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Tryptophan for Dogs

By
Linda P. Case, MS
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3

[Updated May 22, 2018]

I grew up with a storybook grandmother, “Nana” to my sister and me. Nana was a great cook and regularly expressed her love through sumptuous meals and comfort foods. Her home was definitely the place to be on all food-oriented holidays, including the ultimate all-American food holiday, Thanksgiving. Like many Americans on this day, my family gorged on all that Nana placed on her overloaded dining-room table – mashed potatoes, stuffing, butternut squash, warm rolls, salads, corn casserole, and, of course, the mandatory roasted turkey. Following this annual feast, my sister and I would fall into food-induced stupors, sleeping off our over-indulgence for several hours before rousting ourselves to eat one more piece of pie.

dogs love turkey

A number of years later I learned that my post-feast drowsiness was presumably caused by a specific nutrient in turkey, the amino acid tryptophan. This theory, first put forth by a nutritionist, proposed that turkey meat contains unusually high levels of tryptophan.

Once absorbed, tryptophan is used by the body to produce serotonin (a neurotransmitter) and melatonin (a hormone). Melatonin helps to induce feelings of drowsiness (i.e., enhances sleep) and the neurological pathway through which serotonin works has anti-anxiety and calming effects. Therefore, the theory goes, after consuming a high-protein meal, in particular one that is high in tryptophan, the body’s production of melatonin and serotonin increases, which in turn causes drowsiness, reduced anxiety, and a calm state of mind. Presto – the post-turkey coma!

The tryptophan/turkey theory became so popular and widespread in the early 1980s that nutrient-supplement companies decided to bypass the turkey part of the equation altogether and began producing and selling tryptophan supplements (L-tryptophan). These were initially promoted as sleep aids and to reduce signs of anxiety. However, as is the nature of these things, the promoted benefits of L-tryptophan rapidly expanded to include, among other things, claims that it would enhance athletic performance, cure facial pain, prevent premenstrual syndrome, and enhance attention in children with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder. (My personal favorite was the promotion of L-tryptophan as a treatment for Tourette syndrome.)

L-tryptophan enjoyed a robust reputation as the nutrient for “all that ails ye'” until 1989, when it was found to be responsible for causing eosinophilia-myalgia in more than 5,000 people, killing at least 37 and permanently disabling hundreds. The US Food and Drug Administration quickly banned its import and sale as a supplement. Although the problem was eventually traced to a contaminant in a supplement that was imported from a Japanese supply company (and not the L-tryptophan itself), the ban remained in effect until 2009. Today, L-tryptophan is once again available as a nutrient supplement, but it has never regained its earlier popularity as a supplement for humans.

Tryptophan and Dogs

It’s odd that L-tryptophan was largely ignored by the dog world until a research paper published in 2000 suggested that feeding supplemental L-tryptophan might reduce dominance-related or territorial aggression in dogs1 (see references on page 10). The researchers also studied dogs with problem excitability and hyperactivity, but found no effect of L-tryptophan on either of these behaviors. However, the paper led to the belief that tryptophan supplementation was an effective calming aid in dogs (which it definitely did not show in the study) and as an aid in reducing problem aggression.

Today, a number of L-tryptophan supplements are marketed for reducing anxiety and inducing calmness in dogs. Interestingly, none of these product offer pure L-tryptophan; all of them  include other agents that are purported to have a calming effect on dogs, such as chamomile flower, passionflower, valerian root, or ginger.

So, what does the science say? Does eating turkey or taking an L-tryptophan supplement reduce anxiety and induce calmness? Can it be used as an effective nutrient supplement to reduce anxiety-related problem behaviors in dogs?

The Turkey Sleepiness Myth

It is a myth that consuming turkey induces drowsiness or reduces anxiety. The theory fails on several counts. First, turkey meat does not actually contain a uniquely high level of tryptophan. The amount of tryptophan it contains is similar to that found in other meats and is only half of the concentration found in some plant-source proteins, such as soy. Do you get sleepy after gorging on tofu?

Second, researchers have shown that the amount of tryptophan that is consumed after a normal high-protein meal, even one that contains a lot of tryptophan, does not come close to being high enough to cause significant changes in serotonin levels in the blood or in the synapses of neurons, where it matters the most.

Third, to be converted into serotonin (and eventually into melatonin), tryptophan that is carried in the bloodstream following a meal must cross the blood-brain barrier and enter the brain. This barrier is quite selective and only accepts a certain number of amino acids of each type. Tryptophan is a very large molecule and competes with several other similar types of amino acids to make it across the barrier. Following a meal, especially if the meal is high in protein, tryptophan does increase in the blood and is pounding at the blood-barrier door for access. However, it is also competing with other amino acids that are also at high levels (and turkey contains all of ’em). As a result, very limited amounts of tryptophan make it into the brain for conversion following a meal that includes lots of other nutrients.

So, why so sleepy? The real explanation for the drowsiness and euphoria that we all feel following a great turkey dinner at Nana’s house is more likely to be caused by simply eating too much (which leads to reduced blood flow and oxygen to the brain as your body diverts resources to the mighty job at hand of digestion), imbibing a bit of holiday (alcoholic) cheer, and possibly, eating a lot of high-carbohydrate foods such as potatoes, yams, and breads, which leads to a relatively wider fluctuation in circulating insulin levels. Whatever the cause, don’t blame (or credit) the turkey or the tryptophan.

Tryptophan: Flying Solo

That established, the erroneous focus on turkey did have some positive consequences in that it led to a closer look at tryptophan’s potential impact on mental states and behavior when provided as a supplement. As a serotonin precursor, tryptophan (and its metabolite 5-hydroxytryptophan, or 5-HTP) has been studied as either a replacement or an adjunct therapy for serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRRIs), medications that are commonly used to treat depression in people and are sometimes prescribed as treatment for anxiety-related behaviors in dogs.

tryptophan for dogs

Although limited work has been conducted regarding the effects of tryptophan supplementation in dogs, several informative papers did follow the initial dog study of 2000:

Tryptophan and Anxiety

Researchers at Wageningen University in the Netherlands studied a group of 138 privately owned dogs with anxiety-related behavior problems2.

Study design: Half of the dogs were fed a standard dog food (control) and half were fed the same food, formulated to contain supplemental L-tryptophan. Neither the owners nor the researchers were privy to dogs’ assigned groups. In other words, this was a “double-blind, placebo-controlled study” (see my book Dog Food Logic for more about studies), the “gold standard” of research designs. Dogs were fed their assigned diet for eight weeks, during which time the owners recorded any behavior changes they observed. At the end of the study, the researchers also performed a set of behavior evaluations to assess the dogs.

Results: Although blood tryptophan levels increased significantly (by 37 percent) in the dogs that were fed supplemental tryptophan, neither the owners nor the researchers observed any difference in behavior between the supplemented group of dogs and the control dogs. There were moderate changes in behavior over time in all of the dogs, but this change was attributed to a placebo effect (more about placebos in next month’s column). Overall, supplementation with L-tryptophan demonstrated no anxiety-reducing effects in the dogs enrolled in this study.

Tryptophan and Abnormal/Repetitive Behaviors

A group of 29 dogs was identified3, each presenting with a form of abnormal-repetitive behavior, either circling, anxiety-related lick granuloma, light chasing/shadow staring, or stool eating. (Note: One might question the inclusion of stool-eating in this study, since many pet professionals consider eating feces to be a form of scavenging behavior that is normal and common in the domestic dog.)

Study design: This was another double-blind and placebo-controlled study. In addition, the researchers used a “cross-over” design in which half of the dogs are first fed the control and the other half are first fed the test diet for a period of time and are then all switched to the alternate diet for a second study period. This is a well-accepted study design that is helpful when a researcher has a limited number of subjects; it also helps to control for the placebo effect.

The dogs were treated for two-week periods and the frequencies of their abnormal behaviors were recorded daily.

Results: The researchers reported no effect of supplemental L-tryptophan on the frequency or intensity of abnormal/repetitive behaviors. Although the owners reported slight improvements over time, this occurred both when dogs were receiving the supplemental tryptophan and while they were eating the control diet (there is the insidious placebo effect again).

Limitations of this study were that it was very short term and it targeted uncommon behavior problems that are notoriously resistant to treatment. Still, this study did not provide any evidence to support a use of tryptophan supplementation for repetitive behavior problems in dogs. (So, to all you folks who live with poop-eaters: sorry, no easy answer here with L-tryptophan.)

Tryptophan-Enhanced Diet and Anxiety

Dogs with anxiety-related behavior problems were fed either a control food or the same food supplemented with L-tryptophan plus alpha-casozepine, a small peptide that originates from milk protein4.

