My Pet World: When a cat won't poop in the litterbox anymore
Dear Cathy,
Do you have any information on area shelters where you can adopt pets? Originally, I was looking for a sheltie dog, but I am expanding my preference, and just looking for other shelters where I can adopt. -- Char F., Franklin Park, IL
Dear Char,
You can search several animal shelters and rescue groups all at one time on Petfinder.com. Enter your ZIP code and the type of dog you want based on size of dog, age, and even whether they are housetrained or not. You can indicate how far you are willing to travel to adopt a dog -- within 10 miles or anywhere in the country. Once you provide the search criteria, scroll through the online gallery of pets available for adoption. It might be an easier way to find your next canine companion.
Dear Cathy,
I have an 11-year-old Maltese. He'll be 12 in February. For the last two years, we've noticed that whenever people come over, he gets extremely anxious and whines throughout their entire visit. He humps his toys. He licks his privates. I've read that as dogs get older they become more anxious. I've tried an anxiety shirt. It doesn't work. -- Monica K., Deer Park, NY
Dear Monica,
Some dogs do get more anxious as they get older, which is why there are so many "behavioral health products" on the market now. Some of these products are available as daily supplements through veterinarians; some are available in treat form over the counter and online.
Many of these products contain "theanine," an amino acid that has been shown to impact mood and reduce anxiety in dogs. Try an over the counter product, and if it doesn't reduce your dog's anxiety, talk to your veterinarian about one of the daily behavioral health products they carry.
========
(Cathy M. Rosenthal is a longtime animal advocate, author, columnist and pet expert who has more than 25 years in the animal welfare field. Send your pet questions, stories and tips to cathy@petpundit.com. Please include your name, city, and state. You can follow her @cathymrosenthal.)
(c) 2017 DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.
