8 TIPS TO HELP YOU AND YOUR PETS DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON

The weather outside is, um, delightful. The slight nip in the air in central Oklahoma, where I'm visiting, gives barely a hint that Christmas will be upon us in a matter of days. Besides decorating the tree and mailing holiday cards, it's time to start thinking about the perfect gifts for pets and pet-loving friends.

Beyond the perfect gift, it's important to consider pet welfare during the holidays because of all the hustle and bustle that surrounds this time of year. Visits from relatives, road trips to Grandma's house, cocktail parties: all offer opportunities for pets to be either naughty or nice. We have some strategies to help involve Baxter and Boots in the holidays, keep them safe, and provide them with goodies in their stockings instead of lumps of coal.

-- Kick off the season with good scents. When you're baking holiday cookies, whip up a batch of dog treats, too. You'll know exactly what's in them, and your pet will love them because they come from you. You can find lots of great recipes online.

-- Adapt holiday decor to the realities of life with pets. If you have a Christmas tree, leave lower branches bare of ornaments to prevent curious pups and kittens from pulling them off.

-- Choose unbreakable ornaments, and avoid using tinsel, which can cause intestinal blockages if swallowed.

-- If you have a puppy in the home, set a small Christmas tree on top of a chest or tabletop, out of reach of your young canine pal.

-- Instead of decorating packages with ribbon, which some pets like to chew and swallow -- with regrettable results -- make pretty bows out of wrapping paper, using scissors to curl the ends.

-- Consider setting a pet-proof table, especially if you have a new puppy or kitten in the home, or if your big galoot of a dog is a well-meaning klutz. Leave Grandma's antique Irish lace tablecloth folded away and substitute a holiday-themed vinyl or machine-washable tablecloth instead -- one that's less vulnerable to spills and tears.

-- Schedule a pet picture with Santa. Lots of pet-related businesses, shelters and even malls offer sessions. You'll treasure the memories, and often the price you pay goes to help pets in need.

-- Be sure there's something under the tree for your pet to tear up, er, unwrap. Some that we like:

-- Skipping Stones by Kurgo, brightly colored floating fetch toys that skip across water.

-- Chuckit LightPlay Max Glow Ball, specially designed to light up play when days are short and night comes early.

-- Galaxy Mojo Maker Air Wand, a feather toy with a retractable cord, comfortable handle and spiral motion to send your cat into orbit -- in a good way.

Cat lovers who are design aficionados will appreciate "Catification: Designing a Happy and Stylish Home for Your Cat (and You!)" by Jackson Galaxy and Kate Benjamin. New cat owners or anyone who loves cats can find a wealth of feline facts in "The Original Cat Fancy Cat Bible: The Definitive Source for All Things Cat" by Sandy Robins with Arnold Plotnick, DVM.

For dog lovers, select from "The Life and Love of Dogs" by Lewis Blackwell, a collection of hundreds of images of dogs accompanied by insightful and inspiring text, and Rebecca Frankel's "War Dogs: Tales of Canine Heroism, History, and Love," which Washington Post reviewer Jonathan Yardley calls "an exceptionally interesting and surprisingly moving book."

What are my dogs getting? Keeper is rocking a new blue leather collar with matching leash, Harper is going to Santa Fe with us for Christmas, and Gemma, well, she's tough to buy for. I'm still shopping.

Q&A

Be choosy about

pets' chew toys

Q: One of my friends gave my Cavapoo an antler chew. It seems kind of hard. Is it safe for him to chew on? -- via email

A: We all know how puppies love to chew, and many dogs continue the activity into adulthood. In much the same way as some people bite their fingernails or twirl their hair, some dogs turn to chewing as an outlet for their energy or a way to reduce stress, especially when they're home alone. For other dogs, it's simply an entertaining behavior.

Dog owners are always looking for the perfect chew toy: one that will be safe for the dog to chew, that will hold his interest and that won't be destroyed too quickly. It's not always easy to find that perfect chew. A real area of concern is broken teeth, especially with dogs who chew aggressively.

Excessively hard chew toys are a common cause of broken teeth in dogs. A broken tooth is extremely painful and can sometimes become abscessed. I believe that hard plastic or nylon chews, sterilized bones, cow hooves and antlers are too hard to be safe for most dogs. Rule of paw: don't buy any chew toy that you wouldn't want to be whacked in the knee with.

