1. Help your senior dog at home by following a predictable daily routine.
2. Make gradual, rather than sudden, changes in the household or routine.
3. Use tactile (rugs, runners), and audible (TV, radio) cues to help pets maintain orientation and help with navigation around the house.
Each of us has, at some point, wandered into a room and realized that we’ve forgotten why we’ve gone there. When that happens, chances are we are momentarily perturbed with ourselves, but typically we chalk it up to too much on the brain, remember why we’re there, then move on. Should our dogs wander in the same fashion, it could well be a sign of cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS), a condition quite similar to Alzheimer’s in humans. CDS happens when the aging process affects brain pathology, resulting in behavioral changes, including cognitive decline (memory and learning). One of the biggest culprits is the damage done to mitochondria caused by oxidative damage over time. Researchers also believe that a decline in cerebral vascular circulation contributes to the changes we see in our aging dogs.
Testing dogs’ cognitive abilities in a laboratory setting has shown that signs of CDS can be seen as early as seven years of age, yet we, as pet owners, often don’t realize a change in our canine companions until they reach 10 years of age or older. However, dogs trained to a higher level – such as service or guide dogs, agility, and other competition dogs – are those whose cognitive decline might be noticed sooner than that in “just” a pet dog because of a subsequent drop off in the highly trained dog’s performance.
Symptoms of Cognitive Decline in Old Dogs
The gold standard for testing for CDS is in the laboratory. In aged dogs tested in a laboratory setting, researchers observed poor performances on cognitive tasks using a “three component delayed non-matched to position task” (3-DNMP) that tested discrimination learning (ability to select one object over another), reversal learning (after training to select an object, criteria are reversed), and spatial memory (memory of places).
Unfortunately, such laboratory testing is not readily available to us mere mortals. So what should you do? Watch and observe your dog, looking for changes in his or her behavior that might be symptoms of CDS. Traditional “DISHA” categories include:
Disorientation, including appearing lost or confused in the house or yard; wandering aimlessly; pacing; staring into space or at walls
Altered Interactions with people or other pets, including not seeking attention or petting or failing to greet family members
Sleep-wake cycle alterations, including sleeping more in the day, less at night
House-soiling “accidents”
Altered activity level
Gary Landsberg, DVM, DACVB, in his paper “Therapeutic Agents for the Treatment of Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome in Senior Dogs,” published in Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry, notes that we might also see:
increase in anxiety
decrease in hygiene/self-grooming
altered appetite
decreased responsiveness to stimuli
deficits in learning and memory
At the same time, it’s important not to jump to conclusions and self-diagnose our dogs if we see any of these signs. These changes can also be due to a variety of medical problems, so it’s important to first rule out environmental factors, physical health, and drug-induced behavior side effects with a visit to your dog’s veterinarian.
I had that very experience with my 12-year-old Bouvier, Axel. When I queried his veterinarian, Susan Wynn, DVM, as to whether his standing very still for periods of time when out in the backyard with me was a sign of CDS, her observation, after further querying me, was that she just wasn’t seeing it. Her hunch was that the behavior was most likely a result of pain from arthritis.
She further explains, “I think CDS is very difficult to differentiate from pain and this is a mistake that is made often. I do see CDS occasionally, but I treat for pain first, and as an acupuncturist, I often find pain that is missed on the conventional exam. If signs of compulsive walking and disorientation remain after two weeks, I’ll usually initiate a trial for cognitive dysfunction.”
What You Can Do for Your Old Dog
If you’re concerned that your canine companion might be showing signs of CDS, don’t panic, cry, or devour a box of bon-bons just yet. The good news is that there are traditional and alternative interventions that can both treat the symptoms and also possibly halt further progression of the condition.
Most exciting of all have been ground-breaking studies examining the positive impact of dietary supplementation and behavioral enrichment that includes social, cognitive enrichment (learning problems), and physical exercise components. Check with your veterinarian to discuss the following alternatives.
Dietary Intervention
A variety of clinical studies have revealed that dietary intervention in the form of an antioxidant-enriched diet improved the learning ability of older dogs, and a resulted in a subsequent decrease in CDS symptoms. Primary supplementation included:
• Vitamin E: Acts to protect cell membranes from oxidative damage
• Vitamin C: Essential in maintaining oxidative protection for the soluble phase of cells as well as preventing Vitamin E from propagating free radical production
• L-Carnitine: Mitochondrial co-factor
• Alpha-lipoic acid: Mitochondrial co-factor
• Other antioxidants from fruits and vegetables (i.e., spinach flakes, tomato pomace, grape pomace, carrot granules, and citrus pulp) that are also rich in flavonoids and carotenoids
Dr. Landsberg notes that it has been suggested that high intakes of fruits and vegetables might decrease the risk for age related cognitive decline through their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and the addition of omega-3 fatty acids can promote cell membrane health and provide a possible anti-inflammatory effect. Although available in a commercial prescription dog food, the diet can be mimicked by those pet owners who prefer to feed home-prepared, or another type of food by feeding an antioxidant rich diet and supplementing.
Dr. Wynn, who practices alternative and complementary medicine and is the nutritionist at Georgia Veterinary Specialists in Sandy Springs, Georgia, says that antioxidants are the single most important treatment for her clients diagnosed with CDS, adding that “any older dog with clinical signs” is a good candidate. In addition to antioxidants, she uses acetyl-l-carnitine and alpha-lipoic acid. She also recommends herbs, preferring to treat with lemon balm, gingko, bacopa, and gotu cola. In her experience, she expects to see results “usually within two weeks.”
Dr. Wynn agrees, too, that for those people so inclined, “Use the diet you want, plus antioxidants and alpha-lipoic acid and acetyl-l-carnitine supplements.”
Behavioral Enrichment
Just as exciting is the research reported in Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, “Enhanced Spatial Ability in Aged Dogs Following Dietary and Behavioural Enrichment” (P.M.D. Nippak, J. Mendelson, B. Muggenburg, N.W. Milgram). This study tested aged dogs on a 3-DNMP test, and followed the results of dietary intervention and behavioral enrichment on the cognitive abilities of aged (and control) dogs in the trial for three years. As has been found in previous studies, dietary intervention in this study ” . . . led to rapid improvements in learning and within two weeks, significant improvements in spatial attention.” Over time, learning ability improved as well, while untreated dogs showed progressive decline.
In their test of the effect of behavioral enrichment on cognitive abilities, researchers reported that the dogs showed similar improvements to those receiving dietary intervention. Behavioral enrichment included increased exercise, environmental enrichment (kennel mate, toys alternated weekly), and a program of cognitive enrichment. Why? We can only guess, based on data from human studies that tell us:
• Physical activity is associated with improved cognitive function and lower risks of cognitive impairment and dementia.
• Enriched environments improve learning ability and ” can be sufficiently robust to reduce or eliminate age-dependent cognitive decline, particularly if intervention is instituted early in development.”
• Cognitive experience is linked to the absence of cognitive dysfunction, with an inverse relationship between educational level and rate of cognitive decline later in life; studies also show that patients with dementia demonstrated an improvement in cognitive performance following the implementation of special cognitive training protocols.”
Jonna Kanable, Certified Canine Rehab Practitioner (CCRP) with Atlanta Animal Rehab and Fitness in Roswell, Georgia, is a firm proponent of the exercise piece of the puzzle. “If you look at it from the common sense standpoint, if you increase blood flow to a particular organ, you’ll see more nerves firing and more synaptic involvement, and you should definitely increase cognitive ability at that point, too.
“In my own experience, I’ve had a lot of elderly canine clients for exercise (underwater treadmill) who were arthritic but also showed symptoms of CDS. They were prescribed exercise to help out with the arthritis, but we also saw their cognitive ability improve.”
Kanable also reported seeing dogs with “more peppiness, not that listless stare; they’re looking around more, and definitely seem to be more energetic afterward.” The more weekly sessions the dogs attended, the longer they “held” their treatments and demonstrated more voluntary movement at home instead of just lying or standing in one spot. Plus, she adds, “All the owners, every single one of them, said with exercise during the day they saw improvements (a decrease) in their dogs’ pacing behavior (a classic CDS symptom) at night.” Kanable believes daily exercise is the key. Even if it’s short periods of exercise – 10 to 15 minutes at a time, two to three times daily, for an elderly pet, depending on their level of conditioning – owners should expect to see better quality of sleep for their pets and better cognitive ability.
In addition to exercise, enriching your dog’s environment could include short outings to meet people and take in new sights and sounds; visits with other dog-friendly pets; mini-daily training sessions; a low key training class; and a weekly rotation of toys. Whole Dog Journal‘s Training Editor, Pat Miller, lists the following activities as a few of her favorites to keep your dog’s brain engaged:
• Shaping games, including “101 Things to Do With a Prop,” or directed shaping of a specific task; great because these can be played no matter how much a dog may be physically limited.
• Playing with interactive stuffed toys with “parts” the dog pulls out or apart.
Diet + Behavioral Enrichment = Best Formula
All these things are helpful for dogs with CDS, but what researchers discovered was that the combination treatment group – the one that received both dietary and behavioral interventions – consistently demonstrated greater benefit than groups receiving a sole treatment. Prior reports indicated that the “3-DNMP” task was too difficult for aged animals, yet this study showed aged dogs making fewer errors and responding more slowly (actually a good sign!) on these complex tasks.
While Dr. Wynn likes to start dogs on antioxidants at roughly nine years of age as “prevention,” she, too, is a big believer in the power of behavioral enrichment in combination with dietary intervention.
“I think that, as in humans, if you don’t use it, you lose it,” says Dr. Wynn. “Some older dogs are left at home with nothing to do but dwell on their anxieties – the gradual loss of hearing and sight, increasing stiffness and pain. I really think they dwell on these changes unless they are given other things to do and to think about, and are provided with adequate pain control. So we should manage their pain very aggressively with acupuncture, massage, herbs, chiropractic, physical therapy, and drugs, and provide them with small projects, or if possible, keep them in training. Training and exercise should never stop.”
Nutraceuticals
A variety of nutraceuticals intended to boost brain power are available. Studies that indicate that Juvenon®, available for dogs as “Vigorate,” is effective for canine CDS. Other available nutraceuticals include Memoractiv™, Geriactive®, Proneurozone™, and Senior Moment®. At this time, the efficacy of these products has not been proven through clinical trials or cognitive studies, although some users report seeing improvements in their dogs.
Pharmaceuticals
Currently, the only veterinary pharmaceutical approved by the FDA for treatment of CDS is Anipryl® (selegiline hydrochloride, L-deprenyl hydrochloride). This drug has also been used in the treatment of Alzheimer’s in humans.
Like any drug, Anipryl can cause adverse reactions and side effects, and should not be used in combination with drugs that include, but not limited to, phenylpropanolamine, ephedrine, other tricyclic antidepressants (Clomicalm), amitraz (Mitaban dips or Preventic collars), fluoxetine, mirtazapine ( a tetracyclic antidepressant used as an antiemetic and appetite stimulant, often in cancer patients), and tramadol. A thorough review of current medications and an in-depth discussion with your veterinarian are in order should you decide to take this route.
Other pharmaceuticals being studied, according to Dr. Landsberg, are those that enhance cerebral vascular circulation and drugs that increase alertness and regulate sleep-wake cycles. Antidepressants might also help (i.e., clomipramine), as might anti-inflammatory drugs and hormone replacement therapy, although clinical trials have yet to be run specifically for treatment of CDS with these interventions.
Prepare While Your Dog is Sharp!
Think your friend is not quite ready for the senior center? Well then, now is the perfect time to get serious about updating his diet and engaging him in an active lifestyle. Human epidemiologic studies suggest that maintaining an active lifestyle can protect against pathological aging. Participation in cognitively stimulating or physical activities that lead to improved function reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s. Reduced intellectual or physical activity in middle age has been shown to lead to a higher risk of Alzheimer’s later in life.
Since some treatments might actually slow the progression of disease rather than simply treat symptoms, it’s best to start treatment of senior dogs prior to onset of clinical signs. At the end of the day, it’s a win-win situation, with both of you benefitting from a change in lifestyle that incorporates an antioxidant-rich diet, exercise, and cognitive stimulation.
Lisa Rodier lives in Alpharetta, Georgia, with her husband and two Bouviers.
Any time we aspire to review the best products in a given category, we inadvertently miss some. Last month, we highlighted some interesting novel foods products that are manufactured outside the conventions of dry, canned, or raw frozen foods. Somehow, we failed to include a few interesting dehydrated products.
As we stated last month, dehydrated foods are light and compact, and easy to take on the road; just add water. Because most include raw, dried meat as the major protein (and indeed the major ingredient), they are frequently used as travel food for dogs who ordinarily eat a home-prepared or commercial raw meat diet.
Please note that some of these products are not formulated to meet the nutritional levels recommended by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). Its usually easy to identify these products by the omission of a complete and balanced claim on their labels. However, one product below makes a complete and balanced claim that lacks information about which AAFCO standard it met.
Most dogs can eat unbalanced or incomplete diets for a short time without adverse side effects. But such diets should be used only as a short-term solution, or by owners who are experienced with home-prepared or unconventional diets. Its advisable to develop a collaborative relationship with a vet who can provide educated oversight of alternative diets.
1. Learn to calculate grams of fat per 1,000 kcal rather than relying on fat percentages to identify low—fat foods.
2. Be sure your homemade low-fat diet includes the proper amount of calcium.
3. Avoid foods that are excessively low in protein, such as some prescription and weight—loss diets.
4. Avoid low-fat diets for dogs that are excessively low in fat, unless your dog is one of the few who requires it.
In previous issues we’ve talked about the causes, diagnosis, and treatment of pancreatitis. In this article we will discuss low-fat diets for dogs that can be used long term for dogs who cannot tolerate too much fat in their diet. These low-fat diets for dogs guidelines are meant for adult maintenance only, not for puppies or females who are pregnant or nursing, as their requirements are different.
Many dogs with chronic pancreatitis and those prone to recurrent attacks of acute pancreatitis do better when fed diets that are low in fat. Dogs with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) due to damage to the pancreas, or with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), may also respond favorably to a low-fat diet. Some dogs need low-fat dog foods to control hyperlipidemia (high levels of triglycerides in the blood) that can lead to pancreatitis.
