Universal Press Syndicate

Every year I mean to have a magnificent vegetable garden. I have a perfect, sunny spot in my large yard with good soil and drainage, and I pick through the seed catalogs and gardening Web sites all winter long, dreaming of luscious heirloom tomatoes and more.

My dreams come true in late summer, when all those lovely veggies are ready for picking -- at the local farmer's market. Another year and no garden.

This year is going to be different. With food prices climbing and food recalls coming at a constant rate, I decided that this really would be the year for a home garden, with lots of healthy vegetables (for me and the pets both!) and beautiful flowers.

But can a pet lover really have fresh vegetables, bright flowers and lovely landscaping sharing the yard with dogs? When putting in my garden, I turned to Cheryl S. Smith, a dog trainer, avid gardener and author of several award-winning books, including the landmark landscaping guide "Dog Friendly Gardens, Garden Friendly Dogs" (Dogwise, $20).

Her tips:

-- Exercise your dog regularly. A tired dog is less likely to be destructive. Don't leave him to exercise himself unattended in any part of the yard you want left alone. Keep your dog in the house when you can't supervise him. If that's not possible, provide him with his own safe enclosure away from the choicest parts of your property when he has to be alone. (Make sure he's not barking while you're gone!)

-- Work with your dog's habits. Observe how your dog uses your yard, and plan accordingly. For instance, many dogs consider it their duty to run the fence line, leaving a well-worn trail where many people hope to put flowers. Go with his natural instincts: Place your beds and plantings away from the fence line, and let him do his guard-dog patrolling behind those plants.

-- Redirect digging. Some breeds were developed to dig, and expecting them not to indulge in it is unfair. You can find most of these digging dogs in the terrier group -- the word terrier comes from terra, for "earth." Put in a dig zone, and praise your dog for using it. Limit access to dirt elsewhere.

-- Put special plants in safer places. Raised beds and hanging planters are the place to put your most precious plants. In areas where your dog will roam, put the plants that can take being stepped on in front. Ask your garden center for suggestions.

Because most of my fragile plants -- not to mention those I certainly do not want to be leg-lifted on -- are in the vegetable garden and raised beds won't discourage my large retrievers, I have fenced off the area with edible plants completely from the rest of the yard. That protects my fruits and vegetables. For the rest of the yard, I'm choosing decorative landscaping tough enough to survive an occasional trampling from my dogs.

SIDEBAR

Strategies for avoiding the yellow spots

To avoid dead zones on lawns, provide your dog with an out-of-sight "potty zone" and train her to use it. Take your dog directly to the potty patch and give a command, such as "Hurry up" or "Go potty." Praise her for proper performance. Don't let your dog into the main part of the yard until she understands that her bathroom is around the corner.

If your dog does squat on the choicest patch of green, flush the area promptly with lots of fresh water, which will dilute the urine and minimize its damaging effect.

These strategies are not only easy, but they're also free -- and they won't have you giving anything to your dog that's not expressly for her benefit. -- Gina Spadafori

Q&A

Talk to vet now before the Fourth

Q: I adopted a shepherd mix from the local shelter more than a year ago. He's great, except for one thing: He freaked out on the Fourth of July last year. What should I do this year? -- M.R., via e-mail

A: Talk to your veterinarian now about tranquilizers that will help as the holiday gets closer. Considering how extreme your dog's reaction was last year, you'll likely want a full-fledged prescription product. If your dog were less anxious, I might suggest the homeopathic product Rescue Remedy, available in health-food stores, which many pet lovers believe helps to calm a nervous pet.

When the fireworks begin, make sure your dog is inside, turn on the TV or radio to muffle the sound, and be sure your pet can't escape in a panic. Scared pets are more likely to escape from the house or yard and be hit by cars or become lost forever. Prepare for the worst by making sure your pets have collars and tags, and know where to go for holiday veterinary care. Remember that terrified or hurt dogs are more likely to bite, so it's not a bad idea to have a soft muzzle on hand in case you need it.

Stay with your pet. A dog in this condition should not be left alone or taken to any holiday party.

After the fireworks calm down, ask your veterinarian for a referral to a behaviorist who can help you help your dog become more comfortable around loud noises. -- Gina Spadafori

Q: I'm getting a border collie -- my last BC died at 17 -- and I've found a litter with two puppies still available, a brother and sister. Would it be better to raise two at once so they have daytime company? Would you suggest getting two from the same litter or different litters? -- J.W., via e-mail

A: It's hard enough to raise and train one puppy well, and nearly impossible to handle two. The best choice, if you want two dogs, would be to raise one puppy to adulthood, and then get a second puppy and raise her.

