Based on the number and variety of herbal “calming formulas” I see in pet stores, there must be a lot of stressed-out pooches out there. Or maybe it’s just that the pet product industry is tapping into the frustrations of consumers who cannot tolerate their high-energy dogs. Regardless, there are more herbal calming formulas for dogs lining pet store shelves than ever before.
But are these products really effective? Are they safe?
The good news is that most of the herbal calming products found at reputable pet supply stores are very safe. Most contain what herbalists like myself consider to be the old calmative standards: valerian root, passionflower, skullcap, chamomile, and other herbs that have been widely used in animals for many years with few, if any, adverse effects.
Some products also contain natural calming agents that are not herbs, such as NaturVet’s “Calming Moments” chewable tablets, a product that combines chamomile and passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) with L-tryptophan (a safe and naturally occurring amino acid).
Common sense dictates that if your dog already receives pharmaceutical drugs that affect central nervous system functions (such as anticonvulsants or antidepressants), or if he is scheduled for any type of anesthesia within the next day or two, herbal calming formulas are best avoided, as they may interact with those types of drugs.
But are they effective?
The question of efficacy is not as easy to answer. Despite the apparent safety of most herbal calming products, questions remain as to whether many of them contain enough active ingredients to actually do the job of bringing about a more restful state. Many contain so many “inactive” ingredients, such as grain byproducts, binders, and flavoring agents, that the active (and usually more expensive) herbal components of the product are present in only minute amounts.
In a way this is good; calmative herbs are much weaker in effect than conventional sedative drugs, and are therefore generally much safer and forgiving to the uninformed user. In fact, in my experiences as a consultant to more than 200 veterinarians over the past 10 years, I have yet to see any serious adverse effects from the use of valerian, skullcap, passionflower, oat flower, or even kava kava in dogs.
None of this is to say that herbal calming formulas are ineffective. To the contrary, even some of the most dilute formulas can be quite effective at taking the edge off exciting events. Some dogs respond quite well to very small doses of calmative herbs.
There are literally hundreds of studies documenting the gentle sedative activities of dozens of calmative herbs. Most of these activities are attributed to plant chemistries that interact with the body to mildly alter various nervous system functions.
However, the efficacy of an herbal calming formula is influenced by several other factors as well. While quality, composition, and concentration of active ingredients all factor into the equation, we also must consider the physical and behavioral nature of the recipient dog, the causes of his anxiety, and the context in which a product is used as important aspects of how an herbal calming formula will act within the body.
Choosing the best product
So, you are probably wondering: Which herb works best? What form of product is best? How much should I give?
While each is a valid question, the question “Which product is most appropriate for my individual?” is the most important. And in finding an answer that works for you and your dog, you should think along four lines:
• Each and every herb has its own range of special attributes and medicinal properties that makes it unique.
Not all calmative herbs are alike. Some, such as chamomile, lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), and valerian are especially well suited to calming a nervous stomach. Skullcap (Scutellaria laterifolia), an herb that many of my veterinarian friends use for treatment of canine epilepsy, is better suited to cases of nervous jitteriness, muscle twitching, or hypersensitivity to touch.
Passionflower can be used in a manner similar to that of skullcap, but it’s better than skullcap when dealing with emotional upset, such as separation anxiety or fear aggression that is associated with jealousy of another animal.
• No single herb will work effectively in each and every animal, because no two dogs are alike. One herb will work well for calming dog “A,” but actually aggravate the emotional condition of dog “B.”
Eastern and Western herbalists regard valerian as a “hot” herb, known to warm the body and “heat the constitution” of the animal. When given to a dog with a hot temperament, or one who is chronically hot, itching for no apparent reason, or displaying a bright fire-red tongue, valerian can actually make the dog even more hot and irritable. Consider this before purchasing a product like Veterinarian’s Best “Travel Calm Formula,” which contains two “hot” herbs: valerian root and ginger. Both of these are great herbs for alleviating travel-induced anxiety and nausea, but they may not be the best choices for hot-natured dogs.
Some formulas balance the heating effects of valerian or other warming herbs by combining them with an assortment of other “cooler” calmatives such as passionflower, oat flower, and skullcap.
• In weighing the choices of which form of product (i.e., tablet, liquid, powder, etc.) to buy, there are two primary considerations. You want a product that is easy to administer, and one that offers optimum availability of active components.
Obviously, if you must chase your dog and force-feed him a vile-tasting product, you will be working against the goal of calming him. And if you are feeding him a product he relishes because of all of the dried meats, grains, and flavoring agents it contains, you might have to feed your dog large amounts before it has any effect.
My preference, of course, is biased by the fact that I own a company that produces a sweet-tasting, alcohol-free tincture blend that I feel offers optimum potency and acceptable palatability in most dogs.
Regardless of which type of product you prefer, follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for how much to administer.
• If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Buyer beware.
I strongly believe in herbal medicine, but even I think it’s wise to be a little bit skeptical of extraordinary claims made by manufacturers. And if a calming formula contains an ingredient you don’t recognize, don’t buy it – at least not until you do some research into exactly what the stuff is.
Some trainers say you shouldn’t play tug with your dog. Not me! Those of you who enjoy this energy-eating aerobic activity with your dog will be pleased to know that I personally think it’s a fine game to play, as long as you’re using appropriate tug toys and playing with rules.
Tug, in case you’ve never had the pleasure of playing, is a fun and exciting game, in which you hold one end of a tug object while your dog pulls with all his might on the other end. Variations include dog-dog tug, tug human around on a wheeled object (such as an office chair), and self-tug (in which the dog tugs an object such as a Kong on a rope that is secured to a sturdy post or tree).
Arguments against tug
Here are a few of the reasons you may have heard for not playing tug with your dog, followed by my responses:
Reason: It encourages your dog to be dominant.
Response: It has nothing to do with dominance; it has to do with play and exercise. As with many other doggie games, you can easily create a structure that reminds your dog that you control the good stuff – in this case, the tug toy – which enhances your high-ranking position in the social structure, rather than undermining it.
Reason: It encourages your dog to be aggressive.
Response: Dogs can become very aroused playing tug. You can easily prevent this by stopping the game whenever your dog begins to become overexcited. Use a phrase such as “That’s all!” as you stop the game, and you will soon have a cue you can use in any situation where you want your dog to stop what he’s doing and calm down.
Reason: It teaches your dog to put his teeth on your clothes and skin.
Response: Dogs can make poor decisions about where to put their teeth when they’re engaged in a rousing game of tug. You can use this perfect opportunity to decrease the likelihood that your dog will bite in play by teaching him that teeth on human skin makes the fun stop. If you say something cheerfully (such as “Too bad!”) and call a short time-out anytime your dog’s teeth stray into forbidden territory, it will teach him to keep his teeth to himself.
Arguments for tug
And now, my far more numerous reasons for playing tug with your dog:
• It’s great exercise. It’s a lovely indoor activity, perfect for relieving pent-up energy for a dog who’s shut in on a stormy day, or a sub-zero winter week. A low-key version of the game is also useful for occupying a dog who’s on physical restriction following surgery or an injury.
• It can be used to teach retrieve. A dog who is less-than-enthusiastic about putting retrieve objects in his mouth can sometimes be motivated to do so by encouraging him to play tug. When he gets aroused about tugging, you take advantage of his enthusiasm to shape the retrieve.
• It can be used to teach recalls. Is your dog less-than-sterling about coming when called? Get him hooked on tug – then stick a tug toy in your pocket when you go hiking. When he’s a short distance from you, call him, show him the toy, and watch him beeline back to you for a tug session. Stick the toy back in your pocket (or pack), let him wander off a bit again, and repeat.
Stop before he’s tired of tugging, so he’s always strongly motivated to return. Practice this with your dog on a long line at first, to be sure it will work! (See “Long Distance Information,” WDJ February 2001.)
• It’s a useful distracter. Lucy, our new Cardigan Corgi, used to take delight in tormenting our Scottie, who hikes with me on a long line because his recall is not reliable. The long blue leash snaking through the grass would catch Lucy’s eye, and she’d latch onto it and drag poor Dubhy around.
A tug toy was perfect for redirecting her desire to grab and pull his leash. (I may, however, teach her to grab his leash and bring Dubhy back to me on those occasions when the recall doesn’t work!)
• It can be a stress reliever. Many dogs develop a very positive association with the tug game.
One of my clients discovered a great application for tug while trying to do counter-conditioning and desensitization (CC&D) exercises in public with her dog- and people-reactive Briard. When the stimulus (a dog and/or person) occasionally and unexpectedly presented itself too closely, Jobie was too stressed to take treats. Terry discovered she could whip out a toy for a gentle game of tug, use her dog’s positive association with the tug game to reduce his stress enough to the point he would eat treats and then resume the CC&D.
• It’s great for teaching self control. As discussed in “arguments against,” tug is a perfect activity for teaching your dog to control his energy and mouth placement, by teaching an “All done” cue to end the game, and using a “Too bad!” time-out when canine teeth touch human skin or clothing.
• It can be a “legal” outlet for roughhousing. There is often at least one family member – usually male – who delights in playing rough physical games with the dog. Physical games that encourage body-slamming and mouthing do tend to reinforce inappropriate behaviors. Convince your roughhousing humans to play tug by the rules, and they’ll help you reinforce desirable behaviors instead, while fulfilling their need to get physical with the dog.
• It can build relationships. Doing things that your dog loves helps build a strong bond between you two. Playing tug with a dog who loves it can reinforce his focus on you, and his interest and pleasure in playing and training with you. While food rewards are an important part of positive training, life rewards – activities that are meaningful and reinforcing to the dog – strengthen the relationship and give you options for using other rewards in addition to treats.
Rules of the game
These are general guidelines for making tug a positive training/relationship experience. The calmer and better-behaved your dog is, the less necessary it is to follow the rules strictly. The more rowdy and out of control your dog, the more closely you will want to adhere to them. By the way, don’t be alarmed by your dog’s growls during tug – it’s all part of the game. As long as his other behaviors are appropriate, let him growl his heart out!
• Rule #1: You start the game. Keep the tug toy put away, and get it out when you want to play. It’s perfectly okay to get it out when you know he is in the mood, but it’s your choice to start the game. You control the good stuff.
• Rule #2: No grabbing. Hold up the toy. If your dog grabs or leaps for it, say “Oops!” and hide it behind your back. Then offer it again. When he is no longer keeping or grabbing, say “Take it!” and offer his end to him. Then give him the cue to “Tug!” or “Pull!” and the game is on. You control the good stuff and allow him to have it out of the goodness of your heart.
