So where should you buy a dog? The absolute worst place, it turns out, is a pet store.

An HBO documentary, Madonna of the Mills, exposes the fact that virtually all pet store puppies are raised in puppy mills in horrible conditions, in wire pens no bigger than a dishwasher, and the puppies are sickly with parasites and other serious issues.

In my previous posts, I talked about my experiences with Alison my shelter dog, and Tessie, my Golden Retriever that came from a high-quality breeder and about the economics of buying and owning a puppy.  Today, as part of a continuing series, I present an interview with Andrew Nibley, a CEO who took off a year and a half to make this documentary about the dirty secret of the pet industry. If you want to make sure you don’t miss future installments of this series, including an interview with training guru Ian Dunbar, please consider following me on Twitter or Facebook.

Here’s the trailer for Madonna of the Mills.

The documentary, which can be found on HBOGo.com, takes a rigorously journalistic view of this complex problem. (Nibley used to be an editor at Reuters.) It also balances an unflinching depiction of the problem with moments of hope provided by the dogs that have been rescued from the mills and the woman who rescued them. It’s an uplifting, deeply personal story that’s well worth the $15 and an hour of your time. Here’s my interview with director Andrew Nibley.

Allen St. John: What’s the solution to the puppy mill problem?

Andrew Nibley: Puppy mills will continue to exist as long as people buy puppy mill puppies. 99 percent of all puppies in pet stores come from puppy mills. So if people stop buying from pet stores, if people stop buying over the internet, puppy mills will dry up. It’s a question of supply and demand. If there’s no demand for these dogs, farmers will go back to growing crops or doing something else for a living.

And pet stores will go back to doing what they should be doing—selling leashes, bowls, toys, and puppy chow—and not actually selling the animals themselves. It’s pretty straightforward.

ASJ: Some states like Missouri have tried to legislate the conditions in puppy mills.

AN: I think it’s very, very hard to regulate. There have been a lot of legislative attempts, but they make small improvements and they’re almost glacial in the way they’re taking hold. You have states that say that every animal has to have an exercise plan. But there isn’t any enforcement on the back end.  Or there’ll be something that says they can’t have wire flooring—that’s an improvement, but if they don’t clean the cages anyway, you’re not getting at the problem.

And frankly, I think animals should have more room to move around in than something the size of a dishwasher. USDA regulations say that the animal has to have seven inches in front of its nose and seven inches over its head and that’s not a lot of room. The farmers think of these puppies as a cash crop the same way they’d look at soybeans or corn or spinach.

ASJ: But I guess there’s another side of this, too, that the puppies from the mills are often dangerously sick when you take them home and prone to all kinds of life-threatening problems early in life.

AN: Let’s leave aside the question of whether or not you want to support puppy mills which are, in my opinion, concentration camps for the parents of pet store puppies, and just look at what you’re buying as a consumer when you buy a dog from a pet store or over the internet.

You’re getting a dog that cost $1,000 to $2,000 that cost the farmer $50 to $75 to raise. There’s 100 percent chance that puppy is going to have parasites or some kind of disease. There’s almost a 50 percent chance that  dog is going to die or have a serious illness within the first year.

So you’re buying a defective product at over-inflated prices, even if you don’t care about what happens to that puppy’s parents, it’s a bad, bad deal for the consumer.

ASJ: How can you tell when an Internet breeder is really a puppy mill?

AN: When you talk to a breeder, you should say “Can I see this puppy’s parents?” If it’s a puppy mill they won’t be able to produce the parents.

If they say they’re going to fly the dog to you, there’s a pretty good chance it’s a puppy mill. Most breeders love the animals so much they will actually fly with the animal to make sure that the owners are legit. In some places it’s as hard to adopt a dog [from a quality breeder] as it is a kid. “Do you have a big enough back yard? Do you have other animals? Did you have animals in the past?” These breeders love these dogs.

ASJ: And puppy mills are really preying on our attachment to our dogs.

AN: It’s an emotional purchase. As the vet says in the movie, it’s not a washing machine or a car or a refrigerator that you can take back. You bought the puppy because you had an emotional attachment when you first met it. When you find out its sick, the last thing you want to do is take it back, you want to help it.

And that’s how people get trapped. In a pet store, you walk by and see cute, adorable puppies but you have no idea where they came from and what’s happening to their parents. That’s really why we made the movie, is to wake people up.

ASJ: Is the problem that people don’t see the connection between the pet store puppy and the horrible conditions in which it was raised?

