Dogs you wouldn’t want to meet in a dark alley or on a lonesome moor

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

The Wild Hunt. Gabriel hounds. Black Shuck. The Baskerville Hound. Fluffy.

Wait. Fluffy?

Any devoted Harry Potter fan knows Fluffy, the fearsome three-headed dog who guarded the philosopher’s stone in the first volume of the Potter saga. Fluffy, purchased by Rubeus Hagrid from “a Greek chappie,” is a not-so-subtle reference to Cerberus, the canine guardian of the gate to Hades, the Greek underworld. Cerberus was also said to have been the companion of the Greek goddess Hecate, who ruled the night, the moon, magic and witchcraft.

Spectral or supernatural dogs have been featured in mythology for millennia. In Egyptian lore, the dog-headed god, Anubis, weighed the hearts of the dead to determine their fate in the underworld. He was thought to protect graves and cemeteries and, later, to escort the dead from life to afterlife.

The connection of dogs to death and the afterlife isn’t limited to Egypt and Greece. A host of ghost dog tales arose in medieval northern Europe. Stories of spectral canines are found from Scandinavia to Germany to France, but especially throughout Great Britain.

The hounds of the unearthly Wild Hunt may be the best known of these ghostly dogs. Known in Wales as the Cwn Annwn, the white hounds with red ears -- a coloration that symbolizes their otherworldly nature and their association with death -- run wrongdoers to earth as well as escort souls to the next world. Legend has it that they run only on certain nights throughout the year, including All Saints’ Day on November 1, Christmas and New Year’s Day.

The vision of a phantom black dog foretells death in many parts of Great Britain. One such nocturnal canine apparition is the Barghest, a black dog with red eyes who haunts lonely byways, preying on unfortunates who come his way, and foretelling death by lying across the threshold of the doomed person’s home.

Another ghastly dog who haunts the British countryside is Black Shuck. The shaggy black dog with saucer-size flaming eyes roams East Anglia. Legend has it that seeing him is a precursor of bad luck or death by the end of the year.

Some black dogs have a more benevolent reputation. The Gurt, or Great, Dog of Somerset is a benign canine whose role is to protect children. And Jo Ashbeth Coffey of Devon, England, recalls the time she was living in Berkshire and saw a large black dog on a bend in the road as she was riding home on her motorbike.

“The next day I slowed down right at that corner remembering it, and just as well. As I came around the corner there was a black horse in the middle of the road. At normal speed, it could have killed us both,” she says.

The spirit dogs of folklore have leaped into pop culture. One of the earliest, of course, is the hound of the Baskervilles, made famous in the eponymous Sherlock Holmes story. Holmes creator Sir Arthur Conan Doyle may have been inspired by a sinister West Country phantom known as a yeth hound.

More recently, a Scottish deerhound (dyed black) played Padfoot in the movie “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.” Potter author J.K. Rowling may have adapted the notion of Padfoot from the legend of a black dog in the West Yorkshire area known as Padfoot, who was benevolent if offered kindness. In “Prisoner of Azkaban,” Padfoot is the canine form of shape-shifter Sirius Black.

While black dogs have a fearsome reputation in myths and legends, those of us who live with them know the real truth that’s out there: They are our sweet and soulful companions both in life and in memory.

Q&A

Can cats have

gallbladder issues?

Q: My cat has an inflamed gallbladder and maybe a blocked bile duct. I didn’t know cats could have gallbladder problems! What can you tell me about them? -- via Facebook

A: The gallbladder is basically a storage unit for bile. This bitter, greenish-brown fluid secreted by the liver has two purposes: It helps the body break down dietary fats for absorption by the body, and it helps the body remove certain types of toxins. The gallbladder releases bile in response to hormonal signals, the bile does its job, and then it exits the body through the feces.

When cats develop certain types of liver disease such as cholangiohepatitis or hepatic lipidosis (sometimes called fatty liver disease), the accompanying inflammation can cause a bile traffic jam in the liver and biliary ducts -- the pathways that bile travels into and out of the gallbladder. Bile, being a digestive fluid, isn’t just bitter -- it’s caustic. When it can’t flow freely, it can cause serious tissue damage in the areas where it’s stuck.

Cats with cholangiohepatitis, the most common acquired inflammatory liver disease in cats, typically don’t feel like eating, run a fever, vomit and develop jaundice, the latter indicated by a yellow tinge to the whites of the eyes. These cats may also have associated bacterial infections, inflammatory bowel disease or pancreatitis, to name just a few complications.

