Regular grooming is an easy way to make pets happy and healthy

Andrews McMeel Syndication

There are few things that make a veterinarian happier than walking into an exam room to see a pet who's squeaky clean and perfectly groomed. That's because it's a sign of a pet owner who's paying attention to all aspects of preventive pet care and overall comfort.

How important is grooming to your pet's comfort? Consider a simple mat, so easy to overlook. Have you ever had your hair in a ponytail that was just a little too tight? A mat can feel the same way to your dog -- a constant pull on the skin. Try to imagine those all over your body, and you have a good idea how uncomfortable an ungroomed coat can be.

Your dog need never know what a mat feels like if you keep him brushed and combed -- but that's just the start of the health benefits. Regular grooming allows you to look for lumps, bumps and injuries, while clearing such things as tangles and ticks from his coat. Follow up with your veterinarian on any questionable masses you find, and you may detect cancer early enough to save your pet's life.

For shorthaired breeds, keeping the skin and coat in good shape is easy. Run your hands over him daily, brush over him weekly -- and that's it.

For other breeds, grooming is a little more involved. Breeds such as collies, chows, keeshonden and Alaskan malamutes are "double-coated," which means they have a downy undercoat underneath harsher long hair. The down can mat like a layer of felt against the skin if left untended. To prevent this, divide the coat into small sections and brush against the grain from the skin outward, working from head to tail, section by section. A tip: You can keep these long-haired dogs clipped short to keep grooming easier -- and you'll be rewarded with a dog who sheds the least of all, owing to the longer grow-and-shed cycle of long hair.

Silky-coated dogs such as Afghan hounds, cocker spaniels and Maltese also need constant brushing to keep tangles from forming. As with the double-coated dogs, work with small sections at a time, brushing from the skin outward, then comb back into place with the grain for a glossy, finished look. Coats of this type require so much attention that having a groomer keep the dogs trimmed to a medium length is often more practical.

Curly and wiry coats, such as those on poodles and terriers, need to be brushed weekly, working against the grain and then with it. Curly coats need to be clipped every six weeks; wiry ones, two or three times a year. (But clipping every six weeks will keep your terrier looking sharper.) A good professional groomer, along with your veterinarian, can be a dog's best friend.

Good grooming is about more than keeping your pet looking beautiful and smelling clean, although those are certainly pleasant payoffs. Regular grooming relaxes the dog who's used to it, and it becomes a special time shared between you both. A coat free of mats, burrs and tangles, and skin free of fleas and ticks, are as comfortable to your dog as clean clothes fresh from the wash are to you. It just makes you feel good, and the effect is the same for your pet.

Some added benefit for you: Giving your dog a tummy rub after every session is sure to relax you (and your dog, of course) and ease the stress of your day.

Q&A

Houseplants can make

chewing cats very sick

Q: I'm tired of shredded houseplants! Can you suggest plants that our two cats won't chew on?

A: We'd rather you satisfy your cats' desire to chew by offering safe plants for their pleasure, while removing all toxic foliage and cat-proofing the plants you want left alone.

Many common houseplants can make your cats ill, and a few can be deadly. Among the most dangerous are dieffenbachia, lily of the valley and philodendron. Various ivies and yews can be troublesome, too, and the bulbs of plants popular for "forcing" into early indoor bloom -- such as amaryllis, daffodils and tulips -- can cause problems for the cat who likes to dig and chew.

The Animal Poison Control Center (ASPCA.org/apcc) maintains a list of problem plants, and you should also be able to find such lists in most basic cat-care books. Check your household inventory against the "bad plant" list, and replace any dangerous plants with safer ones.

Indulge your pets by keeping planters of sprouting grasses growing in an accessible place for nibbling. Special blends of seeds for cats are available in pet stores and specialty shops, or you can purchase rye or wheat grass seeds at the nursery. Catnip, too, is something that's always better when fresh, as is valerian. While not all cats react to the pleasures of these plants, those who do will appreciate your keeping it in-house and using fresh cuttings to recharge cat posts, trees and toys.

When your cats have their own plants, you can work on keeping them away from yours. Plants on the ground or on low tables are the easiest targets, so make your houseplants less accessible to the bored and wandering cat. Put plants up high, or better yet -- hang them.

For the plants you can't move out of harm's way, make them less appealing by coating them with something your cats find disagreeable. Cat-discouragers include bitter apple, a nasty-tasting substance available at any pet-supply store, or Tabasco sauce from any grocery store. Whenever you find what your cat doesn't like, keep reapplying it to reinforce the point.

