DEAR DR. FOX: I have a 10-year-old sheltie who was recently diagnosed with Cushing's disease. My vet put him on a 60-milligram Vetoryl capsule daily for the adrenal glands.

He growls at me when I try to put on his halter or touch his front legs, so I know his feet hurt. He doesn't want to walk and is constantly sitting or lying down. His fur is coming out in clumps. He used to love being brushed, but no longer. I originally thought he had a bladder infection because he urinates in the house.

His appetite is good. He gets a small handful of Purina's Beneful and 2 heaping teaspoons of canned Alpo in the morning. In the evening, he gets treats like Pup-Peroni, Beggin' Strips, Meaty Bone and DentaStix.

Can you give me any advice on how I can improve his quality of life? -- J.S., Albrightsville, Pa.

DEAR J.S.: I am sorry to hear about your poor dog's condition, which is all too prevalent in the canine population today.

With Cushing's disease, adrenal glands produce too much of the hormone cortisol. It can be complicated by diabetes and low thyroid activity. You should have him tested for these conditions.

Improving your dog's nutrition may help improve his physical and mental condition. Over 10 to 14 days, transition him onto a grain-free food such as Wellness, Orijen or Organix. Discuss the possibility of giving your dog digestive enzymes, probiotics and a source of omega-3 fatty acids in his food. He may enjoy my recipe for buckwheat treats, which you can find on my website, DrFoxVet.com. You can also buy freeze-dried meaty treats like Stella & Chewy's. Don't buy any imported from China!

DEAR DR. FOX: We have a 13-year-old male cat who has started vomiting up his food on a daily basis. He is an indoor cat, and he eats California Natural chicken and brown rice formula and the occasional treat from the vet to clean his teeth.

We take him for walks on a leash daily. If he happens to eat grass while outdoors or if he drinks water after eating his first meal of the day, it will cause the vomiting. We have asked our vet for a remedy, with no solution. We would like to get your take on this because the vomiting is almost constant, and we are concerned about his health. -- G.R., Norman, Okla.

DEAR G.R.: I wish more people would take your initiative and try habituating their cats to a daily walk in a harness. Many cats enjoy such outdoor stimulation.

Ruling out lymphatic cancer (considering your cat's age) and fur ball accumulation in the stomach, I would consider a possible food hypersensitivity or allergy as the cause of his vomiting. Try transitioning your cat onto a different diet of known, whole-food ingredients -- no generic "meat meal" or byproducts. Avoid corn and soy because they may be genetically modified.

Do not allow your cat to eat grass, which can irritate an inflamed stomach. Give your cat small meals four to six times daily, since eating a large meal quickly can make hungry cats vomit.

(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 neutered 10-year-old orange tabby who is an indoor cat. He is overweight. I have tried so many things over the years to help him.

He has an aggressive personality and can be very defensive. He does not do well at the vet, and he has to be sedated before his checkup. It is difficult and traumatic to take him to the vet for anything at all.

I am concerned about his weight. He was put on Hill's Prescription Diet r/d years ago. I don't think this is the best thing for him, but I don't know where to turn for help. He seems to be hungry all the time and constantly cries to be fed. Sometimes I give in. It's the only way I can get sleep. I don't give him more than the amount he's supposed to have, but I don't see any results. Even though the bag of food says not to use the product long term, his vet still has him on it. I want to switch, but I don't feel like I'm educated in the best possible source of food for him.

I want to help him feel better and lose weight. I feel like I have failed him. I love him and want to do what's right. I've checked into Wellness CORE Grain-Free Indoor Formula and thought of trying it. Can you please advise me on what you think is best for my furry friend? -- D.W., Wilmington, Del.

DEAR D.W.: The main ingredients in the diet food you are feeding your cat are brewers' rice, chicken byproduct meal, corn gluten meal, powdered cellulose, chicken liver flavor and soybean oil. Carnitine is added to "help burn body fat." Your poor cat may develop the feline equivalent of a metabolic syndrome on this kind of diet -- diabetes, high blood pressure and kidney, urinary tract and liver problems.

Your cat needs good-quality animal protein and fats of animal origin to stay full. Visit feline-nutrition.org for more insights, and check out my website, DrFoxVet.com, for a home-prepared diet you may wish to try.

The Wellness brand is good. Feed your cat six to eight small meals daily, weigh him weekly and adjust his diet accordingly. Whatever exercise you can get him to enjoy, such as chasing a lure on the end of a string, will help.

DEAR DR. FOX: I agree with your position against pickup trucks hauling loose dogs (and kids), although the prevalence of this practice in rural areas makes me wonder how dangerous it really is. If hauling a dog in a crate inside a car is all right, why is hauling a dog in a crate atop your car not all right? -- B.W.P.

DEAR B.W.P.: Thanks for asking! I wonder if other readers do not understand the difference between transporting a dog in a crate inside a vehicle or in the rear of a pickup versus on top of the car like a piece of secured luggage.

