Assume we're going to be talking about pets and Pet Care with dr. Milk Bar the veterinarian from West Saint Paul. After undergraduate work at Macalester College and completion of the veterinary medicine program at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Bauer spent several years as a veterinarian in the Air Force and he has operated his own practice call the Southview Animal hospital since 1972. Dr. Bauer pleasure to have you with us today. I can open the phone lines and just a few moments for questions from Pet Lovers all over before and I expect we'll be hearing from a lot of pet owners this our doctor bar, but maybe to begin with we might chat a little bit about what non-pet owners might think about if they're interested in buying a pet. What are some of the commitments that one makes in terms of the in time and financial resources and emotional commitment to a pet as well. Well, they have to be some idea about the size of the pain that they want. Do they want a sort of a guard dog or a type of dog a larger dog than to protect their property. We don't encourage and I'll guard dogs that much really because there's a threat of injury to outside people but I do they want a small pet do they want a pet that is more of a lap dog type or do they wanted to buy a hunting dog? For instance? These are all considerations. Also, they have to be ready for the financial burden. Their Veterinary fees are up there. Now. It says we're following medicine more or less. Just maybe by 20 years behind but our costs are high overhead is high so they have to be ready for that part of it. Certainly with pets they have to consider where they are, you know, they are the end of restrictive housing which would call. Pretty much the dogs. They might have to consider cats in a situation like that are maybe a very exotic pet like a canary or parakeet or something. That's hard does a obviously a young dog. We're young cat is going to have to have more care initially then and then an older one or at least as the animal gets into the first two years of life. What do you suppose the typical medical bills might run in the first year for a cat or a dog? Well from the veterinary standpoint and give you those in an estimate of food cost. Certainly, I would say about $75 would be the initial cost for the veterinary bills and food wise, of course that ranges depending on the size of the pet, but it's not unusual to have 250 to $300 expense the first year food and Veterinary fees. That's if they stay healthy if there he'll see we would invite those of you who have general questions about Petcare to give us a call in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area. The number is 227-6002 276 thousand in the Twin Cities. Those are you listening in other parts of Minnesota can use the toll free number that is one 800-652-9700. And if you're listening in the surrounding states call us directly in the Twin Cities work at listening in Canada for that matter directly in the Twin Cities at area code 612-227-6000. Judging from the way some people are sounding around the radio station here this week dr. Bauer. It seems to me that we are getting into the start of the head cold season 4 people. That may not be accurate. But I wonder if we are getting into any sort of a head cold season or equivalent for dogs and cats would be allergies friend since the Ragweed pigweed allergies. This usually starts about the middle of August and ends about with the first killing Frost. We see a lot of pets for the allergy problem. We also has a viral flu type of problem called the parvo virus which in the last three years has been a problem usually starting in July and then continue on into October and then sort of tapering off. This is an interesting disease. It's a flu type virus that first became evident in 1978 and made its way to Minnesota 1980. And this disease is very devastating to the young dog, but has caused significant problems in the older dog as well as a very excellent vaccination. We didn't have that for a few years, but we have that now and we encourage everyone to have their dog protected against the parvo virus. So we've had some very sad situations and whole litters expiring or even older dogs that in the initial stages of the parvo virus outbreak 1980 Summer of 1980 in Minnesota. We weren't concerned so much about the older dogs, you felt that they had some natural resistance or could overcome it if they had a mild case of it, but we've seen enough all dogs 12 13 years dying of this so that the vaccination is important throughout their life for this disease. Also, we have the problem called heart from disease, which is not so much a problem now is really throughout the whole mosquito season, which of the University feels from April 1st to December 1st is the. Than mosquitoes can transmit this Zaxby a parasite in the chambers of the heart and there is a preventive chemical that can be given orally on a daily basis that will protect the dog against this disease. Those are pretty much the problems that we see this time. You're summertime problems really surprised to hear about allergies affecting pets you do anything for that or they just have to sneeze their heads off like we do. Well interesting figures say that about 25% of humans are allergic to different things significant enough that they have to have some treatment or desensitization. The same is true of pets by 25% We see are sensitive in the usual things that people are sensitive to pets are also sensitive to nylon carpeting. What have you In most cases, it's difficult to desensitize pets that because they seem to add a new allergy problem or a new allergen every year. So you're one step behind all the time. So their life span is accelerated to one year of their life is going to five years of ours or everything's accelerated there. But in some cases desensitizing can be done the same as an allergist in human medicine would do and but in most cases, we just treat the symptoms of a Cortisone and antihistamine or the combination of the two are excellent for relieving the symptoms of itching the big problem is