MORE TICKS MEAN YEAR-ROUND PREVENTIVE MEASURES ARE A MUST FOR DOG AND CAT OWNERS

By Kim Campbell Thornton

In the span of less than a week, I found two ticks on my dog Harper, a Cavalier King Charles spaniel. In 25 years of dog ownership, that was a first. We live in Southern California, so ticks are a fact of life, but Harper doesn't typically go into areas where ticks are found. We don't have a yard, and she's not allowed on local hiking trails. I can only surmise that the ticks hitched a ride on me -- ick! -- after a hike and made their way onto Harper.

Tick populations are increasing. And there aren't just more of them; they're being found in more places than in the past, says veterinary parasitologist Dr. Susan E. Little of Oklahoma State University. Milder winters; more white-tailed deer, which carry the tiny arachnids; and increasing development in formerly rural areas are among the factors in the ticks' spread.

Like me, you might never have had to worry about ticks before, but now is a good time to talk to your veterinarian about their prevalence in your area. Many tick species have moved out of their original habitats, carried away by migratory birds, coyotes and deer. One or more species of ticks can now be found in every state, including Alaska and Hawaii. Ticks used to be active from spring through fall, but warmer winters mean that some species are staying active as late as February, depending on where they are located.

That's bad news, since ticks are major carriers of diseases that affect both humans and dogs and cats. Most of us are familiar with Lyme disease, but ticks also transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever, ehrlichiosis, babesiosis and Cytauxzoon felis, which infects cats. The ticks that primarily transmit these debilitating and sometimes deadly diseases are the black-legged tick (Ixodes scapularis), the Lone Star tick (Amblyomma americanum) and the American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis).

Protect yourself and your pets from tick-borne diseases with the following measures:

-- Provide all your pets with lifetime parasite control. "We always say to treat every pet every month all year long," Dr. Little says. Dogs and cats don't spread tick-borne diseases directly to their owners, but they can acquire diseases from ticks as well as bring ticks into the home or yard. And just because your dog or cat stays mainly indoors or lives in a certain geographic region doesn't mean he's not at risk.

-- Ask your veterinarian which ticks and tick-borne diseases are common in your area and which product is best for protecting your animals. The information may have changed since you last learned about ticks.

-- Apply tick-prevention products on a regular schedule. It's no longer effective to try to time parasite control to start in spring and stop after the second killing frost.

-- Check your dog or cat for ticks anytime he has been outdoors. Keep a tick-removal device on hand and know how to use it.

-- Make your yard less welcoming to ticks by removing leaf litter, mowing the lawn frequently, keeping landscaping free of tall grass and brush, and fencing your yard to prevent incursions by deer and other animals that carry ticks. A three-foot swathe of wood chips or gravel between your lawn and wooded areas won't keep ticks away, but it does serve as a visual reminder that you are entering the tick zone.

-- Use insect repellent on yourself and wear protective clothing.

-- After a hike or other outdoor excursion to tick-friendly wooded areas with tall grass, give yourself a cursory examination for the little bloodsuckers, so you don't drive them home to your pets.

Q&A

Born shy: how to

help fearful cats

Q: When my son and his wife came to visit recently, our cat took one look when they walked in the door, ran upstairs and disappeared under our bed. She wouldn't come out all day, and she's not eating much. I'm worried that the stress of having guests in the house, combined with her lack of appetite, will trigger a bout of pancreatitis, which she's had before. Is there anything I can do to help her be more comfortable when we have visitors? -- via Facebook

A: It's normal for cats to react this way to unfamiliar people and situations. The flight response is a survival behavior that protects them from potentially dangerous situations or individuals.

The bad news is that there's no way to train or socialize your cat to be friendly toward strangers. Cats who react fearfully to strangers carry the trait in their genes. What's interesting is that it's the father who has the most influence over kitten personalities, even though they spend most of their time with their mother.

If your cat had met and been handled by many different people before she was 6 weeks old, the socialization could have helped her to be less fearful of strangers or new or unusual objects, but it won't help now. The best thing you can do for your cat is to set up a safe place where she can feel secure. This can be your bedroom, an office or some other comfortable area where no one will disturb her. Stock it with food, water, a litter box (well away from the food and water) and maybe a favorite toy.

Your cat may never be a social butterfly, but it's possible that if the same people visit frequently, she will one day be confident enough to let them catch a glimpse of her. -- Kim Campbell Thornton

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

THE BUZZ

Big cat research

has gone to a dog

-- Jaguar biologists in Costa Rica have a canine research assistant: a German shorthaired pointer named Google. Nicknamed "the ultimate search engine," his job is to find jaguar scat -- aka feces. The scat provides the biologists with DNA that allows them to identify individual animals and learn more about their movements, diet and genetic diversity. Like his namesake, Google increases researchers' finds by severalfold, says Dr. Howard Quigley, executive director of jaguar programs for Panthera, a wild cat conservation program. What does Google get out of it? Play time with his favorite red ball.