Dogs with fat intolerance or mal-absorption may show signs such as diarrhea and weight loss, or steatorrhea (excessive excretion of fat in the stool, resulting in large, pale, greasy, and malodorous stools) in more severe cases. Fat malabsorption can also be associated with liver and gall bladder disease, intestinal infection (viral, bacterial, or parasites), lymphangiectasia, and other conditions. It’s a good idea to try a low-fat diet for any dog with digestive problems to see if he improves, though if no improvement is seen, it need not be continued.
How Much Fat is OK for dogs?
As a rule, veterinarians consider a diet with less than 10 percent fat on a dry matter basis (less than 17 percent of calories from fat) to be low fat, while diets with 10 to 15 percent fat (17 to 23 percent of calories) are considered to contain a moderate amount of fat. Foods with more than 20 percent fat are considered high-fat. A few dogs may need a very low-fat diet, especially if they have hyperlipidemia, or if they react to foods with higher levels of fat.
When comparing the percentage of fat in different foods, you must consider the food’s moisture content. The percentage of fat in wet food (canned or fresh) must be converted to dry matter (DM) for comparison, or to use the guidelines above. To do the conversion, first determine the amount of dry matter by subtracting the percentage of moisture from 100, then divide the percentage of fat by the result. For example, if a food is 75 percent moisture and 5 percent fat, divide 5 by 25 (100 – 75) to get 20 percent fat DM.
Percentages give you only a rough estimate of the actual amount of fat your dog will consume.
For a more exact figure, calculate the grams of fat per 1,000 kcal (kilocalories, the standard caloric measurement). For simplicity’s sake, I will call this GFK, though that is not a standard abbreviation. Veterinary nutritionists consider diets to be low-fat if they have less than 25 GFK (22.5 percent of calories from fat). This measurement can be used for any type of food: dry, canned, or fresh.
The ratio of fat to calories is more accurate than the percentage of fat in the diet, since the amount of food your dog needs to consume is determined by calories.
For example, a diet that is 10 percent fat with 4,000 kcal/kg provides 25 GFK, while a diet that is 8 percent fat with 2,700 kcal/kg provides 30 GFK.
In other words, for every 1,000 kcal your dog consumes, he would get 30 grams of fat from the food with 8 percent fat, but only 25 grams of fat from the food with 10 percent fat. See the sidebars on the following pages for instructions on how to easily calculate the GFK in various foods and combinations.
Here is a list of the percentages of fat that would translate to 25 grams per 1,000 kcal for foods with various calories:
Vegetarian diets are sometimes recommended to provide a low-fat diet. I do not advise feeding your dog a vegetarian diet, whether commercial or homemade. See “Have Dinner In,” (WDJ, April 2007) for more information on how such a diet can lead to serious nutritional deficiencies.
Some low-fat diets for dogs recipes are excessively low in fat, providing as little as 5 to 8 GFK, with as much as seven times more starches than meat. With very few exceptions, it’s not necessary to feed such an extremely low-fat diet to dogs recovering from or prone to pancreatitis or with other forms of fat intolerance, nor is such a diet likely to be nutritionally adequate, regardless of how many supplements you add. The NRC (National Research Council) recommends a minimum of 11.1 GFK for adult dogs (10 percent of calories from fat, or around 5 percent fat DM).
Low-fat diets for dogs that are too low in fat can lead to deficiencies of fat-soluble vitamins and problems with the skin and coat; they can also leave your dog feeling tired and hungry all the time. It’s important to feed adequate fat unless your dog absolutely cannot tolerate it. In that case, you can add easily digestible fat in the form of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), found in coconut oil and MCT oil (generally made from coconut and/or palm kernel oil). See last month’s article for more information on MCTs.
Not all dogs who have had acute pancreatitis, or who have EPI, need low-fat dog food. Many dogs who have experienced acute pancreatitis can return to a normal diet with no problem. A recent study showed that severe fat restriction (less than 13 percent of calories from fat, or less than 15 GFK) failed to show any significant benefit for dogs with EPI.
A case report of three German Shepherd Dogs with EPI demonstrated that a diet with 19 percent fat (on a dry matter basis) was well tolerated and resulted in weight gain, decreased diarrhea, and an improved coat (the diet used hydrolyzed protein, which is processed in such a way as to render the proteins nearly hypoallergenic). Diets with 43 percent calories from fat have been shown to promote better protein, fat, and carbohydrate digestibility compared to diets containing 18 and 27 percent calories from fat in dogs with experimental EPI.
Find the Amount of Fat in Commercial Dog Foods
You can calculate the grams of fat per 1,000 kcal in any food you find by using the following formula:
Fat percentage ÷ kcal per kg x l0,000 = grams of fat per 1,000 kcal (GFK)
For example, if a food is 10.0% fat and has 4,000 kcal/kg: 10.0 ÷ 4,000 x 10,000 = 25 GFK
For dry food, you need to know the kcal per kg, not per cup. a volume measure that cannot be converted to kcal/kg.
For canned food, if you know the number of calories and ounces per can. you can use this formula instead: Fat percentage x ounces per can ÷ kcal per can x 284 = GFK.
If you know the kcal per pound (rather than per kg) of any food. you can use this formula instead: Fat percentage ÷ kcal per pound x 4,540 = GFK.
See the table below for examples of higher-quality, lower-fat commercial foods (presented alphabetically) that you can choose from if your dog requires a low-fat diet. This is just a sampling; there are other brands that would be comparable. Most are senior or weight-loss formulas, but I have also included some adult formulas that are only moderately higher in fat. which will be fine for many dogs. For comparison. see the gastrointestinal prescription diets at the table‘s bottom; note that these are not high-quality foods.
The most important column in the table is “grams fat/1,000 kcal (GI-K)”. That value gives you the most accurate information about the amount of fat in each food, and can be used to compare different types of foods, Some varieties of food shown are lower in fat than most dogs need (less than 25 GFK); these can be combined with foods that have moderate amounts of hit to give you more feeding options.
Be careful to check the individual food you‘re considering feeding; just because one variety a company offers is low-fat doesn‘t mean they all are. Canidae Platinum Formula is an example of a food where the canned version has almost twice as much fat as the dry.
I’ve included three incomplete dehydrated pre-mixes. These must be mixed with fresh foods per instructions to provide a complete diet. The added foods will boost the protein level of the overall diet to an adequate level.
The fat percentages in the table are taken from the minimum values as shown on the label. The actual amount of fat will be somewhat higher than the guaranteed minimum. Some companies provide (on their websites) the actual “as fed” amount of fat found when the food was tested. Ranges of fat percentage and GFK are given for those foods, showing the difference between the computations using the minimum and actual amounts of fat.
For canned and raw foods, I also show the dry matter (DM) percentages of fat and protein in parentheses: dry foods have so little moisture that their DM percentages are only slightly higher than their “as f ” percentages. Use the DM percentages of wet foods when comparing the amounts of fat or protein to the amounts in dry foods.
BRAND
TYPE
KCAL/KG
% FAT
GRAMS OF FAT/1,000 KCAL (GFK)
% PROTEIN
CONVENTIONAL DRY AND CANNED FOODS
Blue Buffalo Chicken Dinner
can
1,213
4% (18.2%)
33
8.5% (38.6%)
Blue Buffalo Senior Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe
dry
3,398
8%
24
18%
Blue Buffalo Weight Control Chicken & Brown Rice
dry
3,100
6%
19
20%
California Natural Low Fat Rice & Chicken Meal Adult
dry
3,426
7%
20
21%
California Natural Low Fat Rice & Lamb Meal Adult
dry
3,373
7-7.1%
20-21
21%
Canidae Lamb Meal & Rice
dry
4,022
12.5%
31
21%
Canidae Platinum Formula
dry
3,328
8-8.5%
24-26
20%
Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul Adult Formula
can
1,139
4% (18.2%)
35
8% (36%)
Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul Adult Light
dry
3,088
6%
19
20%
Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul Senior Dog Formula
dry
3,364
12%
36
22%
Drs. Foster & Smith Dry Senior Dog Food Formula
dry
3,180
8-8.9%
25-28
23%
Eagle Pack Holistic Select Duck Meal & Oatmeal
dry
3,656
13-13.6%
36-37
23%
Eagle Pack Holistic Select Senior Care
dry
3,606
10-12.5%
28-35
26%
HealthWise Chicken Meal & Oatmeal Weight Control
dry
3,285
7-8%
21-24
20%
Innova Low Fat Adult
dry
3,340
7-7.9%
21-24
18%
Innova Senior Plus
dry
3,491
10-10.2%
29
24%
Wellness CORE Reduced Fat Formula
dry
3,270
9-10%
28-31
33%
Wellness Senior
can
1,064
3% (13.6%)
28
7% (32%)
Wellness Super5 Mix Complete Health Chicken
dry
3,570
12%
34
22%
Wellness Super5 Mix Just For Seniors
dry
3,220
10%
31
18%
DEHYDRATED DOG FOODS
Sojos Europa Grain-Free Dog Food Mix (incomplete)
dehyd.
3,469
6.5%
19
15%
Sojos European Style Dog Food Mix (incomplete)
dehyd.
3,738
6%
16
13%
The Honest Kitchen Preference (incomplete)
dehyd.
3,510
5%
14
12%
The Honest Kitchen Verve
dehyd.
3,770
7.5%
20
21%
RAW FOODS
Primal Pet Foods Venison Formula
frozen/ raw
1,689
4% (18.2%)
24
16% (73%)
PRESCRIPTION FOODS
Hill’s Prescription Diet i/d
dry
3,849
9-13%
23-34
22%
Purina Veterinary Diets EN Formula
can
1,194
3% (11.5%)
25
6.5% (25%)
Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Digestive Low Fat LF20
dry
3,410
4-6%
12-18
20%
Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Low Fat LF
can
1,148
1.5-2% (6.8%)
13-17
8% (32%)
Calculate the Amount of Fat in Fresh Foods
The table below has a sampling of foods that you can use to create a low-fat diet for your dog. You can check out other foods at nutritiondatacom, which allows you to save selected foods online and then use them to create recipes.
Once again, the most important column is the “grams fat/1,000 kcal,” which gives you the most accurate fat measurement for comparison purposes, Note that some of these foods, such as eggs, are high in fat, suitable only when combined in limited amounts with lower-fat foods. Several foods show a range that depends on how the food is prepared (raw, roasted, boiled, etc); see nutritiondatacom for details.
A simple formula similar to the one used for commercial foods will allow you to calculate the grams of fat per 1,000 kcal (GFK) in any individual food or recipe. All you need to know is the number of calories and the grams of fat (not the percentage) for each food or recipe. both of which can be found at nutritiondatacom.
grams of fat ÷ number of calories x 1,000 = grams of fat per 1,000 kcal (GFK)
Example: To calculate the grams of fat per 1,000 kcal in low-fat cottage cheese (using the numbers from the table below), divide 1.0 grams of fat by 72 kcal and multiply by 1,000.
1.0÷72x 1,000= 14 GFK
Remember that not everything you feed must be low-fat. Moderate-fat foods can be combined with very low-fat foods in order to create a low-fat meal. To calculate the GFK in any recipe, divide the total grams of fat in the recipe by its kcal and multiply by 1,000. For example, nutritiondatacom says that 8 ounces of cooked white rice combined with 8 ounces of roasted skinless dark meat chicken provide 223 grams of fat and 750 kcal. So, 22.3 ÷ 750 x 1,000 = 30 GFK
Low-Fat Commercial Diets
In order to calculate the amount of fat in commercial foods, you will need to know the kcal/kg. If this information is not provided on the label of the product you’re interested in, call or e-mail the company. Ask them to provide the actual amount of fat from a nutritional analysis if possible, rather than the guaranteed minimum amount that is shown on the label. (See above. You’ll see that the actual amount of fat in a food may be much higher than the “minimum” amount shown on the label.)
Most senior and light diets are relatively low in fat, but look for those that are not also low in protein. Low-protein diets should be avoided, as they can increase the risk of both hyperlipidemia and pancreatitis. Diets that are low in both protein and fat are mostly carbohydrates. Dogs get more nutritional value from protein than from carbohydrates, so it’s better to feed a diet that is higher in protein and therefore lower in carbohydrates. You can increase the amount of protein in the diet by adding high-protein, low-fat fresh foods, if needed. Moderate amounts of protein (up to 30 percent on a dry matter basis, or 23 percent of calories) are recommended for dogs recovering from acute pancreatitis.
Low-fat foods are inherently less palatable (not as tasty). If your dog is unwilling to eat low-fat foods, try adding some low- or moderate-fat canned or fresh foods, or low-sodium nonfat broth, to make the food more attractive. See the homemade diet section below for more information on foods to add. You can also combine low-fat food with moderate-fat food to keep fat at reasonable levels while increasing palatability.
Veterinarians debate about the amount of fiber that is best for dogs recovering from pancreatitis. Some dogs respond better to low-fiber diets (0.5 to 5 percent DM), using mixed soluble and insoluble fiber types, while others do better on diets that include moderate levels of insoluble fiber (10 to 15 percent). The difference may depend on what other gastrointestinal disorders the dog has. Low fiber is recommended for dogs in the initial recovery stages of acute pancreatitis, as fiber slows gastric emptying, which may prolong pancreatic stimulation.
Low-Fat Homemade Diets
To make a low-fat homemade diet, feed about half carbohydrates, and half low-fat meat, eggs, and dairy. The percentage of carbs can be decreased, and the amount of meat increased, if you use very low-fat cuts, or boil them to remove most of the fat.
The majority of the carbohydrates should be starchy foods, such as rice, oatmeal, barley, quinoa, pasta, potatoes, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and winter squashes (e.g., acorn and butternut), to supply low-fat calories. Other types of vegetables, such as broccoli, summer squash, and leafy greens can be included, but they supply fewer calories so they can’t replace the starchy carbs. You can also use a low-fat pre-mix designed to balance out a homemade diet, such as Preference from The Honest Kitchen.
The other half of the diet should be mostly low-fat meats, or meats cooked to remove much of their fat. Skinless chicken breast is very low in fat, but other parts can be used as long as you remove the skin and visible fat. Turkey, venison, goat, buffalo, and rabbit are low in fat, while lamb and pork are generally high in fat. Ground beef comes in varying levels of fat.
