Dear Dr. Forsythe: I am motivated to write to you because of the article that you published about a barking dog causing stress to the writer. That writer was not alone in living with neighbors who lack the consideration and responsibility to control their animals. I am literally surrounded by barking dogs on either side of my home, in back of my home, and up and down the street across from me. My neighbors have two and three dogs that are a nuisance, causing me stress.
I thought a veterinarian was committed to the welfare of animals; at least that is what the American Veterinary Medical Association states. One of my neighbors IS a veterinarian in Sonoma County. They have three dogs; one that I was told was rescued from an abusive home and ended in a shelter. Two of the dogs are taken to work while the dog from the abusive home stays at home all day barking when ever it hears any activity from me whether I am inside or outside of my home. And I don’t like to hear a barking dog at 7:15 in the morning! They will not take this dog to work because it is disruptive to their work environment. Excuse me: it’s disruptive to ME. It has affected my quality of life. They even leave the dog alone at night for as long as three hours, at times in the dark, barking and whining the the entire time they are gone. I find this a form of punishment to the dog and a form of bullying to me. Is this ethical? I don’t think so.
For the past three years I have had many conversations with them, and I was optimistic, reassuring them I know things will get better and we can work it out. But after two and a half years and hearing the dog bark for hours, I no longer feel confident or trust their word. I’ve given them literature, links to animal behaviorist, and I am considering alternatives.
A dog is a weapon in the hands of a person who doesn’t offer a safe and loving environment. My veterinarian neighbor has a wonderful opportunity because of his profession to model positive treatment of his dogs and make Sonoma County a dog friendly place. It appears this is not in my neighbors horizon.
I’m frustrated and disappointed in your profession, and I hope you will pass this message on. That is my hope. Is there still room for optimism?
Sign me: Anonymous
Dear Anonymous: The only problem with sending in a big, juicy accusatory letter filled with big juicy content is that you really lose your credibility when you do it anonymously. I usually discard anonymous letters because I never have a way of following up with the source. As you can imagine, many people ask me where my questions come from, and “anonymous” is a very weak response. However, I did choose to answer your letter because it hit me where the sun don’t shine and it was a true cry for help.
I was really unhappy to hear that a fellow veterinarian has behaved so poorly as a neighbor and pet owner and caused you this stress and anxiety. As vets, we do take an oath to prevent animal suffering and do what is best for pets, not the other way around. It disappoints me that you have gone through this unfortunate situation with one of my colleagues.
One thing I recommend regarding your derailed, acrimonious relationship with your neighbor vet is something called a “reality check.” This comes in handy when you are having friction with another person – and involves asking yourself two important questions about the situation at hand: 1) what is the meaning I’ve attached to this situation and 2) do I have all the information? It sounds from your letter that you’ve attached a meaning that your neighbor just doesn’t care about your peace of mind anymore. That may not be true at all, despite their seemingly thoughtless behavior. And you may not have all the information. Perhaps they have consulted a behaviorist and are working daily with this pet. Maybe there are additional medical problems they are working on to try and curtail the barking. Perhaps there are personal problems with the family that are eclipsing their ability to focus on the dog’s barking?
While none of these things “change” the fact that the barking is still happening, by thinking in this way, you can begin to look outside the box and feel much better in general. By considering the myriad of events and occurrences that could be taking place to shape other people’s actions and decisions it is easier to accept how little we can do to control the world. Ultimately, we can just do the best we can and hope that others will take responsibility. I suggest you show your neighbor this column and remind that veterinarian just how disappointed you are that veterinarians don’t show more respect. I think that would drive your point home better than anything I could ever write.
Dr. F.
Dear Dr. Forsythe: My 2 year old lab is in heat now, and I am not breeding her until
next cycle. I got her some “bitch’s britches” to sop up her period, but I was wondering, can those give her toxic shock syndrome? She is sluggish and not herself.
Breeding my lab
Dear Breeder: No, toxic shock syndrome happened years ago in human females and was associated with (inserted) tampons that developed severe infection. This never happened with externally worn “pads” nor was it found in dogs or cats. Your female is most likely sluggish because she is in heat, so just watching her and monitoring her carefully should be fine. Occasionally pets can develop an infection called pyometra after heat cycles or pregnancy. If she is not eating or is vomiting or drinks excessively, have her checked by your veterinarian right away. And make sure to keep her away from male dogs until well after her heat cycle has ended.
Dr. F
