Golly, sometimes we animals wish we could talk! When things go wrong with our bodies, it sure would help. Luckily there are animal doctors out there to help us figure it out together. Recently the hosts of The Herd asked veterinarian and UAN board member Dr. Armaiti May about symptoms of animal illness and how to handle them. (Our editor asked us to tell you that these are only guidelines to possible causes, and not meant as a substitute for a visit to your veterinarian.)

Dewey: Hi all! Dewey here, back from the vet and boy all I can say is that wasn’t fun. I didn’t like being whisked away in the middle of just playin’ around, but it sure sounds like it’s a good thing they did because my mom seems like she’s feeling better, and I guess whatever is wrong with my eye is gonna clear up with a little treatment. Can’t help but wonder what the treatment is, but I have a feeling I’m gonna find out pretty quick. Dr. May sure helped out a lot too with all of her information.

Dr. May: Reddening of a portion of the eye such as the sclera (the white of the eye) or the conjunctiva (pink fleshy tissue which surrounds the eyeball itself) may be due to a minor irritation from dust getting in the eye or something more serious. It’s best to have your dog evaluated by your veterinarian, who can perform a fluorescein dye test in which a small amount of dye is placed on the cornea (the surface of the eye) in order to detect the presence of a corneal ulcer. A corneal ulcer may be caused by a scratch on the eye (from a an angry feline with sharp and well-aimed claws or another source of trauma), or in some cases, an infection. It is important to rule out a corneal ulcer when diagnosing and treating an eye condition because the treatments are different depending on whether there is an ulcer. If a steroid-containing antibiotic ophthalmic ointment (the standard treatment for conjunctivitis when there is no ulcer) is used on an eye that has an ulcer, the ulcer will actually become worse. Also, if the dog has a corneal ulcer, it is important to have the eye rechecked within a week to ensure that it is healing appropriately. Depending on other factors which would be apparent from an eye exam, the veterinarian may suspect glaucoma, in which case an intraocular pressure measurement would be taken to confirm the suspicion of glaucoma. There are a number of medications which can be used to treat and manage glaucoma in dogs.


Sagira: Hello my wonderful readers – its Sagira. I’m just so embarrassed for my lack of graces in this month’s journal. I was truly under the weather – incredibly lethargic and sluggish but I was treated and am feeling ever so much better now. It must have been an infection of some sort – and I am so very thankful to my family for exploring every possibility, and to Dr. May for providing such useful information. I have included it below.

Dr. May: Normal temperature for a cat is between 100.0 and 102.5 F. This can be measured rectally using a digital thermometer. A fever can be due to many causes, including infection (the most common), inflammation, cancer, and an immune problem. Pain can also cause the body temperature to increase. If the cat is not eating, this could be due to many possible causes, but it is important to provide supportive care (fluids to maintain adequate hydration and other supportive measures as needed) to prevent further decline while a diagnosis is being reached.


Roxie: Hey it’s Roxie here! Really good to see you guys again! Boy my ear sure did itch there for a while, but I got some ointment from the veterinarian and it’s feeling a whole lot better! Dr. May helped us figure out that I needed to be seen, and gave some great advice about what to do if I’m sratching my ears a lot.

Dr. May: Scratching the ears is often a sign of an ear infection, a fairly common problem. Oftentimes ear infections are part of a generalized skin allergy problem, so one should also look for signs of scratching in other areas.


Paula: Hi everyone! It’s me, Paula! My goodness, I was drooling so much the last time we talked, and I am so sorry about that! Apparently, there were some issues with my teeth I did not even know about, but we got the issue fixed quickly, thanks to some help from Dr. May and a visit to our local veterinarian.

Dr. May: Drooling could be a sign of dental disease in a rabbit. This is a serious matter because if a rabbit has a painful mouth and stops eating, the rabbit’s gastrointestinal system can shut down, which can be life-threatening and require extensive care. Since rabbits have teeth which continue to grow, they generally have to be trimmed regularly to prevent malocclusion problems that can develop. Take your rabbit to the vet for a full oral examination and possibly dental xrays to figure out the source of the discomfort.


Roxie: I’ve seen other dogs look like they might have trouble breathing. I’d like to help if I can – what could this indicate? Are there other symptoms I should look for and anything special I or their parents should do?

Dr. May Difficulty breathing may be due to many possible causes. Unless the dog is panting, which is a normal respiratory pattern for a dog in a lot of situations, respiratory rate above 30 breaths a minute could indicate a health problem. Difficulty breathing could be due to a primary lung problem, or possibly a heart condition. Examples of health problems affecting the lungs include cancer and pneumonia. There can be a primary lung tumor or spread of cancer (metastasis) from elsewhere in the body to the lungs. If the dog has heart failure, fluid could accumulate in the lungs, leading to both coughing and difficulty breathing. If these signs are noticed, the dog should be seen by a veterinarian who can then have radiographs (x-rays) taken to confirm a suspected diagnosis. Depending on the cause, there may be medications to help treat the problem.


Sagira: I just don’t know how I could possibly ask this question, it’s quite a delicate matter, but one of my friends simply does not seem to be feeling well and she is having, well, I suppose I must say it, loose bowels. What could be causing her to feel this way, and how can I help?

Dr. May: Diarrhea or loose bowels can be caused by many things, including intestinal parasites, abrupt changes in diet, stress, and a diseased gastrointestinal tract (either from inflammatory bowel disease or some type of cancer). The first step is to take the cat into your veterinarian for a thorough history and exam. The vet will ask how long the diarrhea has been going on, if there are any other changes in behavior or appetite, and whether your cat is indoors or outdoors. The first diagnostic test will probably be a fecal floatation to check for parasites.

And lastly, one question from the UAN Staff: What is the most common symptom that causes people to bring their pets to see you?

Dr. May: One of the most common reasons people bring their pets to be seen is for itchy skin problems, which tend to be worse in the late spring and summer months but can occur year-round. A large number of dogs and cats suffer from flea allergic dermatitis. They are actually allergic to the flea bite itself. It is best for these animals to have a flea control product applied or administered monthly to prevent fleas from biting and starting another round of vigorous itching and scratching. After flea allergy dermatitis has been ruled out, food allergy and atopy (an allergy to environmental components such as molds, dust mites, plant pollens, etc.) can be considered as possible causes for itchy skin.