Beauty is more than skin-deep when it comes to your dog. Keeping your pet well-groomed not only gives you a clean-smelling companion, it also helps keep your dog more comfortable and allows you to spot health problems before they become serious, even life-threatening.

How important is grooming to your pet's comfort? Consider a simple mat, so easy to overlook. Have you ever had your hair in a ponytail that was just a little too tight? A mat can feel the same way to your dog, a constant pull on the skin. Try to imagine those all over your body, and you have a good idea how uncomfortable an ungroomed coat can be.

Your dog need never know what a mat feels like if you keep him brushed and combed -- but that's just the start of the health benefits. Regular grooming allows you to look for lumps, bumps and injuries, while clearing such things as mats and ticks from his coat. Follow up with your veterinarian on any questionable masses you find, and you may detect cancer early enough to save your pet's life.

For shorthaired breeds, keeping skin and coat in good shape is easy. Run your hands over him daily, a brush over him weekly, and that's it.

For other breeds, grooming is a little more involved. Breeds such as collies, chows, Keeshonden and Alaskan malamutes are "double-coated," which means they have a downy undercoat underneath harsher long hair. The down can mat like a layer of felt against the skin if left untended. To prevent this, divide the coat into small sections and brush against the grain from the skin outward, working from head to tail, section by section. In the spring and fall -- the big shedding times -- you'll end up with enough of that fluffy undercoat to make a whole new dog. Keep brushing and think of the benefits: The fur you pull out with a brush won't end up on the furniture, and removing the old stuff keeps your pet cooler in the summer and lets new insulation come in for the winter.

Silky-coated dogs such as Afghan hounds, cockers and Maltese also need constant brushing to keep tangles from forming. As with the double-coated dogs, work with small sections at a time, brushing from the skin outward, and then comb back into place with the grain for a glossy, finished look. Coats of this type require so much attention that having a groomer keep the dogs trimmed to a medium length is often more practical. In fact, experts say that the pets who shed the least are longhaired dogs kept trimmed short by a groomer.

Curly and wiry coats, such as those on poodles and terriers, need to be brushed weekly, working against the grain and then with it. Curly coats need to be clipped every six weeks; wiry ones, two or three times a year (but clipping every six weeks will keep your terrier looking sharper).

Good grooming is about more than keeping your pet looking beautiful and clean-smelling, although that's certainly one of the pleasant payoffs. Regular grooming relaxes the dog who's used to it, and it becomes a special time shared between you both. A coat free of mats, burrs and tangles, and skin free of fleas and ticks, are as comfortable to your dog as clean clothes fresh from the wash are to you. It just makes you feel good, and the effect is the same for your pet.

Some added benefit for you: Giving your dog a tummy rub after every session is sure to relax you (and your dog, of course) and ease the stress of your day. And for allergy sufferers, keeping a dog clean may make having a dog possible.

Q&A

Keeping dogs out of the box

Q: Our dog finds our cat's litter box irresistible. It's a disgusting habit, and we can't break her of it, even with spankings and yelling at her. It just makes her sneakier. Have you ever written about this? What can we do? -- K.I., via e-mail.

A: We get this question constantly. Litter boxes are irresistible to many if not most dogs: They're drawn to the undigested protein that remains in feline feces. Faced with a constant supply and ready access, no dog will be able to resist for long, which is why efforts to train your pet haven't been successful.

The better plan would be to restrict access, which can be accomplished in many ways, including:

-- Covered litter boxes. You can find litter boxes with lids at almost any pet-supply store, and this might fix the problem. Cats who have asthma shouldn't use them, some cats won't use them, and some dogs are strong enough (or small enough) to get to the box anyway. But for some households, a covered box will solve the problem.

-- Change the litter box location. Make any change slowly, so as not to discourage litter box use by your cat. But it doesn't hurt to experiment with such things as moving the litter box to a location above the dog's reach.

-- Provide barriers. One way is to rig a door so it stays open wide enough for the cat but not for the dog. One friend of mine did this by putting hooks on the edge of a door and the door jamb, and then by putting a length of chain between them to allow the door to stay open wide enough for the cat, but not for the dog. Another possibility is to cut a cat-sized hole through the door to the litter box room. For a small dog who's able to fit through any opening a cat can, a baby gate is an alternative: The cat can jump over it, but the dog cannot.

