Quick Question: Does anyone have any good strategies for introducing a cat into a house with a dog? My dog is 3, and while I have a cat, they don't interact. The cat hides all day, and then I crate the dog at night and the cat comes out. My mom is moving and can't bring one of her cats, he's 9-10 yrs old, and has front claws. I'd like to introduce him into my home and to the dog in the best way possible. Any thoughts? Thanks in advance.
We successfully introduced the cat and dog for the cat we almost adopted. Buddy just likes to sniff things, and that alarmed the cat, but what we did was to have both of them in our arms on the floor, petting them calmly, and let them investigate each other. I was afraid that Buddy was going to eat the cat because he lunges extremely enthusiastically when we cross paths with cats outside.
I got nuthin. My terrier will kill anything mammalian that is not another dog (as well as any bird). Good luck with that.
We introduced a new dog into a household with 2 cats (and one existing dog) and I don't recall doing anything special. My husband was extremely freaked out about the cats, whereas my thinking was that the cats are the ones who know how to handle themselves the best. A swipe across the nose and the ability to climb up things kind of gives the cats a leg up over the dogs. I think it was pretty much a non-event, but it has been years so maybe I am forgetting.
Does anyone have experience with the dental hygiene of his or her pet? I recently took my cat to the vet for his yearly exam and shots, and the vet says he has plaque buildup and gingivitis. He recommended bringing him in for a cleaning (it requires anesthesia and a $300+ bill). WTF? Is this normal? This cat is only 5 years old. I don't see any rotting teeth or smell anything more offensive than normal kitty breath. I grew up with cats who lived 15+ years without getting their teeth cleaned by the vet. I don't want to neglect something important with this kitty, but I feel like the vet is just trying to sell me on something that may not be necessary. Has anyone gotten their cat's teeth cleaned? Is this guy taking advantage of crazy pet people?
I have had to have it done for both one of my cats and one of my dogs. It's been awhile, but from what I recall that $300 he is quoting you is a bargain. Maybe I am a sucker too, but I think it is pretty common practice to do it every once in a while (for example, my cat is 13, my dog is 11 and each have only been done once). I tend to think he wasn't taking advantage of me because he has been my vet for years, and because he hasn't said it is necessary in the other two pets.
Hmm. Maybe I should double check. I probably missed something, and that's just part of the bill. $350 sounds way too low if y'all paid that much.
Do they have to anesthetize and hold over night? I didnt think it was that bad. And I had a hard time justifying that for something that likes to eat its own shit when it rains.
I've talked to vets about it at exams and was told a long time ago that as long as they don't get wet food and/or excessive table scraps (soft foods) it shouldn't be necessary. I have had pets most of my life and only fed them kibble (Vita Bones and bones from the butcher for treats) and have never had to have the vet clean their teeth. My Aunt&Uncle have cats and give them only wet food, they are constantly taking one into the vet for various tooth related issues. Plus, putting anything under for a procedure is dangerous, IMO.
No...they anesthetize and keep him all day. Drop off at 8, pick up after 3. It just sounded like something that I wouldn't have to worry about until he's older. He only eats dry food, but the vet wants him to switch to wet so he can lose some weight. I don't want to switch to wet of its going to make his teeth worse. I don't entirely trust this vet. I'm sure he's competent and a great vet....he's just a bit of an asshole and has been rude when I've asked questions in the past. I know I should find a new one. I have the same thoughts, SG. I like to avoid anesthesia unless it's medically necessary. Thanks for the help!
Maybe they are like people, some of us just have crappy teeth despite what we do to care for them. My pets get dry food, yet half of them are just fine, the other half have needed cleaning (although I have no idea what they were fed for the first two years of their lives - the formative years I suppose). And I wasn't a big fan of anesthetizing them either, but then I think of what I go through at the dentist and am quite sure they aren't capable of "just holding still with your mouth open" in the presence of drills and suction and other torture devices, so that is the only option. I know that if you let it build up it can lead to permanent damage (same as with people), in fact my cat had to have several teeth pulled and hadn't been eating well until it was done.
I know everyone's probably sick of hearing me post about this, but my guys are on homemade raw food (paleo in a way I can only dream of; I lack the self-discipline), and they have GLEAMING white teeth. No plaque, no tartar. Our estimator's husband shot a coyote two months ago and same thing...it had gleaming white teeth. I think teeth health has a lot to do with correct nutrition, especially when you're young. Personally, I wouldn't have my pets put under and a procedure like that done unless they were showing signs of pain or disfunction. No need for it if it isn't bothering them.
