DOGS STILL GO CRAZY FOR A TOY NEVER MEANT FOR THEM

If there's anything more versatile than a tennis ball, I can't imagine it. One afternoon, I just sat down with a pad and started jotting down all the things you can do with a dog and a tennis ball. Here's what I came up with:

1. Fetch. Toss, return, repeat. You know the drill. This is the game by which all dog activities are measured, and sometimes there's just nothing better than the classic.

2. Find. Hide the tennis ball, then let your dog find it. For dogs who are already retrievers, this game is remarkably easy to learn. Hide the ball in plain sight a couple times so she'll know what you want her to do, then watch how easily she can find it anywhere.

3. Herd. Fetching uses one ball, but if you've got a herding dog, try tossing out a few and giving your dog a place to gather them all together. Since this game works with your dog's natural instincts, most pick it up very quickly for a treat reward.

4. Get wet. Water dogs love nothing more than the chance to go after a favorite ball and get wet. What more could a pup want?

5. Monkey in the middle. Got kids? Got a dog? Amuse everyone with the classic schoolyard game with the dog playing the monkey. Pass the ball by tossing, rolling, kicking -- whatever works, and give Rover a small treat each time he intercepts it and gives it back.

6. Flyball. This one is a real sport, and one that tennis-ball loving dogs live for once they learn to play. Add a series of jumps to a tennis ball, and you've got a fast-paced, wildly entertaining game for both people and pets, participants and spectators.

Tennis balls are even better because you can often get them for free. If you have friends who are tennis players, ask them to save their old balls for you. A tennis ball that hasn't the "oomph" for a good game of tennis is still perfect for playing fetch with your dog.

One important thing to know, though: Tennis balls are not chew toys. Put them away when you're done with your game of fetch. Dogs have been known to compress tennis balls in their mouths, and then die when the ball springs back to full size in the back of the mouth, cutting off the air supply. And even if that never happens, the materials in a tennis ball are designed for ... tennis! They're not made to be chewed on or swallowed by dogs.

So have your fun, and lots of it. But don't leave the ball with your dog when you're done. And now, if you'll excuse me, I have to throw a tennis ball for our family's dogs!

Q&A

Basic precautions

for biking with dog

Q: Is it safe to run a dog with a bike? My dog loves it, but we got a lecture about it from a neighbor who thinks it's dangerous. What do you think? -- via Facebook

A: Letting your dog run alongside a bike is a great way to help him burn off a day's pent-up energy without wearing yourself completely out in the process.

But running with bikes is not for every dog -- in fact, it's not for most dogs. But for those with serious exercise requirements, it can be a perfect fit.

If you choose to bike with your dog, make sure your dog is in good health (check in with your veterinarian), and start slowly (both in terms of speed and distance) to make sure this activity suits him. Don't even try it if he's a puller or doesn't respond to basic commands, including "sit," "leave it" and "heel." Stay on trails if you can and off busy streets if streets are your only choice.

Keep your dog at a trot, not a run, and watch for signs of overheating. Never go out in the hottest part of the day, carry water to offer frequently and walk your bike and your dog for a cool-down before calling it a day.

Finally, invest in a bicycle attachment that holds your dog's leash -- carrying the leash in your hand while biking is a recipe for a wreck, even if you have a well-behaved pup. After all, a darting squirrel or rabbit is more temptation than even most good dogs can take. -- Gina Spadafori

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

THE BUZZ

Seniors want pets

to move with them

-- The Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Sun-Sentinel reports that companies offering housing for seniors are increasingly accepting pets because of business pressures. Some 40 percent of people researching a nursing home or assisted-living situation ask about pet policies at first contact. Science supporting the value of pets staying with their owners no doubt also is having an influence; seniors with pets are typically more active and more social.

-- The American Veterinary Medical Association has produced a free publication offering basic information on cancer in cats and dogs, including a list of symptoms that should signal an alarm and a trip to the veterinarian. Half of all pets over 10 years of age die of cancer, notes the trade group, which adds that many kinds of cancer are treatable, especially if caught early. Animals under care of veterinary oncologists can maintain an excellent, pain-free quality of life. The brochure is available through veterinarians, or a single copy can be downloaded for free from ebusiness.avma.org (click on Brochures, Client Information).

