DEAR DR. FOX: Could purring in adult domesticated cats be a neurotic behavior just like barking in adult dogs?

Do adult felines in the wild purr at all outside of the birth and raising of a litter, or do they purr as frequently and intensively as domesticated and pampered cats?

I had a very dependent cat who would drool and purr constantly while I was in the room. I don't think this is normal behavior.

This would have incredible implications, as purring is currently interpreted as true happiness and well-being. It is commonly used to condone the keeping of cats as pets. -- C.D., Montreal, Quebec

DEAR C.D.: I would say about cats' purring that yes, it could become a neurotic obsessive-compulsive disorder, just like other behaviors.

The motivation behind purring is complex -- cats purr when contented, when approaching each other, when curled up together and when engaging in reciprocal grooming. They will also purr when stressed. Some cats in families, even though friendly, never purr, while others never give any other kinds of vocal sounds. It may be a behavior like human chanting or yoga pranic breathing, serving primarily to relax and to signal a relaxed state to others and to solicit attention, such as being groomed, massaged or fed.

It has been theorized that purring, which is at the same Hertz audio-frequency that facilitates bone healing, may have some bone-body restorative function for cats who, as a species, tend to lie low, sleep much of the day and not get the kind of physical activity seen in other species.

Some cats drool a lot as they purr and often knead with their front paws, all associated with nursing behavior in kittens. Such behavior, in my opinion, is a possible indication of some degree of neoteny, of remaining kittenish through adulthood, in part as a consequence of early human bonding and the human taking on the role of parent figure as well as companion in the cats' psyches. But I would never generalize and infer that since some overdependent cats are borderline obsessive purrers, that means purring is an unreliable indicator of feline happiness. It is but one potential indicator of well-being, and in some situations could be a reaction to stress.

I have no in-field knowledge of wild cat purring behavior, but have heard orphaned wild cat kittens purring while nursing. This may help induce mother cats to let down their milk. The loudest purring I have ever heard was by two baby brown bears nursing from their mother at the St. Louis Zoo!

DEAR DR. FOX: I volunteer to walk dogs at our animal shelter and also foster dogs for adoption. Some people say that we "animal lovers are suffering from misguided love and should care more for people, especially children and the handicapped."

What is your opinion? Perhaps this is why municipalities generally give little funding for local shelters. It also makes me sick when I see some animal trainer of killer whales or elephants on TV insisting that they love the animals they work with. What kind of love is that? -- G.B., St. Louis

DEAR G.B.: You raise an important question about our relationships with animals and the meaning of love.

In my opinion, our love ability can be measured by our capacity to suffer for and with others and our commitment to alleviating and preventing their suffering. Otherwise, love is just another four letter-word and worse -- a word that masks selfishness, a kind of self-delusion that helps one feel good about controlling and exploiting others.

Without respect, empathy and compassionate action, the proclamation of love is just another lie or self-delusion. Where is the respect, empathy and compassion for performing captive wild animals such as tigers, elephants, orcas and dolphins when they are deprived of any semblance of a biologically and psychologically appropriate natural environment? They suffer the consequences, like the millions of monkeys and apes in most laboratory research facilities and exotic species kept as pets. All such forms of animal exploitation would be anathema to any truly civilized society.

(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 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.)