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Dear Abby,
We have two cats; our male cat is 12 years old and our female cat is 5 years old. One of them has started to use the carpeted basement family room as a bathroom. It started out as only an occasional #2 in the corner of the room and has gradually become more frequent. In the past it was only #2, but over our recent week-long vacation, we came home to cat pee smell in the basement and it has been recurring daily since then. First, I’m not entirely sure which cat it is, but I have my suspicions that it is the older cat. I have seen the younger cat using the litter box but not the older cat which he used to paw around in the litter and I haven’t noticed that recently. When this first started happening we changed the litter box to a new one with lower sides (thinking perhaps the older cat was becoming arthritic), but that didn’t change anything. We scoop the litter at least every other day if not every day and have used the same brand for years. How do we remedy this problem? Please help!
Missy B
Dear Missy B-
I am very sorry to hear of your cat’s inappropriate elimination issues. Unfortunately, this is a very common problem. I hope that some of the suggestions I have will help.First, I recommend you take your cats to your veterinarian for exams, fecal floats, and a urine evaluation. There are certain underlying medical issues that can cause cats to go outside of the box (ie urinary tract infections, parasites, etc.).
There are many things that you can do at home that may help the situation. Veterinarians who are animal behaviorists recommend that owners have one litter box for every cat plus one. In your situation that would be three litter boxes. I suggest you try putting a different type of litter in each box. My cat, Ray, really likes the pine litter from the Animal House. You can also try the Cat Attract Litter (http://www.theanimalhouse.net/products/Cat_Attract_Litter_20lbs-72-15.html). It is recommended that you scoop every day & change to a fresh litter once a week.
Sometimes inappropriate elimination will stop when owners add Rescue Remedy to their pet’s water. I would put 4-8 drops in the water once a day. If you live near Damariscotta you can find this at the Rising Tide.
Finally, you can find extensive information on inappropriate elimination at www.veterinarypartner.com.
Good luck, Missy!
Abby Strobbe, DVM -
Pet & Family Photos with Santa to Benefit Maine Greyhound Placement Service.Just in time for the holidays! Join photographer Darlene Terry and Santa Paws for a family event! Area photographer Darlene Terry of Whimsical Years Photography will be available at The Animal House to take portraits of your favorite four-legged friend with Santa on Saturday, December 5th from 10am-2pm. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Maine Greyhound Placement Service who will be at The Animal House adoption center during the photo session. Pets on leash or in carriers, please. No appointment necessary.
To see samples of Darlene Terry’s work:
http://www.whimsicalyearsphotography.com/blog/
Children welcome. Photos $5 and up. Packages available. Pet photo greeting cards perfect for the holidays. The Animal House & SUDS! Grooming, located at 372 Main Street in Damariscotta, features healthy food and supplies for dogs and cats including food, homeopathy, supplements, and more. For more information, please visit:
www.theanimalhouse.net or call: 563.5595.The next event at The Animal House begins December 12th with The Twelve Woofs of Christmas, an event which benefits The Lincoln County Animal Shelter.
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We are super excited to get in the new Regional Red Formula. It is been a long wait, and we have only the 5.5 lb ($19.99) in at this time. I wish we could sell it online but apparently supply is low… so we are prohibited from selling it online at www.theanimalhouse.net. Since inventory is already assumed to be low, I don’t even have it out on the shelf. If you would like to put into your Orijen rotation let one of us know, and we will pull a bag out of the back for you. Give us a call at 207-563-5595 to get your bag as well.ORIJEN’s REGIONAL RED is a Biologically Appropriate food that replicates the same rich and diverse balance of fresh meats, fruits, vegetables and grasses that dogs would encounter in their natural environment.
Loaded with premium red meats, ORIJEN’s REGIONAL RED is made with high inclusions of wild boar, lamb, heritage pork and bison—all raised ‘free-range’ within our region, passed ‘fit for human consumption’ and delivered FRESH each day.
Free of inappropriate grains and carbohydrates, ORIJEN’s REGIONAL RED features regional fruits and vegetables including russet potatoes & black currants from local prairie farms, apples & cranberries from the interior orchards, and organic sea vegetables from the North Pacific tidal range.
Caught off Vancouver Island, fresh (never frozen) salmon provide a superb source of Omega-3 (DHA and EPA) that support a vibrant skin and hair coat,—your dog’s outer symbol of health and vitality.
Bridging the gap between good nutrition and peak health, ORIJEN’s veterinarian selected botanicals include sweet fennel, dandelion root & peppermint leaf—all of which mirror the natural instinct to forage for grasses and weeds while serving to nourish and tone the digestive tract.
Made exclusively in our award-winning, family-owned factory, ORIJEN’s REGIONAL RED is a natural and delicious way to assure the peak health of your dog—no matter what his breed or size.
