DEAR DR. FOX: My daughter's Shih Tzu died suddenly this week. My Maltese, Bianca, and Bella the Shih Tzu were best buddies and grew up together for the most part.

Since my Bianca did not have a chance to see Bella in her last few hours to know she was ill, what is she thinking? She keeps looking up when my daughter or I come in the house, and she appears to be looking for Bella.

I know she is grieving for her buddy, but I think more is going on. The four of us usually went out Saturday mornings together. But this Saturday, when it was only the three of us, she appeared very upset and stressed. When we got home and she saw no Bella, Bianca seemed extra stressed.

My daughter had Bella cremated, and when she brought me the container, Bianca sniffed around it and kept looking at us. How is Bianca reacting? Should we have taken her to see Bella at the ER? I worry about her. Any thoughts you may have would be greatly appreciated. -- A.R., Arlington, Virginia

DEAR A.R.: Based on my experiences with our own dogs over many years and letters from thousands of people whose dogs are in mourning, my advice is to treat Bianca just as you would a person who is in a state of grief.

Bianca is grieving an emotional and social loss, and she will keep alerting to certain sounds and time-linked activities when she anticipates seeing and being with her canine companion. Seeing Bella in her last hours or just after she had died might have helped her understand that she was no more. Dogs react differently to this "closure" process.

So give her lots of tender loving care, as I am sure you are doing, and gradually set up a new routine of walks, outdoor romps in new places and at least observing, if not playing with other dogs -- maybe a local small dog play group, or a neighbor with a friendly dog.

Just like humans, dogs and other animals can suffer from grief, separation anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and all the physical and behavioral complications that can follow an emotionally traumatic experience. This includes wild animals held in captivity and separated from their loved ones and wild animals who suffer the loss of family members. If more humans were like your dog Bianca, this world would be a better place!

DEAR DR. FOX: I hope you can help us with our 6-year-old bichon-poodle mix.

She used to be the ultimate submissive dog whenever she met another dog. She would roll over on her back and display her belly while the other dog would sniff her. Then she was chased down twice by a neighbor's off-leash border collie.

Last year she began to snap at other dogs if they came nose to nose with her, and it seems to be getting worse. She is reasonably OK with dogs she has known most of her life, but we are on guard with any dog, even if very friendly, as ours seems disposed to suddenly snap. If the other dog doesn't approach her first, she will generally ignore it, and they can walk past each other just fine.

She is the cutest dog, so people and especially kids want to meet her, but we have to explain that she is afraid and doesn't like to be petted. We keep hoping we can distract her with treats to allow her to meet other dogs, but once she snaps at another dog, the owners tend to avoid close contact. She does chew on her front paw and scratches some, and bitter apple does not stop her. -- C.H., Ocean, New Jersey

DEAR C.H.: I would add a few drops of fish oil for dogs or a canned sardine or two in water and 1/2 teaspoon of coconut oil per meal to help the skin issue.

The behavioral issue is most likely post-traumatic stress disorder and will require patience and vigilance around other dogs. Giving treats and walks together with another "buddy dog" on a regular basis may work wonders. But to be on the safe side, have your veterinarian do a blood test for hypothyroid, since thyroid dysfunction can affect dogs' temperaments, making some more fearful and snappy. Also discuss a trial short course of anti-anxiety medication.

MANY DOG CAR HARNESSES UNSAFE

I have been a strong advocate for harnesses on dogs when in a vehicle for a long time. A study conducted by the nonprofit Center for Pet Safety on the effectiveness of car harnesses designed for small, medium and large dogs, using dog surrogate dummies in crash tests, found that only one effectively kept all three dog models from launching off the seat: Sleepypod's Clickit Utility Harness. For details, visit centerforpetsafety.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 READERS: Pets Best, a United States pet health insurance company, encourages cat owners to watch closely for the symptoms of the five most common conditions among cat-related claims filed with the agency:

1. Chronic kidney failure. Symptoms can include anorexia, vomiting, lethargy, diarrhea, constipation, depression and weight loss.

2. Hyperthyroidism. Common symptoms include a voracious appetite, weight loss, increased thirst and urination, vomiting, diarrhea and restlessness.

3. Allergies. Skin allergy symptoms often include raised, thickened raw skin; small scabs; face and ear itching; and bald spots. Food allergies tend to include scabs and other signs of itching around the face or neck.

4. Cancer. Cat owners should watch for symptoms like lumps and bumps on the skin, lack of appetite, lethargy, excessive salivation, difficulty chewing or swallowing, rapid weight loss and abnormal discharges. Other warning signs include abnormal odors, abnormal defecation and urination, vomiting and diarrhea.

5. Diabetes. Symptoms include increased thirst and urination, unusual appetite and rapid weight loss.

A recent Zoetis drug company pet wellness report disclosed a disturbing finding that apparently healthy dogs and cats who had been seen by a veterinarian in the past 90 days were found to have "new health risks" in 36 percent of dogs and 28 percent of cats. Top new health risks for dogs were hypothyroidism, urinary tract infection, protein in the urine and dental disease. Top new health risks for cats were kidney disease, dental disease, hyperthyroidism, eosinophilia and protein in the urine.

According to a professional survey conducted by the British Veterinary Association, in the U.K., the most common health conditions seen by veterinarians treating cats and dogs are skin disease (mentioned by 70 percent of respondents), gastrointestinal disorders (54 percent), musculoskeletal (45 percent), obesity (31 percent), dental disease (24 percent) and ear disease or infection (18 percent).

