DEAR DR. FOX: One of my cats had a difficult time with constipation for years. I had switched both cats to raw food a couple of years ago, but I still had to add MiraLAX to the constipated cat's food. I was not really happy about it, but at least it was fairly effective.

And then I found your recommendation to add sardines and chia seeds to the diet, and this has been the perfect solution!

After years of trying all sorts of things, it is such a relief to have found a natural way to solve the problem! Thank you! -- K.C., Madison, Wisconsin

DEAR K.C.: I always appreciate hearing back from readers. Constipation can be a chronic and serious problem in cats; a diet consisting of especially high-fiber dry food and inactivity are major contributing factors. Deep abdominal massage can also help cats with this issue and those with sluggish so-called megacolon.

Some cats are allergic to fish, so a teaspoon of olive oil in their food may help, along with soluble fiber, as from a teaspoon or two daily of mashed butter beans or well-soaked chia seeds.

DEAR DR. FOX: My 15-year-old large mixed-breed is a rescue who had been staked out on a short line for years. I adopted him as a companion dog for my 12-year-old setter. He is sweet, quiet and loving, but I knew he had major medical needs.

After dental surgery, tie-back surgery, neutering due to cancer and removal of a gum melanoma, we seem to be up to date on his medical needs -- except for his arthritis from shoulder to tail.

Our cardiologist recommended acupuncture, but the holistic veterinarian suggested we try laser therapy first. She thought we might get quicker relief.

We have had wonderful results. My big guy gets up and down, walks around, seeks hugs, does all the normal doggie behaviors -- albeit slowly. We have also glued toe tips on his nails to help him grip with his front legs, as he pulls up his weaker back legs. These tips are a great aide for struggling older dogs and are easy to apply.

Please encourage laser therapy for pain. It is relatively cheap and avoids pain meds that have side effects. -- B.C., Fort Myers, Florida

DEAR B.C.: Thank you for sharing your experience. Your letter is affirming the benefits of laser therapy for animals with arthritis. In fact, one veterinary friend of mine is now going to Asia to demonstrate the benefits of such therapy on captive elephants that are prone to degenerative joint diseases.

(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'm hoping you have experience with the NuVet Plus K-9 Wafers immune-system builder. Per the company website, "the supplement provides full-spectrum nutritional support that focuses on boosting your pet's immune system and overall health."

I'm aware that you advocate the use of a daily multivitamin multi-mineral supplement, such as a good-quality human one-a-day supplement equivalent, as part of your homemade dog food recipe, which I am looking to transition to.

In your opinion, would this NuVet Plus supplement be advisable to use instead of a human one-a-day supplement? This would be for a healthy 2-month-old miniature schnauzer, as well as a 10-year-old miniature schnauzer that receives insulin and Zycortal shots for diabetes and Addison's disease, respectively.

My local vet has not heard of this product and offered no real opinion on its validity but otherwise showed no concern over its use. -- B.C., Broken Arrow, Oklahoma

DEAR B.C. I asked veterinarian Dr. Rob Silver, an expert on supplement issues, to respond:

"I went to the website to see what I could find there, and the ingredient list is quite impressive: herbs like cat's claw and pine bark have been found in a few studies to have immune-enhancing properties. There are a number of vitamins and minerals, for which there is a guaranteed analysis telling you how much is in the formula, but there is no information telling you how much pine bark or cat's claw is actually in the formula.

"I find this disturbing because there could be a trace amount or there could be an effective amount, but they aren't telling us.

"As a multivitamin multi-mineral for supplementing a homemade diet, I'd say it is sorely lacking in adequate calcium for balancing a homemade meal. If you are already putting extra calcium in the homemade food, then this might be OK for that, but it wasn't designed to be used as a source of calcium for homemade meals.

"Also, you have two dogs that are very far apart in age and in health status, so it's probable that what is good for one dog may not be good for the other dog.

"When looking for a supplement, I think it is important to purchase from a company that is transparent and gives you complete disclosure of everything in the formula. This doesn't mean that this formula wouldn't be helpful, but I don't have any information about the product from the manufacturer that would help me to better understand how effective it would be for what it was designed for.

"There are some reputable products available in retail stores and online. I suggest looking for the National Animal Supplement Council (NASC) seal of approval. The NASC (NASC.cc) is a nonprofit association that performs inspections of member manufacturing facilities to assure that they follow Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and that their products meet label claims and are not adulterated or unsafe.

