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Heat Exhaustion in Dogs

By
Dr. Debra M. Eldredge, DVM
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Providing your dog with shade can help avoid heat exhaustion.
Be sure your dog has access to shade when he’s outside for a long period. Credit: Giovanni Bortolani | Getty Images

The first signs of heat exhaustion in dogs are easy to miss, like the dog who normally plays fetch for at least 10 throws but slows down after five. He’s panting, but it isn’t the usual happy and excited pant you’re familiar with. It’s more intense and heavier than usual. If your dog is panting heavily, he needs to cool down.

Your dog’s tongue can be key to detecting increasing heat stress. If your dog is panting and his tongue looks abnormally long and wide, and/or his lips are pulled back to expose more of his gums and oral tissues, he is trying to maximize his evaporative cooling process through his mouth. His drool may look thick, and his mucous membranes may be bright red. All this adds up to a dog working hard to cool off.

Stumbling Into Heat Stroke

A dog moving into an emergency level of heat exhaustion, called heat stroke, may appear weak and even stumble. This dog needs immediate veterinary care. You may also notice:

  • Muscle tremors and weakness
  • Increased heavy panting
  • Increased thirst but nose/mouth dry
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Elevated pulse (check in the groin area)
  • Abnormal gum color
  • Increasing dehydration

Check for dehydration by gently pulling up a small amount of skin. The skin “tents up” when you squeeze it and doesn’t immediately slip right back into place. If your dog’s mouth is dry or his saliva is thick, flush his mouth with cool water and encourage him to drink.

Never Leave Your Dogs in the Car

We all know children and dogs can die if left in a hot car and, sadly, stories abound about people who still do this. Some vehicles now allow you to lock the car and leave it running, which may tempt you to leave your dogs in the car. Don’t do it.

Literally, as I write this article, I read about a heat-related dog tragedy at a dog event in the Northeast. The owner parked her car in the shade and left it running with the air conditioning on. She did checks every 30 to 40 minutes. On her last check, the car was still running but the AC had quit. Three dogs were dead, one was seizuring, and three were in critical condition.

In another incident earlier this year, dogs were left in an RV with air conditioning running and a temperature monitor in the RV. Sadly, both the AC and monitor malfunctioned, and the dogs died. Don’t leave your dogs unattended.

As the heat exhaustion worsens and the body temperature elevates, the dog’s gums change from bright red to pale. The dog begins hyperventilation. His blood pressure will drop, and he may become unconscious, collapse, or go into seizures. With high enough body temperatures (such as 107 degrees F), organ failure sets in. Put your dog in the car, blast the AC, and get him to a veterinarian immediately.

What to Do for Heat Stress in a Dog

If your dog is panting excessively or collapses, get him cool!  Putting him in a tub of cool water is ideal. If not, pour cool water or run a hose over him, targeting thin-haired areas like the “arm pits” and the groin area (just hosing off his back is inefficient, especially if he has a thick coat, because the water just rolls off the coat and doesn’t quickly get down to the skin).

If you can monitor temperatures, try to get him down to 104. Add fans once he is in your car and turn up the AC, letting it blow on him.

How Dogs Stay Cool

Dogs cool off through evaporative cooling, although they do sweat a bit through their foot pads. Evaporative cooling occurs via panting, so your dog must be well-hydrated to get the full benefit of the panting. Dogs also will shift blood flow to surface areas: vis vasodilation to help cool things off so you might notice your dog’s ears being very red for example.

Avoid Heat Stress

Packing water and cooling supplies can help prevent heat stroke in dogs.
Your dog loves outings like hikes as much as you do! Be sure you have water and cooling supplies in a backpack for your dog, too. Credit: Tommasolizzul | Getty Images

Clearly, prevention is the best way to minimize heat stress and avoid heat stroke. To do this:

  • Limit play and training during hot weather.
  • Stick to shaded, grassy areas if possible, including for rest.
  • Always have fresh, cool water available in the shade and add ice cubes.
  • If your dog is working, considering using cool treats, such as frozen-low sodium bouillon, doggy ice cream, or watermelon.
  • Provide a kiddie pool (be sure water is fresh and cool), splash pad, or misting water sprinkler.
  • Make your dog take a periodic break from playing.

If you are hiking, choose trails that are shaded and not too strenuous. Let your dog wade in a running creek. Caution: Avoid stagnant bodies of water as algae buildups can be toxic. Be sure you have drinking water for your dog (and you!) with you.

High-Risk Dogs

With dogs at high risk for heat stress include older dogs, overweight dogs, and brachycephalic dogs (the ones with short faces and muzzles), it is best to leave them safely at home. If not possible, someone should always be with them.

Some dog-sports competitors use dog cool coats to help protect the dog from the intense rays of the sun. These are coats that can be wet down and reflect the sun.

When I travel with my dogs in the summer, I leave my car open (minivan), with open weave shade cloths covering it, and fans on when I am parked. I park in shade if possible and orient my car to catch any breeze. I have extra fans and batteries. I stay with my dogs as much as possible.

Use drive-ups to get food and drinks instead of going into a restaurant. When purchasing gas, pull your car up so it is in shade.

So far, I have not had problems, but if it is truly hot, we stay home. Heat-related problems are serious. Even dogs who seem fine may show signs of organ damage a few days later. This is a health problem to avoid.

House-Training Is Simple, But Not Always Easy

By
Nancy Kerns
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A young but house-trained puppy.
It’s been challenging to be as assiduous about watching this small-breed foster puppy as I need to be in order to whisk her outside every time she looks like she has to urinate. At least I can count on the first-thing-in-the-morning pee.

Have you ever visited a friend’s or relative’s house and, upon walking in the door, detected the unmistakable aroma of dog pee? No one wants this to happen to their home, but a failure to house-train or otherwise manage a dog can easily lead to this upsetting and unhealthy result.

There are lots of reasons that a house-training failure can occur. Perhaps the dog has a particularly small bladder or had a urinary tract infection at some point, causing them to need to urinate far more frequently than they were given the opportunity to do so outdoors. Perhaps the owner wasn’t able to let the dog outside as frequently as needed to support the house-training habit, or didn’t have the means or ability to manage the dog’s environment to increase the likelihood of house-training success.

I know some folks who, in their late 80s, lost their nearly 20-year-old Dachshund, and after a few months of extreme sadness, bought a Dachshund puppy; they had owned Dachshunds their entire lives, they didn’t want to be without one! But their declining mobility resulted in the puppy not getting taken outside as much as she needed to be, and their large-open plan home gave the puppy many opportunities to relieve herself in places her owners couldn’t detect. The couple’s adult children, nearly senior citizens themselves, will have to grapple with both the un-house-trained dog and her effects on the house at some point.

With this in mind, I am currently working hard to provide a small-breed puppy, a foster puppy from my local shelter, with a solid house-training foundation before finding her an adoptive home.

The most effective method to house-training a dog is not complex, but it can be difficult. Generally, you use a crate or pen to confine the dog or puppy into a small space for periods of sleeping or just when they can’t be actively supervised. Most pups instinctively avoid soiling their “bedrooms” or resting spot (unless they have no alternative). When the pup awakens or you are ready to let the pup out, you immediately take the pup outdoors and cue him or her to eliminate. It doesn’t matter what cue is used—“Go pee!” or “Hurry up!” are common cues—but being consistent in the presentation of the cue and rewarding the pup for eliminating on cue will speed his or her comprehension of the requested task.

After the pup pees and/or poops outside, they can be given a short period of freedom in the house, though they need to be highly and actively supervised during this period. You have to be alert for signs that they need to “go” again, and get them outside before they have any opportunity to eliminate in the house. If you’re not going to be able to watch the pup for any period of time, they need to be sequestered in either a crate or small pen (which they should feel reluctant to soil) or a larger pen or gated-off space where they are supplied with pee pads or a litterbox option. (The house-training process is explained in greater detail in “How to House Train a Puppy.”)

