My Pet World: Picking Up After Your Dog is the Healthy Thing to Do

Q: As a meter reader for the power company, I can tell you that people don't pick up their dog poop in summer, either (you've written about people not picking up in the winter). The stuff is just more visible this time of year. I bought a new car but kept my old one (with 283,000 miles) just so I wouldn't get dog poop in the new car. Happiness to a meter reader is frozen poop! Please ask readers to pick up after their dogs year-round for the sake of those of us who work outdoors. -- A.K., Circle Pines, MN

Q: New York may not be the cleanest city on the planet. (As a postal carrier for 26 years, you name it, I've stepped in it.) But I'm especially sick and tired of stepping in dog poop. I love dogs but not the people who don't pick up after them. -- C.J., Bronx, NY

A: I'm impressed -- a car with over 280,000 miles still going strong and a postal carrier on the job in the Bronx for 26 years. And I agree with you that owners who don't pick up after their dogs are irresponsible.

What's more, dog poop can present potential health concerns to people and other pets, according to veterinary parisitologist Dr. Dwight Bowman, of Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, and president of the Companion Animal Parasite Council (www.petsandparasites.org). Concerns include roundworm, whipworm, Giardia, salmonella and camplobacteriosis.

My shoes have suffered similarly to yours, and probably that's the case for most people in urban areas. Aside from posting signs reminding dog owners of local ordinances to pick up, I find the best enforcement comes from conscientious dog owners offering a spare plastic bag to those in need -- shaming people into picking up after their pets.

By the way, I like the idea of using pooper-scoopers or recyclable bags (www.poopbags.com) instead of filling up landfills with conventional plastic bags.

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Q: You wrote about the recent FIP Symposium and news about this horrible disease that kills so many kittens. When will the event be available to be heard by those who could not attend? -- O.B., Montreal, Ontario, Canada

A: FIP or feline infectious peritonitis was the topic of the 33rd Annual Winn Feline Foundation Symposium June 23 in Reston, VA.

FIP has always been considered fatal. Sadly, this immune-mediated disease occurs mostly on kittens, and as many as 10 in 100 succumb. Finally, it was announced at the Symposium, there may be some hope for a treatment. A medication, called Polyprenyl Immunostimulant, may help cats with dry FIP (one of the two forms of FIP), as revealed by legendary researcher Dr. Al Legendre, of the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine. Another icon in veterinary medicine, Dr. Niels Pederson, director Center for Companion Animal Health at the University of California School of Veterinary Medicine-Davis, also explained what's currently known about FIP, and about his genetic research.

You can listen to both Legendre and Pedersen (free, at www.petworldradio.net.

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Q: Next week, we're driving from Florida to visit our kids and grandkids near Nashville. Buddy, our little Maltipoo, loves car rides, but we've never gone this far or stayed so long. My daughter has three cats, so Buddy will stay with us at a hotel. Any travel advice? -- H.S., Vero Beach, FL

A: It's safest to keep a small dog in a seat harness. Getting your pooch accustomed to the seat before the big trip is best. Of course, make sure you stop for lots of puppy potty breaks. You'll just have to suffer with fast food from drive-up eateries, or restaurants with outdoor dining that welcomes canines to avoid leaving Buddy alone in a hot car. Every summer, dogs across the country die of heat stroke in cars (even with windows cracked open), or are stolen from vehicles.

I'm guessing your road trip will last two days. If so, book dog-friendly accommodations in advance. The same goes for your hotel in Tennessee.

Contact your vet weeks before departing. Make sure all of Buddy's vaccines are up to date. Tell the vet where you're headed, in case flea or tick products should be adjusted for that region. Geography matters. For example, the canine influenza virus may be a concern in some places but not others. No matter what your destination, a heartworm preventative is necessary.

Be sure Buddy is wearing ID tags with up-to-date contact info and has been microchipped. Be sure you're registered with the microchip provider using current contact info.

Bring along toys and bedding with Buddy's scent. If your dog is crate-trained, it's best (for the benefit of housekeeping staff) for Buddy to be inside the crate when you're not in your hotel room.

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Q: Our 6-year-old tabby likes licking Vaseline off my finger at night before I go to bed. I've heard that Vaseline helps cats expel hairballs. But our cat doesn't have hairballs. Will the Vaseline harm him? -- C.S., Wichita, KS

A: Feline veterinarian Dr. Drew Weigner, of Atlanta, Ga., says, "I don't know why cats like Petroleum jelly (or Vaseline) but they do, and it helps kitties to pass hairballs in their stool." You'd need a heck of a lot of Vaseline to harm your cat; a nightly bedtime Vaseline snack isn't a concern.

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Steve Dale welcomes questions/comments from readers. Although he can't answer all of them individually, he'll answer those of general interest in his column. Write to Steve at Tribune Media Services, 2225 Kenmore Ave., Suite 114, Buffalo, NY 14207. Send e-mail to PETWORLD(at)STEVE DALE.TV. Include your name, city and state. Steve's website is www.stevedalepetworld.com; he also hosts the nationally syndicated "Steve Dale's Pet World" and "The Pet Minute." He's also a contributing editor to USA Weekend.