Season 3, Show #4 – Older pets and cognitive dysfunction

Can dogs and cat’s get Alzheimer’s? Find out when Dr. Caroline Gilje joins host Joe Hipperson to talk about the warning signs of cognitive dysfunction in pets. Also in this show, Randy Grimm, the Executive Director of Stray Rescue, talks about the problems facing dogs living on the street as the weather turns colder. Caller questions include:

• If bitten, can a dog pass on rabies even though the dog has been vaccinated?
• A 13-year old dog is acting timid and is constantly underfoot lately, could it be cognitive dysfunction or might it be her eyesight?
• What causes a dog’s eyes to have a crusty film all the time and how do you treat it?
• Why has a caller’s two older dogs started going to the bathroom during the day even inside their crates? If it is cognitive dysfunction, what can the owner do?
• When a caller’s Rottweiler mix tries to sit on her lap or head, what’s frightening the dog so badly? Could it be hyperthyroidism?
• A cat has eye discharge that looks red at times, is it blood?
• Is a mite causing a cat to constantly scratch his feet and lick himself?
• Trivia question: how did the ancient Egyptians mourn the death of their cats? Bonus question: How many inches apart are the eyes on a 7-foot alligator?