Looking for Mr. or Ms. Right? Your dog or cat can help

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Remember the meet-cute scene in "101 Dalmatians," where the couple's dogs bring them together? It happens in real life, too.

Molly McNamara of Lyons, Colorado, met her husband-to-be, Jeff McGlynn, at the obedience class she was attending with her dog. It was love at first sight -- for her dog.

"My dog was so bananas for him that he wouldn't pay attention after Jeff arrived," she says. "At first I used to just get mad when he and his dog showed up because my well-behaved 1-year-old bearded collie, Max, would lose his mind and drag me across the room to see them. So, clearly, the dog knew first."

It took six months before the pair started dating, with many of the dates involving taking their dogs hiking or to the beach. McNamara discovered later that McGlynn was staying in the class only to see her. His Saint Bernard was already well-behaved and didn't really need the practice.

"Introduction by dog" is a time-honored method of finding true love, and now science has confirmed its efficacy. In their study "The Roles of Pet Dogs and Cats in Human Courtship and Dating," published in the quarterly journal Anthrozoos, researchers -- who surveyed more than 1,200 Match.com users -- found that 35 percent of women and 26 percent of men said they had been more attracted to someone because he or she owned a pet.

Men are more likely to use a pet -- generally a dog -- as "date bait," with 22 percent admitting to the tactic. Only 6 percent of women said they had used a pet to attract potential dates.

Women, on the other hand, are more likely to rely on their dogs and cats as barometers of a date's trustworthiness. Nearly half of the women responding said they judged dates based on how the person responded to their pet, and 76 percent evaluated dates based on whether their pets liked the person.

"My dogs have helped me see who is and isn't a good match based on how the guys responded to the dogs, and vice versa," says Elizabeth Barden Ackerman of Los Angeles. "The ones who are scared of my giant black Lab are quickly let go. The one who naturally pats and plays with him, refills his water bowl without being asked and who watches the dog and hilariously narrates his thoughts? He's special."

Allia Zobel Nolan of New York City knew the man she met was her true love because of the way he treated her cats, even though at heart he was a dog person.

"He loved me, so he loved my cats," she says.

Gail Parker of Philadelphia stopped seeing one man after her dog, a German shepherd, growled at him. She gave another the heave-ho when he called her Irish setter stupid.

The study's lead author, University of Nevada Las Vegas anthropology professor Peter Gray, suggests that pets' status as family members could explain the significant influence they wield in the choices people make about who they date. He and fellow researchers, UNLV graduate student Shelly Volsche; Justin Garcia of the Kinsey Institute at Indiana University; and Helen Fisher of Rutgers University say dog ownership may signal "a potential mate's caregiving capacity." How a person treats a pet could indicate how he or she would treat a mate and children.

McNamara and McGlynn? At their eventual wedding, more dogs than people were in attendance.

"Max is turning 14 in a month, and Jeff is still his most favorite human ever," McNamara says.

Q&A

Bird's bald spots

can have multiple causes

Q: My African grey parrot is losing his feathers, and my veterinarian wants to run lab tests. I thought feather-plucking was a behavioral problem. What can lab tests tell us? -- via email

A: Feather-destructive disorder is a common and complex problem in birds. Among the species in which we typically see it are cockatoos, African greys, macaws, conures, cockatiels and lovebirds.

It's normal for birds to preen, or groom, their feathers to remove dirt or parasites, but when they start chewing the feathers, pulling them out altogether or even mutilating their bodies, the cause can be medical, behavioral or a combination of the two.

Underlying medical causes of feather-plucking can include inflammatory skin disease, low levels of thyroid hormones, liver or kidney disorders or tumors, to name just a few. Among the possible environmental causes are low humidity, poor lighting or changes in the bird's routine. Behavioral causes include boredom, anxiety and frustration. Sometimes the condition can have multiple causes. Because of this, diagnosing it can be a challenge.

