My Pet World: TLC and good nutrition could boost FIV-positive cat's health

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Q: My daughter owns a Chesapeake Bay Retriever and a Jack Russell Terrier. Recently, while watching the retriever when my daughter was away, he vomited up some nylon stockings! He later passed a sock. He's also so thin that I can feel his ribs. My daughter says this is from all the exercise he gets. When I told her about the vomiting, she said the dog is always eating these things. Making matters worse, my granddaughter leaves her clothes on the bedroom floor, hence the dog has access to socks and other items. Apart from closing doors, do you have other ideas? -- P.W., Cyberspace

A: "A veterinarian needs to see this dog, and sooner rather than later," implores Chicago veterinarian Dr. Sheldon Rubin. "The dog needs to have a complete physical evaluation, ruling out everything from anemia to parasites. Is this dog able to normally digest food? There are many questions to be answered."

If the dog checks out physically, there is a condition called pica, which your dog might have. Pica is a drive to eat inedible items, and may have become a habit when this dog was a puppy, exasperated by boredom, or a compulsive behavior.

Rubin adds, "Indeed, your sense of the seriousness of this problem is on target, no matter what the cause. While this dog has apparently been lucky so far, eating a nylon stocking or a sock could cause a potentially life-threatening obstruction." If your veterinarian thinks this is a behavioral problem, a referral to a veterinary behaviorist might save your dog's life.

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Q: I feed a male feral cat; he's not tame, but I can pet him. He has a chronic gum infection, which I took him to the veterinarian for when he stopped eating any food, wet or dry. The veterinarian gave him a $30 antibiotic shot and a steroid shot, saying nothing more could be done, other than regular visits for this treatment. Do you have any other ideas? -- J.J., Bangor, PA

A: Dr. Kate Knutson, incoming president of the American Animal Hospital Association, says this cat may have stomatitis. This is a condition where the white blood cells enter the gum tissue and cause an extremely painful reaction. Since other possibilities include the feline immunodeficiency virus, bartonella (cat scratch disease) and the calici virus, a diagnosis is important.

"If this cat is diagnosed with severe stomatitis, the gold standard treatment is extracting all the teeth," she says. "Be sure to find a veterinarian who can do full mouth X-rays to insure that all the teeth are removed. In most cases, the excruciating pain quickly disappears all together. Though some cats do continue to have occasional pain; it's still much better than it was."

Knutson, of Bloomington, MN, says this cat has been in such awful pain that he might even show affection after surgery.

"I can assure you this cat has not been hunting for some time, so you're not taking away his ability to do so. Continue feeding him, or better yet, take him indoors. Clearly, you and the cat have bonded to one another."

Maybe we can all learn a lesson in altruism from you.

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Steve Dale welcomes questions/comments from readers. Although he can't answer all of them individually, he'll answer those of general interest in his column Send e-mail to PETWORLD(at)STEVE DALE.TV. Include your name, city and state. Steve's website is www.stevedalepetworld.com; he also hosts the nationally syndicated "Steve Dale's Pet World" and "The Pet Minute." He's also a contributing editor to USA Weekend.