Modern pet furniture is stylish and sophisticated. Here’s why

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

My dogs have leopard-print beds scattered throughout the house -- although at night they sleep on our bed -- hand-thrown pottery water bowls designed to keep their ears dry, and steps up to the furniture in prints that complement my decor. If I were a more indulgent, or wealthy, dog owner, they might have antique pooch pagodas or spaniel-size Empire sofas, just a couple of examples of how pet furniture and accessories have become more sophisticated and attractive as dogs and cats have cemented their position as full-fledged family members.

Spending on pets has risen steadily every year, even during the last recession. After food and veterinary care, the third largest spending category is supplies, including items such as furniture, carriers and toys. Pet owners spent $16.01 billion on beds, collars, leashes, toys and other accessories, up 6% from 2017.

“Americans are radically changing in terms of how we understand the pet’s overall well-being,” says architect Heather Lewis of Animal Arts Design Studios in Boulder, Colorado. “They’re also concerned about their animals’ emotional well-being. Pet furnishings make sense in that context. We want to have more comfortable furnishings for our pets. We want to give our cats more options to be able to climb up the wall and get to high places. We want to have comfortable pet beds that are better for the orthopedic concerns our older dogs might have. We want to have furnishings that our pets enjoy using. I think all of those things are driving a certain amount of this.”

Human enjoyment and well-being are factors, too. It’s pleasurable to have a home that is comfortable and looks nice. That’s another reason pet product manufacturers have upped their game. Pets, unlike kids, don’t have their own rooms; they share all of our living spaces so their stuff -- beds, crates, scratching posts, litter boxes, toys -- is found throughout the house. If we can have nicer options for those things, especially if they meet our overall design aesthetic, we are happier and more content in our environment.

Take pet lover Betsy Clagett of Poulsbo, Washington, who lives with Labrador retrievers, cavalier King Charles spaniels and two Persian cats.

“I love products that are well-made and stylish,” she says. “There are so many new materials today that we never had in the past and also designs that work for your pet, but also fit into home decor. I think many of the products are much more functional than they used to be.”

Pet owners are also keeping pets in mind when they build or remodel homes. They may include a pet bathing area in the laundry room or mud room, litter boxes that slide out from cabinets or built-in crates, custom cat enclosures, dog doors framed with molding that matches the rest of the home, or stair elevators for pets who are elderly or have physical disabilities.

When we replaced the carpet on our stairs with wood, we had the installer cut one of the steps so that the top slid forward, allowing us to store leashes and other pet paraphernalia inside it. Lewis, who is currently building her own home, has designed a “garage” for her dogs’ crates.

Another trend that may be driving pet product design is minimalism. Reducing the amount of clutter in your home may make you take a hard look at what remains, whether it’s your own stuff or belongs to your pets. Is it attractive? Does it spark joy?

“In these beautiful, more minimalist homes, every object has to have its own design and purpose in the space,” Lewis says. “If you have a pet bed, you can’t just have something you picked up at Costco. You actually have to enjoy looking at it on the floor. So I think that’s driving it as well.”

Q&A

How to build a

basic cat post

Q: I want to build a scratching post for my cat. Do you have any tips?

A: That’s a great idea. Building it yourself ensures that it suits your cat’s scratching style and size. Here’s what to think about.

For cats, a good stretch is an essential part of a great scratching experience. They should be able to extend their bodies full length when they scratch. A 1-foot post offers enough scratching room for a kitten, but an adult cat will prefer a post that’s at least 3 feet high.

Cats may not understand why it’s OK to scratch a post covered in carpet but not OK to scratch the carpet on the floor. Help them out by covering the post in a different material, such as rope or sisal.

Materials you’ll need to build a basic post are a 16-by-16-by-1/2-inch piece of plywood for the base; a post that’s at least 36 inches high and 3 to 4 inches in diameter; 100 to 150 feet of 3/8-inch sisal or rope; one small box of 1/2- to 3/4-inch-long U-shaped brads; two 1 1/2-inch wood screws; and a drill, drill bits and hammer.

Using a U-brad, attach one end of the rope as close to the post’s upper edge as possible. Wrap the rope tightly, attaching a U-brad at every quarter turn during the first wrap. Continue wrapping, pushing rows close together to avoid gaps and loose rope. Add a U-brad occasionally to keep the rope from slipping. On the final wind, tack the rope onto the post using two or three U-brads. Hammer U-brads into the post so your cat can’t pull them out. Using the drill and wood screws, attach the post firmly to the plywood base, making sure the post is centered. -- Kim Campbell Thornton

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

THE BUZZ

Hotels help dogs

find new homes

-- Next time you walk into a hotel lobby, you might be greeted by a dog available for adoption. A number of hotels across the country work with shelters and rescue groups to place dogs for adoption, according to an article by Jen Reeder for Today.com. They include Inn by the Sea, an oceanfront resort near Portland, Maine; the Westin Mission Hills Golf Resort and Spa in Rancho Mirage, California; and Aloft Hotels in Asheville, North Carolina; Orlando and Tallahassee, Florida; and Greenville, South Carolina.