-- Wal-Mart and Sam's Club have joined Target in aggressively pursuing the market for animal medication. The latest salvo comes with the introduction of generic heartworm preventives. Heartworm disease, which is transmitted by mosquitoes, is present in all states, and once established in a dog is difficult to eradicate safely. Preventive medicine has long been considered the better option, and preventive medications have until relatively recently been available through veterinarians only. -- 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.

MEDICATIONS, SPECIAL SHIRTS MAY CALM ANXIOUS PETS WHEN FIREWORKS START

If there's one holiday that's not popular at U.S. shelters and veterinary emergency hospitals, it's probably the Fourth of July. That's because the fireworks and other celebrations of this midsummer bash trigger pet care tragedies -- a flow of lost pets, sick pets and injured pets.

Loud noises startle and distress many pets, with their supersensitive hearing. Scared pets have been known to jump out of apartment windows, leap over or dig under fences, or chew their skin until it's raw. They may also bolt out an open door to become lost and never found, or hit by a car. Even the ones who just tremble in terror may be safe, but they're miserable. Even calm pets may seize the opportunity offered by a holiday buffet to eat something they should not.

While most of the danger is on the actual holiday, the noise and parties can continue for days, especially when the Fourth falls midweek, as it does this year.

The best defense against Fourth of July problems is a good offense started weeks or months before summer. Professional trainers and behaviorists start socializing dogs and making every potentially negative experience -- such as fireworks and thunderstorms -- into something rewarding. If a negative experience comes with tasty treats, then your pet is going to at least tolerate it, if not welcome it. This works best when started as a puppy, but don't give up hope if your dog is already an adult: New behaviors (BEGIN ITAL)can(END ITAL) be learned.

One way to help your pet is to expose him or her to commercial recordings of thunderstorms or fireworks and play them at increasing volume. Play the recordings at low volume -- recognizing how acute a pet's hearing is -- and give praise and treats. It's a party! As the volume and duration are increased during subsequent sessions, give him really tasty treats so he has the expectation of a repeat treat. Initially, play the recording for five minutes, eventually leaving it on during daily activities as "normal" background noise.

That's fine for next year, but what about this year's holiday?

Provide pets with safe hiding spaces inside your home during the holiday fireworks or a storm. Dogs and cats who are comfortable in crates can find them a good place to ride out the noise, especially if the crate is put in a quiet, darkened part of the house.

Some pets are so unhinged by noise that veterinary-prescribed medications are needed to keep them calm. Valium and Xanax (and their generic versions) are well-tolerated by most pets, and many veterinarians are happy to provide you with a pre-holiday prescription. Remember to give the medications as recommended -- they usually work best before the rockets' red glare begins. And talk to your veterinarian about other calming techniques. Some alternative-care veterinarians may recommend the herbal product Rescue Remedy, while others can show you acupressure and massage techniques to keep pets calmer.

Pet-supply retailers offer additional ways to calm your pet, such as with pressure shirts for animals, which work off the same principles that calm autistic children. The Thundershirt and The Anxiety Wrap are two such products for dogs and cats. The Calming Cap, which reduces sensory input, is another product meant to ease anxious pets. Finally, for dogs there's the "Through a Dog's Ear" series of music CDs that are clinically proven not to cover noise, but to use sound to calm canines.

Make sure your pet isn't a casualty of Independence Day. If nothing else, keep your pet inside until the celebrations are over, and call your veterinarian for medication that can help ease the fear.

Q&A

Resistant 'bugs'

trouble pets, too

Q: My dog keeps getting hot spots. Do dogs get MRSA? -- via email

A: Dogs almost never have symptoms from MRSA (methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus), but they have their own resistant form of staph: MRSI (methicillin-resistant staphylococcus intermedius), also known as MRSP (methicillin-resistant staphylococcus pseudintermedius). And unfortunately, it can cause as many problems for them as MRSA does for us.

