Q: We’re thinking of giving a puppy to my brother for Christmas.
He has been talking about getting one for a few months now. How
should we choose one for him?
Q: We’re thinking of giving a puppy to my brother for Christmas. He has been talking about getting one for a few months now. How should we choose one for him?
A: No matter what the circumstances, I never recommend giving a puppy or a kitten as a gift. A new pet is a big step for someone and the choice should be a personal one, made after some very serious thought. All too often, gift-pets end up at shelters, up for adoption because the recipient wasn’t quite ready for a new pet. Let your brother get his own puppy when he’s ready to do so.
Here’s a better gift idea for Christmas. Why not give him a good book on different dog breeds? This present will help him choose the perfect pup when the time is right. Any good bookstore has several books on breeds from which to choose. Have fun!
Q: Our cat, Misty, seems to have a sensitive stomach. She throws up her food every other day. We treat her with Kaopectate and this seems to help, but lately it seems as though she needs to be treated more often. Any suggestions?
A: Any time a cat or dog has repeated bouts of vomit or diarrhea, I recommend that the owner visit his or her veterinarian for evaluation. Chronic, repeating bowel problems can be a manifestation of many diseases and should never be ignored.
While Misty may have nothing more than a sensitive tummy, her symptoms could be an indication of something more serious. Chronic indigestion can be caused by anything from kidney disease to pancreatitis. And either of these conditions can become serious, even fatal, if allowed to progress for too long. Certainly this doesn’t mean that any pet with indigestion should be rushed to the hospital for treatment (for example, some cats occasionally vomit if they swallow too much fur while grooming).
But repeated problems can be a sign of serious trouble and shouldn’t be ignored. Misty should have a visit with her vet to see if she has more than just an upset stomach. If nothing else, an exam and a few tests will give you some peace of mind.
One other important warning. Kaopectate and Pepto-Bismol are popular over-the-counter remedies used for the treatment of indigestion. But neither is safe for kitty-cats. Both contain Salicylates, the principle component of Aspirin. Cats don’t metabolize salicylates very well and can develop serious complications from repeated ingestion of this drug. Never give your cat Kaopectate or Pepto-Bismol. These products are potentially toxic to cats.
Q: Is it true that cows have four stomachs? Why do they need so many? How many stomachs do reindeer have?
A: Actually, cows have only one stomach just like other animals. But a cow’s stomach has four compartments, the rumen, the reticulum, the omasum and the abomasum. Each one has a specific job in helping to digest fibrous foods like hay and grass. The rumen is the largest part of the stomach and it does a lot of work during digestion. After a cow eats her food, she lays down to chew her cud. To do this, she actually regurgitates food from the rumen in small amounts, thereby getting a second chance to chew it. This process is called ruminating and it is an important part of digestion.
Ruminating and chewing cud help break down grass and hay into smaller pieces so that the intestines can absorb the important nutrients.
Only ruminant animals like cows have the ability to chew cud, but that doesn’t exactly make them unique. Actually, there are a lot of other grazing animals that have the same type of stomach. Sheep, goats and, yes, reindeer all have a four-compartment stomach and they, too, are called ruminants.
Pete Keesling is a veterinarian at San Martin Veterinary Hospital and co-hosts Petpourri, a weekly show about pet health on KTEH in San Jose and a bi-weekly column for The Times. If you have any questions about pet care, please mail them to The Times, Attn: Vets, 30 E. Third St., Morgan Hill, CA 95037.
