How much do you know about the history of dogs and cats? Take our quiz and test your knowledge.

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

Lots of dog and cat breeds have a history that seemingly stretches back into the mists of time. They adorned Renaissance royal courts, hunted with King Arthur, or were the favored pets of Chinese emperors.

But some breeds have a more recent origin. They were developed in the United States or have associations with certain American places or people. Take our quiz to see how much you know about pets who can claim to be among the country’s founding animals.

1. Name the states with which the following breeds are associated.

Catahoula leopard dog

B. Boykin spaniel

Plott hound

Chinook

2. Which of the following groups of dogs cannot claim to be born in the USA?

A. American Eskimo, Australian shepherd, Boston terrier, Carolina dog

B. Cocker spaniel, Chihuahua, Labrador retriever, curly coated retriever

C. American pit bull terrier, Boston terrier, black and tan coonhound, American foxhound

D. Alaskan malamute, black mouth cur, blue lacy, treeing walker

3. The American water spaniel was developed in which state?

Minnesota

Oklahoma

South Carolina

Wisconsin

4. The blue lacy, also known as the lacy dog, is native to which one of the following states?

Arkansas

Texas

Louisiana

Florida

5. Popular early American farm dogs included which breed?

American pit bull terrier

English shepherd

Rat terrier

All of the above

6. What is the state cat of Maryland?

A. Baltimore tabby

B. Calico

C. Chessie

D. Maryland mouser

7. What is the state cat of Massachusetts?

A. Boston bobtail

B. American shorthair

C. Tabby cat

D. Patriot mewsile

8. In which state did the American wirehair cat originate?

New York

Montana

Wyoming

Colorado

9. The Hemingway cats of Key West, Florida, named after the American author, are known for which unusual quality?

A. Short tails

B. Curly coats

C. Extra toes

D. Enjoying swimming in the ocean

10. Which of the following cat breeds did not originate in the United States?

A. Selkirk rex

B. Ragdoll

C. Havana brown

D. La perm

Answers

1. The Catahoula is the state dog of Louisiana; the Boykin of South Carolina; the Plott hound of North Carolina; and the Chinook of New Hampshire.

2. B. The original cocker spaniel was developed in Britain, although a distinct American variety was recognized in the U.S. in 1946. The labrador and curly coat were developed in Britain. The Chihuahua is native to Mexico.

3. The American water spaniel is the state dog of Wisconsin, where the curly coated breed was developed to hunt from boats.

4. The blue lacy is the official state dog of Texas where it is a herding, tracking and hunting dog.

5. All of these dogs found a home with American farmers, who prized them for their versatile working abilities and family friendliness.

6. Maryland named the calico -- a pattern, not a breed -- the state cat in 2001 because the orange, black and white colors match those of the Baltimore oriole and the Baltimore checkerspot butterfly.

7. The state cat of Massachusetts is the tabby. Tabbies aren’t a specific breed, but their stripes often form the shape of an M on the cat’s forehead, possibly the inspiration for their choice as state cat.

8. The American wirehair was developed from a cat with a natural mutation that was first seen in upstate New York.

9. The Hemingway cats of Key West are famous for polydactyly, the characteristic of having extra toes.

10. The Havana brown, an offshoot of the Siamese, was developed in the United Kingdom. The goal was to create a chocolate-colored cat.

Q&A

Do sugar gliders

make good pets?

Q: I just saw the cutest picture on Facebook of a pair of sugar gliders. What are they, and do they make good pets?

A: They are awfully cute, with their big eyes, swiveling ears, bushy tails and black-striped markings. Sugar gliders are marsupials, native to Australia, Papua New Guinea and certain Indonesian islands. Think of them as small gliding possums.

As with any animal, whether sugar gliders make good pets depends on your individual situation and desires in a companion animal. They are nocturnal, so if you work during the day but have the time and inclination to spend with an animal in the evening, a sugar glider may be a good choice. They can be noisy and active at night, though, so you may not want them in your bedroom.

For mental and physical stimulation, they need foraging toys, a glider-safe exercise wheel, and areas where they can climb. In the wild they live in groups, so you should always have at least a pair. When handled appropriately, they can bond closely to family members, but this takes time -- in some cases up to a year. They are not appropriate pets for young children.

A rescue organization, SuggieSavers, warns that sugar gliders are messy eaters, cannot be potty trained, will mark people with their urine and scent glands, and they require fresh food daily. If they don’t get an appropriate balance of protein, fruits and vegetables, they can develop health problems. A veterinarian who is knowledgeable about exotics is a must.

