QUESTION:
I have a veiled chameleon...5 years old...for the past year...he gets a bubble that rotates under his eye...(both) when he is either misted. .or uses tongue. I dint think it is painful...but...maybe not. I had him to the vet 2 times with this....they never saw the bubble...so they didn’t have a clue. I misted him for the vet...but with no bubble!. This happens every time I feed him, Sometimes....his eye is red....when he has bubble. So,,,,, when I feed him...he uses tongue...and makes bubble...and you would see...2 bubbles...eye...and true bubble. He doesn’t always make his mark with tongue...but get it for the most part. I dust the crickets and worms...have proper lighting. and mist daily.

ANSWER:
Wow, that's very interesting. Could this be an air filled pocket? He could be filling the space with air through his air sinuses. Tough to say for sure. Ask your veterinarian what he thinks about that. I hope this helps. Dr. Durham

QUESTION:
I have an 8 ft red tail boa that appears to have a respiratory problem. she wheezed once or twice while swallowing a rat. I thought she was sying occasionally? for about 2-3 weeks. not drastic breathing but she is getting dull and not smooth like usual. eating not as often just shed 2 weeks ago. seems irritable too. not her usual self.

ANSWER:
Respiratory problems can be very troublesome for snakes. Be sure that your snake is seen by a veterinarian very soon. Respiratory problems can be tough to get rid of. I would also suggest that the cage be well ventilated. Many times the respiratory condition is worsened by having poor air circulation. Good luck to you, Dr. Durham

QUESTION:
 I am temporarily fostering a rescue rotti for a few days. He has runny eyes and his breathing is very raspy. I believe he has a respiratory infection. He is a stray without the best temperament, so I am not able to take him to the vet. Is there any antibiotics I can give him till the rescue picks him up? He will be seeing their vet immediately.

ANSWER:
I would suggest you call the rescue organization.  Maybe they can come a bit early and take your friend to their veterinarian right away.  Distemper has those same symptoms so be sure he is not in contact with your own dogs. Dr. Durham

QUESTION:
I have a 7 year old rescued greyhound. When we got him, you could tell he wasn't well cared for. He had many scars and just looked unhealthy. Now he's a healthy boy, but he has HORRIBLE breath! We had his teeth cleaned last year and it did wonders....for about 3 days. His gums still look pretty red in my opinion and nothing seems to get rid of his bad breath. I've tried brushing them, I've tried the doggy breath drops, the breath busters biscuits and even human breath drops. My vet doesn't seem too concerned and says his gums don't look all that bad, but they are really red. Should I get another opinion? How often should their teeth be professionally cleaned? I hate to have him knocked out (anesthesia) just to get his teeth cleaned often. Thanks....

ANSWER:
Dear Nicole,
Halitosis can be due to dental disease but can also be due to other systemic problems.  Has your pet had a full blood profile? Also, I would consider asking your veterinarian about sub gingival disease (dental disease below the gum lime).  This area takes a lot more time/effort to evaluate and you may want to ask about it.  I would also ask about periodontal depth measurements/dental radiographs.  Sometimes these things can be difficult to asses and needs more thorough evaluation. Best of Luck, Dr. Durham

QUESTION:
I have an Alaskan husky and she has been on 2 antibiotics because I felt like she had to go out alot and urinate I thought she seemed better but it seems like she goes out alot especially at night at least 3 to 4 times my doctor mentioned maybe getting her x-rayed but I didn’t have the money but now I’m concerned maybe she needs it, I’m worried something is wrong she seems very nervous lately so I was just wondering if I should be concerned she also licks herself down were she peas. Please let me know what you think it could be

ANSWER:
Dear Cheryl,
Excessive urination could be many things:
1) Pyometritis
2) Bladder Infections
3) Endocrine disease, etc.

Advice from your veterinarian is very important to consider.  He/She should be able to help you with your pet's problem.

