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PHAbymom: Good evening, and on behalf of Jeff Barringer and all of us at PetHobbyist.com, welcome to the third night of our Ninth Annual Chat Week. Tonight we're especially pleased to be welcoming someone who has been a longtime friend of our community, New York Times best-selling author and nationally syndicated pet columnist, Gina Spadafori.

We're also happy to welcome for the first time to PetHobbyist.com Dr. Marty Becker, the popular veterinary contributor to ABC-TV's "Good Morning America" and the host of "The Pet Doctor With Marty Becker" on PBS. Marty is co-author of the fastest-selling pet book in history, Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul, and is either sole author or co-author of many other top-selling books.

Gina Spadafori is one of America's top syndicated pet columnists, and author of many top selling books including Dogs for Dummies, Cats for Dummies, and Birds for Dummies. Gina has served on the boards of directors of both the Cat Writers Association and the Dog Writers Association of America. She has won the DWAA's Maxwell Medallion for the best newspaper column, and her column has also been honored with a certificate of excellence by the CWA.

Gina and Marty are co-authors of the New York Times bestseller, Why Do Dogs Drink Out of the Toilet? as well as Do Cats Always Land on Their Feet? We are very happy to have the two of them with us tonight.

gina_spadafori: We're glad to be here!

PHAbymom: Gina, would you like to make some opening remarks? And then we'll ask Marty to say a few words as well.

gina_spadafori: Sure! I've known many of you for a long, long time, going back to the days on AOL! It's great to see everyone and be able to talk about our pets!

DrMarty_nr: I'm a newbie...but thank you for making me feel welcome. I'm a veteran veterinarian of 27 years and a lifetime pet lover. I always enjoy discussions with other pet lovers as we search for ways to make our pets' lives happier and healthier.

MaryNY: What do budgies use as nesting material? We have a pair of budgies making eyes at each other and clearly pleased with their nesting box, but what should I supply them with ?

DrMarty_nr: Gina, do you want to take that one?

gina_spadafori: Sure! You can buy nesting material from any decent pet supply store of retailer ... and be sure to work with your avian vet as you work your way through to having grandpets!

BPsMom: Mary you have to watch though cuz Budgies are known to egg binding and it can kill the female

MaryNY: I haven't seen nesting hair. What does it look like?

gina_spadafori: Check in with a reputable bird store. They'll be happy to help.

MaryNY: Thank you.

DrMarty_nr: glad to be here!

handsmom: I have an Abby and she has gotten a large bald spot from constantly licking. What can I do?

DrMarty_nr: handsmom, the first thing is to go to your vet and rule out things that aren't obvious. We always have to be careful not to just go a knee-jerk reaction and go to what we think it is, we need to do a complete physical exam and diagnostic testing to confirm what it is, and not just what we think it is. There are three probabilities, one is flea allergy dermatitis. It only takes one flea bite, you don't have to see them crawling all over the cat if the cat is sensitive it just takes one bite

Number two is what we call atopy. Atopy is an allergic reaction, humans sneeze, cats scratch or lick. Typically they'll do one spot- they'll just constantly go to that one spot right down to the bare skin or the sub layers of the skin. The lucky thing about that is there is a new drug out called Atopica from Merial hat's really working wonders on dogs and cats with atopy. Even pets who have suffered from that for years.

The third thing would be OCD... obsessive compulsive disorder - it does it out of boredom or stress. Change in environment, a move to a new home, new pets, new family members - like somebody who chews their fingernails or cracks their knuckles. There's drugs for that as well that your veterinarian can help with.

One last thing - if there was one thing that's a cure all, it's more exercise, not only do pounds melt away, but behavioral problems melt away as well

gina_spadafori: If I may add ...the first rule of solving a behavior problem is ALWAYS to make sure it's not a medical problem. Sometimes folks are looking for a magic wand ... a cream or something OTC. But you really MUST start with your veterinarian!

DrMarty_nr: sure

handsmom: Thanks again. I will take Cleo to the Vet.