A thorough medical history and, ideally, an environmental and behavioral evaluation are the foundation of a diagnosis, but a complete blood count, chemistry profile, screening for infectious disease, bacterial and fungal cultures, fecal exam and skin and feather follicle biopsies can all provide valuable information.

Treatment takes time and patience, and it may not lead to a complete cure. Depending on the cause, medication can help to reduce inflammation, itchiness and anxiety. Even if the cause is medical, enriching the bird's environment with interesting toys, opportunities to climb or fly and foods that require the bird to work to get at them is a valuable component of treatment. -- Dr. Marty Becker

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

THE BUZZ

Breeds to watch

at Westminster

-- Seven breeds will make their bow-wow at the 2016 Westminster Kennel Club dog show next week. They are the Bergamasco, a dreadlocked herding breed from the Italian Alps; the berger picard, a French herding breed known for a starring role in the 2005 film "Because of Winn-Dixie"; the boerboel, a giant-size South African guard dog; the cirneco dell Etna, a small Sicilian sighthound; the lagotto Romagnolo, an Italian truffle-hunting breed; the miniature American shepherd, a small, but highly active, herding dog; and the Spanish water dog, a versatile, curly coated farm dog.

-- Curious about what's most likely to poison your pet in your state? The ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center has released a map showing the most common reason for toxin calls in each state. Rodenticides top the list in 14 states, many in the West and Southwest. Chocolate takes second place, leading the list in eight states, including California, New York and Pennsylvania. Ant baits generate the most calls in five states. South Carolina is the only state where the sago palm is the leading cause of toxicity, but it is a popular houseplant and landscaping plant nationwide. Idaho pet owners call about sugar-free gum, and Nebraskans are concerned about herbal supplements. Check the ASPCA's website for information about your state.

-- Three huskies and a cat? No, it's not the latest feel-good movie. Lilo, Infinity and Miko, Siberian huskies in San Jose, California, have become best friends with a rescued kitten and taught her to be, well, a dog. Lilo mothered Rosie, who was found near death when she was about 3 weeks old, and the kitten began mimicking everything the dog did, including walking on-leash. Now the four go hiking, kayaking and paddle boarding with their people, cuddle and even eat together. -- 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: In a recent survey of singles with pets, 75 percent of women and 54 percent of men said they would not date someone who did not like pets. Position: Main Story

Caption 02: The shaggy and sassy berger picard is a medium-size dog who is highly active, brainy and comical. Position: Pet Buzz/Item 1

Words and phrases about pets and how they entered the language

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Have you ever thought about how many words and phrases we use every day that come straight from the horse's mouth? Expressions that are the cat's meow? You might even say our language has gone to the dogs.

Animal-related terms are delightfully descriptive. Some are built upon animal characteristics -- eagle-eyed, bird-brained, dog-eared -- irrespective of accuracy (birds are actually pretty darn smart). Others come to us from languages such as Greek, Latin or Icelandic. Learning about their origins is fascinating. Here are some fun facts about pet phrases and how they came to be.

-- "Animal attraction." A reference nowadays to strongly attractive personal charm, this phrase harks back (itself a phrase used in hunting with hounds) to the 18th century, when Franz Mesmer coined the term "animal magnetism" to describe his theory of an invisible natural force that could play a role in healing and other physical effects.

-- Other words describe our affinity for certain animals. An ailurophile is a person who loves cats. It comes from the Greek words "ailouros," meaning cat, and "philos," meaning loving. While people have been crazy for cats for more than 5,000 years, this term is relatively new, with its first known use in 1914.

Dog-lovers have their own distinctive description, also deriving from ancient Greek. They are cynophilists, or cynophiles.

-- Collective terms. You're probably familiar with the term "litter" referring to a group of kittens, but did you know that they can also be called a "kindle"? The word comes from Middle English "kindlen" and means "to give birth." The first-known use of the phrase occurs in the 15th-century "Book of St. Albans" as "a kyndyll of yong Cattis."

