DEAR DR. FOX: My son has an 18-year-old male cat. The other night, he gave Dinker some catnip, which he has had before, but this time he had a little more than usual. Dinker was immediately unresponsive, lying down and not moving. My son thought he was going to have to put him down.

Dinker came around and has been fine ever since. Do you think the reaction was from the catnip, which he has always had without trouble? Because of his age, do you think it could have been a slight stroke or vertigo? -- K.S., West Palm Beach, Florida

DEAR K.S., The moral of your son’s saga is: All things in moderation.

Soon after rolling in, and then eating, a small amount (one shredded teaspoon) of fresh catnip or catmint, my cats would often vomit, though usually keeping down the dried herbs. Then they’d roll in what remained on the floor, and then get squiggly, maybe batting at their tails, before zoning out for a while.

Catnip is the equivalent of Valium for most cats, but some show no interest. It makes for a relaxing tea for us humans, and also has some antispasmodic effects. I advise people to grow their own catnip, or only buy “Organically Certified,” since I have seen plastic packages of catnip in some stores indicating it comes from China.

For Dinker, I say just a pinch or two next time. Moisten it with a little water and let stand at room temperature for a few minutes first to draw out the volatile oils. Dinker may simply roll in the aroma and get “high” that way.

I say “high” not euphemistically or anthropomorphically. In the wild, many animal species -- notably bears, baboons and elephants -- will seek out fermented fruits, clearly enjoying the effects altering their states of consciousness and behavior. I do not think such experiences are essential for us to provide for companion animals, but olfactory-sensitive cats and dogs do enjoy different scents, such as dogs on walks being allowed to sniff to their brains’ content. Some dogs may also appreciate catnip, and I would enjoy hearing from other readers whose dogs do.

As for cannabis, which wild pigs especially relish, its use in veterinary medicine is increasing with its legalization for medical purposes. As this herb becomes accepted for recreational use in humans, companion animals should be kept away. Dogs, in particular, are often eager to eat cannabis plants or the dried herb. An overdose could cause respiratory depression and heart failure, especially in older animals.

When all is said and done, I think it is only we humans who need to lose our minds and come to our senses. Other members of the plant kingdom can help with that, as some psychotherapists are now exploring for such conditions as PTSD, dementia and depression.

DEAR DR. FOX: This is regarding your article about the use of bits on the horses at the recent royal wedding in London.

I do agree that bitless bridles can be excellent, but tossing of heads does not necessarily indicate discomfort in a horse. It does indicate excitement, and the forward position of the horses’ ears suggests that was the case.

These cossetted horses are not only cherished, but also get regular holidays away from London. They are taken to rural areas and given large pastures to roam and play in. Her Majesty the Queen is a fan and follower of Monty Roberts, aka the “Horse Whisperer,” and invited him to London to explain and demonstrate his training methods, which she adopted.

So while the horses you are concerned about are among the best cared for anywhere, I wish you would also comment in your column about the unspeakable government-backed cruelty being perpetrated here in the U.S. by the Bureau of Land Management. The BLM systematically terrorizes the wild mustangs in the northwest, herding them with helicopters, penning them, breaking up family groups and inducing panic, which leads to many broken legs. Slaughter is the final option for many of these beautiful horses.

It does not get into the news because journalists are mostly kept away from the horrific roundups; it does not make for palatable news coverage.

The House Appropriations Committee and the BLM will not allow the humane methods of sterilization that the supporters of the mustangs and burros have proposed. They have far more devastating methods to implement in the very near future.

Please read more about this from the American Wild Horse Campaign (americanwildhorsecampaign.org).

We have read your columns about cruelty to dogs and cats in certain Asian countries. Let’s deal with the horrors right here, and encourage your readers to take action immediately. -- C.B., Hendersonville, North Carolina

DEAR C.B.: Yes, I am sure that all the queen’s horses are well cared for. But traditions always need to be examined when there is questionable suffering and available alternatives. One notable example from my native country is the old tradition of setting dog packs on foxes, deer and other dwindling wildlife species.

