My partner and I disagree about whether our dog June should ride loose in the back seat of the car or sit in the front seat, where she's usually on the passenger's lap or between us. What's your advice?

A: It's safest for both you and June if she rides in a carrier or crate secured in the back of the car.

If she's small, she can ride in a ...Read more

Q: I have a nine-pound cat named Beauty and a five-pound Chihuahua named Beast. Is it OK for me to apply half of Beast's monthly flea and tick preventive to his skin and the other half to Beauty's skin? That way, I could cut my monthly cost for flea/tick prevention in half.

A: It's far safer to treat Beauty with a product labeled for cats ...Read more

Q: Our senior cat is hyperthyroid. How common is hyperthyroidism, and what causes it?

A: Hyperthyroidism is caused by benign tumors in the two thyroid glands located in the cat's neck. The tumors produce excessive thyroid hormone, which impacts all body systems.

Feline hyperthyroidism affects more than 10% of cats over age 10 and is now the ...Read more

Q: A friend's dog recently died of cancer, and we want to do all we can to keep our own dog cancer-free. What advice can you offer?

A: Cancer is far too common in dogs, particularly large, purebred dogs. You can't change your dog's genetics, but there are things you can do to minimize the risk of cancer.

Overweight dogs develop cancer more ...Read more

Q: I am very careful to buy only senior cat food for Joon, my healthy 10-year-old cat. Sometimes it's hard to find. Is it necessary for her to eat senior food?

A: No, it's not necessary for Joon to eat senior cat food.

On pet food labels, the word "senior" is a marketing term, not a regulatory or clinical designation. The Association of ...Read more

Q: Among the dogs I've had over the years, my small dogs lived longer than my large dogs. Is this generally true? If so, why?

A: Yes, it's true, though no one is completely sure why.

When you think about the many species of mammals, you realize that large mammals live longer than small mammals. For example, elephants live much longer than mice...Read more

Q: Mr. Poo Poo Head, our 15-year-old cat, has started yowling to come into the house every night. He eats diced beef, chicken and tuna, and he's healthy and active. His behavior is annoying, so we'd appreciate your advice.

A: Yowling is common among elderly cats. The causes are numerous, so it's important to determine what's prompting the ...Read more

Q: I recently adopted Rosie, a greyhound who is mostly white. Earlier this summer, she was out in the sun too long and got sunburned. When we go on vacation together later this summer, I'll try to keep her inside as much as possible between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., but I'm worried about sunburn. Is dog sunscreen available? Can dogs get skin cancer ...Read more

Q: I planted foxgloves because I love their spikes of colorful, speckled, bell-shaped flowers. My cat Stormy is walking through them, rubbing her face on them. Should I worry about this?

A: If she only walks through your foxgloves and doesn't chew on them, she should be fine. But watch her closely to be sure she doesn't eat any.

If she does, ...Read more

Q: While adding windshield washer fluid to my car's reservoir, I spilled some on the ground and my dog started licking it. I sopped up the liquid before he got more than a taste, but afterward, I wondered: Is windshield washer fluid actually toxic to dogs?

A: Yes. Most windshield washer fluids are about 20-30% methanol, which is toxic to dogs, ...Read more

Q: I have had cats and dogs for years, and all of them have been spayed or neutered. I've noticed that they -- and my friends' sterilized pets -- are almost all overweight, whereas friends' dogs that are not sterilized usually remain slim. Is it true that spayed and neutered pets are heavier than sterilized pets? If so, why?

A: Your observation...Read more