DEAR DR. FOX: We adopted a 10-year-old 5-pound Chihuahua named Potato from the animal shelter. He was at the shelter many months because no one could touch him -- he screams and tries to bite when hands come down hear him. Nothing is known about his history.

We've had him for three years, and his aversion to hands has not improved. I've read books and consulted with those in rescue, sanctuaries, reputable breeders and the Chihuahua Club of America. He has been to training and we've tried different herbs and L-theanine. He has been worked up medically more than once (blood work, exam, X-rays, urine analysis). He drinks a ton of water and pees accordingly, but his urine is always normal even though his drinking seems compulsive.

He is a normal dog who enjoys treats, walking and playing; he gets along well with other dogs (in our household and outside). He is excited to see us and will lick my face. He likes to sit on our laps and lean into us as a way to touch. He seems to like people -- just not their hands. He looks like a normal dog until he sees a hand reaching for him, then he displays the body language of a fearful dog. The best way to describe him at these times is "spring-loaded."

Everyday things like leashing and putting on a harness or coat are very difficult. His reaction -- screaming and trying to bite -- is reflexive. I think the anticipation of being touched may be worse for him than the actual touching. Not even general anesthetic and Valium takes the edge off. Once, while waking up from having his teeth cleaned, he screamed while I tried to get his harness on. Once home, he didn't appear groggy at all. He is always on high alert.

It isn't easy, but we've found ways to work with him. Sadly, he seems to want affection but can't tolerate it. He seems to do better if petted with a blanket over him so hands touch the blanket and not his body, but he might panic at any time. One other observation: His tail is always slightly to the left: It's tucked left and it wags left.

Any ideas on how we might help him deal with everyday things that involve hands? -- L.W., Arlington, Virginia

DEAR L.W.: I applaud your patience and endurance with this touch-phobic little dog. He may be suffering from a complex post-traumatic stress disorder, or a condition seen in Cocker spaniels that is a form of hysteria associated with extremely low levels of serotonin in the brain.

A low dose of Prozac may help. You can also try giving a supplement such as 5-hydroxytryptophan to help elevate brain serotonin. Also, 1 or 2 milligrams of melatonin every morning and evening may prove beneficial. Discuss these treatments with your veterinarian. They should be easy to give embedded in a little cream cheese or peanut butter.

A blanket or towel over a dog can be very calming, and I am glad that your dog has helped you discover this. When he is covered, simply touching him with your hands may help him relax -- this is the healing power of touch, documented in my two books, "The Healing Touch for Dogs" and "The Healing Touch for Cats."

DEAR DR. FOX: I have a female dog who is the same size as my cat (17 pounds). For five years, I have been trying to keep my dog out of the cat's litter box. She not only goes for the poop, but eats the litter, too.

I have tried everything -- scolding, water pistol and loud noises. The cat is old, so I can't put the litter up high. Please help. -- S.R., Hendersonville, North Carolina

DEAR S.R.: One effective solution is to get an adjustable baby gate and secure it so there is enough space between the gate and the floor for the cat to squeeze under. Dogs have a harder time compressing their bodies.

Alternatively, if your cat is agile enough, help her learn to climb over the gate, a feat quite easy for healthy cats, but difficult for most dogs. You could also try putting the litter box in your bathroom and showing your cat where it is. This may be a good barrier for your dog.

Feeding your dog a digestive enzyme, perhaps a few pieces of canned pineapple, and 2 tablespoons of plain yogurt may be another solution if the litter box issue has a nutritional or digestive disturbance origin.

(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: Proper preventive health care for our dogs and cats entails more than providing good nutrition; a safe, stress-free and clean environment; the satisfaction of behavioral needs; and a caring and understanding primary caregiver. It must include an annual wellness exam by a veterinarian, a key factor emphasized by the American Veterinary Medical Association and the American Animal Hospital Association responding to a decadelong decline in the utilization of veterinary care. But too many primary caregivers fish for animal health and behavior answers on the Internet -- including on my own website -- and in the process could put their animals at risk, especially when an annual veterinary examination has not been done.

I applaud people assuming more responsibility for their own and their animals' preventive health care. It's true that I berate some veterinary health care providers in my books for overprescribing vaccinations, anti-flea drugs and special prescription diets, and for performing questionable diagnostic tests, all of which add to the costs of a wellness exam. However, there is no better person than a veterinarian to advise, on an annual basis after a full physical examination and basic blood panel evaluation, if you are on the right track with maintaining your animal companion's health and well-being.

Make the wellness exam part of the needed annual blood test for heartworm prior to resuming post-winter preventive medication; this exam should evaluate kidney and liver function, blood glucose and other essential health indicators. A visit to the veterinarian is stressful, especially for cats, and I am encouraged by the increasing number of veterinarians doing house calls and in-home wellness exams. This is also of great help to the elderly and the homebound.