Instead, I recommend buying chew toys that have some flexibility or "give" to them, even for large, powerful dogs. Give big-time chewers large toys that don't fit all the way in the mouth. It's better to replace chew toys more frequently than it is to have to spend hundreds of dollars to have your veterinarian repair or remove a broken tooth. Hard chews such as deer antlers can also cause bleeding in the mouth or internally if they splinter and blockages if swallowed, two more reasons to avoid them. -- Dr. Marty Becker

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

THE BUZZ

Cat and ferret food

products are recalled

-- Natura Pet Products is recalling some dry cat and ferret food because it lacks sufficient levels of vitamins and contains excess minerals. The recalled products are EVO Grain Free Turkey & Chicken Formula dry cat and kitten food in 15.4-pound bags, UPC number 5148 541402, expiration date Feb. 19, 2016; the same food in 2.2-pound bags, UPC number 5148 541400, expiration date Feb. 20, 2016; and EVO Grain Free Ferret Food in 6.6-pound bags, UPC number 5148 542101, expiration date Feb. 19, 2016. These products were sold in California, Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Texas, Vermont, Canada and online. No health concerns from eating the food have been reported. Return the food to the seller for a refund. For up-to-date information on recalls, follow @AVMARecallWatch on Twitter.

-- A Japanese Chin named Esme is recovering from a groundbreaking heart surgery to repair his mitral valve and replace the chordae tendineae, also known as heartstrings. Japanese veterinary cardiologist Dr. Masami Uechi performed the surgery Nov. 19 at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine in Ithaca, New York. It was the first time the operation has been performed in the United States. If it is successful, it holds out hope -- albeit expensive hope -- for other dogs with mitral valve regurgitation. Breeds that are often afflicted with the condition include Cavalier King Charles spaniels, Chihuahuas and dachshunds.

-- A stray dog who fell in with a Swedish adventure team during an endurance race in Ecuador now has a new home. After they gave him a piece of meat, he decided he was onto a good thing and followed them for the remainder of the race, including swimming after them down a river until they hauled him into a kayak. After the race, athlete Mikael Lindnord adopted the dog, now named Arthur.

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: Your pet can supervise while you decorate the tree and will have fun with empty boxes as gifts are unwrapped. Position: Main Story

Caption 02: An 8-year-old Japanese Chin is home and recovering well after undergoing a seven-hour surgical procedure to repair a defective heart valve. Position: Pet Buzz/Item 2

KEEPING PETS SAFE IN CARS CALLS FOR RESTRAINT

"Over the river and through the woods to Grandmother's house we go." It's that time of year, when we are all making the pilgrimage home for the holidays. For us, that recently involved a three-day road trip from California to Oklahoma, dogs in tow, of course.

It makes us part of a growing trend. According to the 2013-2014 National Pet Owners Survey by the American Pet Products Association, 32 percent of dog owners take their pets with them in the car when they are traveling for at least two nights. That's up from not quite 25 percent in the APPA's 2011-2012 survey.

Whether we're going around the block or on a 2,694-mile odyssey, our dogs' safety is paramount. Harper and Gemma would prefer to ride in the footwell, and Keeper likes to look out the window, but their wishes are ignored.

Pets are unsafe when they ride loose in a vehicle. If your pet jumps into your lap or onto the steering wheel, he can cause you to have an accident. In the event of an accident, pets can go flying through the windshield or hit the driver or be ejected from the car into traffic.

They're also a serious distraction to the driver. A 2011 AAA/Kurgo survey of pet owners found that 29 percent of drivers are distracted by their dogs, and 65 percent say they engage in distracting activities such as petting the dog (52 percent), using their hands or arms to restrict the dog's movement (42 percent), or allowing the dog to sit on their lap while they drive (17 percent).

A whopping 84 percent of AAA/Kurgo respondents don't restrain their dogs on car trips. Their reasons?

-- My dog is calm (42 percent)

-- Never considered it (39 percent)

-- Just take dog on short trips (29 percent)

-- Want dog to be able to put head out window (12 percent)

-- Too complicated/too much trouble (7 percent)

-- Want dog to have fun in car (3 percent)

-- Want to be able to hold dog (3 percent)

But an unrestrained dog in a 30-mph collision is flung about with hundreds or even thousands of pounds of force. When he strikes a person or some part of the car, the result can be injury or even death. Veterinarians at emergency clinics have seen unrestrained dogs with broken backs after car accidents.

Dogs and cats are safer when they are restrained in the car, but no safety standards exist for testing pet safety harnesses or crates. A German automobile club called ADAC, similar to AAA, conducted crash tests using crates and harnesses and issued a report in 2008. The results showed that small crates are safest in the footwell behind the front seats. Large crates should be placed in the cargo area of a station wagon or SUV, facing crosswise to the direction of travel (how our dogs ride).

The organization recommends that harnesses have large belts with metal attachments, two tie-ins and a short, stable attachment system. The nonprofit Center for Pet Safety tested pet harnesses last year using the same safety standards used for child restraints and gave its highest rating to the Sleepypod Clickit Utility, a three-point safety harness with a broad padded vest.