• Rule #3: You win most of the time. “Winning” means you have the toy and your dog doesn’t. At first, you may need to offer him an irresistible treat as you say, “Give!” He’ll have to drop the toy to eat the treat, and you’ve won! As soon as he devours the treat, say “Take it!” again and offer him his end of the toy. Now he got two rewards for letting go of it – he got the treat, and he gets the toy back again! At least, he gets his end of the toy back. Practice the “Give” part of the game numerous times during each play session. Eventually you will be able to fade the use of the treat, as he realizes that the reward for “Give!” is more tug.
• Rule #4: Use time-outs as needed. If your dog gets too aroused and/or is putting his mouth on you or your clothing, use a “Too bad, time out!” when his arousal level starts to escalate to an unacceptable level, or the instant his teeth touch forbidden surfaces. Put the toy high on a shelf and sit down for a few minutes. Then you can, if you want, retrieve the toy and play again.
If you have a dog who allows his teeth to stray into forbidden territory frequently by creeping his jaws up the length of the toy, use a tug object with a clear demarcation near his end of the toy – a change in texture or material – and do a time-out immediately anytime his teeth cross that line. You control the good stuff, and his inappropriate behavior makes the good stuff go away.
• Rule #5: Supervise children. Very young children should not play tug with your dog unless and until the dog is impeccable about his self-control, and then only under direct supervision. Middle to older children can play with moderate supervision if they can be relied on to play by the rules, and if your dog is under reasonable self-control and not likely to get into trouble. Children can control the good stuff too!
• Rule #6: You end the game. You get to decide when tug is over, not your dog. End the game with a “Give, all done!” cue and put the toy away on a high shelf or in a secure drawer. It’ll be there, ready and waiting, when you decide to play tug again. You control the good stuff.
Variations on the theme
The most common style of tug consists of a dog on one end of the toy, a human on the other. You don’t have to stop there, however. If you have two compatible dogs who love to tug you can give them each one end of a toy and let them go at it with each other.
The key word here is compatible. Because tug does create a certain level of arousal, dogs who are prone to getting into fights should not be encouraged to tug together. Don’t equate growling and snarling with fights, however – a lot of that will go on when compatible dogs play tug together.
If you have two dogs who can tug together, try a threesome! Find a tug toy with one handle for the human and two ends for the dogs – a game the whole family can play!
At the other end of the spectrum, you can teach your dog to play tug by himself. You can run a rope through a Kong and knot it so the knot is inside the Kong, and then tie the other end of the rope to something sturdy. Encourage your dog to pick up the Kong and pull on the rope.
There are also a number of toys on the market that are made with elastic bands inside, meant to encourage a tug-loving dog to pull harder and longer, even when there is just a tree or a post, not another playmate, on the other end of the toy. Of course, you lose the relationship value of tug with this variation of the game, but you might increase the exercise benefits!
-Pat Miller, CPDT, is WDJ’s Training Editor. She is also author of The Power of Positive Dog Training, and Positive Perspectives: Love Your Dog, Train Your Dog.
1. Frequently inspect your dog’s ears. Take a peek in there at least once a day. Investigate any abnormality quickly; ear problems can become dramatically painful with rapidity.
2. Solving chronic ear problems requires a body-wide treatment, including improvements to diet. Start with a thorough physical at your holistic veterinarian’s office.
3. While holistic home care is best for preventing ear problems, quick conventional veterinary diagnosis – and sometimes, treatment – may be needed to effectively treat a serious problem.
In many ways it could be said that a dog “leads with its ears.” A dog’s ears are right up front, one of the most noticeable parts of his anatomy, and they are a conspicuous visual reminder that demonstrates and carries much of his character and personality. From the veterinary standpoint, the ears are a good place to begin a physical exam to check for both specific and general diseases.
The shape of the ear is characteristic of the breed, and there are many types of outer ears: large and drooping, as in the Bloodhound or Cocker Spaniel; erect and mobile, as in the German Shepherd or Border Collie; or small and button-like as in a Bulldog or Chinese Shar Pei.
The way a dog carries his ears gives us an insight into how he is feeling physically and emotionally, and the “posture” of the ears is a language unto itself. In other words, by observing the carriage of a dog’s ears, we are given a way to “hear” what he is trying to tell us. In addition, abnormal carriage of the ears may indicate disease or nerve damage, and abnormal ear size (for the breed) may be an indication of multiple genetic defects.
The ear can be divided into four parts: ear flap (auricle or pinna); external ear canal (external auditory meatus); middle ear; and internal (inner) ear. The pinnae are highly mobile and can be controlled independently. More than a dozen separate muscles control the movement of the ear, and the entire area is richly supplied with blood vessels and nerves.
The pinna of the external ear is a funnel-like plate of cartilage that receives air vibrations and transmits them via the ear canal to the eardrum (tympanic membrane).
The ear canal is lined with both apocrine (ceruminous) and sebaceous glands which, in the normal animal, produce a protective coating of earwax (cerumen). In chronic otitis the sebaceous glands become fewer than normal, and the apocrine glands increase in number, in size, and in their production of secretions.
Note that the dog’s ear canal is considerably longer than its human counterpart, and after extending downward, it makes a sharp turn inward toward the eardrum. Thus, complete examination of the ear canal requires an otoscope with special (long and thin) cones. Few dogs tolerate anything being poked into the external ear canal, and dogs with painful ears (from infections or foreign bodies) almost never allow adequate examination without anesthesia.
The eardrum separates the external ear from the middle ear, and it is the area where vibrations sent from the external ear are focused and amplified. There are three small bones within the middle ear – the malleus, incus, and stapes – that transmit the vibrations from the eardrum to the inner ear.
The inner ear consists of two main parts: the cochlea (end organ for hearing) and the vestibule and semicircular canals (end organ for balance). All these can be thought of as a series of tunnels or canals within the temporal bone. Inside the cochlea are specialized hair cells that pick up auditory vibrations and synapse directly with the auditory nerve.
Equilibrium is controlled by electrical impulses that are registered on hair cells located in the three semicircular canals. These signals transmit the current status of the body (head) in relation to the horizon (gravity).
The ear has two functions – hearing and balance – and either function can be disturbed by disease, old age, or nerve disruption from a number of causes.
What a Dog Hears
Hearing can be visualized as waves of energy traveling along molecules in the air, transformed into mechanical energy at the ear drum, then amplified by small bones and finally transformed into the electrical impulses in the auditory nerve – resulting in what the brain registers as hearing.
Dogs have a much different range of hearing than ours, extending into a considerably higher frequency than we can hear. Sound frequency, the number of sound wave cycles every second, is measured in Hertz (Hz). The higher the frequency, the more sound waves per second, the higher-pitched the sound. Humans hear best at around 2,000 Hz; dogs hear best at 8,000 Hz – perhaps the reason they respond better to high pitched cues.
Dog Ears According to Traditional Chinese Medicine
While Western medicine views the ears from the functional standpoint of hearing and balance, Traditional Chinese Medicine believes that the ears are connected to the Kidney Organ system. Poor hearing, common in the elderly patient, is thought to be a consequence of weakened Kidney Jing. (Jing is best translated as the essence or the substance that underlies all organic life.)
Thus, acupuncture practitioners will often treat hearing problems by needling acu-points related to the Kidney. In addition, both the Triple Burner and Gall Bladder meridians pass through the ears and are said to control them, so points related to these meridians may be added to an acupuncturist’s therapeutic protocol.
A system of “auricular acupuncture” has been developed that relies on needles inserted into specific parts of the ear to treat other anatomical parts of the body.
Mild Solutions for the Basically Healthy Ear
1: Squirt about a teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide (the 3% type) in each ear. Let the dog shake and wipe off the excess.
2: Mix 1 cup water, ½ teaspoon sea salt, 1 teaspoon tincture of calendula, if desired. Warm to 101 degrees F. Gently flush using an ear syringe.
3: Mix 3 drops white vinegar with enough pure water to fill a one-ounce dropper bottle. Warm the solution to 101 degrees. Add about six drops per ear. Note: This should feel good. If the ear is inflamed, it may hurt. If pain is evident, dilute with water by half. If the dog still objects, use the calendula formula above.
4: For an acidophilus treatment, start by cleaning the dog’s ears. Mix the contents of one capsule of powdered acidophilus into an ounce of pure water, or use dilute a small amount of liquid acidophilus with water. Pour this solution into the ear. Allow the dog to shake his head, but leave the residue in the ear. Since the ear canal is not a normal habitat for them, the acidophilus organisms will eventually die. (The acidophilus organisms compete with other yeasts, and eventually kill them.) This treatment can be repeated periodically.
5: Almost any herb with antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and/ or immune-boosting activity can be used for the main part of an herbal wash, but mullein, marshmallow root, calendula, chamomile, lavender, and Oregon grape root are excellent choices. Use the active part of the herb (for example: marshmallow root, mullein flower, which can be harvested along with the mature cob) and cover several ounces of this with pure, organic almond or olive oil. Let this mixture sit for several days. Strain it, and use the strained oil, several drops per ear.
Herbal mixtures may contain one herb or several. For additional antibiotic activity, you can add a clove or two of garlic to the original mixture. If inflammation or swelling is present, mix with equal amounts of distilled liquid witch hazel. Add several drops of liquid vitamin E per ounce of fluid as a preservative and keep in a cool, dark place. Make and use a fresh mixture after a week or two.
6: To treat a mite infestation, use a simple soothing oil applied directly in the ear canal. Repeat every three days for four to six weeks. Mullein has insecticide activity and can be added to the oil mixture; other herbs may also be helpful, including: yellow dock (Rumex crispus), thyme (Thymus vulgaris), rue (Ruta graveolens), or rosemary (Rosemarinus officinalis). The high sulfur content in garlic may be helpful in killing mites.
There are dozens of commercial ear care products, many of which are “natural.” My favorite has long been Halo’s Ear Wash product – several herbs in a witch hazel base. I’ve heard good things about DermaPet’s Ear/Skin Cleanser, which is a two percent vinegar, two percent boric acid solution. Animals’ Apawthecary has a nice product (Herbal Ear Rinse) which contains cider vinegar, aloe vera juice, vegetable glycerin, witch hazel, organic goldenseal root, calendula flowers, and olive leaf.
Natural Ear Care for Dogs At Home
There are numerous methods of natural care that the dog owner can use to keep her dog’s ears and hearing healthy:
Food for Ears
When we put together a diet to aid in the prevention and treatment of problems located in or around a dog’s ears, it is important to remember that many ear infections are associated with allergies. Choose high-quality foods that do not contain artificial preservatives, flavorings, or food colorings. Consider making a home-prepared diet, or if this is not feasible for you, move up to a higher-quality diet.
If your dog experiences chronic ear infections – and especially if the infections are associated with obvious symptoms of allergies, consider performing a food-elimination trial to investigate particular foods as a potential cause of the allergies.
