By Christie Keith

Universal Press Syndicate

Take one fish in a plastic bag, one fishbowl and one child, and what do you have? Chances are you'll soon have a dead fish and a very unhappy child.

But it doesn't have to be that way. The secret of making your child's first fish tank a success is choosing the right equipment and the right fish, along with equal parts planning and patience.

Beginners need to start with the basics, and when it comes to fish, nothing is more basic than water. Without plenty of filtered, aerated water kept at the right temperature, your child's fish will become stressed, ill or may die. That's why equipment, rather than fish, is the most important part of setting up your child's first aquarium.

The first critical piece of equipment is the tank, and one expert suggests you make it easy on yourself by thinking big. "The bigger the tank, the easier to keep," says Maddy Hargrove, author of "Freshwater Aquariums for Dummies" (Wiley, $22). "I've always told parents to buy the largest tank you can financially afford and have the space for."

For Hargrove, that ideally means a 55-gallon tank. Add to that a high-quality filter capable of processing 100 percent of the aquarium's water at least three times every hour. The staff at a good aquarium supply store should be able not only to help you pick out a filter and other supplies, but also to make sure you know how to set up your tank and properly treat and test your water.

But even when your water has been treated, your filter is bubbling and the underwater plants are swaying, your tank won't be ready for fish until it has been running for around 48 hours. After that, you can add no more than one or two hardy fish, no matter how large your tank is. Good starter species include leopard or zebra danios and the smaller barbs, as well as that easiest of all beginner fish, the guppy.

Resist the temptation to add more fish for another six to eight weeks, because if you do, odds are they'll die. That's because it will take that long for healthy bacteria to develop in the filter system, and without those bacteria, the wastes produced by the fish will build up to toxic levels. Use this time to get comfortable with frequent water testing and partial water changes, and remember to get help from the local aquarium supply store if you need it.

Once the tank is established and you and your child are comfortable with the basics of aquarium care, it's time to start growing your fish population. Hargrove, who started her own first aquarium at the age of 5, has a number of favorites for beginners' tanks. "Convicts and cichlids, they're a great start for kids," she says. "Any of the mollies or guppies. These community fish are great, because they're really hardy, and it's pretty hard to mess them up."

If a larger tank isn't possible in your home, one fish that can do well in a tank that's 10 gallons or even less is the magnificent betta splendens, a very aggressive species usually kept as a solo fish. Other good choices for small tanks are white cloud minnows and dwarf gouramis.

Large tank or small, single fish or community tank, Hargrove cautions against what she calls the single biggest mistake made by new aquarium keepers: overfeeding.

"Parents need to tell their kids that for most of these starter fish, like the guppies, their stomach is the size of the head of a pin," she warns. "Don't give them more than they can eat in three of four minutes, two to three times a day."

SIDEBAR

Fish tricks and more information

You can do more with your fish than just look at them -- you can train them to do tricks. The inventors of the R2 Fish School Kit ($32 from pet-supply retailers or www.r2fishschool.com) offer a kit with props and the instructions that any fish-keeper needs to teach fish to do tricks such as going through hoops and navigating weave poles.

If you just want to find out more about fish-keeping, here are a couple of Web sites that provide great resources for beginners:

-- About.com: Freshwater Aquariums (http://freshaquarium.about.com): A good collection of advice for beginners that covers the basics of tanks, heaters, filters, basic care, troubleshooting and species profiles.

-- AquariumHobbyist (http://aquariumhobbyist.com): A community Web site where newcomers can ask questions as well as read basic and advanced-care articles about freshwater and reef aquariums. And if you do nothing else there, click on "Features" and save Jonathan Lowrie's indispensable guide "Got a Sick Fish?" -- Pet Connection staff

Q&A

Should my dog eat her veggies?

Q: We feed our dog raw carrots and celery sticks, all of which she eats with apparent pleasure. (She does seem to like the celery better when some peanut butter is on it!) Any problems with this? -- L.K., via e-mail

A: Raw vegetables and fruits are a wonderful treat. (Peanut butter's fine, too, in moderation, and is sometimes used as a pill coating to get pets to take their medicine.) I often recommend carrots and apple slices as a substitute for commercial treats, especially for dogs who are pudgy. (Another easy weight-loss trick involving vegetables: Substitute thawed green beans for part of your dog's daily food ration. They'll make your pet feel full without adding much in the way of calories.)

