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Best Air-Dried, Freeze-Dried, and Dehydrated Dog Food for 2024

By
Nancy Kerns
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0
freeze-dried and dehydrated dog food
: We recommend buying food from independent pet supply stores whenever possible, as these owners and managers are often better educated about nutrition and can help you make buying decisions based on your dog’s needs. Photo by Nancy Kerns.

It’s getting increasingly difficult to neatly categorize and select the best non-kibble dry dog foods. Freeze-dried foods, which once seemed novel, are now quite common, either as stand-alone diets or as meal “toppers” or treats. There are also ever-more dog diets being made with dehydrated meats.

Obviously, we include dehydrated diets—which range from low-moisture, powdery or muesli-like products, to chewy, jerky-like products with moisture levels that are a bit higher (12% to 14%) than those seen in kibble (usually, 9% to 10%)—in the same review category as freeze-dried. After all, these products all have a high inclusion of raw meat and animal organs (such as heart, liver, kidneys, lungs, and tripe), and just a few other ingredients.

Today, though, we’re seeing a burgeoning number of diets that incorporate freeze-dried or dehydrated raw meats but that are made in truly innovative ways, resulting in some novel, niche-defying products. Some contain higher inclusions of carbohydrate sources than most freeze-dried diets; some even resemble kibble in appearance and texture! “Cold-pressing,” steaming, and air-drying processes have also become much more common methods for manufacturing foods that are as lightly processed as possible, leaving the vitamins and vital enzymes in the products minimally damaged or reduced.

Our Favorite Freeze Dried and Dehydrated Dog Foods

Best “All Life Stages” Freeze-Dried/Dehydrated Dog Food

Best “Adult Maintenance” Freeze-Dried/Dehydrated Dog Food

Best “Lower Fat-Fat” Freeze-Dried/Dehydrated Dog Food

Best “Budget” Freeze-Dried/Dehydrated Dog Food

Best “All Life Stages” Freeze-Dried/Dehydrated Dog Food

For this category, we chose only products that are complete and balanced for dogs of all life stages, including the growth of large-breed puppies

Stella & Chewy’s Meal Mixers Chicken Variety

Freeze-dried dog food from Stella& Chewy's
Things we like: In our experience, this product is universally accepted and easily digested by most dogs. Company says 98% of the product is comprised of meat, organs, and fresh ground bone; organic fruits and vegetables are also used. Taurine is added to all of Stella & Chewy’s products.

First 10 ingredients: Chicken with ground bone, chicken liver, chicken gizzard, pumpkin seed, organic cranberries, organic spinach, organic broccoli, organic beets, organic carrots, organic squash.

Protein: Min 48%

Fat: 28%

Calories: 4,440 kcal/kg

Cost: $1.94/oz

 

Runners up:

Bixbi Pet’s Rawbble Freeze-Dried Chicken Recipe

Open Farm’s Homestead Turkey Freeze-Dried Raw Dog Food

Best “Adult Maintenance” Freeze-Dried/Dehydrated Dog Food

Primal Pet Foods Freeze-Dried Raw Pronto Beef Recipe

Freeze-dried raw diet from Primal Pets
Things we like: Ingredients include grass fed beef and many organic foods. Primal uses no synthetic vitamins in its formulas, just whole food sources of required nutrients. Probiotics are included on the guaranteed analysis.

First 10 ingredients: Beef (with ground bone), beef livers, organic carrots, organic squash, organic kale, organic apples, organic parsley, organic pumpkin seeds, organic sunflower seeds, organic blueberries.

Protein: Min 41%

Fat: 18%

Calories: 3,905 kcal/kg

Cost: $2.40/oz

 

Runners up:

Instinct Raw Longevity 100% Freeze-Dried Raw Meals Cage-Free Chicken Recipe

Kiwi Kitchens Raw Freeze-Dried Chicken Dinner

Best Lower-Fat Freeze-Dried/Dehydrated Dog Food

As we stated in the main article, this category of foods tends to be very high in protein and fat, making it difficult (but not impossible) to find one of these products for dogs who require a low-fat diet.

Fresh Is Best Bulk Freeze-Dried Dog Food Mix, Chicken Variety

A bag of budget friends freeze-dried dog food from Fresh-Is-Best.
Things we like: This is a “human-grade” food, made with human-grade ingredients in a human-food manufacturing facility. Several of The Honest Kitchen’s foods, including this one, have had their nutritional adequacy proven via AAFCO feeding trials—a rare accomplishment in this category of products.

First 10 ingredients: Chicken, chicken hearts, chicken liver, chicken gizzards, yams, apples, kale, collards, fish bone meal, dried kelp.

Protein: Min 45%

Fat: Min 10%

Calories: 3,946 kcal/kg

Cost: $1.56/oz

 

Runners up:

Only Natural Pet EasyRaw Cage-Free Turkey & Sweet Potato Feast Dehydrated Dog Food (Min 8% fat)

Dr. Harvey’s Grain-Free Chicken & Garden Veggies (Min 7% fat)

Best “Budget” Freeze-Dried/Dehydrated Dog Food

Many of the least expensive products in this category are made by The Honest Kitchen, who makes our overall favorite product. How do they do it, while using only human-grade ingredients and manufacturing in human-food manufacturing plants? Perhaps it’s because they’ve been making these products for longer than just about any other company.

The Honest Kitchen Dehydrated Gourmet Grains Chicken & Duck Variety

Human grade freeze-dried dog food.
Things we like: This is a “human-grade” food, made with human-grade ingredients in a human-food manufacturing facility. Several of The Honest Kitchen’s foods, including this one, have had their nutritional adequacy proven via AAFCO feeding trials—a rare accomplishment in this category of products.

First 10 ingredients: Dehydrated chicken, organic barley, organic oats, flaxseed, dehydrated eggs, dehydrated carrots, dehydrated duck, dehydrated pumpkin, dried organic coconut, organic quinoa.

Protein: Min 30%

Fat: 16%

Calories: 3,908 kcal/kg

Cost: $0.59/oz

 

Runners up:

Grandma Lucy’s 3 Bears Freeze-Dried Dog Food, Chicken Variety ($0.50/oz)

Only Natural Pet MaxBlends Grain-Free Beef Dehydrated Dog Food ($0.76/oz)

Shared Traits of Dried, Dehydrated, and Freeze-Dried Dog Foods

First, all of these products are made with relatively low-temperature, slow processes that remove moisture from fresh ingredients while protecting and preserving their nutrients. The removal of moisture not only creates shelf-stable products, but foods that are light and inexpensive to ship.

Shipping might be the only thing that is inexpensive about them, however. The pet food makers who compete in this category tend to use very high-quality ingredients; many of them contain human-grade meats (the legal term is “edible”) and organic produce. And both freeze-drying and dehydration are energy-intensive processes; these foods are not cheap to make, so they are not cheap to buy, either.

However, the makers of these products would hasten to tell you that due to the superior digestibility and high energy density of these products, the cost of using them to meet your dog’s nutritional requirements is comparable to—or even less than—the cost of feeding a fresh refrigerated, canned, or frozen raw diet.

All of these products contain mostly meat and other animal ingredients (including organs, ground bone, and plasma or blood products). Many of the companies claim that their products consist of 80% or more animal protein sources; some claim to contain as much as 95%! The resulting diets are highly digestible and highly palatable.

Also, most of the products that we are lumping together in this category have a very low carbohydrate inclusion. Remember, dogs don’t require carbs; they can live on fat and protein alone, as long as they get the vitamins and minerals they need.

But also keep in mind that if you don’t include carbs in a diet, only protein and fat remain, and that fat contains more than twice the calories as protein or carbohydrates. (Carbohydrates and protein both contain 4 calories per gram; fat contains 9 calories per gram!) Many of these products may contain more fat than is healthy for dogs who are overweight and/or sedentary, or who are intolerant of fat (such as dogs who are prone to pancreatitis).