Sugar gliders are not domesticated animals and are not legal as pets in every state. They can live 12 to 15 years, so they aren’t a short-term commitment. As you can see, there’s a lot to learn and consider before deciding to share your home with a sugar glider.

-- Dr. Marty Becker

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

THE BUZZ

Cats may quash gene

triggering asthma

-- Danish researchers found that toddlers who grew up with a cat in the home were less likely to develop asthma, according to a study published last month in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. The scientists reported that a variation in the TT gene appears to play a role in triggering asthma but seems to be neutralized in homes with cats. Lead researcher Jakob Stokholm suggests that beneficial bacteria, fungi and viruses in the cat’s skin microbiome may somehow affect the expression of genes. It’s an interesting take on the ways genes and the environment may interact and affect health.

-- Contribute to knowledge about pet health trends and emerging pet health issues by completing a 26-question survey for the One Health Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency. Questions include the type of water pets drink, the food they eat, where they live and health problems they’ve experienced. Surveys are completed separately for each pet in the home. The information, which will be collected until January 2020 or until 300,000 surveys are completed, will help to build a health and disease database for U.S. dogs and cats, including geographic patterns of disease. To take the survey, you can visit surveygizmo.com/s3/3876800/National-Pet-Health-Survey.

-- Baby, it’s cold outside! To prevent pets from developing frostbite or hypothermia, gradually acclimate them to cold-weather conditions. For dogs, start with shorter walks than usual and build up to normal distances. While Nordic breeds and other furry friends will be in their element, pets with thin skin or little coat or very small animals may benefit from a sweater or coat for protection from wind and snow. Check paws to make sure they aren’t dry and cracked, and clean them to remove deicing chemicals or icy buildup. Pets need access to shelter that is 60 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. -- 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.

Dogs are the unsung heroes of the conservation movement

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

Train, aka Mr. T or Big Brown Monster, has made four trips to Misiones, Argentina, a rugged and rainy province with an economy that relies primarily on agriculture and logging, as well as some tourism. He’s not a sightseer -- at least not in the usual way. Train detects the scat, or feces, of jaguar, puma, ocelot, oncilla and bush dog. What he finds helps Washington University researchers analyze the paths the animals travel. This allows them to plan habitat corridors that protect the ability of wildlife to travel through territory while limiting their impact on surrounding environments, which include public and private wildlife reserves, privately owned plantations and farms, and roads and pathways.

Conservation dogs like Train hold jobs around the world. Besides sniffing for scat, they seek out turtle nests that need protection, detect pests that attack plants and monitor the presence of invasive fish species in streams and other waterways. The dogs are employed by wildlife researchers; local, state, and national agencies; and international organizations where they help to track poachers by finding the scent of ammunition or contraband such as rhino horn. You may also see them at work in airports, where they hunt for smuggled products or animals such as bear bile and gallbladders, snakes and even baby monkeys.

At Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) in Namibia, a border collie named Finn and a Malinois/German shepherd cross named Levi search for cheetah scat. What they find is analyzed in CCF’s genetics laboratory.

“We can do DNA and understand more about population structure and find out what the cheetah has eaten, so we have prey analysis that we can use as well,” says Laurie Marker, Ph.D., CCF’s founder and executive director.

Finn has been on the job for approximately eight years and is still active at 10 years old. Levi is his younger understudy, capable of covering more ground. They work off leash in the bush, accompanied by a handler who rewards them with a toss of a ball or toy when they give an alert. They wear tracking collars in case they range out of sight. Despite facing risks such as leopards and baboons, Dr. Marker says they’ve had only one injury. An English springer spaniel named Tiger, now retired, broke a leg from falling in a hole.

The traits that make a good conservation dog are not what most people look for in a companion, so it’s no surprise that many dogs who excel in these careers were pulled from animal shelters, Train among them.

The then-2-year-old dog was selected for his high energy level and ball-driven spirit, says his handler, Karen DeMatteo, a biology research scientist at Washington University in St. Louis. Dogs suited to these types of jobs can’t simply focus on a ball or toy, though. They must also be willing to pay attention to the handler and have the stamina and drive to work for long periods without getting bored.

“They work for play,” Dr. Marker says.

The dogs are capable of learning to identify multiple scents, making them valuable in a number of situations. In addition to identifying cheetah scat, Levi -- trained in South Africa -- knows rhino horn and ammunition and is being trained on leopard. Together, the scents give him a well-rounded skill set.

In addition to his work in Argentina, where his repertoire odors include tapir, white-lipped peccary, collared peccary and paca, Train has helped with mountain lion surveys for Nebraska Game and Parks and the Missouri Department of Conservation. DeMatteo is planning to expand his repertoire to include spotted skunk to help find this endangered species in Missouri, where she and Train live.

