HELOISE: Special treats can sicken some dogs

Dear Heloise: A friend has dogs that must be on special food diets because of severe food allergies. If they eat the wrong thing, it can make them sick, so that special treat a neighbor might give could cause misery for the dog later. A kind gesture can lead to serious allergic reactions and possibly death.

Kristina from Ohio

This is very true! Our little miniature schnauzer, Cabbie, also is on special dog food because she has had two very serious bouts with pancreatitis. It can be triggered by eating a lot of high-fat foods, such as cheese, a fatty piece of meat, etc.

Heloise

Dear Heloise: I own two Persian cats; thus, bundles of hair! The most ecologically friendly method of hair removal from furniture and rugs is an old wet washcloth vigorously rubbed across the hair-laden surface in one direction, then extracted and rubbed again!

Bette, via e-mail

Dear Heloise: We have had a lot of snow, which has made it difficult for us to make the trek outside to fill bird feeders.

Using an umbrella-type clothesline (attached to our deck) and two-sided hooks, I was able to grab the feeders and suet packs on the line’s aluminum rods. Keeping the deck and railings cleared of snow makes it easier for the birds to land.

Laying down old baking pans with food is a treat for the ground feeders. We winterize our gas grill on the deck. Putting food in the drip pan under the gas grill allows the birds to eat under cover. We also get the advantage of viewing the birds.

K.W.E. in Maryland

Dear Heloise: I own a pet shop. I am frequently asked how to keep cats out of potted plants or flower beds. My hint is to use small lava stones as mulch on top of the dirt. They are light and, of course, allow water to flow through, but cats hate to step on them. Lava stones can be found at many garden centers.

Sheila Crane, San Antonio

Dear Heloise: We found that we could reduce the success rate of our cat’s hunting trips by adding a second bell to his collar. Although most cats can learn to move in such a way that a single bell stays silent, there is no way they can keep two bells from ringing. One or the other will ring and warn their prey.

Marilyn in Florida

Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000, or you can fax it to (210) HELOISE or e-mail it to Heloise@Heloise.com.

King Features Syndicate