OLDER DOGS NEED A LITTLE HELP TO GET THROUGH COLD WEATHER

Cold weather is ruff, er, rough on older dogs, but they don't have to be miserable. Your dog's health in later years is not entirely in your control, but you can have a real impact on a pet's attitude by keeping him warm, comfortable and keeping his mind and body gently active.

As your dog ages, increase the frequency and diminish the intensity of his exercise. Instead of taking your dog to the park once a week to chase tennis balls until he's exhausted, take him for a long walk daily. If your dog is having problems with physical activity, talk to your veterinarian. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications may help, as may supplements such as glucosamine or alternative treatments such as acupuncture.

For his mental health, talk to your veterinarian about products that help with brain function. And keep those brain cells clicking by using food puzzles. These toys require pets to play with them to get the food out, little bits at a time. They can also be a part of your plan to keep your less-active senior dog from putting on excess pounds.

Your dog has no real sense of shame or embarrassment, so he suffers no loss of face if you come up with some ideas to make his life a little easier. Truly, the number of ways you can give your oldster a break is limited only by your imagination. Here are a few tips to get you thinking:

-- Beds. Think soft. Think cushioned. Think low. Think heated. Your dog will thank you for all of these thoughts, especially in cold weather.

-- Clothes. Older dogs, like older people, have a more difficult time maintaining their body temperature. This problem is even more pronounced in slender, short-coated breeds like the greyhound or whippet. So check out the sweater selection at your local pet-supply store, repurpose thrift-store children's clothes, or make your own if you're crafty.

-- Ramps and steps. If your dog is allowed on the couch and the bed, get steps to help him if he can no longer make it in one jump. You wouldn't want to watch TV without your dog at your side, would you? A permanent ramp going down the back porch steps or a slide-out ramp to help your dog get into the car will also be appreciated.

While you're making household adjustments, don't forget to make an appointment for a senior dog checkup. Your veterinarian may recommend some diagnostic tests in addition to a physical examination -- typically, blood work and an X-ray -- to spot problems early or to establish a baseline of what's normal for your dog. You should also consider having your dog's teeth attended to, because gum infections and mouth pain will severely affect the comfort and health of your dog. Most veterinarians recommend twice-annual checkups for senior dogs, by the way.

The senior dog checkup is also a good time to determine if your dog's slowing down means his diet will need to change to take excess weight off his joints.

Helping to keep your older dog healthy and fit will mean his senior years will be happier and more comfortable as time goes by. When the weather is cold, nothing will seem so important to your dog as what you can do to offset the challenges of aging.

Q&A

Beak trims not

needed for bird

Q: Do I need to trim the beak on my African Grey parrot? I find contradictory advice in books and on the Internet. -- via Facebook

A: Although beaks are constantly growing at a rate of one to three inches per year, depending on the species, the beak of a normal pet bird does not need to be trimmed. Your bird will keep his beak at the proper length through normal chewing activities. Chewing is essential both for the physical and emotional health of a parrot.

Overgrowth of the beak is frequently a sign of illness, such as liver disease or malnutrition. In many situations, there may be a malocclusion, or misalignment of the upper and lower mandibles, not allowing normal wear to occur and resulting in beak overgrowth.

Contrary to some information you've found, don't accept "beak trims" as a routine health care measure -- they're not. A bird who gets routine "beak trims" instead of proper medical attention may get an attractive beak, but the bird is likely to die of the primary disease that is causing the abnormal growth of the beak in the first place.

Many of these malocclusions, nutritional issues, or liver problems can be corrected if diagnosed and addressed early and accurately.

Strong as they are, beaks sometimes break. Common causes of beak fractures include fighting between birds of different sizes (with the smaller one usually getting the worst of it) and excessively short wing trims that offer no "gliding" ability, so a falling bird lands hard on his beak (or on his fanny, which can also be injured).

For optimum beak health, provide your bird with lots of things to chew on. If you see a beak problem, don't try to deal with it on your own. Your bird needs the help of an experienced avian veterinarian to properly diagnose and treat any problem. -- Dr. Marty Becker

Do you have a pet question? Send it to petconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

Dog's licking won't

help your wounds

-- The idea that a dog's saliva has healing powers has been around at least since the ancient Greeks and Romans, whose physicians believed it to be an antidote for poisoning. Later, St. Roch was often pictured with a dog licking a sore, reflecting the belief that the patron saint of plague victims knew something about a cure and that his dog's saliva made him healthy. Modern medicine, no surprise, doesn't look kindly on such theories. And by the way: Dogs are attracted to open wounds because the serum from them is sweet.