usually middle of August until the first killing Frost and then most pets are free of allergy symptoms. Although nylon carpeting you name it. They can be allergic to it. So we have to treat some pets throughout the whole year for the symptoms of allergy will we have some pet lovers on the telephone now with questions for you? Dr. Barroso. Let's go to our first listener high you're on the air. Go ahead. Please know I'm coming from Brooklyn Park. Certainly cortisone as well-known as causing side effects in humans not so much in the pets. Although it's been my experience that if cortisone is given every other morning to dogs and every other evening to cats that this minimizes the side effects of cortisone, which are typically an increase in thirst and increasing appetite and certainly courtesan given over the long a long. Of time can cause problems. In fact one disease is called Cushing's Disease, which is actually the result of excessive cortisone giving this disease can occur through a tumor and the dog and causing it sort of an inside source of Cushing's Disease, but many cases are caused by too much cortisone. So Good by giving it every other day. We minimize the effects in some cases, especially in food allergies. So we tried to refer the pet to a Specialist dermatologist and to see if they possibly can identify what the agents are and then an attempt can be made to desensitize. Although it's not as successful as Inhumans, but it would it be a food allergy if it just starts like in Spring. Let's up in summer time and then starts again in August. Probably not a food allergy whenever I see a pet that has a itching problem throughout the year. I think of the possibility of a food allergy about 10% of allergies are food-based and the things I mentioned a people is to ask them if there's any unusual foods that they give on a daily basis one case in particular. I recalled this boxer was getting bread two or three slices of bread every day and when they discontinue that improve the situation dramatically this pet was getting injections of cortisone every month for about four or five years and this was stretched out every 3 months then just because they stopped the bread Leather case hot dogs believe it or not was a daily treat and the dog was allergic to this and this was discontinued and that things were a lot easier to deal with although there were other allergies and most pets have four or five different allergy song. That's the be seasonal ones are pretty typical as we talked about. Okay. Thank you for calling we have many other listings with questions. So we'll move on to our next caller, You're on the air. Yes. I'm calling from Homer Minnesota and last week. I noticed a lump on one of my puppies. And when I squeeze that an insect larvae who's out of the whole clearing up, but I'm wondering what the insects that the causes that have the way of preventing it I'll hang up and listen to the answer. Okay, this is an interesting problem that we see usually in the summer time. It is caused by a fly called acute Ariba fly or cute Ariba larvae as they description of the problem. The fly will lay eggs on the fur of the pet. The larvae will hatch and then burrow into the skin and will live in that cavity in the skin. You can tell that it's a larva because you can see actually movement in that opening in the skin and it will pupate and other words develop into the hardest age and fall out of the garage then develop into a fly. There's not much that can be done to prevent it except good fly control, but that we primarily see it in rabbits, but we see it in kittens and in the young animals, this is an occasional problem that never really becomes a significant problem. In any case I have seen so you're going to see it very occasionally, but good fly control. Just clean. Up to your stools keeping things very clean is very helpful in controlling that problem. Next listener with an animal question for dr. Milbauer. Go ahead and you're on the air. And I just acquire two cats that are related and one of the girls my brother and sister and I got the girl about a month ago and the brother a week ago today and they're very timid and Sonic from the east coast and the boy cat is hiding underneath the attic floor and I'm wondering if I should try a pit or wait. When pets are introduced into a new environment. This is not unusual behavior cats in particular their sort of solitary loner type animals. They're not gregarious like dogs handed. It's not uncommon for them to hide for 2 or 3 days not eat or drink my cat for instance did that for about three days after he moved and we encouraged him a little food a little boil chicken seemed to help a lot to get him his interest in moving around in time just present the food may be offered to the cat under the bed or wherever the iPad is hiding and this will take care of itself get sufficiently comfortable and hungry and they'll come out and and then things will pretty much level off. Personalities by nature to be very timid some are right. I think the cats more so than dogs on the whole are more timid, but certain individuals will be very timid and you just have to be patient. They're going to come out and get a little more confident and that timidity will pass. No, I don't that's environment that you want to maintain that cat in its going to have to explore that environment and and to live in there. Although we've seen some cats to be pretty much loners and they don't seem to be around very much and there's not much we can do. We wish we could identify those right at Birth but they do come out of their shell to some degree. So they turn out to be a fairly enjoyable pad. Okay. Thanks for calling. We have another lesson over the question. You're on the air. Yes, I have question about cats. What kind of cat vaccines are required by law in which are recommended by veterinarians the recommended vaccinations. First of all are what we call it four in one vaccination that has the distemper virus and a to where I actually three respiratory viruses rabies vaccine is also a recommended and now as far as required, I believe I'm not quite sure if I think Saint Paul requires rabies vaccination for cats, but it's not very common that any required vaccinations for cats are around that I know of I pretty much answers that one thing. I should mention to that in the near future a three-year rabies vaccine will be available for cats up to now 1-year vaccine has been the only one available but they'll be welcome for a lot of people have cast that they can get a 3-year vaccine within a few months. It is 15 minutes past 12 noon. Dr. Milbauer a veterinarian from West Saint Paul is with us and we're talkin about pets and Pet Health. 