Q:
Our cockapoo, Ninja, was spayed four months ago. She’s been fine
since. But now our neighbor’s dogs keep coming over and they seem
to think that she is in heat. I thought that once she was spayed,
we wouldn’t have to deal with this kind of problem. What’s up with
all this?
Q: Our cockapoo, Ninja, was spayed four months ago. She’s been fine since. But now our neighbor’s dogs keep coming over and they seem to think that she is in heat. I thought that once she was spayed, we wouldn’t have to deal with this kind of problem. What’s up with all this?
A:
You’re right, once a dog is spayed, she shouldn’t ever show signs of estrus. Estrogen comes from the ovaries, and these are removed in the spay surgery. Rarely, estrogen can be produced elsewhere within the body, sometimes from a spot on the liver or spleen. And any estrogen can make a dog appear to be in heat. But this condition is extremely uncommon, so I’ll bet that Ninja has another, more simple problem.
Female dogs with certain infections can emit an odor that attracts male dogs. If Ninja has either a vaginal or bladder infection, she could unknowingly (and unwillingly!) be sending out a call to the boys next door. So a visit to her veterinarian is just what the doctor ordered in this case. Most likely, with some proper antibiotics, your little girl and you will be able to return to a quieter life without so many unwanted visitors.
Q:
Our vet just told us that Mishka has a heart murmur. She’s only 2 years old and has always been healthy. How do we know just how bad this is?
A:
A heart murmur is a change in the sound of the regular heartbeat. Typically, a murmur indicates a change from normal blood flow. This causes a noise heard with a stethoscope as the blood moves from the heart chambers through the vessels. Veterinarians classify murmurs using several different criterion. The most important of these is the intensity of the murmur. The softest murmurs are rated as one on a scale of one to six. The louder the sound of the murmur, the higher the rated number. Louder murmurs are typically more problematic.
Some heart murmurs can be very serious, but some are insignificant (called “innocent murmurs”). And the only way to really determine how serious Mishka’s might be, is to have her evaluated by a veterinary cardiologist. The specialist will perform an echocardiogram, just the same as is done for humans. The echo test will determine the cause of the murmur as well as its effect on her heart. She may or may not need medications depending on her heart’s overall health.
Since this is the first time Mishka has been diagnosed with a murmur, I think you should have her evaluated sometime soon. With a diagnosis, you’ll know what is best for your little girl as far as food, exercise and treatment.
Q:
Our dog, Whistler, is really itchy. He’s constantly biting and scratching all over his back and stomach. A friend told us that this could be caused by allergies to pollen and dust. Is this true?
A:
The most common cause of itchy skin in dogs is allergies. And allergies can be a response to anything from fleas to food to environmental allergens. Our environment contains many different allergens that can cause itchy skin. Dogs can be allergic to all the same things as their human companions. There are molds that surround us during the wet weather season. As spring arrives, we have blooming trees and bushes with all their pollens. And summer brings lots of dust that carries allergens as well. Even your home has a lot of allergy potential. House dust mites are a huge culprit for many dogs with sensitive skin. And a few dogs can even develop itchy skin from food allergies.
But fleas cause more itchy problems than any other allergen. So Whistler needs to be protected from these parasites. Eliminating fleas is easy using a good quality monthly flea control product. And if this doesn’t control his discomfort, his veterinarian can help determine the cause of all his scratching. Allergies are manageable, and with the help of the vet, he can be a happier dog with a bright, shiny coat.
Q:
Is it true that cats only breed in the early part of the year? It seems that there are so many kittens all year long.
A:
Most female cats come into estrus as daylight hours lengthen starting in late January or February. Breeding season is in full swing by mid-March. That’s why there are so many more noisy feline altercations outside this time of year (and you thought they were fighting?).
But just like other things in nature, there are exceptions to this rule. And some cats come into heat at any time during the year. This, and one more feature makes cats very efficient when it comes to reproduction. Female queens are “induced ovulators.” This means they release their ova only when they are bred by a male. This is another of Mother Nature’s methods assuring there will always be lots of new kitties.
