This section is answered by 
Dr Lee Yee Lin 
BSc BVMS (Murdoch) 
Defu Veterinary Surgery (Managed by Asia Veterinary Care Pte Ltd)
 
We welcome you to submit your pet health related questions to: enquiry@lioncitybulldogs.com

1.I add vegies to my pup's meal, however i noticed that they come out undigested vegatables in my pup's poo. Why is this so?
Vegetables are generally much harder to digest and mainly add good roughage and fibre to your puppy's diet. If you notice that some of the vegetables pass out undigested, it is not too much of a worry. Vegetables should be pureed to break down the cellulose and make the vegetables more digestible
   Questions submitted by Emily.
  
 
2.My female dog has suffered from uninary tract infection twice in a year. Would like to know what are the causes and preventions for this illness
Urinary Tract Infections (UTI) are usually more common in female than in male dogs, due to the actual anatomical differences between the two sexes. Causes of UTI are usually due to bacteria, however, rarely, fungal agents may also be the cause of the infection. Certain situations may increase the risk of a dog getting UTI - presence of bladder stones, changes in the pH of the urine etc, may also predispose your dog to UTI. 
 
If your female dog tends to have recurrent UTI, it may be worthwhile to get a more thorough diagnostic workup done up which may include either x-rays, ultrasound of the bladder, or even a urine culture and a check of the urine pH to see if there are any abnormalities. 
 
A relatively good supplement that you may try adding into your dog's diet is cranberry powder or cranberry juice, to help prevent for recurring UTI.  
   Questions submitted by Grace.
  
 
3. I have read that neutering a male dog will somehow change his temperament. 
   What about spaying a female dog? Will this make her less aggressive towards other dogs?
There are generally no predictable behavior changes in the female dog following ovariohysterectomy (spaying). Male dogs, however, often become less dominant and aggressive with other dogs and roam less after neutering. However, there are many health reasons for spaying and neutering dogs. Early spaying prevents mammary cancer and a uterine disease called pyometra. 
Both of these conditions can be fatal in the female dog.
   Questions submitted by Rachel.
  
 
4. My dog seems to be easily subjected to bacteria infection. What is the best way to boost
    its immune?
    My dog has watery nose sometimes with clear mucus, is that fine?
The best way to boost up your dog's immune system will be to keep it on a healthy and well balanced diet & not stick to 1 single meat diet, as well as supplement it with immune system boosters e.g. ascorbate powder (vitamin C), transfer factor, omega-3 & 6 oils, shark liver oil, cod liver oil, anti-oxidant such as pine oak etc. Most of these supplements are easily available at pharmacies and pet shops. However, if you are unsure of the dosage to give to your dog, check with your veterinarian.
Monitor your dog's nasal discharge. If at any time your dog develops yellowish / sticky mucus discharge, or your dog has a cough, or abnormal lung sounds etc, it will require veterinarian attention.
   Questions submitted by Sharon.
  
 
5. I have heard alot about the debate between home cooked food & dry dog food. I have thru research learn that dry dog food may not be all meat from the animal, it could also contain other by-products burnt at over 300 - 400 degrees whereby all the healthy enzymes are all gone & this also explain the ash conent in these dry food. Finally, they are moulded by machines into sizes & shapes and sprayed a coat of synthetic vitamins. I really wonder if this kind of preparation will preserve any natural nutrients in the food.
What you have brought up is indeed a highly debatable question, however, I will try my best to give you my personal opinion on the matter, but I do believe that there probably will be other professionals out there that may beg to differ. :) 
 
Generally, it is true that a commercialised diet will lose the healthy enzymes and some of the nutrients due to the processing of the food. However, due to the busy lifestyle of most owners, it is an unfortunate situation that most pet owners rely solely on commercial diets as their pet's diet. A home cooked diet will definitely be more "nutritious" so to be speak, in terms of the enzymes present, however, even in some situations whereby the ingredients are overcooked, most enzymes are lost as well. And a big downside of a homecooked diet is that most of the time, the diet becomes relatively imbalanced, especially when owners just concentrate feeding a few ingredients. For eg. if an owner only feeds his or her dog a diet of predominantly rice + chicken, you will find that over time, the dog may develop problems due to the lack of certain vitamins / minerals.
 
Therefore, I guess the most ideal situation will be one whereby the dog gets a BALANCED commercial diet, coupled with fresh food once in a while. certain raw fruits and vegetables also provide a very healthy source of enzymes and vitamins. Papaya is a very rich source of digestive enzymes for example. Recently, there also has been commercial BARF diets - raw foods but are dehydrated. Some owners have commented that their pets do well on those diets.
 
As you can see, there are pros and cons to any kind of diet. It all boils down to tailoring a diet that is best suited for your pet dog. :)
   Questions submitted by Florence.
  
 
6. Why my dog licks her paws all the time & how can i deter her from this?
On a normal day to day basis, a dog should not lick at her paws continuously. 
There could be a lot of different reasons contributing to this licking behaviour, ranging from allergies, to parasites, to fungal/bacterial infections, to immune-mediated conditions. 
If you find that your dog is always licking at her paws, it will be best to bring her in to a veterinarian near you to get it checked out.
 
7.Why my dog had her menses more than a month?
A dog's heat can last for a varied length of time. The average is three weeks (21 days). 
But it can be shorter (two weeks) or longer (four weeks).However, the proestrus stage (signs of vulvar bleeding) should only normally lasts for 4-9 days. 
If you notice that your dog has bloody discharge from her vulvar for a prolonged period of time, seek a veterinarian advice immediately as dogs could get infections in the uterus, vagina etc.
   Questions submitted by Jane Wong.