DEAR DR. FOX: There is an American bulldog named Daisy who lives in the neighborhood. She has a tumor hanging from her belly that drains and bleeds at times. She always comes to my house to sleep in my three doggies' beds. I love her and allow her to do this, and I wash the blanket each time she goes home.

Is the draining and bleeding dangerous for my dogs? I have mentioned this to her owner, but he refuses to put her down. Daisy does not want to be alone, and she seems scared. I am sad and heartbroken for her cancer, and knowing my dogs won't get sick will help me. -- L.S., Hendersonville, N.C.

DEAR L.S.: I appreciate your concern over your neighbor's poor dog. My guess is that this is either an ulcerated breast tumor or a fatty tumor -- a lipoma. If it is the latter, then surgical removal should fix the problem. But if it is a neglected mammary tumor, chances are that it has spread to her lungs and other parts of her body, so surgery would not be a cure. It may temporarily make her life more comfortable, but she may not survive the surgery.

Either way, if you have the funds, talk to the owner, who may need financial or emotional support -- and possibly a kick in the rump to do something for the dog.

The oozing from the growth is not likely to put your dogs at risk, but you would be wise to bleach-clean any towels you put down for her to rest on when she visits. You can clean her up with diluted hydrogen peroxide or a hand sanitizer solution.

I find such neglect appalling, and calling the local animal shelter or a veterinarian to come and evaluate the dog when she is visiting may be a good idea.

UPDATE FROM THE ORIGINAL LETTER WRITER:

DEAR DR. FOX: I took your reply to my letter of concern about this poor dog to her owner, and he was not offended -- he just felt helpless, I guess. He took Daisy to the vet, and she was euthanized. Her suffering was immense and her condition was considered too advanced for surgery to be successful. Thank you. -- L.S.

DEAR DR. FOX: I have two indoor cats. Neither is any specific breed, they're just farm cats that became indoor cats.

One cat, Spot, has bladder problems. He has to eat Hill's Prescription Diet c/d so he doesn't develop bladder stones. Our other cat, China Doll, has some sort of bacteria in her intestines that causes severe diarrhea. She is on Hill's Prescription Diet i/d. Because of these two diets, I have to feed the cats three times a day and hover over them to make sure they eat the right food.

Is there any food I can buy or make that would be safe for both of them? I would rather let food be available for them all day instead of making them scarf food down at specific times.

Thanks for all of your help! -- J.W.R., Sarasota, Fla.

DEAR J.W.R.: As you have discovered, it is difficult supervising two cats who must both be on special prescribed diets.

The cat with the bowel problems can be given good-quality, human-grade probiotics mixed in with her food. You can feed both of them my home-prepared diet, which you can find on my website, drfoxvet.com.

Encourage both to drink plenty of water by seasoning it with a little low- or no-salt chicken or beef bullion. Check feline-nutrition.org for more insights on the correct feeding of cats and how one good nutritional formula can help cats with a range of health problems associated with manufactured cat foods, including special prescription diets!

Many cats diagnosed with a bladder problem turn out to be allergic to corn, and high-cereal diets are largely responsible for one type of bladder stone that is appearing in epidemic numbers. Cats with chronic diarrhea are frequently suffering from a food intolerance or allergy. What may seem like a bacterial infection in some cases of diarrhea may well be dysbiosis (bacterial imbalance), which can be rectified with various supplements, using antibiotics as a last resort.

(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 learned about one of your books, "Not Fit for a Dog: The Truth About Manufactured Cat and Dog Food," from my local newspaper

I am interested in this book because of my cat, Bella, who adopted us five years ago. According to her veterinarian, she was about 4 years old at the time. I would be grateful if I could find out where this book is available because I want to make sure Bella is healthy and happy. -- N.A., Poughkeepsie, N.Y.

DEAR N.A.: I am pleased to inform you and other readers that a new, updated edition of this book has been published by Quill Driver Books. If you are unable to go online to order a copy from Amazon.com, just give the title to your local bookstore and they can order a copy.

This book is not just my own views, but also those of my two co-authors: feline nutrition expert Dr. Elizabeth Hodjkins and veterinary nutrition professor Dr. Marion E. Smart. It has contributed to the pet food revolution, and we are seeing some greatly improved cat and dog foods in pet stores and groceries.

Readers may be surprised to see so many references to nutrition in this column, but this is not planned on my part! The kinds of pet health issues described in readers' letters usually indicate nutrition issues, which bolsters my contention that good nutrition is the first and best medicine.

DEAR DR. FOX: I would really like to see information about feline diabetes -- symptoms, treatments, prognosis and prevention. -- S.P, Miami

DEAR S.P.: The best prevention of diabetes in cats is to feed a raw-food diet. If that's not possible, try diet free of a soy, corn and cereal, available on my website, drfoxvet.com. For more details, see feline-nutrition.org.