There are many different collective, or group, names for dogs, most of them related to hunting. These are called "terms of venery" and include "a mute of hounds," from the Old French "meute," meaning "pack" or "kennel"; "a leash of Greyhounds"; and "a couple of spaniels." In modern times, dog-loving wordsmiths have invented their own fanciful collective terms for specific breeds, drawing on wit and word play: a waddle of Pekingese, a snobbery of salukis, a rumble of Rottweilers, a snap of whippets, a grin of Japanese chin, a bounce of beardies, a shiver of Chihuahuas. I'm partial to a court of Cavaliers, myself.

-- "Hair of the dog." Did your English teacher tell you that humans have hair while dogs and cats have fur? Technically, there's no real difference. It's all made of a protein called keratin. The ground hairs -- soft, insulating fur -- and the coarser protective guard hairs on pets are considered fur. The hair on your head has a texture that's somewhere in between ground and guard hairs, so it's not wrong to describe pets as having hair.

But why do we call for "hair of the dog" the morning after a night on the town? The idea of taking a nip of the same alcoholic libation that gave you a hangover dates at least to the 16th century, when John Heywood wrote in "Proverbs" (1546): "I pray thee let me and my fellow have a haire of the dog that bit us last night." The concept is related to the even older folk remedy of placing the burnt hair of a dog who had bitten someone on the wound, according to Christine Ammer in her book "It's Raining Cats and Dogs."

-- "Chowhound." I think most of us who have dogs understand why this term is applied to enthusiastic eaters. It was also the title of a 1951 Looney Tunes animated short featuring a bulldog always in search of a meal. He probably would have enjoyed a hush puppy, a fried cornmeal cake supposedly named because it was tossed to noisy hounds with the admonition, "Hush, puppy!"

Lucky dogs!

Q&A

Other conditions

may mimic seizures

Q: I found my 14-year-old dog trembling as if she were having a seizure. As far as I know, she doesn't have epilepsy, but she does take medication for mitral valve disease. Should I be concerned? -- via Facebook

A: Seizures, sometimes referred to as convulsions or fits, are a common reason that owners bring dogs and cats to the veterinarian. They result from uncontrolled electrical activity in the brain, and they may cause signs such as loss of consciousness, trembling or shaking, drooling, vomiting, urination or defecation.

One cause of seizures is epilepsy, a chronic neurologic condition. It's the most common chronic disorder of the nervous system veterinarians see in dogs and is often manageable with medication.

Dogs or cats with epilepsy have recurring seizures. Often, we don't know why pets develop epilepsy. Some forms of the disease appear to be heritable in certain dog breeds, including Australian shepherds, beagles, Belgian Tervuren, Bernese mountain dogs, border collies, boxers, cocker spaniels, English springer spaniels, German shepherd dogs, golden retrievers, Irish setters, Irish wolfhounds, keeshonden, Labrador retrievers, Shetland sheepdogs, standard poodles and vizslas.

Not everything that looks like a seizure is a true seizure, though. Conditions that can cause signs resembling seizures include syncope, a temporary loss of consciousness -- like a faint -- that can have a number of causes; vestibular disease, a sudden disturbance of balance that's not uncommon in older dogs; narcolepsy, a sleep disorder that's seen in Doberman pinschers, Labrador retrievers, miniature poodles and other breeds; and certain behavioral disorders.

If you note a recurrence, a medical history, veterinary exam and certain lab tests can help to determine whether your dog is having a seizure or some other problem. Always take your pet to the veterinarian if a seizure lasts for more than five minutes: That's a real emergency. -- Dr. Marty Becker

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

THE BUZZ

Pet dental care

good for health

-- Does your dog or cat have pearly white teeth or grungy brown ones? In either case, if he has bad breath, he needs to see the veterinarian for a professional cleaning. Bad breath and tartar -- the hard brown stuff on your pet's teeth -- are signs of periodontal disease, which is bad news for tooth structure. It can lead to tooth loss, receding gums and even bone infection. February is National Pet Dental Health Month, which means there's a good chance your veterinarian is offering a discount on professional cleanings, which aren't just cosmetic, but get below the gumline, where bacteria lurk.

