Q. My corgi mix just took a tumble on stairs. His left joint above his foot hurts and he is limping badly. What should I give him while away fr…

ANSWER : A. You should never give your dog any over the counter medication designated for humans as they can cause serious liver and kidney damage. I would just keep her calm and quiet until you can get her to the veterinarian.

ANSWER : A. Separation Anxiety and sadness when away from a close family member is very common in dogs. They may become depressed or destructive when left alone. However, providing some things to help your dog feel better can help during the times when you are away from home.

A treat or puzzle toy such as a Kong stuffed with yummy treats or even a portion of the day’s food can keep your dog occupied while you are away. Freezing the food in summer, or adding in treats that are only given when you are away can add to the challenge and help make the toy something special to look forward to.

Turning on a television or radio to a channel such as talk radio can also help by providing sounds that are familiar to your dog and may provide comfort while you are away. Many TV providers also now have “dog and cat” channels with programming designed just for pets that are home alone! Adding in a blanket or article of clothing that smells like you can also help to soothe your pet while you are away, making him feel more comfortable.

ANSWER : A. The very first thing to do is to make sure your dog is getting sufficient physical and mental exercise every day. A tired dog is a good, happy dog and one who is less likely to bark from boredom or frustration. Depending on his breed, age, and health, your dog may require several long walks as well as a good game of chasing the ball and playing with some interactive toys.

Figure out what he gets out of barking and remove it. Don’t give your dog the opportunity to continue the barking behavior.

Ignore your dog’s barking for as long as it takes him to stop. That means don’t give him attention at all while he’s barking. Your attention only rewards him for being noisy. Don’t talk to, don’t touch, or even look at him. When he finally quiets, even to take a breath, reward him with a treat. To be successful with this method, you must wait as long as it takes for him to stop barking. Yelling at him is the equivalent of barking with him.

Get your dog accustomed to whatever causes him to bark. Start with whatever makes him bark at a distance. It must be far enough away that he doesn’t bark when he sees it. Feed him lots of good treats. Move the stimulus a little closer (perhaps as little as a few inches or a few feet to start) and feed treats. If the stimulus moves out of sight, stop giving your dog treats. You want your dog to learn that the appearance of the stimulus leads to good things.

Teach your dog the ‘quiet’ command. Oddly, the first step is to teach your dog to bark on command. Give your dog the command to “speak,” wait for him to bark two or three times, and then stick a tasty treat in front of his nose. When he stops barking to sniff the treat, praise him and give him the treat. Repeat until he starts barking as soon as you say “speak.” Once your dog can reliably bark on command, teach him the “quiet” command. In a calm environment with no distractions, tell him to “speak.” When he starts barking, say “quiet” and stick a treat in front of his nose. Praise him for being quiet and give him the treat.

As in all training, always end training on a good note, even if it is just for obeying something very simple, like the ‘sit’ command. If you dog regresses in training, go back to the last thing he did successfully and reinforce that before moving on again. Keep sessions short, 15-20 minutes max, and do this several times a day.

ANSWER : A. There is no cure at this stage in the disease process and it is a case of managing the arthritis changes in the joint or if very severe hip replacements. The cornerstones of treatment are weight management to reduce excess stresses on the joints, regular exercise to maintain muscle and joint support and treatments targeted at arthritis. One of the most effective methods is a specific diet which reduces inflammation and helps to repair cartilage (Hills J/D or Metabolic Mobility if overweight) and many dogs are managed very successfully with pain free, improved mobility in as little as 3-4weeks; these are already supplemented with omega fatty acids and joint supports such as glucosamine. Pain medications, joint supports such as cartrophen injections to improve the quality of the lubricating fluid in the joint also help in certain cases. Chiropractic care can help to manage the restrictions which develop due to altered mobility, acupuncture can help with pain management and physiotherapy including hydrotherapy can help to maintain core muscle strength and fitness also.

ANSWER : A. Ice water and ice do not hurt a dog on their own.. however, when your dog is hot/overheating/panting heavily/obviously too warm, giving them ice or ice water constricts their blood vessels and can actually cause them to overheat. It’s very dangerous to give them ice water when they are suffering from heatstroke, or generally panting/hot. You should only give it to them when they’re not panting/relaxed on a warm/cool day. It’s okay to give it to them on a hot day, just be sure they are not too hot themselves before you give it to them.

ANSWER : A. Pain or injury to the foot can definitely cause a visible limp to appear on a dog. There are many causes such as sprains or strains in the joints including the ankle and toes (caused from falling, jumping or even just stepping wrong), breaks in the bones of the toe or ankle, or even infections such as bacterial infections, fungal infections (very common between the toes) and abscesses (an infection that forms under the skin and swells).

Common signs of this sort of foot problem include tenderness to the touch, redness, swelling, or heat with infection and dislocation with breaks. Bringing your dog into the vet is best if the symptoms do not subside after a day. An X-ray can be taken to look for breaks, and abscesses can be drained and then treated with antibiotics to allow healing. In minor cases such as breaks and sprains, your dog may just need a few days of bed/kennel rest with decreased activity, while in more serious injuries, the toes may need to be taped or casted together to allow healing. Your vet can also provide your dog with pain medication as needed to help her feel better as she heals.

ANSWER : A. A vole’s teeth a quite sharp but small. The puncture wounds would be very small and may even close over, so that you can’t see them. First, if your pet is not current on rabies, go to the veterinarian right away. A vole is a type of rodent, and rodents can carry rabies (although voles are not major carriers). Better safe than sorry. Otherwise, wash the affected foot with warm warm and monitor carefuily. If the foot becomes swollen, develops an odor, feels very warm to the touch, or you see oozing pus, head to the vet. Also, go to the vet if the cat continues to favor the foot more than a day or two.

ANSWER : A. Due to the large number of symptoms you listed (limp, eye pain, lethargy) it is best to seek an appointment with your local veterinarian. These symptoms could be unrelated causes, or may all be directly related to something such as trauma (from a trip or fall) or illness.

Until you can get in to see your vet, keeping your dog calm and quiet and on strict exercise restriction may help keep the limp under control and prevent further injury to the leg. If the eye is looking red or has discharge from it, you can also use a warm wet washcloth to gently remove any debris around the eye. The lethargy may be due to the fact that there is pain or illness causing her to not feel well, and keeping her calm and quiet until you can see the vet may help.