Mourning the loss of a pet takes different forms

By Kim Campbell Thornton

It's strange to see an empty cage every time I go into the kitchen. For 28 years, our African ringneck parakeet, Larry, greeted the day with a cheery "Good morning!" But a few weeks ago, when my husband woke up and went to prepare the dogs' breakfast, there was only silence. Larry was dead at the bottom of his cage.

He seemed fine the previous evening when I put him up for the night, but we consoled ourselves with the thought that he had lived the typical span of years for a ringneck. Still, he had been with us the longest of any of our animals, and his absence cast a pall over the house.

I called his veterinary clinic to pass on the news. I knew the staff would be devastated. Larry was a popular boarder when we were away on trips. One time I went to pick him up, and a collective "Aww" of disappointment emanated from the back room when the receptionist called to have him brought up front. His veterinarian, Dr. Kristi Krause, returned my call a little while later to offer condolences.

"Larry was an awesome bird," she said. That sentiment was echoed by former Bird Talk magazine editor Kathleen Etchepare Samuelson. "I always loved his beautiful bright-green feathers and happy personality," she said.

We noted his demise on Facebook, of course. Larry met lots of people over the years and charmed them all with his conversation: "Larry's a good bird," "Larry's a pretty bird," "Whatcha doin'?" "I love you!" "Gimme a kiss" (followed by smacking sounds). He was also famous for meowing with such authenticity that it often prompted people to look around for a cat. He received nearly 80 tributes from friends who had either known him in person or admired him in photos.

Our most amusing memory of Larry is one told to us secondhand. Our neighbors, who had a caique named Pogo, were caring for Larry at their house while we were on a trip. One night, they were watching a movie with both birds, and Larry kept talking over the dialogue. Finally, Pogo turned to him and said, "Shh." Larry shut up.

It was hard to know how to memorialize Larry. Burning a candle didn't seem right, since we avoided burning them during his life to ensure that the fumes didn't kill him. He didn't have a collar and tags that we could put in a keepsake box. His veterinarian offered to have us bring him in to make a toe-print memento, but we prefer photos, and we have several nice ones of him.

Other ideas I've seen include writing about the animal, purchasing a children's book on dealing with the loss of a pet and donating it to a local library or school with a label inside dedicating the book to the pet's memory, framing a favorite picture of the animal or having a professional portrait made from a photo, making a donation to a shelter or rescue group in the pet's memory and planting a living memorial such as a bush, tree or flower. We've done several of those things for various pets over the years and will choose from among them for Larry.

The University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine suggests sharing photos and stories of a deceased pet, and that's what our Facebook notification ended up being. And it seems appropriate as I write this that National Pet Memorial Day is coming up on Sept. 13. We will think of Larry fondly on that day and many others.

Goodnight, Larry. We'll miss you, good bird.

Q&A

How to enrich a

home-alone dog

Q: I have a new job, and it's requiring me to work a lot more hours. What are some ways that I can still spend quality time with my dog and help keep him from getting bored? -- via Facebook

A: You are so right to realize that your dog needs more activity and interaction than just sleeping all day and a quick walk when you get home. Mental and physical stimulation are important to a pet's well-being. Fortunately, there are lots of great ways you can enrich your dog's environment and keep his brain and body active both when you're home and when you're away.

-- Give him something to listen to. Leave on a classical music station to provide calming sounds. He might also enjoy the sounds and voices on a nature or travel channel.

-- Put his brain cells to work with puzzle toys. Fill one with treats or even with his daily allotment of dry food so that he spends his day "hunting" for food.

-- Use some of your time with him to teach some new tricks. Any dog can learn new things, not just puppies and young adults, and the activity is a good physical and mental workout. If you're really ambitious, you can save yourself some time and effort in the long run by teaching him to pick up and put away his toys.

-- Don't rush through walks. Let him spend a few minutes here and there sniffing at whatever he finds interesting. You can check your email while he checks his pee-mail.

-- Really "be" with your dog while you walk. If you're wearing headphones, you're not interacting. Talk to him -- dogs love the sound of our voices -- and watch his reaction to things as you walk. You'll learn more about him, and you'll be more aware of your surroundings and any approaching animals or people who could cause problems. -- Mikkel Becker

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

THE BUZZ

Cat named Corduroy

assumes "oldest" crown

-- After the recent death of Tiffany Two at age 27, a new cat holds the Guinness World Record for oldest living cat. The feline geezer is named Corduroy, and he's 26 years old. Corduroy, born Aug. 1, 1989, lives with Ashley Reed Okura, who acquired him as a kitten when she was 7 years old. Corduroy still has a ways to go before he beats the record of the oldest cat ever known: Creme Puff, who lived 38 years (1967-2005). The average cat lives 15 years.