227. 6000 is the telephone number in Minneapolis-Saint Paul. If you'd like to join the conversation in other parts of Minnesota, we welcome your call on the toll-free line. That number is one 800-652-9700. Next listener. Go ahead please your on the are complaining about the cats using the garden as a bathroom vegetable Garden Inn in the respect of the diseases would be passed over into the vegetables. I believe I talked to you about this before no. Yes Paul to sure if the neighbors going to do bodily harm or not. Sure. Okay, as far as the diseases that can be transmitted. There are none that I know of that would be transmitted in this way from the there are does it there are parasites in the stool, but they won't be transmitted into the plant the vegetable there's one pair of sight and it's sort of an unusual situation in that it's called toxoplasmosis. Parasite is found in a small number of cats and the only people at risk really are pregnant women on this cat has a stool in the litter box after two or three days that still can be contagious or infectious for in particular pregnant women and they should not handle the live. Boxer change the litter that time but there's no danger whatsoever of the cat going into kindergarten. I'll play it to him. Thanks. Thank you for calling and good luck with your neighbor and your cat's hello. You're on the air. Please. I'm wondering we have a cat with a white face or his nose is pink most of the time every once in awhile the all the color drains out of his nose, and I thought is that an indication that he's not feeling well with his nose is colorless and white When we examine cats at times will notice paleness could reflect a anemia or for one thing but we have noticed that in in dogs and cats that they're the color of the nose will change according to the season at times. Also. Another possibility is a certain plastic or rubber water and food dishes will have chemicals in there that will actually alter the pigment to some degree but if the cats eating active and feeling good in spite of your observations there it's probably not a significant change and if it goes up and down is probably one of the reasons that I mentioned about the food dish or the season this the effect of sunlight that can change the pigment of the nose. You're on the air. I have a dog that licks his legs constantly and when I cover, you know his legs with my hand feel just sitting with my hands. So it's not just a matter of looking up legs at the licking. What causes excessive looking well, is this a year-round problem? Okay, it's probably as we discussed about allergies the seasonal allergies. This is suspicious for what we call a topic dermatitis or a tepee, which is the dog who puts his foot in his mouth Alexis feet constantly, especially in the summertime. It's probably related to Allergy and in many cases if it's a mild no medicine is necessary. But if it's the dog is doing this quite a bit then allergy treatment to Cortisone and antihistamine combination is very effective in controlling that is obviously a niche involve there and and the dogs uncomfortable and there is something that can be done if it's serious enough. Cortisone now do you recommend and that should be combination with antihistamine I use Cortisone and antihistamine combination. I will use cortizone by itself many times. It's dose-related. Another words season Lee will see highs and lows where the itching is very intense for a. Of time and then it said very mild and you have to kind of just the cortisone according to the neither for control of symptoms. So it's probably good to call your veterinarian tell him that the dose that he recommended is so not sufficient and he'll probably recommend to increase that until you get control there's different ways of doing it. Basically you start at a basic level and then work down and I try to maintain control in that way. So it's possible. This isn't a peak time of problem and probably is the grass allergies. Then the courtesan dose needs to be increased. Do do cats suffer these type of allergies to Cats are for allergies as well. But seem to be bothered very little by pitching. It's not not a common problem that we have to use cortisone in cats. Okay, so they seem to be free of that to some degree. Let's take our next listener. Go ahead, please you're on the air. I already had shots and and all that sort of thing and has been very healthy since it is however an entirely indoor cat and I wondered in particular what diseases I need to be concerned about with the captain never goes outside in and possibly gets worms or anything like that. The second question is one of the cats eyes his changing color in the back. She has like green eyes and the one eye is getting a brown area in behind. I wonder if you have any ideas on that. First of all answer the question about the highest it's fairly common for pigment changes to occur in the iris of cats. That's what you're referring to as they get older brown pigment changes can develop their if the cat seems to be healthy and is not bothered with pain or squinting of the eye then it's probably just an aging phenomena nothing to to worry about As far as the captive being an inside cat we can't really say that there's any particular problems there than fact they have lot less problems. I guess then the cat who goes out because they're not going to get into cat fights are not going to contact mice that can give them a tapeworm parasite switch about 50% of my scary so I could think the only