Adjusting to a new home or other circumstances can cause pets to behave in ways they normally wouldn’t. Here’s how to help

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

Two weeks ago, media reports blew up an incident in which one of the first dogs, Major Biden, was said to have bitten a security agent who startled him. Later, a Secret Service official clarified that the nip was “extremely minor,” with no broken skin or bleeding, leaving only a small mark on the agent’s hand. But something like that can harm a dog’s reputation -- even a dog who isn’t under constant media scrutiny.

Repercussions for a dog bite, even a minor one, can range from a report that goes on the dog’s record to a 10-day in-home quarantine period, even for a dog who is up-to-date on rabies vaccinations. No one wants that.

Fortunately, there are good ways to prevent incidents and help dogs remain cool, calm and collected, whether they’re at your house, the White House or anywhere in between.

Major, of course, changed households in January, but even before then, his humans were traveling frequently, and change was in the air. Pets are sensitive to the emotions of their humans as well as to what’s going on in their environment. Sometimes they respond with fear, anxiety or stress, even if it seems as if they have adjusted.

When pets are facing new situations, set up the environment for success, says Fear Free-certified veterinary behaviorist Amy Pike, DVM, who practices in Fairfax, Virginia. Pets don’t need to meet everyone at once or have free access to every part of the home. Whether Chip the cable guy or Janet from Treasury is coming over, it can be best for that first meeting to take place outdoors in a more relaxed setting and then have them go indoors together, or to confine the dog in a comfortable area away from the activity until a more understated introduction can take place.

Ask guests to avoid body language that can seem threatening to pets, such as prolonged eye contact, approaching or reaching toward them.

“There is no need to put your hand out for the dog to smell you,” says Debbie Martin, a licensed veterinary technician in Spicewood, Texas, who specializes in behavior. “He can smell you from across the room. Reaching your hand into his space is like a stranger getting too close to you or reaching for you.”

Have visitors toss treats instead of handing them to pets.

“Every time they approach one of the dogs or come into a space where the dog is, don’t look at them, don’t talk to them, just toss them food,” Dr. Pike says. That way, pets associate good things with the visitor. If your pet is nervous or even excited in the presence of strangers, give the treats yourself in the presence of guests. Toss treats when your pet is relaxed, looking at you unprompted or responding to known cues such as sit, spin or shake.

Keep dogs on a leash for a while, even inside the residence. That can help protect them from making mistakes in new situations or around unfamiliar people.

If your pet displays unusual behavior -- even something that might be attributable to new or exciting circumstances -- it’s a good idea to have your veterinarian check for underlying causes, Dr. Pike says.

For instance, romping on White House grounds might have resulted in a partially torn cruciate ligament causing pain and irritability. “Spring allergies are a concern right now in the D.C. area,” she says, “so maybe he’s irritable because he’s itchy.”

Most important, pets -- even those who haven’t moved into one of the world’s most famous residences -- need time to adjust to new surroundings and situations.

“It may take three to six months to acclimatize to a new situation, whether that be Mom going back to work or moving to a new house or apartment, or a new roommate even,” Pike says. “Keep their stress level as low as possible for their sake and safety.”

Q&A

How cats vent

frustration

Q: Why does my cat attack me when he sees a cat outdoors?

A: If you’ve ever had a bad day at the office and then come home and snapped at your significant other, you have some idea of how your cat feels when he or she sees an unknown cat trespassing in your yard.

Cats get frustrated when they see an invading feline in their territory, and they may take it out on you or another pet or person, a behavior known as redirected aggression. It can be downright scary if you’re on the receiving end when your cat lashes out. It can be frustrating for you in other ways as well. Some cats accompany redirected aggression with urine spraying in an attempt to let that other cat know he or she is trespassing.

Free-roaming cats work out boundary disputes through scent (urine spraying), sight (claw marks on trees) and sometimes outright violence. Cats who live indoors don’t have opportunities to mark or defend their territory from cats passing through.

You don’t have to let your cat outdoors, though, to help him protect his patch of earth. A motion-detection sprinkler may send stray cats scurrying when they cross onto your cat’s property. And if there’s a particular window that offers your cat the perfect vantage point for spotting feline marauders, try putting up a barrier, whether that’s blinds you can close or a screen you can place in front of the window. You can even go so far as to close the door to that room and provide your cat with a perch near another window or door where he won’t see other cats go by.

Products such as Feliway that mimic calming feline pheromones may also help to prevent your cat from venting his frustration on your skin. -- Dr. Marty Becker

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

THE BUZZ

Creative surgery

for hamster’s leg

-- A tiny hamster with a broken leg has recovered after veterinarian Ann Reid cleverly used the needle from an insulin syringe as the “pin” to hold the bone in place while it healed. Suki, a white Roborovski hamster weighing only three-quarters of an ounce, recuperated for a month in a large, shallow box with chew toys and apple sticks to help entertain him until he could go back to his normal lifestyle of running on his exercise wheel and digging tunnels in his bedding.

