It’s the stuff nightmares are made of. You’re relaxing on the sofa after a long day of work. The dogs have been walked, fed, and played with, and as you reach for the remote or your favorite book, out of the corner of your eye you spot one of your dog’s innocently dragging his bum across your bearskin rug! You have just been sacked by anal sacs.
Anal sacs are located on either side of your dog’s anus, between the external and internal sphincter muscles. Depending on the dog, they range in size from that of pea to a lima bean. Sebaceous glands within the lining secrete a foul-smelling liquid.
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Under normal circumstances, the sacs empty on their own during bowel movements via a pair of ducts. This natural, routine emptying serves as a means of olfactory communication and establishing territory. Each dog possesses his own unique scent, which is why ritualized dog-to-dog greetings include copious rear-end sniffing. When a dog presents his rear for information gathering, the muscle movements involved in raising the tail apply pressure to the sac, prompting the release of additional scent.
Anal sac scent marking is also what makes dogs so interested in each others’ feces. A good whiff of anal sac intel can reveal a lot about the name, rank, and serial number of the depositor. Under normal circumstances, dogs successfully manage their anal sacs all on their own to the extent that many owners never even realize they exist. When problems develop, however, they are difficult, if not impossible to ignore (did we mention the strong smell?), and can quickly go from bad to worse, so it’s important to know what to look for and how best to respond to signs of trouble.
Location, location, location! Knowing where to look is the first step in identifying potential trouble. It’s more challenging to examine the “business end” of a long-coated breed, but don’t let the added difficulty deter you. Raise the dog’s tail and examine the anal area. If the anus was a clock, the sacs would be located just below the opening at the five and seven o’ clock positions.
Not seeing anything suspicious is a good sign. You generally won’t see the sacs of healthy, problem-free dogs. In contrast, redness, irritation, heat, or obvious signs that the dog has been chewing at his backside are all signs of trouble. In extreme cases of anal sac abscess, the swollen, infected gland may be visible underneath the skin and is prone to rupturing. When signs of trouble exist, a trip to the vet is in order.
As with all routine pet care, it’s a good idea to practice often and reward with calm praise and a tasty tidbit. Routinely handling all parts of your dog will help make necessary inspections like this one less stressful for all involved.
Scooting When good glands go bad, anal sac problems generally present as impaction, infection, or abscess. Impaction is the most common problem and is the result of an accumulation of secretions in the anal sac that the dog is unable to express on his own. This is typically caused by a thickening of the secretions or because the ducts from which the secretions exit the body have become temporarily clogged.
The most noticeable symptom of impacted anal glands is the “scooting” behavior where the dog drags his rear-end along the ground in an attempt to facilitate relief. Once they are impacted to the point that you see signs of your dog’s discomfort, the sacs need to be manually expressed by the skilled hands of a veterinarian, groomer, or brave dog owner who has been properly taught how to correctly do the deed.
Impacted glands are most often caused by consistently soft stool or after a short bout with diarrhea. When the stool is too soft, the sphincter muscle doesn’t apply enough pressure to empty the sacs as the dog expels feces.
Lack of proper exercise, excess body fat, poor muscle tone, and diet-related allergies are also contributing factors, according to Dody Tyneway, DVM, of Holistic Veterinary Center in Calabasas, California. Dr. Tyneway sees a high number of dogs who suffer from ear and skin issues along with repeated anal gland problems and says that, in the case of “itchy ears and rears,” it’s a good idea to look at a potential food allergy as the underlying source of trouble.
Diet is considered by many to play a critical role in managing and treating impacted anal glands. Once the problem sacs have been manually emptied, you can help your dog maintain her comfort by adding fiber to her diet; this will help bulk up the stool enough for muscle contractions to naturally move secretions along as the dog defecates.
You can add fiber to a dog’s diet via a bulk-forming laxative. Suggested sources of fiber include unprocessed wheat bran (1 to 5 tablespoons per day, depending on the size of your dog), Metamucil (1 to 5 teaspoons per day) or plain canned pumpkin (1 teaspoon to ½ cup). Your veterinarian may also recommend a high fiber prescription diet.
Dried fruit such as apricots, prunes, or figs; raw flax seeds; wheat cereal; fresh vegetables such as green beans, peas, or carrots; shredded coconut; wheat bran, and powdered psyllium husks have all been anecdotally linked to better anal sac management in dogs. When experimenting with food additives, start small. It’s recommended that fiber additives be soaked in water prior to consumption to help prevent possible intestinal blockage. Keep in mind that adding bulk-forming laxatives not only will increase the size of your dog’s stool, but also will promote more frequent elimination, so be sure to provide plenty of bathroom breaks.
Additionally, Dr. Tyneway recommends adding a solid source of probiotics; she likes those in the supplements offered by RX Vitamins (rxvitamins.com) or Sedona Labs (sedonalabs.com). Probiotics help maintain normal levels of healthy intestinal micro-flora and can be beneficial in normalizing bowl functions. She adds that while probiotics are also found in yogurt, they don’t exist in a quantity thought to be beneficial, so it’s best to use a supplement that has been independently tested to assure potency.
Additional dietary fiber to bulk up the stool and increased exercise to promote good gastrointestinal motility is all that’s needed to help most dogs regain the ability to “express themselves” on a regular basis. Nobody knows for sure why some dogs develop problems while others don’t.
“There seems to be an individual predisposition to develop anal sac problems or not,” says Lore I. Haug, DVM, DACVB, CPDT-KA, CABC, of Texas Veterinary Behavior Sciences in Sugar Land, Texas. Some dogs may always require a periodic assist. According to Dr. Haug, an occasional need (3-4 times per year) to have the sacs expressed is considered normal; if the dog requires this procedure monthly, it’s a sign of a bigger problem and the dog should be seen by the vet for a thorough rectal exam.
Prevention is really the name of the game, because when impactions worsen, the sacs can become infected. Anal saculitis is recognized by the presence of blood or pus in the secretions; and/or inflammation, swelling, and heat around the anal area. The dog may continue to scoot, lick, and bite at his rear; be reluctant to let you investigate the area; and display signs of discomfort when sitting or attempting to defecate. Depending on the severity of the infection, treatments can range from herbal and homeopathic remedies to antibiotics, given orally and/or injected directly into the sacs.
In extreme cases, the sacs can abscess, resulting in the signs of anal sac infection, along with fever, extreme swelling, and discoloration that usually transitions from red to a deep purple. Once the sacs have abscessed, they cannot be manually drained in an effort to produce relief and the abscess must rupture through the adjacent skin to create a drainage tract. If the abscess does not rupture naturally, it must be lanced by a veterinarian. Often, infected or abscessed sacs are so painful that the dog must be anesthetized in order to be treated.
Recipes for relief When problems first present themselves, there are several at-home remedies owners can try, keeping in mind that signs of infection indicate the need for professional veterinary care. Richard Pitcairn, DVM, author of The Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats, recommends treating impacted anal glands with a hot fomentation of either marigold flower (Calendula officinalis) or red clover (Trifolium pratense) blossoms, to soften the contents of the sacs.
Stir a heaping tablespoon of the herbs into a quart of boiling water. Soak a washcloth in the solution until it’s just cool enough to handle. Apply the wet washcloth to the affected area, re-warming as necessary. Warming the area increases blood flow, softens the tissue, and can make expressing impacted sacs much easier.
Owners wishing to try a ready-to-use product might consider Anal Glandz by Native Remedies. This concentrated tincture is an herbal remedy consisting of annual nettle, dandelion, German chamomile, yarrow, and silica and is applied as a warm compress. The product is said to ease expression of impacted anal sacs while cleansing the anal area and helping prevent abscess.
Veterinarians who use homeopathy regard that modality as effective for anal sac abscesses. Dr. Tyneway adds that acupuncture or chiropractic treatments put an end to recurrent anal sac problems. In any case, a thorough rectal exam performed by a veterinarian is needed to rule out other problems such as tumors.
Hit the road, sac! In extreme cases, vets sometimes recommend that the anal sacs be surgically removed. The decision to have your dog undergo this surgery should not be taken lightly, as it is not without risks, mainly that of trauma to the sphincter muscle resulting in poor muscle tone and fecal incontinence. Still, for some dogs and their owners, it can be the most humane, efficient, and cost-effective option available.
For the Ruhr family of Moorpark, California, choosing to have their Golden Retriever/Lab-mix’s anal sacs removed was a decision that came after nearly a full year of battling exceptionally problematic anal sacs. The scooting began when Hailey was six months old. Suspecting, as many dog owners do, that Hailey might have parasites, Wendi Ruhr took the dog to the vet, who discovered that the dog’s sacs were impacted. The sacs were expressed and Ruhr thought the problem was solved.
For the next year, if Ruhr didn’t take Hailey to the vet to have her sacs expressed every three to four weeks, she’d come home to discover that the dog had, in her words, “exploded” inside her crate. While normal anal sac secretions are minimal, Hailey produced and secreted far too much fluid. At her vet’s suggestion, Ruhr tried adding pumpkin to Hailey’s diet, changing kibble brands, and adding dietary supplements, all to no avail. Although there were never any signs of infection or abscess, they even tried a round of antibiotics injected directly into the sacs.
When nothing seemed to work, Ruhr met with a veterinary surgeon to discuss having the anal sacs removed and the decision was made. The surgery went well. Recovery required a difficult two weeks of antibiotics, stool softener, and pain medication, and required a great deal of effort to encourage Hailey to defecate, a behavior that was obviously painful in the days immediately following surgery.
Today, six months following the procedure, the family is pleased. Hailey has fully recovered, leads a normal life, and the only side effect seen by the Ruhr family is that she dislikes other dogs sniffing at her backside, a behavioral issue they are addressing with the help of a trainer.
Despite the potential for unpleasant complications, anal sacs are a normal part of your dog’s anatomy and should be treated as such. In most dogs, problems can be prevented by implementing general good health practices such as providing a healthy diet and regular exercise; maintaining your dog’s recommended body weight; making sure your dog always has a source of fresh, clean drinking water; and providing adequate opportunities and space for proper elimination.
Experts agree with the adage, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” advising against routine manual expression of otherwise healthy, problem-free anal sacs. At the same time, knowing what to look for can help you provide your dog with relief and proper medical care if and when problems present themselves in the (rear) end!
