Most of us here on Dogster and Catster find it hard to understand animal neglect and abuse. After all, the sort of person who creates a web page for his cat probably has a pretty pampered pet!

Sadly, not every animal is so lucky. A reader named Anna recently contacted me and told me about her organization, Sunbear Squad. Sunbear was a chocolate Labrador who died of neglect after six weeks of being trapped in a laundry room. Sunbear’s story is heartbreaking, and it affected large numbers of people. It led to stricter animal abuse and cruelty laws in Sunbear’s home state of West Virginia.

Sunbear’s story also led to the creation of Sunbear Squad. Their website contains a wealth of information on recognizing, preventing and fighting animal abuse and neglect.

A news item in the February 15, 2008 Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association points out that more states are enacting legislation to protect animal welfare. According to the Journal, cruelty to animals is a felony in 43 states. Several states provide immunity to veterinarians who report suspected neglect or abuse. Colorado now requires veterinarians to report such suspicions.

We have a long way to go before all cats and dogs are treated as well as the ones on Catster and Dogster. But I am glad that there are people out there working to make it happen.

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Hello,

Emahlie
Portland / Corvallis OR

I also have noticed that some dogs’ feet have a rather pungent odor. I’ve never heard of the term “Frito feet” before, but it is a sensible name for the syndrome if you ask me.

Bacteria and yeast naturally reside on the skin of all animals, including cats and dogs. The feet of both species contain many folds and pockets, such as the areas between toes and the spaces between the foot pads. These areas have increased levels of moisture and decreased air circulation at the level of the skin.

The increased moisture and decreased air circulation in these environments enables the resident bacteria and yeast to proliferate exuberantly. These micro-organisms give off odors, and I suspect that they are the cause of Frito feet. Because cats groom themselves more thoroughly than dogs, they are less likely to have foot odor.

One bacteria in particular is famous for smelling like corn tortillas. That bacteria is called Pseudomonas. It is often associated with skin or ear infections, and I can’t promise that it has anything to do with causing Frito feet. But I am a bit suspicious.

I should point out that most dogs with Frito feet don’t have infected feet. Rather, they have mildly increased numbers of micro-organisms on their feet. The best way to prevent the smell is to regularly clean and dry your dog’s feet.

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I was just told that my two-year-old Rottweiler has
a heart murmur. The vet explained what his heart is
doing and not doing. I really don’t understand.
Could you explain this to me? Is it
life-threatening? All she did was listen through a
stethoscope. She said she could hear
the back flow from the second beat not getting the
full closure so not all blood is going where it is
supposed to go…..???? I am a little confused.
Any advice would help. Thank you!

Lori
Redding, CA

Heart murmurs occur when blood flows through the heart in a turbulent manner. Instead of moving smoothly through the heart, the blood flows in an irregular fashion, causing a swooshing noise that is audible through a stethoscope.

Some heart murmurs are harmless. For instance, some pets are born with mild irregularities in their hearts. These irregularities lead to heart murmurs, but they don’t cause symptoms or problems.

Other heart murmurs are not so innocuous. Leaking valves in the heart cause murmurs. They also cause blood to flow in an irregular fashion and may lead to heart failure. More serious congenital heart irregularities can cause murmurs. And some dogs with a serious syndrome called cardiomyopathy have heart murmurs.

The best option for your dog is to determine what is causing the murmur. If it is benign, you can rest easy. If a problem exists, you should treat it as soon as possible.

A combination of X-rays, ECG and ultrasound of the heart (echocardiography) will almost certainly identify the cause of the murmur. You may need to travel to a specialist facility for some of these tests. However, in my opinion it will be worth the effort.

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Dental disease is the most common major health problem that I identify in my patients. And studies have shown that my patients are not unique in that regard. Dental disease is endemic in pets.

Dental disease (also known as periodontal disease) has been associated with pain, heart problems, liver problems, diabetes, cancer, sinus infections, behavior changes and a host of other problems. Brushing your pet’s teeth is the best way to prevent dental disease, and I strongly encourage it.

All breeds of cats and dogs are at risk for dental disease, and all pets should undergo regular veterinary checkups to ensure that they are not suffering from dental disease or other medical conditions.

