Dr. Marty Becker

When it comes to food, household cleaners and plants, veterinary experts say that pet lovers spend too much time worrying about products that aren't much of a problem and generally don't know about the things that truly are.

How can you know what's safe and what's not?

"Check multiple sources for confirmation," says veterinarian Dr. Steven Hansen, head of the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center, noting that the APCC's website (ASPCA.org/APCC) is a great resource, as is the urban myth website Snopes.com. "Question it all, and if you have any question at all, ask your own veterinarian."

Here are Dr. Hansen's biggest concerns -- and most overblown worries -- based on the 150,000 calls a year into the APCC:

CHOCOLATE: RELATIVELY SAFE. Many dogs love chocolate, and although you shouldn't be offering it as a treat, you don't need to panic if your Labrador eats a bar of milk chocolate -- the worst she'll likely get is a bellyache. But do be careful with darker chocolates and smaller dogs: A tiny Maltese eating a a few ounces of dark chocolate will need a trip to the emergency clinic.

XYLITOL SUGAR SUBSTITUTE: UNSAFE. Read the label of your favorite sugar-free gum, candy or even cough drop, and you'll likely find this newly common ingredient on the label. But unlike chocolate, Xylitol means an immediate trip to the veterinarians', day or night, if a pet eats any.

COMMERCIAL CHEWS: RELATIVELY SAFE. Commercial chews made to be ingested and most pet toys are usually fine. Hansen says to buy appropriate sizes and use as recommended: Watch for wear and replace as necessary.

SOCKS, UNDERWEAR AND NYLONS: UNSAFE. Keep laundry picked up and in hampers, and always watch what your dog has in her mouth -- especially during the chew-everything stages of growing up. And don't give soft dog toys to puppies who eat everything.

MEDICATION: UNSAFE. Medication, both human and pet, prescription and over-the-counter, can also seem like a toy to many pets. "It seems counterintuitive to anyone who has tried to give pills to a dog that they'd eat medication," says Hansen. "But once pills are rattling around in the bottle, it's a toy, and it's fair game."

SOAP-BASED CLEANERS: RELATIVELY SAFE. Despite persistent rumors to the contrary, soap-based cleaners such as those found in some Swiffer products present no risk to pets. Nor is that "blue water" toilet cleaner a problem, although Hansen recommends keeping the lid down anyway.

DISINFECTANTS: UNSAFE. Hansen warns that stronger cleaning products are dangerous. Don't store any household cleaning products under the sink, even with child/pet-proof latches on cabinet doors. Put these products behind closed doors in high cabinets.

RELATIVELY SAFE 'PEOPLE FOOD': Some "people food" in moderate amounts, such as carrots, apple slices and even pizza crusts, is generally OK, although not really recommended because it can contribute to behavior problems (begging, counter-cruising) and the health risks caused by obesity.

UNSAFE 'PEOPLE FOOD': Some "people food" that's fine for us should be off-limits to pets. This includes raisins and grapes, macadamia nuts and bread dough. If the latter seems strange, consider that the inside of a dog is perfect for getting yeast to increase, and that means a little dough soon becomes a big medical problem that may need to be addressed surgically.

SILICA GEL AND ROACH MOTELS: RELATIVELY SAFE. The APCC gets a lot of calls on both, says Hansen. The little gel packets put in boxes to keep products dry are harmless, says Hansen. And as for that roach motel, "Not enough insecticide to be of concern," he says.

CAT LITTER: UNSAFE. Many dogs like to consume the contents of the cat's litter box, which may form a blockage that will need surgical intervention. As for cats, playing with yarn or string, or plucking from the garbage pail the cord that held together a roast, can mean a trip to the veterinarian and possibly surgery if these items are eaten.

Q&A

Tips for placing

a homeless cat

Q: My mother died recently. I brought her cat home, and she's living in the patio because I don't want to stress out her or my own two cats. I don't want to take her to the shelter, but getting her a new home isn't going well. Suggestions? -- P.A.

A: The first step to placing an adult cat may be convincing prospective owners with one cat that two cats truly are better than one. It can be a hard sell, as adult cats have low adoption rates, especially during kitten season. But if you're patient and persistent, you'll likely find a home. Here are some tips to follow:

-- Do everything you can to make the animal more adoptable. The pet has a better chance for adoption if her vaccinations are current, she uses her litter box reliably, and she's altered.

