Independence Day is a frightening event for many pets. Here’s how to help dogs and cats stay safe and serene

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

What is your pet’s least favorite holiday? If our dogs and cats could express an opinion, it’s likely they would choose the Fourth of July. While we associate it with picnics and parades, our pets are often fearful of the “rocket’s red glare and bombs bursting in air.”

Some pets enjoy watching fireworks, while others run outdoors and figuratively shake their fist and yell bad words at the pyrotechnics. But pets who are fearful of fireworks can respond with full-blown panic, jumping through windows or over fences in a frenzied attempt to escape the scary sounds. Others whine or moan, tremble uncontrollably or run and hide in as small an area as possible. Cats typically head beneath the bed, while dogs may curl up inside a dark closet.

“Before she lost enough of her hearing that she no longer minded, my beagle-mix became a shaking, drooling mess every year, including one night when she tried to climb into the refrigerator,” says Eliza Rubenstein of Costa Mesa, California. “Our annual patriotic tradition involved alprazolam and three hours of driving around.”

A pet’s fireworks phobia can take away enjoyment of Independence Day for everyone in the family. For a dog or, rarely, cat whose reaction to fireworks rises to the level of abject fear and panic, the following tips can help them cope.

-- Go for a ride. As Rubenstein discovered, being inside a car seems to help insulate dogs from the noise. Drive to an area away from the fireworks if possible.

-- Get out of town. Susan Rosenau of Bellingham, Washington, lives with two French bulldogs whose reaction to fireworks is “complete panic.”

“We’re planning a trip to Canada for the Fourth of July this year just to avoid them,” she says.

You might not be able to leave the country, but you may be able to send your pet to stay with a relative or friend who lives in an area where fireworks are uncommon. A boarding kennel or pet sitter away from fireworks is another option.

-- Keep pets indoors. Provide a hiding place that will prevent your pet from being exposed to the brightly lit sky and dampen the sound. This may be a covered crate in a room with the curtains drawn, a closet or a bathroom with no windows. Some pets feel safe in the bathtub. Sally Bahner’s cat, Mollie, heads for the linen closet or the vanity in the bathroom.

-- Give your pet a favorite toy to add to his comfort level.

“Our greyhound-mix really liked to be inside and with his stuffed hedgehog on his bed,” says Melissa Frieze Karolak of Cleveland. “I think he taught our terrier that the best place to be when loud noises happen is inside.”

-- Sometimes wearing a snug-fitting shirt or cape offers a feeling of security to a dog or cat. You can also find specially made earmuffs and eye shades to help limit a pet’s exposure to sound and light.

-- Fearful dogs may benefit from a synthetic pheromone called Adaptil, which mimics the sebaceous gland secretions given off by mother dogs as they nurse. It’s thought to have a calming effect. A similar product called Feliway is available for cats.

If your dog’s fear of fireworks is so severe that he can’t function, harms himself or is destructive in his attempts to escape, talk to your veterinarian about medication that may help. Be sure you understand how to use it. Generally, it’s necessary to give medication before fireworks begin. If you wait, it will be less effective. Read instructions carefully to make sure you administer medication correctly. You may also want to ask for a referral to a board-certified veterinary behaviorist.

Q&A

Choose pocket pet

hideaways wisely

Q: What are the best ways to “furnish” a pocket pet’s habitat? What are some good accessories to get?

A: Think man cave, only on a smaller scale. Small mammals such as guinea pigs, hamsters, rats and mice love their hidey-holes. It’s second nature for them to burrow into a tunnel or huddle in a small, dark, enclosed space they can call home sweet home. You can find a variety of hip hutches, tunnels, pouches and even edible hideaways made specifically for your particular pocket pet.

Hideaways reduce stress by giving pocket pets a feeling of security. And pouches or hutches that hang on the cage make it easy to remove the animal from the habitat in case of emergency. Avoid items that hang on a string instead of a chain; pets may chew and swallow string, causing intestinal problems.

Dens that sit on the ground are nice, too. Look for one with a top that comes off or that doesn’t have a bottom. It’s important to check your pocket pet daily for possible health problems such as wet tail or upper respiratory infections, and you can’t do that easily if you can’t get to him. Dens that are made of plastic parts that pop apart are also easy to clean.

