Dear Dr. Forsythe: I have tried something recently that really makes cleaning my pets’ ears easier; I thought I would mention it because it seems to make the chore much less traumatic for my dogs. I place the bottle of ear cleanser in a slightly warm basin of water for a few minutes to bring it up a few degrees before I poor it into her ears. The more tepid water seems to bother her less when it goes in and there is less shaking and “shock” during the process. I guess the coolness of the liquid before I started warming it up was what bothered her the most. Ever since I started increasing the temperature slightly, she hasn’t minded me rinsing out the ears nearly as much, so they are staying cleaner and haven’t had nearly as many infections.
James at Sonoma Dog Camp
Dear James: Thanks for the pearls of wisdom!! It is amazing sometimes how such simple small things can make such a big difference in the life of a pet. I am a true believer in making the processes more comfortable and less agitating for the pets, so I will begin this at my hospital and see how it goes!! Thanks for your smart advice. And please kiss all the campers for me.
Dr. F
Dear Dr. Forsythe: I recently adopted an 11-year-old French bulldog named Peggy Madge from a rescue. She had already had $2,000 worth of work done when I rescued her and I put another $1800 into her after I got her. She had a bad disc and needed dental work. She is still having more health problems and I am unsure what to do. I love her very much but I’m worried about coming up with the money to pay for all her medical needs. I want some advice on how to find her a new home.
Will visiting from Oakland
Dear Will: You find her a new home the same way anyone finds a new home for a pet: you put up signs, you put an ad in the paper, or you take her back to the shelter where you “rescued her.” This is not rocket science to solve this problem; you just need to methodically and responsibly look at the options and do what’s best for the pet. Did you adopt Peggy Madge on a whim? Surely you must have been aware that a French bulldog of Peggy Madge’s age would be falling apart at the seams by now? What could have possessed you to take on that type of “veterinary rehabilitation project” without the motivation or the funds to carry on the work? First I would seek the help of a wealthy Aunt Melba (I hope you have one) to provide assistance, then I would call the shelter and say that you have a pet that needs more than you can offer. Perhaps you wanted to “foster” the pet rather than become her human. There is really nothing wrong in admitting that Peggy Madge was more than you could take on, and since she is probably a magnificently precious companion who simply has some sizeable health challenges, she could still provide good companionship to a kind person who has the ability to take on a sweet old pet with some significant health-care needs. Good luck dealing with this dear old pet.
Dr. F
Be First to Comment