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

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Q&A

Bird's bald spots

can have multiple causes

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

THE BUZZ

Pets need dental

care annually

-- It’s National Pet Dental Health Month. What are you doing to keep your dog or cat’s teeth clean? The basics include brushing teeth frequently (daily is best) and getting a professional exam and cleaning annually by your pet’s veterinarian. To help dogs or cats enjoy tooth brushing -- and, by extension, ensuring that you enjoy brushing your pet’s teeth -- here are some tips. Start small; brush just a few teeth at a time. Give pets a reason to enjoy the experience: Practice with peanut butter for dogs or tuna juice for cats. Reward pets with a dental treat after brushing.

-- Pets are popular on Instagram. Top dogs and cool cats include canine pop culture king Doug the pug (@itsdougthepug); Manny the Frenchie (@manny_the_frenchie), who promotes animal rescue organizations; Venus (@venustwofacecat), noted for her split face -- half black, half orange -- and odd eyes -- one green and one blue; Jack (@jackthecockatiel), a skateboarding cockatiel from Brazil; Ella Bean (@ellabeanthedog), a fashionista Chihuahua; Lil Bub (@iamlilbub), a cat who has raised more than $200,000 for animal-related charities; Nala (@nala_cat), whose 3.8 million followers make her the most-followed feline on Instagram; and working dog K-9 Piper (@airportk9), a border collie who helps control wildlife at the airport in Traverse City, Michigan.

-- United Airlines and Delta Airlines no longer permit animals younger than 4 months in the cabin, whether they are pets, emotional-support animals or service animals. The only emotional support animals allowed are dogs and cats. Also banned are emotional-support dogs and cats on flights longer than eight hours. Southwest Airlines put in a place a requirement limiting emotional-support animals to dogs, cats and occasionally miniature horses. The changes come in the wake of bite incidents and other unacceptable behavior. -- 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 benched dog show such as Westminster is a great way to see unusual breeds and learn more about any breeds you might be interested in

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

Whose dog is best?

People have been arguing about that for centuries, if not millennia. In the 19th century, the competition was heightened by the creation of dog shows. In 1877, gentlemen of Gilded Age New York, members of the Westminster Kennel Club, staged “The First Annual New York Bench Show of Dogs.”

Today we know it as Westminster, the Super Bowl of dog shows, annually drawing millions of dog-loving watchers in person and worldwide via television and streaming video. This year -- the 143rd -- 2,879 dogs of 204 breeds and varieties will strut their stuff at Madison Square Garden on Feb. 11 and 12.

As many times as I’ve been to Westminster or watched it on television, it’s still fun to see the spectacle. There are dogs from all 50 states -- with the largest contingent of 246 from California -- the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, and 14 other countries, including Canada, South Korea and Thailand.

Westminster is a benched show, meaning that when they’re not in the ring, dogs are on display for the public to see and even touch -- with the breeder or handler’s permission, of course. It’s a great opportunity to get up close and personal with breeds you’re considering as companions, to see just how big they are, find out how much fur they have, and most important, ask the experts what they’re like to live with.

Most people are familiar with the televised spectacle that is group competition, but the show begins at the breed level, with members of each breed competing for best of breed, the title that will take them into the group competition.

Who are the dogs competing? The top five dogs in each breed receive an invitation, but that still leaves approximately 1,780 spots available. Dogs who have earned points toward a championship can be entered; whether they get in depends on how quickly the entry is delivered. First come, first served.

Dogs who prevail in each breed during the day appear in the ring Monday and Tuesday evenings to compete for a spot in the groups. This year, hound, toy, nonsporting and herding breeds compete on Monday; sporting, working and terrier are on Tuesday. Then the winners of each group compete for best in show. Two new breeds join the fray this year: the Nederlandse kooikerhondje and the grand basset griffon Vendeen.

Whether they are toy poodles or Tibetan mastiffs, every dog entered is a top athlete, both physically and mentally. Fitness routines include working out on treadmills, swimming or jogging. Show dogs often score the services of pet massage therapists, acupuncturists or chiropractors to keep their bodies in good working order. Beneath perfectly coiffed coats, muscles ripple. Mentally, they must enjoy being in the spotlight, be adaptable to different environments, and be able to face the stresses of competition and being on the road for weeks or months at a time as they travel to shows and rack up points toward top-dog status.

Some Westminster trivia: Terrier breeds have won best in show 46 times, making them the winningest group. Sporting breeds are next, with 20 wins. Papillon Ch. Loteki Supernatural Being (nicknamed Kirby) was the first dog to win both the World Dog Show (1998) and Westminster. The toy breed with the most Westminster wins is the Pekingese, with four. Poodles (non-sporting and toy) have nine wins: four by standards, three by miniatures and two by toys. The oldest dog to win was Sussex spaniel Ch. Clussexx Three D Grinchy Glee, nicknamed Stump, in 2009, when he was 10 years old. The youngest was 9-month-old rough collie Laund Loyalty of Bellhaven in 1929.

