The submit Ask Dr. Paola: Monday May 12, 2025 by Dr. Paola Cuevas MVZ (Vet) appeared first on Dogster. Copying over complete articles infringes on copyright legal guidelines. You might not be conscious of it, however all of those articles had been assigned, contracted and paid for, so they are not thought-about public area. Nonetheless, we respect that you just just like the article and would like it when you continued sharing simply the primary paragraph of an article, then linking out to the remainder of the piece on Dogster.com.
Welcome to our “Ask Dr. Paola” collection, the place each Monday we carry professional recommendation straight from Dr. Paola Cuevas (MVZ) to assist our readers higher perceive their canine’s well being and well-being.
Whether or not you’re a brand new pet father or mother or a seasoned canine lover, Dr. Paola is right here to offer solutions to your most urgent questions. From diet ideas and preventive care to troubleshooting frequent behavioral points, Dr. Paola is able to provide insights that may maintain your furry good friend comfortable and wholesome. Keep tuned for professional steerage on a variety of matters that matter most to you and your canine, so you may make knowledgeable selections and supply the absolute best care to your canine companion. Have a question? Send it in here!
Assist! My Canine Watches TV!
“My canine Ellie genuinely enjoys watching TV. Is there something fallacious with this?” – Felicity
Hello Felicity,
It’s nice that you’re paying such shut consideration to Ellie’s habits and happiness. It’s completely regular for some dogs to enjoy watching TV, and normally, there may be nothing fallacious with it. Canine understand movement otherwise than we do, as their eyes course of movement sooner, so fashionable TVs, which refresh pictures shortly, seem extra lifelike to them than old school ones did. This will make a moving ball on the screen or animals running throughout a scene actually catch their consideration, nearly like how a squirrel exterior would possibly.
Permitting Ellie to observe TV is much like giving her a mentally stimulating toy. It workouts her mind, retains her entertained, and may even present consolation if she enjoys sure sounds or scenes. Consider it like providing a canine puzzle toy; it’s an enrichment activity that retains her thoughts engaged. Nonetheless, steadiness is essential. The secret’s ensuring it stays only one a part of her day, like a deal with relatively than her primary meal. She nonetheless wants physical exercise, so please don’t skip her walks, coaching, playtime, and quiet bonding moments with you. These are essential for her bodily and emotional well-being. Watching TV ought to be like studying a chapter of a e-book earlier than mattress, not the complete story of her day. So long as Ellie stays comfortable, playful, and wholesome, her love for TV is just one other leisure exercise. If you happen to ever discover that her curiosity in TV begins to intrude along with her common actions or if she turns into overly fixated, it may very well be a good suggestion to softly redirect her to different types of stimulation.
Wishing you each quite a lot of enjoyable instances collectively!
Dr. Paola
If you need actual time solutions to your questions, you possibly can discuss to one among our veterinarians on-line. Click on on the picture or button beneath:
Thyroid Capsules & Toes Points!
“Are you able to share some insights about hypothyroid canines that begin thyroid tablets, and their toes turn out to be significantly affected?“ – Randy Webster, DVM
Hello expensive colleague,
When a hypothyroid dog begins thyroid treatment and experiences severe points with their toes, it’s important to research the trigger. Whereas the usual therapy treatment (levothyroxine) is usually well-tolerated, some canines could have pre-existing pores and skin situations that turn out to be extra noticeable as their metabolism adjusts. Hypothyroidism itself usually causes poor pores and skin and coat well being, and when therapy begins, the physique begins metabolizing vitamins otherwise, which might quickly worsen these points earlier than enchancment is seen.
If the toes have gotten excessively dry, cracked, swollen, or creating sores, this may very well be attributable to an underlying secondary an infection, an allergic response, and even extreme thyroid hormone ranges if the treatment dosage is just too excessive. Autoimmune skin situations like pemphigus, which might trigger extreme paw pad points, may be unmasked when metabolism shifts. A follow-up check-up together with cytology for secondary infections, thyroid degree re-evaluation (whole T4, free T4 by equilibrium dialysis, and presumably TSH), and, if indicated, biopsy for autoimmune pathology. That is essential to evaluate whether or not the treatment must be adjusted if extra therapy for infections or allergy symptoms is required, or if a special underlying situation is at play. Till then, preserving the paws clear and moisturized with a dog-safe balm might help present reduction.
I hope this helps!
Dr. Paola
Assist! My Canine Barks at his Reflection!
“My canine Fluffels barks at his reflection each time he sees it within the mirror or window, and he’s 4 years previous. How can we assist him perceive that it’s him? He’s a Maltipoo.
“ – Ria
Hello Ria,
Thanks for reaching out with such a considerate query about Fluffels. It seems like he’s a spirited little Maltipoo, and I can think about how complicated it should be for him to see what he thinks is one other canine within the mirror or window. In canines, self-recognition in mirrors will not be as pure as it’s for people and even another species like dolphins or elephants. Most canines interpret their reflection as one other animal relatively than recognizing it as themselves, and that is utterly regular, even in grownup canines like Fluffels. Consider it like seeing a shadow moving alongside you; with out the understanding of what causes it, it may be puzzling and even regarding.
To assist Fluffels turn out to be extra comfy, the perfect strategy is mild desensitization paired with positive reinforcement. Every time he notices his reflection and stays calm, you possibly can softly reward him and provide a deal with. If he begins barking, calmly redirect his consideration to a toy or cue him
– Dr. Paola
- View previous week’s questions right here: May 5, 2025
- See our full list of past articles here
- Click here to submit a query
The submit Ask Dr. Paola: Monday May 12, 2025 by Dr. Paola Cuevas MVZ (Vet) appeared first on Dogster. Copying over complete articles infringes on copyright legal guidelines. You might not be conscious of it, however all of those articles had been assigned, contracted and paid for, so they are not thought-about public area. Nonetheless, we respect that you just just like the article and would like it when you continued sharing simply the primary paragraph of an article, then linking out to the remainder of the piece on Dogster.com.
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