Dr. D. Lee Pickett
Editor’s be aware: Dr. Lee Pickett has retired, however Creators continues to distribute columns from her archive. This is from 2020.
Q: I need to brighten my home with some new houseplants, however they have to be secure for my cats, who discover every part. Are philodendron and spider crops innocent if cats eat them? If not, are you able to counsel some cat-safe houseplants?
A: Philodendrons comprise calcium oxalate crystals that burn a cat’s mouth and throat, trigger drooling and swallowing difficulties, and may result in vomiting and diarrhea. So, don’t add them to your indoor backyard.
Spider crops, however, are secure and even enjoyable for cats, who like to bat on the infants that dangle from the mom plant. Other frequent houseplants which are secure round cats are the African violet, bamboo palm, Boston fern and Christmas cactus.
For an entire record of pet-safe indoor and outside crops — together with images — go to the web site of the Animal Poison Control Center of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals at
Q: My veterinarian rated my canine Bacardi as 5 out of 9, and I’m irritated. Because of the pandemic, I wasn’t permitted to be with Bacardi throughout his examination. The vet known as me afterward and mentioned Bacardi appeared wholesome, however the written abstract rated him solely as a middle-of-the-pack 5. Should I ask the vet to alter his information or discover one other vet?
A: Neither. The pandemic makes communication troublesome, however that can change after we veterinarians can safely meet with our purchasers face-to-face.
Until then, let me translate the 5/9 ranking. Veterinarians assess a pet’s physique weight utilizing what’s known as the physique situation rating, or BCS. Two scoring programs are in frequent use, one based mostly on 9 factors and the opposite on 5.
On the 9-point scale, the perfect weight is 4 or 5. So Bacardi’s BCS of 5/9 implies that his weight is good. A 3/5 on the 5-point scale represents a super weight.
Numbers under the perfect point out the pet is underweight, whereas values above the perfect symbolize extra weight. So, on the 9-point scale, a 6 or 7 means the pet is chubby, whereas an 8 or 9 signifies weight problems. On the 5-point scale, a 4 represents an chubby pet and a 5 an overweight animal.
Both programs are equally helpful, as a result of most veterinarians add a half-point as essential to the rating on the 5-point system. Thus, a really chubby however not fairly overweight canine could be assessed a 4.5/5.
A pet that’s greater than 10% above the perfect weight is taken into account chubby, whereas one that’s 20% or extra above supreme is assessed as overweight. Overweight and overweight dogs are at elevated threat of many orthopedic issues, cancers and different illnesses, and their life spans are, on common, two years shorter than these of dogs with supreme weights.
To assess BCS, consider these three traits:
• Look at your canine from above. He ought to have an hourglass determine: extensive on the chest, slender on the waist and extensive on the hips.
• When you take a look at him from the facet, his stomach ought to tuck up at his waist. If his underside is a horizontal line, there’s an excessive amount of fats in his stomach.
• While petting him gently, really feel for his ribs and the bumps of his backbone. If you must press your fingers in to really feel these bones, your canine has an excessive amount of fats between them and his pores and skin.
According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, nearly all of U.S. pets are chubby or overweight. Congratulations on doing higher than most pet folks by sustaining Bacardi’s weight at a wholesome stage.