GotHairballs_nr: We do have an appt with the orthopedic vet for Friday - but is there anything out there for elbow dysplasia to help fix the joint? This is for an 18 month old Goldendoodle / Std Poodle mix who is severely lame on her right front and "gimpy" on her left front for lack of a better term. Prevcox (sp?) isn't helping much and I'm not a real fan of long term daily use of the NSAIDs - I'd like her to have a liver in a few years. I'm willing to say cost isn't an issue, I'd just like her to have a good quality of life. Her hips are also in bad shape, but not as severe as her elbows and she's not lame in her back end yet. Already repaired the luxating patellas so she can at least walk. I do love the quality breeding and good joints (very sarcastic btw there) - she's also severely allergic to way too much, but Joss (her name) is just a doll and so sweet. Thanks!!

gina_spadafori: This is Dr. Marty's, too, but before he jumps in let me say I am sorry you're all going through this. She's lucky to have you.

GotHairballs_nr: eh, our fault, got the dog who couldn't stand up in her shelter kennel because she deserved at least a chance

DrMarty_nr: First of all, we've all heard about "designer mutts"... my favorite names for these is canine cocktails... it sounds like Joss is a special one. The number one thing, we can't go back in time, but the number one thing to do to prevent this is to put them on a special diet to keep the large breed's growth slower. A dog like this isn't fully mature until 18 months of age, but a special formulation helps them grow very slow and can prevent problems later on. Now, besides surgical intervention there are two other things to consider

GotHairballs_nr: we got her at 11 months and she's been on adult formula instead of puppy - not racked up much more leg but filled out slower.

DrMarty_nr: Number one, using joint-friendly foods or supplements that are clinically proven not just to reduce inflammation a la NSAIDs ... but actually reverse joint damage. Some clincally proven joint friendly foods include J/D, J/M, and Eukaneuba Senior Plus. The other thing you can do is physical therapy. When we used to do orthopedic surgery, we thought the veterinary involvement ended when the stitches were taken out and that was wrong, now, we have to fix the limb, but more importantly, get the pet using the limb again. There is an increasing number of veterinary practices that offer hydroptherapy units, and in those they are like underwater treadmills so the pet can exercise using the natural bouyancy and warmth and resistance of water to help rehabilitate them.

GotHairballs_nr: glucosamine/chondration (sp?) type supplements you mean?

gina_spadafori: I've had one of mine go through hydro-therapy, and it helped a great deal.

GotHairballs_nr: I can say the joint foods are unacceptable diets for her (and IMO also) due to the corn in them.

DrMarty_nr: I want to emphasize what a miracle those foods can be for the vast majority

GotHairballs_nr: We've done hydro on her, with her knees, but it's not seeming to have much improvement for her elbows - can't say on her hips.

DrMarty_nr: You're down to probably physical therapy as your best option. There has been some stuff there with remarkable results, getting the dogs with full range of motion and joint mobility again. That is something to ask the orthopedic vet about when you see him or her

GotHairballs_nr: So for the elbows, not yet replacing like the hips?

DrMarty_nr: I don't think they're doing elbow replacements, but with the new digital imaging, they'll get a good look at that... take it one step at a time.

GotHairballs_nr: thanks - and Joss says thanks also :)

DrMarty_nr: you're welcome!

PHMeowzers: Hi Gina and Dr. Marty -- I just wanted to say how much I enjoy your columns in the newspaper. I always read them :). Gina, I had talked with you a number of years ago about flat coats. At that time there was such a high incidence of cancer in the breed. How are they doing in that regard now? Is selective breeding helping to reduce the incidence!

DrMarty_nr: Thank you and I'll let Gina take her question.

gina_spadafori: Not really, sad to say. The flatcoated retriever club of America (http://www.fcrsainc.org/) has been funding studies on soft-tissue cancers, like ...malignant histiocytosis, which I lost Ben to in 2005. The studies are at NC State, Yale and the NIH. We track dog deaths, and tissue samples from tumors are sent to the study. It's a big commitment at a rough time, allowing a sample to be sent to the study just after saying goodbye. We hope there are some answers soon. We're working with the Berner club, since MH is big in their breed, too.

gina_spadafori: So ... I have to say ... I love the breed, but they will break your heart. I have a lump on my 2-year-old, McKenzie. We see our veterinarian tomorrow. It's probably nothing, but with this breed you have to be aggressive and assume it's "something."

