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Dogs Playing in The Garden

By
Nancy Kerns
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1

by Mardi Richmond

Dogs and gardens just naturally go together for me. I like to be outside with my dogs, them playing, me gardening, the birds singing. I enjoy watching my dogs running through the grass, lying on the patio in the afternoon sun, or exploring the scents left by visiting raccoons.

I’m not the only one who thinks dogs and gardens go well together. Cheryl S. Smith is the author of a great new book, Dog Friendly Gardens, Garden Friendly Dogs. She grew up with the commingling of gardens and dogs, and currently shares her home and garden with two dogs. “It never occurred to me that you couldn’t have dogs and gardens together,” she says.

Dogs Playing in The Garden

But a surprising number of people do see a problem with dogs in the garden, and for some very good reasons. With their digging, chewing, and even those annoying yellow spots on the grass, dogs at best can create extra work for gardeners. At worst, a bored or destructive dog can turn a beautiful oasis into a disaster area in a surprisingly short amount of time.

The garden can pose a host of dangers for the dog, too. Too often, the result is that the dog is simply banned from the family garden area, relinquished to a dog run or side yard. But it doesn’t have to be that way!

In fact, one of the reasons Smith wrote Dog Friendly Gardens, Garden Friendly Dogs was because she wanted both garden fanciers who happen to own a dog and dog lovers who have a garden to know that there doesn’t have to be a conflict between the dog and the plants. By keeping the dog’s needs in mind (as well as the needs of people, plants, and wildlife), your dog and garden really can coexist quite happily. By taking it a step further and incorporating special features just for the dog, you can enjoy your garden to the fullest, and enable your outdoor space to enrich your dog’s life!

Getting started
Whether you are starting with a new garden or revamping an already existing garden, taking the time to develop a design or plan that incorporates your dog’s needs can save you a lot of grief. Exactly how do you incorporate your dog’s needs into a garden plan? Begin, as with any garden design, by identifying how the yard is used – in this case, how your dog uses it.

“As far as actual design goes, you should consider how you and your dog will use the yard,” says Smith. For example, a dog will want to be able to get from the exit door to a good vantage point in a hurry – say, from the kitchen door to that tree where the squirrel lives – and will take the most direct route there. Planting a bed of fragile flowers in the middle of that route will only lead to bad feelings, she suggests.

Observe the paths your dogs take when they cruise the yard. Notice where they like to plop down and relax. Is your yard one of the main places your dog gets exercise? Make sure space for running and playing is part of your design. Plan for a potty area, consider where you might need mud control, and if your dog spends more than just a little time outside, don’t forget about shade or shelter from the elements.

You need to consider specifically how your dog may impact the space in his or her garden romps. Every dog brings his or her unique needs. If you have a rowdy dog, you may need to eliminate fragile plants (or devise a way to protect them) and plan for more open romping space. If you have a dog that insists on laying in the one sunny spot in the yard, you may want to think twice about putting your prize tomatoes in that very place.

One of my dogs loves nothing more than to nap in the shade. When I first planted the shady area in my yard, I forgot to consider Blue’s napping habits and put a Calla Lily in her favorite spot. Before I could clean off my shovel, she plopped down on my new plant, squashing its bloom. I could have battled with Blue (though she likely would have won) over her choice of napping spots. Instead, I opted to relocate the Calla Lily elsewhere and fill in the area with Baby Tears. The shade bed both looks great and provides a cushioned bed for my arthritic dog.

Now that you’ve thought about your dogs’ needs, look at what you would like to do in your garden. Do you want to entertain guests? Do you like to hang out quietly and read a good book? Do you enjoy tending to plants or growing vegetables? The more you enjoy your garden, the more time you’re likely to spend outside with your dog.

Of course, you may find places where your wants and needs conflict with your dogs’. Then what? “Compromise, compromise, compromise,” says Smith. “If you take the time to learn the basics of how the dog uses the landscape, and design around that, at least to some degree, you can avoid a lot of problems.”

Adding dog-friendly features
In addition to how your dog already uses the landscape, consider what additional features you would to like add. What can you include that will enhance your dog’s garden experience? Smith recommends creating a dog’s “wish list.” Would you and your dog enjoy a place to practice your agility moves? How about a place to toss the ball or play tug together? Would you like to provide your dog with a wading pool for hot summer days? How about a place for the dog to dig where he won’t get yelled at?

“Wish list” items will vary from dog to dog, and garden to garden. Smith notes that when her dogs, Diamond and Nestle, were younger, they really enjoyed having a digging pit. But they seem to have outgrown it. Now, her dogs’ seem to enjoy the large shady area where they can lie in the grass and observe their surroundings. Nestle also enjoys splashing in the pond.

Of course, you may not be able to include everything on your dog’s wish list; not all of us have the space for an agility yard, wading pool, digging pit, patio for entertaining, large shade tree, swing set for the kids, etc. You may have to choose between the dog and people enriching options. Consider including one or two of your dogs’ favorite activities, however. Not only will your dog friends appreciate it, but that wading pool or digging pit can give you a place to focus your dogs’ energy so that they are less likely to trample your roses or snack on your baby carrots.

Choosing plants and materials
Some of the primary considerations for the dog-friendly garden include the safety and comfort of the dog and the protection of the plants. Choosing dog-friendly landscaping plants and other materials can greatly impact both.

For example, incorporating a garden path where your dog naturally runs is a great idea. But, if you use a material on the path that is painful to your dog’s paws, she may run through your plants in spite of your best efforts. For example, small smooth gravel can make an excellent path. Substrates that are uncomfortable on your dog’s pads, such as larger gravel or lava rock, may force her off the path and into the plants.

There are more options for plants and landscaping materials than I could possibly list in this article, and plenty of general gardening books to give you ideas. But some options are tried and true when it comes to landscaping with dogs in mind. Consider your “hardscapes” – the structures, paths, patios, and other nonplant elements in the garden. Cement and stone patios, wood or composite decks, and crushed granite pathways are all options that hold up well under tough dog use. Mulches can provide a nice alternative, especially shredded cedar or small bark chips. Smith includes a detailed chart of the various mulch options along with dog use pros and cons in her book.

Please note that the very popular cocoa mulch (currently being sold in higher end garden centers as “designer” mulch) should be avoided in the dog-friendly garden. It contains theobromine, the same chemical found in chocolate that is poisonous to dogs. Cocoa mulch smells like chocolate and is toxic if eaten.

Be aware of poisonous plants, too. Some very common garden plants, including Morning Glories and Foxglove, can be very toxic to dogs. While most dogs don’t gobble up plants indiscriminately, some dogs and many puppies will put everything in their mouths. Choosing nontoxic plants and supervising your dog or puppy can help you avoid serious problems. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center provides an extensive list of both toxic and nontoxic plants on its Web site at www.aspca.org.

Choosing plants that will be durable around dogs is also an essential aspect of the dog-friendly garden. Some shrubs, like rosemary, lavender, and Mexican sage, do very well in our garden. The dogs can brush against the plants without doing much damage. If they do damage these shrubs, they recover quickly. And, as my friend Lisa points out, when dogs run through the rosemary or lavender, they end up smelling great too!

Certain ground covers also hold up well under dog use. We’ve had good luck with ornamental strawberries and thyme (though dog urine does damage the thyme). I have a gardener acquaintance who is currently experimenting with the ground cover “cape weed” (Arctotheca calendula) in heavy dog use areas. This particular ground cover is not only drought tolerant and very durable, but also damage from toenails and digging seems to actually stimulate growth. In addition, it can be mowed to keep it flat (as a lawn alternative), or left to grow in a clumping fashion where it sprouts yellow flowers throughout the growing season. (Warning: Cape weed grows very much like an out of control weed. It will spread and take over other ground covers and lawn areas if it is not controlled.)

Lawns, you probably know, are a mixed bag with dogs. Our dogs love to romp through the grass, but they also wear “trails” along their favorite paths, leave yellow urine marks, and dig after (but never catch!) our ever-present gophers. We’ve opted for a combination of solutions and compromises, including discouraging the gophers (and thus the digging) and regular reseeding.

Protect your plants and wildlife, too!
The location of your plants can have an impact not only on overall appearance, but also on their durability. For example, planting in dense groupings or clumps can help create a sort of “barrier” that many dogs will naturally go around, especially if you leave paths around and behind the groupings.

Distinctive planting beds – either raised beds or bordered beds – can create natural boundaries that many dogs will easily learn to stay out of. Using a decorative border fencing, if needed, can help enforce the boundaries. Putting particularly fragile plants in pots is another good option.

Consider your dog’s temperament and inclinations about wildlife, too. I love to watch birds, so I want a garden that attracts them. I’ve opted to skip the backyard feeders because one of my dogs likes to hunt. Feeders, which drop seeds on the ground, encourage birds and other small creatures to hang out at the dog’s level. Instead, we’ve planted a slew of flowers that attract hummingbirds, and we leave the fruit and nuts on the top branches of the trees for the songbirds and squirrels. This way, I get to birdwatch without encouraging the animals to come into an unsafe space.

Garden manners
Dogs are smart. They learn to follow our rules fairly easily. Consider the “house rules” you’ve implemented with your dog. They probably include things like not peeing inside, staying off certain furniture, or even out of certain rooms. Dogs can just as easily learn garden rules and good manners.

For example, if you’d like your dog to stay out of your tomato plants (a good idea both because the dog can damage the plants, and the plants can be toxic to dogs), you can teach your dog to respect the boundary of that particular area of the yard. Keep in mind that teaching your dog to stay out of certain areas will be easier if there is a clear delineation (such as a raised bed or border) and you are consistent in your training. This will mean taking the time to teach your dog where the boundary is, and that he or she is not allowed past the boundary. Plus, of course, offering lots of attention and rewards when your dog respects the boundary.

Along with boundary training, Smith suggests training your dog to use a specific potty area if you would like to avoid urine spots on the lawn.

Training a dog to use a specific potty area is similar to housetraining a new puppy. Simply take your dog to the “legal” potty area at regularly scheduled times (like first thing in the morning, after meals, and after play), give your potty cue, and praise or treat the dog for following through. Most adult dogs can learn to use a specific area with a week or two of training, though regular “refresher” exercises can help them keep it up long term.

In addition, Smith suggests incorporating training exercises into your other gardening activities. “You can practice your long down with the dog nearby while you work in the garden,” Smith offers as an example, “then have a play session with the dog as a reward.” You’ll not only work extra training into your day, but also teach dogs that the garden is another place where you would like them to follow your rules.

Digging and destruction
Let’s face it. One of the biggest arguments against having dogs in the garden is that they will destroy plants and landscaping. Many dogs are relegated to a dog run because they dig, chew, or otherwise demolish yards if given the opportunity. And, as you probably know, dogs can do a lot of damage to a garden in a short amount of time. So how can you deal with destructive behavior in the garden? Consider the following approach:

• First, give your dog a legal outlet for her destructive behavior. If your dog digs, for example, build a digging area complete with sand and a distinctive border. Teach your dog that digging in this area is not only OK, but encouraged. If your dog chews, provide him with a safe chewing alternative. If your dog tears around smashing into plants, make sure he gets plenty of off-leash exercise at the dog park.

• Supervise your dog in the garden until he or she learns the “rules.” Unsupervised time that results in destructive behavior will make it much harder for your dog to learn not to be destructive.

• Teach your dog what is okay. Teach her what specific activities are allowed (like running and playing) and where those activities are allowed, by going outside and playing with her!

• Make sure your dog has enough exercise and stimulation. You’ve heard it a million times: A tired dog is a good dog. If my dogs have not had enough exercise, attention, and brain stimulation, they are much more likely to get into trouble in the yard.

In addition, keep in mind that certain behaviors are natural and may be very difficult to train a dog not to do. Consider dogs digging after gophers or moles (especially if your dog is a terrier!). In my opinion, this is an almost impossible behavior to train a dog not to do. You can redirect the digging behavior; try burying stuffed Kongs in the digging pit. But in the case of a diehard gopher hunter, the best option is to eliminate the gophers. Or, if you are like me, and unwilling to do harm to the gophers, keep a bucket of top soil and grass seed available to “repair” the inevitable holes.

Do it for the dog!
You’ve probably figured out by now that there are several approaches to dogs in the garden. There is the “dog-proof” approach that most often means planting only dog-durable and dog-safe plants or delegating the dog to a dog run. There is the “dog-friendly” approach, where the goal is for both plants and dogs to coexist, and involves a combination of planning and training.

But I’d like to encourage you to take the concept of dogs in the garden a step farther. Really think about your garden as being as much for your dog as for you and the plants. Ask yourself, what can your garden do for your dog? How can the garden space enrich his life? This can be especially important for our city dogs! Most importantly, how can you enjoy your garden space together?

Remember that designing with your dog in mind will ultimately result in a more beautiful garden (at the very least it will suffer less damage from the dogs). In addition, your dog will benefit from the stimulation of garden adventures, more exercise, and the joy of having a place to just be a dog!

-Mardi Richmond is a writer, training enthusiast, and amateur gardener who shares her home and developing gardens with her partner and two wonderful dogs, Jesse and Blue.

