Canine influenza viruses continue to spread

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

The city of San Francisco and the province of Ontario, Canada, are the two latest areas where canine flu is making an appearance. The virulent respiratory disease has hopscotched the continent, with only four states remaining free of it: Alaska, Hawaii, Nebraska and North Dakota. Where it lands depends in large part on how social and mobile dogs are in particular areas.

“Dogs that travel are at risk, and dogs exposed to dogs who travel are at risk,” says veterinarian Cynda Crawford, a canine flu expert at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine. Other dogs who are vulnerable are service dogs, police dogs, show or competition dogs, shelter dogs and dogs who visit dog parks, groomers or boarding kennels on a regular basis.

The two strains of canine influenza, H3N2 and H3N8, can infect dogs at any time of year, not just winter. Although she hasn’t seen many cases of the flu in her own practice, internal medicine specialist Lawren Durocher-Babek, medical director at Red Bank Veterinary Hospital in Hillsborough, New Jersey, says the flu seems to be worse in midwinter as well as late summer and into fall.

“However, it can be seen at any time of year, so it should always be on our radar,” she says.

If you’ve seen in the news that humans are being hit hard by the H3N2 flu virus and then you see that dogs also get H3N2, you may be concerned that you could catch the flu from your dog. Fortunately, that’s not possible, says virologist Edward Dubovi, a professor in the department of population medicine and diagnostic sciences at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine in Ithaca, New York.

Think of influenza viruses as automobile types, he says. A brand of sedans, pickup trucks and convertibles may all be made by the same manufacturer, but they all have different profiles and accessories. Flu viruses are the same way: There are H3N2 human viruses, H3N2 pig viruses, H3N2 dog viruses and H3N2 avian viruses.

Dogs do not transmit canine influenza to humans, but in at least one instance, cats in an Indiana shelter acquired H3N2 canine flu from dogs. Cats can also transmit influenza to each other. And although it is rare, your dog or cat may pick up human influenza virus from you.

“Pet owners sick with the flu should take care to avoid possible transmission to their pets,” says Dr. Christiane V. Loehr, a veterinary pathologist and associate professor at Oregon State University Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine.

Suspect that your dog has the flu because he’s coughing, sneezing and feverish? Don’t just walk him into your veterinarian’s lobby, where he could spread the infection to other pets. Alert your veterinarian beforehand so your pet can be examined in the car or taken to an isolation area through another door.

Dogs diagnosed with canine flu should be isolated from other pets for longer than you might think: at least 21 days, and perhaps even a month. Wash your hands thoroughly after caring for a dog with the flu before interacting with other animals. Disinfect dishes and bedding separately, too.

If your dog is one of those at risk -- a social butterfly or a road warrior -- or has physical characteristics such as a flat face or narrow nostrils that could make it difficult for him to breathe in the event of a respiratory ailment, consider getting him vaccinated for canine flu. Because it hasn’t been around for very long in the grand scheme of things, not many dogs have been exposed to it, so they lack natural immunity.

“The vaccine may not stop a dog from getting the flu, but it has been shown to decrease severity of signs and shedding (of the virus),” Dr. Durocher-Babek says.

Q&A

Why does cat

shred belly fur?

Q: My 11-year-old male cat keeps licking all the fur off his belly. I’ve tried Apoquel and Cerenia, my vet did an abdominal ultrasound and the cat is now on dexamethasone, but nothing helps. Any ideas? -- via email

A: “Fur mowing,” as this behavior is sometimes called, is usually caused by an underlying health condition such as hyperthyroidism, allergies (or some other itchy skin disease) or parasites. But sometimes it is behavioral in nature. You don’t say what type of cat you have, but Siamese and related breeds are most commonly affected by compulsive disorders that manifest through excessive licking and hair loss.

This condition, known as psychogenic alopecia -- or more simply, overgrooming -- can be a kind of compulsive disorder. The licking behavior may cause the brain to release natural painkillers called endorphins that relieve the cat’s anxiety.

If your vet has ruled out all possible medical conditions, including neurological diseases that may cause pain, discomfort or changes in sensation, you may want to seek the advice of a veterinary behaviorist who can help you discover what’s causing your cat’s stress or anxiety. Often, it’s the addition of a new family member -- a baby in the home, for instance -- or conflicts with other pets.

