And Gina Spadafori

The best way to save your pet from an accidental poisoning is to know which items are poisonous and to keep those out of your pet's reach.

What do you need to know? We touched base with Dr. Steven Hansen of the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center to find out.

Some poisonings are a result of something an animal gets into, like a household product. But a surprising number of cases come from something intentionally given to an animal by an owner who's trying to help. The classic example of the latter is when an elderly cat is given an extra-strength acetaminophen for arthritis. The owner is trying to help, but unfortunately, even one capsule of this common human medicine can kill a cat.

Dogs can figure out their way into trouble that their owners never envisioned. This includes opening cabinets to get cleaning products and counter-surfing to reach food items and pill vials. You need to realize that pets are basically like toddlers who can open any child-proof container, and you should take similar precautions:

-- Keep products such as medications, harmful foods and cleaning products in a secure cabinet above countertop height.

-- Use a kitchen garbage can with a lid. 

-- Always read labels, especially on flea and tick products, and on lawn and garden products. Store out of reach in a high cupboard, not under the sink.

-- Be familiar with the plants in and around your home, and have only nontoxic plants. 

-- Never give any medication or supplement to your pet unless recommended or approved by your veterinarian.

Many toxic substances aren't well-known to dog owners. For example, don't let your dog have significant amounts of raisins or grapes, macadamia nuts, moldy cheese, chocolate, onions, garlic or anything made with xylitol, which is a deadly ingredient for pets. If xylitol is in something in your home, your dog needs to be protected from it.

Once the preventive measures are in place, you need to know the signs of poisoning. Many (but not all) substances first cause stomach upset, including vomiting and diarrhea. It's not fun, but vomit must be examined for evidence of chewed packaging, plants, food, pills or other important clues.

Many poisonings progress to weakness and depression or nervous stimulation, including tremors and seizures. Pets may stop eating and drinking, or may drink excessive amounts, which could suggest liver or kidney involvement. Rapid or slow breathing, with changes in tongue and gum color -- from pink to white, blue or brown -- is important.

If you suspect poisoning, stay calm. Panicking will not help your pet and may waste precious time. If your pet is not showing any serious signs of illness described above, contact your regular veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (888-426-4435) to determine if your pet needs to be seen, or if treatment needs to be given at home before you head to the veterinarian.

If your pet is having difficulty breathing, is having seizures, is bleeding or is unconscious, go to your regular veterinarian or an emergency clinic immediately. Take any evidence including chewed containers and labels and even vomit. This information is key to helping your veterinarian save your pet.

Be sure to always have the numbers of your pet's regular veterinarian, your local veterinary emergency clinic and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. It could save your pet's life.

Q&A

Do compact fluorescent bulbs

cause feather-picking?

Q: I read on the Internet that the compact fluorescent light bulbs they're pushing so hard are one of the reasons for feather-picking in parrots. Can you comment? -- via email

A: I asked board-certified avian specialist Dr. Brian Speer (my "Birds for Dummies" co-author) for help with this one. He says bird owners can probably keep using these bulbs if they choose to.

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

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

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

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

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

Best bet for a fix to feather-picking? Work with an avian veterinarian to figure out the cause or causes, which can vary from bird to bird. -- Gina Spadafori

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

THE BUZZ

Touchy cats can be

trained to chill

-- Every cat lover has had the experience of a cat who, while being petted, bites or scratches "without warning." In fact, there is almost always some warning, but a key bit of body language was missed or ignored. You can tell when you're getting close to the line by watching your cat's tail. When a cat has had just about enough, his tail will start twitching.

With sensitive cats or cats you've just met, restrict your caresses to behind the ears, under the chin or at the base of the tail. You can reform hair-trigger cats by watching for the first sign of a tail twitch. When you get that first early warning sign, stop petting and allow him to calm down or to leave if he wants. Over time, you'll build up your cat's tolerance for petting.