Not all fruits and vegetables are good for your pet, though, and some may even be toxic. The absolute no-nos include raisins and grapes, avocados, onions and many nuts. When in doubt, ask your veterinarian or visit the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center online (www.aspca.org/apcc). -- Gina Spadafori

Q: Will garlic keep my dog flea-free? -- F.W., via e-mail

A: I'm assuming you mean feeding your pet garlic, as opposed to sprinkling garlic powder on your pet.

Either way, the short answer is "no." There's no scientific evidence that garlic (or brewer's yeast, which also I'm often asked about) will control fleas. And since garlic in its natural form can be toxic, it's probably best not to give it to your pet at all.

The best advice I can offer is to ask your veterinarian for one of the topical products that control fleas. These products are considered to be generally safe when used as directed on healthy pets.

If you're determined to control fleas without chemicals, your best bet is to wash your pet's bedding and vacuum pet areas frequently to remove eggs and developing fleas. Use a flea comb to catch the adult pests on your pet. You can flick adult fleas into a bowl of warm, soapy water, and pour the drowned pests down the drain when you're done.

You'll likely still have fleas using these strategies, but if you're diligent, you might be able to keep the infestation down to tolerable levels. -- Gina Spadafori

(Do you have a pet question? Send it to petconnection@gmail.com.)

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "Good Morning America" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are also the authors of several best-selling pet-care books.

On PetConnection.com there's more information on pets and their care, reviews of products, books and "dog cars," and a weekly drawing for pet-care prizes. Contact Pet Connection in care of this newspaper by sending e-mail to petconnection@gmail.com or visiting PetConnection.com.

PET BUZZ

Heartworms not just a dog worry

-- If you crave a cuddle with a cat or dog, the AARP bulletin tells seniors to check out the Pets for the Elderly Foundation. This Ohio-based nonprofit pays up to $50 of the adoption costs when people 60 and older adopt a cat or dog from one of 58 animal shelters in 31 states. For details and participating shelters, go to www.petsfortheelderly.org or call 866-849-3598 (toll-free).

-- Many people mistakenly think that being born alive is something all mammals have in common. There are, however, a few mammals that lay eggs like a bird! The duckbilled platypus and the echidna are the only living examples of monotremes, or egg-laying mammals.

-- The European Commission approved a sweeping new proposal that would simplify existing procedures for labeling and marketing pet food and animal feed, including imported products, in the European Union. The European Council and the European Parliament will now consider the legislation.

-- Researchers say there is an underclass of puppies and kittens who never see a veterinarian, reports Veterinary Forum. These animals present a public health problem that can lead to outbreaks of deadly disease in animal shelters, says Dr. Ronald D. Shultz at the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine. "Even in the U.S., where we vaccinate more puppies and kittens than anywhere else in the world, we inoculate less that 50 percent of all puppies and less than 25 percent of all kittens." -- Dr. Marty Becker

THE SCOOP

Lack of training makes small dogs unwelcome

While not all small dogs are ill-mannered, one does tend to meet more small canine miscreants than large ones.

It's not that small dogs are more prone to bad behavior, mind you, but rather that the owners of small dogs tend to overlook behavior problems that would be absolutely intolerable in a 50-, 80- or 100-pound dog. A big dog who can't walk nicely on a leash and snarls insults at other dogs isn't anything you'd want to share with the world: You'd train him, or you'd leave him at home.

While it might seem easier to ignore bad manners in a little dog, the fact is that it's just not that hard to turn a little tyrant around. Little dogs are generally bright and easy to train, once their owners get the idea that training is not only desirable, but also very possible.

Reward-based training works well with all dogs, and this is especially true of small ones, who tend to be too fragile and sensitive for punishment-based training. Darlene Arden's book "Small Dogs, Big Hearts -- A Guide to Caring for Your Little Dog" ($20, Howell Book House) is probably the best out there for dealing with the challenges presented by the smallest canines, from house-training issues (small dogs can be notoriously difficult to house-train) to overcoming bad manners.

