By Kim Campbell Thornton

Remember when you got that bundle of puppy love? Remember when you took him to training class, to the beach, on that road trip? Remember when he spent a whole week just snuggling with you in bed when you had the flu and he brought all his toys to help you feel better?

If you've ever loved an old dog or have one who is approaching his golden years, you have lots of "remember whens." And you can have lots more with the help of "Good Old Dog: Expert Advice for Keeping Your Aging Dog Happy, Healthy and Comfortable " (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $26), a compendium of science, stories, myth-busting and more information than you might have known existed about the care and companionship of aging dogs. Compiled by veterinary experts at Tufts University's Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine and edited by Tufts veterinary behaviorist Dr. Nicholas Dodman, the comprehensive tome covers everything from behavioral changes to expect and recognizing signs of potential problems to making health care and end-of-life decisions.

How long can dogs live? A lot longer than you might think, Dodman says.

"Here at the veterinary school, we see about 8,000 old dogs per year out of our caseload of about 24,000. The oldest one we had on record was 21, but I know dogs can make it to 22 or 23."

With dogs living longer, pet owners are more likely to confront such canine health problems as arthritis, cancer, congestive heart failure, kidney disease and even a form of Alzheimer's disease. Dodman, whose contribution was a chapter on doggie dementia, says classic signs of the condition are disorientation, a reduction in social interaction, sleep disturbances and loss of house-training, identified by the acronym DISH. If your dog seems to get lost in the house or stare into space, no longer greets you when you come home from work, sleeps fitfully or becomes agitated during the night, or starts to have house-training accidents, chances are that senility is setting in. The good news is that medication, activity and diet can all help. That's true for almost every effect of aging.

Aging is not a disease, Dodman says -- there's even a chapter with that title -- and when it does cause problems, there is a lot that can be done to help pets. With regular veterinary examinations, careful observations and the advice in this book, we can help our dogs glide comfortably through their golden years.

Cat owners are equally fortunate in their choice of reading material. Cat expert Darlene Arden has written "The Complete Cat's Meow: Everything You Need to Know About Caring for Your Cat" (Howell Book House, $20). The clowder of cat-centric advice includes tips on raising kittens, training cats (yes, it can be done!), fixing behavior problems and helping shelter cats through clicker training. Along the way, she addresses nutrition and wellness, details exactly how to hold a cat, trim sharp claws and successfully administer medication, and debunks the myths that give cats a bad rap, from black cats crossing paths to cats sucking the breath from babies.

For instance, Arden begs to differ with the notion that cats are loners. Why else do cats choose to sit in our laps, sleep with us, walk across our keyboards and spread out across the newspaper we're reading?

"They're solitary hunters, but they're not solitary creatures," Arden says. "They're looking for attention."

Keeping cats intellectually and physically challenged is a big part of living happily with them, says Arden, who believes most cats spend the day doing the mental equivalent of twiddling their thumbs. They need playtime with their people -- "Even three five-minute play sessions a day is great" -- and interactive toys so they can play on their own when they want.

"You can have so much fun with a cat. I really hope everyone will look at them in a different light and will have more interaction with them."

Kim Campbell Thornton is an award-winning writer an a member of the PetConnection team.

Q&A

Keeping dogs safe

when on the road

Q: My dog loves to ride in the car with his head hanging out the open window, ears blowing in the breeze, but my neighbor keeps telling me it's not safe to let him do that. Why not, and what's the best way to protect him when he's riding in the car? -- via e-mail

A: There's no doubt dogs get a thrill out of sniffing the fantastic odors carried in the air and feeling the wind ruffle their fur.

Unfortunately for them, there's a lot that can go wrong when they are allowed to ride loose and stick their heads out the window. Dust and other debris can blow into their eyes and cause injury, and in the event of a collision, an unrestrained dog can be flung about in the car, endangering the driver, passengers and himself. He can hit the windshield with hundreds or even thousands of pounds of force or even be thrown out the window into traffic.

