It’s pretty common knowledge on Dogster that dogs are wonderful and often lifesaving friends for human beings. They also have a knack for befriending cats (some people may doubt this, but anyone who lives with both a dog and a cat knows firsthand that the species can get along). And, as the following brief article from the August 15, 2008 issue of The Week shows, dogs’ good natures can prove beneficial to the largest cats of all.

Only one day after a litter of three white tiger cubs was born at the zoo in Caney, Kan., their mother stopped caring for them. The tiny cubs wandered around helplessly. But zoo owner Tom Harvey had an inspiration: He brought in a Golden Retriever to act as their surrogate mother. The idea worked; the dog, named Isabella, is licking, cleaning, and even nursing the cubs as if they were her own. Harvey said the adoptive mother had just recently weaned her own puppies. “The timing couldn’t have been any better,” he said.

It’s definitely a feel-good story. However, I am slightly troubled by the phrase zoo owner. I hope that the Caney zoo is a fully accredited institution, rather than a private for-profit roadside attraction.

Either way, my hat goes off to Isabella.

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Why does my cat put his favorite toys in his food
bowl? He has done this since he was a tiny kitten.
He even does it if he has to jump on the counter
with the toy in his mouth. (We had a dog for a
while, and she would eat his food if it wasn’t on
the counter.)

Ruth
Ocala, FL

My answer is going to involve speculation. I don’t know for sure why your cat is engaging in this behavior, and I certainly can’t ask him. But I have a hunch.

Your cat’s food bowl is undoubtedly a very special place for him. If he enjoys eating as much as I do, then he associates the food bowl with good feelings.

What’s more, the food bowl is a place that is uniquely his. I suspect that in his mind it is the heart of his territory.

So when he moves his favorite toys to the heart of his territory, he is helping to keep his most prized possessions in a spot where it is easy to account for them.

I realize that this explanation involves speculation and a bit of anthropomorphism. Another possible explanation is that he likes to carry his toys around the house, and he drops them in his food bowl because he can’t hold a toy and eat at the same time. But I like the first explanation better.

Photo credit: Yuval Y. Photo licensing information: CC.

• Seemingly Funny Pet Behaviors May be Caused by Serious Compulsive Disorders
• What’s the Best Way to Wean a Kitten?
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• Is it Possible to Force a Cat to Eat a Specific Food?

I have a real simple question. I have a kitty
that is around 8 weeks old now. It has started to
eat food and drink water. The problem is that
the mother cat still wants to nurse this kitty and
its sibling. I was wondering, is it possible
that this will make the kitten vomit? Drinking
water and momma’s milk?

Carol
Cleveland, OH

It shouldn’t be a problem.

As any parent who has breast fed knows, weaning is a gradual process. In all mammals a normal transitional period occurs. During this period the infant nurses and consumes other forms of food and water. Over time, a complete transition away from nursing occurs.

I am troubled by your reference to vomiting. Are the kittens vomiting regularly? If so, you should have a vet check them out. (Actually, by eight weeks of age, a vet already should have checked them out! They need vaccines and deworming medications.)

However, if your kittens are not vomiting, then it sounds like they are going through a normal weaning process.

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• What’s the Best Way to Wean a Kitten?
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An article in the June 1, 2008 issue of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA) made an interesting point about a YouTube video.

A popular YouTube clip features a dog growling and biting at a potential threat to its chew bone. The punch line is the threat is actually the dog’s own hind limb. To the untrained eye, the clip is hilarious. Veterinary behaviorist Dr. Terry Marie Curtis sees it differently, however.

Sadly, the author of the article was not kind enough to offer a URL that would direct readers to the clip in question. However, I believe I have found it. Click here to watch the video. (Sorry, the user who uploaded the video forbid people to embed it in their blogs.)

The JAVMA article continues.