Not All Companies Use a “Kill Step” on Their Raw Products
Many of the products in this category of dog foods contain meat that is technically raw; it’s never been exposed to temperatures that kill pathogenic bacteria, such as Salmonella, Listeria, and E. coli. In order to avoid the potential of one of these pathogens making a dog sick—or, importantly, any humans who serve the dog’s food or come into contact with his food bowls—some of these companies subject their products to a different sort of “kill step” to eliminate pathogenic bacteria. Note that dogs are better equipped than humans are to consume pathogenic bacteria without getting sick, and there are thousands of people who feed fresh, raw diets to their dogs without any incidents. However, if your dog, you, or anyone in your household is immune-suppressed, it would be smart to buy and feed products that have been treated with a kill step so they are more likely to be pathogen-free. The most commonly used kill step in this industry is the use of high pressure processing (HPP), which subjects the food to such high pressure (in a pressurized tank of water) that kills any pathogenic bacteria that may be present in the raw meat. (See “High Pressure Processing in Dog Food,” WDJ April 2015 for more information about the process.) Irradiation is another safe kill step available to pet food makers, but we didn’t find any company disclosing their use of irradiation. It seems that while irradiation is in wide use for human food—and where irradiated products must be labeled as such by law—the stigma of irradiation seems to be too great for pet food makers to risk admitting its use. Also, they don’t have to admit it; there is no law that requires that an irradiated pet food must be labeled as such. Some manufacturers, however, believe so strongly in the benefits of raw foods that they refuse to use a kill step, relying instead on the quality of their ingredients and their own food “hazard analysis and critical control points”(HACCP) plans to prevent selling contaminated products. We respect the right of owners to feed raw foods that have not undergone a kill step – as long as they are informed about the risks to which they are subjecting themselves and their dogs. We also recommend that you consider buying products from companies that utilize a “test and hold” program whereby finished products are tested for pathogens and not released for sale until results indicate the products are uncontaminated.

Selection Criteria for Dehydrated or Freeze-Dried Dog Foods

“Well,” you may be saying. “These foods sound like a nice addition to my dog’s diet—or a replacement for my dog’s current diet. How do I choose which ones might work best for me and my dog?” Here are some bullet points to consider when making your choices:

For most of us, price will be a consideration. The high cost of these foods might not matter if you have one or two very small dogs or one very precious larger dog, or if you’re wealthy. But I couldn’t afford to feed them all the time to my two large dogs!

That said, I love having some on hand to use as treats and food toppers (to boost nutrition and the palatability of their regular food). And when I’m fostering sickly shelter dogs, freeze-dried foods are my magic remedy; I’ve helped all sorts of sick puppies back from the brink with these high-quality diets. So, though I could not afford to feed them full time, I fit a certain amount of these products into my monthly dog-food budget. You have to do what works for you.

Ingredients that work for your dog. It should be obvious, but you have to check product labels to make sure that any prospective diet doesn’t contain ingredients that are problematic for your dog. Is he allergic to or intolerant of certain proteins? (Are you keeping a food calendar or journal of what you feed and how your dog looks and feels? That’s the best way to learn about and keep track of that.)

Fortunately, many of these diets are limited-ingredient, with single sources of animal proteins in each formula. It’s much easier to find foods with a small number of ingredients in this category than in kibbled products.

Appropriate protein and fat levels. Look at the guaranteed analysis of any product you are considering. These diets are high, high, high in protein and fat. They can be just the thing for thin, young, active dogs, sport dogs, working dogs, and pregnant or nursing dogs, but they are likely not a great idea for your couch potato Labrador or the Dachshund who gains weight from breathing.

Complete information about products on the company website; ease of contacting company. In our view, there is absolutely no excuse for a company to fail to inform consumers about the nutritional adequacy of its products. If you are in the nutrition business, provide basic nutrition information!

We actually cut a few companies who have been on our “Approved Foods” list in past years for lacking basic information about their products on their websites or labels such as “nutritional adequacy statements.” These statements tell consumers which criteria the food met in order to qualify as a “complete and balanced diet” for dogs, ­and, importantly, which dogs the food is intended for. Adult dogs only? Dogs of all life stages? What about large-breed puppies? This statement is the bare minimum—and companies that don’t display this information for each of their products shouldn’t even be considered, in our opinion.

We feel equally strongly about companies that make it difficult to reach them. A few don’t publish their phone numbers anywhere; we’re not fans of this (though we haven’t eliminated a company from our consideration for this alone—yet). Some do publish their numbers but don’t answer their phones or return calls left in voice mailboxes! One company we called recently had a full phone mailbox—for days!

Ease of purchasing. Some of these products can be found in chain pet supply stores and online retailers. Others are sold only in independent pet supply stores and some can be purchased by subscription and are direct-shipped. All of these methods have pros and cons.

Approved Freeze-Dried/Dehydrated Foods

If you’re ready to try some of these products, we’re giving you dozens of candidates to choose from. Whole Dog Journal’s 2024 List of Approved Freeze-Dried and Dehydrated Dog Foods includes companies that make diets that meet our selection criteria, which can be abbreviated thusly: No unnamed meats or fats; only whole, lightly processed, “real food” ingredients; and no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.

You can access information about the companies on our list in two ways:

1. Subscribers can download a PDF that contains contact information for each company, as well as information about their offerings in this dog-food category: how many varieties they make for dogs of each “life stage” (adult maintenance or “all life stages”), and the range of protein and fat that their products contain. This information is important, because virtually all of the products in this category are high in protein and fat. It might be impossible to find an appropriate diet in this category for a dog who cannot tolerate high fat levels.

We’ve also given the first 10 ingredients of at least one variety that each company makes. In most cases, we chose a beef-based variety, so similar products could be compared side by side. If the company offers several lines of disparate products, we highlighted the ingredients of two or three products made by that company.

2. Subscribers can also use our searchable database to look at in-depth information about each product made by the companies on our “2024 List of Approved Freeze-Dried and Dehydrated Dog Foods.” This information gives the full ingredient list of each product made by each approved company, as well as each product’s protein and fat content; whether its nutritional adequacy was proven by AAFCO’s “nutrient levels” requirement or a feeding trial; what “life stage” it’s formulated for (adults only or dogs of all ages, including whether it’s appropriate for large-breed puppies or not); whether it is grain-free or grain-inclusive; and whether it was made by freeze-drying, dehydrating, or some combination of the two. The searchable database also provides a link to a location where each product can be purchased. Note: Whole Dog Journal is reader-supported. If you purchase food through links on our site we may earn a commission. Whole Dog Journal does not accept money for its food and product reviews.

The best part about the searchable database is that you can use various filters to find foods that do or do not contain certain ingredients or that contain more or less than a certain amount of protein and/or fat. You can sort the database by the names of the companies or by the price of the individual products, as you wish.

We’re excited about the possibilities of this searchable database, and hope you find it to be helpful for finding good foods for your dogs. Keeping your dog’s individual needs in mind, try some new products, switch frequently – and always watch your dog! Note the date that you start feeding any new food on a calendar and record your dog’s physical responses to the switch, good and bad. If you pay attention, he’ll let you know what works for him (and what doesn’t) with his appetite, energy, skin and coat, stool, and weight.

Whole Dog Journal’s 2024 Approved Freeze-Dried/Dehydrated Dog Foods

By
Nancy Kerns
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41
Many of these foods are sold directly by the manufacturer, some by subscription. A few of the largest and oldest companies’ products can be found in chain pet supply stores, but the majority of these foods are sold in independent pet supply stores that specialize in premium or “holistic” foods.
Many of these foods are sold directly by the manufacturer, some by subscription. A few of the largest and oldest companies’ products can be found in chain pet supply stores, but the majority of these foods are sold in independent pet supply stores that specialize in premium or “holistic” foods.
Check out Whole Dog Journal's latest list of approved freeze-dried or dehydrated dog food products. Did your dog's food make the list?
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How Do You Brush Your Long-Haired Dog’s Teeth?!