QUESTION:
I had a dog who was a beaglewalkerhound for 11 years. I lost her from autoimmune hemolytic anemia. She was like a child to me, i loved her deeply. She was totally healthy when i brought her to the vet for a dental cleaning. He gave her Domitar( he was afraid she may bite him) to take her blood to see if okay to do dental cleaning. Her blood work was perfect. She went unconscious when he did this. He then put her under and gave her a drug to reverse the domitar. He found she needed to have 1 tooth removed and did gum surgery on 2 others. he gave her no antibiotics before at all but after gave her a general one for a skin infection and for her teeth. He also gave her a revolution tablet while she was under. She then got sick 1 day after this and died 12 days later. We did everything to save her. She had 3 blood transfusions and 5 plasma transfusions plus rest of the drugs which are used to treat this. But no one mentioned trying oxyglobin. It was the worst thing that ever happened to me as I loved her more then I loved myself. I have no kids or husband so Lucky was my everything. In your opinion what do you think caused Lucky to have the autoimmune hemolytic anemia? She was totally healthy before I took her in to have her teeth cleaned.


ANSWER:
Dear Nancy,
I am very sorry for your loss. I know what you must be going through. I am also very attached to my dog, Trak. He is the king of the house :) Autoimmune disease is very challenging to trace to a single event. Most veterinarians believe that the immune system can be stimulated to  over respond by a variety of events; genetics, Cancer, infection (including dental disease), immunization, and many unidentified causes. Your question about why and how this happened is a very important one, however, there is a high likelihood that your question has no specific/clear answer. Unfortunately, in most Autoimmune cases, we are unable to accurately pinpoint the inciting cause. I now this may not
comfort you in your quest for answers. I would also suggest you schedule a face to face meeting with your Veterinarian. He/she may have some extra input to help resolve this often unresolvable question. All my best to you, Dr. Durham




QUESTION:
 I have a pet 4yr old mallard drake. His penis will not retract back in. Is this ok? His breathing is sometimes labored also. I have 3 other ducks that are healthy. Can you help?? Thanks


ANSWER:
Diane -
No, this is not normal unless he is actively breeding multiple hens. The breathing is probably also related to active breeding behavior. If it doesn't correct itself after separation from the females for 24 hours - have him seen by your vet.

Dr. Farnham

QUESTION:
My parents whom reside in Ludington have a dog (Begian Tervyne) that was diagnosed with congestive heart failure and is currently on Enalapril 10mg.2x daily & furosemide 50mg. 2x daily yet she is not showing any swelling of the abdomen or extremities, nor no coughing. x-rays 2 months ago showed a slightly enlarged heart, serum profile showed nothing out of the ordinary. She is a well maintained
95lb. dog 10 yrs. of age. She refuses to eat and shows great weakness on her daily walks. Up until now she was accustomed to 5 mile walks daily and fed nutro. Her sodium intake has all been eliminated. Our concern is her reluctance to eat and her weakness. The current vet is reluctant to decrease the fuosemide and has not done any follow up care in 2 months since initial start of meds. Can you please advise us on what to do. My parents are hoping to find someone nearby that specializes in this field preferably not a university but a private practice. Thank You for all your assistance in this matter.

ANSWER:
Dear Andrea,
Cognitive heart failure can be tricky. I would ask your veterinarian a couple questions to make sure you are both on the same page:

1) Be sure the DVM knows your concerns regarding her weakness and loss of appetite.
2) Ask if blood work for kidney function would be appropriate
3) Review the drug dosages with him/her. The Lasix appears to be in the low normal range. You may be able to boost the Enalapril dose depending on her current condition (consult your veterinarian first, of
course).

Best of luck to you,
Dr. Durham

QUESTION:
My 5 1/2 year old has just had a seizure. She has come out of it, but I fear it may not have been the first, that she may have them when I'm at work. She is now listless, won't eat, and will drink only if I assist her in doing so. Please help. She is part of our family. She eats no animal protein, bok choy, limited broccoli, banana, strawberries..

