DEAR DR. FOX: When he was 2 years old, my now 7-year-old Persian cat, Bootsie, had urethral bypass surgery after a month of overnight visits to the vet, catheter insertions and lots of pain. He came out of the surgery very well and was put on Royal Canin SO Urinary Diet, both dry and canned, which he devours. He is a large cat and weighs just under 15 pounds, with at least a pound of fur coat. (I count calories on his behalf.)

For the last two years or so, I have noticed that he scoots his bottom across the floor after leaving the litter box. I routinely check his anal glands and depress them when necessary, and he goes to the groomer and/or vet for sanitary clips. However, the hairs around his surgery-created opening for urination attract fecal matter and get stuck inside that opening. I try to keep that area clean, and clip and remove the hairs using a cotton swab and Vaseline, but it is an ongoing problem. The vet did tell me that when doing the surgery, the skin in that area was folded inward, and this probably is causing the problem.

Bootsie has survived five years since that surgery, and he is frisky, happy, affectionate and very loved. I suppose I shouldn't worry about this, but I can't help wondering if there is something else I should be doing for him. -- B.T., Reston, Va.

DEAR B.T.: You and your Persian cat have indeed been through the proverbial medical mill, with veterinary care needed in large part because of his genetic background. This can increase susceptibility to such health issues as urinary tract blockage, which in turn can be aggravated by dry cat foods, in particular, and the failure of many cats to drink enough water.

I am impressed that you and your cat can deal with the recurring anal gland problem. I would encourage you to purchase some good clippers and have the veterinarian show you how to do the sanitary clips. This would eliminate the stress and expense of taking your cat out for such maintenance care.

Daily cleaning with moist baby wipes impregnated with soothing aloe vera may prove beneficial. Squeezing the anal glands too frequently can cause inflammation and increased secretion, so I would give that treatment a break for a while.

DEAR DR. FOX: A few months ago, I felt a lump in my dog Jackson's throat that was about the size of a pingpong ball.

Jackson is almost 14 years old and is a black Labrador retriever who weighs about 80 pounds. His vet aspirated some cells and determined the lump to be lymphoma. A second opinion from a lab determined it to be melanoma.

His vet has been wonderful in her care of Jackson. She has given him five to six months to live. He has already lost about 10 pounds. His appetite is still good, and we take long walks every day. He is on prednisone.

I feed him Blue Buffalo Senior dry dog food with 1/4 can of Merrick wet food mixed in. He also gets garlic and yeast tablets, along with glucosamine every day. He is also being treated for an ear infection.

My heart is breaking for him. What else can I do to make the time we still have together more comfortable for him? -- S.C., Charlottesville, Va.

DEAR S.C.: My sympathies go out to you and your old dog. You should check with the oncology department at the excellent veterinary college in Blacksburg, Va., or your vet can do so. The vets there may have some potentially promising and not too costly treatments for his common canine cancer. They may recruit you and your dog to evaluate new treatments, a worthwhile contribution for the future benefit of cancer victims and a more humane, if not scientifically sound, alternative to inducing cancer in dogs and other animals held captive in research laboratories.

Spend time with your veterinarian exploring some of the promising anti-cancer herbal supplements, ranging from local applications of frankincense to oral turmeric, various mushrooms and antioxidant nutraceuticals.

(Send all mail to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106, or send email to animaldocfox@gmail.com. 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 www.twobitdog.com/DrFox.)

DEAR DR. FOX: My male border collie/spaniel mix is 5 years old, and he often throws up or has diarrhea. When I take him on walks, he has diarrhea more often than not. He sometimes wheezes, too.

I don't understand why he would be getting sick all the time, because he normally eats his kibble that is a good brand, and we've been using it for a while. I don't think the kibble is causing him to get sick. What do you advise? -- K.B., Silver Spring, Md.

DEAR K.B.: Your judgment/diagnosis that kibble is not the reason for your poor dog's illness may be erroneous. You should know that even with "good brands," ingredient sources and quality of dog foods can change from one manufactured batch to another. My website (www.drfoxvet.com) alerts dog and cat owners to the all-too-frequent recalls of pet foods that can make animals ill from bacteria, mold and other contaminants.

There are reasons other than diet that could account for your dog's vomiting and diarrhea. Any animal showing such symptoms for more than 24 hours should be seen by a veterinarian. You owe your dog no less.

Because a contaminant or nutritional additive problem could be affecting one batch of a particular brand of dog or cat food, I advise caregivers to get their animals used to eating two or three different, good-quality brands of dry, cannned, frozen and/or freeze-dried pet foods as an insurance against such an eventuality. I call such dietary diversity "risk dilution," and coupled with rotation -- changing the main protein every week or so (from chicken to turkey to herring, for example) -- it can help some animals suffering from food hypersensitivities.

BIL-JAC DOG FOOD RECALL

According to an announcement from the manufacturer, Bil-Jac has requested that a select number of retailers withdraw one small batch (256 cases) of Adult Select Formula dog food from their warehouses and stores.

"We have had a few reports of mold in bags from this batch that was caused by higher moisture content in the food," the announcement said. "We know the entire batch has not been affected, but have requested the entire small batch be removed from warehouses and stores."

The recall affects only batch number 1792-02 (expiration Dec. 27, 2013), all in 6-pound bags.

(Send all mail to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106, or send email to animaldocfox@gmail.com. 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 www.twobitdog.com/DrFox.)

DEAR DR. FOX: I am writing this in response to a letter in your column from P.B. in Fairfax, Va. It was about her "grandbaby" -- a 12-year-old male shepherd mix who was dying of kidney disease after being caged, deprived of water and proper nail clipping, and abused by her daughter and the dog's owner for the last 12 years.