Experiment with what works, and realize that punishment doesn't work when the reward is as wonderful (to your dog) as the litter box contents. This is one case in which training the family to make adjustments usually works much better than trying to train the dog. -- 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" and "The Dr. Oz Show" 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 more. Contact Pet Connection in care of this newspaper by sending e-mail to petconnection@gmail.com or by visiting PetConnection.com.

THE BUZZ

FDA 'widget' gets recall news out

-- If you see information on pet health pop up automatically on the Web site of your veterinary hospital, favorite pet-related blog or other pet-care site, what you've likely noticed is the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's new "widget." The widget is a small graphic that's easily added to any Web site by following instructions on the FDA site (www.fda.gov/pethealthwidget). Once loaded onto the host site, the graphic updates automatically with news and information from the federal agency, including recall notifications and information on how to report problems with food or medications.

-- An animal resulting from the physical mingling of very early embryos of two species, thus having four parents, is known as a "chimera." One such chimera is the "geep," a mix of a sheep and goat. Six geeps were born at the Institute of Animal Physiology in Cambridge, England, in 1984, but only one had blood proteins from both sheep and goats and patches of goat hair and sheep wool. With a true hybrid, the embryo would need genetic material from both species mixed at conception, half coming from one parent, and half from the other. A hybrid goat/sheep would be sterile, because the animals have mismatched numbers of chromosomes -- goats have 60 and sheep, 54.

-- Veterinary specialists working in the pet-care field -- as opposed to academia, industry or large-animal medicine -- number at about 3,000, based at approximately 746 practices of all types and sizes. So says the American Animal Hospital Association (aahanet.org) in a 2005 benchmarking study that looked at the growth of specialists in veterinary medicine. Veterinary system specialties include cardiology, radiology, dermatology, ophthalmology, emergency and critical care, and surgery, along with species specialists certified in avian or feline medicine.

-- The heaviest land mammal and the second tallest animal is the African elephant, with the tallest males measuring 12 feet tall. The elephant's height doesn't compete with the giraffe's, the tallest of which can be 19 feet tall. -- Dr. Marty Becker and Mikkel Becker Shannon

THE SCOOP

Pet problem? Get professional help, now

When you're dealing with a pet's behavior problem, quick-fix, halfhearted efforts are doomed from the start. What you need is dedication, patience and help from your veterinarian and a pet-behavior expert.

Why your veterinarian? Because the first rule of solving any behavioral problem is to make sure it's not a medical problem. Health issues that cause or contribute to behavior problems must first be accurately diagnosed and treated with the help of your veterinarian.

Once you know your pet is healthy, a trainer or behaviorist can help you work on resolving the problem.

Consulting an expert can save time, money and aggravation. Time, because someone with experience in animal behavior can quickly determine the root of the problem, without the emotional baggage that a pet owner may bring to the situation. Money, because a consultation or two is a great deal cheaper than replacing a chewed couch or blitzed landscaping. And aggravation? Anyone who has ever lived with a problem pet -- and that's most of us, at one time or another -- can understand how annoying it can be.

Behaviorist experts are not "trainers" in the sense of offering group obedience classes to sharpen a pet's manners. Instead, they work one-on-one with you to solve a specific behavior problem. Some are veterinarians, some have academic credentials in other fields, and still others have learned their expertise in "the school of hard knocks." Ask your veterinarian for a referral.

Above all, don't put off getting the help you need. The sooner you get help, the more likely it is that you'll be able to solve the problem. -- Gina Spadafori

BY THE NUMBERS

Experience matters

People who have dogs, cats and birds are making a lifestyle choice. For other pets, shorter periods of pet ownership are more common. The number of years as a pet owner, by species, according to the 2008 survey of the American Pet Products Association:

Cat: 19 years

Dog: 18 years

Bird: 12 years

Freshwater fish: 8 years

Saltwater fish: 5.2 years

Reptile: 2.8 years

Small animal: 1.8 years

PET Rx

Keep pets away from antifreeze

Pet lovers have two ways to protect their animal companions from lapping away at deadly antifreeze -- one relatively foolproof, the other not.