The challenge, however, is being attentive to your puppy every minute that they are loose in the house—and I am finding it challenging, indeed. Perhaps more so because this particular puppy is so tiny! Her bladder likely doesn’t hold more than a tablespoon or so of urine!

Maybe that’s garbage. Bladder size must be proportional to the dog; it just seems like most of the larger-breed puppies I’ve fostered over the years can “hold it” longer than this tiny puppy can. But maybe it’s also my attention span; I think I’ve gotten more distractible as I’ve aged! I have to admit that I’m not watching the puppy as zealously as I should be for maximum effectiveness; she’s had at least one “accident” a day in the house when I got caught up in a conversation or was making dinner, for example, and took my eyes off her for a few minutes—a few minutes after an over-long period of playing loose in the house, that is.

While I definitely work on house-training with every untrained puppy or dog whom I foster, I don’t generally take responsibility for having this accomplished before sending a dog or pup off to their newly adopted family. It’s helpful if I have started the process, and know something about the dog’s habits—how often and when they generally go poop, for example—so I can offer “technical support” and advice if the new owners have trouble. But because I have been finding the frequency of this puppy’s urination to be higher than I seem to be capable of managing, I am worried that other people might have trouble with house-training her, too, and I don’t want her to get returned due to unreliable house-training.

Things I have done that have helped:

  • Picked up all doormats in and outside the house (she was drawn to peeing on these, even the outside ones! She preferred peeing on the outside doormats over peeing on the front lawn or anywhere else outside, until I removed them).
  • Removed the rug from my living room (the only carpet in my whole house).
  • Placed a puppy pen across both ends of my kitchen, so she can’t leave the room and pee out of my sight. (When we’re in the same room, I can and do notice when she’s starts walking around and looking like she has to “go.”)
  • Put a couple treats in the pocket of everything I wear, so I am ALWAYS ready to reward and celebrate each and every outdoor elimination.

What are your favorite house-training tips? Info from small dog owners particularly wanted!!

Pet Insurance vs. Wellness Plans

By
Dr. Jennifer Bailey, DVM
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Pet insurance and wellness plans can provide some needed help when your dog is sick.
Pet insurance and wellness plans cover different circumstances, but both are designed to help ease the financial burden of caring for your dog. Credit: Ivan-balvan | Getty Images

We’re always looking for ways to save money and with rising veterinary costs, saving money on your dog’s healthcare has never been more important. Pet insurance and dog wellness plans are growing in popularity as ways to lessen the sting of veterinary bills.

Pet insurance and dog wellness plans are not the same thing. Let’s look at the way these two cost-saving measures differ.

Pet Insurance

Pet insurance is for the unexpected medical events in your dog’s life. Accidents and illnesses can happen when you least expect them. If your dog ends up in the emergency room or needs specialized care, the cost of that care can quickly lead to a case of sticker shock.

Most pet insurance carriers require that you pay the veterinary hospital directly for services, then submit a claim to be reimbursed. Most veterinary hospitals require payment in full at the time services are rendered.

Emergency and specialty hospitals typically require a deposit of 50-75% of the high end of the cost estimate before services can be rendered. Some emergency hospitals require payment of an emergency consent fee at the time your dog is triaged (assessed by a veterinary technician). This fee includes the emergency exam and what may be necessary to stabilize your dog, such as placing an intravenous catheter, obtaining point-of-care diagnostics, and administering pain medication.

The amount of the emergency consent fee will depend on the severity of your dog’s illness. The consent fee only covers examining and stabilizing your dog. It does not include laboratory diagnostics—such as full blood work, urinalysis, and radiographs—or treating your dog’s illness. The total cost of your dog’s emergency veterinary care will inevitably be more than the emergency consent fee.

Since most pet insurance carriers work on a reimbursement model. That means you still need a way to pay for veterinary services upfront. Many veterinary hospitals no longer offer payment plans (also known as payment agreements). Acceptable methods of payment may include cash, major credit and debit cards, CARE Credit, and ScratchPay. Acceptance of personal checks is becoming increasingly rare due to the potential for fraud.

Wellness Plans

Wellness plans are for the preventative care necessary to keep your dog healthy. Preventative care includes vaccines, routine screening tests, and heartworm and flea/tick preventatives. Some wellness plans include routine dental cleanings.

There are several different types of wellness plans available. Some pet insurance carriers offer a wellness plan option. This type of wellness plan will reimburse you for certain preventative care services up to a set dollar amount. If the cost of preventative care exceeds the reimbursement amount, then you are responsible for the balance.

You can also purchase a wellness plan from a third-party vendor without pet insurance. These wellness plans work similarly to the wellness plans that are bundled with pet insurance.

Some veterinary hospitals offer wellness plans that can only be used at their hospital or network of hospitals. These wellness plans offer a package of preventative services that you pay for in monthly installments over the course of one year. This allows you to budget a set dollar amount each month towards your dog’s preventative care instead of paying for their annual wellness visit all at once.

Other veterinary hospitals may offer wellness plans that include an unlimited number of sick and recheck exams. You will not be charged for sick and recheck exams but you will be expected to pay for any other services provided during those visits. Be sure to look at the fine print—many of these plans do not include emergency, last minute fit-in, and specialty service exams.

Pet insurance can help alleviate financial concerns when your dog becomes ill. Wellness plans can help you budget for keeping your dog healthy. See our articles on pet insurance and wellness plans for more details about shopping for these benefits.

What Happened to Payment Plans?

There was a time when many veterinary hospitals offered payment plans (also known as payment agreements) for clients who could not pay for veterinary services in full at the time services were rendered. This would allow a client to pay for services already provided in monthly installments until the bill was satisfied.

While many people would fulfill the agreement and continue payments until the bill was satisfied, some people did not. Some people would make one or two payments and then make no further attempt to satisfy their bill. Others would sign the agreement and make no payments at all.

Not paying for veterinary services means more than just not paying your veterinarian. The cost of veterinary services includes the overhead of running a hospital. Overhead includes employee salaries and benefits, utilities, rent, laboratory services, medical supplies, and maintaining medical equipment.

The impact of one person not paying their bill may be negligible, but 100 people reneging on their agreement to pay a balance of $500 or more quickly adds up. This negatively impacts a hospital’s bottom line and impairs their ability to provide services for the pets that need them. And a closed hospital is of no help to anyone.

How to Re-Introduce Dogs After a Fight

By
Dr. Kate Mornement Phd, CAAB
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Reintroducing dogs after a fight has a good prognosis if the fight was mild.
Re-introducing dogs after a fight requires careful management but can often be done successfully. Credit: anakeseenadee | Getty Images

Fights amongst dogs living in the same home are common and can be a very scary experience for dog guardians and their dogs. Dog fights can vary in severity from relatively mild, consisting mostly of noise (barking and growling) and minimal, if any, injuries, through to severe, resulting in serious injuries and even death.

 

As a Certified Applied Animal Behaviourist (CAAB), I’ve helped many pet parents re-introduce dogs after a fight. The good news is that, in most cases, the successful re-introduction of the dogs is possible. That said, in some cases reintroduction is either not possible, for safety and welfare reasons, or is unsuccessful in which case rehoming or behavioural euthanasia is the kindest option.

Firstly, let’s try to understand why dogs fight in the first place.

Why Do Dogs Fight?

It’s important to understand that aggression is a normal part of the canine behavioral repertoire and serves an important function in terms of canine communication. However, its expression is highly undesirable. Aggression is influenced by the environment, biology, and prior learning and, consequently, its expression varies significantly among individuals[1].

There are several reasons why dogs living in the same home might fight. One of the most common reasons is competition for access to high value resources (e.g. food, treats, toys, beds, attention, etc). When two dogs both value the same resource highly, they are more likely to compete to gain access to it. Over-excitement and proximity in confined spaces have also been identified as risk factors[2].