Study design: This was a single-blind, crossover study in which only dog owners were blinded to treatments. All of the dogs were first fed the control diet for eight weeks and were all then switched to the test diet for a second eight-week period. Because the treatment group always followed the control in this study design, it is impossible to distinguish between a placebo effect and an actual diet effect in this study. (Note: This is a serious research design flaw that the study authors mention only briefly.)

Results: A small reduction in owner-scored anxiety-related behaviors was found for four of the five identified anxiety problems. However, in all of the cases, the initial severity of the problems was rated as very low (~1 to 1.5 on a five-point scale in which a score of 0 denoted an absence of the problem and a score of 5 denoted its highest severity), and the change in score was numerically very small, though statistically significant. This is not surprising since there is not very much wiggle room between a score of 1 and a score of 0. Finally, given that the food was supplemented with both L-tryptophan and casozepine, conclusions cannot be made specifically about L-tryptophan.

Take-Away Points for Dog Folks

First, forget the turkey. While it can be a high-quality meat to feed to dogs (especially if you select a food that includes human-grade meats or are cooking fresh for your dog), turkey contains no more tryptophan than any other dietary protein. Feeding turkey to your dog will not promote calmness (unless you allow him to stuff himself silly along with the rest of the family on Thanksgiving Day – a practice as unadvisable for him as it is for you).

Second, keep your skeptic cap firmly in place when considering the effectiveness of supplemental L-tryptophan or a tryptophan-enriched food as a treatment for anxiety-related problems. The early study in 2000 reported a modest effect in dogs with dominance-related aggression or territorial behaviors but found no effect in treating hyperactivity.

Subsequently, two placebo-controlled studies reported no effect at all, and the single study that reported a small degree of behavior change could not discount the possibility of a placebo effect.

Human nature encourages us to gravitate toward easy fixes for all things that ail our dogs. Hearing about a nutrient supplement or a specially formulated food that claims to reduce anxiety and calm fearful dogs is powerful stuff for dog owners who are desperate to help their dogs. These types of claims are especially appealing because anxiety problems can have a terrible impact on a dog’s quality of life and are often challenging to treat using the standard (and proven) approach of behavior modification.

An additional risk that must be mentioned regarding our inclination to gravitate toward unverified nutritional “cures” is that well-established approaches such as behavior modification may be postponed or rejected by an owner who instead opts for the supplement, wasting precious time that could actually help a dog in need. Until we have stronger scientific evidence that demonstrates a role for L-tryptophan in changing problem behavior in our dogs, my recommendation is to enjoy the turkey, but train the dog.

Linda P. Case, MS, is the owner of AutumnGold Consulting and Dog Training Center in Mahomet, Illinois, where she lives with her four dogs and husband Mike. She is the author of a new book,  Dog Food Logic, and many other books and numerous publications on nutrition for dogs and cats. Her blog can be read at thesciencedog.wordpress.com. 

Cited References:

1. DeNapoli JS, Dodman NH, Shuster L, et al. Effect of dietary protein content and tryptophan supplementation on dominance aggression, territorial aggression, and hyperactivity in dogs. J Amer Vet Med Assoc 2000; 217:504-508.

2. Bosch G, Beerda B, Beynen AC, et al. Dietary tryptophan supplementation in privately owned mildly anxious dogs. Appl Anim Behav Sci2009; 121:197-205.

3. Kaulfuss P, Hintze S, Wurbel H. Effect of tryptophan as a dietary supplement on dogs with abnormal-repetitive behaviours. Abstract. J Vet Behav 2009; 4:97.

4. Kato M, Miyaji K, Ohtani N, Ohta M. Effects of prescription diet on dealing with stressful situations and performance of anxiety-related behaviors in privately owned anxious dogs. J Vet Behav 2012;7:21-26.

When to See a Vet and When to See a Trainer

By
Susan Sarubin, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA, PMCT4
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According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, between five to seven million companion animals enter animal shelters in the United States every year, and three to four million are euthanized. Of the dogs entering shelters, about 60 percent are euthanized. Some lose their lives due to old age, illness, or injury, others as a result of shelter crowding, but behavioral problems are most frequently cited as the major cause of relinquishment or euthanasia.

dog in vet waiting room

Shelter statistics alone are only part of the picture; dogs with behavior issues are also euthanized by veterinarians upon owner request, as are many other dogs who display undesirable behaviors surrendered to rescue organizations. Some difficult dogs are abandoned to the streets or wilderness areas.

While genetics always plays a role in behavior, many serious behavior issues in dogs are a result of inadequate socialization or other environmental factors. The use of ineffective training methods, frightening or traumatic experiences, insufficient physical and mental exercise, neglect, and abuse are all additional stressors that affect behavior adversely, often profoundly.

Appropriate training can often modify problem behavior, and for more serious behavior issues, behavior-modification medications used in conjunction with training may also be helpful. But what if the underlying cause of a serious behavior problem is an undiagnosed medical condition? Behavior-modification training and medications for behavior will likely have little effect unless the medical condition is also addressed.

When to Consider Medical Involvment

If the family dog’s behavior changes enough for concern, a possible medical cause for the behavior change may not be considered by either the family or the trainer hired to “fix” the problem. And while some veterinarians are knowledgeable about the potential links between medical pathology and behavior, some are not. It’s a heartbreaking tragedy when dogs are relinquished to a shelter or euthanized for a behavior problem caused or aggravated by an undiagnosed, treatable medical condition.

The majority of abnormal canine behaviors are likely caused by environmental stressors. Illness, disease, and injury are far less often associated with behavior change, and as a result, may be the last factor to be considered, if considered at all.
While we don’t want to become hypochondriacs when it comes to our dogs, a possible medical cause for a behavior change should be first on the checklist of considerations, even if only to check it off in favor of a more obvious one. This is especially important when the behavior observed is uncharacteristic for the dog, and the change in behavior is sudden.

Sometimes the connection between behavior change and a medical condition is obvious. If a dog frequently shakes his head, scratches his ear, and repeatedly growls, snaps, and bites his owner’s hand when she reaches to pet him on the head, the owner will probably suspect an ear infection is causing the behavior and bring her dog to the veterinarian. But what if the dog demonstrates the same uncharacteristic behavior of biting her hand when she reaches to pet him in the absence of any other obvious, observable symptoms of a possible medical issue? The owner is not likely to think, “I better get Max to the vet. This could be the result of thyroid disease. Or perhaps his spine needs an adjustment. Or maybe he’s losing his sight.” She may assume that the problem is merely behavioral in nature and be more inclined to call a trainer, who may or may not be familiar with medical rule-outs for this sudden behavior change. If the dog has an undiagnosed medical condition that causes him pain or discomfort leading to biting humans or other animals, his life may be in jeopardy.

Sudden onset behaviors that indicate anxiety, fears and phobias, compulsiveness, depression, disorientation, moodiness, erratic temperament, and/ aggression warrant a trip to your vet’s office.

As a dog owner, you cannot be expected to be familiar with all the medical rule-outs for dozens of abnormal canine behaviors. But a general understanding that a medical condition may be at the root of your pet’s behavioral change may prompt you to see your veterinarian for possible early diagnosis and treatment before behavior deteriorates further or dangerously escalates.

It is neither a trainer’s job to be fluent in medical causes for abnormal behavior, nor legal for her to make a diagnosis. It is important, however, for a trainer to know when to refer her clients to her medical colleagues. The more knowledge a trainer has of medical rule-outs for abnormal behavior, the better equipped she will be to help her clients recognize when a visit to the veterinarian is needed – a visit that may heal the family’s relationship with their dog, and save the dog’s life.

Abnormal Behaviors and Medical Rule-Outs

In her comprehensive reference book1, Manual of Clinical Behavioral Medicine for Dogs and Cats, author and veterinary behaviorist Dr. Karen Overall devotes a full 137 pages to addressing abnormal canine behavior and behavior pathologies. In the manual, Dr. Overall divides the behavioral conditions affecting dogs into two chapters: those conditions involving aggression, and those not primarily involving aggression (allowing that the two may occur simultaneously). Included in her discussion of each abnormal canine behavior and behavioral pathology are rule-outs for the conditions, both medical and non-medical. The manual is an indispensable guide for many veterinarians and behavior professionals.

Table 1 and Table 2 (at the top right) summarize the behavioral conditions identified by Dr. Overall as having possible medical rule-outs, and are based on information provided in her book. Dr. Overall organizes her discussion of the behavioral conditions by actual diagnostic categories. As non-veterinarians we are not qualified to make medical or behavioral diagnoses, so the behavioral conditions in the tables are listed descriptively, by observable behavior (rather than diagnostic category), with corresponding medical rule-outs.