-- Not foolproof: Use a safer antifreeze made from a different formulation than the more popular variety, store chemicals properly, and wipe up spills promptly. While this should eliminate most of the risk for dogs, these strategies are not foolproof for free-roaming cats because you cannot control what your neighbors will do when it comes to using or storing deadly chemicals.

-- Foolproof: Keep cats inside. Free-roaming cats have relatively short life spans because the outside world is full of deadly hazards. To antifreeze, add cars, coyotes (even in cities!) and cat-hating neighbors to the list of things that can kill a free-roaming cat.

If you even suspect that your pet has gotten into some antifreeze, get him to the veterinary clinic immediately. There's no "wait and see" period with this stuff. -- 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.

Every year more of my yard gets turned over to sustainable projects, from my pet chickens and their fresh eggs to an ever-growing collection of raised beds and containers planted with the veggies I love -- and some flowers, too.

This year, I'm taking back a huge swath of lawn, fencing it off and having a contractor really go to town, doubling the size of my garden and putting in drip irrigation and mulched paths to save on weeding and water. The way I'm planning it, my yard will be beautiful and productive -- and I'm doing this while continuing to share my life with my dogs.

And you can, too. That's because dogs and lush gardens -- whether productive or decorative -- aren't mutually exclusive.

You can't just plant whatever you want where you want it and throw a bored, unsupervised dog into the mix. Instead, plan your yard to take your dog into account, and mind your dog's needs to get him to leave the plants alone. The basic guidelines:

-- Exercise your dog. A dog with too much energy isn't one you want to leave alone all day in a nice yard -- and yet that's exactly what many people do. If you don't take care of your dog's exercise requirements, he's going to take care of them on his own, by digging a hole to China or by removing the shrubs in your yard.

Dogs who don't get daily exercise are likely to expend that energy and cure boredom by doing things people don't like -- digging, chewing and barking. Dogs who are well-exercised are more likely to sleep while you are gone. When you leave, you should also offer your dog alternatives to choosing his own amusements: Provide him with chew toys. You can make them more appealing by praising him for using them and by stuffing hollow toys -- such as a Kong -- with something delicious, like peanut butter.

-- 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. Instead of fighting with your dog, 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.

-- Consider giving your dog a yard of his own. At my house, the dogs are never let out in the main yard without supervision -- and the veggie garden and chicken areas are fenced off -- but they come and go at will into a side yard that's just for them. A low fence covered with climbing roses hides from view both the dog yard and the chicken/veggie areas.

-- 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."

You can keep many dogs from digging if you keep them exercised, limit their access to dirt and make the digging experience unpleasant. Sometimes, putting the dog's own stools in the hole and covering them with dirt deters them. Many dogs won't dig if their own mess is under the surface.

Another option is giving your dog a dig zone. While hardly clean fun, it is good fun, especially for dogs who are happiest with their noses in the dirt and their paws flying.

-- Put special plants in safer places. Raised beds and hanging planters are the place to put your most precious plants. In borders, put the plants that can take being stepped on in front. What are some dog-friendly plants? Mint is a good one. This plant is nearly indestructible and greets each assault with a wave of cool mint smell. Some lilies are tough enough to be stomped or sat on, as well, and your gardening center may have suggestions for others that are dependable growers in your region.

Dogs don't know a wisteria from a weed, and they never will. That's why it's up to you not to leave them unattended around plants you want left alone. When you leave for work, limit your dog's space for his safety and to protect your plants. Most of a dog's time alone is spent sleeping anyway, so he doesn't need to have the entire run of the house and yard. Outings -- for jogging, walking, fetch or swimming -- should be done with your supervision.

If your dog is allowed in your yard under your supervision only, the chance of his digging or chewing is just about nil -- you can stop him before the damage is done. And you can enjoy your beautiful yard together.

I know at my home, we do.

Q&A

'Clicker' training works with the dog

Q: The last time we had a dog, we went to a class that required a choke chain. That sweet dog is long gone, and we're starting class with our 6-month-old Queensland heeler. But the local trainer says no choke chain. She teaches with a "clicker." Is that better? -- G.W., via e-mail

A: A clicker is a small plastic box that fits in the palm of your hand -- a child's toy that's also called a "cricket." To make the noise, you press down on the metal strip inside the housing and quickly release it -- click-click!