-- Children run less risk of being sensitive to allergens if there is a dog in the house in the early years of their lives. Recent studies give weight to the theory that growing up with a pet trains the immune system to be less sensitive to potential triggers for allergies such as asthma, eczema and hay fever.

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

Hardly a day goes by when there isn't a news story about a dog attack somewhere. When school starts, children may become especially vulnerable, walking and biking through their neighborhoods to class. And that's why every fall I write about safety around dogs.

To be fair, dogs aren't the biggest risk that children face growing up. Organized sports, for example, are 10 times more likely to result in a child's trip to the emergency room than are dogs.

And although in most cases the dog involved in a serious attack is the family's own, it's also true that many neighborhoods are not safe for walking or biking because of a dog. These animals are accidents waiting to happen because their owners either don't know or don't care that their dogs are a public menace.

The experts say the signs of trouble are usually there long before a dog attacks. The dog is typically young, male and unneutered. He is usually unsocialized -- a backyard dog with little to no interaction with the family. He is often inadvertently trained to be vicious by being kept full-time on a chain or in a small kennel run.

Is there a dog like this in your neighborhood -- or in your own yard? If it's the latter, call your veterinarian and arrange for your pet to be neutered, and then ask for a referral to a behaviorist who can help you rehabilitate your pet. Don't put this off: Your dog is a danger, and your own family is at risk.

Of course, you can't control what other people do with their animals. That's why you have to make sure your children know how to behave around dogs to protect themselves. Here's what everyone should know, and what parents need to teach their children: 

-- Never approach a loose dog, even if he seems friendly. Dogs who are confined in yards, and especially those dogs on chains, should also be avoided. Many are very serious about protecting their turf. If the dog is with his owner, children should always ask permission before petting him and then begin by offering him the back of a hand for a sniff. Further, they should pat the dog on the neck or chest. The dog may interpret a pat on the head from above as a gesture of dominance. Teach your children to avoid fast or jerky movements around dogs, since these may trigger predatory behavior.

-- Be a tree when a threatening dog approaches, standing straight with feet together, fists under the neck and elbows into the chest. Teach your children to make no eye contact, since some dogs view eye contact as a challenge. Running is a normal response to danger, but it's the worst possible thing to do around a dog, because it triggers the animal's instinct to chase and bite. Many dogs will just sniff and leave. Teach your children to stay still until the animal walks away, and then back away slowly out of the area.

-- "Feed" the dog a jacket or backpack if attacked, or use a bike to block the dog. These strategies may keep an attacking dog's teeth from connecting with flesh.

-- Act like a log if knocked down: face down, legs together, curled into a ball with fists covering the back of the neck and forearms over the ears. This position protects vital areas and can keep an attack from turning fatal. Role-play these lessons with your child until they are ingrained. They may save your child's life.

Discuss safe behavior with your children and role-play how to approach dogs, when not to approach, and what to do if confronted or attacked.

You don't need to scare your children, but you do need to make sure they're ready, just in case. And going over the "what ifs" isn't a bad idea for you as well.

Q&A

Give a dog a toy that's safe to have

Q: Can you recommend a good, safe toy that our golden retriever could carry around with him? He will pick up anything. I thought if I could find something safe for him to carry around, it would save my glasses, remote controls and kitchen sponges from being taken and carried around proudly. -- via email

A: Retrievers were developed to carry items, and some of them take their jobs quite seriously. One of my retrievers, McKenzie, always greets me with a toy in her mouth -- and sometimes three or four, all at once. She's very proud of her natural abilities, and she makes me laugh, so I like her skills, too.

When you're dealing with behavior as natural as this, the best thing to do is go with the flow. First, the fun part: shop therapy. Get a couple of plush pet toys to start with -- some stores will even welcome your dog inside so he can choose his own. You can also save money by picking up used plush toys originally sold for children at tag sales or thrift stores. Just run them through the washer and dryer, and remove the eyes and other bits that can be chewed off and swallowed before adding to the toy mix.

Get a toy box for your growing collection -- I use a cheapie milk crate -- so the toys are always in reach. And let your dog know it's OK to take them out of there any time he pleases.

