Ask A Vet

By Dr. Marty Becker, via Vetstreet

Q. My 11-year-old daughter desperately wants a cat. She's a good student and a responsible kid, and we're running out of reasons to say no. But her stepdad is allergic to cats, and her dad is making an issue of it. Any advice?

A. Yes, I do have advice: The adults need to stop fighting with one another and set a good example for the child. Or did you mean advice about getting a pet? Yes, I can help you there too.

SEE ALSO: 5 Ways to Control Allergies to Pets

While those with severe, potentially life-threatening allergies should probably not adopt a cat or dog, most people with mild to moderate allergies can tolerate life with these animals, even if their allergists would rather they didn't. Depending on how severe your husband's allergies are and how well controlled they can be by working with an allergist, it's possible to minimize the health impact of a cat.

By Dr. Ernie Ward, via Vetstreet

Try this little experiment: Ask a four-year-old to lie very still in a room by himself for six to nine hours, with no games, no books and no human interaction. Sure, he can look outside and watch other kids play - but he has to stay indoors.

When you return home, tell that child he can walk outside for 10 minutes, but then it's back in for the night. Repeat this routine daily.

SEE ALSO: Sights, Smells and Sounds That Stress Out Pets

Ridiculous, you say? Of course it is. Yet this is often exactly what we ask of our pets, causing them undue emotional stress in the process.

Pets on the Brink of Boredom
Believe it or not, one of the chief stressors for many homebound animals is idle time. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for indoors-only pets. My two dogs and cats live inside, but they also go outside for an hour or more every day. Not only do my cats have access to a screened-in porch, I've also trained them to explore the backyard during supervised "walk-n-stalks."

By Dr. Patty Khuly, via Vetstreet

Some cats have a curious habit of licking themselves when they receive pets and gentle scratches, while others will attempt to lick the air. A small percentage of felines will even bite or scratch the people petting them.

Cats Who Love to Get Pets
Although it's difficult to pinpoint exactly what a cat may be thinking and feeling as she licks herself, it's important to note that not all felines experience the same sensation when they receive pets and scratches. Some genuinely seem to enjoy the attention, while others probably feel some measure of discomfort.

SEE ALSO: Why Does My Cat... Lick Me?

When you scratch a dog behind his ear, he may often respond to the pleasurable feeling by jiggling his hind limb in a self-scratching gesture. It's almost as if you're attending to an itch that he'd forgotten to scratch.

Feline self-licking or air licking is believed to be the same kind of reaction, particularly among cats who suffer from skin-related allergies, external parasite infestations or other itchy conditions.

Cats Who Can Do Without Getting Pets
A percentage of cats may also be responding to pets and scratches by licking or biting themselves (and sometimes even the human delivering the pets) because they find the stimulus uncomfortable or annoying.

It's believed that cats who suffer from feline hyperesthesia syndrome, a disease in which the skin becomes very sensitive to the touch, may be reacting in this way out of pain or uncomfortable hypersensitivity.

To be safe, cat owners should consult their veterinarians if their cats react to being pet and scratched by exhibiting any unusual licking, biting or scratching.

By Dr. Marty Becker, via Vetstreet

Q. My daughter wants a puppy, but we've looked at the shelter a couple times and most of the dogs are full-grown. I don't want to deal with someone else's problem dog. I want to raise mine right. Is it time to buy a puppy?

A. If you're committed to the idea of a puppy, think carefully about where you buy him. I don't recommend buying from websites and pets stores, because those puppies often come from substandard breeders known as "puppy mills." Getting a puppy from a reputable breeder, however, who provides certification of genetic testing and raises litters inside the home with proper socialization is an option worth considering.

SEE ALSO: 8 Best Super Bowl Ads Featuring Animals

But honestly, I'd rather you wait for a shelter pup--or better still, I'd like you to realize how unfair you're being about an adult dog. The idea that an adult dog is somehow "damaged goods" as an adoption prospect is strangely pervasive, especially among people for whom an older dog would be perfect: novices with neither the time nor the experience to raise a puppy properly.

Last year, I adopted my beloved Gracie, a Labrador–Pit Bull mix no one else wanted. She's an absolutely wonderful dog, and I'm nuts about her!

Healthy older dogs have years of loving left, and they deserve a chance. An older dog can slide easily into your life and will bond with your family just as surely as the dog you take home as a puppy. Mature dogs of five years and older are also good candidates for adoption because you avoid the extended adolescence common in many breeds. And older dogs are everywhere, available from private homes, rescue groups and shelters. If you're interested in a purebred and are willing to take an adult dog, a rescue group specializing in your breed can be the deal of the century - these volunteer organizations may offer older dogs for lower adoption fees because they're harder to place.

SEE ALSO: Pet Adoption – What You Can Expect

An older dog can be a marvelous find, but you still have to be selective. While expecting to work on some things as your new dog gets used to you is reasonable, you do want to avoid those animals who have too many problems, especially if one of them is aggression. I highly recommend that you find a shelter or rescue group that evaluates their dogs and provides them with basic training. I also recommend signing up your new dog for a training class to help work through the rough patches.

By Dr. Patty Khuly, via Vetstreet

Despite the owner's deeply held belief that her dog, Guinness, was emitting a foul, alien odor, neither myself nor my staff members were able to detect any sort of aroma - good, bad or ugly. Guinness smelled just like I remembered him when he was neutered two days earlier.

Then again, some veterinarians and veterinary workers have a way of becoming desensitized to certain odors.

SEE ALSO: Meet the 11 Puppies in This Year's Puppy Bowl

It's true. After years of starting our days with the not-so-sweet smells of soiled litter and dirty kennels, is it any wonder that subtle aromas like Guinness's are lost on our chronically besieged olfactory receptors?

"What can I say?" I sheepishly replied to Guinness's owner, who was clearly frustrated by the lack of validation she was getting about her complaint. "I believe you. It's just that vets often lose all normal points of reference for what smells bad and what doesn't."

Then I offered to bathe her dog in the shampoo of her choice at no charge.