DEAR DR. FOX: I have an 11-year-old Scottie who I adopted from the local shelter three years ago. I think he might have a problem -- it's something he has done ever since I've had him. I've taken him to the local vet a few times, and they have found nothing wrong with him -- he is in good health. They gave him meds to see if it would solve the problem; it did not.

He paws at both sides of his mouth, and he seems to enjoy it, making an "mmm" sound. When at rest, he constantly licks the tops of his front paws, but not to the point of losing hair. He also seems to be chewing his toenails. When I take him to the groomer, his toenails are always trimmed. Do you know what's going on? -- L.D., Scranton, Pennsylvania

DEAR L.D.: This may be perfectly normal self-grooming behavior. Our Indian pariah dogs often licked their paws and then wiped their faces with the moistened paws, like a cat. But the beard on a Scottie's muzzle, constantly getting wet from drinking and contaminated with food, is a prime environment for bacterial and fungal organisms to flourish.

Take him in for a whole-body shampoo, and have his beard trimmed and thinned. Make it an evening ritual to use disposable wipes infused with aloe and lavender or tea tree oil and a drying towel on his muzzle. Work the wipes in well with your fingers around his face, nose and especially around his lips and chin.

DEAR DR. FOX: I am writing to you about our dog Tubbs. He is a black pug who will be 11 years old soon. He is very active, but in the last year, has developed a phobia.

For example, our back porch stairs were cement, and he went up and down them with no problem. But the stairs were crumbling, and we replaced them with a white wooden structure. Tubbs wants nothing to do with going up and down these stairs.

Our kitchen floor is all wood with some throw rugs. We think he slid on the bare portions and is now reluctant to use the wooden porch stairs.

Is this his eyesight failing him or playing tricks on him? Have you ever heard of this before? He is a great guy and very healthy otherwise. -- L.J., Danbury, Connecticut

DEAR L.J.: Many dogs develop a stair phobia for various reasons. Young dogs can develop it because of fear, unfamiliarity or being forced up and down rather than gently assisted; older dogs are often scared because of a slip or fall due to failing eyesight, being overweight or because of painful arthritis.

Your dog associated pain with the stairs and developed a conditioned fear-and-pain reaction. Some dogs do better on stairs that have some slip-preventing carpeting and where there is no see-through gap between each step. Tacking down a runner of outdoor carpeting to make open stairs look closed with no evident gaps between them may help your dog regain his confidence.

A veterinary examination to rule out any underlying physical issue would be advisable. Never force your dog to go up or down the stairs -- carry him and sit on the stairs together as often as you can so he becomes desensitized.

LEGISLATORS SEEK TO IMPERIL WOLVES

Not only did the Senate Appropriations Committee underfund environmental programs by $2.2 billion, but some members are hoping their horrendous riders will slip in under the radar. One rider in the Senate and two in the House would strip protections from gray wolves. Section 110, from Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, would delist wolves in the Great Lakes region and Wyoming and forbid judicial review of the rider itself. Section 121, from California Rep. Ken Calvert, would do the same. And House Amendment No. 611, from Washington Rep. Dan Newhouse, would delist wolves in Washington, Oregon and Utah.

These riders will expose thousands of wolves to brutal hunting and trapping seasons and open the door to stripping protections from other imperiled species whenever politicians or their industry backers find them inconvenient. We can't let the riders pass. Visit biologicaldiversity.org to voice your appeal to President Obama to veto this callous and backward step being taken by some members of Congress.

(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.net.)

DEAR DR. FOX: For the past two weeks, I have been dog-sitting for my son's 10-year-old boxer, Rocco.

For the past year or so, Rocco has had a swallowing problem that keeps getting worse. He has seen his regular vet and two specialists. I was told it has to do with his esophagus: As he eats, he chokes and regurgitates bile. It's not pleasant to clean up, but it must be terrifying for our beloved Rocco.

I have been cooking him ground turkey, vegetables and brown rice. He gobbles it down with no difficulty. He wasn't drinking much water prior to his new diet, but now you can't keep his water bowl full. Bowel movements are healthy, and his energy level is on the rebound.

We are all so happy to see his health coming around and would like your input on this new diet and if you would suggest any supplements that would help our dear pet.

Even though I am pet-free, I still enjoy reading your advice in our local paper, always passing on tidbits I get from your column. -- W.R.G., Estero, Florida

DEAR W.R.G.: I congratulate you on confirming that the kind of food you prepared for this poor dog essentially cured him of his esophageal dysphagia. This is fairly common in older dogs, and many would be helped by your dog food -- moist, palatable and not "gluey" or too dry. It's simply easier to swallow, especially for dogs with neurodegenerative disease of the pharynx and swallowing mechanism. Dry mouth, brachycephaly (short muzzles) and acid reflux damaging the esophagus are contributory factors. Feeding dysphagic dogs your kind of food from elevated food and water bowls, so they do not have to swallow with their heads low to the ground, can give much relief.

DEAR DR. FOX: My brother Larry is a musician, and he frequently practices with a four-piece band and for his solo act, too. Whenever he plays a CD with steel guitar music on it, his cat closes her eyes, sits there and seems to be smiling. She appears to be listening to and enjoying the music, especially Buddy Emmons' instrumental version of "Nightlife." She does not do this when other music is being played.