See “Resources,” page 24, for information on products and experts mentioned above.
Stephanie Colman is a writer and dog trainer in Los Angeles. She also provides twice-weekly training tips for the local NBC affiliate’s morning show, “Today in L.A.” She shares her life with two dogs and actively competes in obedience and agility. See page 24 for contact information.
A neighborhood acquaintance recently asked me for training advice regarding her year-old mixed-breed dog, whose major sins are pulling on leash and jumping on people. She sounded like she was at the end of her rope with the dog. But after about the first minute of my recommendations, she interrupted me to comment, with dismay, “Oh my, you make it sound like so much work!”
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“Argh! Seriously? What I’ve told you so far sounds like a lot of work?” I felt like shouting!
I didn’t say that, or shout, of course. I kept a smile on my face and, making a mental note to simplify my future advice, invited her to bring the dog over later in the day. I said I’d give her a training tool that would help with the pulling – either a front-clip harness or head halter – and show her how to fit and use it. And I left it at that.
For the rest of the morning, I stewed a bit about why so many dog owners (my neighbor is far from the first I’ve known) seem to think that training a dog should be fast an easy. Think about it: We expect an animal of a very different species from our own to live in our society (indeed, our homes) and follow all of our behavioral rules – and usually, without the benefit of a formal school education! We don’t even expect our own species to be civilized until about age 30!
Actually, now that I think about it, that sorts of works out, if you use the “seven dog years for each of ours” formula; that would mean a dog could be considered a responsible adult when he’s a bit more than four years old.
Ah well, there is simply no point in stewing. I plotted my next visit with my neighbor and her dog to make a maximum impression on them both. Seeing is believing.
Long story short, our next visit/harness fitting/training session went well, and my neighbor was impressed. With very little talking, and very fast and strategically served tidbits of hot dog, I was able to get the dog to sit attentively while I adjusted a front-clip harness to fit him. My neighbor couldn’t believe how calm and well-behaved her dog was for the process – and her disbelief seemed to increase her interest in learning how she could make him behave that way.
She was also shocked the first time the dog lunged for something and, with the front-clip harness, she was easily able to stop his lunge and turn his shoulders back toward her. Now she was grateful, as well as interested. It made me feel much more hopeful about the dog’s prospects in her home.
Dog training isn’t magic. While you can teach most dogs to perform some behaviors quickly, and it takes a certain amount of time to produce a reasonably well-behaved dog – and a serious commitment of time to develop a reliably well-behaved dog. But very few novice dog owners seem to be aware of that concept when they bring their adorable puppies home.
This is one of the reasons I appreciate WDJ’s readers so much. Owners who care enough about their dogs enough to take the time to actually read and think about training and healthcare and nutrition – do you know how rare you are? I applaud your commitment to your dogs!
For my part, I’ll try to remember not to make it sound like so much work to take care of and guide your dog into developing into a great companion. My team of dedicated writers and I share a passion for our work; maybe we can get carried away in our excitement to share what we’ve learned about collaborating with our own dogs. Let me know if there is anything we can do to make this information more accessible to you and your dogs.
You contemplate taking your dog for a walk with mixed emotions. You love the idea of going for a companionable stroll through the neighborhood together, but it’s a major hassle to get out the door. When you pick up his leash he becomes the Tasmanian Devil – body slamming you, racing around the foyer, and bouncing off the plate glass door with such intensity you’re afraid he’ll crash right through it. Here are five suggestions for turning this potential disaster into the enjoyable outing you dream of.
1. Exercise before your walk.
Spend 15-20 minutes tossing a ball for your dog in the backyard, playing “Run upstairs to get a treat from the Manners Minder,” or providing intense mental exercise with a heavy duty shaping session (see “Fun Dog Training Techniques Using Shaping!,” March 2006). You’ll take the edge off his excitement, reduce his energy level, and make leashing-up and walking more relaxed and enjoyable for both of you.
2. Teach your dog to “Say please.”
Reinforce your dog’s “sit” behavior so thoroughly that “sit” becomes his default behavior – the behavior he chooses to offer when he doesn’t know what else to do. Then wait for him to sit (say “please”) to make all good things happen: sit for his dinner bowl; sit to be petted; sit for you to throw his ball; sit to have his leash put on; and sit to make the door open.
3. Pick up his leash throughout the day.
He gets amped up when you touch his leash because it always means the two of you are going for a walk. Of course he gets excited! If you pick up his leash numerous times throughout the day, sometimes draping it over your neck and wearing it for a while, sometimes carrying it from room to room, sometimes picking it up and putting it back down, sometimes clipping it on his collar and then unclipping it, the leash will no longer be a reliable predictor of walks, and he won’t have any reason to get all excited about it. Note: This will take a while. Hope springs eternal in the canine heart.
4. Use negative punishment.
No, that’s not a bonk on the head. It means setting up the situation so that doing the behavior you don’t want causes a good thing to go away. Here’s how it would work in this case: If, when you pick up the leash, he goes bonkers (the behavior you don’t want), say “Oops!” in a cheerful tone of voice (what’s known as a “no reward marker,” it simply tells him no reward is forthcoming), set the leash down, and walk away. When he settles down, pick the leash up again. If he sits (say please!), proceed with attaching the leash and going for a walk. If he winds up again, do another “Oops!” and set the leash down. You’re teaching him that getting excited makes the opportunity for a walk go away; staying calm makes walks happen.
5. Reduce the significance of other “walk cues.”
Other things you do as part of your walk preparation routine can also feed his energy – getting out treats, putting on your jacket, grabbing your cell phone and keys . . . The more you randomize your ritual, the less these steps contribute to his growing excitement over the pending event, and the calmer he’ll stay as you leash him and walk out the door. For example, put your keys and cell phone in your jacket pocket before you eat breakfast. Happy walking!
Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA, is Whole Dog Journal’s Training Editor.
Earlier this year the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) entered the pet food market with its “Humane Choice” brand of organic vegetarian dog food. According to the product’s marketing materials, the impetus for the move was “to give pet guardians an option to feed their dogs a complete and balanced food that is also sustainably grown and helps us in our work to combat inhumane factory farm practices.” Those are some great (and disparate) goals – but is this a good choice for your dog?
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We don’t think so, for a number of reasons. We’re skeptical about vegetarian diets for dogs; they are anything but biologically appropriate for carnivores. Yes, dogs are carnivores, not herbivores or omnivores, like humans. While they are not obligate carnivores (as cats are), their bodies are designed to process and thrive on animal protein.
It’s true that dogs have versatile digestive systems that are capable of utilizing plant proteins – but it’s also a fact that scientists are still making discoveries about the nutrients that dogs need. For example, it was only in 1997 that veterinary researchers began to realize that a deficiency of taurine, an amino acid found only in animal products such as meat and fish, is linked to dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). This is a form of heart disease that causes the heart to enlarge and the muscle to become thin and flabby, leading to heart failure and death. Taurine deficiency has also been linked to retinal degeneration in both dogs and cats.
Because dogs are capable of synthesizing taurine from other amino acids (cystine and methionine), it had been assumed that they do not require taurine in their diets. Researchers at the University of Georgia, College of Veterinary Medicine, however, found that dogs can develop taurine deficiency leading to DCM despite the diet including adequate amounts of these taurine precursors. Certain breeds of dogs, including Newfoundlands, Cocker Spaniels, and Golden Retrievers, appear to be more susceptible to the effects of low taurine.
HSUS says that its food “has been formulated to meet the nutritional needs of adult dogs as established by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO).” In our opinion, this is not a guarantee that all of your dog’s nutritional needs are being met. Apparently convinced by the taurine studies they’ve seen, many pet food makers have begun supplementing their dog foods with taurine, even though AAFCO has yet to designate taurine an essential amino acid for dogs (as it is for cats).
A study published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association in 2003 linked dilated cardiomyopathy caused by taurine deficiency in 12 dogs to lamb and rice dog foods that were low in taurine, despite meeting AAFCO requirements (many manufacturers of lamb and rice dog foods now voluntarily add taurine to their foods as a result).
Another study done in 2003 found that dogs fed diets containing rice, rice bran, or barley had lower levels of taurine in their blood. Dr. Quinton Rogers of the University of California at Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine says, “During the past few years, our clinic has seen an increasing number of dogs with low plasma taurine concentrations and clinical signs of cardiomyopathy. The common factor in all cases was their diet history.” According to Dr. Robert Prošek, “pets may develop DCM on taurine deficient diets, such as vegetarian diets.”
L-carnitine is another amino acid found primarily in animal products. It is not considered essential in dogs because they can manufacture their own, yet low levels of carnitine have also been linked to DCM, particularly in Boxers. And DCM is just one of the problems that can be caused by the nutritional deficiencies of a vegetarian diet. A survey done in 1994 of 300 dogs fed a vegetarian diet found a number of health problems, including several deaths. Some of these problems, including heart disease, increased the longer the dogs were fed a vegetarian diet.
We asked the HSUS for a complete nutrient analysis for Humane Choice, and admitted our special interest in the product’s amino acid profile. Had they paid any attention to the issue of taurine and L-carnitine? Unfortunately, we were told that this information is “proprietary” and could not be disclosed. Neither taurine nor L-carnitine is listed among Humane Choice’s ingredients.
In addition to the major issue of the appropriateness of a vegan food for dogs, we have other problems with the product’s concept. We agree that many factory farming practices in this country are outrageous and cruel, and we’d happily throw our support behind any pet food maker who offered a product that contained only certified cruelty-free animal proteins. But the claim that a product that is imported from Uruguay, is sold in small bags, and costs almost $3 a pound is “sustainable” is outrageous. For that price, you could feed your dog healthy local food, including meat from sustainable family farms and ranches, that will truly fulfill your dog’s nutritional needs. – Mary Straus
For more information:
Humane Choice, thehumanechoice.com; (760) 842-1073
Editor’s Note: Twenty years ago, people freely used the term “aggressive dog” to describe what, today, we would call a “dog with aggressive behaviors.” The problem with the term “aggressive dog” is that very few dogs are aggressive all the time – and if they are, they are unlikely to be in anyone’s home. Most dogs who display aggression in some situations are loving and loved dogs in other circumstances; calling them “aggressive dogs” overlooks the fact that they are terrific dogs most of the time. Throughout this article, we may use the older, more familiar term, and we will add the modern term that more accurately describes a dog who sometimes displays aggressive behaviors.