Depending on the cause, a behaviorist may suggest reintroducing pets in the household to each other and building more positive associations between them, providing a more consistent routine (or going back to the cat’s previous routine if that is what has changed), or making the cat’s environment more interesting with food puzzles, a window perch or tall climbing post with a view, or more playtime or attention. Some cats may benefit from anti-anxiety medication combined with behavior and environmental modification if the veterinary behaviorist determines that the cat’s behavior is related to fear, anxiety or stress. -- Dr. Marty Becker and Mikkel Becker

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

THE BUZZ

Go ahead:

Clean your floor

-- You may have seen a post on Facebook or other social media sites recently suggesting that Swiffer WetJet Cleaning Solution can cause liver failure in pets. Not so, according to veterinarian Beth Malinich, who practices at Animal Hospital of Fairview Park in Cleveland. In an interview with News 5 Cleveland, Dr. Malinich said that a pet walking across a wet floor was unlikely to be exposed to enough toxin of anything to become ill from it, especially once the substance has dried. The rumor has been going around for a while. It was debunked in 2004 by hoax-busting website Snopes.com. Veterinary toxicologists at the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center also issued a statement saying that the substances in question -- propylene glycol n-propyl ether and propylene glycol n-butyl ether -- are safe ingredients at levels used in cleaning products and do not cause kidney or liver failure.

-- If your pet needs surgery and the cost is beyond your means, check to see if there’s a veterinary school in the area with a program to help pets in need. At the University of California at Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, a community surgery service program allows senior-year veterinary students to perform spay/neuter surgery, removal of small masses, bladder stone removal and other procedures -- under supervision -- at a discount. Pets helped by the UC Davis program include shelter animals and owned animals.

-- Did you know that cats have built-in sunglasses? Instead of having round pupils like humans, a cat’s eyes reduce the pupils to vertical slits. This gives cats precise control over the amount of light that reaches their eyes, enabling them to zoom in on prey. And because a cat’s eyelids close at right angles to the vertical pupil, cats can reduce the amount of light even further by bringing their eyelids closer together. -- 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 to make introductions that promote friendship, not conflict

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

My dog Harper thinks cats are to chase. She’s the first of our dogs who didn’t grow up with a cat in the household. I introduced her to our neighbor’s cat when she was a young puppy, but unfortunately, I didn’t have easy access to other cats she could meet, and she never learned to live compatibly with them.

That’s a problem when we visit friends and family with cats. Harper growls and barks when she sees them, and she wants nothing more than to chase them away. I keep warning her that one of these days we will have a cat again ourselves, so she had better prepare herself for the idea.

The idea that cats and dogs don’t get along is a common belief -- Harper certainly believes it -- but it’s not necessarily true. According to a survey by the American Pet Products Association, 46 percent of households with pets have multiple types of animals. Cats and dogs are the most common combination, found in 32 percent of pet-owning households.

There is always the potential for conflict between two -- or three, if you count the humans in the mix -- species who have differing habits and communication styles, but pets living together can become good friends. I’ve seen it with our previous pets and those of people I know. In homes where the humans are away all day, a dog and cat can keep each other company and often play and sleep together, groom each other, and team up to get in trouble. If you’re introducing a pet of a different species into your family, the following tips can help the meeting go smoothly and, ideally, a friendship develop.

Introduce them first by scent, not sight. Isolate a new cat in a small room for a few days with everything he needs: food, water, litter box, toys. His scent will drift out to your dog, and the cat can get used to your dog’s scent as well. After two or three days, let the cat explore the house while the dog is in the yard or on a walk with someone else.

Maintain control. It’s never a good idea to just turn animals loose and hope for the best. That’s a recipe for fear, anxiety and stress on the part of all involved. Have your dog on a leash, and make sure your cat has an escape route.

“Having ample getaway spaces for cats, such as tall cat trees or gates with a cutout that the cats fits through but not the dog, is essential,” says Mikkel Becker, lead animal trainer for Fear Free Pets and co-author of the upcoming book "From Fearful to Fear Free."

A dragline attached to a harness can help to prevent bolt-and-chase sequences during the settling-in period, Becker says. Until you’re sure pets are getting along, supervise interactions and separate them when you’re not around.

Hand out treats liberally to both parties. This worked well with Harper recently when we were visiting family with cats. She was rewarded every time she looked away from the cat as well as for not growling or barking. You want both pets to think that being in the presence of the other is a good thing.

Dog trainer Liz Palika has fostered many litters of kittens with the aid of her English shepherds. Her best piece of advice in one word? Patience.

“A friendship between a dog and a cat cannot be forced,” she says. “Let them gradually get to know each other and provide safe places where they can get away from each other.”

