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Dr. Michael W. Fox can offer advice on these quandaries, and other issues related to the care and feeding of our furry friends (as well as those with feathers or scales). He is a veterinarian and the author of the syndicated column " Animal Doctor." He has written over 40 books, most recently "Dog Body, Dog Mind" and "Cat Body, Cat Mind," which take a holistic approach to pet care and communications. His book "Not Fit for a Dog! The Truth About Manufactured Dog and Cat Food" will be out soon.
Dr. Fox was online Wednesday, April 23 to take questions about pet care and behavior.
A transcript follows.
This discussion is one in a series of pet advice chats we’ll be holding over the next several weeks. Please join us again Wednesday, April 30 at noon ET, when Karen "Doc" Halligan, a veterinarian and Animal Planet personality, will take questions. And check out washingtonpost.com’s newpets section anytime!
Dr. Michael W. Fox: This is Michael Fox and I look forward to your questions—anything I can do for the animals—
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washingtonpost.com

NEW YORK (CNN) — It’s been a year since the parents of a severely disabled child made public their decision to submit their daughter to a hysterectomy, breast surgery and drugs to keep the girl forever small. Today, the couple tell CNN, they believe they made the right decision — one that could have a profound impact on the care of disabled children worldwide.
"The ‘Ashley treatment’ has been successful in every expected way," Ashley’s parents told CNN exclusively in a lengthy e-mail interview. "It has potential to help many others like it helped our precious daughter."
While unwavering in their belief in the treatment, Ashley’s parents continue to insist on anonymity. In the year since Ashley’s parents went public, not only did the hospital that sterilized Ashley admit it broke Washington state law, but also the doctor who treated Ashley committed suicide.
As scrutiny of the case deepens, so too does the chasm in the medical community: Is it mutilation, with doctors "playing God" — or, is stunting growth a liberating option for caregivers and the disabled children who will need constant care for the rest of their lives?
Ashley is now 10 years old and, at 4 feet 5 inches tall, has achieved her full height and weight, 63 pounds. The treatment permanently closed her growth plates and took more than a foot off her anticipated height.

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