Be sure you choose an item that’s an appropriate size. People sometimes make the mistake, for instance, of buying a hamster-size tunnel for a young rat. The rat grows too big for it before anyone notices and gets stuck in the tunnel. Trying to free him is stressful for the rat and the people. Hamsters can also get stuck in entrances or windows that are too small. That’s why it’s a good idea to choose an entrance without a bottom. Finally, avoid tunnels with gaps or cracks that could pinch a pet’s toe. -- Kim Campbell Thornton

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

THE BUZZ

Salmonella outbreaks

linked to poultry

-- Love to cuddle your pet chicken? The fluffy birds are surprisingly snuggly, but getting up close and personal with them can lead to a case of salmonellosis. So far this year, the Centers for Disease Control has recorded 372 cases in 47 states connected to backyard poultry, such as chicks and ducklings. To reduce the risk, wash hands thoroughly immediately after handling the birds. Supervise children younger than 5 years to make sure they don’t put their hands in their mouth after touching birds, then thoroughly wash their hands. Change clothes and shoes after handling chickens or walking through the area where they’re kept.

-- Walking a dog helps to keep senior citizens fit, according to a British study published last month in Biomed Central Public Health. Conducted by researchers at the University of Lincoln and Glasgow Caledonian University, it found that dog owners walked an average of 21 more minutes per day at a moderate pace than people who didn’t own dogs. The extra minutes add up to a weekly total of 147 minutes, close to the 150 minutes per week recommended to achieve substantial health benefits.

-- Urinary stones are one of the most common health problems seen in cats and one of the most frustrating to deal with. Stones form when certain waste products present in urine become more concentrated, developing into tiny crystals. From those tiny crystals grow larger stones, which have the potential to fill the urinary tract, reducing the flow of urine to a trickle or even blocking it altogether. Stones are most commonly found in the bladder, but they can also occur in the urinary tract, the kidneys or the ureter, the connection between the kidneys and the bladder. Depending on the type of stone, the solution may call for a change in diet, medication or surgery. -- 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.

How far would you go to save your dog’s life? Some people are traveling to France and Japan so their dogs can receive life-saving surgery

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

Chuck was diagnosed with a loud heart murmur when he was 6 years old, but the black-and-tan cavalier’s heart wasn’t enlarged, and he didn’t need any medication to control the condition. That changed last fall, when the then-10-year-old dog started coughing.

Chuck was a victim of mitral valve disease, also known as chronic valvular disease. It’s the most common form of heart disease in older dogs. Small breeds such as dachshunds, poodles and Chihuahuas are primarily at risk, but Chuck is a cavalier King Charles spaniel, a breed that typically develops the disease earlier in life than other small dogs.

His veterinary cardiologist found that Chuck’s heart was enlarging quickly and prescribed medication, but it didn’t help. By December, Chuck’s cough was worse, and his lungs had started to fill with fluid, a sign of congestive heart failure. Additional medications were prescribed, but Chuck’s owners were given the devastating news that their dog likely had only months to live.

“I went home, cried for a couple of days and then started Googling,” says Holly Johnson-Modafferi of Boston.

She learned of a veterinary surgeon in Japan who had performed a successful repair of the mitral valve. Chuck’s cardiologist was familiar with the surgery, but warned that the seven-month waiting period to bring a dog into Japan would probably preclude Chuck from getting there in time. Holly went back to Google and discovered that the Japanese veterinarian, Masami Uechi, also performed the surgery in France every other month, in partnership with two French veterinarians, Jean-Hugues Bozon, DVM, and Sabine Bozon, DVM.

“Once I started finding out the details, I talked to Mike (Modafferi, her husband), and we decided we were going to make it happen,” she says.

Along with three other couples who followed similar paths of discovery, Holly and Mike flew to France with Chuck last month. (Full disclosure: My husband and I, with our cavalier Harper, were one of those couples.)

The complex surgery involves stopping the dog’s heart, with life support provided by a heart-lung bypass machine. The mitral valve is reshaped, and stretched or broken chordae tendineae (known as the heart strings) are replaced with expanded PTFE, a lightweight but powerful material used in everything from medical devices implanted in the body to high-tech expedition clothing.

The surgery, which has been performed nearly 700 times over a dozen years, has a success rate of 90 percent. Barring other health problems or accidents, the dogs go on to live a normal lifespan. For a cavalier or other small breed or mix, that can mean living to be 13 to 17 years old.

A group of owners whose dogs have had the surgery have formed the Mighty Hearts Project to increase awareness of the surgery among pet owners and veterinarians. They hope that eventually it will become available in North America.

“We’ve assembled not a team, but a family of people whose dogs have undergone this same surgery to support others in their quest to save their dogs,” says one of the founders, Nate Estes of Newbury Park, California, whose Maltese, Zoey, had the surgery nearly a year ago when she was 5 years old.

The four dogs who underwent surgery last month are back home after a week of hospitalization. They face a three-month recovery period that requires owners to keep them from running and jumping while they heal. That’s not always easy, but afterward they can live normal, active lives.

It was expensive, but Holly says she’d do it again. And she has some advice for owners of dogs prone to MVD: Buy pet health insurance now, and start a slush fund for your dog in case he needs surgery one day.

