DEAR DR. FOX: I am worried about this “dog flu” virus that is going around, but I do not want to have my 12-year-old dog vaccinated. Should I stop taking her to the groomer and to our local park until winter comes? Will it be safe then? -- D.K.W., Springfield, Illinois

DEAR D.K.W.: Ask your veterinarian if it is safe now. This virus, of which there are at least two strains that can affect dogs, tends to appear and then move on from state to state.

Vaccines to protect dogs against both H3N8 and H3N2 canine flu are available in the United States. Your veterinarian can provide additional information about these vaccines and whether you should consider vaccinating your dog. If you feel uncomfortable about having your old dog vaccinated, then don’t be persuaded. Just keep the dog away from others if the veterinarian says that cases have been seen recently in your area.

Dog flu, also known as canine influenza virus (CIV), was first recognized in 2004 following an outbreak of severe respiratory illness at a greyhound racing facility in Florida. Eight of 22 affected dogs died due to extensive hemorrhage in the lungs. Fortunately, this was a small outbreak, due to the rapid institution of containment measures. Since that time, however, dog flu has been identified throughout the United States. The virus isolated was virtually identical with the H3N8 virus in equine influenza.

In March 2015, a severe outbreak of respiratory disease affecting over 1,000 dogs in the Chicago area was documented. The virus was typed as canine influenza virus H3N2, which had never been isolated previously in the U.S. The virus is of avian origin, and closely related to the South Korean canine influenza H3N2 strain. As of June 2017, this virus had spread to 31 states, and some cats were also infected. Both these and other strains of influenza virus can mutate and infect other hosts, including humans and other animal species. High concentrations of humans and of factory-farmed pigs and poultry, coupled with mobility/travel, create the ideal conditions for epidemics.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the signs of this illness in dogs are cough, runny nose, fever, lethargy, eye discharge and reduced appetite, but not all dogs will show signs of illness. The severity of illness associated with canine flu in dogs can range from no signs to severe illness resulting in pneumonia, and sometimes death. Most dogs recover within two to three weeks. However, some dogs may develop secondary bacterial infections, which may lead to more severe illness and pneumonia. The percentage of dogs infected with this disease that die from it is very small.

(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 13-year-old deaf female beagle who barks at me constantly.

The vet says she is OK physically, and no calming meds were recommended. The barking can begin as early as 2 a.m. and continues until I feed her. This can go on for one or two hours, as I have tried ignoring her. Feeding seems to help, but she is getting fat even though I give her a small amount each time. In the evening it’s like an alarm goes off about 9 p.m. when she begins again.

I have tried frequent small feedings, petting her, trying to calm her, but nothing works. I’ve even tried calming treats. She will whine and bark even when I am petting her. I guess it is “dog-heimers,” but this is taking its toll on me. -- J.K., Royal Palm Beach, Florida

DEAR J.K.: You are correct in suggesting that your dog probably has “dog-heimers,” i.e., senile dementia.

It is regrettable that your attending veterinarian did not consider that there was a behavioral issue to be addressed. This is a serious professional lapse in service and responsibility, and an issue raised in a recent edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association: Veterinarians in companion animal practice are not adequately covering the behavioral and psychological aspects of animal wellness.

Worldwide, there are currently only 79 board-certified veterinary behaviorists, called Diplomates, of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists (ACVB). As a result, not all states or provinces will have a Diplomate nearby. I was one of a handful in the 1970s who got the ball rolling in this field, and by now, I would have thought there would be many more. The ball is too often passed to uncertified animal behavior therapists and trainers, many working out of local animal shelters and humane societies.

Because of this serious dearth of veterinarians providing behavioral counseling, prevention, therapeutic intervention and client education, dogs and cats of all ages -- many with no physical problems -- are being surrendered to shelters and usually euthanized. One solution would be for large municipalities to have an ACVB Diplomate work with their animal care and rehabilitation teams and serve as a referral specialist for private practices.

In your dog’s case, stop the overfeeding and stick to a regular schedule of three small meals a day. Add these anti-inflammatory and antioxidant supplements, as follows: a half teaspoon of fish oil and turmeric in one meal; a tablespoon of coconut oil and two tablespoons of mushed blueberries in the second meal; and a tablespoon of unsweetened pineapple and a half teaspoon of ground ginger in the third meal.

Take your dog out often to urinate. Old dogs with failing kidneys need to go out more often to urinate, and some will bark a lot to let you know. Often, they are also in pain from arthritis. The turmeric will help that, as will the ginger, which will also help digestion (along with the pineapple). My massage book, “The Healing Touch for Dogs,” especially helps older dogs with arthritis and other physical and emotional problems.

