DEAR DR. FOX: Seven years ago, we adopted a 1-year-old rat yerrier. In the last two years, he has started acting strangely.

He will go outside and sit next to our floor-to-ceiling window and bark repeatedly. When we try to get him to come inside, he won't. He does this no matter the weather. In the coldest temperatures, he will sit there and shiver but refuse to come inside. He will also do this while sitting at the front door. When we open the door for him, he cowers and will not move. When we pick him up to bring him inside, he growls. When he does come in, he goes directly out the doggie door and repeats the same behavior.

We've asked our vet, who cannot give us any answers. Any ideas? -- B.H., Washington, D.C.

DEAR B.H.: It is difficult to determine when an animal is having a hallucination, but this is what I suspect is happening.

It can be a precursor to epilepsy. The cause of many neurological conditions can be very difficult and costly to determine, so it is often best to try to treat the symptoms first. Valium to reduce anxiety may be a first step. Feed him a natural, ideally organic, whole-food, additive-free diet, as per my dog food recipe posted on DrFoxVet.net. I would avoid all soy and gluten ingredients, the latter being implicated in some epileptic and seizure conditions in dogs.

DEAR DR. FOX: Can dogs have obsessive-compulsive disorder? It's the only explanation I can think of for my 8-year-old male longhaired dachshund.

In the past week or two, when I bring his food dish to the usual spot to feed him, he runs laps around the dining room table. After a set number -- three or four laps -- he then walks over and eats his food.

He's just started this recently. There haven't been any changes in the house, routine, etc. This just came out of the blue. It's not really a problem, just a little bizarre. What do you think? -- K.K., Odenton, Maryland

DEAR K.K.: Yes, dogs do sometimes suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorders, sometimes quite serious and requiring behavioral modification and psycho-pharmaceutical intervention. For details, see my book "Dog Body, Dog Mind." They may be anxiety-driven or pre-seizure repetitive actions, with possible underlying hallucinations -- "fly snapping" behavior being one manifestation.

The repetitive nature of such abnormal behaviors has a ritualistic element that can be confused with relatively normal behaviors associated with excitement and pleasurable anticipation. Many dogs spin and even chase their tails when their caregivers ask them if they are ready to go out for a walk. Your dog has developed his own little ritual before eating, which you can take as a sign that he is delighted and excited in anticipation of a good meal.

DEAR DR. FOX: Since my cat is older, my vet suggested I get a litter box that was lower to the ground, making it easier for my kitty to get in and out. I hadn't realized how high most cat boxes are. I bought new low boxes, and they work beautifully. -- A.O., St Louis

DEAR A.O.: Thanks for the information to help older cats who, especially because of arthritis, may have difficulty in entering a litter box with high sides. But it is also important to treat the arthritis if that is the primary cause of limited agility.

In Praise of the Natural Aboriginal Cat

The black-striped, barred and spotted tabby or alley cat is the prototypical original domestic cat, coming in shades of gray, brown, gold and silver that provide them with excellent camouflage as crepuscular hunters of small prey. Many of these graceful, agile and resourceful felines can be found in free-roaming populations as the predominant phenotype or landrace, possibly descendants from early settlers' cats. They may be in some ways more behaviorally demanding than many less highly vigilant and active purebreds, but overall are probably healthier -- if not more intelligent and interesting.

I wish that more people would adopt such cats and kittens rather than purchase pure breeds, many varieties of which are highly inbred and can be emotionally and financially demanding, with various diseases of hereditary origin. This situation is far worse in purebred dogs, who have been domesticated for thousands of years prior to the cats domesticating themselves. We can all surely save the cat from a similar fate.

(Excerpt from Releasing Cats to Live Outdoors posted on drfoxvet.net.)

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.

Visit Dr. Fox's website at DrFoxVet.net.)

DEAR DR. FOX: We own a 4-year-old fixed female cat with a pleasant personality. She was a stray, so we allow her to go outside, but she always comes in at night. About a year ago, she returned with several puncture wounds in her tail. We took her to the vet, who shaved the center portion of her tail and treated the wounds.

Due to either her tail's appearance or some other unknown reason, our cat would become disturbed and hiss at and chase her tail. This occurred several times each day without warning. The fur has grown back and the wounds have healed, but she continues this behavior, mainly in the morning and evening.

We have tried calming collars without success. What is the problem? -- J.H., Baltimore

DEAR J.H.: The problem with bites is that they are deep puncture wounds, which can leave bacterial infection in the tissues and bone after the surface of the wound has healed. Your veterinarian should X-ray your cat's tail to see if there are signs of bone infection. If there are, then the tail may have to be amputated. Otherwise, there could be chronic nerve damage, and the veterinarian may wish to try anti-inflammatory medications and possibly acupuncture to help the cat.

It is regrettable that you could not keep this cat permanently indoors; such injuries from catfights and tangles with wild animals are all too common in indoor-outdoor cats.

DEAR DR. FOX: We recently took in our daughter's 10-year-old Jack Russell terrier. The problem is his constant marking in our house and on our car tires. My daughter said he has had this behavior for years, and nothing they did stopped it. Is there anything we can do this late in his life to change his behavior? And what will remove the smell from inside our home and on our tires? We are desperate for help; otherwise, we will need to surrender the dog. -- B.H., Mayville, North Dakota

DEAR B.H.: You mean have the dog killed, rather than "surrender," since no one would want to adopt a dog who marks his territory all the time. Did your daughter seek a professional animal behavior consultant and veterinary advice? What did she try to do to inhibit this behavior earlier on in the dog's life? Now it is a fixed habit. Use a hose on your car tires and an enzyme cleaner like Nature's Miracle indoors.

