PREVENTIVE CARE, PET HEALTH INSURANCE SAVE LIVES, MONEY

Do you know what you spend on your dog? Some of us prefer to remain blissfully unaware, while others track every penny. Most of us are probably somewhere in the middle, with a general idea of annual costs that we don't think of much -- unless we're hit with something out of the ordinary.

Trade groups that track these things put the "start-up" costs of a dog (not accounting for the cost of purchase or adoption) at around a thousand dollars on average, with annual upkeep of about $700 per year. Bear in mind two things: first, that costs often are higher in urban areas and on both coasts, and less expensive in rural areas and in the Midwest and South; and second, that "average" includes people who frankly are barely spending enough on their dogs to keep from being hauled in by humane officers and charged with neglect.

If you opt for a high-quality diet (recommended), a solid preventive-care regimen from your veterinarian (also recommended) including parasite control (protecting your dog and your human family, too), along with some "fun" purchases that can also make your life easier and keep your home cleaner, you can easily double those guesstimates -- and still be hit with some big expenses that can be financially and emotionally devastating.

Is a dog worth it? That's a question only you can answer, but if you think you want to have a dog in your life, be prepared to spend some money on your pet. A high-quality diet and good preventive care may seem like two areas where you can scrimp, but they're really not. Taking good care of your dog every day is a good long-term strategy, not only for avoiding budget shock down the road, but also for keeping your pet happier, healthier and longer-lived.

Cut the budget in other places if you must -- no dog was ever hurt by an owner who buys in bulk -- but make sure you can cover the basics. As a veterinarian, I've seen too many times the predictable outcome of people who don't -- and I'd just as soon you not have to be in that boat.

Above all, plan to avoid the worst outcome of all: Choosing euthanasia over treatment for no reason except expense. I doubt there's a veterinarian alive who hasn't donated care or cut costs to help out a long-term client in a jam, but these days, veterinarians are just as hard-hit by the economy as everyone else is. And that means we can't give away our services and keep the doors open.

Pet health insurance has been growing in popularity, and for good reason: It's saving the lives of pets.

Check it out. You'll want to look at all the companies and policy options, talk to your veterinarian, read the reviews and fiddle with the online formulas to see what company and choices fit best for your pet.

It's the perfect partner to planned preventive care, and if you need it, I guarantee you'll be grateful you have it. Your veterinarian will be, too.

Q&A

Vaccine in leg

for good reason

Q: I took my cat in for her rabies vaccination, and my veterinarian gave her the shot in her leg. He's never done that before. What is the reason for that? -- via Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker

A: There is a kind of tumor known as a vaccine-associated sarcoma (VAS) that occurs rarely in cats. It is most strongly associated with either the rabies or the feline leukemia vaccine. The American Association of Feline Practitioners recommends that all feline vaccines be given in specific locations. This way, if a cat gets a tumor in that area, researchers will know which vaccine may have caused it.

The lower right leg is the recommended location for the rabies vaccine. In addition to helping researchers understand what's causing VAS, giving the shot in that location may make it easier to save the cat if she does get a tumor.

Vaccines used to be given mostly between the shoulder blades, but it's very hard to remove a fibrosarcoma from this area. Tumors in the lower limbs, on the other hand, can more easily be removed by amputating the leg.

It's very unlikely your cat will have any kind of reaction to her vaccinations, but it's good to know that your veterinarian is looking out for her well-being by both protecting her from diseases with vaccines and following the recommendations of the experts to prevent possible complications.

The location for injection isn't the only thing that has changed in recent years: So, too, has the number of vaccinations and their frequency. Check out the latest recommendations for cats at the AAFP website (catvets.com) and for dogs on the American Animal Hospital Assoc. website (healthypets.com, search for "vaccine"). -- Dr. Marty Becker

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

THE BUZZ

Heartworm risk

projected high

-- The Companion Animal Parasite Council warns that the mild winter in many parts of the country means high populations of mosquitoes, which in turn means a greater risk of heartworms in dogs and cats. The concern this year is that in areas such as the Midwest, the bitter cold has traditionally allowed many pet owners to skip heartworm prevention for much of the year as a cost savings. The lack of mosquitoes for much of the year makes that a calculated risk, at best, in normal-weather years, but not this one. Parasite experts warn of early emergence of mosquitoes, many of which transmit heartworms when they bite.

