Q: Why is my cat Nala attracted to menthol? I like its coolness, so I buy shower gel and skin creams that contain menthol. Occasionally, I also use a menthol ointment on my sore muscles. Whenever I apply a menthol skin product, Nala rubs up against me, licks my skin, and follows me around, not…

Q: Icy sidewalk season is here. I’ve heard rock salt is hard on dogs’ feet, but I’m not sure what to use in its place. Can you suggest a de-icer that won’t harm my dogs? A: Look for de-icers labeled as safe for pets. These products are also safe to use around children. Rock salt…

Q: The pet food my dog, Sarge, eats is being recalled because it contains too much vitamin D. Since vitamin D is necessary for good health, how can too much be harmful? A: Several companies’ pet foods were recalled this year after they were found to contain toxic levels of vitamin D. Humans can manufacture…

Q: We recently adopted Reena, a curious, lively 6-month-old puppy. Please advise us about keeping her safe during her first Hanukkah, when our young children will want her to participate in the festivities. A: During the eight nights of Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, as you light your menorah’s candles to celebrate the miracle that…

Q: Panda, our black and white tuxedo cat who also responds to the more fitting name of Pandemonium, plays with the centipedes in our bathroom. If she eats one, could it harm her? A: No, but eating too many of them could result in stomach upset. The greater concern is that centipedes bite, and the…

Q: Our son collects pennies and was dismayed to get home from school today and find that our new puppy, Lincoln, had knocked over his penny jar. Hundreds of pennies were scattered over his bedroom floor, but I am more concerned that Lincoln may have eaten some. Are ingested pennies dangerous? A: Yes, for two…

Q: Our children were given two rabbits, and they’d like to know each bunny’s sex before they name them. We parents would like to know, too, so we don’t end up with a house full of rabbits. How do we tell what sex each rabbit is? If one is female and the other male, can…

Q: Max, our 7-year-old terrier mix, lost his energy, stopped eating, and started vomiting. His veterinarian diagnosed pancreatitis and hospitalized him for treatment. How can we prevent this from happening again? A: Pancreatitis is inflammation (“-itis”) of the pancreas, the organ in the abdomen that secretes two important groups of chemicals: the digestive enzymes that…

Q: Latte, our 8-year-old indoor cat, suddenly started crying and pulling himself along on his front legs while dragging his back legs. We rushed him to his veterinarian who diagnosed a saddle thromboembolism and recommended euthanasia because Latte’s prognosis was so dire. We agreed, but because of Latte’s stress and ours at the time, we…

Q: We live in an apartment complex where many dogs bark. Some of the tenants want to require the owners of these dogs to have them debarked. What do you think about this? A: I am against it, and because it’s widely considered to be inhumane, the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association and the American…