Pet of the Month
Hooray for "Annie Oinkley!" She is first pot belly pig recognized as
Pet of the Month. Check out her picture and other previous winners
on our website
www.lmah.net.
Help for the Spraying Feline
One of the reasons cats are such popular pets is because of their
self sufficiency and use of the litter box. This bathroom
arrangement makes life easy for the cat owner. But what happens when
litter box habits go bad? Sadly house soiling issues are one of the
more common reasons that cats are relinquished to shelters.
Cats that fail to use the litter box may do so for many reasons:
medical problems, behavioral/territorial issues, and aversions to
the litter box. The first recommendation for any cat owner dealing
with feline elimination problems is to see your veterinarian.
Examples of medical problems that may play a role in cats with
inappropriate urinations include urinary infections, bladder stones,
cystitis, kidney disease, and even arthritis. Steps to correct the
behavior will not work if any underlying health disorder is not
addressed.
Hormones play a role in cat marking behaviors, so if your cat is not
yet spayed or neutered- have the surgery done. Psychological
stressors can cause a cat to urinate elsewhere. Seeing stray cats
outside a window can trigger an indoor cat to urine mark. Multi cat
households may have problems as the cats mark to claim their
territory within the home. Cats may develop a reluctance to use the
litter box if the box is dirty, if the box is hard to get to, or if
there are loud noises near the litter box.
TIPS to deal with feline house soiling:
- See your veterinarian for a medical check up.
- Take the covers off of covered litter boxes.
- Try a different style of litter- clay vs. scoopable.
- Move the litter pan to the site of inappropriate urinations.
- Ensure ample litter boxes- Need one box per cat, plus one.
(e.g. 2 cats- should have 3 boxes)
- Try pheromone products (e.g. Feliway diffusers or sprays)
- Consider behavioral medication (common anti-anxiety
medications include: buspar, fluoxetine, clomipramine)
Brown Stained Fur
What causes the brownish, bronze colored staining on dog's paws and
with eye discharge?
The brown color is the result of staining by natural pigments
present within the tears and saliva. Facial tear staining can be
normal for some breeds, but can also signal eye disorders. As for
brown stained paws…many dogs that repeated lick their paws will
cause this discoloration from their own saliva. This frequently
occurs in white coated dogs and those with allergies or skin
infections. A visit to your vet is always wise to help determine if
a medical issue is present.
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