DEAR DR. FOX: Our 8-month-old, 50-pound springer spaniel pup had severe reactions to both Frontline Plus and Frontline Gold (for puppies). He got diarrhea and looked like he was nearing a seizure, with a quivering jaw, all within 24 hours of application. I even gave him a low dose -- one for dogs weighing 25 to 44 pounds.

What do you recommend? Ticks are fierce here, and we walk every day. I have Cedar Spray from Dogs Natually, but I think I will need a variety of products for full coverage.

Our older springer rescue doesn't seem to suffer adverse effects from Fipronil. -- S.B., Branson, Missouri

DEAR S.B.: I am so sorry to hear about the adverse reaction of your young dog to the Frontline products. These, along with other similar products, are widely advertised this time of year, and I receive many reports of dogs becoming suddenly ill -- and in some instances dying -- after application. Year after year I advise against the use of most of these products except as a last resort.

But that is how the manufacturers and suppliers make their money; they essentially either deny receiving adverse reaction reports, or claim they are rare and that the benefits outweigh the risks of an occasional dog or cat getting ill and possibly being killed. Your veterinarian should report this adverse reaction to the manufacturers and to the government regulators.

Visit my website, DrFoxVet.net, for my flea and tick prevention and treatment advice, under the title "Preventing Fleas." Also visit petzlife.com to learn about herbal products that have proven safe and effective in dealing with these noxious ectoparasites.

But as I emphasize in my review article, no single product can give 100 percent protection without the animal also having good nutrition and daily monitoring of body surfaces to check for fleas and ticks -- especially after a run with the dog in the woods. And of course all cats should be indoor cats, otherwise they could infest the home with fleas and ticks and even infect family members with the plague and other flea- and tick-borne diseases if they are allowed to come and go as they please.

DEAR DR. FOX: After having my old dog Sam euthanized in our home, I wonder why authorities are using some weird drug combinations to kill death-row convicts instead of what my vet used: Acepromazine sedative and then pentobarbital into a vein.

Sam passed away in my arms with no fear -- his eyes told me. He gave a big sigh, and he was gone. It was so humane; death with dignity. -- M.S., Washington, D.C.

DEAR M.S.: Our justice system has yet to learn and practice compassion and mercy, and the legal system and government to embrace science-based reason and bioethics. The recovery of our humanity from the insanity of our inhumanity is a societal and evolutionary challenge. Veterinarians are at the forefront of this evolution; our relationships with and treatment of animals telling us much about our states of mind and the realities we create therewith.

EUTHANASIA DRUG IN DOG FOOD: ANOTHER PET FOOD RECALL

Party Animal, Inc. of West Hollywood, California, has announced that it is voluntarily recalling specific lots of its canned dog foods because they tested positive for the euthanasia drug pentobarbital. To learn which products are affected, visit dogfoodadvisor.com.

The Food and Drug Administration is investigating this issue, and in my opinion it may be because the meat processors and suppliers have been lax in insuring that euthanized cats and dogs, as well as horses, ponies, pot-bellied pigs and other companion animals who have been humanely euthanized with pentobarbital, are separated from processing into meat meal and other ingredients that end up in pet food.

Concentrations of this euthanasia drug have been so high in some dog foods that dogs have developed acute neurological problems, including seizures and death.

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Andrews McMeel Syndication, 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 vet, who I like overall, has my 13-year-old cat, Pixel, on two prescription diets: one with lots of fiber and the other because it is easily digestible (my kitty has had hairball, constipation and vomiting issues). The hairballs and vomiting have disappeared thanks to natural hairball paste.

Pixel, who weighs 9 pounds, lost a couple of pounds in the last year, but she has gained 1/2 pound back in the last month because I added more of the digestible food to the fiber food.

Pixel had a serious bout of constipation more than year ago. We had to take her to the vet, where she received multiple enemas. There were no obstructions, and the vet put her on lactulose for a couple of months. It resolved the issue, and she started eating the fibrous food. After a year on the food, she has lost too much weight. She poops a lot, but she seems malnourished.

My vet has recommended Cisapride because she says Pixel has irritable bowel syndrome or Crohn’s disease. Kidney disease, pancreatic issues, diabetes and thyroid disease have all been ruled out. I would rather add some nutritious food that won’t constipate her. -- P.W., Ashburn, Virginia

DEAR P.W.: Your cat is getting on in years and has been through the mill diet- and health-wise.

Crohn's disease or inflammatory bowel conditions are all too common; in some instances, there is an underlying gut cancer (lymphoma) issue. High-fiber prescription diets can interfere with food digestion and absorption, so the animal loses weight and overall health.

Chronic constipation and fur balls are also common feline maladies. Both conditions are helped with regular grooming and deep abdominal massage, as per my book "The Healing Touch for Cats." Add a few drops of fish oil and a teaspoon of light olive or coconut oil to the cat's regular diet, then transition to a grain-free, raw, frozen or good-quality canned cat food -- or try my recipe, posted on my website (DrFoxVet.net).

Chronic constipation and so-called megacolon can often be alleviated by giving a daily teaspoon of a mixture of canned sardines and psyllium husks (not seeds) or chia seeds. Allow soaking well before serving. My old cats love this and have no bowel issues.

DEAR DR. FOX: Can you recommend a sonic collar to use at night only? Our 8-pound cavapom likes to bark during the night while in her sleep room, which makes it difficult for us to sleep in our room.