The clicker itself doesn't have any magic powers. What it provides is timing -- it allows a trainer working with a dog who understands the game to let the pet know that the behavior he's doing right now is the one that's being rewarded. And that means the behavior will be repeated. The clicking noise becomes a reward, because in the early stages of training the sound is linked to the delivery of something a dog wants, most usually a tiny treat.

Does this sound familiar? If it rings a bell, that's because the underlying principal of clicker training is scientific and is called "operant conditioning" (Pavlov's drooling dogs and all). But you can be excused if you don't want to know the ins and outs of the science and just want to cut to the chase.

After all, your pet just wants to get to the good part, too.

You start by teaching your pet that a click means a treat. Pick a time when your pet isn't sleeping (not just after a meal) and is a little hungry (a couple of hours before a meal). Choose a relatively small, quiet place you can work without too many distractions, and prepare a pouch or bowl of tiny, yummy treats (diced hot dogs are popular, as are pieces of cheese or even bits of kibble). For the next few minutes, click and treat. One click, one treat. Again, and again, and again. Eventually your pet will show you he understands that the sound means food. For example, he may look immediately to the source of the treats after hearing the click.

When that happens, you're on to the next stage. But wait until your next session, because clicker training works best with a couple of short sessions -- less than 10 minutes -- every day.

When you're all set up again, sit quietly with your clicker and treats -- and wait. Your dog should start volunteering behaviors, everything from sitting to pawing to wandering in a circle. When your pet chooses one you like, click, treat and wait again. Your dog will initially be confused but should eventually offer the behavior again. Be patient! When that moment comes, click, treat and wait again.

Say you clicked your dog a couple of times because he finally got bored and sat. Soon your dog will sit to test his theory that sitting means a click-treat. When that happens, click and "jackpot" him with a handful of treats. When the pattern is firmly established, you can then give it a name ("sit") and make the food reward more random to strengthen it (this is the principal that keeps you pulling the slot machine handle).

In future sessions you'll move on from the "sit" that your dog knows, waiting for more behaviors to click, treat and name, as you build your pet's repertoire of commands. More complicated behaviors are trained by "chaining" -- training in pieces and putting them together.

One more thing: Never punish your pet for not "getting it right." Clicker training is all about the payoff, and once you get it mastered, there's no end to the things you can teach your dog to do.

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

THE BUZZ

Med recall news slow to get out

-- The recall of two veterinary drugs made by Teva Animal Health Inc. has not been well-known among either veterinarians or pet owners. According to the Pet Connection's Christie Keith, writing for the SFGate.com Web site, the recalls involve two commonly used injectable veterinary drugs: butorphanol, a fast-acting opioid used to control pain from surgical procedures in dogs and cats, and the anesthetic agent ketamine. Because Teva manufactured these products for a variety of companies and it's not known if all the product has been identified and removed from veterinary practices, it's essential that pet lovers discuss these recalls with their veterinarians before scheduling a pet for any procedure requiring their use. The list of recalled products is on the FDA's Web site.

-- A study published in Current Biology recorded the sounds cats make when trying to get people to do their bidding. Cats use an urgent cry or meowing sound embedded within a purr when they want something, producing a sound humans find difficult to ignore. The combination is more subtle than meowing, which some owners may find annoying enough to put the cat out. Not all cats produce this type of "request purring," but it seems to be more prevalent in cats who have a bonded relationship with a single care-giver.

-- The average daily water intake for a dog is about 3 ounces for every 5 pounds of body weight, so a 25-pound dog would drink about a pint of water per day under average conditions. The amount goes up if the weather is hot, the dog is exercising or both. Depending on whether a pet eats canned or dry food, up to half of a pet's daily water consumption can come from food. Dogs drink a lot of water, not only because they need it for normal bodily functioning, but also to create moist nasal mucous to help them with their keen sense of smell. -- Dr. Marty Becker and Mikkel Becker Shannon

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "Good Morning America" and "The Dr. Oz Show" 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 more. Contact Pet Connection in care of this newspaper by sending e-mail to petconnection@gmail.com or by visiting PetConnection.com.

PET Rx

Cancer in pets no longer a death sentence

The word "cancer" used to be pretty much synonymous with "euthanasia" in veterinary medicine.

