DEAR DR. FOX: I have two neutered male Maine coons. They are 6-year-old brothers. One weighs 9 1/2 pounds, and the other weighs 13 pounds. I have been feeding them Science Diet Adult Indoor dry food. But now they stick up their noses to that food until they are desperate. I feed them each 1/3 cup twice daily with 1 teaspoon of wet food in the evening.

What do you suggest I feed them? I would appreciate any suggestions. -- G.N., St. Charles, Mo.

DEAR G.N.: You should find helpful information on my website, www.DrFoxVet.com. Check the archives by posing a question in the question-and-answer box.

There are other brands and varieties of cat food listed on my website (including Wellness, Evo, Organix, Evanger, Wysong and Orijen -- canned and dry) and frozen cat foods are also available. For additional details, go to www.feline-nutrition.org.

Cats can be finicky eaters, and some can manipulate caregivers into giving them unhealthy tuna or hamburger. Others become addicted to certain dry foods, even formulations that are bad for their long-term health.

However, most cats possess nutritional wisdom that guides them to choose the kinds of foods best suited to their carnivorous physiology and metabolism. It's best to feed cats small portions four to six times a day. The ideal diet is raw or lightly cooked, minimally processed moist food. This food should be comprised of animal fat and protein, ideally from organic, humane and sustainable sources.

DEAR DR. FOX: We have a pair of male Abyssinian cats. We got the littermates when they were 4 years old; they are turning 7. They are very healthy except for a problem with loose stools accompanied by mucus tinged with blood.

They both had ringworm coming from the breeder. Their previous owner's vet had them on a regimen of antibiotics (C-Tylosin) their entire lives for the loose stool, but it never helped the problem. We ended that when they came to us.

We feed them the best kinds of foods from Weruva and Prairie Foods. We give them natural supplements like Phytomucil, Gentle Digest and prebiotics to help them heal, but they never seem to.

What are your thoughts? -- B. and R.M., Alexandria, Va.

DEAR B. and R.M.: The long-term treatment with antibiotics is an absurd regimen and may be at the root of your cats' bowel disorder. Judicious, short-term use of drugs like Tylosin, metronidazole and prednisone can be extremely beneficial for some cats with irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease.

There may be permanent damage to your cats' digestive systems. The condition dysbiosis could be significantly alleviated by the three supplements you are giving to your cats. Ask your veterinarian to consider preparing capsules of fecal bacteria from healthy cats with which to inoculate and help restore your cats' digestive tracts if probiotics do not help. Give them a teaspoon of dried catnip to eat every two to four days and one or two drops of peppermint extract hidden in their food every day for seven to 10 days.

Bacterial probiotics are very important. Anti-inflammatory fish oil may also be of benefit, beginning with one or two drops in their food and increasing gradually to 1/2 to 1 teaspoon daily.

If there is no significant improvement, discuss with your veterinarian setting up an elimination diet to test for another complication such as a food allergy or intolerance to beef, eggs, corn, dairy products, corn or soy.

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.

Visit Dr. Fox's website at DrFoxVet.com.)

DEAR DR. FOX: Thank you for always having a wonderfully informative and impeccably honest column about our pets! I wish there were more vets with your mindset -- unfortunately, that has not been my experience.

Over the years, there have been times when I've had to let my pet go without a suggested treatment. My nearby vet charges $38 just to stop in and say "hello." I once went in to have nails clipped ($10), and I walked out because the "hello" charge was four times the cost -- it would have cost close to $50.

In another incident with the same vet, I was there for a basic shot. The dog (a longhaired minidachshund) had a small lump/cyst on his back about the size of a quarter. The quoted price to operate was close to $800. I just couldn't do it. About a year later at another visit, I was taken care of by the vet who owned the business. After taking care of an ear problem, the vet was horrified by the size of the cyst, which was the size of a tangerine. I explained that I just couldn't afford the $800. He looked sincerely dismayed and displeased at the quoted amount. He said he could do it for $350. He agreed to $150 down and an installment plan.

A quote for Willie's teeth cleaning and extraction was $850. Shocked, I went home and called five other vet places in the nearby town, and the prices ranged from $450 to $850 for identical work. In my complaining to other seniors, everyone suggested I try All Creatures, a clinic about 20 miles away from me. My friends said it provides good care, is inexpensive and is up on the latest information. So I called, describing yet again the potential needs for his teeth. The girl quoted $65 for everything (anesthesia, checkup before and $5 for the meds after)! I was certain that she didn't understand me; I thought $65 for each tooth -- no, it was for everything. I paid in full immediately -- no long-term debt.

A few years later, when my beloved Willie got Cushing's disease, the vet was obliged to tell me it was time to let him go. He was so kind during my torrent of tears. He said, "Why don't I let you two have a little time together? I'll be back." It was invaluable to the healing process! -- V.G.

DEAR V.G.: Your letter will be appreciated by many readers and will alert veterinarians to the serious problem of increasing veterinary service costs, inconsistent charges for treatments and animals in need not receiving appropriate professional care because the owners are financially challenged.

My advice to readers who are in financial difficulties is to do what you did -- shop around and get price quotes in writing. If possible, ask for referrals from pet owners and your local humane society/animal shelter.

There are no simple solutions to the rising cost problem, as I emphasize in my new book, "Healing Animals and the Vision of One Health," where I stress the importance of good nutrition, preventive dental care (especially for smaller dog breeds) and annual veterinary checkups -- which do not need to mean more vaccinations and costly tests. When checkups become too costly, animals suffer the consequences by not being taken in until they are seriously ill, which means greater animal suffering and financial expense.

