Q: Our cat, Lilly, squints with her left eye. Some days she
seems fine, while other days she is more uncomfortable. Her eye
looks normal today. Should we worry about this?
Q: Our cat, Lilly, squints with her left eye. Some days she seems fine, while other days she is more uncomfortable. Her eye looks normal today. Should we worry about this?
A: It’s always a good idea to schedule a visit to the vet anytime a pet has recurring eye discomfort. Lilly’s symptoms could signal many different problems. The good news is that she may have nothing more than a low-grade allergy. If so, she will only need some simple at-home treatment.
But it’s also possible that she has a more serious problem. Her symptoms sound like pinkeye or conjunctivitis, but pinkeye can result from other diseases such as anterior uveitis or glaucoma.
Left untreated, these conditions can lead to permanent loss of vision. But once they are diagnosed, they can often be effectively treated to save the integrity of the eye.
I really think Lilly needs a quick visit to her vet, just be sure there is nothing seriously wrong with her eye. You’ll get some peace of mind and she’ll be a lot more comfortable.
Q: Barney, our mutt-dog puppy got out of the house today and was hit by a car. It looks like he’ll be all right, but he has a limp in his back leg. My brother got the license of the car that hit him, because the guy didn’t even stop. Can the police do anything about a driver that doesn’t even care if he kills a dog? I want to find the guy and have him pay our vet bill for Barney’s X-rays.
A: Sorry to hear about Barney’s trauma. It sounds as though he’s a lucky guy to survive this accident with relatively little injury. And I know you are frustrated by the driver’s apparent lack of concern. But I wonder if you realize how lucky you are that there was no damage or injury to the car or its driver.
Most pet owners don’t realize the possible consequences if their dog or cat gets out into the street and causes an accident. A pet owner can actually be held liable for any personal injury or property damage caused by such an accident. Let’s say that this driver had swerved to avoid Barney and crashed into another car. You and your family could have been held liable for the costs and injuries resulting from that crash. Dogs and cats aren’t supposed to run loose and certainly they shouldn’t be out in the street.
I’d like to think that the driver didn’t even know that he had hit Barney. The impact of a small animal isn’t always big enough to be felt. But it saddens me to hear when people don’t show compassion for animals.
Whatever happened, this should be a good lesson for you and for everyone who hears your story. For your pet’s sake and for the sake of your family, keep your dog and cat confined and out of the street.
Q: Our son is interested in a career in veterinary medicine. He is a student at Gavilan College. How many years of school are required to become a veterinarian. Is U.C. Davis the only school in California?
A: The curriculum at U.C. Davis’ College of Veterinary Medicine is four years. Most of the other veterinary schools are the same. To be accepted into any program, your son must take certain prerequisite classes in chemistry, biology, zoology, physics and other disciplines. These requirements can be completed in about three years, but most students use four years of school and earn a bachelor’s degree. Just to be certain that he is on the right track, your son should talk to a counselor at Gavilan. Together, they can decide which courses he should take.
Good grades are an important part of qualifying for entry to veterinary school. Animal work experience and a well-rounded background also help a student to be selected to the program.
There are several new schools in the country, including one in Southern California. But as far as many are concerned, the veterinary school at U.C. Davis is still one of the finest in the United States. Good luck to your son as he pursues one of the most noble of professions.
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.
