Dear Dr. Forsythe: My dog is microchipped but I am moving and changing vets. Is it possible to reprogram the microchip or should I just get a new one? I don’t want to risk losing Archie during the chaos of relocation.
Thanks,
Chip off the old block
Dear Chip: Thanks for having a microchip in your pet!! This is one great example of a time in your pet’s life when the microchip may prove life-saving. The simplest thing to do is contact the maker of the chip (Avid, Home-again, etc…) and re register the chip with your new name, address, phone number, and veterinary information. That way, you don’t have to place a new chip, but the existing one will be updated to reflect your new location. Since Americans move frequently, the makers of the microchips have “built in” a simple way to keep the pet information current, and this is only a phone call or computer click away. Good luck with the move.
Dr. F
Dear Dr. Forsythe: My cat has recently begun leaving me “presents” outside the litter box. At first I thought he was upset that the litter box was dirty, but the more I clean it, the worse it has gotten. Last night he pooped on my son’s clarinet, and now we are at the end of our ropes. Please help.
Cat’s days are numbered
Dear Numbered: Don’t despair too quickly, OK? While your son probably won’t be tootling out any great songs from that clarinet any time soon, there may be some things we can try to solve this problem before removing the cat from the home for “spoiling the music.”
First, make sure you don’t “over” clean the litter box with aversion chemicals, such as Pine Sol, or other pungent, strongly disinfecting chemicals that can leave a strong scent. Instead, scoop the box daily, then empty it every few days and rinse it out with water and very dilute bleach at best. Sometimes, the least expensive Jonny Cat litter works the best for these cats, and they keep coming back to play in the sand.
Stress and territoriality may also cause problems with cats that cause them to defecate aberrantly, even on our little ones’ musical instruments. If you are in a multi-cat household, minimize stress by making sure there is a litter box in each bathroom and perhaps an extra one in the utility room or garage.
Once these obvious necessities are taken care of, and plenty of fresh food and water are available, you should contact your veterinarian for a physical exam to rule out possible health issues such as thyroid, GI disease, or cancer which could be causing the cat to “rain on your son’s musical parade.” If this doesn’t yield success, a pet behaviorist should be consulted, and eventually your veterinarian can prescribe medication to calm the pet down. These “kitty downers” are usually used as a last resort, but they do relieve stress on the pet, and in this calm, “altered state” the cat often reverts back to his previous, normal elimination patterns. Good luck with this challenging situation. I hope you get through this so your son can start making some beautiful music.
Dr. F
