DEAR DR. FOX: My 4-year-old Havanese has cherry eye. It seems relatively small compared to some of the images I have seen on the computer. She's had it on and off over the last year, but the gland always moved back in place. This time it has not.

I took her to the vet. He and his partner have two opposing opinions on the treatment. One vet is in favor of removing the gland and says he has removed many with no complications of dry eye. I understand that this complication requires artificial tears daily for the rest of her life.

The other vet in the practice is in favor of sending her to a specialist to have the gland moved back into place and stitched so it stays where it should. Again, complications could arise.

The third option is to leave it alone and do nothing. Right now, it does not seem to bother her, as I don't see her trying to rub it.

I hate to put her through unnecessary surgery that could produce complications, but I also don't know if doing nothing will eventually lead to any complications.

Your advice would be greatly appreciated. -- L.S., Brielle, N.J.

DEAR L.S.: Certain breeds, such as the cocker spaniel, basset hound, English bulldog, poodle and Lhasa apso, are prone to this condition, which is a prolapse of the gland of the third eyelid. It sticks out like a small pink cherry.

I would not remove the gland surgically. The resultant chronic dry eye condition could lead to corneal ulceration and blindness.

Surgical restoration of the normal gland position is called for after a week of topical treatment with ophthalmic antibiotic and steroid ointment to help decrease inflammation and improve surgical success. The gland in the other eye may be prone to prolapse in the future, so it should be secured to prevent this at the same time.

DEAR DR. FOX: I have a diabetic 12-year-old male cat. Must I continue to buy costly prescription food, or are there cheaper over-the-counter foods I can feed him?

Also, I want to change his insulin from ProZinc to Lantus. Can I use the same needle size, and how do I go about changing the medications?

I have not been happy with either vet I have taken my cat to, and he is so traumatized by going to the vet. I don't believe it is good for his condition.

Any information you can give me would be very much appreciated. -- S.B.

DEAR S.B.: So sorry to hear about your poor cat whose condition was most probably caused by high cereal content in manufactured cat foods that are sold even in veterinary hospitals across the country.

Visit feline-nutrition.org for more information about transitioning your cat onto a healthier diet that could cure the diabetes if it is not too advanced.

A few drops of fish oil and a pinch of powdered cinnamon in his food may help. Increase the cinnamon, which has been shown to reduce the insulin dose requirements of human diabetics, to about 1/2 teaspoon daily if he will accept it.

Discuss changes in the insulin-regulating drug with your veterinarian, but do seek out a home-prepared, cheaper, palatable diet for your cat -- basically meat, including body organs, ideally lightly cooked or raw, and a few chopped vegetables and herbs.

For more insights into feline behavior, check my e-book, "Understanding Your Cat," available on my website, DrFoxVet.com.

(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.com.)

DEAR DR. FOX: This question may not be appropriate for your column, but you have been so helpful advising about how to cope with the loss of a family pet, I thought I'd ask.

I wanted my husband, a Korean War veteran, buried at Arlington National Cemetery with the ashes of his beloved German shepherd, Samantha. Two of her littermates served in combat. She did not serve in any war, but she served after by helping my husband better than anyone or anything else deal with his post-traumatic stress disorder. She helped him through his depression, anxiety and panic attacks, and helped him get exercise and a good night's sleep. Even if she was not a serving military dog, it distresses me that the military authorities won't even allow me to scatter Samantha's ashes over my husband's grave. What should I do? -- Alexandria, Va.

DEAR ALEXANDRIA: I greatly sympathize with your concerns over the insensitive rules of military officialdom that make no sense unless one believes that dogs and other beloved animals have no significant place in our lives or death.

Yet the ritual of co-burial goes back in different civilizations for millennia. It is an indicator of deep respect and affection for the remains and memories of particular animals whose lives the deceased had shared.

While the U.S. military has used all kinds of species in various wars and military insurgencies for centuries, it is telling that there is no national monument for such service animals in our nation's capital. There is such a memorial in the heart of London, close to a major war memorial to fallen soldiers.

The U.S. military has a dubious record when it comes to facilitating the transport home of local dogs from war zones such as Iraq and Afghanistan. These animals are often adopted as camp mascots and serve as camp guards. Most importantly, they give emotional support to troops.

It will take an act of Congress to get these burial rules changed. It's a shame that reflects the even greater shame of a dysfunctional government and authorities who have no feeling or respect for the close bond that so many citizens enjoy with their animal companions.

As for today's soldiers suffering from PTSD, many become heroin addicts or suicidal after being prescribed analgesic drugs such as hydrocodone and hydromorphone rather than having a good dog co-therapist.

DEAR DR. FOX: I have enjoyed your columns over the past several years, and they were helpful with my dog, Daisy.

I thought of you when I was burying her, wrapped in her favorite "bankie." I followed your advice and gave her a small blanket some years ago, and she was never without it. It was her comforter and often she played games under it. Thank you. -- J.V., Washington, D.C.

DEAR J.V.: I am glad that my advice was helpful in your care of Daisy. Thanks for reminding me to tell readers how much dogs, and many cats, enjoy having a small blanket or towel to have put over them. It can help them feel secure. Some will make a nest out of the blanket and even learn to cover themselves with it.