I invite readers of my column to visit americanwildhorsecampaign.org and support efforts to bring compassion and respect for all life to bear on the policies and practices of wildlife and feral animal management by state and federal agencies.

(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: We found an abandoned puppy in our neighborhood three months ago. We took him in and took him to the vet: He’s had all of his shots, he has been wormed, neutered and microchipped.

He is 11 months old and healthy, but we know he has a problem. One minute he is as sweet as can be, then all of a sudden, he is like a devil. He falls asleep in my husband’s arms every night, and when he wakes up, he is combative and bites.

We think he may have a problem with his serotonin levels, but our vet’s lab does not do a test for that. Our vet suggested we find a lab that performs that test; they said they will draw the blood and send it in for us.

We are trying to do everything we can to give this little guy a good home. Is there any way you can help us? -- T.T. Fargo, North Dakota

DEAR T.T.: There are supplements that can be given to increase brain serotonin and dopamine levels, but I question if that is the answer to your problem.

Your dog is young, and wants to play and chew things. I wonder what interactive games you engage in, and what contact your pup has with other dogs to learn to play gently. Their sharp milk teeth make play-biting gently a challenge, but most pups soon learn not to bite hard when playing.

Also, are you teaching your young dog self-control, as by training to sit and stay and to remain still when picked up and held in your arms? My book “The Healing Touch for Dogs” could help you and your dog develop a calming and connecting routine of deep and relaxing massage therapy. Such contact helps dogs relax and stimulates the production of feel-good brain neurochemicals, while also lowering stress hormone levels, heart rate and blood pressure.

Let me know in a few weeks how this turns out.

BOOK REVIEW

“From Fearful to Fear Free” by Marty Becker, DVM and veterinary and behavioral associates, 2018.

As the subtitle of this well-organized book states, this is “A Positive Program to Free Your Dog from Anxiety, Fear and Phobias.” I highly recommend this book for veterinarians, dog trainers, behavioral therapists, current dog owners/caregivers (I detest the anthropomorphic term “pet parents”) and people contemplating bringing a dog into their lives -- especially adopting one from the shelter who may have issues such as PTSD and separation anxiety.

Perhaps in the second edition, more will be said about the benefits of essential oils, massage therapy, “cradling” and how the owner/guardian/handler can transmit fear, anxiety and phobias through how she/he reacts in various situations, such as seeing another dog while theirs is on the leash.

Serious omissions also call for attention, such as fear-related aggression and food-guarding (a fear-associated behavior for which many dogs have been pronounced unadoptable and sentenced to death in animal shelters). Also missing was a mention of breed susceptibilities to complications such as fear-associated hyperventilation, leading to asphyxia, in popular French bulldogs, pugs and other cranio-facially deformed brachycephalic breeds, and fear-associated seizures in other breeds.

With such future inclusions, I would say “Bravo” to books like this that extend our understanding, respect and care of fellow creatures -- be they our companions or in the service of other human needs. When this book is translated worldwide, we, as a species, may indeed evolve and see a world with more freedom from fear and more joy in life for all.

(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: A new scientific report on humans’ global impact on the planet, in producing food for ourselves, shows that while meat and dairy provide just 18 percent of people’s calories and 37 percent of protein, they use the vast majority -- 83 percent -- of farmland and produce 60 percent of agriculture’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Without meat and dairy consumption, global farmland use could be reduced by more than 75 percent -- an area equivalent to the U.S., China, European Union and Australia combined -- and still feed the world.

Loss of wild areas to agriculture is the leading cause of the current mass extinction of wildlife. Other recent research shows 86 percent of all land mammals are now livestock and humans. Radical dietary changes, such as eating less or no animal produce -- including seafoods and “bushmeat” -- are implied as bioethical imperatives in these studies. Any economic, political and food-industry opposition to such changes must be met with consumer responsibility and greater public awareness.