Pot your plants in heavy, wide-bottomed containers, and cover the soil of the problem plants with rough, decorative rock to end digging. Foil, waxed paper and double-sided tape are also effective digging deterrents, albeit less attractive ones. -- Dr. Marty Becker

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

THE BUZZ

Powerful beaks give

parrots big leverage

-- The beaks of most parrots are remarkably well-designed for one of their most important tasks: cracking, crushing, prying or otherwise destroying the protective coatings around many of the foods they like to eat. Beaks should not be given routine trims: Overgrowth of the beak is frequently a sign of illness, such as liver disease or malnutrition. Any bird whose beak seems to be too long needs to see a veterinarian expert in avian medicine to determine the cause of the problem and treat it accordingly.

-- Viagra (sildenafil) is used for more than what it's most famous for. In veterinary medicine, the drug may be prescribed for severe pulmonary hypertension -- high blood pressure in the lungs.

-- Dealing with hairballs -- fur ingested as a cat grooms himself, then vomited back up in clumps -- is a normal part of living with a cat. Canned or fresh pureed pumpkin -- not pumpkin pie filling -- is a good way to increase the fiber in your cat's diet to help the hair work its way through your cat's digestive system. Many cats enjoy a teaspoon of pumpkin daily if it's mixed with something yummy, such as canned food or the water from a can of tuna or clams. Daily brushing can help prevent hairballs as well, by reducing the amount of hair a cat swallows. -- Dr. Marty 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.

What to know about caring for your pet’s teeth: myths and reality

Andrews McMeel Syndication

Healthy teeth are important to your dog. They help him to enjoy meals and treats, chew on toys and retrieve sticks and balls. While those fangs may gleam in a new puppy, it doesn’t take long for oral health to go south and start causing problems.

One of the biggest complaints people have about their pets is stinky breath. “That smell!” they say. “It could knock over a water buffalo.”

It doesn’t have to be that way, though. I’m here to bust some bad-breath myths and share with you the secrets to getting rid of it -- and better, preventing it altogether.

Myth 1: All pets have bad breath. Not true! Pet bad breath happens when teeth aren’t clean. (Think how your breath would smell if you never brushed your teeth.) That bad breath is a sign that your pet’s teeth and gums are on the road to infection and disease. By the time they’re 3 years old, most dogs and cats have periodontitis, so early prevention is key. Hound halitosis and feline foul breath can also be caused by problems of the upper digestive tract, so getting a checkup from your veterinarian is important.

Myth 2: Feeding dry food or giving chew toys or dental treats keep teeth clean. It’s true that dry food and chewing on rope bones or toys with ridges can have an abrasive effect, but not enough to keep your pet’s teeth free of the plaque and tartar that cause bad breath and lead to periodontal disease.

Myth 3: It’s safer and just as effective to schedule your pet for a non-anesthesia cleaning than one done under anesthesia. That nasty brown tartar can be scraped off with dental tools, but your pet isn’t going to sit still for having her gums probed with sharp instruments. And below the gumline is where dental disease lurks, invisible without the help of dental X-rays and a thorough exam done on a non-squirming pet. Schedule a professional veterinary cleaning performed under anesthesia at least annually to keep dental disease at bay.

Myth 4: It’s impossible to prevent pet dental disease. Not true! You can take a number of steps to keep your dog or cat’s pearly whites clean and healthy.

I promised to tell you the secret to preventing or getting rid of pet bad breath. Whether you start with a puppy or kitten or commit to it for an adult animal, brushing teeth daily is the No. 1 thing you can do to remove soft, sticky plaque and prevent buildup of ugly brown tartar. Brushing daily is the gold standard for prevention of periodontal disease, but even brushing once or twice a week helps.

It’s a money-saver, too. The more frequently you brush your pet’s teeth, the more likely you are to prevent plaque, tartar and periodontal disease. Use a toothbrush and toothpaste made especially for dogs. A brush with a triangular head helps you to get at back teeth, but you can also use a finger brush, which may be best for small dogs or for cats.

Although you might like him to have minty-fresh breath, your pet will prefer chicken- or beef-flavored toothpaste. Sharing your toothpaste with him can give him an upset stomach.

Providing pets with dental chews is helpful as well. Some chews are infused with enzymes that help fight plaque or contain nutrients that may help to reduce inflammation. A new combo of a triple-enzyme toothpaste with dental chews called Bark Bright takes a lot of chewing to finish, which increases plaque-busting enzyme activity -- as much as 60% to 80% efficacy. It’s available Feb. 26 online and at Target and CVS.

Medicated dental rinses from your veterinarian can add an extra punch to your pet’s oral care plan by making it more difficult for plaque to glom onto teeth.

