DEAR READERS: Since the publication of the book "Sugar Blues" by William Duffy in 1975, there has been rising consumer awareness over the healthfulness of sugars in the human diet. Much research has been conducted, yet ever more sugar is consumed worldwide as food manufacturers deny the risks. It is not mere coincidence that a cluster of serious diet-related diseases in humans are also seen in cats and dogs, and these can be prevented and often reversed with sugar-free, biologically appropriate diets.

Many diseases that affect us and other animals, wild and tame, are anthropogenic -- brought on by ourselves -- through our collective misuse of chemicals, drugs, natural resources and ecosystems. Some of these causes of the "diseases of civilization" will not be rectified for generations, if ever. But others can be addressed, notably what we choose to eat and what we feed our companion animals, beginning with cereal-derived carbohydrates and sugars.

Dogs are more carnivorous than omnivorous humans, while cats are absolute ("obligate") carnivores. All of these species, cats in particular, are harmed by refined sugars and those derived from high glycemic index carbohydrates, which the bodies of cats, dogs and humans convert into sugars, triggering insulin release and storage of the calories from sugars as fat. Cereal glutens, phytases, genetically modified organisms, herbicide residues and various chemical and pharmaceutical "obesogens" (foreign chemical compounds that disrupt normal development) may be co-factors in diet-related health problems.

The health issues our cats and dogs now suffer from are telling us that what most of us are eating and feeding to them is wrong -- biologically inappropriate diets high in sugars for humans and high in starches for all three species. These health issues include: dental problems; oral and intestinal dysbiosis (disruption of health-promoting populations of bacteria leading to hyper-reactive immune systems triggering allergies and autoimmune diseases); fatty liver disease; obesity; metabolic syndrome and inflammatory diseases arising therefrom, including arthritis and some cancers, heart disease, high blood pressure, eye disease, diabetes, pancreatitis, chronic pancreatic enzyme insufficiency, inflammatory bowel conditions, kidney disease and urological problems, especially in cats.

For humans, I recommend eating less sugar and only a modicum of functional complex carbohydrates in their diets (i.e. cruciferous vegetables; fresh, whole fruits -- but not grapes; gluten-free grains; green, leafy vegetables; and legumes rich in phytonutrients and prebiotics). For most dogs, add only some complex carbohydrates to their diets; for all cats, a minimal amount (approximately 5 percent of the diet) of carbohydrates is called for. For more details, see "Not Fit for a Dog: The Truth About Manufactured Cat & Dog Food" and "Smart and Canine Nutrigenomics."

DEAR DR. FOX: I have a 12-year-old cat named Gabby. I have been taking her to the vet for regular checkups, and he says she is in perfect health for her age and is very active and alert. She loves to play, and she sleeps well. But sometimes she has this deep cough that almost sounds like kennel cough, and sometimes it's almost like she is having a hard time swallowing.

This only happens once in a blue moon. Most of the time she is in great health. I've told the vet about this, and he says it might be an allergy or something like this.

We also have a dog named Max. He is a beagle, and he is 13 years old. He has a partially collapsed trachea and is prone to bronchitis and pneumonia, and he has chronic cough.

What suggestions do you have for my dog and cat? Thank you for your time. -- J.B., Fargo, North Dakota

DEAR J.B.: These two issues are not uncommon in canine and feline companions.

The first possibility to consider for your cat is that the sound may be from gagging up hair balls. Cats do not always vomit these; instead, the gagged-up fur is swallowed and eventually evacuated. In some instances, it can accumulate as a mass in the stomach and must be surgically removed. Adding a little olive oil to the cat's food and giving her some high-fiber treats can help, as can daily grooming.

Dogs pulling too hard on the leash and wearing collars can damage their tracheas, as do those idiot people who discipline their dogs by jerking and snapping sharply on the leash. A Gentle Leader or harness is safer and less injurious for dogs who pull hard on the leash.

(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 a regular reader of your column and a couple of dog magazines, and I've noticed that over the past few years, more veterinarians are prescribing drugs to treat anxiety and other behavioral problems in dogs.

With my own dogs, I always asked for a dog trainer or behaviorist when I had issues, and never needed to resort to these mind-altering drugs, which can have some side effects. When my sister's dog was put on medication for separation anxiety, she turned into a zombie.

What is your opinion? -- J.V., Alexandria, Virginia

DEAR J.V.: First, let me say that some psychopharmaceuticals can help dogs and other animals when used with caution when the cause of the problem cannot be eliminated from the animal's environment or identified, and when behavior-modification attempts have failed. Behavior modification is often applied in conjunction with prescribed medications. Their effectiveness is due in part to the fact that animals' emotions are neurochemically analogous to our own -- yes, the inner emotional life of other animals is more similar to our own than different!

I have questioned the overreliance on psychopharmaceuticals to help animals adapt to situations where they do not belong, like a dog being left at home in a crate all day, in my recent book "Healing Animals & the Vision of One Health." This trend of applying mind-altering drugs to help animals cope in stimulation-lacking and socially deprived domestic environments is an ethical concern that all responsible parties need to address. It parallels the stunning findings in a recent national survey by Dr. Steven Cuffe and associates from the University of Florida College of Medicine in Jacksonville department of psychiatry: Nearly half of preschoolers are on medication for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, often not coupled with behavioral therapy.

