DEAR READERS: As noted in an earlier column, the Animal Legal Defense Fund filed a class-action lawsuit this past July against Petland, claiming that it defrauded customers by “guaranteeing” the health of puppies it knew were prone to illnesses and other defects. Now Petland’s puppies, according to officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, have passed on a bacterial infection to people.

Campylobacter, a common cause of diarrheal illness that can spread through contact with dog feces, has been contracted by people in Wisconsin, Florida, Ohio, Kansas, Missouri, Tennessee and Pennsylvania. Campylobacter infections were reported between September 2016 and August 2017 in 12 patients who were Petland employees, while anther 27 had come in contact with a Petland puppy. Nine people have been hospitalized since last September, but no deaths have been reported. More than 200 cities and counties now have laws that ban pet shops from selling so-called “puppy mill puppies,” Petland being the only major national chain selling dogs from commercial breeders.

DEAR DR. FOX: Thirteen years ago, we rescued a young female cat who had apparently been dumped. She was in poor shape, starving and full of fleas.

We took her to a vet for complete care and spaying. The vet suspected the cat’s mother may have been malnourished when pregnant with her.

At home, we fed her well, but she remained obsessed with food, especially fats. She would watch as we unpacked groceries and steal away with butter or cheese and eat it. At the same time, she was given to sudden bursts of violent behavior, as though having flashbacks. We assumed that she had been abused. Without warning, her pupils would dilate and she would launch herself at one of us, often aiming for the face. I warded her off many times by holding a pillow at arm’s length, which she ended up clinging to. Legs were a target, also; seven months after taking her in, we reluctantly had her declawed.

Gradually, she became socialized and settled into being a sweet kitty, and remained so for years. However, now she is reverting to violence. There are still no children or other animals inside, or even nearby, to trigger aggression. All will seem well, then suddenly she attacks and bites, drawing blood and, in one case, causing an infected wound. The attacks are increasing.

We are at a loss to explain this reversion to hostile behavior and don’t know how to handle the situation. Any guidance you can provide would be greatly appreciated. -- C.K., Fredericksburg, Virginia

DEAR C.K.: The saga of your poor cat, and you, is indeed distressing.

You did follow my first principle of responsible companion animal care: Any time there is a change in behavior, consult with your veterinarian. It is regrettable, but understandable, that the only treatment was to remove your cat’s claws. This mutilation can make cats feel more vulnerable, and then they are more likely to bite.

I agree with you that her sudden aggressive behavior when you first adopted her was possibly related to earlier traumatic experiences, a case of post-traumatic stress disorder indeed. But where there is sudden and unpredictable aggression with biting, in a cat or any animal brought into the home who has been outdoors, possible contact with a rabid animal must be considered. Certainly the attending veterinarian would have ruled out this possibility when you took your cat in for treatment after rescuing her.

The craving for fat is very curious indeed. Cats do need animal fats that contain omega-3 fatty acids, and many cat foods, especially dry kibble, are deficient. They are essential for several organ and system functions, including the brain.

I would give her a sardine or two a day (canned, in water), for a start. Also, since some dogs with low levels of brain serotonin can have attacks of psychotic rage, a supplement like PetzLife’s @-Eaze to elevate your cat’s serotonin may also help.

Second, odors can trigger cats to attack. One woman was cornered in her bathroom by her Siamese cat after she put on a new perfume (which contained the anal gland secretions of Ethiopian civet cats, held in captivity in small cages and subjected to repeated anal gland curettage). Perhaps you have a new deodorant or other toiletry product with a scent that disturbs your cat. A room diffuser dispensing organic essential oil of lavender may help calm all of you. Fresh or dried organic catnip has a tranquillizing effect on some cats, and your cat may enjoy a pinch in the early evening.

It is possible that her thyroid gland is hyperactive, which can also account for sudden aggression. This should be checked. If that is not the issue, and sardines and other suggestions do not help her enjoy a normal life without having these almost seizurelike episodes, discuss trying psychotropic medication with your veterinarian to reduce anxiety and possible brain seizure activity. Older cats do develop dementia, and chronically painful conditions like arthritis can bring on aggression, but rarely to the intensity shown by your cat.

(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: We are all moved by the rescue efforts on behalf of people’s dogs and cats when natural disasters like hurricanes and forest fires strike their communities. But what of farm animals out on the range, in corrals and sheds, or confined to stalls, cages and pens?

Generally, they must fend for themselves, which means millions of animals out in the open suffer and die around the world from droughts, floods and extreme temperatures. Those kept in confinement on factory farms, where we are talking about billions of poultry and pigs worldwide, are most often left where they are, or released to fend for themselves.

One farm animal welfare investigator wrote to me, stating: “Producers (in the United States) either release or let animals drown, because producers can be reimbursed for the bulk of their losses under the USDA’s Livestock Indemnity Program.” There is little chance of rushing them to slaughter, because most slaughtering facilities are running at full capacity every day to meet the public demand for meat. While we cannot control the weather, we can control our appetites. We can help reduce this population of vulnerable animals already suffering on factory farms and out on the range by choosing to eat fewer -- or none -- of them.

There is a growing scientific consensus that our appetite for meat, coupled with our ever-increasing numbers, are arguably the biggest drivers of climate change and natural disasters, and certainly of wildlife and habitat decimation.

DEAR DR. FOX: Our 50-pound dog, Mo, around 10 years old, had a vestibular incident early in the morning 18 days ago.

