Q: Hi Dr. Kesler, I have a question for you. Why should you NOT foal on wood chips? Please let me know as soon as you can. Thanks, Recia
A:Hello Recia, the reason is that wood chips adhere to the wet foal and can become lodged in their windpipe and eyes. Hope this helps. |
Q: What is the difference between Frontline Top Spot and Frontline Plus?
A: Frontline Plus has the same ingredients as Frontline Top Spot but contains one extra ingredient methoprene. With the addition of methoprene Frontline Plus not only kills adult fleas but also breaks the flea life cycle by killing their eggs and larvae preventing reinfestation. Frontline Plus is recommended for dog and cat owners who want the most complete flea and tick control available. |
Q: What is the life cycle of an ear mite? How long until it hatches?
A: The life cycle of an ear mite is 21 days. |
Q: Do you have a recommended treatment for coprophagia? What causes dogs to do this - a diet deficiency or something?
A: Coprophagia or stool eating can be caused by several different conditions. Vitamin and dietary deficiencies occur in a small percentage of dogs and in some cases vitamin supplements will alleviate this problem. Some veterinarians believe that dogs consume their stools in the early stages of anemia. If your dog is older this should be something to have your veterinarian test for. Also hookworms can cause stool eating so that possibility should be checked into. Some medications may cause a dog to participate in Coprophagia as well. Inflammatory Bowel Disease pancreatic problems and various other medical abnormalities can all be the cause for stool eating. Therefore it is best to have your pet thoroughly examined by your veterinarian to rule out any illnesses. Additionally some dogs eat their stools due to a behavior problem; they are trying to hide their scent. If your dog is otherwise healthy then one solution to stopping this behavior is to add a supplement to the dog's food which will make the stools taste bad to him while providing a nutritional supplement. Forbid is one of many products that effectively breaks the stool-eating cycle. |
Q: I have a 2 1/2 yr old Lab Retriever and yesterday she started to have some green mucus coming from her eye. Also the white of her eye is a bit red. I have a feeling she may have got it scratched by something as we live in a heavily wooded area. Is there anything you can recommend for her?
A: If you are concerned that the appearance of your dog's eye is due to a scratch, you should schedule an appointment with your veterinarian as soon as possible. |
Q: My dog has been puking since Friday night, it is now Monday morning. She has no interest in food and can't keep water down. Sheis walking around more this morning and her vomit is mainly water. Yesterday it was yellow. Is this a good sign. What can I do to help her get better? Have any ideas on what it can be?
A: There are many causes of vomiting. From getting in to the garbage, foreign bodies such as rocks to kidney failure. If your pet has been vomiting since Friday and is still doing it today I would consider a trip to the vet. Dehydration is a concern. Most easy cases of vomiting only last 24 hours. |
Q: How long after a bitch comes to her milk is it before she has pups? My golden has had milk since yesterday how much longer might she be?
A: In most dogs it can be anywhere from 24 hours to 7 days before whelping begins so milk production is not a strong indicator of impending puppies. Body temperature and nesting behavior are better indicators. Hope this helps. |
Q: I have a Welsh Mountain Pony aged 20 who has now come out in a large hard lump on the right hand side of his neck. He does not seem to be in pain and doesn't mind when you feel around the area. The lump has been there for about 4 weeks. He is eating and drinking normal although his coat has lost condition a bit. What could this be and how would be best to treat it? He has been recently wormed and deloused. I have 5 ponies and he's the only one with this condition.
A: In a 20 year old pony I would be most concerned about a problem with a lymph node. Since it has already been there for four weeks it seems less likely to be an abscess or seroma. You should schedule an appointment with your veterinarian so that you can get it taken care of. Good luck! |
Q: How often should a dog be dewormed?
A: Pups should get their first deworming treatment starting at 2 weeks of age then every two weeks until 3 months of age. At that time treatments should be monthly until the pup reaches one year of age. Then future treatment should be discussed with your vet according to the area in which you live. It is worthwhile to also be on heartworm preventative that has parasite control in it. Hope this helps. |
Q: My 7 year old dog has green mucus in the corner of her eyes. I clean them and give her a allergy medicine(yellow pill) that the vet gave her but it comes right back. I thought green meant infection right?
A: I would assume that the yellow pill is an antihistamine for allergies. Unfortunately anti-histamines are not real effective treating allergies in dogs. The green may be an infection that is secondary to allergies or since I don't know the breed it could be anatomic problem. I would consider a trial of an eye medicine containing antibiotics/cortisone. Good luck. |
Q: My puppies have started to get sick. They are throwing up have bloody stools no appetite and no energy. They are 3 months old and now 2 have diedWhat could it be?
A: You need to be very concerned about parvo/corona virus. Please see a vet as soon as possible. |
Q: I have been feeding Pro-Biolac kitten formulato 3 orphaned kittens will it hurt them if I switch to a different brand of formula? I am having trouble locating the Pro-Biolac formula. They are on their 3rd large can and I am having trouble finding people that sell that brand.
A: It may cause some diarrhea if you switch them immediately. I would plan on using a probiotic along with new formula for a week or so. I recommend using Probios. |
Q: My daughter's horse has been recently diagnosed with moon blindness. What are your suggestions to prevent flareups?
A: Prevention is difficult due to the many causes of moon blindness and the reoccurring nature. It would be wise to run titers for Leptospirosis use a Ivermectin product for Onchocerca and always be looking at the eyes for early treatment is paramount. Wearing a fly mask would also help. You can also run titers for viruses that your horse may have had. Sometimes you need to keep a horse on low doses of an anti-inflammatory to keep the disease under control.
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