Instead of letting him ride loose, restrain him with a seat belt or car seat made for dogs, or confine him to a crate or soft carrier that can be secured with a seat belt through the handle on top or a loop located at the back of the carrier. A canine seat belt should consist of a one-piece harness with wide, padded straps that can be attached to your car's seat belt or some other sturdy anchor point. A car seat should attach to a passenger seat and come with a strap that hooks to your dog's harness (not his collar).

Whichever option you choose, your dog is safest in the middle of the back seat. An air bag punching out of the dashboard at 140 miles per hour is just as dangerous to a dog as it is to a small child.

What's the safest way to restrain your dog? A seat belt or car seat prevents him from flying through the air, but a crate may do a better job of protecting him from a flying object in a collision. Either way, he will be safer than if he's not restrained at all. -- Kim Campbell Thornton

THE BUZZ

Tailless cats count

for less in one way

-- No one can definitively say how many bones a cat has. A long-tailed Maine Coon cat will have more vertebrae than a Manx with no tail, or a Manx mix with just part of a tail. And a cat with extra toes -- they're called polydactyl -- will have extra bones as a result. The range is usually between 230 and 250, with the average cat counting about 244 bones, if cats could or cared to count. Anyway you count it, the average cat has about 30 more bones than we have. But we have something cats don't: collarbones. Not that a cat would consider that a disadvantage. Without a collarbone, a cat can fit his body through an opening the size of his head. Assuming he isn't overweight, of course.

-- While being fat isn't funny for a cat, crash diets can be deadly for obese felines. Rapid weight-loss can trigger a dangerous liver disease, hepatic lipidosis. Talk to your veterinarian about how to reduce your cat's weight safely.

-- In many parts of the country, fenced yards are uncommon, so some people keep their dogs on chains. Tethering a dog for a short while is fine, but it should never be a permanent way of confining a dog. Dogs who spend their lives on chains are more likely to become dangerous, biting anyone who comes onto their turf. That's because a dog who spends his life on a chain is isolated and frustrated, and he'll sometimes lash out to protect his pitiful bit of territory. Chaining can be dangerous for the dog, too: There are countless cases where a dog tried to jump a fence, didn't have enough chain to clear it and ended up hanging himself from his collar on the other side. If you don't have a fenced yard, walking your dog or buying a kennel run for him to hang out in when you can't be with him is better than chaining him outside.

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.

By Amy Shojai

A top reason cats lose their homes is destructive scratching when furniture trumps the cat-owner bond. People bonded with a cat put up with more household damage before resorting to ditching the kitty -- but it can still happen. Understanding why a cat scratches -- and how easy it is to prevent damage to furniture -- helps keep cats in their homes.

Clawing is an instinctive behavior that can't be stopped. While some felines are claw-maniacs and others are less demanding of scratch-time, all cats claw for physical, emotional and social reasons.

Clawing provides exercise to stretch shoulder and foreleg muscles, and it keeps nails healthy. Scent pads in kitty paws leave invisible smell-cues of ownership. The marks also serve as feline Post-it Notes to warn away other cats from prime feline real estate. That's why single-cat households may create less claw-trauma than multipet homes, where each cat vies for territory and attention. Cats also claw to comfort themselves during times of stress.

To keep clawing on-target, give your cat legal outlets for this natural behavior. Offer irresistible options while making forbidden objects undesirable. Watch your cat and he'll tell you his scratch preferences. The surface (wood, sisal, carpet), preferred shape (vertical or horizontal), and location are vital. Spiking the new object with catnip helps promote feline allegiance.

Kitty wants the world to see his scratch-graffiti, so don't hide posts in back rooms. Place them in high traffic areas or near important cat territories -- windows, lookouts, nap places and food stations. Abide by the 1-plus-1 rule of one post per cat, plus one, so everyone has clawing opportunities. Avoid "cleaning up" or re-covering tattered scratch objects. That can risk the cat losing scratch-allegiance when his marks disappear.

