DEAR DR. FOX: We have an adorable 9-year-old dachshund named Max. We give him dry food mixed with some moist commercial food, as well as carrots or string beans.

Lately, he's been having diarrhea once or twice a week. My son also gives him half a slice of American or Swiss cheese. Could that cause his problem?

To curb his diarrhea, I give him some raw chicken with rice for a day or two, but the problem still comes back.

What do you suggest? -- A.T., Gainesville, Va.

DEAR A.T.: If your dog has an episode of diarrhea within a few hours of being given cheese to eat, then that is the logical cause of his digestive upset. Many dogs are allergic or hypersensitive to casein (a milk protein) in dairy products. The yellow coloring agent used in many cheeses is called annatto, and it comes from a tree called the lipstick tree. A small piece of yellow cheese will make some dogs have a seizure. You should read the labels on the manufactured dog foods you feed him and eliminate those containing any dairy products.

If his periodic episodes of diarrhea persist, he could be reacting adversely to other ingredients, such as beef, eggs, wheat or soy. So consider a balanced rice-and-lamb-only diet or prepare your own dog food from known ingredients, as detailed in my book "Dog Body, Dog Mind," or on my website, DrFoxVet.com.

A veterinary checkup of his stools to rule out parasites and bacterial infection or chronic pancreatitis would be prudent if this has not yet been done.

DEAR DR. FOX: My vet says he's been a vet for many years, but this is the first time he has encountered this one:

When Maxine, our spayed female indoor calico cat, finishes covering up her business, she becomes very possessive of her accomplishments. Soon after, when we are cleaning out her potty, she will strike out with claws at our hands and legs. We wonder if she feels that we are taking something of value away.

She has reacted this way for the nine years we have had her. We protect ourselves by closing the bathroom door. However, sometimes we find her waiting for us on the other side. -- W.K.Z., Naples, Fla.

DEAR W.K.Z.: Our formerly feral cat hisses when he sees me carrying the litter box out to be cleaned. I interpret his reaction as fear of something looming over him. When he is in the litter box and is disturbed, he bolts, which I think is an indicator of his sense of extreme vulnerability in that situation. Your cat's reaction is both unique and bizarre.

Animals are vulnerable when they are evacuating and, therefore, need a quiet spot to do their business. My interpretation of Maxine's behavior is an extension of this observation -- your "invasion" of her private toilet space triggers a defensive-aggressive reaction.

Other interpretations of Maxine's unusual behavior from readers with "inner cat wisdom" would be welcome.

(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 am writing in response to a letter in your column regarding the hypersensitive cat in Fort Worth, Texas.

My 3-year-old female longhaired cat is an indoor cat who longs to spend time outside, which we supervise. The only time she allows me to brush her is when she is sitting on my legs outside. As long as she is outdoors, I can brush her as long as I want. -- C.W., Olney, Md.

DEAR C.W.: Cats are curious creatures in that they react differently depending on where they are. This place-determining trait is indicative of their awareness and sensitivity to certain stimuli, to which we may be insensitive, but which provide some insight into our cats' behaviors.

Outdoors, your cat may be more relaxed and does not feel threatened by the intense stimulation of being groomed by you. This is an invasive experience for many cats who require time and patience to enjoy being groomed and managed. Indoors, your cat no doubt feels confined, and she may therefore resist holding and brushing. You should also consider static electricity being generated indoors while grooming your cat, which can be discomfiting. Grooming and brushing on a cotton sheet or towel rather than on a synthetic material that quickly generates static electricity may be worth a try. You could also use a moistened brush.

DEAR DR. FOX: I know how hard it is to try and diagnose an animal without physical examination, but I really need an opinion, however general.

I cannot afford to take my cat to the vet as I am 76 and on a fixed income. My problem is a cat that belonged to my granddaughter, whom I have kept for many years as she couldn't keep him. He is an indoor cat, always healthy and sleek with a good appetite.

I noticed during the winter that his water bowl would be almost empty, abnormally so. He wasn't overly fond of wet food, and he ate a lot of dry. Things have lately reversed. He is craving wet food and seems ravenous for any kind of food, including my dinner. He jumps up to where I am eating and tries to lick my plate, which has odd foods he never tried to eat before and that a cat wouldn't normally like -- salad oil, spaghetti, etc. He jumps on the covered garbage pail and knocks it over because he smells scraps. I now feed him wet food twice a day, and always keep a bowl of dry food available for him. As much as he eats, he is losing weight. Over the past three weeks, it is very noticeable how thin he is getting.

He doesn't seem to be in any pain. He sleeps a lot, purrs and is still active, jumping on the sofa. I am tempted to just let nature and age take its course, as long as he isn't vomiting or bleeding. He could he have diabetes. If he were an outside cat, I would think tapeworm, but I examine his stools, and they look normal.

If you could advise, I would so greatly appreciate it. -- L.W. Asbury Park, N.J.

DEAR L.W.: You and your cat have my sympathy. Such ravenous appetite and weight loss can be due to a number of disorders appearing in middle-aged and older cats.

