DEAR DR. FOX: I like dog shows, but I wonder why so many breeds have their whiskers snipped off before they go into the ring. Don't they need them? -- B.K., Washington, D.C.

DEAR B.K.: Dogs' whiskers serve many important functions. Veterinarian Leslie Gillette, DVM, wrote an excellent article for PetMD.com on the subject, a part of which I will share here:

"Dog whisker follicles contain clusters of tactile receptor cells (Merkel cells) that are essential for sending signals to the brain. If a whisker is touched by another object, or air currents move a whisker, that vibration transmits nerve impulses from a dog's whisker follicles to their brain. Whiskers can detect the size, shape and speed of nearby objects based on the movement of air currents.

"Whiskers in different areas give a dog specific information about their environment:

-- "Muzzle whiskers: Mystacial whiskers along the muzzle extend toward an approaching object to help determine the shape, proximity and texture of nearby surfaces as a dog moves their head back and forth. These whiskers help dogs detect food and water and measure distances.

-- "Eye whiskers: Superciliary/supraorbital whiskers detect potential threats to the eyes by responding to tactile stimuli or air currents. When the whiskers are moved, they send signals to a dog's brain that trigger the blink reflex to close their eyelids.

-- "Cheek whiskers: Genal whiskers help with peripheral perception of the environment, such as navigating through tight spaces and keeping a dog's head upright while swimming.

-- "Chin whiskers: Interramal whiskers grow from a mole under a dog's chin. These moles contain clusters of cells that provide sensory and tactile information to the brain. They are incredibly useful in detecting food, water and other objects that are out of the normal field of vision."

Dr. Fox here: I also theorize that some of these vibrissae may act like dowsing rods or bio-sensors, enabling animals to detect bioelectrical and geomagnetic fields so they can better navigate their territories.

There is no reason for show dogs to have their whiskers trimmed, and this practice may border on being an inhumane mutilation. As Dr. Gillette asserts:

"Removing whiskers by any means may cause significant stress to a dog. It affects their sensory function and can cause disorientation and a temporary disruption in normal activities like hunting, swimming and play. In some dogs, trimming whiskers may cause aggression as a stress response. From an animal welfare perspective, trimming or plucking whiskers is considered an amputation of a functional sensory organ rather than a cosmetic improvement, and it has been banned in several European countries."

The American Kennel Club might improve its reputation from being more than a registry for pedigree dogs by prohibiting whisker trimming in local and national dog shows.

DEALING WITH CANINE DEMENTIA

DEAR DR. FOX: During the last couple of months, our 12-year-old terrier mix's nighttime behavior has changed. After 7:30 or 8 p.m., he begins to pace, pant and keeps going to the door to be let out. We stopped letting him out until the last "out" of the night since it doesn't appear he has to relieve himself. He will sometimes settle down, only to get up and start all over again.

About twice a week, he gets up in the middle of the night and paces, pants and paws the bed. We let him out briefly, then he seems to settle down. A few times, he has woken us up three times in one night.

His weekday routine is: one 15-minute walk in the morning, outside in the backyard around 3 or 4 p.m., dinner around 4:30 p.m., a 40-minute walk around 5 p.m. and another 15-minute walk around 9:30 p.m. On the weekends, he spends more time in the backyard, but this doesn't seem to alter his night behavior.

Until recently, he has always been able to sleep at night for 10 hours without trouble. His last blood work was six months ago, and everything was normal.

About six months ago we switched him to Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula for seniors, which he eats with cooked chicken mixed in. He has never been interested in eating in the morning, though we have always left dry food for him in his bowl in case he gets hungry.

We have read about this behavior in dogs with dementia, but are not sure if this is the issue. I have not seen an article about this on your site. What steps do you suggest? -- D.S., Ann Arbor, Michigan

DEAR D.S.: From what you describe, it seems quite apparent that your dog is showing clear signs of dementia. It is encouraging that his blood readings show he is in relatively good physical health. I have advised many owners whose dogs have begun to behave like yours to try giving 3 mg to 6 mg of melatonin 30 minutes before bedtime; this can help all get a good night's sleep. Melatonin is also an excellent antioxidant. I would add additional antioxidants to your dog's daily diet, such as a teaspoon each of raw grated carrot and crushed blueberries plus a few drops of fish oil and 100 mg magnesium. The latter can benefit both the brain and heart.

