DEAR DR. FOX: My dog might have inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and the vet wants to put him on a prescription diet for three weeks. He has been eating raw since we got him in January. I would really rather not give him kibble again, especially not one whose first ingredient is corn. Here is my dilemma in more detail:

My dog is an almost 3-year-old mutt (he looks like a shepherd) who weighs about 27.5 pounds. We have had him since January and have been feeding him raw ground beef and chicken livers/hearts/necks and cooked sweet potato. Over the past three to four weeks, his stool has been irregular -- mainly with the presence of mucus; it's sometimes soft, and he's had diarrhea, dark stool and a possible small amount of blood in his feces. It has been very inconsistent. Besides the irregular stools, he seems absolutely fine -- normal behavior, appetite and water intake. A giardia test was negative. A blood test looking for the presence of something that would indicate IBD was also negative. The vet still thinks it's IBD, and the plan is to change to a prescription diet. If that works, then we'll leave it at that and possibly transition to other food. If not, then vet wants to biopsy for IBD.

I appreciate that the vet wants to start with diet before jumping to meds or more invasive testing. However, I would prefer not to put him on the prescription food with the first ingredient listed as corn that contains other ingredients that I would prefer not to feed my dog. The food he's supposed to go on, starting today or ASAP, is Hill's I/D. At the same time, I respect our vet, and part of me says I should just go along with this temporary diet to see if he improves and transition to something else after the three weeks.

So my options are to a) just go along with the special diet that I don't really agree with or feel is the healthiest option, or b) find an alternative more wholesome, natural or homemade diet that would also help ease digestive problems, hopefully with approval from the vet. What would you do? -- R.G., Ridgefield, Connecticut

DEAR R.G.: Some dogs do not thrive as well as others on a raw food diet. It often helps these dogs to lightly cook the food and provide digestive enzymes and probiotics. Transition your dog to my home-prepared recipe (posted on my website, DrFoxVet.net), and let me know how he fares. It has helped many dogs avoid costly and unpalatable, if not dubious, prescription diets. Keep me posted.

R.G. RESPONDS: I have been feeding my dog your recipe with turkey for the past week, and his stool is back to normal! My fingers are still crossed that it continues this way, but I feel confident in the decision to avoid the "poop in a bag," as my mom called it, from the vet. I can't thank you enough for your help.

STOP DECLAWING CATS! WILL NEW YORK BE THE FIRST STATE TO BAN DECLAWING?

Some New York veterinarians are lobbying for the state to ban feline declawing, saying the practice is unnecessary and harmful. Other veterinarians, including the New York State Veterinary Medical Society, oppose the ban, noting that declawing may be the only way to prevent euthanasia in some situations. The society argues that the decision to declaw should be made between an owner and his or her veterinarian, not by lawmakers.

Declawing is illegal in some countries and certain U.S. cities, but no states have banned the procedure. For details on this unwarranted, avoidable and inhumane practice of routinely declawing cats, see my article at DrFoxVet.net.

To support New Jersey's Anti-Declaw Bill A3899, go to change.org/p/support-new-jersey-s-anti-declaw-bill-a3899-singleton.

(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: "The Underdogs: Children, Dogs and the Power of Unconditional Love" is a new book by Melissa Fay Greene about the unique relationships between children and the therapy or service dogs who help them. After more than 20 years working as a humane educator, I have seen firsthand the incredible and life-changing impact dogs can have on kids -- especially those with various challenges and disabilities. But does anyone stop and think about what happens to the hundreds of puppies bred for these programs that don't "make the cut"? The answer I always hear is that they are adopted out into wonderful homes -- but this means fewer homes are available for any of the 3 million homeless dogs killed in shelters every year.

There is no conclusive evidence that selectively bred puppies are any more successful as therapy and service dogs than dogs rescued and trained from shelters. Of the few independent studies that have been done, the overwhelming results indicate that puppy evaluations have no value at all, and the best way to predict the temperament and behavior of a dog as an adult is to assess it as an adult.

Does it take more effort, money or resources to find, evaluate, select and train rescued dogs? Probably not; you are not spending time and money raising the dogs until they are mature. Organizations that breed dogs or use bred dogs need to recognize that while they may be helping humans, they are harming dogs by contributing to the overpopulation problem. To learn more about the bond between rescue animals and children, please visit my organization's website, theshilohproject.org. -- N.K.T., The Shiloh Project, Fairfax, Virgina

DEAR N.K.T.: Since earliest times, dogs have been the victims of any commercial venture that can exploit their virtues. Certain individual dogs and breeds perform particular tasks better than others because of their size, agility and strength. But most important is their temperament and motivation, which calls for a close human-dog bond.

Many mixed breeds from an animal shelter could fill the basic selection criteria for service training. This holds true for military work. I regret that many purebreds who are not adapted to foreign climates and diseases are being deployed, rather than selecting from the indigenous population of wonderful local dogs, many of whom are adopted by troops as mascots and camp watchers.