By
Nancy Kerns
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15
Brushing a short haired dog's teeth.
In most of the stock photos of people brushing a dog’s teeth, the dog model has short hair—for a good reason! It’s hard to see whether you are actually making contact with the dog’s teeth when there is a lot of hair in the way. Photo credit, wckiw, Getty Images.

I know that we’re supposed to be the experts here—but I need some advice, preferably from those of you with longer-haired dogs.

As I told you a few weeks ago, my 2-year-old dog Boone recently broke two of his front teeth. When he had surgery to remove the broken-off roots of those teeth, he also had x-rays and a thorough dental examination—during which the veterinarian found a significant accumulation of dental tartar and resultant inflammation along Boone’s gum line. He even had periodontitis—a gum infection that damages the soft tissue around teeth—in a couple of spots. And he’s not even 3 years old!

A close up photo of gum disease in a dog.
A photo taken by my veterinarian just before Boone’s recent dental surgery and dental cleaning. That redness along the gum line, and particularly, the dark line along the base of the biggest molar in the photo, is a sign that he had an active gum infection, due to a buildup of plaque and tartar.

Until now, I’ve been pretty lucky; my dogs have mostly managed to get by with just one or two veterinary dental cleanings in their entire lifetimes, even though I (true confession time) have never been good about brushing their teeth. Otto, who nearly made it to 16 years of age, had a couple of dental cleanings when he was under anesthesia to have cracked or broken teeth removed, but he never developed gum disease. And Woody, at age 8, has never had a dental cleaning, and his teeth and gums look pretty good! But Boone’s teeth are already a disaster.

Well, isn’t bad luck; this is more like the norm. WDJ’s authors have previously cited a widely reported statistic: 80% of dogs over the age of 3 years have active dental disease. And the statistic has finally caught up with me. It’s clear that with Boone in particular, I can either start brushing his teeth frequently in order to support his dental health, or plan to spend thousands on fairly frequent veterinary cleaning during his lifetime.

So I’m trying, and Boone is actually more or less cooperating; he likes the taste of the toothpaste! But here’s my dilemma: He’s got such a fuzzy face, and sort of frilly lips, that it’s hard to clear all of that fur and those lips out of the way in order to see whether I’m actually scrubbing his teeth! Someone among you must have solved this problem; please share any tips you have!

Kidney Disease in Dogs

By
Dr. Debra M. Eldredge, DVM
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0
Early detection is important in treating kidney disease in dogs.
Making the SDMA blood test part of your older dog’s wellness workup can help detec t developing kidney disease. Credit: Fat Camera | Getty Images

A telltale sign of early-stage kidney disease in dogs is increased thirst, which results in increased urination. You may be filling the water bowl more during the day because your dog is so thirsty. Of course, your dog is asking to go out more often or he is having accidents in the house. His urine may have a strong odor.

Sadly, with chronic renal failure, this change can be so gradual that owners don’t notice until it is far along. And that’s frustrating because some chronic kidney disease cases are simply a result of old age. In other words, the dog’s tissues are wearing out.

In addition to the increased drinking and peeing, your dog’s appetite may be off, and he may be losing weight. Some dogs will be nauseous. Bad breath is common, and his gums may be pale. If your veterinarian checks a urine sample, the results may reveal excess protein or even some blood.

Fortunately, the kidneys are remarkable organs and can keep your dog humming along until close to two-thirds of their function is lost. If kidney disease is caught early enough, medical treatment can often give these dogs years of reasonable life.

Early Detection of Kidney Failure

As with so many health problems in our dogs, the prognosis is better if kidney failure is detected early. While kidney disease can’t be reversed, the progress of the disease can be slowed, giving your dog extra lifetime with good quality. Doing an annual complete blood panel and urinalysis starting at 7 years of age is ideal.

As chronic renal failure progresses, your dog may become anemic and lethargic. The buildup of toxins can lead to neurologic signs. Acute kidney failure is worse, such as from ingesting a toxic substance. These dogs are dramatically sick as there is an abrupt loss of ability to filter out toxins and retain the electrolytes and fluid that are important for good health.

What Causes Kidney Disease

Kidney disease is common in dogs, and it has many causes, ranging from congenital defects that cause problems early on to a secondary ailment in senior dogs. It can be an acute episode from a toxin or a gradual decline in renal function.

Young puppies can suffer from congenital defects such as renal dysplasia and polycystic kidney disease. While these dogs can be managed, most have shortened lifespans.

Amyloidosis is another genetic kidney problem, often associated with Chinese Shar Peis. Puppies with early onset renal failure often drink and urinate excessively and may be difficult to house train. They are often noted as “failure to thrive,” lagging behind their littermates in growth and development.

Once we go beyond genetic defects (and some of those can show up clinically as late as 6 or 7 years of age), we are left with secondary kidney diseases. Toxins are high on the list for both acute kidney disease and chronic renal disease.

Acute poisoning, such as from acetaminophen (Tylenol), grapes and raisins, or ethylene glycol (antifreeze) can cause severe kidney disease, even fatalities. Immediate treatment can minimize damage, and some dogs recover completely. Toxic dogs are very sick dogs, however. You may notice vomiting, collapse, intense thirst, and seizures.

Infections can damage kidneys, sometimes irreversibly. As Lyme disease (a tickborne illness) has become more prevalent, veterinarians are watching for Lyme nephritis. The first sign is generally protein spillover into the urine. Any bacterial or viral infection that affects the kidneys may cause kidney failure.

What to Do If Your Dog Shows Signs of Kidney Disease

Like many diseases, kidney disease has “staging” protocols that recommend different treatments for each stage. The International Renal Interest Society has four stages for dogs in renal failure, using objective data from serum creatinine levels, plus looking at blood pressure and protein spills in the urine.

Depending on your dog’s stage, medical treatment will take into consideration hydration and nutrition first. Canned food, adding water to your dog’s meals, and eventually giving fluids subcutaneously can help to keep your dog hydrated.

From a dietary point of view, you want a diet with a lower protein amount—but still high quality for overall health—less dietary sodium and phosphorus, more B vitamins, more omega 3 fatty acids, and plenty of fiber. Several prescription diets that fit these parameters, or your veterinarian can guide you to sites that can provide custom balanced recipes for your dog, like Balance It.

Many dogs benefit from phosphate binders and medications to control blood pressure. Darbepoetin is a synthetic form of erythropoietin that may be recommended to battle anemia.

Dialysis is rarely used for dogs with chronic kidney disease but can truly be a lifesaver for a dog with acute, toxic renal failure. In these cases, dialysis is generally done for a short period of time. Unfortunately, there are very few places, primarily veterinary colleges, that currently offer dialysis.

While kidney transplants are done with some frequency in cats, they have not been as successful in dogs. There must be a compatible donor (which you are then responsible for adopting) and follow-up care is extensive, requiring immunosuppressive drugs for the lifetime of your dog. Transplants have not been as successful in dogs as cats.

SDMA Senior Bloodwork

SDMA stands for symmetric dimethylarginine, which is an amino acid. This is used as a biomarker to evaluate kidney function in dogs and cats. This is one of the earliest and most sensitive tests for changes in renal function, showing increased levels with as little as 25% of kidney function being compromised. In addition, it is not as sensitive to some of the environmental factors that can influence tests for kidney health such as muscle mass and diet.

SDMA is now included in many senior pet blood panels, but if not, you should request it for your older dog. Test results over 14 micrograms/dl suggest renal problems developing, so further diagnostics will be recommended.

The bottom line: If caught early on, many dogs can have years of reasonable quality of life with a kidney problem. They will require consistent, and sometimes, comprehensive care, but they can be active and comfortable.