I have personally observed that two dogs closely matched in age and size are more likely to compete for resources compared to two dogs of different ages and sizes. Two female dogs living in the same home are more likely to fight compared to a male/male or male/female combination[2], as are littermates; known as littermate syndrome [2]. The onset of social maturity is another contributing factor often triggering fighting between dogs living in the same home. Similarly, I have also witnessed that a dog reaching old age can result in the onset of dog fights as older dogs are often less adept at reading the other dog’s body language due to vision loss and cognitive decline.

Research shows that the risk of dog fights increases with age, probably due to experience and the increased likelihood older dogs experience pain due to common health conditions like osteoarthritis[3]. Other risk factors include increasing age at acquisition and number of dogs in the household[1].

How to Stop Dogs from Fighting in the Same Household

The first step to stop dogs from fighting is to physically separate them to prevent any further fighting. This is incredibly important because, generally, the higher the frequency and intensity of the fights, the harder it is to repair the relationship and the greater the risk of injury.

Separation also prevents the aggressor from exhibiting the problem behaviour and avoids further injuries and further fear-provoking interactions with the victim dog2. Crates, muzzles, baby gates, doors, and tethered leads can be very helpful in this situation. However, it’s best to seek expert advice tailored to your individual dogs, situation, and circumstances.

Ensure the dogs are thoroughly examined by a vet to identify and treat any health issues that may have contributed to the aggression.

Next, write down all known triggers for the fighting such as specific resources, attention, over-excitement etc., so the triggers can be removed or avoided. Stopping dogs from fighting in the same home is possible but it takes time, commitment, good management, and behaviour modification training to work to help them to get along.

How to Get Dogs to Get Along

Helping dogs living in the same home to get along after a fight typically involves separating them, both physically and visually, initially and then gradually reintroducing the dogs during short training sessions using desensitization and counter-conditioning. This process of gradual exposure paired with high value treats starts to build a positive association between the dogs over time, helping to repair their relationship. Outside of the training sessions, the dogs must be safely separated.

Triggers for fights, such as high value resources, must be identified and either removed from the environment entirely or provided in a way as to eliminate competition for access.

Research has identified that aggression between dogs living in the same home is less likely to improve when triggers for aggression between the dogs are unpredictable and when the aggressing dog is younger than the victim dog; when people are injured in the process of breaking up dog fights; and when fights occur more frequently than once per week[4].

Do Dogs Hold Grudges?

Whilst it’s difficult to know for sure whether dogs are capable of holding grudges, dogs certainly remember negative or traumatic experiences associated with dog fights, such as painful injuries or needing emergency vet treatment. However, every dog is different and some dogs cope better in the aftermath of a dog fight than others. In my experience as a CAAB, I have seen some dogs bounce back really quickly, while others have been severely impacted and continue to show fearful and anxious behaviour in response to the presence of the aggressor dog for weeks, even months, post-fight.

What’s the Prognosis After a Dog Fight?

For most dogs, the prognosis after a dog fight is generally good, especially if fights are few and far between and the injuries inflicted have been relatively minor. As long as dog guardians are able to commit to safely separate, appropriately manage, and gradually desensitise and counter-condition their dogs appropriately, many will successfully reintroduce their dogs following a dog fight with time and consistency.

If, however, the dogs have had many fights, have caused significant injuries, or cannot be appropriately managed to prevent further incidents, then it’s likely these dogs cannot continue to live together safely. Rehoming or behavioural euthanasia must be considered as the next step in these cases.

If your dogs have been involved in a dog fight it’s important to seek help from a qualified and reputable professional who will thoroughly assess your dogs, the environment, and your circumstances to determine the best path forward.

[1] Matos, R. E., Jakuba, T., Mino, I., Fejsakova, M., Demeova, A., & Kottferova, J. (2015). Characteristics and risk factors of dog aggression in the Slovak Republic. Veterinární medicína, 60(8).

[2] McGreevy, P. D., & Masters, A. M. (2008). Risk factors for separation-related distress and feed-related aggression in dogs: Additional findings from a survey of Australian dog owners. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 109(2-4), 320-328.

[3] Casey, R. A., Loftus, B., Bolster, C., Richards, G. J., & Blackwell, E. J. (2013). Inter‐dog aggression in a UK owner survey: prevalence, co‐occurrence in different contexts and risk factors. Veterinary Record, 172(5), 127-127.

[4] Feltes, E. S., Stull, J. W., Herron, M. E., & Haug, L. I. (2020). Characteristics of intrahousehold interdog aggression and dog and pair factors associated with a poor outcome. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 256(3), 349-361.

Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis (HGE) in Dogs

By
Dr. Jennifer Bailey, DVM
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Regular veterinary exams are important for identifying HGE in dogs early.
Prompt treatment can make a significant difference for dogs with HGE/AHDS. Credit: tdub303 | Getty Images

The symptoms of hemorrhagic gastroenteritis (HGE) begin like any other gastrointestinal illness—soft brown stool, not eating, and perhaps some vomiting. But over a 24-hour period, that soft stool will progress to a watery, bloody, and explosive diarrhea. Dogs with HGE feel nauseous and may not drink enough water to keep up with the fluid loss associated with their diarrhea. This leads to dehydration that may become severe and life-threatening.

Most dogs with HGE will need to be hospitalized and treated with aggressive intravenous fluid therapy to resolve their dehydration. Antiemetic medications—such as Cerenia and ondansetron—are administered to alleviate the nausea associated with HGE. Probiotics to promote healthy gut flora and fiber to provide nutrition to cells lining the colon are started.

Some dogs with HGE have such profound losses of protein and fluid from their diarrhea that they require one or more transfusions of blood products. Blood products used to treat HGE include albumin (a protein found in blood) and fresh frozen plasma (the fluid portion of blood).

Eating a high quality, easily digestible diet provides nutrition to the cells that line the gastrointestinal tract and helps them heal. But dogs with HGE are unlikely to begin eating right away during the acute part of their illness. Your veterinarian may recommend placing a nasogastric tube to deliver a liquid recovery diet to your dog until he starts eating on his own.

A nasogastric tube is a thin feeding tube that is inserted into one of your dog’s nostrils. The tube passes down the back of his throat, through the esophagus, and into the stomach. The nasogastric tube does not interfere with your dog’s ability to eat or swallow. Most dogs do not seem to mind having a nasogastric tube in place.

Dogs with HGE require close monitoring of their electrolytes, blood pressure, hydration status, and vital signs. This is best accomplished in the intensive care unit (ICU) of a 24/7 emergency and specialty hospital. A veterinary technician that specializes in caring for ICU patients will be dedicated to monitoring your dog’s vital signs and providing treatments to your dog. A board-certified veterinary criticalist or an emergency veterinarian trained to care for critical patients will help your dog recover from HGE.

Dogs that are hospitalized for treatment of HGE spend an average of two to three days in the hospital. They are discharged from the hospital once they are eating, no longer vomiting, and have returned to having soft or semi-formed stool.

What Causes HGE in Dogs

HGE is caused by an overgrowth of a bacteria called Clostridium perfringens. Clostridium perfringens is a part of the normal gut flora of the dog’s colon. The normal gut flora has a system of checks and balances that keeps any one species of bacteria from growing out of control.

It is not currently known why this system of checks and balances suddenly allows Clostridium perfringens to begin proliferating uncontrollably. There is speculation that dietary indiscretion (such as eating a toy or getting into the garbage), a change in diet without an appropriate transition period, intestinal parasites, food poisoning, or stress may be contributing factors.

There are five types of Clostridium perfringens. These include types A, B, C, D, and E. Clostridium perfringens type A produces a toxin called NetF. The NetF toxin creates pores, or openings, in cells that line the inside of the colon. This causes the cells to swell with fluid and burst like a balloon, destroying the cells.

