DEAR DR. FOX: We have an adorable corgi-bichon dog, Missy, who is 11 years old. She had a bout with arthritis lately that took her down. She was having great difficulty getting up and even had a couple accidents in the house, which she had never done before. After a disappointing appointment with her vet, we stopped at the Natural Pet Center in town and talked to them. They recommended Wapiti Labs Elk Velvet Antler Powder; they said we’d see a difference in seven to 10 days. In just a few days, she was getting up much easier; by day seven she was able to go for a walk!

She’s been doing absolutely amazing, and I can’t say enough about this product! It’s given us back our Missy! Have you heard of it, or do you have an opinion on it? We took her back to her vet -- they couldn’t believe the improvement. Maybe other readers will find help in elk velvet antler products. -- E.N., Fargo, North Dakota

DEAR E.N.: Even though such "biologics" -- products and extracts from various parts of other animals -- may have some value as nutraceutical supplements that help alleviate various conditions in us and those animals under our care, there are ethical questions that need to be addressed.

An extreme example is the use of rhino horn and tiger bones for arthritis and impotence in Chinese folk medicine, along with a host of other products from animals domesticated and wild, captive, endangered and poached, that are purported to be of medical benefit.

I think it is always questionable when parts of one animal are used to improve the health of another. Harvesting krill for their oil as a nutraceutical supplement rich in beneficial omega-3 fatty acids and as a protein source to feed farmed animals for human consumption robs whales and other marine mammals and birds of an essential food source. Another extreme example is harvesting kidneys from healthy cats to be transplanted into cats with kidney failure.

Other ethical questions need to be raised and answered, such as humane treatment of the donor animals and the environmental impact of raising and "harvesting" them. Harvesting the velvet from captive deer and elk can never be done humanely. Deer farms may be disease reservoirs, putting wild deer at risk, as with chronic wasting disease in Minnesota. So we must ask: Are there humane, ecologically and less environmentally harmful alternatives to many of the animal-derived products on the market today? There is a vegan source of omega-3 fatty acids from marine algae. For arthritic dogs, chondroitin and glucosamine, derived from such sources as ground chicken cartilage (a byproduct of the poultry industry) as well as beneficial herbal extracts like ginger and turmeric have proven beneficial.

I oppose in principle the commercial exploitation of ever more species such as deer and elk and also farmed salmon, a popular source of fish oil, because of captivity-related stress, disease and suffering. At least poultry are domesticated, better adapted to confinement and live short lives before slaughter. They have a far less negative environmental impact than cattle raised for their meat, bones, hides and other valuable byproducts, an industry having a worldwide presence and major factor in climate change and loss of wildlife and wild lands. 

DEAR DR. FOX: I just read your column about perfumed dogs and the calming effect on their owners. I would like to propose that the same thing exists with certain cats. I have a 16-year-old Himalayan who has a very distinctive, warm aroma. When I am stressed, I stick my nose in his tummy, inhale, listen to the purring and feel better instantly.

Ah, the healing power of our animals!

By the way, when Sam was very sick about 10 years ago, I used your book "The Healing Touch for Cats" to nurse him back to health. Thank you for the additional years you helped give him -- and me. -- S.N., Rockville, Maryland

DEAR S.N.: Your proposal is accepted with the understanding that cats have dry saliva from self-grooming, which can trigger a big sneeze when you sniff and nuzzle a cat!

As per my book "Cat Body, Cat Mind," cats have scent glands especially around their lips, chins, temples and along their tails, but I for one do not have a sensitive enough nose to detect any perfumelike quality like we find in many dogs. Our formerly feral cat Mark Twain had a wonderful fresh haylike odor on his flanks when I nuzzled him -- and then I usually sneezed!

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Andrews McMeel Syndication, 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: I read one of your articles about shampooing dogs who have allergies with Selsun Blue. I have shampooed my dog twice, and it really did help: She quit biting her paws and scratching so much. But the smell is horrible.

About five or six hours after shampooing, my dog smells so toxic, with an ammonia smell, it can make your eyes water. I even did a final rinse this time with vinegar and water, hoping that would take the smell away; it did somewhat, but the smell is still there.

Should I continue to use of the Selsun shampoo? How do I get rid of that smell, since this shampoo works so well? I know my dog is happy about not itching all the time, but I am sure the smell is bothering her as much as it bothers me. -- D.A., O'Fallon, Missouri

DEAR D.A.: I have recommended Selsun Blue medicated shampoo for dogs for decades. Use it once every seven to 10 days to control seborrhea -- a greasy skin condition -- which may be related to low thyroid function. Too much shampooing can disrupt the healthy balance of skin bacteria and make the sebaceous glands hyperactive, so all things in moderation.

The ammonialike smell from your dog may upset the dog as much as you, and you will see on the label that the product does contain ammonium and sulfide compounds. So after thoroughly rubbing in the medicated shampoo and then allowing it to stay in the fur for a few minutes, a vigorous rinsing with warm water spray would be advisable.

Part of the odor issue may be a form of detoxification; the shampoo releases sebaceous secretions from skin glands that produce a foul odor because of what you are feeding your dog, or because of some underlying health issue, possibly affecting the kidneys or liver. So a full wellness examination may be advisable.

Try my home-prepared dog food recipe posted on my website -- many dogs smell sweeter when given whole, fresh foods. Add supplements such as fish and coconut oil and brewer's yeast to his food. A little turmeric, ginger and oregano in the food can also provide various benefits.

After the Selsun Blue shampooing, which you may not need if a change in diet stops the paw-chewing behavior, try misting the fur thoroughly with a natural herbal product, such as PetzLife's Bath-Eaze, a bathless shampoo and conditioner. For details, visit petzlife.com.

Keep me posted on your progress.

DEAR DR. FOX: I have read about the benefits of wheat grass for cats, and I have bought it several times for my indoor cats, who love it. The problem is that they gobble it down and then throw it up. Is its purpose to be a purgative? If not, how do I give it to them so that they don't munch on it and then spit it up? -- C.S., Baltimore

DEAR C.S.: Our two cats both love catnip, but one of them usually vomits within seconds after eating the dried herb. Vomiting may have some purging value and certainly can help clear cats' stomachs of fur balls. This may also be the case with wheat grass or other sprouts for some cats. But to get any nutritive benefits from sprouts, I would chop up a teaspoonful and mix in with your cats' regular food every four to five days.

Pet Owners Report Hemp (Marijuana) Products Helpful in Relieving Pain

According to a survey published in the Spring 2016 issue of the Journal of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association (JAHVMA), 64.3 percent of dog owners and 66 percent of cat owners felt that the consumption of hemp products helped their pets either moderately or a great deal.

A team from the Department of Clinical Sciences at the Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine conducted the survey. A link was provided to the survey from a website of a company that sells hemp products for animals. Responses were anonymous.

Six hundred and thirty-two people responded to the survey, with 457 using or having used a hemp product for their dog and 104 people using or having used a hemp product for their cat.

In addition to the relief from pain, 50.5 percent of the dogs and 44 percent of the cats were perceived by their owners as having either moderately or greatly improved sleep habits from the use of hemp products.

When it came to anxiety, 49.3 percent of dog owners reported that the hemp products helped moderately or a great deal. For reducing inflammation in cats, the owners perceived the products were similarly helpful in 56.3 percent of the felines.

The most common side effects reported by both dog and cat owners were sedation and overactive appetite (dogs: 22 percent, 15.9 percent; cats: 19.2 percent and 16 percent).

(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: 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.)