Antioxidants are crucial for the effectiveness of the immune system, and they will aid circulatory and nerve health in the area of the ears. Consider supplementing your dog’s diet with antioxidants such as vitamins A and E, Coenzyme Q-10, or any number of the culinary herbs, including rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), thyme (Thymus vulgaris), and oregano (Origanum vulgare). Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba), is high in antioxidant activity and has specific beneficial effects to the ear.
Zinc quickens the immune response; vitamin C is needed for proper immune function. Vitamin B complex is essential for healing and has been shown in humans to reduce ear pressure. Potassium helps maintain nervous system health and nerve impulse transmission. In humans, manganese deficiency has been linked to ear disorders.
Ear infections may be linked to hypothyroidism, so you may want to have your dog’s thyroid checked. If the test results suggest hypothyroidism, add to the diet one of the seaweed herbs such as bladderwack (Fucus vesiculosus), dulse (Palmaria palmate), or kelp (Laminaria spp.). Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus) is a good, non-specific herb that offers whole-body adaptogenic qualities that strengthen and balance all organ systems.
Your holistic practitioner can be of invaluable help in this area of supplements. She can help you select foods or products that contain the needed supplements, and she can help you calculate dosages that are appropriate for the weight of your dog and his current condition. (Preventative dosages, for example, are much less than those used to treat an ongoing disease.)
Most importantly, she can help you select a product and dosage protocol that provides enough of the supplement without creating imbalances and/or potentially toxic levels of any one supplement.
It’s very typical for a client to bring me a shopping bag full of supplements. When we read the labels and calculate the dosages, we invariably find duplications of many of the supplements. We almost always toss out about half of the supplements in the bag, and we’re still able to provide all the necessary supplements in appropriate dosages.
Ear Washes
There are several natural solutions that can be used periodically to “wash” or “irrigate” a dog’s ears – to help maintain the normal flora of the ear, and thus help prevent ear diseases. Pour several teaspoons of the solution into your dog’s ear, gently massage around the base of the ear, and then (after he shakes his head) wipe off the excess fluids with a clean cloth.
How often you use an ear wash depends on the environment of your dog’s ear. Long, floppy ears tend to trap moisture, which provides an ideal growing place for microorganisms; small, upright ears that allow plenty of air circulation tend to stay cleaner and infection-free.
To prevent disease from occurring in the floppy-eared dogs, you may need to wash once a week; once a month is probably plenty for a prick-eared dog. When you treat disease, begin with treatments three or four times a day and taper off as the disease resolves.
General rules for ear washes: One of our goals is to keep excess wax and oil from building up and obstructing the ear canal – a simple saline mixture or dilute vinegar wash may be adequate for this. Herbal preparations often have many simultaneous benefits: they ease pain and are calming, many are anti-inflammatory, and most are antimicrobial, typically effective against a wide range of bacteria, yeasts, and fungi.
One of the most common pathogens found in chronic ear infections is a yeast, Malassezia pachydermatis (syn. Pityro-sporum canis). This yeast is one of those oddball bugs; low numbers are normally found in healthy ears, but they can become pathogenic (cause disease) under certain conditions.
The idea is to keep the numbers of Malassezia down, and there are several ways to do this. An acid environment discourages their growth – occasionally use a dilute vinegar wash. Bacteria thrive in an oily, waxy environment, so keep the ear canal clear of excess wax and oil buildup. Many herbs have anti-yeast properties (See herbal section for more information). Acidophilus directly competes with yeasts, and an occasional lactobacillus “ear irrigation” will keep the yeast numbers down.
Ear Massage
There’s almost nothing that will endear you more to your dog than a daily ear massage. (Well OK, a timely food dish may be a little more endearing.) It’s not just that dogs love the ear massage, you’ll be helping improve blood and nerve supply to the region and, according to auricular acupuncture theory, you’ll be enhancing all the Organ systems of the body simultaneously.
A good ear rub is easy to master, too. Simply rub gently around the entire base of the ear. Hold the base of the ear with one hand, take the earflap between fingers and thumb of the other hand, and rub in a circular fashion – from the base of the ear to its tip. Gently stretch the ear from base to tip. Try this on yourself to see how good it feels, and to sense how energizing it is.
Holistic and Alternative Medicines for Ears
Acupuncture
Two aspects of acupuncture are worth mentioning here: 1) auricular acupuncture – inserting needles into the pinna of the ear to treat conditions of the entire body, including the ear, and 2) acupuncture used to treat ear conditions such as infections and hearing loss.
Auricular acupuncture is a recent addition to the classical acupuncture that has been used for centuries, and its methods have not been as well defined as the classic system. In addition, because there are so many anatomic expressions of a dog’s ear, it has been difficult to define the precise locations for insertion of the needles. Observations do show, however, that dogs and humans have similar reflex responses – a sudden jerk of the head or a grimace – when needles are placed in certain ear locations. These can be effective diagnostic clues.
Traditional Chinese Medicine considers the ears to be an important crossroad of the principle Yin and Yang meridians of the arms and limbs, and the earflap is thought to interconnect with all the internal organs and systems.
For conditions of the ear, most acupuncturists will use local and general tonifying and immune-balancing points. Kidney, Triple Heater (TH), and Gall Bladder (GB) meridian points may be added, depending on the symptoms. TH-5 and GB-20 have been used to stimulate declining hearing.
Homeopathy
Homeopathic remedies are directed toward the general and specific symptoms. Specific symptoms would include the appearance and type of ear discharge, along with other noticeable symptoms such as vesicular skin irritations, red eyes, or gastrointestinal problems. General symptoms would include symptoms such as the time of day when the irritation seems worst and the patient’s general emotional attitude during and before a disease condition exists.
Check with your homeopathic practitioner for specific remedies, potencies, and frequency of use, since these depend on the acuteness and/or severity of the disease, the age and general condition of the animal, etc. Homeopathic remedies should not be relied upon to work quickly, and their effectiveness is often dependent on the skill and experience of the practitioner.
Herbs
There are many herbs that are excellent for preventing and/or treating ear conditions. Herbs that have antimicrobial activity typically act against a broad spectrum of microbes – bacteria, yeast, and fungi. Many are also calming, anti-inflammatory, and act to ease pain. Some herbs taken internally enhance the immune system, and their anti-microbial activity may enhance other treatments, but the real benefit of herbal remedies is their use in solutions that are used directly in the ear canal. Some examples of ear-important herbs include:
The flowering tops of mullein (Verbascum thapsus) have antimicrobial properties with a special application for infections of ears, and they appear to have a calming and soothing effect. In addition, the seeds contain rotenone, an insecticidal agent. The most common way to use the flowers is in the form of an oil infusion.
Oregon grape root (Mahonia spp.) is especially useful for treatment of problems related to the ears, eyes, and mucous membranes of the vaginal and urinary tract. Oregon grape root has antimicrobial activity against bacterial, fungal, and yeast infections. For ear infections or ear mites, an oil infusion of fresh or dried roots can be made, and a clove of garlic can be added if desired.
Marshmallow root (Althaea officinalis) is good medicine for alleviating irritations, thanks to its high content of soothing and protective mucilaginous compounds. It is a good herb to consider when treating skin conditions, urinary tract problems, upper respiratory and gastrointestinal disease, as well as for ear conditions.
Marshmallow root has antimicrobial and immune-enhancing properties, and animal studies have shown that it is active against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus vulgaris, and Staphylococcus aureus, all of which can create especially nasty and chronic ear infections
Witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) is an herb with strong astringent properties, and at the same time it seems to be soothing to external tissues. It is thus an excellent choice for the inflamed ear canal that may have become swollen. It has also been used externally to treat earflap hematomas.
Any of the herbs above can be used individually or in combination; garlic can be added if desired.
Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) is the world’s most-used treatment for memory loss and degenerative diseases of the brain and central nervous system. It stimulates circulation and has an affinity for the ears, where it is used in human medicine to enhance hearing and to reduce ringing in the ears (tinnitus). It is taken orally. For animals, use the dosage listed on the package, adjusted for the weight of the animal.
Chiropractic
Chiropractic may enhance hearing and the success of other therapies aimed at curing ear diseases. In 1895, D.D. Palmer, one of the founders of early chiropractic in this country, claims to have cured a person of his chronic deafness by one simple adjustment of the patient’s neck. The re-adjusting of misaligned vertebrae may enhance blood and nervous supply to the ear and surrounding areas. Moreover, ear infections often cause tenseness around the neck and jaw, and the resultant tension may eventually twist the vertebrae out of alignment, causing further pain and discomfort.
Ear Diseases and Therapies for Dogs
Otitis Externa
Dogs with ear infections typically shake their heads and dig at their ears, and they may roll along the ground to relieve the itch. A whiff of the ear canal usually reveals the source of the itching, and the odor can vary from foul and rank to sweet and fruity. There may be a visible discharge, varying from clear and serous to purulent (pus-filled) to black and corrosive. The character of the discharge is an important consideration when using homeopathic remedies.
Ear infections can be caused by a number of microorganisms (bacteria, yeasts, and fungi), parasites (mites), and foreign bodies (foxtails, etc.). There are often predisposing factors to instigate the infection, including long, pendulous ear flaps that trap moisture and heat and help provide an ideal environment for bugs to grow; allergies; and accumulation of ear wax and oils in the ear canal creates an environment that encourages Malassezia yeast to grow; secondhand smoke (a higher number of ear infections in children are seen in households where there are smokers, and I would bet that it’s true for dogs, too).
Finally, some chronic diseases (for example, hypothyroidism, hyperadreno-corticism, and again, allergies) apparently predispose dogs to an increased frequency of ear infections. Interestingly, pet dander is one of the most common allergens thought to precipitate otitis in humans.
Otitis externa almost always tends to become chronic, recurring time after time, no matter what conventional Western medicines are used. The bottom line is this: otitis externa is not, generally speaking, a one-time occurrence. In almost every case there is an underlying condition that must be addressed in order to control the otitis.
Conventional therapy includes removal of any foreign body present; cleaning the ear canal; then the use of antibiotics, steroids, decongestants, and antihistamines. Surgery and even hearing aids have been used to counteract hearing loss.
After a thorough inspection of the entire ear canal, cleansing, and removal of foreign bodies, most of the conventional therapies listed above are just what we try to avoid with holistic medicine. In most cases, treatment can be accomplished with any of the alternative medicines – which often are more effective than the Western medicines anyway.
However, it must be remembered that alternative medicines typically take some time to work, and severe cases of otitis externa can penetrate the eardrum and progress into otitis media/interna – which can ultimately lead to permanent hearing loss. Judicious use of antibiotics may be indicated; always check with your veterinarian – and get a second opinion if you think it’s necessary.
