Q&A: Ask Acme Pet's Panel of Experts!
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This Weeks Questions & Answers....
Q. is it normal for kittens to try to nurse from a male cat? neither the kittens nor the male seem to mind and they don't go near the mother any more.
A. It is not abnormal for kittens to nurse on a male cat especially if the mother is gone or won't allow the kittens
to nurse anymore. Kittens are weaned from their mother at six weeks of age. If they are a lot younger than this,
they should still be on a kitten formula. If they are six weeks or older, they should be given a kitten food.
Usually, the male cat will discourage this behavior when the kittens get older, or if the male tires of it.
Q. I have recently acquired a new Entlebucher Sunnenhund (Swiss Cattle Dog) 12 weeks old that has had all of the necessary shots to date.
I live in New York City, Do I have to keep her indoors all of the time untill 16 weeks ?? My Vet said no but many others have said yes do you have any ideas on the subject ???
A. It is not necessary to keep your puppy indoors until 16 weeks of age if it is properly vaccinated and you are careful
where you take it.
Mother's immunity lasts 8 weeks, then starts to decline and is gone by 16 weeks, so the puppy should be
vaccinated at 8, 12, and 16 weeks. After the first 1 or 2 shots, it is okay to walk your puppy and socialize it
with other pets and people. Just stay away from parks or pets that you don't know the vaccine history on until
your puppy is fully vaccinated.
Q. I want to breed my chocolate lab and I would like some information on doing so.
A. For the owner of the Chocolate Lab that wants to breed it, make sure you do your homework and make responsible decisions.
It would be helpful to know if it is a male or a female. Assuming it is a female, make sure all of the dog's
papers are in order including lineage and breed registration. It is also a good idea to wait until 2 years of age before breeding so you can get the hips
OFA(Orthopedic Foundation of America) approved. This accomplishes two things: 1. it cuts down on the incidence
of hip dysplasia and increases the value of the puppies. 2. it allows the dog to have 2-3 normal heat cycles
which will make breeding more successful.
Q. It might be helpful to animal lovers if you had a special section on losing a pet. I've been there...and it's hard to let go. Things like articles, stories,
poems, books to read...anything to help people cope with the heartfelt loss.
A. To those who have lost a pet and are looking for ways to cope, there are support groups and hot lines for this special and difficult
problem. Some examples:
- Grief Counseling by University of California-Davis Veterinary Student volunteers; staffed weekdays 6:30pm-9:30pm Pacific Time. (916)752-4200
- Grief Counseling by University of Florida-Gainsville Veterinary Students and Volunteers; staffed weekdays 7pm-9pm Eastern Time. (904)392-4700 then dial 1 and 4080
- Grief Counseling by Michigan State University Veterinary Student Volunteers; staffed Tuesdays and Thursdays 6:30pm-9:30pm Eastern Time. (517)432-2696
- Grief Counseling by Chicago VMA Veterinarians and Staffs. Call anytime to leave a voice-mail message; calls will be returned 7pm-9pm Central Time-long distance calls will be returned collect. (708)603-3994
If these numbers are not in your area or you want someone in your area to talk to face-to-face, try calling your local veterinarian or humane society,
they may have local support groups you can join. Also, getting yourself a new friend can be very therapeutic...there are a lot of pets out there that would
be very lucky to get such caring owners,
Q. My dwarf hamster has very long claws.? What can I do? Is it natural for him. Should I cut his claws?
A. Dwarf Hamsters can grow very long claws. They should be trimmed if they are scratching you or they are hampering the hamsters ability to
get around well. If you are not sure, take him to your local veterinarian and get his/her opinion; they should be able trim them for you and show you how to do it yourself if you are interested.
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