Q: The poor dog you wrote about (Brutus, paralyzed and suffering from colitis) needs to see a competent veterinarian and have his condition colitis treated.

I can imagine that there must be a mess that the owners are coming home to and the dog must be mortified also. If this condition is not properly treated they will put him to sleep.

What would you tell a friend who had such a problem? Go to the Cleveland Clinic or similar place and get a proper diagnosis and treatment.

Well, why not refer them to a top-tier clinic like the Metropolitan Veterinary Hospital in Akron, Ohio, which would be similar to the Cleveland Clinic. They could have this problem resolved. _Margaret Thorpe, DVM.

A: Right you are. The underlying assumption was that the family, which wanted to find a new home for their dog, had taken the dog to be treated by a veterinarian. But you can never be too safe. Metropolitan Veterinary Hospital is as good as they get, with a network of specialists within easy reach.