Stress reduction, a litter box additive and a partnership with your veterinarian can help you head off FIC before it strikes

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

The first feline health problem I remember dealing with was feline interstitial cystitis. One of our two young cats was urinating in the corners of our dining room, leaving a pink-tinged stain on the carpet. House soiling is one of the earliest signs of urinary tract disease in cats, and a pinky-red color indicates hematuria, or blood in the urine. Hematuria is a common feature of many feline lower urinary tract diseases -- which include feline interstitial cystitis, uroliths, bladder polyps and much more -- but it’s often not detected until the cat is already experiencing clinical symptoms and discomfort or pain.

The I in FIC used to stand for idiopathic (meaning the cause was unknown), but that’s no longer accurate, says Kelly St. Denis, DVM, who specializes in treating cats and spoke on hematuria detection and the many features of feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD for short) at the EveryCat Health Foundation symposium in Gainesville, Florida, earlier this month.

“We know that it is a result of complex interactions between the nervous system, the urinary bladder, the adrenal system, husbandry practices and the environment in which the cat lives,” she says.

It’s also sometimes referred to as Pandora syndrome (a term coined by Tony Buffington, DVM), described as a constellation of sickness behaviors -- urinary, gastrointestinal, skin, behavior and cardiovascular -- that may fluctuate with environmental change.

Whatever it’s called, St. Denis wants to help veterinarians and cat caregivers catch the problem early, as well as recognize and manage risk factors: stress, obesity, an indoor or sedentary lifestyle, multicat households, sex (neutered male cats are at increased risk) and type of diet.

A number of these risk factors contribute to the one that is first on the list -- stress. For cats, stress involves a lot of the same things that stress humans: changes in the household, new family members (including additional pets), moving to a new home or living with people or pets they don’t like. Obesity and boredom are stressful for cats. Obesity puts pressure on their joints, contributing to pain, and boredom occurs when they’re unable to perform normal cat behaviors, such as jumping, climbing and hunting play. Eating with other pets is also stressful.

Does that last one surprise you? Cats are wired to be solitary hunters, catching just enough for themselves.

“They don’t want to share,” St. Denis says. “When we ask them to eat within sight of each other or share bowls, even if they’re swapping bowls and look like they’re having fun, they’re stressed.”

Cats should eat in separate areas, out of view of each other, she recommends.

What about hematuria? You don’t have to wait until your cat starts peeing outside the litter box to find out if there’s blood in his urine. If you know from experience that your cat is prone to urinary tract disease or has one or more risk factors, you can sprinkle litter with granules that will turn blue if blood is in the urine, well before it becomes visible to the naked eye. The product, called Blucare, is available from veterinarians or online from Chewy and lasts for a month. The blue color remains for 48 hours, giving early notice that a cat is likely in pain and needs to see the veterinarian.

The best ways to manage FIC are environmental enrichment -- play, challenging puzzle toys, a tall cat tree with a view to provide opportunities for jumping, climbing and scratching -- and keeping the cat’s home life low-stress.

Giving some canned food (high in water) or ensuring that fresh water is always on hand helps to keep another contributing factor, dehydration, at bay. Finally, your veterinarian may prescribe medication to help head off FIC flareups if you know that a stressful event is coming up, such as a move or the presence of houseguests.

Q&A

Grooming key to

health, happiness

Q: It’s hard to get my daughters to brush the dog the way they promised to when we got her. Can you explain why grooming is important?

A: Two words: comfort and health. Ask your daughters if they remember what it’s like when you’re trying to brush out a tangle in their hair or how it feels when a ponytail is too tight. It’s painful, right? Dogs feel the same way when they have mats in their fur -- an uncomfortable tugging on the skin that hurts even more if they scratch or bite at it. Keeping dogs regularly brushed and combed so that mats and tangles don’t form prevents that painful, unpleasant feeling.

Grooming keeps dogs comfortable in other ways. It removes dead hair so new hair can grow in, ensuring that your dog’s coat helps to insulate her from heat in summer and cold in winter.