-- Frazzled by a flight delay, long security lines or fear of flying? Some airports have just the ticket to calm your nerves: therapy animals patrolling the terminal -- with their handlers, natch -- just waiting for an opportunity to give you some much-needed emotional support. At San Francisco International Airport, you might run across the 22 canine members of the Wag Brigade -- wearing blue vests that read “Pet Me” -- or Lilou the therapy pig, who also welcomes petting. Other airports with pet therapists on board include Los Angeles International Airport, San Jose International Airport, Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, Miami International Airport, Denver International Airport, San Antonio International Airport, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport and Charlotte Douglas International Airport.

-- A cellist in Nebraska performs for a special audience: shelter dogs. After learning that music could help to calm dogs, Cheryl Wallace began visiting Town and Country Humane Society in Papillion to play for the pups there. Science bears out the belief that music has soothing effects on dogs and cats. Studies have shown that pets in kennels enjoy not just classical but also soft rock, reggae and music composed specifically to appeal to animals. Music also offers stress relief for pets at home or at the veterinary clinic. -- 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, founder of the Fear Free organization and author of many best-selling pet care books, and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. Joining them is behavior consultant and lead animal trainer for Fear Free Pets 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.

When dogs have bloody diarrhea, it can be difficult to determine the cause -- here’s what to know

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

Diarrhea. It’s bad enough when a pet has stinky loose stools, but when they’re mixed with bright red blood -- or a pet strains to defecate and produces blood only -- even the most sanguine pet owner becomes concerned.

Causes of bloody diarrhea can include small, harmless masses; major tumors; toxic substances; or simply emotional upset. Fortunately, it’s rarely an emergency unless the dog is losing enough blood to cause significant anemia or if the dog is bleeding out of the gastrointestinal tract because of a toxin such as rat poison or a systemic disease, says Craig B. Webb, DVM, professor of small animal medicine at Colorado State University’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Fort Collins.

Sometimes the cause is never clear. That has been the case with my dog Keeper, whose digestive system is sensitive, to say the least. Usually his veterinarian prescribes antibiotics and a few days of a bland diet. But recent studies show that in some cases, symptomatic treatment -- a bland diet to soothe the digestive tract -- is all that’s needed.

Approximately 50% to 60% of dogs with acute onset of bloody diarrhea have fecal samples that are positive for a toxin called netF, produced by Clostridium perfringens bacteria. While many healthy dogs have C. perfringens as a normal part of their gut microbiome, in dogs with bloody diarrhea, C. perfringens bacteria are producing the netF toxin gene. The trigger may be something the dog has eaten, infection from another organism or some other cause.

“What makes a strong case that it might be causative is that only dogs with hemorrhagic diarrhea are positive for this toxin,” says Texas A&M researcher Jan S. Suchodolski, DVM, Ph.D., one of the authors of a study on the association of C. perfringens and netF toxin genes with acute hemorrhagic diarrhea published last November in the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine. “We don’t typically see it in dogs with acute non-hemorrhagic diarrhea or with chronic diarrhea.”

Dogs who are positive for the toxin, which can be identified through a molecular test, usually eliminate it quickly, independent of treatment with antibiotics, Dr. Suchodolski says.

Why no antibiotics?

They can have a significant effect on intestinal microbiota -- the “good bugs” that populate the intestine and play an important role in physiology, metabolism, nutrition and immune function. Broad-spectrum antibiotics disrupt the gut’s microbiome, killing beneficial bacteria.

“We’re discovering more and more that these effects are long-lasting,” Dr. Suchodolski says. “And dogs don’t recover quicker compared to not getting antibiotics for acute diarrhea.”

That doesn’t mean you don’t need to be concerned if your dog is pooping out blood. Small dogs with what is now called acute hemorrhagic diarrhea syndrome (AHDS) -- formerly known as hemorrhagic gastroenteritis -- can quickly become dehydrated, especially if diarrhea is accompanied by vomiting. A small fraction of dogs may go into shock or sepsis from dehydration and infection, and this may require hospitalization or antibiotics.

Signs that your dog should see the veterinarian as soon as possible include vomiting, lack of appetite, dehydration, increased heart rate and respiration and collapse.

If your dog has bloody diarrhea but is otherwise normal and alert, withhold food for 12 to 24 hours and then feed a bland diet for a few days. Ensuring that the dog is drinking water is more critical than getting him to eat, Dr. Webb says.