Letters to the Editor: Whales and Dogs

By
Nancy Kerns
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0

The interview in the December issue (Reinforcing Our Beliefs) was fascinating. This year’s subscription to WDJ was worth that one article alone. SeaWorld trainer Chuck Tompkins’ description of the whale’s reaction to negative punishment was hair-raising.

I had read elsewhere that negative punishment can produce the same neuro-endocrine physiological response as positive punishment, but this graphic description of the type of physical reaction that can occur really got my attention.

I think that many positive trainers believe negative punishment is relatively innocuous and use it freely. But I am convinced that we should strive to eliminate all forms of punishment from our training. Because of the society that we live in, which emphasizes coercion as the primary method to control behavior, we are too eager to embrace negative punishment as a valid technique in “positive training.”

I recently attended a “chicken camp” seminar taught by Bob Bailey (a famed behaviorist). Never did he suggest using negative punishment to train the chickens. I think that was because, not only was it unnecessary, but the chicken wouldn’t care whether you ignored it or not.

-Joseph A. Houle, M.D.
Alpena, MI

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I just finished reading the fascinating article on marine mammal training. If I understood it correctly, the trainers long ago decided that using negative punishment was detrimental to their relationship with the animals, and therefore eliminated this technique from their training programs. But isn’t negative punishment what we’re doing when we give time-outs, or withdraw our attention when a dog does something we want to discourage, such as mouthing or jumping up on us? What lesson, by extension, should we as dog owners learn from this article?

-Caroline Wolstenholme
Tucson, AZ

 

Training Editor Pat Miller responds:

The marine mammals interviewed in the article did say they no longer use negative punishment (taking away something good when the animal does something “wrong”). And, yes, “positive” dog trainers (including myself) do frequently use or recommend the technique.

I think the lesson we learn is that although behavior is behavior regardless of species, circumstances are quite different depending on the species. For marine mammals, it appears that negative punishment is very aversive, and not conducive to a positive training environment. However, marine mammals live in a tank and their trainers interact with them only at specific times for specific purposes.

We live with our dogs 24/7 (or close to it), and I suspect that withdrawal of attention is far less aversive for our dogs than for captive whales. Dogs know there’s lots more where that came from. Maybe it has to do with the degree of the withdrawal of the good stuff. I don’t see negative punishment having an aversive effect on my dogs; it just makes them stop and think.

That said, I think the other lesson is to remember that it matters not what we think is aversive or rewarding, it matters what our subject (dog, whale, cat, horse, or whatever) thinks. If I were working with a dog who found negative punishment very aversive, I would stop using it and find another way.

 

Interviewer Nancy Kerns adds:

The marine mammal trainers did add in extended conversation that they suggest that dog trainers consider whether negative punishment might be an aggravating technique to some aggressive dogs. Most killer whales, and some aggressive dogs, they explained, take it “personally” when the opportunities to earn food, attention, or other comforts are suddenly withdrawn in response to their “bad” behavior. Not all species, or all individuals of certain species, respond this way.

———-

Would you please do an article on what constitutes punishment? From the interview with Chuck Tompkins and Thad Lacinak, I get the impression that a sharp “No” or “Hey” could harm the relationship. Are all corrections punishment?

Also, could you suggest positive training books that do not use the clicker training method? I am going to check out Click for Joy, but the trainers here do not use clicker training. And do you know of any quality books for training service dogs?

-Alan Mortensen, Associate Dean
Lake Land College, Mattoon, IL

 

Nancy Kerns responds:

We’ve done a lot of articles that define and describe punishment. Check out:

• “Conversations On Compulsion,” 1/02
• “Just Rewards,” 3/02
• “Secrets of a Happy Relationship,” 8/02
• “The Crossover Challenge,” 3/03
• “Be a Benevolent Leader,” 8/03

 

Pat Miller responds:

Regarding your question about books that feature positive training methods that don’t use clickers: You can certainly use much of what is presented in clicker books; just omit the clicker.

In my opinion, lure-and-reward training (which is what we call positive training sans clicker) is less effective, but can certainly get the job done. If you could talk your college trainers into using a verbal reward marker (such as “Yes!”), that would be good. Also, Karen Pryor is now offering a new clicker that is easy for people with disabilities to use; you can get it from her business at www.clickertraining.com or (800) 47-CLICK.

And yes, there are some good positive books that don’t use the clicker. Try:

• Beginning Family Dog Training, by Patricia McConnell
• Doctor Dunbar’s Good Little Dog Book, by Dr. Ian Dunbar
• Your Outta Control Puppy, by Teoti Anderson
• The Dog Whisperer, by Paul Owen

All are available from DogWise at dogwise.com or (800) 776-2665. I am not personally familiar with service dog books, but you could check out that category at the DogWise Web site.

———-

A letter from our publisher
I’m sure I join a lot of readers to express my condolences upon the loss of Rupert, your faithful companion for lo these many years. But, as publisher of The Whole Dog Journal, I want to say personally and sincerely that Rupert lived an admirable life, exemplifying a lot of the qualities that we wish all our dogs possessed, indeed qualities that I wish were more prevalent throughout humankind. You’ll think I’m getting a little sappy here. But Rupert was The Whole Dog Journal’s “signature” from Issue One. He was cooperative. He was patient. He was intuitive. He was companionable. He represented in his quietly noble way the needs of all the dogs The Whole Dog Journal strives to benefit. And of course he was photogenic. We have countless shots of Rupert simply being Rupert and representing in his uncanny way precisely what WDJ wished to convey. He was a dog who knew how to seize the moment . . . and capture your heart.

I’m sure Rupert dished up his share of travail, made his messes, skulked, even sulked every dog has his day. But for me, Rupert was that wonderful Everydog who came to embody the heart and being of The Whole Dog Journal. Rupert, boy, you’ll be missed . . .

-Tim Cole
Sarasota, FL

———-

Correction
The Whole Dog Journal recently mailed subscription promotion material that contained an error in fact relating to a fat ingredient featured in Abady Formula for Maintenance and Stress dog food.

An independent copywriter and our marketing department, which prepared the material, cast the dog food’s fat source in a negative light without a full understanding of the value of fat in the diet of a dog, or how dogs process fat metabolically. Robert Abady, of the Robert Abady Dog Food Company Ltd., points out: “Fat is the natural source of calories and nutrition for the dog. Pork fat (or lard) is the most nutritious of the land-based animal fats and the biological equivalent of fish fat. It is the richest in the long-chain Omega 6 and Omega 3 fatty acids and the most expensive. The statements that indicate or suggest that lard is harmful to dogs are simply false.”

We stopped the production of this issue in order to insert this statement for the record that the comment made by our copywriter was made with no basis in scientific fact. The Whole Dog Journal regrets the error.

Canine Urinalysis

By
Randy Kidd
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4

URINALYSIS FOR DOGS: OVERVIEW

1. Don’t hesitate to authorize your veterinarian to perform a urinalysis, especially in older dogs, who are more prone to kidney failure. Even if the results show no problems, they can serve as a baseline in the future.

2. Even though it sounds awful, cystocentesis (using a needle to draw urine directly from the bladder) is the best way to collect a urine sample, and it does not seem to bother dogs.

Urinalysis is a screening test that may be helpful in diagnosing many diseases, but it is an especially important test to perform whenever any urinary tract disease or abnormality is expected. Abnormal appearing urine (cloudy or red colored), difficulty in urinating, abnormal frequency of urination, or abnormal flow are all indications for ordering a urinalysis. The test is noninvasive, relatively easy to interpret, and nearly every veterinary clinic has the reagents and instruments necessary to perform it.

A Test of Kidney Function

Diagnosing Kidney Failure

Urine is the end product of a process of filtration that removes waste products and metabolic end products from the blood serum. In addition, the kidneys help maintain fluid balance in the body by concentrating (or diluting) the kidneys’ filtrate.

The functional unit of the kidney is the nephron, which is comprised of the glomerulus (with its attendant vascular bed that serves as a filtration unit) and the tubule, which modifies the filtrate. From the kidney the filtrate passes through the ureters into the storage organ, the bladder, where it remains until voided via the urethra and external genitalia. Analysis of the sediment of the urine reflects the health of all these structures and the cells that line them.

A complete urinalysis will test the function of the nephrons; provide some indications of the current metabolic status of the animal; and demonstrate the relative fluid status of the body. In addition, the urinalysis evaluates substances in the urine that might indicate ongoing disease.

Urine Analysis

Fresh samples give the best results; samples should be analyzed within two hours, or up to six hours after collection if they have been refrigerated. Samples can be collected via catheter, cystocentesis (removal of urine by using a sterile needle to tap through the abdominal cavity into the bladder), or by catching a mid-stream flow in a clean container – easer said than done, especially with small dogs and females who squat low to the ground.

Each of these collection methods has its advantages and disadvantages, and often, unless you are quick with the catch-jar and quick afoot to deliver it to the vet clinic, it may be easiest to have the technicians collect it at the clinic and read it in-house. Depending on what condition is suspected, there may also be a best time of day for collection; check with your vet.

In the lab, the urine is observed for abnormalities of color or odor; specific gravity is determined by placing a drop of urine on a hand-held instrument called a refracto-meter; and various chemicals in the urine are analyzed by dipping a chemically-impregnated dip stick into the urine and observing color changes. Finally, the sample is centrifuged and the sediment is analyzed under the microscope to detect the presence of cells, casts, crystals, microorganisms, and tumor cells.

Note: Urine provides a welcome place for bacteria to grow; bacterial contamination from the surrounding environment is a common error when a sample is not handled properly or when it is left on the counter for hours before being analyzed.

When I did relief work in different clinics, I often saw stains that had become contaminated with bacteria or yeasts, leaving the clinic staff with the impression that all the urine samples run in their clinic came from infected animals. I made it a habit to put a little stain on a slide and look for bacterial contamination under the microscope before I ran any urine samples.

• Color and odor. Urine color is clear when dilute; it is normally yellowish due to the urochromes in the urine, and the yellow color intensifies when concentrated (i.e., when the animal is dehydrated). Urine can pick up a variety of colors and odors, and these may indicate disease, diet, or drugs. For example, a cloudy appearance may be due to urinary tract cells, bacteria, fat, crystals, or mucus; an examination of the sediment will differentiate among these possibilities. Red colored urine may be due to red blood cells, hemoglobin, recent ingestion of beets, or one of several drugs.

Urine with a strong smell of ammonia may have come from an infected urogenital tract; some bacteria are urea splitters, creating the smell of ammonia.

• Specific gravity. Specific gravity measures the density of the urine, relative to the mass of an equal volume of water, and it is determined by using a refractometer. Osmolality, a measure of the number of solute particles within the urine, may also be used to differentiate diseases.

One of first signs of renal tubular disease is the loss of the concentrating ability of the tubules. Normal canine specific gravity is usually more than 1.030. A specific gravity above or below 1.010 ± 0.002 indicates functional capacity.

A “fixed” specific gravity of 1.008 to 1.012 (isosthenuria) indicates that the tubules are not functioning normally. A specific gravity of less than 1.008 may indicate an early disease condition: diabetes insipidus, hypoadrenocorticism (Addison’s disease), or primary renal disease.

The key word in the above is “fixed.” For example, fluid therapy may temporarily lower the value below 1.008, but if the tubules are functional, the value will return to above 1.012 after therapy has ceased. The specific gravity of a dehydrated dog’s urine may be in excess of 1.030, but after rehydration, he should display more normal values.

While specific gravity is a key assay for determining kidney function, if a problem is suspected, it should always be performed along with tests to determine the dog’s blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine levels to diagnose or rule out renal failure.

“Dip Stick” Tests for Dogs

The following tests – pH, proteins, glucose, ketones, occult blood, and bilirubin – are performed by immersing a “dip stick” into fresh urine and observing color changes due to chemical reactions from the reagents contained in small patches located along the reagent stick.

Some dip sticks also contain reagents for nitrite or leukocyte esterase. A positive nitrite test indicates that bacteria may be present in significant numbers, especially Gram negative rods such as E. coli. Leukocyte esterase measures the presence of white blood cells, whether they are intact or lysed (partially destroyed or dissolved). Thus a positive test indicates infection; a negative test indicates that an infection is unlikely.

• pH. Urine pH is dependent on the animal’s diet. In herbivores it is alkaline; carnivores and omnivores have acid to alkaline urine, depending on the amount of protein in the diet.

Urine acidity may also be caused by starvation, fever, metabolic or respiratory acidosis, prolonged muscular exercise, or administration of acid salts (e.g., ammonium chloride). Urine alkalinity may be due to bacterial infections (cystitis), metabolic or respiratory alkalosis, or ingestion of sodium bicarbonate.

• Proteins. A small quantity of protein passes the glomerular filter but is reabsorbed by the renal tubules; consequently, normal urine is usually negative when tested for protein. In concentrated urine (specific gravity greater than 1.050) a reaction level ranging from trace to 1+ may be normal.

A slight transitory proteinurea may be associated with fever, muscular exercise, or seizures. A false positive may occur with alkaline urine (pH greater than 8.5), and either hemoglobin or myoglobin in the urine may also cause false positive results.

