DEAR DR. FOX: My 11-year-old Havanese dog is suffering from tartar-encrusted teeth. Her front teeth -- both top and bottom -- have become loose and are beginning to fall out. At times she is unable to eat her dry food. Her breath is terrible. I am desperate to find a solution and put an end to her discomfort. A reply would be greatly appreciated. -- M.C., Raleigh, N.C.

DEAR M.C.: When a dog or cat reaches the stage of having difficulty eating because of dental calculi, scale, tartar and associated halitosis, you know that you have a serious health issue to address without delay. Chances are, there are one or more rotting teeth that must be removed. There may also be infection and inflammation of the gums (periodontal disease), which can spread via blood circulation and damage the heart, kidneys and other internal organs and also infect the jawbone.

Before your dog is subjected to any oral surgery, the veterinarian should advise you of the risks, including that of giving a general anesthetic. This is needed for extractions, but many veterinarians avoid it when minor tooth scaling and cleaning is needed. Oral antibiotics are often prescribed for human, canine and feline patients before major dental work.

I would also recommend using PetzLife oral care products for five to seven days prior to dental work being done. These gels and sprays applied to the teeth and gums help reduce infection and inflammation, which will help reduce possible complications associated with oral surgery and general anesthesia. PetzLife offers tried-and-true natural, herbal ingredient formulations for oral health maintenance along with safe chew toys and crunchy treats. Visit petzlife.com for more details.

DEAR DR. FOX: Some time ago, I came home with some sushi, and my 6-year-old Siamese cat Suzi went crazy for it. I now give her treats of raw fish every day, and sometimes thawed fish fingers. Is that healthy for cats? -- K.M.W., Potomac, Md.

DEAR K.M.W.: My answer is an emphatic NO! Most fish -- and some more than others, especially white fish and herring -- contain enzymes called thiaminases. They destroy an essential B vitamin, namely thiamine. Cooking the fish destroys both the enzymes and much of the thiamine, dietary deficiencies of which can result in gastrointestinal, neurological and other health problems.

So a diet primarily of fish, cooked or raw, is not good for cats. After all, they are originally a desert-dwelling species. To learn more about feline nutrition and the hazards of many manufactured cat foods, check the book which I co-authored with two other veterinarians, "Not Fit for a Dog: The Truth About Manufactured Cat & Dog Food." Also, there are ethical reasons to reduce our consumption of seafoods. For more details, visit fishfeel.org.

(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 healthy 12-year-old domestic shorthair cat started limping about four months ago. The problem seemed to be one of her hind legs. I took her to her vet, who could not elicit any joint pain or tenderness, and for whom Molly wouldn't walk out of fear -- she crouches and shakes during vet visits -- so he never saw her walking or limping. He asked me to get a video of her limping on my smartphone and bring it in to him to view. I agreed.

Molly's limp went away a day or two after the visit, and I was unable to capture her limp on film prior to its disappearance. I was surprised when Molly's vet said that cats rarely, if ever, get arthritis. It seemed to me that her limp was more pronounced after she had been sitting, and the hind leg appeared to feel a little better after she moved around.

The limp has returned, and I have captured it on film and will take it to the vet's office. What could possibly be the cause of on-again, off-again leg and hip tenderness if not arthritis? Molly is an indoor cat. -- B.L., Chesterfield, Mo.

DEAR B.L.: Cats are notoriously difficult to examine in the veterinary clinic setting when they are tense and afraid. Pain symptoms are masked and palpation is difficult to perform when muscles and limbs are tensed.

Any veterinarian who says that degenerative joint disease and arthritis is rare in cats needs to have a refresher course in feline medicine and nutrition.

Check out my book "The Healing Touch For Cats" to learn the benefits of massage therapy for this common condition in older cats. I advise beneficial supplements, especially good-quality fish oils or omega-3s from algae if the cat does not like the fish oil source of these essential fatty acids, which are anti-inflammatory and help with arthritis and other conditions.

DEAR DR. FOX: My friend Dara rescued an elderly, medium-sized female dog, Josephine, from life on a short chain in the backyard. It took years for the "owners" to agree to surrender the dog, and only because the dog had become ill and would have died during the recent cold spells.

Josephine is still shy and reluctant in her new home, which she shares with Dara, her husband and two boy dogs. Josephine has taken ownership of the doggy door and will growl at the boys when they want to go outside. To my knowledge, she has not nipped anyone, but her growl is intimidating enough to stress out the boys.