Make illegal targets unattractive to the cat, until he learns to use the right object. Sticky Paws double-sided tape, endorsed by the ASPCA, works great on upholstery -- cats dislike touching surfaces that stick to paw fur. Strong scents such as citrus deodorants or Vicks Vapo-Rub repel many cats. Cinnamon peppered on dark upholstery, or baby powder on light fabric, prompts a poof of dust into the cat's face when he assaults with feline claws. You can even temporarily wrap chair arms with bubble wrap. These pet-safe "booby traps" are effective when you're not around.

A product called Comfort Zone with Feliway duplicates the cheek scent that cats rub against furniture that tells the cat, "Chill -- calm down!" Cats won't claw on top of cheek-rubs, which reduce stress-related behaviors. Feliway comes as a spray or as a plug-in from pet product stores.

Meanwhile, position legal objects next to illegal targets and redirect kitty claws when necessary. Interrupt forbidden scratching with a sudden loud noise. Slap a newspaper against your thigh, clap hands or shake an empty can full of pennies. A long-distance squirt gun aimed at a furry tail can startle some cats out of the behavior, but some cats LIKE to be squirted! Once kitty stops, direct claws to the legal target with a laser pointer or by dragging a feather lure over the surface, and praise when he does the right thing.

For hard-case cats, Soft Paws vinyl claw covers reduce the potential for scratch damage. Soft Paws glue over the top of each nail, come in a variety of colors, and are available from pet supply stores and some veterinary offices. You can learn to apply them yourself.

After your kitty switches to scratching the correct object, move it to a better location, a few inches at a time. The bubble wrap comes off as well. A little bit of human inconvenience translates into a well-trained kitty and a lifetime of love. And that's the purr-fect outcome for everyone.

Amy Shojai is the author of 23 pet-care books, a founder of the Cat Writers Association, and is the cat behavior contributor at cats.About.com.

Q&A

Complementary help

can ease cat's pain

Q: I can tell that my older cat is stiff and sore. It's harder for her to get up, and she doesn't move around as quickly. I am very interested in natural medicine and would like to know if my cat can also benefit from the same treatments that have helped me reduce some of the aches and pains of age. -- via email

A: Lots of veterinarians and other pet lovers share your interest. Many natural therapies, known as alternative, or complementary, medicine, have been found to help cats, especially as they get older and develop arthritis or other health problems related to aging. Complementary treatments include nutraceuticals (a word coined by combining "nutrition" and "pharmaceuticals") such as glucosamine, chondroitin and essential fatty acids.

A good example is omega-3 fatty acids. Research has shown that they can have a significant anti-inflammatory effect on arthritic joints in dogs, and there's a good chance that cats may benefit as well. Older cats with creaky joints can also get pain relief from a product called Adequan. It is easily injected beneath the skin and can be done by a pet owner at home.

Pets with pain issues can also be helped with physiotherapy, which may include acupuncture, chiropractic, stretching, massage and low-level laser. A veterinarian who is trained in these therapies can determine which ones will work best for each individual pet and administer them as needed. You can learn to do some other techniques at home, such as tui-na, a type of Chinese massage that helps to increase circulation and improve tissue mobility, and low-level laser therapy, which has benefits that include reduced inflammation and pain relief.