Periodontal Disease in Dogs

By
Dr. Jennifer Bailey, DVM
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0
Periodontal disease in dogs is a preventable health risk.
Periodontal disease is extremely common in dogs but can often be prevented with a good combination of at-home and veterinary dental care. Credit: Hillary Kladke | Getty Images

Most of us have or know a dog who has bad breath. Your face scrunches in disgust when they pant near your face or you are snuggling close on the couch. Veterinarians and veterinary technicians label that smell as “sewer mouth.” It is one of the signs of periodontal disease in dogs.

Periodontal disease is the inflammation and infection of the periodontium. The periodontium are the structures that support and surround the teeth. This includes the gingiva, cementum, periodontal ligament, and alveolar bone. Let’s examine the role of each structure in protecting and maintaining your dog’s oral health.

Each tooth has two parts—the crown and one or more roots. The crown is the part of the tooth you can see. Its role is to tear, chop, and grind food. The crown extends to just below the gumline. The roots anchor the tooth in the jaw and provide a blood and nerve supply to each tooth.

Each tooth root sits in a socket in the jaw. The socket is made of alveolar bone lined with a protective layer called cementum. The socket surrounds and supports each root. The root is attached to the cementum and alveolar bone by a periodontal ligament. Gingiva (also known as the gums) is the pink or pigmented fleshy tissue that covers the alveolar bone and the first part of the crown.

Infection and inflammation of these supporting structures leads to destruction of cementum and alveolar bone, loosening and destruction of the periodontal ligament, and gingival recession. Without the support of these structures, teeth become diseased, loose, and fall out.

What Causes Periodontal Disease in Dogs?

Periodontal disease begins with the accumulation of plaque on the crown of each tooth—both the part you can see and the part just below the gumline. Plaque is a combination of food particles, proteins and minerals in saliva, and bacteria that normally exist in the mouth. Think about that fuzzy feeling you get on the surface of your teeth if you haven’t brushed them in over a day—that’s plaque.

Plaque is initially soft and can be easily broken down and removed if the teeth are brushed. But left undisturbed, plaque continues to accumulate layer by layer on the teeth. Over time, minerals in saliva harden plaque and create calculus. Calculus is the hard, brown layer that you might see on your dog’s teeth.

Although calculus on the crown of the tooth looks awful, it’s the plaque and calculus under the gumline that starts the process of periodontal disease. Think about the last time you ate popcorn. Inevitably, the thin skin that covers a popcorn kernel gets stuck in your teeth, prompting you to perform an impromptu flossing. That kernel skin is actually getting stuck in the thin space between the crown of your tooth and the gingiva.

Plaque and calculus that accumulates in that thin space induces an inflammatory response in your dog’s mouth. Inflammation causes the gingiva to become red, irritated, and painful. This is gingivitis and is the first stage of periodontal disease.

Irritated and inflamed gingiva begins to break down and separate from the tooth and alveolar bone. This creates a space known as a periodontal pocket. Plaque and calculus move into this pocket, creating more inflammation. Destruction of alveolar bone and cementum begins, exposing each root under the gumline. The gums may bleed easily when touched. This is the second stage of periodontal disease.

As the periodontal pocket expands and fills with more plaque and calculus, more alveolar bone and cementum are destroyed. The strength of the periodontal ligament holding the tooth root in the socket is compromised and the tooth becomes loose. This is the third stage of periodontal disease.

The fourth and final stage of periodontal disease is characterized by greater than 50% alveolar bone loss around the roots. The tooth can now be easily moved in all directions within the socket.

All dogs are at risk for developing periodontal disease. Small and toy breed dogs are particularly predisposed to periodontal disease. Periodontal disease is more prevalent in dogs that have diabetes mellitus or hyperadrenocorticism (Cushing’s disease). Dogs with a malocclusion (misaligned teeth) or crowded teeth in a small mouth are particularly at risk for developing periodontal disease.

Treating Periodontal Disease

Early periodontal disease (stages 1 and 2) in dogs may be treated with a professional dental cleaning under general anesthesia. Removing the plaque and calculus that has accumulated under the gumline is essential to treating periodontal disease—the only way to safely accomplish this is when your dog is anesthetized. See the article “Dog Teeth Cleaning” for more information.

Treating moderate to advanced periodontal disease (stages 3 and 4) requires more advanced techniques to save the teeth. These advanced techniques include open root scaling and planing, gingival curettage, and installation of bone grafts and protective membranes. A board-certified veterinary dentist is the most qualified professional to complete these techniques.

Teeth affected by periodontal disease that cannot be saved will need to be extracted. Tooth extractions can be done by most general practitioners. Teeth that have become brittle, abscessed, or ankylosed in the socket by scar tissue may need to be extracted by a veterinary dentist.

Preventing Periodontal Disease in Dogs

The best way to prevent periodontal disease in dogs is with proper at-home dental care and annual comprehensive oral health assessment and treatment (also known as a dental cleaning or dental prophylaxis) performed by your dog’s veterinarian.

Brushing your dog’s teeth every day disrupts plaque as it forms on the teeth and prevents the formation of calculus. See the article “At-home Dental Care for Dogs” for more information on how to brush your dog’s teeth and promote good oral health at home.

Your dog should undergo a comprehensive oral health assessment and treatment once a year. This is a dental cleaning, visual examination of the teeth, probing of gingival pockets, and radiographic assessment of the tooth roots and alveolar bone. Gingivitis can be treated and reversed during this procedure before it progresses to more advanced stages of periodontal disease.

With proper at-home oral care and annual oral exams by your veterinarian, your dog’s oral health and life span can be improved. And that’s good news for us dog lovers that want to have as much time as possible with our canine best friends!

Can Dogs be Allergic to Cats?

By
Dr. Jennifer Bailey, DVM
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0
Dogs can be allergic to cats, more specifically their dander.
Unfortunately for some multi-pet households, dogs can be allergic to cat dander. Credit: chendongshan | Getty Images

Dogs can be allergic to a wide variety of environmental allergens including pollen from trees, weeds, and grasses. Other potential allergens include molds, dust and storage mites, insects, and dander from humans, birds, or other animals. This includes cat dander.

Symptoms of Cat Allergies in Dogs

Dogs that are allergic to cat dander may have symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis. These symptoms include redness of the inner eyelids and whites of the eyes, squinting, rubbing the eyes, and ocular discharge. Ocular discharge may be clear or white but may also be yellow or green.

Other symptoms of a cat dander allergy in dogs include itchy skin, coughing, sneezing, and runny discharge from the nose. Dogs with itchy skin will incessantly scratch and lick at their paws, face, ears, tailbase, and the underside of their body.

Dogs with a cat dander allergy are often allergic to other things in their environment. Your veterinarian may recommend allergy testing to determine which allergens are the most troublesome for your dog.

Treating Dog Allergy Symptoms

One aspect of treating a cat dander allergy and other environmental allergies is relieving the symptoms of the allergy. This may include antihistamines, eye drops for allergic conjunctivitis, and shampoo or other topicals to alleviate itchy skin.

The other part of treatment is modulating the immune system’s response to specific allergens. This may include medications—such as steroids, cyclosporine, Apoquel, or Cytopoint. This may also include allergy hyposensitization therapy—also known as allergy injections.

Additional Considerations

There are many other illnesses that can cause the same symptoms as allergic conjunctivitis. Your veterinarian will conduct a complete eye exam with an ophthalmoscope. She may recommend testing your dog’s tear production with a Schirmer tear test, determining your dog’s ocular pressures with a tonometry device, and staining the surface of your dog’s eyes with fluorescein to look for corneal ulcers.

With apropriate treatment, allergic conjunctivitis due to a cat dander allergy can be managed, leaving your dog with more comfortable eyes.