DEAR DR. FOX: Our male, almost 1-year-old ragdoll cat, Benji, drops his last poop outside the litter box. This behavioral problem began three months ago after a procedure on his anal glands. We've tried every recommended suggestion from the breeder, vet, Google, Animal Doctor column, Jackson Galaxy website, etc., but nothing has stopped the problem. We've tried litter changes; litter boxes with high sides, low sides, covered, cover removed; and placing the litter box in the bathtub, bathroom, bedroom and playroom -- NOTHING WORKS.

He eats mostly dry food with a little wet. His stools are soft, so there shouldn't be any pain when he defecates. He urinates in the litter box and defecates all but one poop, which we are now finding in other parts of our home.

We have another male ragdoll kitten who is the same age, very docile in comparison with Benji's alpha personality. We love both our boys, but we are totally at a loss as to what to do to correct this problem, if it is correctable. -- S.W.S., Bethesda, Maryland

DEAR S.W.S.: Many people see ragdolls as adorable felines, but I prefer the "natural" alley cat-tabby with fewer behavioral and health issues because they are not so highly inbred. In fact, because of the popularity of certain breeds of cats, coupled with the proliferation of commercial cat breeding factories, we are seeing more health and behavioral problems in these pure breeds of cats, just as we see with purebred and "designer" varieties of dogs. Being very docile and relaxed -- ragdoll-like -- when handled is far from normal. Such traits are desired by some cat fanciers, but it's not in the cats' best interests.

Engage in interactive games and get your house-soiling cat physically active, especially early in the evening. Give him a deep abdominal massage for five to 10 minutes three to four times daily, as per my book "The Healing Touch for Cats." In flaccid, less active and overweight cats, a sluggish colon can lead to a condition called megacolon, where fecal material builds up and is not fully evacuated. This can lead to chronic constipation and make cats evacuate outside the litter box. You should also set up one or two additional litter boxes in quiet and easy-to-reach locations.

UNDERSTANDING DOG COGNITION

The study of what and how dogs think has gained momentum, and much of the research originates from the Duke Canine Cognition Center. Duke University associate professor Brian Hare said dogs have honed an ability to respond to "cooperative-communicative social cues," allowing them to complete tasks with minimal human guidance and priming them for jobs such as sniffing out drugs and diseases. The center's studies so far suggest that dog intelligence relates more to an individual animal than to breed.

(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 was wondering if you had any suggestions for my former laboratory research dog. He is a 1-year-old bloodhound mix. He is a smart, lovable dog.

I am having trouble with housebreaking him. He voids in his crate. He is too curious to not be crated; he gets into things. Unfortunately, he really dislikes his crate. I have a plastic and a metal crate, but he doesn't like either one. How should I handle him? -- S.F., St. Louis

DEAR S.F.: Good for you for adopting an ex-laboratory research dog. He is probably suffering from a combination of post-traumatic stress disorder and cage-confinement syndrome of having to evacuate in his living space, a condition that only patience, housebreaking and time will remedy.

Confinement in a crate is likely to make things worse. Of course he is curious and will chew and destroy things, so remove all items you do not want him to chew and provide safe chew toys and an open crate with bedding to serve as a den. He needs lots of outdoor physical activity and interaction with other dogs, perhaps in a playgroup. He is still young and will take at least another year to mature and calm down.

Be patient, avoid indoor paper training and get into a routine of taking him outside to evacuate first thing in the morning and last thing at night and before and after meals. Avoid strenuous activity after meals. Calming classical music may help calm him when you are away. Check out the "Through a Dog's Ear" CD series. A few drops of lavender oil on a bandana around his neck may also help calm him.

The use of dogs and other animals in research and for teaching purposes is an unresolved ethical issue where human life and interests always take precedence over non-human life -- an anthropocentric attitude that is a disease in itself. The use of alternatives to live animals is, however, gaining momentum, along with the adoption rather than the killing of cats and dogs whose "services" are over.

DEAR DR. FOX: In a few weeks, I shall be moving to a much smaller apartment. I'm concerned about my cat, George, having to cope with tighter quarters.

Presently, we are in a large seven-room home with screened-in pool and patio. George loves the comfort and life that he leads. He is very well behaved, and because I will be renting at an independent living facility, I'm concerned about him settling down. -- J.D., Cape Coral, Florida

DEAR J.D.: So long as there are familiar pieces of furniture and items that your cat has marked, and, ideally, positioned in one of the new rooms as they were in the old, your cat should settle down fairly soon.

Cats may feel more secure when off the ground in a cat condo with high, padded shelves and one or two cubbyholes to hide in. For additional environmental enrichment, set up an outside bird feeder your cat can observe from the condo or a padded windowledge. A plug-in diffuser of the feline pheromone Feliway may help your cat settle down. Be sure he has a breakaway collar and ID tag just in case he slips out -- some cats do try to get back to their original homes, sometimes making incredible journeys of hundreds of miles, as I describe in my book "Cat Body, Cat Mind."

Good luck to both of you with the move, and keep your cat in a safe room in the old home until you are fully moved in to your new accommodations.

(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.)