Whole eggs are relatively high in fat but are highly nutritious, so they should be included in the diet in limited amounts. A large egg has about 5 grams of fat, which is not a lot for a very large dog, but too much for smaller dogs. You can hard boil eggs and then feed just a portion each day, or split them between multiple dogs. Almost all of the fat and calories are in the yolks, so the whites alone can be added to increase protein without increasing fat, if needed. When feeding just egg whites, they should either be cooked or a B vitamin supplement should be added, as raw egg whites can deplete biotin over time when fed without the yolks.
Low-fat or nonfat dairy products are also good to include in the diet. Cottage cheese, plain yogurt, and kefir (a cultured milk product that is easy to make at home using low-fat or nonfat milk) are all good choices. Avoid other cheeses; even low-fat ones are high in fat (nonfat is okay).
Homemade diets should include organ meat, and most organs are low in fat. Liver and kidney should be fed in small amounts only, no more than 5 to 10 percent of the total diet (around 1 to 1.5 ounces organ meat per pound of food). Beef heart is quite low in fat and is nutritionally more of a muscle meat, so it can be fed in larger quantities, as long as your dog does well with it.
Fruits such as apple, banana, melon, papaya, and blueberries are fine to include in the diet in small amounts. Avoid avocados, which are high in fat.
Meat can be fed either raw or cooked. Certain types of cooking, such as boiling and skimming off the fat, can be used to reduce the amount of fat, while other types, such as frying in oil, will increase the amount of fat. You can buy less expensive, fattier cuts of meat if you remove the fat by cooking or trimming before feeding. Grains and starchy carbs should be cooked to improve their digestibility, while other vegetables must be either cooked or pureed in a food processor, juicer, or blender in order to be digestible by dogs (raw whole veggies are not harmful, but provide little nutritional value).
If you feed raw meaty bones, the amounts should be small, as these tend to be high in fat. Be sure to remove the skin and visible fat from poultry, and avoid fattier cuts such as lamb and pork necks and breast (riblets).
This is one case where “balance over time” does not apply. A high-fat meal can’t be balanced out later with a low-fat meal. Instead, combine foods so that no meals are high in fat. Some dogs prone to digestive problems do better with more fiber, while others do better with less. Many vegetables and fruits are high in fiber, as are beans and some grains, while white rice has little fiber. If you need to add fiber, you can use canned pumpkin or psyllium.
Balancing a Homemade Diet
You will need to add calcium to your homemade diet, unless you feed at least 20 percent raw meaty bones (RMBs, where the bone is consumed) or use a pre-mix designed to balance out a homemade diet.
Because you need to feed more food when feeding a low-fat diet in order to supply the same number of calories, it’s better to calculate the amount of calcium needed based on the calories your dog consumes rather than the weight of the food. The National Research Council recommends 1 gram (1,000 mg) of calcium per 1,000 kcal for adult dogs. Another way to compute the amount of calcium your dog needs is by body weight: the NRC recommends 30 mg calcium per pound of body weight (65 mg/kg) daily. Be sure to divide this daily amount by the number of meals you feed.
If you are feeding RMBs but they are less than 20 percent of the diet, adjust the amount of calcium proportionately. For example, if your diet is 10 percent RMBs, you would need to add only half as much calcium as the NRC recommends to balance out the rest of the diet.
You should also adjust the calcium amount if you feed part commercial and part homemade. There’s no need to add calcium if the homemade food is just a small percentage of the diet, say 25 percent or less, but if you feed more than that, calculate the amount of calcium based on the percentage of the diet that is made up of homemade food. For example, if you feed half commercial and half homemade, give half as much calcium as your dog would need based on body weight, or calculate the calories in the homemade portion and base the amount of calcium to add on that amount alone. You can use any form of calcium, such as calcium carbonate or calcium citrate. You can also use bone meal. Ground eggshells can be used to supply calcium. Rinse and dry the eggshells, then grind them in a clean coffee grinder or blender. One-half of a teaspoon of ground eggshell provides approximately 1,000 mg of elemental calcium.
Find the Amount of Fat in Combination Diets
If you feed a combination of different commercial foods, you’ll need to know the weights of each in order to calculate the GFK. Calculations are based on weight, not volume. The actual weight doesn’t matter, only the proportions.
If you feed the same amount of two or more foods, just add the values together before doing the calculation. For example, if you feed halflnnova Low Fat Adult (7.9% fat, 3,340 kcal/kg) and half lnnova Senior Plus (10.2% fat. 3,491 kcaI/kg), add the values for each together:
What if you feed different amounts of two different foods? Say you feed 3 ounces of canned Blue Buffalo Chicken Dinner (4.0% fat. 1,213 kcal/kg) plus I ounce of dry Blue Buffalo Weight Control food (6.0% fat, 3,100 kcal/kg); that’s a ratio 3:1. To do the calculatiOns. multiply each canned value by 3 and add the results to the values for the dry food:
3 x 4.0 = 12.0 ÷ 6.0 = 18.0 grams of fat
3 x 1.213 = 3.639 ÷ 3.100 = 6.739 kcal
18.0 ÷ 6,739 x 10,000 = 27 GFK
If you know the kcal/oz of a canned food, you’ll need to convert that to kcal/kg in order to compute the GFK of a combination of foods. To do so, divide the number of calories per can by the number of ounces in the can, then multiply by 35. For example, if a food has 360 kcal per 12 oz can, 360 ÷ 12 x 35 = 1,050 kcal/kg.
If you know the kcal/lb of any food, again you’ll need to convert that to kcal/kg in order to compute the GFK of a combination of foods. To do so, multiply the kcal/lb by 2.2. So, if a food has 1,200 kcal/lb: 1,200 x 2.2 = 2.640 kcal/kg.
Things get a little trickier when you combine fresh foods with commercial foods. To calculate the GFK in a combination of a commercial food and fresh foods, convert both to amounts per 100 kcal.
To convert kcal/kg (which is how the information is usually given for commercial foods) to kcal/100 grams, just divide by 10. Percentage of fat is the same as grams of fat per 100 grams, so no conversion is needed there. Use nutritiondata.com to get the grams of fat and kcal for 100 grams of any food or recipe (be sure to change the serving size to 100 grams).
If you feed half commercial food and half fresh food, just add the grams of fat per 100 grams of the fresh food to the percentage of fat in the commercial food. then divide by the combined total calories. Remember that calculations are based on weight. not volume.
For example: To calculate the GFK in a meal that is half Blue Buffalo Weight Control Chicken & Brown Rice and half broiled 95% lean ground beef (e.g., 4 ounces ofeach), add the values for the two together and use the same formula from above. Blue Buffan has 6.0 grams of fat (6.0% fat) and 310 kcal (3,100 divided by 10) per 100 grams. The ground beef has 6.5 grams of fat and 171 kcal per 100 grams.
This same formula will work no matter what combinations you use, as long as you adjust for weight ratios. For example, if you combine 4 ounces each of three different foods. you‘re feeding the same amount of each food. so just add the grams of fat and kcal for all three foods together.
If you use more of one food than another, then multiply the grams of fat and kcal for that food by the appropriate factor — for example, if you use three times as much of one food as another, multiply the grams of fat and kcal for that food by 3 and add it to the numbers for the other food.
For example: lnnova Senior Plus has 10.2 grams of fat (10.2% fat) and 349 kcal (3.491 divided by 10) per 100 grams. Low-fat cottage cheese has 1.0 grams of fat and 72 kcal per 100 grams. If you feed 6 oz lnnova Senior Plus and 3 oz low-fat cottage cheese. you‘re feeding twice as much of the lnnova as the cottage cheese, so multiply those values by 2 and combine them with the values for the cottage cheese:
10.2 x 2 = 20.4 ÷ 1.0 = 21.4 grams of fat
349 x 2 = 698 ÷ 72 = 770 kcal
21.4 ÷ 770 x 1,000 = 28 GFK
You can use the same formula for combining the values for raw meaty bones with other fresh foods, since nutritiondata.com doesn’t have information on RMBs. Enter your recipe for all the ingredients except the RMBs into nutritiondatacom and get the grams of fat and kcal for 100 grams of that recipe; again, make sure to change the serving size to 100 grams. Then combine it proportionately with the values for RMBs from the table above.
Once you get a feel for the diet you‘re feeding, there will be no need to continue to do the calculations. You’ll know about how much eg you can add, for example, without increasing fat too much — or you’ll know that you can add more egg when feeding a particularly low-fat meal.
Note that when we talk about a meal being half one thing and half another, we are talking about weight, not volume. A cup of dehydrated food will weigh less than a cup of ground beef, for example, so use the weight for the calculations. It‘s easy to weigh the food with an inexpensive kitchen or postage scale.
Dietary Supplements for Dogs
If the low-fat diets for dogs you feed lacks variety, especially organ meats, it’s best to add a supplement designed to balance out a homemade diet. Two supplements are designed to balance out high-carb diets: Balance IT Canine and Furoshnikov’s Formulas Vitamins & Minerals for Home-Cooked Dog Food.
When using Balance IT, calculate the amount of calcium your dog should have based on the formulas above, then figure how many scoops of the supplement are needed to supply that amount of calcium.
See Spot Live Longer Homemade Dinner Mixes can also be used, but give a little less than the recommended amount, since it’s made for diets that are higher in fat. Each of these supplements supplies calcium in the proper amounts, so there’s no need to add more.
Even if the low-fat diets for dogs you’re feeding has a lot of variety, it’s a good idea to add certain supplements. As discussed last month, digestive enzymes and probiotics may help to control the effects of chronic pancreatitis, and sometimes are helpful for other digestive problems. Fish body oil, such as salmon oil (not cod liver oil), and antioxidants, including vitamins C and E, beta carotene, and selenium, may help reduce the risk of acute pancreatitis. Dogs with chronic pancreatitis can be deficient in B vitamins, so a B-complex supplement is also recommended.
Diet versus Single Recipe
Many people feel more confident feeding low-fat diets for dogs that has been designed by a veterinary nutritionist, but these can have limitations. Most nutritionists provide the dog owner with a single recipe rather than a diet, and in fact caution against making any substitutions to the recipe in order to keep each meal “complete and balanced.”
The problem with this approach is that variety is key to good nutrition. Human nutritionists would never supply a single recipe and expect clients to eat that and only that for the rest of their lives. Instead, they give guidelines for which foods can be eaten in quantity, which in moderation, and which should be avoided or eaten in only very limited amounts. That’s what I’ve tried to do here. If you do use a recipe from a nutritionist long term, don’t be afraid to sometimes substitute other foods in the same category as those used in the recipe if they have similar amounts of fat (as long as your dog does not have severe digestive problems or food allergies that require a very limited diet).
The other problem with these recipes is that often they are excessively high in carbohydrates, with minimal amounts of protein, and rely on supplements to provide many nutrients. Carbohydrates are needed to supply low-fat calories for dogs who require a low-fat diet, but they provide less nutritional value than animal products such as meat, eggs, and dairy. Diets that are high in carbohydrates must rely on synthetic supplements to supply much of the nutrition that your dog needs.
A diet that contains more animal products and variety will meet more of your dog’s nutritional needs naturally, without requiring a complete vitamin-mineral supplement. Also, diets that rely on supplements may lack nutrients as yet unidentified as necessary or beneficial, as was the case with taurine before it was discovered that a deficiency leads to heart disease in cats (and some dog breeds as well). Taurine is one example of a nutrient that is found in meat, but not plant products.
Low-Fat Treats
If your dog cannot handle much fat in his diet, then you’ll also need to use low-fat treats. Carrot, apple, and banana pieces or green beans can be used, if your dog likes them. Many people buy or make dried sweet potato slices for dogs prone to pancreatitis. Rice cakes are another option.
Many commercial treats are low in fat. Check the fat percentage on the label of dry treats to get an idea of how much fat they contain; most dry treats with 8 percent or less of fat should be fine. Moist treats are harder to calculate, since you must either convert the fat percentage to dry matter, or know the number of calories so that you can use one of the formulas above in order to determine the actual amount of fat (most treat labels do not provide information about calories).
Some dehydrated or freeze-dried lung and other meats are low in fat. Avoid using dehydrated chicken jerky, though, as most are imported from China (check the small print carefully), and the AVMA and FDA have warned that these treats have been linked to kidney failure in dogs, though no cause has yet been found. Also avoid using pieces of cheese, hot dogs, lunch meats (even those marked low fat), and other fatty foods as treats.
You can create your own dehydrated treats by drying thin slices of low-fat meat in a dehydrator or an oven set to a very low temperature. Sprinkle with garlic powder or nonfat Parmesan cheese before drying to make them even more enticing. Anise is another flavor that dogs really like. Try boiling beef heart in water with a couple of teaspoons of anise seed powder, then cut into small pieces to use as treats.
Use low-fat or nonfat yogurt in place of peanut butter or cheese for stuffing Kongs. Put them in the freezer to create a frozen yogurt treat that will last a long time.
Some chews, such as bully sticks (also called pizzles), are low in fat, while others, such as dried trachea and pig ears, are quite a bit higher. Dried tendons appear to be low in fat, but may be greasy, so use your own judgment. Similar products from different manufacturers may vary in fat content, so pay attention both to the amount of fat listed on the label and to the feel of the chew. Marrow bones are filled with fat and should be avoided. Knuckle bones also appear to be too high in fat to use safely.
Two low-fat chews that last a long time are Himalayan dog chews, which are made from yak and cow milk and are less than one percent fat, and deer antlers, such as those marketed by Lucky Buck. Mindy Fenton, who owns K9 Raw Diet, carries these and other low-fat chews, and has helped many customers whose dogs are prone to pancreatitis to find chews that work for them.
I found several anecdotal reports of rawhide chews, particularly those that were imported, causing acute pancreatitis in dogs, but could find no studies or warnings from veterinarians or other reliable sources on this topic. Some people fear that the act of chewing for long periods may overstimulate the pancreas and cause problems for some dogs, but I could find no supporting evidence. A veterinary pancreatitis specialist confirmed that he feels chewing is not a problem as long as the chews are not high in fat (such as pig ears). Keep an eye on your dog and discontinue giving chews if they appear to cause any discomfort.
Do What Works
Remember that the bottom line is always to do what works for your dog. Numbers tell you only so much, and nutritional analyses for both commercial and fresh foods may vary from what you’re actually feeding.