INGREDIENTS
Fresh deboned wild boar, fresh deboned lamb, lamb meal, russet potato, fresh deboned pork, peas, salmon meal, whitefish meal*, herring meal, fresh deboned bison, fresh whole eggs, potato starch, fresh deboned salmon (a natural source of DHA and EPA), alfalfa, sweet potato, fresh deboned walleye, salmon oil (naturally preserved with vitamin E), pea fiber, psyllium, pumpkin, tomatoes, carrots, apples, cranberries, Saskatoon berries, black currants, chicory root, licorice root, angelica root, fenugreek, marigold flowers, sweet fennel, peppermint leaf, chamomile flowers, dandelion, summer savory, rosemary, organic kelp, vitamin A, vitamin D3, vitamin E, niacin, zinc proteinate, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, vitamin B5, iron proteinate, vitamin B6, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12, selenium, dried Lactobacillus acidophilus product, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product.*orijen whitefish is made with flounder, halibut and cod caught wild from the north pacific ocean.
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Photo courtesy of Meredith Perdue at &Unlimited
Loki came to us courtesy of Petfinder, via Canine Guardians for Life. Loki, a firecracker of a doggie, has special dietary needs. This month, we will be featuring Loki’s diet as an example of what we feed our own four-legged family:Age: approx 6 years
Breed: Border Collie mix
Issue: Seizures of indeterminate cause
Loki’s protocol: Loki has always been fed a grain-free raw diet, but Dr.
Strobbe of Medomak Veterinary Care recommended that we change her protein to
a more “cooling” food, such as turkey or duck. Cooling foods help with
hyperactivity in the brain (or in Loki’s case, generalized hyperactivity!).
Treats:_ Barkwheats Chamomile, Stella & Chewy’s Duck
Food: Sojo’s Complete Dehydrated Grain-Free Turkey
Supplements: Settle Seizures from Herbsmith, NaturVet probiotics
Etc: Dr. Strobbe has done a few rounds of Acupuncuture.Since we started her on this regime,…voila! Seizure free!
Adoption, General Pets, Nutrition, Pet Safety, Product HighlightNo Barks Yet » Bark Back! Leave a comment
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Dogs are evolved as carnivores and despite a modern lifestyle their anatomy remains unchanged!That’s why Acana Dog Food is formulated with the same variety of fresh meats that dogs would eat in their natural environment and keeping in mind the modern lifestyle of today’s companion canine often means meeting healthy calorie requirements as well!
Acana Dog Food provides a meat-concentrated diet that is higher in protein, lower in carbohydrate and far better matched to support the carnivorous anatomy of your companion canine. And by enhancing metabolism and enabling peak physical condition, Acana Dog Food helps keep your dog healthy allowing him to achieve his full potential!
For the health and well-being of your treasured canine Acana Dog Food adheres to these FIVE NATURAL PRINCIPALS that guide the formulation of all Acana Dog Foods!
- Ingredient freshness and variety to match the natural diet.
- High in animal proteins.
- Low or Free from grains (depending on variety) and carbohydrates.
- Rich in fruits and vegetables.
- Contain tonic herbs to strengthen the body and spirit.
Acana Dog Food is one of our favorite kibble dog foods and should certainly be considered to be included as part of your dog’s diet plan.
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Dear Abby,
My five year old Cocker Spaniel has been on a restrictive diet of Duck and Potato kibble for over 3 years due to her skin allergies. She has developed an annoying habit of getting into any available waste basket and eating tissues and tearing up paper.
Even after securing waste baskets out of her reach she has now attacked the toilet paper and is eating that right off the rolls. She also eats any remaining grass clumps left over from mowing, whether dry or wet. This is really becoming a problem both as a behavioralissue, and I am afraid she will create a digestive blockage of some sort. Is there a dietary deficiency, or is this a behavioral problem? I would really love any suggestions you might have.Thank you,
Cheryl EDear Cheryl-
I am really sorry to hear that your Cocker Spaniel is so driven to ‘help’ with taking out the trash. I have a hunch that she is too smart for her own good & could use a little more stimulation. I would suggest that she receive at least one meal from a treat dispensing dog toy daily (Tug a Jug, Treatstik). She will have to use her 007 detective skills to learn how to get her meal out of the ball. She will spend more time working for her food & less time looking for paper to shred.Also, dogs who receive two leash walks a day tend to be better balanced. I am guilty of letting my dogs out to run around in the yard as I do our farm chores a majority of the time. It is pretty amazing to see their eyes light up when I break out the leash for a real walk. There is something to be said for that connection you get with your pet as you are working together as a team for a good walk. If you can only squeak out five minutes twice a day it will really make a difference in her life.
It is difficult to determine if your dog is being destructive due to a dietary deficiency. My suggestion would be to ask your veterinarian what foods would be ‘legal’ to feed her as a snack. She may appreciate a few more veggies in her diet since she is really searching out the grass clumps. Even though she is on a restrictive diet there are some veggies etc that are allowed. If you stick with cooling veggies and fruits (ie lettuce, celery, cucumber, watermelon, banana) your dog is less likely to have a flare up of her skin allergies.
As you seek additional options for your pet you may find yourself thinking about your diet etc. I would recommend you consider getting the book Healing with Whole Foods by Paul Pitchford. I came across this book during my acupuncture training, and it has been an eye-opener.
Good luck with your dog, Cheryl. Keep us posted on her progress.
-Abby Strobbe, DVM
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