Is it possible that this 10-year-old cat is actually listening to and enjoying that particular music? Could she think that the music might be some kind of cat choir or something? Or is she simply off her rocker? I thought you and your readers might get a kick out of this, as some consider cats to be special gifts from God. -- T.W., Yadkinville, North Carolina

DEAR T.W.: Many animal species enjoy various kinds of music. Our two feral cats both sat in front of loudspeakers when they heard Gregorian chants for the first time. One of my research wolves (featured in my book "The Soul Of The Wolf") would howl in perfect harmony with my shakuhachi flute playing.

Animals' evident enjoyment of various kinds of music, and their enjoinment vocally and in movements, affirm their capacity for aesthetic experience. Many deny this capacity, as well as animals' empathetic sensibility and rights. As human history informs, the world would probably be a better place without such denial. Those who believe in a higher power will appreciate philosopher Meister Eckhart's contention, "every creature is a word of God."

DEAR DR. FOX: I am 92 years old, and I have had dog and cat pets for many years as my kids grew up. And it raises a question that may sound silly to you, but I just have to ask: As you have noticed, I'm sure, dogs and cats won't eat unless they're hungry. You just can't force them.

Watching TV commercials for pet foods, I have long wondered how they get these dogs and cats to gobble up the advertised pet food. My conclusion: They must not feed the animals for a day or two to get them so hungry, especially cats. And I'll bet they have a bunch of dogs and cats because they can't be sure just one will act right.

Have you or people at the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals ever investigated the making of these commercials? -- B.B., Manchester, Missouri

DEAR B.B.: I wonder if people half your age are as perceptive as you!

I agree with you absolutely that the dogs and cats used in TV commercials promoting manufactured pet foods shown ravenously gobbling up the food must have been deprived of food for some time to have such an appetite. Or else they have some compulsive eating disorder!

Of course, the advertisements' intent is to imply that the food is irresistibly delicious; but only fools are so deceived.

Animals are exploited in many ways, and their suffering (severe in some instances, as in ritual slaughter and the millions confined in factory farms and puppy mills) must be opposed by all and outlawed.

(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.net.)

DEAR DR. FOX: We adopted a solid white, blue-eyed, 7-month-old Turkish angora cat from the local shelter. Although the vet had examined Mr. Pink, there was no indication on his record that he was deaf.

Mr. Pink is now 1 1/2 years old and has begun jumping on kitchen counters and other high surfaces. He has even knocked pottery off bookshelves.

The challenge is that we can't use auditory cues to modify his behavior. We try hand signals, but he stays in place until we walk directly over to him, at which point he scampers away. Goodness knows what he does when we are not home.

Someone is home with him all but about three hours a day. We groom him nightly, he has lots of toys and he has his own perch on which he sleeps periodically. How do we break this awful habit, absent our ability to use auditory cues? -- V.T.P., Ashland, Oregon

DEAR V.T.P.: Try a couple more high perches or cushioned shelves by windows with bird feeders outside -- or get another easygoing cat. Your cat is probably bored to death. Engage in interactive games with a laser light, wand or fishing-pole lure. As he gets older, he will be less curious and exploratory, so do not despair!

Some more insights about animals' perception and cognition come from two readers:

DEAR DR. FOX: Our daughter's dog, a pit bull-boxer mix, has never paid any attention to photographs, images on television or even in the mirror. However, when he was much younger, he would stare at, stalk and bark at two of our neighbors' lawn ornaments -- one a black cat and the other a ceramic gnome. Neither is more than about 8 inches high. -- E.J., Silver Spring, Maryland

DEAR DR. FOX: I have a 2-year-old Sheltie who is interested in the TV when certain images appear or she hears a dog bark. Not remarkable, as I have in the past had other Shelties who noticed animals on TV -- even if they were animals the dog would never encounter in real life, such as alligators or monkeys. And they loved looking at the Westminster dog show.

Recently, Lexie (our current dog) stared at a nearby bookcase and started a low growl while sitting on the couch next to me. A picture of two of my long-gone Shelties had captured her attention. She moved closer to get a better look and stayed there for a couple of minutes.

She is the first dog I have ever had who showed any interest in still pictures. -- C.C., Alexandria, Virginia

OUR ANIMAL RELATIONSHIPS: THE MOMENTS OF TRUTH PROJECT

What right do humans have to exploit other animals? Where does that right come from, and what are the limits, if any? What duties or obligations do we have in our relationships with our dogs, cats and other animals, domesticated and wild?

Follow and support Caroline Kraus and her Moments of Truth Project (momentsoftruthproject.com) documentary film as she travels across the United States, asking these and other relevant questions of people who live, work with and care for animals.

Is there an overriding consensus, and what are the reasons why people respond very differently to these questions, which in part examine our character, culture and future?

The viewing and discussion of this kind of documentary should be part of every school curriculum and will be of interest to all who work with, profit from and care for animals. To see the interview with me, visit momentsoftruthproject.com/dr-michael-fox/

(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.net.)