How to help dogs keep their footing when age or illness are bringing them down

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

In the last few months, my dog Keeper, who is about 11 years old, has developed a wobbly rear end as a result of neurological condition. He slips and slides on our wood floors, goes splat on the tile as he leans over to drink out of his water bowl, and often falls to the side as he sways his way up the pet steps to the sofa, his favored resting spot. Sometimes he has problems scrambling back up when he slides into frog-dog position.

Because of his age and various heart and intestinal issues, Keeper is not the best candidate for surgery, so we’re working on improving his environment to make it easier for him to get around.

It’s all too easy for dogs with arthritis, hip dysplasia or neurological problems to injure themselves in a fall. You may find these tips useful if you have a senior dog with mobility issues or one with a shoulder or other orthopedic injury.

Throw rugs rule. We have several large area rugs as well as half a dozen or so throw rugs throughout the house. Nonskid throw rugs are great in homes with golden-age dogs who may become incontinent because of kidney disease or as a side effect of heart medication, to name just a couple of potential causes. But with Keeper’s new difficulty in getting around, we needed more. I went to HomeGoods and purchased five. When the checker commented that it looked as though I had bought out the store, I told her they were to help our older dog get around more easily. “I always say I want to come back as a California dog,” she said. My husband laid them out along Keeper’s most frequent pathways: to the kitchen, to the bedroom and to the “man cave” that he and my husband share. Yoga matting can be cut to size and is a popular and less expensive alternative to throw rugs. Both are easily cleaned.

Get a grip. We also purchased some nonslip rubber “grips” that fit over a dog’s toenails to help prevent falls and improve traction. He’s worn them for only a couple of days so far, but they seem to give him a little help on the slick floor. With a little more use, he may develop better ability to get around. A plus is that he doesn’t seem to notice that he’s wearing them, so he’s not biting at them or otherwise trying to remove them.

Options we haven’t tried yet are nonskid pads that adhere to the bottom of the paw, dog socks with nonskid bottoms and paw-grip sprays or balms that are meant to help improve traction on slick floors. Based on reviews, these items work great for some dogs, not so much for others. We’ve tried socks or booties on previous dogs, and they never stayed on, but for dogs who don’t mind them, they can work well. Some people wrap the paws in self-adhering fabric bandages such as Vet Wrap.

Paw-grip sprays get mixed reviews. For dogs with furry paws, such as spaniels, it may be necessary to reapply the spray frequently or to trim the fur on the bottom of the pads for best results. Simply trimming that fur can also help to improve traction.

Sometimes a ramp may work better than steps. We haven’t acquired one yet, but I think it might be easier for Keeper to navigate than his pet stairs because it’s difficult for him to lift his hind legs. He’d still run the risk of falling off when his rear wobbles, though. Most often, we lift him up or stand behind him as he walks up the steps so we can head off any falls.

The next step, if he becomes weaker, may be a canine cart, or wheelchair, but for now he seems to be doing well in his new nonskid environment.

Q&A

Natural or not?

What to consider

Q: I’m interested in natural and alternative therapies for my pet. Which ones really work?

A: Complementary, or alternative, therapies often play a role in veterinary medicine these days. A lot of veterinarians combine traditional veterinary care with other modalities that include herbal medicine, nutritional supplements, low-level laser, acupuncture and massage. Some of these treatments and techniques are backed by science, while others haven’t yet undergone rigorous study.

Some complementary therapies are used for pain relief. As a backup to NSAIDs or other analgesics, a veterinarian might recommend cold laser therapy, acupuncture and nutritional supplements such as glucosamine-chondroitin and omega-3 fatty acids. They may be beneficial for pets with joint problems or cats with pain from cystitis. There’s a lack of controlled, double-blind studies that positively demonstrate the effectiveness of nutraceuticals for these types of pain, but anecdotally, a number of veterinarians and pet parents have found them to be helpful for some animals.

Animals with liver disease may be prescribed an herbal remedy called milk thistle. Randomized controlled studies have shown that it has some positive effects in helping to support the liver.

Cranberry is often suggested for pets with bladder infections. It appears to work by keeping bacteria in the urine from being able to attach to the bladder wall.

Not every complementary therapy works for everything. For instance, acupuncture doesn’t appear to have an appreciable effect on animals with allergies. And therapies that are safe for dogs may not always be safe for cats. Work with a veterinarian who has a thorough grounding in integrative medicine.