Whatever you do, don't encourage behavior in your small dog that wouldn't be acceptable in a large one. Your dog will be welcome in many more places if he's friendly, outgoing and well-behaved. -- Gina Spadafori

PETS BY THE NUMBERS

More and more pets

When the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association commissioned its first national pet owners survey in 1988, 56 percent of U.S. households included a pet. The numbers have gone up steadily since. The trade group's 2007-8 survey says 63 percent of U.S. households have a pet, or 71.1 million families. These include:

88.3 million cats

74.8 million dogs

24.3 million small pets (rabbits, ferrets, etc.)

16 million birds

13.4 million reptiles/amphibians

PETS ON THE WEB

Domesticated rats Can be good pets

Rats can be clever, playful and affectionate pets, perfect not only for responsible older children, but also for open-minded adults. When purchased or adopted from reputable sources, these pets are more likely to be healthy, and they usually live two to three years. They come in many colors and patterns and can learn tricks as easily as many dogs.

For more on domesticated rats, be sure to check out the Rat Fan Club site (www.ratfanclub.org), a labor of love by club founder and leader Debbie "The Rat Lady" Ducommun. The site has good information on getting, raising and caring for these underappreciated pets.

Of course, many people will never embrace the idea of a pet rat. Maybe what we need are a few more movies and children's books where rats aren't the bad guys. -- Gina Spadafori

Pet Connection is produced by a team of team of pet-care experts headed by "Good Morning America" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are also the authors of several best-selling pet-care books. Contact Pet Connection in care of this newspaper, by sending e-mail to petconnection@gmail.com or by visiting PetConnection.com.

4520 Main St., Kansas City, Mo. 64111; (816) 932-6600

Universal Press Syndicate

Poop happens. So do urine and vomit.

While most pet messes come from young pets or old ones, even pets in the prime of their lives can get sick sometimes, leaving you looking at -- or worse, stepping in -- something you need to clean up.

If you want to make that mess a memory instead of a smelly stain, don't delay your cleanup.

Addressing a pet mess promptly does more than minimize the chance of staining. A quick and thorough cleanup also reduces the chance of repeat business, since old stains and smells tend to attract new ones, especially from pets who are struggling with the concept of house-training.

With a fresh mess, you can use gentle dish soap and warm water. Start by picking up and disposing of any solid matter. Blot the area with towels, and then wet it with the soapy solution (color-testing in a corner is always recommended, of course!). Work in the soapy solution and then flush with clean water and blot again, repeating a couple of times to make sure the soap is removed along with the mess.

Older but still pretty recent messes can benefit from the use of an enzymatic cleaner designed for pet stains, following label directions. These products break down the organic compounds in the mess, helping it to let go of the fibers of carpet or upholstery.

Don't use ammonia-based cleaners. They smell like urine to the keen noses of our pets -- ammonia being one of the byproducts of decomposing urine. Instead of making the area smell clean, ammonia products may make a mess site even more attractive to pets.

Really old, permanently set pet stains may resist any effort to remove them, but it's always worth a try. Since the carpet or upholstery is already trashed, there's no harm in saturating the stain with enzymatic pet cleaner and letting it sit. Flush well with water, blot, let dry, and repeat at least one more time if the stain is still there.

A professional furniture or upholstery cleaning service may be worth trying, as well. If nothing works, you can always put an attractive accent rug or furniture throw over the stain, unless the smell makes keeping the piece impossible.

Even the messes you can't see or smell can be a problem, because your pet may be able to smell what you cannot and may want to add his own mess on top. Many pet retailers carry black lights, which will show you the locations of old stains so you can treat them.

Unfortunately, not all stains and smells can be successfully treated. Any real estate agent can tell you a horror story of a home with pet stains that had soaked through to the carpet padding or even the sub-flooring below, making stain and smell removal an expensive proposition involving the replacement of carpet, padding and even flooring in some cases.

Just another good reason why there's no reason to wait when you've found a fresh mess.

SIDEBAR

Take a preventive approach to fur

Three tips for keeping fur off your furniture and clothing:

-- Groom your pets frequently. The fur you catch on a brush, comb or shedding rake will not end up where you don't want it.