Current research stresses the importance of exploring medical components of what are commonly thought of as strictly behavioral problems. In 2012, two studies by researchers at the University of Montreal Veterinary Teaching Hospital investigated medical causes for two compulsive behaviors in dogs: excessive licking of surfaces and fly biting (defined by the authors as the dog appearing to be staring at something and suddenly snapping at it).2,3 The research suggests that gastrointestinal disease can cause the repetitive behaviors of excessive licking of surfaces and fly biting, and medical treatment for the GI issues significantly reduced these behaviors. Based on the results of this research, future studies evaluating medical causes for other repetitive behaviors, such as spinning and light chasing, may prove worthwhile.

A Trip to the Vet

If you suspect your dog’s behavior change may have an underlying medical cause, your vet can determine what tests are needed. A medical evaluation should include a complete medical history, thorough physical and neurological exam, lab testing of blood counts, blood chemistry, and urinalysis. Additional diagnostic tests may be indicated based on your dog’s symptoms (complete thyroid antibody profile, x-ray, ultrasound, etc.). If all test results are negative, evaluation by an experienced, qualified behavior professional is recommended.

Even if a medical issue is found to be at the root of a dog’s behavioral change, treatments and medications alone may not eliminate undesirable behaviors completely. There is a learned component to many of these behaviors, and, depending on how long they are practiced, behavior-modification training may be required.

For example, a dog who frequently attacked a canine housemate for months prior to diagnosis of hypothyroidism is not likely to immediately become best friends with the dog he attacked once he’s been given hormone-replacement medication. While the medication may make this dog feel much better and less irritable within a few weeks, the negative association that developed over time toward the other resident dog (as well as the other dog’s fear and response to his attacker) may require behavior-modification training to restore harmony. If, however, the diagnosis of thyroid disease happened early in the dog’s history of aggressing toward his housemate, after only one or two minor incidents, hormone replacement alone may resolve the problem.

The Take-Home Message

If a medical cause for a dog’s unwanted behavior remains undiagnosed, the risks to the health and welfare of the dog can be devastating. Undesirable behavior can lead to injury to humans and other animals, relinquishment, deteriorating physical health of the animal, punishment or abuse of the dog by the owner, overwhelming owner stress, and damage to the human-animal bond. Seek an evaluation from your veterinarian to rule out medical involvement. It may save your dog’s life.

Trainers Weigh In

Dog Gender Identity Issue

The client contacted me about a 4-year-old Heeler-mix who suddenly began attacking one of the owners. The owner was bitten several times and required medical care. The dog appeared to give no warnings and the behavior was unpredictable.

old dog

The dog had been neutered at nine months and was identified as a hermaphrodite by the veterinarian. Only one testicle had descended and the vet found an undeveloped ovary during surgery. At my suggestion, the owners brought the dog for an evaluation with a vet I recommended. Tests showed the testosterone level of the dog was extremely high (“off the charts,” according to the vet). An ultrasound revealed a mass and surgery was performed. The “undeveloped ovary” was actually an undescended testicle, the source of the excessive testosterone production. Once removed, the aggression ceased.

– Kim Kilmer, Kim Kilmer Consulting

Punished for Pain

My story of heartbreak was an aged Aussie (13 years old) who was referred to me for separation anxiety. I will not horrify you with all the insane advice the owner was given, including using punishment on this dog, which was so very, very wrong for so very many reasons. The bottom line was that the dog had a metastatic bladder cancer. I still have nightmares about how much this dog suffered.

– Leslie Sinn, DVM, CPDT-KA, Behavior resident, ACVB

He’s Back to Being Good

A woman called me for help with her normally friendly dog, who suddenly and aggressively began guarding his food bowl. I suggested she first get the dog checked by her vet. Three weeks went by without news, so I called her. She said her veterinarian (who was also a chiropractor) had found an issue in the spine (something out of alignment). The dog was adjusted and there were no further incidents of aggression.

– Shannon McCauliff, PMCT, CPDT-KA, Diamond in the Wruff

Don’t Stop Investigating

An unspayed puppy had periodic housetraining lapses during her first year, despite being a natural at house training from an early age. All urinalyses came back negative for UTI, but when the owner pressed the vet to do an exam, the dog was found to have a severely inverted vulva that was causing painful urine burns and repeated vaginosis. She had a vulvaplasty and never had another issue.

– Jessica Miller, PMCT, ANWI, Go Pawsitive, LLC

Suddenly Uncharacteristic = Trouble

A co-worker at my “other job” came to me about her mixed-breed, middle-aged female dog who was suddenly displaying uncharacteristic behaviors. Previously housetrained, she was peeing inappropriately in the house. She was also jumping onto tables, as well as “zoning out,” bumping into things, and seeming to forget where she was. I suggested a trip to the vet to look for the usual and to check for vision or neurological issues. The dog was diagnosed with a brain tumor, and sadly, was euthanized a few months later.

– Jenny West Schneider, PMCT, CPDT-KA, Camp Canine USA

CASE EXAMPLES from Among My Clients (and Family)

I’m a trainer, and was fortunately educated to be alert to the possibility that a medical problem may be contributing to my clients’ dogs’ behavior problems – or behavior issues in my own dogs! The following are just a few of the cases I’ve personally encountered.

Pain In the Neck

My client scheduled a behavior consultation because her 14-year-old male Spaniel had become increasingly aggressive over the last couple of years toward her and a female housekeeper, resulting in bites to both. When I arrived at the home for the appointment, the owner’s four barking dogs clamored around the door. I watched through the door window as, one by one, she removed the dogs from the room so that I could enter by grabbing their collars and dragging them, still barking, behind a closed door to the dining room. My inquiries regarding the incidents of aggressive behavior revealed that all took place when the dog was approached in circumstances where he was commonly re-located by grabbing his collar and dragging him. The owner reported that the behavior had escalated from growling when he was grabbed by the collar, to growling simply when she or the housekeeper approached, and biting when either one reached for his collar. The dog began to growl in the presence of the owner and housekeeper at other times as well, leaving the housekeeper afraid of him and the owner distressed enough to seek help from a behavior professional. Suspecting possible arthritis pain was triggering the veterinarian for an evaluation. Medication for arthritis pain, stopping the collar dragging and teaching the dog to follow the owner and housekeeper on cue prevented any further bites.

Not Just Happy to See You

On my first visit to the client’s home, her 14-week-old Golden Retriever puppy peed on the kitchen floor shortly after we began training, despite having been outside just prior to my arrival. At the time, I assumed it was due to excitement about someone new and the increase in activity. But at our next appointment, the puppy had another accident in the house about fifteen minutes after she urinated outside. The owner also complained that housetraining, despite following a normally effective housetraining protocol, was not going well, with frequent accidents in the house. I suspected a possible urinary tract infection (UTI ) and recommended an examination by the veterinarian. A UTI was diagnosed. After treatment with antibiotics, the infection seemed to clear, but she rebounded quickly. After a second course of antibiotics with another rebound, the
veterinarian discovered the recurring infection was due to a congenital bladder defect. The puppy’s urine was leaking into the area between the interior and exterior wall of the bladder, and urine retention in the tissue caused pressure, stretching the bladder. Surgery to repair the defect was successful, and after recovering, she was quickly and successfully housetrained.

Ain’t That Gland

I adopted Amber (in this photo on the left) when she was three years old. For the first year in our home, she was very friendly with our other two Ridgebacks (both males). Then there were three incidents of aggression toward the boys within two days, each occurring when I was petting her and one of the boys approached. The first time she growled and raised a lip, the second time she lunged, and the third time she attacked (no injuries). I separated her from the other dogs, and brought her to our vet the next day for an evaluation, requesting a complete thyroid antibody profile. The results were positive for hypothyroidism. She began a twice daily dose of supplemental thyroid. I kept her separated from the other dogs for about two weeks, and then began reintroducing them, watching for any signs of conflict. Amber is now 10, and with the exception of the behavior recurring briefly when her dosage needed to be adjusted, has remained her friendly self for the past six years with her “brothers.”

Canine Bladder Infections

By
Nancy Kay DVM
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[Updated August 6, 2018]

If you’ve lived your life with dogs, chances are you’ve cared for one with a bladder infection. The normal urinary bladder is sterile, meaning devoid of bacteria. Infection occurs when bacteria find their way into the bladder and set up housekeeping. Bacterial cystitis (medical-speak for a bladder infection) is a common diagnosis in the canine world. The term urinary tract infection (UTI) is often used synonymously with bacterial cystitis. Technically speaking, a UTI can mean infection anywhere within the urinary tract, and is not specific to the bladder.

dog with bladder infection

Bacterial cystitis occurs most commonly in female dogs. This is attributed to the fact that, compared to males, female dogs have a shorter urethra, the conduit through which urine flows from the bladder to the outside world. With only a short distance to travel in female dogs, bacteria have an easier time migrating from the skin surface up into the urinary bladder.