Most important, remember that just because something is natural doesn’t mean it’s safe. Herbal remedies, for instance, can interact with other medications your pet takes, so it’s essential for you and your veterinarian to communicate about what your pet is taking. -- Dr. Marty Becker

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

THE BUZZ

Hamster species

faces extinction

-- BBC News reports that European hamsters have been added to the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s list of critically endangered animals. These larger relatives of Syrian or dwarf hamsters are found in the Alsace region of France, Germany and throughout Eastern Europe. In those areas, their numbers have dropped by up to 75% because of fewer births. Possible causes of the population reduction -- from approximately 20 babies per year to only five or six -- include such influences on habitat as climate change, industrial development and light pollution. Unless their numbers can be turned around, the little animals face extinction in as little as 30 years.

-- Bee health -- it’s a thing. Did you know that bees need veterinarians? That’s right. Bees are an important part of global food safety and security because of their role as key crop pollinators, so their health is paramount. Backyard and commercial beekeepers must deal with diseases bees face and the possible development of antimicrobial resistance. Veterinarians can help, and they are now required to as a result of a 2017 federal rule requiring beekeepers to work with veterinarians when it comes to administering antimicrobial medications. The goal is to help reduce the risk that antimicrobials will become ineffective in treating bees.

-- Have you been taking dog training classes virtually since COVID-19 shut down many in-person classes? According to an article by Linda Lombardi at Fear Free Pets (fearfreepets.com/taking-dog-training-business-online), trainers are taking their classes online and finding that it has a number of benefits for themselves, owners and dogs, too. Advantages include fewer distractions, more personalized attention, greater safety for trainers working with aggressive dogs, more convenient scheduling, less time spent commuting to and from class and options for shorter classes or single classes. -- 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.

7 of the best dog and cat books to read this summer

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

You’ve created a sourdough starter and baked bread until you don’t have any more friends to give loaves to. You’ve planted a garden. You’ve learned how to knit. You’ve binged “Aggretsuko,” “Bodyguard” and “Chef’s Table.” You’ve watched “Hamilton” three times. Isn’t it time you settled down with a great book? Here’s what to read, whether your jam is mysteries, cats, photography or dogs of war.

Most military working dogs, aka combat assault dogs, remain anonymous throughout their careers, but one broke out from the pack after participating in a high-level operation. Millions know the name of Cairo, the Belgian Malinois who took part in SEAL Team Operation Neptune Spear, which ended in the death of terrorist Osama bin Laden in 2011. In “No Ordinary Dog: My Partner From the SEAL Teams to the Bin Laden Raid” (St. Martin’s Press), Cairo’s handler Will Chesney and writer Joe Layden tell the story of Chesney and Cairo’s training and careers -- as well as their love story. (Let’s call it what it is.) The action-packed tale begins with Chesney’s journey to become a SEAL, how his love of dogs led him to a role as a handler when dogs began to become valued SEAL Team members, their perilous work in Afghanistan, and how injuries separated them and brought them back together. No one should miss this story, so for kids there is “Warrior Dog: The True Story of a Navy SEAL and His Fearless Canine Partner,” adapted for young readers.

Mystery writer Laurien Berenson continues her Melanie Travis series with “Game of Dog Bones” (Kensington Books), in which the standard poodle owner/schoolteacher and her family head to New York City to watch poodle maven Aunt Peg achieve the dream of a lifetime: judging the Non-Sporting Group at Westminster. But the occasion is marred afterward when Aunt Peg’s nemesis, Victor Durbin, is found dead. Turns out he had a lot of enemies, for a number of good reasons. Travis seeks to nose out the killer before Aunt Peg is charged with Durbin’s murder.

I’ve long thought of myself as a terrible photographer. I took an incomplete in the subject in my college journalism program, and only the advent of smartphones improved my ability to take good pictures -- I even won an award with one of them! But thanks to Andrew Marttila’s new book “How to Take Awesome Photos of Cats” (Running Press Adult), I think I could finally advance from halfway decent snapshots of my pets with a phone camera to actually being able to operate a digital SLR and get great animal shots, both at home and on trips. Even if you’re not that interested in photography, you’ll enjoy the photos of adorable kittens and cats, but if you really want to take better pictures of your cats, this fun and practical guide will show you how.

Cat lovers will also want to check out three more books about their favorite four-footers. “Catlady: A Love Letter to Women and Their Cats” (Prestel), by Leah Reena Goren, features illustrated essays illuminating the ways cats have influenced the lives or careers of women, the friendships between women and cats, and how cats help make a home.

In “Decoding Your Cat” (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt), veterinary behaviorists have pulled together a guide to why cats do the things they do -- with information that may surprise and educate even those who consider themselves cat experts.

The third edition of “Cats for Dummies” (For Dummies) by Gina Spadafori, Dr. Lauren Demos and Dr. Paul Pion updates a classic with a new chapter on enrichment for indoor cats, including information on catios; a new chapter on helping community cats, including kitten fostering; and all new and updated medical material.