AN: I think if you ask, 90 percent of people would say they’re against puppy mills, and then you ask them where they got their pet, they say “Oh, we got him at the pet store.” We tried to make that connection between puppy mills and pet stores and how it’s part of a multi-billion dollar business in the U.S.

ASJ: How big is the puppy mill industry?

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Where *Not* to Buy a Dog: The Pet Store Connection to the Horrors of Puppy Mills

dogdishdiet.com Dr. Greg explains how to cook homemade dog food for those dogs affected by allergies to ingredients in commercial foods, or for those dogs that are obese. His book Dog Dish Diet explains what pet owners can do to feed their dogs healthful ingredients. …

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Dr. Greg on Cooking Homemade Dog food

A dog owner has warned others to be careful after his beloved pet was killed by a Staffordshire Bull Terrier while out walking in Woodbridge

A CONCERNED dog owner has warned others to be careful after his own pet was mauled by a Staffordshire Bull Terrier.

Barry Leach and his partner Stephanie Simpkin were enjoying a walk along the River Deben when their 14-and-a-half-year Lhasa Apso, Eric, was killed.

They were heading from the Tide Mill to The Riverside Tea Room when their beloved pet was attacked close to the rowing club, near to other dog walkers and families with toddlers.

Mr Leach, who lives in Woodbridge, was prompted to get in touch with the EADT after reading about a similar attack by a Staffordshire Bull Terrier in Beccles.

The 62-year-old said: “I just think other dog owners should be made aware that this type of thing is quite common. For us it all happened so quickly, there was nothing that we could do.

“Eric was an elderly dog with cataracts and had just had his teeth removed. He loved socialising with the many friendly dogs being walked along the path. He approached the Staffordshire wagging his tail to be sociable, but without warning it leapt on him, sinking it’s jaws into his neck.

“Despite the person looking after the dog picking it up, the Staffordshire did not release its jaws until it had ensured fatal injury. The incident happened at the tail end of last year and we are still in shock. It was an awful thing to have to witness.”

Mr Leach said the owner of the dog has since accepted a voluntary caution and praised the local dog warden and police officer for the way they handled the situation. However, he did say he thought the current law was too complex and should be simplified, while warning others to take extra care.

“The dog warden explained that the number of incidents locally is increasing and there’s a disproportionate percentage of Staffies involved,” he said. “As a result I just thought if I could raise a bit of awareness it might help others avoid a similar attack – either on their own dog or child.”

A spokeswoman for Suffolk police said every case was judged individually. “Under the Dangerous Dogs Act it is illegal for any breed of dog to be out of control in a public place,” she said. “If the animal in question is acting in such a way that someone thinks that they will be attacked an offence is being committed and if a human is hurt there is a specific offence of a dangerous dog causing injury in a public place. However the legislation does not specifically cover attacks on other pet animals.

“When cases are reported to police they are dealt with on an individual basis to see whether the owner of the other animal can be traced and spoken to, if there are any offences that may be relevant or if another agency may be able to assist.

“Depending on the circumstances, there may be very little police can do within the powers available to them, however the owner of the injured animal may also have the option of taking civil action against the offending dog owner.”

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Woodbridge: Dog owner warns others to be careful after his beloved pet is mauled to death

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A happy dog’s sad story won the Cumberland Valley Animal Shelter
a $5,000 shipment of pet food and cat litter from Pet Food
Direct.

Volunteers, shelter staff and Pet Food Direct staff members
unloaded the goodies from a rental truck Friday at the new shelter
building on Letterkenny Road near the Letterkenny Army Depot.

Jennifer Vanderau, the director of communications for the
shelter, said there wasn’t enough storage space at the existing
shelter to store the food. The shipment included bagged dry food,
canned cat food, treats and cat litter.

Lance, the hero of the day, was wandering around the parking lot
on a leash, enjoying the day. He looks much different than when he
arrived at the shelter and ended up being fostered, said Jamie
Kasarda, a former CVAS worker.

His coat was thin and wispy then, he had fleas and worms, and he
was so sick Kasarda didn’t think he’d live. She estimated Lance was
about 10 years old when she took him home. Shelter workers think
he’s a mixture of shih tzu and pug.

Once he had basic medical care and was neutered, Kasarda began
feeding him up.

“It was apparent he was healthy,” she said, and she revised her
expectations for his survival. “He was fitting in so well with our
other pets I decided he was meant to be” a part of the family.