DOGS FIGHTING IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD: WHAT TO DO
Manage your dogs’ environment so they don’t have the opportunity to antagonize each other.
Identify your dogs’ stressors and eliminate as many as possible to keep them further below their bite threshold while you modify behavior.
Seek help from a qualified positive behavior professional if you are in over your head. An aggressive dog (a dog who displays aggression at other dogs) is a serious matter!
Knowledgeable dog people are quite aware that not all dogs get along with each other, despite the fact that canis lupus familiaris (domestic dog) is a social species. Hey, we humans are a social species, and we certainly don’t all get along! Two dogs fighting within the same household is unhappily common in our world. As a professional behavior consultant who works with aggressive dogs (dogs with challenging aggressive behaviors), I probably see more than my fair share of it. By far the most difficult and most distressing presentations of tension between dogs are interdog aggression cases: dogs in the same family who aren’t getting along with each other.
Sarah Richardson
I’ve had a spate of these clients in recent weeks. Even our own Lucy and Missy, a Cardigan Corgi and Australian Shepherd who don’t always get along seamlessly, seem to have experienced an increase in relationship tensions this winter. I can’t give you a tidy explanation as to why, but I’m beginning to put more stock in the explanation jokingly offered by my dog-trainer colleague, Jennifer Swiggart, CPDT-KA, PMCT, when she called it “snow aggression.”
Why Do Dogs Fight?
Why do dogs attack other dogs in the house? Far from a case of dog sibling rivalry, when one dog attacks the other in the house, the reason is stress. With the very rare exception of idiopathic aggression – at one time called “rage syndrome,” “Cocker rage,” or “Springer rage” and grossly over-diagnosed in the 1960s and ’70s – aggression is the result of a stress load that pushes a dog over his bite threshold.
You can compare it to incidents of “road rage” in humans. When you read about the man who pulls out his .38 revolver because someone cut him off on the freeway and blows away the unfortunate offending driver, you can bet there was more going on for him than just a simple traffic violation. This is the guy who was likely laid off his job, lost his retirement investments, had his wife tell him this morning that she was leaving him, and just got notice in the mail that the bank is foreclosing on his home. Getting cut off on the freeway is simply the last straw – the final stressor that pushes him over his “bite threshold.”
So it is for dogs. When tensions increase between Missy and Lucy, I need to look for possible added stressors in their environment that are pushing them closer to, and yes, sometimes over, their bite threshold. From that perspective, “snow aggression” is a real possibility: With recent record snowfalls reaching a total of 50 inches here, the resulting decrease in exercise opportunities, as well as higher stress levels of human family members who aren’t fond of snow (guilty!), can be stressors for the canine family members.
To resolve aggression issues between your own dogs, you’ll want to identify not only the immediate trigger for the aggression – fighting over a meaty bone, for example – but also everything in your dog’s life that may be stressful to him. The more stressors you can remove from his world, the less likely it is that he will use his teeth – the canine equivalent of pulling out a .38 revolver.
Common Stressors for Dogs
Stress in dogs can happen anytime and be anywhere. Remember that it’s the sum total of a dog’s stress that pushes him over his bite threshold, so the more of his stressors you can identify and get rid of, the more you’ll ease tensions between your canine family members.
When I sit down with a client for an interdog aggression consult we create a list of all the stressors we can think of for the dogs in question.
After identifying stressors, we discuss possible strategies, assigning one or more strategies to each of the listed stressors. These strategies are:
– Change the dog’s opinion of the stressor through the use of counter-conditioning and desensitization.
– Teach the dog a new behavioral response using operant conditioning.
– Manage the dog’s environment to minimize exposure to the stressor.
– Get rid of the stressor.
– Live with it (most appropriate for low-level stressors). Next, I help the client make a management plan that will go into place immediately, to help defuse the tension until she is able to start work on behavior modification. Then we create action plans for two or three of the stressors on the list, starting with the one the client is most concerned about – in this case, the dog-on-dog aggression.
Here is a sample list of stressors we’ve put together:
STRESSOR
STRATEGY
The other dog
Change the aggressive dog’s opinion of the stressor through the use of counter-conditioning and desensitization (CC&D).
Passers-by outside the living room window
Change dog’s opinion of the stressor through CC&D; manage dog’s environment to minimize exposure to the stressor (i.e. close blinds, close off dog’s access to that window)
Threats to resources (food/toys)
Change dog’s opinion of the stressor through CC&D; use operant conditioning to teach dog a new behavioral response
Doorbell ringing
Change dog’s opinion of the stressor through CC&D; use operant conditioning to teach dog a new behavioral response
Car rides
Change dog’s opinion of the stressor through CC&D; live with it (most appropriate for low-level stressors)
Trips to the vet
Change dog’s opinion of the stressor through CC&D; live with it (most appropriate for low-level stressors)
Nail trimming
Change dog’s opinion of the stressor through CC&D; use operant conditioning to teach dog a new behavioral response; teach dog to scrape his nails on an abrasive surface
Thunder
Change dog’s opinion of the stressor through CC&D; manage dog’s environment to minimize exposure to the stressor; live with it (most appropriate for low-level stressors); possible use of an appropriate anti-anxiety medication
Fireworks
Change dog’s opinion of the stressor through CC&D; manage dog’s environment to minimize exposure to the stressor; live with it (most appropriate for low-level stressors); possible use of an appropriate anti-anxiety medication
Arthritis
Manage dog’s environment to minimize exposure to the stressor; ask your vet whether pain-reducing medication is appropriate
Recurring ear infections
Get rid of the stressor: explore medical treatment and your dog’s diet (ear infections can result from dietary allergies)
Underground shock fence
Get rid of the stressor
Prong collar
Get rid of the stressor
Use of physical and harsh verbal punishments
Get rid of the stressor
Owner’s stress
Manage dog’s environment to minimize exposure to the stressor; get rid of the stressor
There are many other possibilities. My clients usually list 10 and 20 identified stressors. Be sure to include things that may cause even mild stress. The more stressors you can eliminate, the better.
Food Aggression in Dogs and Other Stress Triggers
It’s often relatively easy to identify the immediate trigger for your dogs’ mutual aggression. It’s usually whatever happened just before the appearance of the hard stare, posturing, growls, and sometimes the actual fight.
Tension over resources is a common trigger. Dog #1 is lying on his bed, happily chewing his deer antler, when Dog #2 approaches. Dog #1 tenses, signaling to #2 Dog, “This is mine and I’m not sharing.”
In the best of worlds, #2 defers by looking away, saying in canine speak, “Oh sorry, no worries, I was just passing through.” When things go wrong, however, a fight breaks out. Dog #2’s approach was the trigger for #1, even if #2 had no interest in the chew item. Perhaps Dog #2 failed to notice or failed to heed #1’s warning. Remember that resources include more than just food; a guardable resource can also be a high-value human, a coveted spot on the sofa, or access to a doorway. The stressor in these cases is obvious: the dog is anxious over the possibility of losing or having to share his treasured possession.
Other triggers may be less obvious. If a dog is in pain, but not showing it, the mere proximity of a packmate who has inadvertently bumped her in the past could be a trigger. Dogs can be notoriously stoic about pain, especially slowly developing arthritis, or unilateral pain (where you may not see a limp). The undiagnosed arthritic dog may become defensively aggressive in anticipation of being hurt by a livelier canine pal, trying to forestall painful contact in what looks to the owner like “unprovoked” aggression.
“ Social aggression” can result when neither of two dogs in the same family is willing to defer to the other. Note that this type of aggression is about deference (or lack thereof) not dominance. In behavior science, “dominance” is simply about access to a mutually desired resource. The dog who gains access in one encounter is dominant *in that encounter*. In the next encounter, the other dog might gain access to the resource and be dominant in *that* encounter. When you have identified your dogs’ triggers, you can manage their environment to reduce trigger incidents and minimize outright conflict. This is critically important to a successful modification program. The more often the dogs fight, the more tension there is between them; the more practiced they become at the undesirable behaviors, the better they get at fighting and the harder it will be to make it go away. And this is to say nothing of the increased likelihood that sooner or later someone – dog or human – will be badly injured.
CC&D for intra-pack aggression involves changing your dogs’ association with each other from negative to positive. The easiest way to give most dogs a positive association is with very high-value, really yummy treats. I like to use chicken – thawed out pre-cooked frozen chicken strips (no breading or spices) canned, baked, or boiled, since most dogs love chicken and it’s a low-fat, low-calorie food.
Counter-Conditioning Your Dogs to Get Along:
a)Determine the distance at which your dogs can be in each other’s presence and be alert or cautious but not fearful or aroused. This is called the threshold distance. If one dog has a greater threshold hold distance than the other (often the case), work at the greater distance.
b)With you holding Dog A on a leash, have your helper appear with Dog B at threshold distance “X.” The instant your dog sees the other, start feeding bits of chicken, non-stop. Your helper will feed chicken to her dog, too, the instant he notices your dog.
c)After several seconds, have the helper step out of sight with Dog B, and you both stop feeding the chicken.
d)Keep repeating steps 1-3 until the sight of the other dog at distance “X” consistently causes both dogs to look at their handlers with a happy smile and a “Yay! Where’s my chicken?” expression. This is the physical presentation of the dogs’ conditioned emotional response (CER); each dog’s association with the other at threshold distance “X” is now positive, so they can deliberately look at you to get their chicken, rather than staying intensely focused on each other.
e)Now you need to increase the intensity of the stimulus by increasing the length of time Dog B stays in sight. Continue to feed chicken when they are in view of each, occasionally pausing to let them look at each other again, and immediately feeding chicken when they do.
f)When length of time seems to make no difference to either dog – you’re getting a consistent “Yay, where’s my chicken?” response regardless of how long Dog B stays in view, increase the intensity again, this time by increasing Dog B’s movement. Have the handler walk back and forth with her dog, still at distance “X,” slowly at first, then with more energy, even adding in some other behaviors such as sit, down, and roll over.
g)Now you’re ready to start decreasing distance by moving Dog A a little closer to the location where the Dog B will appear. When you obtain consistent CERs from both dogs at each new distance you can decrease the distance a little more, until both dogs are happy to be very near each other.
h)Then return to your original threshold distance and increase intensity stimulus by having Dog B move around more and more, as you gradually decrease distance and obtain CERs from both dogs along the way, until they are delighted to be near each other.
i)Now go back to your starting distance and increase intensity again, by having both dogs move more naturally as the distance decreases, offering CERs at each new distance before you come any closer, until they can be within six feet of each other, moving around, still relaxed and happy about chicken.
j)Finally, find ways for your dogs to engage separately in mutually enjoyable activities together. If they both enjoy car rides, take them for a drive, but be sure they are seat-belted or crated far enough apart to avoid any tension. If they love hiking, take them on “parallel” walks, one with you, one with your training partner, with humans between them at first, and eventually with dogs between humans when you’re sure their emotions are appropriate. Parallel swims, for dogs who love the water, can work well too.