Those who took their pets off heartworm preventive medication should talk to their veterinarians about testing for the presence of the parasite this spring, and some may be shocked to find their pets testing positive for heartworms. However, the CPAC says most cats and half of all dogs are not protected against the potentially deadly parasite. For regional risk assessment, visit www.petsandparasites.org.

-- Parrots are able to control their irises, shrinking and enlarging their pupils rapidly in a display that's called "flashing" or "pinning." You have to read the whole bird to put the message in its proper context. Birds may flash their eyes when they're excited or when they're angry. Flashing accompanied by aggressive posturing, such as tail-fanning, signifies a bird who's bound to escalate his warnings -- and maybe even bite -- if not left alone. -- Gina Spadafori

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 affiliated with Vetstreet.com and 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.

CHECK IN WITH YOUR VETERINARIAN FOR CAT'S NUTRITIONAL GUIDANCE

This week's column is an excerpt from the just-released book, "Your Cat: The Owner's Manual." To get the entire first chapter free, visit www.vetstreet.com/dr-marty-becker.

Nearly everything about your cat's anatomy suggests her genetic heritage to hunt, and hunt well. Her feet are designed for silent stalking; her claws can hook anything and won't let go; her teeth are long, pointed and razor-sharp.

So what do you feed a creature who is so obviously designed to fend for herself?

Choosing a cat food should be simple business, but with so many options available, it can be tricky to find the right diet for your cat's best health. Even after 30 years of practicing veterinary medicine, I have to admit I sometimes find myself a little staggered by today's pet food aisle.

When I was a kid, we fed our cats in the barn from a 50-pound bag of generic, feed-store kibble. Now, I go to the grocery store that sells my own food, and see row upon row of dry, canned and even refrigerated fresh foods for felines -- something for every taste, dietary need and preference.

As a consumer, it's great to have choices. But you have to be able to sort through your options, weigh costs vs. benefits, and know how to compare to do your cat justice. After all, selecting a healthful, appropriate diet for your cat and feeding right-sized portions is one of the most important things you can do to ensure her good health and longevity.

Knowing how your cat's nutritional needs differ from your own may help put her very distinctive dietary requirements in perspective:

-- Must have meat. The feline system is designed to depend on the consumption of other animals to survive and thrive. Unlike humans and dogs, who are omnivores and can stay healthy on a variety of diets, cats are "strict" or "obligate" carnivores. Just like their distant cousins the lion, the tiger and the cheetah, house cats not only prefer meat, they can't maintain good health without it.

-- Pound for pound, cats need far more protein. A cat needs more than double the amount of protein per pound of body weight that a person requires. And even though we omnivores can meet our protein requirements with non-meat foods like dairy products, nuts and beans, cats don't have that luxury -- animal protein is the only kind that fulfills their nutritional needs. If a cat doesn't get enough protein in his diet, his body will actually break down his own muscle tissue to get the nutrients he needs.

-- Cats sponge vitamins and amino acids from their prey. There are some nutrients that an omnivore can produce or convert from food that cats have to get ready-to-use from their diets. Unless your cat is dining on a whole, fresh vermin several days a week, you need to provide a diet that provides these nutrients in usable form.

-- Many cats don't get thirsty. Cats are descended from desert hunters, and many scientists believe this is the reason they don't seem to have a strong thirst drive. In the wild, this isn't too much of an issue -- any fresh prey a cat would catch is mostly made of water. In a world of indoor cats eating dry kibble, however, this can become a big problem. Cats need plenty of water, whether they drink it directly or get it from their food. Without enough water in their diets, cats are susceptible to urinary tract problems. To help prevent problems with dehydration, make sure your cat absolutely always has fresh water available. A better solution is a pet-sized water fountain -- these encourage your cat to drink more, and more often.