-- Don't lie about the pet's problems or why she's being placed. Although finding a new home for a pet with problems takes longer, you can usually still do so. But the person who gets such a pet without warning is likely to bring her back, take her to a shelter or give her away -- perhaps repeating the mistake.

-- Spread the news. Make up fliers and post ads everywhere that you can: bulletin boards at work, pet-supply stores and your veterinarian's office. Put the news out on social media -- with a great picture. Talk up the cat (at least briefly) with everyone you know every place you can. Even people who don't like cats (or don't want one) may know someone who is looking for a pet. If a thousand people hear or read about the animal, you probably will get no interest from 999, but you need only one person to provide a good home for the cat. And that's the one person you need to reach.

-- Ask lots of questions and verify that the answers are true. Don't forget to ask prospective adopters whether they've had pets before and what happened to them. My favorite question: Who's your veterinarian? Someone who cannot at least name a vet or a veterinary hospital may have pets who don't go there very often.

Above all, don't give up! It may take weeks to find the right home for a pet, but it's always worth the time to get it right. The goal here is not to "get rid of" an animal, but to find a loving, caring and, most of all, permanent home. They're out there, and if you keep looking, you'll likely find the home that's just right for the pet you're trying to help. -- Gina Spadafori

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

THE BUZZ

Spaying reduces

dog cancer risk

-- Mammary tumors are three times more likely in dogs than breast cancer is in women, according to a Swedish study of 600 English springer spaniels, and this cancer is the leading tumor disease in female dogs. Spaying before the female dog reaches sexual maturity is the most reliable method to avoid mammary tumors. Owners of female dogs should also regularly check their pets for lumps in their mammary glands, similar to women monitoring for breast cancer.

-- Most bugs tend to bounce off the windshield of vehicles going slower than 37 mpg; above this speed, bugs generally splatter on impact.

-- A normal cat weighs about 8 to 10 pounds. Your cat is normal for his body type if a comfortable pad of fat lies over his ribs, but you can still feel the ribs if you press gently with your hands. The easiest way to weigh your cat? Step on the scale with your cat, note the weight, and then step back on alone. Subtract your weight from the total to get your cat's weight. Talk to your veterinarian if your cat is too fat, too thin or especially if his weight changes rapidly. -- 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 many best-selling pet-care books. Dr. Becker can also be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker.

FINNY PETS ARE JUST THE TICKET FOR HOMES AND OFFICES

Dr. Marty Becker

If you're looking for a way to lower your stress, improve your health and get your children off the couch, part of the answer may be fish -- not eating them, but keeping them.

Whether you choose a small tank with a few freshwater fish or a stunning saltwater setup that makes you feel like a deep-sea diver without getting wet, you'll be getting some of the proven benefits of keeping fish. Studies showing the stress-relieving nature of fish-gazing have led to the proliferation of tanks in clinical settings such as dental offices and nursing homes. Tanks have helped calm troubled children and stimulate appetites in adults with diminished brain function.

The benefits of fish extend to the home as well.

"I do think people need contact with nature," said Dr. Alan Beck, director of the Center for the Human-Animal Bond at Purdue University. "The technology has made it so much easier to keep fish now. Fish can be very low-maintenance, and they are so attractive. Fish are remarkably well-designed, and it's easy to appreciate that."

While fish themselves haven't changed much, how we keep them has evolved. Many of us may remember a simple fish bowl, or a small tank with some colored gravel and a deep-sea diver or castle at the bottom. While glass tanks are still by far the most common, high-tech plastics have released a wave of new designs, making possible seamless tanks that look as if the fish are swimming in air. New technology has also created filtration systems that have made tank maintenance easier.

And, of course, it's water that really counts when it comes to keeping fish alive, says Dr. Roy Yanong, a veterinarian with a lifelong love of fish-keeping that he turned into a career with the Tropical Aquaculture Laboratory at the University of Florida, which helps to support the state's fish-breeding industry.

"Keeping fish doesn't have to be difficult," said Dr. Yanong. "Depending on the species, you can start with a 10-gallon tank. But you always have to think about the water. Fish make ammonia, which is excreted through their gills. You need the right number of fish, and a bio-filter with the right set of bacteria. If you don't have that, the water will turn toxic, and that's when fish die."

But just as you don't need to be an ichthyologist -- a fish expert -- to keep healthy fish, you don't have to be a chemist either, says Dr. Yanong. All you need to make sure the water is right for your fish is to test it yourself with easy-to-find kits, or have it tested at a specialty aquarium store.

