Ask Dr. Paola: Monday May 19, 2025

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Welcome to our “Ask Dr. Paola” sequence, the place each Monday we convey professional recommendation straight from Dr. Paola Cuevas (MVZ) to assist our readers higher perceive their canine’s well being and well-being.

Whether or not you’re a brand new pet mum or dad or a seasoned canine lover, Dr. Paola is right here to supply solutions to your most urgent questions. From vitamin ideas and preventive care to troubleshooting widespread behavioral points, Dr. Paola is able to supply insights that may maintain your furry buddy joyful and wholesome. Keep tuned for professional steering on a spread of subjects that matter most to you and your canine, so you can also make knowledgeable choices and supply the absolute best care to your canine companion. ‎Have‎ a ‎question? Send it in here!

Assist! My Canine is Chubby!

“I consider Linus may be very obese. What do you advocate as an acceptable
weight-reduction plan?” – James

Hello James.

Recognizing {that a} dog may be overweight is a crucial first step towards serving to him dwell an extended, extra comfy life. So, thanks! Extra physique fats in canines, very similar to in folks, places pressure on the joints, coronary heart, and different organs, and might contribute to critical well being points reminiscent of diabetes, arthritis, and decreased immune perform. Earlier than adjusting Linus’ weight-reduction plan, it’s important to verify his best weight vary primarily based on his breed, age, and physique situation. A hands-on analysis utilizing a physique situation rating (BCS) chart is a useful information; it isn’t rocket science, however should you’re uncertain, a session with a veterinary skilled, like one of our veterinarians at PangoVet, can present an correct evaluation.

With regards to weight reduction, a species-appropriate, portion-controlled diet is the muse. This usually means a weight-reduction plan wealthy in high-quality animal protein, reasonable in fats, and low in carbohydrates. Some commercially obtainable weight administration diets are formulated to assist fats loss whereas preserving lean muscle. Nonetheless, the important thing lies within the portion measurement and consistency. Measure Linus’ meals with a kitchen scale slightly than counting on cups, which are typically imprecise. Incorporating light, regular exercise tailor-made to his present health degree is equally vital. Keep away from feeding desk scraps or high-calorie treats. As an alternative, use small parts of his day by day meals as coaching rewards or go for low-calorie alternatives like inexperienced beans or carrot slices. A gradual, regular weight lack of round 1 to 2 p.c of physique weight per week is taken into account secure and efficient.

I want you and Linus good luck on the load loss mission!

Dr. Paola

Assist! I Discovered Worms in My Canines Poop!

“I lately dewormed my Yorkshire Terrier Lucy with remedy that I received from my native vet. After deworming her, she began coughing and gave the impression to be nauseous. This went away after a day or two. A couple of weeks later, I attempted a pure treatment of ground-up papaya and pumpkin seeds, and I observed what gave the impression to be some sort of worm in her faeces—like lengthy grains of rice. Does deworming with Milpro or comparable merchandise kill all worms, together with the eggs, or does it solely kill the grownup worms?“ – Robert

Hello Robert,

Thanks for paying attention to Lucy’s well being. It’s common for canines to point out transient indicators like coughing or nausea after deworming, particularly if there’s a big parasite load. These indicators usually replicate the physique’s response to the dying parasites and often resolve rapidly, as you noticed. Pure treatments like papaya and pumpkin seeds are standard in holistic circles. Though there’s, to my data, solely one preliminary study that gives promising proof supporting their antiparasitic results, they haven’t been scientifically confirmed to totally remove intestinal parasites. What you noticed in Lucy’s stool resembling lengthy grains of rice is most likely tapeworm segments, that are shed by the parasite as a part of its life cycle. That is how they unfold their eggs into the surroundings.