Don't let your pet ride in the front seat. If he must -- because your only car is a two-seater, for instance -- be sure you disable the air bag when he's a passenger. The force with which it hits can seriously injure or even kill a pet.

Nothing can completely protect pets in the event of a car accident, but we can reduce their risk of injury by not letting them ride unrestrained.

Q&A

Discharge and sneezing

can signal nasal disease

Q: My dog has been sneezing a lot and sometimes he has nosebleeds for no apparent reason. Does he have a cold or allergies? -- via Facebook

A: Even if he's not a sniffer dog, a canine's nose is his livelihood. Scent may well be a dog's strongest sense, so good nasal health is essential to his well-being. The signs that something is wrong with the nose can range from frequent sneezing or discharge to bloody noses (what we veterinarians call epistaxis) and seizures.

We see several common nasal diseases in dogs. They include rhinitis, an infection of the nasal cavity; sinusitis, an infection of the sinuses that may accompany rhinitis; and Aspergillus, a fungal infection.

Signs of rhinosinusitis are sneezing, a bloody or mucouslike nasal discharge, and coughing from postnasal drip. Abscessed teeth can sometimes lead to rhinitis and sinusitis, especially in older dogs.

Aspergillus is a fungus that invades the nasal cavity. We see it most commonly in young to middle-aged dogs with long or medium-length snouts. Dogs with Aspergillus infections may have a heavy nasal discharge that contains mucus, blood or pus. Their nostrils can lose color, and the face appears to be painful.

Older dogs often develop tumors in the nasal cavity. The tumors may cause sneezing or sniffling, a runny nose or bleeding from one nostril. Some tumors can even block airflow, making it difficult for the dog to breathe.

Dogs who have snuffled up a foreign object into the nose usually sneeze violently, paw at the nose, and sometimes have a thick or bloody nasal discharge. Nosebleeds, discharge and excessive sneezing aren't normal. Take your dog to the veterinarian at the first sign of irritation of that sensitive snout. -- 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

New biomarker could

ID feline kidney disease

-- A new biomarker has been found to identify the onset of kidney disease in cats an average of 17 months earlier than current methods. When a test based on the biomarker is developed, veterinarians and pet owners may be able to identify the disease earlier and prolong cats' lives through diet and other therapies. The findings, by researchers at Oregon State University and other institutions and published in The Veterinary Journal, came from a controlled study of 32 healthy senior cats.

-- If you hit a dog, cat or other domestic animal with your car in Oregon, state law requires you to stop, try to help it and immediately report the injury to the owner or a police officer, according to an article by Monique Balas in The Oregonian. It's a good idea to know what your own state requires in this situation, as well as how to respond safely. If you can do so safely, Lt. Luke Schwartz of the Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Division recommends pulling over to the side of the road, activating your hazard lights and moving the animal to a safe location. Injured pets can bite or scratch, so take precautions when handling them.

-- Cats and humans have shared the same households for at least 9,000 years, but we know little about how our feline friends became domesticated. An analysis of the cat genome by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis reveals some clues. Specific regions of the domestic cat genome differ from those of wild cats in behaviors such as memory, fear and reward-seeking, which are thought to be important in the domestication process. Other differences, such as special fat-metabolizing genes and an ability to hear in the ultrasonic range, help explain why cats eat mainly meat and why they're so good at tracking prey. -- 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: When it comes to safety, don't put your dog (or cat) in the driver's seat. Position: Main Story

Caption 02: Hallmarks of feline domestication include hair color, texture and patterns, such as the characteristic white paws of the Birman, which reveal that people likely bred the cats for this trait. Position: Pet Buzz/Item 3

10 tips to help prepare pets for the arrival of a new baby

We are expecting a bumper crop of babies among our relatives and neighbors in the next few months, and of course, they all have pets. With that in mind, we thought it would be a good idea to review some of the best ways to ready pets for the new kid in town and to introduce everyone safely.

Begin now to prepare your dog or cat for this momentous change in the family. While you will still love your pet as much as ever, it's a fact of life that you will have less time to spend one-on-one with him.

-- Prime your pet for the transition by making sure he has interactive toys that will keep him entertained when you are busy with the baby. Good choices include food puzzles, treat balls and other independent-play toys.

-- Your pet should be used to staying on his own. If you are in the habit of taking him with you everywhere, now is the time to cut back on that so he learns that "me time" isn't scary. Instead, give him several short playtimes or attention periods throughout the day and continue this habit after the baby arrives.

-- Take your pet to the veterinarian to make sure he is in good health and free of parasites.

-- Enlist the services of a trainer or behaviorist to help with any behavior problems -- such as jumping up on people, aggression or fear issues, or housetraining mistakes -- that you've been meaning to work on.

