Question:

My husband and I have a 6-month-old Shetland sheepdog. She is always licking us. Our hands, faces, arms, legs, feet -- it doesn''t matter where, she licks us anytime she is near us. Is this normal behavior? Is she missing something from her diet that causes her to do this, or is she just expressing affection for us? What can we do to get her to stop this behavior?.

B.H., Mayville, ND Aug 01, 2004

Answer:

Your Sheltie is suffering from an obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) -- natural care-giving, affectionate behavior gone over the top. You need to re-motivate her: play games with her, go for a walk, groom her and, best of all, get her a canine companion.Many dogs develop various OCDs partially out of boredom, especially active, once-working breeds like Shelties and border collies. They need space and physical activity, and do best (if not used for herding and guarding) living with at least one other dog. With three or more dogs you have a pack, and that makes for interesting dog company and dynamics.

Question:

I read your column every week. I have two Nova Scotia duck tolling retrievers, each from different breeders. My first dog, Penny, is a pleasant "queen." The second, Lucky, is just the opposite. She loves to run in the mud, back and forth, chasing anything and everything. We have a dog pen, and tried everything you suggested in your column.The mud was just not to be believed! I thought I''d had it, but then we found the solution: After sand, woodchips, hay, cement, etc., we broke down and installed artificial turf from a man who was installing a putting green on our property. He said he could change my life by doing this.I must admit that I thought he was nuts, but then so was I by this point and decided to try it. And I''m pleased to say that it''s the best solution of all -- no maintenance, and no problem cleaning up after the dogs. It even solves the problem of them not wanting to "go" when there is no grass.

N.A., Potomac, Md Aug 01, 2004

Answer:

Thanks for the advice that many readers will appreciate. Artificial turf is indeed a practical, long-lasting solution to providing a clean and durable surface for a dog pen or enclosed run. It is also easy to clean with a water hose.

Question:

I admire your obvious love for animals and I really would like to know what you think of raw diets for dogs.Mine is about 20 pounds, 7 or 8 years old (we found her three years ago, so her age is estimated), and quite bouncy and healthy except for some gum recession due to the obviously poor oral hygiene she''d had prior to my finding her. (I brush her teeth.) She''s transitioning to the raw food well in terms of eating it, and everything seems to be passing through her normally.The daily diet consists of:-- about 1/2 cup raw meat (so far, chicken)-- a raw chicken or beef bone (no pork or salmon)-- a rounded tablespoon of mixed vegetables, pulped-- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon powdered kelp and alfalfa (a 50/50 mix)-- 1/4 teaspoon cod liver oil (Mom says we used to love this when we were little -- ugh!)-- 1 teaspoon freshly ground flaxseed, or 1 teaspoon olive oil-- periodically, a probiotic supplement (from Whole-istic Solutions)-- a few unsalted, raw almonds, walnuts or pecans as treatsWe plan to add about 1,000 millig

C.DeS., Fort Worth, TX Aug 01, 2004

Answer:

I am extremely cautious about giving dogs an all-raw diet. As you are doing, one must transition them gradually from regular food to this kind of diet, and monitor the dog''s condition and stools to determine digestibility. Some dogs still need cooked foods for better absorption; remember that dogs are closer to omnivores than carnivores.I see nothing wrong with feeding your dog some cooked grains like rice, oats and barley, as well as lightly cooked vegetables and high-protein pulses like lentils and chickpeas.I am not in favor of feeding animals chicken bones, which can cause internal problems if they splinter; raw beef soup/shank bones are for chewing only.Scald all meat and poultry and handle it with care because food-poisoning bacteria are all too common and can make dogs and cats (as well as other family members) sick. Alternate this with scrambled eggs as a protein source, and ideally only use organically certified ingredients for better nutritional value.Finally, your dog should also get one human ped

Question:

The July 11 "America's Funniest Home Videos" contained two clips that deeply disturbed me and my children. We were shocked at their insensitivity to animal suffering and animals at risk. Specifically, the video clips were of a man in a boat gaffing (hooking) a large fish that struggled in evident fear and pain, and a terrified cat falling off a roof and landing with pain and/or injury to its right front paw.Dr. Fox, please tell TV producers to show more concern and awareness in their selection process before airing video clips to the public. They have a responsibility to not condone animal suffering and cruelty, which they surely fail by showing material like what we saw.

D.K., Washington, DC Aug 01, 2004

Answer:

I agree with you absolutely. I see this as corruption of perception, and it is a sad reflection of our times that animal suffering and distress are seen by many as entertainment. If it is funny to most people, then we need to take a closer look at our values. There is a definitive link between childhood cruelty toward animals and later criminal behavior. Compassion is a boundless ethic and the mark of a truly civilized society.

Question:

We have an 11-month-old male poodle. He is playful, funny and very happy. For the last month or so, he has developed what seems to me to be mean streak. If I try to move him from my chair he shows his teeth and growls at me. We have never been anything but gentle and loving toward him.I''m becoming concerned for my 4-year-old grandson, although it seems I''m the only one the dog growls at. Please advise.

C.P.H., Fort Myers, FL Aug 01, 2004

Answer:

Your dog is at the age where he is asserting his dominance; he''s out to be top dog in the family pack, and is testing the waters.Try enticing him off the chair with a favorite toy or occasional treat, being sure to say "down" or "off" first and then "good boy" when he obeys. This is re-motivation training, and a way of avoiding confrontation or provoking him.Overindulged dogs in particular go through this dominance-aggression phase. Go with him to obedience school so you can learn how to better communicate with and control him. Establish yourself as the leader of the pack.

