DEAR READERS: Pets Best, a United States pet health insurance company, encourages cat owners to watch closely for the symptoms of the five most common conditions among cat-related claims filed with the agency:

1. Chronic kidney failure. Symptoms can include anorexia, vomiting, lethargy, diarrhea, constipation, depression and weight loss.

2. Hyperthyroidism. Common symptoms include a voracious appetite, weight loss, increased thirst and urination, vomiting, diarrhea and restlessness.

3. Allergies. Skin allergy symptoms often include raised, thickened raw skin; small scabs; face and ear itching; and bald spots. Food allergies tend to include scabs and other signs of itching around the face or neck.

4. Cancer. Cat owners should watch for symptoms like lumps and bumps on the skin, lack of appetite, lethargy, excessive salivation, difficulty chewing or swallowing, rapid weight loss and abnormal discharges. Other warning signs include abnormal odors, abnormal defecation and urination, vomiting and diarrhea.

5. Diabetes. Symptoms include increased thirst and urination, unusual appetite and rapid weight loss.

A recent Zoetis drug company pet wellness report disclosed a disturbing finding that apparently healthy dogs and cats who had been seen by a veterinarian in the past 90 days were found to have "new health risks" in 36 percent of dogs and 28 percent of cats. Top new health risks for dogs were hypothyroidism, urinary tract infection, protein in the urine and dental disease. Top new health risks for cats were kidney disease, dental disease, hyperthyroidism, eosinophilia and protein in the urine.

According to a professional survey conducted by the British Veterinary Association, in the U.K., the most common health conditions seen by veterinarians treating cats and dogs are skin disease (mentioned by 70 percent of respondents), gastrointestinal disorders (54 percent), musculoskeletal (45 percent), obesity (31 percent), dental disease (24 percent) and ear disease or infection (18 percent).

The best preventives continue to be good nutrition, as posted on my website, and regular veterinary wellness examinations at least annually, and twice yearly for young and old animals, with in-home visits by veterinarians being ideal for stress-prone animals, especially cats. Some caution must be applied in interpreting pet health surveys, especially when they are focused on selling often-dubious pet health insurance plans and policies.

DEAR DR. FOX: I recently lost my papillon after he battled Cushing's disease for several years. We went through all the periodic testing and daily doses of trilostane, and there is no doubt in my mind it was all worth it. Even though it was always tough to find the money to pay for his treatment, I know it extended his life several years. I was very lucky to have a great vet attending him, and my advice to any caregiver would be to follow her vet's advice and follow through with appropriate treatments. -- R.D., St. Louis

Dear R.D.: I appreciate your response to my advice concerning dogs with Cushing's disease, and am well aware of the need for periodic monitoring of this adrenal gland disease and the calculated benefit of trilostane medication. Without careful monitoring, this drug can actually destroy the adrenal glands.

It is more than likely that this all-too-common disease could be avoided by not spaying and castrating dogs. There is a trend now to avoid doing such surgery, especially in small breeds such as yours who are easy to handle when the males are aroused by the scent of a female in heat and using sanipads when the females have a heat period twice a year. This "inconvenience" is a small price to pay for the probable prevention of Cushing's disease, but the risks of increased chances of developing breast cancer, ovarian cancer and pyometra (infection in the uterus) are part of the equation. So now some veterinarians are simply removing the uterus and leaving the ovaries to eliminate chances of the latter problem.

(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: I recently contacted you about my four dogs eating dirt after every meal. They had been eating Purina One for seniors.

After buying your book "Not Fit for a Dog," I made your dog food recipe. The very first day they starting eating it, they stopped eating dirt! They love it! Thank you. -- S.Y., Cottleville, Missouri

DEAR S.Y.: I always appreciate feedback from my recommendations for companion animals, especially when it comes to what they are being fed and my belief that better nutrition is the cornerstone of good health.

I would like to hear from other readers on this issue -- what health problems and often obsessive behaviors, such as eating dirt, went away after your pet was put on a good diet, and what were they being fed prior to the change?

DEAR DR. FOX: I want to thank you for your dog food recipe! I know that it saved my dog, Ranger.

He is a 3-year-old husky who we adopted from a shelter when he was 4 months old. He had some digestive issues until our vet had us do a protein elimination diet. We finally realized that chicken was the problem.

He was put on a diet of Natural Balance venison dog food. Things were better until he wouldn't eat it anymore, and he started losing weight. We were really getting nervous when we started to see his ribs and backbone! I have always read your column in the paper, and I remembered your recommendation of homemade dog food.

Well, thank you! I have been making it for three months now, for both of our dogs, and I am happy to say that Ranger has put the weight back on. He just seems to be a happier dog. His coat looks better, too.

Thank you for your commitment to animals. Ranger thanks you, too. -- J.N., Manahawkin, New Jersey

DEAR J.N.: I really appreciate you letting me know that you found my home-prepared dog food recipe such a step forward. As Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, advised, "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food." I wish more human and animal doctors incorporated this principle in their practice.