My caveat for the use of antibiotics is to make absolutely certain that the antibiotics being prescribed will be effective against the organisms causing the infection. Never use a antibiotic randomly; have a culture and sensitivity run before any antibiotic therapy, or at the very least, make sure your vet has looked at a swab of the ear under the microscope. Most of the bugs can be identified fairly accurately with simple stains that most vets have in their clinics.
Holistic therapy includes a focus on prevention rather than cure. Moreover, if disease is present, holistic medicine uses the whole-body approach (nutrition, recognizing and treating other diseases, etc.) as well as specific medicines – homeopathic, acupuncture, herbal washes, etc. – used to alleviate symptoms or applied directly to the ears.
Otitis Media and Otitis Interna
Be suspicious of otitis media or otitis interna if your dog has difficulty balancing, stumbles and falls, staggers or trips when first getting up, or if he tends to circle in one direction.
These two diseases are nothing to mess with. Most cases of otitis media and interna are the result of an extension of otitis externa through the eardrum. Their presence indicates a good possibility that the eardrum is broken and that the infection is severe and has been ongoing for some time.
If you see any of the symptoms that indicate a lack of balance (such as staggering or falling), see a veterinarian for an accurate diagnosis. You may need antibiotics to get ahead of this disease process.
Mites
Ear mites (Otodectes cyanotis) can occur in dogs, although not as often as in cats. Ear mites are small parasites that roam freely in the ear, and they can drive a dog crazy. (Think about the noise you might hear as dozens of little buggers crawled around in your ear, and you’ll be sympathetic.) The mite-infested ear typically has a dry, crumbly, blackish (like coffee grounds) exudate that can be seen in the ear canal; the mites are (barely) visible to the naked eye.
Mites are generally easy to treat – oils cover the breathing apparatus of the adults and eventually kill them. Some herbal remedies have anti-parasitic activity (Mullein, for example) and can be added to an oil-based treatment.
The life cycle of the mite is three weeks, so treatments should extend through at least this three-week period. Usually dogs acquire their ear mites from cats, so if there are any cats in the family, treat them at the same time you are treating the dog. Puppies seem to be more susceptible than adult dogs, suggesting an immune component to the disease; consider enhancing the immune system if mites are detected.
Auricular Hematomas
The etiology of these often large, blood filled blebs, located between the skin and ear cartilage, is often unknown. [Editor’s note: That wasn’t a typo: A “bleb” is “an elevation of the skin filled with serous fluid.”] Sometimes hematomas will develop when a dog has been shaking his head hard or often – probably due to one of the interior ear problems discussed here. The dog shakes his head so hard that small blood vessels in the ear flaps burst, causing a bleb.
Conventional treatment consists of lancing and drainage, perhaps injections of steroids, and possibly surgery to enhance drainage and healing. About 50 percent of all hematomas recur after the first conventional treatment, and about 30 percent recur after being treated the second time.
Yarrow, used as a tea internally and externally as an oil-based ointment, may be helpful in helping to maintain arterial integrity. Witch hazel, applied topically, may also be of benefit.
Foreign Bodies
When a foreign body has gotten in a dog’s ear, it is almost always in one ear only. The dog will generally hold his head to one side (with the affected ear held down), cry and dig at the ear, and rub it against the ground. The symptoms usually come on acutely, and they can be quite dramatic.
The only way to know if there is a foreign body inside the ear canal is to look down into its depths with a special instrument. My experience has been that this almost invariably requires anesthesia. With proper chemical restraint, it is easy to find a foreign body and remove it, and to cleanse the ears thoroughly and treat them with a soothing herb while we’re there.
Hearing Loss and Deafness
There are a number of factors involved in hearing loss and deafness: infections; trauma and loud noises; many drugs; old age; genetic susceptibility; neural damage; etc. The most common form of hearing loss is called “conductive” hearing loss and it is caused by a blockage of the ear canal – from foreign bodies, infections, or an excessive buildup of cerumen (earwax).
Exposure to loud noises can cause “sensory” hearing loss, and this loss becomes progressively worse as the exposure continues over time. Dogs who are subjected to loud rock or rap music (and no animal should suffer this kind of torture!) will gradually lose their hearing, and the loss can be permanent. Quick impact, high-level noise such as gunshots can also cause hearing loss, and it has been recommended that hunting dogs wear ear plugs, much as the hunter does.
There are many drugs that can cause hearing loss, including aminoglycoside anti-biotics such as gentamycin and amikacin; loop diuretics such as furosemide (Lasix); several anti-cancer drugs; and even high doses of aspirin. Be sure to check with your vet before any drugs are used – to be sure they will not cause hearing loss (and to be sure your vet has actually read the package insert for the drug ).
Diseases such as diabetes, kidney failure, and hypothyroidism may be associated with hearing loss.
As a dog ages, much like his human counterpart, his hearing diminishes. The first signs of hearing loss may be a hesitation to obey commands, or a reluctance to go into strange territory. Old age hearing loss is usually a slow, progressive change, and you may be able to slow it somewhat with good nutrition, antioxidants, and adding some ginkgo to the diet.
An old dog may initially lose only the ability to hear certain frequencies (usually in the upper ranges), so speaking to him in low tones may be helpful. Some people have found that percussive sounds such as clapping can be heard by fairly deaf dogs, so they clap to draw the dog’s attention to hand signals. Realize, too, that hearing loss can create behavioral changes – some old dogs can be startled easily and may snap or bite when surprised.
“Neural” hearing loss is the least common form, and it can be caused by head trauma, blood clots or ruptured blood vessels, or brain tumors.
There is a test called the BAER (Brain Auditory Evoked Response) test that will accurately record hearing loss, and it can be used to detect partial loss, unilateral hearing loss, and total, bilateral deafness. This test is especially beneficial for testing puppies of breeds known to have a high incidence of deafness. Check with your veterinarian for more information.
Dr. Randy Kidd earned his DVM degree from Ohio State University and his Ph.D. in Pathology/Clinical Pathology from Kansas State University. A past president of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association, he’s author of Dr. Kidd’s Guide to Herbal Dog Care and Dr. Kidd’s Guide to Herbal Cat Care.
Every day the already dazzling array of options for caring for your dog grows even more. There are myriad modalities in the realm of holistic care, including complementary and alternative options, as well as conventional veterinary medicine, with its low- and high-tech diagnostic and treatment procedures. Which way do you go when your dog has a health concern?
Choosing caregivers
There are a number of ways to integrate holistic and conventional care for your dog. Some veterinarians practice “integrative medicine,” using both holistic modalities and conventional care, in a fully equipped clinic. This situation is the easiest to manage because you are only working with one practitioner. “Unfortunately, some practitioners with [full] clinics are sometimes more conventional that you would hope,” says holistic veterinarian Eugene Aversa, DVM, of Santa Fe, New Mexico.
There are an increasing number of veterinary practices that include vets who practice conventional veterinary medicine and some who use holistic therapies. While you may work directly with two or more vets, these integrated clinics simplify sharing information between the vets. They facilitate active involvement of all parties in the care of your dog.
Unfortunately, these clinics tend to be the exception and not the rule. If you aren’t lucky enough to live close to such a clinic, it’s best to form your own team of veterinarians who are willing to work together. If you are already working with a veterinarian, and you have a strong relationship, open a dialogue with him or her about bringing another practitioner into the mix.
“The thing to do is find a [conventional] veterinarian who’s open minded to holistic and complementary approaches – more and more are,” says Allen Schoen, DVM, who practices integrative holistic animal health care in Sherman, Connecticut. Keep in mind that it is just as important that your holistic veterinarian is open to conventional diagnostic procedures and treatments if you decide to pursue them.
Regardless of whether your primary veterinarian is holistically oriented or very conventional, know his or her limitations regarding care for your dog. What are the clinic hours – is there any availability for emergencies? Does your veterinarian have surgery facilities? What about access to labs and other diagnostic procedures?
How some choose
For Janine Adams, of St. Louis, Missouri, her first call is almost always to holistic veterinarian, Dr. W. Konrad Kruesi. “Unless it’s a life-threatening emergency, I always try to contact Dr. Kruesi before I do anything,” she says. A holistic practitioner based in North Clarendon, Vermont, Dr. Kruesi provides Adams with critical initial guidance on what diagnostic tests to ask for, what treatments to consider immediately, and which to forego.
Adams second call is to her local, conventional veterinarian, Dr. Patrick Tate. He acts as the eyes, ears, nose, and hands for Dr. Kruesi, and runs blood work and any other diagnostic tests that might be necessary. Adams says, “I’m fortunate that both of my vets are very open and willing to work with each other within these parameters.”
After a thorough exam and necessary diagnostic tests at Dr. Tate’s clinic, Adams shares all of the results with Dr. Kruesi. He then formulates the holistically oriented treatment.
Lauren McCall, of Portland, Oregon, usually opts for a trip to her conventional veterinarian for diagnosis and treatment recommendations. Then, depending on the situation, may choose to go with the allopathic recommendations or consult a holistic veterinarian.
“While I generally think holistically, I’m not opposed to a short, sharp shock [with medication] to get the situation under control, then treat the issue holistically,” explains McCall.
When her Bernese Mountain Dog, Byron, was recently diagnosed with cancer, this was the exact approach McCall used. First she took Byron to her conventional veterinarian, who used standard conventional methods for diagnosing the tumor. Then she consulted with a veterinary oncologist to determine the optimal treatment plan for Byron. The tumor was surgically removed, and Byron’s diet was changed and supplemented. However, McCall opted not to pursue further conventional treatments.
“The oncologist wasn’t sure that chemotherapy would be of much benefit to Byron, and it would likely be very difficult for him physically and emotionally. We decided to consult with a holistic veterinarian and pursue an alternate treatment in an attempt to prevent the recurrence of the cancer,” she explains. So far, six months after diagnosis, he remains cancer-free.
In Connecticut, Dr. Schoen focuses on complementary and alternative modalities, but he requires that all of his clients also have a conventional primary care veterinarian. “Whenever possible, I like to have a ‘Western’ diagnosis for a client,” says Schoen. With that, he can then help the client explore the options of conventional versus complementary treatments, including the risks and benefits of each.
Dr. Schoen believes it is crucial to remain unattached to any particular modality or therapy, as he quips, “Don’t let your dogma kill my karma.” Instead, he always asks himself, what’s best to help this animal?
New Mexico’s Dr. Aversa also looks for a conventional diagnosis with a patient, to determine the best course of treatment in any particular situation. “Most of the time it’s pretty clear which road to take,” he explains. Just because you get a Western diagnosis, he says, doesn’t mean you have to use the conventional treatment.
Dr. Aversa may opt for a completely holistic regime, including homeopathy, nutrition, and chiropractic care, or, if appropriate, focus more on a conventional treatment, although he nearly always adds in some level of holistic therapy as support.