-- A new USDA rule set down last month limits the sale of animals online by redefining the term "retail pet store" to mean a place of business or residence that a buyer must physically enter to observe the animals for sale prior to purchase. Internet-based breeders and other businesses that sell animals sight unseen must now be licensed and inspected by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Breeders with four or fewer breeding females are exempt from licensing and inspection requirements, as are breeders of working dogs and animal rescue groups, pounds, shelters and humane societies.

-- Most dogs that take heartworm preventive are protected against the deadly parasites, but evidence presented by parasitology experts Dr. Ray M. Kaplan and Dr. Byron L. Blagburn at the American Veterinary Medical Association conference in July indicated that some heartworms in small numbers of dogs in the Mississippi Delta areas of Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi and western Tennessee are resistant to preventive medication. In areas such as the southern United States, where heartworms are endemic, pet owners should not only give their animals heartworm preventive, but also take steps to reduce their exposure to mosquitoes, including walking dogs at times when mosquitoes are less active and screening dog runs or other outdoor areas.

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 Kim Campbell Thornton. The two are affiliated with Vetstreet.com and are the authors of many best-selling pet care books. Dr. Becker can also be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker.

SIMPLE CHANGES CAN IMPROVE A SENIOR PET'S QUALITY OF LIFE

When I started writing about pets for a living almost three decades ago, I had one middle-aged dog and one young one. When I sat down to write this article, my final "Pet Connection," I again have one middle-aged dog and one young one (as well as three cats, one horse, two goats, two ducks and 23 chickens, but who's counting?). In the years between that first column and this one, I've held many pets in my arms at our veterinarian's for the final good-bye, most of them dogs.

Even though I know the signs of aging pets mean the hardest part of sharing a life with them is inching ever closer, I never regret having an old dog around. To me, an older dog is one of the most beautiful of life's many gifts to us. It doesn't matter what time has done to the animal's actual appearance -- an older dog looks special to me, and always will.

I know I'm not alone in this feeling, but I sometimes realize that I am in the minority when it comes to leveraging the strategies -- often simple and relatively inexpensive -- that can make an older dog feel years younger. This time can be a special one for both of you, but it's up to you to make the most of it.

The place to start is with your veterinarian. With my senior pets, I go to twice-yearly comprehensive wellness exams, which include not only a complete physical and dental examination, but also diagnostic tests to see what's going on "under the hood." With my last three dogs, those diagnostics paid off by revealing health issues that weren't yet showing, including cancer and renal failure. In all three cases, diagnosing, addressing and treating the conditions early allowed me to enjoy extra time with all three of these dogs.

But even when tests reveal nothing abnormal, I've been able to take my veterinarian's advice based on those twice-yearly visits to improve the lives of my senior dogs. My veterinarian has been able to suggest dietary changes and nutritional supplements, for example, that eased the pain of arthritis. I've always worked in partnership with my veterinarian, and that's never more helpful than when managing an aging pet.

Once I have a pet's medical needs addressed, I look at changes to make at home. These include:

-- Beds. Think soft. Think cushioned. Think low. Think heated. Your dog will thank you for all of these comforts, 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.

-- Ramps and steps. If your dogs are allowed on the couch and the bed, consider buying or building steps to help the dog who can no longer make it in one jump. A permanent ramp going down the back-porch step or a slide-out one to help your dog into the car will also be appreciated.

The most important thing you can do for an older dog? Keep him moving, every day (avoid "weekend warrior" syndrome), and keep his weight at or just below normal. For my dog Heather, I added a life preserver so she could continue to swim almost daily in the river near our home, providing her with low-impact exercise that wasn't overwhelming.

In the 30 years since I started helping others help their pets, nothing makes me happier than thinking about how many wonderful pets I've known -- and not just my own, of course. You can't make time slow down, and you can't change the too-short life span of the animals we adore. But you can make the most of the time your pet has, and you should always try. Start by talking to your veterinarian, today.

Gina Spadafori has retired from the Pet Connection team. Kim Campbell Thornton, an award-winning writer and the author of many pet-care books, has taken over as Dr. Marty Becker's writing partner for Pet Connection.

Q&A

Is there a problem

with 'service' dogs?

Q: Last month, I flew on a plane in the same row as a dog who sat on her owner's lap the entire way. When the flight attendant told her to put the dog in his bag under the seat in front of her, the owner claimed the dog was a service animal and had the right to sit on her lap.