The Dangers of Cheatgrass for Dogs

By
Kim Campbell Thornton
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0
Cheatgrass and dogs make for a painful mix.
Cheatgrass awns can burrow into a dog’s skin, causing serious, potentially deadly injuries and infections. Credit: MoKa | Getty Images

Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) is well named. The invasive species—also known as downy brome—overwhelms native grass species, reducing wildlife habitat and livestock forage; increases the risk of wildfires in Western ecosystems; and is dangerous, even deadly, to dogs when its sharp, barbed seeds, called awns, enter the skin, typically through paws, ears and nose.

Cheatgrass usually appears early in the year soon after snow melts. It grows rapidly, producing a nodding head that droops with the weight of seeds. When they drop or are brushed against, they cling to socks and dog fur. Once trapped in a dog’s fur, there’s no place for the seed to go but in—and that’s when the trouble starts.

How Cheatgrass Harms Dogs

If they’re not removed, cheatgrass seeds burrow beneath skin, often entering at the toes or ears. They can also be inhaled into the nose or throat. They make their way through skin layers and can end up anywhere in the body: lungs, chest cavity, spinal column, eyes, muscles, and other areas. They can lodge in tissues and cause abscesses, inflammation, infections, and breathing difficulty from a buildup of fluid. Some dogs die if the problem isn’t discovered in time. In some cases, canine patients who died of peritonitis were later necropsied and found to have grass seeds in the abdominal cavity.

Most at risk are hunting, hiking, and farm or ranch dogs, who can encounter cheatgrass awns in grasslands, pine forests, and pastures. Seeds may be more likely to glom onto dogs with furnishings such spaniels, setters, and some retrievers. Doodles and other curly- or wire-coated dogs are also cheatgrass magnets.

Take your dog to the veterinarian if you can’t find any reason for violent headshaking or sneezing, ear scratching, or paw chewing. Development of a hematoma or abscess may be the least of your worries. Depending on where grass awns migrate, the extent of the infection or injury, and whether exploratory surgery or hospitalization is required, an encounter with cheatgrass can be an expensive proposition.

Signs that an awn may have migrated beneath skin or into tissues include little bubbly blisters between toes, unexplained gagging or coughing, increased respiratory rate or panting for no reason, bloody discharge from the nose, or excessive licking of a particular area. After sedation, your veterinarian can use a scope to examine ears, nose and throat and remove awns with long, narrow alligator forceps. Radiographs can indicate the presence of fluid in the chest cavity or lungs.

Bad Seeds

Other grasses with awns that can be harmful to dogs include Canada wild rye, foxtails, and needlegrasses:

  • Canada wild rye is often found in seed mixes because it produces ground cover quickly. Avoid purchasing seed mixes that contain it.
  • Many species of grass create seedpods that resemble fluffy foxtails, hence the name. Like cheatgrass awns, they can burrow beneath the skin. To find out more, see “Symptoms and Treatment of Foxtail Invasions in Dogs.”
  • Needlegrasses (members of the genus Stipa) produce barbed seeds that are difficult to remove once in a pet’s skin or tissues.

The website www.meanseeds.com was created by dog lovers to provide information on hazardous grass awns.

What To Do

Dealing with cheatgrass is an instance of an ounce of prevention being more than worth a pound of cure. Any time your dog has been outdoors where cheatgrass is present, do a thorough body check after you return home.

Grooming the entire body is key. Brush or comb fur thoroughly, getting down to the skin for a good look, especially if you have a double-coated breed. Keep hair trimmed, especially on paws, so cheatgrass awns are less likely to become trapped in it. You may also consider having your dog wear booties in cheatgrass areas.

Push gently up beneath paw pads to cause toes to spread out so you can check between them more easily. To remove any cheatgrass you find in your dog’s paw, take a pair of needle nose pliers that you’ve sterilized with boiling water or by soaking in isopropyl alcohol for 60 seconds. Grasp the feathery end of the cheat grass—think grabbing a badminton birdie by the flared end—and pull to remove. Do this only if you can see the feathery end; otherwise take your dog to the veterinarian. Do NOT use this technique to remove awns in the nose or ears or any that have already penetrated the skin; you could injure your dog further.

Know what cheatgrass looks like and avoid areas with it when possible. Go elsewhere when the plants are noticeably reddish and dry, usually early summer and into fall. This is when seeds are more easily dislodged and become embedded in fur or skin.

Cheatgrass Killer 101

Environmental groups, government agencies, farmers and ranchers, hunters and dog lovers are all interested in eradicating cheatgrass. On your own land, nontoxic, low-tech methods are hand-pulling, hoeing, or weed-whacking it early in the season before it matures and produces seed. Shallow, short, branching roots make it easy to pull. Bag plants and toss them in the trash so they don’t have a chance to germinate elsewhere. If you have goats, sheep, or horses, intensive grazing from late fall through mid-May is a good form of biological control. Find out if your county or state has programs to help fight cheatgrass.

Rototill the soil and plant native grasses and plants such as sagebrush species or bluebunch wheatgrass, choosing a beardless variety without awns. It will take a few years to see results, but your efforts can make a big difference.

Can Dogs Have Strokes?

By
Dr. Jennifer Bailey
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0
Dogs can have strokes the same as humans do.
: If you suspect your dog may have had a stroke, it is important to seek veterinary care right away. Credit: Anita Kot | Getty Images

At one time, strokes and mini-strokes were thought to only occur in people. When I was in veterinary college, I was taught that strokes almost never occur in our small animal patients. But with the increased use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in veterinary medicine, we are finding out that strokes and mini-strokes in dogs are not impossible.

Thankfully, strokes (also known as cerebrovascular accidents, or CVAs) and mini-strokes (also known transient ischemic attacks, or TIAs) remain rare in our canine companions. CVAs and TIAs tend to happen in middle-aged to older dogs, although younger dogs with certain underlying conditions may be at increased risk. Strokes are seen more often in Greyhounds, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, and Miniature Schnauzers.

What is a Stroke?

A stroke is an acute onset of one or more neurologic symptoms. It is caused by an interruption of blood flow to a particular section of the brain. This blood flow interruption could be partial or complete. A TIA is partial interruption of blood flow to a section of the brain. A CVA is the complete interruption of blood flow to a section of the brain.

A TIA is like the dimmer switch for a light. When you turn down the dimmer switch, you are reducing the amount of electricity reaching the light. The result is a light that still works but is not as bright as it would be if the dimmer switch was turned all the way up. A clot (also known as a thrombus) is like the dimmer switch. In a TIA, a thrombus partially occludes a blood vessel and reduces the amount of blood flowing to that section of the brain. The functions performed by that section of the brain are temporarily slowed and impaired.

Most dogs recover from a TIA within 24 hours. Dogs may continue to have TIAs in the future unless the underlying cause can be found and treated. TIAs may serve as a precursor to a CVA.

A CVA is like a clogged sink drain. When a drain is clogged, no water can get through the pipe. In a CVA, a thrombus completely occludes a blood vessel in the brain. The section of the brain served by that blood vessel quickly dies and then gradually swells. The swelling begins to subside after one to three days.

Another type of CVA is caused by a ruptured blood vessel. This is like a water main break. A break in a water main under the street results in a sudden rush of water from the pipe. The foundation under the street swells with water and causes the overlying pavement to collapse, flooding the street. A ruptured blood vessel in the brain is like that water main break. The brain tissue surrounding the ruptured blood vessel swells with blood and quickly dies.

Dogs that experience a CVA will have an acute onset of neurologic signs that gradually become worse over one to three days. After the swelling of the affected brain section subsides, most of these dogs show some improvement but may not make a complete recovery.

Causes of Strokes

Causes of strokes and mini-strokes can be divided into four categories: diseases that cause high blood pressure (also known as hypertension), diseases that cause clots or high amounts of lipids in the blood, and diseases that cause uncontrolled bleeding. The fourth category is idiopathic, meaning that the cause of a stroke cannot be found.

