DEAR DR. FOX: My 14-year-old toy poodle, Charlie, was diagnosed with Cushing’s disease and a gallbladder mucocele (cyst).

The doctor prescribed Vetoryl and Denamarin. Within a few months, the poor boy was listless, he resisted holding and petting, and he looked at us with vacant eyes. It was pitiful!

My personal physician suggested treating him with hemp oil for canines. We started him on the recommended dosage, and within a week, he was a changed pup. He began to interact again, enjoy his walks and his eyes were sharp.

He was fine for more than four months, after which his gall bladder gave out. I am by no means suggesting this is a cure, but it certainly did make him more comfortable during those last months. -- P.P., Naples, Florida

DEAR P.P.: More veterinarians are using medicinal components of cannabis/marijuana to help alleviate chronic, painful conditions in companion animals. I am glad that your human doctor urged you to try this on your dog -- not as a cure, but to improve his quality of life.

Another natural herbal product, kratom, is gaining recognition as providing similar benefits for animals, especially those suffering from painful arthritic and spinal conditions, and other debilitating conditions like cancer. I would like to hear from readers who have had personal experience with some of the available strains of this herb, on themselves and on their animals, and especially from veterinarians. Kratom seems to be a safer alternative to conventional analgesics for humans and nonhumans alike. For details, visit speciosa.org and read Paul Kemp’s article, “Kratom Use by Pets: Anecdotal Reports by Pet Lovers.”

Clinical trials by veterinarians and veterinary college hospitals on this particular herb are called for, even though the federal government sought to take it off the market recently -- probably under pressure from the big drug companies now under investigation for flooding the country with highly addictive synthetic opiates.

DEAR DR. FOX: I’m wondering what you would substitute for grains in your home-prepared food, since my dogs are grain-free. -- L.S., Silver Spring, Maryland

DEAR L.S.: A “grain-free” diet is not mandatory for all dogs. Specifically, it is for certain breeds and individual dogs who may get inflammatory and other bowel problems, allergies, pancreatic enzyme deficiency and even epilepsy, and whose maladies improve on grain-free (and GMO-free) diets.

A small amount of grains are good for most dogs, but all things in moderation. It is the excess in cheap dog (and cat) foods that have made many animals ill over the years. The pet food industry, which has always flatly denied any connection with its products and pet illnesses, is now widely touting grain-free dog foods.

Such grains as amaranth, quinoa and chia, ideally organically certified, are good for most dogs, especially those with possible gluten-related digestive and other health problems.

For details, see my book “Not Fit for a Dog: The Truth About Manufactured Cat & Dog Foods” that I co-authored with two other experienced veterinarians.

(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 read the letter in your column from the older couple who wanted to adopt an older dog. There are some local organizations that specialize in adopting out older dogs.

For instance, the St. Louis Senior Dog Project is a nonprofit that places older dogs. Your readers could see if there’s a local organization in their area, perhaps by Googling “senior dogs for adoption.”

Senior dogs for seniors is a win-win! The senior dogs get a stable and usually more quiet home, and the senior citizens get companionship. Plus, they stay in better shape physically and mentally, due to walking the dog every day, often getting more social interaction in the process.

I agree with you that a good pet adoption agency should request an in-home follow-up visit after the adoption. -- T.S., St. Louis, Missouri

DEAR T.S.: Thanks for the information about a senior dog adoption project in your community. I hope that more communities will pick up on this initiative for many reasons, including the fact that dogs are living longer with better care these days. As their caregivers age and go into no-pet retirement centers and nursing homes, these animals need to find new homes if younger family members cannot take them.

Older dogs are generally quick to adapt to a new home environment, and form devoted bonds with family members without the time and effort having to house-train and educate a younger dog or puppy. They are probably the best choice for relatively active seniors who do not wish to have their animal companions outlive them. And many less active seniors have had their lives and hearts enriched by adopting easy-to-care-for senior cats.

Making resolutions for 2018? Don’t forget to include your pets! Dr. Mike Topper, president of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), offers these suggestions (paraphrased from a recent AVMA news release).

-- Exercise more. Planning on hitting the gym more regularly? Follow suit with your pets, keeping them healthy with regular exercise and activity. Take your dogs for more frequent and longer walks, visit a dog park for more active play and socialization, or sign up for agility training. Get your cat moving with new toys and games that will encourage her to run and jump. Before starting, however, talk with your vet about healthy and appropriate activity levels for your individual animals.

-- Eat healthier. If you’re committing to eating healthier in 2018, consider whether your pets would benefit from a similar change. Watching what our pets eat can help them maintain a healthy weight and add years to their lives. There are a number of steps you can take: eliminate table scraps and fattening, high-calorie treats; keep food treats to a minimum; don’t give in to those sad, begging eyes. Talk with your vet about a nutrition plan.