Practice retrieving games with your dog to interest him in his new toys, and encourage him to bring them to you by asking him to "go find" and then by leading him to the toy box. You can eventually make this game more challenging and fun by hiding the toys, or by asking for them by name, such as "football" or "rooster."

Teach him "leave it" to protect your things. With him sitting in front of you, hold a cookie in a closed fist and say "leave it." Keep your fist closed until he stops showing active interest and backs off. Then say "OK," open your fist, and let him have the treat. Your dog will soon learn that pawing, sniffing and whining will not get him a goodie, but leaving the treat alone when told to do so will eventually bring rewards.

Once he understands what's expected of him, tell him to "leave it" when you see him looking at your things and then ask him to get one of his toys instead. If you find him with something he shouldn't have, take it without comment and send him for his toy. If you're consistent, he'll make the connection soon enough and will start carrying around his toys instead of yours. -- Gina Spadafori

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

THE BUZZ

Cats are sprinters but not marathoners

-- The average domestic cat can run at a speed of around 30 mph. To put that in perspective, a thoroughbred racehorse can maintain a speed of 45 mph for more than a mile. Racing greyhounds can hit just under 42 mph for about a third of a mile. But it's a cat who takes the land-speed record: The cheetah can go 70 mph for a couple of hundred yards. Like the cheetah -- albeit not as fast -- domestic cats are built for quick bursts of speed. While you could never outrun a dog over distance, you could outrun a cat. They quickly overheat when running and have to stop after just 30 to 60 seconds to cool down.

-- The British government for many years kept cats "on the payroll" to help keep buildings free of rodents.

-- Dogs today are more likely to be given human names: Sam, Sadie, Molly, Max. But it wasn't always so. At least two names -- Rover and Fido -- were once so popular that they now serve as synonyms for the word "dog." These names were of the descriptive variety, revealing the traits a dog had -- or those his owners hoped he'd have. Rover is pretty obvious, a term from the days before leash laws became more common than now. But Fido? Its roots are Latin and suggest a dog of unflinching loyalty and courage (rather like the motto of the U.S. Marine Corps, Semper Fi, for "always faithful").-- 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.

Some of the saddest emails I get are from people who are punishing or even contemplating ending the lives of formerly well-mannered pets with new behavior problems. So many of these pet lovers chalk up the changes to "spite" or some other offbeat reason while missing the most obvious reason of all: Their pet is sick.

Some everyday examples:

-- An 8-year-old cat who has always been pretty relaxed suddenly starts zooming around, knocking things off tables and using claws in play.

-- A 9-year-old collie mix who has always been trustworthy and happy suddenly starts snapping when being petted.

-- A 6-year-old cat suddenly starts missing the litter box, even though there has been no change in the location, filler or cleanliness.

People often look for one simple training tip that will bring back the problem-free relationship they had with their animal companions. But sometimes, what pet lovers assume is a behavioral problem, really isn't -- it's a medical problem; one that will be resolved only with proper diagnosis and treatment.

That zooming cat? There's a pretty good chance she has a condition called hyperthyroidism, in which the thyroid gland overproduces, and in so doing prompts behavior changes in a cat whose body is suddenly supercharged.

That snapping dog? A painful ear infection may be the culprit, or perhaps joint pain. The fact that she's snapping when petted, not biting, speaks volumes about her good temperament, despite her extreme pain.

And what about the cat whose perfect potty habits are suddenly gone? His case could have any number of medical causes behind it, from an infection or kidney disease to diabetes.

With good medical care, all three of these pets will likely be made healthy and should be able to be well-mannered pets again. Cases such as these make clear why the first rule of solving any behavior problem is to make sure that it's not a medical problem. This is especially true if the behavior change is sudden.

If you start trying to retrain a pet who's sick, not only will you get nowhere, but you'll also delay the resolution of the condition that may be causing your pet discomfort or pain.