“At some point, probiotic therapy should be considered, as changing the gut microbiota may help long term,” says Joseph W. Bartges, DVM, professor of internal medicine and nutrition at the University of Georgia’s College of Veterinary Medicine.

Don’t hesitate to call your veterinarian if you’re worried. “If there are any concerns, especially if your pet feels bad and is not him- or herself, you should take them to a veterinarian,” Dr. Bartges says. “It is better to be safe than sorry.”

Q&A

Cats need

daily play

Q: How much playtime do cats need daily?

A: More than you might think! Most of us think of cats as layabouts, happy to sleep all day; in reality, they are hunters who benefit from the opportunity to practice their inborn skills, even if they never catch a mouse in their life.

A good baseline is five minutes of playtime or interactive exercise twice a day. Kittens might need more, and senior cats might be happy with a little less. Toys and games your cat will enjoy include flashlight beams they can chase -- be sure to end by pointing the light at something they can pounce on so they’ll feel as if they accomplished something -- fishing pole-type toys with a dangly, preylike object at the end or small balls that your cat can chase down the hall, zigging and zagging as the ball bounces off walls or other objects.

Another way to keep your cat fit and occupied is to teach him to work for his meals. Not by catching mice -- although plenty of cats make a living doing that -- but with a puzzle toy that he must push or play with to get it to dispense food. I tell people that instead of leaving out a big bowl of kibble for their cat to snack from during the day, they should put a meal’s worth of food inside a treat ball and let him figure out how to get it out. Leave a couple of those balls around the house, and your cat will “hunt” when he’s hungry and get the amount of food he needs, not the amount he eats because he’s bored. This is also a good way to help overweight cats drop a pound or so.

You can find more about feline play at FearFreeHappyHomes.com/blog. -- Dr. Marty Becker

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

THE BUZZ

Need stress relief?

Pet a dog or cat

-- Petting dogs and cats relieves student stress, according to findings from a Washington State University study published last month in the open-access journal AERA Open. “Just 10 minutes can have a significant impact,” said Patricia Pendry, an associate professor in WSU’s department of human development. “Students in our study that interacted with cats and dogs had a significant reduction in cortisol, a major stress hormone.” Researchers divided 249 college students randomly into four groups. Salivary cortisol samples were collected from each participant throughout the day, starting in the morning when they woke up. Once data was analyzed from the various samples, results showed that students who interacted directly with the pets showed significantly less cortisol in their saliva after the interaction.

-- Salt lamps give off a pretty glow and are thought to have health benefits, but the large chunks of pink Himalayan salt can be toxic to pets who lick them excessively. Pets who ingest too much salt -- from licking a salt lamp, eating homemade play dough or getting into the rock salt for making homemade ice cream -- can develop salt poisoning. Signs include vomiting, diarrhea, appetite loss, lethargy, incoordination and excessive thirst or urination. Severe cases can result in tremors, seizures and death. Contact your veterinarian or a poison control hotline immediately if your dog or cat shows these signs. Keep salt lamps out of a pet’s reach, especially if you have a high-climbing cat or tall dog.

-- It’s hot out there! In times of extreme heat, keep pets indoors, where there’s air conditioning, or in a cool basement. Animals who go outdoors should have access to fresh water and shade all day. A child’s wading pool filled with cool water is also a good idea. -- 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, founder of the Fear Free organization and author of many best-selling pet care books, and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. Joining them is behavior consultant and lead animal trainer for Fear Free Pets 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 help dogs overcome noise fears

By Mikkel Becker

Andrews McMeel Syndication

Did you discover on Independence Day that your new puppy is fearful of fireworks, or even that your adult dog has a newfound fear of the flash, bang, boom? Puppies can be surprised and startled by the sight and sound of fireworks, and it’s also not unusual for a dog’s fears to increase over time. Eventually, continued exposure results in trembling, howling or destructive behavior that is unexpected, because it never seemed to bother the dog before. A 2015 study in Norway found that fear of noises can increase with age. Female dogs were more likely to develop noise sensitivity than males, and neutered dogs were more at risk than intact dogs.

And it’s not just fireworks. Other sounds that can upset dogs include construction noise, gunshots and sirens. Often, these noises fall outside what the dog considers “normal.” In other cases, the dog may associate the sounds with scary situations from the past. And sometimes fear of certain sounds can be genetic: Breed and parent personality can both be factors. The Norwegian study found that among the 17 breeds looked at, those with the highest frequency of noise sensitivity were the Norwegian buhund, the soft-coated wheaten terrier and the Lagotto Romagnolo.

If fireworks and other loud noises cause your dog to bury his head under the covers, start now to help him learn to become more comfortable with a variety of sounds. Common noises that dogs may encounter at some point in their life include infants crying, helicopters hovering, and children screeching in play. Here’s how to expose your dog to sounds in a way that keeps him relaxed and happy as he stores them in his brain under “nothing to be afraid of.”

