Flock dynamics mean some roosters need to find new homes. Rescue organizations can help

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

Recently, a Facebook friend who keeps chickens put out a call for a transport volunteer. I live midway between the pickup and delivery points, so I agreed to help. That’s how I found myself driving a rooster from Oceanside, California, to Long Beach in the cargo area of my Subaru Outback.

Boy found himself in the same position as many roosters: being one too many. He needed a new home where he would be the only rooster. Roosters are territorial, and Boy, an adolescent at 1 year old, was trying to take over the flock from King, an older rooster.

“King stopped crowing, and Boy would make sure he stayed on the perch most of the day,” says Laura Elofson of Escondido, California.

Boy did a good job of keeping the hens safe, but Elofson preferred to keep King since he was older and had been around longer.

“I thought it might be easier, since Boy was young, for him to get a flock of his own and adapt easier than if we tried King with a new flock,” she says.

Families who get chicks are told there’s a 90% chance that they are hens, says Deborah Davidson Harpur, who runs Rescue Roos in Long Beach with her daughter. That means some people are bound to end up with a rooster once in a while.

Many municipalities bar roosters or limit homes to one rooster because of the noise they make. Or, like Elofson, families may end up with competing roosters. And roosters, especially when they hit adolescence, can be jerks -- to put it politely. They may run after people, pecking them or beating at them with their wings (called flogging).

“Those are all good things when you have a free-roaming flock and they need to be protected, but not such a good thing when your small children are petrified of the bird, and especially not a good thing if humans are getting injured,” Harpur says.

Since earlier this year, Rescue Roos has placed 94 birds, mostly roosters. Placing roosters is a matchmaking game, involving promoting the birds on social media or reaching out to other rooster rescues. Giant birds and tiny birds tend to find homes quickly. Known fighters and peckers can take a little longer, Harpur says, but they are often placed with people who want good guardians for their hens.

“Usually, our adopters are families who have rural property,” Harpur says. “Most often they want either a specific breed for their hens for breeding purposes, or they want flock protection from aerial predators. The other most popular reason is that they just enjoy roosters and fell for that particular little face.”

Harpur makes sure roosters are going to friendly homes only. If you’re rehoming a bird yourself, ask interested parties if they are providing a pet home and if the people taking the bird are keeping him or will be trading him. You don’t want to run the risk that he’ll end up in a fighting situation or as someone’s meal. An internet search can help you find a rooster rescue group in your area or give you tips on placement.

To avoid having to place a rooster, get chicks that are sex-link birds, which are bred so males and females can be identified at hatch. Chicks sold as “straight run” have not been sexed.

Boy, with Harpur for now, is flirting with hens through the fence. If he stays long enough to meet a one-month quarantine, he’ll get some lady friends to keep him occupied, but Harpur says most birds are placed in less than two weeks.

At Elofson’s home, King has started crowing again, and the hens are more relaxed now that they’re free of the tension between the two roosters.

“I’m thankful for Rescue Roos for helping us find a new home for Boy,” Elofson says. “Many roosters aren’t that fortunate.”

Q&A

Why does dog

scratch a lot?

Q: My dog seems to be scratching himself a lot. Does he have dry skin? Should I add oil to his food?

A: Dogs who scratch may have fleas or allergies to pollen or other inhalants. Sometimes they have food allergies. Rather than adding oil to your dog’s food, you should take him to your veterinarian to get a definite diagnosis and effective treatment for whatever is causing the itchiness.

If it’s fleas, your veterinarian can recommend an appropriate preventive product based on your dog’s lifestyle. For instance, if your dog likes to swim or is bathed frequently, an oral preventive is a better choice than a topical.

For inhalant allergies, medications are available to help relieve itching while you and your veterinarian work together to figure out what might be causing the allergy. It could be seasonal pollens and molds, or something in your household such as dust mites or a new detergent or brand of dryer sheets.

When a food allergy is suspected, your veterinarian may recommend a feeding trial to pinpoint the problem ingredient. Usually that involves feeding a novel protein -- one your dog has never eaten before -- for a certain period. Then previous ingredients are added back in, one at a time, to see what is causing the problem.

Simply adding oil isn’t really a fix unless there’s a dietary deficiency that is accidentally addressed by the addition. If you’re feeding a complete and balanced food, you shouldn’t have to add anything to a dog’s diet unless your veterinarian has recommended supplements such as omega-3 oils and glucosamine for a condition such as arthritis, for instance.

