DEAR DR. FOX: My 17-year-old cat has a neoplasm at the site of a rabies vaccination on his mid-back that he got about four or five years ago. It has increased in size. I raised objections to the injection site (having heard that it was better to give the shot in the leg), but the holistic vet said that's no longer true. My homeopathic vet has begun treating it and wants to refer me to another holistic vet to consider escharotic injection. I understand it's very messy and possibly traumatic for the cat (and owner).

We haven't done a biopsy. He is in no apparent pain, it doesn't hurt when I touch it gently, he is eating well, he loves his twice-daily walks with me and his eyes are bright -- he's in good spirits.

My vet is also treating him homeopathically and with Standard Process Feline Renal Support for serious renal issues, further compounding my aversion to surgery for the neoplasm. I've had him on homemade cat food, high quality raw food and high quality canned food all his life, with about 10 nongrain kibbles as a bedtime treat.

Do you have any further suggestions for these issues? Many thanks. -- B.N., Potomac, Md.

DEAR B.N.: An escharotic injection is an injection of a caustic chemical like silver nitrate. Such a caustic material would not differentiate between the cat's healthy tissue and the cancer, essentially destroying both and possibly stimulating surviving tumorous cells to proliferate and probably causing the cat great discomfort. I think the veterinarians need to focus more on your cat's age and quality of life than on treatment options.

I am not aware of clinical studies demonstrating effective escharotic treatment of feline fibrosarcomas. Nor am I aware that there has been any change in the protocol for vaccinating cats as far down on their legs as possible, where amputation of the limb above any injection-site turmors is a more reliable way of getting rid of the cancer than extensive surgery.

If this were my cat, I would give him supplements of fish oil; Resveratrol for cats; and put one part each of essential oils of frankincense, lavender and myrrh in 40 parts organic almond oil. Apply this mixture twice daily for seven days, stop for seven days and apply again for another seven days. If there is no sign of shrinking, stop further treatment since essential oils are risky for cats.

While grapes and raisins can cause renal failure in dogs, the toxins involved have not been identified. Resveratrol for dogs and cats is, by all accounts, safe, even though it is extracted from grapes. Its anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory and other beneficial qualities have made this a popular human supplement. For details, visit resvantagefeline.com. I have no financial interests in any company producing this supplement.

INTERNATIONAL GATHERING OF CANINE BEHAVIORAL SCIENTISTS

The Society for the Promotion of Applied Research in Canine Science (SPARCS) is hosting its first international three-day conference on dog behavior in Redmond, Wash., June 28-30. The latest knowledge and scientific research into canine behavior, communication, cognition and development will be presented, discussed and debated by some leading researchers, including yours truly. SPARCS believes that every dog lover deserves easier access to the science of dogs, thus the 2013 conference will be broadcast online for free. Profits will fuel research grants in canine science so we can continue to grow in our understanding of man's best friend. Dog experts, trainers, owners, therapists and others from around the world are registering now to attend for this unique gathering. Do come! Visit CanineScience.info for more information.

(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: My beloved 12-year-old purebred Siberian husky, Cassie, was sick off and on this year, but all the diagnostic tests and blood work we had done didn't show anything.

She lost her usual vim and vigor. She kept getting itches between her toes and on her belly that she licked and chewed on until she was raw and bloody, and she had occasional bouts of diarrhea. Finally, about six weeks ago, the latest round of blood work showed her thyroid levels have crashed -- off the charts, actually.

Cassie has been on the thyroid medicine for more than a month now, and she is doing well. All her health problems related to her drastically low thyroid levels have cleared up.

Unfortunately, she has an issue of shaking back legs, which is something else entirely. Now it has progressed to occasional full-body twitches and a general lack of good balance. Our vet and I suspect a neurological cause, but he says that even if we do a $3,000 MRI (which we would), often it does not show small tumors, so it's dubious whether to do it. And if we see a brain tumor, what then? We are not going to put her through that type of surgery at 12 years old.

She is happy, full of pep, totally enjoying her walks, has a good appetite and loves life, so we are just going to treasure every good day she has with us and see what happens. We don't know what else to do. This leg shaking and body twitching does not happen when she is walking or running, only when she stands still.

Have you personally experienced or know of any cases where a dog started off with mildly trembling back legs that progressed to full-on shaking, and then full-body twitches? Do you know what this might be? -- E.L., Holly, Mich.

DEAR E.L: I am glad you found that treatment for severe hypothyroidism, which can manifest in a variety of symptoms.

