Q: Our dog Riley ate a lot of semisweet chocolate bits. His veterinarian advised us to use hydrogen peroxide to make him throw up. After Riley vomited all the chocolate, he was fine. What are the toxic effects of chocolate? How much does it take to make a dog sick? A: Before I became a…

Q: My dog Frankie and I were at the dog park when another dog had diarrhea and the owner did a poor job cleaning up. Now I’m worried that every time we visit this dog park, Frankie may be exposed to parasites. Is this a valid concern? A: Yes, so be sure you give him…

Q: I love lilies, especially Easter lilies. My two recently adopted cats are very inquisitive and explore every new item I bring home. I don’t want them to damage the Easter lilies that will decorate my home over the holiday. Please tell me cats aren’t attracted to plants. A: I’m more worried about the lilies…

Q: We read your column about the importance of not declawing cats—or, as you put it, amputating their toes. We’re convinced! Now our question is: What can we do to prevent our cats from scratching our furniture? A: Multiple toe amputation, euphemistically called declawing, causes long-term medical and behavioral problems in cats. Readers who missed…

Q: Codi, our 13-year-old cat, needs methimazole for his hyperthyroidism, but he won’t take it. I’ve tried crushing his quarter-tablet and mixing it with pilling treats and various wet foods mixed with a flavor enhancer, but nothing works. I’m at my wit’s end trying to get him to take his medicine. Any suggestions are welcome….

Q: My neighbor’s healthy, young dog died suddenly of liver failure. The vet thinks the cause was aflatoxins in a new bag of dog food, since the food was later recalled. How can I prevent something similar from happening to my dog? A: Aflatoxins are poisons produced by molds, particularly Aspergillus molds, that grow on…

Q: I recently got a Havanese puppy, Marcos, who was supposed to be hypoallergenic. However, every time I’m near him, I break out in hives, sneeze, and get itchy eyes. Would modifying his diet make him less allergenic? A: I’m sorry to hear you are allergic to your new pup. Unfortunately, no dog is hypoallergenic,…

Q: We recently adopted Tucker, a young, neutered, mixed-breed dog. We don’t know how he behaves around children, because our kids are adults and we’ve remained distanced from our neighbors. As soon as the pandemic is over, our grandchildren will visit. What can we do to prevent Tucker from biting one of them? A: Start…