The takeaway? “Itchy” is a symptom, not a disease, and it’s a symptom common to more than one problem. Seek your veterinarian’s advice to solve it in a way that will best help your dog. -- Dr. Marty Becker

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

THE BUZZ

Xylitol Poisoning

Cases Rise in Pets

-- Xylitol, a lower-calorie sugar substitute, is used to sweeten everything from chocolate and other candy to peanut butter and toothpaste. That’s great news for people, but not for pets. According to veterinary toxicology experts at Pet Poison Helpline, this increase in products containing xylitol has resulted in a corresponding increase in the number of xylitol-related pet poisoning cases. Between 2015 and 2020, calls regarding xylitol poisoning increased 108%. “Xylitol consumption by pets, particularly dogs, can be extremely toxic and potentially deadly. The most common effect of xylitol poisoning in dogs is a precipitous drop in blood sugar, which can lead to loss of consciousness and seizures. In high enough doses, liver failure can begin within a few hours or days,” said Dr. Ahna Brutlag, a board-certified veterinary toxicologist at Pet Poison Helpline. If your pet ingests anything containing xylitol, get him to a veterinary hospital right away.

-- Cat lovers will enjoy the book “Let’s Talk About Cats,” by U.K. cat expert Anita Kelsey, who shares her own knowledge of and experiences with cats, as well as advice gathered from interviews with other experts on felines domestic and wild: They include Jackson Galaxy, on what it means to bond with a cat; David Teie, who has composed research-driven music for cats; and Dr. Susanne Schotz, a linguistics expert who has studied feline vocalizations and human-cat communications. In 16 chapters, she addresses such topics as feline play, scratching behavior, finding a lost cat, grief, training, nutrition, environment, touch, therapy work and old age.

-- The American hairless terrier, a small and charming dog, is an offshoot of the rat terrier. Besides hairless, he also comes in a coated variety. He loves people and is playful and alert, but beware: He can be a barker. -- 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.

Rotate a variety of toys for your bird -- and be prepared to replace them often

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

Parrots are incredibly smart, and for anyone who doubts this, we point to the late Alex, Dr. Irene Pepperberg's well-known African grey, who showed his intelligence by matching words to objects. Parrots are anything but "bird brains."

And yet, we too often see these brilliant beings kept as little more than decorative objects, prized for their plumage and locked in cages that are too small, no matter how large. Is it any wonder so many pet birds die young or rip out their own feathers in frustration?

Toys are essential to maintaining the physical and mental well-being of parrots large and small. Playthings help keep pet birds fit while fighting the boredom that can contribute to behavioral problems, such as feather-picking.

Although you can buy toys by major manufacturers from the big chain stores, it's also nice to choose from the variety of playthings lovingly made by a cottage industry of bird lovers and available from independent bird shops, through catalogs and on the internet.

Some basic rules apply when shopping for toys to ensure they are suitable and safe for your bird. Look for the following when choosing bird toys:

-- Materials: Toys are subject to your bird's healthy urge to destroy, which means safe components are a must. Wood, rawhide, plastic or stainless steel chain, rope, cloth and hard plastic are among the more popular materials that make up safe toys. Choose toys that break down into pieces that can't be swallowed. An exception: Toys made to hold food items, such as dried corncobs or fruit chunks. With these, eating is a large part of the fun.

-- Construction: Challenging toys, the best choice for busy birds, feature pieces combined in ways that make it hard for the birds to pull the whole product apart -- but not too hard. Indestructible toys are not appropriate for most birds, because the time and energy used to rip apart the gadget is part of the reason toys fill such a need.

-- Size: Little toys for little birds, big toys for big birds. A big bird can catch and lose a toe in a toy made for a smaller bird, and small birds can get their heads trapped in toys made for their larger relatives.

Some birds are apprehensive of new toys. If yours is one of them, set the toy outside the cage (but within eye range) for a day or two, and then put it on the floor of the cage for another day or two. Once your bird starts to play with the toy, you can go ahead and attach it to the cage.

Don't overwhelm your pet with toys. Instead, keep two or three in the cage, and rotate new ones in regularly.

Shopping for bird toys can be fun, but the costs do add up, especially if you have one of those gleefully destructive parrots. With some creativity, you can make your money go further by complementing store-bought bird toys with alternatives.

The cardboard cores of toilet paper and paper towel rolls are perfect for shredding, especially for smaller birds. Other cheapies include ballpoint pens with the ink tube removed, pingpong balls, old plastic measuring cups and spoons, and plastic bottle tops. Toothbrushes are another bargain toy -- sturdy and colorful. The hard plastic keys on a ring sold for human babies are also a budget-wise buy that birds love. (Wash in hot soap and water, rinse well and air dry before offering such items to your bird.) And magazines are great for shredding.