Handicapped

While Lance may love his new family, he’s never seen any of
them. He’s blind. He’s also missing many of his teeth.

A veterinarian speculated that some trauma led to the dog’s eyes
being removed, since there are suture marks in the eye areas.
There’s no way of knowing whether the problem with Lance was abuse,
an eye infection or the result of an accident.

He runs around the house and goes up and down stairs. He
memorized the house quickly when he moved in, Kasarda said, and now
he even jumps on the furniture. He’s about 12-and-a-half years
old.

“He uses his ears and his nose,” she said.

In the beginning, she called the dog Magoo, for Mr. Magoo, the
short-sighted cartoon character. But her husband, who was watching
the Tour de France on television at the time, thought Magoo didn’t
reflect the brave heart he thought the dog had. So Lance was named
after competitive bicyclist Lance Armstrong.

“He’s very courageous,” Kasarda said. “He’s inspired us more
than we’ve inspired him.”

Lance gets along well with the whole family, including Grace,
who will be 2 in April.

“He’s a wonderful pet for us,” Kasarda said.

The contest

Lance’s story is well known around the Cumberland Valley Animal
Shelter. When Tish Krotzer received an email from Pet Food Direct
about a contest they were having, she thought of him.

The contest asked for people to submit inspiring pet stories.
The stories were screened and the 10 most inspiring went up on the
business’s Facebook page for people to vote on. Lance’s story
won.

No one was more surprised than Krotzer, the volunteer
coordinator for the shelter. Even though she entered the contest on
behalf of the shelter, she never expected to win.

“A lot of the other animals had wonderful stories and were so
inspiring,” Krotzer said.

Kelly Lange, who manages public relations and social media
marketing for Pet Food Direct, said Lance’s photo is still on the
Facebook page for the company.

The contest was called “Feeding Fido and Friends.” A tab on the
Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/petfooddirect shows the
other finalists. Another Pet Food Direct employee, Joe Nichols,
helped with the shipment. He’s originally from the Chambersburg
area.

The pet food for cats will be especially welcome in April, when
kitten season begins. Cats can produce multiple litters during the
year, Vanderau said, although the peak time for kitten births seems
to be around July, based on the shelter population.

The shelter

Cumberland Valley Animal Shelter serves municipalities in the
western end of Cumberland County and many in Franklin County.

Currently, the shelter population has about 30 dogs and more
than 60 cats. There’s also a bird in residence, plus a few rabbits
and ferrets.

In a report distributed by Linda Asper, a shelter volunteer and
the Shippensburg Township secretary, the total number of animals
taken in by the shelter was 2,063 in 2011. At the Shippensburg
Township meeting in early February, she said support from the
townships was important to keep the shelter operating.

Some of the animals arrived from Dauphin and Perry counties,
because the shelter had a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of
Agriculture that obligated the shelter to accept dogs from farther
away.

The shelter has not renewed the grant because of the
difficulties with picking up animals from a distance. In addition,
Vanderau said, a person looking for their lost pet would have a
long trip to make to pick up the animal.

Animals came from as far away as Halifax and West Hanover in
Dauphin County, Elizabethville, and Newport and Marysville in Perry
County. Eight dogs came from the City of Harrisburg.

“We’re stretched enough as is,” Vanderau said. “We can’t
continue to take dogs from that far away.”

The grant helped fund the care of animals who were turned over
to the shelter without an intake payment from a municipality or
owner. The grant has ended.

When animals come into the shelter, donations and intake fees
help pay for the care the shelter provides. Some municipalities pay
per animal and some make a set donation per year, Vanderau
said.

In Cumberland County, seven animals came from Hopewell Township,
but the township did not make a donation to the shelter. Other
Cumberland County townships that did not provide funds to the
shelter but are listed as having been the point of origin of strays
are Lower Mifflin, one; North Newton, five; South Middleton, two
(these may have come in as part of the state grant programs); and
Upper Mifflin, two.

Shippensburg Township had 35 strays and donated $1,500 to the
shelter. The Borough of Shippensburg had 39 strays and provided
$1,750 to the shelter. Southampton (Cumberland) Township had 55
strays and donated $2,000, and Southampton (Franklin) Township had
106 strays and donated $3,000.

Greene Township, west of Shippensburg in Franklin County, turned
in 241 animals and paid $15,000 to the shelter. Chambersburg had
385 strays and paid $18,000. There were 28 animals from
Letterkenny, which paid $500. Another 50 animals came from Lurgan
Township, which does not donate to the shelter.

