Sarah Box, BVSc

Biography

Dr Sarah Box graduated from Massey University (New Zealand) in 2008. She has spent the majority of her career in general/emergency practice in Alaska and has a particular passion for hiking and other outdoor activities as a result. She now lives in Mississippi with her husband and two boys, working for the USDA and the local emergency clinic.

Hello, my dog threw up this morning or overnight in his bed but it was pink. When I left the room and came back he'd licked it clean. I have a feeling that it was blood. He's an older dachshund and hasn't had this problem before. We do leave the heat on overnight so I figured maybe a dry throat? Not sure but thank you for your help in advance.

I’m sorry to hear of this disturbing finding with Osuka this morning! If he is acting normally otherwise and has not had this type of issue previously then I would recommend monitoring him for now. If this behavior continues, if he has bleeding from other areas, if he goes off his food or is generally not acting right then I would recommend having him evaluated by your regular veterinarian.

My kitten likes sleeping in her litter box why and how can I stop her.

Unfortunately there is not a lot you can do to discourage this bevahiour. Anything that you do to try and make it an unfriendly sleep environment would also make the litter box feel unsafe to do her business in. I would recommend making sure your kitty has a couple of nice comfy spots where she CAN sleep peacefully, and encourage her to use those areas rather than the litter box. You can gently pick her up from the litter box and place her in an alternate location, using products like catnip and Feliway in the alternate areas can help too.

My dog, Tessa got into the kid's easter chocolates. What she ate was about just under to a bar of milk chocolate, I estimate? I have kept an eye on her for a little more than 24 hours and she seems fine, and her bowel movements look alright (as well as the consistency and texture of it) and she's eating normally. But I know chocolate is bad for dogs. Will she be alright?

I am sorry to hear Tessa stole the kids chocolate!! Certainly chocolate can be very harmful to dogs-resulting in a gastrointestinal distress (vomiting and diarrhea), seizures and sometimes even death. I would suspect that if Tessa is not showing any symptoms 24 hours after the ingestion occurred that she likely will be ok. Typically what we expect to see initially would be hyperactivity, a racing heartbeat (put your hand on her chest under her left elbow) and tummy troubles. If you have ANY concerns about how Tessa is doing, especially if she seems overactive, or extremely lethargic, then please take her to your regular veterinarian to be sure she is ok.

My cat is vomiting and not eating anything. Not even water. I need a quick solution. I'm giving him "Omidon-domporidon suspension" for his vomiting. Still not that much improve. Please help. I've added a pic of his medicine. Please I need quick support.

I am sorry to hear your cat is not feeling well. If this medication was prescribed by your veterinarian and your cat is still vomiting despite the medication then I would seek veterinary care immediately. If the medication was NOT prescribed by your veterinarian then please do not give any more, and take your cat in for evaluation. You do not mention how old the kitty is-any number of issues could be going on. A foreign body obstruction in the intestinal tract, a gastrointestinal infection, dietary indiscretion, a cancerous process, even renal failure can cause the symptoms you have noted. Your cat needs a thorough physical exam and your vet May recommend some diagnostics such as xrays and bloodwork. I hope your kitty feels better soon.

My cat Choo Choo is difficult to keep his weight up. He seems really thin. I can feel his spine and ribs fairly easily. At his most recent checkup the vet said he gained about a half pound but that his body composition was still a 4 on a scale of 1 to 9. Why is he so thin and hard to keep weigh on?

Poor Choo Choo. I am sorry to hear he is having weight difficulties. I would strongly recommend that you take him in to your regular veterinarian for a thorough physical examination and some bloodwork. They can check for things like kidney disease and hyperthyroidism that can lead to excessive weight loss. Cardiac disease, dental disease and cancer can also be disease processes that could cause weight loss. If your veterinarian does not find any evidence of disease, they may recommend some diet changes to encourage extra calorie intake. I hope Choo Choo feels better soon.