$350 sounds about right for a standard dental cleaning, with the cost increasing if there are extractions that need to be done. This generally covers pre-anesthetic bloodwork, general anesthesia, the dental cleaning, and post-cleaning antibiotics. The bloodwork is to screen for any disease that hasn't shown clinical symptoms yet (i.e. kidney disease, liver disease) that could affect how the animal responds to the anesthesia drugs. General anesthesia is pretty much a necessity, since most pets don't like you looking at their mouth, let alone screwing around with it for a significant period of time. It's much safer and less stressful for everyone involved if the animal is sedated for the procedure. A broad spectrum antibiotic is generally prescribed to prevent a systemic bacterial infection. The tartar and plaque on the teeth contains bacteria, and the process of cleaning the teeth can cause micro-abrasions in the gingiva, which provides access to the bloodstream for the bacterial. The chances of an animal having a complication for this is minimal, though peace of mind is definitely worth it for the minimal cost of antibiotics. Depending on the clinic, some places will include dental x-rays in the cost. These are great because they can show abscesses, root decay, fractures, resorptive lesions, retained teeth, retained tooth roots or other problems that can't be seen visually (even while the pet is sedated). The dental cleaning can be done by a licensed technician under the supervision of a veterinarian, but extractions have to be done by a vet, which causes an increase in cost (in addition to an increase in difficulty and time spent on the procedure). There are a ton of products on the market for dental hygiene! There are toothbrushes and toothpastes specially designed for cat and dog mouths, water and food additives and mouth rinses to cut down on tartar and plaque buildup, and treats and chews that help kill bacteria in the mouth which lead to tartar and plaque development. Depending on the tolerance level your animal, all or none can be used to help maintain a healthy mouth. They do make prescription dental diets, but this also depends on the patient for how effective it might be. As for diet, this depends on individual animals. I've seen animals eating Twinkies and Big Macs with absolutely beautiful teeth (I definitely wouldn't recommend this), and animals on healthy and balanced diet with horrendous mouths. However, as a general observation, animals eating predominately wet/canned food tend to have a higher incidence of oral problems. I think this is because the food has a greater tendency to get stuck in the cracks and cavities in the teeth, but that really hasn't been proven. I personally do not have any experience with animals on a raw food diet. There are pros and cons, just like with every other feeding plan. My opinion on raw diets is to consult with a veterinary nutritionist to make sure that you are feeding a nutritionally complete meal to your pet, and that you are aware of any food safety/hygiene issues related to raw diets. Raw diets are not appropriate for every pet, but I don't think a diet exists that is. As for switching your cat to a wet food diet to lose weight, I am completely confused by this. Generally wet and canned foods have a higher calorie content than the dry/kibble counterpart. The main reason I have heard for switching cats from dry to wet is to increase their water intake, which is important for kidney disease (which is unlikely in a 5 year old cat), or to increase their calorie intake, which is important in elderly cats who can't keep weight on. Weight loss can be achieved by decreasing the amount you're currently feeding of her dry food and increasing her activity level, or switching to to a calorie-controlled weight loss diet food. Just my two cents. Well, more like a quarter.
pony, my vet said that dry food is mostly carbs and that wet is fats and protein. Since wet food is closer to what cats eat on their own, I should be feeding him that. And, since he's a single, indoor kitty he would benefit from a high protein/low carb diet since they tend to be more sedentary. Intellectually, it makes sense to me. I'm just not 100% sold on it because of my experiences with family pets and the fact that this is a CAT. (I really do love him to pieces and sometimes he's the bright spot of my day...but he is still a kitty). think I've spent more time contemplating his diet/teeth situation this week than I have my own. I spend so much of my time in class or studying, and I hardly have time or money to spend on myself. I have a difficult time buying into this because it reminds me of my crazy-cat-lady cousin who has one on Prozac...she won't go out of town for the weekend without my word that I will stop by every day to check on them and call while I'm in the apt. I don't want to be that woman. Ever.
Blossom is showing her approval after going on a much-needed walk. I assure you that she has ears; she chose to fold them way back in this particular picture. Here is Spice, demonstrating that when you have many scents to smell and not enough time to smell them, only a border collie's nose will do: