DEAR DR. FOX: I find myself in search of a 1- or 2-year-old dog to adopt and bring into my heart. I have always had purebreds, so I thought this would be the time to help. Well, so far it's for naught. I found a dog on a rescue website and he was a thousand miles away, so I had him driven up, only to find out he had been misrepresented. He had severe separation anxiety and acted like he had never been in a house. He kept trying to get out a window, so I made the decision to send him back and lose the transport fee.

That is my problem: All the dogs advertised locally seem to be in Texas or elsewhere. Is that what it's come to -- having to choose a companion from a photo and phone call? Then the rescue groups expect you to deal with all the animal's issues, and it's your fault if it fails. Dogs in local pounds have not been tested like those in foster homes, so I don't really want to bring in a dog I cannot trust.

Please help. Is there a better solution to my wanting a mutt? This cannot be good for the poor dogs. -- L.W., Pawcatuck, Conn.

DEAR L.W: First of all, I appreciate your dedication to rescuing a dog. It sounds like your first experience was with a puppy-mill breeder's dog who spent all his or her life in a cage or pen and was never properly socialized. As I document in my book "Inhumane Society: The American Way of Exploiting Animals," these commercial puppy breeding operations are an abomination and should be outlawed. But money rules in this culture of mammon, so I advise all prospective dog owners to adopt from the shelter or visit a local, in-home breeder to see the facilities and the pups' parents. Never buy online or from a pet store.

That poor dog needed a professional behavioral therapist and a veterinary specialist who could have worked in concert and prescribed psychotropic medications such as a light dose of Valium or Xanax while gradually taking the dog out and about. A body wrap that is fairly tight around the dog might also have helped make him feel more secure.

Good luck in your search!

DEAR DR. FOX: A few years ago, I adopted a senior cat and was amazed by the number of sounds she had in her vocabulary -- about 10 or 12. Sombra looked like a petite, miniature Maine coon (she was only 5 pounds), and I have been told they can be quite vocal -- trust me, she was!

The funniest sound: She would stroll into the kitchen and grumble at me. We would then hold a conversation as follows: "What?" More grumbling. "What?" More grumbling. We'd do this several times, at which point she would turn and stroll back out of the kitchen.

The eeriest sound: In the middle of the night, she would jump off the bed, go downstairs and start howling for all she was worth. It scared me to no end the first time she did it, and she kept it up until I went to see what was wrong. Well, nothing was wrong: She was standing at the foot of the stairs, looking up. As soon as she saw me, she shut up, came back upstairs and was good the rest of the night. She would do this sporadically, and I never found out why.

When she saw birds, she had a mean growling sound. For getting me out of bed, she would sit right by my ear and scream "meow" (just once, but it was effective). She also had a deep purr when she was content.

I no longer have Sombra, but those few years with her were wonderful. I would definitely recommend senior animals to anyone. -- R.G., Weldon Spring, Mo.

DEAR R.G.: Many people with cats will enjoy your vivid account of Sombra's vocal repertoire. The loud yowling (which old cats suffering from dementia will often do) was probably to call you out for a night prowl. My friend the late professor Paul Leyhausen, a German animal behaviorist, described this calling-out vocalization and many other remarkable sounds domestic cats can make. My e-book "Understanding Your Cat" details some of his and other scientists' studies of the complex feline psyche.

One of our formerly feral cats gives a chirp-meow whenever I pass by -- his way of saying "hi." He gives a similar call every time he jumps off a chair or cat condo. Our other ex-feral cat has a loud purr when content, which is often coupled with a high note that sounds like a bird trilling -- his song of secure happiness, no doubt.

(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: Our 7-year-old Himalayan cat, Toby, is a rescue. He is sweet and lovable, and he gets along famously with our other cat, Eli, an 8-year-old black Persian. They romp and play, and naptime finds them close to each other. Toby was 9 pounds when we adopted him, and he is 13 pounds now. He's a big boy, but not unwieldy. He is healthy, happy and affectionate. He never throws up or misses the litter box. He drinks plenty of water. He is a hand-nudger and a wet-nose-kisser type.

I do have some concerns, though. Toby eats dry Adult Iams with some wet canned Friskies. He frequents Eli's bowl, which contains only the dry Iams. Toby is a dedicated, compulsive eater, and he regularly snacks on newspapers, which I find gnawed up when I wake up. There are times when he seems haunted by the possibility of more food and goes on the hunt. The cats get treats at scheduled times. I added the wet food to Toby's food hoping to discourage the newspaper eating or help fill some sort of nutritional need.