thing to worry about is that the cats should not be allowed to get too heavy. They tend to be fairly an active and you have to kind of gauge the calorie requirement to based on the activity level. Most cats don't get too heavy but occasionally some well, so I guess it's the same problems that overweight people would have with the arthritis as they get older and and the possibilities of diabetes and we see that in cats and the indoor cat that is overweight. So there's certain things that we have to consider an inside cat. But as a rule they're healthier than the outside cat when you consider being hit by cars or a cat. Lights in that respect. Thank you very much for the question for Doctor Milt Fowler. Go ahead. You're on the air. Go ahead. My dog died. And the vet diagnose it and said this was common with older on spayed females and why wouldn't he have told me this two or three years ago when she had a better chance to live through the surgery. She wouldn't have they told me through it. Okay, the incidence of uterine infection is not real high and unspayed females. However, it's significant enough so that it is a problem. I think probably is as a profession veterinarian should mention when they that what the first visit I think has that puppy comes in the female puppy if the people are considering having puppies are having the pet spayed because right away when a pet is spayed you eliminate a lot of potential problems one, of course is what you experience the uterine infection, but The Unwanted puppies and a lot of other things breast cancer for instance in pets female. Pat is almost eliminated entirely if they're spayed before the first season, so I think in that respect veterans have an obligation to the people to mention these possibilities. 7/8 years old when she started saying it's at Got Ms. Far as the as far as diagnosing this before mentioning it. I think it's impossible to predict which pets are going to have this infection. It was unfortunate that that that she got this problem at that time, but I can go back to that beginning that spaying we recommended if the people are definitely not interested in having puppies. Okay? Thank you for calling we will have another listener now with a question for the doctor. Go ahead. You're on the air. Yes, I'm calling from Rochester. I have that two years ago. We lost a beautiful black labrador from acute gastric distention weight. If I had known then how to recognize the symptoms of a probably could have been saved with the doctor, please discuss this I'll hang up. Thank you. Yes, thanks for that question. This is unfortunate problem of the larger breeds of dogs in particular Great Danes, but the hunting dogs have black labs has different names acute gastric dilatation or gastric torsion. This happens very quickly and in most cases it is so far Advanced when the pet is first seen to be in distress that are not a lot can be done. The percentage should I don't know the exact figures but a survival rates aren't very good for this problem. They usually what people can do to prevent. This is to avoid one thing in particular is feeding a large meal and Offering a lot of water and then line the dog to exercise or offering this food right after of exercise. The very large stomach if the dog is active can cause a twisting of that stuff and then of course without the gas is being allowed to escape either way the distention occurs very quickly and death comes quite rapidly. It's a very unfortunate problem at a very frustrating one for veterinary because there's a there's a very critical time factor in there. And this is this is a big problem to deal with the basic weight. As far as a large meal in the exercise. Those are the keys there is to avoid a lot of exercise and then feeding or vice versa some cases and high-risk situations. We recommend feeding twice-daily. So the meals are smaller, roughly. How long should you wait after exercise to feed the dog or conversely after feeding to let it have a hard exercise. About 28 minutes past the hour doctor Milton Bauer is with us a veterinarian from West Saint Paul, and we're taking your questions about Animal Care 2276 thousand is a telephone number in Minneapolis-Saint Paul, and I see that we do have an open line or two now so that they were trying to get in earlier and got the Busy Signal you can probably get through right now to 276 thousand in the Twin Cities, and in other parts of Minnesota, the toll free number is one 800-652-9700 course. We also welcome calls from those of you listening in the surrounding states or in Canada call us directly in the Twin Cities at area code 612-227-6010. Good afternoon. I'm going to St. Paul and I'm calling as a physician with the training and infectious diseases and I'd like to make a comment and ask a question that pertains to the risk to humans rap contact with pets. But the comment is that time I was a little concerned that people might have misinterpreted. Dr. Bowers earlier statement about toxoplasmosis the most important risk of toxoplasmosis in people who have contact with cats as for the pregnant woman because of the fetus being infected but we do see toxoplasmosis infections in people with abnormal immune systems and they should also be careful not to have contact with cat feces in the end very very rarely even in normal people and the infection can affect somebody long after the Toxoplasma exposure if they're immune system becomes compromised later on the question has to do with keeping wild animals as pets we see your number of people who are bitten by Animals are often rabies can take months to years to appear in wild animals in and wild animals cannot be vaccinated against rabies. So that many people receive in a rabies treatments and there is a risk of rabies. I wonder if dr. Bauer would comment on keeping wild cats and safety of your dad and what kind of precaution should be taken if he thinks it should be done Surfers of all, thank you for the comment about toxoplasmosis as veterinarians were most aware of the the possibility of problems to the pregnant woman as far as the people knowing that they