A consistent presence of more than a trace of protein in nonconcentrated urine indicates the need for further diagnostics to determine the cause. Possible causes include: inflammation of the lower urinary tract (or cystitis, which is often accompanied by the presence of urine-discoloring red or white blood cells); abnormalities to the filtration system (glomerulonephritis and renal amyloidosis are the most common causes); or possibly from prostatitis, urethritis, and vaginal or preputial discharges. Rarely, a form of tumor (plasma cell tumor) produces low molecular weight proteins (Bence Jones proteins) that pass through the kidney’s filter, and that may create a positive protein test.

• Glucose. The presence of urinary glucose is a primary screening test for diabetes mellitus. The normal dog’s kidney can reabsorb blood glucose amounts up to about 180 mg/dl, and only amounts over this value will be spilled into the urine.

The dip stick test for glucose should normally be negative. Diabetes mellitus is due to an absolute or a relative lack of insulin and is defined as persistently high glucose (greater than 180-200 mg/dl) in the blood.

There are several artifacts, depending on the type of reagent strip used, that may interfere with dip stick tests for glucose.

False negatives may be caused by refrigerated urine; large amounts of ascorbic acid from high levels of vitamin C or tetracycline therapy (the therapeutic vitamin C interference with test results is especially a consideration if your dog is on high doses of vitamin C); salicylates; or large amounts of protein in the urine.

Falsely increased values may be caused by hydrogen peroxide or bleach (caused by collecting the sample in an old bleach bottle, for example). Also, many antibiotics may cause false positive results.

While the most common cause of glucosuria is diabetes mellitus, there are other physical causes that may elevate blood sugar high enough to be read on the dip stick. Stress may cause a slight and transitory elevation (especially in cats), renal tract hemorrhage, renal tubular dysfunction, and hyperadrenocorticism (Cushing’s disease).

In addition, there are several breed-specific diseases that are not related to diabetes that cause glucose spillage into the urine. (This glucosuria-causing phenomena has two different etiologies and has been reported in the Basenji, Norwegian Elkhound, Shetland Sheepdog, Miniature Schnauzer, Scottish Terrier, and mixed breeds.)

A positive glucose test in the urine is an indication that a blood glucose test should be performed.

• Ketones. Excessive ketones are produced when the animal is metabolizing fatty acids as an energy source. Slight ketonuria can be seen in malnourished dogs, and it frequently accompanies advanced cases of canine diabetes mellitus.

The odor of ketones can be detected on the breath or in the urine of fasting/starving animals – and, incidently, on the breath of some people who are dieting. The ketone odor indicates the person’s body is metabolizing excess body fat. Some people can detect the odor readily – it smells like fingernail polish remover; others are not as sensitive.

• Occult blood. A positive reaction indicates red blood cells, free hemoglobin (from the breakdown of red blood cells), or myoglobin (a byproduct of muscle breakdown).

A positive reaction must be interpreted in light of what is seen in the sediment. Red blood cells or red cell casts may be seen in the sediment; their presence reflects hemorrhage in the urinary tract.

If RBCs are not seen, the positive reaction may be from hemoglobin, indicating that either the RBCs have broken up in the urine, releasing free hemoglobin, or the positive test may be due to myoglobin, the oxygen-transporting pigment of muscle.

• Bilirubin. Bilirubin is a pigment found in liver bile, and it is formed mainly from the breakdown of red cells and the subsequent release of the hemoglobin they contained.

Bilirubin appears in the urine if there is an increase in the serum concentration. Small amounts (trace to 1+) are normal, but a result of 3+ or higher is significant and indicates the need for an evaluation of the status of the red cells, possibly along with further liver-function tests.

Some Causes of Discolored Urine

Urine Color Possible Causes
Yellowish-orange, green or black Bilirubin
Brown or rust-yellow Metronidazole
Sulfonamides
Red-brown Myoglobin
RBCs
Hemoglobin
Dilantin
Chronic lead or mercury intoxication
Red-purple Porphyrins
Phenolphthalein
Red RBCs
Hemoglobin or myoglobin
Dyes
Beets
Blue Methylene blue
Blue-green Urinary tract infection due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Milky Infection (pyuria)
Dietary fat

Canine Urine Sediment Evaluation

After the urine has been evaluated visually and via the dip stick, the sample is centrifuged, the fluid portion discarded, and the remaining nonfluid and cellular elements evaluated under the microscope. Results are reported in the average number of cells or other elements observed in each high power field (/hpf) or low power field (/lpf). Normal urine collected by cystocentesis contains only small numbers of cells and other formed elements from the urinary tract.

• Leukocytes (white blood cells). Normal values may be 0 to 3/hpf in urine collected by cystocentesis. Increased numbers (pyuria) supports the presence of inflammation (cystitis).

• Erythrocytes (red blood cells). Normal urine may have a few red cells (0 to 3/hpf). Increased numbers indicate inflammation or hemorrhage. If the red cells are seen in a cast (see below), hemorrhage in the kidney is suggested. Blood in the urine (hematuria) may be associated with stones in the urinary system (uroliths), tumors, bacterial infection, trauma, sterile cystitis, a variety of kidney diseases, urinary parasites, and thrombocytopenia (decreased numbers of platelets or thrombocytes, the clot-forming cells in the blood).

• Cells. A few large and small round cells may appear in normal urine, but their numbers may be increased in animals with cystitis, tumors, or other inflammation of the urinary tract. Evaluation of the urine sediment under the microscope is a good way to screen for urinary tract tumors.

• Casts. Urine casts are cylindric molds of the kidney tubules, formed of aggregated proteins or cells within the tubules and then passed into the urine, where they can be seen on microscopic exam. Urine from normal animals contains only a few hyaline casts (2 or less/lpf) or granular (1 or less/lpf). The type of cast present represents a continuum of severity of disease – from mild (hyaline) to more severe (granular) to very severe (waxy). The causes and significance of urine casts are summarized in the box above.

• Bacteria. Bacteria may be introduced to normal urine through the collection process when catheterization or midstream collection are used. Bacteria found in urine collected by cystocentesis indicate an infectious process. If a significant bacterial infection is found, your veterinarian may order or perform a urine Gram stain test to identify the bacteria and determine the most appropriate antibiotic for treatment.

• Yeasts and fungi. These are contaminants, which may have been introduced during collection or through contaminated stains used to evaluate sediment.

• Crystals. Since the appearance of crystals in the urine (crystalluria) may be a normal finding, their presence needs to be evaluated against the pH and concentration of the urine. We look to the pH because some crystals will normally be seen in acid urine; others require an alkaline media to form. For example, triple phosphate crystals are associated with some urinary stone (calculi) formation, but are more often present in alkaline urine without the presence of calculi.

We also consider the concentration of the urine. Crystals detected in dilute urine are more significant than crystals seen in concentrated urine, where more crystals might be expected.

Certain crystals may be of diagnostic significance. For example: cystine crystals may be associated with cystine uroliths, ammonium biurate suggests liver insufficiency, and ethylene glycol (antifreeze) toxicity often creates a characteristic Maltese cross crystal.

• Sperm. Sperm are found in about one fourth of urine samples taken by cystocentesis from intact males and recently bred females. In unneutered males, a certain number of misguided sperm must swim through the vas deferens (the exit tube of the testes) via the ejaculatory duct, through the prostate into the urethra, and then into the bladder. In the female, errant sperm, splashed about the female’s vulva during breeding, must be able to swim via the urethra into her bladder.

Interpreting Urine Casts

Type of Cast Associated With Interpretation
Hyaline Protein in the urine Insignificant
Epithelial Kidney tube sloughing Acute severe tubular damage
Cellular to granular Tubular epithelial cell degeneration Suggests tubular disease
Waxy They develop from cellular and epithelial casts Indicate a chronic tubular lesion
Leukocyte (white blood cell) Kidney inflammation Suggests kidney infection
Erythrocyte (red blood cell) Hemorrhage Usually the result of trauma

Final Diagnosis from a Urinalysis

Although the urinalysis may be the most straightforward of the diagnostic tests available, there is still a touch of art-form in its interpretations. It is an inexpensive test, and almost every veterinary clinic can perform one in-house, although some clinic managers prefer to send them to commercial veterinary labs.

Finally, as always, the results of the urinalysis need to be correlated with other observations, the history of the dog, with other tests, and with the signs and symptoms the dog is demonstrating. In the end, though, the urinalysis is one of the most vital tools available for the diagnostician.

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.

Car Restraints for Dogs

By
Nancy Kerns
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Canine seat belts offer an alternative to crates for a dog's car travel.

by C.C. Holland

Every day, people load their dogs into cars for trips to the vet or dog park, to run errands, visit friends, or to take day trips. Unfortunately, many of them don’t realize that the outing can spell danger for their four-legged friends.

While most of us, spurred by safety concerns and government regulations, wear seat belts as a matter of course, we don’t always think about restraining our dogs when they’re our passengers. But going without a restraint poses dangers to dogs and drivers alike. In the event of a sudden stop or crash, a dog can become a flying projectile that can injure you, crash through a windshield, or slam with bone-breaking force into the dashboard or seatbacks.

In addition, a terrified and battered dog who’s just survived a crash may, if unrestrained, leap into oncoming traffic or become lost in unfamiliar surroundings.

How to restrain your dog
We advocate keeping your dog restrained at all times when he’s traveling with you. The best form of protection is a crate, securely strapped or, better yet, bolted down to keep it from shifting. If your dog’s crate is too big for your car, a doggie seat belt is our recommended alternative.

Dogs should ride in the rear seat whenever possible, well away from airbags. Passenger-seat airbags can maim or kill a dog. If your dog must ride in front, disable the airbag and make sure that his restraint doesn’t allow him enough room to clamber into your lap and interfere with driving.

The designs of the dog restraint devices on the market are diverse. Some consist of a harness that can be attached somehow to your car’s seat belt. Some are simple straps that allow you to clip your dog’s harness to the seat belt. Some are intended only as restraints that limit a dog’s mobility in the car, and prevent him from being thrown out or escaping from a wrecked car. Others are designed to absolutely secure dogs in an accident; these, necessarily, also severely restrict the dog’s movement (and in some cases, comfort) in the car.

Overall ratings
Although strength is an important factor in selecting a dog seat belt, it’s not the only one. The “safest” product we examined was also the most difficult to put on and get off the dog, and the least comfortable for him. If a safety restraint is a pain for the person and dog alike, chances are it’s not going to be used as often as it should be. So we gave equal weight to three other criteria: quality/durability, adjustability, and ease of use.

Items that feature good quality parts and reinforced stitching at stress points, offer options for a customized fit, and are simple to put on and take off were given higher ratings. The overall score for each product is an average of the four criteria.

Top product
The Universal Car Harness was the only harness-style restraint we found that, instead of providing a loop through which a seat belt could be passed, came with a separate strap that clips directly into your seat belt buckle. The advantage to this attachment is that once your dog is latched in, there’s no play – and you don’t have to rely on your seat belt’s locking mechanism to secure your dog during a sudden stop.

The strap attaches to the harness with a carabiner-style clip. A metal tang on the other end of the strap is purported to fit into any standard seat belt buckle. It took a little bit of maneuvering to get the tang to seat firmly into our seat belt buckle, but once it did, it acted like a regular seat belt; it didn’t pull free unless we hit the release button.

The strap is adjustable from 12 to 21 inches, letting you determine how much room to roam you’d like your dog to have; we recommend keeping it on the shortest setting and then triple-stitching it in place. Another advantage: our test dog didn’t get twisted up, since she could easily walk over the seat belt strap when she turned around.

The harness itself is a marvel of simplicity: one plastic buckle connects and removes it. When unclipped, the harness resembles a bra; you slide two loops up your dog’s forelegs, and then clip them together behind his shoulders. The seat belt strap clips to a pair of metal D-rings, which provide a place to attach a leash, and more importantly, replace the relatively weak plastic buckle (see photo detail).

Adjusting the harness is easy and generous. Sliding metal clips allow 10 inches of fine-tuning both on the chest strap and belly strap. This Universal Car Harness was the easiest of all harness-type models we tested to remove: simply press the single plastic clip and the harness essentially falls off.

According to company president Bruce Cook, the product has been safety-tested by the manufacturer, although not by a third-party facility. “We have a pull strength of almost 1,400 pounds,” he says. “We were trying to get to eight times a dog’s weight, using a 150-pound dog as our benchmark, and we actually exceeded that.”

Cook said the harness probably won’t withstand a major crash; however, “We feel fairly confident that in most moving collisions at lower speeds, eight times the dog’s weight is a good number.”

One problem with this setup: if your dog steps on the release button of your seat belt buckle, he could be instantly free in the back seat. (This is a potential concern with all but one of the products we reviewed.)

Cook says about one percent of purchasers complain that the “universal” tang doesn’t fit the seat belt buckles in their cars. However, many of those complaints were from people trying the unit in a front seat; Cook says the universal tang should work on at least one of the rear-seat buckles.