Fluids, antibiotics and pain medications are prescribed to help get bile flowing, give a one-two punch to infections, and just help the cat feel better so he’ll start eating again. (That’s important to help prevent hepatic lipidosis.)

Some cats have an immune-mediated form of disease that doesn’t respond to antibiotics. They are usually treated with steroids given daily or every other day. Antimicrobials, a special diet, fluids, and B vitamin and electrolyte supplements may also help. -- Dr. Marty Becker

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

THE BUZZ

Pet food: Made for

you or for your pet?

-- If you check the label of your pet’s food, you may see ingredients such as blueberries, yams, kale or dandelion. But are they there for your dog or cat’s benefit or to appeal to you, the buyer? Those ingredients and more have reputations as “superfoods,” ingredients with health benefits, but is there science to back up their benefits for pets? Usually not, although one University of Alaska study found that sled dogs with blueberries in their diet had higher levels of antioxidants after exercise, possibly giving them a protective benefit against oxidative damage from free radicals. There’s nothing wrong with these ingredients in pet foods, but it’s more important to check the label for the words “complete and balanced.”

-- It’s Halloween, and chances are you’ll see a poodle at a pet event sporting a costume or creative clip. Their status as living canvases for creative types is nothing new. Fashionable poodles in the late 19th century strutted the streets in custom shirts, capes, eveningwear and -- at the seaside -- bathing costumes. Elite dog groomers cared for their coats with special shampoos and used colored powders to give them a stylish and unique appearance. R.W. Brown, who groomed the dogs of the noble and famous, was known to sculpt monograms, family crests and elaborate scenes into the dogs’ curly coats.

-- No bones about it: Cats have some unique anatomical characteristics. For instance, the number of bones they have depends on their paws and tail. Cats with normal-length tails have more vertebrae than cats with short tails, such as Manx or Japanese bobtails. And cats with extra toes -- a condition called polydactylism -- have more bones than cats with the normal number of toes. The average cat has 244 bones, but an individual cat can have 230 to 250 bones. -- 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.

A TRIP TO THE VETERINARY ER IS NEVER EASY, BUT THESE TIPS CAN HELP YOU GET THROUGH IT

Taking a pet to the emergency hospital is something none of us wants to do. It's scary and stressful for you and your dog or cat. We've been there more times than we like to think about, and we have some tips to help you cope. We hope you won't ever need to use them, but tuck them away in the back of your mind just in case.

Protect yourself when handling a sick or injured animal. Even the most docile dog or cat can bite when in pain. Keep a muzzle on hand or ask your veterinarian to show you how to safely tie one using a scarf or tie.

Be patient. Your pet won't be seen in the order of arrival. Animals who are most unstable will be seen first.

"We do them in order of medical need," says our friend and colleague Dr. Tony Johnson, an emergency and critical care specialist at the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine. "If I have a hit-by-car and a dog with diarrhea, even if the dog with diarrhea has been waiting two hours, the hit-by-car is going to get seen first."

The only time someone jumps that line, he says, is if they're bringing in a pet to be euthanized.

Be prepared to wait as little as five minutes or as long as six hours. It all depends on what other cases are there or come in while you're waiting. If you think about it before you leave the house, grab a book or your iPod in case you'll be there for a while.

If possible, have someone go with you or meet you there. You may need help getting your pet in and out of the car and into the hospital. And it's always good to have someone's hand to hold while you're waiting.

Designate a single person to communicate with the veterinarian, so he or she doesn't have to repeat information to multiple family members. Take notes or record the conversation on your smartphone so you can refer back to it.

Don't forget your wallet in your mad rush out of the house. Most veterinary hospitals won't treat your pet without proof that you can pay for care. Your regular veterinary hospital might do that if you've been a client for years -- they know where you live and that you're probably not going to skip town -- but an emergency hospital isn't in that position.

"It sounds avaricious, but there are not too many emergency hospitals that are going to do something on a handshake," Dr. Johnson says. "ERs usually see people once. They can't separate out the people who are a risk of not paying from those who aren't. They're not trying to be greedy."

Know when to go. Some things are obvious. Take your pet to the emergency hospital in the following situations:

-- allergic reactions

-- any animal bite

-- bloated belly

-- bloody diarrhea

-- difficulty breathing

-- distress from excessively hot or cold temperatures

-- eye injuries

-- frequent or projectile vomiting

-- heavy bleeding

-- ingestion of a toxic substance, such as antifreeze, human medications or snail bait

-- seizures

-- serious trauma, such as being hit by a car

-- straining to urinate or defecate

-- sudden lameness

-- unconsciousness or collapse

-- venomous snake or spider bites

If you're not sure, well, we recommend erring on the side of caution. Like their counterparts in human medicine, veterinary emergency clinics are expensive, but sometimes the cost of a visit is a price worth paying for peace of mind. And when a visit saves your pet's life? Priceless.