If your dog continues to have problems, try different foods to see if he tolerates some better than others. If possible, feed frequent small meals, which are easier to digest. Experiment with supplements to find those that seem to help your dog. Keep a journal of what you feed, including treats and supplements, to help you see patterns and identify ingredients that might cause problems for your dog.
If digestive disorders continue no matter what you feed, work with your vet to look for other causes, such as intestinal infection, parasites, or food allergies that may be an underlying factor.
Mary Straus does research on canine health and nutrition topics as an avocation. She is the owner of the DogAware.com website. She lives near San Francisco with her almost 17-year-old dog, Piglet.
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For some reason the blinking red light on my phone that signals “message waiting” always seems ominous to me. Last Thursday, my wariness was reinforced: my friend Cindy had left a frantic message. Her dog was lost.
“Hattie’s missing!” I could hear the panic in her voice. “I was walking her at Antietam Battlefield last night, the leash came off her collar, and she took off after a deer!” Bad news. In many parts of the country, dogs who chase wildlife or livestock can be shot.
There was more bad news as Cindy’s message continued. “I have to leave town today for a work-related retreat. I have people looking for her, but if there’s anything you can do?”
I called Cindy back immediately. She had already placed a “lost dog” ad in the paper for her 18-month-old, wheaten-colored, Irish Wolfhound-mix. She had put up posters in the area where Hattie was lost, as well as on the five-mile route between the park and her house in Sharpsburg. She had notified the only shelter in the county that handles stray dogs. She left one of her sweatshirts in the spot where Hattie went missing. And she had people who knew Hattie well – staff from the doggie daycare facility she visited regularly – looking for her. There wasn’t much more I could do. I gave her contact information for a person in Maryland who has a dog trained to find missing pets, and suggested setting a humane dog trap. And praying.
It was worrisome that Hattie had been out all night on her own and hadn’t been spotted by anyone. She was a large, light-colored, well-socialized dog, microchipped, and wearing a collar with tags. Someone should have found her already.
Thanks in part to my 20 years working at a California animal shelter, when an animal goes missing I tend to immediately imagine the worst-case scenarios. Lost dogs can be hit and killed (or badly injured) by cars; shot if suspected of chasing livestock or wildlife; poisoned; caught in a leghold trap; attacked by wild animals; or picked up by someone who wants to keep her themselves, or by someone with the misguided idea that anyone who loses a dog is irresponsible and shouldn’t get her back. Of course, what you hope is that your dog is picked up by someone who returns her to you or to a local animal shelter.
Our best hope was that Hattie was still wandering around the cornfields at the Battlefield, trying to find her way home. If someone had found her, they should have already called.
Before your dog gets lost
I fervently hope you never find yourself in the position of looking for your missing dog. But just in case, there are a number of things you can do in advance to maximize your success in finding her.
• Identification: For starters, make sure your dog is wearing a collar with lots of identification. Tags should include both a current dog license (if required where you live) and an ID tag with up-to-date owner information and at least two, preferably three, contact numbers. You can also order collars that have your phone number and the dog’s name stitched into the collar. Well-fitted collars are less likely to fall off than tags.</p>
Finally, tattoos and microchips are excellent “back-up” ID systems. Be sure you keep owner information current with those registries as well – if you’ve moved, they need to know. (For more information about identification methods, see Whole Dog Journal August 2004.)
• Shelters: There is only one shelter in my county that handles stray dogs. That makes it relatively easy to know where to look for a lost dog. In some jurisdictions there are several, and your dog could end up in any of them if she wanders or is transported over county or city lines.
Before your dog gets lost, find and visit every shelter in your area and ask how long they hold stray dogs, so you know where they are and how often you have to visit. Ask if they keep records of dogs found dead along the road, or if someone else does – perhaps the Department of Public Works. Then keep a list by your phone of the addresses, telephone numbers, and holding times of each shelter, so you don’t have to look them up in a panic.
• Training: A solid, frequently practiced recall is a must if you plan to take your dog off-leash anywhere that’s unfenced. But even if you don’t intend to let your dog run off-leash, dogs frequently get lost when stuff happens – stuff like Hattie’s equipment failure, the board that came loose on our fence last July, earthquakes and fires, doors and gates left open, and car accidents.
I highly recommend teaching every dog an emergency recall to a special cue that will carry through forests and over cornfields. We have a “storm whistle” – available online and at camping supply outlets – that is so shrill and loud I have to cover my ears when I blow it. Teach your dog that the sound means “chicken!” (or whatever your canine pal likes best) and you’ll have an invaluable tool for those emergencies.
• Take several photos of your dog now. Make a stack of emergency fliers with her photo and your contact information to hand out if she gets lost. Offer a reward on the flier. Stash them in a safe place for future use. With luck, you’ll never need them.
• Check your perimeter fence regularly to be sure it’s secure.
• Put locks on yard gates to avoid accidental release – and keep them locked.
• Google “lost dog” and bookmark websites that offer online lost pet announcements.
• See www.missingpetpartnership.org and find a trained “pet detective” near you. These are people with dogs who are specially trained to search (using their keen sense of smell) for lost dogs. Talk to the lost pet specialist, find out what services she offers, and put her contact information on your shelter list by your phone so you can reach her easily if you ever need her.
After your dog gets lost
The worst has happened: Your dog has gone missing. Don’t panic! It can happen to any of us. Our Scottie found the loose board on the fence late one evening last July and slipped out into the darkness. I envisioned searching through the woods for him all night as he pursued nocturnal critters. Fortunately, Dubhy came when I called him. Of course, the sooner you spring into action, the better your chances of recovering your dog quickly. So don’t panic, but do get busy.
Unless you know your dog was lost away from home, first, go looking on your own property. Dogs sometimes get trapped in a culvert, stuck in a hole or crawl space, closed in the basement, the clothes dryer, an upstairs bedroom, or a stall in the barn. Take a flashlight, so you can look in holes. Look behind, under, and inside everything that could possibly hide a dog.
If you don’t find her on your own property, or you know for sure she’s not there because someone saw her dash out the door and down the street, search your neighborhood. Take your emergency whistle, treats, a flashlight, and your dog’s favorite squeaky toy or anything else that makes a noise she’s familiar with. If she has a favorite canine friend, take him, too. Grab your emergency fliers to hand out to people you see while you search. Go to every home in the area, talk to the residents, and leave a flier with them. If no one is home, leave a flier on the door.
Talk to everyone you meet on the street, and give them fliers. Children, mail carriers, meter readers, delivery people, and school bus drivers are especially helpful. Walk the streets calling your dog, occasionally blowing the whistle, rattling a dog cookie box, squeaking her squeaky toy. Call out her favorite phrases, like, “Want to go for a ride?” or “Cookies!” Stop occasionally and be quiet, to see if you can hear your dog answering you. If she’s trapped somewhere, she may bark, or whine to try to get your attention. Most lost dogs can be found within the first few hours when the owner makes a concerted effort.
If you don’t find her within an hour, it’s time for the next level of attack. Call a lost pet specialist. Her dog will have a better chance of finding yours if there’s a fresh scent trail. Call the shelters to see if anyone’s reported finding your dog, or brought her in.
Make large, fluorescent posters and post them everywhere. If possible, put a large color photo of your dog on each poster, and make sure your phone number is large enough to be seen and dialed from a passerby’s car; you want to make it easy for someone to call you as quickly as possible if they’ve spotted your dog as they were driving. Consider creating fliers in a second language if there is a concentration of non-English speakers in your area. Offer a reward.
Call the newspapers and place “lost dog” ads. Call all the vet hospitals in the area, to see if anyone has brought in an injured dog, as well as to put the staff on the alert if someone should happen to come in for vaccinations or a check-up of their “new” dog – who just happens to fit your dog’s description. Deliver fliers with photos to all the vet hospitals and shelters. Look through each shelter’s kennels; your description of your dog may differ from theirs, and if you rely on a phone call, they could miss her.
Before you end your search for the day, especially if your dog went missing in unfamiliar territory, leave an article of your clothing and a bowl of her food in a sheltered placed near where she was last seen. You may even choose to camp out in a sleeping bag. You probably aren’t going to sleep well anyway.
Day two
On the second day, if you haven’t already, put a pet detective to work. Her dog should be able to at least help you focus your search on the most likely area, where your dog’s scent is strongest and freshest. She may also be able to tell you that your dog’s scent stops abruptly along the side of a road – perhaps a clue that someone picked her up. Her dog should also be able to find evidence – hair, perhaps blood – if the trail stops because your dog was hit by a car, in which case you’ll redouble your efforts to find your injured dog in the immediate area, hopefully still alive and in time to get veterinary care.
If the pet detective dog tells you there’s no fresh scent in the area, then you know to concentrate your efforts at shelters and around the community.
How long should you look? Start immediately and keep looking – for weeks and months if necessary. If someone else is keeping her, someone will see her sooner or later. If she’s roaming, someone will spot her and, one would hope, let you know, even if they can’t catch her.
If you have a strong connection to your dog you’ll find a way to do the impossible – visiting all the shelters, posting fliers, working with a pet detective, checking with rescue groups and internet sites – until you find your dog. If you are easily discouraged, your chances of finding your missing pal plummet dramatically. Don’t give up; she’s counting on you to bring her back home.
Tragic ending
The vast majority of lost dog stories have happy endings. But sometimes the end of the story is tragic. Cindy came home from her work commitment on Sunday afternoon and immediately went searching for Hattie. I got another red-flashing-light phone message from her late Sunday.
“I found Hattie.” Cindy’s voice on the recording trembled with emotion. “She’s dead.”
Cindy found her dog’s body not far from the place she had last seen her. She believes Hattie was shot with a high-powered rifle, possibly illegally on federal property and dragged back to the place Cindy found her, probably on the first night she was lost. Cindy, of course, was grief stricken and guilt-ridden.
If your story doesn’t have a happy ending, at least you will know you did everything possible to find your missing companion. Like Cindy, you will grieve, and perhaps blame yourself for allowing it to happen, or blame anyone else who might have contributed to her escape.
People who don’t understand the depths of your love for your dog will tell you to get over it – that she was “just a dog.” But you’ll know better. They are not just dogs. They are our beloved friends, family members, and part of our hearts. It’s okay to grieve, as long and as hard as you need to. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
Pat Miller, CPDT, is Whole Dog Journal’s Training Editor. Miller lives in Hagerstown, 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 the brand-new Play with Your Dog.
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Autumn seems to be having a positive effect on the internal clock of Otto, our new dog, helping him get in synch with a schedule that more closely resembles the one we follow – you know, sleeping at night and being active during the day? More frequently, I am enjoying the pleasure of being woken by the light of day, rather than Otto’s middle-of-the-night barking at feral cats, or his pre-dawn gallops back and forth past my bedroom window with a toy dangling from his mouth.
As I write this, in early October, his preference is still to sleep outdoors, even though the nighttime temperatures are dropping. He made an exception on the night of our first rain since last spring. Though he still sometimes curls up in the dirt, more and more, he’s been sleeping in a doorless crate on our back deck. It’s well protected from the weather – but when the rain started falling hard, he wanted to come into the house.
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I let him in, of course, and put a wooly (synthetic; he chews wool) mat (no padding; he chews foam) on the kitchen floor for him to lie on. I sincerely hoped he’d sleep on it. Past attempts to keep him in the house at night resulted in restless nights for the whole family, as he paced and whined and dropped toys loudly on the floors.
Maybe he was tired by the long walk we took in the rain before darkness fell, or perhaps it was the sudden change in the weather that curbed his usual interest in nighttime activities, but he lay quietly on the mat throughout the evening as we ate dinner and watched a movie. And he slept there until about 4 am! That’s when he padded into our bedroom to nudge my arm and let me know he was ready to greet the day. I could just barely make out his gleaming eyes and wagging tail.
It was quiet; the rain had stopped. I got up and tip-toed across the cold floor to open the sliding door to the backyard, intending to let him out and go right back to my warm bed. But when the door opened, Otto and I both lifted our noses at the intoxicating scent of the damp earth. And we both stepped out onto the deck, which was blanketed by wet, newly fallen leaves. We stood there for a long while, transfixed by the rich, earthy aroma, the brightness of the stars, and the distant sound of geese calling as they flew past, far overhead.
Then we both shivered – me from the cold, and him from excitement. “Have fun!” I whispered, as he trotted off to make his rounds. I was drifting back to sleep when I heard his first galloping trip past the bedroom window. He was play-growling and rhythmically squeaking a toy as he ran. I recognized its pitch – one of the stuffed bees from his “three bees in a hive” interactive toy.
I smiled to myself. And then I realized: I enjoy everything more with a dog in my life again!
The commercial pet food industry has enjoyed strong growth in the past two decades and spectacular growth in the past five years. According to Euromonitor International, an international market intelligence provider, sales of pet food in the U.S. exceeded $15 billion in 2007 up from $12 billion in 2002.
Some of this growth is due to an increase in the number of pets in the U.S. (Euromonitor estimates that there were 67 million dogs in the U.S. in 2007, 7 million more than in 2002.) But not all of the industry’s growth can be directly correlated to the increase in the number of canine and feline mouths to feed.
The pet food industry, like the human food industry, has become increasingly savvy about marketing essentially, selling more pet food than is actually needed. And empires are being built from the innovation of products that fill previously unnecessary needs. How did our dogs survive before they had special diets for seniors, large-breeds, small breeds, dogs of specific breeds? (Really? A food just for Yorkshire Terriers?)
Despite my skeptical tone, I’ve welcomed some of the industry’s advances, such as the increasing use of organic and other high-quality ingredients.
More recently, pet food manufacturing has seen a lot of innovation, as a growing number of entrepreneurs, thinking outside the conventional bags of dry food and cans of wet food, have developed entirely new ways to deliver high-quality nutrition to our dogs. Some of these developments make the products particularly useful for certain applications: such as dog food pre-mixes, which are formulated to contain everything a complete and balanced diet contains except for the fresh meat, which you provide. These are great for the person who wants to feed fresh, home-prepared food, but is worried about balancing the diet. Another convenient option are dehydrated foods, which are light and compact, and easy to take on the road; just add water!
