WHO CAN MAKE A NOTHING DAY SUDDENLY SEEM WORTHWHILE? THERAPY PETS, THAT'S WHO

By Kim Campbell Thornton

A visit from a dog, cat or other pet can make a bad day disappear. That's especially true if you are a resident in a nursing home or a patient in a hospital. The experience of visiting with a therapy pet can soothe frazzled nerves, revive dormant memories and bring smiles and laughter in places where those things are often in short supply.

Visits from pets can have significant health and emotional benefits for people in many different situations and types of facilities. Petting an animal is not only calming, it stimulates conversation. And contact with a pet can accelerate recovery from surgery.

Pet visits take many different forms. Most of us think of them at nursing homes or hospitals, but animal visitation teams also go to such places as schools for students with special needs and hospice facilities for people with terminal illnesses. Some pets and their handlers participate in programs at schools and libraries that help children improve their reading skills by reading books to pets.

Have you ever thought of making facility visits with your dog, cat or rabbit? It's not as easy as just signing up -- I should know. My dog Harper, a cavalier King Charles spaniel, has flunked therapy training twice because she's just a little too enthusiastic about wanting to greet people.

Pets who make facility visits can be purebreds or mixed breeds. Some have been adopted from shelters. The only requirement is that they have the right personality. Both pet and handler must undergo training and evaluation before they can begin to participate in therapy programs. Here are some things to know if you're interested in getting started:

-- Dogs and cats must be at least 1 year old before they can make visits. Pocket pets, such as rabbits, guinea pigs and rats, can be 6 months old.

-- Dogs should enjoy meeting strangers and have good basic obedience skills.

-- Qualifications include being able to greet people calmly; walking politely without pulling, jumping on people or stealing food; being comfortable in crowded situations; willing to sit patiently for petting; calming down quickly after praise or play; getting along with other animals; being unfazed by people using canes, crutches, walkers or wheelchairs; and taking treats without snapping or lunging for them.

-- Cats, bunnies and other pocket pets should be relaxed and friendly, willing to be handled by strangers and calm in the presence of loud noises and unpredictable situations. They may also need to be comfortable wearing a harness and leash or riding in a basket.

-- Pets must be clean and healthy, with short, filed nails that won't scratch patients.

-- Some organizations do not permit visits by pets who are fed a raw diet. Others restrict visits by pit bull-type dogs.

-- Handlers must be able to commit to a regular schedule of visits. People in facilities come to count on seeing them, and it can be a big disappointment if the animal doesn't show up. They should also be comfortable talking to strangers and answering questions about their pets. Managing an animal's comfort level is a priority. Making visits can be tiring or stressful for pets, even if they enjoy the attention.

-- Visits typically last 45 minutes to an hour. Teams make stops at different rooms, wherever their presence is requested, or they may go to one large room where people who want to meet with pets have gathered.

For more information about training for animal-assisted visits, contact organizations such as Pet Partners (petpartners.org), Love on a Leash (loveonaleash.org), Therapy Dogs International (tdi-dog.org), Therapy Dogs Inc. (therapydogs.com), Paws for Friendship (pawsforfriendshipinc.org) and Reading Education Assistance Dogs (therapyanimals.org/R.E.A.D.html).

Q&A

A squirt of water

makes the pill go down

Q: There's a new young veterinarian at the hospital where we take our cats. One of our cats is on daily medications, and we've gotten very good at "pilling" her. The new vet mentioned that we should follow the pill with a little water to wash it down. She said doing so could prevent a very serious medical condition. Is this new information? Because we've been pilling cats for years and this was news to us. -- via email

A: This advice has been around for more than few years now. "Dry-pilling" a cat is thought to be one of the triggers for a condition called esophageal stricture. A tablet stuck in the esophagus -- the tube leading to the stomach -- may trigger inflammation and scarring. Once this occurs, a cat may have difficulty swallowing food or water.

