DEAR DR. FOX: I have an emergency with my cat: She has diarrhea. What do you advise I do? -- E.M., Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Don't try home remedies such as over-the-counter human anti-diarrhea medications that can be fatal for cats. A short fast followed by a fresh batch of the usual food may help (buy a new batch of the same brand), since the batch you were using could be bad. Or your cat may have an infection or parasite, or has developed food intolerance or an associated endocrine disorder.

If your cat is old and could have fatty liver disease, not eating for more than a day could cause serious complications, so do not hesitate: If she does not quickly recover and appetite and strength return after the diarrhea, get to the vet without further delay.

DEAR DR. FOX: I feed my dogs around 5 p.m. Many times, they don't consume the food until much later in the evening. On these occasions, the dogs sometimes defecate in their room. The room has a doggy door that is closed at night so they do not go outside and bark at all hours. The dogs are otherwise very well trained. We have two 8-year-olds and a 13-year-old. Do you have any suggestions? -- M.S., St. Louis

DEAR M.S.: I have found that the best feeding and toilet pattern for dogs is going out for a morning walk or yard run and eating a light breakfast, then taking a walk around noon to 2 p.m.; before an evening meal (between 5 and 6 p.m.), go on a long walk or run. Then, before you go to bed, give your dogs another walk or more time in the yard.

This routine fits in with dogs' behavioral cycle of eating and being active, and their need to go out to empty their bladders and bowels.

DEAR DR. FOX: I have always had pets, but never cats because of a severe allergy. My sister came to live with me for a few months several years ago, bringing her young cat. The cat got along well with my dogs (bonding completely with my dog of the same age), but I started to notice some strange things.

First, the yellow heads from my son's Lego figures would disappear. Then, I couldn't find the yellow spring eggs I decorated for the season. My set of paints was missing the tube of yellow that I knew should be there. When I couldn't find my favorite shopping bag (yellow), I began to suspect the cat.

I spread out some multicolored pompons on the table where we kept his food and counted how many of each color there were; sure enough, by morning there were no yellow pompons, but none of the other colors had been touched. The same was repeated with multicolored feathers. When we checked the cushion of the cat's preferred nap spot, we found a stash of yellow bits of paper, plastic and fabric; this cat had a favorite color!

We set out a small yellow blanket in the house, and he moved it to his nap spot. When he wasn't drinking enough water, we started putting the water in a yellow bowl, and he stayed well hydrated.

I knew that animals could see colors (contrary to popular myth), but this was the only animal I have ever known to have a favorite color. Until the day he died, he kept his own little spot happily decorated in sunshine yellow. -- R.C., Atlanta

DEAR R.C.: This is an interesting account of a cat's color fixation, for reasons best known to the cat -- feline aesthetics, perhaps!

Cats can see some colors and can tell the difference between red, blue and yellow lights. Also, they are able to distinguish between blues and violets better than between colors near the red end of the spectrum. Recent research has also revealed that they can detect ultraviolet light.

When we match what we know of cats' multisensory abilities and recent comparative genetic research showing that domestication has done little to temper their wild heritage, we can embrace them knowing that they are, with some breed and individual exceptions, still more wild than domesticated.

Your sister's cat may have found a way to create, through this game of color-selection, a degree of environmental stimulation for a complex little brain and spirit living in a relatively unstimulating home environment -- the social enrichment of friendly dogs notwithstanding.

(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 recently adopted a rescued female beagle who is about 8 or 9 years old. Shortly after we adopted her, she started to develop a slight limp in her front right leg for no apparent reason. It was very minor for a couple of weeks, but we monitored it and scheduled an appointment with our veterinarian. Before we could get her to the appointment, she awoke one night in an obvious state of extreme pain. Because we have other beagles who have neck and back problems, we suspected a disc problem might be the cause.

We took her to our vet, who prescribed tramadol and Rimadyl, but when that didn't help control the pain, we took her to a neurologist. She performed an MRI, and we all expected to see a disc herniation; instead, the MRI showed inflammation of a nerve root (there was some very minor disc degeneration in another area, but she felt that would not cause the problem).

Our dog was prescribed prednisone and other painkillers to address the immediate pain and control inflammation. The limp lessened, but it was still apparent. Otherwise, she showed no signs of pain or discomfort, so we reduced the painkillers to only gabapentin, and we have maintained the dosage of prednisone twice a day. When we tried to reduce the prednisone to once a day, the limp became more evident, so we increased the dose again to twice daily. The neurologist also prescribed cyclosporine to see if it would help and maybe replace the prednisone eventually. Our dog seems to be tolerating that drug, and we will have her rechecked again this week.

Have you seen this type of condition in other dogs? Do you have any insights for us to explore that we and our excellent vet may not have considered? For example, have you seen other treatments such as acupuncture help with what appears to be some sort of pain syndrome? The limp is confounding because it came on so gradually that it almost seems to me like it may be a separate issue altogether, but I'd appreciate your thoughts. -- R.M., Alexandria, Virginia

DEAR R.M.: You certainly have received the best of veterinary diagnosis and medical care for your poor dog.