Two supplements that also benefit people and have a calming effect are L-theanine (from green tea) and tryptophan (from turkey meat). So I would substitute turkey for the cooked chicken you give your dog, and also give him 50 mg to 100 mg of L-theanine and tryptophan daily with food.

If these measures do not result in significant improvements within 10 to 14 days, discuss with your veterinarian putting your dog on anti-anxiety medication. Begin with a low dose while continuing with the treatment I have suggested.

Also, giving your dog a slow, relaxing massage before bedtime, as per my book "The Healing Touch for Dogs," may prove beneficial. Human patients spending extended time in the hospital can develop a disorienting "hospitalization dementia," which daily massage therapy has been shown to significantly ameliorate.

(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 DrFoxOneHealth.com.)

DEAR READERS: I have long opposed the routine, inhumane practice of declawing cats. Now, I invite all readers to watch a video from the YouTube channel All About Cats, entitled "The Truth About Declawing Cats."

From the video's description:

"Unwanted scratching is a significant concern for many new cat owners, and for a good reason. Sharp kitty claws can make quick work of upholstered furniture, clothing and various surfaces in your home. It’s still fairly common for landlords to include a stipulation in the lease that any cats housed in the unit be declawed.

"The concept of declawing may sound simple, but the word itself is misleading. Declawing doesn’t just involve removing the cat’s claws -- it’s an invasive procedure that involves amputating the entire first digit of your cat's toes. In this week's video, Dr. Sarah Wooten, DVM, CVJ, explains exactly how declawing surgery works and how it can affect your cat -- both in the immediate aftermath and later in life. She also explores the subject of unwanted scratching and discusses humane methods for redirecting this behavior without subjecting your cat to a physically and mentally traumatic surgery."

DEAR DR. FOX: Just this week, I came across this quote on a bookmark from the National Parks Conservation Association next to a photo of a wolf: "If all the beasts were gone, men would die from a great loneliness of spirit. For whatever happens to the beasts, soon happens to man. All things are connected." -- Chief Seattle, Suquamish and Duwamish chief

If you have not seen it, I could mail you the bookmark. -- Rabbi Robert Rubin, Brick, New Jersey

DEAR RABBI RUBIN: Many thanks for sending me this famous quotation, which I have on a poster in our home. It is actually a sympathetic statement attributed to Chief Seattle, but which he never wrote or spoke! The myth of Seattle’s speech has been so pervasive that the Washington State Library issued a pamphlet in 1993 stating the facts: "The most important fact to note is that there is no verbatim transcript in existence," wrote State Librarian Nancy Zussy. "All known texts are secondhand."

One Anishinaabe statement I especially appreciate is from movie star Dan George, chief of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation, who famously observed: "One thing to remember is to talk to the animals. If you do, they will talk back to you. But if you don't talk to the animals, they won't talk back to you; then you won't understand, and when you don't understand, you will fear; and when you fear, you will destroy the animals; and if you destroy the animals, you will destroy yourself."

(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 DrFoxOneHealth.com.)

DEAR DR. FOX: I think many of your readers and attending veterinarians seeking to reduce their use of antibiotics and so-called special prescription diets could benefit from Microbiome Restorative Therapy and additional supportive treatments.

The microbiome and the lymphatics located there form a crucial part of the immune system. It is important for pet owners to know how to nurture and care for this system of gastrointestinal flora and other microbes. The microbiome communicates with the brain via the vagus nerve and therefore influences the rest of the body. We are identifying the gut as a "second brain" because of all the ways it can affect other organs. Gut bacteria can also trigger the release of cytokines -- small proteins that can either increase or reduce levels of inflammation, which directly affect the brain.