Hypertension can be seen in dogs that have chronic kidney disease or heart disease. Certain adrenal gland diseases—such as hyperaldosteronism and an adrenal gland tumor called a pheochromocytoma—can cause hypertension in dogs. Sometimes hypertension in dogs has no identifiable cause—this is called idiopathic hypertension. Hypertension can cause a blood vessel in the brain to rupture, resulting in a CVA.

The release of blood clots in the bloodstream can cause a TIA or a CVA. Heart disease, cancer, heartworm disease, infections of the brain, and sepsis are all diseases that can cause a thrombus to form. A condition called hyperlipidemia can cause a phenomenon similar to a thrombus. Diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism, and hyperadrenocorticism (Cushing’s disease) are all associated with hyperlipidemia.

Spontaneous bleeding in the brain can cause a CVA. Brain tumors and head trauma can cause sudden brain hemorrhage. Immune-mediated thrombocytopenia is a condition in which there are not enough platelets to prevent spontaneous hemorrhage. Congenital clotting disorders, sepsis, and ingestion of an anti-coagulant rodenticide can also cause bleeding in the brain.

Diagnosis of a Stroke

If your veterinarian suspects that your dog may have had a stroke or a mini-stroke, she may recommend an MRI of your dog’s brain. This will allow your veterinarian to see if there is an occluded blood vessel or an area of brain hemorrhage. The cause of the stroke may also be visible on MRI, such as a brain tumor or congenital brain abnormality.

A sample of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) may be obtained at the time your dog is undergoing an MRI. CSF can be analyzed for the presence of infection or inflammation—this can help to identify the underlying cause of a stroke.

Your veterinarian may also recommend bloodwork, including a complete blood count, chemistry panel, thyroid panel, coagulation panel, and heartworm test. Radiographs (x-rays) of your dog’s chest and abdomen may also be recommended. These tests can help identify the cause of your dog’s stroke.

Stroke Treatment

There is no specific treatment for strokes in dogs. Thrombolytic drugs (also known as clot-busting drugs) that are used in people have not been well-studied in dogs. Anecdotal reports of the use of thrombolytic drugs in dogs have identified serious side effects, including death. Thrombolytic drugs are only appropriate for strokes caused by a blood clot and may not be indicated for all dogs that have experienced a stroke.

Therapy for dogs that have experienced a stroke is aimed at maintaining proper blood flow to all parts of the brain, not just the part affected by a stroke. Therapy may include drugs to reduce pressure on and swelling within the brain, oxygen therapy, and drugs to normalize blood pressure. Identifying and treating the underlying cause of a stroke will minimize the risk of experiencing additional strokes.

Dogs that have lost functional use of their limbs may benefit from physical therapy. Physical therapy includes passive range-of-motion exercises, hydrotherapy, exercises to strengthen balance and coordination, and laser therapy. Many veterinary practices offer physical and rehabilitative services for dogs. Ask your veterinarian about what services they offer or inquire about referral to a practice that offers physical therapy.

Your dog’s ability to recover from a stroke will depend on the location and severity of the stroke, the underlying condition that caused the stroke, and your dog’s overall health. Some dogs may make a complete recovery while others may have a greatly diminished quality of life. You will need to work closely with your dog’s veterinary care team to determine the best treatment plan for you and your dog.

 

Elbow Dysplasia in Dogs

By
Dr. Debra M. Eldredge, DVM
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Elbow dysplasia in dogs is a developmental defect that can lead to lameness later in life.
Everyone loves a playful puppy, but you should regulate your puppy’s exercise, so he doesn’t overdo it. Elbow dysplasia is an inherited developmental disease of the joint. Credit: Brighton Dog Photography | Getty Images

Your 6-month-old puppy is off on his left front leg. He seems to worsen with activity, but he is rarely three-legged lame. This may be a sign of dysplastic elbow, or “elbow dyspasia.” (Dysplasia means a developmental abnormality.) Elbow dysplasia is second to osteoarthritis as the most common lameness in dogs.

Elbow dysplasia results from a defect during the final development of the elbow joint in a puppy. The elbow is a complicated joint, involving the meshing of three bones: the humerus (big bone coming down from the shoulder) and the radius and ulna (two smaller bones that make up the forearm). Any change from normal in how these bones meet to form the elbow joint can lead to arthritic changes and corresponding lameness.

Note: Elbow dysplasia has been linked to early spaying/neutering in large dogs, so discuss when to spay or neuter your puppy with your veterinarian.

Reducing the Risk of Elbow Dysplasia

Can you prevent elbow dysplasia? Certainly, you can reduce the risk in an individual dog by only breeding, or purchasing from, parents with normal elbows per OFA report. Note: Some breed clubs consider Grade I to be basically the same as Normal, but others recommend only breeding dogs with a Normal rating. Selecting parents with normal elbows can reduce the incidence of elbow dysplasia in a breed over time. Keep in mind that this is thought to be a multifactorial problem, so it is not a simple fix. Diet, environment, and genetics are all interacting. In addition, it helps to:

-Keep your young growing dog at a good weight.

-Use an appropriate diet for your growing puppy.

-Regulate exercise for your growing dog. Limit jumping up and down, pounding on hard surfaces, etc. until your dog is fully   developed.

-Discuss when to spay or neuter your dog with your veterinarian.

Bones Must Grow Properly

The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) defines the degenerative joint disease (DJD) complex known as elbow dysplasia as involving three main areas where a failure for the bones to grow properly may lead to a problem:

  1. Ununited anconeal process (UAP)
  2. Osteochondrosis (OCD)
  3. Fragmented medial coronoid process (FCP)

In most cases, when only DJD is marked on an OFA report (see sidebar), it can be assumed that lesions associated with coronoid process disease are present. This accounts for most elbow dysplasia cases.

What Is the OFA?

Elbow dysplasia is seen in a wide range of dogs, affecting over 79 breeds according to Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) statistics. The OFA screens dogs for inherited health conditions to help breeders improve genetic health within dog breeds. It is voluntary screening, done with an examination and forms from your own veterinarian who submits the results to the OFA, which then issues a certification score. The statistics can help breeders make better breeding choices to avoid inherited disease. Dogs do not have to be purebred to be part of the OFA and get screened.

The breeds with the highest rate of elbow dysplasia according to OFA statistics are the Chow and Bulldog. Interestingly, Beagles and Pyrenean Shepherds have no recorded cases of elbow dysplasia.

OFA Grades the Joint

If the joint isn’t normal, OFA grades it as the level of changes in the joint. The classifications for elbows are:

  • Grade I Elbow Dysplasia:Minimal bone change along anconeal process of ulna (less than 2mm).
  • Grade II Elbow Dysplasia: Additional bone proliferation along anconeal process (2-5 mm) and subchondral bone changes (trochlear notch sclerosis).
  • Grade III Elbow Dysplasia: Well-developed degenerative joint disease with bone proliferation along anconeal process being greater than 5 mm.

These grades are based on the amount of degenerative joint disease noted on radiographs. The bony degenerative changes are the result of joint defects. It is recommended to do elbow evaluations at 2 years of age. Over time, normal wear and tear on your dog’s elbow joints may lead to some bony arthritis changes, obscuring any genetic developmental problems.

Severe elbow dysplasia can be debilitating, but dogs with mild dysplasia may not show any lameness until later in life. Male dogs are more frequently affected. Both overweight and very active dogs are at risk for joint damage. Estimates of 30% to 80% of dogs will be affected bilaterally, which makes a diagnosis tricky. These dogs may not show the typical head bobbing we commonly associate with front-leg lameness but instead have an overall shortened stride and decreased range of motion. Both legs will show pain upon manipulation. If your dog is lame on one front leg, it is always wise to radiograph the other leg as well in case it is also affected.

