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Excellence in Small Animal Care

Frequently Asked Questions

And Answers

Question
Why does my dog scratch himself silly?

Answer
The most common cause of constant itching is pollen allergy (such as mold, dust, etc.). Realize that allergies in pets, as in people, is genetic. Your pet may experience seasonal allergies. Your dog also may have parasites, like scabies or cheyletiella, or even a skin infection. If your dog is persistently scratching, call us today for an appointment. There are many treatments that can administered to ease your pet.

You can work at solving your puppy's biting problem by doing several things simultaneously.  First, you need to divert your pet's play activities away from your body.  You can do this by encouraging fetch games and discouraging wrestling or tug-of-war games.  Second, you can remove any positive reinforcement when biting occurs.  This means that you walk away and ignore your puppy for five minutes each time it performs a behavior that you don't find acceptable.  You're not even allowed to talk to the dog during this time.  Third, you provide a negative reinforcement for the objectionable behavior.  You can do this by painting your skin with vinegar in the vulnerable places you know the puppy will bite.  You can also make a shaker can from an empty pop can containing a dozen pennies that you shake vigorously when the biting occurs.  Then you can also use a firm and loud "NO!"  Finally, you can offer positive reinforcement and praise when the dog plays nice.  The most important point is that everyone in the family has the same game plan and follows through consistently.

Question
My cat is urinating all over the house.  Is this territorial?  What can be done about it?

Answer
If you've not done so already, have him thoroughly examined by your veterinarian to make sure he has no underlying problems causing him to urinate excessively. Many diseases or infections will cause excessive urination.  If there are no medical problems, then the urination is likely a behavioral problem.  Your cat may be marking his territory, or he may have some problem with the litter box you're using: the type, amount, or cleanliness of the litter; the location of the box, etc.  Sudden changes or stress such as introducing a new cat or dog to the household, moving, or the addition of a new family member can cause a cat to stop using his litter box, as well. If your cat is not neutered, then it is highly recommend that that be done.

How many litter boxes do you have?  What kind of litter are you using?  The litter box should be cleaned at least once daily.  If you've recently changed litter brands, change back!  Cats can be very particular about the kind of litter they use.  If you haven't changed litter, try adding another box with a completely different type of litter in it.  Most cats prefer scoopable (clumping), unscented litter in uncovered boxes.  Stay away from litters with lots of fragrance.  As an experiment, try putting three (at least) litter boxes in your house.  Place them right at or near the exact spots where he's urinating inappropriately, and scoop all boxes daily.  This is just one example of things you can try.

If your cat is still urinating outside the box, call for an appointment today.  We can discuss medications, and other questions you may have.  It really depends on the cat, and it may take some experimentation to solve the problem.

Litter box problems can be very difficult to correct, especially if they have been going on for awhile.  In most cases, however, they CAN be solved, so don't give up too easily!