-- How do you invite your dog to play? Depending on your signal, he might not understand exactly what you're asking, according to research published in the journal Animal Behaviour. After videotaping people playing with their dogs, scientists found that dogs responded to the most common play signal -- patting the floor -- only 38 percent of the time. The most successful invitations to play included chasing or running away from the dog, bowing from the waist, making a quick movement toward the dog, tapping the chest to encourage the dog to jump up, grabbing or touching the dog's paws and imitating a play bow -- knees on the ground and arms flat on the floor.

-- Thanks to Operation K-9 Care Package, you can support a military working dog team with helpful items such as Wubbas, tennis balls, Kongs and other heavy-duty chew toys; collapsible nylon water bowls; bandannas; nail clippers; and more. For human team members, think sunblock, hand sanitizer, hand cream, travel-size tissue packets, chewing gum, cotton swabs, toothpaste and toothbrushes. For more information on how and where to send items, visit uswardogs.org/k9-care. You can also make a financial donation with a check or money order made out to Operation K-9 Care Package, 2000 W. County Rd. B2, #130605, St. Paul, MN 55113. -- 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 Johnson. 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 Johnson is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

Caption 01: African ringneck parakeets typically live 20 to 28 years. Position: Main Story

Caption 02: Combining speech with body language helps to encourage dogs to play. Position: Pet Buzz/Item 2

What should you do if you see a dog in a car on a hot day? Experts weigh in

By Kim Campbell Thornton

It's 69 degrees and cloudy at the beach, with a humidity level of 83 percent and no breeze. You see a dog locked in a truck with the sunroof open but all the windows rolled up. There's no sunshade blocking the windshield, and the dog doesn't appear to have water. He's barking frantically.

Several news stories recently have reported on people breaking into cars to rescue dogs locked in, only to be arrested for their good deed. In response, at least one state, Tennessee, has legalized the act, making it an extension of the state's Good Samaritan law -- but only if the rescuer takes certain steps beforehand, such as searching for the owner and notifying law enforcement.

How do you know when a dog is at risk, and what should you do?

Factors to consider include whether the car is in the shade, the color of the car (dark-colored cars get hotter faster), whether windows are rolled down, if there's a breeze and the age and breed of the dog or cat, says Valerie Schomburg, animal control supervisor for Newport Beach, California, police department. Older animals or those with heavy coats or short snouts are more susceptible to heat.

"Brachycephalic breeds like Pugs have a hard time breathing anyway," she says. "If you put an older pug in a black car with the windows rolled up, he's going to be at a disadvantage."

Look to see if the owner has made an effort to protect the pet from the heat, such as parking the vehicle in the shade with all windows open, covering the windshield with a sunscreen or the cargo area with an awning and crating the dog with a full water dish and a running crate fan. If that's the situation and the dog is calm and not in distress, you likely have less cause for concern.

Use common sense. If it's a summer evening, after sunset and dogs are in cars with windows open and the owners are standing right there, the dog's not at risk. (Yes, I have seen someone raise concerns in just that situation.)

If the dog doesn't have a shady spot in the car and is panting heavily, drooling, seems disoriented or shows other signs of distress, take action. That can range from going inside a coffee shop or grocery store and having the owner paged to calling the police or animal control.

"Some people may be embarrassed to call law enforcement, but you want to get someone on the way who can do something," says Temma Martin of Salt Lake City, a spokesperson for Best Friends Animal Society. "If it takes them 10 minutes to get there, that 10 minutes could be as long as the pet has in the car on a hot day."

Schomburg says Newport Beach officers respond to all calls. "If it's December and it's cold and rainy, we still respond. We don't ever want to make a judgment like, 'Oh, I think it's OK today.'"

Be prepared to give information as to the condition of the dog and the description and location of the car. If you can, stay there to flag down the responder so he or she knows where to go.

Unless the dog is barely alive, it's best not to try to remove him yourself. He could bite you or run away or the owner could have you charged with breaking into the car. Once animal control or police show up, give a statement and leave. Don't get into a screaming match with the owner if he or she shows up. Let law enforcement handle it.

"Between pet owners making good decisions and witnesses making good decisions, lives can be saved," Martin says.

Q&A

Is clinical trial

right for cat?

Q: My cat has an injection-site sarcoma, and I'm thinking of enrolling him in a clinical study that will look at a new way to deliver chemotherapy. What are some things I should consider? -- via email

A: Clinical trials have resulted in better treatments, improved survival of pets and new ways to predict the success of treatments, but there's a lot to consider. First, talk to your veterinarian. Ask how the treatment your cat is or will be receiving differs from the treatment being investigated. Your veterinarian should be able to tell you if participation in the study will have a positive or negative effect on your cat's quality of life, as well as other pros and cons of the study.