Please note that some of these products are not formulated to meet the nutritional levels recommended by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). It’s easy to identify these products by the omission of a complete and balanced claim on their labels. In our opinion, the only people who should feed these products to their dogs are experienced, knowledgeable owners who would recognize the signs of nutritional deficiencies, or who have a close, collaborative relationship with a veterinarian who can provide educated oversight of such a feeding plan. For more on this topic, see Foods for Intermittent or Supplemental Use, or That Lack a Claim, on the next page.
Let’s look at some of these manufacturing innovations, and some of the products in each category.
Dog food pre-mixes
Pre-mixes are probably the oldest of the dog food innovations; Sojourner Farms, probably the oldest maker of dog food pre-mixes, was launched in 1985. The most basic concept behind the products in this category is just add meat (and water). The products generally resemble muesli.
As stated earlier, some companies guarantee that the addition of a specified amount of fresh, wholesome meat results in a diet that is complete and balanced (as per the AAFCO guidelines). Even without the complete and balanced statement, these products would be identifiable by one feature of their ingredients list: they generally contain added minerals; mineral levels are difficult to ensure through food sources alone.
Most of the pre-mix products contain grain; a notable exception is Sojourner Farm’s Europa Grain-Free Dog Food Mix, which contains dried vegetables, fruits, eggs, herbs, and a few other ingredients. Some contain whole grains that require cooking or soaking; in others, the grains are ground, and require only the addition of water. All of the products include dried vegetables, fruits, and/or herbs; some require the addition of some sort of healthy oil, in addition to meat and water. Some utilize organic ingredients.
All of these products may appear to be expensive, especially considering that you also have to buy fresh meat to complete the diet. However, because they contain so little water, when you calculate the cost of the reconstituted diet, their prices are generally competitive with other premium, healthy diets.
Dehydrated diets
Two types of dehydrated canine diets have emerged. The first are powdery products made by The Honest Kitchen (and no one else we are aware of); the second resemble freeze-dried hamburgers.
The Honest Kitchen, a San Diego-based company, seems to have single-handedly developed the concept of complete and balanced diets comprised entirely of dehydrated human foods, mixed together in a human food manufacturing facility. For most of its products, dried, ground meats and grains are mixed together with dried vegetables, fruits, and herbs; a 100 percent human food grade vitamin/mineral supplement is added to complete the diet to AAFCOs recommended nutrient levels.
With the exception of one formula, The Honest Kitchen’s diets require only the addition of water and stirring. However, the company’s founder, Lucy Postins, encourages owners to feel free to add fresh foods, such as vegetables and dairy products, to provide additional variety to the dog’s diet.
The company’s first product was a beef-based diet with organic grains, but The Honest Kitchen now offers six different canine diets, including five ‘complete and balanced’ varieties; one (Preference) that requires the addition of meat (like the pre-mixes discussed previously); and three grain-free varieties. We’ve toured The Honest Kitchen’s manufacturing facility, admired what we saw, and love these products.
A handful of companies offer a freeze-dried or dehydrated versions of their frozen diets. In most of these products, ground meat is mixed with other ingredients; then, instead of being frozen, the product has its moisture removed. The products are then contained in air-tight packages. Dog owners simply add water, wait, and feed.
These products are very popular with owners who feed their dogs raw diets at home, but prefer an easy-to-transport and prepare diet while traveling. All of the products we are aware of in this category are complete and balanced diets.
Dog food rolls
We have to admit that this is our least-favorite type of novel canine diet and that some of our readers swear that these products are the only type of foods that their finicky dogs will eat. Having nursed a very thin, senior dog who had almost no appetite through his final years on earth, we can appreciate that there is a time and a place for these foods. These products are also used by many positive trainers as training treats. Their texture, aroma, and taste (apparently) make them a high-value treat for most dogs.
All of the dog food roll products that we are aware of are complete and balanced diets. They generally contain a high percentage of animal protein including animal muscle tissue (including heart) and lungs, livers, kidneys, and spleens. Both of the two largest makers of these products list these organs by name and by species. This lends the impression that these are not the low-cost, bottom-of-the-barrel by-products found in bargain pet foods.
The products contain a lower percentage of moisture than conventional wet foods; they average about 40-43 percent moisture. This is closer to the moisture levels found in fresh meat; unlike with many canned foods, water is not needed for processing, and so none is added.
Everyone wonders: How can products that contain so much meat be stored at room temperature for up to a year, and remain wholesome? Preservatives are used, but the manufacturing process and the oxygen-free product packaging are key. Like canned foods, rolled products are actually cooked and sterilized of bacteria in the plastic packaging. Once the package is sliced open, the product must be kept refrigerated, and should be consumed within a few days.
Fresh-chilled
This is the newest type of novel canine diet to the marketplace. While frozen canine diets (raw and cooked) have been available for many years, only recently did a company roll out a complete and balanced fresh diet in the U.S. Interestingly, this sort of diet is highly popular in Australia, where the category comprises 20 percent of all the pet food sold.
There is only one company we are aware of that offers this type of diet here in the U.S.: the appropriately named Freshpet. The company was launched in 2006, and has reportedly experienced phenomenal growth, mostly through supermarket sales. The products contain no preservatives, are never frozen, and have a relatively short shelf life 13 weeks from manufacture to declared best by date.
Fresh-chilled products are by far the most expensive of the novel foods described here, but their availability in mainstream grocery stores, in refrigerator cases that are in close proximity to prepared human food products, seem to increase their attractiveness to many owners. The quality of the ingredients, the lack of preservatives, and the high inclusion of meat (the company claims the products are 70 percent meat), are terrific. We can’t imagine being able to afford to feed these products to anything but a very small dog, or a convalescing dog for a short period of time, however.
Fredericksburg, Virginia, trainer Laurie Williams tried to use her appearance on CBS’s “Greatest American Dog” to promote positive training.
How many of you would put your dog and yourself at the mercy of a network TV “reality” show, competing against other dogs and dog owners for more than six weeks? Keep in mind that the show’s producers will do their best to foment discomfort and personal conflict between yourself and your fellow contestants. Also, while your every moment will be filmed, only a highly edited and manipulated version of what actually happened will be broadcast to a national audience, who will be encouraged to share their opinions with other dog owners about you, your dog, your dog training skills, and your most unguarded facial expressions and utterances. I don’t think I would do it!
In my opinion, all of the 12 people who actually put themselves through this very experience last spring and summer on CBS’s “Greatest American Dog,” were very brave. True, they were competing for a prize of $250,000, and some hoped to use the exposure to promote their various careers; there was potential for some compensation to offset the risk of being made to look ridiculous.
In my opinion, though, the most admirable contestant was Laurie Williams, CPDT, a professional dog trainer from Fredericksburg, Virginia, who went on the show with her six-year-old Maltese, Andrew.
During the final episode, broadcast on September 11, the judges questioned the final three contestants about their motivation for taking part in the competition and what they had gotten out of the experience. Williams answered that her motivations for being on the show included promoting positive, dog-friendly training, and showing what well-trained small dogs are capable of. She added that she felt that she and Andrew had succeeded in realizing those goals.
The three judges on the show agreed. “Laurie, you and Andrew have so much love and respect for each other. You define what dog ownership is all about,” said judge Victoria Stilwell. Another judge, Allan Reznik, commented, “Andrew loves to work. I’ve never seen a dog work so happily, and that joy reflects the loving nature of your relationship and of your work ethic.” The final judge on the show, Wendy Diamond, said, “Andrew is the most incredible Maltese we have ever witnessed.”
Despite these enthusiasms, the judges selected another dog/owner pair as the winners of the “Greatest American Dog” title; Williams finished the competition in second place. Williams remains proud of her accomplishments on the show. “We definitely walked out of there with our heads held very high,” she says.
I interviewed Williams shortly after the conclusion of the show, to talk about her experiences in the competition, the opportunity she had to demonstrate dog-friendly training to a mass audience, and about her professional observations about the advantages of positive-only dog training techniques. You don’t have to have seen the show to appreciate her comments about the benefits of a strong, fear-free relationship with your dog.
WDJ: Laurie, it’s great to talk to you! Please accept my congratulations and condolences on your second-place finish. Of course, I wanted you to win!
LW: Thank you. I did, too!
WDJ: You got as close to winning as possible. Unfortunately, there was no way of guessing which way the final judging was going to go. It wasn’t at all clear what the judges criteria were.
LW: Yes, that was disappointing. But I’m very proud of Andrew. He did everything I asked him to do and more. And I’ve received hundreds of letters and e-mails from people who appreciated his performance.
WDJ: During the show’s run, I was unsure as to whether you or any of the other contestants were professional trainers. The biography provided by the show indicated you were a dog daycare owner.
LW: I’m not sure why they did that. I am a dog daycare owner, but I’m also a Certified Pet Dog Trainer (CPDT). I opened my business, Pup N Iron, in Fredericksburg, Virginia, in 2005. It is primarily a training facility and dog daycare, but we also have a therapy pool and offer rehab. I used to be a personal fitness trainer and a gym manager, and I would always joke around with my colleagues that one day I was going to open a dog gym and call it Pup N Iron. They would all laugh at me, but I got the last laugh, because I have realized my dream.
WDJ: Were you the only professional trainer on the show?
LW: I wasn’t. Teresa Hanula is also a CPDT, although the show identified her only as a pet sitter. She has a dog training and a pet-sitting business. Two of the other five finalists, Bill McFarlin and J.D. Platt, also have extensive dog training experience.
WDJ: Which makes it even more strange that the winner, Travis Brorsen, was quite up-front in saying he had no dog training experience whatsoever.
LW: He did make a lot of progress over the course of the show, though. He was smart enough to spend a lot of time learning from those of us who had a lot of experience, and asking a lot of questions. And he really did have a nice relationship with his dog. Plus, they were very appealing; they had “that look,” the stereotypical all-American boy from the Midwest and his floppy-eared young Boxer.
WDJ: I had a bad feeling about the show from the way it was originally described, but as a viewer, I was drawn in from the beginning. I have to say, though, that I was frustrated throughout the series because the technical aspects of training were very rarely discussed. And only in the final episode did we hear anyone say, “positive, dog-friendly training.” I could have kissed the TV when I heard you use that phrase.
LW: It was even more frustrating for me, because getting those words on TV was definitely part of my whole agenda for being on the show. I told [the producers] going in that that’s what I wanted to show. I wanted to show them the fantastic relationship I have with my dog, which was created entirely through positive training.
WDJ: I was surprised by the selection of the participants on the show. It seemed as though the producers wanted some well-trained dogs, but not all well-trained dogs on the show.
LW: That surprised me, too. From the way the concept of the show was described to me, I thought it was going to focus on the relationships between dogs and owners and that the whole objective was to test who had the strongest and best relationship. I wasn’t envisioning a lot of physical challenges; I thought it would be more about having a well-behaved dog and one you’re in sync with. That’s one of the reasons I was shocked when I saw very young dogs and completely untrained dogs after the selections were made.
Four of the five finalists had extensive dog training experience, except for the winner, Travis Brorsen (far right). From left, Laurie Williams and Andrew; Bill McFarlin and Star; J.D. Platt and Galaxy; and Teresa Hanula and Leroy. Photo courtesy of CBS.
At the end, the judges talked about who was the most improved. I thought, Gee, I wish I knew at the beginning they wanted to see the dog’s progression. I also have a young Dalmatian I could have brought if that’s what they wanted! But, in retrospect, I brought exactly the right dog, maybe not to “win” by the judges’ standard, but to be a champion for my cause. I’m getting lots of e-mails from people who really appreciated what Andrew and I have, and who recognized the depth of our relationship.
WDJ: Did the show’s producers provide any instruction to those who needed help getting their dogs to complete the challenges?
LW: They did have trainers studio trainers who do things completely differently from the way I do them. Generally, they didn’t seem concerned with how to teach a dog to do something in a way that preserves his relationship with them, or in a way that will prove to be a positive experience for the dog in the long run. Studio trainers just want to get the dog to “get the shot” as fast as possible. Learning theory and principles of animal behavior was not the focal point.
Also, some of the participants were advised to get some help with training their dogs before the show started. The producers even sent lists of trainers to the contestants with a suggestion that we have some dog training “cram sessions” before we got to the show. I know that Travis (the eventual winner of the show) was one of the people who spent a bunch of time with a dog trainer, a week or two before the show started filming.
Here’s an odd thing: They made it clear from the beginning that all training styles would be welcome. And not all of the trainers on their list were positive trainers.
But when we got there, and learned that Victoria Stilwell [a positive trainer from Britain, and star of a cable TV show called It’s Me or the Dog!] was one of the judges, it was clear that at least some of the judging would be biased toward positive techniques. Which was fine with me; I’m completely committed to positive training. It was not especially fair to the people who use other types of training methods. J.D., in particular, got a raw deal; even though nobody ever saw him do anything harsh to his dog, Galaxy, he frequently described himself as an “old-school dog trainer,” and he got slammed for that on the show. If that’s not a set-up, I don’t know what is.
WDJ: I wanted to ask you about J.D. and his dog. It seems to me that you have a very strong relationship with Andrew, and clearly, nothing makes him happier than to work with you. J.D. also seems to have a strong relationship with Galaxy but I thought I could see a difference between the bond between you and Andrew and the one between J.D. and Galaxy. She’s a very well-trained dog, but there were moments when her body language told me that she had some reservations about him, that she had been trained with force-based methods at some point. It sometimes seemed as if she complied with his requests because she was at least conscious of the potential for an unpleasant consequence.
The judges said several times that Galaxy seemed “robot-like.” I think they were responding to the same things I was seeing but I have had a hard time figuring out what, exactly, it was about her that lent these impressions. I mean, it’s not like she cowered from him or anything like that. I finally decided that it’s her stillness, that body language that says, “Maybe I had better sit here and think about what he wants me to do, so I don’t make a mistake.” Whereas dogs who have been trained with no aversive techniques frequently and spontaneously “offer” behaviors. Was it a lack of exuberance?
LW: Perhaps that’s it the lack of that glee, that joy, that “Hey! Let me try this!” But you know, she’s also an older dog. She was very quiet. She didn’t really come alive until he got the ball out and she could work.
