DEAR DR. FOX: I read about the woman from Washington, D.C., whose dog had health problems costing her $10,000. This is about the lack of a response from the American Kennel Club. Some years ago, we reported our dog's breeders, concerned that they were not taking proper care of the dogs they were breeding. We had purchased a 3-year-old Belgian shepherd. When we picked her up, she was in a crate sitting on top of other crates in a garage. When she was taken out, she looked to be in poor shape, and she was -- skinny, poor coat, bad teeth and her vocal cords had been cut. We kept her and got her treated, and she was with us for nine years. She was a lovable and tremendous addition to our family.

Shortly after we got her, I reported her condition and the breeder to the AKC. The group wasn't interested and did nothing. It occurred to me that the AKC was less concerned about the dogs and more on its breeders and dog show. Our experiences with the breeder and the AKC were disappointing, and I was wondering if you have heard from others with similar experiences? -- C.H., Leesburg, Virginia

Dear C.H.: The American Kennel Club is simply a registry that issues pedigree papers, essentially without any policing of the sources the dogs come from -- notably puppy mills. It insists that it has no policing or advocacy intentions or authority, which I see as an abdication of responsibility and a great loss of opportunity.

By not having a dual registry with a special category of pure-breed dogs who have been progeny tested and screened for genetic abnormalities and heritable diseases, the "papers" are of little value, though many believe them to be like some Good Housekeeping seal of approval.

The popularization of dog shows for pure breeds, many with evident structural defects, has contributed to the genetic decline and suffering of many breeds of dogs, especially those of abnormal size and structure. The burdens that human selection has created and others find profit in continue to propagate, to the detriment of the animals.

DEAR DR. FOX: In a recent column, a reader mentioned their dog, who seemed to have allergies from November through April. We had the same problem with our Labrador retriever-pit bull.

We tried the same remedies -- putting her on a grain-, poultry-, peanut- and soy-free diet and giving her Benadryl. A couple of years ago in desperation, we tried putting a humidifier in the living room, where the dogs sleep and spend most of their time. Within a couple of days, the itching diminished greatly. Apparently, the dog's skin is quite sensitive to the drier air caused by the furnace running in winter (from November through April). We also put a humidity gauge in the room, and the dog seems most comfortable at around 45 percent air humidity. We monitor the level carefully to avoid getting mold in the house.

Since our dog chooses to spend most of her time in the house, we have to bathe her about once every four or five weeks, and we use a lanolin-based shampoo and conditioner for this. We keep her on the same diet year-round.

The extra humidity gave our dog relief and might work for others. -- C.D., Worden, Illinois

DEAR C.D.: It is enlightening to hear from readers who have found cures for their animal companions' maladies. It is encouraging that common sense can often supplant conventional veterinary medical science and treatment protocols. Your discovery underscores the importance of considering the animal's environment. I just wonder how many dogs like yours have been put on prednisone and special, costly and generally unpalatable special prescription diets and suffered the consequences.

(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: My 10-year-old gray tabby has "barbered" her lower belly and the upper parts of her hind legs until they are totally hairless.

Some months back, she had a lower urinary tract infection but that has been cleared up for six months. She is otherwise healthy, happy and energetic.

I have heard that barbering is sometimes the result of anxiety in a cat. I was sick recently, but this problem began before that time. Still, would feline pheromones help?

Any other ideas? Could it be the self-heating purr pad I gave her for the winter months?

She has no sores on her belly, but it looks terrible. What can I do? -- S.P., Washington, D.C.

DEAR S.P.: I discuss this kind of excessive grooming in my book "Cat Body, Cat Mind." It is all too common in cats, and as you suggest, it can be triggered by anxiety as a self-comforting behavior that can become an obsessive compulsion, leading to self-mutilation.

But there are other possible reasons. Considering your cat's age, hyperthyroidism could be the issue, or a food allergy or intolerance -- especially if you have recently changed her diet. I am always suspicious of pet heater pads and beds, especially those manufactured in China, some of which have been found to contain toxic, volatile chemicals.

I would advise you to seek a veterinary consultation for your cat, ideally with an animal doctor who does in-home visits to help reduce the stress of taking the cat to the clinic, which is an extremely stressful experience for many felines.

DEAR DR. FOX: About a year ago, we agreed to pet-sit a cat who has now become a permanent member of our household. She is the sweetest animal I have ever owned, but she has difficulty using the litter box. We have talked to our veterinarian, but he has no ideas about how to fix this problem.

Our cat is a female, about 18 months old, and is probably a Siamese/tortoiseshell mix. When we got her, she had diarrhea continuously, and we would find fluid feces on the laundry room floor (the only place where we can keep a cat box). At my suggestion that perhaps she was not able to digest regular cat food, the veterinarian did tests for worms and parasites, then changed her diet; she has done better with an all-meat prescription diet of venison cat food, which we provide for her in moist and dry forms. Her coat is much more glossy and healthy than it was before. The diarrhea has stopped, but her stools are still the consistency of toothpaste.