The best preventives continue to be good nutrition, as posted on my website, and regular veterinary wellness examinations at least annually, and twice yearly for young and old animals, with in-home visits by veterinarians being ideal for stress-prone animals, especially cats. Some caution must be applied in interpreting pet health surveys, especially when they are focused on selling often-dubious pet health insurance plans and policies.

DEAR DR. FOX: I recently lost my papillon after he battled Cushing's disease for several years. We went through all the periodic testing and daily doses of trilostane, and there is no doubt in my mind it was all worth it. Even though it was always tough to find the money to pay for his treatment, I know it extended his life several years. I was very lucky to have a great vet attending him, and my advice to any caregiver would be to follow her vet's advice and follow through with appropriate treatments. -- R.D., St. Louis

Dear R.D.: I appreciate your response to my advice concerning dogs with Cushing's disease, and am well aware of the need for periodic monitoring of this adrenal gland disease and the calculated benefit of trilostane medication. Without careful monitoring, this drug can actually destroy the adrenal glands.

It is more than likely that this all-too-common disease could be avoided by not spaying and castrating dogs. There is a trend now to avoid doing such surgery, especially in small breeds such as yours who are easy to handle when the males are aroused by the scent of a female in heat and using sanipads when the females have a heat period twice a year. This "inconvenience" is a small price to pay for the probable prevention of Cushing's disease, but the risks of increased chances of developing breast cancer, ovarian cancer and pyometra (infection in the uterus) are part of the equation. So now some veterinarians are simply removing the uterus and leaving the ovaries to eliminate chances of the latter problem.

(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 recently contacted you about my four dogs eating dirt after every meal. They had been eating Purina One for seniors.

After buying your book "Not Fit for a Dog," I made your dog food recipe. The very first day they starting eating it, they stopped eating dirt! They love it! Thank you. -- S.Y., Cottleville, Missouri

DEAR S.Y.: I always appreciate feedback from my recommendations for companion animals, especially when it comes to what they are being fed and my belief that better nutrition is the cornerstone of good health.

I would like to hear from other readers on this issue -- what health problems and often obsessive behaviors, such as eating dirt, went away after your pet was put on a good diet, and what were they being fed prior to the change?

DEAR DR. FOX: I want to thank you for your dog food recipe! I know that it saved my dog, Ranger.

He is a 3-year-old husky who we adopted from a shelter when he was 4 months old. He had some digestive issues until our vet had us do a protein elimination diet. We finally realized that chicken was the problem.

He was put on a diet of Natural Balance venison dog food. Things were better until he wouldn't eat it anymore, and he started losing weight. We were really getting nervous when we started to see his ribs and backbone! I have always read your column in the paper, and I remembered your recommendation of homemade dog food.

Well, thank you! I have been making it for three months now, for both of our dogs, and I am happy to say that Ranger has put the weight back on. He just seems to be a happier dog. His coat looks better, too.

Thank you for your commitment to animals. Ranger thanks you, too. -- J.N., Manahawkin, New Jersey

DEAR J.N.: I really appreciate you letting me know that you found my home-prepared dog food recipe such a step forward. As Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, advised, "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food." I wish more human and animal doctors incorporated this principle in their practice.

Look out for the next wave of special diets for dogs that some of the big pet food manufacturers like Purina are coming out with -- including a "brain-protection blend." Some are specially fortified with supplements that can help prevent age-related mental decline and joint problems. It is ironic that nutritional deficiencies in various manufactured pet foods are being "fixed" by these "fortified" special diets.

DEAR DR. FOX: How long do you recommend giving Heartgard to a dog?

With colder weather approaching, do I still have to give it? I live in Michigan in a condo; my dog is mostly an inside dog. -- S.H., Flint, Michigan

DEAR S.H.: I often get this question, and veterinarians are somewhat divided over the issue.

Some advocate year-round preventive medicine regardless of where they live. But climate change is here to stay, so caution is called for, especially when people travel with their dogs to warmer states in the winter. I join those veterinarians who stop the medication in appropriate states when the mosquito season is over and advise a blood test the next spring before the mosquitoes hatch. If the blood is clear of filarial heartworm larvae, then the preventive medication is safe to start giving once every month until the next fall and mosquitoes are dormant again.

MORE INCORRECT PET FOOD INGREDIENT LABEL CONCERNS

Ever-vigilant Susan Thixton of truthaboutpetfood.com reveals that Chapman University in Southern California has released the results of a study finding, "Of the 52 products tested, 31 were labeled correctly, 20 were potentially mislabeled and one contained a non-specific meat ingredient that could not be verified." The study did DNA testing for beef, goat, lamb, chicken, goose, turkey, pork and horse.

This report comes two years after a similar study found that eight of 21 pet foods tested contained an animal protein ingredient not listed in the pet food label.

"Although regulations exist for pet foods, increases in international trade and globalization of the food supply have amplified the potential for food fraud to occur," said Dr. Rosalee Hellberg, co-author of this latest study.

The frequent discovery of unlisted pork, possibly derived from the millions of pigs that have recently died in the U.S. from a virus (porcine epidemic diarrhea) found in pig feed imported from China, is one concern. Another is in determining which pet food ingredients may be causing allergies or other health problems when the ingredient label is incorrect and cannot be trusted.

(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.)