Best chew bones for your dog

dogs.

What do you think about giving dogs bones from BGH- and antibiotic-fed cattle? — S.H., Minneapolis

Answer: In my opinion, there is little or no risk for dogs regarding BGH and antibiotic residues in bones and bone marrow. I appreciate your vigilance, though. The recombinant bovine growth hormone is more an issue in cows’ milk — ditto antibiotics. Anabolic steroids and growth stimulants are the big issue in beef, but the bones are spared — they accumulate lead and fluoride the longer the animal lives!

I advise allowing dogs to chew only raw (first scalded to kill surface bacteria) beef soup shank bones at least 4 inches long. Short “rings,” commonly sold for soup making, can get caught behind dogs’ canine teeth. Allow only short periods of chewing or gnawing to avoid cracked teeth, and store the bones in a plastic bag in your refrigerator.

Cat games and environmental enrichment

You don’t have to spend a small fortune on cat toys and furniture to make your cat’s life more stimulating.

Cats do like to sleep a lot, but fun for them is watching, hiding, ambushing, chasing and catching — all elements of hunting behavior — and engaging in short bursts of physical activit y, ideally with another cat or with an understanding caregiver.

Here are a few activities your cat would love:

■ Hiding inside a big cardboard box with a small hole cut in the side, or under a towel.

■ Chasing a fluffy toy or large feather on the end of a string tied to a cane, which you can also poke under a towel or throw rug on the floor.

■ Chasing and catching a spiral of pipe cleaner, which some cats will even retrieve.

Beware of loose, long threads and balls of wool that cats may lick and swallow. The best source of environmental enrichment for a cat is another cat.