Your first step is to have your veterinarian culture the hot spots and determine if there are resistant organisms present. If so, you should ask for a referral to a veterinary dermatologist if possible; resistant skin infections are very tough to treat, and veterinary dermatologists are the ones with the most experience in treating them. Your veterinarian may also be able to treat your dog in consultation with the specialist.

While oral antibiotics are usually given, some research suggests that topical treatment might be more effective. Ask the dermatologist about bathing the dog every day with 4 percent chlorhexidine shampoo or other topical therapies to use with, or instead of, oral medication. If your dog has other conditions that cause skin problems, such as allergies or hypothyroidism, these should also be addressed by your veterinarian. -- Dr. Marty Becker with Christie Keith

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

THE BUZZ

Jerky treat reports

concern veterinarians

-- Reports of pet illness from Chinese-made chicken jerky continue to surface, and many veterinarians are telling clients to avoid the treats, which remain on store shelves. The Veterinary Information Network News Service (news.vin.com) reports that despite six years of complaints and concerns, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has been unable to identify a contaminant. The agency has received more than 1,300 complaints. An online petition to ban jerky from China has drawn 14,000 names, but the companies insist the products are safe and have not recalled them.

-- California is getting closer to denying property owners the right to insist that cats be declawed or dogs be debarked as a condition of rental for pet-friendly housing. The state's veterinary and property-owner trade groups support the measure, as do most animal-welfare groups. A similar proposal was vetoed in 2010 by the previous governor.

-- More than 800 shelter and rescue organizations participated in Just One Day on June 11. They pledged to not kill any adoptable animals on that day and instead participated in enhanced adoption efforts. Part of the growing no-kill movement, the national program raised awareness while getting pets into new homes. More information about future events is at JustOneDay.ws, as well as a list of participating organizations. -- 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 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.

DON'T EXPECT PREDATORS AND PREY TO ACT LIKE FAMILY

Last month, after years of dreaming about it, I moved onto a small property that allowed me to have my horses live in my backyard instead of at a boarding barn. There is also room for my pet chickens and ducks, and of course, my dogs and my cat.

All the animals get along, not only the "farm" animals, but also the more traditional household pets. This happens not because we're all one happy family, but because I know enough about animals to realize that we are not family at all.

In more than 30 years of writing about pets and a lifetime of living with them, I have shared my life with everything from hermit crabs to parrots to bunnies to snakes to horses and a lot in between, along with the more common pets of dogs and cats. For the most part, the interactions have been safe ones because I take care to keep them that way. Here's how:

Don't anthropomorphize, but do generalize ... a little. You love all your pets, so it's natural to expect that your pets not only love you, but also feel at least warm toward each other. Let me put it this way: Even though you loved your siblings growing up, I bet there were times when you punched them, right? And you're the same species.

Don't expect pets to get along because you think they're "family." There's never a bird born who can truly see a cat as a brother, and never a dog who isn't fighting instinct to look at Brother Rabbit as an appetizer.

And be aware that, in general, some breeds of dogs are highly unlikely to be safe around smaller pets. Even if you had a Jack Russell who ignored your daughter's pet mouse, don't expect most Jack Russells to do so. Learn not only about the species of your pets and what's generally normal behavior in a pet household, but learn in particular about dog breeds and what they were bred for. A sight hound such as a greyhound may be very placid when everyone's relaxed, but if your cat dashes across the yard, your hound may give chase.

Respect the nature of things. Big dogs are born predators, even those who'd seemingly never act on their genetic coding. Small dogs and cats are both predators and prey (although small dogs often don't seem to know it). Almost everything else we keep as a pet is viewed by some other animal as lunch. That's especially true for rabbits and pet rodents, and true as well for parrots and backyard birds such as chickens and ducks. It's even true of many reptilian pets.

