Q: Hi, I just rescued a 4 yr old shih tzu and we just found out she likes to eat snails. Why or is it normal for dogs to eat it? How can I stop her from eating snails?

A: Lots of dogs like to eat snails, but you should definitely keep your dog away from them. If she eats a snail that has ingested snail bait, it can be poisonous for her. I would recommend that you accompany her whenever she goes into the back yard and tell her no firmly when she tries to eat them. She can be trained not to eat them if you are persistent. Make sure you do not put out bait for the snails, as this could be potentially deadly for her.

Q:  I had my two male cats spayed or neutered about 2 weeks ago.  Now, my grey and white cat has a bump on his nose.  I noticed he had kind of bad breath and looked in his mouth.  He doesn't have many teeth but on the left side his gum is black and that doesn't seem normal.   Maybe he got into a fight with the other cat.  I want to know if that should be treated or not as I'd have to take off from work or wait until Sat.   

A:  I would definitely recommend that you have your cat examined, especially if he is reluctant to eat or seems lethargic. The bump on his nose could be an infection which usually do not go away on their own. If he doesn't have many teeth he may have dental disease, and that could cause an infection. Or it could be a bite injury. Cats often have black pigment on their gums, so that may be normal for him. Your veterinarian should be able to tell you what's going on and whether he needs treatment.

Q: The dog caught the parakeet in flight-it appears the only problem is a broken leg, but the leg has started to turn blue. Could this be serious? We dont want the bird to be in pain. Any info would be greatly apreciated.

A:  The blue leg could be bruising but it could also be a sign that the leg has lost its blood supply and may need to be amputated. I would recommend you have him examined by a veterinarian that has experience with birds.