Welcome to our “Ask Dr. Paola” sequence, the place each Monday we convey 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 vitamin ideas and preventive care to troubleshooting frequent behavioral points, Dr. Paola is able to provide insights that may hold your furry buddy glad and wholesome. Keep tuned for professional steering on a spread of matters that matter most to you and your canine, so you can also make knowledgeable choices and supply the very best care in your canine companion. Have a question? Send it in here! 
Assist! My Canine Has Horrible Gasoline!
“ Whats up, my canine was passing actually stinking fuel after Thanksgiving dinner. I had given her some turkey broth along with her pet food and in addition gave her the ham bone. I’m afraid it made her sick. When does the fuel turn into a difficulty? ” – Mercy (Mother to Woman Bella)
Hello Mercy. I’m sorry to listen to that Woman Bella isn’t feeling her finest. Dietary indiscretions are a typical perpetrator for stinky gas and different gastrointestinal indicators. Turkey broth, whether it is plain and freed from seasonings like onions or garlic, is usually protected. Nonetheless, it’s not recommended to share cooked ham bones with your dog. They’ll trigger issues as a result of they’re excessive in fats, which is difficult for canine to digest, and so they can splinter, inflicting accidents and even perforations on the fragile mouth and digestive organs. Whereas gnawing on protected uncooked bones can have some advantages for a canine’s tooth, most vets advocate avoiding them as a result of danger of ingestion. Canine should not meant to devour bones, as a result of bones are indigestible. As soon as inside your canine’s physique, they’re considered foreign bodies and will trigger infections and even end in emergency procedures attributable to digestive blockages.
So on condition that that she consumed the ham bone, in her case, the pungent fuel might be an indication of a critical subject. When one thing partially obstructs the digestive tract—resembling a bone, toy, or different overseas object—it disrupts the conventional passage of meals and fuel, which might result in fermentation and the buildup of foul-smelling fuel. There are completely different varieties and grades of obstructions, and so they often current different vital indicators, together with vomiting, lethargy, belly ache, lack of urge for food, and a swollen or tense stomach. If Woman Bella consumed the ham bone and is experiencing pungent fuel, you shouldn’t hesitate to hunt veterinary consideration promptly. Obstructions can turn into life-threatening if not handled in time. A veterinarian can assess her situation by taking some abdominal X-rays to guage the scenario and provide you with one of the best method. Typically, decision requires surgical procedure.
Better of luck,
Dr. Paola
Assist! What Is the Finest Flea Safety for My Pug!
“Questioning what you advocate for flea/tick and heartworm month-to-month med for pugs. Finest safety and SAFE. Thanks a lot.” – Joan (Mother to Levi)
Hello Joan, thanks for reaching out to us! On this house, we don’t present particular product suggestions or prescriptions as a result of we’re not capable of set up a doctor-patient relationship with a selected canine. Nonetheless, because you’re in search of one of the best and safest protection for your pug, my advice is to go to your veterinarian. They’ll consider your canine’s particular wants and advocate essentially the most applicable product for his or her scenario.
Whereas there are a lot of merchandise out there on the market, your veterinarian’s enter is important to make sure your canine’s security. For instance, testing is required earlier than beginning heartworm preventive remedy to rule out the presence of adult worms, which might complicate remedy. Equally, tick prevention is more and more complicated attributable to different species of ticks in various regions and rising resistance to sure drugs. Your veterinarian will know which merchandise are best for the ticks in your space and may even advocate rotating merchandise to make sure continued effectiveness. Their steering is one of the best ways to protect your pug’s health.
Dr. Paola
Assist! My Canine Yawns Quite a bit!
“My canine Milo yawns so much—like, so much—even when he’s not drained and in the midst of enjoying. Is that this simply a kind of lovely canine quirks, or might it imply one thing about his temper or well being? Thanks! – Fernanda
Hello Fernanda,
Milo’s frequent yawning might certainly be an lovely quirk, however it could actually even have deeper meanings associated to his temper or well being. Dogs often yawn for different reasons that transcend fatigue. In playful or energetic moments, yawning generally is a calming sign—a method for Milo to manage pleasure or diffuse any rigidity throughout play. It’s a part of how canine talk and handle their feelings.
Nonetheless, if Milo’s yawning appears extreme, it could be a sign of stress, anxiety, and even nerves. Take note of the conditions the place he yawns essentially the most. If it occurs throughout particular actions or encounters, it might point out he’s feeling overwhelmed or attempting to self-soothe. Moreover, some medical points, like delicate nausea, discomfort or ache within the mouth resembling that brought on by overseas objects or dental issues, and even respiratory considerations, might be inflicting frequent yawning. For this reason it is very important be aware of the situations, triggers, and some other further uncommon indicators as all this data is effective.
Since canine can’t communicate, we depend on behavioral adjustments, indicators, and the context of environmental situations to grasp what’s occurring with them. Your cautious remark of Milo’s yawning is a mirrored image of how attentive and considerate you might be as his mother—he’s fortunate to have somebody who pays such shut consideration to his well-being. Congratulations! By the best way, enjoyable reality: have you ever seen that yawning is contagious between people and canine? For those who yawn and Milo watches, he’s more likely to yawn, too.
Good luck!
Dr. Paola
This text is part of our weekly Ask Dr. Paola sequence
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