When you feel the dogs are ready to finally interact with each other again, be careful not to undo all your hard work. You might first let them greet through a barrier, such as a baby gate or exercise pen.
It’s useful to desensitize both dogs to a muzzle over the period you’re desensitizing them to each other (in separate sessions), so the first time you’re ready for them to actually interact together you can muzzle them and be confident they can’t hurt each other.
The more intense the relationship between the two dogs, the more challenging it is to modify their behavior. The more negative interactions they’ve had, the more injuries, the longer the tension has been going on, and the stronger their emotions, the longer it will take to reprogram their responses to each other. If they were good friends at one time, it’s likely to be easier than if your dogs have always tried to fight each other.
Remember to seek the help of a qualified positive behavior professional if you don’t feel competent and confident about working with your dogs on your own.
Operant Strategies to Combat Dog Fights
The second option is to teach your dogs a new operant behavior in response to each other, using the “Constructional Aggression Treatment” (CAT) procedure developed by Dr. Jesus Rosales-Ruiz and Kellie Snider at the University of North Texas. (See “Modifying Aggressive Behavior,” and “Constructional Aggression Treatment“.)
In daily life, dogs learn to offer aggressive “distance-increasing” signals in order to make other dogs go away. Every time this works, the “go away” behavior is reinforced. The CAT procedure teaches the dog that calm behavior can make the other dog go away, and as a result, the aggressive dog can ultimately become friendly and happy about the other dog’s presence.
A variation on the operant approach is the “Behavioral Adjustment Training” procedure (BAT) created by Oregon trainer Grisha Stewart, MA, CPDT-KA, CPT. BAT is similar to CAT, but uses a variety of environmental reinforcers rather than the location and movement of the other dog exclusively.
As in CAT, the BAT procedure reinforces behaviors other than aggression in the presence of the other dog. In this case, however, your repertoire of reinforcers is larger, including the use of food reinforcers and having the “subject” dog (the aggressive one) move away instead of the other dog.
If one or both of the dogs are ready to do battle on sight, they must be strictly managed and kept separate from each other except when you’re doing your controlled modification procedure with them. If the aggression is more predictable and situational, the dogs can be together as long as you can manage and prevent the trigger(s) from causing conflict.
Stress Trigger Management for Aggressive Dogs (Dogs Who Display Aggressive Behavior)
What does it mean to “manage your dogs’ environment to minimize exposure to his stressors”? Simply put, it means making changes to your dog’s environment in order to keep your dogs away from the stimuli that stress them.
If the dogs are stressed by each other, of course, the first task is to keep them separated, through the assiduous use of doors, fences, baby gates, crates, and tethers. Smart positioning can help; locate each dog’s crates or tethering area out of the other dog’s sightline. Take them outdoors to potty separately, and separate them well before feeding time, to reduce tensions that arise when everyone is jostling to be fed first.
Next, try to minimize your dogs’ exposure to other stressful stimuli. For example: Say one of your dogs goes over threshold when she sees the mailman approaching your house through the living room window, and her barking display of aggression seems to agitate your other dog. Installing shutters on the window might work (to block your dogs’ view), but closing the door to the front room (to keep the dogs as far away from the sight and sound of the mailman) would be even better. Or you could move your mailbox to toward the sidewalk, instead of next to the front door – the farther from the house, the better. Or get a post office box and do away with the mail carrier altogether. Be creative!
More Management Tools: Stress-Reducing Strategies for Dogs
There are a host of other things you can do to lower general stress in your dogs’ environment.
Exercise can be immensely helpful in minimizing overall tension. Physical activity uses up excess energy that might otherwise feed your dogs’ aggressive behaviors, (a tired dog is a well-behaved dog – and a happy owner!). Exercise also causes your dog’s body to release various chemicals, including endorphins and norepinephrine, helping to generate a feeling of well-being; an exercised dog is a happy dog! Happy dogs are simply less likely to fight.
Even the food you feed your dog can have an impact on his behavior. Poor quality protein can interfere with a dog’s ability to make use of the serotonin that occurs naturally in his system. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that helps regulate mood and sleep, and also affects memory and learning. Foods containing high-quality protein can contribute to your dogs’ behavioral health and physical health.
Basic training enables you and your dog to communicate more easily with each other (which is less stressful for both of you), and helps your dog understand how his world works, which reduces his stress. A good training program emphasizes structure and consistency, both of which make a dog’s world more predictable. Predictability equals less stress; unpredictability is stressful.
If you’ve ever had a massage, you know how calming touch can be. Dogs aren’t that different from us; you can calm and soothe your dog with physical touch, both through canine massage and TTouch. Combine your calming touch sessions with aromatherapy, by using a therapeutic-quality lavender essential oil in an electric nebulizing diffuser in the room while you massage your dog. Then you can build your dog’s “ahhh” association with the lavender scent to help him be calm in more stressful environments, by putting a few drops of essential oil on a bandana that you tie around his neck or on the bedding in his crate.
Other environmental stress reducers include: Adaptil (also known as Comfort Zone, Dog Appeasing Pheromone, or DAP). This is a synthetic substance that is reputedly mimics the pheromones emitted by a mother dog when she’s nursing puppies. Available through pet supply stores and catalogs.
– Through a Dog’s Ear. This set of audio CDs consists of bio-acoustically engineered soothing classical piano music, which has been shown to reduce dogs’ heart rates.
– Anxiety Wrap. This product helps dogs (and cats) overcome their fears and anxieties using the gentle technique of “maintained pressure” – similar to the effect of swaddling for a human infant.
Remove Your Dog’s Stress Triggers
Sometimes you’re lucky: it’s easy to either get rid of your dogs’ stressors or just live with them. Stressors you could get rid of easily include choke, prong, or shock collars (even those used for electronic containment systems); physical or harsh verbal corrections (punishment), and treatable medical conditions. Without these present in their environment, the dogs’ stress level will decrease.
We all have some stress in our lives, and it’s pretty near impossible to get rid of all of it. Just because you’ve identified a stressor for your dog doesn’t mean you have to make it go away. You probably don’t have enough time in your schedule to address every single thing on your list. As you look at your dogs’ list of stressors, the ones they can probably live with are those that don’t happen frequently, that cause only a mild stress response, and don’t appear to escalate over time. You can also refrain from eliminating your dog’s “fun” stressors, such as squirrel-chasing sessions. If you make your way through the rest of your list and still have time on your hands, you can always address the “live with it” items later.
Veterinary Checkup Required
A complete medical work-up, including a full thyroid panel, is indicated for any significant behavior problem, especially aggression.
Any medical condition that causes your dog to behave out of sorts is a massive contributor to stress. Trying to modify aggression while your dog suffers from an untreated medical condition is akin to pushing a behavioral boulder uphill.
You must rule out or identify and treat any medical contributors to your dogs’ behavior in order for your dogs to fully benefit from your modification efforts.
Last Resorts for Training Aggressive Dogs (Dogs Who Display Aggressive Behavior)
Dog-on-dog aggression in the home can feel overwhelming. In fact, it can be dangerous if fights erupt regularly and you try to intervene. Many times a caretaker has been bitten trying to break up fights between her own dogs. The stress that the constant tension generates can damage the quality of your own life, as well as your dogs’ lives.
When a situation feels beyond your ability to cope, your first best option is to find a qualified positive behavior consultant in your area who can help you implement appropriate management and modification procedures, to keep everyone safe and to start making change happen in your dogs’ mutual relationships.
A consultation with a veterinarian who is well-educated in behavior or even a veterinary behaviorist should also be on your list, not only for that all-important medical workup, but also for the consideration of psychotropic behavior modification drugs, if and when appropriate, to help your dog’s brain be more receptive to your modification efforts.
If you feel you’re done your best and peace isn’t in the cards for your pack, it’s okay to admit that some dogs will never get along, and you have had the misfortune to adopt two who don’t. If that’s the case, your options are:
– A lifetime (not just a temporary measure) of scrupulous management
– Rehoming one of the dogs
– Euthanasia
Some trainers say, “Management always fails.” In truth, management does have a high risk of failure, perhaps with potentially dire consequences. The risk is even higher if there are children in the home – not only because they’re more likely to forget to close doors and latch gates, but also because they are at greater risk of injury themselves if they are in the vicinity when a fight happens. Still, I know of several dog owners who have successfully implemented lifetime management protocols for dogs who didn’t get along, and felt that their own quality of life, as well as that of their dogs, was above reproach.
Rehoming can be a reasonable option, especially if the dog being considered for placement has no other significant inappropriate behaviors, and if he can be rehomed to an “only dog” home, or one with dogs he’s known to get along well with. Of course, it can be challenging to find an experienced, appropriate home for a dog with a known aggression behavior challenge, but it may be possible, particularly if he’s an otherwise wonderful companion.
No one wants to think of euthanizing an otherwise healthy member of their canine family. Still, if you’ve done all you can reasonably do given the limits of your abilities and resources, and you’ve not been able to create a safe environment for your family and one of the dogs can’t be rehomed, then euthanasia is not an inappropriate decision. It will be terribly painful for you, and you may always feel guilt and regret about not finding the solution to the problem, although perhaps not as much guilt and regret as you would if one of your dogs badly injured or killed the other, or worse, a person. There is a wonderful Facebook support group called “Losing Lulu” for people who have had to make the impossibly difficult “behavioral euthanasia” decision. If you are one of these, it’s worth checking out.