The spasms you describe are common in older dogs; the more severe shakes are linked most often with tumors or spinal deterioration from spondylosis. An MRI may or may not give the answer, and, as you said, then what? Regardless of the cost of making a possible diagnosis, there is probably no effective treatment that is not invasive or involving repeated chemotherapy or radiation, which may lower your dog's quality of life. If she is not in pain or fearful/anxious, I would try anti-inflammatory supplements, like good-quality fish oil; New Chapter's human Zyflamend supplement (give the same doses as for a human, with food, twice daily); Acetyl-L-carnitine; and massage therapy. Be sure she has a soft pad to rest on. In some instances, acupuncture and laser heat therapy can provide temporary relief.

My 15-year-old Indian pariah dog got some temporary relief from his spondylitis with prednisone. He was in pain and fear from this degenerative disease, which got worse and eventually lead to euthanasia.

DEAR DR. FOX: I've lived with cats all my life and thought I understood most of their behaviors, but there's one thing that my two cats do that has me stumped. Right as they begin to drink, they scratch the ground eight to 10 times right next to the bowl. They may take a drink or two as they do this, then they quit scratching and settle down in earnest to drink. I don't remember any of my other cats doing this. My two kitties are females, 11 and 13 years old.

Thanks for any insight you can give about this strange behavior. -- R.M., St. Louis

DEAR R.M.: My book, "Understanding Your Cat" (available now as an e-book at DrFoxVet.com), has helped thousands of people decipher feline behavior. Cats are copycats, and that explains why both your cats engage in a behavior you have never seen before. Being littermates makes them more likely to be copycats, and I advocate always adopting two littermates for the cats' sake -- they really need each other's company.

When cats paw around water and food bowls before drinking and eating I interpret it as a ritualistic, superstitious behavior, linked in the wild to uncovering and checking whatever they are going to ingest. Our two formerly feral cats routinely paw around their food bowls after eating and often cover them completely with the short throw rugs placed under their bowls.

(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 adopted our white standard poodle from a rescue shelter in 2003. We think she was about 2 years old at the time, so that would make her 12 years old now. She has been a very healthy dog all these years. However, in the past year, she has had a discharge from her eyes. The vet said that it was not uncommon in older dogs and even if he were to open the eye glands, the discharge would soon return. He suggested that we just use a warm washcloth with clear water to wipe off the eyes. We have been doing this and it does help to get rid of the crusty eye gunk, but I am wondering if there are any over-the-counter products that would help. We have to do this every day to keep up with it, and even then she looks like she has two black eyes all the time. We had a black standard poodle years ago, and he didn't seem to have this problem. Does it cause any infections or loss of eyesight? Do you have any other suggestions? -- S. and G.F., Collinsville, Ill.

DEAR S. and G.F.: Provided there are no in-curling eyelashes, blocked tear ducts or chronic conjunctivitis, which need special attention, simply clipping the long fur under the eyes and wiping daily with diluted boric acid or liquid vitamin C should suffice.

In many cases of staining tears and saliva, the culprit is a pigmented chemical called porphyrin, which animals secrete normally -- in gerbils it can look like dried blood in the corners of their eyes. Short-term antibiotic eye ointment may be needed if a bacterial infection is causing reddening of the conjunctiva, which may also produce staining porphyrins, possibly in conjunction with a fungal infection called malassezia. This is all too prevalent in dogs' ears. (Zymox Otic can provide effective relief for the ear.)

Oral treatment with a supplement such as Tearlax can help clear up dogs' eyes. Another oral supplement, Angel Eyes, contains the antibiotic tylosin, and I agree with other veterinarians who contend that this should not be given without strict veterinary oversight and should not be sold over the counter.

I have proposed that pet food dyes can also cause staining -- and more serious health problems -- and so one should seek pet foods without these artificial coloring agents.

STATES OF SHAME

What state do you live in? I live in Minnesota. Some of my taxes pay for legislators who put money before ethics and vested interests before animal rights and welfare. Recently, legislators pushed through a bill permitting the "sport" hunting and commercial trapping of wolves. This violates a five-year moratorium of such slaughter when the federal government took the wolf off the protected endangered species list. Shamefully, the Minnesota Agricultural Committee is currently blocking the Dog and Cat Breeder Regulation Bill, which passed through three House committees, because it sees the bill as a slippery slope to regulating how farmed animals are raised. For more details on your state's cruelty laws, visit animallaw.info/statutes/topicstatutes/sttoac.htm.

(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.)