Dear Dr. Robin: We have two 7-year-old dogs (siblings) who have been soiling our rugs over the past several years.
The problem started slowly, but has accelerated. We are unable to catch them in the act, so we are unable to identify the culprit – it could be both of them.
It doesn’t appear to be an urgency problem, and often occurs around vacation times or when we have houseguests. We are getting ready to replace our malodorous carpet and wonder if getting a fresh start may eliminate this problem, or if our only choice is to get an easy-to-clean tile floor.
– M.N.
A: Any time a previously house-trained dog begins to soil in the house, it is critical to have an appropriate veterinary evaluation performed in order to look for organic disease.
If there is no organic disease, then inappropriate elimination must be addressed from a behavior perspective.
Your veterinarian can assist you in understanding specific techniques you can put into place to encourage proper elimination.
In this case, the behavior has been going on for a period of years. It is foolish to think that simply changing the carpet will change the behavior.
It is now habit for these dogs to urinate indoors, so re-training must be part of the program.
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Dear Dr. Robin: My wife and I have a cat that my wife took in as a stray about 15 years ago. Our 2-year-old son is allergic to cats, so we have had to confine the cat to a section of our finished basement.
I think it may be more humane to let the cat roam outside, but we live in a congested residential area and my wife thinks it would be cruel to leave the cat outside.
The cat does have all of its claws, but we do live near a busy street. At 15, the cat is too old and ill-tempered to give away, and I do not think that’s what my wife wants.
– C.B.
A: Clearly, no cat deserves to be banished outdoors – particularly after 15 years. Cats that live outdoors tend to live six to seven years less than cats protected by an indoor lifestyle.
This cat may have its claws, but that will not help him in a conflict with an automobile. The key is making the environment as rich as possible, with lots of things to climb, scratch, jump on and off, and to spend quality time with him each and every day.
In addition, consider an outdoor enclosure that can be accessed by a “kitty door” in a basement window. You can build your own, or purchase a “pre-fab” kit to assemble.
Dr. Robin Downing will respond to your questions in her weekly column, but cannot answer individually. Send questions to Robin Downing, DVM, P.O. Box 460, Windsor, CO 80550 or drrobin@windsorvet.com.