An annual wellness exam may reveal neglected dental issues, early signs of kidney failure, heart disease or endocrine dysfunction, and you can nip the problem in the bud -- ultimately saving animals from considerable suffering, pain and distress.

DEAR DR. FOX: Our two wonderful female miniature longhaired dachshunds just turned 7 years old in July, and every year at their annual checkup, our veterinarian wants them to have their teeth cleaned. Unfortunately, that means sedation, and since our other two dogs (a female dachshund mix and a female poodle-Chihuahua mix) "contracted" congestive heart failure within months of being sedated for their teeth cleaning and then passed away within a year, we are vehemently against having our dogs sedated.

We brush their teeth every other day and give them fresh carrots and occasional Greenies to help with tartar. Unfortunately, working full-time, we end up not getting them brushed on a daily basis, which we know is preferable.

The vet continues to almost harass us every year to have their teeth cleaned by their office. We are not against teeth cleaning; we are against having them be sedated to have it done. When we brush their teeth, they give us a hard time, but it is nothing that we cannot handle.

Now our family is in search of a veterinarian or veterinary dentist who will perform a dental cleaning without sedation. Do you know if such a thing is possible? We are due to take our dogs to the vet at the end of the month, and I know she will give us a hard time about bringing them back in for a dental cleaning. -- L.K., Alexandria, Virginia

DEAR L.K.: I hear from many readers whose veterinarians are insisting on sedating, even anesthetizing, their dogs and cats for routine dental cleaning (scaling tartar as needed) and oral examination. Other veterinarians are doing the treatment simply with an assistant providing safe and effective physical restraint. For animals with diagnosed or possible heart disease, mild sedation to reduce the fear associated with being restrained and the violent escape response that may then be triggered may be necessary.

Many veterinarians promoting preventive health care are prescribing VetzLife oral care spray or gel to help keep their clients' animals' teeth and gums healthy. As a routine application, this is easier than daily brushing. It is also for use for a few days prior to dental work being done in cases where tooth extractions are needed. Also available at lower potency from Petzlife, this formula helps reduce oral infection and inflammation. For details, visit Petzlife.com. To find a holistic veterinarian in your area who does not use general anesthetics for routine dental work, visit holisticvetlist.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.)

DEAR DR. FOX: My townhouse neighbor has three beagles who she leaves in her yard for hours; they bark and howl a lot. I have tried a little device that was supposed to emit a sound to make them stop barking, but it didn't work. The howling sometimes makes it hard to hear guests in my home, since our living room is adjacent to her backyard.

My neighbor has accommodated me by not leaving them out between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. They are sometimes, but not usually, out for hours. She said that if she leaves them in the house when she is gone, they would tear up the place.

I could go through the town animal control, but that requires a hearing and a fine of $25 to start. More importantly, I believe this neighbor could be vindictive, and I don't want to risk that given the fact that only a wall and fence separate us. Her scary, abusive husband, who once threatened a neighbor, was killed in a car crash, but his mother owns the house and she is a tough cookie. It would be nice to have some level of politeness and friendliness -- something we had before my request to keep the dogs inside.

I would appreciate any suggestions you have, short of selling our house, although I'm beginning to question whether moving or enduring the dogs is worse. Thanks for any ideas you might have. -- H.B.W., Columbia, Maryland

DEAR H.B.W.: You have my sympathy and understanding -- in my neighborhood, there are knuckle-dragging morons who let their dogs stay out barking, even in the dead of Minnesota winter. Others let their cats roam free and kill birds and chipmunks before our very eyes while my wife and I are sitting on our deck.

I was sent a product called First Alert Bark Genie Automatic Ultrasonic Bark Deterrent by the distributors. I will mail it to you for you to try. Let me know if it is helpful; if not, pass it on to someone else who may find it effective for their own dogs or troubling neighbor dogs and have them email me if these devices prove effective.

DEAR DR. FOX: In your books and column, you have mentioned that you are convinced that animals have souls that survive death. But what do you imagine happens to animals' souls after death? Do they stay with their former owners? Do they journey to the other side? Do they transmigrate into the body of another living animal? Do they reincarnate? I don't believe you have mentioned what you believe happens. I'm sure we are all "dying" to know (no pun intended). You have our full attention! -- R.D.P., Hendersonville, North Carolina

DEAR R.D.P.: Your question has been asked since humans first became aware of death, and many saw the spirits of the deceased, be they human or animal. I do not believe in a heaven or hell except in the terms of what we create ourselves here on Earth.

Many cultures and religious traditions believe in the transmigration of the spirit and its eventual reincarnation into another physical form. Reincarnation was accepted by early Christians but was later declared anathema, probably for political reasons. For further details, see my book "The Boundless Circle: Caring for Creatures and Creation." In my opinion, we should be more concerned about and responsible for the here-and–now rather than wondering about or praying for a better hereafter.

(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.)