The coconut oil, which you can increase if the dog’s stools are not too loose, may help with the dementia, along with 6 mg of melatonin at bedtime. A few drops of essential oil of lavender on a bandanna around your dog’s neck during the day may provide some calming effect. And all old dogs need a soft bed!

If these measures do not help, your veterinarian may wish to consider prescribing valerian or alprazolam early in the evening, and later in the morning if the dog is anxious and barking excessively for attention during the day.

DEAR DR. FOX: We have two aunts who reside in Missouri. They are true lovers of nature at its finest and all animals that grace this beautiful world, and I know that the situation they are currently dealing with is breaking their hearts. Their sweet adult cat is struggling on a daily basis with some type of skin disorder.

They first noticed the issue back in July 2015. They immediately took “mommy cat” to the vet, and after shaving all of the hair off her back hip/side, they saw what appeared to be many open ulcers that would ooze pus and blood.

Well, for the past three years, our aunts have continued to nurse “mommy cat” to the best of their ability. There are times when it appears to begin to heal, but then another ulcer opens up and the process begins again.

As you can see from the pictures, the poor cat doesn’t appear to be getting better, and we are hoping you can make a suggestion on what this skin disorder is and how it can be treated. -- D.S. and E.S., Doylestown, Pennsylvania

DEAR D.S. and E.S.: The photographs that you sent are helpful. My initial impression is possible cat-bite wounds -- one reason to always keep cats indoors.

First, the fur all around the edge of any non-healing wound must be shaved or clipped close, since it will interfere with the healing process and carry bacterial infection. Then the lesion should be thoroughly cleaned with normal saline, dried off with a sterile gauze pad, and smeared with honey at the beginning of the day. More than one veterinarian has hailed the healing benefits of honey, especially manuka honey from New Zealand.

At the end of the day, the lesions should be cleaned with saline again and then anointed with aloe vera gel (available in most drug stores). This botanical product also has remarkable healing properties. The next morning, repeat the saline cleanse and honey application.

Have your relatives discuss these options with the cat’s veterinarian. While the honey and aloe will not harm the cat if ingested, if the cat is able to reach and lick the lesions, that could interfere with the healing process. In that case, the cat may have to wear a “lampshade” collar around the neck for a while, which can be removed to allow for eating and drinking.

A fish oil supplement, or two canned sardines a day, may also boost healing processes and skin health.

UPDATE FROM DR. FOX: Two weeks after I emailed this treatment to D.S. and E.S., I received an updated photo of the cat. I am very pleased with the healing progress the picture showed.

(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.)

On Aug. 22, British newspaper The Daily Mirror headlined: “Puppy and kitten farming to be BANNED in victory for Lucy’s Law.”

Anyone buying or adopting a pet less than 6 months old will have to deal directly with a licensed breeder or rescue center under the proposed ban. Environment secretary Michael Gove announced the new regulation. Breeders will only be allowed to sell puppies they have personally bred, and any online sellers will be obligated to publish their license numbers, along with the pet’s country of origin and country of residence.

This new ban comes on the back of the Lucy’s Law campaign led by a coalition of animal rights charities. The campaign was started after a severely malnourished spaniel was rescued from a breeding site. Now it’s time for America to start to become great and get the same done. The puppy mill breeding industries flourish in the U.S., and thousands of animals suffer.

DEAR DR. FOX: I appreciate what you have been writing to discourage and condemn animal shelters that sterilize and abandon cats to fend for themselves. You may like this synopsis that I wrote for the TheNewsEnterprise.com in Elizabethtown, Kentucky:

Cats who are abandoned outdoors face daily battles against parasites, deadly contagious diseases, extreme temperatures, speeding cars, predators on two legs and four, and more -- battles they inevitably will lose. The average lifespan of an outdoor cat is just 2 to 5 years, compared to 12 to 15 years for a cat who lives indoors. These cats aren’t being “saved.” Their deaths are merely being moved from the comfort and peacefulness of an animal shelter to the misery and violence of the streets.

Moreover, trap-neuter-release doesn’t even work: It actually encourages more people to abandon their cats because they think the cats will be cared for, and the food set out for “managed” colonies attracts more cats -- as well as rats, and rabies vectors such as foxes and raccoons. The truly humane and effective way to address the homeless cat crisis is by requiring that all cats be spayed /neutered, licensed, microchipped and kept indoors, not by turfing cats out to die slowly on the streets. -- Teresa Chagrin, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, Norfolk, Virginia

DEAR T.S.: Thanks for your concise synopsis of this cruel activity perpetrated by many animal shelters and endorsed by some humane organizations. The more voices against this practice, the better. Most essential is for people with cats to have them neutered and let them enjoy life as totally indoor companion animals.

(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.)