-- Cover your furniture and bedding with washable throws. If your pets are allowed on the furniture -- or if they sneak up on it from time to time -- these washable throws will catch loose fur. Pet-themed products are widely available from retailers, or you can just buy colorful, lightweight and inexpensive cotton quilts.

-- Keep lint brushes, lint-rollers and wide shipping tape at hand. These sticky supplies are the final line of defense, picking up the fur that lands despite all preventive efforts. -- Gina Spadafori

Q&A

Biting poodle may have ear infection

Q: The other day my husband startled our little poodle mix by petting her ears when she wasn't looking, and she bit him. This never happened before. I suspect this was my husband's fault for surprising her. He yelled at her mostly out of pain and shock, but didn't hit her. What should we do now? -- W.T., via e-mail

A: When a pet bites, the first step is to get a veterinary exam with diagnostic tests to rule out any health problems. We have to wonder, given the recent change in your dog's behavior and that she's a breed type with a predisposition for ear problems, if she is suffering from a painful ear infection. Pain can make anyone lash out!

If there turns out to be no health problem, ask your veterinarian for a referral to a behaviorist.

Beware of simple answers. Any combination of factors can trigger aggression in dogs. Once a pet has bitten, it's more likely the behavior will be repeated. If the bite broke the skin or if there have been more bites since, you may have a difficult time counterconditioning her to not bite again. In any case, whenever biting is involved, it's absolutely essential that you get professional help, starting with your own veterinarian. -- Susan and Dr. Rolan Tripp

Q: Can you please pass on this tip for relocating cats? You butter the cat's paws.

In the new house, put a towel down in the bathtub, shower stall, the garage or any enclosed area you will not mind having butter paw prints on. Take softened butter or margarine and completely saturate all four paws up to the dew claw, including between the toes.

Put the cat in an enclosed area and let him lick himself clean, removing all of the scents from his paws and making a clean slate for new scents to imprint. Of course, like anything you do with an unwilling cat, wear old clothes and have gloves handy! -- S.B., via e-mail

A: I've heard this for years, too, and I put it in the "can't hurt, could help, will surely be messy" category.

Yet I don't care if you coat your cat's paws with caviar, it's still recommended to start him in a small room for a couple of weeks after the move (with all necessities). Then let him graduate to the rest of the house and, finally, to the yard. Better still, use moving as a good reason to convert your cat to indoor status. Cats object loudly to having a large part of their territory removed. But after a move, it's all new, so they can't miss what they never had. -- Gina Spadafori

(Do you have a pet question? Send it to petconnection@gmail.com.)

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "Good Morning America" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are also the authors of several best-selling pet-care books.

On PetConnection.com there's more information on pets and their care, reviews of products, books and "dog cars," and a weekly drawing for pet-care prizes. Contact Pet Connection in care of this newspaper by sending e-mail to petconnection@gmail.com or visiting PetConnection.com.

PET BUZZ

Heartworms not just a dog worry

-- Cats can get heartworm disease as well as dogs. If these microscopic larvae -- transmitted by mosquitoes -- settle in a cat's lungs, they can cause big health problems. Found in all 50 states, feline heartworm disease is incurable but 100 percent preventable with medications from your veterinarian. Think your indoor-only cat is safe? Think again! A North Carolina study reported that 28 percent of cats diagnosed with heartworm disease were indoor-only cats. For more information, visit knowheartworms.org.

-- Gorillas on diets? Polar bears slurping sugar-free frozen treats? Giraffes nibbling alfalfa biscuits? The Associated Press reports the days of letting visitors throw marshmallows to animals is history, replaced by a growing focus on diet and nutrition. Like humans, many zoo animals have been getting fat by eating too much sugary, high-fat food and not moving as much as they're genetically programmed to.

-- Rabies on the rise. Reported cases of animal rabies in Virginia have spiked to their highest number in 25 years, according to DVM Newsmagazine. Although most of the 730 cases involved wild animals, with the highest number among raccoons, almost 40 cases involved dogs and cats.