There is no breed predisposition for bladder infections. However, small-breed dogs are more susceptible to some of the underlying causes of infection described below.

Causes of Bladder Infection in Dogs

While not always easy or even possible to diagnose, there are several underlying issues that make it easier for bacteria to colonize and thrive within the urinary bladder. Anything that disrupts the normal architecture of the urinary tract or reproductive tract (the two are anatomically connected) predisposes to infection. Examples include:

1. Stones within the urinary tract

2. Tumors or polyps within the urinary or reproductive tracts

3. Foreign body within the urinary or reproductive tracts

4. Anatomical birth defects within the urinary or reproductive tracts

5. Prostate-gland or testicular disease

6. Vaginal, vulvar, or uterine disease

Urine that is less concentrated (more dilute) than normal creates an environment that is bacteria-friendly. So, it’s not unusual for bacterial cystitis to accompany diseases associated with increased thirst and increased urine volume, such as kidney failure, liver disease, and some hormonal imbalances. Bladder infections occur commonly in dogs with diabetes mellitus, a hormonal imbalance that creates dilute urine. The sugar in the urine of diabetic dogs creates an ideal growth media in which bacterial organisms absolutely thrive.

Suppression of the immune system caused by disease or medication also promotes bladder infections. Prednisone, a commonly prescribed steroidal anti-inflammatory medication (NSAID), causes urine dilution along with immunosuppression. Not surprisingly, about one third of female dogs receiving prednisone develop spontaneous bladder infections.

Symptoms of Bladder Infection in Dogs

If ever you’ve experienced a bladder infection, you know just how miserable the symptoms can be. Dogs vary a great deal in terms of how dramatically they show evidence of a bladder infection. Some exhibit every symptom in the book, while others demonstrate none whatsoever. Additionally, symptoms can arise abruptly or gradually. Every dog reads the textbook a little bit differently!

Symptoms most commonly observed in association with canine bladder infections include:

– Straining to urinate
– Urination in inappropriate places
– Increased frequency of urination
– Blood within the urine
– An unusual odor to the urine
– Urine leakage
– Increased thirst
– Excessive licking at the penis or vulva

It is unusual for plain and simple bladder infections to cause lethargy, loss of appetite, or fever. Such “systemic” symptoms, in conjunction with documentation of bacteria within the urinary bladder, create suspicion for infection elsewhere within the urinary or reproductive tracts (kidneys, prostate gland, uterus).

It’s important to remember that dogs are creatures of habit, and any change in habit is a big red flag beckoning you to take notice. Filling the water bowl more than usual? Is your girl squatting more frequently than normal on her morning walks? Is she waking you up in the middle of the night to go outside to urinate? Has your well-house-trained dog begun urinating in the house? All such symptoms are worthy of medical attention. For your dog’s sake, please don’t blame urinary issues on negative behavior before first ruling out an underlying medical issue.

Collection of Canine Urine Samples for Testing

If a bladder infection is suspected, testing the urine will be one of the first steps your veterinarian takes. There are a few different ways to collect urine from a dog.

A “free-catch” sample involves catching some urine in a container as the dog urinates. The presence of bacteria in a free-catch sample is nonspecific, meaning the bacteria might have originated anywhere en route to the collection container, including the bladder, urethra, vulva, prostate, and even the hair around the opening of the penis or vulva. In other words, bacteria found in a free-catch sample may not be all that meaningful. Other possible downsides to collecting free catch urine samples are a wet hand and suspicious looks from the neighbors.

Urine can also be collected via a plastic or rubber catheter, inserted into the end of the urethra and advanced forward into the urinary bladder. Once in the bladder, the catheter withdraws the urine. There are a few drawbacks to this sampling method: Most dogs experience some discomfort with the process. Additionally, it is tricky business finding the opening to the urethra in female dogs. And because the catheter comes in contact with the urethra and reproductive structures (vagina, penis, prostate gland) before reaching the bladder, one cannot be certain as to the origin of bacteria found in the sample.

The preferred method of urine collection is a technique called cystocentesis. This involves introducing a small needle directly into the urinary bladder. Urine is collected into a syringe attached to the needle. Other than the stress associated with restraint, there is typically no more discomfort for the dog than would be associated with a vaccination. The beauty of a cystocentesis sample is that, if bacteria are detected, one can be certain they were living in the bladder.

Diagnosis of Canine Bladder Infection

A bladder infection is definitively diagnosed when bacteria are identified within a urine sample that has been collected via cystocentesis. Supporting evidence of infection includes the presence of red blood cells and excessive white blood cells, and/or protein within the urine. Keep in mind, these ancillary abnormalities can occur with a variety of urinary-tract diseases other than infection.

Bacteria in the urine can be documented by two tests: urinalysis and urine culture. The combination of the two is always ideal.

A urinalysis measures urine concentration and pH, screening for red blood cells, white blood cells, and protein, and viewing the urine sample under the microscope. While this test is relatively reliable, it can produce false negative results, particularly if the urine sample sits for several hours prior to testing (certainly the case when samples are sent to a commercial laboratory rather than tested in house). Over time, the bacteria have a way of disappearing from view. Additionally, if the urine sample is dilute (more water than sludge), small numbers of bacteria can readily be missed during the microscopic evaluation.

The gold-standard method for documentation of bacterial infection is a urine culture. Urine is inoculated onto agar (a sterile growth medium) and incubated for 48 to 72 hours. There, the bacterial growth can be documented, and their identification and sensitivity testing can be performed. These tests clarify the species of bacteria as well as which antibiotics the bugs are sensitive to. This is important information, particularly when treating dogs with recurrent bladder infections.

Managment of First-Time Bladder Infections

For dogs experiencing their first bladder infection, the treatment of choice is a 7 to 14 day course of an antibiotic. Performing a urinalysis and urine culture is ideal, but antibiotic sensitivity testing really isn’t necessary with first timers as it is unlikely that the bacteria will have developed any antibiotic resistance.

The antibiotic chosen should be one that is known to be effective against the most common urinary-tract bacteria. Successful treatment is defined by the resolution of symptoms along with normal urinalysis results and a negative urine culture performed two to three weeks following completion of antibiotic therapy.

Managment of Repeated Bladder Infections in Dogs

Sometimes, the minute a dog with a bladder infection completes a course of antibiotics, his or her symptoms begin all over again. With these dogs it’s important to do dig deeper, diagnostically, to identify and eliminate the underlying cause of their recurrent infections.

In addition to the urine testing described above, this investigation begins with an extremely thorough physical examination (including a rectal exam) looking for any abnormality that might predispose the dog to bladder infections. In males, these abnormalities include an enlarged prostate gland or an infection within the sheath (pouch surrounding the penis), or in females, an infection in the skin fold covering the vulva.

If the physical exam and urine testing are not revealing, next is blood work (complete blood cell count and chemistry profile). Specific testing to rule out Cushing’s disease (a hormonal imbalance commonly associated with recurrent bladder infections) may be recommended. Abdominal ultrasound comes next. This test allows inspection of the kidneys, prostate gland, and urinary bladder, in search of stones, tumors, polyps, and/or anatomical defects.

Unfortunately, unless they are significantly diseased, ultrasound does not do a good job imaging the “three U’s”: the uterus, the urethra, and the ureters (structures that transport urine from the kidneys to the bladder). Ultrasound creates no discomfort for the dog, so sedation is usually not needed. Clipping the hair over the belly is necessary for good visualization (something the dog could care less about, but the human often objects to).

Buyer beware: the information gleaned from ultrasound is extremely user-dependent. This skill has a steep learning curve, and the more experience the ultrasonographer has, the greater the likelihood the results will be meaningful.

If all of the above testing does not reveal the underlying cause of recurrent infections, the final diagnostic steps are contrast studies (urethrogram, pyelogram) in which dye is used to visualize portions of the urinary tract not seen with ultrasound. These studies are performed using x-rays or computed tomography (CT scan).

Antibiotic Therapy for Canine Bladder Infections

The ideal way to manage recurrent bladder infections is to define and remove the underlying cause. In some cases, this underlying problem is not definable and/or treatable. When this happens, the judicious use of antibiotic therapy is key to keeping the dog comfortable and preventing issues that can arise secondary to chronic infection (bladder stones, spread of infection to the kidneys or bloodstream).

Choosing the most appropriate antibiotic regimen relies on multiple urine-culture results including bacterial identification and antibiotic-sensitivity testing. Just as in human medicine, some urinary-tract bugs manage to develop a resistance pattern to multiple if not all antibiotics.

