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Friday, February 04, 2011
Duuude: Pass me the catnip
By Dr. Jeff Nichol
Of the Journal
Catnip is one of life's simple pleasures.
This interesting plant, native to Eurasia, causes some truly embarrassing feline antics. Regarded as "cat marijuana," catnip (Nepeta cataria) doesn't need to be consumed to have its magical effects. Simply sniffing it causes rolling, chin and cheek rubbing and sometimes predatory attacks on catnip-stuffed toys — but only in cats that are genetically equipped to respond to it.
In addition to the 50 percent to 70 percent of domestic kitties who can "turn on" from catnip, lions, leopards, jaguars, bobcats, pumas and ocelots have also been known to get funky. This altered state can last five to 15 minutes. Catnip isn't harmful but has never been shown to advance the feline species, whether its users are college age or not. Personally, I have never found face rubbing and rolling about on the floor to make one attractive to potential mates.
Mice, on the other hand, may have an edge. Immediately after being snagged by a predator they produce lactones in their skin. Chemically similar to catnip, this substance may cause a "catnip reaction" in the feline hunter, giving the hapless varmint one last chance to escape and save his hide. This is all very serious business. Now would be the perfect time to have "the talk" with your cat. He'll never find his perfect mate until he learns to Just Say No!
Q: We have had our new female Boston terrier for about eight months. Over the past couple of months she has developed a severe redness around her paws, belly and mouth. My guess is that she is allergic to the grass in our yard. We have tried Benadryl as well as bathing frequently with Histacalm. It does not seem to be doing the trick. We had also started to put shirts on her, which has helped her belly.
Dr. Nichol: Your Boston, although less self-conscious when clothed, is still miserable. Scratching and rubbing damages her skin, leaving it vulnerable to multiple infections. Allergies may be a problem but skin diseases like mange, yeast, bacterial infection or ringworm could be invading broad areas of this cute dog's skin. Microscopic evaluation of a skin scraping and impression smear, along with a fungal culture, will be necessary.
Canine allergies generally come in two varieties. Airborne particles like pollens, molds, and house dust that land on the coat cause inflammatory reactions and itching. Antihistamines and fish oil are often helpful, but allergies can be severe and resistant. A specific diagnosis is best done with skin testing by a veterinary dermatologist like Dr. Anthea Schick (881-7205). If your dog turns out to be allergic, a custom-formulated series of injections should help.
Food allergies, on the other hand, usually result from a reaction to the meat protein source in the diet. Prescription hypoallergenic foods can be fed exclusively as a diagnostic test.
Histacalm baths were a good starting point for your Boston. This soothing shampoo with Benadryl can give short-term relief, but she needs more. An oral medication called Atopica effectively controls the itch for some of our toughest cases while we search out the underlying causes. This little girl needs to feel better ASAP.
Dr. Jeff Nichol provides medical care for pets at the Petroglyph Animal Hospital in Albuquerque (898-8874). He treats behavior disorders at the Veterinary Specialty Centers in Albuquerque and in Santa Fe (505-792-5131). Contact Dr. Nichol on his website www.drjeffnichol.com (click Submit a Question?) or 6633 Caminito Coors NW, Albuquerque, NM 87120. Find me on Facebook.
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