Dr Curtis, in fact, believes the dog is suffering from an obsessive-compulsive disorder [OCD] on par with the teenager who washes her hands so much they bleed or the adult who stays up through the night repeatedly locking and unlocking the front door.

“People laugh about that clip, but it makes me very sad to see the dog that upset and worried about itself,” said Dr. Curtis . . . Animal OCD is a serious welfare issue . . . Compulsive behaviors in animals show themselves in a variety of strange ways. A cursory list includes tail chasing, pacing, excessive grooming, overeating, vocalization, self-directed aggression [such as the behavior in the video clip], staring, and hunting imaginary prey.

In my practice, I often see animals that display these sorts of behaviors. As the article points out, many people don’t realize when their pet engages in these sorts of behaviors that the animal may be suffering or unhappy. The people who filmed the video can be heard laughing riotously. To me, the video is depressing. The dog is in distress.

What can be done for pets with OCD? Animal OCD, like the human form, has no cure. But it can be treated. Behavioral modification (the veterinary equivalent of counseling or therapy) is the best place to start.

[B]ehavioral modification involves highly structured interactions, and owner-administered punishment is to be avoided. Environmental changes, such as removing sources of conflict or distress, are also necessary.

Animals with severe OCD may also respond to medications such as Prozac.

Talk to your vet if you suspect that your pet may be suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder.

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Doctor, a friend has a female with four kittens.
Most of the kittens have swollen watery eyes. Is
this a serious illness? I am planning to adopt one
of the kittens. I don’t want to get a sick
kitten.

Vicki
Duncan, Oklahoma

Eye infections are very common in kittens. Usually they are not serious.

Because their immune systems are immature, kittens are highly susceptible to a number of viruses and bacteria that can cause swollen, weepy eyes. The most common offenders, herpes and Chlamydia, sound like venereal diseases. They aren’t. They are ubiquitous infectious agents, and almost every cat on earth contracts one or both of these germs at some point. Most are exposed as kittens.

The weepy eyes may take several weeks to clear up. A veterinarian should assess the kittens to make sure that nothing more serious is going on.

In rare cases, severe eye infections in kittens can lead to permanent damage and long-term eye and sinus issues. However, this is not common at all.

Therefore, the chances are very good that the kitten you are about to adopt does not have a major problem.

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• Is it Safe for Cats to Drink Milk?
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• Golden Retriever Adopts Tiger Cubs

Map credit: Centers for Disease Control. The geographic distribution of Lyme disease in dogs closely matches the distribution in people.

Our 10-year-old Terrier Jazz has been bitten by two
ticks this summer . How would I know if she has
gotten Lyme disease from them? How would I tell? We
keep her on heart worm and fleameds all the time.

Angel
Knoxville Tn.

Lyme disease (often misspelled lymes disease) is spread by ticks. It can infect humans and dogs. Lyme, Connecticut has the dubious distinction of being the place where the disease was first identified. The disease is named after the town.

A fair bit of misinformation circulates about Lyme disease. The bacteria that causes the disease is most commonly spread by a type of tick called the deer tick. Many people therefore believe that deer serve as reservoirs for the disease. That is not true. In fact, certain species of wild mice are the reservoirs.

Many people also believe that Lyme disease is common throughout the United States. That also is not true. As the map above shows, Lyme disease is very common along the northeastern seaboard and in the upper midwest. It is rare elsewhere.

In particular, Lyme disease is not common in the west or the south. Experts believe Lyme disease is rare in these areas because ticks prefer to feed on lizards, rather than mice, before they feed on people or dogs.

So, to answer your question, it is not likely that Angel has contracted Lyme disease.

However, that does not mean you don’t have to worry about ticks.

First, researchers have noted that tick populations are spreading and migrating throughout the United States, and their feeding habits may change. Therefore, the distribution of Lyme disease may change over time.

Also, although Lyme disease gets the most press, remember that ticks spread all sorts of other nasty diseases to humans, cats and dogs. These include rocky mountain spotted fever, ehrlichiosis/anaplasmosis, tularemia, Q fever and cytauxzoonosis.