The cells that line the inside of the colon act like a permeable barrier. This permeable barrier allows a controlled amount of fluid and electrolytes to move back and forth between the lumen of the colon and the blood vessels in the colon wall. The NetF toxin damages that permeable barrier, allowing some blood and massive amounts of fluid to enter the colon lumen. The result is a profuse watery, bloody diarrhea.

As the disease progresses, the population of Clostridium perfringens type A migrates from the colon to the small intestine. The NetF toxin produced by this bacterial species damages the mucosal lining of the small intestine. This worsens the diarrhea that is produced by the large intestine.

The damage done by the NetF toxin is confined to the small and large intestines. The NetF toxin does not affect the stomach. The term gastroenteritis refers to inflammation of the stomach and the small and large intestines. Since HGE does not affect the stomach, this condition was recently renamed acute hemorrhagic diarrhea syndrome (AHDS). This reflects the damage that occurs to just the intestines rather than the entire gastrointestinal system.

Diagnosis

There is no specific test for AHDS. Diagnosis is based on the acute onset of watery, bloody diarrhea, severe dehydration, and the exclusion of other causes of your dog’s symptoms. Your dog may be suspected of having AHDS if he meets the following criteria:

  • One or more episodes of vomiting that start about 10-12 hours before the onset of diarrhea
  • Sudden onset of watery, bloody diarrhea that looks like straight blood. Sometimes this can look like raspberry jam if there is mucus mixed in with the diarrhea.
  • Young age (median age is 5 years)
  • Small breed dog (median weight is 25 pounds)
  • A packed cell volume (PCV) of 57% or greater. This is a blood test that examines the ratio of red blood cells to plasma (also known as the fluid component of blood).
  • Relatively low total protein level in the blood

Your veterinarian may recommend additional diagnostic tests to rule out other causes of bloody diarrhea. These tests may include a complete blood count (CBC) and chemistry panel, a coagulation panel, abdominal radiographs (x-rays), and abdominal ultrasound. If your dog is not vaccinated for parvovirus or is a puppy in the middle of his parvovirus vaccination series, your veterinarian may recommend testing your dog for parvovirus.

Prognosis

Most dogs that receive timely and appropriate intervention for AHDS will make a complete recovery. However, serious complications can occur if appropriate treatment for AHDS is not started early in the disease process.

Dogs with AHDS may continue to have soft stool for 7-10 days following resolution of diarrhea. Their stool quality should improve a little each day during their recovery period.

Some dogs will develop chronic diarrhea following their recovery from AHDS. Diarrhea may be ongoing or intermittent. It may resolve with a change in diet or addition of a probiotic. Some cases may require treatment with medication to resolve the diarrhea.

Antibiotics—Yes or No?

You may have noticed something missing from the discussion of treating AHDS—antibiotics. At one time, antibiotics such as metronidazole and ampicillin or amoxicillin were routinely administered to dogs suspected of having AHDS. It has since been discovered that using antibiotics to treat AHDS may do more harm than good.

Antibiotics can have a negative impact on the normal bacterial flora of the small and large intestine. Antibiotics will promote the growth of some bacterial species while inhibiting the growth of others. Simplistically, this could be looked at as the inhibition of good bacteria and the growth of bad bacteria. But in reality, it is much more complex than this.

AHDS is caused by the overgrowth of Clostridium perfringens—one of many bacterial species in the gut. While antibiotics will decrease the population of Clostridium perfringens, they will also cause the other bacterial species in the gut flora to become unbalanced. This may worsen the already altered permeability of the intestines. Healing of the intestines is delayed and chronic diarrhea can develop even after recovery from AHDS.

Probiotics and fiber are now part of the treatment for AHDS. Probiotics can help restore the correct bacterial balance in the gut flora. Fiber provides nutrition to the cells that line the colon and helps these cells heal.

There are circumstances in which the use of antibiotics in treating AHDS is warranted. Dogs that have developed sepsis (a blood infection that causes multi-organ failure), have an abnormally low white blood cell count, or that are not responding to the typical treatment protocol for AHDS may need one or more antibiotics added to their treatment plan. But most dogs with uncomplicated AHDS do not require antibiotics to recover from their illness.

Human-Grade Dog Food Choices

By
Dr. Mary Cope, PhD
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Human grade dog food is not necessarily the same as quality dog food.
The desire to feed human-grade dog food is understandable, but there are downsides, such as that many may have a short shelf life. Credit: Yana Tikhonova | Getty Images

In recent years, there has been a significant shift in the pet-food industry, with owners prioritizing the health of their pets by focusing on improved nutrition. Of the emerging trends, human-grade dog food has grown considerably in popularity among pet owners. But what exactly does “human grade” mean in the context of dog food and what sets it apart from conventional foods?

The term “human grade” refers to pet food that is made both with ingredients and in facilities that meet the same standards as those used for products intended for human consumption. This means that all the ingredients used for human-grade dog food are sourced from suppliers that provide food primarily for human consumption.

Human-Made Dog Food Brands

Human-grade dog food brands typically prioritize premium-quality ingredients that often include real meat, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Unlike conventional pet food, which may be produced in facilities with lower-quality control standards, human-grade dog food is manufactured in facilities that adhere to the strict regulations and safety standards established for producing human food.

When looking at foods that have human-grade claims, it can sometimes be tricky to understand the label. A food is only considered human grade if all the ingredients in the formula are of human-grade quality and the food is also manufactured in a facility that produces human food. Many brands will utilize specific human-grade ingredients to add the “human grade” claim to their packaging but use conventional ingredients and manufacturing practices for the rest of the food. If this is done, you will see the specific human-grade ingredients called out, such as “made with human-grade beef,” but the food itself is not considered human grade.

The Best Human-Grade Dog Food

The best human-grade dog food brands make diets that are complete and balanced formulations that meet American Association of Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) requirements of nutritional adequacy for your dog’s intended life stage. Many human-grade dog foods are made with limited, whole, ingredients, which may make them a good choice for dogs suffering from known food allergies and sensitivities. There are many different forms of human-grade dog food on the market to choose from, including fresh, gently cooked, air dried, and freeze dried.

Despite the benefits, there are a few downsides to human-grade foods. Human-grade dog food often comes with a higher price tag compared to conventional pet food. The use of high-quality ingredients and human-grade manufacturing facilities drives up production costs, resulting in a higher retail price for consumers. Human-grade dog food also typically has a shorter shelf life compared to conventional pet foods. Many human-grade formulas lack preservatives and additives, meaning the food may spoil more quickly once opened, or may require specialized storage and handling to maintain its freshness and nutritional integrity.

While these downsides are worth consideration, many pet owners find that the benefits of human-grade dog food outweigh the potential drawbacks. Choosing human-grade dog food provides pet owners with assurance that they are feeding their companions a nutritious diet made with the same care and quality as their own food.

Do You Know How To Play With Your Dog?

By
Kathy Callahan, CPDT-KA, FDM
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Getting down to their level is a great way to play with your dog.
Caption: Relaxed, low-arousal play with your dog can be a great way to build connection, confidence, and trust. Credit: Kathy Callahan

Do you know how to truly play with your dog?

It sounds like a silly question, I know. But I’m dead serious, because a lot of caring dog owners actually don’t. Sure, they play fetch or tug, but that’s not what I’m talking about. What I love to encourage in a human-dog team is a less formal, goofier play connection—one that’s less top-down, less structured. I want to see a human on the living room floor with her dog, trading off gentle hip checks and soft head butts.

Why is this kind of play so important? What magic does this interaction have that fetch and tug don’t? For me, the answer is that our dogs spend most of their days having to work pretty hard just to navigate Planet Human. Imagine the relief as you signal to your dog that, for a few minutes, the two of you can just hang together, goofing around as pals.

