I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and are enjoying the beginning of 2007.  I know by the number of new puppies, kittens, dogs and cats that this holiday season brought a new friend to a lot of families.  A number of these families are having pets for the first time.  Therefore, I felt that this would be a good time to answer a few popular questions. 

When should my pet be vaccinated?   Most kittens/puppies are vaccinated at 6 weeks by the breeder and then a vaccination protocol is developed with your veterinarian depending upon which vaccinations your pet needs.   

Why does my puppy/dog urinate when I come home?  - Submissive urination is not a house training problem.  Remember, dogs are genetically programmed to live in a hierarchical group.   Normally dogs will accept their owners as the leaders of the pack. They are in essence, accepting them as the top dogs in the house. Extremely submissive dogs, dogs with self esteem issues or puppies, will often urinate when they get excited. This often happens when their owners return home after having gone out, when they are told it is time for a walk, when guests or people they know show up at the house, and even sometimes when they are petted. What they are doing in essence is sending out the message "You are my superior, I am not a threat".

It is extremely important not to yell at a dog, punish, or discipline a dog for submissive urination. By yelling at the dog, all you are doing is reinforcing the dogs feeling of submissiveness. This may cause the dog to urinate even more.

The key to curing a dog's submissive urination problem is to remove the excitement that causes it, and by building up a dog's confidence, since confident dogs don't urinate when they get excited. When you come home, do not greet your dog with excitement. In fact, it's better if you ignore your dog completely for the first few minutes. Nonchalantly, let your dog out to urinate or have another family member take the dog out. It is very important not to get your dog excited. Don't make direct eye contact with him since direct eye contact is a sign of dominance, and don't talk to him, or talk to him in a low monotone voice. When the dog urinates, lavish excessive amounts of praise upon him. The goal here is for the dog to get excited about urination outdoors.

Obedience training is a GREAT way to build up a dog's confidence and it also provides socialization with other dogs which is good for confidence building. Playing fetch or having the dog do something constructive for which it receives praise is another way.

 How do I take my dog’s temperature?  First, a normal dog’s temperature is between 100.5 and 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit.  When taking dog’s temperature, I recommend using a digital thermometer.  Apply petroleum jelly to the tip of the thermometer.  Slowly slide the thermometer into you dog’s rectum about 1 inch.  Wait for the results to read and slowly remove the thermometer.  

How do I cut my pet’s nails?  First, it is important to get your pet used to having their feet touched and handled.  After your pet is comfortable, you can begin to cut the nails.  Distracting your pet with kibbles or treats can allow you to more easily cut the nails.  Trimming the tip of the nail is most of the time all that is necessary.  It is important to not cut back to far as you can make the nail bleed.  If this occurs, you can use some flour or starch on the bleeding end of the nail to hasten clotting. 

Why does my puppy chase its tail?  This is usually seen after a puppy is separated from his littermates because he has no one to play with.  He may not even realize that this tail is his own.   

Why does my dog lie on my furniture or bed?  Although these may be comfortable, the main reason is dominance.  Before domestication, the alpha dog would choose a higher sleeping ground than the others.  Therefore, it is quite possible that your pet is trying to communicate that they are your equal or even more dominant than you.  Therefore it is good practice to not allow your pet to sleep or lie on any furniture or pet.   

Is chocolate dangerous for my pet?  Dogs and cats must NOT eat chocolate.  Although the reaction to chocolate varies form pet to pet based on the quantity eaten in relation to the pets’ size.  Chocolate is poisonous to dogs and can be fatal.  Chocolate contains a chemical called theobromine which is toxic to dogs.   

Is it ok for my pet to drink from the toilet?  Although the water is cool and accessible, toilet water is full of bacteria that can cause your pet to become sick.  Toilet cleaners can also be extremely toxic.  I would recommend keeping the lid to the toilet down and providing your pets with fresh drinking water.   

Why does my pet eat grass?  This is one of the many mysteries of the dog world.  It is probably a number of reasons, including a taste preference, a way to provide bulk to its diet or even a way to settle or clear an upset stomach.  If your pet is having regular stools and isn’t showing other health concerns, grass eating is unlikely a problem.  If any doubts, make an appointment with your veterinarian for a complete physical examination.