-- Aquarium and pond fish in the San Francisco Bay Area are cared for by an unusual specialist: Jessie Sanders, DVM, whose mobile practice -- Aquatic Veterinary Services -- takes her from caring for koi to assessing ponds and tanks to giving physicals to sharks. Instead of clients bringing fish to her, she goes to them in a vehicle trimmed to resemble a giant clownfish, bearing a license tag reading DR4FISH. She’s one of the first veterinarians certified by the World Aquatic Veterinary Medical Association and is past president of the American Association of Fish Veterinarians. To find a fish veterinarian in your area, go to fishvets.org.

-- Skechers and Petco Foundation have teamed up to help save shelter animals. The shoe company has raised more than $6 million to aid pets in need, donating more than $2.7 million of those funds to Petco Foundation’s animal shelter support programs. Skecher’s BOBS collection of slip-on shoes, clothing, and pet beds and harnesses includes a range of designs featuring dogs and cats, different breeds, canine Instagram icons such as Doug the Pug, and artwork by James Goldcrown. For every BOBS purchase, Skechers makes a donation to the Petco Foundation, which partners with more than 4,000 animal welfare organizations to support adoptions, provide medical care and fund other lifesaving programs. -- 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.

Three studies funded by EveryCat Health Foundation will prompt purrs from cat lovers -- and their cats, even if they don’t know why

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

The Chinese calendar recently transitioned to the year of the ox, but 2021 will be the year of the cat -- not based on the Chinese zodiac, but on current studies focusing on feline health and welfare.

Many are funded by an organization with a 53-year history of supporting research into cat health and behavior, and a new name: The former Winn Feline Foundation is now EveryCat Health Foundation. While its name has changed, its mission hasn’t; ECHF has simply put into words its goal to learn more about every cat so that all felines -- pets, pedigreed show kitties, community cats and shelter denizens -- can benefit. Here’s their story, in three studies.

-- Feline chronic gingivostomatitis (FCGS) is a painful disease that attacks a cat’s mouth and affects approximately 1% of the cat population. Removing all of a cat’s teeth helps about 70% of cats with FCGS. The other 30% face a lifetime of steroids, pain medication and antibiotics, or even euthanasia.

Research funded by ECHF at the University of California, Davis, looked at using stem cells derived from the fat of cats to treat the disease. Over a five-year period, it helped to propel researchers from early lab research to a clinical trial.

“We had noticed some pretty resounding success using these cells to treat cats with this disease,” says Dori L. Borjesson, DVM, Ph.D., who at the time was professor of pathology at U.C. Davis and is now dean of Washington State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. “We started working with an industry group and are now working with the FDA to get this product to market.”

-- Ulcers in cats are less common than in dogs, but they tend to affect cats more severely. At Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine, researchers have sought the best ways to treat ulcers of the stomach and small intestine in cats. That’s difficult because cats metabolize drugs differently than dogs and humans, in which the most research has been done.

“The way oral drugs often work is that they have to be absorbed in the small intestine,” says Katie Tolbert, DVM, Ph.D., clinical associate professor in small-animal gastroenterology. “They need time to be absorbed, and one of the problems we have in cats is that they have a short small intestine compared to dogs and humans. There’s not enough time for that drug to get absorbed in the cat intestine.”

The data generated as they sought the most effective medications to treat feline ulcers -- which typically affect middle-aged to older cats with inflammatory bowel disease or gastrointestinal cancer -- has resulted in better treatments that are already in use.

The support from ECHF, Tolbert says, has also helped reduce the use of medications effective in humans and dogs, but not in cats. Anyone who has tried to medicate a cat can appreciate that.

“The last thing we want to do is give a drug to a cat that’s not going to be effective,” Tolbert says.

-- Feline leukemia virus used to be a death sentence for cats, but now it’s known that many infected cats can enjoy a good quality of life for the time they have -- allowing more cats to be adopted instead of euthanized. But until recently, veterinarians and shelters struggled with the most reliable and efficient way to test cats for FeLV.

University of Florida researchers, in collaboration with Austin Pets Alive! and IDEXX Laboratories and supported by EveryCat Health Foundation and Maddie’s Fund, have identified the best screening tests for the disease as well as published a paper on the success of FeLV cat adoptions. Their findings ensure accurate and cost-effective testing.

“In the past, veterinarians and shelter managers were confused about what samples they should collect and what tests they should run,” says Julie Levy, DVM, Fran Marino-endowed professor of shelter medicine education at the University of Florida. “Now we can get cats out of shelters quicker, and if we identify them as FeLV-positive, we’re going to adopt them to appropriate homes and not euthanize them.”