All told, municipalities provided $72,660 in funding to CVAS in
2011, Asper said.

New location

The shelter is in the process of relocating from its site near a
busy intermodal facility serving trains and trucks in Chambersburg.
The new building’s exterior is done, but inside it is a maze of
metal studs and taped-up signs identifying the future use of each
room.

Bill Gour, director of development for the shelter, said the
next project at the shelter is to get the reception area and
bathrooms completely finished so the building can receive an
occupancy permit. The permit is needed to meet deadlines in state
and federal grants. The shelter staff worked with officials to find
out exactly how much of the building needs to be completed to
obtain an occupancy permit, since the project is being done on a
pay-as-you-go basis.

EarthNet Energy will be installing pumps and controls to
regulate a water-heating system. The shelter will collect rainwater
in a 10,000-gallon underground tank. The water will be heated and
used for washing down the shelter.

A ramshackle outbuilding on the site received new masonry walls
built by Franklin County Career and Technology Center masonry
students. Dependable Roofing donated the roof, Gour said. Now that
the building is rehabilitated, the equipment can be installed.

Further building will be completed as funds are available. Gour
said the shelter originally needed $4.2 million. The remaining
amount that has to be raised is $1.4 million. Many gifts have been
in kind, as labor or materials for the building. And while there’s
been one $100,000 gift, most donations are smaller.

“We’ve seen a tremendous amount of support from this community.
This is a good community,” Gour said. “I’m never surprised when
good people do good things.”

For more information, go to www.cvas-pets.org or call the
shelter at 717-263-5791.

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The Humane Society of Louisiana is inviting schools, youth groups, nursing homes and other community groups to schedule a visit from its Pet Care educators. Under the Pet Care program, trained volunteers from the Humane Society visit community members to provide information on a variety of topics, including proper care, handling and housing of dogs and cats, as well as more uncommon pets such as birds, reptiles, hedgehogs and chickens.

Algiers resident Katrina Perkowska, the Humane Society’s pet education program director, said the hour-long educational sessions provide animal lovers with a wealth of information.

“We enjoy visiting schools and classrooms, and we always get a big response when we show the audience some of our more exotic animals and birds,” Perkowska said. “Many of our inner city kids don’t get to see many different types of animals, so this is a great way to expose them to new creatures, and help them to develop an appreciation and love for all animals from an early age.”

Along with Perkowska, seven other volunteers have completed Pet Care educator training with the Humane Society. They are: Caroline Norton, Katie Rose Hemphill, Henry Nuss, Jacque Post, David Redborn, Desiree Dabdoub and Sylvie Chizallet.

To schedule a visit from a Pet Care educator, call the Humane Society at 1.888.648.6263.

••••••••

The National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association will hold its national symposium March 13 through 17 at the Crowne Plaza in Baton Rouge.

The event will include more than 100 presentations and discussions, as well as exhibits and several limited enrollment hands-on experiments.

The Humane Society of Louisiana is seeking volunteers for the conference, as well as gift certificates, jewelry and animal-related products for its silent auction. For more information on how you can help, email stopcruelty11@gmail.com or call the Humane Society.

For more information about the conference, visit www.nwrawildlife.org.

••••••••

Volunteers are being sought for the Neighborhood Pet Watch Program, a new initiative of the Humane Society of Louisiana.

Inspired by other community crime prevention programs, the project recruits residents to serve as neighborhood captains to help identify pets in need of care or assistance, and report suspicious or criminal activity pertaining to animals. Periodic neighborhood walking tours and surveys also are a part of the duties of each neighborhood captain.

The Pet Watch Program kicked off at a meeting earlier this month at the Algiers home of Mollie McCoy, who has registered as one of the first neighborhood captains.

For more information, visit www.humanela.org or call the Humane Society.

••••••••

The Humane Society is in need of donations of pet food and supplies for qualified pet owners who need short-term support.

“We won’t mind donating a dog house or pet food if the family loves its dog, but is experiencing some economic difficulties,” said Jeff Dorson, Humane Society director. “At the same time, if the owner is criminally neglecting his or her animal, we plan to share the information with law enforcement agencies.”

Dorson said the Humane Society hopes to have an impact on the city’s animal abuse problems.

“Often, when we find evidence of animal cruelty, we will find similar evidence involving spousal, elderly or child abuse,” he said.