Chronic health conditions
When Janine Adams’ late Poodle, Kramer, developed several autoimmune conditions, her conventional veterinarian was running out of options and recommended that she seek advice from a holistic practitioner. After some exploration, she began working with Dr. Kruesi.
Many dog owners converted to holistic care after dealing with chronic health conditions, for which their conventional medical practitioners had no answers. Or, side effects from the allopathic treatments were too detrimental.
For instance, in the case of allergies, Dr. Schoen is likely to try natural approaches first, such as diet changes and supplementation, rather than the conventional allergy treatments including steroids and antihistamines. “Although, each animal is different and each client is different,” he says.
While many chronic health conditions can be successfully treated with holistic or alternative care, Dr. Aversa says, “there are plenty of instances where chronic disease or circumstances require conventional care.”
This is the case with my dogs. Both have Addison’s disease, an autoimmune condition that destroys the adrenal gland, rendering it unable to produce certain hormones. Booker requires conventional medication, as well as regular blood tests, to stay alive. At the same time, he’s received acupuncture, chiropractic adjustments, herbs, nutritional supplements, homeopathic remedies, and other holistic treatments over the years to improve his health.
By combining conventional and holistic approaches, Booker’s medications have been reduced to less than one-third the normal dose for a dog his size. And he’s a happier, healthier dog than if he were just receiving treatments from one side or the other.
Acute crises
“In a true emergency, you shouldn’t be putzing around with remedies at home,” says Dr. Aversa. It’s better to have a veterinarian, holistic or conventional, look at the animal, to ensure you aren’t dealing with a life-threatening condition.
When Adams’ dog, Kramer, developed bloat she rushed him to the emergency clinic. At the clinic, they took X-rays and were successful in decompressing his stomach. He was kept under observation for the night, and released the next day.
In the morning, Adams consulted with Dr. Kruesi. He provided valuable advice to aid Kramer in a swift recovery, and also helped Adams and her husband decide against prophylactic gastropexy surgery (stomach tacking) to prevent torsion in the event of a future bloat episode.
Communication
Some people may be reluctant to tell their conventional veterinarian that they want to (or are already) consulting with a holistic veterinarian. And the opposite may be true as well, for those using a holistic practition-er who are interested in pursuing a conventional Western diagnosis or treatment protocol.
“It can be hard to stand up to an authority figure, but we are our animals’ advocates,” explains Adams. “Besides, when you are up front with your conventional veterinarian about how you prefer to treat your animals, you have the opportunity to inform and educate him or her – helping him or her understand another way of thinking.”
When Adams moved back to St. Louis after a four year absence, she had completely changed the way she cared for her dogs. She contacted her former veterinarian, Dr. Tate, and explained to him that she now considered holistic veterinarian Dr. Kruesi to be the “primary” veterinarian for her dogs, though she needed a local veterinarian in St. Louis to provide physical exams and lab tests and any other services her dogs may need. Not only did Dr. Tate accept the parameters, he has referred clients to Dr. Kruesi. Not all doctors would be so accepting and accommodating.
The most important thing to remember is be informed in advance. This way you can make the best decision possible at the time. Know you have options – and, know your options!
Thanks so much for “Fine Tuning” in your September issue. As usual, you covered topics I’m coping with every day. My one-year-old Golden, Midas, might as well be “Hannah” in disguise: he gets aroused by exactly the same things. Now I don’t feel so bad, knowing even Editor Nancy Kerns needed Pat Miller’s tips!
I urgently want to warn readers, though, about the CoQ10 you recommend in the article in the same issue about eye health (“Seeing Is Believing”). My mixed breed, who usually seems to have an iron stomach, got extremely nauseated from CoQ10. Unfortunately, that’s what I remembered that when I tried it myself; I’d gotten severe gas pains.
I looked online (and not at sites that sell the supplement) and in my books, but found sources that recommend it almost never give side effects – your publication included. I’d like them given, if known, for every herb suggested, even if they’re only known for humans. I keep thinking we could’ve gone to the vet and even gotten treated for a problem that’s really a side effect.
Thank you for your inspiring, reassuring articles; my dogs’ lives are much improved as I slowly smarten up. I’m sure I’m learning the things they’ve been wanting to tell me all along!
-Joan Carney
Harpswell, ME
Joan, thanks so much for your letter. You’ve raised an excellent point about the potential side effects of supplements, herbs, and other complementary remedies. We’ll make sure we do a better job of including this important information in all of our articles.
A look at my reference books does indeed confirm that some people have reported that CoQ10 can cause headache, heartburn, fatigue, and increased involuntary movements at high doses. Mild diarrhea and skin reactions have also been reported.
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I love how you guys talk about raw diet all the time! Kudos, and isn’t it great that more people are becoming aware of actually paying attention to the health of their dogs and cats. BUT! Although I know you weren’t comprehensive in your listings due to probably space constraints, you left off two important big sources for the raw world.
One is the book Switching to Raw by Sue Johnson. I sell raw diets in my store, and I sell books to help educate the people who buy the raw diet options. Switching to Raw is one of our best sellers. It is clear, concise, simple, easy to follow, and formatted in a way that makes a new person really feel comfortable sitting down and reading it. It is one of the most highly recommended books by people on the Internet.
The other important omission is the prepared raw diet called Bravo Raw Diet. Of all the diets to miss! This one is one of the very best. Not only do they pay close and strict attention to quality but they are one of the few companies that offers certified organic options for people like myself who chose by quality, not cost. They keep the costs as reasonable as they can by offering bulk purchase prices. They offer complete raw frozen diets as well as the constituent parts, just like the other sources you listed.
We had more people write in and mention Switching to Raw than I could count. The book is available from its author, Susan Johnson, at www.switchingtoraw.com or by sending $13.95 plus $1.50 shipping/handling per book to Birchrun Basics, PO Box 215, Lavon, TX 75166. Bravo Raw Diet can be purchased by calling (866) 922-9222 or see www.bravorawdiet.com.
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First of all, I want to tell you how much I enjoy WDJ, which I have been subscribing to for several years now. Not wanting to miss anything, I even bought all the back issues, and I’m happy I did! The “ Mixing It Up” article (July 2004) was a good way of addressing those of us who want to feed a raw diet to our dogs, but like the convenience of a product that is easy to use.
Unfortunately, you omitted what I feel is one of the best products of this type, the Wendy Volhard NDF (Natural Diet Foundation ) available from PHD Products. As you mentioned in your “Choosing a Raw Food Guru” article (June 2001), NDF (which Volhard developed in recent years) is a dehydrated version of the original Volhard Natural Diet, which has been around for more than 30 years.
My 10-year-old Golden Retriever, Bda Ch OTCh Can OTCh Newcoast’s Wynton of Bermuda Am CDX, has been fed exclusively on this diet for many years after a kibble and raw diet.
As a supposedly geriatric dog at his age, Wynton is still successfully competing at a high level in obedience and just started doing agility! People cannot believe he is 10 years old. He certainly acts like a dog many years younger and still has a great deal of vitality. Aside from rabies, which is required for travel, he hasn’t been vaccinated in many years, and his blood work is still very good.
I attribute this state of health directly to the Volhard N DF diet and Wendy’s holistic approach to dog care. While it is very sad to see so many of our wonderful Golden breed dying young, I’m still looking forward to several more quality years together with my beloved companion!
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One day in November some 17 years ago, my husband and I (both humane officers in California at the time) were conducting undercover surveillance of cockfighters in San Jose, when a scruffy little Terrier mix ran across a busy road in front of our car. Without a word, Paul pulled the car over to the curb and I hopped out to rescue the youngster from imminent danger.