What do you suggest? Josephine is still shell-shocked from her 10 years on a chain. Dara wants her to feel loved and accepted, but she cannot tolerate Josephine being the gatekeeper to the potty. -- H.S., St. Louis

DEAR H.S.: Dogs with post-traumatic stress disorder need great sensitivity applied to any behavioral correction or modification. It is good that she is beginning to assert herself with the two resident boy dogs -- up to a point. But if they are showing signs of anxiety, then some behavioral redirection is called for.

If she is not freaked out by the sound of a training clicker I would train her to come for a treat every time she hears it. Alternatively, you can use a squeaky toy; squeak it and the reward is for her to chase it.

This conditioning will have to be done with the other dogs in another room. Food reward rather than a squeaky toy reward may set up some rivalry between the dogs, so the choice of behavioral modification will have to be determined through trial and selection.

Alternatively, train the new dog to sit and stay on command, while on a leash. Give her a reward when she obeys. With her on the leash, close to the dog door, give the sit and stay commands when the boys want to go out. If she snarls at them, repeat the sit and stay commands. Coupling the verbal command with a raised then slowly lowered hand facilitate the learning process.

If these measures fail, I would set up a low, 4- to 5-foot-long railing on the doorframe so the dogs wanting to go out have some protection from her. I hope these ideas help.

RED FLANNEL CAT FOOD RECALL

PMI Nutrition in Arden Hills, Minn., is recalling its 20-pound bags of their Red Flannel cat food after routine testing by the Food and Drug Administration Detroit District Office identified possible salmonella contamination. There have been no reports of illness related to the product, according to the company.

For more information on the recall, customers can contact the customer service line for PMI products at 800-332-4738.

(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 are at our wit's end with our 14-year-old Chihuahua/rat terrier. He is having some sort of reaction and, according to our vet, is producing too much yeast.

We have been taking him to the vet for a monthly allergy shot, bathing him weekly with Pharmaseb Shampoo and feeding him Hill's Prescription z/d food in addition to a small amount of homemade chicken and vegetables. His whole belly is like alligator skin, and he is losing hair on the top of his back. Besides the expense of the monthly trip to the vet and the shot, the food is expensive, too. Now the vet is suggesting an allergy test that would cost $500, along with keeping my dog on a serum for the next several months, which would cost $325 every three months.

Is there anything else we can try? I am desperate for help and a solution. This poor little dog spends 3/4 of the day scratching. He even stops to scratch before going out for a pee in the backyard. His ears are also inflamed.

Do you have any suggestions? Is this an immune system problem? Is this just par for the course for older dogs? -- J.F., Palm Beach, Fla.

DEAR J.F.: Your poor dog is suffering indeed. First, has mange, a skin parasite, been ruled out? Next, consider hypothyroidism, which in older dogs is often combined with Cushing's disease, both of which the veterinarian should have checked for.

The possibility of an underlying food ingredient allergy or intolerance remains, and one of the problems with these expensive prescription diets is that they often contain additives and other ingredients as well as contaminants that may cause more harm than good.

I would put your dog on a "detox" diet of 3 parts boiled brown rice or quinoa; 2 parts ground lamb or white fish; and 1 part chopped green beans for three to five days. After that, transition him onto a boiled potato and white fish diet with a pediatric multimineral or multivitamin tablet and a few drops of fish oil mixed in. Also, give your dog probiotics and a bath using Selsun Blue medicated shampoo, followed a week later with a soothing oatmeal and aloe vera or chamomile shampoo.

DEAR DR. FOX: My 7-year-old yellow Lab has a bad habit that is driving me crazy. When she is in the yard playing with a ball or stick, she stops playing and starts pulling out the grass with her teeth. She does not dig holes.

She does this when she is alone a and when I am out there with her. When you try to correct her, she thinks it is a game, runs across the yard and does it again.

What can be done to correct this behavior? We cannot leash her every time she needs to go out or prevent her from running around. Do you think an electronic training collar would help, or might it do more damage to her mental state? Any recommendations would be appreciated. -- M.M.

Dear M.M.: Is your dog eating some of the grass or just snapping and pulling it up?

If she is eating some of the grass, you must know that is normal dog behavior. Give her a small unmowed patch of couch grass to nibble on. This could be good for her digestive system and urinary tract. Dogs with some internal irritation or discomfort will often eat grass, and not always to trigger vomiting.

If this is more a redirected play behavior, throw her some sturdy squeaky toys and 18-inch ropes with a knot on both ends, which she may especially enjoy being able to retrieve and "kill."

Never use a shock collar. For details, check my short article, "Dominance Training" on my website, DrFoxVet.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.)