Sometimes, I walk into a client’s home and see a dog who doesn’t quite know what’s up. She hangs back and hesitates. My strong impression is that she’s not sure what to make of where she’s landed or of these people she’s wound up with. That’s when I want to see if bringing some real play into their relationship might shift the dynamic, building confidence and connection.

Dogs Loosen Up, Reveal Another Side with True Play

A while back, I had a Zoom consult with a woman who was baffled by her rescue dog. They’d been together for months, but something felt off. She reported that the dog seemed “fine,” but just kind of sat around and stared at her a lot. Half a dozen theories were bouncing around in my brain when she mentioned that her dog sitter had little kids. I was bracing for a scary story about a bite when she added, “… and he just loved playing with them! I’ve never seen him act that way. He looked so happy.”

Ah ha! I asked her how she tended to act and move around the house:

  • Do you work at your laptop a lot?
  • Are you pretty purposeful and focused about the way you move around the home?
  • Do you then come to check in on the dog and stand staring at him and wondering why he’s not acting more like a dog? A laugh, and a yes.
  • Finally, is your overall vibe just kind of…serious? Big, honest

Fantastic! We’ve found a likely source of the vague sense of disconnect: This dog doesn’t know his owner can be fun. His human’s body language is not telegraphing a happy, joyful invitation. When the dog sitter’s little kids came in with their relaxed, naturally playful body language, the dog understood it immediately and responded in kind with darling, goofy interactions that the owner had never seen before.

The trick was to help this serious, adult woman—with big responsibilities and stress, like so many dog owners—figure out how to tap into her ability to let go and really invite her dog to play with her.

Mimic Dog Play

Sometimes playing with your dog involves getting to their level.
Don’t be afraid to get on the floor and play with your dog! Credit: Kathy Callahan

“Just mimic the way two dogs lazily engage with each other on the TV room floor after a long day,” I tell people. Their blank stares remind me yet again that I really need to learn to rephrase that because not everyone has spent the past 30 years living with dogs draped on every couch. But our family has and I’m sure that’s why we all instinctively imitate that gentle two-way push-wrestle with our dogs.

Here’s what it looks like:

  • We’re on their level. We’re not looming from above. We’re likely on all fours or lying around on the floor or the couch.
  • Our body language is inviting. We are suggesting play to our dogs with unthreatening, canine-style cocked heads, dipped shoulders, and play bows. We flirt!
  • We take turns. We invite with, say, a gentle head butt. Then we pull back and wait. If there’s no response, we let it go. But likely there’s a head butt back, and maybe a twist and a lap flop. We respond with a roll away on the floor which entices the dog to follow and maybe nudge our neck so we lift our face. The point is, it’s give and take. Both the human and the dog are choosing to engage, over and over.
  • We pause. Great dog-dog play is filled with polite pauses that allow everyone to regroup and then deliberately re-engage. This is critical: After we nudge, we pull back and wait for a response.
  • There are no cues or “commands.” This should feel like mutual, free play. Cues would turn this into a different kind of interaction.

As simple as this description may sound, it can be incredibly difficult for humans! Just the other day a guy was telling me how he was sad that his dog wouldn’t play with him. I asked him to show me what he was doing to kick things off and he demonstrated outstretched hands reaching toward the dog as he made exaggerated monster steps with an “I’m gonna get you” voice. While that may be huge fun for his little human nephew, that doesn’t signal trustworthy play to a canine. I’m not at all surprised that his dog slinks away and doesn’t engage. What he does is too front-facing, too handsy, too big, too unrelenting. In pursuing connection, he’s actually pushing his dog away.

Low-Arousal Play as Therapy Tool

Some lucky readers may have already stumbled on the brilliant canine play expert Amy Cook—CBDC and PhD—who developed the Play Way system. (See “The Play Way for Shy and Fearful Dogs,” WDJ May 2020.) Cook has taken the examination of dog-human play beyond building cross-species connection and into using what she calls “social play” as the most reliable indicator of a dog’s emotional state. Used skillfully, it then becomes a wonderful therapy tool.

Trainers used to counsel that a dog was feeling okay if he was able to eat. But that’s not quite true, as we all know dogs who’ll continue to gobble up treats while nervously scanning for threats. Similarly, a ball-obsessed dog may still play a high-arousal game of fetch even though concerned about the strangers or noises nearby. It’s simply too good to resist!

That brings us to the beauty of the low-arousal play we’re talking about in this article. Cook encourages owners of shy/scared dogs to build up their skill at this chill type of engagement—the kind that’s fun but not SO fun that the dog will play no matter what. This way, they’ll be able to feel certain that as long as their dog is responding to their little game of nudges and hip checks, he’s feeling just fine (“under threshold”). In contrast, if he’s not engaging, that’s key information! What has him stressed/distracted/worried—and how can we help?

But Won’t This Teach the Wrong Things?

Part of the reason many folks don’t play in this spontaneous, give-and-take way with their dogs is that they’re worried it’ll teach the wrong things. They’ve absorbed from decades-old dog training culture that we humans should be in charge at all times.

If you ask me, that belief is a bummer and it robs both the human and their dog of an easy-to-reach daily joy.

Of course, I don’t ever recommend freewheeling high-arousal play that could end in anyone feeling scared or getting hurt! When play is high-arousal then indeed it is important to structure it with rules and cues to keep everybody safe—i.e. the game doesn’t start until the dog sits, the game ends when the toy’s put away, etc.

But we’re talking here about a quieter, calmer version of play. And far from being threatening, there’s something beautiful about your dog having the Planet Dog freedom to choose, and to playfully nudge his friend—you!—to engage.

Check out Amy Cook’s Play Way website for added nuance on exactly how to strengthen your play game.

How Much Sleep Does Your Dog Need?

By
Dan Muse
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Huw many hours a dog sleeps is determined by factors like age, size, and breed.
For many people, a sleeping dog is a happy, content dog—especially if he’s a puppy or high-energy dog. Credit: Kohei Hara | Getty Images

Few things in life are as rewarding as the sight of your dog sleeping—seeing him curled up in a sunbeam or sprawled contentedly across the floor brings a sense of peace. And if you have a puppy or highly active dog, you might even feel a sense of accomplishment (or relief!).

However, when you get past that feeling of satisfaction, do you wonder how many hours a day do dogs sleep? The answer, like most things involving your pets, isn’t a one-size-fits-all one. A dog’s sleep requirements are influenced by their age, breed, activity level, and individual makeup.

Hours of Dog Sleep By Age

Puppies and power naps:  Puppies are boundless energy one minute, then a cuddly heap the next. Because their bodies and brains are constantly developing, they need a lot rest to fuel their growth. Little is known about how long puppies under 4 months of age sleep, according to a study in Animals. The study found that once puppies are 4 months old they slept more during the day and less at night than 12-month-old puppies. Puppies do tend to alternate between bursts of high energy and short naps as they explore and process the world around them. If you’re having trouble getting your pup to sleep, trainer Kathy Callahan has excellent ideas.

Adult dogs sleep more like a person: As your dog matures, their sleep needs gradually decrease. According to a 2020 study from “Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences,” adult dogs, typically sleep between 7.7 and 16 hours a day for an average of 10.1 hours per day.

Senior dogs sleep like a pup: As dogs enter their golden years, their sleep needs often increase again. This increase can be attributed to several factors, including decreased physical activity levels, changes in cognitive function, and potential health issues that may cause fatigue and pain when sleeping.

A dog’s activity level can also influence sleep needs. Working dogs like Border Collies or Australian Shepherds bred for specific tasks like herding tend to sleep less than their more relaxed counterparts. These active workers expend a lot of energy throughout the day and may require only closer to 10 to 12 hours of sleep, according to Tractive, a company that produces sleep trackers for dogs and cats. And dogs can be disturbed when they sleep by nightmares, twitching, and incontinence, just as people are.