-- Want to attract a crowd to your business? Get a cat! Tourists are now flocking to the Kishi station of the struggling Kishikawa train line in Kinokawa, Japan, to have their picture taken with Tama, a 9-year-old calico cat who wears a black cap and sits by the entrance. The Associated Press reports that Tama has done such a good job attracting new business that she was recently promoted to "super station master." She got a raise, too -- all in cat food. -- Dr. Marty Becker

THE SCOOP

Celebrating all the colors of the cat

By far, the most common marking pattern in cats is the "tiger-striped," or tabby. The word "tabby" comes from "atabi," a silk imported to England long ago that had a striped pattern similar to that of the domestic tiger cat.

Tabbies comes in many colors, such as red (more commonly called "orange," "ginger" or "marmalade"), cream, brown or gray. The tabby pattern is so common that, even in solid-colored cats, you can often discern faint tabby markings, especially on the head, legs and tail.

But there's more to cat markings than stripes.

"Smoked," "shaded" and "shell" describe the varying amounts of tipping that appear on each individual hair, with shell being a dash of color at the very tip, shaded a little more tipping, and smoked, at the other extreme, being a coat so heavily tipped that it may look solid, except as the cat moves and the lighter color becomes visible underneath.

Fur can also be "ticked" -- that is, banded with color, as in the agouti pattern seen in the Abyssinian, where dark-colored bands alternate with lighter ones on each hair shaft.

"Pointed" cats are those such as the Siamese, with lighter-colored bodies shading to darker, complementary colors at the "points" -- the face, the ears, the legs and the tail.

"Bicolors" are any other color (or pattern, such as tabby) paired with white, and "particolors" have three or more colors, as is true of calicoes.

Mixing these genetics can have some unpredictable results. The spotted Ocicat, for example, was created as the result of mating a Siamese and an Abyssinian! -- Gina Spadafori

PETS BY THE NUMBERS

Popular Cat Breeds

Pedigreed cats aren't as popular as pedigreed dogs. Most cat lovers are happy to share the company of a cat of unknown breeding, what the British so charmingly call a "moggie." But cat breeds have their fans, too, and according to the Cat Fanciers' Association registration figures for 2007, these are the most popular:

1. Persian

2. Maine coon

3. Exotic

4. Abyssinian

5. Siamese

6. Ragdoll

7. Sphynx

8. Birman

9. American shorthair

10. Oriental

PET Rx

'Scooting' likely not from worms

Does your dog scoot along on his fanny? You need to talk to your veterinarian about your pet's anal glands.

Anal glands are a topic no dog lover likes to think about, but the subject often cannot be ignored. Positioned on either side of the anus, the glands secrete a material that smells vile. Normal defecation may keep the glands emptied, but in some dogs, impactions and infections become a real problem.

The glands should be emptied regularly, a task that's simple if unappealing. Your veterinarian can show you how to empty the glands, or you can have the groomer do it for you when your dog's in for a regular grooming.

Infections of the anal glands are not uncommon, and they need to be treated by your veterinarian. In some cases, chronic infections need to be dealt with by having the glands removed. -- Dr. Marty Becker

Pet Connection is produced by a team of team of pet-care experts headed by "Good Morning America" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are also the authors of several best-selling pet-care books. Contact Pet Connection in care of this newspaper, by sending e-mail to petconnection@gmail.com or by visiting PetConnection.com.

4520 Main St., Kansas City, Mo. 64111; (816) 932-6600

Universal Press Syndicate

Dogs are content to live in dog-smell heaven, a place where water is only for drinking or swimming and never has soap added. Sadly, from a canine point of view, we make the rules that dictate how often dogs must be bathed.

But how often is that? Forget that old saw about "every six months" or even "every year." Who wants to live with a stinky dog? To keep your dog huggable, bathe him as often as needed -- even if that means weekly -- to keep the coat clean-smelling and get rid of the hair that's about to be shed. (Dogs with skin problems, of course, should be bathed according to the veterinarian's instructions, with products prescribed or recommended for the problem.)

So get ready: We're going to wash the dog.

Before you start, brush your dog well. Mats and tangles, once wet, just get worse and will likely have to be cut out. So get them out of the way first.