He had all the major symptoms -- sudden onset of loss of balance, disorientation, head tilt and irregular jerking eye movements -- and he also threw up three times. I understand it is like vertigo for dogs, especially old ones. We rushed Mo to the emergency clinic, where they gave him medication for the upset stomach, meclizine for the dizziness and IV fluids. The next day, our regular vet also prescribed Zeniquin just in case he still had an ear infection. (Mo had had an ear infection several weeks before the incident and was treated with Gentizol, which I have since read can contribute to vestibular incidents.)

Before the incident, we knew there was something brewing because Mo started having accidents in the kitchen, which he had never done before. Blood and urine tests indicated he was in great shape, but the incident let us know that there was a definite problem.

Mo is doing much better now. He still has his head tilt, but his big problem is at bedtime, when he gets very restless and appears disoriented. We have added night-lights, and our vet prescribed trazodone to help calm him down, but it hasn’t worked. He has also started having accidents in the kitchen during the night again. I finally tried Dramamine last night, and he was able to sleep for six hours. However, when he woke up at 4 a.m., he was restless again and started roaming the house and whining.

Do you have any suggestions to help us get through the night? My wife and I are getting large bags under our eyes and feel really bad that our best friend is uncomfortable. -- P.N., St. Louis, Missouri

DEAR P.N.: You give a very clear description of this old-dog middle-ear condition, which is relatively common and usually associated with an earlier ear infection. It can sometimes be prevented with optimal nutrition.

He now seems to be showing signs of anxiety, which could have been triggered by the intense vertigo and nausea that this condition brought on. Since the trazodone has not helped, discuss increasing the dose with your veterinarian, or try Valium.

He may be also be showing early signs of dementia or cognitive dysfunction, which you should raise as a possibility with the attending veterinarian. Supplements such as fish oil and coconut oil have multiple benefits for older dogs. Also try 3 to 6 milligrams of melatonin at bedtime. Another treatment worth trying is prescription medication selegiline (1 mg/kg).

Many older dogs become restless because of the constant pain of arthritis. Others become anxious because they need to be taken out more often to urinate, as a result of drinking more water due to kidney disease. Both of these common old-animal issues need to be considered. Slippery floors can also be hell for older dogs, so you may need some new, secure carpets.

My book “The Healing Touch for Dogs” will give you advice on how to help him relax and feel secure while enjoying the therapeutic benefits of a full-body massage.

(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: I have a 4-year-old standard poodle. At 5 months old, she had her first seizure. This happened in the middle of the night while she was sleeping in her crate. The day prior to that, I had her at a kennel, as we were going to be out all day and didn’t have anyone to come over and let her out. She stayed there overnight. Over the next couple of days, she had a few more seizures, then had them periodically over the next few months.

After testing and close observations, it seemed that she only had these seizures at the time of grooming. I don’t know if something happened at the kennel that first time that upset her or caused stress, but after making the connection, I had a mobile vet come to the house and groom her in their grooming truck. For two years, she was totally fine. She liked the girl who groomed her, and she got right in the truck and was a good girl. I could see her in the window, and she sat nicely and everything was fine.

Then one day, all of a sudden, she climbed up on the table and had a seizure again. Same girl. Same truck. We tried a few more times until the groomer, understandably, said she just could not groom her anymore.

Then I tried going to the groomer at the vet’s office. The first time, she was fine; the next time, as she knew what was going to happen, she started again having seizures. They seemed to get more severe, so the vet put her on 64.8 mg of phenobarbital twice a day. She is on that now. We tried grooming her last month and she had a seizure. We then tried giving her a dose of gabapentin, and then a larger dose of gabapentin the next time, and she still had seizures. Now my vet is going to bump up her phenobarbital dosage.

The only time she has seizures is during grooming. If she was a Lab or something like that, I would just bathe her at home and learn how to cut her nails. I am at my wits’ end, and I think the vet is, too. We just don’t know what to do at this point. -- S.H., Chesterfield, Missouri

DEAR S.H.: I appreciate the difficult situation for your poor dog, and for you, having to cope with episodic seizures related to the stress and anticipatory anxiety over grooming. Regrettably, poodles need regular grooming, as you point out; however, I would not give her the phenobarbital, or any other anti-epileptic drug, on a regular basis because of long-term side effects.

The first step is to raise the seizure threshold. I would therefore make coconut oil the main fat in your dog’s diet, since this has been shown to help control seizures. Another suggestion: Add more turkey to her diet as a source of tryptophan, and a natural daily supplement containing L-theanine (like PetzLife’s @-Eaze). Both substances have calming properties. Also, avoid all wheat ingredients in the dog’s diet, including treats.

Before your dog’s next grooming session, put a few drops of essential oil of lavender on a bandana around her neck. About 30 to 45 minutes before the appointment, give her a light dose of Xanax (prescribed by your veterinarian). If those don’t do the trick, your vet could then try a single dose of phenobarbital before the session -- but not day in and day out, unless your dog starts to have seizures more often.

DEAR DR. FOX: Our 13-year-old cat, Gussy, has started a new habit of crying when he gets into his litter box. It’s not a cry like he’s in pain; it’s a long yowl like he’s really sad. My cousin heard him and said her cat made that kind of sound after her other cat died. I’m scared that Gussy might be predicting that someone is going to die in my family. -- M.C., Fargo, North Dakota

DEAR M.C.: That is quite possible, and it could be Gussy. Any time an animal shows any sudden change in behavior, one should consult with a veterinarian. Talk to someone there to see if an appointment is warranted on the basis of your concerns and observations. Many veterinarians now make in-home visits, which most cats prefer.

(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.)