10 Signs Your Dog Needs More Sleep

While dogs sleep a lot, a sudden change in habits can signal exhaustion. Watch for these 10 signs based on suggestions from WitsEnd, a physiotherapy website for dogs:

  1. Like overtired toddlers, exhausted pups may act hyperactive.
  2. Tired dogs, like tired people, get irritable and lose self-control.
  3. Overexertion can lead to joint or heart problems in overtired dogs.
  4. Is your dog ignoring walks, toys or food? They might be sleep-deprived.
  5. Yawning is a common sign of tiredness but can also indicate stress.
  6. Confusion or forgotten commands could be due to exhaustion.
  7. An unusually lazy dog is likely in need of a rest.
  8. Frantic bursts of energy (aka, zoomies) in a normally calm dog can be a sign of overtiredness.
  9. Easily distracted dogs during training might be too tired to focus.
  10. Excessive panting or licking can indicate stress or fatigue, especially after activity.

If you notice these signs, allow your dog plenty of rest. And, of course, consult your veterinarian if the signs persist.

Nobody’s Perfect! Least of All Me!

By
Nancy Kerns
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Two of Nancy Kern's dogs against a mountain top backdrop.
On our first day, we took the dogs for a short off-leash hike from one lake to another.

I strive to be a good dog—I mean, a good dog owner. I leash my dogs when leashes are required by law or by the convention of good manners, I always pick up my dogs’ poop in public, and I strive to not let my dogs inconvenience others in any way, by barking, jumping, or peeing on stuff that shouldn’t be peed on.

 

But recently, I was stuck between being a responsible dog owner and being responsible for my dogs’ well being, and I broke a leash law in order to protect my dogs. And I got yelled at, a couple of times, and as a good dog, I still feel terrible about it—but I would make the same choice again if I had to (but I hope to never have to).

Last week, there was (once again!) a wildfire threatening my town, and indeed, my neighborhood. We evacuated on the first night, even though the evacuation level for our zone was at “warning,” because it was “mandatory” in the zone immediately next to us (and the last time we had a fire nearby, our neighborhood was ordered to evacuate at 11 pm!). The next morning, with the order still at “warning,” we went home and packed up for a planned camping trip out of town; what was unplanned, though, was the fact that we had to bring my two dogs with us.

My usual dog sitters are my sister and my friend Leonora. My sister’s neighborhood was under a mandatory evacuation, and she had bugged out to another town with her three dogs. Leonora lives so close to my house that saddling her with my dogs would not have been fair had the fire grown and she had to evacuate. And since we were camping at a dog-friendly KOA campground, I decided it would be best to just take them with us on an “evacu-vacation,” even though we were also experiencing quite a heat wave and having the dogs with us would strictly limit what we could do on our trip.

We drove to a small mountain town where we were going to meet friends who run in an annual July 4th footrace that raises money for local charities; my husband and grandson were registered to run as well. I was registered for the walking version, but, as dogs were not allowed in the scrum, I planned to watch from the sidelines and take pictures.

On our first day in town, we got camp set up and picked up our race-day shirts. Then we drove to a National Forest where we took a short hike from one lake to another. Dogs are permitted to be off-leash on the trails, and I allowed my dogs to walk with us mostly off-leash, though I carried their leashes in my hand and occasionally called them to sit on the side of the trail to let other people pass by, especially if anyone on the trail looked apprehensive about dogs. A number of people complimented me on how friendly and well behaved my dogs were, and I never felt like we negatively impacted any other trail users.

Dog's aren't allowed in foot race areas, but some may break the rules.
The next morning, I waited with the dogs in the shade for my husband and grandson to finish a fun run that raises funds for local charities.

The next morning, I just watched the start of the fun run and chatted with a lovely couple who stopped to admire my dogs while we waited at the finish. I did see a few dogs on leash with their owners in the field of runners—folks who were breaking the official rules—but the race was so short and the time of day so early, I didn’t feel like the dogs were endangered, and none of them looked like a threat to other runners or walkers. Still, I didn’t want to be a rule breaker, and my dogs and I were content to watch the event.

We spent the middle part of the day at a local lake, where dogs are welcome to swim and run off-leash.

Nancy's dogs swimming in a mountain top lake during a evacuation/vacation.
We spent the afternoon swimming at a small lake where dogs were allowed to be off leash.

 

In the evening, I took my leashed dogs to a restored wetland park with magnificent views of Mt. Shasta, and we walked on the raised boardwalks to view the sunset.

Two dog's enjoying a meadowland hike.
In the evening, I took the dogs for a leisurely walk on leash to a restored wetland park, where we enjoyed watching the setting sun and grand views of Mt. Shasta.

The next morning in the campground, I scowled at a gentleman who was walking with a cup of coffee in either hand while his large dog walked ahead of him off-leash—but I scowled only because I was walking my dogs to the campground’s “dog potty yard” on-leash, and his dog started advancing on my two, growling. I said to the loose dog, “HEY!” and the guy finally noticed and called his dog back.

All of this is supposed to establish me as a mostly good dog—a responsible dog owner—even though what came next is an example of the opposite.

On the last day of our evacu-vacation we decided to take one more hike before driving home. We selected a trail that followed the path of a small river and took in three separate scenic waterfalls. The weather was still terribly hot, but since the trail was mostly in the shade and there were ample opportunities for the dogs to get in the water, I thought they’d do fine.

In spite of the shade and water, the weather in this scene was too hot for the dog's paws.
But the hike on our last day of vacation, intended to be an easy hike alongside a cool river to view waterfalls, turned out to be too hot for the dogs’ feet—a bad choice.

There was just one thing I hadn’t considered: There were short stretches of the trail without shade, and on those stretches, the ground was very hot. Woody didn’t show any discomfort, but on one longer stretch (perhaps 50 yards), Boone suddenly started kicking his back feet as if he was walking on hot lava. (Well, he was; the soil in this area is largely volcanic.) His ears flattened and he looked panicked. The moment I realized what was happening, I dropped both dogs’ leashes and said, “Run! Let’s go!” and ran with them to the next shade. When we all stopped in the shade I poured the last water I had in my water bottle on Boone’s feet, examining each one for any signs of blisters or sores. There were none (thank dog!) but I’m sure they felt burned.

That’s where we turned around, but not before I left the dogs with my husband in the shade, and went further down the trail to refill water bottles from the river and thoroughly wet down my dogs’ paws and lower legs. I took their leashes off and said, “Let’s go!” and let them run down the exposed part of the trail to another patch of shade. I did that each time we got to a highly exposed bit of trail, hoping that this would prevent their feet from blistering (it did). And I let them enter the river a half-dozen times in the mile-and-a-half that it took to get back to the car, so they could cool their feet and drink.

But here’s the “bad dog owner” part. This is a very popular trail and it was a holiday week, so we passed other people nearly every minute. Every time I saw another dog coming toward us, I leashed my dogs (just like they had been leashed the entire way outbound) but otherwise I left them off-leash so they could speed past any hot parts on the trail and then slow down in the shade. This meant that they passed other hikers off leash, both hikers going the opposite way on the busy trail and hikers who were walking slower than us. And twice, someone snapped at me about this. “They’re supposed to be on leash,” called one woman who was sitting with a man on the side of the trail as we trotted past. I kept going but called back, “I know, I’m sorry!”

An older gentleman in a fisherman’s vest and carrying a fishing rod was madder as my dogs passed him going the opposite way, with me about 15 feet behind them. “Put your damn dogs on a leash! It’s the law!” he shouted. My emotions were raw because I was feeling so bad about potentially hurting my dogs, and breaking the rules, and I started crying as I babbled my apologies to him. All I could do was make lame excuses about being evacuated from a fire and not planning to bring the dogs and not realizing that their feet would be burning on this trail. I sounded like an idiot, I’m sure! And I felt like one!

