This season as you clean up your yard and begin new landscaping projects, veterinarian, Dr. Carol Osborne offers tips for creating pet friendly landscapes.

If your yard is fenced, be sure to check your fence. Look for loose boards, exposed nails, broken chain links, or any gaps that may allow your dog to escape. Be sure your yard has shady areas and fresh water so your pet can stay cool and avoid overexposure to the sun.

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Each year hundreds of pets come into contact with venomous animals. As we continue to venture forth into the wilderness, veterinarian, Dr Carol Osborne offers tips to help make hiking safe for you and your pet this summer.

In general, most North American snakes are timid and naturally avoid pets and people. However, dogs and cats are often intrigued by snakes and enjoy harassing them, inviting a bite.

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Hi Dr Carol,

I adopted a tortie about 6 months ago from the local humane society. She is about 3 yrs old, fixed, and up to date with her shots. She is declawed in the front, and is always indoors. I have no history on her prior to the pound. (she was fixed and claws done before I got her).

Anyway, have been spending money trying to figure out a hair issue with her. She was missing hair on her lower abdomen when I got her, as well as in some spots on her legs. It does not appear to be acne, no spots or sores.

Ringworm has been ruled out, as well as mites, etc. On her last trip to the vet, they gave her a steroid shot, as well as put her on antibiotics for 10 days. I thought that was doing the trick, as I was actually seeing tufts of hair growing back in the hair loss areas.

Now I notice new balding spots on her. She does not appear to be over washing, or neurotic or anything like that. (I am home all day). I am at a loss as to what to do now.

I just want to help her out here, and cannot afford to hand the vets a couple of hundred dollars every month for them to guess.

She is a very well tempermented kitty, and I absolutely love her, she has adapted well. Any suggestions as to what I should do next? Your help would be most appreciated.

Thanks
Susan and Lilly Cat
PS: There are no other animals in the home

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I will be a guest on Animal Talk Naturally at 2:30 p.m. Eastern on February 6th. I will be talking about anti-aging for pets. The call-in number for this show is 646.595.4693 when the phone lines are opened for questions.

The Animal Talk Naturally show focuses solely on the natural health and well being of animals and you can now join us for our LIVE call-in show on Blog Talk Radio!

Question

Dr. Carol,

I just got on the net to see if there was something else to help my cat Romeo with his arthritis.  He has been diabetic for almost 8 yrs.  He was hit by a car when he was younger and he now has arthritis in his hips.  Romeo is now 16.  We tried small doses of steroids, but that did not help.  We couldn’t use higher doses due to interactions with insulin.  Aspirin wasn’t strong enough.  He is now on Medicam.  Not only is one drop not enough, but my vet said this medication will kill him.

I will try anything before putting him down.  He has been fully x-rayed and everything looks good.  He is just very still in the back legs when he walks.

If you think this supplement will help, is it possible to get one bottle to try?  I live in Ontario, Canada, but see other clients on your site from Canada.

Please advise me how to go about getting a bottle. 

Thank you very much!

Paula

Canada

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Question

Dr. Carol

I received the 10 bags of Dried Turkey Breast yesterday.  Mini has gained a lot of weight, mostly because I feed her wrong.  We are going to try (leaving) a bowl of dry natures Valley on floor for her (in case she will eat it, hungry) she doesn’t like dog food, & giving her 1.5 cups of Neuman’s chicken & rice dog food once a day & only dog treats & see if we can help her lose some weight.  She is up to 22 pounds & should be weighing less than 12. I will let you know when the Dermaluster & organic chicken food arrive.

Thanks Dr Carol.  Mini is like my little child, I really love this little dog so much & she has so many ailments: Allergies, breathing problems.  I think all mostly because of her weight.

Thanks again,
Diana in Las Vegas

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QUESTION:

Hi Carol,

I hope this [order of PAAWS dog vitamins] helps our old girl out. She is a lab/basset mix and is 12 years old. She recently (3 months ago) had a tumor (soft tissue sarcoma) removed and then underwent 4 weeks of radiation treatment in Sacramento-we live in Reno about 120 miles away.