The symptoms of most tick-borne diseases are vague. Affected animals may suffer lethargy, weight loss, limping, swollen joints, decreased appetite or weight loss. In the later stages of the diseases, multiple types of organ failure may occur.

Veterinarians can run blood tests to check for exposure to the most common tick-borne diseases. I recommend that these tests be run on any pet who has been parasitized by ticks. Most tick-borne diseases can be treated if they are caught early.

The most effective way to prevent tick-borne diseases is to prevent ticks from biting your pet. Several combination flea and tick preventatives are available through veterinarians for at-risk animals.

For more information on the geographic distribution of Lyme disease in people, click here.

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My nine-year-old Orange Tabby has vomited periodically most
of her life. Within the last few months, her
vomiting has increased to the point that I had to
rush her to vet ER. They hydrated her, ran
blood tests, xrays, etc.

Jill
Portland, Oregon, USA

It sounds like you and your cat are going through quite an ordeal!

Many things can cause cats to vomit. Food intolerance, metabolic disorders (such as liver or kidney disease), foreign objects in the stomach, neurological problems, heartworm disease, intestinal parasites, tumors, problems with the pancreas and exposure to poisons are among the many offenders, and this list is far from complete.

However, in cats that have a long history of vomiting that worsens precipitously I am often suspicious of a syndrome called inflammatory (or infiltrative) bowel disease. The syndrome is also known as IBD.

Cats with IBD suffer chronic irritation of the intestines. This leads to vomiting, diarrhea, or both.

Diagnosing IBD can be difficult. A biopsy of the intestines (by means of surgery or endoscopy) is the most definitive method, but it is very invasive and I rarely recommend it.

However, you do not mention that your cat has had an ultrasound of her abdomen. Ultrasound is a powerful, non-invasive and painless diagnostic technique. Skilled ultrasonographers can sometimes diagnose IBD. And they almost always offer insight into the cause of chronic vomiting. I would recommend abdominal ultrasound as the next step for your cat.

If your cat is diagnosed with IBD, several treatment options exist. Dietary modification is the mainstay of treatment, but it sounds like you may have exhausted this possibility. Probiotics help many cats; yours, unfortunately, seems refractory to this treatment.

I have seen many cats with chronic vomiting respond favorably to treatment with medicines that modulate the immune system. Prednisone is most commonly used. As I have mentioned before on this blog, prednisone is a double-edged sword. However, you may want to discuss a trial of the medicine with your veterinarian. It may help solve the problem.

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What are some of the things we as dog owners can
do to help a dog with hip dysplasia?

Rosie
Humble, TX

Hip dysplasia is a syndrome in which a dog’s (or less often, a cat’s) hip joints do not develop properly. This causes premature arthritis in the hips. Hip dysplasia is most common in large breeds of dogs. It has a hereditary component. Careful breeding has reduced the incidence of hip dysplasia over the last several years.

Hip dysplasia is sometimes confused with age-related arthritis. Many older animals suffer arthritis in their hips that is not related to abnormal development of the joints. However, in either instance the outcome is the same–arthritis that causes pain, stiffness, decreased mobility and a lower quality of life.

There are several techniques (some old, some new) for managing hip displasia and arthritis in pets.

Preventing hip dysplasia is by far the best option. Careful breeding is the most important aspect of hip dysplasia prevention. Less effective, but still important, is to feed at-risk puppies (Labrador Retrievers, German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers and other large breeds) a diet that promotes slower growth. Talk to your vet about this.

For pets diagnosed with hip dysplasia by a veterinarian, several techniques may delay the onset of arthritis. The most effective of these is weight management. Carrying extra weight puts tremendous strain on the hip joints.