Since you are aware of the border collie's intelligence and intensity, you likely know that even one BC is more than most people can handle. Do keep in mind, though, that border collies need training to keep their minds engaged and lots of aerobic exercise (daily is best). A bored border collie will find ways to keep herself amused, and you might not like the choices she makes. Imagine the mischief two canine Einsteins can get into!

You may well enjoy getting involved in a sport such as fly ball or agility with your new dog (or dogs). They excel at these sports, and the fast pace suits their type A personalities well. -- 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

Ruling could change court status of pets

-- Vermont's Supreme Court will soon hear a case about whether a pet owner has the right to compensation for the emotional pain and loss of companionship when the animal dies as a result of negligence, reports the American Veterinary Medical Association's Web site (avma.org). Although the ruling will not change anything outside of that state, the court's decision may influence laws in other jurisdictions. The key issue is whether a pet owner can ask for more than the "property value" of an animal when suing. Currently, laws in most states allow owners to recover an animal's "market value," associated medical expenses and, at times, other economic damages, such as breeding status, pedigree and special training, but not any monetary compensation for emotional distress to the owner.

-- Summer foliage and flowers such as daffodils and tulips often look good enough to eat but can be toxic when consumed by dogs and cats. Eating bulbs can lead to cardiovascular problems and endanger the central nervous system, and ingesting lilies can cause kidney failure in cats.

-- When it comes to stretching before any activity, no personal trainer or coach will ever be as committed to the idea as the average cat. When a cat wakes up, she carefully stretches every muscle to make sure her strong, supple body is ready for action. Typically, the stretching routine starts with a good arching of the back and a very, very big yawn. Next is a full-body stretch, right down to the tip of the tail.

-- If you love your pet, you're in good company. Some 41 percent of pet owners consider their pets family members, 36 percent call them children, 19 percent think of them as friends, and only 2 percent think of them as an acquaintance or property, according to consumer research from the American Veterinary Medical Association. -- Dr. Marty Becker

THE SCOOP

Lively finches can be entertaining pets

Zebra and society finches are the "easy keepers" of the finch group, hardy little guys who'll bring energy and sound into your home.

They're not very expensive to acquire, set up or maintain. Unlike hookbills -- budgies, cockatiels and parrots -- who need and desire physical interaction, finches will be happiest if you leave them alone. That's really the only downside of having them as a children's pet, by the way: They're not the best pet for a child who wants a hands-on pet experience.

Since finches, unlike other pet birds, are generally left in their cages always, they're a good choice for a multipet household. (The cage will offer protection from cats in most cases.) Still, since predatory pets can be resourceful, you should probably keep finches in a room that you can close off when you're not around to supervise.

Because finches stay in their cages, get the biggest cage you can afford, with bar spacing close enough to prevent escapes. Since cage-bound birds need to fly for exercise, choose a cage that's more horizontal than vertical, to give them room to flit from side to side. A reputable bird shop will be able to set you up with everything you need, including healthy finches. -- Gina Spadafori

PETS BY THE NUMBERS

It takes a village -- or at least friends

Although more people these days seem to be taking their pets with them on vacation than ever before, that's not always possible. Who cares for the pets left behind (multiple responses allowed)?

Friend/family: 61 percent

Pet sitter: 24 percent

Board at vet: 20 percent

Board at kennel: 12 percent

Other: 2 percent

Never travel without pet: 7 percent

Source: American Animal Hospital Association

PET TIP

Make sure all pets have lots of water

Keep pet water cool by adding ice chips or cubes to the dishes of smaller pets and ice blocks for larger animals. Ice blocks can be made easily by freezing water in used food tubs.

Cats and dogs may also appreciate a frozen treat. Freeze no- or low-sodium broth in ice-cube trays -- and offer them the cubes outside to minimize any mess. You can also find commercial frozen treats for pets, such as Ice Pups (from The Honest Kitchen) or Frosty Paws.

Be sure your pet is always kept supplied with lots of clean water. For caged pets, check to be sure that the delivery tube of a water bottle isn't clogged, blocking the flow of water. For other animals, don't just add clean water on top of dirty in a filthy bowl -- scrub and refill the dish at least once a day. -- 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

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.

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