Our cat, Fergie, was spayed a few days ago, but she's running around the house and tries to sneak outside. Should we worry about her hurting herself?

A:

Fergie sounds as though she's like a lot of kitty-cats, oblivious to her post-surgery needs and feeling so good that she wants to do everything. Problem is, she really can harm herself even if all she does is jump on and off the couch or bed. Each cat reacts a little differently to her surgery and each must be treated according to her needs. But at the very least, Fergie should be kept in a room where she can't run around or do any jumping. OK, I know, you're probably wondering how to do this! But limited activity is very important, especially in the first 5 to 7 days, because the critical early healing of the suture line is inhibited by movement and stretching.

The best way to enforce calm for Fergie may be to catch her up and confine her to a large kennel crate. Crates are relatively inexpensive and can be the difference between normal and difficult healing of the suture line. Whatever you do, be sure to check her suture line at least twice daily and call her vet if you see any swelling or redness. Normal healing is usually finished in 10 to 14 days. Right now, that may seem like an eternity, but it really is a short period of time.

Q:

Marcus, our 10-year-old poodle, has a swollen eye that was examined by the vet today. We were told that he has a bad tooth and needs to have dental work. We took him home with some antibiotics. But we were told that he will need dental work, maybe even a few extractions. How can a bad tooth cause the eyes to swell?

A:

Swelling in and around an eye is sometimes caused by a deep infection under the eye. The roots of several premolar and molar teeth are in this region. And if a tooth root becomes infected or abscessed, the surrounding inflammation can cause the eye to protrude because of deep secondary edema.

The usual treatment for an abscessed tooth is extraction, with antibiotics to follow for a few weeks afterwards. But you could also consider taking Marcus to a veterinary dental specialist who might offer other alternatives. Root canals and other procedures used to treat people with serious dental disease are also available for dogs. These can be pretty expensive, but they save teeth that otherwise would need to be pulled.

Q:

We want to get a couple of pet bunnies. Someone told us that we should only get one bunny because with two, there may be some fighting. Don't rabbits easily get along with each other?

A:

Some do, some don't. And there's no way you can really tell how things will work out until you try. Veterinarians are often asked whether or not two females might get along better than two males. Unfortunately, it's impossible to know for sure. Females sometimes fight just as aggressively as males for dominance in their hierarchy.

One thing is certain. Whether you get two males or two females or any other combination, be sure to have them both altered at an early age. The less hormonal influence they have, the better the chances they will live happily together. And you probably should have two cages available in case they don't get along. Let's hope you don't have to use them both. Good luck!

Q:

You recently spoke about how ruminants and other foraging animals digest the hay in their food. We had no idea that the digestion of different animals could be so varied. But we're curious. Where do pigs fit in all this? What kind of digestive tract do they have?

A:

Great question and the answer may surprise many of our readers. Pigs have a simple stomach similar to ours. Fact is, porcine physiology is very similar to that of humans in many ways. And I know there's a joke in this somewhere, but for now, I'll sign off. It's time to enjoy some holiday cheer.

SPECIAL NOTE

We lost a good friend to cancer last month. Ann Duffty owned and managed Morgan Hill Exchange, the answering service so many of us in South County have used for many years. She helped provide service to our clientele by taking calls and paging us when we were needed. I wasn't always happy when I heard that pager go off, but I knew that my job was easier because of the job she did. Ann was like family to us, helping us start and grow our business. She leaves behind a very special family and a lot of friends who will never forget that dry sense of humor and patient voice in the middle of the night. Good night, Ann. We miss you.

Pete Keesling Pete Keesling is a veterinarian at San Martin Veterinary Hospital. He writes a bi-weekly column for South Valley Newspapers and hosts a radio talk show, Dr. Pete's Petpourri, Sundays at 1 p.m. and Friday mornings at 7:10 on KSCO 1080 AM. If you have questions about pet care, e-mail them to smvet3@yahoo.com.