“Even at 10 years old, he shows no sign of wanting to slow down,” she says.

Q&A

By a whisker?

How cats measure space

Q: I’ve heard a cat’s whiskers are as wide as their body so they can fit through certain areas. If the cat puts on enough weight, do the whiskers also grow? -- via email

A: Whiskers are an important feline sensory organ. The thick, stiff hairs, known technically as vibrissae, are arranged in neat rows. Like the kids in a school picture, short whiskers are located in front, longer ones at the rear. They project from the side of the muzzle, fan out above the eyes or from the ears, and are found on the hind side of the front legs.

Whiskers are interesting because they can tell you a lot about what a cat is thinking. When whiskers face forward, a cat is feeling friendly or curious. A cat whose whiskers are pulled back is in defensive mode. And if the whiskers twitch during a catnap, the likely reason is that the cat is dreaming about catching that mouse in your house!

The reason I say that whiskers are a sensory organ is because the specialized hairs help cats detect slight air movements. Cats rely on their whiskers as they make their way through darkness. Whiskers, which are packed with nerves, send signals to the brain about whatever they contact, and they prevent cats from bumping into things. And, as you mention, whiskers also serve as a feline measuring device. Typically, if a cat’s head and whiskers can fit through an opening, the rest of his body is flexible enough to squeeze through as well. Whiskers are one reason blind cats can get around so well.

A cat who puts on too much weight, though, can’t necessarily count on his whiskers to accurately determine if a space is navigable. The whiskers don’t grow to match his excess size. -- Dr. Marty Becker

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

THE BUZZ

Drug eases stress

for cats at vet

-- Cats who suffer from fear, anxiety and stress before and during vet visits may benefit from a pre-visit dose of a drug called gabapentin, according to new research published last week in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. The inexpensive medication is not labeled for treating anxiety in cats, but is increasingly used for that purpose. The 20 healthy cats in the study were randomly assigned to receive gabapentin or a placebo before a vet visit. The treatment was reversed for each cat on follow-up visits a week later. Owners reported that the cats who received gabapentin were significantly less stressed during transportation and examination, and veterinarians said those cats were significantly more compliant during the exam.

-- An outbreak of multidrug-resistant Campylobacter infections has affected 67 people in 15 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta. In 93 percent of the cases, the bacterial infection was linked to contact with puppies in Petland pet stores. Of those 62 people, 18 were Petland employees, and 44 had recently purchased a puppy from Petland, visited a Petland store, or lived in or visited a home with a puppy sold by Petland. Signs of disease usually appear two to three days after exposure and include diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps, nausea and vomiting. To help prevent illness, always wash hands with soap and water after handling puppies or picking up their waste.

-- The Yorkshire terrier is one of America’s most popular dogs. The toy breed has the spirit of a terrier in a tiny package. Weight ranges from four to seven pounds, although some are larger. Yorkies enjoy cuddling, but they are also mischievous and curious with a wicked sense of humor. These are smart dogs who enjoy learning if people make the effort to train them. -- 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.

Canine and feline cancer patients have a variety of options for care

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

Your dog or cat has been diagnosed with cancer, and you’re not sure how to proceed. Is surgery or chemotherapy the right answer? Or are there other factors involved that could affect the decision you make regarding treatment for your pet?

A pet’s age, our finances and the success rate of treatment options all play into the decisions we make about caring for our pets. The good news is that there are no wrong answers. Whatever decision you make, there are options for care.

Whether you are considering treatment or palliative care for your pet’s cancer, ask the oncologist to lay out the pros and cons. Here are some questions to ask:

-- How is this type of cancer treated?

-- How long will my pet live with and without treatment?

-- How will my pet’s age and current health status affect the success of treatment?

-- Will my pet experience any side effects of treatment?

-- Can side effects be managed?

-- Will a special diet help?

-- How much will treatment or palliative care cost?

-- Are there any clinical trials that might benefit my pet?

The answers can help you make the best decision for your dog, cat or other pet. Depending on the type of cancer and how aggressively you want to fight it, options include surgery, metronomic therapy -- continuous low doses of different anticancer drugs -- radiation, and integrative therapies, such as medicinal mushrooms or cold laser. Ensuring that pets are able to breathe comfortably is also important.

Each situation is different, but the most important factor is keeping pets comfortable, says veterinary oncologist Alice Villalobos.

“Even if they have a really nasty cancer, we’re able to sometimes control or slow it down or stabilize it with an anti-angiogenesis protocol,” she says.

