by Michael W. Fox
Dear Dr. Fox:
We adopted a beagle a year ago, and although she is supposed to be about 5, I would say she is older. Her teeth were in terrible condition, and she now has a white muzzle.
Her stools have always been too soft; she has anal gland problems. Upon having her food changed in December, she had a terrible bout with hemorrhagic gastroenteritis. Since then, I have been feeding her brown rice, chicken and broccoli, but these foods have not helped with the soft stools.
Recently, after running out of rice, I gave her oatmeal instead, thinking that would be bland enough. Big mistake: The gastroenteritis started all over again.
I am not sure what to feed her. I would like to put her on the homemade food that you recommend, but am afraid to add the supplements. At the moment, she eats Hill’s i/d Gastrointestinal Health food.
S.A., Warrenton
DF: Your dog probably has inflammatory bowel disease. Many co-factors should be addressed, such as intestinal infection, parasites such as giardia, food allergy and gluten sensitivity.
During acute episodes of diarrhea, give rice or barley water with a pinch of salt and sugar and no food for 24 to 36 hours as an emergency measure. Body hydration is important and might require emergency veterinary treatment with replacement fluids.
During such an episode, veterinarians often prescribe antispasmodics and metronidazole. They also advise a bland, home-prepared diet of known ingredients such as the recipes formulated by veterinarians for various dog and cat health problems available from Balance IT, DVM Consulting in Davis, Calif.; telephone, 888-346-6362.
Successful treatment with oral calcium aluminosilicate or kaolin and pectin, slippery elm or aloe-vera juice has been reported and could be tried under veterinary supervision. The inexpensive drug tylosin has recently been reported to benefit dogs afflicted by inflammatory-bowel conditions.
LIVING WITH CANCER
Dear Dr. Fox:
My 8-year-old Russian blue cat was recently diagnosed with fibrosarcoma. He also has a round open wound on his right haunch that is clean and doesn’t seem to bother him, but it drains and is quite messy.
Two vets have told me that this wound can’t be closed and that it has something to do with the blood supply to the tumor that, at this point, is helping to keep him alive.
He doesn’t appear to be in any pain and is eating, playing and sleeping normally. His brother, from the same litter, is well. I don’t understand why this wound won’t heal or why it can’t be closed.
E-R.G., Norfolk
DF: It is good to know that your cancer-afflicted cat is still enjoying life and showing no other symptoms.
Because fibrosarcomas in cats are linked to the place in their skin where they were injected, veterinarians vaccinate cats down their legs rather than behind the neck. Surgical removal of the cancer, often involving limb amputation, is more likely to eliminate the cancer (which can spread into surrounding tissues and internal organs) than surgery around the neck or between the shoulder blades.
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