Let your brushed dog relax while you set up the proper equipment and fill the tub. A bath mat in the tub or sink will make your dog feel more comfortable by giving him something secure to stand on. You'll also need a spray nozzle. Some people rinse their dogs by pouring dirty bathwater back over them, but that defeats the purpose of bathing a dog (to get him clean), so use a nozzle. Set out your towels and some dog-friendly shampoo and conditioner where you can reach them.

Right before the big plunge, put a pinch of cotton just inside your dog's ears to help keep the soap out (don't forget to remove the cotton afterward).

Don't spare the words of love and encouragement. In working with dogs, a good attitude can go a long way, but a bad one can go even further. If your dog knows how much you hate bath time, how can he get a positive, or at least tolerable, opinion of the process? Keep your attitude high and don't let up on the praise.

Lather up, rinse, repeat and rinse thoroughly (the biggest mistake most people make is not rinsing well enough -- it makes the coat dull and flaky). Follow up with a conditioner or detangler if your pet's coat needs either. Rinse well for a final time.

Hold a towel over your dog loosely while he shakes. Your dog can get more water off by shaking than you can by toweling. So let him have at it, and then finish the job by rubbing him dry when he's done. (Forced-air dog dryers start at less than $100 and can be a wonderful investment for a dog owner, except for those with shorthaired pets.)

Don't let your dog outside until he's dry, so he won't roll in something yucky and undo the work you've done.

SIDEBAR

Bathe the cat? Are you nuts?

Cats -- especially shorthaired ones -- generally do a pretty good job of keeping themselves well-groomed. If you have an allergy sufferer in the house, though, a weekly bath (or just a rinse with clean water) will help to keep the allergen levels to more manageable levels.

And, of course, if your cat gets into something he can't safely clean off himself, he'll need a bath.

If your cat won't cooperate, take a firm hold on the nape of your cat's neck and hang on tightly. Working as quickly as you can, wet your cat, lather, rinse, condition and then rinse again, thoroughly. Wrap your cat snugly in a "kitty burrito" to dry him with the towel, and then set him down in a way to minimize injury to you both and let him stalk off to reclaim his dignity and plot his revenge.

Both of my cats get weekly bathing because of my allergies. They don't like being bathed, but they tolerate it pretty well because I started with them as kittens. -- Gina Spadafori

Q&A

Do compact fluorescent bulbs cause feather-picking?

Q: I am a cat person, but I read with interest your recent article on feather-picking in birds. I wanted to add, since it was not included in the piece, that my parents have a very big bird -- I think it is a scarlet macaw -- and he is either molting excessively or picking his feathers.

He looks just awful, and I asked my stepmom what was wrong with him. She said that she took him to a veterinarian recently who told her that her bird is very likely stressed out by the compact fluorescent bulbs they are now using in all of their lamps. She was going to change back to regular lightbulbs, and I do not know the outcome.

I wanted to mention this in case you want to do some research and inform your readers if this is in fact a problem for birds. -- C.F., via e-mail

A: I asked board-certified avian specialist Dr. Brian Speer (my "Birds for Dummies" co-author) for help with this one. He says your parents can probably keep using the energy-saving compact fluorescent lights (CFLs).

"Although there is a different flicker frequency that birds see as compared to ourselves, there is no confirmed direct causation between feather-damaging behavior and fluorescent lighting," says Speer, who owns the Medical Center for Birds, a birds-only practice in the Northern California town of Oakley.

He doesn't rule out CFLs completely, however, at least as a contributory factor to the problem. Feather-picking is complex behavior, he stresses.

"This type of light may function as a stressor, and it is possible that some stressors may trigger anxiety," says Speer. "Anxiety may be addressed by displacement behavioral activities, and of these, feather damage could be seen.

"But this is a bit of a simplistic 'cause and effect' assumption for a problem that more often than not is multifactorial in nature," he says.

Stopping feather-picking, in other words, will remain a difficult road for many bird owners, with a lot of strategies employed along the way to find the magic ingredients to the cure -- if it can be found at all. -- Gina Spadafori

(Do you have a pet question? Send it to petconnection@gmail.com.)

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "Good Morning America" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are also the authors of several best-selling pet-care books.