I experienced a different problem with the tang. I had been using this model for several months when the tang became permanently wedged into my seat belt buckle. Nothing, short of cracking the buckle open and replacing it (at an estimated $200), is going to remove the tang, according to my auto repair shop. That’s fine for my dog – after all, it solves the accidental-release problem – but it’s not quite as convenient when I have a human passenger who cannot use that particular seat belt.

As you might guess, the Fleece Lined Car Safety Harness comes with a fleece chest pad, which (according to its maker) helps protect the dog at high-impact stress points. This may or may not be the case, but our test dog seemed extremely comfortable in this harness – when she stopped trying to chew the fleecy pad, which apparently reminded her of her favorite stuffed toys. The fleece is generously thick and the nylon straps are soft. The harness fastens with two large plastic squeeze buckles, and adjusts in four places. Usage is intuitive, and it took less than a minute to get the dog into the harness and adjust the straps for a secure fit. Removing it is even easier; just unclip the buckles.

Rather than providing a fabric loop through which the seat belt is threaded, this product offers a strap finished with a carabiner-type clip that attaches to a metal D-ring on the back of the harness. (One quibble: The carabiner is heavy, and its weight could be annoying or painful on the dog’s back.)You wrap that strap around the (fastened) seat belt and hook the carabiner to the D-ring. It’s quick, easy, and allows you to choose whether to clip the harness only to the lap-belt portion of the seat belt or to both the lap and shoulder section.

According to its maker, the harness hasn’t undergone strength testing, and although its components were rated by their manufacturers, the maker did not provide us with this information. The buckles are extra-large (and presumably extra-strong), but because the stress points on this model appear to be right on the buckles, it’s unlikely that it will withstand a serious impact.

Also, the design features a lot of straps stitched together; we fear these connections could be another weak point. In fact, the first product we purchased arrived with one of the back cross-straps unsewn – a defective model. Of course the pet supply company replaced the product, but it was worrisome; what if someone who didn’t know better used it anyway?

This simple black nylon harness has a lightly padded chest strap for comfort, plastic squeeze buckles (which connect conveniently on one side of the dog and allow a lot of adjustment), a metal D-ring (for attaching a lead), and a fabric loop through which a seat belt is threaded. It took very little time to place the harness on the dog and adjust it for fit.

Our concerns have mostly to do with adjustment. The buckles can loosen during usage, so you may want to triple-stitch the straps down once you find the appropriate fit for your dog.

According to its maker (Leather Brothers, of Conway, AR), the product has not gone through third-party impact testing, and although the company has done basic strength tests, they didn’t provide us with the results. Because of this, and because the plastic buckles are located at stress points, we would guess that the product offers less impact resistance than the above products.

NOTE: We found this item marketed under two or three different names. Two companies verified it was the same product: the maker, who calls it the “Kwik Klip Car Safety Harness”; and Drs. Foster and Smith, who sells it as the “Car Safety Harness with Kwik Klips” (catalog #JD-3243). A third company (Ethical Products Inc.) claims it manufactures its product (the “Ride ’n Walk Harness”), but it appears identical to the other two.

If your dog’s safety in the car is your main concern, the Roadie harness is the doggie seat belt you want; it’s far and away the strongest product we examined. Carl Goldberg, the owner of Ruff Rider Products, says the Roadie is designed as a “true safety harness” – not just a simple vehicle restraint.

According to documents provided by Ruff Rider, the Roadie underwent strength testing at Commercial Testing Laboratories in Denver, which showed it would withstand 9,600 pounds of force before its stitching tore. By comparison, the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) requires that two-part seat belts used for humans be able to withstand 4,000 – 5,000 pounds of force (for the chest and lap portion, respectively).

Its strength is partly due to its design, which features wide webbing wound around in a figure eight, and exceedingly well-reinforced at its single joining point. Most other harnesses include at least two separate straps that are stitched together, and relatively weak plastic buckles in stress points. While the Roadie does incorporate plastic buckles, they are for minor fit adjustments, and not located at stress points.

However, we have to give it low marks for usability. The harness is a baffling conglomeration of straps, and when it comes out of the box, it’s anything but clear how it’s supposed to go onto your dog. Ruff Rider apparently recognized the challenge, and includes an instructional video and an illustrated how-to guide with the product.

Although viewing the video did explain which end was up, this knowledge doesn’t make using the product all that much easier. Two loops slide over the dog’s head; you must then pull the dog’s forelegs through the side loops to get the harness on. Even with a fairly docile dog who’s used to harnesses, this requires extreme compliance.

Removing the harness is a little easier. The video suggested two methods, and both require you to push your dog’s head down and slide a loop over it – not something every dog will cooperate with.

The harness comes with an extended strap on the back that can be used as a short leash; a longer leash can be clipped to a metal ring at the end of that same strap. There is also a “keeper” loop on the side of the harness that you can thread the strap through, to keep it from flapping around if you leave it on your dog for off-leash play.

The harness attaches to a standard car seat belt via one of its heavy-duty stitched loops, which are built into the extended strap. The maker of the Roadie recommends that you use the first (shortest) loop, which allows the dog the least amount of play. We found that adjustment to be punishing in its lack of mobility. Indeed, if you watch the video, you’ll see two dogs with the seat belt crossing tightly over their backs, as they lie presumably pinned to the seat. But given more mobility, the dog is less safe. Only you can decide what works best for your dog.

Finally, the webbing used is very stiff, and the adjustable straps offer very little leeway. If you guess slightly wrong with the size, the Roadie isn’t very forgiving; you’ll have to send it back for the next size (there are nine to choose from).

The Roadie has gained several improvements in the past few years, and, given Goldberg’s passion for his product, it will probably continue to evolve and improve.

Now we move from super-strong and complex to super-simple and not-so-strong. This product is designed to be used with a harness you supply; like the next product, it should never be snapped to a dog’s collar.

The Batzibelt is a web strap with metal spring snaps at each end; one snaps on to your dog’s harness, and one snaps to a triangular metal shackle that slips over your car’s seat belt to provide an anchor. The strap has a slide buckle to adjust in length from 6½ inches to 11 inches. It comes in two sizes, one with 5 /8-inch nylon webbing, the other with 1-inch webbing. This restraint is simple to use and we like it for that.

According to Batzi Enterprises owner A.J. Dupree, the Batzibelt recently upgraded its components by adding welding to the metal shackle. Both pieces underwent manufacturers’ testing that showed the shackle would withstand up to a 640-pound load, while the strap failed after 460 pounds. That’s not much of a strength rating. Dupree points out that the item is not designed to keep your dog safe in a high speed crash; it’s intended to limit your dog’s movement and help keep him from flying through the windshield if the car screeches to a halt.

The shackle can be used on either the lap belt portion (for maximum motion control), or on the shoulder belt strap (for more movement); however, we’re concerned that using it only on the shoulder portion could give your dog too much roaming room, and cause the locking action of the belt to fail to engage in a hard stop. This also enables the dog to get twisted up in the seat belt. The Doggie Catcher is essentially just a two-inch wide webbed strap with a D-ring and a spring clip that attaches to your dog’s harness on one end, and a plastic fitting that you clip your car’s seat belt through. The fitting doubles as a shield that prevents the dog from accidentally stepping on the release button.

The strap is adjustable from 12 to 18 inches, letting you decide how much room your dog gets for roaming. It’s exceptionally easy to use, and seems quite sturdy. Smiling Dog president Bobby Westbury says the components of the Doggie Catcher were independently strength-tested in 2001; following those tests, the snap hook was upgraded.

The ratings are based on pounds of thrust. The polypropylene webbing came up with a 1,600-pound limit; the D-ring, 1,763 pounds; and the plastic shield (which is injection-molded, high-impact polypropylene, says Westbury) at 726 pounds. Information on the new, heavier snap hook was not available. Any item is only as good as its weakest link, and a piece that can’t withstand more than 726 pounds of thrust isn’t going to weather a huge car crash, unless it’s attached to a minuscule dog. However, it’s a sturdy item and we like that it uses the car’s own seat belt system and buckle, rather than attaching to a seat belt strap and hoping the locking mechanism will kick in.

Also With This Article
“Safest Canine Seat Belts”
“Car Safety”
“Whole Dog Journal’s Car Safety Harness Recommendation”

Avoiding Potential Dog Attacks

By
Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA
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[Updated October 11, 2017]

AGGRESSIVE DOGS IN THE COMMUNITY: OVERVIEW

1. Take immediate action if you or your dog is seriously frightened or attacked by a dog. File a report with your animal control agency and/or police.

2. If you learn that other neighbors or witnesses have also had bad experiences with the dog, encourage them to file complaints, too.

3. Follow up to make sure police and/or animal control reports were filed and appropriate action was taken.

4. If your local animal control or police officers appear reluctant to help, make an appointment with your local district attorney; ask him or her for information on applicable state or local statutes and advice on gaining support from local officials.

At the end of November 2003, a 40-year-old woman in a small ranching community southeast of Denver, Colorado, was killed by a pack of three dogs belonging to a neighbor. What made the gruesome event more shocking was the news that the dogs responsible for the attack were well known for roaming free in the community and threatening the safety of residents. In fact, the pack reportedly had also seriously injured a neighbor of the dead woman the previous April.

Maybe we’re just paying more attention since the infamous fatal mauling of Diane Whipple outside her apartment door in San Francisco. But it seems like we are increasingly hearing about serious and fatal dog attacks where a subsequent investigation determines that the attacking dogs had been an identified problem in their communities for some time.

“I’ve been an expert witness in two fatal dog bite cases, one in Wyoming and one in Kansas,” said Suzanne Hetts, Ph.D., a Denver-based, Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, in the December 2003 issue of Animal Behavior Associates e-zine. “There were breakdowns in both situations where interventions should have been done, but weren’t. Both were accidents waiting to happen,” Dr. Hetts said.

The news reports on the recent Colorado tragedy contained similar quotes, such as, “The people in the area had their own sort of emergency phone network to warn each other if the dogs were loose before they would go out,” said Fire Chief Dale Goetz.

And, of course, following the death of Diane Whipple in January 2001, dozens of people – including neighbors, postal carriers, delivery persons, and other dog owners from the neighborhood, testified in court about numerous occasions when the two dogs that killed Whipple had threatened them. None of those incidents were reported to animal control or police.

“The Whipple case underscores the community’s obligation to report dangerous dogs to animal control authorities,” said Los Angeles lawyer Kenneth Phillips, a national expert on dog bite law who runs the website, www.dogbitelaw.com.

What Does a Dangerous Dog Look Like?

Despite the prevalence of certain breeds of dogs in the headlines, laws addressing specific breeds are far less effective than dangerous dog laws that do not mention breed. Breed-specific legislation applies unfairly to dogs who may be no threat whatsoever, and doesn’t help a community with dangerous dogs who are mixed-breeds or not of the breed mentioned in the legislation.

Dangerous dogs are better identified by their behavior than shape and size. The sort of canine menace to society we are talking about includes:

– A dog who shows aggression warning signs: freezing and giving a hard, direct stare; leaning forward, ears pricked, growling, perhaps with hackles raised; issuing one or more challenging barks; bared teeth, snarling, and/or snapping; stiff, rigid appearance and movements.

– A free-roaming dog or pack of dogs who have stalked, chased, or threatened neighborhood people and/or animals.

– A dog on leash who lunges aggressively toward other animals or people, and whose owner appears to be in danger of losing control of the dog.

– A dog who gets in a fight and punctures or lacerates another dog, or bites a person who is trying to break up the fight.

NOTE: Many dogs get in scuffles in group interactions. Dogs who have good bite inhibition may be involved in a fight that looks and sounds awful, but leaves no visible traces of injury on the participants. A dangerous dog in the same fight punctures or lacerates her opponents.

– A dog who bites another person or animal, puncturing or lacerating the skin.

Responsible Dog Neighborship

There are many reasons a person might tend to look the other way when confronted with a potentially dangerous dog. You may be busy; you may be fearful of the dog’s owner or potential retaliation; you may be friends with the owner and reluctant to cause hard feelings between you; you may worry about being responsible for the dog’s impoundment and possible euthanasia; or you may simply feel that it’s none of your business.

The thing is, it is your business if the dog lives, plays, or wanders in your community. It could be a member of your family – human or animal – that gets killed by the dangerous dog. And even if the next victim is not someone near and dear to you, how would you feel if the dog finally mauls someone and you had done nothing of substance to prevent the attack, even though you recognized that the dog presented a threat?

Actions to Take When Dealing with a Dangerous Dog

The following are suggestions for action if you are aware of a potential problem dog that roams your neighborhood:

1. Talk to the dog’s owner (if the owner is known). Be friendly, nonthreatening, tactful, and educational. Try something like: “You may not realize this, but when your dog roams the neighborhood he acts a little (or a lot) aggressive. He probably is very loving at home, but he chased my son on his scooter and grabbed his pants. I wonder if there’s something you could do to keep him more securely confined to your yard.”

