Frequently Asked Questions

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Question: What is the best way to crate train my dog?

Answer: Crate training is a great way to help your dog feel comfortable and secure while you are away, as well as protect your home from damage caused by anxious dogs.

Question: I have a two year old, female mix breed dog that is not fixed yet. She is a sweet, obedient animal, and I am concerned about the behavioral changes that occur when an animal has its sexual organs removed. What are the effects on their health and temperament after surgery?

Answer: There are no predictable behavior changes in the female dog or cat after ovariohysterectomy. Male dogs, however, often become less dominant and aggressive with other dogs and roam less after neutering. Male cats generally do less territorial fighting and roam less, which dramatically increases their life span. There are many solid health reasons for spaying and neutering our pets. Early spaying prevents mammary cancer and a uterine disease called pyometra. Both of these conditions can be fatal in the female dog. Neutering male dogs reduces the incidence of prostate and testicular disease. Preventing unwanted litters is another common reason veterinarians recommend spaying both cats and dogs at six to 12 months of age, preferably before the first heat.

Question: Will neutering my puppy at a young age stunt his growth?

Answer: Dogs' size is mostly determined by their genetics, not their hormones. Neutering does dramatically reduce the amount of testosterone in a male pup's system, which may give him a bit less muscle mass in the long run, but won't affect his height or the size of his frame. Actually, studies have shown that dogs spayed or neutered early (at 16 weeks or younger) tend to be slighter larger than those altered later in life. So no, you won't change your dog's growth by neutering him as a puppy. Plus there are a lot of advantages to neutering your pup.

Question: My dog was recently diagnosed with a "hotspot." Can you tell me more about this skin condition?

Answer: "Hotspot" is a general term used to describe the angry reaction that your pet's skin is displaying. It may also be referred to as "acute moist dermatitis." Hotspots have many causes, but are usually the result of self trauma and subsequent infection that occurs as your pet tries to relieve himself from a pain or itch. An underlying allergy is most often the cause of the pain or itch. Some breeds are more prone to seasonal allergies, so you may see hotspots at the same time each year.

Question: My 10-year-old cat was just diagnosed with kidney failure, and my veterinarian wants to give her intravenous fluids. Will this treatment really improve her life?

Answer: Unfortunately, kidney failure is very common in older cats and is usually a result of the natural progressive deterioration of the kidneys that comes with age. Kidney disease can also be caused by certain bacteria, kidney stones, urinary obstructions, or exposure to toxins, such as antifreeze. Symptoms, including increased drinking and urination, often do not appear until the disease has progressed quite a bit. At this point, decisions must be made as to what, if any, treatment options should be pursued, taking into account the quality of the cat's day-to-day life. While kidney disease is eventually fatal, many cats can live well for years with only partially functioning kidneys. Because kidney disease is so prevalent in our feline friends, all cat owners should discuss with their veterinarians things they can do to try to minimize the chances of the disease occurring in their pet. While the disease is not always preventable, a good quality diet; access to clean, fresh water at all times; a low-stress lifestyle; and keeping toxic materials out of reach of your kitty can help. Also, all cats, but especially those eight years old or older, should receive physical examinations at least once a year so health problems can be detected as soon as possible. Cats that are in kidney failure go through good and bad times. They have some days that are definitely of high quality and others during which they don't feel very good. There are two types of severe kidney disease. One is reversible and the other is not. Some older cats with kidney failure respond to heavy intravenous (IV) fluid therapy and stabilize enough to go on and live months or even several years with just diet changes and intermittent fluid treatments. Other cats do not respond well to fluid therapy and their health continues to decline. You should discuss the full spectrum of treatment options with your veterinarian. Some options include having your cat hospitalized and given IV fluids, administering IV fluids to the cat on an outpatient basis several times weekly, administering fluid therapy at home, or engaging in no therapy at all.

Question: Why does my cat sleep so much?

Answer: Most likely because he's a perfectly normal cat. It's a natural instinct for cats to sleep most of the time. It's an adaptation they developed in order to survive in the wild. Wild cats are hunters and predators. They are generally active only at times when there is food available. For short periods during the day they will hunt; the rest of the day, they conserve their energy by sleeping, eating, and just resting. This is why your cat seems to have only two settings: "high speed" and "off." Lazing in the sun is just as much average kitty behavior as racing around the house and attacking everything in sight. If you're worried that your cat sleeps more than most cats, you can take him to your veterinarian for a full exam.

Question: I have four cats and two dogs. Until recently, I have had them vaccinated regularly. Please let me know what you would recommend to someone who has cats and dogs and wants to keep them safe but does not want to either endanger them or spend money unnecessarily.

Answer: The veterinary profession has spent the past six to seven years reexamining and discussing vaccine duration of immunity and revising vaccination protocols accordingly to make sure that companion animals get care that is tailored to their lifestyles. The goal is to make sure that an individual's vaccine protocol is protecting them from risks they face, without vaccinating unnecessarily. For example, in our practice we ask cat owners to describe whether their cats ever go outdoors or whether they are exclusively indoors and what other animals they might come in contact with. If a cat is exclusively indoors, we design a different vaccine protocol than if it goes out regularly or "escapes" with any frequency. Dogs that go to boarding facilities, grooming parlors or doggie daycares will have different recommendations than dogs that do not. The days of designing a single vaccine protocol for an entire species are over. Good communication is the best tool in designing protocols that are proper for your pets. I suggest having a discussion with a veterinarian in your area, giving all of the information you know about your pets' lifestyles. With that information, your veterinarian can explain what vaccinations he or she would recommend, at what frequency and why. At that point you can make an informed decision on a vaccination protocol designed specifically for your pet.

Our thanks to the American Animal Hospital Association for additional information used in our FAQ page!

Did you know? Cats rub up against other cats and people to mark them with their scent.