Keep your eyes and mind open for playthings your bird can enjoy. You may be surprised by the possibilities!

Q&A

Preparation is key

when flying with pets

Q: After the recent case of Muji, a cat who escaped from her owner at a TSA checkpoint in a New York City airport and was missing for 11 days, could you let readers know about the risk of losing a pet in the airport? I discovered this the hard way myself with a cat who hates to be held. People may not realize that if they take a pet in a carry-on bag, they’ll have to take the pet out of the carrier and hold her while the carrier goes through screening. Pets should wear a harness and leash the entire time to prevent or reduce the risk of escape.

A: You're absolutely right. I've flown with a dog in the cabin several times with no problems whatsoever, but any pet can become anxious or nervous in that situation, and a cat in full flight-or-fight mode can create a dangerous scene. That's why your suggestion is important: Make sure you have a firm grasp of harness and leash before removing the animal from the carrier at the airport screening station.

I’d also like to address one myth about flying with pets that just won't go away: the assumption that pets need to be routinely tranquilized for flights. Not only is this not true, it's also dangerous. Tranquilizing limits the ability of their bodies to function normally, and they need all that ability to cope with the stress of flight.

The default mode for pet air travel should be no tranquilizers, although there are exceptions, so a preflight talk with the veterinarian is a must. (You'll need to take your pet to the veterinarian for a preflight health certificate anyway.)

With all precautions in place, air travel with pets should go smoothly -- and it usually does. -- Kim Campbell Thornton

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

THE BUZZ

Moving with a cat?

Limit his options

If you’ve ever moved from one home to another, you know stressful it can be -- for you and your animals! Cats can be especially nervous when you move into a new house because they are highly territorial.

The best way to help your cat relax is to confine him before and after moving day in a "safe room" outfitted with food, water, a litter box, a scratching post, a bed and toys. Put a “do not disturb” sign on the door.

Confining your cat not only reduces his stress, but also prevents him from slipping out, which is a danger at both the old home and the new. Your cat could easily become scared, take off and get lost.

Your cat should be confined in his safe room the day before packing begins, moved to his new home in a carrier, and then confined again in his new safe room until the moving is over, the furniture arranged and most of the dust settled.

After you arrive at your new home, don't pull your cat out of his carrier. Instead, put the carrier in his safe room, open the carrier door, and let him come out into the room when he wants to. After he's a little calmer, you can coax him out with some fresh food or treats if you want. But don't rush him and don't drag him out, or you may be bitten or scratched. Trying to force a scared and stressed-out cat to do anything he doesn't want to do is hazardous to your health.

When you have the rest of the house settled, open the door to the safe room and let your cat explore his new home, on his terms. You can find more tips on moving with cats at fearfreehappyhomes.com. -- Dr. Marty Becker 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.

Physical rehab helps pets regain mobility and strength

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

My dog Keeper, who is about 12 years old, started developing a wobbly hind end last year, which has gradually worsened. After a visit to a veterinary rehab practice recently, he was found to have some neurological weakness, mild back pain and mild arthritis in his left elbow. The good news is that rehab exercises should help him regain some strength and mobility.

Veterinary rehab -- the term physical therapy is reserved for practitioners treating humans -- can help dogs, cats and other animals with arthritis, injuries, neurologic and orthopedic problems, obesity and more.

Christopher, a cavalier King Charles spaniel, experienced an accident last December that left him with a hind leg fractured in two places and a wrist fracture. Surgeons weren’t sure if he would regain full mobility. After an eight-week recovery period, he started eight weeks of rehab to help rebuild muscle and regain hind end awareness and confidence. Owner Alisha Lockleer of Everett, Washington, has signed him up for six more weeks, saying it has been a critical part of his recovery. He’s now back to racing around the house with his fellow cavaliers.

“It was worth every penny,” she says.

Rehab isn’t just for injured or aging pets. Many canine athletes benefit from exercises that help them stay in top condition.

Laurie McCauley, DVM, board-certified in sports medicine and rehabilitation, recalls her patient Sophie, a 9-year-old high-level agility competitor. Sophie’s owner thought her dog was in top shape, but Dr. McCauley identified some areas of weakness and recommended targeted exercises to strengthen her.

“She is faster and more powerful than she was when she was significantly younger,” Dr. McCauley says.

If you’ve undergone physical therapy yourself, equipment used in pet rehab may look familiar. Patients can be found stepping over poles, called cavaletti, or through ladder rungs; they balance on donut-shaped balls, bone-shaped platforms, rocker boards and discs. Steps, ramps, cushions, braces and other items may come into play.