I knelt down and called to her, and she crawled to me on her belly. I scooped her up and deposited her in the back seat of the car, where she settled on a blanket Paul laid out. We continued with our work, agreeing we would take her to the Humane Society of Santa Clara Valley (HSSCV), where Paul was Director of Operations, on our way home. At that time, HSSCV housed all stray animals found in the San Jose area.</p>
<p>The Terrier rode quietly with us for the rest of the afternoon. In fact, her presence gave us an excuse to stroll past cockfighters’ homes rather than just drive by – we had to walk our dog! By the end of the day, Paul and I agreed that this dog was too exceptional to take to HSSCV, where the high volume of animals handled (40,000 per year) made her prospects dim despite the many good programs the shelter offered.</p>
<p>We decided to keep her until Monday, at which time I would take her to the shelter where I worked as Director of Operations, the Marin Humane Society. Her chances of finding a lifelong loving home there were far better than at HSSCV. Meanwhile, Paul filed a “found” report with a detailed description of her at his shelter, in case someone came in looking for her.</p>
<p><strong>Finding strays</strong><br>If you’re like most dog lovers, sooner or later you’ll find yourself rescuing a stray dog. If she’s lucky, the dog will be wearing a tag with current owner information, and all you will have to do is make a quick phone call so the owners can come retrieve her.</p>
<p>All too often, however, there are no tags, and you must decide what to do with the foundling. You have several options:</p>
<p>• <strong>Take her to the nearest Animal Services shelter.</strong> These are the shelters that provide government services: impounding and housing strays, investigating complaints, selling licenses, inspecting kennels and other animal-related business, doing rabies control, and issuing citations for violations of animal control laws.</p>
<figure class=”right figure-width-288″><img src=”/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/0904Shelter.jpg” alt=”Evaluating Your Local Animal Shelter”><figcaption><p class=”caption” style=”width: 288px;”>Depending on a shelter’s size, budget, and number of incoming animals, a “found” dog’s stay there might be precipitously short before he is euthanized to create space for more pets. Ask about the average length of stay before dropping off a found dog.</p></figcaption></figure>
<p>• <strong>Take her to a private shelter.</strong> While some private shelters contract to provide the previously listed services, many do not. They may or may not accept strays, and are more likely to accept and adopt out owner-surrendered animals, offer spay/neuter services, and conduct fundraising events and public education programs. Private shelters may be full service (accepting all animals) or limited intake (which can include shelters sometimes known as “no-kill”).</p>
<p>• <strong>Take her to a rescue group.</strong> This is a viable option especially if your foundling appears to be a purebred or near purebred dog. Some rescue groups may ask that you take her to a shelter for the legal holding period first, and they’ll rescue her from there. Some will ask (beg, plead with) you to keep her at your home while they work to find a foster home or adopter. Some will take her immediately and willingly.</p>
<p>If she is a mix, or a member of a commonly found breed such as the Labrador Retriever, rescue groups are more likely to be full to the brim, and less likely to leap to your rescue. If she is an unusual breed, such as the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, there is probably a readily available rescue/foster opening. A quick search on the Internet will turn up rescue contact information for just about every breed of dog you can imagine.</p>
<p>• <strong>Take her home temporarily.</strong> This gives you a chance to find the owner yourself or, failing that, rehome her, without the risks inherent in taking a dog to a shelter. However, you must take all the steps described in the sidebar “If You Take a Stray Dog Home.”</p>
<p>• <strong>Take her home permanently.</strong> While this is sometimes a viable solution, it only works if you have the right environment and enough resources to care for your canine foundling. You can’t keep them all.</p>
<p>Of course, even if you were tempted to keep the dog from the moment you found her, you must still make every effort to find her original owner.</p>
<p><strong>Shelters: pro and con</strong><br>It’s best if you know what shelters are located in your area before you need one. It gives me comfort to know exactly where I would take a stray dog – even as I’m trying to catch him – to give him the best opportunity to be returned safely to his owner or find a new, more secure home. I’ve toured shelters in areas where I was house-hunting even before I’ve toured potential homes!</p>
<p>Understand when you go to look at shelters that even the best facility in the world is not a good place for a dog. Dogs do best when they live in small, stable social groups in a structured environment. Shelters, even good ones, are noisy, chaotic, and stressful. Dogs rarely get enough socialization, exercise, or mental stimulation; thus long-term confinement is not conducive to good mental or physical health.</p>
<p>Countless dogs suffer from kennel stress at shelters, often to the degree that their behavior deteriorates to the point where they are considered unadoptable. Some grow increasingly dog-aggressive and obsessively engage in fence-running and fence-fighting. Some begin to display aggression to people – it’s pretty much impossible to get adopted after that. Some attempt to relieve their stress by nonstop barking, spinning, tail-chasing, pacing, or chewing on themselves. Dogs like this are almost always euthanized for humane reasons. Even the best full-service shelters sometimes run out of room, and dogs must be selected for euthanasia for “space” reasons.</p>
<p>Having said that, however, a good shelter is a wonderful temporary haven from the hazards of running loose on the streets: bad weather, starvation, disease, injury, theft, poison, shooting, and more. I never hesitate to take a dog to a good shelter; he has access to a warm meal and a soft, dry bed, and prospects for long-term survival are much higher than on the streets.</p>
<p>I did at one time, I regret to say, live in a community where the local shelter was so wretched that I judged dogs’ chances for survival were better on the streets than in that shelter; it was the only time in my life that I passed by stray dogs rather than automatically stopping to pick them up.</p>
<p><strong>Evaluating shelters</strong><br>So how do you tell if a shelter is “good enough” to give a dog his best chances for survival? You’ll need to make personal visits to the shelters in your area, for starters.</p>
<p>A good shelter doesn’t have to be brand spanking new. The Marin Humane Society, originally built in the 1950s, with an Education Center added in the early 1980s, is still considered a leader in the animal protection field. Regardless of age, a shelter should be clean and well-maintained. Lack of cleanliness fosters disease, and deferred maintenance allows for dogs to be injured and possibly escape. Conversely, a poorly designed and constructed new shelter poses as many risks as a poorly run old one.</p>
<p>When you visit, let your nose and eyes judge the facility. Are cages, equipment, and trash cluttering the grounds, kennels, and hallways? Are you assailed with eye-watering odors as you enter the front doors? There will be some smell, of course, but it should be the occasional tolerable essence of freshly deposited urine or feces, not the pervasive odor that denotes long-term inattention to sanitation.</p>
<p>Walk through the various shelter kennels and catteries. Are they reasonably clean? A pile or three somewhere in the facility kennels can be expected. Piles of poop and puddles of pee in every kennel shout of unacceptable lack of attention to cleanliness. Is the chain link in good repair? Patched wire is okay, but protruding wires that can cause punctures, and holes that can trap and strangle dogs or allow their escape, are not.</p>
<p>Ideally, there is no more than one dog per kennel, possibly two dogs housed together, except for litters of pups, which can stay in a group. Municipal shelters don’t have the luxury of turning animals away, so they must sometimes, out of necessity, house larger groups of dogs. If dogs are housed in pairs or groups, are they segregated by sex and size? Males should not be with females, small dogs should be kept safe from large ones, and timid dogs should be housed separately from assertive, aggressive ones.</p>
<p>If group housing is the norm, does the shelter make maximum use of all kennels? One shelter I know of at one time housed as many as 10 to 15 dogs per crowded run, while keeping other runs totally empty – just because it was easier for staff to clean a few very dirty runs than lots of moderately dirty ones. Totally unacceptable.</p>
<figure class=”right figure-width-288″><img src=”/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/0904Shelter2.jpg” alt=”Evaluating Your Local Animal Shelter”><figcaption><p class=”caption” style=”width: 288px;”>All dogs in shelters should have a raised bed or clean bedding daily.</p></figcaption></figure>
<p>After observing the condition of the physical plant, spend a little time talking to staff. Shelter staff members are usually quite busy and won’t have time to stand around and chat, but they should be friendly, courteous, and willing to answer a few reasonable questions. Customer service staff in the front office, if there is one, are probably better equipped to answer your questions, but animal care staff should be pleasant as well. Here are some good questions to ask:</p>
<p>• <strong>How long do dogs stay at the shelter?</strong> Best answer – there is no maximum time limit; better shelters keep dogs as long as they have room, and as long as they are physically and mentally healthy.</p>
<p>• <strong>How often are dogs euthanized just for “space” reasons?</strong> Best answer – rarely. In reality, many shelters must euthanize for space daily, or near-daily. This doesn’t make them bad shelters – incoming numbers may be beyond their control – but it might influence whether you leave a dog there.</p>
<p>• <strong>How are animals euthanized?</strong> The only acceptable answer is “by injection of a barbiturate” (sodium pentobarbital). This is the fastest, most painless method available.</p>
<p>Sadly, a number of quite inhumane methods of euthanasia are still in use. Decompression (high altitude) chambers and gas chambers have been outlawed in some states. Carbon monoxide chambers are considered more humane than these because the gas induces drowsiness before death. Unbelievably, gunshot is still used by some shelters, despite its violence. None of these methods are considered acceptable by most animal protection professionals due to their potential for inflicting a painful and terrifying death.</p>
<p>• <strong>Do you do behavioral assessments of dogs prior to making them available for adoption?</strong> Best answer – yes; but then find out what the criteria are for passing an assessment. If your foundling is sensitive about having her ears or paws touched, for example, she may not pass some assess-ments. Some shelters are rigid about the results of “temperament tests” and may euthanize animals that are quite capable of rehabilitation, if more time and attention were taken with their placement.</p>
<p>• <strong>Can I adopt her if she isn’t reclaimed?</strong> Best answer – you will need to go through the normal adoption process, and if approved, pay all adoption fees. Be forewarned – if you don’t think you’ll qualify for adoption and aren’t willing to risk that you might not get the dog back, keep her and leave a “found” report instead. If the shelter doesn’t have an adoption process, your foundling could go to any potential home, including unsuitable ones.</p>
<p>• <strong>Do you require spaying and neutering of your adoption animals?</strong> Only acceptable answer – yes, for obvious reasons.</p>
<p>• <strong>Will you call me if she’s going to be euthanized?</strong> Likely answer – sorry, they can’t. It’s reasonable for staff to expect that if you want to adopt the dog you’ll do so when she’s available, not as a last minute lifesaving intervention. The reality of life at many shelters means it’s very difficult for staff to call at the last minute, then hold the dog for you, especially if it will take you several days to arrange to come in and adopt.</p>
<p>• <strong>What percentage of incoming dogs are reclaimed by their owners or adopted?</strong> Sadly, the national average rate of shelter euthanasia is somewhere between 50 and 70 percent. Shelters in southeastern states tend to have the worst euthanasia averages – 80 percent and higher; while those on the West Coast tend to have higher adoption and reclaim rates. So, any shelter that manages to get 30 to 50 percent of its animals reclaimed or adopted is doing better than the national average.</p>
<p>Please note that your shelter’s adoption numbers may give you some idea of your foundling’s chances for avoiding euthanasia, but averages mean nothing for the individual dog who is selected to be euthanized for any of the above-mentioned reasons: illness, injury, stress, or space.</p>
<p><strong>Keeping the dog?</strong><br>When all is said and done, you’ll need to decide if you’re willing to accept any risk at all that the dog you found may be euthanized. If you are, and feel that one of the shelters you’ve evaluated can offer her humane housing and care and a good chance for a lifelong loving home, then surrendering her is a reasonable choice.</p>
<p>If not, consider a rescue group, or look for a responsible limited intake shelter within driving distance – and know that good limited intake shelters are often full with a long waiting list, as well as selective about the dogs they accept (see sidebar).</p>
<p>If you’re not willing to risk euthanasia, or no decent shelters near your community can accept the dog, then you’re faced with taking him home. If you cannot locate the owner, you’ll then have to decide whether to make an effort to rehome the dog yourself or let your heart rule your head and add another dog to your pack.</p>
<p>That’s what happened with that scruffy little Terrier that Paul and I found in San Jose so many years ago. Fortunately for us, no one ever responded to the “found dog” report we filed at the shelter in the community where we saved her from certain death on the road. I have never once regretted our decision to keep her. She was an exceptional dog, bright, loving, and sensitive. She brought much joy to our lives and was one of the best teachers I’ve ever had. It was Josie who taught me that there was a better way to train than the use of choke chains and painful ear pinches, and started me on the path to positive training. It was a fine day for us when she ran in front of our car, and an even finer one when we decided to give her a permanent place in our home and our hearts.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>-Pat Miller, CPDT, is WDJ’s Training Editor. She is also author of The Power of Positive Dog Training, and Positive Perspectives: Love Your Dog, Train Your Dog. For contact information, <a href=”/newspics/pdfs/7_9_Resources.pdf”>see “Resources.”</a></em></p>
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There are a number of things I need to mention in a small amount of space:
First, the keyword search feature on the WDJ Web site is working again. Now you (and I) can just type in something like barking or cancer to find all the articles weve ever published that deal with that topic. Of course, you still have to pay to access them, either in print or in digital form back issue sales help support our basic mission but at least you can find the correct issue easily!
An editing error (that is, mine) appeared in Dr. Randy Kidds article last month on canine allergies (Walking the Allergy Maze). Dr. Kidd discussed a drug called cyclosporine, which has been used recently (and not without problems) to suppress an overactive immune response in cases of severe allergy. The error appeared in the text describing the drugs introduction to the market. Cyclosporine was actually introduced for use in organ transplant cases (to prevent rejection) in the early 1980s.
Several of you wrote to express your dismay that Beyond Food and Water, an article in the July issue, did not mention or credit Sue Sternberg, who has worked for many years in upstate New York to establish and promote minimum mental and physical health guidelines for shelter animals. I apologize for the oversight; I deeply appreciate Sues work.
Finally, I want to extend heartfelt sympathy to the family who has had the pleasure of sharing their home for the last five years with Jessie, who was one of WDJs most frequent and reliable models until her untimely, unexpected death in her sleep in July.