For more information, to volunteer or donate supplies, visit www.humanela.org or call the Humane Society.

••••••••

The Louisiana SPCA’s “Adoption Option” event will be held Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Clearview Mall in Metairie.

SPCA adoption counselors and volunteers will be on hand.

••••••••

The Jefferson Parish Shelter will hold its “Black & White Ball” adoption event March 3 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Jefferson Feed, 4421 Jefferson Highway, Jefferson.

Although pets of all colors will be available for adoption, animals with black and white coloring will be the stars of the event.

Adopted black and white feline stars will come with a free annual veterinary exam and vaccines. Canine lovers who adopt a pet also will receive a special gift.

••••••••

This year’s canine Pawdi Gras parade will take place Saturday near the new Plaquemines Animal Welfare Society headquarters, 455 F. Edward Hebert Blvd. in Belle Chasse.

Parade participants can check in from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. A costume and float contest will take place at 10:30 a.m., followed by the crowning of the king and queen before the parade rolls.

The 1950s theme is “Bark ’n Roll.” WWL-TV news anchor Angela Hill will serve as the celebrity grand marshal.

Proceeds from the event will benefit PAWS and its animals.

For more information, or to register, call 504.468.7069 or visit www.paws4life.org.

••••••••

The Mardi Paws parade and festivities on the Mandeville Lakefront is set for Feb. 26 at 2 p.m. Registration begins at 12:30 p.m. at the Mandeville Harbor.

The theme is “Bark in Time.”

Proceeds from the event will go to Have a Heart thru Art, Scott’s Wish and the St. Tammany Spay/Neuter Program.

In the event of rain, the parade will be rescheduled for March 4.

••••••••

Ann Nungesser is a Belle Chasse resident who writes about animal issues. She can be reached at 504.912.0926 or by sending an email to animaladviser@gmail.com.

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Get her talking about Old Man River’s teeth, and Denise Sproul’s voice trembles with emotion.

When the president and founder of Cascade Beagle Rescue rescued the neglected beagle from an Ohio shelter several months again, River’s teeth had rotted so badly, some had fallen out.

He could barely breathe because the resulting holes in his nasal passages were impacted with hay, grass and trash, and he was feverish from a massive infection. In the end, River had some 14 teeth pulled and endured about five hours of surgery at Dr. Jean Battig’s Animal Dental Clinic in Portland.

The sad part is that all River’s pain was preventable, says Sproul, whose nonprofit organization spent $5,000 to save the dog.

“I saw him almost die,” she says, her voice catching. “Nobody cared enough to just brush his teeth.”

River’s case is extreme, but it’s a good example of what can happen when pets don’t get proper dental care.

By age three, about 80 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats have periodontal, or gum disease, according to the American Veterinary Dental Society.

But while oral disease is among the most common health issue in dogs and cats, it’s also among the most underappreciated, says Tom McPheron, a spokesman for the American Veterinary Medical Association.

That’s why the AVMA and a handful of other national veterinary organizations are sponsoring Pet Dental Health Month throughout the month of February.

The biggest culprit in periodontal disease is plaque, a colorless film consisting of bacteria, which hardens into tartar, says Battig, a board-certified veterinary dental specialist.

The tartar creeps underneath the gum line and traps bacteria against the sensitive gum tissue.

An infection can develop and enter the bloodstream, which can compromise the kidney, heart and liver. The consequences may not reveal themselves for months or even years later, but the end results can shorten your pet’s life, says Dr. Courtney Anders, a veterinarian at Pearl Animal Hospital who has a special interest in veterinary dentistry.

While all breeds are susceptible to periodontal problems, some are more prone than others.

Most of the toy breeds don’t shed their baby teeth, and they’re more likely to suffer from crowding and resulting periodontal problems, says Dr. Don Scarpinatto of Best Care Animal Hospital in Beaverton.

Bigger dogs with more space between their teeth are more prone to fracturing teeth from chewing on bones, Battig says.

If your pet suffers from a tooth problem, you might not even know it.

“You might think the first thing they do is stop eating, but that’s actually the last thing they do,” Battig says.

Eating is a survival instinct, so an animal will continue to eat food despite discomfort, she says.

If your dog’s breath smells particularly stinky – worse than the usual “doggie breath” – that’s a big indicator that something’s not right.

The odor is the result of gases produced by anaerobic bacteria, which increase when there’s an infection under the gum.