Two important things to remember: One, just because something works in dogs or people doesn't necessarily mean it will work in cats, who have a unique physiology; and two, just because something is "natural" doesn't mean it is safe. Never give your pet an herb, nutraceutical or other medication without first checking with your veterinarian to make sure it won't harm your animal or interact negatively with other drugs your pet is taking. -- Kim Campbell Thornton

THE BUZZ

Enzymatic cleaners

best for pet mess

-- Cancer deaths in both dogs and humans can be reduced dramatically by a reduction in the consumption of omega-6 fatty acids and in maintaining ideal body weight. The research, by veterinarian Dr. Demian Dressler, was presented at the Institute of Food Technologists annual meeting. Dr. Dressler recommends severely limiting snack foods that contain ingredients rich in omega-6, such as corn oil, vegetable oil and grain-fed red meat. Too much omega-6 fatty acid can lead to inflammation, which creates an environment conducive to the development of cancer. As for weight, obesity cuts the production of a hormone that inhibits the growth of cancerous cells. The findings stress the importance of proper diet and weight for both people and pets.

-- The cat-borne parasite Toxoplasma gondii, which can trigger or exacerbate psychotic symptoms and schizophrenia, triggers different reactions in different people. That's the result of a study published in the journal Infection and Immunity, authored by researchers at Johns Hopkins. Each of the three strains causes different reactions in nerve cells, ranging from mild to serious. The parasite is the reason why pregnant women are counseled to have others clean litter boxes, so as to protect fetal development. -- Dr. Marty Becker and Mikkel Becker

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.

"Your Dog: The Owner's Manual" isn't just another book on dog care.

When I say "hundreds of secrets, surprises and solutions for raising a happy, healthy dog," I'm not kidding. In my work, I balance my decades of real-world experience as a practicing veterinarian with my access to the leaders in the veterinary and pet care world. The result: an insider's view of what's tried and true, as well as what you need to know about what's new. And I share it all, with you.

Here are 10 of my top insider's secrets from "Your Dog: The Owner's Manual" that will help any dog lover. Secrets? They might as well be, they're so little known. Surprises? To most people, you bet. Solutions? (BEGIN ITAL)Absolutely(END ITAL). Read on!

-- Secret No. 1: Shedding is a top complaint of dog lovers, but when people choose a low-shed pet, they're usually barking up the wrong tree. The kind of dog who sheds the least? A small one (less dog, less fur) with long fur (long fur stays in longer than short fur) who's kept clipped short (less left on to clean up when it does eventually fall out).

-- Secret No. 2: Preventing accidents can save more than your pet -- it saves money, too. By keeping all medications – human and pet prescriptions, and all over-the-counters -- safely locked away, you'll protect your pet from the No. 1 poisoning hazard.

-- Secret No. 3: Stop the post-bath shake from getting water all over your bathroom -- and you. It's simple: That water-spraying shake starts at the nose, and if you hold your dog's muzzle until you can get a towel over him, you'll prevent him from shaking.

-- Secret No. 4: New training tools like head halters and front-clip leashes can make walking your dog a pleasure for you both. These tools are like power-steering for your dog. I also share how to develop an exercise program that will improve the health of both you and your dog.

-- Secret No. 5: Getting old doesn't need to mean misery for your dog. Working with your veterinarian to provide your old dog "neutraceuticals" such as omega-3 oil and glucosamine, along with prescription pain medications, can put the bounce back in your old dog's step.

-- Secret No. 6: Learn why every pet owner needs to keep several over-the-counter remedies on hand -- and when your veterinarian may direct you to use them. You'll want to stock up on Pepto-Bismol (for upset tummies), hydrogen peroxide (to induce vomiting) and Benadryl (for allergies).

-- Secret No. 7: Most people want to take advantage of the incredible advances in veterinary medicine, but some simply can't afford them. The solution for many is pet health insurance. The surprise? Despite several companies offering such insurance with good track records and countless satisfied customers, fewer than 2 percent of dog lovers protect their pets this way.

-- Secret No. 8: Your dog doesn't have to hate going to the veterinarian. If you work with your veterinarian to keep early experiences pleasant -- such as not having nails trimmed at your vet's place and having your pet given pats and treats on every visit -- your dog will love going to the hospital.

-- Secret No. 9: It's easy to save money on pet care without short-changing your pet. You can save money by price-shopping for prescription medications, buying in bulk, keeping your pet thin and even bartering for your pet's needs.