Q&A

How to care for

bearded dragon

Q: I’ve just acquired a bearded dragon. What should I know about taking care of him? -- via email

A: Congratulations on your new reptile companion! Bearded dragons are popular because of their small size, quiet nature and variety of colors. They enjoy basking in the sun and are typically active during the day. With good care, you can expect your bearded dragon to live eight to 12 years.

Even though they aren’t especially large, bearded dragons need a good-size habitat. A 40- to 55-gallon aquarium is the minimum amount of space you should provide. Larger is better. You’ll need to equip his living area with full-spectrum lighting for 12 hours a day. He also needs an appropriate temperature range. During the day, he should be able to move from a hot basking area that ranges from 95 degrees Fahrenheit to 105 degrees Fahrenheit to a slightly cooler area of no less than 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Other important features are a box or other area where he can hide, and surfaces on which he can climb and bask.

Bearded dragons eat a variety of insects and leafy greens. Juvenile bearded dragons will thrive on crickets, mealworms and other gut-loaded insects offered daily, but as they mature, they eat more vegetable matter. Offer a daily buffet of dark leafy greens and shredded veggies. Ask your veterinarian to recommend an appropriate vitamin and mineral supplement for your bearded dragon’s life stage.

Take your bearded dragon to a veterinarian who specializes in reptile care. A visit every six to 12 months will help to ensure that he’s in good condition and isn’t carrying any internal parasites such as pinworms or coccidia. Common health problems include fungal dermatitis (yellow fungus), obesity, constipation from chronic dehydration, poor diet, lack of exercise and, believe it or not, periodontal disease. Yes, you should brush your bearded dragon’s teeth! Your veterinarian can advise you on the best technique. -- Dr. Marty Becker

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

THE BUZZ

Animals have friends

in Connecticut courts

-- Connecticut is the first state to provide animals with court-appointed representatives in abuse and cruelty cases, NPR reports. One of the eight volunteer advocates may be appointed by a judge or requested by defense attorneys or prosecutors. The advocates may testify in cases, do investigative work, conduct interviews, make arguments, write briefs and make recommendations to judges, according to an AP report. Animal law is an emerging specialty, and at least nine law schools offer courses in the subject.

-- Does music help to calm pets? Veterinarian Ross Henderson thinks so. He practices at Fox Hollow Animal Hospital in Lakewood, Colorado, and he has been known to break out his guitar and sing a song to animals who are nervous before they undergo surgery or other procedures. Playing soft classical or jazz music when pets are left alone is a standard recommendation when pets suffer from separation anxiety. Pet-friendly music is also becoming a fixture in the lobbies and exam rooms of veterinary clinics that practice Fear Free techniques. Why does music seem to affect animals in a positive way? In humans, it has been shown to have relaxing effects by slowing heart and respiratory rates. Animals may experience the same physiological benefits.

-- The pixiebob isn’t a mythical creature. The usually brown-spotted tabby cat with the bobbed tail has the look of a bobcat -- from which he takes his name -- but he’s a domestic cat through and through. Loyal, loving and lively, the relatively new cat breed was developed in the 1980s by Carol Ann Brewer. The name "pixiebob" references the female kitten who inspired her to create the short-tailed breed. Besides their wild appearance, pixiebobs stand out for their extra toes, a characteristic called polydactylism. Their coats can be short or long, and they weigh 10 to 18 pounds. -- 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.

The viral disease can spread easily, but common-sense precautions can help keep dogs safe

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

An eight-state outbreak of canine influenza is causing dog-show exhibitors to keep their dogs home and the American Kennel Club to advise judges that exhibitors should display the dogs’ teeth themselves. Pet dogs are at risk if they frequent dog parks or other areas where dogs come in contact with each other. The H3N2 strain has been documented in 30 states, including Florida, which reported its first cases earlier this month, and H3N8 has been found in 42 states, plus Washington, D.C.

The H3N2 strain primarily affects dogs, but last March, the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine and the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory documented that the strain had infected a group of cats in the Midwest and could spread from cat to cat. The disease is not transmissible to humans.

While most dogs who encounter the highly contagious virus develop a mild or subclinical case and recover in two to four weeks without serious problems, that doesn’t mean the disease is harmless. A small percentage of dogs can develop a severe form that may lead to pneumonia caused by a secondary bacterial infection. They may need antibiotics, fluids or even hospitalization. The fatality rate is less than 10 percent.

Dogs in frequent contact with other dogs -- at parks, boarding or daycare facilities, animal shelters, pet stores, grooming salons, dog shows or other events -- are at highest risk. Up to 80 percent of dogs exposed to the virus will contract it.

The airborne virus is transmitted by contact with infected dogs or contaminated items, such as pet dishes, leashes, crates or kennels. The virus can survive up to 24 hours on soft surfaces, such as bedding, and up to 48 hours on hard surfaces, such as flooring. Persons handling an infected dog and then an uninfected dog without first disinfecting their hands can also spread the disease.