That has changed a great deal in recent years. Today, there's a wide range of options, everything from hospice care aimed at pain-management to the most aggressive surgical, chemo and radiation therapies. The outcome? Cures for some pets, long-term remissions for others and, for the rest, a good quality of life for a little extra time.

The earlier cancer is diagnosed, the better. Know these signs, and have your pet checked out when you observe them:

-- asymmetrical swelling

-- lumps and bumps

-- a wound that doesn't heal

-- unexplained weight loss

-- lameness that can't be attributed to injury

-- an older pet who's not thriving

-- unexplained vomiting or diarrhea

Keeping pets at proper weight and limiting or avoiding a pet's exposure to such risks as secondhand smoke is also recommended. For more information, talk to your pet's veterinarian.

If you haven't ever dealt with cancer in a pet, consider yourself lucky. And then consider donating to research for pet health, such as through the Morris Animal Foundation (www.morrisanimalfoundation.org), Winn Feline (winnfelinehealth.org) or the AKC Canine Health Foundation (www.akcchf.org). A good online reference site is the Pet Cancer Center (petcancerfoundation.org). -- Dr. Marty Becker

BY THE NUMBERS

Keep pets safe from poisons

The ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center has listed the top 10 poisons pets get into, based on the number of cases the organization handled last year. APCC staff warn that many pet poisonings are preventable, so look through your home and put dangerous products safely out of reach. Visit www.aspca.org/apcc for listings of most hazardous items in each category.

1. Human medications

2. Insecticides

3. Common food items

4. Rodenticides

5. Pet medications

6. Plants

7. Household chemicals

8. Household cleaners

9. Metals

10. Fertilizer

PET TIP

Pet birds need perch variety

Chosen properly, a perch is an important tool for helping to keep a pet bird physically and emotionally sound.

When choosing perches, think variety and select an array of textures. Choices you'll find at the bird store or through catalog or online retailers include rope, natural wood and concrete, and each should find a place in your bird's home.

Some of the best perches around won't cost you anything more than the time it takes to trim them from your trees. Limbs from most fruit and nut trees make fine perches, as do those from ash, elm, dogwood and magnolia. Cut the branches to fit the cage, scrub with detergent, rinse well, and let them dry in the sun before putting them in the cage.

A final check is for insect pods -- just break them off and dispose of them in an outside trash can. -- 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.

Let's not kid ourselves: Things are tight, and people are learning to make do with less. That's the bad news.

The good news: You don't have to shortchange your pets to save money. By focusing on prevention, smart buys and sharing, you can slash what you spend on your pets. Some tips:

-- Work with your veterinarian to cut costs. Vaccinations are no longer recommended annually for most dogs and cats, but that's not a good reason to skip your pet's yearly vet check (twice-yearly for older pets). These "well-pet" examinations can spot little problems before they become expensive ones. Ask your veterinarian to give you prescriptions for medications to be filled elsewhere, or to match prices. Check for short-term promotions such as for Dental Health Month (which is coming in February), or for ongoing discounts such as for multipet families or senior citizens. Consider pet health insurance as a backup in case of emergency -- it can help save your pet's life when money is the issue.

-- Keep your pet fit and trim. A majority of dogs and cats are overweight, and those extra pounds increase the likelihood of serious health problems, such as arthritis, diabetes and cancer. If your pet is overweight, get your veterinarian's help to reduce weight slowly to avoid the health risks of sudden weight loss, especially in cats.

-- Learn to do things yourself. Most people can learn to handle basic pet grooming at home, from bathing to nail trims. If nothing else, you can probably stretch out time between professional groomings for high-maintenance pets with some at-home care. Check your library for grooming guides and find breed-specific tips with an Internet search.

Another do-it-yourself strategy is more about health than grooming: Brush your pet's teeth -- it'll lengthen the time between necessary but expensive cleanings at your veterinarian's.

-- Minimize risk from accidents. Saving the life of a pet who has been hit by a car or poisoned can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars -- and these tragedies can often be prevented. Keeping cats as indoor-only pets will prevent injuries and protect them from communicable diseases; a sturdy fence and the use of a leash will do the same for dogs.

Go through your home with an eye toward possible hazards, especially foods, plants and drugs that can be ingested, as well as cleaning supplies, pesticides and herbicides. The ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center offers information on all toxic risks to your pet at ASPCA.org/APCC.