I have heard that it is ok to give pumpkin to my dog or cat for constipation and diarrhea.  Is this true?  Although many people use pumpkin to help with intestinal problems, it is important to note that both diarrhea and constipation can both be a serious problem and requires immediate veterinary care.  Therefore, I do not recommend using it without instruction from your veterinarian.   

Should I be concerned about intestinal worms in my new puppy/kitten?  Most puppies/kittens are born with worms and need to be dewormed.  In high worm areas of the country, most veterinarians recommend treating the mother before birthing and the puppies starting as early as 2 weeks and continuing every 2 weeks until 8-12 weeks of age.  Deworming should be taken seriously because of the possible transmission to humans.  I recommend bringing a fecal sample in with your pet for their initial visit. 

 Why does my cat purr?  Purring is the rhythmic vibrating sound that all cats can produce when they are in a content state. It is an instinctual response in domestic cats that can be seen at the onset of life when the newborn kitten purrs as it suckles milk from its mother. The mother cat often purrs back and there is a mutual feeling of reassurance. As they grow up, most kittens and cats continue to purr when they are content. It is important to note that cats will also purr when they are nervous or even sick.  Some have even suggested that purring is a form of submissiveness use to show to others that they are not a threat. 

Should I bath my cat?  Although there are some dissenting views, it is commonly agreed that there is no reason to bathe a shorthaired, indoor cat since most cats spend a large percentage of their time grooming themselves with their barbed tongues which are used to lick dirt and debris off their fur to keep it clean and odor free.  Long haired cats or outdoor cats may require the occasional bath if their fur gets too oily.  There are various tips on how bath you cat in informational books and the internet.  Ask your veterinarian for some of their own tips. 

Why does my dog have so much flatulence?  The most common causes of flatulence include, eating to fast and swallowing air, eating flatulence causing foods (beans, broccoli etc), eating a poor quality diet, and the natural process of producing the gas through food digestion and absorption within the intestinal tract. 

Some ways to diminish the severity of your dog’s flatulence is to feed you dog smaller, more frequent meals, feed them in a quiet comfortable area to possibly slow down their eating, exercise your pet to stimulate digestion and find a more easily digestible diet.   

The amount of theobromine varies with the type of chocolate. From most to least here are some common theobromine laden chocolate types; Cocoa Beans - Cocoa Powder - Plain/Baking Chocolate - Dark Chocolate - Milk Chocolate - Chocolate Drink Mixes - White Chocolate. 

The amount of chocolate that it takes to poison your pet depends on the type of chocolate eaten and the dog's weight. White chocolate has the least amount of theobromine at 1 mg per ounce. Baking chocolate or cocoa beans have the highest. Baking chocolate has 450 mg of theobromine per oz; semi-sweet chocolate 260 mg/oz; milk chocolate, 60 mg/oz; and hot chocolate, 12 mg/oz. Here is a list of the most common sources of chocolate and the amount that leads to poisonous levels:

White chocolate: 200 ounces per pound of body weight. It takes 250 pounds of white chocolate to cause signs of nervous-system poisoning in a 20-pound dog, 125 pounds for a 10-pound dog.

Milk chocolate: 1 ounce per pound of body weight. Approximately one pound of milk chocolate is poisonous to the nervous system of a 20-pound dog; one-half pound for a 10-pound dog. Semi-sweet chocolate has a similar toxic level. Keep in mind that the average chocolate bar contains 2 to 3 oz of milk chocolate. It would take 2-3 candy bars to produce toxicity in a 10 lb dog.

Sweet cocoa: 0.3 ounces per pound of body weight. One-third of a pound of sweet cocoa is toxic to a 20-pound dog; 1/6 pound for a 10-pound dog.

Baking chocolate: 0.1 ounce per pound body weight. Two one-ounce squares of bakers' chocolate is toxic to a 20-pound dog; one ounce for a 10-pound dog.

Signs of chocolate poisoning in dogs include vomiting, diarrhea, excess urination, nausea, seizures, irregular heartbeat and coma. Symptoms usually start within a few hours of ingestion but can take up to 36 hours. If you suspect your dog has eaten chocolate, rush it to an animal hospital or veterinarian immediately. The best diagnoses come from pets who were brought to the vet early.