Mara Howard, DVM

Biography

After graduating from Duke University, I attended veterinary school at the University of Georgia. Upon completion of my veterinary degree, I did a one-year rotating internship at a busy private practice in Washington DC, with a focus on emergency medicine. I have been practicing for the past 5 years at a private hospital as a small animal veterinarian. While I enjoy all aspects of veterinary medicine, I have a particular interest in behavior and soft tissue surgery.

My dog had 2 lipomas removed on April 27. One set of stitches is fine but the other opened. So on May 6 they stapled her. Today May 7 the wound is open again. The vet said that at this point restitching or restapling won’t work. So we have more antibiotics and an inflatable collar now. We have the wound covered with topical antibiotic & gauze/wrap, a dog onesie, and the inflatable collar. Is there anything else we should do or have done? Seems odd to leave the wound this way. Thx/regards LP

Good evening! Wounds can heal via “secondary intention,” which is slowly closing from the inner to outer layers. If there is an active infection or underlying damage to the tissues, this may be the ideal way to allow a wound to heal. Sutures typically heal in approximately two weeks, and thus tends to be the easier and faster option if possible. I would recommend reaching back out to your veterinarian to see if another full multi-layer closure would work, and if not, why to determine the plan moving forward. If you are unsure, it would be something where you could pursue a second opinion if you’d like as well. Good luck!

My 100pound Labrador retriever was taking 100 mg of deracoxib prescribed by a veterinarian. I ran out and started giving her carpofen that was previously prescribed for another dog; 100 mg carpofen twice daily. I didn’t realize the must be a washout period. I only started the carpofen yesterday. Should I immediately stop and start a washout period?

Good evening! As both carprofen and deramaxx are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories, you are correct that they should not be used consecutively. I would withhold all medications until reaching out to your regular veterinarian or a poison control center (aspca or pet poison control) to discuss if any further treatment needs to be considered. Good luck!

How often should my cat get her distemper vaccine, if she is an indoor cat Maine Coon

Thanks for using petcoach! Did Misty receive her full protocol of kitten vaccinations? Starting at 8-10 weeks, she should have received a feline distemper vaccine every 3-4 weeks for a full set of three vaccinations. If she did not receive those, then she would need to restart a vaccine protocol appropriate for her age as directed by her regular veterinarian. If she received her vaccines as a kitten, then she would receive a booster every 1-3 years as directed by your regular veterinarian.

My eigt week puppy is her second week home and she crys at nights she doesnt want the crate i take her to the bathroom put her back in she crys and i take her out again snd she just lays down on the floor wanting to sleep why is she being like that?

Thanks for using petcoach! Congratulations on your new puppy. Crate training is an excellent tool for puppies (as well as adult dogs), but some dogs take easier to crate training than others. If Luna is having issues adjusting to being in a crate, it is important to make the crate a positive association for her. Leave the door open, and intermittently throughout the day place treats inside so she is able to go in, eat, and then walk back out freely when she is done. I also would recommend leaving the door open and feeding her all her meals in the crate as well. When she goes in the crate, be sure to praise her extensively. When it is time for her to be crated, place treats or a toy stuffed with peanut butter, etc to make it a positive experience. If you are still having issues or concerns, I would recommend either reaching out to your regular veterinarian or setting up a behavior consult for further advice. Good luck!

I want to start cooking meals for my dogs but I’m having trouble finding anything breed specific as far as recipes and do’s and dont’s I have a 5 month old Shetltie who is about 13 lbs and a 3 year old red tick coonhound mix who is approx 65 lbs I just want to know if I can feed them virtually the same just with different portions? and what to feet them in general? can I just find basic meal recipes online and pick the most all around nutritious one? any help would be amazing.

Thanks for using petcoach! I think it is great that you want to cook for your dogs. I would recommend reaching out to a veterinary nutritionist (such as the University of Tennessee's veterinary nutrition program) or online resource (such as balanceit.com) to help you determine the appropriate recipes and any supplements your dogs may need. As you are dogs of differing ages, they do have different metabolic demands that may necessitate two separate diets for the time being. Good luck!