have the immune system problem. I certainly they that they should be made aware of that by their physician. As far as the wild exotic animals, we know that in skunks that they can Harbor the virus and be part of a carrier for rabies for quite a significant length of time. I really months so there's certainly a danger there and I think soon skunks will be banned for sale in Minnesota if not already and also they probably just not allowed to be kept as pets because the rabies problem is quite High the generally is Veterinary as a Veterinary profession. We discouraged exotic pets because the unpredictability of them you've spoken about the the bite ones in this sort of thing that is very common. And we generally discouraged these wild animals to be kept as pets I know is a current surge of interest in ferrets and things of this sort that they do possess Pickler problems, especially to come of age sexually they get to can get vicious and and they can escape and it be a problem in that regard so That's the big danger there. I think with the rabies and Pickler and skunks and then just the temperament of the exotic pets. Thank you. All right. Thanks for calling and we'll take another caller with a question. Go ahead. You're on the air. That's no longer available. Do you know if there is anything in the offing as far as some sort of development of something to replace the es or whether they'll start manufacturing it again? A good question that it's going to be a problem. I'm just wondering how we're going to resolve it. And there's two problems in particular that we use DS or diethylstilbestrol for that one is in the situation of a pet becoming a Miss meeting. In other words of breeding that's unwanted. I within 3 days they can be treated for this with d e s send. It is very successful in preventing conception are actually implantation and then the Garcia pops. Another problem is the spayed female that has a problem with the involuntary wedding DS is effective for that d e s has received some bad publicity lately because of the problem of daughters of women that received two EES during their pregnancy. And I think they companies are just literally shutting down production MDS or possibly banned in producing that so when are the veterinarian supplies run out? I don't know what we're going to use for this problem. We may just have to live with the problems. So how about 2 I'm hopeful that the In that same type of estrogen will come out so that we can use it for this problem. But I have a limited Supply and I'm sure there's a lot of that limited Supply and when that runs out we're going to be a little frustrated what we're going to do I do for these problems that I mention. I've tried high and low to find a source of DS without any success. I think it's very difficult. If not impossible to find that the drug at the present time. I appreciate it. Thank you note to cause problem in Inhumans. Now, is it possible for it to be used safely and animals and and the the to not get mixed up and I'm surprised that there is no source of DS because some years ago the antibiotic chloromycetin was dropped for human use. I don't know if it's come back now, but they Please continue to make it for veterinary use so I'm surprised a DS isn't available for for pets. All right, we have another sister with a question for you. Doctor power. Go ahead you're on the air. Minneapolis and I have a female cat who has a licking disorder. She licks everything. That's fuzzy. She looks me and this is just some distressing at night when I'm kind of sleepy. She looks me awake and she looks herself until she's got bald spots on her body where she licks this happens here around I'm wondering is this an allergy or is this an obsessive compulsive disorder in her? It's an interesting problem. I suspect that. She should be checked for allergies or fleas the different things that can cause an itching sensation, but it's been my experience that we put this in a category one named for his neurodermatitis kind of a catch-all term. We don't know exactly the cause but there are a number of problems in cats that are anxiety base that are the dogs don't seem to have as much anxiety problems has cats and the cat was visibly seem to have anxiety or a behavioral. Problem, but to this excessive grooming can result in the problems that you mentioned are they significant hair loss. I myself have had success with a couple products one call over ban in one called Depo-Provera. These are hormones that seem to have a calming effect in cats and it seems to rectify this problem now, I suggest you talk to your veterinarian and to see if he would be interested in prescribing these if you felt that this would be helpful in that situation. That's one way to look at it as it seems to be attention. I question the people often about whether there's a whole bunch of cats the weather seems to be a tension situation that could create this situation the cat but time. All right. That a lot of times that's the case. So, you know, where is this pressure? Where is this tension? That's that the cat is releasing by excessive grooming. We can't really identify it but we can deal with it to buy kind of countering it to some degree. So that would be the next step that I would suggest is to talk to your veterinarian and see if you'd be willing to try this as a treatment for it. Thank you. Take her next listener. Go ahead please you're on the air. I think about that would you do if I don't we have three practices in the Twin Cities that are group they all are owned by two or three veterinarians in common they about 4-5 years ago decided to develop a specialty in the birds and do a excellent job university has People also that will deal with that but there are three hospitals in the Twin Cities so I can give you the names Lakeside Animal Hospital Cedar pet clinic and Falcon Heights Animal Hospital have they amongst other they take care of dogs and cats, but they also specialize in birds and they could help you out. They should be listed in the directory Twin Cities directories. All right. Thanks for calling and good luck. We have