Dr. Diarra Blue (pictured, right) is one of three founding members of the Animalscopic veterinarian group. Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Dr. Blue gained a passion for animals during his early adolescence by becoming the neighborhood veterinarian for household pets. He later attended Tuskegee University where he received a Bachelor of Animal Science and a Doctor of Veterinary medicine.
Before receiving his DVM, Dr. Blue’s professional experience includes Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Tuskegee University Comparative Animal Medicine Laboratory, E.V. Smith Dairy Farm and student representative for Fort Dodge Animal Health. As a practicing veterinarian, Dr. Blue began working in Las Vegas, Nevada for two leading veterinarian hospitals, Ann Road and Grand Montecito Animal Hospital.
Dr. Blue has also worked as a veterinarian for the Lied Animal Shelter of Las Vegas. Now Practicing in the greater Houston, Texas area, Dr. Blue also manages the Conroe Animal Adoption Center when he is not practicing at Cy-Fair Animal Hospital.
He and his doctor friends appear on Animal Planet’s The Vet Life.
Dr. Blue answered your pressing pet questions below:
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Is OK to put ice cubes in your dog’s water bowl on a hot day? I was told that’s not good for the dog?
It is absolutely OK to put ice in the water bowl. In fact I encourage using ice to entice water consumption.
My dog keeps getting ear infections, how can I prevent this?
Make sure that you have an ear cytology with an otoscopic exam done by you veterinarian to determine the cause, treat that cause with proper medication and recheck the ear cytology to make sure that it is completely cured. After the infection is cleared weekly maintenance of the ears with ear cleaning is best prevention and keep them dry.
What can I use to get fleas off my shih – tzu besides Dawn dishwashing liquid?
Ask your vet to heartworm test them first. If they are negative for heartworms, use a prevention that kill fleas and prevents heartworms and gastrointestinal parasites. This is the best bang for your buck and best for the pet.
Is it OK to give my dog bananas?
Yes it is safe, but like all things, in moderation.
I have a 13 year old 11 pound Chihuahua who has occasional loose bowels is there anything over the counter I can give him for his tummyache? He’s also been eating grass lately.
I recommend that you have a fecal test done to assure that your dog does not have parasites, if so, treat that first. You can use Pepcid for nausea. Try 2.5-5mg daily. But always discuss with your veterinarian first.
I have a Doberman. Do I need to give him baths?
Yes, baths are appropriate. I recommend 2 per month, every other week.
My dog keeps biting his hair off when I’m at work, so he is shedding really bad. Suggestions?
Have the skin examined to assure that it is not fleas, dermatitis or other disease processes. If the result is stress / anxiety discuss different treatment or enrichment protocols with your vet.
How do if you know if your dog has a hernia?
The best way is allow for you veterinarian to do a good physical exam to determine.
I’m a resident of Houston and want more info (contact & location) on Dr.Blue for my dog. What is the exact address?
I have a small kitten that has an eye infection. What can I get to help clear that up?
Usually eye infections in kittens is related to some feline respiratory disease like cat herpes virus, Calici virus etc. So I recommend a trip to veterinarian for this as it may snowball into something worse.
What does it mean when small amounts of dog poop drop without them knowing it?The dog will be 11-years-old in November.
It could be fecal incontinence which is loss of control of the muscle of the anus. This could be serious, so I recommend a visit to the vet for this condition.
Dr. Blue I have a 3-year-old boxer who likes to play with and eat small geckos and toads that are in our backyard here in Florida. Is there a safe laxative I can give her to help flush out her system after she’s eaten one?
I don’t recommend a laxative for this as that may cause loss of hydration, thus leading to symptoms of dehydration and possible toxicity. The best thing is to train the dog out of the habit and make sure the dog has plenty of fluids. However Florida has invasive species that can be poisonous, so try to identify what animals are in your yard and always consult with your veterinarian for treatment options.
I have an 11-year-old toy poodle. She has 4 hard knots around one of her nipples. The vet said he can do a mastectomy. Should I do that? She has no other symptoms yet.
I would consider it, as it may be mammary cancer. However she is 11-years-old, so you need to consider quality of life versus surgery. Maybe a biopsy would be best to determine if it is cancer and if not, let her live with it.
Dr. Blue, my Jack Russell terrier goes into panic attacks when it thunderstorms. There’s heavy panting and she shakes terribly….Is there something I can do or give her to reassure her it’s going to be OK? I normally just hold her to reassure her it’s OK.
Holding her is a great way to reassure her. However if she continues to be in a panic, you can purchase sedatives to calm her or use diphenhydramine at 1mg per pound, but as always, consult with your vet.
Doctor, I have a pit/lab mix and a full-blood pit. They both like eating wood. How do I prevent that? Also, do you recommend docking tail and clipping ears and what age is too late for that?
The best thing for wood chewing is training them out of that behavior and using other things like toys or exercise to occupy their time. I recommend aesthetic surgery as young as possible to prevent any pain. If they are older dogs, I don’t recommend it now.
Doc, our dog is allergic to dust and mold. What over-the-counter meds can we give him?
Diphenhydramine starting at 1mg per pound every 12 hours with 1 Zyrtec once daily can help. That’s a start. After that consult with your vet.
I have pits and been trying to keep them cool during the day. Is hitting them with water from the hose is right or wrong to cool them down?
It can be used as a cooling technique, however be sure to make sure that they are not drying in the high heat of the direct sun as this can cause burning and also, that they are not already overheated, as this can cause shock.
My uncle has cattle dogs. Does he have to round them up to put sunscreen on them and throw them back into the field? Do we need to do the same for the horses and cattle, since they are also “pets” in a sense?
Usually not as they have plenty of hair to cover them and are used to working.
Doc I have a miniature pinscher and she is constantly scratching. She has been bathed and treated for fleas. Any suggestions?
It could be allergies which sucks and can be difficult to diagnose and treat. I recommend a exam by your veterinarian.
I give my dog Nexgard for flea treatment but he has been bitten anyhow. Is there something I can use to control the itching, his scratching is driving me crazy and I can’t imagine what he’s feeling.
If the Nexgard is not working, consult with your veterinarian for a different product possibly a dual prevention like orals and topical. Also discuss treatment for puritis.
I help care for an elderly woman with 4 dogs. One dog licks everything! Can you ask the vet why she would do this? Yes, everything…floors, sofa, cabinets, etc.
It could be behavioral, anxiety, or a deficiency. Have an annual exam done with blood work and a fecal for her with your veterinarian.
Doc. I have a dog who has allergies. He had a really bad outbreak this year, where he’s losing hair, and is very itchy. I took him to the vet and she ruled out mites with a skin scrape. She prescribed an anti-fungal, an antibiotic, and an antihistamine. This cleared him up right away. This was expensive, though. What can I do naturally or are there at-home remedies to combat his allergies? I mean, the dog sneezes, seems congested, and is itchy. Please help.
If the allergies are that bad, most home remedies will not work. But you can change his diet to Hill Derm Defense. Also try diphenhydramine at 1mg per pound with 1 Zyrtec a day.
Doctor, I have a Rottweiler puppy about 7 or 8 months old that eat sticks and grass. Will that hurt her?
It can indeed lead to parasites or a foreign body that can lead to serious gastroenteritis. Train her out of that behavior ASAP. However, dogs will eat grass from time to time as they are omnivores.
