Hi. My name is Dr. Fiona Caldwell and I'm a veterinarian at Idaho Veterinary Hospital. Today I'm at home answering some of the questions posted on our Facebook page.
"How do I get my Chiweenie to stop eating poop?"
First of all, for those of you who don't know what a "Chiweenie" is, it's a cross between a Dachshund and a Chihuahua. This is actually a really common problem, especially in puppies and younger dogs, and it can be really disconcerting and kind of gross.
The first thing you're going to want to do is really make sure you're feeding appropriate food. A good quality dog food is really important. You're going to want to make sure your pet is dewormed pretty regularly because this is one way that internal parasites can be spread.
You can try negative reinforcement and tell them "no" when they do this. Be sure to keep your yard really, really clean as well, so it's less of a temptation. There are also some prescribed medications that can help deter pets from this nasty habit. Contact your veterinarian for more information.
The second question is, "Where are mast cell tumors found? Are they found internally as well as externally?"
The mast cell tumor is a specific type of cancer that dogs can get. It really can be a devastating cancer. Typically, it's found on the skin, and that means anywhere. It can be on the limbs, the torso, or the head.
Generally, mast cell tumors first present on the skin but they can spread internally to lungs and lymph nodes and other organs. If you find a mass or a tumor on your dog's skin that has you concerned, contact your veterinarian.
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