Stepping over cavaletti or going up stairs or ramps requires pets to think about picking up their paws instead of dragging them. The goal is to help build core strength and improve balance, body awareness and motor skills.

Low-impact workouts on underwater treadmills or in pools allow dogs -- and cats -- to gain strength and range of motion or lose weight without stressing joints.

“People who don’t have any experience with rehab sometimes don’t understand the amount of difference these things can make,” says Evelyn Orenbuch, DVM, board-certified in sports medicine and rehabilitation. “Figuring out where the pain is, why they are like this, is key, and that’s what we’re trained to do.”

There’s homework, too. We help Keeper step over cavaletti, walk him on varying surfaces -- including grass and mulch -- and go to the park, where he can walk up and down hills. He doesn’t mind the daily massages, either.

For dogs who live at a distance from a practice, rehab veterinarians may offer video consults to see how the dog is doing. That allows them to ensure owners and pets are performing exercises correctly and gauge the animal’s progress until the next in-person visit.

Consider rehab any time pets have pain or mobility issues. Getting them seen early by a board-certified rehab veterinarian can help to prevent minor problems from turning into painful lameness or serious injuries, such as cruciate ligament tears. Going in sooner rather than later is also a way to learn where your pet is weak so you can start preventive exercises at home.

“If we can find it and fix it early, improve motion, strengthen the dog to support the joint so you don’t have a painful dog, you have a dog that can be 14, 15, 16, 17 and still be pain-free,” Dr. McCauley says. “And I think doing exercises helps the human-animal bond.”

Q&A

“Clawsibly” correct

scratch training

Q: Why shouldn’t I declaw my cat? How else am I going to protect my furnishings from his claws?

A: Scratching is a natural behavior for cats, and declawing shouldn't be the first strategy for solving a scratching problem. Give your cat a chance to learn and to follow the rules. You might be surprised at how easy it is to teach him where to scratch.

First, provide him with a tall cat tree where he can look down on his surroundings and his people. Choose one covered with sisal, a natural ropelike fiber, that’s attractive for cats to scratch. Make the cat tree even more appealing by playing games with your cat on it, leaving treats on it for him to find, and petting and praising him for scratching on it. And place it near the area where your cat already likes to scratch so he has an easily accessible alternative.

You can also spray it with a solution called Feliscratch, made to entice cats to scratch. It works by way of visual and pheromonal territory messages that tell other cats, “This is my place!” When the cat scratches, blue marks are left behind, reinforcing the pheromone message with visual displays of claw marks.

Other approved scratching options include horizontal posts (some cats prefer those to reaching high on a vertical post), trays covered in corrugated cardboard, or scratching pads hung from doorknobs. Try several to see which your cat likes best.

At the same time, make your furniture unattractive as a scratching area. Put large pieces of double-sided tape such as Sticky Paws on furniture areas where your cat likes to scratch. Cats don’t like to touch sticky surfaces, so they’ll go elsewhere to do their scratching. For more tips, visit fearfreehappyhomes.com/talk-to-the-claw -- Dr. Marty Becker

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

THE BUZZ

Bunny care

health hints

-- For your bunny’s good health, provide pet care and a good diet. Find a veterinarian known to be good with rabbits -- a local rabbit rescue can make recommendations. Get your rabbit spayed or neutered. In addition to keeping your rabbit from reproducing, you'll have a better pet. Unaltered rabbits can have behavior problems such as aggression and urine spraying. Your rabbit will need an annual wellness check, and a good rabbit vet will help you catch little health problems before they become big ones. Feed a variety of fresh leafy greens and an unlimited supply of fresh grass hay. Even if you feed pellets, give your rabbit as much fresh grass hay as he wants. For treats, bunnies love little bits of fruits (about the size of your pinkie fingernail) and more leafy greens.

-- The average daily water intake for a dog is about 3 ounces for every 5 pounds of body weight, so a 25-pound dog would drink about a pint of water daily under average conditions. The amount goes up if the weather is hot, the dog is exercising or both. Depending on whether a pet eats canned or dry food, up to half of a pet's daily water consumption can come from food. Dogs drink a lot of water, not only because they need it for normal bodily functioning, but also to create moist nasal mucus to help them with their keen sense of smell.

-- Last year, Americans spent a record $103.6 billion on their pets. Broken down, that comes to $42 billion for food and treats; $22.1 billion for supplies, live animals and over-the-counter medications; $31.4 billion for veterinary care and product sales; and $8.1 billion on services such as grooming, boarding, training, pet sitting and pet health insurance. This year? Estimates are that we’ll spend $109.6 billion on our pets. -- 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.