-- Schedule a visit to the veterinarian. Visiting your doctor regularly for checkups is an important way to stay healthy and catch illnesses and injuries early before they become a bigger problem. Since our pets can’t schedule their own checkups, resolve to take your pets in for wellness exams.

DEAR DR. FOX: We found a young kitten and are now having trouble teaching it to go in the litter box. Wondering what we can do. -- B.H., St Louis, Missouri

DEAR B.H.: Good for you for rescuing the kitten. Do have him/her checked by a veterinarian, since many are born with intestinal worms that can give them a bad start in life.

A very young kitten may not yet be able to climb easily into a regular-sized litter box, so get a cardboard box and cut it down to have about a one-inch lip all around. Put some cat litter in this cardboard “tray,” set the kitten in it and gently massage his/her abdomen.

Very young kittens need to have their rear ends wiped with a moist tissue, like their mothers lick them, to stimulate urination and defecation. Transfer any excrement gathered in this way to the litter in the temporary cardboard container. This will give a scent signal to the kitten and attract it to the litter.

DEAR DR. FOX: My beautiful 11-year-old mini schnauzer, Kokonut, has had lipomas for a quite some time. Aspiration has indicated they are benign and do not impede activity.

I have read that lipomas can be reduced in size and/or eliminated by removing all toxins. Kokonut is on Sentinel, and I would like to prevent heartworm via a more natural method. She wears an amber collar to deter fleas and ticks. We do not frequent dog parks and she is never boarded or in doggy day care.

What do you recommend to help get rid of the lipomas while providing protection from heartworm? -- J.P., Naples, Florida

DEAR J.P.: There is no conclusive evidence that anti-tick and -flea products play any role in dogs developing fatty tumors. Genetics and a diet high in starches seem to be the main triggers.

I would like to hear, from readers who have put their dogs on grain-free and raw-food diets, if they found any differences in lipoma development compared to prior dogs who did develop these growths and were fed conventional kibble.

Don’t believe what you may find on the internet concerning ways to reduce these growths with various supplements. In my experience, once they develop, one must simply wait, deal with any concurrent obesity and arthritis, and have the benign tumors surgically removed when they cause discomfort and interfere with physical activity.

There is no “natural” method to prevent heartworm infestations transmitted by infected mosquitoes. I would take the pesticide collar off your dog and check out my article on preventing fleas on my website, DrFoxVet.net.

(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 read the letter from the woman from Falls Church, Virginia, who is concerned about giving meds to her 9-year-old female cat for travel distress. I wanted to share my personal information with you, as it may help her.

Our female indoor cat is 17 1/2 years old, and doing very well. Because we’re retired, my husband and I have started to travel weekly between our home and a lake cabin two hours away. In the beginning, it was an awful trip whenever we took our cat! She yowled the entire time, and it was distressing for all of us. We didn’t like leaving her on her own for a weekend, and knew if we wanted to spend more time at the cabin, she’d have to go with us.

We tried using a regular cat carrier, then we tried a large one. Neither worked, and I was sure allowing her to be loose in the car wasn’t a safe plan for any of us, either.

One night, I decided to watch a few cat videos and came across an ad from a woman who makes fabric cat carriers. All of the reviews were very positive and I decided to order one, hoping it wasn’t a waste of money. The carrier came, we used it for the first time, and voila! It was a pleasant drive for all of us. Miss Kitty meowed once or twice but then settled down. Since then, we’ve traveled to the lake many times and have even started to bring her with us to Madison, Wisconsin (an eight-hour trip) for extended stays.

Once you check out the website (cat-in-the-bag.com), I think you’ll see why I recommend it. -- R.W., Fargo, North Dakota

DEAR R.W., Many cat owners will appreciate your affirmation of these soft, collapsible bags, which many (but not all) cats will accept as superior alternatives to carriers and crates.

I spoke with the company owner and was assured that they have a 30-day return and refund policy if the purchaser’s cat does not accept being in the carrier. They are not manufactured in America, but are made in India, such outsourcing being due to a lack of willing, able and cost-effective manufacturers in the U.S.

Getting one’s cat to the vet can be a problem, and for many cats, this soft bag carrier may be the answer.

POEM: A NEW YEAR’S WISH FOR 2018

The Circle has been broken:

The Sacred Hoop,

Earth’s cycles, life cycles.

We are too many

To live with appetites of wolves

Who save the forest for the deer.

Stones will sing again

For a humanity redeemed

With hallowing covenants,

Courage, justice and conviction

To restore the Medicine Wheel

And stop all cruelty and desecration.

-- Michael W. Fox, dedicated to the First People, native American Indians and all our relations

(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.)