Q&A

Like cats

and dogs?

Q: I have a cat, and I’m thinking of getting a dog. Can they really get along? What tips do you have for introducing them?

A: As with any family, these pets get along to varying degrees, from familiar affection to downright loathing. If slowly introduced at a pace that’s comfortable for them, dogs and cats usually at least tolerate each other well. And in many families, the camaraderie between cats and dogs is obvious.

To introduce new pet housemates, start with scent, not sight. While they’re in separate safe spaces, let each sniff a sock or T-shirt that has been rubbed on the other. Do this several times over several days until they don’t show negative reactions such as swishing tails or barking. And even though they are in separate rooms, they can still smell each other and become accustomed to each other’s presence.

When they do meet, the dog should be on a leash so you can prevent any lunges toward the cat. And make sure your cat has an escape route, such a tall cat tree or a pet gate with a cutout the cat -- but not the dog -- can run through. Hand out lots of tasty treats while they’re in each other’s presence.

Although there are exceptions to every rule, some types of dogs may not enjoy living with a cat as much as others do. Breeds or mixes with high prey drive -- think terriers, hounds and some spitz breeds -- may view cats more as a main course than as fellow family members. Consider a breed or mix less likely to be aggressive toward cats. If you’re adopting an adult dog, ask the shelter or rescue group if the dog has lived with cats previously or has been “cat-tested” for friendliness toward felines. Learn more at fearfreehappyhomes.com – Mikkel Becker

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

THE BUZZ

Keep pets safe

from poisons

-- It’s National Animal Poison Prevention Week. Do you know what yard and household substances put your dog or cat at risk? In the kitchen, beware of dark chocolate, grapes, mushrooms and anything moldy that your pet might snag from the trash. Your medicine cabinet holds ibuprofen, acetaminophen and your prescription medication; even without opposable thumbs, pets can chew their way into bottles or find pills that have fallen to the floor unnoticed. And in the yard and garage, beware of toxic plants, tulip and other bulbs, herbicides, fertilizers and pesticides. If you believe your pet has ingested something toxic, call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at 888-426-4435 or Pet Poison Helpline at 800-213-6680.

-- Discovery of an ancient pet cemetery in the Egyptian port city of Berenice, on the Red Sea, documents the longstanding bond between humans and animals. Cats, several types of dogs and two species of macaques were found buried there, not as sacrifices but as obviously cared-for pets with collars and other paraphernalia. The remains of the 585 animals were examined by a veterinarian to learn more about their diet, health and cause of death. It was clear that often they had been cared for after injuries or nursed through illnesses, some living into old age. The study was published in January in the journal World Archaeology. Read more here: bit.ly/2O8TTNb.

-- Why do dogs have cold noses? Evaporation. The eyes constantly produce tears for lubrication. Excess tears flow through the naso-lacrimal, or “nose-tears,” duct and out the base of the nose. As the tears drip down into the dog’s face, the dog licks her nose, spreading tear fluid over it. The resulting evaporation causes the nose to be cool and moist, enhancing the dog’s ability to dissolve airborne chemicals and contributing to that great canine sense of smell. -- 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.

Will 2021 produce a bumper crop of pets with separation anxiety? Experts share tips on how to help prevent it

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

Separation anxiety affects about 15% of dogs, and other animals aren’t immune. Cats, birds, bunnies and other pets can experience it as well.

And now that more people are receiving COVID-19 vaccinations and may begin to return to offices, school, travel or just being away from home more often, the big question for pet lovers is whether their animals -- especially young ones who don’t know anything different -- will become anxious about being home alone after a year of 24/7 human companionship.

“Some puppies have probably never been alone for more than an hour or two while the owners went to the grocery store,” says Minnesota dog trainer Denise Nord. “Being alone and possibly crated is a skill we need to teach our dogs.”

See if your pet shows signs of separation anxiety when you’re away. For dogs, that can mean barking or whining, scratching at doors or windows, or other destructive behavior. Birds vocalize or toss items around in their cage. Cats may urinate not just outside the litter box, but on their person’s clothes or bedding -- an attempt to soothe themselves by mingling their own scent with that of their favorite human. Set up a pet cam to see what, where and when certain behaviors are occurring.

Start now to prepare pets for being on their own more often or for longer periods. Begin by tweaking your pet’s expectations.

“Separate all the signals that you’re leaving from your actual departure,” says behavior consultant Alice Moon-Fanelli, Ph.D.

Dress as if you’re going out -- trust us, your dog or cat knows the difference between sweats and work clothes -- and then work at home as usual. Other “leaving” cues to normalize include picking up keys and then setting them down in another room, grabbing your purse and walking around with it but not going anywhere, and putting on your shoes but not leaving the house.