Andrew, on the other hand, did do that. He chose to do his own thing a lot. That was one thing that kind of got my goat, when the judges suggested he had separation anxiety. I felt that was so irresponsible of them to equate what can be such a serious dog behavior issue to Andrew’s desire to remain with me when given the choice. I’ve worked hard to establish that connection with him, because it’s necessary with a therapy, service, and performance dog.
Laurie enjoys a rare laugh on the set. The participants were completely sequestered – no phone calls, TV, newspapers, books, Internet – for six weeks. Photo courtesy CBS.
Once he jumped up on an obedience trial judge in the ring “Hi judge! Pick me up!” He’s also prone to veering off to greet people at ringside , “Hello fans, love you!” He’s really a ham. And he offers behaviors all the time; he’s always clowning. In contrast, Galaxy is very “locked on,” very quiet, and I never really saw her behave in an upbeat way until her ball came out. But you’re right; she doesn’t offer behavior. She rarely did anything until told to do so.
WDJ: J.D. was highly criticized by the judges during the so-called “loyalty challenge,” where the dogs had to stay even with people using toys and food to try to get them to break the stay. She was really tempted by the balls and other toys and food, and he had to lean forward and raise his voice and his intensity, and keep repeating, “Galaxy, no, no!” and “Stay!” You and Andrew provided quite a contrast there. You were very quiet and calm, not at all intense, and you only had to repeat “Andrew, stay!” I loved watching that.
LW: That challenge was really difficult for Galaxy because she really loves to chase balls and to eat treats, since she never gets them! J.D. doesn’t believe in using food in training at all, and never, ever gives dogs “people food,” so of course food was her weakness, her Achilles heel. That’s why he felt he had to stay on her like that, kind of stay in her face, take his intensity to that level.
But that challenge leveled the playing field in that it was all about our relationships with our dogs and how we communicate with them; finally the dog’s size or age or physical condition didn’t matter. I mean, a dog can only do what he can do physically. Physically, Andrew cant do everything that Travis Boxer can do. The challenges like that, which tested our relationships, were my favorites. And that one in particular showed how strong the relationship is between Andrew and me. Hed rather hang out with me than go play ball or take food from someone else, and thank God for that!
Another reason I liked that one: It did really show your training style. If I leaned over Andrew and shook my finger at him and raised my voice, he wouldn’t know what that means. He’d be curious; “What are you doing, Mommy?”
I was trying to explain this to J.D.; he didn’t understand why the judges said he was being intimidating to Galaxy, because of course he didn’t hit her or scare her. I told him that it seemed like he was telling Galaxy, “Don’t you move, or else!” For my dog, there has never been an “or else.” Andrew doesn’t know what “or else” might mean. The worst thing that might happen is that I pick him up and put him back in that spot and ask him to do it over again. And the more likely thing that may happen is that he’ll get some delicious treats after a while.
But, again, J.D. wasn’t the only one who used that posture. I think most of the other contestants except for me used that type of body language at some time or another.
WDJ: Andrew was the only purely positively trained dog on the show, then?
LW: By my definition of correctly implemented positive training methods, yes. However, I think some of the contestants really didn’t know what correct positive training is. Some thought they were using positive methods when they actually were bribing and baiting, never “marking” correct behavior and just babbling “Sit! Sit! Sit! Sit!” Repeating every cue half a dozen times. That’s what gives people like J.D. a negative view of positive training
WDJ: This is what I liked most about the show: The opportunity to watch different people work with their dogs, and see what works well and what doesn’t. I can see the difference between dogs who are trained with only positive techniques, dogs who are trained with a lot of aversives, and dogs who are trained with a mix of techniques. Except for Andrew, the dogs on the show seemed like mostly the latter. J.D. and Galaxy, included.
On Laurie’s cue, Andrew keeps his eyes on her and holds his sit-stay even as a trained elephant approached to within 10 feet. Photo courtesy CBS.
LW: I found J.D. to be a very gifted handler, but from my view, he didn’t understand the science of animal behavior. He would say, “I never use treats; I’m old school!” And I would say, “J.D., don’t you understand that when you use playing with a ball as a reward, or praising Galaxy with words and petting, you are using positive reinforcement, just like I’m doing with my treats?” He couldn’t wrap his brain around that. He thought it was different. I would say, It doesn’t matter what the reward is, as long as the dog enjoys it. He could not accept that.
WDJ: Teresa and Leroy might be another example. It was clear that she used positive training and had taught him to do a lot of things but there were times when he would get overstimulated and lose focus, and she would get frustrated and yell at him. He would get confused and anxious and start barking . . .
LW: I have gotten to know Teresa better since the show ended, and I know she’s very committed to positive training. Some of her problems with Leroy are kind of like stage mother problems. I think she gets self-conscious and anxious when there are people waiting for her to get Leroy to do something, and she gets nervous, and he feels that and gets more nervous. But she’s very well-educated about animal behavior. And when she’s teaching others what to do with their dogs, she’s very positive, very patient, very encouraging.
WDJ: It must be difficult to sit still when you hear or read criticism from people who saw the show, knowing that they were only seeing an edited version of what really happened.
LW: Well, yes. And many people just dismissed the show out of turn, because it seemed ridiculous. It was ridiculous at times. But it was also the first time you saw regular people training dogs on national, network television!
WDJ: Many people make snap judgments about what they see on TV. I read many comments on the show’s message boards and elsewhere where people basically said, “I’m not watching the show any more since Tillman got voted off.” Or, “I’m not watching the show because they had an elephant scare the dogs.”
I thought, “Wow, people are so judgmental! Maybe you don’t agree with the judges or even with the show’s production choices, but, wait, you can learn from some of this footage!” It occurred to me that the challenge for the show’s producers was the same challenge I face at Whole Dog Journal and perhaps the same challenge you face as a positive trainer: Keeping people interested long enough past their initial snap judgments to show them how fun positive training is, and how effective . . .
LW: I think you’re right! I took a lot of flak for subjecting Andrew to the elephant challenges [where the dogs had to hold a sit-stay as an elephant approached them, and then, in a later episode, where the dogs had to fetch an object by running underneath a stationary elephant]. As I saw it, my daily job was to keep my dog safe, make sure each task was fun for him, and not set him up to fail. If I could meet those goals in each challenge, then wed participate as best we could. And we were able to do that in the elephant challenges.
I was actually more concerned about the smaller, daily things, like the extreme heat, keeping Andrew’s stress low, and making sure he was successful and didn’t get hurt. Unfortunately the judges didn’t seem to understand this, which was surprising. Victoria Stillwell accused me of “over-mothering” Andrew, which really shocked me. I thought of all the judges she would understand the concept of setting a dog up for success rather than failure, particularly when we were never really given the proper amount of time to really teach our dogs new behaviors and acclimate them to various different equipment.
WDJ: In the final episode, I liked when you stated that Andrew didn’t care if he won or not, he wouldn’t know the difference . . . that he was simply doing what made you happy with him.
LW: I’m glad [the producers] included that part, too. I thank my dogs a lot. “Thank you for letting me take you to that show, for doing what you do for me!” I know that they would rather just chill at home on the couch. I think people are delusional when they say the dog wants to win, or the dog is competitive. They mostly just want to be with you.
WDJ: And I loved when you stated that your goal had been to represent positive, dog-friendly training. And I think you did it very well.
LW: Thank you! Of course, having started training dogs 25 years ago, I used to be old school, too like everybody else back then. I am a “crossover trainer” for sure. I crossed over from the dark side about 11 or 12 years ago. And while I’ve never looked back, I think it helps me get through to my students even more, because I can tell people, “Look, I’ve done it both ways. And force-based methods do work. But I know that the relationship I have with my dog today is far deeper, far closer, far more reliable than what I had when I used aversives.”
I had dogs that I put obedience titles on who would run away from me if they were off-leash and had the opportunity. My all-positive dogs today are far more reliable than those well-trained dogs in my past; they can go anywhere off-leash and they stay with me without any special effort on my part. Because of their positive experiences with me, my dogs always look for me, check in with me, they want to be close to me. I really know the difference. I’ve seen it, I’ve lived it.
WDJ: Thanks so much for speaking with us, and doing your best to “represent” all of us fans of positive training. You and Andrew did us proud!
Your dog has vomited several times, doesn’t want to eat, and is walking around with his back arched up, or lying in a corner refusing to get up. Should you:
A) Try tempting him to eat by adding bacon grease to his food or offering something tasty like ham or bologna
B) Wait a day or two to see if he gets better
C) Take him to your vet right away
The answer is C: Take him to your vet right away. These can be signs of pancreatitis. While it’s fine to wait to see if a dog improves on his own after a single vomiting episode with no other signs of illness, repeated vomiting can quickly lead to dangerous dehydration and electrolyte imbalance, especially if your dog isn’t drinking or can’t keep water down.
When signs of abdominal pain accompany vomiting, pancreatitis is high on the list of possible causes. The worst thing you can do is feed your dog fatty food at this time.
Pancreatitis literally means inflammation of the pancreas, the glandular organ that secretes enzymes needed to digest food. When something causes these enzymes to be activated prematurely, they can actually begin to digest the pancreas itself, resulting in pain and inflammation.
Pancreatitis occurs in two different forms, acute and chronic, and both may be either mild or severe. Acute pancreatitis occurs suddenly and is more often severe, while chronic pancreatitis refers to an ongoing inflammation that is usually less severe and may even be subclinical (no recognizable symptoms).
Acute Pancreatitis
Acute pancreatitis can be extremely painful, and can become life-threatening if the inflammation spreads, affecting multiple organs and systems. Symptoms commonly include anorexia (loss of appetite), vomiting, weakness, depression, and abdominal pain. Abdominal pain in a dog may be exhibited as restlessness or not wanting to move; a hunched appearance or a “praying position,” with the chest down and the rear raised; or vocalization (crying or whimpering). Additional symptoms may include diarrhea, drooling, fever, and collapse.
For mild cases, all that may be needed is to withhold food and water for 24 to 48 hours (no longer), along with administering IV fluids to prevent dehydration and drugs to stop vomiting and control pain.
Some breeds are at increased risk of developing pancreatitis. Miniature Schnauzers are prone to hyperlipidemia, which in turn can be a cause of pancreatitis.
For moderate to severe cases, hospitalization and intensive treatment and monitoring is required. Supportive treatment includes intravenous fluids to keep the dog hydrated and restore electrolyte and acid-base balance. Potent pain medication is needed, such as injectable buprenorphine or other narcotic pain relievers. Treatment is generally required for three to five days, and sometimes longer. Surgery may be necessary, particularly if the pancreas is abscessed or the pancreatic duct is blocked.
Recommended medications that stop vomiting (antiemetics) in dogs with pancreatitis include a metoclopramide infusion and chlorpromazine (once dehydration has been controlled).
Alternatively, dolasetron (Anzemet) and ondansetron (Zofran) – antiemetics developed to combat vomiting that has been induced by chemotherapy – may be used. Cerenia (maropitant) is a new antiemetic drug approved for dogs that some vets are starting to use, though it has a limited track record. Metoclopramide (Reglan), a commonly used antiemetic, may be contraindicated in pancreatitis due to concern that it may decrease blood flow to the pancreas (antidopaminergic effect), though this has not been substantiated.
Antibiotics to control infections secondary to pancreatitis may be used, though this complication is not thought to be common in dogs. A plasma transfusion is sometimes given in moderate to severe cases in the hopes that it will inhibit active pancreatic enzymes and systemic inflammatory response; it also provides clotting factors that can help prevent and treat disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), an often lethal potential side effect of pancreatitis.
Antacids have not been shown to have any beneficial effect in the treatment of pancreatitis, though they may be given when vomiting is persistent or severe. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are not effective and should be avoided due to concerns for gastric ulceration and kidney and liver damage. There are no studies yet to support the use of corticosteroids for treating pancreatitis in dogs.
Nutrition During Acute Pancreatitis
Traditionally, the standard recommendation has been to withhold all oral food and water until symptoms subside, in order to allow the pancreas to rest. If symptoms persisted for more than 72-96 hours, nutrition was given parenterally (intravenously, avoiding the stomach and intestines). It was thought that even the sight or smell of food could trigger pancreatic secretions that would make the problem worse.
Today, though, there is growing evidence in both humans and animals that recovery time is reduced and survival rates increased when patients are fed early in the recovery from pancreatitis. It is now accepted that prolonged withholding of oral food and water for more than 48 hours (including the time before the dog was brought in for treatment) can lead to increased intestinal permeability (“leaky gut”), atrophy of the digestive cells in the small intestine, and sepsis (blood poisoning). In turn, sepsis can contribute to multiple organ failure and decreased survival rates.
Without oral nutrition, the intestines starve, even if nutrition is provided to the rest of the body through IVs. This is because the intestines receive their nutrition only from what passes through them. Enteral feeding, in which nutrition is provided through the digestive system, is thought to decrease the potential for bacterial infection caused by intestinal permeation, and may reduce the time the dog needs to be hospitalized.
Because most dogs with pancreatitis are unwilling to eat, a liquid diet may be fed via a tube placed through the nose, esophagus, or stomach. Dogs may tolerate nasoesophageal feeding even when vomiting persists. There is evidence that pancreatic secretions are suppressed during an attack of pancreatitis, so food delivered in this manner stimulates the pancreas less than we used to believe, and helps to maintain the health of the gastrointestinal tract and decrease inflammation and side effects such as those listed above.
The ideal composition of this diet has not yet been determined. It is possible that the addition of omega-3 fatty acids, pancreatic enzymes, medium-chain triglycerides, and the amino acid l-glutamine to the liquid nutrition may also help with recovery, though this must be done with caution. Probiotics, however, are not recommended; a recent human study showed an increased death rate for patients with severe acute pancreatitis when probiotics were administered, possibly due to reduced blood flow to the small intestine.
Enteral (tube or oral) feeding should begin after 48 hours without food. Vomiting can be controlled with antiemetics and pain medication. The goal of nutrition in the short term is to improve barrier function (stop leaky gut syndrome) rather than to supply total caloric needs.
Parenteral (IV) nutrition should be used only when absolutely necessary, due to persistent, uncontrolled vomiting. Survival rates improve when it is combined with enteral nutrition. A tube can be placed into the jejunum (part of the small intestine) if needed to provide enteral nutrition when vomiting cannot be controlled.