-- Going skiing? You might want to see if the ski area has an avalanche rescue dog on staff. The dogs, who are trained to find human scent rising up from the snow, can search an avalanche site the size of a football field in as little as five or 10 minutes, reports AP's Sue Manning. "The fastest thing is a dog -- faster than a beacon or echo," says Craig Noble, ski patrol and dog supervisor at Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows Resort in Olympic Valley, California. The dog and handler teams have specialized training and are recertified annually.

-- Zero to 60 in 1/100th of a second? We're not talking time trials for the latest Lamborghini, but the speed of a chameleon's tongue. Yes, you read that right. The small but mighty lizards can flick their tongues toward a cricket at up to 264 times the force of gravity, according to a study published in the journal Scientific Reports. The anatomy of the tongue gives it spring-loaded power, allowing chameleons to capture more prey, and its speed beats out that of any other reptile, bird or mammal. -- Dr. Marty Becker, Kim Campbell Thornton and Mikkel Becker

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: The phrase "sleuth of hounds" comes from the Icelandic word for "trail." Position: Main Story

Caption 02: After a veterinary dental cleaning, regular brushing helps keep teeth and gums healthy. Position: Pet Buzz/Item 1

Scientists seek answers to the canine aging process and lifespan

By Kim Campbell Thornton

How long do dogs live? I think we can all agree that it's not nearly long enough. Canine lifespans vary from as short as 6 to 8 years for certain giant breeds to an astounding 20-plus years for some tiny dogs. Owners of small and medium-size dogs can generally expect their companions to live 10 to 15 years.

Diet, good care and genetics all play a role in the length of a dog's life, but two researchers at the University of Washington in Seattle are hoping to learn more about how dogs age, as well as whether the aging process can be delayed and the lifespan lengthened. The Dog Aging Project (DAP), headed by Daniel Promislow, Ph.D., and Matt Kaeberlein, Ph.D., plans to track 10,000 dogs in homes around the United States to get a sense of how genetic and environmental factors affect aging in dogs.

As dogs -- and humans and other animals -- age, organs and tissues break down, increasing the risk of age-related diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, Alzheimer's disease and more. Age is a greater risk factor for these diseases than diet, weight and exercise.

"The big picture behind what we're trying to do is to understand the aging process so we can delay the onset and progression of all these diseases," Dr. Kaeberlein says. "It's sort of a fundamental shift from the traditional medical approach, which is to wait until dogs -- or people -- are sick, and then try to treat the disease."

The dogs in this observational study will include many different breeds in different environments: short-lived dogs, long-lived dogs, dogs in wealthy households and dogs in more modest households. The researchers will look at not just how long the dogs live, but also at how environmental factors affect them as they age.

Included in the DAP will be a smaller study, with up to 36 pet dogs in the Seattle area. It will look at whether a drug called Rapamycin -- used to prevent organ transplant rejection in humans -- can slow aging, extend canine lifespans and improve quality of life. The drug has been shown to increase lifespan in many different organisms, Dr. Kaeberlein says, as well as improve cognitive, cardiac and immune function in animals such as mice.

"There's been accumulating evidence over the past several years that not only do they live longer, but that the aging process itself is slowed down," he says.

Of the 46 dogs whose owners have expressed interest in enrolling them in the Rapamycin study, only 26 dogs so far have met the criteria to be included: at least 6 years old, weighing at least 40 pounds and with no pre-existing conditions. Among them are golden retrievers, a greyhound, Labrador retrievers, German shepherds and mixed breeds.

In both studies, dogs are good subjects because their shorter lifespan allows scientists to see results in a decade or less.

"If we had a large enough sample size, we could know in three years -- certainly in five years -- the extent to which Rapamycin improved healthy aging in dogs," Dr. Promislow says. "And for a longitudinal study of age, where we want to follow dogs throughout life and understand the genetic or environmental factors that affect aging and disease in dogs, you can do that in a decade. That's not possible in that timeframe in people."