"Help with fish-keeping is pretty easy to get," he said. "You can talk to someone who's keeping fish successfully. You can also find sites online that can help."

Dr. Yanong has been working with fish since 1992, which is also when the popularity of keeping aquatic pets started to grow. While the more complicated and expensive saltwater setups have remained the interest of only a tiny percentage of dedicated hobbyists, freshwater fish-keeping has risen steadily for the last two decades.

"Aquaria is where a lot of kids first got their interest in nature," said Dr. Yanong. "I know I did. And while any pet can be an entry into the world of nature, the fascinating thing about fish is that you're not just keeping pets, you're running an ecosystem."

At a time when it's hard to get kids to put down the video games and get off the couch, experts say looking into a fish tank may be key to getting youngsters out the door -- perhaps to a career in science. And it can all start with a small tank and a couple of guppies.

Q&A

DOG PARKS REQUIRE CARE, COMMON SENSE

Q: We took a puppy class, and the trainer told us that she couldn't recommend any of the local dog parks -- or, in fact, the idea of dog parks at all. She said that no puppy should ever go to a dog park, and that she wouldn't take her own dogs to them either, because they are "dangerous." I don't have a yard to speak of, really just a patio, and I wanted to take my dog to the park when he's older. It's the only place it's legal for him to be off-leash. What do you think? -- T. R.

A: One of the reasons having a large living space isn't so critical in keeping a dog anymore is that many communities have become much more dog-friendly.

Cities large and small have responded to dog owners' desire for off-leash play areas, and have even allowed businesses to let dogs dine on patios in the style long enjoyed in many parts of Europe.

Dog parks, though, tend to be only as good as the people using them, and as a dog owner you need to look out for the safety of your dog, as well as make sure he's not causing problems for other dogs. Yes, there are dog-park bullies!

The best way to check out a dog park is to go during off-peak hours. You want to see clean grounds and clear rules for pickup and good behavior, a double-gated entry, so dogs don't walk in on leash (a known fight trigger), and, in the best parks, a separate area for smaller dogs, so they're not trampled or looked at as prey by larger ones.

Whether or not children are allowed is a matter of controversy, but dog experts generally agree that it's safer for all involved if they are not. And, of course, all dogs should be current on their vaccines (that means no puppies), well-socialized and non-aggressive. People should be paying attention to keeping their own dogs out of trouble, not answering their e-mail or texting.

When they work, dog parks are great for getting pets the exercise they need. When they don't work, they put people and pets at risk of injuries, perhaps even deadly ones. So go forth and unleash, but do so with common sense and caution. And if you find yourself feeling uneasy about the users -- human or canine -- at any given time, take your dog out and go home. You can always play another day. -- Gina Spadafori

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

THE BUZZ

OLD-FASHIONED REMEDY STILL WORTH USING

-- Writing in her PetMd.com blog, "Fully Vetted," Dr. Patty Khuly of Miami sings the praises of the humble Epsom salts, starting with the comfort one cup dissolved in a couple quarts of hot water can offer to the sore, tired feet of a hard-working veterinarian. But that's not all. She notes that this product is "the ultimate do-no-harm remedy for many simple wounds and swellings," and says she'll often recommend it as complement to or even a replacement for more modern remedies, especially those medications with occasionally problematic side effects. Use as a soak or apply as a poultice, holding a clean, soaked washcloth to the affected areas. Five to 10 minutes, two or three times a day, should help, she writes.

-- Osaka, Japan, has a population of nearly 9 million, many living in apartments that do not allow pets. So how do they get their fix of quality kitty time? Enter the rent-a-cat cafe. Time magazine reports the places are very popular with the purr-deprived.

-- Purring is more than a sound of contentment. Cats also purr if they're injured, while giving birth -- even when dying. British zoologist Desmond Morris has observed in his masterwork "Catworld: A Feline Encyclopedia" that purring is "a sign of friendship -- either when (the cat) is contented with a friend or when it is in need of friendship -- as with a cat in trouble."-- Dr. Marty Becker and Mikkel Becker Shannon

Dr. Marty Becker

Hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, tornadoes, wildfires and even man-made disasters have brought home to us all in recent years that a crisis can happen at any time, in any community.

Just as you can't leave preparing for your human family members to chance, you need a plan to ensure the safety of your pets. Here are some steps to get you started:

Make a plan. Prepare for all possibilities, including that you may be away from home when disaster strikes. Get to know your neighbors, and be prepared to help each other out. Find out from local emergency operation agencies, shelters, veterinary organizations and your own veterinarian what the local emergency response plans are and what help they can provide for you and your pet.

