Ask a Vet

Pet ownership isn’t always easy — but we’re here to help. Noticed a behavior change in your animal recently? Not sure if you need to bring them in for a visit, or just wait it out? Send us your questions.

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Q. What do I do if my pet has a medical emergency?

Our own Dr. Alison Adler answers the question in this video:

Q. My dog has joint problems and needs additional calcium. Are ground up eggshells a good source or is there a calcium supplement that is better?

Thank you for your question. The best source of nutrition for your pet is a balanced, nutritionally complete, commercial diet that has been tested with AAFCO feeding trials. The label on the side of the bag will indicate whether or … Continue reading →

Q. My 3 year old 80lb Golden ate a baby sock yesterday. He is eating and going to the bathroom and acting normal. Should I be worried?

Dogs will often eat unusual things. Since your pet is a larger dog the intestine is also large and can accomodate larger items. A sock is not digestible and therefore could cause a problem if it becomes lodged in the … Continue reading →

Q. We are looking for a Shih Tzu puppy. One of the breeders I’ve been communicating with has the puppy neutered at 8 weeks. My daughter, who is a vet tech says she thinks that is too early and can wind up with incontinence problems? So, now I am asking you. Thanks

It has been shown that dogs neutered before the age of 4-4.5 months have a higher potential for urinary incontinence later in life because they never get the benefit of certain sex steroids. Waiting too long to spay or neuter … Continue reading →

Q. We are moving from Northern NY to Cape Coral in 3 months. My Dane/Lab mix is 5 yrs old, I have used K9 Advantix II as a 6-mo coverage for him. What do you recommend I start him on to prepare him for the year-round coverage he will need and is there other “Florida” coverage I should give him (other than flea and tick)

Thanks for your question. Here in Florida we love our warm weather, unfortunately parasites love it too! The main groups of parasites that your canine companion needs to be protected against are heartworms, gastrointestinal parasites, and external parasites (primarily fleas … Continue reading →

Q. My 7 month old spaniel has clear/white nails and you can easily see his pink quick. Just recently I noticed one of his nail beds is turning brownish and I can’t see the quick anymore but the tip of his nail is still clear/whitish. Is this normal or a sign of infection? He’s still been getting nail trimmings and no one has said anything.

Hello and thank you for your question. Some pets are born with pigmentation or darkening of the nails similar to what you see with their coats. However, if the nails are initially clear as you say, and then they begin … Continue reading →

Q. My girlfriend and I recently purchased a Boxer puppy. About a month in, we both noticed the pup had an extremely large vulva and nipples. We took her to our vet, thinking she had an infection. But after the course of the antibiotics was over, there was still no change. Now at four months old, her condition has remained the same. Our Vet hadn’t a clue what was wrong and thinking she might be a hermaphrodite and wanted to scope her when she turned six months. This past weekend while at the dog park, I ran into an old friend who explained his dog had had the same thing going on. He told me that it was caused by his wife’s hormone creams. He said that once they figured it out and made the proper precautions, the condition reversed itself in about six months. My girlfriend also uses a topical hormone cream. We have moved in the right direction of keeping it clear of our puppy now. Will she get better and go back to being normal? What can I tell my vet to check for to see if this is the actual culprit? Thank you for any help.

Thanks for your question. Affected puppies should have a Complete Blood Count performed to ensure that their bone marrow has not been affected. This is a routine test that your veterinarian can do. Clinical signs (enlarged nipples and vulva) can … Continue reading →

Q. I have a 14 year old female boxer who was recently diagnosed with Cushing’s disease and is treated with medication. She has suffered a stroke and is in need of rehab. She’s unable to walk but otherwise is alert, eats, sleeps, and deficates with no problem. She is also very responsive and affectionate to us. What can we do for her? We don’t want to put her down because she can’t walk.

Hello and thank you for your question. Cushing’s disease is very common in older female patients and it can come with it’s complications. However, it is a condition that does require close monitoring due to the potential side effects from … Continue reading →

Q. I love my dog, but when he licks me, his breath is horrible! What can I do about it?

Periodontal Disease is one of the most common reasons for our pets to have bad breath. Periodontal disease is the infection of the gums and bones around the teeth. The infection starts with bacteria growing in a soft film of … Continue reading →

Q. Hi,I have a nearly 6 month old papillon. He’s up to date on all his shots and his last appointment was at the beginning of this month. He has allergies so he’ll be a little itchy and sneezy at times, but still very playful and active. I recently changed his food from purina exclusive kibble to evo turkey and chicken canned formula. His activity level hasn’t really changed that much since the switch. But I noticed he’s been coughing and sniffling and he’s spit up a liitle bit of clear liquid and yellowish clear liquid that looks a little foamy in parts. It hasn’t been a full week yet since his food has been switched. I don’t know if that is causing a problem or if it’s normal or if it’s allergy related. I wanted to see if it was something serious since I’m not scheduled to take him back to the vet for another 2 weeks since he’s got a neutering appt then. Thanks.

Thanks for your question. In general, food allergies, or hypersensitivities, will not show up as nasal congestion and coughing. The hallmark signs of food reactions are ear infections, skin infections, and sometimes diarrhea. The coughing and sneezing that you notice … Continue reading →