When you mix predators and prey, you take chances. And you must never forget that. If you want a houseful of different species, look for those more likely to get along, or be determined to keep them forever apart. And even then, never take chances: Always oversee the interactions of your pets. The lion may lay down with the lamb from time to time, but that's not how the smart money bets on the interaction. Don't let predator and prey species such as cats and birds "play" together.

Divide to prevent conquering. Good fencing may make good neighbors, but secure barriers have kept many a small pet alive. When you are not actively engaged in overseeing your pets, keep small ones such as rabbits and birds in their enclosures, and use baby gates to add a layer of protection by keeping dogs out of a room where small animals such as hamsters are in cages that can be easily broken into.

In my case, I have my chickens and ducks in a spacious yard with good, standard fencing supplemented by electric fencing, not only to deter any wild predators, but also dogs -- my neighbors' and even my own.

I love living with many kinds of animals -- I'm adding a pair of pet goats after I'm well settled in -- but I'm always aware that my pets would not choose to live with one another if I didn't make them do so. That means I'm always careful to keep everyone safe, because ... we're family, even if they don't think so!

Q&A

Potential infection

needs diagnosis

Q: My older shepherd mix is showing signs of another urinary tract infection. Last time I took her to the veterinarian, he prescribed antibiotics for the UTI, saying that her urine leaking was due to her being on steroids. I don't want her on antibiotics again. Is there a natural alternative? -- via email

A: I'd love to tell you of a non-antibiotic remedy, but there isn't one. UTIs are the result of bacteria getting into the bladder, where they aren't supposed to be -- the urine bladder is normally a sterile environment. My suspicion is that your dog doesn't have a UTI at all, although she might. My thought is that she's leaking from the steroids (it is indeed a common side effect), or from spay incontinence, which is very common in spayed females.

Since the treatment for urinary leaking and the treatment for a UTI are completely different, you need to get an accurate diagnosis. This is easy, fortunately. Get a urine culture done, and know that this is not the same as a routine urinalysis.

If the culture doesn't grow any bacteria, she does not have an infection, and you'll need to pursue treatment for urinary incontinence with your veterinarian. If the culture does grow bacteria, then the lab will do a further test, known as a "sensitivity test," to determine what antibiotic the bacteria are susceptible to, so you don't waste time and money treating an infection with the wrong drug.

Bladder infections are very painful, so please don't spend more time looking for a home remedy "cure" that doesn't involve your dog's doctor. This is a serious quality of life issue that needs to be correctly diagnosed and treated. -- Dr. Marty Becker with Christie Keith

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

THE BUZZ

Reports of sick dogs,

people from pet food

-- The VIN news service (news.vin.com) reports that six animals have been reported dead and more than 50 claimed to have been made ill by salmonella contamination in commercial pet foods made under various brand names by the Diamond company. The information was obtained from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration via a Freedom of Information Act request. Many of the foods have been recalled by the brands and the manufacturer. Meanwhile, DVM36.com reports the filing of a lawsuit against Diamond and retailer Costco charging that the contaminated pet food made a New Jersey infant severely ill.

-- The U.S. Department of Agriculture is attempting to update its oversight of commercial pet breeders, including those substandard ones widely referred to as "puppy mills." Current regulations developed before the widespread use of the Internet exempt pet stores from the Animal Welfare Act. Many commercial breeding operations now skip retail outlets to sell and ship animals directly to consumers, taking advantage of the loophole to avoid regulations intended to ensure humane treatment of breeding animals and the sale of healthy young ones. The requirements would affect operations with four or more breeding animals, a number intended to allow reputable hobby breeders to continue raising animals in their homes, among other exemptions. Comments are currently being accepted on the proposed changes at www.aphis.usda.gov.

-- Celebrity dog trainer Cesar Millan is ending his phenomenally successful -- and equally controversial -- show when the current set of episodes has finished production. The "Dog Whisperer" has been successful both for Millan and for the Nat Geo WILD cable network, but the trainer's use of physical correction for poorly mannered dogs has attracted widespread criticism from veterinary behaviorists and some training organizations. Concurrent with announcing the end of the "Dog Whisperer," Millan revealed plans for a new series, "Leader of the Pack." -- 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.