PHMeowzers: Thanks so much and I will be GLOWING for McKenzie.

Kaseys412: I have a six month old German Shepherd. I bought a huge outdoor kennel for her so she could sit out and get some fresh air... but we've had it for less than 24 hours and she is already digging out of it. I would like her to enjoy her time outside.. is there anything I can do to keep her from digging?

gina_spadafori: Dr. Marty ... I can take this one. :)

DrMarty_nr: Well, first of all for dogs - they're not humans. Barking, digging, chewing are all normal pleasurable behaviors. I'm responding not just as a veterinarian of 27 years, but as someone who once owned a wirehaired fox terrier whose mother was named "Digger" so, with digging, rather than discouraging it, discourage disruptive digging and encourage constructive digging.

Kaseys412: I don't mind the holes.. they can be fixed I just worry about her if she got out and I didn't see

DrMarty_nr: Getting a dog tired every day is a cure for so many behavioral problems. Gina, why don't you go ahead now.

gina_spadafori: Sure. There's no kennel large enough for 6-month-old GSD. You need to consider it temporary housing, at best. When a dog starts getting out, it tends to get worse, because the behavior is rewarding and tends to make a dog try harder, and that's rewarded again. If there any way the dog can have a fenced yard? And if not, the kennel run needs to be used to short times only, and you'll have get concrete footers to prevent digging. And inside your dog will need chew toys to occupy her. Finally, I can tell you your dog needs more exercise. That's because ALL dogs need more exercise. And remember: Your dog's a puppy. These are trying times!

Kaseys412: I read you loud and clear.. thank you both!! GA

DrMarty_nr: You're welcome! good luck

NYC_NYIfan: My Calico has been showing an obsession with coffee lately. She likes to sniff at my filter (I use one of those Melitta cones) and also at my mug. I don't take any milk in my coffee (just add sugar). Why does she do this?

DrMarty_nr: Coffee is dangerous for cats, first of all. Caffeine is very hazardous for dogs and cats. You see it in dogs and cats that graze on coffee grounds. It must be some pleasurable scent that they're attracted to. Different animals are drawn to different scents. There is no problem as long as the cat is just smelling it and doesn't consume the liquid or the grounds.

gina_spadafori: I've actually known a couple of cats who were attracted to coffee! I love the smell, so maybe they do, too.

PHGinger: I'm dying to know - why DO dogs always drink from toilets and why DO cats always land on their feet?

DrMarty_nr: I'll do the dog one and Gina can do that cat one.

DrMarty_nr: LOL perfect

gina_spadafori: Dr. Marty, you take the first. I'll do the second! If you think of drinking champagne you wouldn't think of drinking it from anything other than a champagne flute. I like draft beer, and there's nothing better than draft beer from a frosty mug so the dog's worked up a wicked thirst from spending 15 minutes licking itself and he's thinking to himself, I need a drink and I have two choices. One, I can go to that tepid bowl of water in the kitchen that's been sitting there all day and not only is it tepid, but to my sensitive taste buds, there's a hint of plastic or metal, or if I cock my head and I listen, I can hear this incredible spring that mom and dad have installed in one room of the house and just like every wild animal: running water means health. So I go in there, and it has a larger evaporative surface so it stays cooler and is refreshed several times a day and porcelain by its very nature doesn't impart taste so it tastes better why WOULDN'T I drink out of the toilet?

gina_spadafori: Cats DON'T always land on their feet, but they sure try. They have an amazing sense of balance, and when they fall, they rotate their head into correct position and then "corkscrew" their bodies to follow. Finally, they relax and spread their legs "flying squirrel style" for impact. This minimized injury. But an old cat, a fat cat or an ill cat may not be able to manage the maneuver, and so they'll land wrong..

