DEAR DR. FOX: My old cat is suffering from hyperesthesia syndrome. Are there any home remedies that I can try for him? -- M.K., St. Louis

DEAR M.K.: Hyperesthesia syndrome is as yet a condition of unknown cause and is not uncommon in cats. It is associated with agitation and anxiety, with the skin rippling and the cat becoming hypersensitive to touch during an episode.

In all cases, I would advise the veterinarian to check first for hyperactive thyroid, which can bring on somewhat similar symptoms -- especially when the cat pulls on its fur and engages in self-mutilation.

Wrapping the cat in a towel while comforting and cradling it can help during an episode. Some people have found that giving the cat dried catnip herb can also have a calming effect. An approximate dose of 1/4 teaspoon of dried catnip in the morning and early evening may help, although some cats don't respond to catnip.

At bedtime, I would also give 1 to 3 mg of melatonin. If you have difficulty pilling your cat, crush the tablet in a little canned sardine.

Your veterinarian may wish to prescribe Prozac, which can help alleviate anxiety, or low-dose Gabapentin. Also discuss a nutraceutical supplement to increase brain serotonin, such as tryptophan or L-theanine.

I would also strongly advise feeding your cat a good-quality canned, frozen or freeze-dried cat food that's free of corn and other cereals and of additives, especially coloring agents and preservatives. Or try my home-prepared cat food recipe, found on my website, which has helped improve the health of countless cats over the years. (For more information, go to drfoxvet.net.)

CURIOUS MECHANIAL ENGINEERS DISCOVER HOW CATS' TONGUES TICK

Cats' tongues have tiny, hollow, hook-shaped papillae that wick saliva into fur, according to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The findings, reported by a team of mechanical engineers, could lead to new cleaning methods or ways to apply medicines, says lead researcher Alexis Noel. (From the Associated Press via NBC News, Nov. 19.)

DEAR DR. FOX: I have adopted a cat that's neutered and is said to be about 10 months old. I love him, and he likes to be petted, but at night he goes wild. He races through my apartment, and I have to take all breakable items out of his reach -- even those on high shelves and on my dresser. He will even hide somewhere and then rush out and attack my ankles when I walk by.

Will he grow out of it? Should I spray water on him when he gets wild? I am thinking of taking him back to the shelter if this continues. -- A.M., Fort Myers, Florida

DEAR A.M.: Your young cat will become more sedate and less playful with age and possibly obese with insufficient indoor activity. That is one reason why I advise people to keep two cats so they can play with each other and, like ours, race through the house at night during their "evening crazies."

My first cat, Igor, would ambush me when I bent down and then jump on my back to playfully "kill" me. Your cat needs a cat like Igor!

In the interim, engage in some interactive games with your cat such as chasing a laser light or a feather on a string. Some cats will even chase and retrieve small balls of aluminum foil or string, but be sure all such toys are safe and loose threads or other materials are not swallowed. You can even try playing hide-and-go-seek with your cat.

AVMA BOARD CONTINUES TO OPPOSE DEVOCALIZATION, EXCEPT AS LAST RESORT

The AVMA board of directors decided not to update the organization's stance on canine devocalization, which should be performed only "by qualified, licensed veterinarians as a final alternative to euthanasia after behavioral modification to correct excessive vocalization has failed and after discussion of potential complications from the procedure with the owner." The AVMA's Animal Welfare Committee recommended reaffirming the policy and developing educational resources for veterinarians and owners of dogs that exhibit undesirable barking. (From JAVMA News, Dec. 12.)

(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.)

The Food and Drug Administration is reportedly giving food manufacturers two years to rid their products of several artificial flavors, often labeled as "natural." These chemicals include methyl eugenol, benzophenone, ethyl acrylate and pyridine.

Consumer advocacy groups had filed suit under the 1958 Delaney Clause, a rule found in the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act that prohibits additives in human food and beverages shown to cause cancer in laboratory animal tests.

While no such clause has been applied to pet foods, Petco announced an ambitious initiative last November "to not sell dog or cat food and treats with artificial colors, flavors or preservatives," according to CEO Ron Coughlin. The company hopes to have all artificially enhanced foods removed from its stores by May.

This puts many pet food manufacturers on notice, especially considering the high incidence of cancer in companion animals and the staggering list of chemical additives in many manufactured pet foods.

Using the guidelines provided by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) and the FDA, Petco defines artificial colors, flavors and preservatives as:

-- "Color from artificial sources: any dye, pigment or other substance that can impart color to a food that is not derived from a natural source.

-- "Artificial flavor: any substance, the function of which is to impart flavor, which is not derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, fish, poultry, eggs, dairy products or fermentation products.

-- "Artificial preservative: chemical substances added to or sprayed on the outside of food to retard spoilage, deterioration, discoloration or contamination by bacteria and other disease organisms. Does not include preservatives that are derivatives of natural compounds."

For more information on Petco's new nutritional standards, as well as a complete list of all banned ingredients, go to petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/c/betternutrition-ingredients.

DEAR DR. FOX: I just saw a blurb in USA Today about a woman who is making cat collars that help stop the cats from catching and killing birds. I know this subject is a big deal to you. -- G.C., West Palm Beach, Florida

DEAR G.C.: Nancy Brennan of Duxbury, Vermont, started making her multicolored Birdsbesafe cat collars after witnessing firsthand how many birds her cat killed on his daily outdoor hunts. The collars reduce cats' predation on birds by giving birds an early warning with the bright colors.

