Q
My indoor-only kitten came into her first heat at approx. eight months old. I have heard that it’s best to spay at least a month before her cycle begins or after her cycle finishes. I was planning on waiting two months but she came into heat again six weeks after her first heat. Is this early for a kitten? Is a waiting period after her heat really necessary before spaying?

A
We generally like to wait this period of time after heats before spaying since, although the surgery is defi nitely doable at or just after the heat, it is a more diffi cult surgical procedure. The uterus during this period is considerably larger and much more engorged with blood. Also, doing the procedure at this stage could cause more of a hormonal withdrawal. A word of caution: if she came into heat that soon after her previous one, she could possibly have cystic ovaries. If this is the case and she continues to come into heat frequently, you may not have the liberty of waiting as long as you would prefer and spaying ASAP after a heat cycle would be wise.

Q
My male four-and-a-half-year-old great Dane has been diagnosed with an underactive thyroid. The vet has me watching him to see if he has any more hair loss. If he does lose more hair, he will go on medication. Is there any natural remedy that might help?

A
We have been specializing in our clinic for over 25 years in glandular therapy and have found this to be particularly helpful with underactive thyroid conditions; not only using any of the many thyroid glandular products available, but also supporting other glands that are integral in proper thyroid function (i.e. the pituitary). In cases where thyroid activity remains low, we include dessicated or USP thyroid, which requires a veterinary prescription. And, in those cases that still stay low, I am not adverse to the use of synthetic thyroid medication. Be cautious about further vaccination, since auto-immune thyroiditis can be the contributing factor to the cause of underactive thyroid function and there is a tie between vaccinations and this condition. Diet is always important with a focus on the more natural, less processed foods, with home prepared and ultimately raw being the top of the list.

Q
Nine months ago, I adopted a wonderful 14-month-old neutered male black lab mix. He weighed 48 pounds, which was almost chunky for his frame. His coat was dull, and he had large, loose stools (often diarrhea) and coprophagia (stool-eating). I started putting 1 tsp. psyllium and 1 tsp. pumpkin in twice-daily meals. A few months ago, I realized he’d lost quite a bit of weight (3-5 pounds), although his coat is shiny, he’s happy and energetic, and his stools (although still large) are firm. I had bloodwork done, all of which was normal. We also treated him with three days of Panacur (wormer) but saw no change in his weight. I am now feeding him two cups of dry food with 1/2 tsp. Prozyme two times daily, and still adding psyllium and pumpkin. I also started adding 500 mg. of Lglutamine, in case he has IBD or IBS. After three weeks of this regimen, I think he may have gained a teeny bit. It just seems as though he is not absorbing the needed nutrients from his food. Any suggestions?

Q
What can I give to my boys to “delay” the effects of aging?
Blitz, a giant silver shepherd, is nine-and-a-half years of age and my doberman, Alex, is about seven. I am aware that for humans we have a HGH or a HGHR (human growth hormone release – mainly contains a formula of amino acids, which helps the body regenerate cells and tissues). Is there anything of this nature for pets?

Q
My dog is 14, she is on Fortekor and I was wondering if there is a safe pain killer that will not interact adversely with the ACE inhibitor she is on. She is on a Glucosamine/Chondroitin/MSM liquid supplement. Is there anything else I could give her to help with the pain? She is still limping a bit and has trouble getting up the stairs.