Unfortunately, she still regularly urinates and defecates on the laundry room floor -- at least once a day. We try very hard to keep the cat box clean, but when we wake up in the morning, invariably we have a mess to clean up. We are at our wits' end over this. Do you think there is some other underlying medical condition we should be concerned about? -- R.T., Vienna, Virginia

DEAR R.T.: There are many reasons why cats behave as yours is doing, notably prior association of pain and fear while in the box evacuating because of some physical condition such as cystitis or severe cramping diarrhea.

Having the box in a quiet place (some cats do not like to be disturbed when going in the box), using a dust-free litter made from corn or wood fiber and having no cover (covered boxes can become very ammoniated if not cleaned several times a day) are steps to consider.

A urine test for chronic cystitis may be worthwhile, as is placing a second litter box in the laundry room with several sheets of newspaper spread around. If your cat likes catnip, give her some every day -- it is a natural, calming herb for cats. It may also help reduce any smooth muscle spasms. Probiotic supplement in her food to help repopulate gut bacteria may be crucial to resolve chronic bowel inflammation and malabsorption of food, which you should discuss with your veterinarian.

Try my home-prepared cat food reciple, posted on my website, which may be less expensive in the long run.

(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: Years ago, you responded to a reader who asked for help with her 12-year-old dysplastic German shepherd. You recommended adding 1 teaspoon of turmeric to the dog's food. That was back in 2005, and I have been a strong supporter of turmeric since then.

A few years after we started our dogs on the turmeric regimen, not only did it work well on our bouvier des Flandres with hip dysplasia, it also shrunk a large grade-A tumor on our pug. He was about 12 1/2 at the time, and the tumor shrunk to the size of a small grape!

I am the Florida regional coordinator for the American Bouvier Rescue League, and I posted your reply to several bouvier lists; from there, the use took off in the bouvier community. There are a lot of people who are using it as a tumor inhibitor, and it seems to be helping a lot of dogs.

One of my friends -- a reputable bouvier breeder -- asked me a question the other day, and I thought I better ask for your assistance. The organic turmeric she purchased says on the label not to take if you are pregnant. Since she was planning on giving it to both male and female dogs, will this cause a problem with breeding females?

We have been using your homemade dog food recipe for years; we had lost several bouviers over the years to cancer, but since cooking for our dogs, we have had good longevity -- our bouviers live between 12 1/2 to about 14 1/2 years. The other supplements I have added to their food are oil of oregano, coconut oil and freshly ground black pepper. My seven dogs are all lean and healthy! -- T.M., Loxahatchee, Florida

DEAR T.M.: According to Internet sources, taking turmeric as a supplement is not advisable for women who are or who intend to become pregnant because of fears of miscarriage and birth defects. I would advise similar caution with breeding dogs: Take them off such supplements until it is time to nurse. Some advocates of turmeric point to countries like India -- where this spice is regularly consumed -- to prove that there is no association with infertility, miscarriages or birth defects. But that could be an epigenetic effect of adaptation over generations.

As you will see on my website, DrFoxVet.net, I have made some changes to my basic dog food recipe, including adding ginger as well as turmeric to help digestion and joints. These basic herbs, long used by people as condiments, digestive aids and food flavorings, have some remarkable medical properties. A little cayenne pepper may help lower blood pressure; cinnamon may help reduce insulin need in diabetic dogs, as it has been shown to help humans; and oregano may help promote a healthy population of gut bacteria.

BACTERIA IN PET FOODS: ACUTE AND CHRONIC HEALTH CONCERNS OF ENDOTOXINS

Bacteria are everywhere, including pet foods. Most bacteria are harmless, and many are essential for our health and other animals' health, but some cause acute food poisoning and other serious health problems. High-temperature cooking or processing kills most bacteria, but in the process, it releases endotoxins from them. High levels of endotoxins are associated with high levels of bacteria in the animal parts -- many condemned for human consumption -- billions of pounds of which is processed into pet foods, livestock feed and fertilizer every year. This includes the remains of so-called 4-D animals -- those who are dead, dying, debilitated or diseased upon inspection at the slaughterhouse.

Endotoxins can cause shock, organ failure, trigger the release of histamine and inflammatory cytokines, cause changes in white blood cell numbers, affect blood coagulation and lead to hypertension, arthritis and asthma. They probably damage cell DNA with carcinogenic consequences.

The recycling of this vast tonnage of slaughterhouse and fish industry waste into pet food and animal feed (causing mad cow disease in the U.K.), albeit highly profitable, it is part of an unsustainable, climate-changing and costly public and environmental health problem that calls for systemic change, at the core of which must be a reduction in production and consumption of high-carbon-hoofprint beef, pork and other animal produce. This should begin with the government establishing better ways to dispose of this animal waste where polluters pay and only human-grade foods and their immediate by-products are permitted in pet foods, fish foods and livestock, horse and poultry feeds.

(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.)