NEW CANINE INFLUENZA CONCERNS

First seen in the Chicago area, a new strain of Asiatic canine influenza (H3N2) has been identified and may soon spread across the United States. The available vaccine against the H3N8 strain may not provide protection. This new strain causes sneezing, fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, pneumonia and in some instances, death. Cats may also be infected. Consult with your veterinarian about the situation where you live, and you may be well advised to avoid going to the dog park, doggy daycare or groomer's until the epidemic subsides. Special quarantine measures and sanitation/basic hygiene are called for in shelters. The virus is transmissible on clothing, hands and equipment as well as from infected dogs to others. As yet, this viral strain has not infected humans.

NYLABONE DOG CHEWS RECALL

Nylabone Products of Neptune, New Jersey, is recalling one lot of its Puppy Starter Kit dog chews because they have the potential to be contaminated with salmonella. The recalled Puppy Starter Kit consists of one lot of dog chews that were distributed nationwide, to Canada and through one domestic online mail order facility.

Consumers who have purchased the affected product should discontinue use of the chews and may return the unused portion to the place of purchase for a full refund. Those with questions may contact the company at 877-273-7527.

(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 read your column regarding the cat with a feline hyperesthesia syndrome.

When my cat was 9 months old, he developed the syndrome suddenly. He was completely normal one day, and then it happened in the middle of the night. After countless traditional and holistic vet visits and numerous hours of research, my husband and I realized the trigger, changed his diet and it's been over 18 months since he's had an episode.

I was feeding him a poultry-based diet with supplemental canned fish. After much research, I completely took him off all feathered foods and put him on a raw diet. I'm currently feeding him Primal Raw Beef and Salmon, with canned fish and beef on occasion. I buy freeze-dried treats, and I keep Origen Regional Red dry food on hand if I need it in a pinch.

My take on feline hyperesthesia syndrome is that it's not triggered by just one thing; rather, it's a combination of mind, body and environmental components. In my experience, there were triggers that set him off, specifically sensitivity on the body itself, especially his paws. He had no injuries, but I noticed they were sensitive. In addition, a fabric softener smell triggered him. Once he was at the point of a rolling back and twitching, I gave him a massage to calm him down, which helped, and gave him a treat as a sort of reset.

Sometimes he became fixated on overgrooming, and I would stimulate him by playing with him several times a day. After taking this into account, both my husband and I agreed that another cat could help, and we were willing to give it a shot. We sought a cat who was a little younger than he, and after looking for almost two months, we found a perfect match.

Our cat's last episode was in the summer of 2013. I'm delighted to say that here we are living a healthy and happy life all together. -- T.L., St. Louis

DEAR T.L.: Same with one of my cats! It was fish that set him off. Still, he has sudden episodes even after a change in diet, and I, too, find that gentle grooming, massage therapy, redirection with interactive games or time outdoors on our cat-secure open deck gets him out of his compulsive self-grooming. Underlying thyroid issues must be considered, and for many cats who live alone, boredom and lack of stimulation may be significant triggers, as is anxiety, which can trigger more serious self-mutilation.

This is a far more complex feline disorder than generally perceived. One complication can be cats ingesting harmful chemicals from contact with floors and countertops cleaned with quaternary ammonium compounds, as in Swiffer's WetJet antibacterial cleaner.

DEAR DR. FOX: We have a 1-year-old Cavalier King Charles spaniel, who we have had since she was 8 weeks old. She is adorable, playful and affectionate, but she has some issues that we aren't sure how to deal with. She has always seemed prone to nervousness and anxiety, but things have escalated recently.

She growls or whines when certain new things are brought in the house, she growls at reflections on the wall, and now she has become fearful of eating out of her food bowl. This started shortly after she returned from spending several days with a dog sitter who has other dogs in the house. I have tried other plates, bowls, etc., but she will only eat off a paper towel on the floor. Since she eats dry food, it is not an issue to feed her this way. Lately, she becomes anxious when I take her to some new places for walks. I took her to a new place the other day, and she whined and cried so much that I finally turned around. I try to give her as much exercise as I can -- she is walked at least three miles a day, has a fenced-in yard to play in and I play fetch with her daily. She has a lot of energy, and if she is not exercised, she is very restless. She has always been a good sleeper at night, thankfully.

The vet suggested we try giving her the herbal pill Anxitane, and she's been taking it for three months. I think it helps somewhat. We wanted to try this before we tried Prozac or another type of pharmaceutical for anxiety.

We would prefer not to spend a small fortune on hiring a behaviorist, so I wanted to see if you had any suggestions. We love her dearly, but we would like to have a more relaxed dog if possible. We are open to Prozac and are willing to go that route if it would help her.

We have had other dogs before (including a Cavalier) and have never had these kinds of issues before. -- L.R., Cabin John, Maryland

DEAR L.R.: You letter clearly indicates that you are an informed and caring canine caregiver and for whatever reason have the burden of a young dog with ever-increasing behavioral problems.

Knowing something about genetic and developmental abnormalities in purebred dogs, the Cavalier King Charles spaniel in particular, most veterinarians would consider your dog's abnormal behavior as the first possible signs of a brain disease prevalent in this breed called caudal occipital malformation syndrome. This is a congenital abnormality at the base of the skull that, as the dog matures, results in compression on the rear part of the brain. This abnormality is usually combined with syringohydromyelia, which is the result of blockage of circulating cerebrospinal fluid.

This condition may be just beginning to show up in your dog as pain around the neck region, which could trigger anxiety and conditioned fear reactions to certain stimuli. More serious neurological symptoms may soon develop, including an unsteady gait and seizures.

This condition is treatable and should be ruled out as a possible reason for your dog's evident distress and abnormal behaviors before trying a short course of treatment with an anxiety-relieving drug.

(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.)