Q&A

Tips on cat

coat health

Q: I just got my first cat. What do I need to know about caring for her coat?

A: Cats are great at grooming themselves, but they need a little help from you as well. And caring for your cat’s coat is one of the best ways to keep tabs on her well-being. As you brush and comb her to remove dead hair (reducing the likelihood of hairballs) and distribute skin oils, you’ll find clues to your cat’s health.

A healthy cat has a lustrous coat that doesn’t feel coarse, greasy, dull, dry or brittle. Cats shed hair normally, but excessive hair loss or bare patches could be the result of external parasites or of stress related to the cat’s environment or interactions with other animals or humans.

For instance, cats who lick, scratch and bite at their skin or rub against the floor or furniture may have itchy bites from parasites, such as fleas or mites, or a food or contact allergy. Tiny black and white specks on the coat or skin are also signs of flea infestation. Cats being bullied by other animals or adapting to a new person in the household may pull out their fur in frustration.

Cats allowed to go outdoors may come back with bite wounds from fights, which are often discovered during grooming. Bite wounds can form abscesses -- painful, pus-filled sores -- that can cause your cat pain when you accidentally discover them during a brushing or combing session.

As you groom your cat, look for lumps or bumps that could be signs of problems. These can range from feline acne, often caused by plastic food and water bowls, to harmless cysts beneath the skin to rapidly enlarging lumps that may be cancerous. Bring any such skin problem to your veterinarian’s attention so it can be treated before it becomes serious. -- Dr. Marty Becker

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

THE BUZZ

How to save on

pet med purchases

-- Saving money on pet prescriptions is great, but your pet’s safety is even more important. To ensure that medications you purchase online are effective, check with your state’s pharmacy board (visit the website nabp.pharmacy) to make sure the pharmacy providing them has a valid license. The American Veterinary Medical Association says to avoid purchasing medications from any pharmacy that doesn’t require a prescription or from pharmacies located outside the United States. They may be selling counterfeit medications or products that don’t contain any active ingredients at all.

-- The Kurilian bobtail lives up to the name, with no two tails alike. The naturally short tails can resemble a whisk, a spiral or a fluffy pom-pom. The rare cats, which originated on islands off the Russian coast, are brawnier than their compact bodies might suggest and are covered in a soft, silky coat that can be short or long. Females weigh 8 to 11 pounds and males up to 15 pounds. Despite their gentle personality, they are excellent mousers. Don’t expect to find one anytime soon; fewer than 100 are living in the United States.

-- The University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine will launch an open-heart surgery program for dogs later this year, becoming the only fully functional program of its kind in the United States and the only one to offer the complex procedure known as mitral valve repair. The program will be a collaboration between UF and renowned veterinary cardiologist Masami Uechi, DVM, Ph.D., of the JASMINE Veterinary Cardiovascular Medical Center in Yokohama, Japan. Dr. Uechi and his team will provide training in mitral valve repair surgery to UF cardiologists, surgeons, anesthesiologists, perfusionists, critical care specialists and other key staff with the ultimate goal of UF being able to operate and maintain the program independently. -- 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.

Staph infections in dogs can be difficult to eradicate without appropriate, consistent treatment

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

I was scratching my dog, Harper, beneath the chin a few weeks ago and felt a couple of unusual bumps. I couldn’t really get a good look at them because they were hidden beneath her wavy, mid-length coat. A few days later, they had multiplied.

Our veterinarian diagnosed a staph infection based on the appearance of the bumps and the prevalence of that type of bacteria on canine skin. Usually it doesn’t cause any problems, but licking, scratching, trauma or metabolic changes can cause staph populations to grow out of control. He prescribed a course of antibiotics and daily baths with medicated shampoo for a week.

Staph -- short for staphylococcus -- infections are common in dogs, says William H. Miller, a veterinary dermatologist at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine in Ithaca, New York. In rare instances, staph infections can be triggered by an immunodeficiency in which the skin’s protective barrier is weakened, but more typically they follow damage to the skin by some underlying disease.

“Allergies are the primary culprit,” he says. “Everyone has bacteria and yeast on their skin surface, and they typically do no harm as long as the individual’s skin and immune system are normal. With allergy, the skin is easily damaged by licking and scratching, and that sets up the perfect climate for infection with the animal’s own bacteria.”

The most common signs are hair loss and itching. If you have a shorthaired dog, you may notice small, red, raised bumps, known as papules, or pimples, also called pustules. These are hidden in dogs with thick, dense coats -- unless they appear on less-furry areas, such as the belly. As the infection progresses, you may see more hair loss -- caused by the dog scratching the itchy area -- and scaling, or flaky skin. Harper’s infection was localized to her neck, but dogs with widespread infections can suffer intense itchiness.