Dogs who show clinical signs can be infective for 28 days from the time they are exposed to the virus. Infected dogs without clinical signs -- a dry, hacking cough; appetite loss; lethargy; runny nose or eyes; and fever -- can spread canine flu as well.

Once dogs are exposed to the virus, they show signs within 24 to 48 hours. If you suspect your dog has canine flu, call your veterinarian for advice. To avoid spreading canine flu, your veterinarian may request that you not bring your dog to the clinic or that you follow specific safety precautions before doing so.

A double-dose vaccine is available to protect dogs. The second dose is administered two weeks after the first. The vaccine protects against the H3N2 and H3N8 strains of the canine flu virus. Immunity typically kicks in within one to two weeks of the booster vaccine.

To reduce the risk of a dog contracting canine flu or to prevent spreading the disease, experts recommend the following tips:

-- Keep sick dogs separate from healthy dogs for up to 30 days after signs diminish.

-- Wash hands frequently, especially if handling one dog after another. At dog shows, judges should use hand sanitizer after examining each dog. Exhibitors should consider grooming dogs at their cars instead of at grooming areas in proximity to other dogs.

-- Use easily sanitized stainless steel or ceramic dog bowls.

-- Clean bowls, tables, crates and other items with a solution of one part bleach to 30 parts water and let air-dry for at least 10 minutes before use. Bleach breaks down quickly, so make a new solution daily. Use paper towels instead of cloth to wipe down hard surfaces.

Q&A

A dog’s ear:

How it works

Q: I’m fascinated by my dog’s keen sense of hearing and ability to move his ears. Could you explain a little about canine ear anatomy and function? -- via Facebook

A: You are right to be amazed by your dog’s hearing ability. The ears are delicate, sensitive, finely tuned instruments that allow dogs to stay alert to sounds beyond human abilities to hear.

The ear has three main parts: the outer ear, the middle ear and the inner ear.

The outer ear begins with the pinna, also known as the auricle. It’s sort of a funnel-shaped flap that traps sound waves. The muscles surrounding it are what allow a dog to twitch and turn his ears to capture sounds. Inside the ear, a long L-shaped canal leads to the middle ear.

The middle ear processes the sound waves captured by the pinna. It consists of the tympanic cavity, the eardrum and the auditory ossicles. The latter are a series of tiny bones known as the hammer (malleus), anvil (incus) and stirrup (stapes).

Sound waves travel down the ear to the eardrum. There, the auditory ossicles transmit them across the middle ear to the inner ear. The cochlea, a snail-shaped tube, converts sound vibrations into messages transmitted to the brain by the auditory nerve. There, the messages are translated into meaningful sounds. All of this occurs instantaneously.

The inner ear also governs the dog’s sense of balance. It contains three small, semicircular tubes filled with fluid, known as canals. The canals are lined with fine hairs that record movement of the fluid and changes in the dog’s posture and position, transmitting the information to the brain via the auditory nerve. The canals, combined with what’s known as the otolith organs, direct nerve impulses that help dogs stay balanced and upright. -- Dr. Marty Becker

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

THE BUZZ

How to survive

cat teenhood

-- Is your cat 6 to 18 months old? That age range is when kittens morph from cute to cat. Like human teenagers, adolescent cats are ready to display their independence and show the world what they can do -- whether that’s making the biggest scratches on the furniture, marking their territory with urine, or (if they aren’t yet altered) yowling and prowling in search of a companion with whom they can procreate. The good news is that the adolescent stage doesn’t last forever. Get through it by channeling feline energy through puzzle toys, play time and trick training, and spaying or neutering your pet if the surgery hasn’t already been done. Before you know it, your kitten will have moved from sulky adolescence to cool-cat adulthood.

-- Dogs can behave aggressively for many reasons. They may be defending their territory, food or toys; protecting family members or puppies; or fearful of a person or situation. Other times, they react aggressively because they are in pain from an injury or health problem. Signs of aggression include growling, snapping, biting, chasing, staring and standing stiffly. Instead of punishing the dog, schedule a veterinary visit to rule out physical causes. If your dog gets a clean bill of health, ask your veterinarian for a referral to a veterinary behaviorist or experienced dog trainer to help you determine the cause and use Fear Free techniques to set boundaries and modify the behavior.

-- Help your pet stay safe in summer heat. Dogs and cats with light-colored coats or hairless bodies need protection with pet-safe sunscreen when they are outdoors. All pets need easy access to fresh, cool water. Dogs who go swimming need a thorough freshwater rinse and a complete drying afterward to prevent skin and ear infections. Happy summer! -- Dr. Marty Becker 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.