Home
Ask Our Vet
Ask Our Vet
Ask Our Vet
Can we help?
Post your health questions to our Veterinarian & Animal Science Adviser, Dr. Anna Maria Gardner, MA Vet. MB.
About: Dr. Anna Gardner is a holistic veterinarian, based in Washington State, and is a licensed veterinarian who specializes in acupuncture and homeopathy. She is available for phone consultations, as well as house-calls, and her services include homeopathy, acupuncture, nutrition, supplements, flower essences and other healing modalities. Phone: 360-SYNERGY (360-796-3749).
The fields marked with * are mandatory
|
Name |
Julie |
|
Q. |
Hi, I recently brought my 3 year old male cat to the vet because he was showing symptoms of a urinary blockage like one of my other cats had before. When I brought him in the vet confirmed that yes he did have crystals blocking him from urinating. They rushed him to surgery and she called me 2 hours later and said that he passed away. When they went to turn off the anesthetic his heart stopped, they tried cpr but it just didn't work. My question lies on the fact that my other male cat had this surgery twice and it was successful both times. Why wouldn't my 3 year old male cat not make it through? Any help you could give would be appreciated as I've been a complete wreck since I found out and would like a second opinion. Also you should know that I feed my cats Hill's Science W/D formula, Thank you for your time.. |
|
A. |
Hi There I am very sorry for your sad loss, that is a hard thing to go through and not a normal thing to happen. There is always some risk with anesthetics and sometimes with urinary blockage the pH and electrolytes can be out of balance which could make it more risky, but it is hard to say without knowing more if there was any underlying heart condition or anything that could have caused this. There are things like that, but the only way to tell for sure would be to have done an autopsy which I know is the last thing to think of at the time with all the grief and shock but might have given you some more definite answers. I would really look into more natural foods though for your other cats, especially grain free or raw food diets ( www.petsynergy.com/overview.html or www.felineinstincts.com has some more info and articles that might help). Some cats are prone to crystals and urinary tract issues even on raw food diets though and it can be a problem in neutered male cats. So sorry you had to go through this and lose your beloved cat though.Dr. Gardner |
|
Name: |
Margaret |
|
Q. |
Our little dog(6 years old)has a condition known as PANNICULITIS. He has swelling in the right groin area and on the right leg. He also leaks through the penis area(our Vet says through the sheath). This fluid is sometimes clear but also can be bloody in appearance. Is there a herbal product that may help him? Our Vet did try him on prednisone, this did seem to soften the tissue. However we could tell that the medication made him feel terrible and he was taken off it. Our Vet said that there isn't anything that can be done. I'd really appreciated your input. Thank you. Margaret |
|
A. |
Thank you for your question. The most important thing is to get the immune system in balance so a good diet, ideally raw is the best place to start. For more information you can go to www.petsynergy.com/overview.html adding in Fish Oils, Multi-vitamins and Anti-oxidants is also important. The Animal Apawthecary blend of Echinacea and Goldenseal and also OL Immune would be helpful too for supporting the immune system and helping fight the inflammation. In addition homeopathic remedies can help with this condition over time and building the immune system up, and working with a holistic vet might be beneficial. To start off with I would change the diet, and add the supplements and go from there. Hope this helps. |
|
Name: |
Penny |
|
Q. |
Hi just wondering. My dog's coat is rather dull looking. Would an Omega 3 be the best option for her? |
|
A. |
Yes, an Omega 3 oil is for a healthy skin and a shiny coat in pets and also for pets with dull or poor coats or ‘scratchy’ skin. |
|
Name: |
Stingray Ray |
|
Q. |
How many dogs develop joint problems? |
|
A. |
25 – 30% of all dogs develop joint problems |
|
Name: |
Amy & Wim Colgate |
|
Q. |
What are fur balls? |
|
A. |
Fur balls are usually associated with cats, and when they groom themselves they swallow a fair amount of fur. Usually the hair is harmless as it passes through the digestive system, sometimes with some mild discomfort, but in severe rare cases the cat be unable to pass the fur ball, thus causing an obstruction in the Gastrointestinal Tract; and this would warrant a vet visit and potentially surgery. If your cat experiences weight loss, vomiting or diarrhea consult with your vet as soon as possible. |
|
Name |
Lisa Meleo Wicker |
|
Q. |
Hi, I have a black lab that has suffered a blown disc and has no movement in his back leg...has anyone had any success with arnica tincture for disc problems? Any advice would be appreciated! |
|
A. |
Arnica as a homeopathic remedy can help with the initial stage of a disc problem like this, but it is important to use the homeopathic remedy not the herbal tincture. I would also recommend other remedies to follow up with such as Hypericum or Conium, depending on the particular symptoms. However the best modality for this type of problem would be acupuncture, as this can really help and reverse the problem, and I would encourage you to find a vet near you who does acupuncture, at www.ahvma.org or www.ivas.org hope this helps. Dr. Gardner. |
| Name: | Romano |
| Q. | Hello, My 12.5 years old dog, Siberian husky, (in very good condition until September 2011), has a big swelling over right eye and the right side of his nose and forehead. The swelling started on September 2011 and has developed very fast. The vet said that it looks as something is growing insight, (behind the eye pushing it forward, perhaps cancer, and not much can be done in this case. However, he prescribed antibiotic, zenoquin 200mg , the swelling decreased approx. a half, however, it still exists. The dog does not have a pain in general, unless from time to time a liquid, (white/ green color) is coming out from his eye, and then he has a pain, and the antibiotic helps. I would like to try Clavamox , and the recommended dose is 6.25 milligrams per pound of body weight every 12 hours. Since I can give my dog the medication ONLY once a day with the meal, (he will not take twice a day) could you please advise me, if I can dose the Clavamox , 2 x 6.25 (12.5)milligrams per pound of body weight every 24 hours? and for how many days . Thank you |
| A. | So sorry to hear about your dog's condition, and it does sound like it is a kind of tumor. I would really take him back into the vet there because there maybe other things they can do to decrease the size of the tumor temporarily and make him more comfortable. In any case the Clavamox is best given twice a day not every twenty four hours, and it maybe an antibiotic cream that goes in the eye would be better, hope this helps and he does better. Dr. Gardner |
| Name: | Jayne |
| Q. |
My cat is very allergic to fleas and even getting one bite he will have swollen ears and red itchy bleeding bumps. I read that after treating him for the fleas, some people really like Dr. Rose's Remedies. I also have a female cat here who has problems with constipation. We have tried Laxetone and that doesn't seem to be cutting it. do you have any suggestions? |
| A. | Hi there I do not recommend Tea Tree Oil in cats but there are proprietary herbal formulas that can help but I would check the ingredients and make sure they are safe for cats, in general D-limonene and low percentages of Neem Oil are safe but would make sure it is properly formulated for cats, it is also important to treat the environment and for more detailed suggestions I have a brief article at: www.petsynergy.com/fleaskin.html General immune support and a good multivitamin and mineral also help. I would try 1 teaspoon of canned organic pumpkin twice a day and Animals' Apawthecary Phytomucil Powder can also help with constipation, hope this helps. The right diet is important too, and canned or wet foods (like raw) are definitely better than dry kibble in most cases. Dr. Gardner |
| - 30 - | |
Site news
- 13 Apr 2012 Which State Loves Pets more Naturally?
- 11 Apr 2012 TV Personality Nikki Moustaki Interview
- 01 Apr 2012 We're growing again! Welcome Sarah Grace Villaflor
Cart is empty