PHGinger: Their own private porcelain bowl LOL makes sense

gina_spadafori: More on cats ... there's a thing called "high-rise syndrome" to describe why cats sometimes live after falls from higher stories than lower ones. One theory is that shorter falls don't give cats time to prepare. That said, cats who fall are often injured on impact, so don't test these theories!

gina_spadafori: I know Dr. Becker has to travel tomorrow ... he's on "Good Morning America" on Friday. So maybe one more question for him?

PHChristy: Dr. Marty has a story he'd like to tell....

DrMarty_nr: This is a story about a golden retriever that ate a red eared slider in Florida. There was a freeze threatening the citrus industry and a little girl was being a good pet owner and took her turtles inside and put them in the tub. All of a sudden, her golden retriever went "gulp" and looked guilty, and she did a quick head count in the tub and went, oh oh, Pepper's gone. Pepper was about four inches across, not a little turtle so she realizes the Golden has eaten Pepper the turtle. She calls her vet, and tells him what happened, and they tell her to give the Golden some hydrogen peroxide so she did, and the turtle had been inside the dog ten minutes and the dog vomited as expected, and the turtle came flying out like a rocket. Other than missing a big section of his shell, he was fine, walking. They rushed him to the vet, he had a big hole in his shell and they could see his organs but he was walking and trying to bite the vet. But like the six million dollar man, we can rebuild him - they did the repair in three parts.

They put a medical grade antiseptic membrane across the shell, then used dental acrylic to fill it in, then had someone run down to Walmart and get fiberglass strips and epoxy, and rebuilt the shell. Pepper, who lived outside, made a brief visit to the bathtub, and an even briefer visit to the inside of a dog's stomach, is eating drinking and swimming well. The shell will heal, and shell over the defect. The vet expects the turtle to live up to 30 years.

DrMarty_nr: Oh one more thing

gina_spadafori: Love that story! Dr. Marty, what's your topic on Good Morning America on Friday?

DrMarty_nr: I'm speaking on Good Morning America this Friday March 2 on pet emergencies and household products your vet might ask you to use in an emergency, and in the last week my daughter Mikkel has had to use Pepto Bismol on her puppy for extreme gas pains, and she got the dog his puppy shots, and he had an allergic reaction, and she went to a drug store to get Benadryl, which may have saved his life.

DrMarty_nr: Gina has a story about a household product that saved her Sheltie's life, too.

gina_spadafori: Drew ate some dark chocolate Dr. Marty gave me. The miracle of hydrogen Peroxide brought it back up in a jiffy! It's wonderful to have these products around, just in case. And maybe if I'm more careful, Dr. Marty will send me more chocolate!

MaryNY: what concentration of hydrogen peroxide?

DrMarty_nr: 3 percent

gina_spadafori: ... (Regular out of the bottle drugstore Hydrogen peroxide.)

PHMeowzers: And how do you get them to drink it???

gina_spadafori: I took a large needless syringe and put it down his throat.

DrMarty_nr: Always ask your vet for a dosage, usually 1 asp per 5 llbs of bodyweight, but not to exceed 15 Tablespoons.

gina_spadafori: That was in my ER kit, too!

jeffb: Straight from the bottle?

PHGinger: What else should we have around?

gina_spadafori: We'll have a list tomorrow. I'll give it to Christie for posting.

DrMarty_nr: The best thing is to give a liquid or oral medicine, is to grab the corner of the lip and pull it out and up, and use it like a funnel. It will run down the back of the throat.

PHGinger: Great!

PHMeowzers: Could you indicate which on the list is applicable to cats too?

gina_spadafori: Yes, Jeff: Straight from the bottle. In 30 seconds my kitchen smelled like a chocolate factory.

gina_spadafori: Such a waste of such wonderful chocolate, that silly dog!

PHChristy: LOL

PHAbymom: That's all we have time for. We'd like to thank Gina and Dr. Marty for being with us tonight, and all of you as well. Thank you, and goodnight!