Toby also overgrooms. He loves to be hugged and petted, but usually hastens to groom afterward. He helps Eli groom on occasion. He also sometimes covers Eli's litter box business -- such a gentleman.

I am reluctant to incur a whole lot of expense at the vet's on a mostly healthy, fantastic cat who has some idiosyncrasies that may not be detrimental. I waver, considering insecurity, something lacking in his diet or my overactive imagination. I hope you can lend some thoughts on my concerns about Toby. -- C.C., St. Louis

DEAR C.C.: I am concerned about Toby's increased appetite, coupled with excessive grooming and compulsive paper eating. These three behaviors could be symptomatic of thyroid cancer. Toby is around the age when hyperthyroidism appears, and it is all too common in cats today -- along with Type 2 diabetes.

Several environmental factors can trigger thyroid disease in cats -- from chemicals in carpets and upholstery to high levels of iodine and cadmium in cat food to fluoride in drinking water.

You should consider having a full thyroid function test conducted by your veterinarian. Try transitioning Toby onto a raw food diet, a single-protein cat food or my own home-prepared diet, and see if that helps reduce the excessive grooming. If the grooming gets worse, you may be better able to spot a food allergy/hypersensitivity and take it from there.

DOG FOR DOG RECALLS PEANUT BUTTER PRODUCT

As part of a widespread recall of Sunland human food products containing peanut butter, DOG for DOG is asking owners to return the company's Dogsbutter, a canine peanut butter. No Dogsbutter products have tested positive for salmonella, but the company is taking this action to ensure the well-being of dogs. Thirty-nine people across 19 states have contracted salmonella in an outbreak linked to a number of Sunland products. For more information, visit dogfordog.com.

(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 believe my 10-month-old puppy suffers from anxiety. He runs in circles and barks like crazy when he sees a tree, mailbox or person. Please help; I don't know what to do. -- C.A., Fargo, N.D.

DEAR C.A.: This sounds more like excitement than anxiety. If he gets out and about rarely and is not widely socialized, you could be creating a Kaspar Hauser -- a poor soul who feels "overloaded" outside and cannot take in too much stimulation. This often manifests as agoraphobia and xenophobia -- fear of open spaces outdoors and strangers. Dogs kept in kennels can develop these anomalies, though genetics and temperament make some more susceptible.

Your young dog, with the tail chasing and spinning, could be developing obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), which, in some cases, can lead to tail biting and self-mutilation. I advise lots of physical activity outdoors; an organic, additive-free diet; and no more vaccinations after his one-year booster shots -- except for mandated rabies shots.

You may also try the cradling therapy, which is described on my website and in the archives of my "Animal Doctor" newspaper column. Find those at DrFoxVet.com. In severe cases where behavior modification fails to prevent tail chasing, Prozac or a light dose of Valium can prove beneficial.

DEAR DR. FOX: We have had two cats, brother and sister, for six years. Recently, the male had to visit the vet for a urinary tract infection. We were gone for less than an hour, but when we returned, the female acted as if he were a stranger.

This behavior has gone on now for more than three weeks, and the male has stationed himself behind our sofa and only comes out to eat. We have a pheromone diffuser and squirt the female when she attacks him. No one, not even our vet, can tell us what to do.

Any suggestions? Will this behavior end at some point? -- W.D.L., Scranton, N.J.

DEAR W.D.L.: What you are witnessing is one of the irrational aspects of feline behavior: The strange scent your cat picked up at the veterinary hospital makes your other cat terrified and act as though she no longer recognizes her brother.

Olfaction plays a major role in feline gestalt perception and cognition. This is a fairly common occurrence and is seen notably when one cat comes in from roaming outdoors bearing the scent of another cat after a fight or other physical contact.

I advise rubbing a little bit of the same perfume or aftershave used by one of the caregivers on both cats for several days, around the cheeks and back of the neck. Offer them dried catnip. If these steps fail, visit my website, DrFoxVet.com, and look up my review of the procedures established to introduce a new cat into the home where there is already one cat. Good luck!

DOG TREAT RECALL: BOOTS & BARKLEY AMERICAN BEEF BULLY STICKS

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that Kasel Associated Industries of Denver is voluntarily recalling its Boots & Barkley American Beef Bully Sticks because the product may be contaminated with salmonella.

The recalled Bully Sticks were distributed nationwide through Target retail stores from April through September 2012.

Consumers who have purchased the six-count 5-inch packages of American Beef Bully Sticks are urged to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. For more information, contact Kasel Associated Industries at 800-218-4417.

(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.)