ANIMAL DOCTOR

Tuesday, February 21, 2006

Dear Dr. Fox:

I have a beautiful 5-year-old black Lab that weighs 75 pounds and has a shiny black coat. I take great care in grooming him, but, for the past couple of years, he has been plagued by a problem with dry spots on his elbows, which is leading to calluses and hair loss. I have asked my veterinarian about this, and he says it's normal for Labs to get calluses on their elbows and there is nothing I can do to prevent it. Please tell me that he is wrong. I have tried a few types of ointments, and hydrocortisone seems to help slow the problem down somewhat, but it does not seem to be enough. Your advice will be greatly appreciated.

K.T., Chesapeake Beach, Md.

No, your veterinarian is not wrong. Many short-coated, heavy-bodied dogs develop elbow calluses, and, while often unsightly, they are relatively normal.

Providing the dog with one or more beds on the floor and adding a tablespoonful of safflower oil to his food (to help improve his coat) may also help limit callus formation.

Steroid cream could actually delay healing where there are cracks in the skin. Vitamin A and Vitamin E cream or a few drops of essential oils, such as myrrh, lavender and frankincense in almond oil -- rubbed into the elbows twice a day when there is some fissure formation -- will help promote healing.

Dear Dr. Fox:

I have a cat that is approximately 3 years old. Last year she started "overcleaning" her front legs and thus removing her fur. She is now overcleaning the inside of her back legs.

I've taken her to the vets, and they said some kitty cats are like that, so they have prescribed her a steroid shot every couple of months to stop this. I would prefer to do something natural as opposed to continuing these shots. What do you recommend?

D.W., Virginia Beach

Stop the steroids! This is absurd treatment that will bring on other serious health problems.

Your cat could already have a health problem that is causing her to groom herself to the point of self-mutilation. Most often, there is an underlying allergy, especially to certain ingredients in the cat's food, or the thyroid gland is becoming hyperactive. The presence of fleas or mites must also be ruled out. Some careful detective work is called for.

Steroid shots may help reduce the symptoms but will not correct the underlying cause. Oral treatment with an antihistamine or a psychotropic drug like Valium or Prozac may help break the compulsion if there is a primary emotional reason -- possibly triggered by stress in the home environment, like a new cat, a baby or the death or departure of a loved one.

Dear Dr. Fox:

I have a chocolate Labrador, Junior, that is a little over a year old. He is a very friendly dog and loves people. The problem is that he likes to nibble at your hands and jump up at you when being greeted. He is kept in a good-sized dog lot when we are not home, so the only time he is out is when we are home. He is always very playful, but also very rough, and we really have to be on guard if children are around.

Due to his hyper nature and behavior, he doesn't like to be touched by strangers, especially around the head area, unless he really knows you. Even then, he's always trying to nibble at you. He will sit, give "howdy" and stay when told; otherwise, he is very active.

Do you have any recommendations on how to change his behavior? We have tried different dog foods and walking him on a leash. We try to spend more time with him, but we can't calm him down. We have not had him "fixed" yet but plan to do so soon.

C.S., King, N.C.

You have a young, active dog that craves contact, gets overexcited and wants to play. Does he get out and have an opportunity to run and play with other dogs?

Many young dogs are misjudged as being hyperactive when, in fact, they live relatively inactive, boring lives, often all day at home, and too often are confined in a crate.

He will become calmer when he matures, around 18 to 24 months of age. Right now, he's an adolescent who needs understanding, lots of physical activity (he's a working/hunting breed) and some consistent, basic obedience education to set boundaries, with rewards for appropriate behavior, like not jumping up and mouthing when greeting someone, which I interpret as an unrequited solicitation to play.

The first item on his educational agenda is to learn self-control, what Ivan Pavlov called internal inhibition. Teaching him to sit and stay is the first step in this process, and if you are not adept at canine education, find a good school or hire a reputable trainer; otherwise, you could end up with a canine delinquent who knows no boundaries and is more of a liability than a good family member.

Michael Fox, author of many books on animal care, welfare and rights, is a veterinarian with doctoral degrees in medicine and animal behavior. Write to him in care of United Feature Syndicate, 200 Madison Ave., New York, N.Y. 10016. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.

2006United Feature Syndicate Inc.