Grooming is also your girls’ chance to help keep their dog healthy. It’s a good time to check the dog’s skin for lumps, bumps, cuts or scabs. If they find something, they should let you know so you can arrange a veterinary exam to make sure it’s not something serious.

Parasites such as fleas and ticks are removed during grooming. That contributes to keeping dogs healthy and itch-free. Giving the ears a deep sniff to make sure they don’t smell bad from a brewing infection is another important part of grooming.

While regular grooming keeps your dog looking and smelling good, there’s more to it than that. It should be a relaxing time for people and dogs, a special time of bonding. When it’s done, everyone feels good. Ending with a tummy rub for your dog is the cherry on top that will keep him coming back for more. -- Dr. Marty Becker and Mikkel Becker

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

THE BUZZ

Dogs’ noses retain

odors for analysis

-- Dogs typically sniff an average of five times per second. And when they sniff, each nostril pulls in a separate odor sample. The separate sampling helps dogs to track by allowing them to determine the direction of the scent. That’s just part of a dog’s unique nasal airflow pattern. Odor molecules are rapidly transported along a single airway to what’s known as the olfactory recess. This large maze of airways, located in the nasal cavity just behind the eyes, retains scent particles even after the dog exhales, enabling the dog to enhance searching ability.

-- Cats have 20 thoracic and lumbar vertebrae, compared with 17 in people. The number of bones in the mid-spine region accounts in part for the power and flexibility of the feline spine, allowing cats to accelerate quickly and jump high. Over short distances, no more than a few yards, they can attain speeds of more than 30 mph, a valuable skill if you’re a stalk-and-pounce predator. And cats can jump several times their height, flying over fences to the disgust of many a cat-chasing dog. Their other anatomical oddity is a free-floating collarbone, which can enable sleek cats to fit through an opening the size of their whisker span.

-- Raw vegetables and fruits can be great treats for dogs, especially those who are on the pudgy side. Think slices of apples, bananas or carrots; blueberries or strawberries; a bite of pear, peach, watermelon or mango; a segment of orange or other citrus; or a stick of celery (good for teeth!). Not all fruits and veggies are safe for pets, though. Never give raisins, grapes, mushrooms or onions. If you’re not sure, check with your veterinarian or look at the ASPCA’s list online at ASPCA.com/APCC. -- Dr. Marty Becker, Kim Campbell Thornton and Mikkel Becker

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet care experts. Veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker is founder of the Fear Free organization, co-founder of VetScoop.com and author of many best-selling pet care books. Kim Campbell Thornton is an award-winning journalist and author who has been writing about animals since 1985. Mikkel Becker is a behavior consultant and lead animal trainer for Fear Free Pets. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/Kim.CampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.

Dogs and cats populate our language in clever and creative ways

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

When I was growing up, I was a shy, quiet child, and the phrase I heard most often from my grandmother was "What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?" When I began writing this week's feature -- on the many ways animals appear in our language -- it was the first phrase that came to mind.

While it seems as if this saying should have a colorful history, its origins are as shy as I was. Its first known appearance in print was in Ballou's Monthly Magazine, vol. 53, in 1881, where it was described as a phrase said by children. One other theory, unsupported by quality references, suggests that the saying dates to the Middle Ages, when it was thought that a witch's cat would steal or control the tongue of anyone who saw the witch in action so that she couldn't be reported to the authorities.

This time of year is notable for its "dog days," known for their scorching heat. The dog days occur in summer when Sirius, the dog star, shines brightly in the sky. Its name derives from the ancient Greek word "seirios," meaning "sparking," "fiery" or "burning." The star, which rises early in the morning in the path of the sun, was thought to be the cause of hot midsummer days. The dog days begin in mid-to-late July and end on Aug. 11.

