DEAR READERS: The question has at long last been provisionally and promisingly answered concerning the illogical protocol of injecting the same amount of vaccine for a Great Dane as for a toy poodle.

Now veterinarian W. Jean Dodds, DVM, Ph.D., has published her pilot study evaluation of giving a half-dose of canine distemper and parvovirus to small dogs to see if they develop protective antibody levels in their serum. She found that they do, indeed, develop such protection.

This elegant study, published in Integrative Veterinary Care Journal and American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association Journal, should be an incentive for vaccine companies to address this issue, since vaccines are not without risk; veterinarians should push for a broader study to confirm these findings in a larger population.

OBESITY: THE MODERN PLAGUE OF CATS AND DOGS

America's pets are obese, and there's no sign that the trend is slowing, according to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, which reports that 53 percent of dogs and 58 percent of cats are overweight. Pet insurer Nationwide reports that claims for obesity-linked conditions and diseases increased 10 percent in the past two years. Excess weight causes health problems such as arthritis, bladder issues, kidney and heart disease and diabetes. Food addiction can lead to overeating and the metabolic syndrome. Certain flavors and additives in pet foods and treats coupled with a high cereal or starch content that causes an insulin surge can mean animals always feel hungry. Such biologically inappropriate dietary ingredients may cause proliferation of dependent and demanding gut bacteria that thrive on starches and sugars and influence dietary preferences.

(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: I hope you can shed some light on my beloved pet's problem. I have domestic shorthair cat littermates who are 12 years old. They have been in good health until recently. One had hyperthyroid disease, underwent radioiodine treatment and is doing well. My other cat seems to have a strange condition.

We began to notice that Feliz was circling to the right as he got tangled under our feet. He started distancing himself from our cuddling activities. His personality seemed to change from outgoing, friendly and curious to having a faraway look in his eyes at times.

His physical exam didn't reveal anything except for the circling and lack of activity and somewhat decreased appetite.

The vet suspected the worst: a brain tumor. I was counseled that an abdominal sonogram, chest X-ray and neurological studies may or may not shed light on his condition. We started with blood studies that were all normal.

We gave him prednisolone and an antibiotic injection. Two days later, he seemed to get remarkably better, eating, coming around and interacting more. Two weeks later, he received another antibiotic injection and a reduced amount of prednisolone.

He seemed to be doing well, and after approximately six weeks, we slowly tapered off his medication. He did not do well off prednisolone. He became very withdrawn and has hidden from us, although he did continue to eat. He was restarted on his medicine and there was almost an immediate improvement in his behavior. We did see a change in his agility, as he no longer climbed on his favorite windowsills regularly. The circling decreased on good days.

His abdominal sonogram, chest X-ray and most recent labs are all normal. Unfortunately, the neurological studies are just too expensive.

Is this scenario typical of anything? What can I do to help my beloved pet? Is there anything I can add to his medical regimen? -- L.T., Kensington, Maryland

DEAR L.T.: There are various reasons why your cat developed the neurological and behavioral changes that may indicate either a brain tumor or quite possibly an inflammatory condition, which the prednisolone helped subdue.

Finding out what the cause may be will involve more tests, costs and stress to your cat. Since the steroid medication does seem to help, I would advise you to continue to work closely with your veterinarian on maximizing its effectiveness while seeking to minimize the daily amount prescribed to help reduce side effects.

I would urge you to consider including probiotics in the cat's daily diet, along with anti-inflammatory fish oil like Nordic Naturals for Cats, and make sure that no glutens from corn in particular are in your cat's regular diet. Let me know if there is a high cereal content in your cat's diet, since this can be a cause of neurological disease in dogs, notably border terriers. Also, if your cat consumes a lot of tuna fish, this could cause neurological problems because of high levels of mercury contamination.

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: 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: 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.