This woman who said she "loves" the dog needs to turn in her daughter for animal neglect or abuse. This dog is suffering at the hands of someone who should never own an animal again.

When people see this kind of treatment of any animal, it is our duty as caring human beings to report it and stop it at all costs. It broke my heart to know what kind of prison this animal has lived in for 12 years -- death would be a blessing for this poor creature. I have turned in people I know and even family members for not taking proper care of animals, and I will continue to do so.

It is our duty to defend those who cannot defend themselves. -- D.M., Huntington, Md.

DEAR D.M.: Your letter is a clarion call to all readers who may be aware of or suspect animal neglect/abuse in their family or neighborhood.

I agree that it is the duty of everyone to call the police or sheriff's department and provide full details, as well as photo or video documentation that gives time and date. This is also important when filing an "animal at large" complaint, as when a cat comes onto your property to hunt and kill birds and other wildlife, which is illegal in many communities. You may ask the sheriff or police to not disclose your name if you fear possible retribution.

Law enforcement authorities around the country are more responsive to animal cruelty and neglect complaints, thanks in part to the good work of one of my former graduate students, Dr. Randall Lockwood, now with the ASPCA in New York. This is because of the now more widely recognized connections between animal, child and spousal abuse and sociopathic and potentially psychopathic behavior in preteens and teenagers.

This issue is close to my heart, and I discuss it in more detail in my new book, "Animals and Nature First." Animals can help teach children to be responsible and responsive, empathic caregivers, provided there are appropriate adult guidance and role models. This can help make children better parents and break the cycle of family violence passed down from one generation to another.

As for the "educational" value of animals such as rabbits, guinea pigs and gerbils in grade school classrooms, I believe they tend to foster the throw-away pet attitude more than real compassion and understanding. The keeping of animals in cages, so often depriving them of contact with their own kind and any natural stimulation, desensitizes children into accepting such mistreatment. Unless cared for by good teachers, these animals too often are neglected over weekends and vacations.

Local humane societies and wildlife rehabilitation centers have educators who bring animals to schools for educational purposes. I would applaud prohibiting the keeping of any animal in a cage in any school.

DEAR DR. FOX: We have two Boston terriers, Kash and Carrie. About a month ago, Carrie started leaving feces around the house. (The bits are small -- about 1 inch in size.)

We took Carrie to a vet who prescribed Prion and metronidazole. Neither of those medications helped her. The vet didn't know what was wrong with her. Her food (Purina Fit & Trim) didn't change. She is 8 years old.

Since the first vet couldn't help her, we made an appointment with another vet. He prescribed Previcox. That didn't help either. We switched vets again, and this one prescribed phenylpropanolamine. After 10 days, I called the vet and told him the medicine was not helping, so he said to stop the medication. After taking the medicine, she was constipated, so I am now giving her a tablespoon of pumpkin once a day.

Carrie always slept in bed with us, but she started pooping in the bed while sleeping under the covers. She goes outside first thing in the morning (6:30 a.m.). She walks every day for at least a mile. Weather permitting, she plays outside for 30 minutes. She is a very active dog.

She doesn't have any problems other than dropping feces, and sometimes I think she doesn't even know she is doing this.

I hope you can help her. She doesn't mean to go. As soon as she does, she leaves that area and doesn't come back until we dispose of the evidence. Please help! I don't know what else I can do. We love her so much, but cannot go on like this forever. -- J.R., Villa Ridge, Mo.

DEAR J.R.: Fecal incontinence is not uncommon in older dogs, but Carrie is not all that old, so I would not put her condition down to any age-related cognitive or neurological deterioration.

I find all the prescribed medications you listed questionable; the third one -- phenylpropanolamine -- is categorically absurd.

I would phase out feeding her the high-fiber dry dog food and instead give her three or four small meals daily of a low-fiber, grain-free dry dog food with equal parts organic canned food. Give her a sprinkling of digestive enzymes and some plain, raw, organic yogurt or kefir -- 1 tablespoon per meal -- as a source of probiotics.

Many of the manufactured weight-loss dog foods have high fiber content (such as peanut hulls and beet pulp). This means more fecal material is produced, possibly compounded by malabsorption of nutrients, so the poor dog is hungry, eats more and suffers painful bloat, contractions and constipation.

I trust that all the veterinarians you consulted ruled out any infection, impaction or cancer of her anal glands, which can impair sphincter control.

DEAR DR. FOX: I was very surprised at the harsh comments about Persian cats in your column, in which you referred to them as "freaks."

I have a 7-year-old male Persian. Yes, he has a flat face, a biggish head and his eyes weep from time to time, but, in spite of these so-called impediments, he is the sweetest, happiest, most contented and affectionate cat you could ever meet. I find this is often the case with this breed.

Let's be kind about these beautiful creatures that bring so much pleasure to their devoted fans here in the U.S. and around the world. -- S.L., Arlington, Va.

DEAR S.L.: Thanks for your contribution to my readers' discussion on this issue. I contended that Persian cats are freaks of human creation and suffer as a consequence. The same must be said about bulldogs, shar-peis and other breeds deliberately bred for extreme, abnormal physical traits. The selective breeding for dwarfed, hairless and extremely "refined" (long and thin bones and faces) feline varieties entails inbreeding and, as a consequence, more genetic abnormalities, disease and suffering.

I agree with you that we should love all creatures; for me, that four-letter word means respect and compassion. I see neither in the deliberate breeding and commercial propagation of animals with extreme traits such as pushed-in faces and abnormally large heads (which can force cesarean delivery), along with other abnormalities that can mean a life of suffering. For more details, see my book "Healing Animals and the Vision of One Health" (Amazon,com). Of course, if your cat lived in my home, he would be loved for who he is, which is quite separate from what humans have done to him.

(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.)