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Adopted from a shelter when she was a few months old, Jessie was a challenge early on; she displayed some aggression at times. But her family did everything right puppy classes, socialization, training, lots of exercise, and tons of love and patience and she developed into a big-hearted, affectionate, humorous, and mostly well-behaved member of the household.
Because Jessie was the right color, well-trained, and living two doors away, I often asked if she could come over and wear something, chew something, or demonstrate something for my camera. Jessie was movie-star fabulous at maintaining eye contact with the lens, making for some of WDJs best photos. Plus, her family was ridiculously generous in sharing her with me, even to the point of giving me a house key, so I could go get her when no one was home! Jessie will be sorely missed by everyone who knew her.
In some dog-related circles, the question of surgical sterilization, otherwise known as spaying (females) and neutering (males), is sure to spark hot debate. Humane associations and shelters are vocal proponents of sterilization for population control, a stand that makes sense considering they’re often the ones who deal firsthand with the tragic consequences of unplanned breeding. But some breeders – an even a few holistic veterinarians – are challenging the need for what they see as knee-jerk spay and neuter policies.
Many breeders, protective of their livelihood, resist any legislative attempts to limit the number of puppies they can legally produce or to mandate sterilization of any dogs. We won’t discuss this position further here.
Our concern today has to do with the assertions of some – voiced publicly by just one veterinarian we know of – that sterilization is wrongly touted as a health and behavior boon for dogs. In fact, the allegation goes, it may even be a threat to their well-being.
We Spay/Neuter for Population Control
Sterilization keeps dogs from breeding indiscriminately. It is de riguer for dogs adopted from shelters to be sterilized before release (or a sizable deposit is taken, refundable when proof of surgery is provided). Humane societies in this country are unanimous in their recommendations for sterilization of companion animals.
According to the Humane Society of the United States, 6 to 8 million dogs and cats enter shelters each year, and at least half of them are euthanized. The organization also calculates that a fertile dog can produce two litters of 6 to 10 pups in a year; that means that the female and her offspring can, theoretically, produce 67,000 unwanted dogs over a span of six years.
By all accounts, widespread sterilization programs have been pivotal to reducing pet overpopulation in the last few decades.
Health Benefits of Sterilization
Many veterinarians and dog experts recommend sterilization for another reason: the health of the dog.
“As far as disease is concerned, it certainly reduces the risks of mammary tumors and ovarian cancer,” says Richard Bowen, DVM, Ph.D, a professor at the Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology Laboratory of Colorado State University. “Anything associated with an active reproductive tract will be eliminated, and that’s a big deal.”
“If you neuter a female dog prior to puberty, she has an almost zero risk of developing breast cancer,” concurs Dr. Olson. Texas A&M’s College of Veterinary Medicine reports that intact female dogs have seven times the risk of developing mammary tumors than do females sterilized early in life.
Male dogs, too, may benefit, with the risk of testicular cancer eliminated – and rates of prostatic cancer reduced.
From a behavioral standpoint, sterilization is widely believed to reduce aggression toward other dogs, territorialism, and roaming, which can in turn protect dogs from the risk of injury associated with those behaviors, such as fights and getting hit by cars. Neutered males, particularly males who were neutered before puberty, are less likely to exhibit inappropriate urine-marking.
Finally, some veterinarians and veterinary behaviorists say that intact, nonbreeding animals suffer stress caused by hormonal drives that are not met.
A Professional Opinion on Spay/Neuter
Myrna Milani, DVM, is the author of seven books on canine and feline health and behavior. The veterinarian, based in Charlestown, New Hampshire, has researched and lectured about spaying and neutering, and doesn’t buy into the “PR campaign,” as she calls it, that responsible owners must sterilize their pets.
“When all of the responsible people neuter their dogs, who’s left breeding?” she asks, answering, “The irresponsible ones.”
Dr. Milani feels it’s unfair that owners are frowned upon if they opt to control breeding by carefully supervising their dogs instead of sterilizing them.
“It is really funny that we’ve equated responsibility with neutering, when in reality you could almost make a case for it being the opposite,” she says. The decision to not sterilize but carefully supervise a dog is “very mature, it takes a tremendous amount of commitment, and it requires a tremendous knowledge of and respect for that dog,” she says.
One reason sterilization is so popular in the United States is that few owners can claim that level of care, says Patty Olson, DVM, Ph.D., a diplomate of the American College of Theriogenologists. She cites Sweden as an example of a society where owner responsibility outweighs sterilization as the preferred choice of birth control.
“In Sweden, 93 percent of dogs are intact,” she says. “They don’t neuter. They have some pretty amazing ordinances by which dogs are controlled, there are very significant fines, and they do seem to have more responsibility. What we’ve had to do in the U.S. was institute something because of, if you will, irresponsibility.”
Sterilization Could Solve Temperament Issues
Beyond the issue of birth control is that of personality. Conventional wisdom has it that sterilized dogs make better pets, are less aggressive, and exhibit fewer behavioral problems.
“Neutering reduces aggression,” says Richard Bowen, DVM, Ph.D, a professor at the Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology Laboratory of Colorado State University. “The earlier you can neuter, the fewer aggression problems you’ll have. Roaming around, urine-marking, sexual behavior toward people and other animals . . . Most of those behaviors are dramatically decreased.”
A study by Sherman et al., published in Applied Animal Behaviour Science (April 1996), found that in cases of non-household aggression where neutering and a head halter were the suggested as remedies, 52 percent of owners reported improvement. An earlier study by Heidenberger and Unshelm, published in 1990 in Tierarztliche Praxis (Feb. 18:69-75), found that behavioral problems in most cases were reduced or eliminated after neutering, with 74 percent of the male dogs showing improvement.
Again, Dr. Milani dissents. Dr. Milani says that most of the dogs she treats for aggression or dominance problems are already sterilized.
“I can count on one hand the intact dogs I’ve seen with behavioral problems in the last 10 years,” she says. “If I have a client who has an (intact) male dog who’s aggressive, I do not recommend they get the dog neutered until after they have a behavior modification program up and running, because otherwise it might make the dog’s behavior worse.”
Dr. Milani says she suspects a “placebo effect” may be occurring: “Somebody has convinced (the owners) that it’s these testicles that are causing the dog’s problem. As soon as they’re out of there, the owner relaxes; and because the owner relaxes, that take the pressure off the dog, so the behavior improves.”
Further, Dr. Milani also believes that sterilization – particularly pediatric sterilization, which is done on very young puppies — may actually cause behavior problems.
“One of the reasons why people are shying away from early neutering of females for behavioral reasons is this condition known as androgenized or masculinized females,” she says. This describes a female pup, born into a predominantly male litter, whose body is awash in testosterone. “So you can actually have a female pup that’s more male than female. If they go through a heat or two, you get that softening effect of the female hormones. Whereas if you neuter them, they’re kind of in a no-man’s land,” she explains.
According to Dr. Milani, these pups have a very difficult time bonding with humans or other dogs and tend to be very aggressive and unpredictable. “I don’t know much in the way of studies…but I think they never make it into the studies because they don’t live that long,” she concludes.
Allegations of Health Risks from Spay/Neuter
Even ardent supporters of sterilization admit that the practice poses health risks. Some of the major concerns include:
• Urinary incontinence. Studies estimate that more than 20 percent of all spayed females will develop incontinence during their lifetimes. Incontinence can develop shortly after surgery or many years later.
• Cardiac tumors. A study by Ware and Hopper (Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, March/April 1999) examined over 700,000 dogs’ records between 1982 and 1995 and concluded that neutering appeared to increase the risk of cardiac tumors, especially hemangiosarcoma, in both male and female dogs. According to the study, the relative risk for spayed females was more than four times that for intact females. The risk for castrated males was slightly greater than that for intact males.
• Delay in growth-plate closure. Sterilization, particularly early sterilization, causes the growth plates of the bones to close later. There are fears that this delay can increase the likelihood of fractures.
• Osteosarcoma. In addition to the growth-plate issue, there is growing concern that the lack of sex hormones in a sterilized dog can foster the rise of bone cancer. A 2002 study at the University of Purdue of 683 Rottweilers – a breed known to be at high risk of bone sarcoma – concluded that the risk for bone sarcoma was significantly influenced by the dogs’ ages at sterilization. According to the study, “Exposure to endogenous sex hormones appears to be protective, as suggested by the high risk for bone sarcoma in male and female dogs that undergo gonadectomy within the first year of life.”
The Purdue study quoted data from a 1998 study (Ru G., Terracini B., Glickman L. T.: Host related risk factors for canine osteosarcoma) that found neutered dogs were at 2.2 times greater risk of osteosarcoma than sexually intact dogs.
• Unknow side effects. Dr. Milani also fears that denying the dog the presence of reproductive hormones may have effects that we haven’t yet calculated or considered.
“We know reproductive hormones affect the whole body. If the reason for (an animal’s) physical existence is reproduction, it makes sense that everything evolved to support than function,” she says. Dr. Milani is concerned about cutting off the potential effects those hormones may have on the growing animal, in terms of both physical and brain development.
Not Much Supporting Research
Of the concerns listed above, Dr. Olson and Dr. Bowen acknowledged that increased urinary incontinence is a well-known and well-documented side effect of sterilization in females. But both expressed doubt that the growth-plate issue is a cause for concern.
“That sounds bogus to me,” says Dr. Bowen. “Yes, if you do castration before growth plate closure, it will delay (the closure) so the animals will be slightly larger. But it’s a minor change. For example, one study showed that if a bitch is not spayed, the growth plates close at 42 weeks; if she was spayed at 7 weeks, the closure occurred at 60 weeks.”
“It’s something they determine in millimeters in X-rays – it’s minuscule,” agrees Dr. Olson.
Neither was convinced you could draw a compelling link between the growth-plate closure issue and subsequent problems such as fractures. We were unable to find any veterinarian who was familiar with the data about cardiac tumors and sterilization.
Timing of Sterilization Surgery
Once upon a time, conventional wisdom had it that it was best to allow a female to have one heat before sterilization. However, over the last 10 years there’s been an increasing move to neuter animals at a much younger age – between 6 and 14 weeks – in a procedure called pediatric neutering.
“Out here(on the East Coast, it’s not uncommon for a puppy to show up at a shelter, be taken away from the mother, vaccinated, spayed, and be in a new home by eight weeks of age,” says Dr. Milani. “In terms of animal health, I have concerns about sterilization at any age and these are multiplied a thousandfold when we’re talking about very young animals.”
A number of studies on pups sterilized at two months of age or earlier have showed no serious side effects. However, a study by Spain, Scarlett, and Houpt, published in the February 1, 2004, edition of the Journal of the American Veterinary Association, suggested that pediatric sterilization may have negative effects on females.