It’s now 43 degrees outside, and for the first time in many weeks the snow has melted enough I can actually take my dogs for a long hike around the farm. I’d best finish this sentence, turn off my computer, and take our dogs out to stretch their legs so we can all enjoy a very peaceful, aggression-free evening.
1. Become familiar with the symptoms of dog bladder stones and respond quickly if you see them.
2. Request a urine culture and sensitivity test to check for infection even if your veterinarian doesn’t think it’s necessary.
3. Encourage your dog to drink extra water and give her frequent opportunities to urinate.
4. Don’t expect a low-protein diet to cure or prevent struvite stones.
5. Learn how to test your dog’s pH to check for recurring urinary tract infections.
Humans aren’t the only ones who get kidney and bladder stones. Our dogs develop these painful and dangerous conditions, too. But much of what is said and done about canine urinary tract stone disease (also known as bladder stones, urolithiasis, urinary stones, ureteral stones, urinary calculi, ureteral calculi, or urinary calculus disease), including its causes and treatment, is either incorrect, ineffective, or potentially harmful. Here’s the information you need in order to make informed decisions regarding dog bladder stones on behalf of your best friend.
Most canine uroliths, or bladder stones, fall into six categories, depending on their mineral composition:
• Magnesium ammonium phosphate (also called struvites)
• Calcium oxalate
• Ammonium urate or uric acid
• Cystine
• Calcium phosphate
• Silica
There are also compound or mixed stones consisting of a core mineral surrounded by smaller amounts of another mineral, most commonly a struvite core surrounded by calcium phosphate. In veterinary reports, the terms stone, urolith, and calculus (its plural is calculi) are used synonymously.
Because different stones require entirely different treatment -and often completely opposite treatment -it’s critical to identify the type of stone accurately. Without removing a stone there is no way to know for sure, but a good guess can be made based on urinary pH; the dog’s age, breed, and sex; type of crystals, if present; radiographic density (how well the stones can be seen on x-ray); whether infection is present; and certain blood test abnormalities.
Between 1981 and 2007, the Minnesota Urolith Center at the University of Minnesota’s College of Veterinary Medicine analyzed 350,803 canine uroliths. The highest percentage came from mixed breeds (25 percent), Miniature Schnauzers (12 percent), Shih Tzus (9 percent), Bichons Frises (7 percent), Cocker Spaniels (5 percent), and Lhasa Apsos (4 percent). The remaining 38 percent were collected from 154 different breeds.
Veterinary studies conducted around the world on millions of urinary stones show similar demographics. Although kidney and bladder stones can afflict dogs of both sexes, all breeds, and all ages, those at greatest risk are small, female, between the ages of 4 and 8, and prone to bladder infections. Although male dogs develop fewer stones, the condition is more dangerous to them because of their anatomy. Stones are more likely to cause blockages in the male’s longer, narrower urethra.
In 1981, 78 percent of all uroliths tested at the Minnesota Urolith Center were struvites and only 5 percent were calcium oxalate stones, but by 2006 the struvite occurrence had fallen to 39 percent while the incidence of calcium oxalate stones rose to 41 percent. Researchers investigating the trend have not discovered a reason for the change but are exploring demographic risk factors such as breed, age, gender anatomy, and genetic predisposition along with environmental risk factors such as sources of food, water, exposure to certain drugs, and living conditions.
Bladder Stones in Dogs
When bladder stones form, their minerals precipitate out in the urine as microscopic crystals. If the crystals unite, they form small grains of sand-like material. Once grains develop, additional precipitation can lead the crystals to adhere together, creating stones. Some stones measure up to 3 or 4 inches in diameter. Problems develop when stones interfere with urination.
Some dogs with stones never develop symptoms and their stones are never diagnosed or are discovered during routine physical exams when the abdomen is palpated. X-rays, which can be used to confirm the diagnosis, reveal stones as obvious white circles unless they are radiolucent (invisible to X-rays), in which case a dye injected into the bladder makes them visible.
Symptoms of stones can include blood in the urine (hematuria), the frequent passing of small amounts of urine, straining to produce urine while holding the position much longer than usual, licking the genital area more than usual, painful urination (the dog yelps from discomfort), cloudy and foul-smelling urine that may contain blood or pus, tenderness in the bladder area, pain in the lower back, fever, and lethargy. If a stone blocks the flow of urine, its complications can be fatal.
When surgery is necessary, uroliths are removed by a cystotomy, a procedure that opens the bladder. Stones lodged in the urethra can be flushed into the bladder and removed. Stones that are small enough to pass in the urine can be removed in a nonsurgical procedure called urohydropropulsion. A catheter is used to fill the sedated dog’s bladder with a saline solution and the bladder is squeezed to expel the stones through the urethra. Other procedures are used for more complicated cases.
All dogs who have formed a urolith are considered at increased risk for a recurrence. According to Dennis J. Chew, in a paper delivered at the 2004 Small Animal Proceedings Symposium of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons, “Water may be the most important nutrient to prevent recurrence of uroliths. Increased water intake is the cornerstone of therapy for urolithiasis in both human and veterinary medicine. Increasing water intake to dilute urine and increase frequency of urination is an important part of treatment. Decreasing the concentration of potential stone-forming minerals in urine and increasing the frequency of voiding are the key elements of therapy to reduce the risk of formation of a new urolith.”
It’s easy to interest most dogs in drinking more fluids by making sure that plain water is available at all times, adding broth and other flavor enhancers to water in an additional bowl, and adding water or broth to food. Just as important is the opportunity to urinate several times a day. Stones and crystals form in supersaturated urine, which can occur when dogs have to hold their urine for long periods.
This month, we’ll discuss struvite uroliths. Calcium oxalate uroliths will be discussed in the next issue.
Struvite Stones in Dogs
Struvite uroliths belong to the magnesium ammonium phosphate (MAP) category. Struvites are also known as triple phosphate uroliths, a term dating from an old, incorrect assumption that the struvite crystal’s phosphate ion was bound to three positive ions instead of just magnesium and ammonium. Although struvites can develop in the kidneys, where they are called nephroliths, the vast majority are bladder stones. About 85 percent of all struvite stones are found in female dogs and only 15 percent are found in males.
Struvite stones usually form when large amounts of crystals are present in combination with a urinary tract infection from urease-producing bacteria such as Staphylococcus or Proteus. Urease is an enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of urea, forming ammonia and carbon dioxide. It contributes to struvite stone formation as well as alkaline (high-pH) urine.
Caregivers and veterinarians obviously want to prevent and treat struvites as effectively as possible. But what works and what doesn’t is a topic of confusion.
Struvite Stone Facts or Fiction?
All of the following statements are believed by many veterinarians and their clients. Yet none of them are true. Which have you heard before?
1. Urinary struvite crystals represent disease and require treatment.
2. Struvite crystals require a change in diet, usually to a prescription diet like c/d, u/d, or s/d.
3. Dogs prone to forming struvite stones should be kept on a special diet for life.
4. The most important treatment for dogs with a history of struvite stones is a low-protein diet.
Here’s why these common beliefs are misconceptions:
1. The presence of urinary struvite crystals alone does not represent disease and does not require treatment. These crystals can be found in the urine of an estimated 40 to 44 percent of all healthy dogs and are not a cause for concern unless accompanied by signs of a urinary tract infection. According to the Merck Veterinary Manual (2005), “Struvite crystals are commonly observed in canine and feline urine. Struvite crystalluria in dogs is not a problem unless there is a concurrent bacterial urinary tract infection with a urease-producing microbe. Without an infection, struvite crystals in dogs will not be associated with struvite urolith formation.”(Our emphasis.)
Whether your struvite-crystal dog has a urinary tract infection is the key question. Researchers estimate that more than 98 percent of all struvite stones are associated with infection. Failing to eradicate the original infection and prevent new bacterial infections is the main reason struvite uroliths recur. A recurrence rate of 21 percent was recorded in one study, but the risk can be significantly reduced through increased surveillance and appropriate antimicrobial treatment. In one study, dogs were infected with an experimental Staphylococcal urinary tract infection, and their infection-induced struvites grew large enough to be seen on X-rays within two to eight weeks.
2. Struvite crystals do not require a change in diet. Because struvite crystals do not pose a problem unless the dog has a urinary tract infection, there is no required treatment for crystals, including dietary changes. If the dog does have a urinary tract infection, a prescription dog food will not cure it.
If your veterinarian finds struvite crystals in the urine and suggests a diet change, you’d be well advised to find a new vet. You have to wonder how many other things he or she is misinformed about. It isn’t just a case of not keeping up with newer research; this recommendation is just plain wrong.
3. Dogs prone to forming struvite stones should not be kept on a special diet for life. Struvites almost always form because of infections, for which dogs with a history of stones should be closely monitored and properly treated. No long-term dietary change is required, nor will a special diet prevent the formation of infection-induced struvites. However, short-term changes may help speed the dissolution of stones.
4. Low-protein diets do not prevent stone formation. A low-protein diet can speed the dissolution of struvite stones -when accompanied by appropriate antibiotic treatment -but it is not necessary for the prevention of struvite formation in dogs who are prone to this problem. For almost all dogs, controlling infections will prevent more stones from forming.
“Sterile Struvites”
Not all struvite stones are caused by Staphylococcus, Proteus, or other bacteria. Between 1 and 2 percent of struvites are called sterile because they do not involve an infection. They are also known as metabolic struvites.
These stones are treated in much the same way as infection-induced struvites, and they tend to dissolve more quickly. Urinary acidifiers can be used to help dissolve sterile struvites, and feeding a low-protein diet may help speed their dissolution.
Several reports in the veterinary literature describe the spontaneous dissolution of sterile struvite uroliths within two to five months in dogs fed a maintenance diet, demonstrating that these stones can disappear within a short time without the use of a calculolytic diet.
To prevent the formation of future sterile struvites, the most effective methods appear to be urinary acidification and increased fluid intake. The amino acid dl-methionine, which is available in tablet form, is commonly used when needed to keep the urine acidic. It will not help and should not be given to dogs who form infection-induced struvites.
The conventional recommendation for treatment and prevention of sterile struvites is to feed a diet with reduced phosphorus and magnesium content, but it’s questionable whether that’s needed as long as the urine is kept slightly acidic (at a pH below 7.0) and the dog is encouraged to drink more and has ample opportunity to eliminate in order to avoid supersaturated urine.
