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Friday, November 12, 2010
Dog has habit of chasing the light
By Dr. Jeff Nichol
Of the Journal
Q: My male Cavalier spaniel is 22 months old. He has been chasing shadows and light patterns in and out of the house more frequently, only in late afternoon and evening. We are really concerned now that we are using our gas-lighted fireplace and I am afraid he will jump into the flames.
Dr. Nichol: Repetitive behaviors like light chasing may seem comical. It's actually a serious problem that can worsen if a dog believes he is being rewarded by the attention.
Some compulsive dogs spin or chase their tails; others may lick a wound or stare at the sky. Your dog's behavior needs to be thoroughly evaluated. The underlying cause may be complex or simply inadequate exercise and social contact with other dogs.
While not known for any particular behavior issue, Cavalier King Charles spaniels are prone to a couple of neurologic diseases, syringomyelia and chiari syndrome. Each of these can cause repetitive actions — but not light chasing.
I don't think your dog will jump into the fireplace. He needs a behavioral evaluation and a physical exam, but he isn't crazy.
Q: When we brought our cat, Toby, to our vet, he said he had never seen such bad teeth and gums on a 4-year-old cat. Toby needed a tooth cleaning ASAP, he said. The vet ended up extracting seven teeth, and said it was necessary because Toby's teeth and gums were in stage 3 of feline periodontal problems. That seems very drastic. Would a good cleaning have been enough? Should we have gotten a second opinion?
Dr. Nichol: I understand how you feel. Those teeth are gone for good. I suspect Toby may have had feline odontoclastic resorptive lesions, or FORL. These are painful, erosive erosions on the outer surface of the teeth. Once they start there is no stopping them. If teeth are caked with tartar, FORL can be hard to diagnose until the kitty is anesthetized. Extraction of all affected teeth is the only legitimate treatment.
Your veterinarian gave Toby good care, but he needs to know you were unhappy. In the future, you can ask him to call you during the procedure to explain his findings and treatment plan. Nobody likes surprises, except on their birthday.
Update: After e-mailing the above answer to Toby's owner, I got this reply: "Since his extractions, Toby has gained a little weight, his nose is bright pink again instead of whitish, and he carries his stuffed turtle around the house again. It was so gradual over the past few months, his decline in playing and some weight loss, that we didn't realize he was in so much pain." Toby is a lucky cat.
Dog behavior help
A dog who gets along well with others, respects his owners' property, and knows where to find the restroom is the gift that keeps on giving. I'll address inappropriate and dangerous canine behaviors in my seminar at the Animal Humane Adoption Center, 9132 Montgomery NE. The class will run from 6-9 p.m. Monday. Cost: $40. Visit www.drjeffnichol.com or call 792-5131 to register. Bring plenty of questions. I'll give individual help.
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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