It's important to know what's normal for your pet and to look for small changes in appearance or behavior that could be the early signs of illness, even before they prompt annoying behavior problems. It's important to always keep an eye on your pet's overall condition, for example, being careful to note a loss in weight, a newfound dullness to his coat or a change in energy levels.

Changes in eating and elimination habits are also worthy of investigation, as are subtle shifts in temperament -- such as a pet who seems a little more aloof or more clingy.

Double your vigilance when your pet crosses into the senior years. Many of the problems pet lovers assume are just part of the aging process -- stiff joints or absentmindedness -- can be treated, with both traditional and alternative methods available.

Such treatments can vastly improve your aging pet's quality of life, and yours as well, since you won't be dealing with the accompanying behavior problems. If you're already dealing with unwanted behavior, call your veterinarian first, because punishing a sick pet isn't fair, and it won't fix a thing. 

Q&A

Teaching children

how to hold a cat

Q: When I was growing up we had a cat who'd tolerate just about anything, including being held in any position and even being dressed up for tea parties. (Well, for a while, anyway.) The cat I have now isn't like that at all. He doesn't like our kids holding him. How can we get him to tolerate it better? He doesn't bite or scratch, but can't get away fast enough.

He likes the kids, and rubs against them. He just doesn't seem comfortable in their arms. -- via email

A: Children and cats are natural together, but you need to lay some ground rules for the safety of both. I think with some careful, secure handling, your cat can learn to enjoy -- or at least tolerate -- more attention from your kids. Maybe he'll even learn to be dressed up someday!

Cats can bite or scratch children, and animals can be injured by the well-meaning attention of children, especially young ones. The key to keeping children and cats together safely is to make sure their interactions are supervised, and to teach children how to handle and respect cats.

Teach your children how to hold a cat properly, with support under the animal's chest and legs. A cat who feels secure and safe is far less likely to scratch or bite.

Toddlers can really try a cat's patience, even though they aren't being anything but normal. Young children can't understand that poking, squeezing and patting aren't appreciated. Although most cats figure out quickly that children this age are best avoided, your children could be bitten or scratched if your cat is cornered or startled. Keep an eye on all interactions. And consider putting a baby gate across the entry to a "safe room" for your cat, so he can have a place to go where he isn't pestered.

School-aged children can learn to care for a cat and take an increasing amount of responsibility -- under supervision, of course. One way to teach younger school-aged children is to play the "copycat game." If your children pet the cat gently, stroke their arms gently to show how nice it feels.

And always teach your children to let go when the squirming starts. A cat who wants to go will get away one way or the other, and you don't want him fighting to get free. Build up a tolerance for time in the arms of your children and I think he'll do fine. -- Gina Spadafori

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

THE BUZZ

Heartworm prevention

now even more critical

-- Giving heartworm preventive has never been more critical than now with news that the drug used to treat infestations of the parasite will not be available in the near future. In a letter sent in early August, Merial, the manufacturer of the drug Immiticide, asked veterinarians to conserve existing supplies. The announcement led to some "stocking up," and now Merial has no product to sell.

The American Heartworm Society has provided guidelines to veterinarians on how to manage heartworm disease until the drug's supply is back to normal, guidelines that include restricting exercise for parsite-infested dogs to prevent collapse. The problem is most critical for shelters; studies show that up to 60 percent of shelter dogs test positive for the parasites, which can be fatal. Heartworms are transmitted by mosquitoes, and easily prevented by a monthly medication with a good safety record.

-- Dogs are being used in nearly a dozen states to calm witnesses before they are called to take the stand in court. Houston's program is designed specifically for domestic abuse cases and given a clever name: Paw and Order SDU (Special Dog Unit). The programs are not without controversy; defense attorneys have challenged this program, saying the dogs' presence may make witnesses more appealing and, as such, more believable.

-- Studies suggest that in 80 percent of households where an animal is being abused, children are also being victimized. Starting Oct. 1, Connecticut will be the latest of a handful of states that require the reporting of animal abuse should trigger an investigation of child or spousal abuse as well.

-- 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.