All of our clinics are members of the Pulaski County Emergency Clinic, and our doctors periodically serve on the Board of Directors. This emergency clinic is located at 801 John Barrow Road next to the Arkansas State Revenue Office, and a veterinarian is on duty at all times. If you call our offices after hours, the answering machine will refer you there. Their phone number is 501-224-3784.

You may drop-off your pet as early as 7:30 a.m. and pick him up on the way home from work. The doctor can call you to discuss the examination findings or simply visit with you when you pick up if you prefer.

We have a qualified paraprofessional staff that is well qualified to provide assistance and information about your pet's health care needs. For special problems, you may talk with any of the doctors. If the doctor is unavailable, he will return your call as soon as possible. We take great pride in the open communication we have with our clients. Feel free to discuss any problems or questions that you might have in the treatment of your pets. Our staff exemplifies our trademark: WE CARE.

Confirming the discharge time for your pet will make this a more efficient and less stressful procedure. Hospitalized patients will be discharged after 2:00 p.m. Patients left for treatment, bathing, grooming, or boarding should be picked up after 4:00 p.m. If you wish to check on your pet in the hospital, please call after 11:00 a.m. The doctor will call to report on the condition of your pet after surgery.

To avoid any misunderstanding, please discuss with the doctor any questions you may have concerning fees. Payment is due at the time of service by cash, check, MasterCard, Visa, Discover, and American Express. We also offer Care Credit that can be applied for by phone, and if you qualify, credit will be granted immediately. You may also want to discuss the purchase of pet insurance for your pet. Ask our staff for details.

Due to today's hectic lifestyles, many puppies miss out on the important socialization skills that are acquired between 8 and 20 weeks of age. Playgroups are divided by age and monitored at all times. Our staff will also introduce your little canine friend to puppy manners and housetraining in a gentle, learning environment. The classes are held at our Bellevue clinic and are open to patients and clients of all three hospitals.

Our clinics support the adoption programs at the Humane Society of Pulaski County, the Central Arkansas Rescue Effort (C.A.R.E.), and the Maumelle Friends of the Animals. These organizations have an ample supply of loving dogs and cats, many of them purebred, in need of good homes. If you need help finding a local breeder of a specific breed of dog or cat, you may contact the American Kennel Club website: www.akc.org

The technical, more polite name for what you are describing in your dog's behavior is coprophagia. It is a very common problem. Actually in most canines it is a normal behavior. Of course, mothers consume their pups' droppings until they are old enough to get away from the nest to eliminate, but dogs will eat other dogs' feces and even that of other species. It is a little more unusual for them to eat their own, but it still happens.

Assuming other health concerns such as vaccinations and parasite elimination have been taken care of by your veterinarian, and your dog is on a well-balanced diet, then the idea that it comes from a vitamin deficiency can be ruled out.

At this point, your dog's habit of eating feces should be approached from a behavioral perspective. The more a behavior occurs the more likely it will be repeated. That means physically preventing it from happening helps your dog forget about it. Whatever you do, it will take some time to modify the behavior.

That means letting your dog know that it is bad through a loud, firm, scolding voice. You can use this method when your pet sniffs or shows interest in feces. It helps to have your pet on a leash when outside to give you some physical control over movement as well.

Products such as monosodium glutamate (seasoning salt) added to a pet's food makes the feces less desirable. A more direct approach includes putting tobasco or bitter lemon on the feces itself. Some pet owners simply clean the yard every day to remove any temptation.

You can work at solving your puppy's biting problem by doing several things simultaneously. First, you need to divert your pet's play activities away from your body. You can do this by encouraging fetch games and discouraging wrestling or tug-of-war games. Second, you can remove any positive reinforcement when biting occurs. This means that you walk away and ignore your puppy for five minutes each time it performs a behavior that you don't find acceptable. You're not even allowed to talk to the dog during this time. Third, you provide a negative reinforcement for the objectionable behavior. You can do this by painting your skin with vinegar in the vulnerable places you know the puppy will bite. You can also make a shaker can from an empty pop can containing a dozen pennies that you shake vigorously when the biting occurs. Then you can also use a firm and loud "NO!" Finally, you can offer positive reinforcement and praise when the dog plays nice. The most important point is that everyone in the family has the same game plan and follows through consistently.

The problem of submissive urination is a combination of a physical condition and a behavioral one. The physical component is a lack of tone in the sphincter of her bladder that holds the urine in. It's more common in females due to the shortness of their urethra (the connection between their bladder and the outside). This may improve with age.