Your cat's veterinarian is the best resource for advice on choosing a food that's best for your pet. Whether you shop for pet food in a grocery store, pet boutique or big-box retailer, your veterinarian will be able to point you in the right direction.

Q&A

Dog park rules keep

the fur from flying

Q: I got into it with someone at the dog park two different times over breaking the rules on bringing my daughter and our poodle mix in. Seems to me that if it's a public park, it should be open to everyone. What do you think? -- via email

A: I think the safest dog parks are that way because of sensible rules for their use. You need to respect those rules, because if you don't, it's your child and your dog you're putting at risk.

Here's the rationale for three common rules at dog parks:

-- Children. Some who are looking for an outing with both their children and their pets want dog parks to be open to children. Proponents of "child-free" dog parks argue that children -- who tend to behave in ways that encourage dogs to chase -- could get knocked down or bitten. If a child gets hurt, the dog will get blamed, they say, so it's better to leave children outside the gates.

-- Small dog/big dog. Some small dogs think they're big dogs. Some big dogs think small dogs are edible. The clash of attitudes does not work out well for small dogs. Many dog parks are now adding a separate area that's just for small dogs. That's a far better plan.

-- Unneutered male dogs. Young male dogs who have not been altered are generally more territorial and more likely to fight. And even well-behaved unneutered dogs are often goaded by neutered ones. Not good, in either case.

Of these dog-park controversies, only the small dog/big dog issue seems to be easily remedied to the satisfaction of all sides. While arguments continue over who should be allowed in, savvy dog-park users sensibly vote with their feet, taking their animals out whenever any situation starts to develop that could spell trouble. -- Gina Spadafori

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

THE BUZZ

Flea and tick control

safer for people, too

-- Keeping fleas and ticks off your pets is undeniably good for their health. New research suggests it's good for yours, too. According to Vetstreet.com, a team at North Carolina State University's College of Veterinary Medicine has connected the Bartonella infection to rheumatoid illnesses in people. Bartonella is a bacterium found in fleas, ticks and other biting insects. The team's study, published in the current edition of Emerging Infectious Diseases, showed 62 percent of nearly 300 people suffering from a variety of rheumatoid illnesses were found to have antibodies against Bartonella, and 41 percent had DNA evidence of the bacterium in their blood. The majority also had contact with dogs and cats. The study makes controlling parasites a high priority for pet lovers, so talk to your veterinarian about effective parasite control for your pets -- and, by extension, you.

-- Tired of cleaning up hairballs? Add some fiber to your cat's diet. A little bit of canned pumpkin -– plain pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling -- added to your pet's regular meals will help the fur ingested by grooming to pass through the digestive system, instead of being thrown up onto your carpets. Combine it with canned food for palatability, or mix it with a little water from canned tuna or clams.

-- While occasional cross-species theft by the cat from the dog's food bowl isn't a cause for alarm, giving dog food to cats long-term isn't a good idea. That's because dog food may lack a substance cats can't synthesize on their own -- taurine. The lack of taurine in the feline diet can lead to heart problems and blindness. -- Mikkel Becker and Dr. Marty 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 affiliated with Vetstreet.com and 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.

GOOD PLANNING AND GOOD FENCES CAN KEEP EVERYONE SAFE AND HAPPY

Animals and plants are always near me, by choice. But some plants are poisonous, and even those animals who don't eat plants seem just as intent on otherwise destroying them by sleeping on them or digging them up. That means I have spent a great deal of time protecting plants from animals, and vice versa.

This month, I'm giving up a suburban home for a very small farm, with room (and more important, zoning) for my two boarded horses, my chickens and ducks, as well as three dogs and a cat. There will be approved plants for eating -- pasture! -- and plans for a massive veggie garden as well.

Right now, it's all raw dirt and broken-down fences. Both are going to change, and soon.

Fortunately, I've spent years balancing the needs and safety of animals and plants, so I know what to do. Fencing is a big part of the equation, but that's not all of it. And since most people just want their dog to leave the landscaping alone, here are the tips that can help make that happen for everyone, no matter how big your yard:

-- Exercise your dog

Dogs who don't get daily exercise are likely to expend that energy and cure their 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 a chew toy, such as a Kong -- stuffed 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.