another listener. Go ahead, please you're on the air in the adventures of neutering. Well, it's a bunch like in the female there a lot of advantages to neutering and three things come to mind right away that neutering will will help and they male dog enter male aggression other word seeing another male dog when they're of age and wanting to fight this is calling her male aggression. This is eliminated by neutering also a being attracted to a female and season this will be cured by I know during also and then the territorial marking the lifting the leg on every little tree and and sometimes in the house this is curb by neutering and neutering early enough for 5 to 6 months of age if they're neutered it for 5 years of age some of these things aren't helped as much in some cases now. I can't give you a percentage but aggressiveness or meanness in a male dog is it has helped to some degree by neutering but I can't give you a high percentage Factor there, but the first three things I mentioned help considerably and there's really no reason not to neuter a Fastest dog is definitely going to be used for breeding that has the continents the appearance. And that was it. The reason for getting the pain in the first place was to use it as a stud dog. How do I set neutering is very helpful is it doesn't really commonly yes and neutering and spaying and neutering is very common procedure. All right, we have another lesson. There was a question go ahead and you are on the air. diseases transmitted from dogs to humans from But I work in a kennel for many years and among other things have used some of your feces in a compost heap to help fertilize my garden. I just thought I'd check and see what the doctor thinks about the practice as well as what types of things to watch for when you're around anybody in everybody's dog shelter leaders of all the heat generated by composting usually destroys any bacteria viruses that sort of thing. There is any problem in that regard to that the the composting generate sufficient heat which is usually does will just drive the over of internal parasites as well. And there are the hookworms in the roundworm internal parasites are a problem for human beings. So if there wasn't sufficient to composting a heat generated or chemical chemical used in there, that could be a potential problem there in that regard. As far as the diseases that come to mind that are transmissible are there called do anodic diseases transmitted from animal to man ringworm is probably the most common one that we see and that of course if you're working with the pets all the time. There's a risk factor there probably most common thing that happens to hammers of animals as injuries to bites. But as far as the disease part of it, then my experience in the people that work for me. They've been relatively free of problems and they've had a lot of different things. So I guess ringer will be the one that comes to mind. There are over a hundred and I won't go into all those that can be transmitted to human beings but time as far as what you mention about the feces and composting those things that pretty much take care of themselves because of the heat generated there. It's about 20 minutes before 1 Dr. Milton Bauer a veterinarian from West Saint Paul is with us and we have many listeners with questions. So let's take our next caller right now how you're on the air? Thank you. I'll turn down the radio turn down. The radio is when they go on so as to avoid the holding and feedback to the cruise, go ahead. Now, if you're ready a neighbor of ours was taken to a retirement home and she was the sole owner of a female cat and the cat has been running loose and it's an overgrown jungle. The Humane Society couldn't catch her and that I need my neighbors have been feeding her, but we wanted was to happen to her and we'd like to find out how to catch her. If only to have her versus way to sleep. How this is a unfortunate and common problem and abandoned pets voluntary or involuntary. I don't know exactly but but it seems to me that the Humane Society could provide traps of some kind it's so that the they could be enticed into the Trap. This would be pretty much about the only way you can catch the cats are very suspicious of strange people in this is very difficult. They're very much harder to catch them dogs. So you'd have to go through the local Humane Society. I don't know of anyone else that would help you out there. Good luck with stray cat. It is a it is a problem is a doctor says we have another blessed me with a question. Hello. You're on the air. Go ahead, please go ahead. In the Backwoods and I have many dogs and many cat and I have a couple of questions as I can to get there and every time that I've had her clipped before this last time Could you tell me if this is important? Can you hear me unless you specify not that it be done? This is part of the fee for a grooming. I believe the grooming the bathing in the nail trimming is is kind of a package thing. So this is the usual procedure in a grooming parlor. Okay. Thank you for calling we have another lesson over the question. Go ahead please. I'm not seven years is 5 years ahead of us in time. I Always Alright the question about the relative age Factor. It seems that there's some disagreement as to especially in the younger dog as opposed to the older one the disparity what counts as the one dog years compared to human years and that sort of thing. I've started accepted the five. It's easy figure to explain to people there is a variation. I think there's a study done where they they can somehow age. The tissues are going to evaluate the age, but if you've heard seven, it's not far off. I think of from five to seven 6.6. I've heard all sorts of figures. I've just kind of settle on five for convenience sake and that's fairly accurate. Thank you. Alright, thank you. We have another listener. Go ahead and please your next. The little male cat and I have to quit my question really has two parts. I've been told that male cats especially after they're neutered have a tendency to develop a blockage in urinary