I recently saw startling imagery of what these strictures look like. At a seminar at the Western Veterinary Conference on how to best help these cats, presenters showed images in which the shape of a pill was a near-perfect match for the shape of the scarring.

According to research by veterinarians at Colorado State University, the risk of pill-related stricture is almost completely eliminated by "chasing" the pill with water. Researchers found that without water, almost two-thirds of the pill had yet to reach the stomach within five minutes. But with water, 100 percent of the pill was safely in the stomach within a single minute.

One of the simplest ways to keep a pill moving is by filling a needleless syringe with about a teaspoon of water (6 milliliters) and following the pill with the water in the same way you would give a liquid medication. Your veterinarian can provide you with appropriately sized syringes and demonstrate technique.

There may be an easier option, though. My friend Dr. Susan Little, an expert in feline medicine who has long been associated with Winn Feline Foundation, has written that a smidge of butter or cream cheese given to your cat as a post-pilling treat will accomplish the same goal. -- Dr. Marty Becker

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

THE BUZZ

Wool-sucking can be

compulsive in cats

-- Does your Siamese or Burmese cat love to suck on your wool sweaters? Veterinary behaviorist Dr. Nicholas Dodman and veterinary geneticist Dr. Leslie Lyons, in a study funded by Winn Feline Foundation, are working to find out why. Wool-sucking behavior can occur in any cat, but it's more common in Oriental breeds. Drs. Dodman and Lyons hope to discover whether wool-sucking has a genetic basis and uncover the physiological mechanisms involved in the obsessive disorder. That could lead to better treatment options and provide a genetic screening test to identify carriers.

-- In a recent survey, Bird Talk editors asked readers to rate the top 10 best pet birds. Cockatiels ranked No. 1, with 23 percent of the votes, followed by African grey parrots, budgerigars (also known as budgies, or parakeets), cockatoos, conures, macaws, Poicephalus parrots such as Senegals, Amazon parrots, quaker parrots and Pionus parrots. More important than popularity, though, is whether you and a particular bird species are a good match as far as personality, time you can spend with the bird, the amount of space in your home and previous bird experience.

-- Epilepsy is a common neurological condition in dogs, characterized by recurrent seizures. Medications are available to control the seizures, but sometimes the side effects are worse than the disease, or the drugs don't do enough to reduce the number of seizures. A recent study by Great Britain's Royal Veterinary College found that the time between seizures, rather than the number of seizures, is a better predictor of whether a dog will respond well to treatment. Other discoveries were that medication was less likely to control seizures in male dogs than in females, and that border collies and German shepherds were more difficult to manage with medication than other breeds. -- Dr. Marty Becker and Kim Campbell Thornton

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. They are affiliated with Vetstreet.com and are the authors of many best-selling pet-care books. Joining them is dog trainer and behavior consultant Mikkel Becker. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/KimCampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

Caption 01: Animals who make visits to facilities bring joy and healing. Position: Main Story

Caption 02: Cockatiels tend to be affectionate and usually enjoy being handled. Position: Pet Buzz/Item 2

THERE'S A GROWING TREND OF 'PAWSPICE' CARE BEING PROVIDED FOR TERMINALLY ILL PETS

By Kim Campbell Thornton

We are so fortunate that our dogs and cats are living longer than ever before and have access to the highest levels of veterinary care. At some point, though, just as with people, nothing more can be done. That doesn't always mean that euthanasia must be the next step. More and more, people are turning to end-of-life programs that help to ease a pet's journey out of life in a way that maintains comfort, while giving his family extra time with him.

Known as "pawspice," a term coined by veterinary oncologist Dr. Alice Villalobos, it allows people and veterinarians to work together to increase survival time, ensure quality of life, relieve pain and recognize when it's time to say goodbye. That philosophy of maintaining quality of life honors the human-animal bond, Dr. Villalobos says.

"Pawspice is not abandoning the disease," she says. "It's palliative medicine that involves treating the disease."