Finally, in “One Hundred Dogs and Counting: One Woman, Ten Thousand Miles and a Journey into the Heart of Shelters and Rescues” (Pegasus Books), Cara Sue Achterberg goes on an inspiring road trip to rural shelters and rescues seeking an answer to the unending stream of foster dogs that come to her door.

Q&A

Ear mites affect

dogs and cats

Q: Do dogs get ear mites? How are they treated?

A: We tend to associate ear mites with cats, but dogs (and ferrets) can and do get them, especially as puppies. Ear mites (Otodectes cynotis) are tiny parasites that are highly contagious and easily transmitted from animal to animal. Luckily, humans don’t get them.

The classic sign -- besides frantic scratching at the ears or shaking of the head -- is an accumulation of dark, waxy debris that resembles coffee grounds inside the ears. The ear canals may look red or inflamed. If ear mites are left to do their itchy work -- feeding on epidermal skin cells -- without treatment, pets can develop raw skin or hair loss around the ears, often complicated by a bacterial infection.

If you had a pet with ear mites back in the bad old days, you might remember having to put drops in the ears daily for a month to get rid of them. You’d have also done the same for all the other dogs and cats in the household to prevent the mites from jumping ship to another host -- or moving to another part of the body, such as the base of the tail, until it was safe for them to recolonize the ear. Nowadays we typically give the ears a good cleaning out, and treat puppies or kittens who are old enough with a topical systemic antiparasite medication such as those used against heartworms, fleas or ticks. While some of these products might not be labeled for mites, they are known to have off-label efficacy against them.

So the good news is that ear mites are much easier to treat than they used to be; the bad news is that it’s still a must to treat all the pets in the household to prevent their spread. -- Dr. Marty Becker

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

THE BUZZ

Check cans for

cat food recall

-- If your cat eats Natural Balance Ultra Premium Chicken & Liver Pate Formula canned food, check the bottom of the can to see if it belongs to a recently recalled lot that contained elevated levels of choline chloride. Look for the retail UPC code 2363353227, lot code 9217803 and best-by date of Aug. 4, 2021. If you have any cans matching these descriptions, stop feeding the food and return remaining cans to the seller for a refund. Health concerns associated with excess choline chloride (a vitaminlike substance) include nausea, drooling, diarrhea, vomiting and more severe signs such as tremors, irregular heartbeat and difficulty breathing. To report adverse reactions, call 888-569-6828 or email info@naturalbalanceinc.com.

-- There are four Belgian herding breeds. You may be familiar with the Tervuren, the Malinois and the sheepdog, but the fourth and rarest member of the family, the Laekenois (“lak-in-wah”), is gaining recognition in the United States. The medium-size dog has prick ears; a wiry coat in red, fawn or gray; and a protective, devoted nature. Laekenois are highly active and smart. They weigh 45 to 65 pounds and typically live 10 to 12 years.

-- Florida pets can now be protected under restraining orders in domestic violence cases. In one study, as many as 71% of female pet owners reported that their abuser threatened, harmed or killed a family pet. Judges can grant temporary exclusive possession of a pet to the person requesting a protective order. Abusers can be ordered to stay away from animals named in protective orders and can be criminally charged if they disobey. Thirty-five states, plus Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, offer pets this protection. States with no pet protections are Alabama, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Dakota and Utah. -- 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.

Shelters used the pandemic shutdown time to improve living areas for cats

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

What a difference a door can make! A portal, a little round doorway between two small cages, separates a shelter cat’s eating and sleeping areas from litter box spaces. When already stressed cats have more space and less odor to contend with, they stay happier and healthier. And happy, healthy cats are more likely to be adopted quickly.

“Multiple studies have looked at the effect of poor housing on cats and have linked it to a high incidence of stress-related illness, particularly upper respiratory infections,” says Dr. Julie Levy, Fran Marino Endowed Professor of Shelter Medicine Education at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine. “Shelters frequently assume this condition is simply being spread from cat to cat like the flu, but what’s really happening is the cats are so stressed out, they become ill.”

Dr. Levy is a co-founder of the Million Cat Challenge, an initiative launched in 2014 with the goal of saving the lives of 1 million shelter cats over the next five years. After exceeding the goal in only four years, the Challenge looked for other ways to help shelter cats. The pandemic offered them the perfect opportunity to help upgrade shelter cat housing, a program they called Portalmania 2020.

With the help of sponsors, Portalmania raised enough money to place 2,685 portals in 82 shelters that applied for the grants.

“This will be a game changer for us and for the cats we care for,” says Monica Wylie, executive director of Animal Friends of the Valleys in Riverside, California. “With this setup, we will be able to reduce the likelihood of stress-induced illness and euthanasia for our feline friends.”

