Things to do in Lake County and elsewhere in Central Florida

My Pet World

June 23, 2009|By Steve Dale, Tribune Newspapers

Question: Please advise if the feline herpes virus can be treated. From what I understand, it's a chronic condition and spreads easily. In your opinion, should shelters euthanize the cats because of this problem?

- G.A.

Answer: The feline herpes virus is the cat version of the common cold. Because it is so infectious, cats in shelters are prone; kittens, in particular, are susceptible.

The condition - characterized by sneezes, snuffles and runny eyes - often is chronic, says Dr. Jan Scarlett of Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. Once treated, symptoms disappear for months, even years.

Stress appears to be the most common trigger. Many agents can cause upper-respiratory infections in cats. Rhinotrachacheitis is caused by the feline herpes virus. There's a vaccine for feline calicivirus, also associated with oral ulcers, gingivitis and inflammation of the mouth, as well as upper-respiratory signs. In some kittens, the feline calicivirus can be fatal.

Bordetella Bronchiseptica, known as kennel cough in dogs, may affect cats, though symptoms are generally mild. Another cause of respiratory distress is mycoplasma, which also may cause ocular changes and may lead to pneumonia. Generally, all of these disease agents -including the feline herpes virus - fall under the umbrella of upper-respiratory disease.

In a perfect world, there's no reason to euthanize a cat with symptoms of feline herpes, unless the disease progresses and the pet becomes very ill. Shelters must make their own choices.

Scarlett agrees, adding, "While you generally may not want to adopt a cat who's actually sick from the virus, adopting one with the disease but not symptomatic is perfectly reasonable. By lowering stress with a slow introduction to your existing cats, you may never see symptoms of the feline herpes virus."

Q: Our border collie wants to "eat" the mailman. Once someone is in our home, Hector is just fine. How can we help Hector relax around delivery people?


A: "Here's what happens: The mail carrier approaches the house and begins to drop the letters [in the mailbox], then the dog barks," explains New York City-based dog trainer Carol Lea Benjamin. "The mail carrier goes away, and the dog thinks: 'Wow, I did my job well. I scared that guy off. And if he was a good guy, he wouldn't have gone away so fast.' " Through practice, Hector becomes even better at this.

For some dogs with little else to do, "scaring" off the mail carrier is the focus of their days.

Benjamin, author of See Spot Sit, begins her advice with the obvious: Keep your blinds or shades closed so Hector can't see the carrier. Still, many dogs may bark incessantly when they hear the familiar sound of the mail carrier.

"The good news is, you have a highly trainable border collie who likely lives to work," said Benjamin, who has owned border collies for years. Give Hector a job, and make it fun, she suggests.

For example, the job may be to find toys. As a reward, your dog gets praise and treats. Once you have the task down without a distraction, try it when the mail carrier comes. If you're not sure how to train Hector, check out a local dog class.

"Remember, all border collies benefit by tons of exercise, and taking advantage of the fact that your average border collie is a whiz kid," Benjamin said.

Q: My 13-year-old cat, Mittens, has tumors. In August, he had two tumors removed. In February, he had another tumor removed, and now he has two more. We once had two ferrets who each had tumors we didn't catch in time. Then our female cat died of a tumor near her liver. We don't want to lose this cat. Do you have any advice about whether we should have Mittens' tumors removed?


A: Dr. Alice Mills, a feline practitioner in Lexington, Ky., points out that there are many explanations for tumors, particularly in older cats. "Some cats may be tumor factories, creating benign tumors over and over again. Tumors, though, may also be potentially malignant. I've had too many [tumors] fool me over the years. That's why I almost always suggest removing them and biopsying."

Cancer in ferrets is common, and even learning about it early might not have mattered. But in cats, it may be different. Many cancers found on the skin's surface may be treatable, and the odds of success increase with early intervention.

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