On PetConnection.com there's more information on pets and their care, reviews of products, books and "dog cars," and a weekly drawing for pet-care prizes. Contact Pet Connection in care of this newspaper by sending e-mail to petconnection@gmail.com or visiting PetConnection.com.

PET BUZZ

Fewer allergies with early pet exposure?

-- Children run less risk of being sensitive to allergens if there is a dog in the house in the early years of their lives. That's the conclusion based on a six-year study of 9,000 children in the European Respiratory Journal. Reported in The Times of London, the study adds weight to the theory that growing up with a pet trains the immune system to be less sensitive to potential triggers for allergies such as asthma, eczema and hay fever.

-- A "three dog night" was once described by comedian Johnny Carson as a "bad night for a tree." But the term originates with the Inuit tribes of Alaska, who measured nocturnal temperatures based on how many of their sled dogs they needed to serve as bed warmers. So says the Animal Radio Network newsletter.

-- Dogfighting is now a felony in all 50 states, reports the Journal for the American Veterinary Medical Association. Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal signed legislation on March 4 that increased the penalty for participating in dogfighting from a misdemeanor to a felony. Idaho passed similar legislation just a week earlier.

-- The pet industry is the second-fastest growing retail sector after electronics, according to the investment banking firm The Mercanti Group. The study, reported in Veterinary Practice News, finds that the fastest-growing segment of the pet industry in terms of percentage growth is pet services, especially grooming and boarding.

-- Employment opportunities for veterinarians in the United States are expected to increase faster than the average for all occupations through the year 2012, according to the California Veterinary Medical Association. California alone will need 700 new veterinarians per year to keep up with veterinarian retirements and the growing pet population. It is estimated there will be a shortage of 15,000 veterinarians nationwide over the next 20 years. -- Dr. Marty Becker

THE SCOOP

Petting your cat? Watch the tail

Every cat lover has had the experience of a cat who, while being petted, bites or scratches "without warning." In fact, there is almost always some warning, but a key bit of body language was ignored.

You can tell when you're getting close to the line by watching your cat's tail. When a cat has had just about enough, his tail will start twitching. Keep petting, and that tail will get even more active, just before you're introduced to your cat's nonloving embrace.

With sensitive cats or cats you've just met, restrict your caresses to behind the ears, under the chin or the base of the tail. A long stroke down the back is too much for some kitties, and you're really taking chances when you decide to tickle the tummy on any cat, even your own.

You can reform hair-trigger cats by watching for the first sign of a tail twitch. When you get that first early warning sign, stop petting and allow him to calm down or leave if he wants to. Over time, you'll build up your cat's tolerance for petting.

If you miss the signs and end up with teeth and claws around your arm, just freeze. If you fight back or physically punish your cat, your cat will be compelled by instinct and fear to escalate the violence. And that will set back your training. -- Gina Spadafori

PETS BY THE NUMBERS

The best man is a dog

The Veterinary Pet Insurance Co. polled more than 3,000 of its policyholders to find that it's no longer novel to have a pet at a wedding. According to the poll:

-- 42 percent: Included or planned to involve a pet in their wedding ceremony

--11 percent: Didn't include their pet but had been to a wedding with a pet in it

-- 47 percent: Had never been to a wedding with pets involved

PET Rx

False pregnancy common in dogs

False pregnancies are not uncommon in unspayed dogs. The signs include nesting, mothering objects, such as a stuffed animal, and excreting milk. Some dogs may physically appear pregnant and may even go into labor. These symptoms become noticeable three to six months after a heat cycle.

If symptoms are mild, the condition will usually resolve itself within three weeks. It may be tempting to put warm compresses on the dog's underside or to wrap the abdomen to prevent milk leakage in the house. But that's not advised. Any stimulation of the dog's mammary tissues encourages more milk production.

Continued or severe symptoms will require your veterinarian's assistance to address. After the false pregnancy has passed, the dog can be safely spayed, preventing future false pregnancies -- and, of course, real ones as well. -- Dr. Marty Becker

Pet Connection is produced by a team of team of pet-care experts headed by "Good Morning America" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are also the authors of several best-selling pet-care books. Contact Pet Connection in care of this newspaper, by sending e-mail to petconnection@gmail.com or by visiting PetConnection.com.

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