The behavioral factor is a contraction of the muscles that empty the bladder when she is placed in a very submissive situation or is very excited. She is probably naturally submissive, which makes these experiences stronger stimulants to her.

There is little we can do about the physical part. There are medications which can increase the tone, but I would not recommend them for a puppy. The best control is dealing with the behavioral aspect. Maturity will lessen her submissiveness, but you must work to ensure she becomes more confident in herself.

Avoid situations where the urination occurs. When you come home, instead of greeting her at the door and making a big deal about the reunion, try to diffuse the situation by ignoring her. Just walk right by her, and let her outside before you acknowledge her. Eventually, she will learn not to become too excited about your returns.

Other situations can be dealt with the same way. When strangers approach her, give her a treat or get her attention some other way to diffuse the excitement or threat of the approach. Consult with your veterinarian on this topic as well.

If you've not done so already, have him thoroughly examined by your veterinarian to make sure he has no underlying problems causing him to urinate excessively. Many diseases or infections will cause excessive urination. If there are no medical problems, then the urination is likely a behavioral problem. Your cat may be marking his territory, or he may have some problem with the litterbox you're using: the type, amount, or cleanliness of the litter; the location of the box, etc. Sudden changes or stress such as introducing a new cat or dog to the household, moving, or the addition of a new family member can cause a cat to stop using his litterbox, as well. If your cat is not neutered, then it is highly recommend that that be done.

How many litterboxes do you have? What kind of litter are you using? The litterbox should be cleaned at least once daily. If you've recently changed litter brands, change back! Cats can be very particular about the kind of litter they use. If you haven't changed litter, try adding another box with a completely different type of litter in it. Most cats prefer scoopable (clumping), unscented litter in uncovered boxes. Stay away from litters with lots of fragrance. As an experiment, try putting three (at least) litterboxes in your house. Place them right at or near the exact spots where he's urinating inappropriately, and scoop all boxes daily. This is just one example of things you can try.

If your cat is still urinating outside the box, consult with your veterinarian or a pet behaviorist. Another option is medical therapy. Discuss medications with your veterinarian. You may need to give your cat a pill once a day or once a week, depending on the medication. Some of the medications have side effects and some don't work very well. It really depends on the cat, and it may take some experimentation to solve the problem.

Litterbox problems can be very difficult to correct, especially if they have been going on for awhile. In most cases, however, they CAN be solved, so don't give up too easily!

Smelly ears are a clear sign of an ongoing ear infection problem. Dogs with floppy ears are notorious for getting very chronic ear infections. Regular cleaning with veterinary approved cleaners can help, but often antibiotics are also needed. When pets continually get bad ear infections despite good at-home care and veterinary medications, a special surgery to open up the ear canals and allow more air flow is an option. It's best to first get an accurate diagnosis and appropriate medications and cleaning supplies before considering any other alternatives.

Most often, bad breath is caused by dental or periodontal disease. Some dogs do not adequately chew their food; thus they don't clean their teeth naturally by the chewing process. Also, some dogs and cats are just prone to dental plaque, tartar and disease. These pets may need more frequent dental cleanings and treatments.

Internal diseases such as kidney disease can also cause bad breath. A trip to your veterinarian is recommended in order to pinpoint the cause of your dog's bad breath and to ensure he is in good health.

Anal glands are two paired glands located within and below the external anal sphincter muscle and can often be a problem in dogs. They produce a thick substance that may have at one time been used to mark territory when dogs were wild. They serve very little purpose in the modern domestic dog.

When the anal glands become full or impacted, the dog may experience some discomfort. The glands become VERY itchy and irritated. Actual pain is difficult to assess, but some believe that they can be painful in some cases. When the dog licks, chews or scoots on its bottom, it is attempting to express the glands on its own.

To express anal glands does not require a veterinarian. Many groomers will do this as part of their service, and some pet owners will do it themselves. However, expressing anal glands is not a very pleasant task to perform, and many pet owners will give up after one try. Before trying this on your own, ask your veterinarian for a demonstration.

If anal glands become a common problem, they can be surgically removed. The glands serve no real purpose and, like a human appendix, the dog may do much better without them. Many veterinarians are uncomfortable performing this surgery; however, many others do the procedure with a great deal of success and minimal complications.

