DEAR DR. FOX: I read your article on feral cats, and I thought you might like to hear the story of mine.

About 26 years ago, I saw a small stray cat going across the street and down the sewer. I started feeding him. About 8 months later, on a cold, bitter, snowy day, I was able to catch him. My wife and I put him in our basement and didn't see him for a week. Then one day, he came out and became the talk of Old Orchard in Webster Groves, Mo. He was about a year old, and we named him T.C. -- short for The Cat.

He lived in my barbershop until I retired in 2007. He would sit on the step outside with the door wide open and greet anyone who came along. He was so popular, one of my customers, John Marecek, wrote a poem about him, and it was published!

He lived a good, long life in the comfort of the barbershop for 25 years. He passed away in January 2011. -- G.B., St. Louis

DEAR G.B.: Thanks for your heartwarming story many readers will enjoy. It is noteworthy that T.C. had no interest in leaving your shop even though the door was wide open. Similarly, Mr. Mark Twain, our old, formerly feral cat has never shown any interest in going back outside once he decided to come out of hiding in our home. He felt it was safe, trusted us and knew we were his food, water and clean litter box providers.

As you discovered, having a cat can be good for business, putting clients at ease and providing a catalyst (pun intended) for conversation. Dogs can be great, too. Unfortunately, there are many city ordinances that prohibit having an animal in a business, though this is not true in more animal-civilized countries like England and Holland.

I'm including my two favorite lines from the poem about T.C. by your customer John Marecek:

Men enter the shop and seek out his bed

To just say, "How are you?" and then pet his head.

DEAR DR. FOX: We have two dogs, a 6-year-old un-neutered English bulldog and a 4-year-old female Chihuahua. They are indoor dogs, but they do go outside for exercise and bathroom duties.

When the Chihuahua urinates, the bulldog will come by and lick it, causing his tongue to freeze in place for a few minutes, then he drools. Why does he keep doing this? We have tried everything to stop him.

Is there anything you can think of that would help put an end to this disgusting habit? They both get along famously and are the best of friends -- they even sleep together. -- E.W., West Falls, N.Y.

DEAR E.W.: What may seem disgusting to you is perfectly normal canine behavior. Some people are even put off when dogs sniff each other's rear ends.

I can understand anyone protesting when his dog rolls in some stinky, organic goop, but that is, in some ways, akin to humans putting on perfume.

Your English bulldog is showing the Flehmen reaction, which is most often seen in bulls and stallions sniffing the females of their species. In a Flehmen reaction, the tongue curling and freezing is done to place the scent or pheromone of whatever has been licked on a spot just behind the upper front teeth. This is where two ducts leading to the vomeronasal organ are located -- a second scent organ present in other mammals, including cats, who often show the Flehmen reaction when sniffing and tasting various substances. This organ may play an important role in pheromone influences on the animals' brains and behavior.

So please accept your bulldog's bond-affirming behavior, and let him be.

(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: I have a 2-year-old Yorkshire terrier named Rondo who has a large, bald hot spot on the upper thigh of his right hind leg.

I took him to a veterinarian when the spot was small. She said that it came from hormones in a vaccination that was too strong for him. (I got him vaccinated at the local Petco, and it cost me $37.) She prescribed Animax Ointment nystatin-neomycin. The tube of ointment was $20, and the visit was $87. I used the entire tube to no avail.

The spot is getting larger and has a bumpy feeling. What do you suggest putting on it to make it heal? Although it does not seem to bother Rondo, it is unsightly for such a little dog -- C.R.W., Washington, D.C.

DEAR C.R.W.: If this is indeed the spot where your little dog was vaccinated with a relatively huge shot for his size, then you could have a serious problem developing, especially since it is getting larger and has a "bumpy feeling."

Any veterinarian who tells a client that the "hormones" in a vaccination caused the reaction and gave you Animax Ointment should go back to school, give you your money back and read my article on adverse vaccination reactions on my website.

A biopsy needs to be taken to determine if the growth is a benign granuloma or a cancerous fibrosarcoma, which is a more prevalent reaction in cats at the point of injection. Until such a determination is made, I would advise against giving your dog any more vaccinations or other treatments.

DEAR DR. FOX: I enjoy reading your articles very much, and I'm hoping you can help me with a problem with my West Highland white terrier.

He is 13 years old, and he has a problem with his feet. His paws -- especially between his toes -- crack and bleed all the time. He's had this problem several times before. I try to fix this problem by soaking his feet in water and Epsom salts or hydrogen peroxide and then applying Neosporin. However, this treatment is no longer effective.

I would appreciate any suggestions you can give me. -- S.F., Fairfax, Va.

DEAR S.F.: Old dogs often suffer from dry and cracked paw pads and elbow callouses. Soaking in warm water with hydrogen peroxide and Epsom salts is a good cleansing and softening first step. But you must take the next step, otherwise the paw pads are going to dry out even more.

Apply a good-quality human moisturizing skin cream twice daily after the initial soaking. Make sure the dog doesn't lick his feet for at least an hour.

Alternatively, you can make your own healing formulas. First, apply aloe vera gel (available in health stores) once daily. Once that has dried, apply an organic olive oil solution, which has incredible skin-healing phytochemicals. Add four to six drops of frankincense, lavender and myrrh essential oils to 1 tablespoon of the olive oil -- it's a truly excellent healing potion.