Q&A

Respond to cat's 'gifts'

with gratitude, distraction

Q: My cat is always bringing me dead gophers. Why does he do this, and how should I respond? -- via Facebook

A: My mother's cats have delivered four rats to her front door in the past week. Isn't she lucky that they are so thoughtful? I guess with colder weather coming on, they are concerned that she won't be able to provide for herself.

Cats are known for bringing "presents" to their people. Why do cats hunt for us? They are natural predators, of course, and it's instinctive for them to bring their prey to a safe place. In the wild, leopards drag their kill up into trees so it will be safe from other animals and they can munch on it at their leisure. Our domestic cats choose their own home, and sometimes their own food dish, as the best place to securely deposit their kill.

Of course, we can't get into their heads, fascinating though it would be, but they may be acting out the instinct to nurture us and to provide us with food. Maybe they are trying to teach us to hunt, as they would a kitten. Or it could just be that they're saying, "Hey, could you fix this for dinner tonight?"

Be polite when your cat brings you the gift of a dead mouse or other critter. Praise him for being such a good hunter, and then try to distract him while -- ideally --someone else disposes of the carcass.

If your cat is a great hunter, there's little you can do to prevent his offerings. There's the classic bell on the collar to warn prey animals of his approach, or the policy of keeping him indoors. And learn from my mother's experience: Look carefully before you step outside the door. -- Kim Campbell Thornton

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

THE BUZZ

Dogs with 'smart collars'

could be health barometers

-- Researchers at England's Newcastle University developed a high-tech, waterproof dog collar with an accelerometer and used it to track movement, barking, sitting and other actions to gather data on the normal activity level of a variety of dog breeds. The information they obtained allowed them to quickly notice changes that might indicate that the dog was bored or in poor health. Their next step is to study whether changes such as the dog being walked less often or not being fed regularly can serve as a warning that an aging owner is struggling to cope or has deteriorating health.

-- The Eau Gallie Veterinary Hospital in Melbourne, Florida, has started regularly utilizing humorous messages, such as "No hump Wednesdays: 10 percent off spay and neuter." The clever and comical signs are the brainchild of office manager Gemma Millar, who says they are a fun way to get people's attention and promote preventive care and the benefits of spaying and neutering. The signs have increased the clinic's spay/neuter appointments and even brought in new clients.

-- Everyone knows that black is chic, sophisticated and goes with everything. So why are black dogs and cats so difficult to place? Shelter employees and humane organizations agree that the animals tend to stay longer than lighter-colored pets, possibly because they are difficult to photograph, blend into backgrounds, or maybe just look a little scary. Shelters are working to improve their chances by putting colorful bandanas on black animals, putting up bright backdrops in their kennels to help them stand out, and having their pictures taken by professional photographers. -- Dr. Marty Becker and Kim Campbell Thornton

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

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

Adventure cats are living the dream and carrying on their feline heritage of exploration

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

My husband and I were loading up our kayak and stand-up paddleboard a few weeks ago when I squealed, “An adventure cat!” Sure enough, a tabby cat wearing a yellow flotation device tugged at his leash as the people next to us unloaded their kayak. It was Pan’s first time out on the water, they said.

He’s not alone. Instagram is full of photos of cats hiking, camping, boating, surfing, sledding and snowshoeing (on their built-in snowshoes, er, paws). Earlier this year, Laura Moss, who founded Adventurecats.org in 2015, published “Adventure Cats: Living Nine Lives To the Fullest,” a guide to safely taking cats outdoors.

If you think about it, cats are the original adventure animals. They globe-hopped with Phoenician traders; sailed with Vikings; crossed the Atlantic on the Mayflower to help settle the New World; and traveled in wagon trains with pioneers across prairies, plains and deserts. In 1950, a black-and-white kitten climbed Matterhorn with a group of alpinists. Clearly, cats are impressive adventurers.

While exploring the great outdoors with their humans is nothing new to cats, it sometimes surprises their people how well they take to it. Emily Odum Hall of Macon, Georgia, had previously tried leash-training a couple of her cats, but they wanted nothing to do with it. Then Sophie came along. She had a laid-back personality and enjoyed hanging out with Hall and her husband in their backyard. They ventured farther, to a concert in a park. Sophie’s adventures blossomed from there, and she has been joined by Kylo Ren, an adventure cat in training.

