Q: Michael, our 1-year-old pomeranian mutt, has a few extra teeth. The vet tells us that he never lost some of his baby teeth. Now they want to pull out all of those extra teeth, and I wonder if this is really all that necessary. Should we go along with the vet’s plan? Or can Michael live with a few extra enamels in his mouth?
A:
Michael’s veterinarian has recommended a good plan. Retained baby teeth take up space and crowd the permanents, often leading to serious dental disease. Nearly every dog with a crowded mouth has problems. At the very least, those tight spaces between the teeth trap food and bacteria. I’ll wager that Michael’s breath has been a little foul because of bacterial accumulation. He’ll be healthier if you have his extra teeth removed. And his breath? Let’s just say that you’ll be happier when he gives you his little doggie kisses. By the way, tell the vet to save those teeth. The tooth fairy will want to see them!
Q:
We recently were adopted by a stray cat that just showed up on our back porch. She’s really cute, and she seems affectionate. Her right ear is missing a little bit of the tip, but I don’t think it’s a fight wound. It’s really clean and smooth; it looks like her other ear except for the missing tip. Does this mean she is a feral cat?
A:
Probably yes. Surgeons clip a small piece off the tip of the right ear when a feral cat is spayed. This identifies that she has had the surgery. That way, if she’s captured again, she doesn’t have to undergo another anesthesia (the spay scar on a cat can be very difficult to see). So it appears that this little girl already had her spay surgery.
Many feral cats can settle down and become friendly as they age. Some even turn into loyal housepets. But you have to be careful. First, your new friend might easily be excited and she could scratch or bite if you pick her up. But more importantly, she could be infected with one of many parasites or diseases, even if she looks outwardly healthy. So keep her away from any other cats until you can take her to the vet. The vet will check her to see if she has a microchip identification, then do a physical exam. If she’s given a clean bill of health, you’ll have a new member in your family.
Q:
Our friend’s mare just gave birth to a foal and right away they knew they had a problem. Their little colt had urine coming from his umbilical belly button. The vet came out and fixed it with surgery and now the foal seems happy and healthy. I didn’t get to see any of this because they live in Oregon. What caused this to happen? Is it a birth defect? How did the vet fix it?
A:
Your friend’s foal had a condition called patent urachus. The urachus is a duct (or tube) that connects the bladder to the umbilical cord. An unborn fetus empties his urine through this tube or duct, which normally closes off right before birth. From the moment a foal is born, he or she should be able to urinate normally. But if that duct remains open, urine will continue to flow out the umbilical area. This can lead to all kinds of other problems, so vets like to correct the defect as soon as possible.
Surgery is usually straightforward and simple. The vet ties off (and closes) this open duct where it attaches to the bladder. Most patients do well after surgery and I’m glad to hear your friend’s colt is fine.
Patent urachus is an uncommon defect that occurs in lots of different animals and in newborn human babies as well. I remember a case where a newborn baby camel was brought to our clinic for this problem. Surgery was done and everything was routine until afterward, when we put the mother and her baby outside in a small pen to get some sun. All of a sudden, we had a major traffic jam in front of our clinic. Everyone wanted to see this little baby. And all I heard that day was the question, “A camel? In South County?”
Q:
Do cats and dogs have the same number of teeth? If not, who has the most?
A:
No, there is a difference. Most kitty-cats have 30 teeth. Seems like a lot in that small mouth, doesn’t it? Most dogs have even more, usually 42 teeth. So dogs outnumber the cats in the dental department. But it’s the possum who has the most teeth of any mammal in North America. The typical possum has 50 teeth. All the better to chew things with!