DEAR DR. FOX: With all the extremely hot weather we are having across the country, my thoughts go to the animals. I wish you would address cats' and dogs' paws as they relate to hot asphalt and concrete.

I have suggested to several people that they remove their shoes and feel what their pets are experiencing. I've seen poor dogs who seem to be trying to walk on their toenails. Even my four rescue cats do all they can to avoid walking on our hot wooden deck.

Animals' pads may be tough, but I don't think they're immune to hot asphalt. -- V.N.E., Saluda, N.C.

DEAR V.N.E.: With climate change intensifying and droughts across the heartland, this summer and beyond are likely to be hotter than ever. I trust that readers will remember your note of concern. Thanks for the words of warning.

Many pet stores sell dog booties, which most dogs eventually learn to walk in -- provided they stay on. Some designs are better than others. These offer some protection on hot surfaces, and Army dogs serving in the Middle East are equipped with them.

Hot weather wraps and coats are also available. They are worn wet, and they cool the dog's body through evaporation. The darker the dog's coat, the faster it heats up.

I would also add to this hot summer pavement warning that no dog should be left in a parked car.

PET FOOD RECALL

Nature's Variety has initiated a voluntary recall of Prairie Beef Meal and Barley Medley Kibble for Dogs due to an odor that may develop over time.

The manufacturer, based in Lincoln, Neb., said the product is not contaminated, but some food is not remaining fresh for its shelf life.

Consumers who have purchased one of the products can obtain a full refund or exchange it for a different variety by returning the product in its original packaging or bringing a proof of purchase back to their retailer.

Call 888-519-7387 or visit naturesvariety.com for more information, including the specific UPC numbers of affected lots.

DEAR DR. FOX: I have a shih tzu/bichon-mix who scratches his face a lot. There are no fleas, and his vet can find no apparent reason for the itching. Could you advise me of the best way to solve this problem? -- V.E., Fort Myers, Fla.

DEAR V.E.: The itchy face condition in dogs can be linked with oral health problems like gingivitis, so a thorough oral examination is called for to rule out this possibility.

Another possibility is chronic conjunctivitis, which is often associated with one or more turned-in eyelashes. This is a common issue that I trust your veterinarian ruled out.

Some face-rubbing dogs show significant improvement when plastic food and water bowls are replaced with steel or ceramic ones. In other instances, the fur around their lips must be trimmed and their mouths wiped with a baby wipe containing soothing lavender and aloe extracts after every meal. Some dogs develop a hypersensitivity to certain food ingredients, and those treatments can provide immediate relief.

If all else fails, you may want to transition your dog onto a different diet -- one that contains a single protein as a food allergy elimination test. Providing filtered/purified drinking water rather than straight tap water may be advisable. For details, see my report on my website, www.DrFoxVet.com.

Finally, coming into contact with wool or synthetic fibers could set up some facial irritation, so have him sleep on clean cotton towels or sheets laundered with a scent- and fragrance-free detergent.

DEAR DR. FOX: Frequently, our 6-year-old terrier-mix gags up some bilelike liquid, shakes her head, drools and seems very upset. She will drink some water, but won't finish her food. What can I do to stop this and help her feel better? -- R.E., St Louis

DEAR R.E.: Many dogs who have bouts of coughing, gagging, panting in evident discomfort and vomiting, and even those with raspier barks, are suffering from gastroesophageal reflux disease. This condition, common in humans, can be distressing for afflicted dogs. In some cases, the stomach acids that the dogs regurgitate can damage not only the esophagus but also the throat, larynx and trachea.

There are other conditions that can cause these symptoms, so a thorough veterinary examination is called for. Your dog may show rapid recovery when given antacids, antibiotics and a change in diet -- reducing the cereal content and providing a single protein source.

(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: We enjoy your syndicated column here at the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI), and we appreciate your commitment to companion animal health and welfare. We want to alert you to a rally on Aug. 7 at 4:00 p.m. at Dupont Circle in Washington, D.C. We are marching to the South Korean embassy to protest publicly the production and sale of dog and cat meat in that country. I hope you can attend!

For those of you who can't attend, you can still organize a campaign, demonstration or leaflet distribution for South Korean dogs and cats at a local venue. AWI will provide the materials you need. To learn more about events happening nationally and internationally, please contact Rosalyn Morrison at AWI: Rosalyn@awionline.org or 202-446-2126. -- R.M., Washington, D.C.

DEAR R.M.: Many readers share your concerns about the cruel treatment of dogs and cats in South Korea and other Asian countries, where cats are often skinned and boiled alive and dogs are tortured, beaten, hung and torched to tenderize their flesh before they are killed.

I will not be able to attend your rally, but here is my position statement: Why dogs and cats are killed for human consumption in countries such as South Korea is a question of culture, custom and commerce. But how they are handled and killed is a question of conscience, civility and compassion, which must be answered by all involved. Informed people from around the world are calling for full accountability since the measure of civilization is in how humanely animals are treated, regardless of their monetary value and utility. We should all ask ourselves if it is ethical to consume any animal species that has died in fear and pain.