A recent analysis of patients seen at a large chain of veterinary hospitals (Banifield, The Pet Hospital®) led to a list of the ten breeds of dogs that are at highest risk for periodontal disease and its associated problems. The list was published in the January/February issue of Banfield® Magazine.

Here is the list: Toy Poodle, Yorkshire Terrier, Maltese, Pomeranian, Shetland Sheepdog (Sheltie), Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Papillon, Standard Poodle, Dachshund and Havanese.

I should emphasize again that every dog and cat is at risk of dental disease. However, if your dog is on the above list, you may want to pay special attention to his or her oral health.

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My female spayed shorthair recently started
grooming excessively to the point of chewing off
hair at the base of her tail where her spine meets
her tail. She was licking and chewing only in
this area and her skin became raw. This has
continued up her spine to her mid-back but no
where else on her body. The vet checked her out
and found no mites or mange and said if it were an
allergy it would not be found in only one area.
He suggested it may be that she is rubbing her
back against a pet door or table but I have never
witnessed this behavior only the licking,
scratching and biting. Do you have any idea why
she is so itchy in this area?

Kristina
Huntington Beach, CA

I have a few thoughts on this matter.

First, Huntington Beach is flea territory. And cats with allergies to fleas tend to develop skin problems in exactly the area you describe. Remember that cats with flea allergies often won’t be infested with fleas. All it takes is an occasional bite for a severe reaction to occur. So, if your cat isn’t already receiving regular, high-quality flea treatment, start with that.

As well, your cat may be suffering from psychogenic alopecia, a syndrome in which cats excessively groom themselves for psychological reasons. Click the link in the preceding sentence to find out more about this syndrome.

Although allergies to pollen, food or dander usually lead to skin problems that are more spread out over the body, I have seen these types of allergies cause the sort of problems you describe. You could consider allergy testing, antihistamines, or, as a last resort, prednisone.

Finally, there are rare diseases in which the immune system attacks the skin. These syndromes can cause the sort of symptoms you describe.

Of the causes I have listed, it is my opinion that the first two are by far the most likely. So, start with good flea control. If that doesn’t help, I recommend another trip to the vet to have the other causes explored.

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I believe B. F. Skinner was the first person to point out animals (including humans) respond more favorably to positive reinforcement than they do to punishment. In other words, if you want to train your dog, cat or spouse it is more effective to reward good behavior than to punish bad behavior.

A news item in the February 15, 2008 issue of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association reinforces that notion. Here is an excerpt.

The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior has issued a position statement and guidelines on the use of punishment for dealing with behavior problems in animals.

The guidelines clarify that while punishment can be effective in specific contexts, it also has an association with many adverse effects.

The news item goes on to point out that punishment, as it is employed by most people, is ineffective. In fact, it can lead to increases in undesirable behaviors such as aggression. It can weaken the bond between the punisher and the punished, and it may cause animals to become generally fearful.

Many people punish their pets out of anger, do not use punishments consistently, or time punishments inappropriately. Unless you have training in animal behavior, it is unlikely that punishing your pet will bring about desirable behavior changes.

So there you have it. The next time you come home and find garbage strewn all over the house, resist the urge to yell at the dog. It might help you blow off steam, but it won’t keep your pet out of the trash in the future.

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Dr. Barchas,

Thank you,
Jo
Woodland, CA

Your dog certainly sounds like she is getting all of the care and attention that she needs, and I commend you for that!

Three things could be causing your dog to try to consume her urine. The first (and most likely) is a change in her urine chemistry. This can lead to urine that smells unusual and interesting to her. And that may make her want to taste it. I realize that sounds strange, but dogs do plenty of strange things. Bladder infections and diabetes are the most frequent causes of sudden urine chemistry changes.

I recommend that you take your dog to the vet for an evaluation. The vet will probably want to run blood and urine tests. Don’t let your dog urinate for several hours before the appointment–that will make it easier for the vet to get a urine sample.

Of course, there is a chance that no medical problem exists. Some dogs develop tastes for unique flavors as they age. So, she may be drinking her urine because she suddenly likes the taste of urine. Like I said, dogs do some strange things.

Finally, there is a chance that she is engaging in attention-seeking behavior. The key to eliminating this sort of behavior is to make your dog believe that you don’t really care whether she tastes her urine . . . while at the same time discreetly preventing her from engaging in the behavior.

