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Dear Jill:

It's difficult to diagnose what exactly is wrong with your rabbit at a distance, but I'd suspect a trip to your vet is in order. Your long-eared friend may be suffering from a number of ailments, the most common of which is overgrown incisors. Most domestic rabbits suffer from this problem, some to a worse degree than others. Often, even the premolars and molars overgrow and trap the tongue in doing so. The overgrowth is not a result of the rabbit's unwillingness to chew; it is usually the cause. She may be unable to chew because her long teeth are painfully cutting her tongue, gums, or lips.

It may be that her lower jaw is shorter than her upper jaw, arid so they are not meeting correctly. Most rabbits with this problem need their teeth trimmed every three to five weeks, or at least examined during this time frame. Don't let this problem go too long. A starving rabbit is a stressed rabbit, and therefore more likely to become ill. The vet can trim your pet's teeth easily and painlessly.

Other problems which may hinder the rabbit's ability to eat are tooth abscesses, infections, or nerve damage. Check food pellets to be sure they aren't old or rancid, and be sure she has plenty of fresh water.

Dear Andrea:

Two weeks ago, my cat, Lucas, was diagnosed with feline leukemia. I heard this is a fatal disease. Can you tell me more about it? What are my alternatives? Must I have him put to sleep? -Linda Christenson
Norfolk, Virginia

Does your dog keep scratching? He may have allergies.

Dear Linda,

Feline leukemia is an infectious viral disease which can be seen in cats of any age. Transmission occurs through saliva or oral and nasal secretions. If a cat gets the virus, the virus replicates in its lymph nodes and bone marrow. While some cats can "fight off" this virus with their immune system, others have a weakened immune response; the virus goes on to replicate further in their cells, and they develop feline leukemia. Not only does this make cats incapable of fighting other diseases, but the virus also causes tumor cells to form.

Common signs of this disease include an inability to handle stress, simple colds or flu hanging on or recurring frequently, frequent fevers, or recurring bacterial, or other viral, infections. Some cats can carry the disease for a long time before showing any signs of illness. There are several tests for feline leukemia. The most common is the ELISA, which tests white blood cells for infection. A second test, the IFA test, is known as the "gold standard" for detecting this type of leukemia, and is used to confirm a positive ELISA test. In the IFA, the white blood cells from a blood sample will fluoresce under a certain type of lighting if the animal's cells have been infected. As for Lucas, I suggest you ask your vet to do another test if he has only been tested positive once. Also, make sure the second test is performed on blood, not saliva or tears. If Lucas does indeed have this disease, you do not have to put him to sleep. Many cats with feline leukemia go on to live happy, comfortable lives for months or even years following diagnosis. While unfortunately there is no cure at this time, there are treatments-antibiotics, steroids, etc.—which make the lives of infected cats more comfortable, albeit shortened. What's more, the most common tumor associated with feline leukemia, lymphosarcoma, is one of the most treatable (though not curable) cancers in small animals. Lastly, it is important to realize that feline leukemia is infectious, especially among other cats in the household. So if you have other animals, have them vaccinated and keep Lucas confined to a specific room or area.

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