Even though a meat-based diet is high in phosphorus, meat has an acidifying effect on the urine and may therefore be beneficial for the prevention of sterile struvites as well as providing more complete nutrition in a form that the dog most enjoys.
Dietary starch and fiber potentially stimulate the formation of struvite crystals, so reducing dietary carbohydrates helps prevent struvite urolith formation.
The Low-Down on Low-Protein Diets for Dogs
Several prescription dog foods are marketed as a treatment for struvite crystals and struvite stones. These are called calculolytic foods or diets, and nearly all of them are severely protein-restricted, phosphate-restricted, magnesium-restricted, highly acidifying, and supplemented with salt to increase the patient’s thirst and fluid consumption.
While a low-protein diet is not required to dissolve struvite stones, it can speed their dissolution (when accompanied by appropriate antibiotic treatment). Protein provides urea, which bacteria convert or “hydrolyze”into ammonia, one of the struvite building blocks. However, this approach is not a long-term solution and will not prevent the formation of infection-induced stones. Feeding a low-protein diet to an adult dog to help dissolve stones is acceptable for short periods. Because they are not nutritionally complete, however, low-protein foods are harmful to adult dogs if used for more than a few months, and they should never be fed to puppies.
If stones are not present, there is no reason to feed a low-protein diet. According to Dr. Chew, “No studies exist to show that a specific diet is helpful for the prevention of infection-related stone development.”
In general, the benefits of a meat-based diet far outweigh the risks posed by protein’s ammonia generation. Plus, by feeding your dog a home-prepared diet of fresh ingredients, you can provide food that is higher in quality and much more to your dog’s liking than diets that come out of cans or packages.
Other prescription pet food strategies -such as keeping the diet low in fiber so that fluids are not lost through the intestines, using highly digestible ingredients for the same reason, and increasing the dog’s fluid intake by adding salt to the diet -can be better accomplished with a home-prepared diet and management techniques that encourage the dog to drink more water. The more concentrated the urine, the more saturated it becomes with minerals that can precipitate out, so extra fluids, which dilute the urine, reduce the risk.
Urinary acidifiers are not used to dissolve or prevent stones caused by urinary tract infections, since acidification does not help while an infection is present.
The Importance of Urinary Culture and Sensitivity Tests
It’s important to know that urinalysis can’t always detect a bladder infection; urinalysis may appear normal as frequently as 20 percent of the time when a urinary tract infection is present.
For this reason, if your dog shows possible signs of infection, you need to request a “urinary culture and sensitivity test.”This will verify the diagnosis (in some cases the problem is something other than an infection) and, if it is an infection, it will reveal which antibiotic will be most effective for treatment. Using an ineffective antibiotic not only harms the patient by delaying proper treatment, but also contributes to the spread of drug-resistant bacteria. Antibiotic therapy must be continued as long as struvite stones are present, since the stones harbor bacteria that are released as the stones dissolve.
Dogs who are prone to frequent infections may need longer antibiotic therapy -of at least four to six weeks -to completely eradicate the infection. Some dogs need continuous or “pulsed”antibiotic therapy to prevent recurring infections. A few may need surgery to correct structural defects that make them prone to infection, such as a recessed vulva. This condition usually corrects itself following first heat but may continue to cause problems for females who are spayed prior to their first heat.
Ureaplasma bacteria, which can cause struvite stones, will not show up on a regular urine culture, but you can request a special culture to look for this type of bacteria. This should be done before one assumes that the patient’s struvites are sterile (see “Sterile Struvites,”page 13) rather than infection-induced.
Follow-up tests will show whether the therapy your dog received, such as antibiotics from a conventional veterinarian or an alternative infection-fighting treatment from a holistic vet, was effective. You want to be sure that the treatment worked and that the infection isn’t coming back. For dogs with a history of forming struvite stones, or who suffer from multiple urinary tract infections, cultures should be repeated a few days after treatment ends and then periodically, such as monthly for a while and then at longer intervals, to be sure the infection is completely cleared.
At-Home Urinary Tract Infection Prevention
To keep your dog healthy, it’s important to prevent the conditions -especially, urinary tract infections -that can lead to stone formation.
Monitoring your dog’s urinary pH at home will alert you to any recurring bladder infection. The numbers refer to acidity and alkalinity, with 7 considered neutral (neither acid nor alkaline). Numbers less than 7 indicate acidity, and the lower the number, the more acid the substance. Numbers greater than 7 indicate alkalinity, and the higher the number, the more alkaline the substance. Most healthy dogs have a neutral to slightly acid urinary pH between 5.5 and 7.0.
Because urinary pH varies throughout the day, test your dog’s urine at the same time each day to determine her “normal”pH. The best time to do this is first thing in the morning, before she eats. Urine should be tested before it hits the ground. You can collect some in a paper cup or simply hold a pH test strip in the stream. An advantage to paper cup collection is that you can also check the urine for blood, cloudiness, and other indications of infection.
The urinary tract infections that cause struvite crystals to become uroliths have an alkalizing effect, raising urinary pH to as much as 8.0 or 8.5. If your dog’s urinary pH jumps from acid to alkaline, contact your veterinarian.
Cranberry doesn’t cure existing infections, but it mechanically prevents bacteria from adhering to the tissue that lines the bladder and urinary tract. Because they are continuously washed out of the system, bacteria don’t have an opportunity to create new infections. Cranberry capsules are easier to use and more effective than juice, since they are far more concentrated. On product labels, the terms cranberry, cranberry juice, cranberry extract, and cranberry concentrate tend to be used interchangeably.
If your cranberry capsules are a veterinary product, follow label directions. If they’re designed for humans, adjust the dosage for your dog’s weight by assuming that the label dose applies to a human weighing 100-120 pounds. Giving cranberry in divided doses, such as twice or three times during the day, will make this preventive treatment more effective.
Probiotics are the body’s first line of defense against infection, and the more beneficial bacteria in your dog’s digestive tract, the better. Probiotics are routinely used by a growing number of medical doctors and veterinarians to treat urinary tract and vaginal infections in women and pets.
Several brands of probiotics are made especially for dogs. Because antibiotics destroy beneficial as well as harmful bacteria, the use of probiotic supplements after treatment with antibiotics helps restore the body’s population of beneficial bacteria. (See “Probing Probiotics,” WDJ, August 2006 for more information.) Many veterinarians recommend vitamin C for dogs who are prone to bladder infections and struvite stones because of its anti-inflammatory effects. Dogs (unlike humans) manufacture their own vitamin C, but the amount they produce may not meet their needs if they are under stress or fighting infection.
The ascorbate form of vitamin C is most often recommended for dogs, as it may be better absorbed and is less prone to causing gastrointestinal upset. Calcium ascorbate and sodium ascorbate are available in generic forms as a powder, but the most popular form is a product called Ester-C, which contains calcium ascorbate and vitamin C metabolites.
Veterinary recommendations range from 250 mg twice per day for every 15 to 30 pounds of body weight up to a maximum of 1,000 mg twice a day for large dogs. Because vitamin C can cause diarrhea, start with small doses and increase gradually. The maximum amount your dog can tolerate without the diarrhea side effect is called her “bowel tolerance”dose.
The herb uva ursi (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) is used in many herbal blends for bladder infections because of its antibacterial properties. Uva ursi is best used for short periods rather than for months at a time as it can irritate the kidneys. The dosage for this herb depends on the individual blend and how it was prepared. Follow label directions for products formulated for dogs; adjust the dosage of products meant for humans by weight, assuming the human’s weight at 100 to 120 pounds.
While adding salt to your dog’s food is an effective way to encourage drinking more fluids for dogs who don’t tend to drink enough, consider switching from refined table salt to unrefined sea salt, which is sold in natural food markets and contains dozens of minerals and trace elements that are not present in refined salt.
Since most homemade diets are low in salt compared to commercial foods, the amount of salt to add will depend on the diet you feed. Start by adding a pinch of salt (small for a small dog, larger for a large dog) to your dog’s food and watch to see if it makes her more thirsty. Increase the amount by a pinch at a time until she is drinking more than usual.
Traditional broth or stock is easy to make at home by simmering chicken, beef, or other bones in water overnight or for 24 to 36 hours. If desired, add carrots and other vegetables. Replace evaporating water as needed. The longer the simmer, the more nutritionally dense the broth and the more interesting it is likely to be to your dog. Broth can be used as a flavor enhancer when strained and added to food or given in addition to water. Be sure to provide plain drinking water at all times.
Struvite stones can make any dog miserable, but by understanding how and why they occur and by taking the preventive measures described here, you can be sure that your dog lives a happy, stone-free life.
CJ Puotinenis the author of The Encyclopedia of Natural Pet Care and other holistic health books. She lives in Montana, and is a frequent contributor to WDJ.
San Francisco Bay Area resident Mary Straus has spent more than a decade investigating and writing about canine health and nutrition topics for her website, DogAware.com.
When you or a loved one develops a medical issue, chances are you’ll be inclined to do some Internet research. While I say, “More power to you!” other medical professionals might roll their eyes at the thought of “wasting” valuable time discussing potentially whackadoodle notions gleaned from cyberspace.
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Whether veterinarians like it or not, the Internet is here to stay. What can you do to make your online research more productive and your discussions about it with your vet more palatable?
Here’s how to find instructive, accurate, credible Internet information while avoiding “online junk food” -and how to comfortably discuss what you’ve learned online with your veterinarian in a way that promotes collaborative discussion.
By the way, although I’m a veterinarian teaching people how to better care for their dogs, this information is also applicable to your own healthcare!
So, let’s begin. How can you determine whether or not a website is dishing out information that is worthy of your time? Here are some general guidelines:
• Ask your vet for her website recommendations. She might wish to refer you to a specific site that will supplement or reinforce the information she has provided.
• Veterinary college websites invariably provide reliable information. Search for them by entering “veterinary college” or “veterinary school” after the name of the disease or symptom you are researching.
• Web addresses ending in “.org,” “.edu,” and “.gov,” represent nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, and governmental agencies, respectively. They are likely to be sources of objective and accurate information.
• If your dog has a breed-specific disease, pay a visit to the site hosted by that specific breed’s national organization.