The Cambridge Dictionary defines a "cool cat" as a fashionable person. I prefer the American Heritage Dictionary's slang definition of the word cool -- composure or poise -- because that so perfectly describes a cat's normal state of being. The phrase "cool cat" entered the language in the 1940s, associated with jazz music. The digital Oxford English Dictionary says slang references to cats as people who appreciate jazz date to 1936, and the use of cool in reference to jazz music appeared in 1947. The mashup "cool cat" probably occurred soon thereafter.

The metaphor "black dog" as a term for depression has a long history. The negative image of black dogs dates to Roman times, when the poet Horace wrote that the sight of a black dog with puppies was a bad omen. Wordsmith Samuel Johnson used the phrase in the 18th century to describe his melancholia, and Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable listed the saying "a black dog has walked over him" to describe a sullen person. In the 20th century, British prime minister Winston Churchill used the phrase "black dog" to refer to his own depression.

Have you ever let the cat out of the bag? This idiom, referring to spilling a secret, has no clear origin, but Barbara Mikkelson of the urban folklore website Snopes.com wrote in 2012 that "it could have to do with a similarity between the behavior of both secrets and cats -- once either is let out, they go wherever they want." I am reminded of the time our late cat Peter the Gray trapped himself inside a plastic bag and ran frantically back and forth down the hall trying to escape it. In much the same way, a secret-keeper often struggles to contain his or her knowledge until it finally bursts out -- the way Peter did from the bag.

It's a dog's life. We all wish we could live that, don't we? Or do we? What does that phrase mean? In its earliest known reference in a 16th-century manuscript, it referred to a miserably unhappy existence. But considering the multi-billion-dollar pet industry in this country alone, I think that now we can safely say that the phrase refers to a pampered life indeed.

Q&A

Bicycle can be good

dog exercise tool

Q: I often see people bicycling with their dogs running alongside them. Is that a good way to exercise dogs?

A: Letting a dog run alongside a bike can be a great way to exercise him if he's in good shape and not overweight. Before you decide to exercise your dog this way, take him in for a checkup with your veterinarian. He shouldn't be overweight, because running can be hard on his joints. And it's not something to do with a puppy whose growth plates haven't closed yet. But if you have a dog who loves to run and has an excess of energy, you have yourself the makings of a bicycling companion.

To get started, your dog should know and respond to the cues "sit," "leave it" and "heel." Start slowly, and gradually build up speed and distance. Keep your dog at a trot, not a run. Make sure he's not overheating; take a break if you notice that he's panting hard, slowing down, trying to run toward shade or wanting to lie down. Bring water to give him, and offer it frequently.

Schedule rides for early morning or evening when it's cool, never in the middle of the day if it's hot. Avoid busy streets if possible, and make sure your dog wears a flashing collar or orange safety vest so drivers see him. Don't use an extendible leash or carry the leash in your hand; both can easily lead to a bike wreck. You can purchase an attachment for your bike that keeps your dog alongside it and unable to run off after a bird or squirrel.

Not every dog is suited to running alongside a bike. Skip this type of exercise if you have a bulldog, French bulldog, dogue de Bordeaux or other flat-faced breed or mix. -- Dr. Marty Becker

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

THE BUZZ

Algal growth harmful

to pets, people

-- Beware of blue-green algae in water where your pet plays or swims. The algal blooms, often the result of agricultural runoff, produce toxins that affect the gastrointestinal tract and liver, causing vomiting or diarrhea. In severe cases, the animal can suffer liver failure. Blue-green algae blooms look like blue or green paint spilled on the surface of non-moving water, says Steve Ensley, a clinical veterinary toxicologist at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas. Keep pets (and yourself) away from lakes or ponds with blue-green algae, which commonly develops when temperatures are high and rain falls regularly. "Rain causes lakes and ponds to become enriched with an excess amount of nutrients, like phosphorus and nitrogen, causing bacteria to bloom at a more rapid pace," Ensley said in a news release.

