Dear Dr. Fox: In response to J.S. who has a dog with severe allergies, I would like to say that I, too, had two dogs with allergies.

My Australian terrier had severe allergies and she's had skin sores for most of her life. One day, while helping a friend take her cat to the vet I heard him say that some animals were allergic to the materials used on their feeding bowls. He recommended stainless steel or glass, nothing else. I figured it was worth trying and changed the bowls. Within a month, all the sores disappeared and never returned. She lived to be 18.

My poodle also had allergies, scratching all the time and chewing his paws all day long. His vet recommended a total change of diet. For six months, I fed him a mix of lentils and sweet potatoes -- he was free of allergies his entire life.

Keep up the good work. I always like to read your articles. -- R.M., Falls Church, Va.

Dear R.M.: Many thanks for your advice on successfully treating severe and chronic allergies in your dogs. Allergies indicate a disrupted immune system, and it can take a lot of detective work to discover the reasons for it.

Yes, non-plastic, ideally ceramic or stainless-steel food and water bowls should be used for both dogs and cats.

The quick fix for allergies is to put the pets on steroids. Steroids make the symptoms go away for a while and give short-term relief for animals who are scratching and chewing themselves raw and bloody. But all too often, when the medication is tapered off, the symptoms reappear, and the animals are put back onto corticosteroids. This can mean cystitis and diabetes for cats, and a host of other drug-related health problems for dogs, too -- most notably Cushing's disease.

This is increasingly common in dogs and is due to the adrenal glands becoming hyperactive as a result of prolonged use of corticosteroid medications. Afflicted dogs may look obese, have thinning coats, experience muscular weakness, become potbellied and increasingly lethargic and show increased thirst and urination. Secondary bacterial infections and poor wound healing are also common consequences.

My advice to all pet owners is to avoid any long-term steroid treatments when allergies are diagnosed or suspected and to do their best to find out, as you have done, the root cause.

Dear Dr. Fox: I'm responding to your article about Feliway. A few years ago, when one of my male cats appeared to be suffering from separation anxiety, my vet suggested trying Feliway the next time I took a vacation. I did, and it seems to work very well. I've told many of my cat-loving friends about the product. Thank you for the article. -- M.S.W., Overland Park, Kan.

Dear M.S.W.: Thanks for confirming that this natural, cat-calming product (a pheromone) worked well with your cat. I have received several other letters from cat owners who have tried it, and many were pleased with the results, especially in getting cats to get along better. But it does not always work. I would like to hear from other readers about their experiences with this product, and from dog owners who have tried a similar product for dogs called DAP -- dog appeasement pheromone.

Calling all readers

I am doing a review of "green" (i.e., environmentally friendly) pet products and am having great difficulty finding grooming tools -- combs, brushes, etc., for dogs and cats that are made in North America. Can anyone help and give me manufacturers' names and let me know of other good pet products that might qualify as "green," like beds stuffed with recycled materials that have not been imported from China.

To order Dr. Michael W. Fox's newsletter, Animal Doctor, on providing the best care for your animal companion, send a check or money order for $2 and a long, self-addressed, stamped envelope to Newsletter, P.O. Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092. Send your questions to Dr. Fox in care of this newspaper. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.