-- The phrase "Beware of Dog" is so old that its Latin equivalent -- cave canem -- has been found on signs in Roman ruins. The word "watchdog" isn't quite so old; the first mention of it is by Shakespeare, in "The Tempest."

-- Neuter a dog with a needle? The return of an injectable drug that sterilizes male dogs is being watched closely by animal-welfare organizations and veterinarians, in hopes of having another tool at their disposal in keeping the number of pets needing new homes down. According to the VIN News Service, Zeuterin is a solution of zinc gluconate that's injected directly into the testicles, killing existing sperm and stimulating inflammation that leads to scarring. The resulting scar tissue results in infertility. -- 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.

EXERCISE, SUPERVISION AND REDIRECTION WILL KEEP YOUR LAWN FREE OF HOLES

Over the Labor Day weekend, a puppy joined my family. While he's still pretty small, he has a lot of growing to do, especially if he's to help fill the hole in my heart left by the death of my 16-year-old Sheltie, Drew.

The transition from a very old dog -- Drew was managed with daily fluids and medicine for kidney failure a year before his passing -- to a lively young puppy can be jarring. Drew had been a well-mannered adult since the Clinton administration, and young Ned has a normal puppy streak of naughty.

Which is why I wasn't really prepared when I came upon a hole in the backyard clearly dug by Ned's little paws. With a puppy, it's pretty easy to catch and correct unwanted behavior, but it's not impossible even with a grown dog. As with any behavior, you have to get to the root of the problem before you can come up with a fair approach to minimizing the damage.

Like many behaviors people find troubling, digging is natural for dogs, with any number of triggers driving the activity. Among them:

-- Wanderlust. Some dogs, especially unneutered males, have a strong desire to dig their way out of the yard, especially when the breeze carries the enticing scent of a female in heat.

-- Prey drive. Subterranean wildlife can be irresistible to some dogs, especially to terriers or terrier mixes -- breeds developed to dig vermin from their lairs.

-- Need for shelter. A well-dug den can keep a dog cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Although any breed or mix can show an interest in making a den, the behavior is more common in breeds such as huskies and malamutes.

-- Recreation. Digging is just plain fun. This is Ned's motivation, I'm pretty sure.

-- Excess energy and boredom. This combination is either directly responsible or a contributing factor in most canine behavior problems.

The trick to having a nice yard and a happy dog is to do what you can to eliminate the triggers for digging, and then take your pet's needs into account when planning your landscaping. Neutering can greatly reduce the desire to wander. If wildlife's a problem, contact your local agricultural extension for tips on how to get the pests to give your yard a skip. And make sure your pet has the shelter he needs to stay comfortable no matter the weather.

Every dog needs an exercise program, with the emphasis on heart-thumping aerobic interludes, such as a daily run or a game of fetch. If you keep your pet well exercised, he'll be less likely to indulge in destructive behaviors. A tired dog is always a good dog! Some trainers suggest giving dogs an area where it's OK to dig, and training them to use it. This is an especially good strategy for dogs who just love to dig.

The final tip? Design your yard for compromise. Make a less visible part of the yard a dog-friendly, free-dig zone, and limit your pet to that area when you can't be there to supervise. Provide safe chew toys to keep him occupied, such as peanut butter-stuffed Kongs. Discourage digging in off-limits areas by filling in holes and covering them with chicken wire and large rocks.

If you address the underlying issues that cause digging and then allow your dog the opportunity to do some of what comes naturally in an area that's acceptable to you both, you'll find that it's indeed possible to have a yard you can be proud to show off.

Ned seemed pretty easily distracted and pretty happy to gnaw on a chew toy rather than continue with his digging. But if he shows signs of getting a real kick of the excavations, I'll be setting him up with an area where he can dig in with my approval.