2. Follow up your first visit quickly with another friendly one if the owner seemed receptive to your concerns but the dog continues to roam. This time you might offer some suggestions: “We talked the other day about your dog, and you seemed to understand my concerns, but he’s still getting loose. If you are having a problem keeping him contained, perhaps I can help.” If it’s a confinement problem, you can offer suggestions for keeping the dog at home, such as an overhead runner if there’s no fenced yard, or repairing an aging fence. You can also call the owner and politely ask him to come get the dog every time you see him loose. Document everything you do, for possible future use as evidence if needed.

3. It’s time to call the animal control authorities. If the owner was friendly on the second visit but fails to follow through on your suggestions, there’s probably no point in a third visit; similarly, there is probably no point in a second visit if the owner was not friendly or receptive the first time.

Be prepared to identify yourself; many agencies won’t act on anonymous complaints. Be specific in your information: give the name and address of the owner, a description of the dog, and dates, times, and detailed descriptions of any incidents that have occurred. It’s even better if you have photos or video of the dog acting in a threatening manner. You can also advise them of the owner’s schedule, if you know it, so they don’t make wasted trips to the owner’s home.

Ask the agency how long it might take for them to contact the dog owner, and to let you know when your complaint has been handled, and how.

If the person you speak to at the agency seems receptive to your complaint, you’ll need to wait a reasonable period – a week is good – for the complaint to be handled. Meanwhile, every time you see the dog at large, call them so they can (at least) put the reports on the record, and (better yet) patrol for him if they have adequate staff.

4. Ask to speak to a supervisor if the person you speak to does not seem receptive; tells you the agents don’t go out on such complaints; says your complaint is a low priority and could take several weeks; or if the person seemed receptive but a week goes by and no action has been taken.

Politely explain the situation to the supervisor, emphasizing your concerns about the dog’s potential to injure someone. Try to extract a commitment that the complaint will be handled within a specific time frame.

5. Step up the ladder. If the supervisor appears unsympathetic, or time passes and the complaint still has not been handled, ask to speak to that person’s supervisor. Continue to move up the administrative ladder until you reach the top. For a private, nonprofit humane society the top is likely to be the executive director, then the board of directors. For a municipal agency, it’s probably a director, followed by one or two layers of city or county administration, and then your elected representative – a city councilperson or county commissioner.

Meanwhile, you (or your fellow concerned neighbors) should still file a report every time you see the dog is loose.

6. It’s time to go to the media if you reach the top of the animal control administration and still haven’t gotten resolution. Let administrators know that you’re going public with your concerns; this may spur them into action. Sometimes a well-placed call or articulate letter to a local television station or newspaper reporter can pressure a lazy or ineffective agency into taking action.

7. Ensure your own safety until you start to see some fruits of your labors. A neighborhood watch system that alerts the community when the dangerous dog is loose is a good idea.

Also consider the very real possibility that you may need to defend yourself from a serious attack. This could involve the carrying and/or strategic placement of mace sprays, golf clubs, or other weapons, in easily accessible places so that one is always within reach if needed. While we would never advocate abusing an animal, there may come a time when physical violence against a dog is required to save a life.

If all goes well, the dog’s owners will be forced to become more responsible for their dog, or lose the privilege of owning him. Yes, the dog may be impounded and even euthanized if his owners refuse to take appropriate steps to confine him, but that’s their responsibility and guilt, not yours.

Dangerous Dogs On-Leash

Of course, not all dangerous dogs are roaming free. Take the infamous Presa Canarios in San Francisco, for example, who terrorized many people in their community while on leash and ostensibly under the owner’s control. What do you do if you are walking down the street and a dog lunges aggressively toward you? Or if you and your dog are at a dog park and you see a dog whose behavior is threatening the safety of other park users?

You need to file a report with the appropriate authorities – the police, sheriff, animal control department, or whatever agency handles dangerous dog reports in your community.

To file a report, you’ll need to give authorities as much information as possible about the event, the problem dog, and his owner. You can politely ask the owner for his name and address, but depending on the circumstances, you may not get it.

In these situations, unless you’re extremely lucky, it’s probably not realistic to expect even the most efficient animal control or police officer to arrive in time to apprehend the culprit, even if you immediately call to report it.

In these and other “dog-with-owner” scenarios there’s a good chance that you are near either the dog owner’s home or his car. Try following discreetly at a distance and getting a license plate number, or a street address when the offenders arrive at their destination. If you have a camera handy, take a picture to provide for positive identification of the dog and his handler later.

You can also ask other witnesses if they are familiar with the dog and owner; the culprits may be well-known for previous misdeeds. While you’re at it, get those witnesses’ names and contact information, and add this information when you call the appropriate authorities to file a report.

Even if you are unable to provide the identity of the dog and person in question, call the appropriate authorities and give them a complete description of the offending parties. The officials may recognize the offenders from your description or photo. If not, they may be able to identify the dog and handler later if there are future incidents.

Take ONLY Legal Action

You may be told that there are no laws to address your concerns. If so, you’ll need to either do some legal research yourself, or ask an attorney for help. First, ask the animal control agency to send you a copy of the local animal control ordinance. Read it for yourself, to see if you agree that existing law offers no relief from the threat of dangerous animals.

If you believe that it does have relevant provisions, make an appointment with your district attorney, and ask for his interpretation of the local ordinance. If he agrees with you, get his opinion in writing and ask him to notify animal control that the law provides for them to deal with the dangerous dog, and encourage them to do so.

If you agree that the ordinance is too weak, or your D.A. tells you it doesn’t apply to your local dangerous dog, ask about any dangerous dog laws at the state level that could be enforced locally. If authorities in Colorado had filed charges against the owner of the loose dogs after their April attack, using the stronger state dangerous dog law rather than the weaker county ordinance, one death might have been prevented.

If you find an applicable state law, take it back through the chain of command, D.A. opinion in hand, and ask that it be enforced. Again, ask the D.A. to urge the appropriate agency to enforce it as well.

If there are no existing laws that deal effectively with dangerous dogs, it’s time to work with local authorities to create effective but fair animal control ordinances. Many jurisdictions have incorporated a definition for “potentially dangerous” to address dogs who present a threat but haven’t actually bitten, as well as a “dangerous dog” category for dogs who have committed more serious acts.

Kansas City is currently considering such a law, the provisions of which would require dogs deemed “potentially dangerous” to wear an orange collar and be muzzled and leashed when outside, and require their owners to carry added liability insurance.

A Danger to Other Dogs

Make sure your ordinance language includes dogs who threaten and/or attack other animals, not just humans. Some communities’ existing laws address only dogs who attack people or livestock.

If your local or state laws don’t address dogs who attack other animal companions, start lobbying in your community for a new ordinance. Leave petitions to be signed at places where responsible dog owners congregate, such as groomers, veterinarians’ offices, and dog parks. Educate lawmakers to the fact that an aggressive dog poses an unacceptable risk to human and animal lives in the community.

If your community has laws providing for the control of dangerous dogs but the animal services department is not staffed or funded adequately to enable the officers to enforce the laws effectively, it’s time to mount a campaign to pressure your elected officials to make animal control a higher priority at budget time. The media can help here, too, if you feel that your requests and demands are falling on deaf ears.

Don’t Do Nothing

Please make a commitment to do something the next time you see a canine accident waiting to happen. If not all of the suggestions and strategies listed above appeal to you, select the ones that do, and enlist the assistance of family, friends, and neighbors to implement them. Some people need someone else to take the lead and help motivate them to become involved. If you do it, you, and those who join forces with you, will all sleep better at night, knowing that you are working to make your community safer for your loved ones.

A Must-Have Book: Dog Law

Self-help legal publisher Nolo Press of Berkeley, California, hit a home run with this book. One chapter helps you protect your community from dangerous dogs. Another provides help for someone who has suffered a dog bite – and advice for the owner of a dog who bites. Legal options for people whose companion animals are severely injured or killed are thoroughly outlined in another. Throughout the book, attorney/author Mary Randolph cites varying state laws that deal with dangerous dogs. Now in its fourth edition, Dog Law is available from its publisher or DogWise.

Teach Your Dog to Focus On Cue!

By
Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA
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One of the first things I teach people to teach their dogs in my basic “Good Manners” class is to respond to their names. We can’t teach our dogs anything, I tell my students, unless we have their attention.

Getting a dog’s attention is not enough, however; to be truly successful in training you must be able to keep a dog’s attention once you have it. And this is best accomplished by convincing her that it’s in her best interest to offer attention of her own accord.

If you’ve ever watched an obedience competition and marveled at the dogs who gaze intently at their handlers’ faces throughout the entire test, never once breaking eye contact, you know exactly what we’re talking about. It speaks volumes about the relationship between dog and owner to have that kind of communication . . . or does it?

The old way
When I first trained my dogs seriously for obedience competition, I was disillusioned to discover exactly how that kind of attention was accomplished. My dogs and I learned two approaches: a force-based way and the hot dog way.

The force-based way was pretty brutal at times. The other students and I would stand with our dogs in the heel position, each of us exhorting our own dog to “Watch me!” while training assistants, otherwise known as “distractions,” would move amongst us, doing everything they could think of to get our dogs to look away: calling, clapping, whistling, offering hot dogs. If our dog took her eyes off us to look at a distraction, we were to say “Watch me!” and give a severe yank on the choke chain. Our dogs soon realized the price they paid for looking away, and kept their eyes glued on us from fear of the painful consequence of doing otherwise.

The hot dog way was more fun for all concerned. We humans would stuff our cheeks full of hot dog pieces (make mine a veggie dog!), which we would occasionally spit toward our canine partners as we heeled merrily around the training ring. Never knowing when the next hot dog “penny” might coming flying through the air, our dogs kept their eyes riveted on our faces. It was more eye-to-lip contact than eye-to-eye contact, actually, but it kept them oriented toward us as the obedience genre expected, and sufficed to earn us high scores in the competitive obedience ring.

I much preferred the far more benign hot dog method, of course – and I’m sure my dogs did, too – but it still left something to be desired in terms of positive training and relationship. My dogs looked at my face because they recognized that hot dogs appeared from that location, but I’m not sure they realized it was their intent gaze that made the hot dogs appear.

At the time, I didn’t know that teaching dogs how to “make” us give them a reward for their behavior was a desirable goal. I had been taught the luring technique as a way to elicit the desired behavior; I was as yet unfamiliar with the concept of teaching dogs to think from an operant conditioning perspective.

Modern methods
Today’s positive trainers have a much more sophisticated approach to teaching the “Watch me!” exercise. We want the dog to actually think, and understand that looking at her handler attentively makes good stuff happen, regardless of where the treats happen to be.

To that end, in the first session of my classes I have the owners come without their dogs, and I explain that when they arrive with their dogs the next week they will stand quietly, just holding their dogs’ leashes and not asking for any behavior or soliciting attention. The instant their dogs look at them – or even look in their general direction – they are to click! a clicker and give their dogs a treat. They are to continue clicking and handing over treats at a high rate of reinforcement as long as the dogs keep looking at them. If a dog looks away, her handler should stop the flow of treats, and wait for the dog to pay attention again. The intent of this exercise is to teach the dogs that voluntary attention is a highly rewardable behavior.

It takes only about five minutes for most or all of the dogs to be intently focused on their personal click-and-treat dispensers. Then the students can begin to ask their dogs for other behaviors, such as sit, stand, and down. I tell the owners to use their dogs’ names for brief lapses of attention, but to continue to look for opportunities to click! and reward voluntary attention.

As the dogs progress, I add distractions to the attention exercise, but rather than deliberately luring the dogs’ attention away so the owner can punish them, I introduce distractions at a low level so the dogs can succeed in remaining focused on their owners and get rewarded for that behavior. They learn that keeping their attention on their owners even in the face of increasingly tempting distractions is highly rewarded.

“He’s just looking at the food!”
At some point during the six weeks of my “basic” class, some owners point out that their dogs are orienting on their treats – on bait bags, treat pockets, or treats they hold in their hands – rather than really making eye contact. I have them work on this in my “intermediate” class by making the treats the distraction.

The owner starts by holding a treat up to her face to encourage eye contact. When the dog looks at her, she clicks! and gives the dog the treat. Then she moves the treat a few inches to the side of her face, and waits. Sooner or later the dog, who is watching the treat intently, will glance toward the owner’s face as if to ask why the click! is not forthcoming. At that instant the owner clicks! and feeds the dog the treat. She repeats this until the dog is looking at her face quickly, and for increasingly long periods (up to several seconds) to elicit the click! and treat.

Then she moves the treat a few inches farther from her face and continues the game. At this point she also adds the “Watch!” or “Pay attention!” cue that she will use to get the dog to maintain eye contact from then on. It is important to click! consistently before the dog breaks eye contact while gradually lengthening the contact time, so the dog comes to understand that “Watch!” means “maintain eye contact until released.”

Eventually, the treat can be anywhere, while the dog’s gaze remains riveted to the owner’s face for long periods. Voila! Now this dog/owner team can go into the obedience or Rally ring and achieve the kind of attention that spectators and other competitors envy. And this is accomplished not because the dog is waiting for a hot dog to shoot out of the handler’s mouth, or avoiding a punishing jerk on the collar. It happens because the dog truly understands and happily performs the desired and rewardable behavior of maintaining eye contact and attention, even while in perfect heel position.