The study's research coordinator can tell you if there are any costs to enrolling in the study (usually not), what treatments and aftercare your cat will receive, the type of results you may expect and what the potential side effects of the treatment might be. Your veterinarian and the research coordinator can help you decide whether the potential benefits outweigh the potential side effects.

Cancer can be painful, even if it's being treated. Make sure your cat will receive pain medication during the study. That should be standard in any clinical trial.

Some clinical trials are placebo-controlled, meaning that some pets get the treatment and some receive a placebo (inert substance). If this study is placebo-controlled and your cat is in the placebo group, ask if he would be eligible afterward to receive the treatment being investigated.

A major factor is your cat's temperament. Is he a laid-back kitty or one who's easily stressed? How will he react to having to go in for treatment?

Finally, you should be free to remove your cat from the study at any time if you think that's best for him.

Having this information will help you and your veterinarian decide if participation in the clinical trial will benefit your cat. -- Dr. Marty Becker

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

THE BUZZ

Beneath the cat's paw:

feline toe-paw-graphy

-- Have you ever looked at your cat's toes -- really looked at them? They have five toes on their front paws, but only four of them touch the ground when a cat is walking. The fifth toe, known as a dewclaw, is the feline equivalent of the thumb. While it's not opposable, the dewclaw does help the cat grasp things and climb trees. The toe anatomy makes it easy for cats to go up trees, but not so easy to come back down. The back paws have four toes but no dewclaws. Some cats have extra toes and are known as polydactyls, meaning "many fingers."

-- A little anxiety tends to help us perform better in stressful situations, but too much can make us fail. Turns out the same is true for our dogs, according to a recent study published in Animal Cognition. Highly excitable dogs respond best to a neutral tone of voice, while mellow pets perform their best when urged on in an upbeat tone of voice. Service dogs, who must work in the face of distractions, usually stay cool in stressful situations, more so than pets who aren't as highly trained. Try adjusting your tone of voice to match your dog's temperament, and see if it affects how he responds to your commands.

-- A new species has been added to the canine family tree, raising the number of living canid species from 35 to 36. Although they share a strong resemblance, DNA evidence shows that the golden jackals of East Africa and Eurasia are two different species, according to a July 30 report in the journal Current Biology. "This represents the first discovery of a 'new' canid species in Africa in over 150 years," says Klaus-Peter Koepfli of the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Washington, D.C. The previously unrecognized species has been named the African golden wolf. -- Dr. Marty Becker, Mikkel 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: A rule of thumb is that if it's warmer than 70 degrees, it's too hot to leave your dog in the car. Short-nosed dogs are especially at risk. Position: Main Story

Caption 02: Cats have approximately 27 bones in each paw, including the toes and dewclaws. Position: Pet Buzz/Item 1

Many national parks limit the presence of dogs, but Acadia is a beautiful exception

By Kim Campbell Thornton

There were dogs everywhere: on trails, on top of Cadillac Mountain, kayaking on a lake and enjoying lunch with their people at Jordan Pond House. Where were we? Acadia National Park, on Maine's rugged coastline.

Last year, I wrote about taking pets to national parks. It can be done, but for the most part, pets are limited in where they can go. They are usually banned from all but paved trails, as well as lodges and visitor centers (although they can walk around outside them).

An exception is dog-friendly Acadia. The 74-square-mile park encompasses much of Mount Desert Island, and its features include ocean shoreline, lakes, forests and Cadillac Mountain, the highest point on the north Atlantic coast. Dogs must be on a leash for their safety and that of wildlife, but that said, they have access to 100 miles of hiking trails and 45 miles of crushed-rock carriage roads, which are shared by hikers, bicyclists and horse-drawn vehicles. Dogs are allowed on carriage roads and on most trails; exceptions include difficult trails such as Precipice and Beehive, which require climbing iron ladders or rungs or crossing narrow ridges along cliff edges. The east side of Jordan Pond trail isn't recommended for dogs, either; as we discovered, it requires quite a bit of scrambling over boulders.

While we saw a pair of Brittany spaniels kayaking with their people, neither dogs nor people are allowed to swim in most of the lakes because they are public water supplies. Echo Lake and Sand Beach restrict pets during summer. Other restricted areas include the Wild Gardens of Acadia and public buildings.

Dog-friendly excursions include horse-drawn tours of the carriage roads, a windjammer cruise on the Margaret Todd, a trip on a lobster boat and a nature cruise of Frenchman Bay. Leashed dogs may also ride the Island Explorer Buses that go to, from and through the park.

