Q.
Do you have any information regarding rodent ulcers on a cat? My female cat has had them for a couple of years but the treatment used (steroid) helps but does not cure.

A.
I am actually working on two new cases of rodent ulcer/eosinophilic granuloma complex in cats. One of the cats, Hud, lives with Peter Gethers, and is one of the replacement cats for one of the most famous of all felines, Norton: The Cat Who Went to Paris. Hud was being treated conventionally, having an off and on response to steroids, but no overall improvement. We started treating him with alternative therapies, consisting of glandulars for his adrenals, liver and thymus (this was based on analyzing his blood results), beta sitosterol (Betathyme by DMSC), a BHI Allergy homeopathic and a soy derived natural hydrocortisone (which we slowly weaned off over several weeks). Hud responded dramatically and is now close to 100% clinically normal. For severe rodent ulcers, especially of the mouth/lips, we typically start therapy by freezing the lesions with cryosurgery.

Q.
My three-year-old tabby is a bit constipated and I believe it is due to hair balls. She also drinks and urinates excessively. This started nine months ago. We had a little trauma moving house and she is a bit more restless than normal. Any suggestions?

A.
There are several naturally based products available for the treatment of hairballs – avoid those that are petroleum based. One of my favorite herbs for this condition is slippery elm. However, if she is drinking and urinating excessively, she should be seen by your veterinarian. Take in a urine specimen and have blood samples taken to see what is going on.

Q.
I have a rescued Yorkie mix. One ear stands erect but the other droops at times (although it does sometimes stand erect). I feed her a raw diet and she is a hardy eater. Is there something I can supplement her food with that can aid her droopy ear in standing erect?

A.
I can picture her being really adorable, and personally would leave her like this. If that’s not what you want, the only thing I’ve seen work (and this is with very minimal experience), is to have a veterinarian tape-splint the ear up. The only supplement, if any, you might try is Collagen Complex by Professional Health Products.

Other questions answered in this issue:

Q.
My seven-year-old male sphinx cat was recently diagnosed with lymphosarcoma. He is undergoing chemotherapy. In addition, I have made some changes to his diet, including the addition of flax seed oil, fish oil, a treat milk for cats which contains vitamins C and E, raw organically grown ground beef and cooked organic chicken liver. His regular food consisted of canned food. After the first chemotherapy treatment, the lump on his face got worse, but it improved substantially after I included Omega fatty acids in his diet. I also read about the good results achieved in humans with cancer using Shitake mushroom as a coadjutant for treatment. However, when I checked the list of poisonous plants and veggies for cats, I found mushrooms on the list. What are your thoughts? Can I use any derivative substance from mushrooms to help my cat? What other things would you recommend?

Q.
One day last September, my nine-year-old Rottie dragged himself off the floor to stand on all four legs and started wobbling. We took him to the vet and he underwent full X-rays. The results came back and they ruled out hip dysplasia. He has not undergone a deep scan. The only alternative we had was to put him on steroids for the rest f his life to stabilize him. He isdoing everything he has always done but at a slower pace. I would be grateful if you could maybe help me out on what his illness is.

Q.
My four-year-old dog, Lucy, (Lab/border collie/retriever cross) had cruciate surgery almost three months ago. She was walking on all four legs right after this surgery but in just over a week she started carrying the leg she had the surgery on. She had a second surgery about a month and half later to remove a band on her knee, as the vet was sure this was the problem. Again, she started to carry her leg within a few days of surgery. Had I known the discomfort and pain she was going to live with I would never have had surgery done in the first place, but the vet informed me this was the only option. She is taking Recovery daily as there was some arthritis found when the original surgery was done. She was on Cosequin for three weeks right after the surgery and has been on Recovery since. The vet is recommending I put her on Metacam but after reading the possible side effects, I refused to give this to her. Any suggestions that would make her more comfortable would be greatly appreciated.

Q.
I recently took in a four-month-old kitten who has tested positive for FIV. I have three other cats in my home who are all between one and two years old. I am hesitant to vaccinate them against FIV as I have heard more horror stories than positive ones. They had already been exposed to the kitten for about two months before I found out he was positive. Do you think I should vaccinate them? Also, what can I give my little guy to help him with FIV? He currently has a consistently running nose and goopy eyes. Should I be giving anything to my other cats? What sort of long term care does an FIV cat require?

Q.
My dog licks his front legs incessantly and chews on his feet immediately after eating. Do you know what might be going on? He is 13 and has a heart murmur, but otherwise seems to be in perfect health. He is on a raw food diet.