Q&A

Do female cats

urine mark?

Q: Why does my cat spray? I thought females didn’t do that!

A: Surprise, surprise! Spraying is a normal feline behavior, for females as well as males. Spraying is all about marking territory. It’s the way cats express the warning, “Don’t invade my territory!” It’s also a way of marking territory as their own as well as comforting themselves in a stressful situation by making their surroundings smell like, well, themselves.

You can tell the difference between spraying and normal urination by observing the cat’s posture. Squatting to pee is normal urination. A cat who is spraying stands with tail up and vibrating, raises and lowers his back paws as if he’s on tippy-toes, and shoots a stream of urine straight back.

Urine sprayed onto a vertical surface such as a wall or door is a sign of scent marking, or territorial marking. Most cats who mark vertically don’t have a medical problem. You can almost always chalk up the behavior to a cat’s desire to communicate something, either to you or to other cats in the house. Cat pee is designed to stick on trees in all weather for as long as three weeks, so it’s powerful stuff. Cats can direct their urine very accurately, so the pee is exactly where they want it to be and smells exactly how they want it to smell. Someday, we will be able to identify the particular pheromone that the cat leaves with the urine and that will tell us if he is scared, frustrated, terrorized by another cat or in pain.

Unneutered males are the worst offenders, but it’s not unusual for neutered males and some females to scent mark. Neutering before 6 months of age -- which is a good time to surgically alter a cat -- sometimes helps to prevent scent marking, but not always. -- Dr. Marty Becker

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

THE BUZZ

Helping human and

pet abuse victims

-- Texas A&M veterinary students and faculty are collaborating to foster pets who are victims of domestic violence and spread the word to veterinary professionals and the public about the connection between domestic violence and animal abuse. “Eighty-five percent of women entering shelters reported their partner had threatened, injured or killed a family pet,” says Alyssa Felton, a third-year veterinary student and outreach chair of Aggies Fostering Hope. Animals are fostered at the veterinary school while owners are aided in finding pet-friendly shelter. Donors cover the cost of pet medical care. For more information, or to donate, visit facebook.com/AggiesFosteringHope or email aggiesfosteringhope@cvm.tamu.edu.

-- A lime-green puppy was the surprise delivery by Gypsy, a white shepherd in North Carolina. She gave birth earlier this month to eight puppies, and the fourth one, named Hulk, came out green, likely the result of meconium-stained liquid from inside the birth sac that occurred during Gypsy’s pregnancy. The startling color won’t remain; Hulk’s fur has already started to fade to a more pastel shade, and he should eventually be a normal light-colored dog. Gypsy’s owner, Shana Stamey, says Hulk is growing quickly, like his namesake, and has the superpower of an “aggressive appetite.”

-- Does your pet like to chill to some music while you’re away (or even while you’re home)? Spotify can help. The music-streaming business has playlists and a podcast aimed especially at pets. Playlists are curated for different species, including hamsters and iguanas. Music can help to mask sounds such as trash trucks or sirens that may disturb pets. Podcasts contain human voices and environmental sounds such as rain in addition to music. Our imaginary hamster Baxter’s playlist included “Jump to the Beat” by Stacy Lattisaw, Fleetwood Mac’s “Don’t Stop,” and Bryan Ferry’s “Let’s Stick 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, 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.

Tips on acclimating a cat to a new litter box

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

My mother fell recently and broke her shoulder. Naturally, it was her right arm that took the blow, so she’s having to do many things not only one-handed while she recuperates, but also with her non-dominant hand.

One of those things is scooping the litter box. A neighbor took care of Mom’s cat, Tracy, while she was hospitalized and undergoing physical therapy, but Mom came home last week and needed to start doing things for herself. My husband and I arrived to help the following day, and the first thing I suggested was that we purchase an automated litter box to eliminate or at least reduce the difficulty of that chore.

We chose one that was uncovered, since Tracy was already used to that type of box. It senses when the box has been used and has a rake that slowly moves across the litter to sweep waste into a receptacle. The tray with the receptacle is replaced every 20 to 30 days. For cats who prefer a modicum of privacy, a covered version is available. Top-entry automated boxes are available as well. They can be good choices for cats who tend to scatter litter.

To accustom Tracy to her new box, we placed it next to her original one -- which my husband had emptied and replaced with a new liner and litter -- and filled it with the non-clumping blue crystals that serve as litter. Tracy christened it immediately, but she’s still using her old box as well.