Palliative medicine includes pain management, infection control, nutritional support and complementary therapies, such as acupuncture or massage. Pets who receive it often have longer survival times, giving human and animal more time together before the pet's death.

If you have a terminally ill pet, talk to your veterinarian about a pet hospice plan. One of the things you'll need to do is to assess your animal's quality of life. Answering the following questions can guide you. Score criteria on a scale of 0 to 10. A score of 35 or higher suggests good quality of life, while a lower score may mean you need to make changes to improve your dog's or cat's situation or consider whether it's time to let him go.

-- Is my pet's pain manageable with medication or oxygen therapy? The most severe type of pain involves difficulty with breathing. Your veterinarian can show you how to monitor your pet's respiration and comfort level and identify labored breathing.

-- Is my pet's appetite good? Your veterinarian may be able to prescribe an appetite stimulant or insert a feeding tube. Some pets -- my cavalier, Bella, for instance -- respond well to being hand-fed. You can also try warming food to make it more aromatic. Sometimes scratching a pet's head and neck can encourage him to eat.

-- Is my pet drinking enough water? Dehydration can make pets feel sick. Providing a fountain can encourage your dog or cat to drink more water.

-- Is my pet staying clean? This can be especially problematic for cats, who may groom themselves less often if they don't feel well. Cats with oral cancers may find it painful or difficult to groom themselves. Gently brush or comb your pet regularly and give "butt baths" or other cleaning as needed.

-- Is my pet happy? It's a good sign if your dog or cat still greets you and enjoys petting and other interactions. If he seems depressed, anxious or isolated, try to make environmental changes, such as keeping him in a quieter area if he doesn't like noise or moving him to a place where he can enjoy being with the family if he's the social type.

-- Is my pet mobile? If necessary, see if you can help him out with ramps or steps to furniture or that make it easier for him to get in and out of the litter box.

-- Is my pet having more good days than bad? Your dog's or cat's quality of life may be going downhill if he's starting to have three or four bad days in a row. It may be time to think about euthanasia.

Most important, let your veterinarian know that your pet is important to you.

"They see a lot of people who have a utilitarian bond, not a love bond," Dr. Villalobos says. "They can help you better when they know that."

Q&A

Cat's litter-box mishaps

may signal health problem

Q: We have two Abyssinian cats, an elderly male and an adorable 3-year-old female. Over the last year we've increasingly experienced that one of the cats has been peeing on towels that have been left on a chair or in a basket, on a backpack left on the floor and on a comforter on our son's bed. Additionally, we occasionally find poop on the carpet and frequently on the floor just inches from the litter box, even when it has fresh litter. All this occurs while we are away at work and school. The suspect is the young female, who was observed doing her thing just outside the litter box. Any suggestions on how we might teach her better manners? -- via email

A: You don't mention whether you have taken the cat to the veterinarian to rule out a health problem. Avoiding the litter box is often an early warning sign of a urinary tract infection or other medical condition. The cat is saying as clearly as she can that she's not comfortable.

The cat may also be anxious for some reason. The older cat may be bullying her, or she may be upset by some change in the household. Cats often mark items that belong to their people in an attempt to make themselves feel more secure by linking their scent with that of a family member. Try to think back to any changes that might have triggered her behavior.

Finally, you mention only one litter box. Experts agree that cat owners should have one litter box per cat, plus one extra. You need to have three litter boxes -- ideally in different areas -- so your cat can have a choice and so the other cat is less likely to disturb her while she's using it. -- Dr. Marty Becker and Kim Campbell Thornton

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

THE BUZZ

No carbo loading

for canine athletes

-- What should your athletic dog eat? Protein and fat, yes. Gu and Gatorade, not so much. In a New York Times article last month, Dr. Joseph Wakshlag, a professor of clinical nutrition and sports medicine at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine in Ithaca, New York, says canine athletes, which he defines as dogs who run continuously for more than 30 minutes, need diets that contain fat and meat protein. Dogs burn fat as their primary endurance fuel, and they need protein to build and maintain muscle, he says, noting that carbohydrates are not very important for them. The type of protein may also be important. "In one study, dogs fed plant-based soy protein experienced far more musculoskeletal injuries than dogs consuming meat protein," Dr. Wakshlag says.

