Amy Poole, DVM

Biography

Dr. Amy Poole is originally from a small town in Virginia. She attended the University of Virginia and received a bachelors degree in biology in 2003. Upon graduation Dr. Poole moved to the tropical waters of St. Kitts in the West Indies to pursue her doctorate at Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Poole finished her clinical rotation at the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine in Blacksburg, VA. She has worked in general small animal practices outside of Washington DC, Texas, Pennsylvania, and Washington state. Dr. Poole lives in Seattle with her husband and son, and their yellow lab (Bodie) and cat (Monkey).

Questions Answered by Amy Poole, DVM

My cat wasn’t feeling well, he was throwing up and had sever fever, 105.2. I took him to the vet, we got all his tests done, and the xrays,but couldn’t figure out the reason. Vet put him on IV fluid for three days, but my cat still isn’t eating by his own and is lethargic. Please help me if you know what could be the reason or how can I make him eat.

I am so sorry to hear that Oreo is not doing well. His x-rays look like he has some dilated bowel, which could indicated his intestines aren't moving well or he may be have an obstruction in his intestines. I would recommend taking him back to your vet. You may need to repeat the x-rays or an ultrasound to see if his intestines have changed in appearance or not and likely need more fluid treatment to keep Oreo hydrated. Fluids also can help to reduce the fever. Some cats with fevers like that and problems in their digestive tract, need surgery to either try to remove an obstruction or take biopsies to get a diagnosis of what is going on. Your vet also may have appetite stimulant, anti-nausea medication, and even fever reducers that may make Oreo feel better. I hope Oreo gets the treatment he needs to get back on track very soon. Good luck!

My dog Blu hasn’t eaten all week and he’s been very inactive hiding behind the couch all day. He’s never behaved like this before and was wondering what it could be

Poor Blu! He's a cute dog but looks like he doesn't feel well. I am very concerned that he hasn't eaten all week. That is definitely abnormal and at this point could be experiencing severe dehydration and even low blood sugar from lack of nutrition. This change in behavior could be do to a long list of problems, such as intestinal parasites, viral infections, pancreatitis, gastroenteritis, or even a congenital problem, since Blu is so young. I would recommend you take Blu in to your vet as soon as possible to be evaluated and potentially have some tests done. At minimum he likely needs some supportive care, like fluid therapy and anti-nausea medication to get him eating again. I hope Blu is on the mend soon!

Hi. My dog is having red/brown eyes and also white dry skin spots in her front elbows

I'm sorry Athena seems to be having some issues. The red/brown discoloration could be normal eye discharge, or could be an infection in her eye. It really depends on the location of the red/brown color- if it is normal pigmentation or something else. If the dry spots are on her outer elbows, this can be a normal callus formation and not a concern. It also could be a skin infection that needs to be treated with topical or oral medication. I would recommend you take Athena in to your vet to get checked out. I am hopeful it is nothing serious, but an exam by your veterinarian is the best next step. Best of luck to you and Athena!

My 13 year old male Maremma started having bouts of diarrhea or very loose stool about four months ago. He's now on a chicken kibble food. Despite liking and eating his food, he's now only 75 pounds from his 110 pounds. I have added pure pumpkin or slippery elm to his food and it helps a bit, but he's still getting loose stool. He was good for a while but started having very loose stool again. What could it be? Worms? Parasites? Something more and cachexia? He seems otherwise happy and active.

I'm sorry to hear Chinook is loosing weight and having diarrhea. I would definitely be concerned about intestinal parasites. Ate 13 years old, I would also be concerned about something more serious, like inflammatory bowl disease or even cancer. I would recommend you take him in to your veterinarian to have him evaluated and his stool checked. He may need a probiotic or potentially an antibiotic to help decrease the bacterial load in his gut and help with inflammation that may be contributing to his diarrhea. Some dogs with diarrhea respond very nicely to supportive care and antibiotics. If he still isn't improving, your veterinarian may recommend some more testing like blood work or even an abdominal ultrasound to look at his organs to see what the underlying cause is. I am glad despite all of this Chinook is feeling okay. I hope he is back on track very soon!

I just found a large squishy bump on Bear on his left underside near is front left leg. He didn't seem to be in any pain when I touched it. His behavior hasn't changed nor his appitite.

Wow! You are doing a great job taking care of Bear if he is doing well at over 15 years old! With any lump or bump on a dog, it is best to have it checked out by our veterinarian. It could be something as simple as a cyst that needs to be drained, or a small infection that needs topical or oral medication. If it isn't an obvious cause, your vet may recommend a fine needle aspirate to determine what it is. A fine needle aspirate is not overly painful for a dog, as it feels similar to getting a vaccine. It is a way to remove some cells from the bump to try to determine what it is and if it needs to be removed or not. I hope it is nothing to worry about! Best of luck to you and Bear!