tract that can sometimes result in an ulcer surgery needing to be done and so forth and that the way to avoid this or to minimize the possibility is to feed a certain kind of cat food that has a less than 3% Ash content in it. I've been able to find canned cat food that has Mark and it does indicate that it has a low Ash content the net but not a dry cat food and my little cat seems to prefer the dried food. So one part of the question is do you know of a dry cat food that would be good for this problem. And secondly if the problem did start to develop what symptoms would I look for? This problem is called abbreviated f u s or feline urological syndrome figures suggest about 1% of cats are going to develop this problem regardless, whether they're neutered or not, whether they're on dry or canned food or not. It's not unlike a person that developing kidney stone. So why does one person develop that and the other one doesn't it seems to be a crystal formation that forms in the bladder and then results eventually in a blockage. So as far as a prevention, there's still research being done. There is a possibility that ate a diet is going to develop that will be prevent a preventative diet but there's no firm data to suggest one food is the answer to this whole problem and most of the problems develop from about 1 to 4 years of age in the neutered male or intact male didn't seem to matter. The Studies have shown that everything is about equal in that regard females develop it also so it's the weather Spader unspayed so it develops in about 1% of females all they don't have the serious problems in males have so I can suggest any commercial diets at this time. I guess just a based on the fact that is made up of mineral these crystals to try to find the lowest Ash content diet to go with a canned food preferably because you have more moisture there in less likely is for the crystals to form Friskies is one I recommend in my practice because it's a lost one on the market to the beef and liver Buffet. Is it loss while on the market Ash why so whether it helps or not? We just don't know about as far as symptoms. The typical thing is it's making a lot more trips to the litter box and going in there and not producing very much and that's usually the tip-off there the first time people have problems with this. They usually don't catch it really as fast as they like to in the future episodes they catch up pretty early because they know what to look for. But basically those increase obvious increase number of trips to the litter box would suggest this is a start that problem. It's starting. Dave off the I haven't have a surgical treatment for this problem. If you catch it early enough you catch it early enough and can go to a diet. I've had some success. I don't want to say that is the answer yet. But there's a diet called CD diet which a lot of veterans are familiar with I feel confident with that. But I guess it's your personal veterinarian would determine whether that that died would be helpful. That's what I've had problems with will go on that diet and have not had problems later. So I'm hopeful that someday we'll see this would be the Cure. Thank you for calling from St.Paul. We have another listener with a question. Go ahead please. Hi, I'm calling from Roseville. And I have what I think could be a terrific idea and I would like to ask the doctor such a thing exists and that's Health & Hospital Association insurance for Animals. I'll hang up and listen. Okay, excellent question one that's been on my mind a lot. We're seeing that the veterinary fees are certainly getting to be prohibitive for some people over heads and you know your name at the cost of just operating of increased dramatically so that the fees have to respond to that increase many different health programs of come on the scene in the last five to eight year is an unsuccessful yet. But we're hopeful that one that will be suitable will be out fairly soon. I see this on the On the horizon that pet insurance is going to be Necessities so that people can afford especially the catastrophic type injuries in patsa will be able to for them. We're seeing a lot of pets that I having to be put to sleep because of a cost Factor. This is very unfortunate. There's a lot of skill out there and in the veterinary profession waiting to be used on fortunately economic factors dictate that can't be done. So we're hopeful that with a good insurance program and is being closely monitored by the veterinary profession the national organizations to find a good insurance program that suitable and the abuse potential that is what we're waiting for. So it's coming 10 minutes before 1, dr. Milbauer his with us. We're taking your calls about Health Care for Animals entering next listener is waiting. Go ahead please Yes, I'm calling from Duluth to give a good comment about ferrets. We on a domestic ferret. They are definitely not for everyone. Their behavior patterns are completely different from that of a dog or cat and it takes a while taking patients and some time getting used to it. But if you if you can do that to you. Enjoy our pet and I had a question. We had our fair for about 4 months. He's a little over a year old. In from the time we got him. He said it itching problem and we thought of several things that I might cause this first of all because they do have a strong odor. We bathe him about or every week and a half or so. And we thought that perhaps has that was causing his skin to dry out the change of soap and shampoo doesn't seem to make any difference in that respect. And then I heard you, your earlier about cats having allergies and I wondered if you would happen to have any comment about this sort of thing. There are not that many people walking to lose who have experience with ferrets ferrets. Occasionally, you didn't mention whether the itching was all over the body or weather was just around the head or the ears. Pretty much all over some time to wake up out of a sound sleep out of his box and come out scratching. I would expect that ferrets could be suffer the same problems as the dogs and