FINDING A HOLISTIC VETERINARIAN

The best medicine is prevention, and a holistic, integrative approach to companion animal health calls for a revision of vaccination protocols, of feeding highly processed commercial pet foods and of overmedicating -- especially with so-called preventive medications like those sold to keep fleas and ticks at bay. There are effective -- and cheaper -- alternatives available that pose far less risk to animals' health and to the environment.

For further information, contact a holistic veterinarian in your area. A searchable list can be found at www.holisticvetlist.com. Veterinarians wishing to learn more are encouraged to become members of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association at www.ahvma.org.

U.S. PET SPENDING TOPS $50 BILLION FOR FIRST TIME

Americans spent a record $50.96 billion on pets in 2011, according to the American Pet Products Association. Pet services spending increased the most, from $3.51 billion in 2010 to $3.79 billion in 2011, a nearly 8 percent escalation. The veterinary care category saw a modest bump, from $13.01 billion in 2010 to $13.41 billion in 2011, though that number includes money spent on pet insurance, which totaled approximately $450 million.

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.

Visit Dr. Fox's website at DrFoxVet.com.)

DEAR DR. FOX: In a recent column, you stated that crating a dog is mean and cruel. I have a 2-year-old Maltese-mix whom I adopted from an animal shelter about a year ago. She has extreme separation anxiety and chews, scratches and barks uncontrollably when she's left at home alone, indoors or out.

Her vet recommended crating her while I go to work with a pillow from my bed, the TV on and her Kong toy filled with peanut butter. She spends six hours a day in her crate. We occasionally monitor her behavior with a webcam, and, judging by her behavior, this has been successful. She is calm, quiet and appears comfortable in her crate. Yes, I could have gotten her doggie Prozac (as you suggest in your column), but I believe that natural, humane ways of treating anxiety are better options than medicating an animal.

My doggie had a rough life before coming to us and had been in several shelters. She has a happy life now with a family who loves her and makes sure she is comfortable when we have to be away from her. The fact that you say crating is mistreatment is downright offensive. As a veterinarian, I would hope you realize that, for some dogs, crating is a healthier and safer way of treating separation anxiety than medicating or rehoming an animal.

Your column on crating was rude, small-minded and lacked professionalism. I am sending a copy of this letter to my local paper -- which carries your column -- in hopes that it will no longer. -- A.R.

DEAR A.R.: You took offense at what I consider an offense to dogs -- crating all day (for six or more hours) is inhumane treatment. It sets up a condition of learned helplessness. For puppies and older dogs who must drink more water because of kidney problems and then need to urinate more frequently, prolonged caging can be extremely stressful.

Clearly you are not a frequent reader of my column; otherwise you would not feel such discomfort over my concerns about this issue and blow up with self-righteous indignation! I have often stated that crate training to help dogs become house-trained and feel secure is a useful practice, but pups should be taken out periodically to be fed and walked and should not be confined all day.

Once dogs get used to being crated and no longer fight to get out, the door can be left open so they can come and go as they wish. This gives them control over their environment and greater self-confidence, and it serves as a den for security, which helps them cope with separation anxiety. I would advise you try this for your dog and let me know how she responds. You should place a pee pad a few feet from her open crate (preferably scented with a little of her urine) so she can relieve herself when she needs to. Leave a radio or TV on since the sound of the human voice is reassuring for many home-alone dogs.

DEAR DR. FOX: I have read your support for animal hospice. How does someone get involved in that? Over the years, I have had wonderful veterinarians who are willing to teach me certain things for my "hands-on" care of a terminally and/or elderly pet, saving stressful trips to the veterinarian and adding additional important time with the family. I know not every pet owner is comfortable with some things, so hospice should be available, with someone to go into the home and help care for a pet during his last days, keeping him as comfortable as possible. -- G.W.

DEAR G.W: I appreciate your interest in helping provide hospice care for dying animals. Often the veterinary profession leads the way for the human medical profession, especially in the domains of euthanasia, controlling zoonotic (animal-to-human) diseases and promoting the One Health concept. But I am glad to say that in many states, human medical services now include in-home hospice care -- my family being one participant with my late father-in-law. It did not take long before some enterprising veterinarians started offering similar in-home services for people who were able to provide the care needed for their end-of-life pets.

If you want to help in some way, call veterinary hospitals and your local animal shelter. Preferential selection for an assistant who has a human nursing background or veterinary nurse/technician qualifications, plus considerable experience working with people helping them cope with the pending death of their loved ones, would be expected. Just having a sympathetic heart for this kind of work is not an acceptable qualification for a job on the cutting edge of responsible medical care and human emotion. Additional details about hospice care for animals is posted on my website, www.DrFoxVet.com.

BUYER BEWARE: AVOIDING GENETICALLY DEFECTIVE PETS

The Universities Federation of Animal Welfare, a science-based organization in the U.K., has developed an excellent website profiling the most prevalent genetic defects in pets, which can impact their welfare and health. The website, www.ufaw.org.uk, currently contains descriptions of more than 70 conditions in some 90 varieties of domestic animals sold as pets, including dogs, cats, horses, rabbits, guinea pigs, pigeons and goldfish. More than 50 conditions in 47 breeds of dog are included. This will be a useful resource for people looking to purchase a specially bred animal, and it should help serve as a resource to facilitate the elimination of genetic disorders from animals whose health and welfare could be in jeopardy.

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.

Visit Dr. Fox's website at DrFoxVet.com.)