Q&A

Storms send cat

running for shelter

Q: I have an 11-year-old female domestic shorthair cat. In the past year, she has started behaving strangely when it storms. Instead of wanting to stay indoors when it begins to rain heavily with high wind, lightning and thunder, she yowls desperately and scratches at the door to get out. She won’t let up until I let her out, and she disappears until the storm is over. -- via email

A: Like dogs, cats can develop storm phobias, but we usually don’t notice it as much because cats tend to just hide under the bed when they are scared. And storm phobias can build up over time. Your cat may always have been afraid during storms, but her fear has now built up to the point that she is desperate to escape the frightening conditions. It may also be that sometime during the past year, something occurred during a storm that frightened her, and now she wants to make sure whatever it was doesn’t happen again. She may also have a hidey-hole outdoors where she feels safe.

You can try several things to help your cat relax and stay indoors the next time there’s a storm. Prepare a small, dark, cozy place where she can retreat, such as a closet or guest bath. Spray a synthetic feline pheromone in the area to help attract and comfort your cat.

The snug fit of a Thundershirt can give a comforting hug. The gentle pressure relieves anxiety in some pets. Pay attention to weather reports so you can put it on well before a storm hits.

Relaxing music composed especially for cats may help. An internet search will lead you to “calming,” “relaxing” or “sleep” music for cats.

Finally, you can ask your veterinarian about medications you can give when you know a storm is coming. That may help your cat relax enough to stay indoors. -- Dr. Marty Becker and Mikkel Becker

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

THE BUZZ

AKC adds two

breeds to roster

-- Two breeds have joined the roster of AKC-recognized dogs: the Nederlandse kooikerhondje in the Sporting Group and the grand basset griffon vendeen in the Hound Group. The kooiker (coy-ker), as he’s known for short, is a medium-size dog created in the Netherlands to corral ducks for hunters. The 20- to 30-pound dogs have a medium-length red-and-white coat and a moderate activity level. The GBGV is a low-slung scenthound who is friendly with other dogs and has a high activity level. The grand weighs 40 to 45 pounds and has a personality described as comical but stubborn.

-- Cat trivia? We have it. For instance, did you know that a cat’s sense of smell is about 14 times greater than that of a human? Cats either roar (big cats) or purr (smaller wildcats and domestic cats). No cat can do both. Your housecat can run up to 30 miles per hour -- faster than any Olympic track star -- but can maintain that speed for only a few seconds. A cat’s coat can tell you where and when his ancestors hunted: Cats with light, solid-colored coats evolved to hunt in grasslands, while cats with spotted coats were forest dwellers, hunting at dawn and dusk.

-- If you thought it was hard to give your dog or cat medication, think again. Even snakes need a treat to take their medicine. Denver’s KCNC-TV reported that an 18-year-old king cobra’s lymphosarcoma, which in snakes affects the scales, was in remission after chemotherapy. To “pill” the 13-foot-long snake, Denver Zoo Associate Veterinarian Betsy Stringer consulted a veterinary oncologist at Colorado State University. They came up with plan to insert a chemo pill in the throat of the snake’s supper -- a dead rat. The cobra took a “treated” rat every three weeks for five months. -- 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.

Simple tips can help your dog or cat have a turnaround in the way he feels about health care visits

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

My dog Keeper used to be a brown-and-white tornado on the exam table at the veterinary hospital. He’s a nice boy otherwise, and I don’t know what it was in his past life that made him fear being on top of the table, but it has always been a struggle for veterinarians to examine him because he’s trying so hard to escape.

Lots of people have the same problem with their dogs and cats. Some animals are so fearful that they tremble, cry, defecate or throw up in the car on the way to the veterinary clinic. We are lucky that Keeper enjoys car rides and even going into the clinic; he just doesn’t like being on the exam table. Nonetheless, I wanted to make veterinary visits more pleasant for him, not to mention easier on the vets and staff who had to handle him.

My fellow Pet Connection columnist Dr. Marty Becker has been concerned about this problem for a long time. It’s what inspired him to found Fear Free, which trains vets, technicians and other animal professionals to recognize, reduce and prevent fear in animals who come to the clinic for care.

“Veterinarians love pets, and we want them to feel comfortable and loved when they visit us, but the strange sights and smells they encounter at the veterinary clinic can be a big turnoff and even frighten them,” he says.

Keeper’s veterinarian had already been using one Fear Free technique -- sitting on the floor -- when he examined Keeper. The past couple of visits, I remembered to bring treats or to grab some out of the jar at the clinic, and they were a game-changer.

Last week, my husband set Keeper on top of the exam table, and he started to spin around like crazy, trying to escape. I started handing him treats nonstop. That got his attention -- and kept it. The veterinary technician came in to take his temperature, and I’m not sure he even noticed. As long as I was holding treats, he focused on them and nothing else.