One can "reboot" the gut of an ill animal with the healthy, balanced microbiome of a vibrant animal donor. In 2012 at MASH Main Street Animal Services of Hopkinton, Massachusetts, we did the first fecal transplant for a very sick standard poodle. It turned the dog’s life around. Since then, we have continued to do what we call MicroBiome Restorative Therapy (MBRT) and have now performed over 20,000 treatments.

The key to this treatment's success is the quality of the donor animal. The donor animal itself -- as well as its previous generations -- should have been naturally birthed; should be protected from herbicides, pesticides, preservatives, indoor and outdoor chemicals; and should not have been treated with antibiotics or other drugs that can damage the flora that live in the gut. The microbiome is passed from mother to baby, and if past generations have been on antibiotics and other drugs, those lost microbes may never be passed to the next generation.

What conditions could MBRT help? Here are a few: gastrointestinal abnormalities, chronic diarrhea, hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, irritable bowel, dysbiosis, kidney and liver inflammation, skin and food allergies, infections both viral and bacterial (such as parvovirus, some coronaviruses and MRSA), autoimmune disease, certain cancers and even behavioral issues.

The behavioral changes after the introduction of a microbiome from a happy, well-balanced dog can be shocking. Aggressive and anxious dogs given a balanced microbiome often become happier and less aggressive. When their microbiome is disrupted with heartworm and flea medications, pesticides, glyphosate, chlorine, fluoride and antibiotics, however, an acute reversal can happen and they can return to their difficult behaviors.

For more detailed information about this procedure, and to find veterinarians who perform it, your readers can visit microbiomerestorativetherapy.com. Note: I have also done MBRT on some cats, but I have a limited source of feline donors that meet my safety criteria. -- Margo Roman, DVM, CVA, COT, CPT; Hopkinton, Massachusetts

DEAR DR. ROMAN: I greatly appreciate your synopsis of your treatment protocol employing healthy microbiome restoration, which is also being more widely applied to humans. You are one of the pioneers in this field, echoing the ancient tradition of bolus-transfer in ailing calves and lambs of their mothers’ regurgitated cud, which provided them with healthy rumen microorganisms.

Rabbits naturally engage in refection: eating a fresh batch of feces to get more nutrients and possibly beneficial gut bacteria. Dogs engaging in coprophagia (eating their own stools or that of others, including deer, rabbits and humans) or in pica (eating soil and other materials), may be following a similar path, seeking gut microbiome restoration. But there are risks of ingesting harmful organisms, including parasites. Highly processed, heat-sterilized pet foods could be part of the problem of gut microbiome depletion and imbalance, and even make dogs more prone to bacterial infections from contaminated dog food.

I am glad to see that the American Animal Hospital Association's and American Association of Feline Practitioners' joint guidelines on antimicrobial stewardship -- the misuse of which has many harmful consequences, including dysbiosis with debilitating chronic diarrhea in dogs and cats -- include recommendations for diagnostic testing of antibiotic sensitivity; watchful waiting to see if patients can clear up themselves without antimicrobials; and use of alternatives to oral antimicrobials such as bathing, sprays or ointments.

However, this approach is challenging for some conditions, such as pneumonia, septicemia and bacterial cystitis. I think this is where basic MBRT treatments would be most appropriate, after judicious oral or intravenous antimicrobial treatments, to help repair animals' immune systems. This should be coupled with prescribed, biologically appropriate diets with minimally processed ingredients -- ideally organically certified.

I am concerned that some oral probiotic treatments are of limited value because the bacteria are destroyed by stomach acids. How do you prevent that in your treatment?

DR. ROMAN RESPONDS: We do double- and triple-walled capsules to get the fecal bacteria into the small intestines. Yes, acid will kill some, but some will survive and be an important part of the microflora of the stomach.

DR. FOX RESPONDS: Thank you. Readers, see below for information about a related product that may be of interest.

IN-HOME MICROBIOME TESTING KIT FOR DOGS

AnimalBiome has partnered with dog DNA-testing company Embark to create the Embark Gut Health Test, powered by AnimalBiome ($89, embarkvet.com). From the manufacturer: "This at-home test detects bacterial imbalances and provides actionable insights for personalized diet, supplement or lifestyle changes to improve your dog’s health."

(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 DrFoxOneHealth.com.)