Other techniques that can delay the onset of arthritis (or help to ameliorate the symptoms of arthritis after it develops) include administration of oral or injectable glucosamine, oral omega-3 supplementation, and physical therapy (mild exercise, swimming, hydrotherapy, and range of motion exercises). Young dogs diagnosed with severe hip dysplasia may benefit from a surgical technique known as triple pelvic osteotomy.

For the unfortunate individuals that are suffering from arthritis, all of the techniques listed in the preceding two paragraphs (except for triple pelvic osteotomy) can be beneficial. Additionally, treatment with the much maligned NSAID medicines can lead to a dramatic improvement in quality of life. Other, newer pain medicines such as amantadine are emerging as well that may be highly beneficial when used in conjunction with NSAIDs. Some prescription diets may lead to clinical improvement in arthritic pets.

A new generation of treatments for arthritis in the hips is also entering use in clinical practice. These treatments include stem cell injections, stimulation with certain types of lasers, and a technique known as extracorporeal shock wave therapy (it sounds scary, but it’s quite benign).

The treatment of last resort for arthritis of the hips is surgical hip replacement. Recent clinical advances have made this option more attractive than it was in the past.

The long and short of it is that there is a wide array of treatments for hip dysplasia and arthritis in pets. Many of them are new and not widely known. Your best bet is to find a vet who is passionate about comprehensive management of the syndromes. Sit down with this vet and develop a treatment plan that is right for you and your pet.

Image credit: Joel Mills. Licensing information: CC.

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The evidence keeps rolling in. Pets are good for people.

I was quite excited when Discovery CME, an organization that offers online continuing education for physicians, confused me for an MD and sent me their schedule. Among their offerings is a program that seemed right up my alley. The program is entitled “Pets and People: The Power of the Health Connection.” You can watch it online if you have a high speed connection.

The program is intended to be educational material for human physicians. I found this surprising (and, on some levels, disturbing) because the narration and theme of the program make it seem much more like an after-school special than a serious scientific work.

However, it makes solid points.

The above list does not even come close to being complete. If you want to read more about the ways in which having a pet benefits human health, check out the humanhealth tag on this blog. As well, you can find more information The Power of Paws, a website dedicated to spreading the word.

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A comment on the recent post about a potential treatment for FIV/Feline AIDS caught my eye. Here is the comment.

S Bridges posted a comment on August 7th, 2008 at 4:02 pm

Is there any way to participate in the testing of a new FIV drug? We adopted a 3 year old cat a year ago and he, as of today, is positive for FIV. We were told that he may be showing a positive result from a previous FIV vaccination but we do not know if he has been vaccinated.

A vaccine for FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus) has been on the market for several years. It has been the subject of intense controversy among veterinarians since its introduction. The vaccine is not widely used.

Many experts question the effectiveness of the FIV vaccine. Laboratory studies performed by the vaccine’s manufacturer have shown efficacy of the vaccine against some strains of the virus. However, there is no conclusive proof that the vaccine works in real life. As well, there is an inherent conflict of interest in studies performed by the manufacturer.

Another major complaint about the vaccine is that it interferes with testing for FIV. The test for FIV checks for antibodies to the virus. Any cat that receives the vaccine will develop antibodies to FIV. Therefore, any cat that receives the vaccine will test positive for FIV–even if he is not infected.

Is the cat belonging to the comment’s author actually infected with FIV, or has he received the vaccine? Because the vaccine is not commonly used, it’s most likely that the cat is infected. However, there is no way to know for sure. And, sadly, clinical trials of the treatment mentioned in the original post are not yet under way.

This situation is unfortunate, but there is a silver lining. FIV is fatal, but the disease takes several years to run its course. I hope that a more advanced test, one that can differentiate infected cats from vaccinated cats, will be available soon.

In the meanwhile, my advice to the commenter is as follows. Enjoy your new cat, and let him live a normal life. Keep him inside to protect him from contagious disease, and to protect other cats from possible FIV infection. Get veterinary examinations at least twice each year. And keep your fingers crossed.

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