Got Pet Questions? #ASKAVET is Back!
It’s time for our September #ASKAVET Facebook event! This month’s session will be hosted by Dr. Tony Johnson on Wednesday, Sept. 17 at 7 p.m. ET.
Dr. Tony is a practicing veterinarian and is a well-known personality on the Pet Health Central Facebook fan page where he interacts with pet owners to answer their veterinary questions and share his knowledge and fun-loving personality. For the Pet Health Central Blog, he writes on a variety of health-related topics from his perspective as an ER veterinarian and former associate professor of veterinary medicine at a major university. Dr. Tony writes from Indianapolis, Ind.
As a pet owner, you may have questions about how to keep your pet happy, healthy and active and our live Pet Health Central #ASKAVET Facebook event is the perfect place to get the right answers to your important questions! Don’t rely on outdated and potentially dangerous online information from untrusted sources or wait for your vet to return a phone call. Come to our #ASKAVET event and get your knowledge from a trained and trusted veterinarian who can help you right away!
If you have a question you would like to ask Dr. Tony before the Sept. 17 #ASKAVET event, please post it in the comments section of this blog post. You can also ask this link that will be shared on our Pet Health Central Facebook page. We will do our best to answer your question during the hour-long session. NOTE: Please be sure to include the #ASKAVET hashtag or your question may be missed! Talk to you soon!
Tags: #ASKAVET, pet questions, vet questions, Veterinarians
I purchased Senrty Plus for dogs. I have put it on by Yorkies but the smell is horribly over powering. It is making us nauseaed holding them. Is this normal? I have always purchased the Sentry but never the plus.
My concern is there is something wrong with it and it harming by babies.
Hi Tonia, like many topically applied products, this product may elicit a smell when the packaging is first opened or the product is first applied to the pet. This is normal and will dissipate over time. This is a cosmetic issue and the product remains safe and effective. If you have any further questions or concerns, please give us a call at (800) 224-PETS (7387). Thank you.
how do I combat territorial urinating
Norman – here is Dr. Tony’s feedback:
While some cases of feline inappropriate urination (also called feline house-soiling) will continue to be a problem and elude a cure, there are many cases that can be helped with patience, understanding and knowledge, plus the help of a veterinarian. Most cases involve a cat urinating in inappropriate places around the house, so that’s what I will focus on here.
Here are some tips and pointers to make sure that you are doing the most you can when faced with a cat who is urinating in places besides the litter box.
– The first order of business is to make sure you have a squeaky clean litter box. Cats are fiendishly tidy, and sometimes they just say ‘no’ to a dirty or smelly litter box, and urinating on a pile of clean laundry is just the easiest way for them to let you know it needs cleaning. Keep it clean and scoop it at least once a day.
– Try new litter or a self-cleaning litter box. A great way to keep the box clean is to invest in a self-cleaning box – that way you’ll never have to worry if it’s clean enough for your cat. Let the box do the work for you. Some cats don’t like scented cat litter, so if you have just switched to it and problems developed, switch back. Same for certain types of litter: providing a ‘litter box smorgasbord’ to see which type of litter or style of box (covered vs. open, etc.) can also help find out what their preference is and may solve the problem.
– For tough cases, start with your veterinarian! A medical issue like a urinary tract infection, urinary inflammation (known as interstitial cystitis), bladder stone, diabetes or tumor can all cause a cat to urinate outside of the litter box. A physical exam, lab tests and possibly an X-ray or ultrasound can all help to pin down the cause and develop a treatment plan.
– For really tough cases, a veterinary behaviorist might be what is needed. If you’ve ruled out medical issues like kidney disease, bladder stones and diabetes, the problem could be emotional/behavioral. Talk to your veterinarian about referral to a certified behaviorist.
Knowledge is power – harness the knowledge of your veterinarian and available pet products, and arm yourself with the knowledge you need to get your cat to think inside the box.
I applied Sergeant’s Gold to my cat about 4 days ago, she must have picked up fleas somewhere, we don’t have other animals and she’s rarely had them. She is still scratching a lot and seems out of sorts. She prefers spending most of her time outside sitting in the cold,which is not her normal behaviour and isn’t eating much and has vomited some. She is normally a very social, cuddly cat but has been very distant and seems agitated. Should I take her to the vet, get a flea dip or wait a few days and see if she feels better? The package does not say how fast the fleas die after the application.
Karleen, thanks for your question! Please give us a call at 1-800-224-PETS and we will be able to answer your question in more detail. Thanks again!