Although I can't be sure, I suspect he was a fake service dog. I've been hearing a lot about this trend lately, and it seems like faking a disability only makes things more difficult for people who have real disabilities and real service dogs. Why doesn't someone do something about this? -- I.P., via email

A: Service dogs seem like they're everywhere, including airports, restaurants and hotels, among other traditionally undogly places. And during peak travel seasons -- summer, and the approaching holidays -- we see more dogs in these places simply because there are more people patronizing them.

The increase in the number of service dogs says a lot about what these animals can do. No longer do they belong almost exclusively to the blind, the deaf and people who need wheelchairs to get around. Today's service dogs also assist those with diabetes, epilepsy and PTSD, among other not-so-obvious disabilities. This, too, undoubtedly makes their presence seem more pervasive.

Yet, it's true that the expanding definition of service dogs makes room for abuse –– "fakes," as you put it. And it's also true that people can and do flout the law by exploiting a loophole that prohibits establishments from requiring either proof of disability or official service dog credentials.

The problem is that closing this loophole, as you suggest, would currently cause more difficulties for the disabled than it would fix. So until we can all agree on an inexpensive, accessible method of credentialing service animals, I recommend that we refrain from passing judgment on these animals and the people they may well be serving. Their roles could be exactly as claimed, and these owners need their help, not our distraction. -- Dr. Patty Khuly, DrPattyKhuly.com

THE BUZZ

Ford asks dog lovers

to let pets 'ride inside'

-- The image of a dog in the back of a pickup is as much an American icon as a small-town parade on the Fourth of July. But the Ford Motor Co. has teamed with the American Humane Association to convince people to protect their pets by ending the dangerous ride. The "Dogs Ride Inside" campaign warns that putting pets in the back isn't all that safe, and notes that extended-cab pickups leave plenty of room inside for Rover, ideally riding in a safety harness.

-- The Walk In Sync harness is the invention of a Colorado dog trainer looking to improve on other no-pull harnesses. The harness clips in the front to prevent pulling, and the higher cut of the harness prevents the rubbing noted by earlier front-clip harnesses. Information and ordering information is at dogwalkinsync.com.

-- The Wall Street Journal reports that the boom in so-called "backyard chickens" has led to a shortage of veterinary options when the birds are sick. That's because most veterinarians who specialize in poultry health work in the food industry, where the answer to a sick chicken is not treatment, but removal from the flock and a swift death. The WSJ reports the situation has led to do-it-yourself doctoring for those who see their birds not as meat, but as pets. -- Dr. Marty Becker and 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 Kim Campbell Thornton. The two are affiliated with Vetstreet.com and also are the authors of many best-selling pet care books. Dr. Becker can also be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker.

THE 'EAR-TIPPING' OF FREE-ROAMING CATS BENEFITS PETS, PEOPLE AND THE COMMUNITY

By Dr. Patti Khuly

As a veterinarian who practices in a warm climate, treating feral and free-roaming cats is a year-round adventure. "Trap, test, sterilize, vaccinate and release" is my mantra when it comes to dealing with this population of patients. But in recent years, I've taken to adding one more thing to that list: ear-tipping.

Tipping feline ears is a simple technique that requires an almost bloodless snip of the left ear to help identify the cats as having been sterilized and vaccinated. As such, it's considered a purely cosmetic procedure, which I know doesn't exactly sound like a good thing. But because it's performed with the cats' best interests in mind, this procedure definitely gets a pass on the animal welfare-o-meter.

In case you're new to this concept, here's a primer on ear-tipping:

The "ear-tip" is a highly effective device that those who care for feral cat colonies use to monitor the success of their efforts. It also helps animal control officials know which colonies of cats are well-managed and stable.

Not only is it useful, but unlike a canine ear crop, it's also considered absolutely painless when performed under anesthesia. In fact, cats uniformly recover without pawing at their ears or showing any other sign of distress related to the loss of this tiny bit of cartilage.

Nonetheless, there is a downside to ear-tipping: Many people are reluctant to adopt cats with tipped ears. They view it as a slight on the animal's natural beauty.

I ear-tip only the homeless who come my way as feral or free-roaming cats. These "freebie" surgical candidates may leave my hospital and find loving forever homes, but the reality is that most will not. The really dismal reality is that all but the most friendly, healthy and comely will land back on the streets.

That's why my policy is to ear-tip almost all of them. Here's more of why:

1. Public safety: Since ear-tipped cats are typically rabies-vaccinated, identifying them as such enhances the safety of the human community at large.

2. Population management: Because ear-tipping helps in managing a community's colonies, it promotes the welfare of its stray populations.

3. Feline protection: It's the right thing to do for the individual cat. A cat who's not ear-tipped may end up in surgery for altering that has already been done, and who wants another experience under the knife?