Then begin to gradually accustom your pet to your absence.

“Start going out for short periods of time, such as five to 15 minutes, and coming back in,” says behavior specialist Wailani Sung, DVM, director of behavior and welfare programs at San Francisco SPCA. “Leave tasty treats or puzzle toys for pets to work on. Over the course of a week, do two to three short absences, and then gradually increase the length of time you’re gone.”

Absences can include taking something out to the car or going for a walk without your dog. When you come back in, whether you were gone for one minute or one hour, go about your normal routine, keeping interactions with pets calm and quiet.

Think ahead and introduce puzzle toys before your schedule changes. Your dog, cat or bird should already be familiar with them by the time you head back to the office.

Create a new routine. Nord suggests taking your dog for a walk or other exercise in the morning before you leave so he’s ready to settle down with a puzzle toy or take a nap by the time you go. If you can, come home at lunchtime to take him out, hire a pet sitter or dog walker to come by, or schedule a dog daycare visit.

Schedule kitty playtime or bird interactions the same way. Leave treat balls filled with kibble for cats or puzzle toys for your bird. Birds also like things they can tear up, such as boxes or magazines.

Make your departure fun!

“My dogs always get a treat when I leave the house,” Nord says.

If you already know your pet has separation anxiety, transition at a slower pace, Dr. Sung says. In severe cases, seek the guidance of a veterinary behaviorist or certified applied animal behaviorist.

“When their whole world revolves around you and then you go, there’s a pretty big chasm there,” Dr. Moon-Fanelli says.

You can find blog posts and videos on managing separation anxiety at fearfreehappyhomes.com.

Q&A

Tall or small,

size matters

Q: What are the largest and smallest dog breeds?

A: While humans measure height to the top of our heads, a dog’s height is measured at the highest point of the shoulder, called the withers. Most recently, the tallest dog was Freddy, a Great Dane, who stood 40.75 inches on all fours. Freddy (who also held the title of oldest Great Dane when he was 8 years old) died in January when he was 8.5, and no other dog holds the tallest-dog title yet. Great Danes aside, Irish wolfhounds are generally considered to be the tallest dog breed.

The most recent holder of the Guinness World Record for smallest dog was Milly, a Chihuahua, who died last year when she was 9 years old. She was only 3.8 inches tall.

What about weight? Guinness no longer awards titles for heaviest dog, since putting on the pounds can be detrimental to their health, but generally the heaviest breed of dog is the mastiff. Zorba, a male mastiff born in 1981, reached an astounding 343 pounds. He also held the title of world’s longest dog, at 8 feet, 3 inches. Zorba died in 1989.

Freddy, Milly and Zorba’s ages at death bring up an important point. Dogs who are extreme in any way, such as height or weight, or the flat faces of brachycephalic breeds such as bulldogs, don’t tend to live long lives. Dogs of more moderate size and conformation typically live anywhere from 10 to 20 years.

It doesn’t seem fair that dogs of unusual size or shape should live shorter lives because they’ve been either super-sized or downsized. Nature seems to have limits on how far we can push the design of dogs, and we go beyond those lines at peril to our pets. -- Dr. Marty Becker

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

THE BUZZ

Dog receives

new burn care

-- Sadie, a dog who was burned over 70% of her body after a heat lamp accident in her kennel, is making medical history. Veterinary surgeon and pain and rehab practitioner Dena Lodato, DVM, was treating her with hyperbaric oxygen, but skin grafts aren’t an option for dogs because of their fur. Dr. Jeffrey Carter, medical director at University Medical Center New Orleans Burn Center, saw her story and offered to help with new technology: a spray-on solution of the patient’s own skin cells that regenerate an outer layer of natural, healthy skin. Sadie is the first dog to receive the treatment, called RECELL.

-- Larry the Downing Street Cat recently celebrated 10 years of patrolling the British prime minister’s residence, keeping it rodent-free. The 14-year-old cat was adopted from London’s Battersea Dogs and Cats Home. Larry’s official title is Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office, and he has so far served under three prime ministers.

-- Like humans and other animals, birds can experience pain from traumatic injuries to beak, leg or wing; arthritis; and surgery. Other painful conditions include egg binding, feather picking and gastrointestinal or respiratory conditions. A bird’s pain signals can be subtle, but watch for such things as changes in behavior, increased or decreased vocalizations, reduced preening behavior, plucking feathers out, eating or drinking less, avoiding spending time with you or not wanting to be held (especially if she is normally sociable), letting you handle her when she doesn’t normally enjoy being handled, and unusual aggressive behavior such as biting. Birds in pain may also exhibit certain postures or movements, such as hunching over, squinting or closing their eyes, fluffing up feathers, falling, or moving more slowly than normal. Take your bird to the veterinarian if you notice any of these signs. -- 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.