Patients with such resistant infections are tricky to manage. They may need big-gun antibiotics (many of which have significant potential side effects) or, if feasible, some “time off” from any antibiotic exposure with hopes that the bacteria will revert back to a more normal pattern of antibiotic sensitivity. If your dog has recurrent bladder infections, anticipate multiple urine cultures over time. Without these results a veterinarian is treating “in the dark,” and this is definitely not in the best interest of the patient.

For dogs with recurrent bladder infections, there are a two ways antibiotic therapy is typically managed:

Long-term, low-dose therapy – An antibiotic is selected based on urine-culture results and the dog is treated at the standard dosage for 14 days. After 14 days, the total daily antibiotic dosage is reduced by 50 to 75 percent and is administered once daily at bedtime. This time of day is chosen because it precedes the longest stretch of urine retention (assuming the dog does not work the graveyard shift).

This regimen will continue for months or even years, following a strict schedule of recheck urine cultures to verify the absence of bacteria. Long-term, low-dose antibiotic therapy is a safe and often effective means to manage recurrent bladder infections.

Pulse therapy – An antibiotic is selected based on urine-culture results and the dog is treated at the standard dosage for 14 days. Just as with the protocol described above, a urine culture is repeated 7 to 10 days after treatment begins to make sure that the antibiotic has successfully eliminated the bacteria. If not, a different antibiotic is chosen and the process begins again.

After 14 days, therapy is discontinued for three weeks, and then pulse therapy is begun. This involves treating the dog with the antibiotic (at the standard dosage) for one week each month. There should be three-week, treatment-free intervals between treatment weeks. Pulse therapy may be continued for months or even years. Periodic urine cultures determine if a change in treatment is needed.

Additional Therapies for Bladder Infections

Cranberry extracts may help prevent recurrence of some bladder infections. Cranberries contain compounds called proanthocyanidins (PACs) that prevent bacteria from adhering to the inner lining of the bladder wall. If the bugs can’t adhere to the bladder wall they are incapable of colonizing, multiplying, and causing infection. This PAC effect works only against E. coli, the bacteria most commonly cultured from canine bladder infections.

Be aware that not just any cranberry formulation will do. Essential for success is the presence and bioactivity of PACs within the product. If interested in using cranberry extract, be sure to check with your veterinarian for his or her product and dosage recommendation. By the way, the notion that cranberries prevent infection by acidifying the urine is nothing more than an old wives’ tale.

Probiotics may help prevent recurrent bladder infections. This is based on the notion that altering bacterial populations in the gut will alter bacterial populations in the feces. Given that fecal microorganisms that linger on the coat may be the source for some bladder infections, probiotics may (emphasis on “may”) have a beneficial effect. If you decide to try a probiotic, get the most bugs for your buck by purchasing a product with the highest concentration of microorganisms.

Methenamine is a drug that may help prevent bladder infections. It is converted to a dilute formaldehyde product within the bladder, where it acts as an antiseptic. Methenamine is effective only in a very acidic environment (the urine pH must be low). For this reason, it is often administered with a urinary-tract acidifier.

Cleansing the skin area surrounding the vulva two to three times daily provides benefit for some female dogs with recurrent bladder infections. I recommend using baby wipes for this purpose. The hope is that the concentration of normal bacteria hanging out on the skin surface will be lessened, thereby lessening the likelihood of bacterial migration up into the urinary bladder.

If your dog continues to experience recurrent bladder infections despite your family veterinarian’s best efforts, I encourage scheduling a consultation with a veterinarian who specializes in internal medicine. Visit the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine to find such a specialist in your neck of the woods.

Nancy Kay, DVM, DACVIM, is the author of Speaking for Spot: Be the Advocate Your Dog Needs to Live a Happy, Healthy, Longer Life, and Your Dog’s Best Health: A Dozen Reasonable Things to Expect From Your Vet. She lives in North Carolina. You can read her blog at speakingforspot.com/blog.

How Your Dog Can Help with Physical Therapy

By
Debi Davis
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Over the course of 20 years, the physical-rehabilitation department of various healthcare facilities became my second home as I groaned, stretched, and struggled my way through physical-therapy sessions following the gradual deterioration and the amputation of my lower legs (due to vascular disease). I was highly motivated to get my body working efficiently again, and I knew the sessions were necessary for physical improvement, but I found the endless repetitive exercises boring to do. Why couldn’t physical therapy be more fun and interesting?

AAT dog in training

A decade later I was asked to participate in the creation of a new animal assisted therapy (AAT) program at a local hospital’s physical-rehabilitation department. My service dog Peek, a 10-pound Papillon, enjoyed interacting with people without soliciting their attention, and he had become bombproof in public. It seemed like a perfect fit for both of us; he enjoyed active participation and tasks, and I enjoyed bringing laughter into the physical-therapy department.

Peek and I had been through therapy-dog training and testing with Pet Partners® and were registered and insured to do both Animal Assisted Activities (AAA) and Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT). In AAT, the dog is an actual part of the patient’s individual treatment plan as a clinical tool, and the dog’s work is documented and kept as part of the patient’s medical records.

Peek enjoyed visitation, but he really came to life when allowed to do more physically interactive exercises and use his growing skill set. Common service dog tasks – such as retrieving, holding items, carrying items from one person to another, pushing and pulling objects – all became skills the physical therapists (PTs) could use to help make therapy sessions more enjoyable, and break the monotony of repetitive exercises. PTs found that patients doing their exercises while interacting with dogs were much more motivated to attend, and actually looked forward to their therapy sessions. Patients worked more diligently and tried harder when working with a dog.

Dogs working in physical-therapy sessions can help patients increase their strength, balance, mobility, flexibility, memory sequencing, reflex response, range of motion, endurance, and gross motor skills. As one therapist said, “Dogs help the grumpiest patients play longer and more complex therapeutic games.”

AAT dog in training

Because Peek and I enjoyed canine freestyle (dancing with dogs), this activity gave me another skill to help reward extra efforts of the patients who liked dogs. I’d taught Peek to respond to either voice or hand signals. I would show the client how to give the signal for Peek to stand up on his hind legs and turn around in a circle: “Pretend your finger is a spoon and you are stirring your coffee.” Then I’d show them the hand signal for a quick drop into a down position. The patients loved to end up their therapy sessions with a bit of dog dancing and fast drops.

Memorable AAT Dog Clients

Peek and I assisted in the rehabilitation of dozens of patients with a range of physical challenges and treatment goals, including:

Jenna was recovering from a stroke, and needed to do lots of gross and fine motor skill exercises. Instead of just squeezing a soft foam ball while the therapist watched and counted the repetitions, Peek would hold the ball while Jenna got a good grip on it, then he would stand patiently while Jenna squeezed the ball 10 times; then Jenna would throw it for Peek to retrieve. Exercising with resistance was done by having Jenna and Peek play tug and release. The dog would hold steady pressure on the rope as many seconds as planned by the therapist, and I’d cue him to release when the exercise was finished. Those ball-squeezing, resistance, and ball-tossing exercises were a whole lot more interesting with a dog.

Jenna also had to do exercises to restore hand facilitation and strength. Learning to manipulate buttons, snaps, clasps, and zippers again was much more fun when she could put clothing on Peek, and fasten and unfasten the closures. She also enjoyed learning to grasp and move a brush, by brushing Peek and learning to stroke the brush on his hair in a rhythmic fashion. At the end of her first therapy session with Peek, she said, “I never looked forward to therapy before. Now I can’t wait to get here!”

Joe had suffered a head injury in a farm-equipment accident and had to learn to use his legs and arms again. A ranch hand, Joe used to be a horseshoe-tossing ace, and his favorite therapy exercise was tossing rubber rings onto a board affixed with wooden dowels to catch the rings. Instead of the therapist gathering the rings and taking them back to Joe to be tossed again, Peek became the ring gatherer, and brought each rubber ring back and placed it on Joe’s lap after it had been thrown. Joe stepped up his pace and worked hard to get those rings on the pegboard, because he loved watching Peek jump up to retrieve them.

Joe also needed to do balance and stretching exercises. The PT would give me positioning points, and Peek would stand quietly in that position, so that Joe could stretch toward and try to reach Peek’s back. Peek would be directed to move around Joe’s wheelchair at various positions and angles so that Joe could reach and stretch to each side and the front of his chair.

Mr. Jenkins was learning to walk again, and had graduated from wheelchair to walker. He would push the walker and take a couple of steps while holding onto the dog’s leash. Peek would adjust his pace to Mr. Jenkins’. Each time Mr. Jenkins would stop for a little rest, he’d reach over and pat the dog, and say, “Just give me a moment, boy, and we can go another lap down the hallway.” What was once just a boring exercise had become fun and interactive with the dog at his side.

