Welcome to our “Ask Dr. Paola” series, where every Monday we bring expert advice straight from Dr. Paola Cuevas (MVZ) to help our readers better understand their dog’s health and well-being.

Whether you’re a new pet parent or a seasoned dog lover, Dr. Paola is here to provide answers to your most pressing questions. From nutrition tips and preventive care to troubleshooting common behavioral issues, Dr. Paola is ready to offer insights that will keep your furry friend happy and healthy. Stay tuned for expert guidance on a range of topics that matter most to you and your dog, so you can make informed decisions and provide the best possible care for your canine companion. ‎Have‎ a ‎question? Send it in here!

Help! My Puppy Has Whipworm!

“Hi Dr. Paola,

Winnie is a 4-and-a-half-month-old chihuahua puppy. She has completed all of her first year shots. She had a parasite shot at her first appointment because she was scooting around and the vet suspected worms. She was then given Albon Suspension. Second appointment she tested negative. At her last appointment she tested positive for Whipworm and was prescribed Safeguard. My question is, why wasn’t she prescribed Safeguard to begin with which would have covered all worms and parasites?”  – Susan

Hi Susan,

I can see why this feels puzzling at first, especially when you hear that Safeguard is broad-spectrum. The key detail is that no single medication truly covers all intestinal parasites, and veterinarians often choose the first treatment based on the most likely causes for a puppy’s age and the signs they are showing. In a young puppy who is scooting, the most common early concerns are roundworms and hookworms, plus anal gland irritation. That is why an initial dewormer injection or a pyrantel-type dewormer is frequently used right away. If Winnie was prescribed Albon suspension, that medication is sulfadimethoxine, which is an antimicrobial that can be used for certain bacterial infections, including anal gland infections when bacteria are susceptible, and it is also used in the management of coccidia-related intestinal disease. It is not a dewormer for whipworms, roundworms, or hookworms, so it would not be expected to prevent a later whipworm diagnosis.

Safeguard, which contains fenbendazole, is a dewormer that works well for several intestinal worms, including whipworms, and it can also be used for Giardia, but it still does not cover everything; for example, it does not treat coccidia. Whipworms are also a bit like a seed that takes time to sprout; they have a long prepatent period, and their eggs can be shed intermittently, so an early fecal test can be negative even if infection is developing. That is why a puppy can test negative at one visit and then test positive later, and it is also why many veterinarians reserve fenbendazole for when whipworms are identified or strongly suspected, rather than using it as the default for every puppy. What matters now is that Winnie is on the right medication for whipworms, and your veterinarian will usually recommend follow-up fecal testing and repeat treatment on a schedule, because whipworms can be persistent and clearing them is often a planned series rather than a single step.

I hope this helps explain.

Dr. Paola

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Help! Does My Dog Have Dementia?

“My 16 year old mixed terrier Hazel enjoys fairly good health and gets moderate exercise each day. She’s lately taken to destroying my made bed every day when I’m in another room. Do dogs get dementia and could this be a problem? I scold her but the behavior continues.“ – Dianne

Hi Dianne,

This is a thoughtful question and one many pet parents of senior dogs ask. Yes, dogs can develop a condition called canine cognitive dysfunction, which is similar in concept to dementia in humans. As dogs age, changes in the brain can affect memory, learning, and emotional regulation. Signs often include disorientation, changes in sleep patterns, altered social interactions, anxiety when separated, and new repetitive or destructive behaviors that were not present earlier in life. What you are describing could fit into that picture, but it could also reflect age-related anxiety or frustration rather than true cognitive decline, much like an older person pacing or fidgeting not because they forget where they are, but because they feel unsettled.

The bed destruction itself is important to interpret carefully. Dogs do not destroy things out of spite, and scolding tends to worsen anxiety, especially in senior dogs whose coping skills may already be fragile. If Hazel only does this when you leave the room, it suggests separation-related stress or restlessness rather than willful misbehavior. Imagine being unsure where your anchor went and trying to self-soothe by digging or nesting, behaviors that are instinctive and comforting for many dogs. Repeated scolding can unintentionally confirm that something is wrong, reinforcing the cycle rather than stopping it.

The next step is a thorough veterinary evaluation to look for underlying contributors such as pain, sensory decline, hormonal disease, or early cognitive changes, because many of these are manageable. Adjustments like predictable routines, gentle mental enrichment, comfortable resting areas, and avoiding punishment often make a meaningful difference. If cognitive dysfunction is suspected, early intervention can slow progression and improve quality of life. In the meantime, replacing scolding with calm redirection and management is kinder and more effective, especially for a dog who has shared your life for sixteen years and is telling you, in her own way, that something has changed.

Kind regards,

Dr. Paola

Help! I Don’t Want My Dachshund to Always Need to Be Manually Expressed!

“My 6 year old mini dachshund Miles keeps having anal gland issues, we supplement with fiber, fish oil and probiotics and his poops are bulky but it still always seems like his anal area is bothering him. We bring him in to get expressed when we notice he’s extra irritated and his glands are always quite full, but we don’t know what else we can do? Does he need more exercise? I am starting to worry about him as I obviously don’t want to ever risk abscesses or infections but I don’t want to rely on manual expression either. Please help!“ – Rebecca

Dear Rebecca,

This is a very common and understandably frustrating issue, especially in small-breed dogs, who are overrepresented in anal sac disease for anatomical and inflammatory reasons rather than poor care. In many small dogs, the anal sac ducts are naturally narrow, which makes normal drainage more difficult even when the stool looks bulky and well-formed. Over time, repeated filling and inflammation can also lead to reduced anal sac tone, meaning the glands lose some of their ability to contract and empty on their own. When the ducts are narrow and the sac wall has lost tone, the glands may simply not have the right conditions to empty naturally, despite good stool quality and supplementation.

Exercise supports overall health and bowel motility, but increasing it alone rarely resolves chronic anal gland problems when anatomy and inflammation are the primary drivers. Another important contributor that is often overlooked is underlying allergic disease, either food-responsive or environmental. Allergies can cause ongoing low-grade inflammation around the anal sacs even when the skin and ears appear normal, which thickens gland secretions and further compromises already delicate drainage.

Long-term management focuses on reducing inflammation and supporting healthier gland function rather than relying on repeated manual expression, which can worsen irritation and further decrease sac tone over time. This often means reassessing diet composition rather than simply adding fiber, evaluating for allergic disease, and using targeted medical strategies when appropriate. You are right to be proactive, and with a thoughtful plan that addresses these underlying factors, many dogs like Miles can become far more comfortable and significantly reduce the risk of abscesses or infection.

I hope this helps!

Dr. Paola