Beach dogs and hypo-allergenic cats
Dear Dr. Forsythe: I have a question about going to the beach with my dog that I have been meaning to ask you for a very long time. I take her once a week and have been taking her since I adopted her when she was a one-year-old pup (she is four now). Also, I think my question might help many other people who are also wondering if their dogs ever vomit at the beach. My question: Is seawater harmful for dogs? My lab, Opal loves to play in the tide and I throw a ball. She swims in the surf but she also chews on the seaweed too. There is that yellow foam in the tide too, and I’ve seen her sniff at that before. Sometimes she will get sick and vomit a few hours after we get home. In your medical opinion, what is the most likely cause of her upset stomach? Do you think she gets a nervous stomach from the trip? Or is it from drinking the water? Last time there was foam and some sand and green stuff in her vomit. Any advice? – Beach mom
Dear Beach mom: The sea water itself is not usually a problem for most beach-going dogs unless they are gulping down large quantities of it. I don’t know how clean the water is at the beach where you take Opal, but most of our local beaches are pretty clean; that is, the water is free from heavy pollution. That being said, the foam and yellow suds that builds up along the shore don’t exactly look like something I’d like my pet to consume. It has that phosphate “Tide” detergent look (no pun intended). And while ocean water itself doesn’t bother most dogs (there are so many who love to swim in the sea), keep in mind that because it is salt water, consuming a sizable quantity (like the equivalent of a large glass) could cause an animal to actually become dehydrated due to the biological phenomenon known as osmosis. However, in my opinion, it’s much more likely that the sand or the kelp or the foam would cause the vomiting. I’ve had patients that chewed on and even swallowed the green pods and sea kelp fronds and became extremely ill with microbes and other enterobes and developed severe diarrhea. The offending seaweed sits on the sand, rots and ferments until it has the nasty smell of a dead animal (or as my son Magnus says, “your cooking Dad”) and dogs just seem to like it. So my advice is to watch Opal more closely when you motor to the coast next time. Swimming is fine, but have her avoid the sushi and the sand dabs. And see if this doesn’t help ease her queasy tummy. And please let me know if she fares better. Thanks so much and good luck.
– Dr. F.
Dear Dr. Forsythe: My husband and I want to get a cat but we both have allergies. Are those hairless cats a good option? – Mr. and Mrs. R.C., Santa Rosa
Dear. Mr. and Mrs. R.C.: The Sphinx, also known as the Canadian Hairless, is a really beautiful and rare cat. But please don’t assume that this cat is hypo-allergenic. These cats still shed skin cells and saliva flakes that contain the same proteins that cause an allergic reaction in the first place. The fact that they do not shed fur is a plus, but it isn’t a complete solution for allergy sufferers.
My personal favorite breed of “low allergy” cat is the Devon Rex – it is a non-shedding short crimped kinky hair cat. The Devon Rex is a medium sized cat with huge ears, a wide head, large eyes, and slightly upturned nose. They have distinct rexed (curled) hair and are often called “pixie cats” or “alien cats” because of their strange appearance. Because of their tight wavy hair and meticulous appearance, they shed little to no skin cells and are much less irritating to allergy sufferers than most other house cats. Plus, they are just damn cool cats!
Another breed that is getting a lot of attention these days is the Siberian Cat, a breed of domesticated cat that lacks a glycoprotein known as Fel d1 which is thought to be produced in the sebaceous glands of the skin, saliva and urine in ordinary cats. Cats that DO have this protein release it while grooming and it is shed into their dead skin cells that exfoliate into their fur and then onto you when you pet them or into your nose when they curl up with you or after they have sat on your bed. However, because the Siberian Cat does NOT have this glycoprotein, when it sheds its fur and cells during an ordinary day, they will NOT be bothersome to allergy sufferers because their sheddings DO NOT contain this irritable glycoprotein. So this may be a breed you would like to consider and learn more about. There are breeders that will even send you an actual fur sample from one of their cats to examine. I hope you are able to use this information to find the right cat – and while I know I should stay impartial, I think the Devon Rex is one of the most beautiful animals in existence. (whoops, did I say that?). Good luck finding the right cat! – Dr. F.
