Q: Many years ago our family adopted a beautiful cat we named Tom. My mother fed Tom only tuna and he began to develop a reddish coat. Unfortunately, the cat soon died. Now, 67 years later, I still feel bad about this and wonder if a diet of only tuna was harmful. What do you think? -- E.M., Clearwater, FL

A: "Cats do not do well on a diet of solely tuna, or any one human food source," says Dr. Jeffrey Klausner, chief medical officer for Banfield Pet Hospital in Portland, OR.

Giving your cat a bit of tuna as an occasional treat is one thing. However, as an exclusive diet, tuna lacks significant amounts of vitamin E, potentially leading to a dangerous vitamin E deficiency.

Felines fed too much tuna can develop other nutrient deficiencies, too, because most de-boned fish lacks calcium, sodium, iron, copper and several other vitamins. Mercury, frequently present in tuna, also presents a potential danger.

Steve Dale is the host of the nationally syndicated radio shows Steve Dale's Pet World and The Pet Minute with Steve Dale. His column, My Pet World (in which this post was originally published), is carried in more than 100 newspapers nationwide. He also serves on the board of directors for the American Humane Association.

Q: My son has three pet hermit crabs. We have a problem. My son is a New England Patriots fan -- don't ask me why. Of course, we are fans of our local team. Will the crabs get along with one another if they are wearing different team logos painted on their shells?
-- D. H., Denver, CO

A: I may not be paid as much as Tom Brady, but I might love my job more because of questions like yours.

Crab shells painted with sports-team logos are a craze, but it's not a healthy one. "Crab shells need to breathe, and the paint interferes," says Carol Frischmann, author of the book Animal Planet: Hermit Crabs.

Maria is a senior citizen in Florida. The government maintains that she lives alone. Maria begs to differ. She says she lives with her best friend, who just happens to be a Chihuahua.

One of Maria's many challenges is getting outside. Her dog is litterbox trained. However, buying pet food isn't easy for Maria -- she has to depend on others to do the shopping. Moreover, she has trouble paying for the food.

"There's no question that this dog has in so many ways changed Maria's life, so being able to provide proper pet food for Maria has made an enormous difference," says Enid Borden, president and CEO of the Meals on Wheels Association of America.

Learn more about the program, how you can help and how to get help if you can't afford your pet's food after the jump.

Steve Dale is the host of the nationally syndicated radio shows Steve Dale's Pet World and The Pet Minute with Steve Dale. His column, My Pet World (of which this post is an excerpt -- read the full post here), is carried in more than 100 newspapers nationwide and his new column, The CATalyst, just debuted. Steve also serves on the board of directors for the American Humane Association.

According to a survey conducted by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, approximately 53% of cats and 55% of dogs in the U.S are overweight or obese. Data released from a nationwide collaboration with Banfield Pet Hospital reveals pet obesity continues to be a serious problem. [A 2004 study by Nestle Purina Pet Care found dogs with a healthy body weight had a median lifespan of 15% longer than overweight dogs. Read more about the dangers of pet obesity.]

So, how and why are our pets growing wider and wider? I talk about this to veterinary professionals around the world at veterinary conferences. Here, in a random order, are some reasons why there are so many overweight pets.

1) Some pet parents believe overweight is "normal." People may not recognize their pets as overweight since the pets didn't grow wider overnight. The trend of overweight pets has been happening for decades. So, while 20 years ago, those same pet parents might have been shocked, today the view of what is a normal is skewed.

Steve Dale is the host of the nationally syndicated radio shows Steve Dale's Pet World and The Pet Minute with Steve Dale. His column, My Pet World (in which this post originally appeared), is carried in more than 100 newspapers nationwide and his new column, The CATalyst, just debuted. Steve also serves on the board of directors for the American Humane Association.

Sad news for our pets was announced at a press conference entitled "Houston, We Have a Problem" during the 2011 American Veterinary Medical Association Convention. The problem has been a steady decline in our pets' health.

"This decline has been going on for over a decade, despite an increased pet population," said Dr. Ron DeHaven, executive vice president and CEO of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).

For example, more flea infestations are being reported, even though such problems are preventable. Hookworms are up 30 percent in dogs since 2006, according to the Banfield Pet Hospital State of Pet Health 2011 report. Likewise, there's been a 13 percent increase in roundworm incidence in cats since 2006. Potentially, this is a public health issue since some of these parasites can also affect people.

Steve Dale is the host of the nationally syndicated radio shows Steve Dale's Pet World and The Pet Minute with Steve Dale. His column, My Pet World, is carried in more than 100 newspapers nationwide and his new column, The CATalyst (in which this post originally appeared), just debuted. Steve also serves on the board of directors for the American Humane Association.

Dogs are more than twice as likely to visit the veterinarian than cats are. Here are some reasons why.

