Question:

My beloved 6-yar-old cat Pinto had to be euthanized recently due to complications related to vaccine-associated feline sarcoma. This is a cancer, said to be caused by agents added to the rabies and the feline leukemia vaccines to make them more potent. If these vaccines cause cancer, why are the pharmaceutical companies marketing them and why are the vets using them?Pinto had two operations. The first, performed by the local vet, was to remove visible cancer; the second, performed by a veterinary surgeon, was an amputation of his right hind leg, where the sarcoma was located. He lived for only three months after the amputation, but with a good quality of life -- it was a blood clot that took his life in the end.I wonder, however, if I did the right thing. Were both operations necessary? Did the first one spread the cancer? And, if so, did the amputation do any good? Would Pinto have lived just as long, or longer, had I simply managed the pain?.

A.L., Silver Spring, Md Mar 28, 2004

Answer:

I am sorry to hear of the terrible ordeal that you and your cat went through. The vaccine-induced sarcoma problem (which can also be caused by other injections) is being researched, and hopefully a new generation of safer vaccines -- some of which can be sprayed into a cat or dog''s nose -- may soon be marketed.Extreme caution is warranted when it comes to vaccinating cats. Permanent indoor cats may require fewer (if any) than those who are allowed out and risk exposure to sick cats.Injecting the vaccines under the skin of the cat''s tail may be a cautionary step, since it would be less traumatic to amputate the tail rather than a leg if cancer were to develop. Both operations were necessary for your cat, I believe, offering him the best chance of some quality of life if not actual recovery.

Question:

We always make a point of reading your column in The Washington Post, and would appreciate having you address Cushing's disease. Our 10-year-old, mixed-breed dog may have it. It has been years since I can recall any human being diagnosed with the disease, let alone an animal. Our dog has an increased appetite and water consumption, frequent urination and panting.

C.F., Arlington, Va Mar 28, 2004

Answer:

Cushing's disease is a disorder of the dog's adrenal glands, which become hyperactive.It is not uncommon in middle-age dogs, and the symptoms include patches of baldness, muscular weakness, chronic eye and ear infections, and a symptomatic pot-bellied appearance. Changes in appetite, thirst, reduced physical activity, and poor heat and cold tolerance are other signs. Suspected cases should also be checked for thyroid, liver and pancreatic function, because other systems may also be involved in the dog's deteriorating condition. In addition, mineral deposits may develop in the skin.Cushing's disease involves excess production of cortisol from the adrenal glands, due to either a tumor in the pituitary gland in the brain, a tumor on the adrenal gland or prolonged use of steroid drugs. The course of treatment depends on the results of tests conducted to determine the root source of this endocrine disease.

Question:

I have a wonderful, beautiful, 6-year-old cat named Summer. From the day I got her (at 3 months of age), even though she was an outdoor kitten, she has used the litter box faithfully. Never did she urinate outside of her litter box -- until about six months ago.I have wall-to-wall white carpeting in the bathroom with a blue throw rug over it and, all of a sudden, Summer began urinating on the blue rug. I took her to the vet who said she was OK, but that she must be relieving herself somewhere because her bladder was empty. This went on for a while until I finally threw the blue rug away.I bought a new throw rug and she proceeded to urinate on it, too, so I cleaned it and put it in the closet. While it was in the closet, she would lie on it but never once peed on it. The minute I put it back in the bathroom, she peed on it again.She''s had no trauma or changes in her life, so what would make her start urinating outside her box after six years?.

J.P., Silver Spring, Md Mar 28, 2004

Answer:

There are many reasons why cats become house-soilers, and from your account I think it is most likely that your cat is a "substrate marker."Certain surfaces (like a shag rug or a crunchy beanbag chair) act as triggers for cats to urinate (and also sometimes to defecate), as they would do naturally outdoors on a grassy or gravelly substrate in the garden or backyard.Removing such trigger-surfaces or materials in the home eliminates the problem, as when your cat chose to sleep on the throw rug when it was rolled up and put in a closet.