For “regular” dogs, too!
Treats need not be the only reward for paying attention. If your Border Collie is obsessed with her tennis ball (and what self-respecting Border Collie isn’t?), teach her that eye contact, not bumping you with her nose or jumping up on you, is what makes you throw the ball. You can also teach your dog that sitting quietly near you and staring at you will earn her a chance to go play outside, go for a walk, or play a game with you.

Even though this skill is critical for competitors in the show ring, it’s also a valuable behavior for “regular” dogs and owners.

A good “attention” cue can keep your reactive dog focused on you while other dogs (or other reaction-eliciting stimuli) pass nearby. It can also keep your dog away from the Arrowroot biscuit in the nearby toddler’s hand, or from the pile of unidentifiable rotting carcass on the side of the hiking trail.

Also, if you have visions of fame and fortune, it can keep her attentive to you when you make your grand debut on the PetStarz stage in front of a huge live audience. But whether you make it to Hollywood or not, the two of you will be stars in your own right if you can perfect the “Pay Attention” game and apply it to everyday life.

 

The Calming Herb Chamomile

By
Gregory L. Tilford
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CHAMOMILE FOR DOGS OVERVIEW

– Use a chamomile glycerin-based tincture for dogs who vomit when they get overexcited. – A combination of cooled chamomile tea and saline solution can be used as an anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial eyewash for dogs with conjunctivitis. – Look for chamomile products made from organic plants – or grow and prepare your own! With hundreds of trendy herb products lining the shelves of pet shops and health food stores these days, it is easy to forget that many of the most useful herbal remedies for pets are already in the kitchen. Many of the herbs we use every day in cooking or in a tasty cup of tea are also very medicinal. In fact, virtually every home spice cabinet contains remedies for upset tummies, nervousness, sore gums, itchy skin, or even intestinal worms. All we have to do is recognize them and remember they are there. Chamomile is just one example. One of the safest and most versatile herbal pet remedies around, chamomile has a broad range of scientifically proven uses. Among the herb’s attributes are anti-spasmodic, carminative (gas relieving), anti-inflammatory, sedative, antimicrobial, digestive, vulnerary (wound healing), tonic (strengthens body functions and/or structures), and antihelmintic (worm-expelling) activities, all of which can be safely and effectively applied to dogs, cats, and most other types of animals.

Calm the Nerves and Stomach

Chamomile delivers reliable antispasmodic, carminative, and mild sedative effects to the digestive system, making it useful in cases of indigestion, gas, or vomiting. I find the tea or tincture especially effective when used in dogs who are prone to stomach upset during episodes of hyper-excitability. You know, the “nervous stomach” types who get gas, a gurgling tummy, or end up vomiting whenever meal time is followed by an exciting event. For these pups, a sweet-tasting, glycerin-based tincture can be squirted directly into the mouth. One milliliter (about ¼ tsp.) per 30 pounds of the dog’s body weight fed once every two or three hours should do the trick. Alternately, a strong infusion of cooled chamomile tea can be used, but you will need to feed more – perhaps a full tablespoon every couple of hours until digestive upset subsides. Brew the tea on the very strong side: 4 tea bags, or 2 tablespoons of bulk chamomile flowers packed in a tea ball, to each cup of boiling water. Sweeten with a little honey if necessary, and allow the tea to steep until it has completely cooled before using. Unused portions can be stored for up to four days in the refrigerator. If you don’t see results after two feedings, don’t be afraid to increase the frequency of the feeding to once per hour. Chamomile is safe enough to be used fairly liberally. Why does chamomile work so well against stomach upset? The answer is somewhat of a mystery, although scientists have identified several chemical constituents of chamomile that are known to have powerful medicinal qualities. Among these constituents is a complex assortment of volatile oils (i.e., apigenenin, chamazulene, and its precursor, matricin) and various flavonoid constituents are known to be strong antispasmodic agents. In the digestive tract, these chemicals serve to ease nervous spasm, help expel gas, and aid in the production of bile (thus improving digestion). Many of these same components have also been shown to reduce inflammation throughout the intestinal tract, making chamomile useful for various forms of inflammatory bowel disease as well.

Clear Skin and Eyes

For itchy, inflamed skin, including flea bites, contact allergies, or minor bacterial or fungal infections, the same (but unsweetened) cooled tea can be used as a soothing, healing, antimicrobial skin rinse. Apply by soaking your companion’s coat and skin with the tea, and allow her to drip dry. For added itch-relieving and healing effects, peppermint tea, aloe vera juice, or calendula tea can be combined with chamomile tea in equal proportions. If raw, open patches of skin are visible, certified organic goldenseal root (Hydrastis canadensis) tincture can be added for an even stronger antibacterial effect. Add the tincture, which is available at any health food store, to the rinse at a ratio of ¼ tsp. per cup of tea. However, be aware that goldenseal can temporarily stain your companion’s coat yellow. For conjunctivitis, whether it is from bacterial infection or just airborne irritants or allergies, the cooled infusion can be carefully strained through a paper coffee filter and diluted with saline solution (the stuff made for contact lens care) at a ratio of 1 part tea to 3 parts saline; the end product should be transparent and light yellow. This inflammatory/antimicrobial eyewash can be liberally applied into the eyes with a dropper, twice or three times per day until inflammation subsides. If stronger antibacterial activity is desired, try adding 5-10 drops of goldenseal tincture to each ounce of the eyewash. However, if inflammation persists or worsens after a few days, or if pus, severe swelling, or damage to the eye or eyelid is apparent, consult a veterinarian.

Heart and Reproductive Tonic

Chamomile has also been shown to have tonic (strengthening) effects on smooth muscle tissues throughout the body, including those of the heart, bladder, and especially the uterus. For dogs with functional deficiencies of the heart, chamomile extract can be combined with hawthorn (Crataegus sp.) extract and/or garlic for use as a daily heart tonic. Chamomile also combines well with raspberry leaf or nettle leaf for use as a pre-pregnancy, tissue-strengthening tonic for the uterus. See a holistic veterinarian to find out if such a formula is appropriate for your companion.

A Natural De-Wormer

Chamomile’s usefulness in expelling worms is often overlooked in favor of stronger, antihelmintic herbs such as wormwood, black walnut hulls, or garlic. However, while chamomile may not act as quickly, it is relatively nontoxic and can be used over extended periods. It serves well as an added measure against worms. And, when added to antihelmintic herbs such as wormwood (Artemesia absinthe) and garlic powder, chamomile offers anti-inflammatory activities that can help minimize the side effects of parasites that have already wreaked havoc upon intestinal mucosa – especially when the soothing, lubricating properties of marshmallow root are added to the regimen as well.

Worm Prevention Regimen

Combine the following alcohol-free tinctures: – 2 parts marshmallow root – 3 parts chamomile Squirt this directly into the mouth, once or twice daily, between meals. Also, add to each cup of food, at each meal: – A pinch of granulated garlic – 1 tablespoon of ground, fresh, raw pumpkin seeds (these can be bought at the health food store and ground at home with a coffee grinder or mortar & pestle)

Chamomile Safety for Dogs

While the uterotonic activity of chamomile is very subtle, its use in pregnant animals should be limited to tea forms of the herb (which are less potent than tinctures). Like all herbs that constrict uterine tissues, high concentration chamomile extracts may act as an abortifacient if used in excessive amounts during early pregnancy. Furthermore, studies suggest that excessive use of chamomile during pregnancy may increase fetus reabsorption and inhibit fetus growth in some animals. Therefore, common sense dictates that chamomile is best reserved for only occasional use during pregnancy. Although chamomile is without doubt one of the safest herbs in existence, some animals (and humans) are allergic to it. Always check for sensitivity before feeding this herb, especially if your companion is already prone to hay fever or other plant allergies. Apply a small amount of the preparation to your dog’s skin. If no redness or other reactions are observed within a couple of hours, feed just a drop or two and watch for anything out of the ordinary.

Grow Your Own Chamomile

Chamomile is easy to grow in all climates, and once established, its promiscuous, free-seeding character yields abundant growth year after year. In fact, if left to its unruly ways, it will likely find its way out of the flower beds and into the pathways and beyond. Chamomile blooms continuously throughout the growing season. The flowers can be plucked off at any time and dried indoors, on a piece of clean paper or a non-metallic screen. Fresh flowers are useful, too, and in fact are a stronger option for use in skin rinses and against intestinal parasites. However, the dried flowers have a much more pleasant flavor.

Our Stock-in-Trade

By
Nancy Kerns
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Can I use a really bad Ed Sullivan imitation to say we have a really great sheow for you this month?

First, we present our annual dry dog food review – the focus of much research, years of refinement, and worth the price of the annual subscription, or so we’ve been told by countless dog owners.

Next, a concise lesson on a skill that can get and keep your dog’s attention on you, no matter what distraction or danger surrounds you.

Famed herbalist Greg Tilford returns this month with information about chamomile, one of the safest, most versatile, and well-documented herbal pet remedies. Don’t worry! While we “let” Greg take a month away from writing for the holidays, he’s got a number of articles about fantastic herbs planned for WDJ this year.

My old dog Rupert, now 14 years old and tottery, is receiving treatment for chronic kidney failure, so holistic veterinarian Randy Kidd’s article on urinalysis is timely and helpful to me. I hope your dog is healthy and the in-depth piece is of no practical use to you now; but keep it on file, especially if your dog is older, or prone to urinary tract problems.

I was roundly chastised by eagle-eyed readers for a reference I made about my Chihuahua, Mokie, riding in the car lying across my lap. I promptly assigned crack product reviewer C.C. Holland the job of testing canine seat belts, and her review of the best and worst models appears in this month’s issue. Yes, Mokie now wears WDJ’s top pick in seat belts when riding in the car.

I asked Training Editor Pat Miller to write an article about what to do if you have a dangerous dog or dogs in your community, after I received a call from a very rattled colleague at Belvoir Publications’ headquarters in Connecticut. Mona was walking Cami, her beloved yellow Labrador, on leash through a pleasant suburban neighborhood not far from her house when three large, loose dogs attacked Cami. Fortunately, the dogs’ owner and several neighbors responded to Mona’s screams of terror, and helped her beat the dogs off of her torn and traumatized Lab.

Having just read an article in my local paper about a San Francisco woman who was mauled while defending her Jack Russell Terrier from an attacking pack of five loose dogs, I told Mona she was lucky to have escaped injury herself.

But since in both cases the dangerous dogs were known to neighborhood residents as frequently loose and often aggressive, I wondered what it takes for a citizen to get their local law enforcement agents to take protective action on behalf of the community – especially before a gory mauling occurs? Miller’s article contains the answers.


-Nancy Kerns

Whole Dog Journal’s 2004 Dry Dog Food Review

By
Nancy Kerns
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by Nancy Kerns

How do you select your dog’s food? Do you buy what your favorite veterinarian tells you to buy? Grab whatever is on sale? Feed what your dog’s breeder sent him to you with? Allow your dog to sniff the bags in the pet supply superstore and choose the one he spends the most time with? For shame! None of these methods gives your dog his best chance at eating top-quality food.

Forthwith, we’ll tell you how we pick a winning food. We’ll list some examples of newer foods that meet our selection criteria – which we have refined over the six years that we’ve been reviewing foods – and present a list of all the foods that we have ever chosen to feature as a “WDJ approved food.” After all that, we expect you to be able to identify superior foods, and hope that you’ll see the wisdom in buying them.

WDJ’s selection criteria
Here’s how we select which dry foods are worthy of our dogs’ digestion (as well as a spot on our “approved foods” list): • We look for foods that contain a lot of animal proteins. Extruded food cannot contain more than 50 percent meat; it “gums up” the extruders. We like it when manufacturers tell us the approximate percentage of meat, poultry, or fish proteins in a food, but they rarely do. So we look for foods with lots of animal protein sources at the top of the ingredients list. Two animal proteins in the first three ingredients? Cool! Three in the top five? Right on! Two in the top five? Well, okay . . . Only one in the top five? That food better have a lot of other things going for it. (A good example is Karma, reputedly the first and only dry dog food on the market that is 95-100 percent organic.)

The thing is, we can’t reduce this to a hard and fast rule. When you look at the ingredients at the top of the list, note the relative position of the protein sources, the total amount of protein in the food, and consider your dog’s needs. Is he an elderly couch potato or a lean and active athlete? Keep all of this in mind.

Remember that ingredients are listed on the label by the total weight they contribute to the product. Fresh or frozen whole meats are expensive ingredients for the manufacturer, and tend to be a hallmark of quality. But whole meats also contain lots of water, which is heavy (pushing it toward the top of the ingredient list) but lacks nutrients. Meat meals are nutrient-dense. We have a somewhat baseless affection for foods that contain both whole meat (beef, chicken, fish, etc.) and meat meal (beef meal, chicken meal, fish meal, etc.).

• We reject any food containing meat by-products or poultry by-products. Note: Some of our past selections do contain meat and/or poultry by-products. To winnow down our list to the very best foods possible, we no longer select products that contain meat or poultry by-products.