Pets are permitted at Seawall and Blackwoods campgrounds. If that's a little too rustic for you, the town of Bar Harbor and surrounding areas have several pet-friendly accommodations, including cottages through Ryan Estate Rentals, Balance Rock Inn (which has a steep pet fee) and chains such as Holiday Inn and Quality Inn.

Dawn Celapino of San Diego and her cairn terrier Jack visited Acadia on a recent 10-week road trip to promote fitness for people and dogs (Jack's Journey USA). When they weren't driving through the park or hiking in the rain, they parked their RV at Hadley's Point Campground, a few miles west of Acadia. Amenities included a laundry facility and Wi-Fi.

An alternative suggested by Marie C. Taylor in her book "Doggy Walks and Destinations: Acadia National Park and Vicinity" is to board your dog at a kennel with in/out privileges so you can take him on some outings but still have a place for him to stay if you go somewhere he can't. Boarding him also increases your choice of lodgings.

Ironically, our dogs didn't accompany us on this trip. Flying one of them cross-country, let alone three, just wasn't in the cards, but if we go back, we'll definitely hope to bring them along.

Q&A

Blending pet families?

Steps to success

Q: I'm getting married soon, and my fiance and I will be merging our households. He has nine cats, and I have six cats. What's the best way for us to proceed without a lot of hissing and pissing? -- via Facebook

A: That's quite a merger. The good news is that your pets are already used to sharing close quarters. The bad news is that the stress of meeting new cats can definitely lead to urine marking on a large scale in an attempt to carve out some of their own territory. Here are some tips that may help to reduce stress and decrease the likelihood of marking.

-- Increase the amount of vertical space throughout your home with multilevel cat trees, window seats and ramps, walkways and bridges on walls. Try to have a separate perch for each cat.

-- Give each cat his own litter box. A good rule of paw is one litter box per cat, plus one more. Place litter boxes throughout the house to make sure bully cats don't guard them and prevent others from using them.

-- Have multiples of favorite toys and water dishes. All should have individual food bowls. Spread out the dining area so no one feels threatened.

-- Place feline pheromone diffusers throughout the house to emit calming signals.

-- To make introductions, start by separating the two groups for up to a week. Gradually introduce them to the odors of the strangers by rubbing each cat with a washcloth and letting the others sniff it. After they sniff, rub each one with the cloth of the others. This could take a while with your gang.

-- Set up a situation that allows the cats to see each other without physical contact; for instance, by stacking two baby or pet gates. Separate them this way for up to a week. During that time, feed them and give lots of treats in sight of each other so they have positive associations with each other.

-- Once you bring them together, hand out lots of treats to all of them as long as they are reacting calmly. By taking things slowly, you have a better chance of everyone getting along. -- Mikkel Becker Johnson and Kim Campbell Thornton

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

THE BUZZ

New scoop on

poop: DNA ID

-- Residents at One Brooklyn Bridge Park condominium complex in Brooklyn, New York, are facing an inescapable poop patrol: they must now have their dogs' DNA tested and registered. Owners can no longer get away with not cleaning up their dogs' feces, urine and vomit. Using forensic science in the form of a product called Poo Prints, building management can identify scofflaws and levy $250 fines per incident. Overall, the program has proven to be a significant deterrent, reports The New York Times. Since enforcement began in May, seven matches have been made.

-- You probably haven't given your pet's microchip much thought since it was implanted. Out of sight, out of mind, right? But it's a good idea to check the status of your pet's chip annually during his veterinary exam. You may need to update your address or phone number, for instance. Without accurate information in the registration database, your pet may not be returned to you if he's ever lost. And if your pet isn't already 'chipped, that's something to schedule at his next visit. In combination with a collar and tag, it's the best way to ensure his safe return.

-- The spotted Egyptian mau may well descend from the cats worshipped by ancient Egyptians. Who wouldn't worship a cat depicted on a 3,400-year-old tomb as retrieving a duck? The present-day mau loves to fetch toys and is a highly competent hunter of live prey if given the chance. Reserved toward strangers, he is fiercely loyal to his family and chortles to them in a quiet, melodious voice. The mau's medium-length coat has silky, fine fur in silver, bronze, smoke and black, plus blue versions of those colors. His light-colored eyes are described as gooseberry green. -- 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 Johnson. 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 Johnson is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

Caption 01: When you visit a national park with your dog, follow the rules so other pet owners can continue to enjoy its beauty. Position: Main Story

Caption 02: The Egyptian mau is the only naturally spotted domestic cat breed. Position: Pet Buzz/Item 3