cats that having fleas. I've not seen fleas on on them, but they could certainly develop allergies. I would think there are I would think in those three hostiles I mention I know if you're listening or not in the Twin Cities that deal with exotic animals, they could be probably more helpful, but the things I've seen in Ferris and I've seen that too many of those the primary one is ear mites There's an actual insect that gets in the years and they scratch that it's obvious but itching all over as a lot different possibilities. I think I'm a veterinarian that you use to examine the ferret carefully to see if there's any external parasites possible the bathing maybe the soap is too harsh the dries out the skin. There's a lot of different possibilities. I think of you work closely with your veterinarian might be able to come up with the answer. Okay, thank you 7 minutes before they are we can take for five more calls if we move quickly go ahead and your next. Older cats are 13-1 died this winter. I was wondering if I should get another cat. It's interesting with cats that live together for a long time. They're there will be a period of sadness and the other cat will be looking for the other one. The other cat's neck Crazy by having a little kittens in there and will resent it in different ways and none of them severe. But if you feel comfortable with another cat it probably would be helpful for the older Cat end and yourself have that addition there. After an initial. Of adjustment the older cat accept the presence of the kitten and then everybody lives happily ever after so they do miss the other pet. There's no question to see this and dogs a lot to there's a a sad. So, I think if you're considering a kitten that be a good thing to do with a question for dr. Bauer high around here. Yes. Good morning. Good afternoon. I'm from Richfield. My questions are in the area of what we might call the preventive medicine and nutrition my wife. In recent months have become more interested in this ourselves. And what do you recommend for in the way of food in an ongoing way for say dogs table food versus prepared dry dog food. And also what about weight of a dog how is best to tell whether you're feeding your dog too much or too little in terms of the dogs weight and rib rib cage structure as far as Foods you get what you pay for the name brand foods are the most reliable Corrina Gaines. There's a number of foods that are good top quality foods and they certainly are more costly than the generics and things like this, but you'll get more value for that daughter. And so I recommend that Candor dry doesn't matter too much the dry is little more economical because of the packaging and things like that. It's 20% moisture. Where is the Kansas 80% moisture so they have to Take more of the canned food, but just general appearance. I guess there's a tendency to over feed puppies at times and especially sedentary or the older dogs that aren't very active. You have to be careful in that regard as far as table scraps. I don't recommend any table scraps until they're fully grown already year of age and then you can introduce within reason up to 25% of the diet can be table foods. But yeah be careful be on that because then you get into problems of overweight situations with all the problems that overweight people get almost. So just if that that looks good to you and not to send that to heavy then it's probably the proper weight for that pet. All right. We'll take another color for dr. Bauer. Go ahead. You're on the air. When it's been brought up over there today at the acquiring of a new cat. It's always been in terms of a puppy or a kitten and I just wanted to let people know that is it is possible and very rewarding sometimes to adopt an older petek an adolescent or an adult animal you avoid some of the problems of puppies and kittens and these animals really need homes the Humane Society and the other Humane organizations in town have lots of adult pets that really really need homes. And if you have camcare for an adult animal, sometimes it's really better the question. I had his I just had a cat now for the longest time I've ever had a pet and she is now 10 years old and I realized that cats live longer than dogs and they very often Live Well into their teens and if she doesn't seem to show any signs of aging whatsoever yet, but I just wondered if the doctor knew of things I might need to be looking for if I should bring her in. Rockin for check-ups of that sort of thing since she is older. Well you've been blessed with the cat lies I have food seems to just stay on all the time. I told you I was 12 years old and I seem to be very healthy. But yes as they get older it's no different than people that the problems tend to start showing up that are an aging type problem examinations generally on a yearly basis at the time of vaccination is sufficient. Although if you suspect something's wrong then examination should be undertaken sooner than that, but that you must be doing something right if you got the relatively healthy cat to these ten years, so I wouldn't change anything and just follow that program of don't be afraid to call your veterinarian you have any concerns at any time because they're receptive to to taking those calls. Now I'm saying during regular hours. I don't know what to do. Some veterans don't have the emergency facilities available that but I keep up the good work. Well we have about a minute left. I think we'll try to fit one more collar in very briefly. Go ahead please would you ask your question quickly? Elba and we both were talking about pets every year. We think people with cats, and I just wanted to mention on the air what are the services and how you're really doing them quite a bit of harm by taking them out of wild and trying to make sense of them. Thank you very much. Okay. Thanks for coming doctor bar. I gather you agree with that and I agree with that. I want to thank you very much for coming and visiting with St. Paul. He has been in the practice for 10-15 years is Clinic is called to Southview Animal Hospital in West Saint Paul.