Seriously afflicted cats who do not respond to dietary change can be treated with insulin injections and monitoring of blood sugar levels. Early signs of diabetes in cats include weight loss and increased appetite and thirst. This condition is often coupled with hyperthyroid disease, which can cause similar symptoms along with irritability, excessive grooming and aggressiveness.

DEAR DR. FOX: Please give me some advice on elder pet care, including nutrition and medication. I am sure there are many things that I have not thought of. -- M.Z.W., Boston

Dear M.Z.W.: Elder care for cats, dogs or both? First, don't allow any more vaccinations or blood titers if you're in doubt as to your pet's immune status. I advocate a full veterinary checkup at least once annually, ideally in-home for cats. The vet should check weight and general condition, nutrition, teeth, ears, eyes and heart and take blood work for liver and kidney functions. Many geriatric dogs and cats need digestive enzymes, probiotics and a high-quality, easily digestible protein -- not meat or poultry by-products -- to help with food assimilation.

Omega-3 fatty acids are important for the skin/coat, heart and joints. One good source is organic animal produce, including free-range poultry, beef, dairy and eggs. Resveratrol, CoQ10, SAMe (s-adenosyl methionine)and a good-quality multivitamin may be of benefit. Coconut oil, L-carnitine, choline and alpha lipoic acid may help dogs suffering from cognitive impairment.

As for amounts of these supplements, my rule of thumb is to give the suggested human daily amount reduced to the weight of the animal -- say one-third for a 60-pound dog, twice daily with food.

BUMPER TOYS APPEAR TO LEACH PLASTIC COMPOUNDS

Plastic bumpers used to train retrieving dogs appear to leach bisphenol-A and phthalates, according to research from Texas Tech University. The researchers found that bumpers exposed to artificial dog saliva and simulated chewing released the chemicals. It's not known whether the compounds put dogs at risk of any health problems. But as with other plastic items such as chew toys and food and water bowls, I would get rid of them. There are rumors that the chemical used by manufacturers as a substitute for bisphenol-A is not as safe as originally believed.

(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: This letter is about detoxification. Years ago, when I lived in Collingswood, N.J., my 15-month-old Dachshund started throwing up and having diarrhea. Home remedies did not work. I took her to the vet, where she was admitted. Two or three days later, she was deemed fine and released. This happened twice. The third time, I dropped her off for the same problem, and as I was leaving, I noticed they were removing her flea collar. I stopped in my tracks and asked, "Have you removed the flea collar every time she was admitted?" They said yes, always. I took her home and trashed the flea collar, and she never had the problem again.

Truthfully, I was upset with the staff for not considering this, and I found another vet. She was allergic to the flea collar. It cost me several hundred dollars to figure that out! -- P.K., Naples, Fla.

Dear P.K: I wrote about problems with flea collars and spot-on anti-flea and tick drugs in an earlier column. I hope that all readers will take note of your costly -- and distressing -- experience and adopt the integrated flea control program detailed on my website, DrFoxVet.com. Readers can also try the new, safe spray from PetzLife, Complete Coat.

It is ridiculous to give potentially hazardous insecticides to cats and dogs in order to prevent flea infestation. That's like taking antibiotics to prevent infection. It's not real prevention, but it is really profitable for the drug companies!

MITES IN DRY PET FOODS

I have reveived letters from pet owners who have felt and seen mites crawling on them after handling their animals' dry food, subsequently discovering that the dry bags of cat or dog food are teeming with the pests.

According to a 1993 report by Drs. Linda J. Mason and John Obermeyer, department of entomology, Purdue University, grain mites are becoming increasingly bothersome in stored grain and processed feed. This is primarily due to the wet, hot, humid conditions that climate change is triggering.

They note: "Mites thrive at 14 percent moisture content and can become serious problems when grain moistures are in the range of 15 to 18 percent. This in turn can lead to insect and mold problems. Mites, mold and fungus-feeding insects (hairy fungus beetle and foreign grain beetle) often can be found together. The grain mite can feed on fungi associated with stored grain, Aspergillus flavus being a favorite. The most common mite is the grain mite Acarus siro. It feeds on the germ of damaged grains and, if grain is moldy, will attack the endosperm. It cannot penetrate undamaged grains. Heavily infested grain and feed become tainted and unpalatable as animal feed. When fed infested commodity, small companion animals (e.g., dogs) can show reduced feed intake, diarrhea, inflammation of the small intestine and impaired growth."

I advise animal caregivers to place a sample of dry food from a freshly opened bag in a white bowl and inspect it closely for signs of mites. Their presence could indicate that the food is contaminated with a poison-producing mold/fungus, most commonly aflatoxin. Some animals may develop allergic reactions to these mites in their food. Another common mite, the household dust mite, can trigger allergies in dogs and people.

(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.)