Young Age Helps Pup Recover From Walking Problem

Q. I bought my German Shepherd pup when he was 9 weeks old.His right leg seemed a little shorter and weaker than his left. Twoveterinarians said he had a spine and hip problem. I cut a patternfrom cardboard of his good leg and taped it to the right leg. Thishelped him stand and walk a bit. After two weeks, I removed thebrace and now he is 4 months old and is walking and running. Whatwas his trouble?

A. I can only guess there was a dislocation or fracture of theright hip joint. Because the dog was very young it healed rapidly.If an X-ray wasn't taken, I would recommend one. It would show ahealed fracture or dislocation or both.

Q. I have a 9 year old female cat that defecates outside herpan. I had a flea problem a few months ago and had to bathe thecats and fog the apartment. The problem with her defecation startedsoon after.

A. Some cats associate an unpleasant experience with the litterpan and tend to avoid it. Perhaps a negative association formed atthe time of de-fleaing. It's important to determine the reason forthe behavior change.

One possible reason is painful defecation, which can be causedby hard stools after a change in diet. If you changed the diet, goback to the old diet. Also, if possible, use a larger pan and moveit to a new location.

Q. I have a friend who is beside herself because she thinks shecaused her dog's death. It was a large dog, and she gave him anaspirin a couple of times at the most within a week's time. Afterthat week, he died at the veterinarian's office. The doctor saidhis insides were falling apart and there were holes in his intestineand stomach. Would so little aspirin in such a short time have donethat to him?

A. A regular 5 grain aspirin given once a day to a large dog -for example, to relieve pain from rheumatism - may redden the stomachlining at first but would clear up with with repeated daily doses.With an irritated stomach, the dog may throw up, but I wouldn'texpect any serious problem. (This does not apply to cats, for whichaspirin can be fatal.) I believe the dog was probably given theaspirin because it was ill and death was due to that illness, not theaspirin. You can safely tell your friend the death of her pet wasnot her fault.

Send questions for veterinarian Sanford Blum to the ChicagoSun-Times, 401 N. Wabash, Chicago 60611. Emergencies should behandled by your veterinarian.