• Avoid business-sponsored websites that stand to make money when you believe and act on what they profess (especially if it involves purchasing something).
• Be ever so wary of anecdotal information. It’s perfectly okay to indulge yourself with remarkable tales (such as how Max’s skin disease was miraculously cured by a single session of aromatherapy), but view what you are reading as fiction rather than fact.
As fascinating as these National Enquirer-type stories may seem, please don’t let them significantly influence the choices you make for your dog.
• I really love disease-specific online forums. Check out those sponsored by Yahoo (groups.yahoo.com). They not only provide a wealth of educational information, but also provide you with a large community of people who are dealing with the same challenge as you. These members can be a wonderful source of emotional support -always a good thing for those of us who share our homes and hearts with an animal.
Look for a group that focuses on a specific disease (kidney failure, diabetes, etc.), has lots of members, and has been around for several years. For example, an excellent Yahoo group K9 KidneyDiet (addresses issues pertaining to dogs with kidney failure) has 3,391 members and has been up and running for eight years. A large group such as this typically has multiple moderators who provide more than one point of view (always a good thing) and greater round-the-clock availability for advice and support.
Look for presentation of cited references (clinical research that supports what is being recommended). Such groups should have a homepage that explains the focus of the group and provides the number of members and posts per month (the more the better). They may have public archives of previous posts that can provide a wealth of information.
Listed below are three websites that discuss Addison’s disease (an illness that can affect dogs and people; John F. Kennedy was diagnosed with Addison’s disease). Now that you are an expert on evaluating websites, here is a little test of your skills. Which one of these three sites is worthy of your time and attention?
I hope you picked website number two, a forum with lots of members that is dedicated to one disease, uses cited references, and has a host of round-the-clock moderators. Website number one relies heavily on anecdotal information. While site number three presents some useful information, the ultimate goal is to convince you to purchase its product. If you picked website number two, give your dog a hug and yourself a pat on the back!
Sharing with your vet Now that you are adept at surfing the ‘net, how can you comfortably discuss what you’ve learned with your veterinarian? I happen to enjoy hearing about what my clients are learning online. I sometimes come away with valuable new information, and I’m invariably amused by some of the extraordinary things they tell me; really, who knew that hip dysplasia is caused by global warming?
Surf to your heart’s content, but be forewarned, not all veterinarians feel as I do. Some vets have a hard time not rolling their eyes or quickly interrupting their clients the moment the conversation turns to Internet research. Who can blame them? They’ve grown weary of spending valuable office visit or telephone time talking their clients out of crazy cyberspace notions and reining them in from online wild goose chases.
How unfortunate this is! Nowadays, people rapidly and reflexively reach for their keyboards to learn more about their dog’s symptoms or disease diagnosis online. It’s only natural (and in their dog’s best interest) that they will want to discuss what they’ve read with their veterinarian.
Is there an effective way to communicate with your vet about your online research that is neither irritating to her nor intimidating for you? I truly believe it’s possible, but it involves some work and planning on your part! Here are some secrets for success -things you can do to converse about your Internet research in a manner that is comfortable for you and your vet and, most importantly, beneficial for your dog’s health.
Finding the right vet I may be preaching to the choir, but I cannot overemphasize the importance of working with a vet who is happy and willing to participate in two-way, collaborative dialogue with you. Your opinions, feelings, and questions are held in high regard and enough time is allowed during the office visit to hear them. A veterinarian who practices this “relationship-centered” style of communication is far more likely to be willing to hear about your online research than the veterinarian who practices “paternalistic care” (far more interested in telling you what to do than hearing about your thoughts, questions, or concerns). Remember, when it comes to veterinarian/client communication styles, you have a choice. It’s up to you to make the right choice!
• Let your vet know that you appreciate her willingness and patience in helping you understand how best to utilize what you’ve learned online.
• Ask your veterinarian for her website recommendations -those that have already been “vetted.” This is a collaborative approach that lets her know you intend to spend some time learning more, plus a respectful recognition of the fact that she is the one who has spent her career learning about your dog’s health issues.
• Wait for the appropriate time during the office visit to discuss what you’ve learned online. Allow your veterinarian to ask questions of you and examine your precious pup rather than “tackling” her with questions and discussion about your Internet research questions the moment she sets foot in the exam room.
• Be brief and to the point with your questions. Remember, most office visits are scheduled for 15 to 20 minutes, max.
• Let your veterinarian know that you’ve learned how to be a discriminating surfer! You know how to differentiate valuable online resources from cyber-fluff. You ignore anecdotal vignettes and websites trying to sell their products in favor of credible information provided by veterinary college websites and forums that are hosted by well-educated moderators who provide cited research references that support their recommendations.
• When you initiate conversation about your Internet research, I encourage you to choose your wording wisely. Communicate in a respectful fashion that invites conversation as opposed to “telling” your vet what you want to do. Most veterinarians don’t like being told what to do by their clients, and who can blame them? After all, we expect veterinarians to provide a collaborative approach; it’s only fair that they expect the same from their clients. Consider the following conversation starters about Internet research:
• Approach one: “I’m wondering what you think about mixing some canned pumpkin in with Sophie’s food. I’ve been doing some Internet research about diarrhea and this suggestion seemed to comes up frequently.”
• Approach two: “I’ve been doing some online research and learned about the benefits of canned pumpkin. I want to begin mixing this in with Sophie’s food.”
• Approach three: “I’d like to give Sophie some canned pumpkin for her diarrhea. A moderator from an online forum suggested I do this.”
• Approach four: “I’ve been following an online forum about canine diarrhea. One of the moderators suggested I consider adding canned pumpkin to Sophie’s diet. How do you feel about this?”
Which of these approaches sound like invitations for discussion? Which are more likely to be a “turnoff” for your veterinarian? If I’ve done my job properly you’ve selected approaches one or four as more successful ways for broaching the topic of Internet research with your vet. If these are the two approaches you chose, well done! Give your dog a hug and yourself a pat on the back!
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In the Internet we have an extraordinary tool at our fingertips. I encourage you to be critical when choosing which websites you intend to take seriously and which ones you wish to visit for a good chuckle. Approach conversations with your vet about your Internet research thoughtfully and tactfully. These strategies are bound to create a win/win/win situation for you, your veterinarian, and your beloved best buddy!
Nancy Kay, DVM, is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) and recipient of the American Animal Hospital Association 2009 Animal Welfare and Humane Ethics Award. She is also author of Speaking for Spot: Be the Advocate Your Dog Needs to Live a Happy, Healthy, Longer Life, and a staff internist at VCA Animal Care Center in Rohnert Park, California, a 24-hour emergency care and speciality care clinic. See “Resources,” page 24 for contact information.
Several of our eagle-eyed readers caught an error in dry dog food review in our February issue:
“In the February 2010 issue, the picture of the approved dog foods includes Nutro Ultra but it is not listed in the article. Why the discrepancy?”
“I see that Nutro Ultra is included in the photo on page 3; its caption says ‘these are just a few examples of premium quality foods.’ However, it’s not included on the ‘approved foods’ list. Can you clarify?”
“I noticed that the Nutro Ultra Holistic food is in your picture, but I couldn’t find it in the actual list of approved foods. Is it one of the approved foods?”
Nutro Ultra Holistic Select should have been on our list of “approved dry foods” and was omitted by accident. In the process of every review, we seem to lose track of someone! We apologize for the error.
I noticed that Artemis is one of the “approved” dry foods on your list, but it’s manufactured at Diamond facilities. Diamond has had more recalls than any other pet food company. I’m surprised this food is on your list. Perhaps there’s a good explanation? – Susan, via email
I’m not sure there is a manufacturer that has never made a recalled product, and I don’t think that one or two incidents should “blacklist” a manufacturer forever. In some instances, following an incident, the facility management rededicates themselves to quality in such a way that their quality control programs become as good as they can get.
And, to be fair, in some instances of recalled products, the co-packer has made a product using ingredients sourced by their client. If those ingredients cause a problem that leads to a recall, one really cannot blame the co-packer. Conversely, a manufacturer may produce high-quality products for some of its clients and lower-quality, lower-cost products under its own name. In other words, I don’t think that the manufacturing location alone should qualify or disqualify any product from our consideration.
That said, there are so many good foods on the market today, that if it seems that recalls involving a particular facility or company are frequent, there are plenty of alternatives available. – Editor
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We’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback about two newer features in Whole Dog Journal. The first is “Action Plan” – the column that appears opposite this page, which features five things that an owner can do to solve any given dog behavior problem. The second is “Canine News You Can Use.” Our annual dry dog food review, published each February, is such a monster that it ate the space for these two columns in last month’s issue, but they have reappeared this month. We did give the “Good Sports” column this month off, but author/trainer Terry Long will be back in the next issue with an installment on the sport of competitive herding.
The feature articles in this issue include:
• Regular contributor Lisa Rodier interviews veterinarian Sophia Yin about her new book (which comes with three hours of video on a DVD), Low Stress Handling, Restraint, and Behavior Modification of Dogs and Cats. Anyone whose dog has been handled poorly or roughly at a veterinarian’s office will appreciate Dr. Yin’s suggestions.
• Training Editor Pat Miller discusses the issue of where dogs sleep at night. Most owners have a strong preference about this, with some embracing their dogs’ presence on their own beds at night, and others preferring that dogs sleep only on a dog bed, perhaps in another room or part of the house. As Pat makes clear, there is no wrong answer; sleeping arrangements are up to you! What’s more, she offers support for any problems you may have in convincing your dog to sleep in his or her designated snooze spot.
• Lisa Rodier does double-duty in this issue, with the second in a series of articles about caring for dogs at the end of their lives. In “Moving From Cure to Care,” she describes the challenges of providing hospice care for a dying dog. In the article, she shares advice from (among others) veterinarian Nancy Kay, who hosts a support group for grieving owners at her practice in Rohnert Park, California, and who, coincidentally, has contributed . . .
• . . . this issue’s final feature article, which offers information about finding reliable canine health-related information on the Internet. Dr. Kay also shares strategies for then discussing the information you find with your veterinarian -an often-tricky proposition.
Speaking of the Internet, if you’re on Facebook, search for the Whole Dog Journal. “Fans” of Whole Dog Journal can enjoy previews of upcoming articles, links to (free!) articles from our past, and occasional discounts for trial and gift subscriptions. And, of course, interaction with other Whole Dog Journal fans!
