All posts by Dr. Marty Becker

Talley in her crib

Help a frightened shelter cat today

Rescue,

When I look at our beloved cat, Talley, who we adopted last year, all I can think of is how glad we are that she’s escapted the fate of  too many other homeless kittens and cats. Talley’s little life, and the lives of littermates, were saved!

Unfortunately, for the less fortunate cats, animal shelters can be tough places. Because cats are very sensitive to stress and crowding, they often get sick when they’re in a shelter, and that means many of them are euthanized instead of adopted. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

My good friend Dr. Kate Hurley is a member of the Fear Free Advisory Group as well as Director of the UC Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Program. She recently was awarded $10,000 by Maddie’s Fund to honor her heroic efforts on behalf of cats. And of course, she immediately turned around and used the money to … what else? … help more cats. Teresa and I are hoping you’ll join us in helping her help even more.

Dr. Hurley has been studying how to help cats for decades, and she found that when animal shelters add a tiny door called a portal between two cat cages, not only do they immediately see fewer sick cats in the shelter, but adoption go up and the shelter saves money!

Amazingly, that means that, over the course of a year, the shelter can save more cats despite having cut its capacity at any single moment in half!

Inspired by this incredible information, Dr. Hurley put out the word to the shelter community that she wanted to hear from them about why they wanted and needed portals, with the thought that she’d send portals to those with the most compelling stories.

The problem she faced is that she got so many incredible stories, she doesn’t want to turn any of them down. But to do that, she needs more than the $10,000 she has. She needs exactly $7,584 more.

Will you show the world what true animal lovers can do?

Will you donate $25 or more to help buy portals for shelter cats?

You can learn more, see photos, and donate on her dedicated GoFundMe page.

And when you’re done, please help spread the word! Even if she beats her goal — and we think she will, thanks to you — there willl always be more shelter cats who could use a little more room, and a better chance at health, happiness, and home!

We thank you from the bottom of our hearts (and so does Talley!).

 

Lab lying down

The mystery behind this dog’s sudden behavior change

Pet Connection, Veterinary Medicine

What would you think if your senior dog suddenly started lying across your bedroom door every night — something he has literally never done before? Here’s what I told a reader whose dog is doing exactly that.

Q: My dog never goes anywhere but the living room and kitchen. He’s a senior and has arthritis in the hips, so he doesn’t move much, but lately, every morning he is lying in my bedroom doorway. It unnerves me because I know dogs sometimes know when someone has health problems. He didn’t used to do that. Any ideas?

A: You are right that dogs (and cats) seem to have a sixth sense about human illnesses. Among other things, they can sniff out cancer, alert people to oncoming epileptic seizures, and tell when a person’s blood sugar is too low or too high. Those amazing diagnostic skills are likely related to their sensitivity to changes in odor as well as to their 24/7 observations of us. Dogs and cats have keen senses of smell, which may enable them to notice subtle changes in body odor or breath that may be caused by disease.

And pets notice everything about us. Even if we have an underlying disease that isn’t causing obvious symptoms, it may have made enough of a change in us that our pets pick up on it.

In your case, though, I’m guessing that your aging dog simply has a greater need for your companionship. As animals get older and undergo physical changes that may make them feel less steady, they may take comfort from our presence. Your dog may have a desire to be closer to you at night so he moves to the doorway where he likely has a better shot at hearing and smelling you as you sleep.

Any time your dog has a behavior change, it’s a good idea to take him to the veterinarian for a checkup. If he has pain or the beginnings of dementia, your veterinarian can prescribe medication to help.

Read more, including about physical rehabilitation for injured cats, in this week’s Pet Connection!

Fear Free Friday deal: VetSmart Formulas Advanced Hip + Joint Complex

Fear Free, Great Pet Products

Are you worried about your dog and arthritis? Have you been wanting to try a green-lipped mussel/Omega-3 supplement, to see if it helps?