Keep ID on your pets. Most animals survive a disaster, but too many never see their families again. That's because many pets aren't equipped with a way to determine which pet belongs to which family. Pets should always wear a collar and identification tags. Better still is a permanent identification that can't slip off, such as an imbedded microchip. Make sure one of the numbers on your pet's ID and chip records is your cell phone, as well as a friend or relative living out of the area. That way, if you can't get to your home phone, you can still be reached and reunited with your pet.

Put your pet's records in one easy-to-grab spot. Make a simple file with updated records of your pet's vaccinations and other health records, as well as his license and microchip information, and details on his pet-health insurance provider. Include some good pictures of your pet with simple, uncluttered backgrounds, so if you need to make "lost pet" posters, you can. Put this material with the rest of your important papers in a place safe from fire or flood.

Have carriers and restraints at hand. You're not going to get advance warning of some disasters, such as earthquakes. But if you know a storm is on the way or a wildfire may turn your way, make sure you get your pet inside. Sturdy crates and carriers belong on the list of "must-haves," along with restraints, including comfortable box muzzles for dogs and soft face-shield muzzles and restraint bags for cats. While you may trust your pet to remain calm, it's better to be prepared: An injured or scared pet may lash out in self-defense.

Include your pet's needs in your emergency kit. Always keep ample supplies on hand of your pet's food, medications, litter and enough water to cover your pet as well as your human family members. (And rotate all supplies regularly.) A first-aid kit should cover your pet's needs as well as your own -- and should include a compact first-aid guide geared to pets. If your pet eats canned food, don't forget to throw in a spare can opener and a spoon. Disposable dishes and litter boxes can be useful as well.

One of the best investments you can make when it comes to preparation is to know basic first aid for pets and people alike. For a directory of instructors in your area, check PetTech.net or ask your veterinarian for information.

THE SCOOP

New baby? Your cat

doesn't have to go

You don't need to find a new home for your cat if you are expecting a baby, no matter what well-meaning relatives and friends may say to the contrary.

When pregnant, have someone else handle the litter-box chores, and if you garden, wear gloves just in case a neighbor's cat has left deposits in your flower beds.

After your baby comes home, common sense dictates that no animal be left unattended with a small child. While cats do not maliciously smother or suck the breath out of babies -- as the myths hold -- it's just safer to take no chances. (I have to admit: Seeing proud parents post pictures online of babies propped up on cats and dogs makes my stomach flip. Don't take stupid risks for a "cute" picture.)

After your child is older, you still want to remain on the lookout for problems. Toddlers don't understand that pets need gentle handling, and although most cats catch on very quickly to the notion that small children are best avoided, a possibility always exists that your pet, if cornered, could scratch or bite your child or even be hurt himself.

Cats are wonderful family pets, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Keeping your cat in good health with the help of your family's veterinarian will help make your pet a perfect companion -- a little more flexible and self-sufficient than a dog but still affectionate and nonjudgmental.

If you're always aware that small children and cats have the potential to hurt each other, you'll be ahead of the curve when it comes to keeping everyone safe. -- 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 many best-selling pet-care books. Dr. Becker can also be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

Some cats don't

mix well with milk

-- Most cats like milk, but milk doesn't agree with all cats. After the age of 12 weeks or so, some cats (like some people) lose the ability to digest the lactose in the milk. For those cats, milk isn't recommended -- it can give them diarrhea. For cats who aren't lactose intolerant, milk can be a nice occasional treat.

-- The average bat eats 3,000 mosquitoes per night.

-- Some birds make more than a thousand trips finding enough material to build their nests. Doves may spend only a matter of two to four days on nest building with twigs, while hawks will take months using sticks to build a nest. Hummingbirds use dandelion down, hair, feathers, spider silk, fine strips of bark and lint to make their nests. Martins and swallows build their nests out of mud, creating nest cups that cling under bridges and eaves. Orioles create a hanging nest by weaving together materials such as grass. Woodpeckers will create nests by excavating them, often using fresh wood-chip bedding.

-- Among the many notable things said or written about cats is this quote from Ernest Hemingway: "A cat has emotional honesty: Human beings, for one reason or another, may hide their feelings, but the cat does not."

-- Dr. Marty Becker and Mikkel Becker Shannon