Community ClicksDear Dr. Fox,
I have a rescued cat who is approximately 10 months old.
I noticed a little swelling on his lower lip. I took him to the vet, and she suggested switching from plastic bowls to china and prescribed Clavamox Drops.
The condition seemed to disappear, and all seemed well until a few days ago when the swelling reappeared. Then I saw your article on problems relating to pet food with flip-top can liners.
I changed his diet from Friskies to Whiskas pouches. The swelling is not so visible now.I’m wondering if I should give him only dry food. He is on Royal Canin Green Peas and Rabbit formula.
– J.B., Mantoloking, N.J.
Dear J.B.,
Some cats get swollen lips that can develop into “rodent ulcers” when they drink and eat from plastic bowls.
But some cats develop this abnormal cellular reaction in and around the lips and chin because they are allergic or hypersensitive to ingredients in their drinking water (fluoride, chlorine and other chemicals in municipal tap water) and ingredients in their food that could be fish, eggs or other protein.
Corn is a major feline allergen.
Avoid all cereal-filled cat foods.
I would never feed a cat manufactured moist or semi-moist cat food that comes in a plastic bag.
Check my Web site for a list of cat foods that I recommend or go to the Feline Nutrition Education Society’s Web site, www.fnes.org.
Canned and dry cat foods, some organically certified (also for dogs) are available in health stores and include Karma, PetGuard, Wellness and Castor & Pollux.
Try distilled water for your cat.
Diet and probiotics combat colitis
Dear Dr. Fox,
I have a 3-year-old female chow mix whom I got from an animal shelter when she was 1 year old.
She has a chronic colitis condition. As a result, my veterinarian put her on prescription dog food (Iams) and a probiotic (Proviable capsules) that she takes once a day. If she experiences a diarrhea attack, she gets Proviable-DC paste. Since she has been on the Proviable for more than a year, she seems to have developed a tolerance to the paste. I find that when she gets diarrhea, the paste doesn’t work as well as it used to. After she has finished the paste and still has the problem, I give Iams Prostora Max, which does take care of the problem. The probiotic is a one-week regimen. During this time, she doesnt get the Proviable. Before Proviable, I would give her Imodium when she had an attack. This never worked well.
Do you have a suggestion?
A.R., Gaithersburg, Md.
Dear A.R.,
Inflammatory, irritable bowel syndrome, colitis and other digestive-tract disorders are all too common in dogs, cats and humans.
The are many causes, notably the high-gluten content of most manufactured foods; the high-temperature food processing that causes a loss of nutrients; low- or poor-quality fiber content essential for intestinal health; and the health of beneficial gut bacteria.
Herbicide residues and foreign proteins, especially from genetically engineered corn and soy ingredients, may harm these bacteria, which play a vital role in food digestion and immune-system functions.
There are other sources of probiotics (capsules or pills), containing beneficial bacteria that you should try along with so-called “prebiotics,” such as chicory and inulin (not insulin), which provide nutrients for these bacteria.
Supplements such as aloe-vera juice, psyllium husks, ginger (in mild cases), licorice, fish oil and L-glutamine may also prove beneficial.
Transitioning onto a home-prepared diet based on a single animal protein (duck, venison, fish) with potato or quinoa may be advisable, coupled with multimineral supplements. (See my Web site for listings of pet-food companies that provide good diets for both dogs and cats.) Making walking your pet easier
Dear Dr. Fox,
How can I make walking easier and more enjoyable for both of us?
K.S., Fargo, N.D.
Dear K.S.,
Your dog lacks self-control (or internal inhibition), a problem that is partly genetic, but also most probably due to her being raised indulgently, over-permissively and with no boundaries being set early in life.
I see her as a “delinquent” who may benefit from “cradling” therapy (gentle, repeated restraint in a trainer’s arms) that should have been part of her puppy-rearing regimen.
I describe this technique in my book Dog Body, Dog Mind.
A similar therapy was developed by psychotherapists several years ago in Canada to effectively help adolescents develop trust and self-control.