Question:

I have been following your column closely because I have three cats and two dogs and am very concerned about the risks of having them vaccinated. You have been most informative on new views on this topic. What vaccinations and times (ages and frequencies) do you recommend?.

R.B., Fairfax, Va Jul 25, 2004

Answer:

The health risks of vaccinations have been the focus of concerned veterinarians over the past decade. Many now advocate the following protocol to reduce the risks of chronic health problems that have been linked to adverse reactions to repeated vaccinations:-- For dogs, at 12 weeks or older, give modified live virus distemper and parvovirus only and none thereafter. At 16 weeks or older, give rabies vaccination and repeat every three years.-- For cats, at 12 weeks or older, give FCV (calici), FPV (panleukopenia) and FVR (herpes/rhino), and rabies at 16 weeks if required by law, using the canary pox vectored 1-year vaccine. If feline leukemia vaccine is needed in at-risk cats (those who get outdoors or are exposed to new cats), give two doses at 9 and 12 weeks or 12 and 15 weeks, and one more booster at 1 year of age (and none thereafter) in order to reduce the risk of injection-site cancer (fibrosarcoma).-- For Lyme disease in dogs, the recombinant Lyme vaccine is preferable to the bacterial vaccine for dogs

Question:

In an earlier column, you ran a letter from J.S. in Brookeville about dealing with constipation in cats. After one of my cats had a serious bout with constipation, I was also advised to mix pumpkin with her food. This worked up to a point, but a big can of pumpkin goes bad long before a cat can finish it. I wished that the pumpkin came in smaller sizes, and I wanted to give the cat more variety in her roughage, but I didn''t know what to do.Then one day when I was in the store, I happened to walk by the baby-food shelf. I noticed that there were little jars of squash -- and what is pumpkin but a big squash? I also realized that there were many different baby vegetables, all just the right consistency to be easily mixed into cat food. Now we buy a selection of baby-food vegetables and our kitty gets a varied diet of roughage that stays fresh until the jar is gone.An added bonus is that our other cats love the vegetables, too. One of them found immediate relief from a lifelong hairball problem when we started a

C.F., Washington, DC Jul 25, 2004

Answer:

Thank you for pointing out the benefits for constipation and furballs of feeding cats pureed, high-fiber vegetables.The next step is to cook and puree in the blender fresh organic vegetables high in fiber, beneficial carotenoids and antioxidants, like carrots, squash, sweet potato, kale and mustard greens. Put the mixture in empty yogurt cups and store them in the freezer, and give each cat a tablespoon or two full every day in their regular food. Raw, sprouted and chopped beans and seeds are also excellent for cats and dogs -- and people, too.CAGED-BIRD HEALTH WARNINGHundreds of pet birds (canaries, parrots and parakeets) are falling off their perches and dying from the fumes released from Teflon-coated cooking utensils, according to experts in the United Kingdom. Teflon contains toxic perfluorinated compounds that are also in stain-proof carpets and clothes. This latest hazard to modern life warrants further study in terms of human health risks. Pet birds may well be like the canaries that miners took into

Question:

Almost every morning after I leave for work, my son''s cat goes into our bedroom to sleep with my wife. After a short period of time he starts pulling my wife''s hair with his teeth. Any idea why he''s doing this?.

T.R., Sterling Heights, MI Jul 25, 2004

Answer:

This is the cat''s way of waking up your wife. Maybe the cat wants to be fed, so feed him before you go to work. Other hungry cats will yowl, walk with leaden paws over sleepers, or knock things off a dresser or side table until they get their way.

Question:

Regarding the letter from D.S. in Marathon, Fla.: I have an account of one of my cats with an episode of urinary tract shutdown that happened years ago in Richmond. It may be of interest to you.Mr. Mew ate a plate filled with shrimp tails, a very special treat. It wasn''t long before he had a reaction -- maybe a day or two. He was listless, had no appetite and his fur lost its luster. I took him to his veterinarian, who took one look and identified the problem immediately. He kept him overnight, did medical miracles and, by the next day, he was his usual cheerful, playful, handsome self! Dr. Fore cautioned me to never let him have shrimp tails again -- the calcium is dangerous and could cause calcification, which, in turn, could precipitate another shutdown that might prove fatal.

M.P.M., Kill Devil Hills, NC Jul 18, 2004

Answer:

Certainly, giving cats leftover shellfish or bony fish trimmings could well cause the rapid formation of urinary crystals because of the high mineral content. These crystals (often called sand) can block the urethra, which, being narrower in male cats than in females, means that male cats are more at risk from diet-related urinary blockage. This is an acute, painful condition that is first recognized when the cat becomes listless and may repeatedly strain in futile attempts to urinate and relieve the painful pressure of a distended bladder.So all things in moderation, and always keep leftover foods out of animals'' reach and garbage containers tightly sealed.

Question:

A short time back, I read one of your articles regarding an indoor cat who never leaves the apartment and needs no shots. Your advice in this regard is appreciated.I am a disabled senior citizen on Social Security. There are other disabled seniors who need a repeat of your advice as soon as possible. Personally, I cannot keep up with checkups and shots for my 13-year-old cat.

P.G., Southfield, MI Jul 18, 2004

Answer:

To put your mind at ease, and for those like you who are disabled and have limited financial means, don''t feel guilty about not taking your cat in for annual booster vaccinations. They are not necessary for cats who are 100-percent indoors and who have been vaccinated earlier in life (except for rabies if local law mandates).Call around, beginning with your local humane society, to find a reputable veterinarian who does house calls and might give you a discount for coming by once a year to check your cat over, especially her teeth and general condition.