“Because early-age gonadectomy appears to offer more benefits than risks for male dogs, animal shelters can safely gonadectomize male dogs at a young age and veterinary practitioners should consider recommending routine gonadectomy for client-owned male dogs before the traditional age of six to eight months,” wrote the authors.
“For female dogs, however, increased urinary incontinence suggests that delaying gonadectomy until at least three months of age may be beneficial.”
What’s Best for Your Dog?
Unfortunately, there’s no easy answer here, and the final decision is a very individual one. The bottom line is that sterilization is a surgical procedure that fundamentally alters your dog’s physiology, and as such carries some risks. However, it’s also an undeniably effective form of birth and population control, and one that enables owners to be more relaxed about their dogs in sexually mixed company.
We’ve spent enough time in shelters to be gravely concerned with the issue of dog overpopulation. However, we also advocate strong owner responsibility and care, and are very sensitive to issues that might compromise the health of our canine companions.
If you choose not to sterilize your companion dog (or choose to delay his or her sterilization until well after puberty), it is imperative that you ensure that he or she is contained in a safe, secure environment and is never – repeat, never – given an opportunity to engage in unwanted breeding. That means keeping females in heat in the house or in a secure kennel during estrus; ensuring that intact males are not physically capable of breaking out of your yard and have no chance of dashing for freedom through an open door; leashing your dogs at all times when outside the home, kennel, or yard; and taking any other precautions necessary to minimize risk. If you cannot guarantee constant vigilance by both you and other family members, you should have your dog surgically sterilized.
If, in contrast, you are concerned about the potential risks outlined above, you may wish to wait until your dog is at least six months old (or, for females, has gone through at least her first estrus) before the surgery. Doing so would give the secondary sexual hormones an opportunity to work their “magic” on the dog’s physiology, potentially protecting the dog (to an as-yet unknown extent) against the development of urinary incontinence, cardiac tumors, osteosarcoma, and other issues concerning the bone growth plates. Of course, you must be hypervigilant against unwanted breeding until the dog is sterilized.
C.C. Holland is a freelance writer in Oakland, California, and regular contributor to WDJ.
Believe me, Im not a dog trainer, but I do get to play one … not on TV, of course, but behind the scenes of WDJ. Because I assign and edit the articles, and take most of the photos that accompany the articles, I have to completely understand and be able to illustrate what our expert authors discuss.
I often rely on one of the many talented positive dog trainers in my area to demonstrate for my camera the principles and practices described by our authors most frequently our Training Editor, Pat Miller. But sometimes the article begs for a non-professional trainer an ordinary dog owner. In that case, I have to be able to describe and demonstrate the articles principles to my models, who are often my more-or-less willing family, friends, and neighbors.
So, in order to assign, edit, and illustrate WDJs training articles, I find myself playing trainer with my own dog, as well as dogs belonging to everyone I know. But of course, Im not a real trainer, just a highly interested, motivated, and knowledgeable amateur. And, as with most amateurs, I sometimes get in over my head as I seek to put my knowledge into practice.
Problems in the park
This occurred recently, as I was dog-sitting Hannah, my brothers big dog, for a fort-night. As I strove to help Hannah understand the rules in my home and home office, and supply the fit young dog with ample opportunities to exercise, I found myself spending a lot of time training her. And at least once a day, I found myself getting stuck perplexed about how to best deal with something or other, despite my having paid deep attention to seven years worth of articles about training written by some of the best positive trainers in the world, and attendence at numerous training seminars and conferences!
Take, for example, the morning I found myself yanking on Hannahs leash quite angrily and punitively, after her sudden charge toward a squirrel she sighted across the park (seemingly) threatened to rip my arm out of its socket. I was really mad for about three seconds. Then the shocked, hurt expression on Hannahs face brought me up short. Oh my goodness! I thought to myself. Im the editor of the Whole Dog Journal, a leading advocate for nonviolent training methods, and Im yanking this dogs leash! What the heck am I doing?!(Well, Im human. And Hannahs impulsive dash took me by surprise, scared me, and hurt! These are not excuses, mind you; just explanations.)
My next thought was, I wish I could have a private training session with Pat, so I could see how she would handle this!
Consultation is invaluable
The more I thought about it, the more I liked the idea of having a professional trainer like Pat coach me through some specific issues with Hannah. WDJ has given me a very good theoretical understanding of how to train dogs in an effective and humane manner, but I am sometimes at a loss as to how to deal with a specific aspect of training or handling in a real-time application.
Pat lives and trains on a gorgeous farm-based facility in rural Maryland, and Im in California, so an in-person consultation was out. But we cooked up the following photo spread as a way to accomplish two things: help me with the problems I was having with Hannah, and possibly help some of you, who may be struggling with similar issues with your dogs. I imagine that many of you are like me increasingly educated about training but still able to benefit from direction when actually practicing with your dog.
There is no substitute for a personal consultation with a trainer. But while private, personal lessons are ideal, telephone consultations can also be incredibly helpful. Pat has provided me with invaluable guidance on numerous occasions via telephone or e-mail. This format a written and photographic description of the problems Hannah and I were having proved to be even more useful.
I had my brother, Keith, take pictures of Hannah and me on a walk. After sending them to Pat, I asked her for suggestions regarding what I saw as the biggest challenges to safety and enjoyment while walking Hannah: her frequent pulling; her occasional strong lunges toward squirrels and fascination with them; her aroused behavior when passing other dogs (and sometimes just people); and her occasional fear of something or someone on the street. Ive used many techniques that Pat and our other expert trainers have described in past articles, and had much success, but Pats suggestions helped me be even more effective.
We’ve always said that a home-prepared diet, comprised of fresh, wholesome foods, is ideal for all dogs. We recognize that many people can’t or won’t shop for and prepare their dogs’ food; they may not shop for and prepare their own! This is why we review the best-quality commercial dry and canned foods every year.
However, a growing number of brave folks want to realize the benefits of homemade food for their dogs. People who have raised generations of dogs on home-prepared diets say their dogs grow and age more gracefully, experience far fewer health problems, look and feel terrific, and even exhibit fewer behavior problems. And who wouldn’t want all that for their dogs?
Of course, we all want that for our dogs. But not everyone is willing to deal with the continual shopping and food preparation that a home-prepared diet entails. Interestingly, it’s the meat component that seems to discourage the largest percentage of dog owners who are interested in homemade diets but who have not yet taken steps to give it a try.
Acknowledging that shopping for, storing, and preparing meat can be daunting for some people, a number of companies now offer a wide variety of whole, raw meat products just for dog owners. (There are also many companies who sell frozen complete diets that contain raw meat; that’s not what we’re talking about this month, though we will be reviewing these before year’s end.) This month, we’re focused on companies who manufacture meat products intended to be fed in a supplemental fashion, or (more frequently) as the meat component of a home-prepared diet.
Different approaches
For those of us who don’t shop for fresh food every few days, keeping a ready supply of meat on hand can be a hassle. That’s why manufacturers focused their efforts in this market on two different methods of preserving meat. Some offer frozen, raw meats, and some offer canned meats.
Anyone can buy a quantity of meat and freeze it, so the manufacturers who sell frozen meat products add value for dog owners.
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Many offer a wider variety of meats and cuts than most of us have access to in our local grocery stores. Some offer pasture-fed, free-range, and/or organically grown meats that are simply not available locally.
Most significantly, many offer meats that have been ground with fresh, raw bone included. This is important, because any diet that contains meat (which is high in phosphorus) must also contain a source of calcium to maintain the optimum calcium-phosphorus ratio (1.2:1 to 1.4:1).
Fans of the so-called BARF diet (Bones And Raw Food, or Biologically Appropriate Raw Food) include raw bones in their dogs’ food as a matter of course. Some feed their dogs whole or crushed raw poultry wings, necks, and backs as a source of both meat and bone. Others, fearing a bone-related problem (perforated stomach or intestine, broken teeth) use powerful meat grinders (or their friendly neighborhood butchers’ grinders) to reduce fresh bones of poultry, pork, lamb, or beef to a safe paste. The only problem with grinding bones is that the manufacturers of most meat grinders will not honor their warranties if they learn the grinders were used to grind bone.
That’s where the companies that sell frozen ground meat and bone come in. They find the industrial-strength grinders that can stand up to the job, and provide you with nutritious, perfectly risk-free ground meat and bone.
Not all the people who feed their dogs home-prepared diets are BARF proponents, however. Some don’t appreciate the argument that fresh, raw bone is the best source of calcium and other minerals; they prefer supplementing their dogs’ meat-based diet with (cooked) bone meal, eggshell powder, or some other source of calcium.
Others object to diets that include raw meat or poultry, citing the potential dangers of salmonella, campylobacter, and other bacteria that can be present in raw meat. Some people actually cook the frozen meat products described below, and others buy canned meat products, which are cooked in the canning process.
Another advantage of purchasing meats from one of these vendors is the ability to buy products with organ meat ground in with the muscle meat. Liver, kidney, and heart are famously full of nutrients, and most proponents of home-prepared diets include a variety of these organs in small amounts. It’s difficult to find local butchers with good sources of organ meat from animals that have been raised organically or at least pasture-fed, so this is a great opportunity.
Finally, these vendors make a wide variety of meats available: in addition to beef, chicken, turkey, lamb, and pork, many sell rabbit, ostrich, buffalo, goat, kangaroo, and duck. The varying amino acid profiles and levels of vitamins and minerals in each meat help maintain a dog’s nutrient “balance over time.”
Consider before buying
Some of these products are available only in a local area; other companies are more than happy to ship anywhere in North America. Make sure you calculate the cost of shipping into the price when you compare one source to another.
All of these products are less expensive when purchased in larger quantities. If you have friends or acquaintances who also prepare their dogs’ food, you may want to place a group order to reduce costs. Some enterprising owners have had success forming buying groups by posting fliers at their local holistic veterinarians’ offices.
Make sure you ask the companies who sell frozen foods about their shipping methods. How long should it take the food to get to your home? What happens if it arrives defrosted? Who will pay for that?
Sharing expertise
If you are new to the whole idea of home-prepared diets, you should definitely do some homework before buying any products. Check out our suggested reading list on page 13. There are widely disparate opinions about several important aspects of canine nutrition; you’ll have to make up your own mind whether a cooked or raw diet is best for your dog, whether you feel comfortable feeding raw bones, and whether grain should be included, for just a start.
Contact the manufacturers listed on the next page and ask for their opinions on those topics, too. Most of them have years of experience and research to draw on.
If all of this seems too daunting, by all means, keep your dog on his commercial diet while you read up on home-prepared foods. And consider starting out with a “complete” frozen raw diet; we’ll review these products in an upcoming issue.
