Companions can teach many things

Dear Dr. Fox: In response to the request in your recent column for what our companion animals have given us, I am submitting the list that I have kept and added to for many years about the life lessons I have learned from my cats.

Gigi taught me patience, forbearance, nonaggression and self-control.

Luna taught me slowness and deliberation in decisionmaking with concentrated focus.

Fred showed how he could noiselessly radiate a huge personality and calming sweetness.

Sleeky taught me to be innocently charming yet street-savvy, too.

Scar taught me to learn to reconsider my “enemies” and live in harmony with them.

Orange and Habibi taught me to trust, but with caution.

Mitzi taught me to be brave through the most difficult circumstances and to trustingly place myself in the care of those who love me.

J.D., Ashland, Oregon

DEAR J.D.: Thanks for sharing these blessings your cats bestowed on you.

Dear Dr. Fox: I lost my 10year-old French bulldog a few months ago.

I made her own food: ground turkey, rice, carrots and spinach. She drank bottled water and went everywhere with me. One day, I noticed her entire body shaking. All her blood work came back normal, but she stopped barking at the vacuum cleaner, chasing lizards and was just being lethargic.

After three trips to different vets, they could not tell me what was wrong with her. I then made the horrendous decision to put her to sleep. It was one of the toughest decisions of my life. I miss her so much. Have you any idea what could have caused this downward spiral?

S.G., Naples, Florida DEAR S.G.: My sympathy goes out to you over the death of your dog.

Without doing an autopsy, cause of death is uncertain. My educated guess is chronic heart failure. Bulldogs and other breeds who have severe brachycephaly (pushed-in faces) suffer from chronic upper-airway obstruction. This means chronic partialasphyxiation or hypoxia, which puts tremendous strain on brachycephalic dogs’ hearts.

Additional cardiac strain can come from exertion-related pain, associated with limb and spinal deformities.