-- Consider purchases and buy in bulk. Shopping for pets can be great fun, but that new designer collar may be something you want to postpone if there's wear left on what your pet's wearing now. When it comes to toys, though, cut them back, but not out -- good chew toys have saved many an expensive pair of shoes.

You can save money buying the largest bags of food or litter, or get case discounts on canned goods. Split your dry food purchases with family or a friend, and store your portion in an airtight container. (Do keep product info from the bag, though, in case there are questions or problems.)

-- Look for freebies and secondhand items. Check classifieds, Craigslist and the Freecycle network (freecycle.com) to find bargains. Crates, cages and cat trees can often be had for next to nothing -- or nothing at all. And don't forget to return the favor: Don't let supplies you no longer need rot in your garage. Sell them at a decent price, or give them away to other pet lovers, shelters or rescue groups.

-- Share services. Other pet lovers are likely also feeling the squeeze, so look into sharing or trading services such as pet-sitting. Remember that bartered services don't need to be the same: You can save just as much money if you can provide one kind of service (such as tax-preparation) for another (such as pet-sitting or dog-grooming).

Do you have favorite cost-cutting tips? Drop us a line at petconnection@gmail.com and we'll share them in a future column.

Q&A

Vaccines no longer 'one size fits all'

Q: We've promised our daughter a kitten this summer. What's the latest on vaccines? Is cancer still a concern? -- D.W., via e-mail

A: Kittens need a series of vaccinations to protect them as they grow. Young mammals pick up antibodies from their mothers through the placenta and in the special milk, called colostrum, that they drink in the first days of their lives. These antibodies diminish over time. But until they do, they not only protect the kitten against disease, but they also may block the usefulness of any vaccine.

Although it's technically possible to determine exactly when a kitten's maternal antibodies have fallen to the point where a vaccine is necessary, doing so is impractical. That's why veterinarians give a series of shots to ensure that the kitten is protected as those maternal antibodies fade.

Here are some general vaccine guidelines for kittens.

-- Core vaccines: A combination vaccine gives protection against feline herpes virus, feline calicivirus and feline panleukopenia virus. The first combination vaccine is given when a kitten first comes in to see the veterinarian with additional shots at three- to four-week intervals until 16 weeks of age.

Vaccination against rabies is highly recommended for cats and may be required by law depending on where you live. Kittens get one shot with an annual booster, and then shots at three-year intervals, or as required by law.

-- Non-core vaccines: The need for all other vaccines should be discussed with your veterinarian. Some experts question how well some of the non-core vaccines work, while others recommend non-core vaccines only for those cats who are at high risk for disease, such as pets allowed to roam outside.

Feline leukemia is one vaccine that should be considered, unless you're planning to keep your cat strictly indoors. Kittens are tested for feline leukemia, then given one shot with a booster three to four weeks later.

The vaccine for feline infectious peritonitis is controversial, and some experts recommend it should be considered only for those cats living in large multicat households or breeding operations. Talk to your veterinarian about when the vaccine should be given, if at all.

If you are getting multiple vaccinations for your kitten, discuss spreading the vaccines out and not having more than one or two inoculations given in any one visit. If too many shots are administered at one time, the potential for reactions or interactions may be greater.

In adult cats, the risk of vaccine-site sarcoma -- cancer at the injection site -- must be taken into account when weighing the risks of vaccines vs. their benefits. The trend overall is to tailor vaccines to the lifestyles of individual cats, to increase the amount of time between boosters, and to give shots at various times, in different places on the body. Keep an eye on vaccine sites, and report any lump that grows or persists more than a couple of weeks.

A good overview of the American Academy of Feline Practitioners recommendations on vaccines can be found on the Winn Feline Foundation's Web site at www.winnfelinehealth.org/health/vaccination-guidelines.html.

The bottom line: Discuss with your veterinarian what vaccinations your kitten needs, what risks are involved, and how you can best minimize those risks. Keep in mind, however, that despite the risks, vaccines still prevent many times more deaths than they cause.

