All posts by Dr. Marty Becker

It’s been a year short on blessings, but Happy Thanksgiving anyway!

News

I doubt I’d get any disagreement for saying 2020 won’t go down in history as anyone’s favorite year.

This year has been difficult, unpleasant, incomprehensible, disappointing, and often painful. I write this as my wife’s 95-year-old mother and 72-year-old disabled brother are suffering from COVID. I struggle to find gratitude.

And yet my many blessings are still there: The best wife and partner any man could ever have. A beautiful home in one of God’s special places. The love of family and friends. A social media family who each day show me the meaning of compassion and love for animals. Colleagues who inspire and sustain me — and sometimes even laugh at my worst jokes.

So despite everything terrible about this year, we hope you, too, have blessings in your life and have a Happy Thanksgiving!

The Beckers

Why your pet ‘acts up’

Pet Connection

There are three common reasons pets have behavior problems, but their humans often misunderstand them. Here’s what’s going on.

Q: How can I better understand my pet? She often misbehaves or seems angry, and I’m never sure why.

A: When I work with clients, I see three common causes of problem behaviors in dogs and cats. Here’s what they are and how to get back on track to a good relationship.

The first is misunderstanding or ignoring a pet’s body language. You may not notice that your pet is asking for space because she’s afraid, anxious or stressed. When you don’t respond to signals such as yawning or lip-licking in dogs, or squinting or turning the head away in cats, your pet may progress to growling or snarling to get the message across. You, in turn, read that as “bad behavior” instead of recognizing that your pet is expressing fear, anxiety or stress.

Another common mistake is putting a pet in a situation she’s afraid of — one involving small children or loud noises, for instance — so she can get used to it. Insisting that she allow your 5-year-old nephew to hold her or running the vacuum in the same room with her can cause panic and increase fear. Instead, use gradual desensitization and counterconditioning to help reduce her stress and be better able to manage it in scary situations.

I also see people forcing pets to accept nail trims or having tangles combed out. In the struggle to escape what may have previously been a painful experience — it hurts to have nails “quicked” or hair pulled — pets may struggle, potentially injuring themselves or the person handling them. That makes it difficult to ensure that they get good care. A better approach is to work quietly and calmly to teach pets that rewards come with calm cooperation. You can find videos and articles about body language, behavior and training at fearfreehappyhomes.com.

There’s more – including a look at the new field of animal social work – in Pet Connection, the weekly nationally syndicated pet feature I co-write with Kim Campbell Thornton and my daughter, trainer Mikkel Becker.

white longhaired Persian cat

Deaf pet? Here’s what you need to know

Pet Connection

A reader is considering adopting a deaf pet and asked my advice. I have seen many wonderful examples of happy families with a deaf pet, so I enthusiastically shared some!

Q: We’re considering adopting a pet who is deaf. Do you have any tips on safety and communication?

A: One of the things I love best about being a veterinarian is seeing the accommodations people make for pets with disabilities. Deafness is common in dogs and cats of any age. Some are born deaf, while others develop hearing loss as they age. The following tips can help you get your pet’s attention, communicate with her and keep her safe.

— Sign language. Both dogs and cats are good at learning hand signals and even American Sign Language. Hand signals include a raised hand for “stop,” a hand moving upward for “sit,” and a hand moving down and back for “down.” Give a thumbs-up, followed by a treat or other reward, when your pet does something you like. If you’re teaching ASL, your pet’s favorite words might be “dinner,” “walk,” “play” or “outside.”

— Visual signals. Keep a small flashlight at hand. If you need to get your pet’s attention, flash it in her direction (not in her eyes, please). She’ll learn that when she sees the flash, she should look for you. If you’re in front of her, you can wave your hand to get your pet’s attention, or use the universal signal of pointing two fingers at your eyes to indicate that she should look at you.

— Good vibrations. Animals are highly sensitive to vibrations. If you’re coming up behind her, stomp your foot (not right next to her) so she’ll know where you’re coming from. If she’s sleeping beneath a table or desk, you can tap the surface to get her attention.

Work with a positive-reinforcement trainer to teach your pet these cues. For more about deafness in cats, see this article.

There’s more – including an inside look at your pet’s (and your) sleep habits – in Pet Connection, the weekly nationally syndicated pet feature I co-write with Kim Campbell Thornton and my daughter, trainer Mikkel Becker.

Champ and Major Biden

Can’t we even agree dogs are good anymore?

News

I don’t post about politics here or on my social media, and I’m not going to start now. But I found myself wanting to welcome our new First Dogs Elect, Champ and Major Biden, and then didn’t because I didn’t have the stomach for the likely fallout.

I don’t remember hesitating to post when the Bushes adopted their shelter dog from the SPCA of Texas, or when the Bidens originally fostered and then adopted theirs from the Delaware Humane Association. And although some people would have preferred the Obamas adopted a shelter dog as well, I don’t remember anyone being angry at me for congratulating them on adding Bo to their family.

Now I find myself wondering if even being happy that two dogs, one an adopted shelter dog, being in the White House can be good news to animal lovers no matter who we voted for. Or have we grown so far apart not even that’s possible anymore?

Regardless, I’m sending my best wishes to Champ and Major Biden, and look forward to learning more about them in the days to come.

What you need to know about your cat’s vital signs

Pet Connection, Veterinary Medicine

Vital signs aren’t just for televsion shows set in hospital ERs. They’re for cats, too. Here’s how I explained it to a reader.

Q: What should I know about determining my cat’s vital signs?

A: Great question! I’m always in favor of people knowing as much as possible about how their animals “work.” Vital signs, which show how well the body is functioning, are temperature, heart rate and respiratory rate. Here’s what to know about each one when it comes to cats.

Normal body temperature for a healthy cat ranges from 100 to 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit. To take the temperature, you can use an old-school glass thermometer or spend a little extra and get a digital rectal thermometer that beeps when it’s time to remove it and has an easy-to-read display. Before inserting, lubricate the thermometer with a water-based medical lubricant. Gently and slowly insert the thermometer 1 to 2 inches into your cat’s rectum and leave it in place for about two minutes or until it beeps.

Call your veterinarian if your cat’s temperature falls below 99 or rises above 103, or if you see evidence of blood, diarrhea or a black, tarry stool on the thermometer.

To determine your cat’s heart rate, place your hand on his left side, just behind his front leg. You should feel the heart beating. Using a watch with a second hand, a stopwatch or an app on your smartphone, count the number of beats during 15 seconds. Multiply that number by four to get the beats per minute. A cat’s heart rate ranges from 140 to 220 bpm. Check with your vet if it is slow, fast or irregular.

Take your cat’s respiratory rate while he’s relaxed and standing. Count the number of breaths for a full 60 seconds. Normal feline respiratory rate is 20 to 30 breaths per minute. Call your vet if the rate is faster or if your cat is panting.

There’s more – including an inside look at your pet’s oral health – in Pet Connection, the weekly nationally syndicated pet feature I co-write with Kim Campbell Thornton and my daughter, trainer Mikkel Becker.