Resource guarding may be a natural, normal dog behavior, but it’s alarming when your own dog growls – or worse, snaps – at you over his resource. Resist your first impulse to snap back at your dog. Instead, do this:
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1) Stop. Whatever you did that caused your dog to growl, stop doing it. Immediately. If you were walking toward him, stand still. If you were reaching toward him, stop reaching. If you were trying to take the toy or bone away from him, stop trying.
2) Analyze. Your next action depends on your lightning-fast analysis of the situation. If your dog is about to bite you, retreat. Quickly. If you’re confident he won’t escalate, stay still. If you aren’t sure, retreat. Err on the side of caution. Complete your analysis by identifying what resource he had that was valuable enough to guard, and what you were doing that caused him to guard.
3) Retreat. If you already retreated because you feared a bite, go on to #4. If you stayed still, wait for some lessening of his tension and then retreat. Here’s the dilemma: dogs give off guarding signals – a freeze, a hard stare, stiffening of the body, a growl, snarl, snap, or bite – to make you go away and leave them alone with their valuable objects.
Your safety is the number one priority, so if a bite is imminent, it’s appropriate to skedaddle. However, by doing so you reinforce the guarding behavior. “Yes!” says Dog. “That freeze worked; it made my human go away.” Reinforced behaviors are likely to repeat or increase, so you can expect more guarding next time.
If, instead, you are safe to stay still and wait for some relaxation of tension and then leave, you reinforce calmer behavior. “Hmmmmm,” says Dog. “Relaxing made my human go away.” If you can do this safely, you increase his relaxation when you are near him and decrease his guarding behavior.
4) Manage. Give your dog guardable things only when you won’t have to take them away. Crates are good places for a resource guarder to enjoy his valuable objects. When he’s crated with good stuff, don’t mess with him, and don’t let anyone else mess with him. When small children are around, put him away – for his sake and theirs – since you may not always know what he’ll decide to guard, especially when kids bring their own toys to play with.
5) Train. Work with a good, positive behavior professional to modify your dog’s guarding behavior so he no longer feels stressed when humans are around his good stuff. Teach him to “trade” on verbal cue for a high value treat such as chicken, starting with low value objects and working up to high value, so he’ll happily give you his things on cue when you need him to. (See “On Guard,” WDJ October 2007.) Out-think your dog. Resource guarding behavior is not a good place for a battle of wills.
Pat Miller, CPDT, is WDJ’s Training Editor. Miller lives in Fairplay, Maryland, site of her Peaceable Paws training center. Pat is also author of The Power of Positive Dog Training; Positive Perspectives: Love Your Dog, Train Your Dog; Positive Perspectives II: Know Your Dog, Train Your Dog; and Play with Your Dog. See page 24 for more information.
Most now allow for a vaccination only every three years
Arkansas canines and their humans have very good reason to celebrate the start of the new decade. That state’s new rule allowing for a three-year rabies vaccine became effective January 1, 2010. This means dogs in Arkansas will need to be vaccinated only every three years (after their initial first-year booster) instead of annually, as was previously required.
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The majority of states in the U.S. now allow for the three-year vaccination schedule. Despite a slightly premature announcement from the Rabies Challenge Fund (rabieschallengefund.org) last August that all 50 states had accepted a three-year protocol, a few still do not. Rhode Island’s Rabies Control Board approved a change in April of 2009 accepting the three-year vaccination, but as of yet no effective date has been set. Until that happens, Rhode Island dog owners are still required to vaccinate their canine companions every two years. West Virginia also requires vaccination bi-annually. There may be a few others. Still, every state that approves a three-year schedule is one step closer to that 50-state goal.
Meanwhile, the Rabies Challenge Fund is now raising funds for a fourth year of the Rabies Challenge Study at the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine. It will cost about $150,000 per year to cover the remaining four years of the seven-year study that hopes to confirm that rabies vaccinations are effective for at least seven years. This would reduce the necessity to vaccinate as often, and minimize exposure to the potentially carcinogenic adjuvant that is part of the vaccine, as well as to the sometimes deadly adverse reactions some dogs experience to the vaccine.
The second phase of the project will finance a study of the adjuvants used in veterinary vaccines and establish a federal adverse reaction reporting system for rabies and other vaccines.
This project depends primarily upon grassroots gifts for funding the costs of conducting the requisite vaccine trials. To date, contributions have come mostly from kennel clubs and private individuals. The Rabies Challenge Fund Charitable Trust is a federally registered 501(c)(3) charitable organization. – Pat Miller
For more information: Rabies Challenge Fund rabieschallengefund.org
AAHA to Create New Nutritional Guidelines
Goal is to give veterinarians better tools to help pet owners with canine nutrition
In January, the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) announced its plan to create a new set of nutritional guidelines for use by veterinarians and to publish these recommendations in June 2010.
The newly formed committee includes academic leaders, animal hospital directors, and veterinary technicians: Tony Buffington, DVM, MS, PhD, Dipl. ACVN, Ohio State University; Joe Bartges, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, University of Tennessee; Lisa Freeman, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVN, Tufts University; Don Ostwald, DVM, Dipl. ABVP, Wheat Ridge Animal Hospital, Wheat Ridge, Colorado; Mary Grabow, DVM, Noah’s Westside Animal Medical Center, Indianapolis; and veterinary technicians Julie Legred, CVT, and Kimberly Baldwin, LVT. The AAHA’s goal is to incorporate the latest advancements in medical knowledge, but remain practical enough that veterinarians can use the guidelines to make recommendations to their clients. “It’s time we put nutrition in the minds of veterinarians,” says AAHA President John Tait, DVM. While no details about the scope of the guidelines are available, Tate indicated that poor client compliance (with feeding prescription diets) and the impact of nutrition on pet health are the driving forces behind the decision to create these guidelines.
Another likely factor is the increased interest in homemade diets, especially following the massive pet food recalls in 2007. “Pet owners are inundated with advice from a variety of sources on what constitutes proper quality of care and treatment of their pets. Unfortunately, many of these sources are not credible,” says Dr. Tait.
There are far too many inappropriate or inadequate recipes available to owners, for both healthy dogs and those with health conditions requiring a modified diet. The question is, will the AAHA’s new nutritional guidelines focus on what has been learned about nutrition in the past 10 to 15 years, or will they simply rely on the same high-carb, low-protein formulas that the pet food companies have promoted for so long? Hill’s Pet Nutrition has provided funding for the task force and has promised to help implement the guidelines when they are published, so we’re not overly confident that the new guidelines will be all they could be. We’ll analyze them when they are published, and share our analysis at that time. – Mary Straus
FDA Issues Recall for Ketamine
Drug used as part of anesthesia protocol may be linked to deaths
On December 21, the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine announced the expansion of a nationwide recall of ketamine hydrochloride injectable manufactured by Teva Animal Health following reports linking the drug to the deaths of five cats. Ketamine is commonly used as part of anesthesia induction in both dogs and cats. The first deaths linked to ketamine occurred in October and were reported to Teva in November and to the FDA in December.
Since the initial recall began, more products have been added. As of this writing, all lot numbers that are 7 numeric digits long or that start with “5401” (regardless of their length) have been recalled and should be returned to their distributors. After veterinarians pressured the FDA, it was revealed that Teva also manufactures ketamine for other companies, and the recall was expanded to include the following products:
– AmTech Group, Inc. (Ketamine Hydrochloride Injection, USP)
– Butler (KetaThesia)
– LLOYD Laboratories (VetaKet)
– Phoenix (Ketaject)
– RXV (Keta-Sthetic)
– VEDCO (KetaVed)
– Fort Dodge/Pfizer (Ketaset)
Ketamine is not a drug that pet owners would give themselves, but if your pet is scheduled to be anesthetized, you should check with your vet to be sure that they have all the relevant information about the recall. Veterinarians with questions can contact Teva Animal Health.
Troubles at Teva Animal Health began last July, when the FDA shut down the company and filed a lawsuit after inspectors found adulterated animal drugs at its plant in St. Joseph, Missouri. As a result of the FDA probe of its quality control procedures, Teva agreed to cease manufacture of its generic drugs as well as its DVM Pharmaceuticals product line. At that time, however, none of the drugs Teva produced were considered to be harmful, an assumption that now appears to be incorrect. – Mary Straus
For more information: FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm195118.htm
Teva Animal Health (800) 759-3664
Organization Facilitates Donations of Pet Oxygen Masks
“Bark 10-4” facilitates donations of pet oxygen masks for fire trucks across the nation
House fires are devastating and life-threatening for everyone in the family – including the pets. It’s estimated that half a million pets are affected by fires each year and more than 40,000 die from smoke inhalation. Emergency first responders can provide oxygen to a fading animal, but they usually face the challenge of working with a human oxygen mask, which is difficult to securely fit over a dog or cat’s face.
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Last fall, Bark Buckle UP®, a national organization dedicated to pet travel safety, teamed up with Smiths Medical, distributor of veterinary medical devices, to launch Bark 10-4™, a national campaign designed to equip every fire truck across the United States with a pet oxygen mask.
While veterinarians have used animal-specific oxygen masks for years, they have only recently begun to find their way into the hands of rescue personnel. Due to budget constraints, those that do exist are usually donated by compassionate pet owners. “This program will go a long way toward raising awareness about a product that can save a lot of pets’ lives,” says Lisa Huston of Smiths Medical.
To date, the ongoing program has successfully provided more than 2,500 masks to fire stations across the country. Supporters can purchase a single mask for their local fire house for $25, or a mask set which includes a small, medium, and large mask for $65. Sponsorship can be completed at Bark10-4.com or via a link at surgivet.com. The sponsor designates the specific department to receive the gifted masks, which are delivered with the shipping/handling costs paid by Smiths Medical. If a single fire house receives more masks than are needed, the fire chief has the option of storing additional masks for future use or distributing them among local fire houses.
Consider making a donation to the fire department in your town or neighborhood. “The mask only works if it’s on the truck,” said Jose M. Torres, Battalion Chief of “A” Platoon in Santa Monica, California. “Together we can save pets’ lives.” – Stephanie Colman
For more information: Bark Buckle UP barkbuckleup.com