She does not bark during the day except when she sees a cat nearby. -- K.W., Fargo, North Dakota

DEAR K.W.: You might try what one reader found works to stop neighbors' dogs from barking:

P.W.F. from Fredericksburg, Virginia, just wrote to me: "For five or more years, I have used Bark Stopper to combat neighbors' barking dogs. It uses batteries.

"Once dogs become accustomed to it, they stop barking within 20 seconds. The first few uses may take longer, until they learn that barking triggers an uncomfortable high-pitched sound. I use it only when I am on the porch and the dogs become a real nuisance.

"Bark Stopper can be found most easily in catalogs and I assume through Internet, though that's not my preferred way of shopping."

There are also anti-bark collars that make a buzzing sound or other stimulus when the dog barks to startle and condition the dog not to bark. Not one brand fits all. I advise against purchasing electronic remote shock collars, which should be used only by sensitive and qualified canine behavior therapists and dog trainers.

STUDY: HOW CATS HARBOR FLAME RETARDANTS IN BLOODSTREAM

Swedish researcher Jana Weiss published data in the journal Environmental Science and Technology documenting high-brominated flame retardant levels in feline blood samples. BFRs, used in clothing, electronics and furniture, have been linked to endocrine disruptions and are implicated as a significant contributing factor in the widespread incidence of hyperthyroidism in cats. Weiss found cats are exposed to BFRs in dust, something that could also be happening to small children.

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Andrews McMeel Syndication, 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 READERS: The topic of pet health insurance, in the dark shadow of America’s human health insurance mess, may seem absurd. But as I have emphasized in earlier writings, cat and dog owners should discuss this with their veterinarians -- especially if they have a purebred or “designer” puppy or kitten with extreme physical traits, such as abnormally large heads, pushed-in faces, twisted limbs and extreme infantilism (paedomorphosis) and probable genetic or inherited health problems. Having to euthanize a beloved companion animal for economic reasons is a reality for many people who cannot afford needed veterinary services, especially for cancer and other chronic diseases in older animals. This puts an emotional burden on veterinarians, and as a recent extensive survey by Dr. Barry S. Kipperman and associates published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association reveals, is a significant factor in professional career satisfaction and burnout.

The escalating costs of pet health care mean that many cats and dogs are taken to the veterinarian only when they are seriously ill, which means much more cost and animal suffering that might have otherwise been avoided by regular wellness examinations.

To help pet owners understand the complexities and ups and downs of pet health insurance, veterinarian Douglas Kenney has written a helpful guide, "Pet Health Insurance: A Veterinarian’s Perspective." For more details, visit petinsuranceguideus.com.

A pet insurance study by LendEDU.com gives some insights, noting that only 16.9 percent of cat owners surveyed had pet insurance, while 26.7 percent of dog owners had coverage. Of those with full coverage, 85.3 percent thought that their pet insurance was worth it, as did 82.1 of those with accidents and illness coverage. Only 63.6 percent of respondents with accident-only coverage thought it was worth it. Veterinarians informed 67.5 percent of the respondents with pet insurance about coverage.

To help pet owners decide, there are some online information sources:

-- Consumer Affairs, consumeraffairs.com/pets/pet-insurance, and

-- Consumer Reports, consumerreports.org/pet-products/is-pet-insurance-worth-cost.

The North American Pet Health Insurance Association (naphia.org) gives a list of members and coverage costs, which averaged around $465 for dogs and $316 for cats in 2015. Some may be better off setting up their own emergency-care fund for their animal companion to avoid the emotional and financial trap of unforeseen veterinary costs.

Low-cost, basic service and nonprofit animal hospitals, often in association with local animal shelters and humane societies operating in low-income communities, are being established across the United States. The classic model is the United Kingdom’s People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals. Founded in 1917 by animal welfare pioneer Maria Dickin, the PDSA is the U.K.’s leading veterinary charity. Operating through a U.K.-wide network of 51 pet hospitals and 380 pet practices (contracted private practices), PDSA provides free veterinary care to the sick and injured pets of people in need and promotes responsible pet ownership.

DEAR DR. FOX: My Shih Tzu has a big problem with storms. The vet has prescribed trazodone tabs and acepromazine in liquid form, which helps sometimes.

She starts to shake (a lot) before a storm even starts, and sometimes she doesn't stop for a long time after. Is there anything else you would recommend? -- R.B., St. Louis

DEAR R.B.: Many storms are predicted this spring and summer across much of the U.S., no thanks to our collective contribution to climate change. There's no denying that, nor the fact that many dogs suffer from "thunderphobia," which can be difficult to temper.

Draw the drapes or curtains, and turn up the volume on your TV or radio weather channel before the predicted storm arrives. Fit your dog with a tight wrap around the chest and abdomen, such as a child's T-shirt, and make it snug with Velcro strips or duct tape. This calms many dogs. Many people are afraid of storms, too, so be sure that there is no behavioral contagion from you to your dog if you are phobic.

Several dog owners have told me that giving 3 to 6 milligrams of fast-acting melatonin 30 minutes or so before a predicted storm comes can make a big difference. Let me know what works best for your dog. What your veterinarian prescribed can help many dogs. Try the Thundershirt first without medication, then go on from there.

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Andrews McMeel Syndication, 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.)