Did you see it on television? The annual Westminster Kennel Club
Dog Show at New York’s Madison Square Garden finished Tuesday with
a historic winner. Rufus, a 5-year-old tan-and-white bull terrier
was the first of his breed to ever take top honors at this
prestigious event, arguably the biggest of all dog shows. He won
out over six other dogs representing some of the most popular
breeds in the country.
Did you see it on television? The annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show at New York’s Madison Square Garden finished Tuesday with a historic winner. Rufus, a 5-year-old tan-and-white bull terrier was the first of his breed to ever take top honors at this prestigious event, arguably the biggest of all dog shows. He won out over six other dogs representing some of the most popular breeds in the country.
An Old English sheepdog and a golden retriever were in the final group of judging, and according to some, they were the favorites of many in the crowd. But Rufus, who had won best in show some 30 times at other events, beat them all, surprising many traditionalists.
Bulldogs rarely take high honors like this. But Rufus proved to be a near-perfect representative of his breed, and the judge honored him as top dog.
Dog shows are unpredictable, exciting and fun. They provide a way for spectators to see many different breeds standing side-to-side with others. If you’d like a chance to see some classy dogs at a local show, circle the last weekend of April on your calendar. The Gavilan Kennel Club will sponsor an all-breed dog show April 28-30 at Bolado Park in Hollister. There will be many varieties of breeds at this show both on Saturday and Sunday, along with a specialty breed and obedience competition on Friday. This is your chance to see some of the best in the canine world in a beautiful location. I’ll be there for much of the activity, so see you there! You can find more information on the club’s Web site at www.gavilankc.org.
Q: Our cat, Murray, has lost some fur on his back. He looks almost hairless across his top near his tail, and his skin feels like sandpaper when I pet him on his backside. Could this be mange?
A: Murray’s problem is probably a lot more simple than mange. Mange is a skin condition caused by mites, and it can sometimes be very difficult to treat. But it sounds as if Murray has a different problem. And I’ll bet it has a lot to do with fleas.
This has been a warm winter so far. And without enough cold frosty nights, fleas in our surrounding areas have survived and reproduced easily. These insects like to jump off their victims after a good blood meal, and they seek refuge in grass or other secluded areas. Feral cats and other critters bring fleas into our yards almost every night.
Cold weather in winter months slows down the flea’s life cycle considerably, even killing many of them when there’s a hard freeze. But December, January and February weather has been relatively mild, and fleas have been a real problem for many animals.
Murray’s symptoms are typical for a cat with fleas. The “sandpaper” texture of his skin tells me that he probably has miliary dermatitis. If you look closely at his skin, you’ll see little black dots on the surface.
Scratch his skin gently with your fingernail, and place some of those black particles that you see on his skin onto a wet paper towel. You’ll see red blood begin to appear because those black spots are “flea dirt” – nothing more than small, undigested scabs of blood.
Veterinarians throughout our area are seeing lots of pets with flea-related skin problems this winter. Typically, this is a seasonal problem limited to the warm weather months. But our winter sunshine has allowed fleas to flourish. And it’s been bad news for outdoor animals.
The solution is simple. Call Murray’s vet and ask for flea-control advice and some medication to relieve his itchy skin. The vet’s office should be able to get you everything you’ll need to make Murray look and feel good again.
As a final note, I should warn readers about the dangers of using some over-the-counter flea-control products on their pets. The vast majority of these are not effective in controlling flea problems. Worse yet, some are potentially dangerous and can cause serious illness, especially when used for kitty cats. These are some pretty potent chemicals and should be used carefully. Always consult your veterinarian about what is the safest and most effective flea control for your furry friend.
Q: We have an 8-year-old cat who lives inside most of the time. Fred recently came home with a fat ear. The ear is so big that it tips down and doesn’t stand up straight anymore. We think he was in a fight, but he doesn’t have any noticeable wounds. Could this be an infection?
A: Infection is possible. But more than likely, Fred has a blood blister in his ear flap. This condition, called an ear hematoma, can be caused by trauma or by a spontaneous rupture of a small blood vessel in the flap. If a vein or small artery leaks blood into this area, the ear flap swells until pressure builds up and stops the flow. This can sometimes be painful. I’ve seen a few cats and dogs that developed an ear hematoma just from excessive scratching at their ears. Bacterial and yeast infections in the ear canal and even ear mites can cause a cat to injure himself as he scratches at the inflamed, irritated ear.
Treatment requires surgical drainage of all the accumulated blood. A small tube is inserted into the swollen area Bottom line: Fred needs to go to the vet for evaluation and treatment. This isn’t just a simple problem, but he’ll look and feel lots better after his problem is corrected.