“They really like parks and being outside and smelling new smells and seeing new sights,” Hall says. “My husband’s parents live in Florida on the St. John’s River and have a boat. We’ve taken them out on the river, and they both really enjoy that.”

The best cats for an adventurous life tend to be either laid-back or bold. Sophie and Kylo Ren fall on the easygoing end of the spectrum.

“It was her temperament and her laid-back personality that made us want to try it in the first place,” Hall says. “Sophie always has this look on her face like, ‘Oh, man, this is so much fun.’ She just goes with the flow all the time.”

Physical condition need not hold a cat back. Sophie has a neurological condition called cerebellar hypoplasia that affects her coordination. She can walk with a leash and harness, but often she rides in a sling that Hall wears. Being able to carry Sophie and Kylo Ren that way is helpful for urban adventures or places they might encounter dogs, Hall says.

The people we met who were taking their cat kayaking did so without a dry run, so to speak, but a little practice and acclimation beforehand is always a good idea. Exposing a cat to a kayak, canoe or stand-up paddleboard, for instance, could involve having it in the yard or home, allowing him to explore it at his leisure. Place treats on it for him to find. Go slowly, fitting him with a flotation device, and reward frequently with treats while he’s wearing it. For a larger boat, start by hanging out on it at the dock, letting him get used to sounds he might hear, such as the engine starting, boat horns or gulls squawking.

Wherever you go with your adventure cat, don’t forget necessary items, such as a portable water dish, a supply of food in case you don’t get back before dinnertime, and for camping or boating, a litter box. A collar with ID and a microchip are musts as well.

“It’s so much fun having adventure cats,” Hall says. “You see people with their dogs all the time, and having two cats I can take places is a lot of fun.”

Q&A

How to remove

tree sap from fur

Q: Help! My border collie got pine tree sap in her fur. How do I get it out? -- via Facebook

A: When it comes to sticky things in fur, there are a lot of different recommended remedies for removal. For instance, creamy peanut butter helps to soften chewing gum. It seems counterintuitive to use sticky stuff to remove sticky stuff, but it’s the oil in the peanut butter that does the trick. Olive oil, butter and mayonnaise can work, too. Whichever you choose, rub it into the area with the sticky substance, let it sit for a few minutes, and then carefully comb it out or work it out with your fingers.

Tree sap can be a stickier wicket, though. The peanut butter or oil trick may work, but sometimes tree sap is a job for alcohol -- the drinking kind. Vodka, to be exact. The alcohol dissolves the tree sap. While you shouldn’t allow your dog to lick the treated area, the vodka is less risky for him to ingest than isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol. If you don’t have vodka on hand, I’ve heard anecdotally that bourbon works equally well.

The sap may have hardened by the time you discover it. If that’s the case, use a blow-dryer on a low setting to soften it before you begin removal. Make sure you don’t hold it too close to the skin or you could burn your dog.

Once all the sap is out, give your dog a bath to remove any traces of peanut butter, vodka or anything else you used. Depending on how much tree sap is in your dog’s coat, the quickest and easiest solution, if the most expensive, may be to take him to a groomer for a bath with a degreasing shampoo. -- Dr. Marty Becker

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

THE BUZZ

Cats at work on

the bourbon trail

-- Who’s the most important employee at a distillery? It might be the distillery cat. All that corn, rye and wheat attract rodents, so cats are integral members of the security team, but they are also guest relations employees. Castle and Key, outside Frankfort, Kentucky, hasn’t opened yet, but Rick the distillery cat is already on the job, according to a report from WDRB.com. He’s clearly management material, with his bow tie and approachable demeanor. As “catbassador,” the orange tabby’s position entails guarding building plans, patrolling the grounds and greeting guests. Nice work if you can get it.

-- Nuts aren’t typically toxic to dogs, but the macadamia nut is an exception, at least in large quantities. While one macadamia nut probably won’t affect your dog -- unless it’s enrobed in dark chocolate -- five or 10 or more can cause unpleasant side effects. Dogs who dig into a bowl of macadamias may become weak in the hind end, tremble, develop a low-grade fever, and look or act as if they’re in pain. If you discover that your dog has eaten these tasty nuts, take him to the veterinarian; he may need IV fluids or pain medication to help him recover.

-- Does your cat love you? Here are some ways you can tell that your feline is feeling affection for you. She bumps heads with you or rubs her cheek against your body, anointing you with pheromones that declare her possession of you -- and with cats, that’s a sure sign of love. Cats also express their regard by cuddling next to us or sitting in a lap, nudging a hand for a pat or simply hanging out in our vicinity. They bring us gifts. A dead rat might not be your favorite love token, but from your cat, it’s a special offering indeed. -- 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.