Q&A

Don't give in to

demands of kitten

Q: A few months ago, we adopted new kitten from the shelter. We are not inexperienced pet owners. My husband and I both grew up with animals, and we've had many pets during our 32-year marriage. The problem? The kitten is very noisy. She follows us everywhere and has an "opinion" on everything. If we don't pet her or feed her, she gets worse. How can we get her to pipe down? -- via Facebook

A: Some cats are chattier than others. Indeed, "talkativeness" is an adored trait in the Siamese and other so-called Oriental breeds. If your kitten has a parent who's one of these breeds, then to a certain extent, you're just going to have to live with vocalization.

Some of the noisiness of a demanding cat is actually trained into the pet by people. If you accommodate her every time she demands to be fed, then you've taught her that the squeaky wheel gets the grease, even in the middle of the night or at the crack of dawn. If you think your cat's chatty behavior is something you've taught her, then you can try some retraining.

Start by resolving not to give in to her demands -- and I do mean resolve. If you ignore her yowling for a while and then give in, you've taught her that all she needs to do to get her way is to make more noise, not less. If you ignore the behavior completely, she'll stop using it to get her way.

Be aware, though, that this kitten is likely chattier than the norm. You can minimize some of her demanding behavior through retraining her, but you'll also have to do some retraining of yourself to learn to appreciate (or at least tolerate) her noise. You've made it through 32 years of marriage, which always involves a certain amount of acceptance and compromise. Use these skills with your cat, and you'll be fine.

Funny thing: In reading your question I found myself wishing my own cat were a little more outgoing. Ilario is a very large, long-haired orange tabby, but he's so reclusive, many visitors to my house never see or hear him at all. -- Gina Spadafori

Do you have a pet question? Send it to petconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

A year after tragedy,

Ohio bans big exotics

-- A year after the release and subsequent killing of dozens of tigers, lions, wolves and bears from a private compound in Zanesville, Ohio, the state is poised to become one the strictest in the keeping of exotic pets. Owners of such animals have until Nov. 5 to register their animals with the state's department of agriculture, and a complete ban on owning such animals goes into effect Jan. 1, 2013. The few animals captured alive after the tragedy were sent to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, and later were ordered returned to the widow of the man who released the animals before killing himself.

-- In the wake of a disaster, animals show levels of stress that may make re-adapting to family life difficult, according to a study of pets rescued from the devastated city of Fukushima following the earthquake and tsunami. Scientists noted higher than normal levels of the stress hormone cortisol in dogs rescued from the area, and found that the animals seemed slow to form new companionship bonds. The study's lead author, Dr. Miho Nagasawa of Azabu University, likened the symptoms to post-traumatic stress disorder, according to a report in the Los Angeles Times.

-- Alabama's veterinary medical board voted down regulatory changes that opponents said would have shut down the state's four nonprofit spay-neuter clinics after public protest. Some vets felt that medical care was being compromised by the high number of surgeries in the clinics -- up to 50 a day by a single veterinarian. Proponents of the clinics argued that the great danger was leaving animals free to breed in a state that reportedly kills 100,000 pets a year for population control. The regulations were proposed after a law with similar language was defeated in the state legislature. -- 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.

PREVENTIVE APPROACH WILL KEEP MORE MESS OUTSIDE

Mud is my life because I share that life with retrievers. While many dogs enjoy swimming, few go to the extremes of a true water dog in maintaining a coat that's always damp if at all possible, and feet that are as muddy as can be. Walk around a puddle? I've seen my dogs go out of their way to walk through a puddle.

As if it weren't hard enough to keep my old home clean, I decided to move to one that was even more difficult. That's because the new home is on acreage, with more room for mud and more reason to be out in it, since I'm outside with the dogs every day feeding my horses.

I had to up my game to keep this house clean, but the same rules applied. The best way to keep floors clean is to never let them get dirty. And that means catching those muddy paws before they come inside. Here are some tips:

-- Use mats. Put water-trapping mats both inside and outside the door. A small doormat can be jumped over, so go for something larger. The wider the area of matting, the more chance you have of every paw hitting the mat at least once. Outside my doors, I have large black industrial mats that hose off easily. Inside, I have color-coordinated Waterhog mats from L.L.Bean -- expensive but worth every penny. They really catch the muck.

-- Teach dogs to wait for wiping. It's not difficult to teach a dog to wait on the mat for a paw cleaning. If you're patient and positive, you'll be able to teach your pet to offer each paw in turn and stand patiently while you towel it off. One of my dogs used to be so good about this that he'd lift each paw by name: "Front. Now the other. Back. Other."