Is This An Activity For You and Your Dog?

Which skills are needed to work in a physical-therapy department with your well-mannered, well-socialized dog? The dog should be able to work off-leash, and do basic loose leash walking on both sides of your body, as well as next to a wheelchair, walker, cane, or crutches.

A trip to a local senior center or hospital can offer many opportunities to help your dog gain confidence around medical equipment. You can work your dog outside, practicing sits, downs, and standing in position until cued to do another behavior. Automatic doors that whoosh open and close, people pushing IV poles on casters go by, wheelchairs, walkers, and crutches are also abundant. Vehicles may pull in at the door to unload passengers from lift-equipped vans. People will exhibit lurching gaits, and the scent of disinfectant, alcohol, and other chemicals used inside hospitals and rehab centers will waft through the doors and linger on patients’ clothing.

Working outside a hospital emergency room can condition your dog to sirens, people rushing, and carrying in people on gurneys. I like to bring along a tin pan of some type, a book, and an umbrella. Dropping the book and the pan, letting the dog get used to the thump and clatter that is a normal part of any hospital rehabilitation unit, is very helpful. Open and shut an umbrella in every possible place, so the dog gets used to quick changes in the appearance of objects. You may also use this to help teach directions – right, left, and around – in a stimulus-rich environment.

With so many people enjoying dog sports and other activities with their companion and competition dogs, it might be worth evaluating how any of your dog’s current repertoire of behaviors might be turned into a skill that could help motivate and engage people in a physical-therapy setting. Of course, a dog with a good retrieve will always be in high demand, as there are so many ways to integrate retrieval games into physical-therapy exercise plans.

You can always start with core canine good citizen behaviors and refine and shape new behaviors as needed. A dog working in any AAA or AAT setting should be comfortable with people of all ages, sizes, cultures, and races, and not be stressed by busy, noisy environments.

A calm, relaxed, friendly dog who can walk on a loose leash and be comfortable being handled, groomed, and interacting with strangers will have what it takes to start a career as an animal-assisted physical-therapy dog. The dogs who already have obedience or rally skills will be in high demand. Off-leash work is also highly coveted. It’s a chance to show off your dog’s skills while doing something to help others. It can be as nourishing and fun for the dog and handler as it is for the patients who are fortunate enough to get to work with them.

Attributes of an AAT Dog

A great animal assisted therapy (AAT) dog can be of any breed or mix of breeds, and either sex. What’s important is that the dog is able to respectfully interact with all people without exhibiting stress. I’ve worked along side 3-pound Yorkies and 180-pound Mastiffs. Some patients will prefer to work with smaller dogs and some with larger ones. There will always be people who are not comfortable interacting with certain breeds, no matter how friendly and well mannered the dog may be. I recall a Holocaust survivor who loved dogs, and wanted to be part of the AAT physical therapy program, but was uncomfortable working with any dog resembling a German Shepherd, because it reminded her of the dogs used in the concentration camps. Some people view bully breeds as threatening, and others have been bitten by small dogs and cannot relax in their presence. It’s important that the handler not take it personally if a patient is uncomfortable working with a specific type of dog.

The personality of the AAT dog requires a dog who is comfortable being handled and interacting with people of all races, cultures, sexes, and ages. The dog should be friendly, sociable, and reliable in distracting environments. In addition, the AAT dog must be able to interact comfortably with other dogs (and sometimes cats!) working in the same room. The therapy room can get quite congested at times, so the dog should be able to remain calm and focused in crowded areas.

While AAT dogs should be friendly and sociable, the dog should also have acceptable public behaviors, and not sniff, jump, lick, paw at people, or coerce attention. The dog must also be confident enough to be handled awkwardly, and be comfortable being touched on all parts of the body.

The handler’s communication with the dog is equally important. Because physical-therapy dogs often work off-leash, the handler directs the interaction with the patient, and will cue the dog from different positions. The dog-handler relationship is one of trust, and the dog will be expected to interact with a stranger as directed by the handler, under the physical therapist’s guidance. Just as the dog is expected to remain focused on the tasks at hand, the handler must remain focused on the dog, and ready to give a cue to change from one behavior to another.

The more behaviors the dog has on cue, the more creative the therapist can be in including the dog in the patient’s treatment plan. Being able to respond to direction changes, position changes, sits, downs, and doing retrievals is extremely helpful. However, it’s not mandatory.

If your dog has good manners, is comfortable being handled and interacting with new people, isn’t stressed around medical equipment or crowds, and responds to basic obedience cues, then the dog may well enjoy doing AAT work.

It’s a team effort, however. The handler is as important as the dog, and should know how to read her dog’s stress signals and know when the dog may need a short break to just relax, sniff outside and eliminate. Though therapy sessions are normally only a couple of hours at most, it’s intensive concentration for both the dog and handler. Knowing your dog’s needs sets up both the handler and dog for success.

Debi Davis is a retired professional calligrapher and service-dog trainer. She is a former faculty member of Clicker Expo, and has presented at service-dog training seminars and workshops.  Debi is an advocate for reward-based training, and enjoys being an informal ambassador of goodwill in the service-dog and disability communities. She currently lives in Las Vegas with her husband and service dog in training.

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In The Blink of An Eye, Everything Can Change with Dogs

By
Nancy Kerns
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In the past week, I’ve heard about the following life-changing events experienced by people (and dogs) I know:

A couple goes out for a walk with their year-old Border collie-mix. Suddenly, two dogs of an indeterminate bully-breed description launch themselves off a front porch and (since the house had no fence) attack their dog. Their screams summon the owner, who is able to grab his dogs and pull them off, but their dog is badly hurt and required immediate medical care (stitches, drains, antibiotics) and they are bruised. Now, their formerly friendly, confident dog starts trembling, raises her hair, and growls whenever she sees another dog when they are walking.

A young man takes his young dog to a dog park, and the dog enjoys running and playing with other dogs. As he is running at one point, though, another dog smashes into him at high speed – T-bone style – and he goes down screaming, and gets up on three legs. His owner has to lift him above a pack of other dogs who are drawn and aroused by the yelping and screaming. Even after he is carried out of the park and put into his car, he shrieks in pain and fear. Now he, too, starts growling, raises his hackles, and tries to hide or flee when he sees other dogs running toward him.

A mom takes the family dog to a Little League game to watch from the edge of the field in a large park. She has the dog on a leash – well, not exactly, a retractable lead. Not far away, there is a large group celebrating an event with a barbecue, music . . . and firecrackers. The family dog panics at the crackling, popping sounds, pulls the plastic handle out of the mom’s hands, and starts to run away. The dog is further frightened by being “chased” by the plastic handle of the leash, which scrapes and drags on concrete behind him, and crashes into his back legs. He runs blindly across a busy four-lane road, almost getting hit by one car and causing another one to nearly crash to avoid him. When the mom (and half the Little League team) manages to catch him, he’s shaking and terrified. And now, he starts shaking any time the family goes to that park, or he hears the “crack” of baseball bats (present at the time of that traumatic event), or when he hears anything like a firecracker.

A couple and their two-year-old son are visiting friends, who are expecting a baby of their own. The friends have a small friendly dog, a Maltese-mix. At one point during the visit, the dog approaches the two-year-old as he is playing on the floor with some plastic Lego-type toys, and without warning, the two-year-old smacks the dog on the face, HARD, with one of the toys. Now the dog growls at small children.

In every instance, there were things the owner could have done differently to avoid the incident that happened. But each of these events also could have gone perfectly well, and in fact, had gone well many times prior. And in each case, the owners are going to need to alter their “usual” routines to avoid triggering their dog’s new fearful behavior while they embark on a new training and behavior modification program that involves counter-conditioning, in an effort to help the dog get over his or her fear.

Has something like this ever happened to your dog? How long did it take for your dog to recover from the trauma?

(Holistic Remedies Tip #6) Canine Energy Healing Techniques

By
Nancy Kerns
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Energy medicine, once so exotic that it was dismissed out of hand by America’s physicians and veterinarians, is now going mainstream. In addition to the therapies described in Whole Dog Journal energy healing techniques such as flower essences, animal communication, and kinesiology are used by holistic veterinarians in the U.S. and around the world.

Understanding what these therapies are and how they work will help you decide which energy therapies might be appropriate for your canine companion.

Flower essences

There’s nothing unusual about a dog responding to an herbal tea or capsule. Plants have been used for thousands of years to treat all kinds

of conditions.

But flower essences, which are also called flower remedies, are very

different from herbal products. Like homeopathic remedies, they

contain little or none of the material used to produce them. Instead, they store a plant’s “vibration” or “imprint,” which in turn affects the animal’s energy. These vibrations or imprints are said to act directly on the animal’s emotions.