She may have a condition similar to chronic regional pain syndrome in humans, which can follow trauma. In addition to the medications prescribed, I would add a daily dose of anti-inflammatory fish oil or half a can of sardines in water, plus a tablespoon of brewer's yeast mixed in with her food. Add these supplements gradually, first in small amounts so she gets used to them.

A skilled veterinary acupuncture therapist may be able to provide some relief. You can also try electrical stimulation using the Alpha-Stim system, which effectively alleviates various painful syndromes in humans; some veterinarians have found it to be effective in various cases of chronic pain and lameness in animals. Lameness throws the whole body off-kilter so whole-body massage, as in my book "The Healing Touch for Dogs," could be beneficial.

DEAR DR. FOX: Many months ago, you wrote an excellent article directed to people who leave their dogs locked up all day while they're at work.

You mentioned how this could cause cancer of the bladder, and you stated that dogs should be taken out every two hours. I know a few dogs who got this terrible treatment, and I want to send the owners copies of your articles. Where can I find the column? -- J.R.W., Norfolk, Virginia

DEAR J.R.W.: I appreciate your concern. However, I do not recall ever stating that keeping dogs locked up all day can cause them to develop bladder cancer.

Pups and old dogs with kidney problems and other health issues that make them drink more water need to be taken out to urinate every three or four hours. Mature dogs should be walked and given a chance to urinate before being left in the home, and they should have time outdoors after four to five hours of confinement. Six to eight hours alone during the weekday is pushing it.

Stress, extreme discomfort from retaining urine and possible bladder inflammation and infection are to be avoided. Some dogs can be trained to use a pee pad -- small dogs in high-rise apartments most notably. But spending long hours all alone is no life for any dog, and a dog-walker should be hired.

(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 read your article in which you said that after radiation for hyperthyroidism in cats, the cat would need continuing medication.

In 2010, my 14-year-old cat developed hyperthyroidism. Our vet said that she could either take medication for the rest of her life or go to Radiocat for a one-time treatment (at a cost of $1,300), after which she would never need treatment for that disease. We opted to do that at Radiocat in Baltimore. She spent four days there. She has been fine for five years, and has never taken medication for that problem again.

I feel that you misled the person who wrote to you. Her cat could have many more years of good health with no need for additional medication. I understand that Radiocat is available in many parts of the country. -- C.L., Frostburg, Maryland

DEAR C.L.: Thank you for comments and confirmation of the effectiveness of radioactive iodine (RI) treatment for thyroid cancer and hyperthyroidism in cats, giving me the opportunity to clarify my earlier response.

It is actually very rare for cats to need supplemental thyroid hormone medication after the mutated cells in the thyroid gland are selectively destroyed by RI. (That is not the case when put on anti-thyroid drug medication such as methimazole, which is also not without some potentially harmful side effects.) Periodic monitoring of blood thyroid hormone levels following RI treatment is advisable. This treatment is costly, and in all diagnosed cases of hyperthyroidism-associated heart disease, hypertension and age-related kidney disease must also be considered.

Signs of thyroid disease include increased appetite and thirst, weight loss, hyperactivity or apathy (depends on the case), irritability/aggression, excessive grooming, loss of fur on flanks, vomiting and/or diarrhea, panting, heat avoidance and seeking a cool place.

Mixed-breed cats seem more susceptible to the disease; there is a lower incidence in Burmese, Siamese and Persian purebred cats. The risk of this disease increases with age, thus reflecting possible accumulating environmental factors and chronic exposure to goitrogens (thyroid-inhibiting foods). Suspected factors that may disrupt thyroid activity and cause cellular damage and genetic mutation include soy products in many cat foods; erythrosine (red dye No. 3), especially in some canned pet foods; high iodine content; high concentrations of heavy metals and biphenyls in foods containing fish; bisphenol A (BPA) lining in canned foods; external anti-flea medications; and flame-retardant chemicals (polybrominated diphenyl ethers, or PBDEs) in carpets and other in-home materials. PBDEs are found in household dust. It gets into cats' fur, which they swallow in the process of grooming. Contaminants and additives in municipal tap water, fluoride in particular, given to cats to drink may also be contributory factors to this now-common endocrine disease in older cats.

DEAR DR. FOX: I was thinking about getting a collar for my newly adopted kitten, but then I remembered that my two previous cats lost their fur under the collar. The vet said the collars have chemicals in them. Is this true? If so, why do they sell them, and are there any safe collars I can get? -- D.L., Maryland Heights, Missouri

DEAR D.L.: Some cat collars come with an elastic insert so the cat can break free if he or she gets the collar snagged. Don't let your kitten roam off your property, and train him or her to enjoy going for a walk in a tight, escape-free harness with a leash attached to a regular collar around the neck. As I know from personal experience, some cats can wriggle out of their harnesses when they are scared.

The loss of fur on cats' necks could have been due to an allergic reaction to the material used to manufacture the collar, or more likely was an inflammatory response to anti-flea pesticides in impregnated collars, which are idiotic to purchase and totally unsafe -- imagine what the cat is inhaling and absorbing through the skin! I have been against flea collars for decades.

(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.)