Welcome to our “Ask Dr. Paola” sequence, the place each Monday we carry knowledgeable recommendation straight from Dr. Paola Cuevas (MVZ) to assist our readers higher perceive their canine’s well being and well-being.
Whether you’re a brand new pet guardian or a seasoned canine lover, Dr. Paola is right here to offer solutions to your most urgent questions. From vitamin ideas and preventive care to troubleshooting widespread behavioral points, Dr. Paola is able to provide insights that may preserve your furry good friend blissful and wholesome. Stay tuned for knowledgeable steering on a variety of matters that matter most to you and your canine, so you may make knowledgeable selections and supply the absolute best care on your canine companion. Have a question? Send it in here! 
Help! How Do You Know When “It’s Time”?
“Dear Dr. Paola,
How have you learnt when it’s time to place your pet down? Boots is a Bischon and 16. He has arthritis in his again legs on gabapentin day by day. He can’t maintain his poop and pee and can simply go in the home. He whines rather a lot, however I’m undecided if he feels ache or simply desires me by him. He doesn’t bounce up or down from the furnishings anymore. I don’t need to be the dangerous individual that simply places him down.” – Pam
Hi Pam, I can really feel how a lot you like Boots simply by studying your query and I perceive how tough this choice is for you. Deciding when it’s time to say goodbye to a beloved pet is among the hardest decisions we face as pet dad and mom, and it’s clear you need to take advantage of compassionate choice for him.
I counsel you start by assessing Boots’ high quality of life. Veterinarians typically use frameworks just like the “Quality of Life Scale,” which evaluates components like mobility, urge for food, hydration, ache management, hygiene, and total happiness. From what you describe (whining, incontinence, and lack of mobility), these might point out he’s struggling. Whining generally is a signal of ache, discomfort, or confusion, particularly in older canine growing senile dementia. While gabapentin will help with arthritis ache, it might not absolutely handle his discomfort if different circumstances, similar to cognitive dysfunction or organ decline, are additionally affecting him.
A great place to begin can be to ask your self:
- Does he nonetheless benefit from the issues that when made him blissful?
- Are his good days outnumbered by dangerous ones?
- Does he appear to be struggling greater than thriving?
And please keep in mind it’s not about being a “dangerous particular person;” choosing euthanasia is an act of affection and compassion when it prevents extended struggling. A dialog along with your veterinarian can present readability. They can assess Boots’ bodily and emotional state and assist you weigh whether or not his ache and decline outweigh his moments of pleasure. You may discover it useful to schedule an online call with one of our veterinarians at PangoVet that can assist you navigate your emotions, perceive the choices and penalties, and higher perceive Boots’ wants.
Ultimately, Boots trusts you to behave in his finest curiosity, and no matter you determine, it’ll come from a place of love and care. I’ve a sense that you just’ve given him an exquisite life, and your thoughtfulness now displays the depth of your bond. Remember that love and attachments are completely different, real love prioritizes the opposite one’s well-being whereas attachment focuses on our personal emotions.
Best needs,
Dr. Paola
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Help! My Dog Keeps Licking Her Lips!
“Dear Dr. Paola,
My canine Pip is licking her lips for a number of minutes at a time. It even wakes her up. She does it if we’re out strolling, she’s mendacity in her mattress, and so on. It occurs roughly each hour. Has she bought one thing fallacious along with her? What ought to I do?” – Shelley
Hi Shelley, thanks for reaching out about Pip. Lip licking in dogs, particularly when it occurs continuously and disrupts her sleep, can point out that one thing is bothering her. This conduct is usually an indication of nausea, discomfort, and even anxiousness. In some circumstances, it will probably additionally level to dental points, oral irritation, or an underlying gastrointestinal downside, similar to acid reflux disease.
Since the conduct happens each throughout relaxation and when you’re out strolling, it’s much less more likely to be situational (like stress or concern) and extra seemingly one thing bodily or medical. Nausea, as an illustration, could cause canine to lick their lips repeatedly as a solution to manage excess saliva or an unsettled abdomen. Similarly, oral ache, like a sore tooth, gum irritation, and even one thing caught in her mouth, may result in this conduct.
To assist Pip, it will be finest to have her examined by a veterinarian as quickly as potential. The vet can carry out a radical oral examination, test for indicators of discomfort, and probably run assessments to rule out gastrointestinal points. If you’ll be able to, attempt to report a brief video of her lip licking to indicate the vet; this may be very useful in diagnosing the trigger.
In the meantime, control another indicators, similar to modifications in her urge for food, vomiting, or extreme drooling, and attempt to preserve her snug. If you’re uncertain whether or not to attend or act urgently, consulting with our veterinarians at PangoVet, our tele-triage online veterinary service can information the most effective subsequent steps. I’m assured that with the appropriate care, Pip will really feel higher quickly!
Help! My Dog Keeps Burping!
“Hello Dr. Paola!
My canine Lucy has develop into extraordinarily burpy within the final 12 months. She by no means actually burped after which it looks as if recently she is consistently burping all through the day however actually solely when different persons are round (Lucy does love consideration lol). She’s on remedy for epilepsy which is the one factor that’s modified for her. Is this regular?” – Kacey
Hi Kacey, thanks on your query about Lucy. Her increase in burping, notably along with her epilepsy medication within the combine, is value exploring. While some burping in canine may be regular—similar to us, they often swallow air whereas consuming, consuming, or throughout pleasure, a noticeable enhance in frequency or depth might sign one thing else.
Epilepsy medicines can generally affect the gastrointestinal system. Certain medicines would possibly trigger gentle acid reflux disease or alter the best way meals strikes by means of the abdomen, resulting in burping. Lucy’s conduct of burping primarily round individuals may additionally point out she’s realized find out how to get consideration—it’s not unusual for canine to repeat behaviors that elicit a enjoyable response from their people!
However, it’s essential to start out by ruling out medical causes. Excessive burping can point out points like gentle acid reflux disease, gastritis, and even swallowing additional air when excited (aerophagia). Since her remedy is the one current change, it will be a good suggestion to seek the advice of her vet to see if her remedy might be affecting her digestion or if one other underlying challenge may be at play. Your vet might advocate changes to her remedy, her weight loss program, or would possibly add one thing to assist soothe her abdomen.
In the meantime, strive feeding her smaller, extra frequent meals and guaranteeing she eats calmly to attenuate air swallowing. You would possibly need to try a slow feeder bowl for Lucy.
Best Wishes,
Dr. Paola