-- Secret No. 10: "Yearly shots" are no longer recommended. Most dogs should now get "core" vaccines on a three-year cycle. There is no longer any "one size fits all" when it comes to vaccines.

These 10 secrets? They're just the beginning of what you'll find I've shared with you in "Your Dog: The Owner's Manual." And if you're a cat lover, I have great news for you, too: "Your Cat: The Owner's Manual" will be out next spring.

Q&A

Pet food labels

hard to decipher

Q: I'm never sure what I'm getting when I read pet food labels. What does it really mean when the label says a food is "natural" or "organic"? -- via email

A: It sounds great when your dog's or cat's food is described as "natural" or "organic," doesn't it? It's easy to imagine happy cows and chickens being raised sustainably on Farmer Jan's property. The real definitions don't have anything to do with how farm animals are raised or the quality of the food, though. In the eyes of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the term "natural" does not have an official definition. It simply means that a pet food does not contain artificial flavors, colors or preservatives.

The Association of American Feed Control Officials, a trade organization that develops nutrient standards and ingredient definitions for pet foods, says a "natural" food or ingredient is one that is made only from plant, animal or mined sources and is not produced by or subject to a chemically synthetic process. Foods described as natural may not contain anything artificial, except in amounts that might occur unavoidably during manufacture. The AAFCO says the term "natural" should be used only to describe products when all of the ingredients -- not counting chemically synthesized vitamins, minerals and other trace nutrients -- meet this definition.

No rules govern the use of the word "organic" on pet food labels. The term "organic" refers to the conditions under which plants were grown or animals were raised. Typically, foods that claim to be organic may not contain ingredients that are genetically engineered or produced using sludge or irradiation, or that contain certain synthetic substances, and they must be free of sulfites, nitrates or nitrites. Products labeled organic cannot contain non-organic ingredients if organic sources are available.

Feeding an "organic" or "natural" diet is no guarantee against contamination. It's great to look for foods that meet the ideals you desire for a pet's diet, but it's always a good idea to call the manufacturer -- contact information is required to be on the label -- and ask exactly what is meant by the terms "natural" or "organic." -- Kim Campbell Thornton

THE BUZZ

Meet Dr. Becker

on national tour

As part of the launch of his newest book, "Your Dog: The Owner's Manual," Dr. Marty Becker is traveling around the country to meet pet lovers for talks and book signings.

Dr. Becker's tour starts this week in Houston and travels to more than 30 cities in all, with events being held at select PETCOs.

He's traveling in a customized 45-foot bus wrapped with information on the tour, including links for following the bus from coast to coast via Facebook and Twitter (search for "DrMartyBecker on both). Along with him will be co-author Gina Spadafori and her dog, McKenzie, a 6-year-old retriever who has her own Facebook fan page (at Facebook.com/McKenzieTheDog).

Come say hello as Dr. Marty Becker's BIG Bus Tour rolls to a city near you -- visit DrMartyBecker.com for cities, dates and times of the events.

And if you can't make it to an event, you can still be a part of the tour by helping your favorite shelter or rescue group to win thousands of dollars in pet supplies.

With the help of more than 40 companies that donated new pet care supplies, Dr. Becker is hosting a contest to get thousands of dollars in products to shelters voted on by his Facebook fans. Hundreds of new products with a total retail value of more than $70,000 are up for grabs, and it's all free to enter in support of your own favorite shelter or rescue group.

To nominate your favorite 501(c)3 shelter or rescue group, simply post it to Dr. Becker's Facebook page (Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker). On May 18, 50 finalists will be chosen randomly, and then voting begins. The group with the most votes gets a grand prize of pet supplies valued at $20,000, with other groups winning additional prizes ranging from $4,000 to $1,000.

For more information on the contest and the tour, visit DrMartyBecker.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.