The biggest indicator is lack of energy.

But because there are so few signs of a dental health problem, many veterinarians – as well as the American Veterinary Dental College – say the safest way to conduct a complete oral evaluation is to put the pet under general anesthesia. According to the AVDC’s website, the risk of chronic oral infection is much greater than the risk of an anesthesia-related complication.

Cleaning without anesthesia is
what Battig calls “tooth grooming” and achieves mainly
cosmetic results, she says.

Small dogs and cats should have their first annual professional cleaning by age 1½ to 2 years, and large dogs should have their first one by age 3 or 3 ½, Anders says.

It’s difficult to estimate the cost of anesthesia because prices range so much for each patient. But as Scarpinatto points out, “It’s better to spend a couple hundred dollars to maintain all the teeth than spend thousands of dollars trying to save one tooth.”

Aside from the professional cleaning, you should also be providing regular home care.

Battig suggests gradually getting Fido used to letting you run your finger down the side of his teeth. Start with the front canine teeth, and within a few weeks, move to the back teeth.

You can use a soft-bristled child’s brush for dogs, but you should use a canine-specific toothpaste, Anders says; the fluoride in human toothpaste is toxic.

“The thing people don’t understand about brushing a dog’s teeth is, once you get them used to it, it’s a really quick procedure,” says Salem resident Shawn Wilton.

Wilton brushes his two Chihuahuas’ teeth each night. He divides the mouth into four quadrants and spends only five to 10 seconds on each section.

It was thanks to this evening routine with his two Chihuahuas that Wilton recently noticed one of his dog’s pre-molars was badly chipped.

When it comes to brushing a cat’s teeth, Anders suggests wrapping first-aid gauze around your finger, rather than a toothbrush. It’s easier than using a toothbrush and still effectively wipes off plaque.

But if that’s just not an option, you can try special chews, diets geared toward removing plaque or water additives (Anders isn’t a fan of the latter, since they don’t have much contact with teeth).

Kongs or rawhide chews are good for dogs, but make sure the chew toy you buy is appropriate for teeth. Some chews are too hard and can actually fracture a dog’s tooth – an injury requiring either a root canal or extraction, Anders says.

There are so many products out there that it’s best just to ask your veterinarian for a recommendation specific to your pet’s needs.

It sounds like a lot to chew on, but proper dental care can lengthen your pet’s life – and save you a lot of money in the long run.

Sidebar: Questions to ask before putting your pet under anesthesia

While any veterinarian can legally form anesthesia, you may want to find out a few things first:

• Does the veterinarian do dental X-rays?
• Does the veterinarian have an intravenous catheter in place?
• Who will be monitoring your pet during the procedure?
• What types of monitors are in place (i.e., blood pressure, heart, oxygen levels, temperature)?
• Will there be one person monitoring your pet while a second person performs the procedure? (That is ideal).
• Will the veterinarian be actively involved in the process?

For more information on Pet Dental Health Month, visit www.petdental.com

–Monique Balas

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Dear Dr. Fox: I have a Jack Russell terrier who has had severe allergies all his life, or so I thought.

Chester had a bad rash when he was about 2 years old. I took him to Banfield Veterinary Clinic, and I admit I do not like all of the drugs and shots they gave him. Ten years later, I’ve decided that Chester had developed a flea allergy. Banfield put Chester on a specialty diet and said he can never come off it or eat any other foods.

He always loved my home-cooked foods mixed with his dog food before the strict diet was imposed. He went nuts for your chicken and rice formula, but for the past decade he has not had it.

Can you explain what no other vet has been able to and tell me why he can’t have treats such as your formula?

Chester doesn’t have the appetite he usually has, and I would like to offer more of a selection – at least something mixed with his regular food (Hill’s Prescription Diet z/d Canine ULTRA Allergen-Free). – M.C., Chesapeake, Va.

Dear M.C.: I do not like questioning the decisions of other veterinarians who have actually seen the animals, while I must rely only on what the owners have written. That said, I have learned much from readers over the past several decades writing this column. As I emphasize in my new book, “Healing Animals & the Vision of One Health” (CreateSpace), some veterinarians are only too eager to sell manufactured pet foods and special therapeutic or prescription diets to pet owners. These foods are usually made by the same manufacturers, using ingredients that can cause other health problems – and they are expensive, therefore highly profitable, and often unpalatable for many animals.