-- Scent is important to your pet. Accustom him now to the smell of baby products such as lotion and diaper cream. Apply them to your hands before handling your pet's toys and playing with him.

-- Introduce baby noises through the use of a CD such as "Preparing Fido." Play it at a low level, giving your pet his favorite treats, and then gradually increase the volume. The goal is for him to stay relaxed despite the unusual sounds.

-- Using a doll, practice doing "baby things" in the pet's presence, such as changing a diaper or going for a walk with a stroller. (The experience may help you feel more comfortable, too.)

-- Cat owners, you may be concerned about toxoplasmosis. You can take some simple precautions to protect yourself and your baby from this infection. Keep your cat indoors so she can't hunt and eat wild prey. Scooping the litter box once or twice a day will also minimize risk. Assign the task of scooping the litter box to your spouse or another family member. If that's not possible, simply wear disposable gloves while scooping the box and wash your hands thoroughly after discarding them. Toxoplasmosis also can be acquired from soil, so wear gloves while gardening. Finally, ask your doctor and your veterinarian about running titers on family members and your cat. You may already have immunity.

-- Once the baby is born, have your spouse or another family member take home a blanket, diaper or other item that carries the baby's scent. That person should let your pet sniff it and give him a treat and praise him as he does so. This will help him to associate the baby with good things.

-- When you come home, greet your pet first without the baby. Then with a favorite treat or toy to give, such as a stuffed Kong, let him meet Junior under your watchful eye. Always supervise interactions between pets and babies so you can teach them how to behave around each other. You'll be laying the foundation for a strong and happy relationship between your children and animals.

Q&A

Eye loss won't affect

kitten's mobility

Q: The kitten I adopted came with a bad eye infection. My veterinarian says it would be best to remove the eye, but I feel terrible doing that to him. Won't he have problems getting around? -- via Facebook

A: When we humans contemplate losing our eyesight, we think of all the terrible ways it would affect us: We couldn't drive or read or look at funny cat videos on Facebook. But a cat's visual acuity is much less than that of humans to begin with, and cats rely much less on their eyesight than we do, surprising as that may seem.

Veterinarians and cat owners are often astounded by the abilities of blind cats, especially those who lose their eyesight early in life. Even if they lack both eyes, we've seen them chase toys down the hall, jump up on kitchen counters, catch bugs and perform acrobatic feats. They are fearless explorers.

Cats who lose their vision in one or both eyes quickly adapt, learning to rely on their senses of sound and smell, as well as the tactile cues provided by their whiskers. Cats are also very good at sensing touch and vibrations, as well as changes in air movement. And a kitten's brain is very "plastic," meaning that he can still forge new neural pathways that allow him to be just as able with uniocular vision or to make greater use of other senses to compensate for a complete loss of vision.

Adult cats may not have the same brain plasticity, but they can also adjust well. If they lose an eye to trauma or glaucoma, you may see that their balance is as good as ever, but they may take a little longer than a kitten might to adjust to their new condition. -- Dr. Marty Becker

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

THE BUZZ

Stray cat struts

new mouthpiece

-- A University of Florida veterinarian teamed up with a UF dentist to repair the mouth of a stray Siamese mix who had a large hole in the roof of his mouth. Dr. Julie Levy found the cat in a shelter, where he was on the list to be euthanized. The hole made it difficult for him to eat and drink, and more likely to develop infections. Dr. Levy wondered if the defect could be repaired surgically, and asked dental surgeon and prosthodontist Dr. Fong Wong for help. An acrylic cast served as a temporary measure until Dr. Wong could make a permanent metal prosthesis. Now able to eat, drink and groom himself, the cat has a name -- Darryl -- and a new home, with Dr. Levy.

-- Nicknamed the "American Gentleman," the Boston terrier looks as if he's wearing black-tie, dressed as he is in black, brindle or seal with a white chest and belly. First known as "round heads" or "bullet heads," the dapper dogs eventually took the name of their birthplace, the city of Boston, where they were created from a cross between a bulldog and the now-extinct white English terrier. Bostons are smart and sassy, and they like to be the center of attention. They have a short, smooth coat that's easy to groom, and most weigh 13 to 16 pounds, although they can range up to 25 pounds.

-- Pet insurance is a $600 million industry in North America, growing at triple the pace of U.S. accident and health coverage, according to a Nov. 13 Bloomberg/Businessweek article. That leaves a lot of room for growth, however. Estimates are that just over 1 million pets in North America have health insurance, which translates to less than 1 percent of dogs and cats in the U.S.

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 CREIDTS

Caption 01: When you're expecting a baby, prepare your pet before the birth. Position: Main Story

Caption 02: Boston terriers are one of the breeds that originated in North America. They were first bred in Boston in the 1860s and 1870s. Position: Pet Buzz/Item 2