Conventional veterinary medicine finds no credible explanation for either homeopathy or flower essences, but physicists and other energy

researchers say that on the atomic level, tiny amounts of matter contain subtle but powerful forces.

By far the most famous flower remedy blend is Dr. Edward

Bach’s formula for emergency and stress, which is sold under the brand names (depending on the manufacturer) Rescue Remedy, Calming Essence, Five Flower Formula, and Trauma Remedy in health food stores, pharmacies, pet supply stores, and online. It contains star of Bethlehem for shock, rock rose for fear and panic, impatiens for tension and mental agitation, cherry plum for lack of emotional control, and clematis for the sensation one experiences just before fainting.

According to Helen Graham and Gregory Vlamis in their book Bach Flower Remedies for Animals, Rescue Remedy and similar emergency remedies can be used:

– As an adjunct to any treatment for illness, surgery, injury, trauma, or shock

– As a safe alternative to tranquilizers and sedatives

– To help revive weak newborn puppies

– To combat the aftereffects of anesthesia and to revive puppies delivered by caesarean section

– To help resuscitate dogs whose breathing has stopped or help dogs who are having trouble breathing

– After any seizure or convulsion

– To speed recovery from heatstroke or exhaustion

– To speed the healing of wounds

– To help dogs relax at the groomer’s salon, veterinary clinic, obedience school, dog park, or any stressful surroundings

– To support dogs living in shelters

– To improve mental focus and learning

For more herbal and holistic remedies for your dog, purchase and download the ebook from The Whole Dog Journal, Holistic Remedies. 

 

Do What Fills You

By
Nancy Kerns
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Agility Training

A week ago, I attended my first agility competition just as a spectator. It made me immediately wish I had kept up with my agility lessons with Otto. I want to get back to it! I have to try my hand at this sport.

I had an excuse for quitting several, actually. The trainer I was taking group lessons from suddenly moved far away, and I didn’t know anyone else locally who either had agility equipment or was offering group classes. And family matters prevented me from having enough spare time to drive much farther than I already had been in search of a replacement class.

But Otto LOVED going to class and jumping over things and running through things. He thought it was a blast and so did I.

 

Within 10 minutes of watching a fairly advanced class at the event I attended, I had burst out laughing (with utter delight at watching a fantastic dog/handler team) and burst into tears (at the end of the same run, to witness the joy and pride and connection between that dog and handler). Okay, yes, I’m a total and utter sap, but emotions are part of what I love about dog/human relations.

It’s breathtaking to see a fast accurate agility run, and heartwarming to see a slower, accurate one where the dog checks in constantly with his handler and seems to be having a good (even if not great) time. And it always saddens me to see a dog go unacknowledged at the exit of the ring after a run in which he made mistakes. Maybe the handler doesn’t want to reward a run in which the took the wrong obstacle but if he got 95 percent of the other obstacles right, isn’t it a little dampening to his enthusiasm if he gets zero affection/patting/play or even eye contact at the end? I’m a TOTAL amateur at this sport, but instinctively, I feel there is often a connection between the dog not paying strict attention to his or her handler and the handler’s visible, palpable disappointment and unhappiness at the end of a poor or even mediocre run.

It’s a thrill to see the Border Collies and Aussies and Jack Russell Terriers and Belgian Tervurens flying around the course . . . but no less thrilling to see pit-mixes and Pomeranians and Rotties and who-knows-whats do so, too.

I should also say that while I saw lots of fit, gorgeous human athletes tooling around the courses, I also saw plenty of people far older and far more out of shape than I am jogging with their dogs to pick up ribbons. Being middle-aged and middle-sized is no excuse to stop my exploration of this sport.

I still have a lot going on in my family. I’m spending most of my spare time supporting one wing of my family, people who are in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction, and the rest supporting another close family member in a serious battle with cancer. But darn it, the time I spend working with and enjoying Otto is what helps fill me up, so I have more to give. I’m tracking down another agility class today.

Information Overload?

By
Nancy Kerns
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I’ve mentioned before that I have a standing offer to all my friends and relatives to help them find the dog of their dreams – from out of the ever-changing, ever-crowded population of dogs at my local shelter. I will drop what I’m doing at the drop of a hat to go check out a likely candidate, and when I lead new volunteer orientations, I spend much of the time scoping out the dogs in the kennels and wracking my brain for people I know who might make a good match for the dogs I like best.

When I do make a prospective match, I often keep the dog at my home for a week or two, doing a little training (so the dog makes the best possible first impression) and getting to know him or her well, so I can offer the most accurate pre-adoption advice regarding getting ready for the dog and the best “tech support” possible once we have transferred custody of the dog.

Lately, I’ve been working with a friend who was looking for a nice young dog to join his family of three: himself, his wife, and their two-year-old daughter. In our conversations before and after finding a dog for them, keeping the dog for a couple of weeks, and turning the dog over to them, we’ve exchanged dozens of instant messages, emails, and phone calls. We’ve discussed making sure the dog doesn’t escape until the dog bonds to you, keeping the dog safe from the child and the child safe from the dog, conditioning the dog to feel as comfortable as possible around children, using a “nothing in life is free” program (asking the dog to sit before letting her in or out or throwing her ball for her, etc.), housetraining, diet, dealing with other dogs on walks, when and where you can go off-leash, diet, and more. I told my friend, who hasn’t owned a dog for decades, “Are you getting the impression that I’m a little nuts, trying to shove so much information about so many things down your throat?” His tactful comment was that “a lot has changed since he last had a dog.”

Today I saw the most appropriate meme on Facebook – actually on the Facebook page of WDJ’s Training Editor (and trainer), Pat Miller. It said, “The more wisdom you attain and the more conscious you become, the crazier you will appear to others.” I resemble that remark!

But does it ever occur to any of you how odd it is that people with only the tiniest bit of knowledge about a certain animal’s behavior, learning, diet, or health management bring an animal of another species home — to live in their houses, sleep in their beds, play with their children?! When you think about it too long, it’s actually quite stunning – not unlike if you found a fox or badger or polar bear cub and brought it home, and tried to keep it based on what I knew from childhood books and casually read magazine articles and random TV programs about those animals.

I really want people to know more about the dogs they bring into their homes when they do so, in order to set them – the dogs, AND the people – up for success. I don’t want anyone to get lost, bitten, or euthanized. If I appear a tad crazy . . . that’s why.

Put in a Good Word for Your Favorite Dog-Related Businesses

By
Nancy Kerns
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After spending most of my life handling all of my dogs’ grooming needs, I discovered the joys of engaging the services of a professional groomer.  It was sort of a happy accident. Otto had rolled in an extremely dead, long-dead, disgustingly dead salmon, and had rancid salmon oil all over his head, neck, and shoulders. Every time I got close to him I gagged. And it was early winter, so it was too cold to consider washing him with a hose. I called the owner of a grooming salon who donates her services to the worst cases at my local shelter and told her about my predicament. i didn’t pull my punches, I told her I seriously was going to vomit if I had to do it, and someone else might vomit also. I told her that I’d pay ANYTHING she asked. I was serious.

She said, cheerily, “Oh, it happens all the time. I might charge you an extra $20, but only because it takes two or three shampoos to get all the grease and smell out.” (We live in a town with a river that runs through it, and there is a large salmon run that ends at a hatchery in the center of town. Salmon die after they spawn, and for months in the fall, their carcases litter the riverbanks. This was Otto’s first time, and ever since this incident, I avoid walking by the river until at least February. It’s just too tempting for most dogs.)

I put Otto in the back of our truck — if we hadn’t had a truck, I would have walked him to the groomer, over a mile away. No way was he going in my car. I walked him into the shop, warned them about his fear of slippery floors, and left. Two hours later, the owner called me and said he was ready. I was dubious; I drove the truck to the shop. But he was fluffy and odor-free. It was miraculous, as far as I was concerned.

From then on, when it’s too cold for washing dogs on the lawn and I don’t want to have to clean my entire bathroom after dog-washing indoors, I take my dogs to this groomer. They are never reluctant to enter the shop, so I know they are getting treated very well, and the groomer and her staff do such an amazing job — including expressing the dog’s anal glands, trimming toenails, and cleaning inside the dogs’ ears —  that it puts my efforts to shame.