In communities where cats are targeted for eradication, ear-tipping can make the difference between a free-roaming cat's life ... and lethal control. But because ear-tipping may reduce an individual's adoptability, I've learned that concessions must sometimes be made to a cat's demeanor and appearance, depending on her individual circumstances. For example, is the cat truly wild, or a sweet, happens-to-be-homeless stray? Is the cat entering an established adoption program? Or is it at all possible that this "stray" free-roamer might possibly belong to a neighbor, and is really someone's pet?

If the animal might be reasonably expected to have a home waiting for him, knowing as we do that humans may refuse to adopt a "marked" specimen, I'll often opt for leaving the ear alone.

Here's where some of you may wonder, "Surely there has to be a better way! Plastic surgery just sounds so harsh!" But given the current realities inherent to modern feline existence, where entire colonies can be eradicated pending one municipal official's say-so, why leave a life-and-death issue to chance?

If what's best for everyone –– especially for our free-roaming cats –– is that they get their ears tipped, why should aesthetics stand in the way?

Guest columnist Dr. Patty Khuly (drpattykhuly.com) is a Miami-based veterinarian and popular author, as well as a top veterinary blogger and the creator of The Fat Dog Diet, a smartphone app to help pet owners reduce their dogs' weight.

Q&A

Pass on pets until

after graduation

Q: I just started college, and I miss having pets. I've never been without pets in my life, and I have never slept in my own bed without a pet at my feet (or in the case of my cat, on my head). Outside the grocery store recently, our SPCA was having mobile adoptions, and that just made things worse. I talked to my parents, and they said they understood how I felt, but that it was best to wait. For one thing, they made the point that money is tight.

I do understand all that, but I have also read about the emotional benefits of pets, and I think I'd be better off with one. What do you think? I'd like to go adopt a dog. Or a cat. Or both, really. -- via Facebook

A: I honestly think you'd be better off waiting until you're done with college to own a pet, but that doesn't mean you can't have pets in your life while in college.

But first, the problem with ownership: The shelters and rescue groups of every college town in the country are constantly dealing with the former pets of students. As you've already guessed, finding and keeping housing that allows pets is a major challenge. So, too, can be finding the time and energy to care for a pet when there's so much to do and try when you're in college. And don't forget that, as your parents pointed out, pets can be expensive to maintain, and very few college students have much money to spare. Even if you can afford the minimal expense of feeding a cat (compared to a large dog), what will you do if your pet gets sick?

Even if you can find suitable housing, have you thought about what you'll do with your pets during school breaks? If you're planning on going home when you're not in school, you might find your parents are unwilling to have your pet become a member of the family, even temporarily. Especially since, as you note, there are pets back home who might not enjoy the visitors.

My suggestion: Volunteer! Cat socializers, dog-walkers and other opportunities abound at that same SPCA you saw outside your grocery store. In fact, chances are the people you talked to were volunteers. By volunteering, you will be able to get your "pet fix" and may even be able to foster a dog or cat for a short while to make the animal more adoptable, assuming your property owner agrees.

There will be plenty of time in your life for the responsibilities of keeping pets. For now, volunteering is a good "win-win" situation -- you have pets in your life, and you help pets find their forever homes. I have to agree with your parents: College will pass soon enough, and so, too, will the time to experiment with life on your own. -- Gina Spadafori

THE BUZZ

Pet music truly does

have calming charms

-- A Juilliard-trained pianist and an expert in the therapeutic value of sound have been steadily producing music aimed at calming pets and people alike. The "Through a Dog's Ear" and "Through a Cat's Ear" collections have been clinically shown to help pets relax. The company recently released a collection of CDs for noise-phobic pets in conjunction with dog-trainer Victoria Stillwell, as well as a small, self-contained player called iCalmDog that loops the selections for constant play while the pet is alone. The iCalmDog is $79 from ThroughADogsEar.com or other retailers.

-- Cattle rustlers beware: A bill awaiting the governor's signature in California will increase the penalties for anyone convicted of stealing livestock. The bill's sponsor, a cattle rancher himself, noted that the law would cover livestock from alpacas to zebras. Beef and dairy cattle are popular with thieves: More than 1,000 head of cattle were stolen in California last year, with the loss valued at around $1 million.

-- Veterinarians in Alabama have escalated a war of words into lawsuits, with factions squaring off over whether nonprofits such as animal shelters should be allowed to operate low-cost spay-neuter clinics for pets, or whether veterinarians alone should be afforded the privilege. The state's lawmakers have been unable to pass legislation to settle the regulatory matter once and for all, in large part because the blowback will be considerable no matter what the ultimate outcome. -- Dr. Marty Becker and 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.