Keeper will eat anything, but Dr. Becker likes to offer something special. Speaking at the 2017 conference of the American Veterinary Medical Association, he said: “Food is currency in a pet’s world. You’ve got to have really good treats. Pet-Tabs are a penny in a pet’s mind, but they don’t normally get hot deli turkey or bacon-cheese-flavored squeeze cheese.”

For pets who are extremely fearful, preparation for veterinary visits can begin as much as a week in advance with what Dr. Becker calls “a magic carpet ride of pheromones.” Spray or wipe down the pet’s carrier regularly with the chemical concoctions that simulate the soothing substances mother dogs excrete or the markers that cats use to make a place or person feel familiar. Line carriers with fleece blankets that have also been treated with pheromones. That helps the car ride be less frightening.

We used another Fear Free technique on this most recent visit. I went inside to check us in while my husband waited in the car with the dogs. They didn’t enter the clinic until an exam room was ready for them, so there was no sitting around in the lobby and allowing anxiety to build up.

I don’t know whether Keeper will ever love being on an exam table, but it’s sure a lot easier now to have him on one. As long as I remember to bring treats, I may no longer have to warn vets and techs to hang on to him so he doesn’t try to flee over the edge.

Q&A

Be cautious with

essential oils

Q: Someone told me that the essential oils I use in our home could be harmful to my pets. Do I need to be concerned, and what should I do if my pets come in contact with them?

A: Essential oils are everywhere, it seems, used to scent homes in the form of liquid potpourri and in homemade cleaning solutions and remedies. Pets can experience chemical burns or other toxic effects if they lick up spilled oils or if the oils are applied to their skin.

Among the essential oils that are toxic to pets are cinnamon, citrus, lemon, pennyroyal, peppermint, pine, sweet birch, tea tree, thyme, wintergreen and ylang ylang. Never apply any concentrated essential oil to a pet’s skin.

Exposure to even a small amount can cause problems such as difficulty breathing or walking, drooling, lethargy, muscle tremors, pawing at the mouth or face, vomiting, or redness or burns at the affected area.

Any time your pet has a reaction to something applied to the skin, whether it’s an essential oil, a hormone cream or a spot treatment, immediate decontamination is important. If you can’t get your pet to a veterinarian right away, gently shampoo with a mild product and rinse frequently and thoroughly to get rid of the substance. If the substance is oily, you may need to use a shampoo or detergent that contains a degreaser, such as a mild dishwashing soap. Pets with long coats may need to be shaved for quick, effective removal of the substance from their fur.

Afterward, take your pet to the veterinarian to make sure he doesn’t have any ill effects from the substance. Pets whose skin is exposed to a large amount of a toxic substance may need sedation or anesthesia to have the product removed, followed by supportive care and pain medication. -- Dr. Marty Becker

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

THE BUZZ

Sniffer dog hot on

pepper pest trail

-- A Belgian herding dog named Chili is helping to protect Canada’s nascent $275 million greenhouse pepper industry, which is at risk from attack by pepper weevils. The tiny beetles burrow into bell peppers to lay their eggs, killing them in the process. Chili’s job is to sniff out the weevils so they can be eliminated. For three hours a day, Chili and his handler Heide walk through the greenhouses -- each covers the area of six city blocks -- as well as loading docks and warehouses where the pests may be in hiding. Chili’s ability will be tested in the next few months as vulnerable seedlings grow.

-- You’ve heard of puppy kindergarten, but kitten kindergarten? The increasingly popular classes help to socialize kittens, but more important, they teach people what to expect from their new feline friends. Purr-fect for kittens 8 to 12 weeks old, kitten kindergarten covers cat behaviors from eating and eliminating to climbing and scratching, giving owners a heads-up on how to set up a fun and attractive environment for young cats, play with and train them, and guard their health. Ask your veterinarian or local humane society if there are any classes in your area.

-- Dog-loving readers will want to check out the best canine books of 2017: the winners in the annual Dog Writers Association of America contest. Taking the Dogwise Best Book Award was “Life With Forty Dogs” by Joseph Robertia. Winners in other categories were “Fun and Games for a Smarter Dog” by Sophie Collins; “Symptoms to Watch for in Your Dog” by Jana Rade; “Rescue Smiles” by Heather Leughmyer and Tamira Thayne; “101 Things to Know Before Getting a Dog” by Susan Ewing; “Land of the Free” by Donna Ball (fiction); “Toby” by Hazel Mitchell (children’s); and “The Leonberger” by Caroline Bliss-Isberg. -- 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.