A good veterinarian will be following the changing view of routine vaccinations and should be up on the latest recommendations in preventive care for your new kitten. -- Dr. Marty Becker

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

THE BUZZ

Will cat scratch? Watch that tail

-- Want to read a cat's mood? Watch the tail. A tail held straight up indicates a cat who's relaxed or in a mood to greet company. When the tail is moving side to side, however, it's not a friendly sign: Wagging tails in cats indicate the increased agitation of a cat who is getting ready to pounce.

-- The domestic dog originated 16,000 years ago in Asia, south of the Yangtze River in China, according to a study in the scientific journal Molecular Biology and Evolution. The domestication of the dog coincides with the transition of humans from hunter-gatherers to farmers. The ancestors of dogs were a large number of animals, at least several hundred wolves, but all came from a single geographical area. The original dogs in what's now Europe were used as herders and guard dogs, while the original dogs in China seemed to have been used for human consumption.

-- Mice are aiding NASA. A study by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory has been finding ways to study the effects of weightlessness on astronauts by testing a magnetic field on mice. The study could aid in preventing bone deterioration for astronauts on long missions.

-- Wild horses show less variety in coat colors and markings than domesticated horses. Wild horses need coats that provide camouflage, encourage mating and have more tolerance to certain pathogens. As domestication progressed, human preference chose certain colors and patterns, leading to the diversity we see in domestic horses today. -- Dr. Marty Becker and Mikkel Becker Shannon

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "Good Morning America" and "The Dr. Oz Show" 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 more. Contact Pet Connection in care of this newspaper by sending e-mail to petconnection@gmail.com or by visiting PetConnection.com.

PET TIP

Quick solutions to bird mess challenges

Cleaning isn't just about neatness -- it's also about health. Clean, fresh food and water are essential to pet birds. And so is keeping their environment as free as possible of bacteria, fungus and mold, all of which can lead to disease.

Cages must be scrubbed thoroughly every week, but in between times it's easy to keep things relatively neat with a few supplies kept close to the cage and used on a constant basis. Among them:

-- Newspapers: Put all the glossy inserts in the recycling bin and stack the rest for use in the cage tray and under play areas.

-- Cloth towels: In addition to cleaning, old towels are great for protecting clothing from bird poop -- just drape a towel over your shoulders.

-- Paper towels and spray bottle with cleaning solution: Since birds are sensitive to fumes, skip the ammonia, bleach, pine solutions or any other strong cleaners. Simple soap and water are fine for everyday touch-ups, but many bird owners like Poop-Off, a product developed just for bird cleanups.

-- Handheld vacuum: Good for snarfing up food pellets and feathers.

-- Mats for under the cage: The heavy, clear plastic mats intended for use beneath desk chairs and sold at office-supply stores keep most of the gunk off the floor. Newspapers catch the rest.

-- Hamper and trash bin: Dedicate a special hamper for bird towels and a trash bin for newspapers, and put both near the cage for convenient disposal.

A few minutes spent cleaning a couple of times a day keeps things in good order and makes the weekly cage scrubbing easier to accomplish. Change cage papers daily, at a minimum, and clean everything else as soon as messes hit. -- Gina Spadafori

BY THE NUMBERS

There's a new top dog in town

For six years in a row, Max ruled the top spot. But this year there's a new top dog -- and her name is Bella. Veterinary Pet Insurance crunched the numbers on its more than 475,000 insured pets to determine the most common names of 2009, and Bella beat out Max by more than 400 dogs. Fans of Max, however, can rest assured that for cats, that name is still top dog -- er, top cat.

Dog

1. Bella

2. Max

3. Bailey

4. Lucy

5. Molly

Cat

1. Max

2. Chloe

3. Bella

4. Oliver

5. Tiger

PET Rx

Are those zits? Cats get them, too

Those bumps on your cat's chin could be pimples. Although most classic acne cases occur in cats who are simply not good chin groomers, there are other possibilities, including mites, ringworm and allergies.

You'll need the help of your veterinarian to get your cat's chin cleared up. The area needs to be kept washed, at the very least, and resist the urge to squeeze any blemishes. You may additionally get prescribed creams and pills.

Since some cases are caused by an allergy to plastic, your veterinarian will probably also recommend switching to ceramic or stainless-steel food and water dishes, and keeping them scrupulously clean.

Ordinary feline acne is more of an aesthetic dilemma than a serious health concern. As long as the area doesn't become infected, your cat won't be bothered by the blemishes. -- 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.