Chronic Pancreatitis
Chronic pancreatitis refers to a continuing, smoldering, low-grade inflammation of the pancreas. Symptoms such as vomiting and discomfort after eating may occur intermittently, sometimes accompanied by depression, loss of appetite, and weight loss. In some cases, signs may be as subtle and nonspecific as a dog not wanting to play normally, being a picky eater, or skipping a meal from time to time. Chronic pancreatitis may periodically flare up, resulting in acute pancreatitis.
Dogs with chronic pancreatitis often respond favorably to a low-fat diet. Pain medication can be helpful in relieving the symptoms of chronic pancreatitis and may speed recovery.
Chronic pancreatitis is often subclinical and may be more common than is generally realized, with symptoms blamed on other diseases. It may also occur concurrently with conditions such as IBD (inflammatory bowel disease) and diabetes mellitus.
Pancreatic Functions
In addition to digestive enzymes (exocrine function), the pancreas also produces insulin (endocrine function). Dogs who are diabetic may have an increased risk for pancreatitis.
Conversely, a dog whose pancreas is damaged due to pancreatitis may develop diabetes, which can be either temporary or permanent; 30 percent of diabetes in dogs may be due to damage from chronic pancreatitis.
Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI), when the pancreas is no longer able to produce digestive enzymes, can also result from chronic pancreatitis, leading to weight loss despite consuming large amounts of food. When the pancreas is damaged, diabetes is likely to show up several months before EPI.
Causes of Pancreatitis
Pancreatitis is often blamed on high-fat diets, though there is little scientific evidence to support this. Active, working dogs, such as sled dogs, can eat as much as 60 percent fat in their diets without developing pancreatitis, but too much fat may cause trouble for middle-aged, overweight, relatively inactive dogs, who are the ones most commonly affected by pancreatitis. Too much fat can also cause problems for some dogs with chronic pancreatitis.
Dietary indiscretion, such as eating rancid fatty scraps from the garbage, can also lead to pancreatitis, particularly when a dog accustomed to a low- or normal-fat diet ingests high-fat foods. That’s why pancreatitis incidents are thought to increase after Thanksgiving, when people may feed their dogs a meal of turkey skin and drippings.
Low-protein diets have also been shown to predispose dogs to pancreatitis, especially when combined with high fat intake. Some prescription diets may be a concern, such as those prescribed to dissolve struvite bladder stones; to prevent calcium oxalate, urate, or cystine stones; and to treat kidney disease; especially for breeds prone to pancreatitis.
Several medications have been associated with pancreatitis, most recently the combination of potassium bromide and phenobarbital used to control epilepsy. This combination has a much higher risk of causing pancreatitis than phenobarbital alone (no studies have been done on the use of potassium bromide by itself).
Many other medications have been linked to pancreatitis, though the relationship is not always clear. These include certain antibiotics (sulfa drugs, tetracycline, metronidazole, nitrofurantoin); chemotherapy agents (azathioprine, L-asparaginase, vinca alkaloids); diuretics (thiazides, furosemide); other antiepileptic drugs (valproic acid, carbamazepine); hormones (estrogen); long-acting antacids (cimetidine, ranitidine); Tylenol (acetaminophen); and aspirin (salicylates).
Corticosteroids, such as prednisone, are especially controversial: while veterinarians have long considered them to be the most common drug to cause pancreatitis, recent human studies have discounted this link. Based on anecdotal evidence, however, I believe the association does exist in dogs. I personally know dogs who developed pancreatitis within days of being given corticosteroids.
Toxins, particularly organophosphates (insecticides used in some flea control products), as well as scorpion stings and toxic levels of zinc, may also lead to pancreatitis.
Certain conditions may predispose a dog to pancreatitis. These include diabetes mellitus (though it is not clear whether pancreatitis precedes diabetes); acute hypercalcemia (high levels of calcium in the blood, usually from a calcium infusion or poisoning rather than diet or supplements); hyperlipidemia (high fat content in the blood, again usually due to metabolic disorder rather than diet); hypothyroidism; and Cushing’s disease (hyperadrenocorticism).
Both diabetes and hypothyroidism can affect fat metabolism and lead to hyperlipidemia, which may predispose a dog to pancreatitis. Miniature Schnauzers are prone to developing hyperlipidemia and thus may have an increased risk of pancreatitis. Obesity predisposes dogs to pancreatitis, and the disease is often more severe in dogs who are overweight.
Pancreatitis can occur in dogs of any age, breed, or sex. That said, most dogs with pancreatitis are middle-aged or older, overweight, and relatively inactive. Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Collies, and Boxers have been shown to have an increased relative risk of chronic pancreatitis, and Cocker Spaniels an increased relative risk of acute and chronic pancreatitis combined. Dachshunds have been reported to be predisposed to acute pancreatitis.
Other breeds mentioned as having an increased risk for pancreatitis include the Briard, Shetland Sheepdog, Miniature Poodle, German Shepherd Dog, terriers (especially Yorkies and Silkies), and other non-sporting breeds.
Humans sometimes develop autoimmune chronic pancreatitis, and it is theorized that dogs may as well. German Shepherd Dogs have been shown to develop immune-mediated lymphocytic pancreatitis, which predisposes them to pancreatic atrophy.
Pancreatitis has been associated with immune-mediated diseases, which may include IBD, though the cause-and-effect relationship is not understood. While there is no scientific evidence to support this, some doctors have suggested that food allergies could be a rare cause of recurrent or chronic pancreatitis. I think IBD could possibly be both a cause and an effect of pancreatitis, or that both could be caused by an underlying autoimmune disease or food allergy.
Dogs with immune-mediated pancreatitis may respond well to corticosteroids such as prednisone, which suppress the immune system, even though this drug has also been thought to cause acute pancreatitis.
Trauma to the pancreas, such as a result of the dog being hit by a car, can lead to inflammation and pancreatitis. Surgery has also been linked to pancreatitis, probably due to low blood pressure or low blood volume caused by anesthesia. Gallstones (choleliths) can block the bile duct, and thus the flow of digestive enzymes from the pancreas and can lead to pancreatitis in people; it is likely that the same would be true for both species (pancreatitis can also block the flow of bile from the gall bladder).
Other theoretical causes include bacterial or viral infections; vaccinations; obstruction of the pancreatic duct; reflux of intestinal contents up the pancreatic duct; impaired blood supply to the pancreas due to shock, gastric-dilatation volvulus (bloat), or other causes; and hereditary factors. In rare cases, pancreatitis can be caused by a tumor in the pancreas.
In most cases with dogs, the cause is never found. In humans, pancreatitis is most commonly caused by alcohol abuse.
Confirming the Diagnosis
Some blood test results are suggestive of pancreatitis, but not definitive. Substantially elevated (three to five times the normal level) lipase and amylase, in particular, are strongly supportive of a diagnosis of pancreatitis, but the absence of these signs does not rule it out; lipase and amylase may be normal in as many as half of all dogs with pancreatitis. With chronic pancreatitis, blood tests are often completely normal, and may be so with acute pancreatitis as well, particularly if it is not severe enough to cause complications.
In 2005, IDEXX Reference Laboratories developed a blood test called Spec cPL (canine pancreas-specific lipase), based on the cPLI (canine pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity) test developed at Texas A&M University. There are three types of lipase: pancreatic, hepatic, and gastric. Standard blood tests cannot differentiate between them, but the Spec cPL measures only pancreatic lipase. Spec cPL is now considered the best choice for quick and accurate diagnosis, with results available in 12 to 24 hours. The cPLI test is equally accurate, but not as readily available and the results take longer.
IDEXX claims that the Spec cPL test has a sensitivity greater than 95 percent, meaning almost every dog with pancreatitis will test positive (fewer than 5 percent false negatives), and a specificity also greater than 95 percent, meaning fewer than 5 percent of dogs who don’t have pancreatitis will have a false positive result. In comparison, the cPLI test has 82 percent sensitivity and 98 percent specificity.
The Spec cPL test can be repeated every two or three days to help judge response to therapy, and after returning home, to confirm recovery. It can also be used to monitor response to changes in diet and other treatment for dogs with chronic pancreatitis.
The Spec cPL test is recommended for any dog whose symptoms include vomiting, anorexia, or abdominal pain. It can also be used to monitor dogs with chronic pancreatitis, or those with conditions or whose medications predispose them to pancreatitis. In the future, this test may be done as part of standard blood work on normal, seemingly healthy dogs, to identify chronic pancreatitis that may be subclinical (not causing recognizable symptoms).
In 2007, IDEXX introduced the SNAP cPL, a version of the Spec cPL test that can be done in-house by your veterinarian and return results in 10 minutes. If the SNAP cPL test results are abnormal, IDEXX recommends that you follow up with a Spec cPL test to establish a baseline cPL concentration and to monitor treatment.
Radiographs detect only 24 to 33 percent of cases of acute pancreatitis, but are also used to identify other causes of vomiting and anorexia, such as intestinal obstruction.
An experienced ultrasound practitioner can detect two-thirds of acute pancreatitis cases. Ultrasound may also be used to look for signs of peritonitis, pancreatic abscess or cyst, and biliary obstruction. Neither x-rays nor ultrasound can identify chronic pancreatitis. Biopsy of the pancreas can be used to identify pancreatic cancer. Biopsy may be an unreliable method of diagnosing pancreatitis, as often only part of the pancreas is affected.
TLI (trypsin-like immunoreactivity) is a blood test that has only 33 percent sensitivity for pancreatitis, but it is very accurate for diagnosing EPI (exocrine pancreatic insufficiency). Dogs with chronic gastrointestinal problems should have TLI, cobalamin, folate and Spec cPL testing done to look for EPI, SIBO (small intestine bacterial overgrowth, also called ARD, or antibiotic-responsive diarrhea), and chronic pancreatitis. Dogs with EPI usually have lower-than-normal Spec cPL results, but TLI is considered more accurate for diagnosing EPI.
Recovering From Acute Pancreatitis
Whether in the hospital or at home, once vomiting is under control, water is slowly introduced, with a few laps or ice cubes every hour or so. If the dog keeps this down, liquids are tried next, followed by soupy, low-fat, high-carbohydrate foods. Frequent small amounts are less likely to cause problems than larger quantities, particularly in the beginning. Dogs who have been hospitalized can return home once they are able to keep food down without vomiting.
Dogs are often sent home with pain medication, such as a Fentanyl patch or Tramadol. Controlling pain is important during recovery, so ask your vet for help if you feel your dog is uncomfortable.
Dogs recovering from acute pancreatitis are frequently maintained on an easily digestible, fat-restricted prescription diet, particularly if they are overweight or have hyperlipidemia. While I am not a fan of these products due to their low-quality ingredients, I think that sometimes it is easier to follow your vet’s advice, as long as your dog is willing to eat this food and does not react adversely to it. You can later transition your dog back to a better quality commercial or homemade diet.
But what if your dog won’t eat the prescription food, or reacts poorly to the food, or you just can’t bring yourself to feed a commercial food after feeding a homemade diet for so long? What should you feed your dog in that case?
What to feed in the beginning
The goal in the beginning is to feed a diet with low fat, moderate protein, and high carbohydrates, as carbs cause the least amount of pancreatic stimulation. An easy diet to start with is overcooked white rice made with extra water, combined with a low-fat protein source, such as cooked chicken breast, low-fat cottage cheese, or boiled hamburger (boiling removes most of the fat).
Even if you normally feed a raw diet, the meat should be cooked for now, to remove fat and to destroy bacteria that can be problematic if the intestines have been damaged. Cooking or warming food usually makes it more appealing as well. Bones should not be fed at this time. Offer food at room or body temperature, as cold food takes longer to digest.
If possible, choose foods your dog has had before – ones you know agree with him and that he likes. White rice is the preferred carbohydrate choice, as it is easiest to digest, but you could use potatoes or sweet potatoes instead if you need to avoid rice due to allergies or intolerance (remove the skins to reduce fiber in the beginning).
Overcooking starchy foods such as rice or potatoes increases their digestibility. Cooking white rice with extra water creates a type of porridge called rice congee, which is soothing to the stomach and digestive tract, and can help relieve vomiting and diarrhea. To make congee, boil one cup of white rice (not Minute Rice) in four cups of water for 20 to 30 minutes. You can offer the rice congee liquid alone to start with, then include the rice, and next add the protein. This progression can happen over the course of a few hours or a day or two.
At first, feed a higher percentage of carbohydrates, and a lower percentage of protein, such as two-thirds carbs and one-third protein. If your dog is doing fine, the ratio can then be slowly changed to half and half after the first few days.
Whatever you feed, start with small amounts fed frequently, six to eight meals a day or more. Small meals stimulate the pancreas less, and are less likely to trigger vomiting. Small meals are also easier to digest than larger meals, and less likely to cause discomfort. If your dog is able to keep the food down without vomiting or showing signs of pain, you can begin to feed larger amounts at longer intervals, but proceed slowly, especially in the beginning; you don’t want to make changes too quickly and end up with a setback.
Contact your vet for advice if your dog vomits. You will probably need to stop feeding again briefly (12 to 24 hours), then start over by introducing water and progressing to bland foods again. Your dog may also need anti-vomiting medication.
It is not necessary for your dog’s diet to be “complete and balanced” in the short term; an adult dog will do fine on an incomplete diet for a few days to a few weeks. Start with a very simple diet, and then add more ingredients as your dog recovers and you see he is doing well.
Broth and other flavorings
Broth can be used to make rice and to add to foods to improve flavor and encourage your dog to drink more. Many store-bought broths are high in sodium, however; even some “reduced sodium” varieties have hundreds of mg per serving. Look for broths with less than 100 mg sodium per serving.
You can make your own nonfat, no-sodium broth if you prefer.
You can also use the water that you boil chicken or other foods in for flavor and nutritional value, since boiling removes some nutrients that are then left in the water. Just be sure to remove the fat before feeding.
Healing the digestive tract
L-glutamine is an amino acid that can help the intestinal mucosa to recover from the effects of going without food. A typical dose is 500 mg per 25 lbs of body weight daily, but 10 times that much can be used to supply nutrition when necessary.
L-glutamine is available both as a powder and in capsules. The powder can be dissolved in water or mixed in food. Glutamine is unstable at room temperature for extended periods, so any uneaten portion should be removed after 15 minutes. L-glutamine can be found at supplement shops online and at health food stores.