Look out for the next wave of special diets for dogs that some of the big pet food manufacturers like Purina are coming out with -- including a "brain-protection blend." Some are specially fortified with supplements that can help prevent age-related mental decline and joint problems. It is ironic that nutritional deficiencies in various manufactured pet foods are being "fixed" by these "fortified" special diets.

DEAR DR. FOX: How long do you recommend giving Heartgard to a dog?

With colder weather approaching, do I still have to give it? I live in Michigan in a condo; my dog is mostly an inside dog. -- S.H., Flint, Michigan

DEAR S.H.: I often get this question, and veterinarians are somewhat divided over the issue.

Some advocate year-round preventive medicine regardless of where they live. But climate change is here to stay, so caution is called for, especially when people travel with their dogs to warmer states in the winter. I join those veterinarians who stop the medication in appropriate states when the mosquito season is over and advise a blood test the next spring before the mosquitoes hatch. If the blood is clear of filarial heartworm larvae, then the preventive medication is safe to start giving once every month until the next fall and mosquitoes are dormant again.

MORE INCORRECT PET FOOD INGREDIENT LABEL CONCERNS

Ever-vigilant Susan Thixton of truthaboutpetfood.com reveals that Chapman University in Southern California has released the results of a study finding, "Of the 52 products tested, 31 were labeled correctly, 20 were potentially mislabeled and one contained a non-specific meat ingredient that could not be verified." The study did DNA testing for beef, goat, lamb, chicken, goose, turkey, pork and horse.

This report comes two years after a similar study found that eight of 21 pet foods tested contained an animal protein ingredient not listed in the pet food label.

"Although regulations exist for pet foods, increases in international trade and globalization of the food supply have amplified the potential for food fraud to occur," said Dr. Rosalee Hellberg, co-author of this latest study.

The frequent discovery of unlisted pork, possibly derived from the millions of pigs that have recently died in the U.S. from a virus (porcine epidemic diarrhea) found in pig feed imported from China, is one concern. Another is in determining which pet food ingredients may be causing allergies or other health problems when the ingredient label is incorrect and cannot be trusted.

(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: I am writing in response to your recent column in which someone indicated that their Himalayan cat "goes crazy" when her owner sings.

I, too, had a female cat who responded in a strange manner to my whistling. When I whistled "The Yellow Rose Of Texas," Tobey would meow and paw my arms. I only saw this behavior in Tobey when I whistled that particular song; she would not react when I would sing it or whistle another tune.

Thank you for your time; I enjoy your columns. -- C.B., Alexandria, Virgnia

DEAR DR. FOX: I am responding to your request for personal experiences about cats and music.

I am a cat lover and have lived with cats for decades. Every time I played melodious music, one of my cats would join in. She did not sing for the entire length of the song (that would be too long and difficult for her), but she would make some sounds. The amazing thing is that she would try to match the sound on my CD by being tuneful. Cats and other animals love music and respond.

So, in my opinion, the cat who comes running and jumps up on her guardian and paws her face and arms is not only showing appreciation, she is very emotional about the whole experience, similar to some people who cry during an opera. -- Y.H., Arlington, Virginia

DEAR C.B and Y.H.: Thanks for contributing to our understanding of what makes cats sing. Yes, indeed, many animal species enjoy hearing us sing, whistle, play musical instruments and listen to various kinds of musical recordings. They also have ways of making their own rhythmic sounds and even melodies that surely inspired early humans to emulate.

DEAR DR. FOX: I would like to share with you an unusual behavior of my 4-year-old Labrador-rottweiler mix.

On walks, he sees and smells other dogs' feces, and if it is in soft soil or sand, he will take his nose and attempt to cover it up. He is very deliberate about it and will circle around until it is covered, gently pushing with his nose. We have had similar mixes before, and they have never done that action before.

He is highly intelligent, but we have never trained him to do this and were very surprised by his actions.

What is your comment on this behavior? -- J.C., Berlin, Maryland

DEAR J.C.: Your hygiene-conscious dog is not the only one to engage in this particular behavior. Some dogs are more fastidious in this regard than others. It is also a lesson for people with dogs to bag their droppings after they have evacuated.

I have heard of instances where dogs, on seeing their owners cleaning up their poop in the yard, begin to do so themselves by consuming the droppings. This is normal behavior for mother dogs, who will eat their pups' poop when they are very young in order to keep the nursing and play areas clean.

FACTORS AFFECTING DOGS' PERSONALITIES

An interesting study conducted via a questionnaire to more than 12,000 owners of Labrador dogs in the United Kingdom by a team of animal behaviorists led by S.E. Lofgren compared some of the behavior of Labradors of different coat colors.

All dogs who were only given less than one hour daily exercise became more agitated when ignored, barked more, showed more separation anxiety, had a fear of strangers or novel objects, were more excitable and likely to show unusual behavior compared to those given longer time outdoors. Chocolate-colored dogs were more agitated than black-coated dogs when ignored and were more excitable, less scared of noises, less amenable to training and had a higher incidence of unusual behavior than black or yellow dogs.

(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.)