Some of our dogs liked to have their blanket tossed over them for a game of hide-and-seek. One of our dogs liked to wear his blanket as he paraded around, which our other dogs found exciting, seeing a shape-shifter in their midst!

MYSTERY POISON IN PET TREATS FROM CHINA

To date, the Food and Drug Administration has received reports of illnesses in 3,600 dogs and 10 cats in the U.S. since 2007. Some 580 dogs have died. The culprit is pet treats sold as jerky tenders or strips made of chicken, duck, sweet potatoes or dried fruit. They are all imported from China and sold under a wide variety of brand names.

Veterinarians have seen decreased appetite, lethargy, vomiting and diarrhea within hours of dogs eating these treats and have had repeated cases of kidney failure and gastrointestinal bleeding.

The FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine has not yet discovered the cause of illness, even after conducting more than 1,200 tests, visiting pet treat manufacturing plants in China and collaborating with toxicology researchers.

Small dogs eating a large amount of treats seem especially vulnerable, which I theorize may point to possible high abnormal protein consumption.

A number of jerky products imported from China were removed from the market in January 2013 after a New York state lab reported contamination with antibiotics banned for use in the U.S., including Milo's Kitchen Chicken Jerky Treats, Del Monte Chicken Grillers and Waggin' Train and Canyon Creek Ranch dog treats, both made by Nestle Purina. These drug contaminants are not considered to be responsible for the poisoning and death of dogs and cats consuming these treats.

My advice is to READ THE LABEL on whatever pet treats you intend to purchase and decide accordingly. Several brands indicating "Made in China" also bear a food irradiation symbol. For dogs, try my buckwheat Good Dog Treats recipe on my website, DrFoxVet.com.

(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.com.)

DEAR DR. FOX: In May, my dog, a dachshund, became very hungry and thirsty. We've had her tested for thyroid issues, diabetes and Cushing's disease, along with other blood and urine tests; everything is normal. We feed her 1/4 cup dog food morning and night, plus a handful of green beans for lunch. She gets one Teeny Greenie and a few small treats during the day.

Her behavior has also changed. She does not chase her squeaky toys now. She just brings them to us and squeaks them when she wants to be fed. She used to jump on the couch when we asked her to come up, but she now refuses and just lies flat, even though we know she can jump. When we pick her up and put her on the sofa, she jumps down.

She used to weigh 20 pounds, and now she weighs 24 pounds. Even 20 is too much for her. I know she doesn't get enough exercise. When we walk her, all she wants to do is smell. She has never walked at a consistent pace, and I don't want to pull and drag her. My vet doesn't know what to do and suggested that I see a specialist. I don't know what else to do. I don't believe that she is just begging for food, but is really hungry. We always tell her no, but it is such a constant thing. Any ideas, comments or suggestions? -- D.B.

DEAR D.B.: You don't say how old your dog is. I would advise repeating blood tests for possible diabetes and kidney disease. With this breed, it is not wise to encourage jumping up onto furniture because their backs are prone to injury and degenerative disease, conditions aggravated by becoming overweight.

Check some of the better brands of dog food on my website, DrFoxVet.com, and also my home-prepared recipe. Give her three small meals daily, and weigh her as soon as you begin the transition onto a new diet. Then weigh her every two weeks and reduce the amount fed if she is putting on weight.

My educated guess is that she may be developing arthritis or spondylosis of the back. Cosequin or other good supplements containing chondroitin, MSM and glucosamine may help.

DEAR DR. FOX: We have two cats, and we're having a problem with one of them. To give a quick background, we got a brother and sister from the same litter, and they were a happy pair.

After a year, the male got sick and passed away. We got another female kitten, and the older female didn't like her, so she preferred to be in the basement. Not a big deal; we kept a litter box, food and water down there for her and for a few months she was good there. She would come up daily to visit us and go outside, then back to the basement.

We noticed that she started getting lethargic and drinking a lot of water. She stopped using the litter box, totally ruined the basement carpet, and continued to slow down to the point that we took her to the vet. He said that she seems to have been poisoned, and she might not make it. That was two years ago, and since then she has continued to urinate on the floor beside the box, or on top of the box (there are two boxes, both covered because of the dogs) or outside. She defecates in the box, or outside, so that isn't a problem.

We don't know what to do. Punishment or coaxing doesn't seem to help, and we don't know what else to do. Please help! -- B.C.

DEAR B.C.: This is a very sad story. This poor cat, banished by her own fear of the newcomer to spend most of her time in your basement. It could well have been this emotional stress that brought on her illness, which could be diabetes or cystitis, diseases that make cats want to drink more water. You might have avoided all of this if you had followed my advice of never letting a cat outdoors to roam free, which could result in exposure to disease or poison, and if you had known the steps to be taken to introduce a new cat, which you can find on my website, DrFoxVet.com.

I would take her for a full veterinary checkup to rule out any stress-induced chronic health issue. Use enzyme cleaners on soiled areas on the basement floor and take the covers off the litter boxes. Many cats detest them because the covers trap excrement odors. Keep the dogs out of the basement with a barrier gate set with enough space for the cat to crawl under.

(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.com.)