Start by introducing the sound at a low level the dog is comfortable with. Keeping it at a distance is a good idea, too. For instance, you can set a blow dryer on low, or turn on the vacuum cleaner, and leave them in another room with the door closed. It’s not always possible to control when or where your dog will hear a sound -- although trash trucks and buses usually operate on a schedule -- so finding or making recordings can help you to manage your dog’s exposure to frightening noises.

Pair the sound with positive experiences such as treats, play or mealtime. That works to change the dog’s emotional response to the sound over time. When he’s in a happy and relaxed state, he’ll be better at learning how to react to the sound. This is also a good exercise to perform with puppies and dogs who don’t have an established fear of noise, because it helps to keep them that way. Early exposure helps increase a dog’s comfort level with noises throughout life.

Slowly increase the intensity of the sound. Think days, not minutes or hours. If you move ahead too quickly, the dog’s fear can intensify. Wait until he remains happy and relaxed at the lowest setting. Watch for signs of discomfort, such as pacing or yawning, and decrease the volume or increase the distance from the noise until he relaxes again. End on a positive note by asking for a favorite trick or playing a game and rewarding him.

Conditioning a dog to have a calm response to loud or unexpected noises takes time. By taking little steps now, you can gradually build a lasting, positive change in your dog’s behavior in the face of fireworks or other sounds that frighten him. By the time New Year’s Eve rolls around, you’ll both be better prepared for noisy celebrations. You can find more about managing your dog’s fear of noises at FearFreeHappyHomes.com.

Q&A

Kitten or cat?

Both have pluses

Q: I’m getting my first cat soon, and I’m wondering if it’s better to get a kitten or an adult cat.

A: There are advantages to each. Here’s what to consider.

The big thing kittens have going for them is that they are so darned cute. Watching them play is better than television. Balancing out the cuteness is their need for supervision and training. It can be exhausting to chase after them and redirect their behavior to more appropriate activities as they climb the curtains, test out their claws on your new sofa, and bounce on your head at 5 a.m. Kittens are endlessly energetic and they may not begin to settle down until they are 2 to 3 years old.

If you’d rather live with a peaceful, gentle cat from the get-go, an adult cat is the right choice. With an adult cat, you know what exactly what you’re getting, whether that’s curious and active, calm and trusting, or friendly and affectionate. Because they are more predictable, you’ll have a better idea of how they will fit into your household. They don’t need the same amount of supervision as kittens, and will happily nap or play with a puzzle toy while you’re at work.

Adult cats have other advantages. They may already be vaccinated and spayed or neutered. Sometimes they already have experience with children or dogs, and take them in stride. An adult cat with family experience is often more mellow and tolerant with children. They are less likely to scratch or bite during play, and they are more sturdy than kittens, who are easily injured. Of course, it’s still important to supervise young children and cats to make sure no one is hurt when they interact.

The best choice for you simply depends on your home life and what you’re looking for in a cat. -- Dr. Marty Becker

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

THE BUZZ

Flame retardants may

affect cat health

-- If your cat has hyperthyroidism, the cause may be flame retardants in the environment. Feline hyperthyroidism, first diagnosed in 1979, is the most common endocrine disease in older cats. In the 40 years since that first case was diagnosed, the prevalence of the disease has risen dramatically. Scientists suspected a link to household flame retardants, introduced in the mid-1970s. In a report published in American Chemical Society’s Environmental Science & Technology, researchers used silicone pet tags to measure the exposure of housecats to various flame retardants. (Silicone picks up volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds, and wristbands made of the material have been used in previous studies to monitor human exposure to environmental chemicals.) Researchers recruited 78 housecats 7 years and older, half with hyperthyroidism and half without, and gave owners silicone tags to put on their pets. After the cats had worn the tags for seven days, researchers analyzed the silicone and found higher levels of flame-retardant chemicals from the cats with hyperthyroidism. Higher exposures were associated with air freshener use, houses built since 2005, and cats who prefer to nap on upholstered furniture.

-- Redbone coonhounds descend from red hounds brought to the American colonies by settlers from Scotland and Ireland. They are friendly and loyal, with a talent for making people laugh, but they also have an independent spirit and don’t always pay attention to what their humans want. These active dogs are great hiking companions and excel at canine sports such as nosework and tracking. Redbones are best suited to rural homes, where their loud voices won’t annoy the neighbors.

-- Interested in reptiles? Good choices for beginners include ball pythons, corn snakes, bearded dragons and small tortoises or box turtles. These species can be appropriate for both children and adults. -- 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, founder of the Fear Free organization and author of many best-selling pet care books, and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. Joining them is behavior consultant and lead animal trainer for Fear Free Pets 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.