-- Cats are able to fit through narrow spaces because they don't have a rigid collarbone to block their way through nooks and crannies. If they can get their head and shoulders through, their lean bodies present no further obstacle -- unless they're not so lean. A cat's whiskers -- super-sensitive, specialized hairs -- spread roughly as wide as a cat does. But they don't grow longer as a cat gets wider, which can put fat cats into a tight squeeze.

-- The San Diego Humane Society is working to place 422 chinchillas rescued from a breeding and boarding facility. If you have an interest in one of these furry critters, here are some fun facts: Native to South America, chinchillas can be sweet, social and trainable. They are active and love to climb and jump. At rest, they like to have a hiding place. Because of their dense fur coat, they prefer temperatures between 60 and 72 degrees F. Chinchillas clean themselves by rolling in dust and need a dust bath three times a week. -- Dr. Marty Becker and Kim Campbell Thornton

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. They are affiliated with Vetstreet.com and are the authors of many best-selling pet-care books. Joining them is dog trainer and behavior consultant Mikkel Becker. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/KimCampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

Caption 01: Quality of life encompasses an animal's physical, mental and social well-being. Position: Main Story

Caption 02: Not every cat can fit through a tight space. Position: Pet Buzz

FAVORITE PRODUCTS CAN IMPROVE YOUR LIFE WITH YOUR DOG

I'm always on the lookout for great new products that can make life with pets easier and better. When I find them, I want to share them with you, and I ran across some doozies in July at SuperZoo, a pet retailer trade show in Las Vegas. I asked some of my colleagues about their favorites as well. Some are brand new and some are tried and true. Here's a sampling of what we like best.

-- Poochie Pee Cup. If you own a tiny dog or one who stands low to the ground, you've probably been frustrated over and over anytime you've been required to get a urine sample to take to the veterinarian. I feel your pain. It's not an easy task. Dogs don't like being followed around by an owner who's crouching down with a container and trying to stick it beneath them while they're in the middle of a good pee. Enter the Poochie Pee Cup (makes me smile every time I say the name). It has a long telescopic handle that allows you to collect a sample from up to five feet away. Just set it to the appropriate length, attach the disposable plastic cup, and slide it beneath your dog as he starts to urinate. There you have it: a clean urine sample with no muss, no fuss. $29.95 for the device, plus $15.95 for a pack of 250 disposable cups from chris@poochiepeecup.ca.

-- Tuggo Dog Toy. My friend Dr. Andy Roark says this is one of his favorite new products. It sounds simple -- a hard, hollow plastic ball with a rope through the middle -- but it's a super plaything for big, strong dogs who are difficult to wear out. The rope allows the dog to pull from either side, providing a tug-of-war effect. Adjust the weight of the ball by filling it with water. Fully loaded, it weighs 20 pounds. The 10-inch ball is available in red or blue. $29.99 from TuggoDogToy.com.

-- Safety Turtle Pet Kit. It's devastating to lose a pet to drowning. Dr. Patty Khuly's French bulldog, Marcel, drowned a dozen years ago, and she vowed that it would never happen again. To protect her pets, she has them wear this cute and effective water safety device. The Safety Turtle attaches to a pet's collar. If the pet goes in the water, an alarm sounds to alert you. "I'm adamant about the effectiveness of products like these for both kids and pets," Dr. Khuly says. The kit includes a Safety Turtle base, an AC adapter, a Velcro strap and a Safety Turtle to attach to your pet's collar. $149 from safetyturtle.com.