A hyperactive thyroid gland often combined with diabetes and possibly kidney disease and one form of cancer or another are the kinds of diseases a veterinarian would first check your cat for, and the diagnostics and likely treatment will not be cheap.

If your community has an animal shelter or humane society, call and see what kind of financial support may be available. Some veterinarians offer discounts and set up installment payments for services. The alternative is to make life as comfortable as possible for your cat: Make big batches of my home-prepared cat food (on my website, DrFoxVet.com), and give several very small meals of moist food and all the dry food he wants. Also, give him pinches of organic cat nip, available in pet stores, which most cats enjoy immensely. In the evening, give him 1 milligram of melatonin, available over-the-counter in drug and health stores.

(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: You may have already addressed this in your column, but I believe it bears repeating: Xylitol, a sugar alcohol, is DEADLY to dogs. I know this from firsthand experience. Luckily, our dog pulled through, but it was because of fast action.

Late on a Friday night last August, as we were getting ready for bed, one of our Shelties, Buddy, got into a pack of sugar-free Tic Tacs. Within 10 minutes, he vomited, couldn't stand up and was shaking. I called our Animal Emergency Clinic and rushed him there. They said his blood sugar was dangerously low, so they administered two IVs -- one of glucose and one of saline. They kept him for 48 hours. His liver enzymes were rechecked and had dropped from more than 900 to 204. We will be checking them regularly.

Please put a warning in your column from time to time. People react with "Really? Tic Tacs did that?" Xylitol is in most sugar-free chewing gums, too. -- J.M., Cedar Hill, Mo.

DEAR J.M.: Many readers will appreciate your letter of warning regarding the highly toxic effects of widely used artificial sweeteners when ingested by dogs.

Xylitol triggers acute lowering of blood sugar by stimulating the release of insulin from the pancreas. Doses in excess of 1 gram per four to five pounds of body weight cause liver damage.

Gastric lavage (stomach pumping) may be helpful if the dog has recently swallowed xylitol-containing confections or chewing gum. Xylitol in baked goods remains toxic to dogs because it is not deactivated by heat.

DEAR DR. FOX: Today's Palm Beach Post has an article about a study of the effects of mixing chlorine with pee in pools. As it turns out, many people do urinate in pools. Apparently, the combination of uric acid and chlorine causes a chemical reaction. The dangerous gas cyanogen chloride is the result, which can harm the central nervous system, heart and lungs.

I thought of cat and dog owners who clean up accidents and litter boxes with bleach. I use white vinegar to clean up after my cats and used club soda as the immediate cleaner after my dogs' accidents. Perhaps you could look into this and give a warning to all your readers and pet owners. -- B.C., Palm Beach, Fla.

DEAR B.C.: Thanks for waving the red flag to minimize a possible risk from improper use of chemicals in the home environment. I NEVER suggest using bleach to clean things around the house, and especially for disinfecting various dog and cat urine and fecal deposits in and around the home. This fairly new information about the interaction of urine with chlorine in swimming pools underscores the hazardous nature of chlorine bleach products, which are also implicated in ozone layer destruction and endocrine system disruption. Safer enzyme cleaners, white vinegar and baking soda should be used in the home. Many people have died from inhaling mixtures of cleaning and disinfecting agents such as bleach with ammonia.

DEAR DR.FOX: I have two 10-year-old Devon rex altered female cats. They were born on the same day, but they are not littermates. They are very different in looks, size and temperament, but they get along well. They have always been very affectionate with us and others. They are indoor-only cats, have no fleas and are fed both wet and dry food.

Several months ago, the usually outgoing tortie began to groom her lower back a lot and would warn you if you tried to touch it. The vet said that many cats do not like to have their lower backs and tail area touched, but she had never minded before. Last week, she actually bit my husband while in her frantic grooming.

I began a Google search and believe that she is demonstrating the symptoms of hyperesthesia. We moved several times last year and have settled in Florida. We have had a lot of renovations done in the house and think maybe all the changes, noise and extra people in the house may have overstressed this normally pleasant cat.

She now has a bald spot on her back, and we have an appointment to see the vet again next week. We don't know how to help her stop the grooming. What can we do for this much-loved member of our family? -- P.M., Sanibel, Fla.

DEAR P.M.: You must first rule out hyperthyroidism, which is common in older cats and can be precipitated by stress when the thyroid gland is already compromised. One of the symptoms can be hypersensitivity to touch and obsessive-compulsive grooming. Another possibility, especially where there is much humidity, is a malassezia fungal infection.

In the interim, see if the cat will eat or drink a tea made from catnip that can act like Valium and have a calming effect for a few hours. Try a half-teaspoon of good-quality catnip, available in health stores. Some folks make a tea of it for themselves before bedtime. Another treatment could be one milligram of melatonin in the cat's food daily.

A possible food allergy, which could have been brought on by a change in the ingredients in the cat's usual food, should also be considered. Regardless of the same brand name, changes in ingredients from batch to batch of manufactured pet foods can pose problems. For more details, check 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.)