Milpro is a broad-spectrum dewormer that targets a number of grownup intestinal worms, together with roundworms, hookworms, and tapeworms. Nonetheless, like most anthelmintic medicines, it primarily kills grownup worms in addition to immature phases, not the eggs. That’s why repeat therapies or strategic timing primarily based on the worm’s life cycle are essential to interrupt the cycle and forestall reinfestation. That is what we often consult with as a deworming schedule. Tapeworms, specifically, are carefully linked to fleas, so it’s vital to additionally guarantee constant flea prevention. For a parasite management plan to really be efficient, it’s vital to contemplate each the native parasite dangers and your canine’s life-style. Elements like whether or not Lucy spends time outdoor, interacts with different animals, or lives in a high-risk space can all affect which strategy is finest. That is why searching for steering from a veterinary skilled is vital to tailoring a plan that matches Lucy’s particular wants and surroundings.

For pet mother and father used to giving their canines the identical deworming chew month after month, it’s value mentioning that parasites can step by step develop resistance if the identical sort of dewormer is used repeatedly over time. This can be a public well being concern, however rotating or combining therapies beneath veterinary supervision can assist forestall this.

One last item value mentioning is that as a result of parasites can simply unfold between pets in the identical family, it’s beneficial to deal with all animals within the dwelling on the similar time, even when just one is displaying indicators of an infestation. Contemplating all of those steps could make an enormous distinction in retaining your pet wholesome and parasite-free. I hope this helps!

Dr. Paola

Assist! My Canine Growls at Guests!

“Elsa is a mild German Shepherd, however generally she growls at sure guests, however not others. It’s not at all times new folks both, some new folks she is ok with, however others she growls. She scares folks due to her measurement, however I do know she may be very light. I simply marvel why she picks sure folks and never others? Is there something I can do to cease this, or is it good conduct to have as a result of she may sense issues that we don’t?“ – Karol

Hello Karol,

Thanks to your considerate query. Elsa feels like a delicate and clever lady, and, understandably, her growling may be disturbing to some guests, even when you recognize her light nature. What you’re describing is a typical conduct amongst canines, particularly breeds like German Shepherds, who’ve sturdy protective instincts. Canines rely closely on physique language, scent, and vitality, and Elsa is probably going responding to delicate cues within the folks she meets. This will embrace nervousness, unfamiliar scents (like one other canine, alcohol, or sure medicines), and even posture and tone of voice. Her growling isn’t essentially an indication that somebody is “dangerous” however slightly that she’s uncertain or uncomfortable in that second.

Growling is definitely a priceless type of communication. It’s Elsa’s approach of claiming, “I’m not comfy,” with out escalating to more serious behavior. The objective isn’t to suppress the growl however to know and information her via these moments. One useful strategy is to create a predictable, calm routine when company arrive. You may need Elsa on a leash close by with some high-value treats and reward her for remaining calm and relaxed. If she growls, don’t punish her, as that may train her to skip the warning subsequent time. As an alternative, calmly redirect her consideration and transfer her away to present her house. Right here, the principle problem for you is to strive to determine what it’s that triggers her; is it a hat? A fragrance? The voice tone? It’s not simple, however a little bit of detective work is at all times wanted as we are attempting to decipher or higher perceive our furry relations. As soon as recognized or a minimum of narrowed down to a couple potentialities, you possibly can work on counter-conditioning these triggers with the assistance of a positive reinforcement trainer and even a few of your triggering guests, so long as they will observe directions and stay calm. The clue is at all times to strengthen Elsa’s calm conduct whereas educating her that what she perceives as a deal with is nothing to fret about.

If the conduct turns into extra intense or unpredictable, a session with a professional in person can assist you assess her surroundings and patterns in additional element. Many instances, it’s we who want some behavioral modifications to efficiently handle our pets, and that’s completely tremendous; in the long run, what’s most vital is that we’re all making an attempt our greatest to know and shield one another’s well-being.

Good luck!

– Dr. Paola

The put up Ask Dr. Paola: Monday May 19, 2025 by Dr. Paola Cuevas MVZ (Vet) appeared first on Dogster. Copying over whole articles infringes on copyright legal guidelines. You will not be conscious of it, however all of those articles have been assigned, contracted and paid for, so they don’t seem to be thought of public area. Nonetheless, we respect that you simply just like the article and would like it should you continued sharing simply the primary paragraph of an article, then linking out to the remainder of the piece on Dogster.com.

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