You can select from the latest offering of questions below, click on one of the sections above to view species specific questions or search our library below.

• Why does my dog eat grass?
• What can I do about my cat that vomits regularly?-
• Will declawing my cat change his personality?
• Why does my dog's breath smell so bad?
• What are the early signs of hip dysplasia and how can I prevent it?

Why Does My Dog Eat Grass?

We don't know what the biological function of grass eating is, but we do know that it is a normal behavior in healthy dogs. Owners of grass-eating dogs should limit their pet's access to chemically treated lawns.

Following are details of a fairly extensive study conducted at University of Wisconsin, Preventative Medicine Service that both debunks and confirms several theories.

Canine plant-eating behavior was surveyed in 2 groups of dog owners: those with healthy dogs visiting the outpatient service of a veterinary school and a second group visiting an internet site. The investigators asked 4 questions: Is most plant eating done by dogs showing signs of illness? Are most of these episodes followed by vomiting? Does a dietary deficiency trigger plant eating? Is it normal? In the healthy pet population surveyed at the veterinary hospital, 47 of 98 surveys met the study criteria; owners had to spend a designated amount of time with the dog, and the dog had to have daily exposure to plants. In this group, 79% (n=37) reported that their dogs ate grass and other plants. Grass was the predominant pant consumed, and only 4 dogs were reported to be ill before eating grass. Ten plant-eating dogs had a diet supplemented with fruits and vegetables, and none of the nonplant-eating dogs consumed a diet supplemented with vegetables or fruits. For the internet survey (n=1571), many respondents reported that their dogs were selective about the type of grass eaten. Only 132 were reported to be ill before or after eating plants, and vomiting after eating plants was reported in 346 dogs. Those fed complete and balanced diets were more likely to vomit than those fed homemade diets. Older dogs were more likely to vomit than young dogs. Younger age was significantly associated with increased plant eating, increased eating of nongrass plants, decreased signs of illness before grazing, and decreased tendency to vomit after eating plants

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What can I do about my cat that vomits regularly?

Cats, as you're witnessing, have a much more sensitive vomiting reflex than we do, so it isn't unusual for cats to vomit when they don't appear sick. I assume your cat has a healthy, but not excessive, appetite; isn't losing weight or acting lethargic; doesn't have diarrhea; and that parasites have been ruled out. If any of these symptoms are present, or if he's vomiting green or orange liquid (bile), a medical problem is likely and should be investigated.

The two most common scenarios in which well cats vomit are (1) from eating too much or too fast, which results in vomiting undigested food very soon after eating, and (2) hairballs, which usually cause vomiting of the hairball itself. Hairballs have no sure-fire remedy, but the most popular thing to try is a hairball lubricant (make sure you give this on an empty stomach, not with food); also frequent combing, brushing, or even a "lion clip" (for a long-haired cat) will be helpful. Any hair you can remove is hair that your cat will not end up swallowing. There is also a new hairball formula cat food on the market that may help. Ask your veterinarian about this.

As for eating too much or too fast, this problem is usually worse in cases where cats have their food taken away and are only permitted to eat at certain times of the day, causing them to gorge when food is available. Trials of different brands of food may help. Anything else you can do (portioning the food out gradually, for example) to encourage eating smaller amounts frequently might also be helpful. If the vomiting is daily, you might want to try medication. However, most people don't want to medicate their cats daily if vomiting only occurs once a week or less.

If these ideas don't help you, the only way to get a certain answer as far as any medical cause, such as inflammatory bowel disease, would be to have biopsies of the stomach and intestinal tract done. Your veterinarian can tell you more about this.

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Will declawing my cat change his personality?

This is actually a bit of a controversial issue within the veterinary community. Many veterinarians feel that declawing a young kitten won’t change his personality. The procedure is least traumatic when performed on young animals, because they’re smaller and they have less weight to carry on their feet after surgery. They’ll experience less pain and heal more quickly than full-grown animals, and should therefore be less affected by the surgery. Still, many feel that even adult cats can be declawed without a permanent change in personality.

There are some veterinary professionals who feel that declawing may change a cat’s personality and behavior, however. They argue that declawed felines may feel defenseless and may be more likely to mark (urinate on) their territory, avoid contact with others or become aggressive, and change their pattern of vocalization (growling, hissing, or increased crying).

The issue of declawing remains controversial, but the choice to declaw or not is a personal one. For more information, consult your veterinarian.

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Why does my dog's breath smell so bad?

Most often, bad breath is caused by dental or periodontal disease. Some dogs do not adequately chew their food; thus they don't clean their teeth naturally by the chewing process. Also, some dogs and cats are just prone to dental plaque, tartar and disease. These pets may need more frequent dental cleanings and treatments.

Internal diseases such as kidney disease can also cause bad breath. A trip to your veterinarian is recommended in order to pinpoint the cause of your dog's bad breath and to ensure he is in good health.

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