A variety of skin disorders cause pustules in dogs, but infection is the No. 1 cause, Dr. Miller says. Staph infections can be tentatively diagnosed simply by looking at the lesions, but cytology -- examining the pus in the pustule microscopically -- is required to confirm it. If the bacteria present are round -- cocci -- it is most likely a staph infection, but a bacterial culture is necessary to be certain the bacteria are staph.

“Although that is a valid reason to do a culture, the real benefit of a culture is to identify which antibiotics can be effective in treating the infection,” Dr. Miller says. “If the bacteria are susceptible to the antibiotic being used, the drug has to be used at the correct dosage to kill the bacteria, and it must be used long enough to kill all the bacteria.”

Treatment can take weeks to months, depending on the extent of the infection and whether it is superficial or descends far down the hair follicle. Topical treatments such as ointments, mousses, sprays and shampoos can help to shorten the course of treatment. Dogs should be treated until the lesions disappear, plus a few extra days to ensure that the deep part of the infection is wiped out. Stopping treatment too soon can cause infection to recur, this time with antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Infections can’t be transmitted, but bacteria or yeast can be transferred from one animal to another through proximity. Owners themselves may transfer the microbes if they pet an animal with abnormal skin and then pet another animal without first washing their hands. If you know that one pet has a skin infection, hand hygiene is important to prevent spreading it to other animals in the home.

Take treatment seriously.

“For any number of reasons, we are seeing more and more cases of resistant bacteria, and some are so resistant that we have few or no antibiotics that can be used,” Dr. Miller says. “In some cases, the animal has to be euthanized because we have no effective means of treating the infection.”

Q&A

Eye disease

common in cats

Q: My cat has been diagnosed with anterior uveitis. What can you tell me about this eye problem?

A: You probably first noticed that your cat’s eye was painful because he was squinting or tearing up, his eyeball was inflamed and his third eyelid -- that thin membrane at the inner corner of the eye -- was swollen. Sometimes the eye appears unusually enlarged. We usually see it in middle-aged or older male cats, but any cat can be affected.

Those signs can indicate inflammation of the uvea, the pigmented middle layer of the eyeball made up of the iris, the ciliary body and the choroid. Cats with uveitis may be extremely sensitive to light or show other signs of pain, such as pawing at the eye.

Possible causes include underlying infectious diseases such as feline immunodeficiency virus, feline leukemia virus and feline infectious peritonitis; trauma; cataract formation; and cancer. Sometimes the cause is unknown.

Signs of uveitis can mimic those of other eye diseases or injuries, and puncture wounds of the eye can go unnoticed when they occur, so uveitis can be a challenge to diagnose. A thorough history; physical exam to detect underlying viral, bacterial or fungal diseases; and eye exam are all important. Tell the veterinarian about any cat fights, pointy plants or other ways a cat’s eye may have been unknowingly injured. Imaging such as radiography or ultrasonography may be necessary as well.

Uveitis can result in gradual blindness or irreversible complications such as glaucoma and cataracts if it’s not caught early or goes untreated. Depending on the cause, your veterinarian may prescribe topical and systemic corticosteroids, NSAIDS and other drugs to control inflammation and pain and treat underlying causes if known. If the underlying cause is treatable, cats with anterior uveitis can have a good outcome. -- Dr. Marty Becker

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

THE BUZZ

Ticks weather winter,

bite pets year-round

-- Don’t assume winter weather means your dog or cat is safe from disease-carrying ticks. Contrary to popular belief, ticks do fine in winter, coming out on sunny days for a blood meal and burrowing beneath leaf litter or snow to shelter from extreme cold. Both human and veterinary forecasts predict that 2019 will be a big year for ticks. Ask your veterinarian about the prevalence of tick-borne diseases in your area and whether your pet needs year-round prevention from the blood-sucking arachnids. If you see a tick on your pet, use tweezers or a tick removal device to grasp the tick as near to the skin as possible, and tug firmly. It’s better to remove it yourself than to wait and have the veterinarian do it because ticks can transmit disease in only a few hours.

-- California legal beagles have added new laws regarding pets and pet ownership that went into effect this month. Judges can now determine who gets custody of family pets during a divorce, taking into consideration factors such as who spends the most time caring for the pet. And pet stores can no longer sell dogs, cats or rabbits obtained from breeders but must instead offer animals from shelters or rescue groups. Stores must also post the names of the organizations that provided the animals.

-- Love watching the glitter drift down in snow globes? Be careful to display them where pets can’t knock them over and break them. The liquid inside some imported snow globes may contain ethylene glycol, or antifreeze, according to the Pet Poison Helpline. As little as a teaspoon of the highly toxic liquid can cause acute kidney failure and death. Signs of poisoning include acting drunk or uncoordinated, excessive thirst and lethargy. Immediate treatment is essential to save the pet’s life. -- 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.