Multimodal pain relief is a mainstay of cancer care. Generally, a single medication isn’t enough to address pain in cancer patients. Cancer pain travels along multiple pathways in the body. Using different types of medications that work in different ways helps to make pain control more effective. Dr. Villalobos likes to use what she calls the GAT protocol: gabapentin, amantadine and either tramadol or trazadone. Each works in a different way, and together they manage the different types of pain.

Some dogs with cancer are prescribed steroids such as prednisone or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for pain. They can benefit from medications such as Pepcid that protect the gastrointestinal tract from ulceration or other damage associated with use of steroids and NSAIDs.

Oxygen therapy can help pets breathe easier. That doesn’t necessarily mean that a dog or cat must spend time in an oxygen cage at the veterinary hospital, which can be expensive. Oxygen generators can be purchased online through outlets such as Craigslist, for instance, and used at home.

Timing of medication is important. Pets on prednisone may experience panting as a side effect, especially at night. Giving the drug in the morning instead of evening can make a difference, Dr. Villalobos says.

Panting can also be a sign of pain. How do you know if your pet is panting because he’s in pain or as a side effect of the drug he’s taking? The answer may depend on the type of cancer your pet has, so it’s important to talk to your veterinarian. For instance, Dr. Villalobos says, lymphoma usually isn’t painful, so in that case, the panting is likely caused by the drug, not the disease.

Most important, keep your pet’s quality of life paramount.

“We really always try to make sure the patient has got more good days than bad days,” Dr. Villalobos says.

Q&A

Can an older

pet be spayed?

Q: I just adopted a 7-year-old dog from the shelter, and they require me to have her spayed. Is that safe for a dog her age?

A: Every dog is an individual, of course, but in general a healthy 7-year-old dog should not have a problem undergoing spay surgery. There are good reasons to spay your new dog. She is still capable of bearing puppies at her age, and she is at risk for a serious and sometimes fatal uterine infection called pyometra, which can affect older unspayed females.

Take her to your veterinarian for a thorough physical. Before any surgery, it’s important to perform blood work and possibly a urinalysis to ensure that the dog doesn’t have any underlying health issues that could cause problems during surgery.

If you’ve had a puppy who was spayed, you probably remember how quickly she bounced back after surgery. Older dogs may take a little longer to recover, so be sure she has plenty of opportunity to rest and has good pain medications on board. Some veterinarians were taught to withhold pain relief after surgery to keep the dog quiet, but we know now that pets who receive pain relief before, during and after surgery recover more quickly.

During surgery, your dog should have an IV catheter with fluids to help maintain blood pressure, hydration and body temperature, as well as to give emergency drugs rapidly, if necessary, and to help flush the anesthesia from the body afterward. Blood oxygen and blood pressure monitoring equipment are important, too.

I know it probably worries you to have your dog undergo surgery, but as long as she gets a clean bill of health from your veterinarian, she should come through it with no problems. -- Dr. Marty Becker

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

THE BUZZ

Sea lions spread

disease to dogs

-- Keep your dog away from dead or stranded sea lions, which can spread leptospirosis to canines. The zoonotic bacterial disease, which can be transmitted between species, including to humans, is spread by contact with urine or urine-contaminated fluids. Dogs with the disease can develop kidney or liver failure, loss of appetite, lethargy and vomiting. Leptospirosis has been confirmed in sea lions in Oregon and California. Keep your dog on leash at the beach or any place he may come in contact with potentially contaminated water. If your dog is sick, let your veterinarian know if he’s been to the beach within the previous two weeks.

-- Foxhounds have a special day in November. The blessing of the hounds is a tribute to St. Hubert, patron saint of hunters and founder, it is said, of the St. Hubert’s hound -- the ancestor of the bloodhound. It takes place any time between Nov. 3, which is St. Hubert’s Day, and Thanksgiving Day. The occasion, celebrated by foxhunters in the United States, Britain and Europe, began as a ritual to ward off rabies, a disease that St. Hubert was credited with curing. The colorful event is especially common in southern states such as Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia, but can also be found in other states such as California and Texas.

-- Meezers rule! The Siamese cat is not only popular in his own right but has also been the parent of a number of other breeds that have carried on the masked cats’ distinctive pointed coats and well-loved personalities. Among the breeds that claim Siamese ancestry are the Balinese, Bengal, Birman, colorpoint shorthair, Havana brown, Himalayan, Javanese, ocicat, oriental shorthair, ragamuffin, ragdoll, snowshoe and tonkinese. Many domestic shorthairs and domestic longhairs also display evidence of Siamese ancestry. -- 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.