Cats, as you're witnessing, have a much more sensitive vomiting reflex than we do, so it isn't unusual for cats to vomit when they don't appear sick. I assume your cat has a healthy, but not excessive, appetite; isn't losing weight or acting lethargic; doesn't have diarrhea; and that parasites have been ruled out. If any of these symptoms are present, or if he's vomiting green or orange liquid (bile), a medical problem is likely and should be investigated.

The two most common scenarios in which well cats vomit are (1) from eating too much or too fast, which results in vomiting undigested food very soon after eating, and (2) hairballs, which usually cause vomiting of the hairball itself. Hairballs have no sure-fire remedy, but the most popular thing to try is a hairball lubricant (make sure you give this on an empty stomach, not with food); also frequent combing, brushing, or even a "lion clip" (for a long-haired cat) will be helpful. Any hair you can remove is hair that your cat will not end up swallowing. There is also a new hairball formula cat food on the market that may help. Ask your veterinarian about this.

As for eating too much or too fast, this problem is usually worse in cases where cats have their food taken away and are only permitted to eat at certain times of the day, causing them to gorge when food is available. Trials of different brands of food may help. Anything else you can do (portioning the food out gradually, for example) to encourage eating smaller amounts frequently might also be helpful. If the vomiting is daily, you might want to try medication. However, most people don't want to medicate their cats daily if vomiting only occurs once a week or less.

If these ideas don't help you, the only way to get a certain answer as far as any medical cause, such as inflammatory bowel disease, would be to have biopsies of the stomach and intestinal tract done. Your veterinarian can tell you more about this.

It sounds like your dog is experiencing typical motion sickness, just like some people do. Motion sickness usually begins very shortly after starting the car ride. The dog will begin to drool and then vomit. It's not serious, but certainly not something that we like to clean up!

To solve the problem, first try acclimating the dog to car rides. Do this by simply putting him in the car for a few minutes each day without going anywhere. Then try just going down the driveway and back, and the next day going around the block. Gradually build up the distance and time the dog rides in the car. Sometimes this will help to decrease the dog's anxiety over riding in the car and may help to decrease vomiting.

If that doesn't work, there are some over-the-counter medications you can try. The medication will need to be given about an hour before the car ride. Ask your veterinarian for a recommendation as to what drug to try and the dosage for your pet. (Never give any medications to your pet without your veterinarian's advice!) These drugs are very safe, with drowsiness usually the only major side effect. But since your dog isn't driving the car, that shouldn't be a problem!

If over-the-counter drugs don't work, then your veterinarian may be able to prescribe something a bit stronger.

Chewing on the feet and hind legs is a classic sign of allergies in dogs, much like itchy eyes and a runny nose in humans. Dogs have the same allergy-sensitive cells people have in their eyes and nose, but they are located in dogs' skin and ears. Therefore, dogs with allergies show signs of itchy feet, itchy skin, and ear infections.

Finding out what your dog is allergic to can sometimes be challenging. Dogs can be allergic to all kinds of things in their environments or diets. The most common allergy dogs experience is a reaction to flea bites, called flea allergy dermatitis. Even if your dog is protected against flea by a collar or treatment, one flea can secrete enough saliva in a bite to cause itching and discomfort. Dogs can also be allergic to ingredients in their food or the shampoo they're bathed with. They can even have reactions to some of the same things that cause human hayfever: pollen, dust, mold, and grasses.

Your veterinarian can help you determine which of these allergies is bothering your dog. If it is a food allergy, you may be able to simply change your dog's diet. Other allergies can be treated with an antihistamine or steroid prescription. Consult your veterinarian about the best way to make your dog more comfortable.

The simplest answer to this question is, whenever he needs it. Dogs who spend the most of their time indoors will not need much bathing, while dogs who are outside a lot, romping in the mud and trees (and possibly other smelly things) will need to be bathed more often. Also, some dogs' coats will accumulate grease and oil more quickly than others. Breeds prone to oily skin and other skin conditions, such as Cocker Spaniels, benefit from regular bathing about every four weeks. Breeds with a thick, double coat, like huskies and chows, only need bathing about 3 or 4 times a year. Washing a dog with an undercoat more often than this can make the coat softer and less waterproof and insulating.

In general, you can use your common sense to judge when your dog needs bathing. If you're concerned about causing dry skin, there are moisturizing treatments available at most pet stores, which you rub into your dog's skin after you shampoo him. If your dog seems uncomfortable or shows signs of skin problems, consult your veterinarian.