Well, we made it back to the car in one piece, and neither dog had any visible blisters or sores. Even so, I still feel like a criminal for taking so long to realize that the ground had gotten so hot—too hot for barefoot dogs! The experience really marred my memory of our otherwise nice hike in an absolutely beautiful area.

Ugh! Have you ever been that “bad dog owner”—even if you are usually quite responsible? Someone tell me I’m not alone!

Dog Food With Probiotics

By
Dr. Mary Cope, PhD
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Dog food with probiotics can help support your dog's health.
: Choosing dog food that contains probiotics is a smart move for your dog’s overall health. Credit: Anastas | Getty Images

Dog foods with added probiotics offer dog owners a convenient and effective way to support their dog’s health every day, without having to purchase additional supplements. Probiotics work best with consistent, long-term use, at the proper dosing amount. Having them already incorporated into the diet ensures your dog receives them with every meal and takes the guesswork out of proper dosing. In this article, we will delve into probiotics, their health advantages, and why choosing dog food with added probiotics could be beneficial for your pet.

Do Dogs Need Probiotics?

In recent years, the topic of probiotics for dogs has gained in popularity. Probiotics convey many health benefits, from improving digestion, decreasing stress and anxiety, amplifying the immune system, supporting cognitive health, and more. While they used to only be available as a supplement, probiotics are now being incorporated into dog food formulas as well.

What Are Probiotics for Dogs?

Probiotics are live microorganisms that are beneficial to the host animal and provide health benefits when consumed in adequate quantities. These beneficial bacteria help maintain a healthy balance of gut microflora, which is vital for not only healthy digestion, but overall health and wellness. While probiotics colonize and inhabit the gut of your dog, their impact is systemic. Research is now showing the importance of gut health on immune function, with 70% of your dog’s immune system residing within the gut, cognitive support, with gut health impacting the brain through the gut-brain axis, and aging.

Probiotics in Dry Dog Food

You may notice that probiotics are only offered in dry foods and not wet or fresh diets. Why is that? While probiotics are live organisms, many have the ability to go dormant, or sleep, until conditions are right for them to replicate. The key ingredient for many of them to wake from their dormant state is water.

Kibble, freeze-dried, baked, and air-dried pet foods have low enough moisture levels to keep the added probiotics dormant for the duration of their shelf life. Once your dog consumes them, they become active and begin to replicate and colonize your dog’s gut.

The probiotics in these formulations are added to the outside of the food in the final step of manufacturing prior to bagging. Because of this, proper storage is vital to keep the probiotics viable and prevent spoilage; keep your dog’s food out of extreme heat, sealed from humidity, and out of direct sunlight.

Choosing Dog Food with Probiotics

When looking for dog food with probiotics, opt for brands that use high-quality, easily digestible ingredients. Look for foods that contain specific strains known to benefit dogs, such as Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus species.

Some foods may contain prebiotic fiber as well. This prebiotic fiber supplies the probiotics with a reliable food source, promoting their growth. Good sources of prebiotic fiber include chicory root (a source of inulin), oats, and psyllium. If your dog has specific health conditions or dietary requirements, be sure to consult with your veterinarian prior to switching diets.

Incorporating probiotics into your dog’s food offers numerous benefits for your dog’s digestive health, immune system, and overall wellbeing. By choosing a high-quality dry dog food with added probiotics, you ensure your pet is receiving consistent, properly dosed, probiotic supplementation. Investing in your dog’s diet by giving them added probiotics is not just a trend, but a proactive step toward supporting their health from the inside out.

Can You Use MiraLAX for Dogs?

By
Kate Basedow, LVT
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Dogs can take Miralax to deal with constipation.
Signs of constipation in your dog include straining to defecate, small and hard poop, an infrequent bowel movements. MiraLAX may help. Credit: HyperStory | Getty Images

MiraLAX is an over-the-counter laxative. It is an unflavored powder, which makes it perfect for mixing into your dog’s food or a little bit of water. MiraLAX works by pulling water into your dog’s GI tract, making the stool softer and easier to pass.

The active ingredient in MiraLAX is polyethylene glycol 3350. Many generic versions include the “LAX” in their names but read the ingredients label to ensure you’re getting the right medication.

While MiraLAX is generally safe, it’s wise to only give this medication under the guidance of your dog’s veterinarian. Giving too much could result in diarrhea or even dehydration. And you need to be certain the dog simply constipated and not battling something more serious.

When to Use MiraLAX for Dogs

MiraLAX is generally used to resolve and prevent constipation.

Symptoms of constipation in dogs include:

  • Straining to defecate
  • Small, hard stools
  • Infrequent defecation
  • Blood on stool
  • Discomfort when pooping
  • Distended abdomen
  • Poor appetite
  • Vomiting

While dogs can have a single bout of constipation that doesn’t recur, constipation also can be caused by a variety of medical problems, some of which are serious. Many signs of constipation are also symptoms of different health problems.

Constipation at the Vet’s Office

Your veterinarian will do an exam and possibly an X-ray to verify that your dog truly is constipated. He or she may recommend additional testing such as bloodwork, a fecal exam, or an abdominal ultrasound to determine why your dog is constipated. This is especially important if your dog suffers from frequent constipation.

In severe cases, your dog may need an enema or deobstipation under anesthesia to manually remove large amounts of hard, stuck stool from the colon.

If this is your dog’s first time being constipated and your veterinarian doesn’t find anything alarming, he or she may recommend MiraLAX for just a few days to get your dog’s bowels moving properly again.

Dogs who have chronic bouts of constipation or are on medications that can cause constipation may stay on MiraLAX long-term.

Dog Laxative Dosing

Your veterinarian will recommend a specific dose of MiraLAX for your dog based on her size, stool quality, and overall health.

In general, small dogs start at 1/8 or ¼ teaspoon of powder twice a day, while large dogs might get ½ to ¾ teaspoon twice a day. Depending on how your dog responds, your veterinarian may have you increase or decrease the dose.

You will work toward the dose that makes your dog’s poop soft but still formed. Liquid stool means the dose is too high, while hard stool means the dose is too low.

MiraLAX Caution With Dogs

This is worth repeating: Do not give MiraLAX to your dog without consulting your veterinarian. Giving a laxative when it is not needed could complicate some health situations, such as an intestinal blockage from eating a toy or giving too much could cause dehydration.

How to House Train a Puppy

By
Kate Basedow, LVT
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0
Learning how to recognize your puppies signs is part of house training a puppy.
Learning to recognize how your puppy signals that she needs to go out is key in the potty training process. Credit: Christopher Biggs | Getty Images

House training your puppy is all about consistency, attention to detail, and taking advantage of your puppy’s natural behaviors. Most puppies are potty trained by six months of age, but this can vary depending on a number of factors.

Potty training is actually more about training you than it is about training your puppy. You have two goals:

  1. Read your puppy’s body language so you know when she needs to go outside.
  2. Be proactive to prevent accidents from happening in the first place so that your puppy quickly develops good habits.

Understanding Your Puppy’s Needs

Young puppies have very small bladders and are still developing muscle tone. Because of this, when they need to go, they go! And this happens frequently.

Puppies naturally want to keep their living space clean. However, for a puppy, your house is a big place. It will take time for your puppy to understand that first an entire room and then the whole house counts as their living space.

Key times that puppies frequently need to pee or poop include:

  • After naps
  • After meals
  • When a play session starts to wind down

Your puppy is already able to tell you when he needs to pee or poop. The trick is you learning to recognize his signals, and then over time improving your communication with each other.

A Crate is Your Best Friend

Crates are the very best tool when house training a puppy. Even if you don’t intend to use a crate frequently throughout your dog’s life, crate training is a life skill that every dog should have for both their peace of mind and ours, and it makes house training much easier!