We are “seeding” the new box with small amounts of poop from the old one. The goal is for the odor to attract Tracy to the new box so she will begin using it. Cats are extremely scent-oriented -- as much as or even more so than dogs -- so this should help her adjust to the new toilet area. Other cat lovers suggest mixing a small amount of the former type of litter with the new litter until Tracy adjusts to the change.

Equally important, we don’t want to stress her by taking away the old box entirely. In fact, the rule of paw for litter boxes is that there should be one per cat, plus one more. That means Tracy now has the perfect number of litter boxes. She’s an “only cat,” so she doesn’t have to share either box with other felines. If there were additional cats in the home, I would place each box in a separate area to ensure that one cat didn’t try to ambush another.

Both boxes are located in an area away from human traffic and far from food and water. Nearby, Tracy also has a tall chair in front of a window so she can keep an eye on what’s going on outdoors. All of those things are important to cats when they are choosing a place to pee and poop.

One advantage of a self-cleaning litter box is that the cat learns that a clean box will always be available. Cats are fussy about bathroom cleanliness -- aren’t we all? -- and they like knowing exactly when the litter box will be clean. If your cat supervises while you scoop and then immediately uses the box, now you know why.

So far, Tracy seems satisfied with her new setup, even if she isn’t using the new box exclusively. And with helpers around the house, Mom hasn’t had to do any scooping yet, so that’s a plus for her. Even if she does have to scoop the box on her own after her kids leave, we’re hoping that time and effort spent on the chore will be halved. Bonus: Tracy loves hiding out in the empty box that held her new toilet.

Q&A

When should pups

go to new homes?

Q: How old should puppies be when they go to their new homes? The breeder we’re talking to is offering to let us take our new puppy when she’s 6 weeks old. Will that ensure a better bonding experience?

A: Run fast and far away from that breeder! While the age at which it’s best for pups to go to their new homes varies by breed or type of dog, no puppy should leave mom and littermates before 8 weeks of age.

It might seem as if getting a very young puppy would improve your ability to bond with her, but research shows that young pups still have a lot to learn about proper dog behavior from interactions with their mother and littermates. They learn about behavioral expectations from an older dog -- mom -- and appropriate social skills -- don’t bite too hard! -- from littermates. They also learn other perceptual and motor skills.

Puppies taken home at 8 weeks or older have fewer behavior problems later in life, according to a study by Italian researchers published in the journal Veterinary Record. They looked at dogs who went to new homes between 5 and 6 weeks of age and between 8 and 9 weeks of age. Puppies who were older at the time they left the litter were less likely to be destructive, bark excessively, show fearfulness on walks, react fearfully to sounds, or be possessive of food, toys or other objects.

Responsible breeders send puppies to new homes when they are 8 to 12 weeks old. Puppies in that age range are more mature and more likely to sleep through the night. That makes them easier to housetrain.

Breeders of toy dogs, especially, prefer to keep pups until they are 12 to 16 weeks old to ensure that they are sturdy and confident enough for their new home. -- Dr. Marty Becker

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

THE BUZZ

Oklahoma program

helps horses in need

-- A horse rescue program in Edmond, Oklahoma, helps people place horses they can no longer care for. A partnership between Nexus Equine and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has so far taken in more than 50 horses and donkeys whose people no longer have the resources to keep them. The pilot program gives owners peace of mind, and helps ensure that the animals find new homes if their health permits. The goal is to develop a national plan based on information gathered from this and similar programs elsewhere.

-- It’s been known for years that greyhounds have difficulty breaking down certain drugs, which means they must be anesthetized with care. Scientists at Washington State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine who discovered the genetic mutation in greyhounds have now learned that the rare anomaly occurs in other breeds as well, including borzoi, Italian greyhounds, whippets, Scottish deerhounds, golden retrievers, Labrador retrievers and even some mixed breeds. The findings were published earlier this month in Scientific Reports. The researchers are now working to create a simple cheek-swab test to detect the mutation and determine an individual dog’s sensitivity to certain anesthetic drugs before surgery. Owners of golden retrievers and greyhounds who are interested in having their dogs participate in a one-day study can email courtlab@vetmed.wsu.edu for more information.

-- Cat Eva went missing after Hurricane Irma hit Florida in 2017, and her family never knew what happened to her. But thanks to a microchip and efforts of the Hillsborough County (Florida) sheriff’s department, the lost cat was reunited with her family last month. Appropriately enough, Eva sought shelter at the sheriff’s office district headquarters on Christmas Eve. Deputies took her to a veterinarian, who scanned her for a microchip, enabling sheriff’s deputy Katelyn Kotfila to contact the owners and arrange the reunion. -- 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.