Dear Dr. Fox:
Our 6-year-old Yorkshire terrier weighs about three pounds. Periodically, her abdomen gets bloated, and we take her to the vet to drain the fluid. She is then put on prednisone and furosemide.
One vet thought she had a kidney problem; another thinks it is an immune-deficiency disorder. What could be causing this? Is this problem peculiar to this breed?
R.E., New York
DF: There are many reasons animals and humans become afflicted with ascites, a fluid buildup in the abdominal cavity.
One can rule out alcoholism in pets, but not liver disease and heart problems, which are common causes of this condition in dogs. Depending on what the withdrawn fluid contains (blood, serum, bacteria), test for cancer and chronic peritonitis.
Focus on the dog’s heart first and combine the diuretic (furosemide) treatment with a low-salt diet and various supplements, notably CoQ10, L-carnitine, selenium, vitamin E, zinc and potassium. Discuss these supplements with your veterinarian.
MARK OF ANXIETY
Dear Dr. Fox:
My 5-year-old tabby is neutered and declawed. I have moved recently and could not take him with me, so I left him with my mother in her home. She loves cats.
She has two spayed cats — one is temperamental, and the other is a bit shy. My tabby gets along fine with the shy one, and he sort of stays away from the other one.
Now the tabby has started to spray on the wall next to the floor in different areas of the house.
The vet thinks he is just marking his area. I think that because he is neutered and never did this before, he might have a urinary-tract problem.
D.B., Springfield, Mo.
DF: Spraying walls or other vertical objects is a territorial-marking behavior, especially in male cats and occasionally in females.
Non-neutered males do this most often, and such behavior usually subsides, along with the pungent, musky, tomcat-pheromone stink in the urine.
I doubt your cat has a bladder problem, but to rule out that stress-related possibility, get a checkup. More usually, cats with cystitis strain painfully while they urinate in a squatting posture.
Your mother should try the Feliway pheromone room diffuser to help your cat settle down, his spraying being a likely sign of anxiety. Give him catnip to help alleviate his anxiety.
VALLEY FEVER
Dear Dr. Fox:
My sister bought a yellow Lab pup in September. He has just been diagnosed with valley fever. What kind of life we can expect for this dog? He is on medication.
G.B., North Wilkesboro, N.C.
DF: Valley fever (coccidiomycosis) is a fungal infection that initially settles in the lungs and then spreads to the lymphatics, bones and other organs (including eyes and brain).
It is derived from spores in the soil that are spread by dust storms and dirt-digging construction by land developers, especially in desert areas. After rain, the fungus migrates to the soil surface, turning into spores that are carried by the wind.
Valley fever can occur in most mammals (including humans) and in some reptiles. It is more common in dogs than in cats. Infected animals do not pass the disease onto others. In some cases, the infection begins in the skin.
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