-- Give your dog a yard of his own

A side "relief" yard where messes and digging aren't ever a problem can allow your dog to be a dog, especially when you're not around to supervise.

-- Redirect digging

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 will deter him. 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. Want a good dog-friendly plant? Mint is perfect. This plant is nearly indestructible and greets each assault with a wave of fresh mint smell.

-- Fences are your friend

While there's a lot you can do with yard layout and plant selection, if you're planning a dedicated veggie garden, pick a pretty fence to go around it. At my current home, a four-foot fence that wouldn't be enough to contain my large dogs safely on the property is plenty high enough to keep them out of the tomatoes.

It'll be a long, long time before my new home has the gardens and plants I dream of. But with some basic guidelines in my head, there will be happier animals and fewer setbacks along the way.

Q&A

Reptiles not best

for young families

Q: My husband has a bearded dragon he has kept since college. We're expecting our first child, and I think "Iggy" needs to find a new home because of salmonella. What do you think? -- via email

A: Reptile pets can be wonderful, easy-care companions for all ages, but families do need to take extra precautions with them.

Because most, if not all, reptiles carry salmonella in their digestive tracts, these pets are generally not recommended for homes with children under 5 or with family members whose immune systems are compromised. For other homes, the risks can be greatly reduced by properly handling these pets. The Association of Reptilian and Amphibian Veterinarians suggests these basic safety precautions:

-- Wash hands with soap and hot water after handling reptiles or after cleaning reptile enclosures.

-- Limit the part of your home that your reptile is allowed to be in, and wash your hands after being in that area.

-- Never allow reptiles in areas of the home where food is prepared. Don't share food or drink with reptiles, and don't eat, drink or smoke while handling them. Don't kiss these pets, no matter how cute you think they are.

-- Do not put reptiles into bathtubs or sinks. Buy a separate tub for bathing these pets. Pour the water down the toilet, and do not use sinks or bathtubs to clean the reptile bathing tub -- or any reptile housing or gear.

-- Supervise older children to be sure they don't touch the pets and then put their fingers in their mouths. Make sure thorough hand-washing follows each exposure to these pets.

The ARAV stresses that the precautions do not mean reptiles shouldn't be kept as pets, but rather that by following basic common sense in handling them, the potential for human health problems can be kept to a minimum. For more information, visit the ARAV website (arav.org). -- Gina Spadafori

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

THE BUZZ

Trendy pets getting

more 'people' names

-- According to Vetstreet.com, the trendiest names for cats are Lola and Dexter; for dogs they're Lola and Bentley. Stella, Cooper, Izzy, Loki, Marley and Nala are also on the upward trend. The least trendy? Brandy and Dakota for dogs, and Katie and Bailey for cats. You also won't get any hipster points for naming your dog Cleo, Scooter, Sheba or Pepper, or your cat Tigger, Whiskers, Snowball or Sebastian. Vetstreet notes that, overall, pet lovers are choosing "people names" over monikers that describe physical characteristics, such as Hershey for a chocolate Labrador or Shadow for a black cat.

-- Gentle, constant pressure has been shown to calm infants (think of "swaddling") and autistic children. A handful of companies have created garments for dogs that apply pressure to keep them calm during thunderstorms and other stressful events, with good results. One such company now has created a similar garment for cats. The Thundershirt comes in three sizes, sells for $40 through many pet-supply retailers and is said to calm cats to make veterinary visits and other stressful events easier on everyone. After you get the shirt on, that is.

-- Hunting behavior in cats is very controversial, especially if the prey are songbirds or endangered rodent species. Some cats hunt, some cats don't, and it has more to do with what a cat learned from his mother than from the rumbling in his belly. Plenty of well-fed cats are very active hunters. Putting a bell on your cat has little effect on his ability to hunt. Turning him into an indoor dweller is the only way to protect wildlife from your cat -- and to protect you from his thoughtful "gifts" of dead mice and birds. Managed colonies of altered feral cats are best relocated when endangered species are at risk. -- Mikkel Becker and Dr. Marty 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 affiliated with Vetstreet.com and 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.