By-products are not intrinsically bad; in fact, many are highly nutritious. However, by-products are less expensive, and are not always handled as carefully or quickly as more expensive foodstuffs. Poor handling or slow transport of these ingredients can decrease their palatability and nutritional content. Dog owners who are fixated on quality will find it easier to avoid foods that contain by-products than to confirm the quality of the by-products with the food manufacturer.

• We reject foods containing fat or protein not identified by species. “Animal fat” is a euphemism for a low-quality, low-priced mix of fats of uncertain origin. “Meat meal” could be anything. We shudder.

• We look for the use of whole grains and vegetables. That said, some grains and vegetables have valuable constituents that accomplish specific tasks in a dog food formula. So don’t go busting our chops because one of our approved foods has, say, tomato pomace ninth on its ingredients list; tomato pomace is used by some food makers for its contribution to the food’s fiber mix and for its lycopene content. Instead, focus your righteous indignation on a food that contains, say, rice flour, rice bran, and brewer’s rice, all in the top 10 ingredients.

Many dog food ingredients have gotten undeserved poor reputations – casualties of the “premium” foods marketing wars. It really depends how many fractions are used and which positions on the ingredients list they occupy. Look for an upcoming article about the relative value and uses of various vegetable and grain fractions.

• We eliminate all foods with artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives listed on their ingredients panels. Note: Some ingredients – usually fats, and some fish products – arrive at the pet food factory containing artificial preservatives; these do not have to be disclosed on the ingredient list, since the maker did not add them.

• We offer (fictional) bonus points for foods that offer the date of manufacture in addition to the usual “best if used by” date. The fresher the food is, the higher the nutrient content and palatability.

Each food manufacturer formulates their product to deliver adequate nutrition, without spoiling, for a specific length of time – usually, about 12 to 16 months. Factors that affect the functional “shelf life” of a food include the type and amount of preservatives used, the type of bag used, as well as the temperature, humidity, and exposure to light the product is exposed to in transport and storage.

We often recommend that consumers purchase food from outlets that assiduously manage their stock to ensure that the food on the shelves is relatively fresh. This is harder to do without that “born-on” date, but not impossible. If a food label has only a “best if used by” date, check to make sure that it’s as far in the future as possible.

• Organic ingredients bring a product to the front of the class, the more, the better.

Why quality matters
How many people do you know who can eat tons of highly processed, fatty, sweet, junk food – and are healthy, strong, and “balanced” in every sense of the word? Maybe a few, but these people are the exceptions. Similarly, some dogs can live forever on the junkiest, cheapest food sold in the grocery store. These individuals tend to be mixed breeds with hybrid vigor and fewer inherited propensities for disease.

But many of our canine companions are not so lucky. They may have a genetic predisposition for disease; every breed today is prone to at least a couple of emblematic diseases. Many dogs are often stressed out from our lifestyles. They endure exposure to a dizzying range of chemicals: pesticides, herbicides (a romp on the grass, anyone?), air pollutants from building materials in our homes . . . Just think of all the chemicals dogs walk on, barefoot, as it were, and then lick their paws.

We can do a little, but not a lot, to minimize the environmental toxins our dogs are exposed to. But we can give their bodies the nutrients they need to eliminate toxins, build immune defenses, and improve overall health and vitality. We accomplish this by feeding them the equivalent of “health food” – a diet comprised of the freshest and best ingredients possible.

Of course, the best way to accomplish that is to prepare your dog’s diet from fresh, whole foods, the same kind you eat. We frequently publish articles on how to do just that. But those of you who can’t or won’t make your dog’s food can improve matters just by upgrading the dog food you buy.

Prove it!
As with the canned food review we published in December, we tried something new with this installment of our dry food review. We asked most (we missed three) of the companies on our past “Top Food” lists to provide information about their manufacturing operations and ingredients.

First, we asked them to tell us where their foods are made, and we asked them whether they disclose this information to their consumers. As we discussed in “Made in a Secret Location” (January 2003), most pet food companies don’t like revealing anything about their manufacturing operations.

We also asked them to provide us with documentation to substantiate any special claims they make about their ingredients. If they say they use organic ingredients, we wanted to see organic certification documents. If they hint that they use “human grade” ingredients (we’ll discuss that in a second), we asked to see USDA certificates.

“Human grade”
We discussed the phrase “human grade” at greater length in our canned food review in the December 2003 issue. Technically, legally, NO pet food in this country contains ANY “human grade” ingredients. This is understandably frustrating for the manufac-turers who buy truckloads of the exact same chicken and beef and rice that go into your tacos. Suffice to say there are reasons for this regulatory conundrum.

What’s a premium food maker to do? Some manufacturers toe the line on their product labels, but openly refer to their “human grade” ingredients in their product literature and Web sites, in somewhat less-than-open defiance of the law. Others take a modulated approach and say their ingredients “originated” in USDA plants. (That lamb’s mother might disagree, but we know what they mean: “human grade”.)

With no further ado, check out the new foods listed below, and compare it to your dog’s food . . . Ready to switch?

Also With This Article
Click here to view “Toxins That Can Arise in Dry Dog Food”
Click here to view “How to Compare Nutrient Levels in Canned Dog Foods with Dry Foods”
Click here to view “Dry Dog Food Can Expire and Make Your Dog Sick”

Download the Full January 2004 Issue

By
Nancy Kerns
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Be a Good Sport

By
Nancy Kerns
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0

I guess I’ll be “outing” myself as a soccer mom with this story, but there is really not much you guys don’t already know about me, so here goes!

My son’s youth soccer league recently began requiring each coach, and a minimum of two parents per team, to attend a three-hour workshop given by the Stanford University-based Positive Coaching Alliance (check out www.positivecoach.org). I was one of the parents who volunteered to go.

The session I attended was held in a local community college lecture hall. I brought a gigantic sized coffee, not sure what to expect but prepared for a boring evening.

However, I was engaged the entire time. The information presented was useful to me not only as a parent/spectator at my son’s soccer games, but also as a dog owner. It was particularly rewarding to learn about concepts that were insightful and relevant to my home and work life!

For example, one of the workshop’s topics had to do with “filling the emotional tank” of child athletes. The leader pointed out that kids with a full emotional tank are far more coachable, able to learn, and likely to perform well than kids whose tanks have been emptied through excessive criticism, corrections, and (just as important) a lack of reinforcement for good efforts. He suggested that parents keep an eye on the “gauge” (“You know when your kid is really quiet and withdrawn after a bad practice? Full or empty?”) and strive to fill their children’s tanks as much as possible when they practice or compete.

The latter task is accomplished (in part) by frequently reinforcing the positive aspects of the child’s effort and performance, and avoiding trying to teach the kid anything in “non-teachable moments” – when you know he’s too upset, distracted, or busy to hear you.

Parents followed the instructor through the talk by filling out a workbook that contained valuable reminders, such as, “Anxiety goes down when self-confidence goes up.” And, “When confident, kids will work harder and stick to it longer.”

Everything presented at the workshop directly correlates to dog training!

Dogs, like kids, also learn best when they are having fun, receive praise for good efforts, and aren’t made to feel like total failures whenever they make a mistake. And who hasn’t seen a dog (maybe your own dog?) stuck in a training session while clearly suffering from an “empty emotional tank” – tail down, ears flat, eyes dull. Not much actual learning gets done in sessions like that.

Unlike me, freelance writer and avid agility competitor Lorie Long has a longtime acquaintance with concepts like these. Check out her article, “Intro to (Sports) Psychology,” in this month’s issue.

 

-Nancy Kerns

What’s Your Dog’s Complete Blood Count (CBC) Diagnosis?

By
Randy Kidd
-
5

CANINE COMPLETE BLOOD COUNT OVERVIEW

1. Don’t hesitate to authorize repeated CBC tests. This will help track your dog’s response to disease and treatment. The cellular composition of a dog’s blood changes rapidly, so sequential tests will reveal more and more about his condition.

2. If your veterinarian has already gone beyond early screening for disease, and still needs definitive answers, insist that CBC tests are read at a commercial veterinary laboratory or vet college.

The complete blood count (CBC) is perhaps the most basic of all the diagnostic tools available. To do CBCs in-house, it takes only a few drops of blood from the patient, some specialized instruments that most veterinary clinics have on hand, and a modicum of practitioner skill.

I look at the CBC as the “great divider,” providing veterinarians with answers that help split our first impressions into either/or diagnostic scenarios. Sequential CBCs can often give us a handle on the progression of the disease and a reasonable assessment of prognosis. The CBC is also one of the easiest of the specialized diagnostic tools to interpret – but, as is true of every diagnostic or treatment tool, it is not without pitfalls if we don’t understand its limitations (see “What the CBC Can’t Do,” end of article).

Complete Blood Count Details

The CBC uses the various cellular components of the blood to help define the animal’s current state of health or disease. Leukocytes (white blood cells or WBCs) and erythrocytes (red blood cells or RBCs) are counted, and their total numbers, compared to normal values, are assessed. Thrombocytes (platelets) may also be counted, or they may be evaluated on the blood film and an estimate made for whether there are adequate numbers or not.

To start, a drop of blood is placed on a microscope slide and spread into a thin film. The film (or blood smear) is stained with a variety of substances that help accentuate cell structures for easy identification. Using the microscope, one hundred white cells are identified, and the percentage of each cell type is recorded. This percentage is multiplied by the total number of WBCs, and this absolute value of the cell type is compared to normal values.

It is a simple task to separate the major cell types of the blood into fractions because their relative mass differs substantially. In a tube that has been centrifuged (or left to settle for a few minutes), the red cells are found at the bottom of the tube, and the combination of white cells and platelets form a thin cap atop the red cells. The fluid portion (plasma or serum) makes up the remaining 50 – 60 percent of the volume of the blood. The plasma contains the enzymes and proteins that are evaluated in blood chemistry analyses, along with clotting and immune system factors and other components.

A quick look at the blood-filled centrifugation tube used for determining the hematocrit (also known as the packed cell volume or PCV) will also reveal dramatic increases in white blood cells, when the white “cap” atop the RBCs is more than a few millimeters deep. A look at the tube can also tell us if the serum is lipemic (contains excess fat, usually due to a non-fasting sample), or if there is serious liver damage (indicated by the yellowish tint that bilirubin imparts) or RBC breakdown in the blood (indicated by reddish serum).

Other red cell indices include MCV (mean corpuscular volume), MCH (mean corpuscular hemoglobin), and MCHC (mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration). When using manual methods for CBC analyses, these indices are calculated from directly determined measurements (PCV, red cell count, and hemoglobin). Automated counters determine cell numbers, cell size (MCV), and hemoglobin concentration, and mathematically calculate the PCV, MCHC, and MCH. These red cell indices are used as an aid in categorizing or classifying anemias, and they can be helpful for monitoring the progress of the condition.

Bone marrow is the starting ground for all blood cells, so when we can’t find a reason for the lack of any one cell line, we may refer to a bone marrow analysis. For example, when a patient has a nonregenerative anemia with no apparent cause, we will need to take a bone marrow sample, stain and identify the cells, and see if there is an identifiable problem somewhere along the normal progression of cell production.

Red Blood Cell Abnormalities

The normal PCV in the adult dog is 37 – 55 percent, and the normal RBC count is 5.5 – 8.5 million cells per microliter of blood. Values that are significantly higher or lower than these send practitioners looking for further clues in certain directions, to wit:

• Fewer than normal RBCs
Low numbers of RBCs or a decreased (or low) PCV indicate anemia. Arbitrarily the severity of the anemia is indicated by the following PCV ranges:

Mild: 30 – 37 percent
Moderate: 20 – 29 percent
Severe: 13 – 20 percent, and
Very severe: less than 13 percent.

Transfusions are usually necessary when the PCV is less than 13 percent, but the severity of clinical signs is often directly correlated to the rapidity of onset of the anemia. That is, if the anemia has developed gradually, the animal may be better able to adapt to the loss of red cells than if there was sudden and massive blood loss.

With anemia, the first step is to determine whether it is regenerative or nonregenerative. Under normal conditions it takes about seven days for the bone marrow to produce a new supply of red cells. But when the marrow is forced to work faster than normal, it tends to send new, not-quite-mature red cells into the blood stream. These immature red cells are called “reticulocytes” or “polychromatic cells,” and they can be seen and counted on blood films by using special stains.

After we give the bone marrow some lag-time to respond (three to four days), a regenerative anemia will have adequate reticulocyte response; nonregenerative anemias will not. Healthy dogs have the capacity to produce a hefty reticulocyte response; in severe anemia, 20-50 percent of their red cells may be reticulocytes.

When an anemia is nonregenerative after three to five days, we may want to look into the cause by evaluating the bone marrow. But often we can get diagnostic clues just by looking at the morphology of the RBCs on a smear and linking their appearance to the most likely causes (see table below).

For example, when there is considerable variability with the RBCs’ size (aniso-cytosis), we can assume the bone marrow is producing young cells, as it should in regenerative anemia. (Younger RBCs are larger than more mature ones.) The presence of high numbers of spherocytes (RBCs that are smaller and rounder than normal) indicates the probability of an immune-system disorder that is attacking the RBCs. “Heinz bodies” indicate an oxidative, toxin-produced change within the RBC.

