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Paws & Claws

Jill Bowen has practiced veterinary medicine in England and Texas. She lives in Blacksburg now, and answers local pet owners' questions every week in The Roanoke Times and roanoke.com.

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Q Now that we seem to be living in the Arctic what options do I have for walking my dog? Both of us find these outside trips pretty miserable, probably because both of us are rather old.

A While you might want to sit by the fire in the warmth your dog would probably rather get out of doors and play in the snow. Our Labradors loved romping in the snow, even when old, but our whippets hated it and could not be persuaded to stay outdoors for any length of time, in spite of being dressed in warm coats.

Playing in deep snow for 10 to 20 minutes uses as much energy as a long walk. If your dog is elderly, do not let him run around too vigorously in deep snow because that will stress any arthritic joints, muscles and the breathing. A quick trip outside to take care of business may be all that is necessary for old dogs. Most older dogs will let you know when they need to come in.

All dogs should have their feet checked and any snow or ice debris removed. Dogs that have been walking on roads that have been salted and gritted should have their feet washed because this commercial salt can burn not only their pads but also their tongues as they lick their paws.

A great workout for young fit dogs is cross-country skiing; many ski areas allow dogs on certain trails. Call ahead to check which trails are available and also whether the dog needs to be on a leash at all times.

Q We have adopted a 6- to 9-month-old unspayed dog from a shelter and were told to get her neutered. Should we wait until she has been in heat once or twice or is it OK to get her done now?

A It is a popular misconception that dogs need to have one season before being spayed. Female dogs spayed before their first season have only a 0.5 percent risk of developing mammary cancer. After her first season the risk rises to 8 percent, and after two or more seasons the risk of mammary cancer increases to 26 percent.

Spaying now will also protect her from developing pyometra, a life-threatening problem of the uterus, so make an appointment for the surgery now.

One reader, who ended up in the emergency room to be treated for rabies, wanted me to warn others about the dangers of trying to befriend a feral cat.

There is a difference between feral cats and stray cats. Stray cats are those cats that once belonged to someone and have either been abandoned or lost. They are used to people and can be retamed.

Feral cats are not tame -- they are the offspring of lost or abandoned cats or other feral cats. They are nervous and fearful around people and, because they have not been neutered, they breed freely and quickly establish feral colonies.

Feral cats living wild are more likely to come into contact with rabid animals such as skunks or raccoons. It is unusual to be able to get near a truly feral cat, but all strays should be approached with caution.

You should assume that a cat that cannot be caught and quarantined has not had a rabies vaccination. A person who has been bitten or scratched by such a cat should undergo rabies treatment within three days of the bite. Treatment consists of five injections given in the arm over four weeks. This process is inconvenient but is no longer the painful series of shots that used to be given in the abdomen.

It is important to seek treatment if bitten by a stray or feral cat because symptoms of rabies can appear in as little as a week following a bite. There is no cure, and people rarely recover.