-- iFetch Automatic Ball Launcher. Has your arm just about fallen off from endlessly throwing balls for your dog? I know I've been there. My friend Dr. Nancy Kay turned me on to the iFetch, and we both think it's a great concept. Load the battery-operated device with miniature-size tennis balls (or better yet, teach your dog to load it) and watch his excitement as it shoots them 10, 20 or 30 feet away. Right now it's best suited to little dogs because of the small size of the balls, but a version for big dogs is in the works. $99.95 from goifetch.com.

-- Want to see what's down at your dog's eye view? A new harness from Kurgo lets you attach a GoPro, Sony Action Cam or similar device to your dog's chest so he can produce his own videos. It comes in four sizes, but fit varies from dog to dog, so you may need to make adjustments. $35 from kurgostore.com.

Q&A

Dog runs riot when

mail is delivered

Q: Our dog Lady is really sweet and lovable, but she goes gaga when the mail is delivered through a slot in the door. She howls and runs hysterically through the house until he's gone or until we give her a treat and put her in the backyard. She barks at other delivery people, but never as angrily as she does at the mailman. What can we do? -- via email

A: This just goes to show that not every lady loves a man in uniform. Dogs may be fearful of people in uniform because they look different or because they associate them with the loud noise made by the delivery truck. They also may not get a chance to meet the people who deliver mail or packages, so they treat them as intruders. Dogs also come to associate their barking with the disappearance of the delivery person. After all, the dog barks like crazy and the person always leaves. In the dog's mind, the barking is working to drive the mailman away.

Give Lady a better response to the mailman's approach than barking. Try to set up scenarios with a mock delivery person so she can learn that mail delivery is an opportunity to earn a reward. Prevent or interrupt the barking by teaching Lady that when the mailman comes and the slot opens, she should jump onto her bed and do a down/stay for a reward or come find a specific person in the home and sit next to her. And invite the mailman to give her treats so she comes to view him as a delightful friend. If she remains upset when she hears or sees him making his rounds, hold her attention by rewarding her for remaining in a down/stay or give her a long-lasting chew on her bed. -- Mikkel Becker

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

THE BUZZ

Landslide election puts

dog into mayoral office

-- A dog named Duke is the new mayor of Cormorant, Minnesota. The 7-year-old Great Pyrenees was elected in a landslide, with the majority of the town's 12 residents voting him in to office. He holds the honorary position in addition to his duties as a farm dog. Duke was sworn into office at the city's annual fair, panting in response to the recitation of his duties. His salary consists of a year's supply of dog food donated by a pet-supply store. No voter fraud is suspected, although voters did pay $1 each to cast their votes.

-- Injecting spores of common soil bacteria into inoperable tumors, such as those of the lung, breast and pancreas, may help to shrink them, according to a recent report in Science Translational Medicine. What seems to happen, says oncologist Dr. Shibin Zhou of the Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center in Baltimore, is that the spores release enzymes that destroy nearby tumor cells. The immune system also kicks into gear when it senses the bacteria and sends out tumor-killing cells. Out of 16 dogs participating in the study, three had tumors shrink and three more had tumors disappear.

-- A change in your dog's eye color could signal serious eye disease. Conditions that may cause eyes to look hazy or eye color to change include lenticular sclerosis, an age-related change that doesn't seriously affect vision; cataracts, which can eventually cause blindness but can be removed or repaired surgically; glaucoma, or high eye pressure, a painful condition that is treatable for a time with medication but may eventually require removal of the eye; and anterior uveitis, inflammation of the front of the eye, which can have a number of causes. Always take your dog to the veterinarian if you notice changes in his eyes' appearance. -- Kim Campbell Thornton

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. They are affiliated with Vetstreet.com and are the authors of many best-selling pet-care books. Joining them is dog trainer and behavior consultant Mikkel Becker. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/KimCampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

Caption 01: Would you know if your dog fell or jumped into the pool? One of these items can alert you. Position: Main Story

Caption 02: Many eye conditions are treatable if caught early. Look for signs such as redness, tearing, pawing at the eye or changes in eye color. Position: Pet Buzz/Item 3