With severe elbow dysplasia, the dog may have a swollen front leg at the elbow joint. Bony changes can lead to an almost fused joint, which will feel firm on palpation. In early stages, there may be warmth, fluid buildup, and inflammation, but this will change over time.

Diagnosis of Elbow Dysplasia

Diagnosis starts with a lameness exam, including flexing and extending the elbow joint as well as watching your dog move. Your veterinarian will likely recommend X-rays of the elbow joint. For OFA evaluation, an extreme flexed-joint X-ray view is required, but your veterinarian may take other views as well to determine the extent of the problem. If there is a question about the diagnosis, a CT scan or arthroscopy may be recommended, along with referral a board-certified veterinary surgeon.

Medical treatment can make your dog comfortable, but it won’t really slow down the progression of arthritis. Medical therapy may include painkillers, joint supplements, and rehabilitation plans to strengthen muscles and minimize strain on the joint.

What to Expect With Surgery

Surgery is generally recommended for the best prognosis for quality of life for your dog. The exact surgery done will vary depending on the exact defect.

Any bony or cartilage fragments will need to be removed. This can be done arthroscopically in many cases. If the joint needs to be realigned, more extensive surgery is required.

In rare cases, total elbow replacement may be suggested. There are limited facilities prepared to do replacement surgery, and elbow replacement is associated with potential complications. These include:

  • Infections of the surgery site
  • Instability of the prosthesis
  • Fractures around the prosthesis site

These complications tend to occur early on post operatively, with a rate of 15% complications in the first year. On the positive side, 75% or more dogs who have had elbow replacements are considered successful with a great decrease in pain and ability to resume normal, or near normal, activities.

Postoperative care and rehabilitation are important for elbow dysplasia cases. Your veterinarian will provide you with a full plan, starting with limited activity for healing to take place, and then exercises to gradually build back muscles.

The American College of Veterinary Surgeons emphasizes that surgery is not a cure, stating: “Once arthritis is established it will slowly progress regardless of any treatment. On average, with treatment 85% of cases will show some degree of improvement in lameness and comfort despite progression of arthritis on X-rays. The aim of treatment is to slow the progression of arthritis and prolong the patients’ use of the elbow. Unfortunately elbow dysplasia cannot be cured but it can be well managed, and our patients can have a good long-term prognosis and outcome with a combination of surgical and medical management.”

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Dog Tail Signs: What’s Your Dog’s Tail Language?

By
Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA
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0
Your dog's body language provides the context needed to interpret dog tail languages.
This article is about tails, but make sure you look at the tail in context; don't ignore what the rest of the dogs body language is expressing. This dog may have a naturally high tail; it's high, but she doesn't look aroused: Her eyes look soft, her mouth is open and relaxed, her ears are off to the side (not pricked hard forward) and she is leaning back slightly. It looks like she's asking the photographer to throw the toy for her.

Why do dogs wag their tails? Everybody knows that when a dog approaches you wagging her tail it means she’s inviting you to pet her, right? Wrong! We may have all grown up thinking a wagging tail means a happy dog, but that is not always true. Misinterpreting a wagging tail has gotten countless well-intentioned dog-lovers bitten, sometimes quite badly.

So, here’s the thing: A wagging tail does not necessarily mean a happy dog. It simply means arousal of some kind. That can be happy arousal, or fear, excitement, or even aggressive arousal. Here are some tips to help you decipher the canine tail-wagging lexicon:

DOG TAIL MEANINGS

high tail wag in a playful stance
Given the shelter setting, it’s likely that this dog’s high tail is due to arousal (most shelters are a high-stress environment). But the dog’s “play bow” posture is a clear sign that the dog is displaying happy, friendly arousal.

Tail wagging works well for dogs in the canine world. Since dogs communicate primarily through vision and body language, dogs are generally good at understanding each other’s tail wags. (And, yes, dogs who are born with short tails or whose tails are docked are at a significant disadvantage when it comes to dog tail language.)

In general, the higher the dog’s tail and the faster the wag, the greater the level of arousal. While a very high tail indicates high arousal, a very low-wagging tail most often denotes fear and appeasement.

High tail wag. A “flagging” tail – straight up or even curved slightly over the dog’s back – moving at blur-fast speed, is an indication of strong emotion. Of course, some dogs naturally carry their tails straight up or curled over their backs (Huskies, Pomeranians, Pugs, Basenjis, and more), so you need to take that into consideration when reading a dog’s tail.

high tail with slow wag meaning
A high tail with a slow wag may indicate a happy dog with a lower level of arousal, but again, look at the whole picture. Did the wag just stop? Did he just freeze? His backward-leaning stance, hard eyes, and closed mouth suggest he’s conflicted.

But how do you know if it’s a fun-and-games, fast-wagging high tail saying, “I’m so happy and excited to see you! Yes, please, pet me!” or an aroused and angry high tail telling you, “If you try to pet me, you’ll be toast!”?

The simple answer: body language. The “Pet me!” dog is animated and wiggly, with soft eyes and an inviting open-mouth grin. Sometimes her whole body seems to wag!

In contrast, the “I want to eat you!” dog is likely to have a tense body and hard eyes, with all his energy focused forward with no wiggling. Even still, a happy aroused dog can do damage in her excitement, so you are better off waiting to engage even with a happy high-tail wagger until she calms down a bit.

Meanwhile, a high-but-slower tail wag suggests less active arousal, but it still can be a caution sign. She may just be happy and not as aroused, or it might be that an elevated level of tension has slowed the aggressive dog’s tail. It could be the beginning of an agonistic freeze just before the bite happens. (“Agonistic” refers to a continuum of social behaviors including all aspects of aggression, from appeasement and flight at one end, to warning signals, threat and actual attack at the other extreme.)

Again, reading the dog’s entire body language will help you determine what the dog’s tail means, and if it might be safe to interact, or not.

happy relaxed dog wagging tail
A half-mast, open mouth, and bright eyes complete the picture of a relaxed, happy dog.

Half-mast tail wag. A medium-height tail wag is generally an indication of a calmer, less aroused dog. The speed of the wag can further indicate how calm the dog might be.

I like to look for what I call “the half-mast swish,” where the tail is gently wafting back and forth at about hock level. A faster wag indicates more energy on the dog’s part (happy or angry energy), and a fast wag that slows to a freeze is always a warning sign.

A dog with a half-mast wag can still bite you. Watch all the body language, not just the tail. Happy, relaxed tail wagging is usually accompanied by a happy facial expression. A happy dog usually has bright eyes, a relaxed open mouth, and possibly a gentle pant.

Circle tail wag. This is my favorite, and the most unambiguous of all the tail wags. Most often, a dog will wag her tail in a circle if she is particularly overjoyed to see someone special, especially someone she hasn’t seen recently. A very friendly dog may offer this wag in happy excitement any time she meets someone she wants to call her friend, even someone new to her.

Although I’m sure there might be exceptions, I have personally never seen a dog do a circle wag who had any aggressive intent.

Low tail wag. When the wagging tail goes below half-mast, the dog is likely feeling fearful and defensive. The lower the tail wag, the stronger the emotion. The low tail wag is often accompanied by a lowered body posture and, sometimes, submissive urination. Also, the faster that lowered tail is wagging, the more emotion the dog is expressing to you.

It may be tempting to try to comfort the low-tail wagger. Don’t! All that appeasement behavior she’s offering is her way of telling you that you are making her very uncomfortable and she wants you to leave her alone. She may even roll over on her back as she wags her tail. 

Sadly, this appeasement behavior is often misinterpreted as an invitation for a belly rub. Again, don’t. While some dogs may enjoy a belly rub, a low-tail wagger is likely pleading with you to go away; she feels very threatened by your proximity and is making a last-ditch effort to get you to leave her alone. Rubbing this dog’s belly is quite likely to result in a significant bite, often to the face of the person doing the rubbing, since you are probably bent over her for the rub.

dog with short pig tails
Compared to dogs with more tail to communicate with, dogs with docked or short “pig” tails are definitely at a disadvantage. Dogs with extensive facial wrinkles are even more difficult to “read” (for other dogs and humans!)

