Our best picks to read or give during the holidays
Andrews McMeel Syndication
We may be biased, but we think books are the perfect gift. They’re also the perfect way to enjoy a travel-free escape during the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. There’s something here for every age and interest. Curl up with your fave dog or cat, and get lost in words.
Pulitzer Prize winner Rick Bragg turns his flair for words to his dog in “The Speckled Beauty: A Dog and His People” (Knopf, 9/21). Speck isn’t a good dog, exactly -- Bragg calls him 76 pounds of wet hair and poor decisions -- but he’s what the author needed as he faced a plethora of health problems. Don’t miss this beautifully told love story.
“The Dog Who Came to Christmas” (Revell, 10/21), edited by Callie Smith Grant, is a collection of essays by 29 dog-loving writers who share tales of how dogs past and present brought home the spirit of giving and the message of recognizing the important things in life, keeping promises and making friends.
Veterinarian Melissa Shapiro and writer Mim Eichler Rivas team up to tell the heartwarming story of “Piglet” (Atria Books, 8/21), a little pink puppy who can’t see or hear. His journey to love and communication inspires students, teachers and everyone who meets the spirited 6-pound Chihuahua-dachshund mix to change the way they think about overcoming obstacles, meeting challenges, and interacting with those who might appear to be different but have the same need for love and acceptance as everyone else. Piglet and his people are making the world a better place and inviting us to join them.
Want to unlock the mystery that is your cat? In “What’s My Cat Thinking?” (DK, 9/21), veterinarian Jo Lewis answers the questions every cat person has (“Why does my cat sleep on the keyboard?”), explains their natural behaviors and how to help channel them to everyone’s satisfaction, and offers advice on the sometimes-challenging situations that life with a cat brings, whether it’s bringing a dog into the family or moving to a new home.
Speaking of cats and mysteries, a number of authors have penned mystery series featuring cats and librarians. Sofie Kelly’s “Hooked on a Feline” (Penguin Random House, 9/21) has cats Owen and Hercules helping librarian Kathleen and detective Marcus solve a murder with a genealogical twist. In “What the Cat Dragged In” (Berkley, 8/21), the latest in Miranda James’ Cats in the Stacks series, librarian Charlie Harris and his Maine coon Diesel are on a pleasant trip down Charlie’s memory lane -- until they find a skeleton in the closet of the home Charlie just inherited. The suspenseful tale reminds us that families can haunt us even after they’re long gone.
Dogs are no slouches in the detective department, either. In “It’s a Wonderful Woof” (Forge Books, 10/21), book 12 of the Chet and Bernie series, dog Chet and detective Bernie must nose out buried secrets and art treasures before the killer puts them out of the way -- permanently.
For kids, look for “The Pug Who Wanted to Be a Reindeer” (Aladdin, 9/21) by Bella Swift. Peggy the Pug goes to the North Pole to help her family regain the holiday spirit. On the cat side, seek out Tomie dePaola’s “The Cat on the Dovrefell: A Christmas Tale” (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 10/21). The retelling of a favorite Norwegian fairy tale involves a great white bear, trolls and a very large cat.
Thinking about getting a dog or know someone who’s new to life with a dog? In “Pup Culture” (Tiller Press, 11/21), Victoria Lily Shaffer shares not only her love for dogs, but also the knowledge she has gained through fostering and adopting an assortment of puppies and adult dogs. Chapters cover deciding when it’s the right time to get a dog, recognizing rescue groups with heart, spay/neuter advice, travel tips, caring for special-needs dogs and more.
Q&A
Extra vitamins?
Maybe, maybe not
Q: I want to make sure my pet has the best nutrition. Should I give him a multivitamin?
A: If your dog or cat is already eating a complete and balanced diet -- it will say on the bag or can if it is -- a multivitamin isn’t necessary. It can even throw off your pet’s nutritional balance. But there are times when a dog or cat can benefit from one, and I asked Joe Bartges, DVM, DACVIM (Nutrition), a board-certified veterinary nutritionist at the University of Georgia, to weigh in on when one might be helpful.
One time is when a pet is eating a homemade diet, he says. Those multivitamins can be recommended by a veterinary nutritionist after evaluating what your pet is eating.
And sometimes vitamin and mineral supplementation can help in treating a disease: “For example, (give) vitamin B12 -- cobalamin -- with gastrointestinal disease; vitamin D3 -- calcitriol -- with chronic kidney disease; (and) potassium in cats with low blood potassium due to chronic kidney disease,” he says.
Don’t give pets your own vitamins. The amounts of vitamins and minerals they contain aren’t appropriate for pets -- and can even be toxic. “For example, vitamin D content in some human vitamins is high due to osteoporosis, and this could result in overdosing, depending on the vitamin D content in the pet’s diet,” Dr. Bartges says.
Vitamins and minerals may be natural, but they’re not always harmless. And giving too much of anything can cause problems. “If someone gives too much calcium, particularly to a large or giant-breed dog who is consuming a reasonable amount of calcium in a good diet, this can lead to too much calcium intake, which has been shown to increase the risk of developmental orthopedic disease,” Dr. Bartges says. -- Dr. Marty Becker
Do you have a pet question? Send it to askpetconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.
THE BUZZ
Pet numbers up,
survey says
-- A survey earlier this year by the American Veterinary Medical Association of more than 2,000 pet owners found that dog and cat populations have increased, with 45% of households having dogs and 26% having cats. While more people had pets in 2020, surveyors found, they had a smaller number of animals. For example, 65% of households with dogs had only one dog in 2020, and 56% of households with cats had only one cat. Animal rescues and shelters are often sources for new pets, but 42% of dog owners last year said they got their dog from a store, as did 43% of cat owners. But that may be because stores are increasingly showcasing pets from shelters and rescues, explaining why 24% of pet owners said they got a pet from both a store and a shelter.
-- Cats use visual, vocal, olfactory and tactile signals to communicate with us and other cats. There’s a lot to know, but here are some to watch for: Body language is visual and may include a swishing tail (“back away”) or a raised tail (“hello, there!”); dilated eyes (fear or excitement); and slowly blinking eyes (happiness). Vocalizations are mostly straightforward, ranging from purring (happy, usually) to growling or hissing (feeling threatened). Always look at the whole cat to get the big picture. For more on feline communication, visit fearfreehappyhomes.com, and look for articles on vocalizations, ear talk and more.
-- Beagles are known for their merry temperament and powerful scenting ability. They’ll follow their nose anywhere. Beagles have noses so finely tuned that they can detect even faint or diluted odors beyond the measuring capacity of high-tech equipment. They’re the breed of choice as airport detection dogs seeking contraband items in luggage. -- 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.