Choose a crate that is big enough for your puppy to comfortably lie down, but not much bigger. For large-breed puppies, you will need to increase the size of the crate as your puppy grows (some crates come with a divider so you can change up the space your puppy has over time). Why the small size? If your puppy has a large space at his disposal, it is very easy for him to choose one section of the area as his napping and playing space, and another corner as the peeing and pooping spot. Not what you want. You want the crate to be small enough that your puppy prefers to not pee or poop in there.

The crate should have a blanket or bed that is appropriate for the climate, and a couple of toys that your puppy can play with. I recommend feeding meals in the crate to help make it a positive place for your puppy.

Using a Crate at Night

Place the crate right next to your bed. This way your puppy knows you are close by, and you can even reach down with your hand for him to nuzzle. The other plus to having your puppy close is you can hear any fussing.

If your puppy wakes up in the middle of the night and needs to pee, he will fuss rather than make a mess in his crate. For some puppies this is just a little whining, while others may bark or scream. When you hear your puppy fussing, quickly either carry him outside or encourage him to run to the door and yard. Place him in the grass and praise when he pees or poops.

Once done with your little bathroom break, place your puppy back in his crate with a treat and go back to bed.

Tips:

  • The first couple nights home with a new puppy may be challenging. This is normal, and your puppy will settle in to his new routine.
  • Use a treat that takes a couple minutes to chew as a bedtime snack. This helps to encourage your puppy to settle down and calms him at bedtime.
  • No playtime during midnight pee breaks. Some older puppies may try waking you up for a game of tug or chase—don’t give in. The rule is that when your puppy fusses, he gets a trip outside for a short walk, then back to bed.
  • Stay calm, even when you’re exhausted (we’ve all been there). Your puppy is learning and growing, and these things can take time.

Using a Crate During the Day

As much as you are able, you will want to be watching your puppy directly and interacting with him (more on that later). But this is not always possible. Whether you are getting some work done, making dinner, running errands, or taking a nap, the crate will help you maintain house training criteria when you can’t be watching your pup every minute.

Set the crate up somewhere that you can hear and/or see your puppy. Give your puppy a treat or toy when putting him in the crate so he has something to do. Take him out for regular bathroom breaks—with puppies 8-12 weeks old, I like to do this every hour if possible. It can feel excessive, but bringing your puppy outside frequently gives him lots of opportunities to take care of business, reducing the risk of accidents in the house.

Listen for signs that your puppy is waking up from a nap or getting fussy, as these indicate that it is time to go outside.

As your puppy gets older and you get a feel for his schedule and bladder strength, you can gradually increase the amount of time between bathroom breaks. A general rule of thumb is that puppies can go one hour for each month of age—for example, a five-month-old puppy can go five hours without peeing. But this can vary between individual puppies.

Learn Your Puppy’s Signals

When you are able to keep an eye on your puppy, she can roam more freely. But remember your two goals—reading your puppy’s body language and being proactive to set your puppy up for success and prevent accidents.

Every puppy communicates in their own way, but there are common signals that a puppy needs a trip outside. Watch your puppy for one or more of these behaviors:

  • Circling
  • Wandering away from play
  • Whining

If you see your puppy do one of these things or notice any other sudden change in behavior, take her outside to see if she needs to go.

When in Doubt—Go Out!

False alarms can be frustrating, but it is much better to take your puppy out when she doesn’t really need it than to cause her to have an accident.

Over time, your puppy will learn that she has the ability to “make” you take her outside. By responding to her subtle signals that she needs to pee or poop, you are giving those signals value and strengthening them over time.

One of my dogs has a particular whine and pace that he does when he really needs to go out. Another stares at me like she’s trying to fry my brains with her laser eyes. And the third gets my attention and then leads me to the door to ask to go out (yes, she has spoiled me!).

Praise for Good Habits

Praise and reward your puppy for peeing and pooping outside. Tell her what a brilliant and perfect puppy she is, and pet her or give her a treat. You can also play a little after she eliminates outside.

You are trying to build the pattern for her that the urge to eliminate means it is time to go outside, which is a really good thing!

How Long Does It Take to Potty Train a Puppy?

Six months of age is a rough ballpark for when your puppy should be fully housetrained. That said, some puppies are house trained as early as four months, while others may take a full year.

Young puppies will take longer to house train, while older puppies generally catch on quicker (plus they have better bladder control).

Small and toy breed puppies tend to take longer to house train because of their tiny bladders and small size.

Your puppy’s upbringing before coming to your house will also impact house training. If your puppy was in a really messy situation, he may not value cleanliness at first. And if your puppy has only eliminated on cement in a kennel run, he may be confused about the new rules about needing to eliminate on grass. Be patient.

How Long Can a Puppy Go Without Peeing?

As stated above, the general rule of thumb is that a puppy can go one hour for each month of age. So a three-month-old puppy can go three hours, a six-month-old puppy can go six hours, etc.

This can vary based on your individual puppy’s bladder strength and any extenuating factors, such as drinking a bunch of water after playing.

Overnight is the exception. Most 8-week-old puppies are capable of sleeping through the night but may not always, so keep the crate close so you will hear your puppy fuss if she needs to go out. But you do not need to set alarms every two hours for walks—as long as your puppy is resting, you can too.

Handling Long Stretches Between Walks

Despite our best efforts, sometimes we can’t stick to our puppy’s ideal potty break schedule. In these situations, set your puppy up with a larger space and a couple of pee pads to provide an okay place to go if she needs to.

Accidents Happen

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No matter how awesome of a puppy mom or dad you are, sooner or later you’re going to slip up and your puppy will have an accident in the house. It’s okay! Here are some things to keep in mind:

  • Your puppy isn’t a bad puppy. Poop (and pee) happens.
  • Yelling won’t help. Your puppy has no idea why you’re yelling—all she knows is that you are being really scary.
  • If you catch your puppy in the act, scoop her up and rush her outside, then praise for finishing the job in the yard.
  • Try to identify what “went wrong.” Maybe your puppy stood up in a funny way and you weren’t quite sure it meant she needed to pee. Maybe you got too caught up in the World Cup and forgot that it was time for a trip outside.
  • Nature’s Miracle is great stuff, and safe on most rugs and carpets. Clean messes up thoroughly using an enzymatic cleaner so that the area doesn’t have a residual smell.

Be patient with both your puppy and yourself through house training. Potty training a puppy is a process—you’ve got two different species learning to communicate with each other, and one of those beings is growing rapidly and having to relearn her body on a weekly basis.

If you stay consistent about taking your puppy outside frequently to set her up for success, praise for eliminating outside, and use a crate to help when your attention needs to be elsewhere, you and your puppy will get there!

Additional Tips

  • Use baby gates or exercise pens to create smaller sections in your house. This gives your puppy a little more freedom during the day, but still keeps her partially confined and limits how far away from you she can get.
  • Ask your puppy’s breeder if they litter box training the puppies or what material they used in the puppies’ bathroom area. For example, if your puppy is used to eliminating on wood chips, placing some wood chips in your yard can help clue your puppy in to that area being the designated bathroom spot.
  • When taking a shower, bring your puppy in the bathroom! This can be a fun alternative to going in the crate, and keeps your puppy close enough you can make sure she isn’t getting into trouble.
  • Housetraining will take longer if your puppy was raised in unsanitary conditions. Be proactive and take these puppies outside as often as possible so you can minimize accidents and maximize opportunities to praise for eliminating outside.
  • Housetraining can take longer for small and toy breed puppies. These guys are just so little that they can’t fathom why it is a problem to poop in a corner of the living room—and their tiny bladders don’t help either. Be proactive about taking these puppies outside frequently, and use crates and baby gates to limit your puppy’s space when you can’t watch her closely.
  • If your puppy had been doing well with housetraining but is suddenly peeing in the house frequently, take a urine sample to your veterinarian to have it checked for a UTI.
  • If your puppy has diarrhea for more than 24 hours or if at any point she is both vomiting and having diarrhea, call your veterinarian. Puppies can get dehydrated rapidly and she may need medical care.
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