The eventual results could have implications for humans, but the dog-loving scientists say their research is about more than that.

"We're both determined to find ways to improve the quality of life for dogs," Dr. Kaeberlein says. "This is not just about finding something that will help people. It might be good for dogs and their owners."

Q&A

Essential oils can

be toxic to pets

Q: I've been using an essential oil diffuser in my home, and I'm wondering if the oils are safe for use around my pets. Can inhaling the scents harm them? What about topical use? -- via email

A: Essential oils are extracted from plants, usually by distilling flowers, leaves, wood, bark, roots, seeds or peel. Some people use them medicinally, by inhaling them or applying them to the skin.

Pet owners who are interested in holistic remedies sometimes use essential oils to fight flea infestations or soothe hot spots or other skin conditions. It's important to use these oils cautiously around pets, however. They are powerful and can be toxic or even fatal if misused. Cats are especially at risk because their livers aren't able to metabolize certain drugs and toxins, including essential oils such as melaleuca (tea tree oil), pennyroyal, D-limonene and linalool.

According to my colleague Sharon Gwaltney-Brant, DVM, a toxicology specialist who spoke on this subject at a veterinary conference, the most common signs seen in pets who have essential oils applied to the skin are loss of coordination, muscle weakness, depression and behavior changes. Small dogs have become temporarily paralyzed when owners applied melaleuca oil down the spine as a topical flea treatment. Cats improperly exposed to the oils can develop liver failure. Pets who lick or ingest the oils may vomit or have diarrhea or suffer mouth burns. Inhaling the oils can not only irritate your pet's sensitive nose, but can also cause aspiration pneumonia. Pet birds have an extremely delicate respiratory tract, and you should never use scent diffusers or scented candles in their presence.

In essence, it's important to be careful when using these products. Never let pets lick them off your skin, and always check with your veterinarian before using essential oils on or around your pets. -- Dr. Marty Becker

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

THE BUZZ

Coat color may affect

cats' temperament

-- Does your calico have cattitude? Science says: Yes. According to a study conducted by researchers at the University of California, Davis, calico and tortoiseshell cats are more likely to be assertive in their interactions with humans. In other words, they don't hesitate to hiss, chase, bite, swat or scratch to get their point across to owners and veterinarians. The information, acquired by surveying more than 1,200 cat owners and published in the Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, confirmed that cats who come in those patterns can have spirited temperaments. Some call them "difficult"; we like to think of them as, uh, forceful communicators. Want a more laid-back cat? Choose one with a solid-colored coat.

-- Endangered rhinos have some new best friends: anti-poaching dogs. One of them is Larry, a 2-year-old Belgian Malinois employed in Swaziland, a country in southern Africa where rhinos are at high risk from poaching gangs. Larry and other dogs, including bloodhounds and foxhounds, track and apprehend poachers and scent out rhino horns and ammunition smuggled through airports. Anti-poaching dogs and their handlers also work to protect rhinos in South Africa's Kruger National Park and Kenya's Ol Pejeta Conservatory. Elephants and gorillas benefit, too, from the approximately 100 dogs who help to protect African wildlife.

-- When Annabelle slipped down an icy embankment in Orange, Massachusetts, and became trapped in some brush, her pal Jacques did the sensible thing: He called the police. Officers had been trying to catch the west Highland white terriers, who had escaped after their owner was taken to the hospital, but they couldn't get close to them until Jacques ran up to an officer and barked, then led him to Annabelle. Officers were able to use a ladder to rescue her, and brought them in until they could be reunited with their owner. Thank goodness for "Lassie" reruns. -- Dr. Marty Becker, Kim Campbell Thornton and Mikkel Becker

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: Studies of canine longevity could have benefits for dogs and humans. Mouse, a 6-year-old husky-shepherd mix, is participating in the Dog Aging Project's Rapamycin study. Photo credit: John Benavente Position: Main Story

Caption 02: The genes that dictate a cat's coat color and pattern may also be linked to temperament. Position: Pet Buzz/Item 1