If he has not been neutered, neutering may help reduce his motivation to mark. Cocking his leg against various objects to urinate on may be related to anxiety-arousal, and a trial treatment with a low dose of anti-anxiety medication would be worth a try. Scolding would just make matters worse if there is underlying anxiety.

DEAR DR. FOX: Recently, you had an inquiry from E.B. about his sadness over losing his cat and his inability to take on another cat due to finances. I am a senior in a program called Senior Cats for Senior Laps in St. Louis. I lived in Phoenix, and I know they had a program there.

In this program, we provide a loving home for a senior cat, and the nonprofit organization that sponsors the program assumes all cost, including food and vet bills. It's certainly a win-win situation! Unfortunately, not many of the people at the Humane Society are aware of this program; however, pet stores like PetSmart and Petco often sponsor events, so that might be the best resource for a senior to find a program in his or her area. -- B.S., St. Louis

DEAR B.S.: Thank you for contributing this information in response to concerns about the plight of lonely seniors -- human and nonhuman -- and what resources there are to help. Certainly we need more as the population of baby boomers ages and animal shelters, which must have more funding and public support, seek to reduce the kill rate of old and unwanted animals.

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.

Visit Dr. Fox's website at DrFoxVet.net.)

DEAR DR. FOX: Recently, I had reason to take Birdie, one of my Havanese, to a vet under emergency conditions. In the 18 hours prior to taking him to the vet, he exhibited signs of intestinal distress, with diarrhea and loss of bowel control.

During the office exam, the subject of diet came up, and I was asked what brand of food I feed my dogs. I provided the brand of kibble I use, Taste of the Wild, a label that I have been told is considered by the veterinary community to be a wise choice. I chose this brand because of its high protein content and the absence of grains. Grains have no place in a canine's diet; I have verified this in numerous sources. Birdie's vet suggested that Taste of the Wild's high protein content could cause harm to my 3 1/2-year-old Havanese, and a change in feed might be necessary.

After an examination, the vet advised me that Birdie's anal glands were not a contributing cause for his distress, but his upper G.I. had lots of gas. The vet suggested that it may be caused by his exposure to deer and rabbit waste in our yard. He prescribed several medications to remedy the problem.

The vet also sold me a bag of Hill's "digestive care" kibble and told me to feed it to Birdie for the next four to five days, and then transition him back to the Taste of the Wild kibble. I read the ingredient label prior to leaving the vet's office, and remarked to the staff that this Hill's Prescription Diet contained, in order as printed on the label: brewer's rice, cornstarch, corn gluten meal, whole grain wheat, chicken byproduct meal (we know what that is!) and on and on, including pork flavoring and chicken liver flavoring -- but no protein. The staff's response to my query was that I should call Hill's at the number provided on the bag with any questions. I have not called Hill's, as I fully expect their representative to do what is expected of an employee: that is, support the employer's product as complete and whole.

I am at a loss as to whom and what to believe. A protein-based diet for a dog makes a lot of sense to me, as this is what a canine would eat in the wild, not cornstarch, brewer's rice, corn gluten meal, etc.

Do you have any suggestions or guidance that you would share with me? Am I making an informed, wise choice by choosing a meal-based protein kibble? -- T.R., Washington, D.C.

DEAR T.R.: I am glad that you read what was in the bag of prescription food for your dog.

You should know that it was "scientifically formulated," and the attending veterinarian believed that it would be the best remedy for your dog. But where did the animal doctor get the information in the first place, having, at best, a short course in companion animal nutrition before graduation from veterinary school? At least you were fortunate that the veterinarian did not insist on costly diagnostic tests, though you made no mention of any fecal tests for parasites and infections, such as giardia and clostridia. Clostridia is a common cause of diarrhea during changes in the season or stress in dogs; giardia could come from deer feces or contaminated water. In general, dogs probably eat a small quantity of wild animal feces may as a natural instinct.

It is also possible that this batch of Taste of the Wild was not up to par; one way to avoid that is to feed your dog a variety of good-quality canned and dry dog foods. High protein content should not be an issue in an otherwise healthy dog. Try my home-prepared diet -- posted on my website, DrFoxVet.net -- and keep me posted as you transition your dog onto a wholesome diet of known ingredients.

The best medicine is prevention, and a holistic, integrative approach to companion animal health calls for a revision of vaccination protocols, cessation of feeding highly processed commercial pet foods, and reviewing medication practices, especially with so-called preventive medications like those sold to keep fleas and ticks at bay. For further information, contact a holistic veterinarian in your area. A searchable list can be found at holisticvetlist.com. Veterinarians wishing to learn more are encouraged to become members of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association at ahvma.org.

A friend took a stray cat to the local vet here in Minneapolis for appropriate tests, neutering and care with adoption in mind, and requested the cat be given a high-quality protein diet because he was severely malnourished. She was shocked several days later when she found out that the cat had been given Purina's EN Gastroenteric Feline Formula (dry) -- the first four ingredients were soy protein isolate, poultry byproduct meal, corn gluten meal and soy flakes. This is hardly the optimal diet for a carnivore! For more details, see my book "Not Fit for a Dog: The Truth About Manufactured Cat and Dog Foods."

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.

Visit Dr. Fox's website at DrFoxVet.net.)