-- Chatty catty? If you have a cat who loves to converse with you, she's likely a member of the Siamese family. Cats with the gift of gab vocalize seemingly nonstop, telling you about their day, asking about yours, commenting on how you could be doing things better (like feeding them more or pulling out their favorite toy) and complaining about the barking dog next door. Other cat breeds with talkative tendencies include Balinese, Orientals, Bombays, Burmese, Japanese bobtail, Tonkinese, and Devon, Cornish and Selkirk rex cats. Beyond meows, their vocalizations include chirps, chattering, yowls and trills.

-- Not everyone has easy access to a veterinarian. Rural communities often lack options for animal care. Rural Area Veterinary Services steps in with spay/neuter and other surgeries, vaccinations, parasite treatment, porcupine quill removal and other care. The organization helps more than 8,000 animals annually and helps to develop humane animal care and control programs in communities. The organization relies on volunteer veterinary professionals and students to provide services. Donations can be made at ruralareavet.org. -- Kim Campbell Thornton

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet care experts. Veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker is founder of the Fear Free organization, co-founder of VetScoop.com and author of many best-selling pet care books. Kim Campbell Thornton is an award-winning journalist and author who has been writing about animals since 1985. Mikkel Becker is a behavior consultant and lead animal trainer for Fear Free Pets. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/Kim.CampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.

Meet a breed you might know only from movies or TV shows

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

Sound the trumpet! A bloodhound has become the first of his breed to win the Westminster Kennel Club dog show. GCHB CH Flessner’s Toot My Own Horn -- Trumpet to his friends -- stole the show from a competitive lineup that included a Samoyed, a French bulldog, an English setter, a Maltese named Hollywood, a German shepherd and a Lakeland terrier.

Not surprisingly, Trumpet has winning in his blood. His great-grandfather, Tigger, once held the Guinness World Record for longest ears, at 13.75 inches for the right ear and 13.5 inches for the left ear. Tigger was also inducted into the Bloodhound Hall of Fame in 2003, with more than 180 Best of Breed awards and other titles. Trumpet’s grandfather, GCH Flessner’s International S’Cess (Nathan), took Best in Show at the 2014 National Dog Show.

When you think bloodhound, you probably picture a sleuth and the droopy-faced dogs baying as they chase individuals who have escaped from prison, or methodically following a trail that will lead them to a lost person. Both images are pop culture icons, but what you might not know is that bloodhounds can also be companion dogs -- for the right person or family. But before you decide to bring one home, consider these five factors: personality, size, activity level, odor and slobber.

If your only exposure to the breed is Duke on reruns of “The Beverly Hillbillies” or, more recently, Ladybird, the bloodhound on the animated show “King of the Hill,” you may imagine that these dogs spend their days lying around, occasionally thumping their tail. That impression is ... wrong. Bloodhounds are bred to think on their own four feet, not to do what some person tells them. Their nose is in charge, and they follow its directives.

Bloodhounds also have the size to back up their desire to do their own thing -- that is, follow their nose. Some stand more than 2 feet at the shoulder and weigh more than 100 pounds. Without early, positive training -- or even with it -- they’re a lot of dog to handle and can easily knock over toddlers, seniors or anyone else in their way when following a scent.

They are moderately active. Bloodhounds trail their quarry for miles, often over rough terrain. Just because yours is a family companion, not a working dog, doesn’t mean you can get away without exercising him.

Besides appropriate levels of physical exercise -- the amount needed varies by age -- bloodhounds thrive on mental exercise, too, from puzzle toys at home to dog sports such as tracking (ability to follow human scent and find scent articles such as gloves or wallets along the way), trailing (ability to distinguish and follow one person’s scent and find that person) and nosework (ability to locate specific nonhuman scents).

Speaking of scent, bloodhounds have a distinctive body odor, often described as musty, and it can’t be bathed away. You may love it or hate it, so get a whiff before you decide on this breed.

Last but definitely not least, bloodhounds are often nicknamed slobberhounds for the copious amounts of drool they produce. When they shake their massive heads, drool flies long distances, spattering walls and ceilings, furniture, clothing -- and likely your face if you happen to be in the vicinity. Well-prepared bloodhound people keep a slobber towel always at hand to wipe their dogs’ faces -- or their own.