Portals are also important for feline emotional and mental well-being. We all know how finicky cats are when it comes to cleanliness. They have a keen sense of smell -- as good as or better than that of dogs -- and they don’t want to have to hang out next to or on top of a stinky litter box. Anything that protects their sensitive noses from the odor of urine and feces -- especially while they’re eating or resting -- contributes to their emotional health and is an important part of providing them with adequate care in the shelter.

Another 4,835 requested portals have not yet been funded. Sponsor Shor-Line is matching all donations made through GreaterGood.org’s Jackson Galaxy Project at bit.ly/3gKwJ93. That match will bring the cost of purchasing and installing portals to $40, half the normal $80 cost. Other supporters of the initiative include the Joanie Bernard Foundation, the Banfield Foundation, ASPCA Northern Tier Shelter Initiative, Petfinder, Virox Technologies, The Dave and Cheryl Duffield Foundation, Team Shelter USA and the Ontario Shelter Medicine Association.

While many cats found foster and adoptive homes as shelters scurried to find caretakers for them during shutdowns, some are still being brought to shelters, especially as more communities open back up. Access to cages with portals will help those cats better adjust to their surroundings until they can get into a home.

“As a veterinarian, little did I imagine that one of our most powerful tools to keep cats healthy and save their lives would turn out to be basically a round hole between two cages,” says Dr. Kate Hurley, director of the University of California, Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Program and co-founder of the Million Cat Challenge. “By reducing stress and keeping cats’ living spaces clean and separate from their toilet area, portals turn out to be one of the very most important things we can do to keep cats safe and happy and help them get out the shelter door quickly into their forever home.”

Q&A

What to do with a

problem like diarrhea

Q: My dog frequently has diarrhea, and the vet and I can’t figure out why. There doesn’t seem to be anything wrong with him. What can we do?

A: It’s often tough to figure out what’s causing diarrhea. Loose stools can occur when pets get into the garbage, eat something toxic or eat too much. It can also happen when their regular food changes suddenly, as a result of internal parasites, or because they have a foreign body obstruction. Diarrhea can signal certain diseases, and it can be a sign of stress.

Because there’s such a wide range of potential causes, it’s something you want to get checked out. But if you and your veterinarian have ruled out medical causes and your dog still has diarrhea on a regular basis, it’s possible that something is stressing him out or that he has a super-sensitive stomach. He may also have an imbalance in his gut microbiome: the collection of bacteria and other microorganisms that normally live in the body and serve a beneficial purpose, aiding in digestion, metabolism, immune function and even brain health.

Do some detective work. Have there been any changes in your household routine that could have upset your dog? Call the company that makes his food and ask if ingredients have changed recently.

You can also try to enhance the gut microbiome with probiotics and prebiotics, which can help to rebalance intestinal flora. Your veterinarian can recommend some. I have had success with a prebioticlike product called DoggyStat. It stops diarrhea in a nonpharmaceutical way and can be a good fit for dogs whose bowels seize up in stressful situations such as going to the veterinarian, groomer or boarding kennel. Full disclosure: I’m a member of their advisory team.

Most important: When in doubt, call your veterinarian. -- Dr. Marty Becker

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

THE BUZZ

Spending on pets

rises higher

-- Pet parents spend more on food and treats than any other category, with 2019 sales reaching $36.9 billion, according to the American Pet Products Association. Contributing to increased sales were pet food mix-ins and toppers and subscription pet food delivery programs. The second-highest category was veterinary care and product sales, at $29.3 billion. Spending on supplies, live animals and over-the-counter medications reached $19.2 billion last year. The live-animal category included only fish, reptiles, birds and other small animals -- not dogs, cats or horses. Finally, pet owners spent $10.3 billion on services such as boarding, grooming, pet health insurance, training, pet sitting and dog walking.

-- Help me, Rhonda. That’s what Santa Barbara, California, firefighters are singing to their new emotional support dog. Rhonda, the first dog to be hired for this job at the Santa Barbara County Fire Department, can recognize signs of agitation, anxiety and stress and is trained to interrupt those signs with affection. Her job is important for firefighters, who must deal with emotionally challenging situations and face depression and post-traumatic stress disorder at rates five times higher than the general population. Having an emotional support dog can help them carry on during stressful times -- like California’s upcoming fire season.

-- The pleasant and sociable English coonhound, also known as the American English coonhound, descends from dogs of the type kept by George Washington and other Virginia planters, originally to hunt foxes. Those early Virginia hounds were brought from England, hence the “English” part of the name. Their voice is described as a “good hound bawl,” so be prepared for them to “talk.” They aren’t typically nuisance barkers, though. The large, handsome hounds have smooth coats that come in redtick, bluetick, tricolor with ticking, white and red, white and black, and white and lemon. -- 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.