While many mourn the recent death of TV’s global gourmand, Anthony Bourdain, it is regrettable that he did not live long enough to enlighten his audiences about eating with conscience. Instead, he once wrote that “vegetarians are the enemy of everything good and decent in the human spirit, an affront to all I stand for, a pure enjoyment of food,” and castigated “their Hezbollah-like splinter faction, the vegans.”

The communion and sacramental aspects of our food and culinary traditions call for cruelty-free, sustainable and healthful dietary choices, including what we feed to our animal companions. For instance, I would never advocate making our cats vegans -- they are obligate carnivores!

DEAR DR. FOX: I’ve read a lot of stories about dogs with seizures of various sorts, and I’d like to share our experience with you.

Our 9-year-old female black Lab began having what we later learned were seizures at about 3 months old. We had never seen anything like it before: very violent, with a lot of head spinning, eyes rolling, foaming at the mouth, and all four legs going. She had no idea where she was or who we were. The first time, we ended up with stitches after thinking she might have been choking.

We took her to the vet immediately, who said, “If she does it again, then she has epilepsy and she needs to be on phenobarbital for life.” Well, she was averaging about one seizure per week, all of them just as intense. I couldn’t bear the idea of lifelong meds that could possibly shorten her life, so I started poking around.

I began giving her melatonin in different doses until I settled on a 5 mg slow-release dose, twice a day. By the time she was about 9 months old, she would have an occasional, less-intense seizure (about every three weeks). By the age of 1 year, her seizures had pretty much stopped.

She reminded me of someone with migraines: She could feel it coming on, and would come to me and pretty much ask for her meds. On those few occasions, I would give her an extra melatonin and she’d go to her safe room (our dark, quiet closet) until it would pass -- usually about 30 minutes.

She has not had a full-blown seizure since she was a little over 1 year old.

She still gets the same dose of melatonin, and every now and then will come to me with the signs, but it’s very rare. She is on no other meds and lives a very happy and healthy life now. -- S.D., Palm Beach, Florida

DEAR S.D.: I hope that you have informed your dog’s veterinarian of the possible benefits of melatonin in helping control and prevent seizures in your dog.

More studies are called for in this regard, and I agree with you that putting a dog for life on a barbiturate drug is not the best solution if it can possibly be avoided because of potentially harmful side effects.

For some dogs, eliminating wheat in the diet or making coconut oil the main fat in a high-fat diet have proven beneficial.

I recall several years ago one reader writing to me that their dog’s terror of thunderstorms was effectively alleviated by giving 6 mg of melatonin when a storm was anticipated.

Melatonin, which is the plant hormone that puts plants to “sleep” at night and links them with a circadian rhythm, can also give us a good night’s sleep and help blind people set their circadian clocks. As a super-antioxidant, it may also help with inflammatory conditions and possibly some cancers. It is one of many gifts from the plant kingdom being laid to waste by herbicides and our collective desecration of the natural environment.

TICK-BORNE DISEASE SPREADS AMONG DOMESTIC CATS Veterinarians in Arkansas, Oklahoma and other states are reporting an increase in bobcat fever, which is transmitted by ticks from wild bobcats to domestic cats and is characterized by jaundice, temperature elevation and depression.

The disease can be fatal, especially if it’s not treated promptly. The best prevention is to KEEP CATS INDOORS! This applies to all states, because with climate change, ticks and tick-borne diseases -- which can infect humans as well as our companion animals -- are spreading like wildfire. (KFSM-TV, Fort Smith, Arkansas, 5/10)

BILL BANNING CAT-DECLAWING ADVANCES IN NEW JERSEY

A proposal to ban most declawing of pet cats in New Jersey cleared the state Senate Economic Growth Committee this week. The measure would exempt cases where a veterinarian deems the procedure necessary for the health and well-being of the animal. (N.J. Advance Media, Morristown, N.J., 5/31)

(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.)