-- Save your old towels. When towels get too ratty for guests to see, save them for use with your pets. Old towels are great for wiping paws, drying fur and even swiping a muddy paw print off the floor. My old towels have endured years of hot water and bleach. They're ugly, but they still do the job. You can also find super-absorbent towels and mitts made specifically for wiping paws, but I've always found old towels to be more than up to the task. If you do need to buy paw wipes, compare their prices with shop towels.

-- Never let a mess settle in. If a muddy paw gets past you, don't delay your cleanup. While this isn't such a hard-and-fast rule for such easy-clean surfaces as tile and hardwoods, it's an absolute commandment when it comes to carpets. Keep cleaning supplies well stocked and at hand, and be sure to jump on a muddy paw print -- or any pet mess -- before it can set.

With all the paws in my household, keeping on top of mud is a must. What the mats don't catch, I do, and the house stays cleaner for my diligence. My move to the country may have meant more mud, but it hasn't meant much more effort to keep the floors clean.

Q&A

'Moving Day' perfect

time to keep cat in

Q: After losing a couple of cats (they disappeared and were never found), we decided to turn our remaining cat into an indoor pet, with the idea of adding another cat or kitten after we move after the school year ends. So far, turning Bodega into an indoor cat has not gone well. He is so determined to get out that we eventually give in and open the door. Should we keep trying or just wait until we move? -- via email

A: The best time to convert a free-roaming cat to life indoors is when you move into a new home. A cat can't miss territory he has never explored, after all. But even if you're not planning to move, you can still convert your cat.

The change requires resolve on your part and a determination to provide your cat with everything he needs to be happy indoors -- good food and fresh water, a clean litter box, a scratching post, toys and, most important, your companionship.

Does such a change come easily? Probably not.

Cats are highly territorial, and the day you reduce your cat's territory by cutting him off from the outdoors is the day you're going to start hearing about it -- lots. Your cat will be astonished at your stupidity at first: "Hey, you! I can't believe you're so dumb that you forgot how to open the door!" Later, he's positively outraged at your failure to respond: "The door! The door! Pay attention! I want something."

Don't give in, no matter what. If you allow the insistent meows and pointed stares to wear you down to the point of opening the door, you've taught your cat a lesson you'd rather he didn't know: "All I need to do is put up a fuss, and I get what I want." If you try to keep him inside again, he's going to be even more obnoxious about getting out.

Be patient, but firm. Dissuade him from the door with a shot from a spray bottle, and keep him occupied with games and attention. If he likes catnip, get a fresh supply to rub on his toys and scratching post. If you do not open the door, the noisy demands will decrease and eventually end.

Within a couple of weeks, your cat will start to settle into his new routines, and you'll no longer need to worry about the dangers he faces outdoors. -- Gina Spadafori

Do you have a pet question? Send it to petconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

Little budgies have

big personalities

-- The birds commonly known as parakeets in the United States are more properly called budgerigars, or just plain budgies. That's because although all budgies are parakeets, not all parakeets are budgies. Budgies are by far the most popular parakeets and perhaps the most taken for granted. Because of their small price tag and easy availability, they are often treated as throwaway birds -- easily purchased, easily disposed of, easily replaced. This attitude keeps people from valuing these birds for their affectionate personalities and appreciating them as lovely little pets. If worked with, some budgies even become very good talkers, albeit with tiny little voices.

-- An aging population and competitive real estate market has helped to put an end to "no pet" policies in many older apartment complexes, along with an easing of restrictions limiting the size of dogs. The Wall Street Journal reports that new rental complexes are being developed to be not just tolerant of dogs, but welcoming. The recent story cites an architect who says 75 percent of the apartment complexes he designs for construction nationwide will be built with dog parks.

-- Few beliefs are as widespread and commonly held as the one that incorrectly suggests pets be tranquilized for an airline flight. That might be because many of us would prefer spending our time in the air asleep, and we figure our pets would prefer the same. But the fact is that tranquilizers increase the risk of flying for pets because the medication impairs the efficient functioning of an animal's body at a time when such efficiency can be essential to keeping it alive. Tranquilizers are not routinely recommended for most flight-bound pets. If you think your animal is the exception, discuss the issue with your veterinarian. -- 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.