Absence of wagging. The lack of tail movement can also give you information – again, in context with the rest of the dog’s body language. 

If a dog is calm and relaxed, a motionless tail just means that the dog is being zen – not enough emotion happening to make the tail move. A fearful dog whose tail is still is likely shut down, afraid to move at all. An aroused, angry dog whose tail stops wagging may be doing the agonistic freeze mentioned above. And a happy aroused dog may be engaging in a whole-body “pause” prior to a play bow, a bounce, or some other play-invitation behavior. 

Tail Wagging Takes Sides

dog tail wagging language

A study done in Beijing in 2022, published in iScience, concluded that the direction in which a dog wags his tail may be a clue to what the dog is feeling. It’s not the first study to make this determination, which means there is validity to this theory.

In this study, Chinese researchers found that “tail wagging shifts from left side to right side as dogs familiarize with humans,” suggesting the shift as a “time-sensitive indicator of social familiarity.” In other words, dogs who wag their tail more to the right are likely happy or content.

The researchers added that, “Our results with laboratory Beagles and previously reported asymmetric tail wagging in pet dogs indicate that the left- and right-wagging bias might be indicators of negative and positive effects, respectively.”

Of course, the wise dog person pays attention to everything a dog is telling you, including his stance, eyes, general demeanor, and the situation at hand.

DOG TAIL LANGUAGE DURING DOG-DOG INTERACTIONS

The same interpretations of dog tail language hold true for dog-dog meet and greets. A high, fast tail wag indicates a significant amount of arousal; use caution with this introduction. Do parallel walking until the tails slow down and you can determine if the wagging is from happy excitement wagging or tension that could lead to a fight.

tail wagging communication between two dogs
Two high tails: Too high? Not really; they are aroused, but there are no signs of potentially aggressive overarousal. The white dog is looser (open mouth, playfully lifted front paw), but while the brown dog seems still, he doesn’t look frozen; he may be about to “bounce” in play-invitation.

Hock-level wags are more promising, and a circle wag is ideal. A low-tail wag during dog introductions tells you that the dog is unsure, perhaps feeling threatened. If the more assertive dog responds appropriately to this by slowing down and toning down his energy level, all may go well.

If, instead, he continues an energetic, assertive approach, the dog offering appeasement signals may become defensively aggressive and a fight can ensue. Often the more appeasing dog gets blamed for this fight when, in fact, it’s the fault of the more assertive dog for not responding appropriately to the other dog’s signals!

It’s imperative that you intervene before a fight happens when you see that an energetic assertive dog is not honoring the message sent by a low-wagging tail. Again, parallel walking and controlled interactions may serve to salvage this relationship.

low dog tail fearful dog
This dog’s tail is wagging – but the tail and overall low, tense posture is fear-based appeasement behavior. Many people would be tempted to try to comfort this dog, but the overall message she is sending is, “I’m scared to death! Please leave me alone!”

TAKE IN THE WHOLE DOG’S BODY LANGUAGE

Regardless of the likely dog tail meaning, you are safest when you let the dog approach you and initiate the interaction. Reaching out to pet a dog, even one with a soft half-mast swish, could trigger a defensive response. Let the dog come to you.

And regardless of whichever side a dog’s tail is wagging on, the more you pay attention to the whole dog, the better you’ll be able to understand what that wagging tail is really trying to communicate. Our dogs are talking to us all the time. Remember to listen with your eyes.

Dogs in Restaurants: Yay! Or Nay?

By
Nancy Kerns
-
11
A dog sits attentively under a table at an outdoor cafe.
This is a stock photo, so it's likely (hopefully!) staged and not actually an unleashed, alert dog with an inattentive owner at an outdoor cafe. But it's certainly possible! Photo by brightstars, Getty Images.

I’m generally a fan of places or experiences that dog owners can enjoy with their well behaved dogs—but not so much when it’s with other people’s unruly, reactive, or loud dogs. Couple any of that with owners who make no effort to limit their dogs’ intrusion into other people’s space or hampering wait-staff, and any progress that has been made to include dogs goes out the window.

 

I was visiting my sister-in-law and niece in a nearby town recently when we decided to walk to a nearby burger-and-brew sort of place that has an outdoor patio. It was a lovely evening, so we weren’t dismayed when we were told it would be at least a 30-minute wait for an outdoor table; we were catching up and in the meantime we could enjoy the view of the sunset and the perfectly lovely early-summer temperature. When I glanced around the patio, to see how far along most diners were in their meals (and gauge how much time we might have to wait), I was surprised to see a dog at nearly every one of the eight or nine outdoor tables—but hey, I’m a dog lover! No problem!

However, when a server directed us to a table on the far side of the patio and we made our way across the area, I had an immediate instinct that the situation was borderline dangerous. Several of the dogs in the patio were standing or sniffing at the end of fairly long leashes, which were being loosely held (or sat on) by people who looked frankly inattentive to their dogs. I thought to myself, “This situation is ripe for a dog fight!”—and that was before I saw, lying flat in the space between our table and the one next to it, a very large dog, taller and heavier than my own 70-plus-pound Pit/Lab-mix, whose leash wasn’t being held or tethered at all!

To take a seat on the picnic bench for our table, my niece and I either had to step over the dog, or ask the owner to ask his dog to move. My niece, who loves dogs, was about to do the former when I gently arm-blocked her; there is absolutely no way to know how a strange dog would respond to opening his eyes in time to see a strange person stepping over him! I made eye contact with the dog’s owner and said, “Do you mind asking him to move so we can sit down?” He looked down at the dog, and then at us, and said in a slightly annoyed tone, “He’s OK, he won’t do anything.”

I could have been argumentative and said, “Hey, you know, I’m not going to put my beloved niece’s legs at risk of a dog bite,” but instead I took a more direct approach: I whistled to alert the dog, who immediately sat up. I smiled at the dog and his owner and said, “Oh, what a good dog!” and slipped past the dog so I could pull out the bench for my niece and I to sit on. I didn’t think the guy would have brought an aggressive dog to a crowded patio, but I wouldn’t ask any snoozing dog—and especially one who probably outweighs my niece—to tolerate being stepped over by strangers!

I gained more and more sympathy for the servers every time I saw them wend their way through the crowded patio, pausing for owners to pull their distracted, restless dogs back toward their tables so the servers wouldn’t have to step over (or trip over) the dogs’ leashes—but I also wondered: How do these owners not see how they are inconveniencing (at best) or endangering the wait-staff and other diners?

The last straw (for me, personally) was provided by a couple who seemed to be waiting for a take-out order, accompanied by a clearly dog-reactive Husky-mix. They were lurking near the edge of the patio, and every time the Husky caught sight of one of the patio dogs, she would start barking—which would set off a wave of barking and active reactions from the dogs on the patio. Why couldn’t that couple have waited with the dog a few yards farther away, within sight of the restaurant door, but where their dog wouldn’t keep being triggered by the sight of the other dogs (and thus, triggering all the other dogs on the patio to react)? The entire experience was not dissimilar to eating dinner in the kennels at an animal shelter.

Personally, I’m mortified when my dogs do anything in a public setting that could inconvenience or concern other people; for me, it’s an indication that my management and training of my dogs is not as good as it should be in order to have my dogs in public. But none of the people dining on this patio with their dogs seemed to be conscious of their dogs doing anything wrong at all. Perhaps they rationalized that since all the dogs were being loud and obnoxious, theirs wasn’t standing out in any way?

Have you had a bad experience with other people’s dogs in public? Or would you admit it if your dog may have been problematic for people around you?

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