I would advise you to read the basic ingredients in the prescription diet you have been feeding your dog. Over a seven- to 10-day period, transition to a home-prepared diet that is based on the same primary animal protein – either lamb, fish or turkey – and brown rice. Add the other basic ingredients as detailed in my recipe. Another source for free recipes is www.dogcathomeprepareddiet.com, which was created by Dr. D.K. Strombeck. I also advise giving animals some probiotics with their food when they are being transitioned to a new diet to help with the digestive and adaptive processes.

Let me know how things turn out. You were probably right that your dog simply had a fleabite allergy, which good nutrition, including fish oil and brewer’s yeast, can help prevent.

Dear Dr. Fox: I am in love with the domesticated foxes from Russia I read about in a National Geographic magazine article “Designing the Perfect Pet.” I have a friend who works in Russia, and he would be willing to look into buying one for me. There is no problem about importation if the animal is vaccinated, I am told.

Do you see any difficulties with my dearest wish? – F.M., Washington, D.C.

Dear F.M.: I have read this article from the March 2011 National Geographic magazine. The tame foxes, from the Novosibirsk, Russia, Institute of Cytology and Genetics, are being sold to fund the genetic research. The foxes are all neutered to prevent competitive breeding. The suppliers keep some 3,000 foxes in small cages and have bred an estimated 50,000 foxes over the years trying to develop a truly domesticated prototype.

These numbers and the evidently poor conditions under which these animals are kept – documented in Dr. Ceiridwen Terrill’s book “Part Wild” (Scribners) – lead me to question the ethics of continuing these studies. I advise you not to purchase any of these genetically tame foxes until significant improvements in their care are made.

I published the lab’s earlier findings in 1975 in “The Wild Canids” (Dogwise), and, while the research is of scientific merit, animal care standards of excellence must come first. There are often foxy-looking dogs up for adoption in shelters and online that you might wish to consider. After all, dogs and foxes are distant cousins.

More dog food recalls

Advanced Animal Nutrition has announced a voluntary recall of its dry Dog Power dog food due to aflatoxin levels that were detected above the acceptable limit. The affected products were manufactured between Jan. 4, 2011, and Nov. 18, 2011. Affected products are Dog Power Adult Maintenance Formula 21-12, Dog Power Hunters Formula 27-14 and Dog Power Hi-Pro Performance Formula 26-18, all in 50- pound bag.

The recall applies only to the above products with the Packaging Date Codes (lot numbers) K0004 through K1322. The affected dry dog foods were distributed in Missouri, Arkansas and Louisiana. Retailers have already been instructed to remove the affected brands and products from store shelves.

O’Neal’s Feeders Supply Inc. of DeRidder, La., has recalled dry Arrow Brand dog food manufactured between Dec. 1, 2010, and Dec. 1, 2011, because it contains corn detected to have higher than acceptable levels of aflatoxin. O’Neal’s said the recall applies only to dog food distributed in Louisiana and Texas, with Packaging Date Codes (lot numbers) 4K0341 through 4K0365 and 04K1001 through 4K1325.

Petrus Feed and Seed Stores Inc., in an updated alert, has recalled its dry dog food – 21 percent Protein dog food in 40-pound Petrus Feed bags – because the product was manufactured with corn that tested above acceptable levels for aflatoxin. Cargill manufactured the affected products in LeCompte, La., between Dec. 1, 2010, and Dec. 1, 2011. The recall is for the Packaging Date Codes (lot numbers) 4K1011 through 4K1335. The affected dry dog food was distributed in Petrus Feed and Seed in Alexandria, La.

For details about the connection between aflatoxin and genetically engineered corn, visit www.twobitdog.com/DrFox.

Send your questions to Dr. Fox in care of The Forum, Box 2020, Fargo, ND 58107. 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 www.twobitdog.com/DrFox.

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Pet Care: Nutrition important in allergies

Walkin’ With Papa Tom, owned and operated by Tom Beach, provides dog walking and care, cat care, and home security visits in the Salem area.

Beach spent 21 years in the U.S. Navy and wanted to turn his love of animals into a business venture. He said he has one philosophy about pets: They are family members and deserve to be treated as such.

In addition to routine pet care, Beach can provide pet transportation, give medicine, pick up mail, water plants and gardens and will even wait for service providers such as cable or repair people to show up — playing with the dog while he waits.

Prices vary according to what services are needed, and Beach offers a 10 percent discount to people older than 60. Contact him at (503) 581-7196.

— Statesman Journal

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