Seacure is a highly nutritious supplement designed to treat malnutrition. Seacure can help to heal the intestines and provide other health benefits. Made of hydrolyzed whitefish, Seacure has a fishy smell. Sprinkled on your dog’s food, it helps make the food more attractive to your dog. (See “Securing Seacure,” WDJ April 2003, for more information.)
The herbs slippery elm and marshmallow can help to soothe a throat and stomach that have been irritated by vomiting. One product that contains both is Phytomucil from Animal Essentials. You can also make your own by steeping 1 teaspoon of either or both dried herbs in 8 ounces of very hot water. Optionally, add a teaspoon of honey for flavor. Give from 1 teaspoon to 4 tablespoons, depending on the size of the dog, every four hours.
Transitioning to a normal diet
Once a dog has had an attack of acute pancreatitis, he may be less able to tolerate fat in the future, depending on how much the pancreas was damaged. Some dogs are able to return to a normal diet after they have fully recovered, while others may need a low-fat diet for the rest of their lives to prevent chronic pancreatitis and further acute episodes.
Dogs who experience a single, acute, uncomplicated episode are more likely to be able to return to a normal diet, while dogs with repeated episodes of acute pancreatitis, hyperlipidemia, or steatorrhea (large, greasy, foul-smelling stools caused by fat malabsorption) should be kept on a fat-restricted diet.
Dogs with chronic pancreatitis may also do better on a lower-fat diet. Drugs that predispose dogs to pancreatitis should be avoided if possible in these dogs. If such drugs are needed, e.g., to control seizures, these dogs, too, may benefit from a low-fat diet. Dogs who have had acute pancreatitis should never be fed really high-fat meals, even if they are able to return to a normal diet afterwards.
Continue to feed a low-fat diet with moderate protein for at least 7 to 10 days or longer, depending on the speed of your dog’s recovery and the severity of the episode. Gradually increase the size of each meal and the time between meals until your dog is eating two or three meals a day.
If your dog is doing well and showing no sign of discomfort after eating, you can then begin to gradually increase the amount of fat in the diet. Begin adding small amounts of his regular food back into his diet. If the diet he was eating before was high in fat, try feeding foods with a moderate amount of fat to start with, though you may eventually be able to transition back to somewhat higher-fat foods if your dog gets a lot of exercise, is lean rather than overweight, and you have reason to believe that something other than diet caused the acute pancreatitis.
Remember that lower-fat diets provide fewer calories, so the total amount you feed will need to be increased when you reduce the amount of fat in the diet. The increase will depend on how much fat was in your dog’s previous diet. If possible, determine how many calories your dog was getting before and try to match that with the new diet (or moderately decrease the calories, if your dog is overweight). Weigh your dog frequently and then adjust the amount you are feeding up or down as needed to maintain proper weight. If your dog lost weight due to acute pancreatitis, don’t try to put the pounds back on too quickly; slow and gradual weight gain or loss is healthier than trying to make large changes in a short period of time.
Keep a close eye on your dog, particularly after meals, watching for signs of discomfort such as a hunched appearance, whining, panting, restlessness, or not wanting to move around. If you see any of these signs, return to a lower-fat diet and smaller, more frequent meals, and wait longer before trying again to increase the amount of fat even more slowly, using different foods. If the signs of discomfort return, you may need to keep your dog on the lower-fat diet indefinitely.
Also watch for signs of digestive upset, such as burping or flatulence (gas), borborygmus (stomach gurgling), lip licking, or heavy swallowing. These are not signs of pancreatitis, but could indicate that the diet you’re feeding does not agree with your dog. Try feeding a different brand of food, using different ingredients, a grain-free diet, or one with a different protein source, adding digestive enzymes, or feeding smaller, more frequent meals, to see if that helps.
These symptoms can also be signs of EPI, especially if accompanied by increased appetite, weight loss, and large “cow-patty” stools. EPI is treated with prescription-strength digestive enzymes such as Viokase, Pancrezyme, or generic equivalents. Raw pancreas can also be used, or human pancreatin supplements, which consist of freeze-dried pork pancreas.
With pancreatin supplements, strengths such as 4x or 10x indicate that the product is concentrated and the dosage is equivalent to 4 or 10 times as much as is shown on the label. Each mg of pancreatin contains 25 USP units of protease and amylase, and 2 USP units of lipase. Dogs with EPI may also require cobalamin (vitamin B12) injections, and often a low-fat diet as well.
Preventing Recurrence
Pancreatitis is both more common and more severe in overweight dogs. Inactivity may also be a contributor, so weight loss and exercise are both important.
Many weight loss diets are extremely high in carbohydrates, with low fat and low protein – in fact, some have even less fat than the prescription diets that are recommended for dogs recovering from pancreatitis. A low-fat diet is not required for dogs to lose weight, and higher protein helps dogs lose fat, while low protein can lead to muscle loss. It’s better to feed a diet that has higher protein and moderate amounts of fat and carbohydrates to help your dog lose weight.
Underlying metabolic disease such as hypothyroidism, hyperadrenocorticism (Cushing’s disease), and diabetes mellitus may be associated with increased risk of pancreatitis and should be managed appropriately. Hypothyroidism can contribute to obesity and may affect fat metabolism. Not all dogs who are hypothyroid have the classic signs, such as dry skin and hair loss. A full thyroid panel is more accurate than a simple screening test. Even dogs whose results are in the low normal range may benefit from thyroid supplementation. Noted thyroid specialist Dr. Jean Dodds at Hemopet will consult with you or your vet regarding test results for a small fee.
If your dog is prone to hyperlipidemia (increased blood levels of cholesterol or triglycerides, even when fasted for 12 hours before the test), there are several things you can do to try to lower these levels and reduce the likelihood of pancreatitis. Feeding a low-fat diet, giving fish oil supplements, and treating hypothyroidism, which is often the underlying cause, are all helpful in reducing lipid levels in the blood. In addition, dogs prone to hyperlipidemia may benefit from the use of human statin medications, such as Lipitor, to control lipid levels. Though no studies have yet been done, anecdotal reports from vets who have tried this on an experimental basis have been positive.
Whether or not too much fat was the initial cause of your dog’s pancreatitis, high-fat foods may trigger a recurrence, particularly if the pancreas was damaged. Be sure that your dog does not have access to your trash bin (use locking lids or an alarm if needed), and don’t feed high-fat foods or treats such as pig ears. Make sure that your dog does not get fatty treats from other family members, friends, or neighbors. Don’t try to tempt your dog with high-fat foods and additives if he doesn’t want to eat; this may be good advice even for dogs who have not had pancreatitis, unless you’re certain that the inappetence is not caused by pancreatitis nor a condition that would predispose a dog to it.
Avoid medications that may be linked to pancreatitis, particularly any that may have contributed to the initial attack. If possible, find alternative therapies for dogs taking drugs known to cause pancreatitis, such as using Keppra (levetiracetam) in place of or in combination with potassium bromide or phenobarbital for seizures.
In humans, vaccinations have sometimes been associated with pancreatitis. Avoid overvaccinating your dog. The American Animal Hospital Association now acknowledges that there is no need for yearly “boosters” for most vaccines. (See “Vaccinations 101,” August 2008, for more information on current vaccination recommendations.)
Periodic monitoring with the Spec cPL test may be helpful in preventing recurrent pancreatitis, especially after a change in diet.
Supplements
Certain supplements can help reduce the risk of acute pancreatitis or control the effects of chronic pancreatitis.
Digestive enzyme supplements that contain pancreatin may be helpful for dogs who have had acute pancreatitis or suffer from chronic pancreatitis. It is theorized that these may reduce the load on the pancreas and inhibit pancreatic secretion.
These supplements are sold over-the-counter for humans or dogs; the prescription-strength enzymes needed by dogs with EPI can also be tried to see if they seem to reduce pain from chronic pancreatitis. Note that enzymes seem to help some dogs, but not others. If your dog does not respond well to one brand, you can try adjusting the dosage or using a different brand, but don’t continue to give them if they cause any problems.
You can also try feeding small amounts of raw pancreas, giving pancreatic glandular supplements, such as Pancreatrophin from Standard Process, or giving plant-derived digestive enzymes, which may be helpful if your dog has trouble digesting carbohydrates.
Fish body oil, such as salmon oil or EPA oil (not cod liver oil), can help to lower blood lipid levels (both triglycerides and cholesterol) in dogs with hyperlipidemia. Studies have also found it to be beneficial in treating acute pancreatitis, while its effects on chronic pancreatitis are unknown. The dosage needed to treat hyperlipidemia may be as high as 1,000 mg of fish oil (supplying 300 mg combined EPA and DHA) per 10 lbs of body weight. Dogs with normal lipid levels should do fine on that amount per 20 to 30 lbs of body weight daily, preferably split into two doses. If you use a supplement with more or less EPA and DHA, adjust the dosage accordingly. Vitamin E should always be given whenever you supplement with oils – give around 5 to 10 IUs per pound of body weight daily.
Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that live in the intestines and help to keep bad bacteria in check. While probiotics are not recommended for dogs with acute pancreatitis, their effect on chronic pancreatitis is unknown. As they are known to help with some gastrointestinal problems, and since their population may be depleted during acute pancreatitis, I think it makes sense to give them once your dog has recovered. You can use products made either for dogs or for people.
Prebiotics are indigestible carbohydrates that feed the beneficial bacteria in the intestines and are often included in probiotic supplements. Certain prebiotics called oligosaccharides have been shown to decrease triglyceride and cholesterol blood levels, which can be helpful for dogs prone to hyperlipidemia. These ingredients may be listed on the label as fructooligosaccharides (FOS), oligofructose, inulin, or chicory. (See “Probing Probiotics,” August 2006, for more information on both probiotics and prebiotics.)
Dogs fed a very low-fat diet may become deficient in the fat-soluble vitamins A and E. Adding fish oil and coconut oil to the diet can help with this. Dogs with damage to the pancreas may also suffer from vitamin B12 (cobalamin) deficiency – in this case, monthly injections may be needed if the dog is unable to absorb B12 when given orally. Chronic pancreatitis may interfere with absorption of vitamin B, so supplementing with B-complex vitamins makes sense.
Human studies suggest that antioxidants, which are found mostly in fruits and vegetables, may help protect against pancreatitis, and reduce the pain of chronic pancreatitis. Vitamin E and selenium (which work synergistically), vitamin C, beta-carotene, and methionine have been found to be effective in helping to prevent pancreatitis in human studies.
Other natural antioxidants sometimes recommended for chronic pancreatitis, though evidence is lacking, include SAM-e (S-adenosyl methionine); alpha lipoic acid (not recommended for diabetics); OPCs, found in grapeseed extract and pycnogenol; resveratrol; and milk thistle. There are a number of combination antioxidant products made for dogs, such as Small Animal Antioxidants and Immugen from Thorne Veterinary, and Cell Advance made by Vetri-Science.
In their book, All You Ever Wanted to Know About Herbs for Pets, Greg Tilford and Mary Wulff-Tilford suggest herbs to support the liver and digestive system. “Dandelion, burdock root, or Oregon grape can help improve digestion and reduce pancreatic stress by gently increasing bile and enzymatic production in the liver. …Yarrow is said to help reduce pancreatic inflammation and improve blood circulation to the organ.”
Long-Term Low-Fat Diets
For information about commercial and homemade diets for dogs with chronic pancreatitis, EPI, and other conditions that may require a low-fat diet to be fed long-term, see https://www.whole-dog-journal.com/health/weight_control/healthy-low-fat-diets-for-dogs-with-special-dietary-needs.
For sample low-fat diets that people are feeding to their dogs, see https://www.whole-dog-journal.com/food/homemade-low-fat-dog-food-diets/.
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As the proud, happy, but sometimes vexed owner of a new dog – one who has made a serious dent in the amount of sleep I’m getting – I completely understand that you don’t really know what you’re getting when you adopt a dog. Of course, you do your best to assess the dog’s character and temperament before you bring him home, and try to compare the list of attributes you were looking for in a dog with the traits he seems to display. But you don’t really know whom you’ve brought home for days, weeks, and months.
That was certainly the case with Spryte, the dog discussed in the “case history” that appears on the following pages. Fortunately for Spryte, she was adopted by an unusually experienced, determined, and open-hearted couple, who did everything in their power to find just the sort of training regimen the reactive dog needed. Positive trainer and writer Terry Long, of Long Beach, California, brings us the story, which could serve as a blueprint for an extremely successful dog adoption.
Also in this issue, Training Editor Pat Miller defines “generalization” in its dog-training context, and explains why it should be your goal whenever teaching your dog a new skill. The article appears on page 8.
After hearing about case after case of kennel cough, our long-time contributor and holistic health expert, CJ Puotinen, decided to take an in-depth look at preventing and treating this contagious canine condition (see page 10).
On page 15, I offer another account of what I’m doing to try to establish my new dog, Otto, as a well-behaved, diurnal member of the family. I’m much less experienced than the owners featured in our case history, but just as determined. And, of course, I have 11 years’ worth of back issues of WDJ’s training advice at my fingertips! It’s my hope that through sharing some of the details of our experiences with Otto, others may find some useful information on dealing with their new dogs. Or learn from my mistakes!
Finally, on page 18, we present a longer article from Pat Miller about obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in dogs. Many people (myself included) make jokes about OCD, but anyone who has a dog who suffers with this condition can tell you that it’s not a laughing matter. These dogs truly can’t control their behavior in certain circumstances, and may be easily triggered into long sessions of tail-chasing, fly-snapping, licking themselves, or other repetitive behaviors until they have harmed themselves (and driven their owners to the brink of madness). Miller describes the tell-tale signs of a budding canine OCD behavior, and instructs us on what to do and what not to do if our dog begins exhibiting one.
Say, last month I gushed about my guilty pleasure: watching a TV show called Greatest American Dog. I mentioned that it was broadcast on Thursday nights – just before its schedule was changed to Wednesdays. I hope everyone saw its final episodes, and apologize if I accidentally made anyone miss it. As this issue goes to press, all the episodes are still available on the CBS website: cbs.com.
I’ve had a number of older owners book lessons with me lately—more than half a dozen individuals and couples in their 70s and even 80s, all wanting some training help with their new dogs or puppies.