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The April 1, 2008 issue of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA) reports on a law that will take effect this month in Los Angeles. An excerpt from the article is below.

This April in Los Angeles, one of the nation’s strictest pet sterilization laws takes effect, mandating that most of the city’s pet owners have their cat or dog spayed or neutered by the time the animal is four months old. Certain animals, such as service dogs and those belonging to registered breeders, are exempted from the law.

Supporters of the law hope that it will reduce the number of unwanted cats and dogs that are euthanized each year in the city. The JAVMA article states that in 2007 8,960 cats and 6,049 dogs were euthanized because homes could not be found for them.

However, not everyone supports the law.

Pedigree groups such as the American Kennel Club and the Cat Fanciers’ Association are opposed to mandatory spay and neuter laws, saying dog and cat overpopulation is a complex problem that goes beyond reproductive status to multiple aspects of owner irresponsibility. The Los Angeles ordinance will be difficult to enforce and evaded by owners who don’t licence their pets with the city.

Ah, controversy. Personally, I am ambivalent about this law. From a population standpoint, it makes perfect sense. It breaks my heart to think of 15,000 unwanted pets being euthanized each year in Los Angeles. The law likely will bring that number down.

But I do not treat populations. I treat individuals. The jury is still out on whether four months of age is the best time to sterilize a pet, as I mentioned in a previous post. So, although the law may be the best thing for Los Angeles’ cats and dogs in general, there are some individuals for whom the law may be less than ideal.

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Are certain breeds (both dogs and cats) more
susceptible to cancer than other breeds?

Regena
Norman, OK

All dogs and cats, purebred or not, have the potential to develop cancer during their lifetime. However, it is true that some purebred animals are more susceptible, on average, than others.

Among dogs, two of the sweetest breeds are unfortunately highly susceptible to multiple types of cancer. Those breeds are the Boxer and the Golden Retriever. Several other breeds are predisposed to certain forms of cancer as well. For instance, large and giant breeds of dogs such as Bernese Mountain Dogs, Great Danes, and Rottweilers are more likely than other breeds to develop bone cancer. For a more thorough list, you can click on this link from the Morris Animal Foundation (PDF format).

Mixed-breed dogs (sometimes known affectionately as mutts) are generally at lower risk of cancer than their purebred counterparts.

Among cats, less breed-specific data exist on cancer risk. However, purebred cats are generally believed to be more susceptible to cancer than their non-purebred cohorts. In my experience, Persians, Bengals, and Siamese cats appear to suffer from cancer at increased rates. As well, cats with white faces and ears are prone to a type of skin cancer called squamous cell carcinoma. In these cats, the cancer develops on the head and ears, and exposure to sunlight increases the risk.

Please remember that cancer does not universally occur in the breeds mentioned above. Plenty of Golden Retrievers and Persians never develop cancer. Also, remember that cancer has many risk factors, and breed is just one of them.

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When my little girl Hae Yu (a cat) was spayed, she
developed a seroma. The swelling went down pretty
well and I thought it was gone. On her check up a
a month or so after the spaying, the vet said she looked fine.

Barbara
New Jersey

Seromas are common, generally mild complications that can follow any type of surgery. They occur when fluid accumulates underneath the skin in the area of the incision. Most seromas resolve within two or three weeks, and they usually don’t require any major treatment.

If your vet re-evlauated Hae Yu and determined that the seroma had healed, then I doubt that it is playing any role in the current situation.

What is most likely is that Hae Yu is developing fat deposits on her abdomen. These are officially called abdominal fat pads, but some folks prefer terms such as “Buddha belly”, “beer belly” (which isn’t really appropriate since most cats shun beer) or “dangling participle”.

These fat deposits occur primarily in spayed and neutered cats. They occur on the rear portion of the abdomen. Cats do not have to be overweight for them to develop. They do not form in all cats, but in some cats they are pronounced. One patient of mine, a Sphynx cat, was completely hairless and developed an exceptionally prominent pair of fat pads on his abdomen after he was neutered. The pads were unsightly, but they were harmless.

And that is the key thing to remember. Abdominal fat pads are, in general, harmless. You might want to have your vet take a look at Hae Yu to confirm that nothing else is going on. But my hunch is that there isn’t much to worry about.

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