"Look for the NASC seal when purchasing a product, and you will be more likely to select a quality product." -- Robert J. Silver, DVM, MS, CVA; Boulder, Colorado

CHLORPYRIFOS: COURT TO RULE ON PESTICIDE'S USE

According to a story in Reuters earlier this month, "(t)he Trump administration has persuaded a U.S. appeals court to reconsider its recent decision ordering the Environmental Protection Agency to ban the widely used pesticide chlorpyrifos, which critics say can harm children and farmers." (From reuters.com, Feb. 7.)

After much time, cost and effort, environmental and consumer protectionists had succeeded in getting the U.S. government to ban most residential uses of DowDuPont's pesticide in 2000. The Obama administration sought to ban its use completely in 2015.

But in 2017, the Trump administration and then-EPA administrator Scott Pruitt refused to implement the ban on the pesticide, an organophosphate like the highly toxic nerve gas sarin. Last August, the Ninth Circuit ruled that the ban on chlorpyrifos should be implemented.

According to an article in The New York Times last December, "(t)he (Trump) administration's choice not to curb the use of chlorpyrifos is a case study in how ideological and special interest considerations outweighed decades of evidence about the potential harm associated with its use." (From nytimes.com, Dec. 27.)

This "potential harm" includes neurodevelopmental disorders such as cognitive impairment and autism spectrum disorder.

As a consumer and a taxpayer, I am outraged. As a veterinarian, I urge people to support organic farming and look for USDA Organic Certification. They should also demand the same organic options from grocery chains that serve most communities contaminated fruits, nuts and vegetables.

The reality of the business world, devoid of virtue and in a morally inverted ethical vacuum, is ransacking and poisoning our living planet. We all should seek to implement planetary CPR: conservation, preservation and restoration.

(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 your tribute to your cat, Pinto Bean. I had to put down my beloved Bella Charlotte last month after a protracted pancreatitis. She was 13 years and 7 months. I adopted her as a parvo survivor at age 3 months. She was just a little poodle mix that never had a good hair day in her life.

I am a critical care nurse and deal with death on a regular basis. But this was nothing like I've ever experienced. When Bella Charlotte became septic, my capable and trusted veterinarian and I knew we were in the fight of Bella's life.

From the onset, it was 33 days and my Bella was gone. Subsequent hydration and IV antibiotics were to no avail. There were multiple hospital days and sleepless nights for all of us.

My heart breaks for you. The guilt I felt and still feel is haunting. My Bella trusted me. I know she was suffering, and it was the humane thing to do. However, holding my sweet girl as she fought death was an image that I cannot escape. I believe I let her down, even though I know she was not ever to be well again.

Our babies are now free from this earthly chain. Your beloved Pinto Bean and my Bella are surely best buds, as they look for us to join them. Blessings and Peace. -- J.W., Tulsa, Oklahoma

DEAR J.W.: Thank you for your kind words. I have received several letters of condolence from readers about my having to euthanize an animal who loved and trusted me. It is a haunting experience regardless of any rational justification.

Your letter is a reminder that many animals don't have such lucky adoption stories. Regrettably, more animals are surrendered to often overcrowded shelters around Christmastime than at other times of the year, according to a recent report. (For more on this, see my commentary below on last December's Boston Globe story.)

The former owners may want their pets to be adopted, but do they follow up?

There are excellent adoption networks to assist people who face economic hardship with surrendering their animals to a shelter. Most, especially their children, would be better off keeping their cat or dog.

I am encouraged by pet food banks that are set up to help people keep their animals, along with community-supported veterinary outreach and care. These kinds of social services, along with grief and other emotional and spiritual support groups, are spreading among millions of people who treasure their animal companions.

VETERINARIAN HELPS ANIMAL LOVERS SET UP CLINIC FOR STREET DOGS

Veterinarian Catherine Cortright worked with Fort Collins, Colorado, nonprofit The Street Dog Coalition to create a pop-up clinic in her hometown of Ithaca, New York, that provides veterinary care for the pets of patients in transient housing. (The Street Dog Coalition works to provide free veterinary care to homeless people's pets across the country.)

In Ithaca, veterinary specialists have volunteered to provide basic care for approximately 25 dogs and cats so far, and the clinic has moved from a parking lot to a dog grooming shop. (From The Ithaca Journal, Jan. 8.)

(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 EUTHANASIA RATES RISE DURING HOLIDAY SEASONS

The year-end holiday season brings with it as much as a 50 percent spike in pet euthanasia procedures, says veterinarian Dani McVety of Lutz, Florida-based Lap of Love Veterinary Hospice.

These pets have been declining for some time in most cases, says Boston-area veterinarian Jeremy Gransky. In addition, their poor health may be exacerbated by the fact that they are susceptible to the stress their owners experience during the holidays. (From The Boston Globe, Dec. 29.)