A dog in a crate on top of a car has no protection from high-velocity wind, which can carry injurious flying particles that could cause blindness. The animal is also exposed to cold and rain that bring discomfort and stress and can potentially lead to hypothermia and pneumonia. The experience could be so terrifying to any animal as to cause a heart attack or self-injury in an attempt to break free. Similarly, chickens and turkeys are transported in crates in open trucks, and those at the front get the brunt of transit stress.

The lack of empathy in transporting any animal in that way is also of concern because it means more than a mere lack of common sense. It could be an indicator of a serious character disorder or defect in an individual's capacity to care responsibly for another living being.

KRILL OIL SUPPLEMENTS

One aspect of veterinary bioethics is the source of various therapeutic products and nutrient supplements and their environmental impact, which must be weighed against their effectiveness and the availability of alternatives. One point in question is the mass marketing of krill oil as a superior nutrient supplement to health-conscious consumers and pet owners.

Krill is the food staple for several whale species and other marine creatures. The justification for krill harvesting is based primarily on profits and is a tie-in with the factory farming of corn-fed livestock and poultry notoriously deficient in omega-3 fatty acid and with excess omega-6 fatty acid. There is hope on the omega-3 supplement horizon with confirmation that cultures of algae could lead to the wholesale production of omega-3 fatty acids, some of which are already being marketed and embraced by vegans and other conscientious consumers. For more details on why I am opposed to krill being taken from the oceans, see my entry at DrFoxVet.com.

FREE-ROAMING CATS DECIMATE WILDLIFE

It is estimated that domestic cats in the U.S. -- including house cats who spend part of the day outdoors, strays and feral cats -- kill a median 2.4 billion birds and 12.3 billion mammals a year, according to the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute and the Fish and Wildlife Service. An estimated 80 million stray and feral cats do most of the killing.

All cat owners should never allow their cats to roam free, and all municipalities should address stray and feral cat issues.

(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 little shih tzu/Lhasa-mix. She is 4 years old. She's had an endoscopy of her stomach, an ultrasound and a check for colic disease performed.

She eats only every other day, and she spits up large amounts of yellow foam. She is very picky about eating. She won't eat dry food at all, and she doesn't drink much water. Sometimes she acts like she is choking and gags a lot. The woman I bought her from mated her mother every time she came into heat. I didn't know this at the time I bought her. She was very hard to train, but she is a good dog now -- except for the eating.

I give her pills to coat the stomach, but she spits them up as soon as they go down. I don't know what to do. Please help us. -- J.S., Virginia Beach, Va.

DEAR J.S.: You and your poor dog have been subjected to several costly diagnostic procedures. The cost may be justified if symptomatic treatments failed, such as giving the dog antacid tablets to correct gastroesophageal reflux disease or trying a single protein, grain-free diet.

If neither of these possible treatments were considered prior to subjecting your dog to these diagnostic procedures, you should seek a second opinion, ideally from a member of American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association.

I receive far too many letters like yours that indicate some veterinarians do not seem to appreciate that these are economically hard times for millions of Americans. Many pet owners cannot take their animals in for regular checkups because they are afraid of the possible costs that may be incurred.

Try my suggestions, and let me know how your poor dog does.

DEAR DR. FOX: I recently adopted a wonderful cat from animal control. I am 77 years old, and this is my first cat. The cat, Molly, is 8 years old and was in a home before being put up for adoption. She is obedient, eats well, uses the litter box and stays indoors.

She doesn't seem to know what a scratching post is. She has learned to keep her claws in; however, she scratches the furniture. She doesn't like catnip. The first scratching post was half rug, half sisal. She just sniffs at it. The second one is all rug with two round treelike supports and a platform on top. She loves to sit on the platform, but she won't use the post for scratching. I have pretended to scratch it myself, but she just watches. I sprayed it with Febreze to neutralize any scent. All she does is paw at it with claws withdrawn.

The vet says she is healthy. He says she will use the posts eventually, but she hasn't in the two months I've had her. -- S.W., Odenton, Md.

DEAR S.W.: I applaud you for adopting an older cat! It concerns me that elderly people so often get a kitten or puppy who will probably outlive them and can be more demanding.

Get some Velcro strips and stick some plastic sheets or strips of duct tape and cover those areas on your furniture where she scratches.

One very good sisal scratch post that is tall and sturdy is the PurrFect Post. Call 800-989-2542 or visit PurrFectPost.com for details. Some cats like horizontal scratchboards, some like scratching posts made of corrugated cardboard -- check these out at your local pet store.

Continue clawing the post with your fingernails while your cat watches, and then hold her up against it as far as she will reach upward. Push her front paws into the post, then stroke and massage up and down her back. My two cats love this. Get rid of the Febreze.

Your cat may also enjoy chasing a bunch of feathers or strip of fur tied to a long string on the end of a cane. I call it "going fishing for cats," and my cats love it, especially at night.

(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.)