Not long ago, I was entering the parking lot of the shop to pick up my dogs when a woman exited the parking lot at a crazy-fast rate of speed. Sheesh! I thought. What’s her problem? I went into the shop and all the employees were talking about the woman. Apparently, she was unhappy with the grooming job they had done on her dog, and she had accused them of mistreating the tiny dog. The thing was, according to the shop owner, she was present for all but five minutes of the dog’s shampoo, drying, and clipping. She had stepped out into the parking lot to take a phone call that last for no more than five minutes, and then re-entered the shop and waited for her dog. But when she picked the dog up, she suddenly pointed to some bruising on the dog’s tummy and accused the shop owner of mistreating the dog while she was outside. WHAT? She had insisted, getting louder and more upset, and the owner and her staff tried to explain that nothing at all out of the ordinary had happened in the few minutes the woman had stepped outside. The owner of the shop told the woman, “Please take the dog to your vet; I will pay for an exam. You will see that we could not have caused those bruises — but they should be investigated; bruising like could indicate a number of health problems.” The woman refused — and of course, refused to pay for the services.

It gets worse. THEN the woman went home and started posting terrible things about the grooming shop on the shop’s Facebook page. She claimed the owner or staff must have abused the dog while she was outside. She posted photos of the dog’s bruised belly, and said it was proof that the shop was abusive to dogs. The owner of the shop had to take down the woman’s posts, and then block her from being able to comment on anything (after the woman started posting inflammatory comments on other patron’s complimentary posts!). The owner also called the woman the next day and repeated her offer to pay for a veterinary exam, which the woman refused, saying inexplicably, “My husband won’t let me take the dog to the vet.”

Then she posted a nasty review on Yelp.com.

I learned about all this after-the-fact stuff yesterday, when I took Tito the Chihuahua in to the groomer. He has been scooting lately — a clear sign he needed his anal glands expressed — and his nails needed clipping. He’s so hysterical when I try to do it (alone), and he’s never given the groomers any trouble, so it’s worth it to me to bring him in. I asked the owner if she had ever been able to talk that woman into bringing the dog to the vet (the answer was no), and that’s when she told me about all the activity on Facebook and Yelp.

Well, I can’t do anything about that. But I *can* post my own reviews about my own glowing experiences with the groomer, and I should have already. It’s too bad that it takes years for someone to build a good reputation, and it’s so easy for someone with some sort of agenda or nutty take on reality to give that reputation a serious tarnish.

I obviously don’t know what happened with the case of that woman. All I know is that I’ve never seen anyone in the shop mistreat an animal; I would hardly bring my dogs there if I had. When I bring in a baggies of treats and ask them to feed them liberally to my dogs to help them enjoy the experience, they do. When I ask them to let Otto pick his way slowly across the slippery shop floor, they do — no pulling or dragging. And that’s why my dogs are so eager to enter the shop, I’m sure. And I should let as many other people as I can know that the groomer and her staff have always done a terrific job for me (and for the worst cases of matting we see at the shelter, for free).

Do you leave positive reviews online for your favorite groomer, veterinarian, trainer, dog walker, pet supply store, or other dog-related business? Have you ever left a bad review?

Newly adopted dog? Don’t take the leash off anytime soon

By
Nancy Kerns
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I’m afraid I’ve heard this story more times than I can count – anyone who has been involved in rescue for long has heard it, too: Family wants to do the right thing and adopt a shelter or rescue dog; family waits for just the right dog to come along to the shelter/rescue; family is matched with/meets dog, falls in love; family takes dog home . . . and somewhere in the first week, or even the first DAY, the dog is inadvertently given an opportunity that the family, who has been filled with anticipation for weeks or months, just didn’t expect – the dog escapes and disappears. Was it a stop at the gas station on the way home, when little Billy got out of the car to use the restroom and left the car door open for a minute? When the family thought the dog would follow them into the house when they arrived home with the dog and just let her out of the car? When a visitor who came over to the house lingered too long in the doorway, without thinking to block the dog from slipping outside?

However it happens, losing the new dogs is usually a huge disappointment for the family, who has waited so long. But it’s often an even more wrenching disappointment for the group or person who fostered the dog; they may have invested weeks or years in saving and rehabilitating the dog, providing medical care (something as simple as spay/neuter, for example, or as lengthy and involved as treatment for demodex or heartworm), and perhaps helping the dog make a transition from being a neglected dog on a chain, to learning to live with and enjoy humans and fellow companion animals inside a home, with a family. To learn that a dog you invested money and time and love has gone poof! Just heartbreaking.

I fostered an obese and anxious Labrador a couple years ago; she had been surrendered by an older man who had gone into long-term care (without hope of recovery), and had never spent more than an hour without him in her three-year-old life. She liked people, and was very jolly and friendly with me, and seemed perfectly content to hang out with me, but her constant panting and tense ears belied the jolliness. Her tension was confirmed the first time I unclipped her leash and let her out the back door of my house – unbeknownst to her, into a very securely fenced backyard; she ran like a demon was chasing her. Only when she discovered there was no way out – no open gate, no low or rickety fence – did she turn back toward me, smiling as if that little escape effort hadn’t happened.

Who knows why dogs do this? “Why can’t she see that we love her and want to provide everything for her? She’s been so abused – why can’t she see what a nice home this will be for her?”

But most dogs aren’t looking at every new person or place like an orphan who has been spoon-fed fantastic stories about how great her new life is going to be with her new family. All they know is that they have been taken away by strangers once again, and even if the strangers are very nice, this isn’t home. The instinct for the dog to find something familiar (even if what was familiar for the dog was not so nice) is VERY STRONG.

I guess it’s understandable that people look at the whole thing from a human perspective, but you have to TRY see it from the dog’s point of view; dogs haven’t been anticipating and visualizing their new lives with a new family the way the new family has been imagining how the dog is going to complete their lives. You have to keep the dog long enough to bond to you before you can trust him not to bolt at the earliest opportunity.

Must Love Dogs

By
Nancy Kerns
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This happens all the time: People ask me what I do, and I answer, “I edit a dog magazine.” About 70 percent of the time, their next comment is, “Wow! You must really love dogs!” And the remaining 30 percent of the time, they ask, “So how many dogs do you have?” As if the only person who would be the editor of a dog magazine would also be obsessed to distraction about dogs and/or have 10 of them!

whole dog journal editor nancy kerns

I actually got this job because I have a degree in journalism and experience in editing other animal-related magazines. Before WDJ, I edited three different horse magazines in an eight-year period. Each time I went job hunting, I was looking for an editing job on a human-oriented magazine – and each time, up popped an offer of a job on the staff of a horse magazine. It so happens that I grew up riding horses, and competed in hunter/jumper events well into college, and later, I was exposed to endurance riding and bought my first Arabian, so I knew the equine vernacular. But I was in the same spot when people used to comment, “You must really love horses!” and ask, “How many do you have?” I often felt I had to explain, “I’m not a horse nut! I’m a journalist! I just happen to work for a horse magazine!”

But the undeniable fact is, I do love dogs, and I’m absolutely fascinated by all kinds of animal behavior and all things related to education and learning theory – which, when it comes to animals, we call “training.” I’m also interested in health, fitness, medicine (conventional, complementary, and alternative), and nutrition. So, even though I don’t identify as a dog fanatic and I don’t have eight dogs, I find so many connections between my work and my home life that it makes editing WDJ a dream job.

What do I mean by “connections”? Well, for instance, this morning I had an appointment with a new dentist; my old dentist retired and turned his practice over to a younger doctor. One of the new technologies employed by the new doctor appeared as some sort of weird light that he shined around my mouth. When I asked for an explanation, he said the device is a Velscope, and it possesses filters that make oral cancer cells visible – even cancer cells that are developing several layers of tissue beneath the surface. Honest to goodness, my first response was not, “Good to know that I don’t have oral cancer!” My immediate thought was, “Wow! I wonder if this could be used for dogs!” You see, oral cancer is hard to detect in dogs until it is fairly advanced – so, naturally, I’m looking into whether veterinary applications for the Velscope have been explored.

And those who know me are familiar with my propensity for explaining human behavior in animal-behavior terms. I can’t help but explain to my daughter-in-law why she needs to make sure my two-year-old grandson doesn’t get “reinforced” for whining (with either the toy or treat he wants, or her continued attention in the form of repeated explanations as to why he can’t have what he wants right then) – and warning her to be on the lookout for an “extinction burst” of louder and more persistent whining as she endeavors to stop responding to the “demand behavior.” I hope she doesn’t take offense at her darling son being compared to a dog who is begging at the dinner table; the solution for both obnoxious behaviors is essentially the same – although no crates are involved in toddler training.

So, anyway, when the receptionist at my new dentist’s office asked, “What do you do?” and I responded that I edit a dog magazine, and she said, “Oh, you must love dogs! How many do you have?” I just smiled and said, “Two!”

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I recently fostered a dog who first greeted me at the shelter that I sprung her from by jumping up on me. I spent the first two days with her almost exclusively working on preventing her from jumping. When I introduced her to a friend, my friend immediately held her arms out and greeted the dog’s enthusiastic jump up with a big hug, petting, and cooing
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