And of course, a definitive diagnosis is possible when we observe parasites on the blood film, including Haemobartonella canis, Babesia canis, Ehrlichia canis, Histoplasma capsulatum, Dipetalonema reconditum, and Dirofilaria immitis (heartworm).

• More than normal RBCs
An elevated PCV value (polycythemia) is most often the result of dehydration, although sometimes splenic contraction (from fear or excitement) may also cause an increased value. Increased plasma proteins also indicate dehydration, and the protein levels will return to normal upon rehydration.

Polycythemia may also occur when the body is asking for more oxygenation capacity – living at high altitudes, for example, or as a secondary condition related to lung disease. And, there are some rare neoplastic conditions that cause persistently elevated PCVs.

What White Blood Cells Do

Leukocytes (WBCs) are the body’s cellular line of defense, providing a formidable, first-line armamentarium for tracking, isolating, killing, and removing all sorts of invaders, so the WBC portion of the CBC is commonly used to detect and monitor inflammatory processes. WBCs also hold the key for creating and maintaining the body’s immune system function.

The WBCs include the following cell types: neutrophils, band cells (immature neutrophils), lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils, and basophils.

We first look at total response (total numbers of WBCs per microliter of blood), and then evaluate the current number values of each of the individual cell lines compared to normal values. Finally, we use these values to help give us the diagnostic category we will be working with to develop our therapeutic protocol.

Normal WBC values (including all white cell types) are 5,500 – 16,900 per microliter.

Neutrophils are usually the most prevalent WBC; in a healthy animal they comprise about 60 to 70 percent of the white cells. Typically, then, when we have increased WBCs, most of the increase will be due to neutrophils.

Neutrophils are thought of as the primary infection fighters of the body. They are attracted to pathogenic invaders – they actually have the capability to move toward the intruders – and they are able to engulf, kill, and remove all sorts of invaders. Normal neutrophil values are 3,000 – 12,000 per microliter. Neutrophils have a short life span (a few hours), so an evaluation of them is indeed a quick snapshot. However, since their turnover rate is so rapid, they offer a good monitoring tool for prognosis.

Bands are immature neutrophils, and they are released from the bone marrow whenever there is an increased need somewhere in the body. Normal band values are 0.0 – 299 per microliter.

Within hours, neutrophils respond to a wide variety of stimuli (including infections, tissue necrosis, and immune-mediated diseases) with the inflammatory response. The neutrophil response we observe in the blood represents a dynamic balance between the demand for WBCs at the site of the inflammation and the rate of bone marrow release.

As an example, a severe infection may initially deplete all the available WBCs, resulting in a decreased circulating number (neutropenia). Within hours, however, the bone marrow releases extra neutrophils, and within days is able to produce huge numbers of cells. As the bone marrow responds, it also releases increasing numbers of immature neutrophils (band cells). This process is referred to as leukocytosis with a left shift. So long as the production of cells stays ahead of the demand, there will be an orderly progression from a few immature forms to increasing percentages of more mature cells.

The magnitude of the neutrophilic response is an approximate reflection of the magnitude of the inflammatory response. Further, a localized inflammation, pyometra for example, elicits a greater neutrophil response than generalized inflammation. Some bacteria (pyogenic or fever-inducing bacteria, for example) stimulate a more intense neutrophil response than other types. Dogs have a tremendous capacity for neutrophilic response, and values of 50,000 per microliter or higher are not uncommon with these conditions.

The severity of the inflammatory process is reflected by the degree of the left shift – that is, when the number of band cells and even more immature cells increases greatly, we can assume there is a severe ongoing inflammatory response.

Lymphocytes are associated with immune function. They can become stimulated (reactive) with exposure to antigens (including those found in vaccines), and they carry a long-term memory that gives the immune system its capacity to respond to the antigens the body has been exposed to over a lifetime. Lymphocytes are also the cells most often involved in canine cancers. The normal values for lymphocytes are 1,000 – 4,900 per microliter.

Monocytes are thought of as the scavengers of the bloodstream, mopping up and eliminating the cells and debris of inflammation and infection. The normal values for monocytes are 100 – 1,400 per microliter.

Eosinophils respond to antigen stimulation as seen in many hypersensitive reactions. The normal values for eosinophils are 100 – 1,490 per microliter.

Basophils are a rare cellular component of blood. The “normal” value would be 0.

White Blood Cell Abnormalities

Values of any WBCs that are significantly higher or lower than normal values send practitioners looking for further clues in the following directions:

• More than normal WBCs
An elevation of total white cell numbers (leukocytosis) is usually from an increase in neutrophils, and it can be caused by several things:

Physiologic leukocytosis: Defined by an increase in mature neutrophils and sometimes lymphocyte numbers. It is epinephrine-induced and often due to the fear and struggling that occurs during restraint necessary for blood collection.

Corticosteroid-induced leukocytosis: Typically characterized by increased neutrophils (neutrophilia), decreased lymphocytes (lymphopenia), increased monocytes (monocytosis), and fewer eosinophils (eosinopenia). This reaction can be induced by exogenous (drug-induced) or endogenous (stress-related) factors. Note: These are specific and predictable alterations to the animal’s blood-borne line of defense, changes that occur whenever we choose to use corticosteroid therapy (or whenever the animal undergoes chronic or severe stress). These alterations are only a portion of the dramatic effects corticosteroid therapy has on the body, and to my mind represent one more reason to be very cautious when using this class of drugs.

• Fewer than normal neutrophils
Reduced numbers of neutrophils (neutropenia) can occur whenever there is an overwhelming bacterial infection and the increased tissue demand results in a depletion of the available neutrophils in the marrow. There are also several rather uncommon conditions in which the bone marrow is not capable of producing neutrophils in a normal manner, resulting in reduced numbers in the blood.

• More than normal lymphocytes
Lymphocytosis (increased numbers) may occur temporarily after vaccination or with increased exercise or anxiety. Lymphocytes may also increase with autoimmune disease and lymphosarcoma (cancer).

• Fewer than normal lymphocytes
Lymphopenia (decreased numbers) commonly occurs with excess glucocorticoids, whether they be from endogenous sources (stress, debilitating disease, surgery, shock, trauma, or exposure to heat or cold), or from exogenous sources (such as glucocorticoid therapy). Viral infections such as canine distemper, infectious canine hepatitis, parvovirus, and coronaviral enteritis also cause lymphopenia.

In addition, lymphopenia is expected in acute severe disease, and the return of the lymphocytes into the normal range is a good prognostic sign of decreasing stress. Finally, lymphocytes may be depleted with repeated drainage into a body cavity (chylothorax or protein losing enteropathies as examples).

• More than normal monocytes
Monocytosis (increased numbers) occurs along with inflammation and tissue necrosis, or glucocorticoid therapy.

• More than normal eosinophils
Conditions that typically cause eosinophilia (increased numbers) include parasitism and hypersensitivity reactions. Eosinophilia is also associated with carcinoma, lymphosarcoma, and other specific diseases such as eosinophilic enterocolitis or pneumonitis.

• Fewer than normal eosinophils
Eosinopenia (decreased numbers) occurs with an excess of either endogenous or exogenous corticosteroids, but since eosinophil numbers are so low in normal blood, this phenomena is rarely noticed.

• More than normal basophils
The number of basophils may increase (basophilia) with heartworm or hookworm infestation and with hypersensitivity reactions. With all these there is usually a concurrent eosinophilia. Hypothyroidism occasionally produces basophilia.

All About Thrombocytes

Thrombocytes (also known as platelets) are responsible for adequate clotting of the blood, and platelet problems are the most common cause of bleeding. Estimates of normal values can be done by an experienced technician by simply observing adequate numbers scattered throughout the blood film. Normal platelet values range from 200,000 – 500,000 per microliter.

• Fewer than normal thrombocytes
Severe thrombocytopenia is defined as fewer than 20,000 platelets per microliter, and it is at this value where we begin to see nose bleeding and hemorrhages into the skin and gut. Causes of thrombocytopenia include immune mediated diseases, improper production by the bone marrow, and consumption of platelets during intravascular coagulation (disseminated intravascular coagulation or DIC).

• Larger than normal thrombocytes
Large platelets indicate the possibility of immature cells being released by the bone marrow – perhaps due to increased need in the body.

Detecting Leukemia with the CBC

Leukemia is a progressive, malignant disease of the WBC or RBC bloodforming organs, with neoplastic cells evident in the peripheral blood and bone marrow. Leukemia is generally recognized by diagnosing high numbers of immature (blast) cells in the peripheral blood. Any of the cell lines may be involved, but the most common cell type is the lymphocyte (lymphocytic leukemia). Most cases of leukemia demonstrate elevated numbers of the involved cell type; rarely, the absolute numbers seen are actually decreased from normal.

Since dogs have such a dramatic capacity to elevate leukocyte numbers, it is often difficult to differentiate between leukemia and what is termed a leukemoid reaction – a strong and persistent leukocytosis without the presence of blast cells.

The most common neoplasia of the blood system of dogs is canine malignant lymphoma (lymphosarcoma, lymphocytic leukemia), with a reported incidence of 24:100,000. This is a progressive disease characterized by neoplastic transformation of lymphoid cells. The neoplasia may originate in either solid lymph organs (lymphosarcoma) or in the bone marrow (lymphocytic leukemia). Diagnosis is made, depending on the origin of the disease, by observing many swollen lymph nodes that can be huge, or by finding large numbers of abnormal lymphocytes on a blood film.

What the CBC Can’t Do

The first and foremost limitation that dog owners should recognize is that the CBC is only a snapshot of what is going on in the inner animal; it does not provide us a story with a beginning, middle, and end. To really know how a disease is progressing, we will need perhaps several progressive “snapshots,” each one giving us a better insight into the whole story of the dog’s ongoing health status.

We don’t often come up with a definitive diagnosis using only a CBC. Usually, it tells us how the body is responding or has responded to a generalized condition. For example, increased neutrophils (one of the white blood cells) indicate an inflammatory response. But the CBC does not tell us where in the body the inflammation is located or what has caused the inflammation, and it almost never helps us differentiate between specific diseases.

Another example: A decreased PCV (low numbers of red blood cells or RBCs) tells us only that we are dealing with anemia; it does not tell us whether the anemia is from poor production of RBCs or from blood loss. And, if the anemia is from blood loss, we still need to determine whether this is the result of a bleeding wound, blood loss into the intestine or other body cavity, parasitic infestation, immunologic conditions that directly attack red blood cells, or any other causes. Thus a CBC tells us only how the blood cells are responding to generalized diseases or conditions. It will not tell us anything about which specific organ system is affected; blood chemistries or other alternative diagnostic methods are needed for this step – to my way of thinking, a vital step for developing a holistic protocol for healing.

And, as with any diagnostic tool, the CBC needs to be interpreted in the context of the whole patient – relying on whole-body signs and symptoms – to put together the whole of the diagnosis. Again, as a holistic practitioner, I think veterinarians have the best chance for success when we combine several diagnostic methods, both Western and alternative.

There are a few variables that have a slight effect on the “normal ranges” of CBC parameters – for example, the dog’s age, sex, breed, and pregnancy status – and we need to keep these in mind when we interpret CBCs. But, for the most part, the normal ranges are well established, and these will remain basically the same between labs. Quality control is not as much a problem as it is for blood chemistries, but there are still some considerations to keep in mind (see below ).

Choose the Best Lab for the Job

Canine and human blood cells don’t all look the same on a stained blood smear, and technicians trained with human blood may not identify some cell lines as accurately as a veterinary technician would. Differentiating between monocytes and reactive lymphocytes seems to be a persistent problem, as does identifying immature neutrophils. Technicians trained in human medicine may not have the experience to identify specific canine diseases.

Further, the in-house stains commonly used by most vets are not as good as the stains used in commercial labs for identification of some cells or structures. Reticulocytes are RNA-rich cells that indicate the degree of response the animal is mounting to anemia. Special stains are needed to properly count the number of reticulocytes; poor staining technique (and/or poor technician training) may miss the presence of reticulocytes or miscount them.

Ultimately, quality control depends on the skills of the examiner, and some veterinarians (and/or the technicians in their hospitals) enjoy the art-forms of working with a microscope and using the methods required for counting, staining, and identifying blood cells, and they thus have developed the necessary skills to accurately assess CBCs. Other practitioners don’t have the requisite interest, and they either send their CBCs out, or the CBC becomes a neglected area in their diagnostic arsenal.

For the most part, these quality control issues are not critical – until we have gone beyond early screening and have reached a state in our diagnostic efforts where we need specific, definitive answers. At this stage, it is probably worthwhile to insist that the samples be read at a commercial veterinary laboratory or at the nearest veterinary college.

CBC Summary

The CBC is a quick and easy way to obtain information that helps separate diseases into categories, and provides some information as to the severity of the disease. Sequential CBCs can give us a reasonable idea for the progression and prognosis of the disease. As with all other tools in the practitioner’s tool kit, the CBC is only as good as the “practitioner-operator,” and good practitioners understand the tool’s limitations as well as its value.

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.

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