On Friday, March 2, 2018, for 24 hours only, Fear Free Happy Homes members can get 50 percent off any order of VetSmart Formulas Advanced Hip + Joint Complex as our Fear Free Friday deal. Membership is free!

Here’s what VetSmart has to say about this supplement:

Made for your dog’s healthy joints and mobility, the Advanced Hip + Joint Complex contains a unique all-natural ingredient — Green-Lipped Mussel — found in the clean waters of New Zealand. Omega-3 Fatty Acids are essential nutrients that deliver many benefits to both humans and pets, including anti-inflammatory and joint-protecting properties. Research has proven that Green-Lipped Mussels contain more than 30 different fatty acids working synergistically to reduce inflammation 100 times better than traditional omegas and fish oils.

This product is made in the USA and has a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Find our more on the Fear Free Happy Homes website!

Feeding two cats who need different diets

Pet Connection, Veterinary Medicine,

What do you do when you have multiple cats, one of whom needs a special diet? One suggestion is not to free-feed your cats, but use food puzzles and hunting feeders. Here are a couple of other tips I had for a reader – as well as some unsolicited advice!

Q: I’ve had two senior cats who eat a dry renal diet prescribed by their veterinarian. I’m a flight attendant, so the food is available for them all the time, plus I have a big water fountain. Recently, one of them died, and I’d like to get the other a younger companion. But how would I separate the food? Is it bad for the younger cat to have a renal diet, supplemented with regular wet food when I am home?

A: I’m so sorry to hear of your loss. It’s never easy to say goodbye.

Regarding your question, your veterinarian is the best person to advise you about whether your proposed feeding plan will be all right for a new cat.

You could also ask about a new product I saw recently at the VMX veterinary conference in Orlando. The PortionPro RX, available only from veterinarians, ensures that each pet in a household receives only his designated amount and type of food. Eric Schreiber at Vet Innovations says the product controls portions and access using RFID technology to pair a pet with the feeder and allow access to the food while denying access to other pets. “If they approach, the door to the feeder will close, preventing them from stealing that food,” he says. “We have a small tag that’s worn by the pets that puts out a signal, and the signal is read by the feeder as either being allowed to eat from this feeder or denied.”

I’d also like to suggest that your cat may be at an age where she prefers to live a single life. My colleague Tony Buffington, DVM, says the behavior of survivor cats often changes with the loss of a roommate, and some do not do well with newly introduced cats.

Read more, including how to teach puppies not to jump, in this week’s Pet Connection!

Indy

Meet my new Grand-dog, Indiana Bones!

This and That

Our family has been dwindling as we’ve lost several beloved dogs in the last year. But now the extended Becker animal clan is growing again… welcome our new Grand-dog, Indiana Bones, who has joined our daughter, Mikkel’s, family!

Indy is a precious little guy, and has Mikkel’s whole family wrapped around his paw — even our Grand-Pug, Willy. Mikkel says our son-in-law, Ben, is “smitten by him.” And of course, our Granddaughter, Reagan, adores him.

Mikkel reports that Indy slept through his first night right next to Willy, and didn’t make a peep. She said this, which I love:

I put Indy in his crate momentarily while I grabbed better rain boots for our frequent potty breaks outside. When I came back in Indy had been whining a little, since it had been us just hanging out and playing for hours.

Indy and ReaganWilly was sitting right by his bed next to him. and sat there the entire time so I could run up and grab more supplies. Willy comforted him so well that Indy was happy and settled as long as his big brother was there.

Willy has been showing Indy the ropes about where to potty, too, and has been very patient and tells him nicely he needs space when Indy tries to chomp his little piranha teeth into him to play. I’ve been watching is to make sure Willy feels lots of love and support, too. He gets treated or praised anytime he is being calm and patient with the energetic little puppy. He seems to like him and almost immediately tried to play with him.

I’m so proud of Willy for being such a great role model and friend to his new little brother.