What can cat parents do? Familiarize cats early and regularly with cat carriers, take cats to the vet for routine care and learn to recognize subtle signs of cat illness. In honor of Take Your Cat to the Vet Week, here are some subtle signs of illness to look out for:

Changes in interactions: A previously clingy cat acting uncharacteristically aloof, or an independent cat transforming into "Velcro kitty" are examples.

Changes in activity: A decrease or increase in activity, and change in the cat's daily routine are red flags -- of arthritis, for example, which is far more common in cats than previously thought. So a cat who jumps on furniture less often is a potential sign.

Steve Dale is the host of the nationally syndicated radio shows Steve Dale's Pet World and The Pet Minute with Steve Dale. His column, My Pet World, is carried in more than 100 newspapers nationwide and his new column The CATalyst (in which this post originally appeared) just debuted. Steve also serves on the board of directors for the American Humane Association.

Petfinder has proclaimed Aug. 22-28 Take Your Cat to the Vet Week, and I'm hugely supportive.

Dogs are more than twice as likely to visit the veterinarian than cats. Why is that? What the heck is going on?

Here are some answers:

• Veterinary visits are on the decline overall -- for dogs and even more so for cats. Sadly, as a result, our pets have begun to pay the price with an increase in preventable illnesses. According to the recently released Banfield Pet Hospital 2011 Report, since 2006 there's been a 10% rise in dental disease in cats; although still uncommon, there's a 27% increase in whipworm and a 12% hike in roundworm in cats (both worms can be transmitted to people); diabetes in cats went up 16%.

Steve Dale is host of the nationally syndicated radio show Steve Dale's Pet World and The Pet Minute with Steve Dale. His column, My Pet World (in which this post originally appeared) is carried in more than 100 newspapers nationwide. Steve also serves on the board of directors for the American Humane Association.

Q: Flatulence is the problem for my 12-year-old Pug. It's a heavy ammonia-like smell which he's been giving off lately. He likes to sleep above my head, so you can understand why this is a problem. My husband just turns around and laughs.

My dog eats wet food with a bit of cooked chicken breast. What can we do? -- K.U., Las Vegas

A: Are you sure it's the dog? Maybe there's another explanation for your husband's amusement.

Ask any veterinarian about a Pug with flatulence, and the answer will be, "Well, he's a Pug, isn't he?" However, Dr. Kenny Simpson, internal medicine specialist and a professor of small animal medicine at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine in Ithaca, NY, is concerned about that ammonia smell.

Flea infestations can drive you and your pets up a wall -- and pose serious health risks. Steve Dale of Steve Dale's Pet World sat down with Dr. Michael Dryden, a veterinary parasitologist from Kansas State University, to talk about how you can protect yourself and your pets from fleas. (Watch the video of the interview above.)

Here are some fast facts about fleas you should know:

• One flea can create an infestation: A single female flea can lay 40-50 eggs a day, Dr. Dryden says. So once a flea is in your home, the population can explode quickly and be hard to get rid of.


• Indoor-only pets can still get fleas: "We see permanently indoor cats with fleas all the time," Dr. Dryden says. Fleas can travel into your house on the bottoms of
  shoes or on other animals, such as vermin. Petfinder staffer Jane Harrell's indoor-only cats once got fleas from a neighbor's cat who roamed her apartment building's halls. "He used to sit outside our door, waiting for scratches and treats," she says. "When he got fleas, the fleas came under the door and went straight to my cats."
  

Ticks can cause a number of serious health problems for you and your pet. They can also be difficult to spot and remove. Dr. Michael Dryden, a professor of veterinary parasitology at Kansas State University, sat down with radio host Steve Dale of Steve Dale's Pet World to talk about the dangers ticks pose, and how to prevent them. (Watch the video of the interview above.)

Here are some tick facts every pet parent needs to know:

1. Ticks can infect you and your pet with serious, possibly deadly illnesses. According to Dr. Dryden, ticks are the No. 1 disease vector in the U.S. They carry Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and many other serious illnesses.


2. Tick populations are growing across the U.S. The past several years have seen a spike in the tick population. The spread of white-tailed deer (a tick carrier), climate change and changes in agricultural practices have all contributed.


3. Cats are at risk too. Indoor-outdoor cats can catch cytauxzoonosis, a disease which is most often fatal, from ticks. For this and many other reasons, it's best to keep cats indoors. If your cat has access to an outdoor enclosure or takes harnessed walks with you, talk to your vet about protecting him from ticks.


4. Different tick species live in different regions. "There are at least nine different tick species in North America that routinely get on dogs and cats," Dr. Dryden says. "You have to talk to your veterinarian and ask: What ticks [is your pet] going to be exposed to? What disease are they going to be exposed to? And what product is going to be most effective?"


5. Ticks can do harm when you least expect it. Even if you're not seeing ticks, they can still pose a threat -- so be sure to talk to your vet long before "tick season" starts. Because vets see a large number of pets in your region, Dr. Dryden says, "your veterinarian is going to pick up that ticks are active long before you may."

Tell us: Have you ever taken a tick off of your dog or cat?