The Treatment seems to have done the job but our local vet then misdiagnosed Delilah with Cushings disease. The medicine she was given for that nearly killed her. (Lisodren) We now have a marvelous new vet and we will be filing a report with our State Veterinary department over what I feel was gross malpractice.

Her adrenals seem to be coming around and her liver function is improving. She has arthritis through her spine and hips that makes her back end kind of wobbly at times. Her appetite nearly vanished but today, with some increased dosage of prednisone she is much better and her appetite is returning.

Best, Mike

ANSWER:

Hi Mike

If you can give me her actual weight I will give you the best dose to start her out on for example if she weighs 40-45 pounds start with 1 1/2AM and 1 1/2PM if she weighs closer to 50 pounds or more then start with 2AM and 2PM as the directions state on the [PAAWS dog supplements] handouts.

Please call or email me with any questions or concerns as I am glad to work with you and over 30% of my clients are cancer patients and we have very good success. I also have a natural home made anti-cancer diet I could email you if you like or you can read it on my blog.

Thank you,
Dr Carol

QUESTION:

I have a male Boston Terrier who turned 9yrs. old this past August.and was diagnosed with CRF in April of 2007. My vet has him on a special Kidney dog food diet and a blood pressure pill with a fluid pill mixed with it. I give him 1 tsp. of Mylanta after he eats as a phosphorus binder.

His levels have slowly climbed over the last 8 months and have never really leveled off. On December 10th of 2007 I took him to the vet and his bun level was 82 and the creatinine level was 5.2 I think. The vet has told me there is nothing else he can do except starting him on the fluid therapy. Is this true? If not what other options do I have.

My dog is a very nervous dog and does not handle stress well. He also has separation anxiety disorder. Please reply because I don’t want to just give up on my dog if there is more that can be done.

Thank You,
Pat

ANSWER:

Hi Pat,

I enjoyed talking to you today and have summarized our conversation. Please send me a copy of your dog’s blood and urine results. Your dog needs fluids to flush the toxins from his body-ask your vet to teach you how to give subcutaneous fluids at home.

Use distilled water, and consider a home made diet: 1/3 lean protein sources such as chicken, turkey, beef, salmon, eggs, unreamed cottage cheese, 1/3 carbohydrates sources include rice, pasta, potatoes and 1/3 fiber or vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, green beans etc.

If you are not keen on cooking, I have had very good results, in my canine kidney patients with a line of natral food called Prairie and also with Neumans organic line of food which I can send you to try.

Cook the food in a little extra virgin olive oil, which is a great source of omega 3 fatty acids. Dogs judge their food primarily by smell, the olive oil enhances the smell as well as the flavor and taste of the food.

There is a natural product called calcitriol, which is the active form of Vitamin D, that regenerates the kidneys and once I evaluate the blood work I will let you know if that is an option for your dog.

PAAWS is a vitamin supplement that also benefits dogs like yours and you can read about it at www.carolonets.com.

Thank you,
Dr. Carol

Since cancer cells grow on carbohydrates, we reduce the carbohydrates as much as possible, to retard the growth of the cancer and we replace the carbohydrates with fat to supply appropriate energy needs for the dog.

4 oz Pork Back Fat (boiled, baked or fried in olive oil)
4 oz Tofu (firm soybean curd)
2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Whole Carrots (boiled and then cut up)
1 cup Spinach (cooked)
4 Tbs Green Bell Pepper (chopped and steamed)
4 Broccoli Spears (boiled and then cut up)
2 Sardines (in olive oil, drained)
2 cloves raw Garlic (crushed and added before serving)
1 tsp dry, ground Ginger (added before serving)
½ tsp dry, yellow Mustard (added before serving)

Question:

To whom this may concern, i have a female rottie mix & its her left top of her knee ,its swollen & she keeps it pulled up, but time to time she will put it down & walk & run , she will let me rub liniment on it ,aches&pain aspirin free glucosamine with ms.

TxStetsonLady37

Answer:

I am glad to help you-is this a front or hind leg?

If it’s the hind leg-chances are its a stifle (hind knee) ligament injury-options include rest and/or surgery. I am available toll free at 1-866 372 2765 to discuss this with you.

Thank you,

Dr Carol Osborne, DVM