ANSWER:
Dear Mac,
Your pet needs to be evaluated by a veterinarian immediately to determine the cause of the seizure. There is treatment available for pets with seizures and your veterinarian can give you instructions on how encourage your pet to eat. Best Wishes, Dr. West

QUESTION:
 I have a dwarf rabbit and a few weeks ago I noticed what looked like a scratch on his eye. About 3-5 days later it turned into a large white blotch and moved down his eye, and has remained there for about 2-3 weeks. He doesn't appear to be blind out of the eye. I was hoping you could tell me what it is and if there is anything I can do to cure it. I don't want to take him to the vet if there is nothing that can be done. Thank you very much for your time Nicole

ANSWER:
Dear Nicole,
The best thing for your rabbit is to bring it in to a veterinarian as soon as possible. A veterinarian can evaluate your rabbit's eyes and give you the proper medication to treat the scratched eye. Also, remember that yearly physical exams with a veterinarian help keep your rabbit on the road to good health. Sincerely, Dr. West

ANSWER:
Dear Dave,
Dogs often eat grass. Sometimes they eat grass when they have upset stomachs. The extra grass can induce vomiting. Other dogs eat small amounts of grass regularly with no apparent side effects. Salad? Maybe. Sincerely, Dr. Durham

QUESTION:
I HAVE A DOG THAT HAS SEIZER AND HE IS GETTING WORSE ON THE 7 HE HAD 9 SEIZER AND IT DONE SOMETHING TO HIM. WE HAVE HIM ON VHENOBARV.ANDPROMINE BUT NOT HELPING TO MUCH. HE IS ONLY 6 YEARS OLD AND A MIX BREED DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO THE VET IS GOING TO TRY SOMETHING NEW NEXT WEEK. THE LAST TIME HE HAD HIS SEIZER IT MADE HIM SCARED AND HE DON'T KNOW US ALL THE TIME AND HE PANTS REAL HARD. WE LOVE THIS DOG LIKE A KID COULD YOU OR SOME ONE TELL ME WHAT TO DO AND HOW TO TREAT HIM IF THIS NEW MEDICINE DON'T WORK. PLEASE TRY TO HELP ME... TERRY

ANSWER:
Dear Terry,

Seizures are sometimes difficult to control. The proper medications and dosage usually can reduce the seizures to a manageable level. A few questions:

1) Please list EXACTLY the name of each medication and it's dosing information (strength of each medication in milligrams) and frequency of use (once a day, twice a day, etc.)

2) Have you voiced your concerns to your veterinarian? He/she is the best person to advise you about the health/welfare of your pet.

3) What is the "something new" that your veterinarian is planning for the seizure treatments? When discussing your dog's health with your veterinarian, never be afraid to ask lots of questions or ask them to clarify what they are saying. The more informed you are after a discussion with your veterinarian, the more you are prepared to care for your pet. Best wishes to you and your dog, Dr. Durham

p.s. There is a case about Drew, one of our seizure patients, on our website. It is located in the Interesting Cases section.

QUESTION:
 I have a 15 year dog, whose been coughing alot lately. How do I know it's time to put her down?

ANSWER:
Dear Tammie,
Coughing in dogs may be caused by three things:

1) Upper Respiratory Infection
2) Lower Respiratory Infection
3) Heart Disease

An evaluation by your veterinarian can determine what is causing your dog's coughing. If your veterinarian does determine that the cause is heart disease, make sure you discuss your dog's prognosis and what options are out there for maintaining your dog's quality of life. Euthanasia is a hard and painful subject to approach. When you feel that it is time, make sure you discuss it with your family members and your veterinarian (your veterinarian may have other options to improve your pet's health). Best Wishes, Dr. West

QUESTION:
My dog had recently been missing for two days. When she came back she could hardly walk and looked as though she had brain problems? what's up?