Care

One look at the x-rays of my Border Collie’s phalanges make many people cringe and say “Ouch!” Those visible boney growths on his toes have been confirmed by biopsy as osteoarthritis. This disease is present in both of his front paws and his pain is evident after too much exercise. My friends with arthritis describe their pain as often being excruciating and so when Duncan shows pain, I can only imagine what he must be feeling. At 11½, Duncan – a.k.a. “Dutaro” – can still snag a ball like the San Francisco Giant’s second baseman and never wants the game to end. In an effort to keep him as pain-free as possible, and thus active, healthy and happy, I incorporated laser therapy into his treatment program. Playing ball is in his blood; by adding the effects of laser therapy, he’s able to stay off the disabled list.

Chemist Paul Krebaum gets the credit for applying his chemistry knowledge to the age-old need for a substance that can neutralize the smell of skunk spray. He researched the putrid oil (which skunks can shoot out of special glands under their tails as a potent defense mechanism) and determined that the chemical responsible for the distinctive odor was in a class called thiols. The human nose is extremely sensitive to these organosulfur compounds, and can detect them at 10 parts per billion. But if you subject the substance to just the right compound, you can inactivate the chemicals responsible for the odor, as fast as a chemical reaction can occur.

Harnesses for our canine companions come in a wide variety of colors, shapes, and sizes. But did you know that many are made for a particular purpose? Have a dog you want to pull you on your skis? Got it. Have a puller – and you’d like a respite? Covered. Have a little dog? The possibilities are endless. Despite that fact, many of us walk into our local big box pet store and pull a harness off the rack without even considering the harness’ fit and function. With just a little more awareness, you can be sure that the harness you select for your dog is the right one.

It's fairly common for dogs to be placed for adoption with a caveat that there should be no cats

Recently, WDJ received a letter from Christine Zink, DVM, PhD, DACVP, DACVSMR, who was concerned about the photo in WDJ (on the cover, no less!) of a jogger whose dog, running alongside, was wearing a front-clip-type harness. A sports medicine guru and canine athlete enthusiast, Dr. Zink (and others) posit that no-pull harnesses are detrimental to a dog's structure and gait – and are especially inappropriate for canine athletes.

One of my worst dog-owner nightmares recently came true. Or I should say, almost came true. A raccoon attacked my dog, injuring her, but I was able to save her life by fighting off the raccoon myself! As bad as that experience was, I never imagined the problems I would have to deal with that have emerged since our initial suburban wildlife encounter.

I am writing to express my concern at seeing the photograph on the cover of the April 2013 Whole Dog Journal that depicts a man running with a dog who is wearing a restrictive harness. As a specialist in canine sports medicine, I have significant concerns about the use of harnesses that wrap around the front of dog’s forelegs, particularly in circumstances like this, where a dog is exercising using a gait that requires forelimb…

I was pretty traumatized recently by a phenomenon I had heard about many times but had never before seen: the intense, chaotic, life-or-death struggle that ensues when one dog gets his jaw stuck in another dog's collar. These dogs survived the experience. But since I've been telling my friends about my experience (with all the fervor of the recently converted), I've heard about a number of dogs whose jaws were broken in similar situations

Researchers at Texas Tech University found that many popular bumpers" (items used for training retrievers) and other plastic toys exude BPA and phthalates when subjected to conditions that simulate chewing by a dog."

Canine cognitive dysfunction (CCD), also called cognitive dysfunction syndrome, is comparable to Alzheimer’s disease in humans. Dogs with CCD may show signs such as confusion, disorientation, anxiety, irritability, apathy, reduced interaction, house soiling, forgetfulness, and aimless wandering or pacing, especially at night. CCD can rob a dog of quality of life, and make living with an old dog difficult.

There are many different types of plant oils that people use to supplement their dogs’ diets, including oils from flaxseed, olives, coconut, vegetables, hempseed, and more. Some of these oils can provide benefits, but others are not helpful and may even contribute to inflammation.

Here are some trade secrets to getting your control harness to work better for you and your dog. With several of the simpler styles (SENSE-ation, SENSE-ible, Easy Walk) if you can’t get the harness to fit quite right, try putting it on upside down. (Doesn’t work with any of the “two-points-of-contact” harnesses.) If the front strap still slips down, clip your leash to the front-clip ring and the collar ring. This may diminish the effectiveness of the harness a little, but it will keep the front strap up and in place.