Question:

As a faithful reader of your column, I have gotten numerous helpful tips for my Chocolate lab from your column regarding commercial dog food and skin conditions. Recently, you published an article regarding chronic skin infections and the possibility of a thyroid condition.On my last visit to my vet he advised me that my dog would always have ear infections and the possibility of a thyroid condition. He rolled his eyes in disgust, but said if I wanted a blood test it wasn''t all that expensive. This last visit was on a Saturday, and he told me that he would call Monday with the results. I''m sure the call was a little painful for him, but he said Abbie was on the low end of average (1.2), which could lead to skin and ear infections, and that he would prescribe thyroid medication.This letter isn''t about all the costs of the vet, it''s about my thinking that continual medicating can''t be good for my dog. Thanks for all the helpful information you''ve provided in the past and keep up the good work.

C.M., Norfolk, Va Mar 28, 2004

Answer:

Thank you for the account of your minor ordeal convincing your dog''s attending veterinarian to take up my suggestion. I''m sure this often happens: "How can Dr. Fox really know what''s wrong with an animal he''s never seen?" many skeptics might ask.No, I''m not a psychic able to engage in remote sensing and non-local diagnostics. It is thanks to readers like you and the veterinary journals that I receive that I have a good overview of the most prevalent health and behavioral problems of companion animals. It is a "wide-angle" perspective coupled with my holistic approach to veterinary problems, with prevention being the first approach. Your dog will have to be on the thyroid replacement medication for the rest of his life.

Question:

In the year 2000, we had some new neighbors move in across the street with a male cat that they neutered and declawed. They kept him outside most of the time. I had a female cat that was spayed and kept indoors at all times. Our city animal control requires cats to be kept inside or on the owner''s property. In 2001, the male cat started coming around and spraying all around my house, including my porches.My cat started hissing, growling, throwing up and most of her hair fell out. My cat was put on amitriptyline. After several tests it was determined that nothing was wrong with her. Her thyroid was tested three times, and all tests were normal.After asking the owners several times to contain their cat and being told, "Hell, no, we won''t," animal control was then called out twice, but the neighbors chose to ignore the warnings from the officers, too. I tried to run the male cat off with water guns and by throwing cans at him. In 2003, my cat had gone from 14 pounds to 7.4 pounds. She was skin and bones, as she

S.H., Chesapeake, Va Mar 21, 2004

Answer:

I am publishing your letter in the hopes that all cat owners and animal control authorities will take note. You give another reason why cats should never be allowed to roam free. It is illegal for dog owners to let their dogs wander the neighborhood, and the same law should apply to cats and their owners.I agree that your cat died of psychosocial stress, essentially by being terrorized by the invasive presence (sight, sounds and scent) of a threatening cat. Even if the neighbor''s tomcat wouldn''t have harmed a whisker on your cat had the two met out in the open, the fact remains that indoor cats are stressed by outdoor cats who come around their homes. They often begin to soil the house, fight other cats in the same home, attack their human companions and, in rare instances, become terminally ill, as happened to your poor cat.

Question:

My older brother tells me that I am wrong to support animal rights if I''m a Christian, because animals don''t have immortal souls and only humans were made in God''s image. What is your take on this one?.

R.E., Poolesville, Md Mar 21, 2004

Answer:

To paraphrase the writer G.K. Chesterton, there''s nothing wrong with Christianity except no one has really tried it, except for St. Francis of Assisi.St. Francis taught that through nature and animals we realize God, and should treat all of God''s creation with respect and compassion. For more details, see my book "The Boundless Circle: Caring for Creatures and Creation" (Quest Books, 1996).Theologian Meister Eckhart encapsulates my philosophy in these eloquent lines: "Apprehend God in all things. For God is in all things. Every single creature is full of God and is a book about God. Every creature is a word of God."

