Angela Walter, DVM

Biography

I graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine in 2001. Following veterinary school, I worked in two small animal clinics in private practice. After 12 years in a clinic setting, I moved to the Northwoods of Wisconsin to continue helping pet parents and their furry friends as a technical services veterinarian. My special interests include behavior, nutrition, and internal medicine of dogs and cats.

Articles Written by Angela Walter, DVM

What to Expect When a Dog Gives Birth

Whether you are experienced with the whelping process or this is your first time, there are some things that can help prepare you for the arrival of the tiny bundles of joy.

How to Tube-Feed Puppies When Nursing Isn't an Option

If a puppy is too weak to nurse or the mother will not care for her litter, the pups may need to be tube fed.

How to Give a Newborn Puppy CPR

This article explains how to give a newborn puppy cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

How to Care for a Newborn Litter of Puppies

How to care for, feed, and socialize newborn pups and their mother.

My dog will not eat, she was walked and ate breakfast this morning fine I’ve come home from work she is refusing to eat anything, is whining, restless and has vomited a white/grey bile. I’m concerned as we have had confirmed Alabama rot in the area although she has no lesions and is washed down after every walk. Is it possible she has just eaten something like a slug that’s made her feel sick?

Thank you for using PetCoach! I am sorry to hear that Bess is not feeling well. While there are many causes for vomiting, Bess is showing a few additional signs that are concerning, namely refusing to eat, vocalizing, and restlessness. Dietary indiscretion is a common cause for gastrointestinal upset, but there are a few more serious causes that I would also consider. Anytime a dog is restless and vocalizing after vomiting whitish fluid, I worry about bloat. Bloat is a condition in which the stomach distends and may twist upon itself. Even though bloat is less common in small dogs, bloat is considered a life threatening emergency, so whenever it is one of the possibilities, I recommend an examination with your veterinarian as soon as possible. Other possible causes of vomiting include foreign body ingestion, metabolic disturbances, endocrine diseases, toxin ingestion, and infections (bacterial, viral), just to name a few. Alabama rot usually presents with skin lesions and signs pertaining to kidney damage. While vomiting can be seen in dogs with kidney disease, I would recommend an examination with your veterinarian to determine the actual underlying cause of the vomiting and other signs so the most appropriate course of treatment can be taken.

My dog ate 600mg of ibuprofen, but I don’t have any money to take him to the vet. What do I do?

Thank you for using PetCoach! I am sorry to hear that Jellybean has ingested 600 mg of ibuprofen. That is considered to be an overdose for a 10 pound dog. The most common signs of ibuprofen toxicity at this dose include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, decreased energy, and loss of appetite. Stomach ulcers can occur, causing abdominal pain and blood in the stool. Treatment can involve several different options. Depending on how long ago Jellybean ingested the ibuprofen, your veterinarian may recommend inducing him to vomit. This will not be effective though if the ingestion was too long ago. The administration of activated charcoal can decrease the amount of of ibuprofen absorbed into the blood stream. Most dogs are also hospitalized for fluids to help protect the kidneys from damage as well. I recommend that Jellybean is examined by his veterinarian as soon as possible. Definitely call your veterinarian as well to discuss his particular situation. Overall, overdose and toxicity situations are best treated by a veterinarian as soon as possible. The sooner treatment begins, usually the better the outcome. Ask your veterinarian if he/she has a payment plan available or accepts Care Credit. I hope Jellybean does well!

Lola's puppies are 9 days old. They started having loose yellow seedy stool two days ago. They're pooping everywhere without stimulation from Lola. Lola has been on three antibiotics since the puppies were 2 days old. Could this be the upset? They're eating and gaining weight. I gave puppies and Lola plain Greek yogurt yesterday and today the poop is more like toothpaste consistency.

I'm sorry to hear Lola's pups have diarrhea. Without knowing what antibiotics Lola is taking and why, it is possible that the antibiotics Lola is taking have caused the diarrhea in the pups. The improvement in the diarrhea is likely due to the probiotics, or beneficial bacteria, in the Greek yogurt. You may want to consider adding in a veterinary probiotic supplement that is formulated for dogs and puppies. I would also recommend consulting with your veterinarian regarding the diarrhea. Diarrhea in puppies can become very serious very quickly. There are other causes for diarrhea in puppies as well, such as parasites and viral infections, which may require further treatment from your veterinarian. Your veterinarian will likely recommend performing fecal tests to rule out some of these other potential causes.

When my cat gets out of his bed I notice besides his shedding hair that there is these little rice sized yellowish things are what you call him. They're hard and you can print them with your nail. I checked his skin nothing there he plays eats sleeps does everything a 4 year old cat should do he is losing weight but I think that's because I just I have a 6 month old kitten that he runs running plays with now we're before he just laid around

Thank you for posting on PetCoach! From the photos you provided, it appears that your cat may have tapeworms. The little rice-like grains are the tapeworm segments that are passed in the stool. You have two options for treating tapeworms. You can either contact your veterinarian for a prescription dewormer to kill the parasites or you can purchase an over the counter product. If you opt to get an over the counter dewormer, be sure it is a product labeled for cats and follow the instructions carefully. Usually products containing the dewormer praziquantel are effective in killing tapeworms. Cats can get tapeworms from fleas or from ingesting rodents. I recommend treating the pets in the household for fleas and also the environment. It is also a good idea to deworm all of the pets in the household with a broad spectrum dewormer if any of the pets are hunters. You can also take a fecal sample in to your veterinarian for analysis to determine if any other parasites are present. If your cat is showing any signs of illness or continues to lose weight, I would recommend an exam with your veterinarian to rule out other causes of weight loss. Hope this helps!