But I have concerns: The cats are still outdoors and at risk. Can these collars break away if they get hooked on a fence wire or a branch?

Endorsing the collars indirectly endorses letting cats outdoors, but if the cats are confined on owners' property, then I guess this would be acceptable. And by all accounts, the Birdsbesafe collars do work to catch bids' attention and alert them to the predator, so they have time to escape. They would also give cats some extra protection from attacks by cats and other animals.

RECALLED 9 LIVES CANNED CAT FOODS MAY HAVE INADEQUATE THIAMINE

J.M. Smucker Co. is recalling specific lots of 9Lives Protein Plus wet canned cat food due to the potential for low levels of thiamine, or vitamin B1. Symptoms of thiamine deficiency include lack of appetite, salivation, vomiting, weight loss, imbalance and seizures. (From MarketWatch.com, Dec. 7.)

(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.)

Pet food safety advocate and author Susan Thixton's truthaboutpetfood.com has published her official list of pet foods for 2019 that she says are safe enough to feed her own pets and, by extension, anyone else's. The pet foods on the list were chosen after detailed information about the foods was provided and the quality of ingredients was verified. (In the interest of full disclosure, I am a contributor to the website.)

The list features 19 dog foods and 12 cat foods and includes cooked-style and raw-style foods, as well as dehydrated or freeze-dried foods. There is also a brand of kibble. Most of the foods on the list are sold in the United States, while two are sold in Canada.

Because the website is funded by consumers, the complete list is only available by purchase. Go to truthaboutpetfood.com for more details.

DEAR DR.FOX: I am reaching out to you in the hopes of finding some answers about my dogs' recent illnesses and subsequent deaths.

One day this past September, our healthy dachshund/pug mix, Jaxsin, became suddenly ill. After two weeks of tests, hospitalizations, etc., he was diagnosed with immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA). We made the decision to euthanize him after we saw he was not improving, and he appeared to be suffering.

Then recently, our very happy, healthy dachshund mix, Stella, began vomiting what appeared to be bile and having bloody stools. This started in the evening, but she seemed fine otherwise. The following morning, she got sick again, so we made an appointment with the vet later that day.

Prior to her appointment, I was sitting next to her and noticed she was very cold to the touch and barely responsive. We ended up rushing her to the vet. They took her blood, which was like molasses, and put her on IV fluids. She later had a seizure and her heart stopped.

Her blood work indicated that her liver was in bad shape. The vet said she had hemorrhagic gastroenteritis (HGE), but that there may have been something underlying going on with her liver. She died so quickly, we didn't have time to further assess what was going on with her.

After determining that our dog didn't get into any poisons or chemicals, we asked the vet if Stella's HGE could be connected to the immune-mediated hemolytic anemia that our first dog, Jaxsin, died from, and she said no. We should add that Stella did have a smoked bone from the farmers market; the X-ray showed pieces of bone in her belly. Still, the vet said that was not the cause of her failed liver and possibly not the cause of the HGE.

The diagnosis of HGE was given because she had a bloody gut, but the liver failure is a concern. Is there something we are missing?

To lose two dogs so close together -- both of them were fine one minute and dead the next. We are just searching for answers and really want to protect our other dogs. The veterinarians don't know the reasons either of these diseases happened. We would appreciate any insights from you. -- T.S., Alton, Illinois

DEAR T.S.: My condolences over the tragic loss of your two dogs, which must have been devastating for you.

In my opinion, the immune-mediated hemolytic anemia could well have been triggered by an adverse vaccine reaction. Was there recent revaccination, and if so, what was it for?

Your other dog may well have been poisoned by the smoked bone. It could have been contaminated by bacteria that released toxins damaging the liver and gut, which tried to block the toxins from entering her system but failed. A very sad situation for which you are not to blame.

I advise against purchasing all smoked and dried animal bones and other body parts like pig ears and feet because of this kind of risk.

T.S. REPLIES: Thank you for your quick response, as well as your condolences. He hadn't been recently revaccinated prior to his death, but he did get flea and tick medicine called Sentinel.

DEAR T.S.: The Sentinel could have been the trigger for the acute anemia. Veterinarian Dr. Wendy Brooks writes:

"Depending on which study you read, 60 to 75 percent of IMHA cases do not have apparent causes. In some cases, though, there is an underlying problem: something that triggered the reaction. A drug can induce a reaction that stimulates the immune system and ultimately mimics some sort of red blood cell membrane protein. Not only will the immune system seek the drug, but it will seek proteins that closely resemble the drug and innocent red blood cells will be consequently destroyed. Drugs are not the only such stimuli; cancers can stimulate exactly the same reaction (especially hemangiosarcoma)." (Taken from: veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951868.)

So your veterinarian should report this possible adverse drug reaction to the FDA and the manufacturer.

WANT A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP? LET THE DOG ON THE BED, STUDY SAYS

Women who allow a dog to sleep on their bed are more likely to sleep soundly than women who allow a cat on the bed or sleep with a human partner, researchers say.

A recent study concluded that "dogs have an innate ability to comfort us and help us sleep soundly without disturbing us."

(New Orleans' WGNO-TV, Nov. 27.)

(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.)