Question:

I have a dog with a problem.She is a 9-year-old schnauzer and, since she was a puppy, she has had periods of acute anxiety, day and night. She becomes obsessed, runs around frantically from room to room, scratches the carpet, has a wild look and trembles all over. She is on a maintenance dose of Valium (5 milligrams) at night and will go for months with no problem. No one can figure out what sets her off. These spells last 30 minutes to two hours.Her diet was changed to Hill''s w/d, canned and dry, with boiled white chicken, Milk-Bones and chewies for treats. She has had as much as 15 milligrams of Valium before she calms down. We have had her to three vets, and no one seems to know what to do. Any suggestions?.

P.F., Williamsburg, Va Mar 21, 2004

Answer:

A holistic approach to your dog''s quasi-hallucinogenic, possibly epileptic form of anxiety attacks (which may have a hereditary basis) is the best that I can suggest. The alternative "silver bullet" is to put your dog on Prozac or some other psychotropic drug that so many doctors are prescribing in wholesale quantities to their human patients.A holistic approach would include testing her thyroid function and providing her with a natural, high-meat (organic, free-range turkey, chicken or lamb) diet; some raw vegetable ingredients like a tablespoon of grated carrot or sweet potato; no processed commercial pet food containing human food- or beverage-industry byproducts; and no corn, wheat, beef, dairy or soy dietary ingredients (to which many dogs are allergic). Some food ingredients can cause seizures in dogs.Do not use "flea dot" or heartworm preventive treatments for at least three months, and do not have your dog vaccinated except for the mandatory rabies shot that should be good for three years. Be alert t

Question:

If you would permit one more view about the article concerning the high cost of pet care: I think the main problem with pets in this country is the same as it is for humans. They are overfed, under-exercised and overmedicated. Most health problems in this country could be eradicated with a commonsense approach to diet and exercise, but people would rather have a doctor hand them pills to take instead of solving the problem themselves. We''re too fat and our pets are, too. People rely too much on doctors and now they''re doing the same for their pets.There are millions of wonderful, healthy animals that need good homes, and when I read about these people who spend untold thousands of dollars on tests, treatments and meds, but put their animal companions through all kinds of discomfort because they''re too selfish to humanely put the animal to sleep, it makes me nauseous. When a dog is old and sick it should be put to sleep, not forced to suffer shots and pills forced down its throat and other indignities -- the

K.D.O., Londonderry, OH Mar 21, 2004

Answer:

I agree with you entirely. Letting go of a loved one is the hardest thing. Unselfish love is the essence of unconditional love transformed by empathy and compassion. True love means knowing when to let go.

Question:

We have an adopted poodle/terrier mix, about 7 years old and weighing 30 pounds. He has such severe allergies (nonstop licking of his feet is a primary symptom) that we had to take him to an animal dermatologist. After ruling out food allergies, he tested positive for almost everything on the test -- trees, grass, etc. For almost a year, I have given him a weekly injection and daily antihistamines, plus thyroid medicine. The symptoms have improved, but they still persist. I wonder if there would be a more holistic approach to this.

E.M., Washington, DC Mar 14, 2004

Answer:

The big question is why your dog''s i

Question:

Our cocker spaniel has a lot of ear infections. We clean them twice a week. I''m on Social Security so I can''t afford a lot of vet bills. Would yogurt help him?.

N.G., Tinley Park, IL Mar 14, 2004

Answer:

Cocker spaniels, because of their abnormally large, furry, heavy ears (a human creation through generations of selective breeding), often suffer from chronic ear infections. In many cases the only relief from suffering is remedial surgery to open up the external ear canal so that the ear can "breathe." The best remedy is for breeders to change show standards and only breed cockers with smaller, less fleshy and furry ears.The following preventive steps can help many cockers with chronic ear problems, which necessitate the use of potentially harmful medications:-- Clip the fur and most of the "feathers" off the ears.-- Tie the ears up over the dog''s head while indoors (most cockers get used to this) so that the ear canals can aerate.-- Douche the canals with 1 teaspoon of white vinegar in a cup of warm water every week to dry up moist infections.-- Feed your dog a natural, whole-food, ideally homemade balanced diet, and put a few drops of flaxseed oil and vitamin A in his food every day.