So why would anyone get a bloodhound? They’re funny, sensitive, tolerant, dignified, interesting and complicated. For people who love their unique traits and sense of humor, appreciate their differences, and can meet their special needs when it comes to training, activity and drool, bloodhounds can trail their way into their hearts and homes.

Q&A

What is feline

hyperthyroidism?

Q: The vet says my cat might have hyperthyroidism. What should I know about this disease?

A: Hyperthyroidism -- high levels of thyroid hormones circulating in the blood -- was first reported some 40 years ago. It’s commonly seen in senior cats, both males and females, of any breed or mix.

Among the numerous signs that can indicate hyperthyroidism are unexplained weight loss (the primary clinical sign), increased appetite (another classic sign), irritability, depression, vomiting, diarrhea and a ratty-looking coat. But some cats with hyperthyroidism are energetic and have an increased appetite, so it doesn’t occur to their people that there might be anything wrong with them. A clue: It’s not normal for a 15-year-old cat to suddenly become active.

Depending on the individual cat, signs range from mild to severe, and they can be very different from cat to cat. Classic signs combined with lab work showing significantly elevated levels of thyroid hormone (T4, or thyroxine, and free T4, which is thyroxine not bound to a protein in the blood) is conclusive. In cats with elevated T4 who are not yet showing signs, a veterinarian may suggest monitoring for weight loss and other symptoms, then retesting.

Cats with hyperthyroidism are prone to hypertension (high blood pressure), which can lead to more serious problems, such as kidney failure or heart disease, so treatment is important. Options include administration of radioactive iodine (I-131), surgical removal of the thyroid gland (thyroidectomy) or antithyroid medication given for the rest of the cat’s life.

The treatment your veterinarian recommends depends on factors such as your cat’s age and general health, the presence of other diseases (known as comorbidities) and your budget. Ask your veterinarian to go over all the options with you to make the best decision for yourself and your cat. -- Dr. Marty Becker

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

THE BUZZ

Pet numbers

continue to rise

-- Numbers of companion dogs and cats have increased, as have the percentages of households keeping them as pets, but there are fewer pets per household, according to a survey released last November by the American Veterinary Medical Association. Many of the new pets -- 40% of cats and 38% of dogs in 2020 -- were adopted from animal shelters. The population of pet dogs was estimated at between 83.7 million and 88.9 million last year, up 9% to 16% from 2016, the last time the survey was performed. The population of pet cats was estimated at between 60 million and 61.9 million, up from 58.4 million in the previous survey.

-- Want to teach your bird to talk? Not all parrots talk, but some birds end up with incredible vocabularies. Teaching a parrot to talk is best done by repeating words or phrases clearly on a regular basis. Using words in their proper context sets up an association that makes it easier for your bird to learn. For instance, every time your bird lowers his head for a scratch, say, “Want a scratch?” and then follow through. When you give certain fruits or toys, call them by name. Say, “Apple” or “Spoons,” then praise him when he takes the item from you. Most important, consider talking a bonus, not a requirement. If you really want a talking bird, buy one you know talks already.

-- Famed 19th-century writer Mark Twain (aka Samuel Clemens) was a cat lover of the highest order. Twain’s friend Joseph Twichell once said that Twain “could scarcely meet a cat on the street without stopping to make its acquaintance.” Twain was also quoted as saying, “When a man loves cats, I am his friend and comrade, without further introduction.” -- Dr. Marty Becker, Kim Campbell Thornton and Mikkel Becker

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet care experts. Veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker is founder of the Fear Free organization, co-founder of VetScoop.com and author of many best-selling pet care books. Kim Campbell Thornton is an award-winning journalist and author who has been writing about animals since 1985. Mikkel Becker is a behavior consultant and lead animal trainer for Fear Free Pets. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/Kim.CampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.