Let’s consider a few common training mistakes when training a recall cue:
Recall is a learned behavior, just like anything else you teach your dog. It’s not hard to teach and it’s not hard to train, but you do have to do the work. Unfortunately, dogs don’t come with an English software package installed, so it’s up to us to teach them the behavior, then add the cue and then practice the recall so that the dog truly learns the behavior.
Practice should take place through all four stages of learning: acquisition, fluency, generalization, and maintenance. First, the dog has to begin to acquire the skill of returning to you. Then you continue to practice so that the behavior is fluent and is occurring with regularity. Next, generalize the behavior of coming to you in a variety of places and settings, always beginning in a low-distraction environment, and as your dog makes progress, moving to a slightly more distracting environment.
Do all of this before ever practicing in a highly distracting environment (such as off-leash play with other dogs). Eventually you reach the maintenance phase of learning, where you continue to practice recall so that the behavior stays solid.
Here’s a common scenario: People train their dog to come to them when they say “Come” – but almost as soon as that is accomplished, they begin using the word very casually and taking the (formerly much sought-after) behavior for granted, and failing to even acknowledge, much less reward it.
As an example, say you use the word “Come” to call your dog when she’s outside enjoying herself; she returns to you the first time you call because you’re nice to her and you feed her; there’s a bit of reinforcement history between the two of you. But then you bring her inside the house, you pick up your car keys, and you go to work.
From your dog’s perspective, you’ve just taken the “good stuff” away (the outdoors with all those awesome smells!) and ignored her (by locking her inside and going to work). In dog training, taking the good stuff away constitutes punishment, and punishment makes the behavior of coming to you less likely.
If there’s one sure way to insure your dog never comes back to you, it’s yelling or screaming at (or heaven forbid, hitting) your dog when she doesn’t come back to you. If you do this, it cements in your dog’s brain that you’re unpredictable and the behavior you cherish and want so much is very likely to not happen again.
For more information about the rocket recall cue, download the ebook The Recall from Whole Dog Journal.
The main symptom of allergies in dogs is itching. However, there are many causes of itchy skin in dogs; it takes time and a proper diagnosis to find the right solution that will relieve your dog’s scratching, chewing, and licking his itchy skin. and Photo by cmannphoto, Getty Images.
The most common symptom of allergies in dogs is itching. If your dog often licks, chews, or scratches at his skin, he very likely has allergies. There are many tools available to make our itchy dogs comfortable again. But there are many causes of itchy skin, and it takes time and a proper diagnosis to find the right solution.
Common allergens in dogs
Allergens in dogs can be divided into three groups: airborne and contact allergens, flea allergy dermatitis, and food allergens.
Airborne and contact allergens include plant pollen (from trees, grasses, and weeds), mold spores, dust and dust mites, and skin dander. These allergens cause itchiness in allergic dogs when the allergens are breathed in, make contact with the dogs’ skin, and/or are licked off the dog’s feet and coat. These allergies often have a seasonal component (and are referred to as “seasonal allergies”). When a seasonal link is not observed (such as with an allergy to dust and/or dust mites), this may be called “environmental allergies.”
Flea allergy dermatitis (FAD) – where an allergic response to the saliva of fleas, injected in the dog’s skin when the flea bites, causes inflammed, itchy skin – is a very common disorder in dogs.
Food allergies are not common in dogs. For those dogs who do have a food allergy, the most common food allergens are chicken, beef, dairy, and eggs. Grains – including corn and wheat – are the least common food allergens in dogs.
Symptoms of allergies
Dogs with allergies can be itchy anywhere on their bodies. However, most dogs with allergies caused by pollen, mold spores, indoor allergens, and food will be itchy primarily on the underside of their chest and belly (including the armpits and groin), around the butt under the tail, paws, ears, and around the eyes and lips. Dogs with flea allergy dermatitis are primarily itchy on their back in front of their tail, and on their thighs, underside of the belly, neck, and ears.
An allergic dog may chew, lick, and scratch at his skin, damaging the skin’s protective barrier. The protective barrier is composed of oils and the bacterial skin flora. Damaging this barrier is like filling in the moat around a castle; it allows opportunistic bacteria and yeast to gain access to the deeper layers of skin.
A dog who is itchy and has red, irritated, or damaged skin and hair loss in those areas is said to have atopic dermatitis. This is an inflammatory condition characterized by an increased production of IgE antibodies in response to an allergen. Ectoparasites such as mites can also cause itchy skin but are not atopic dermatitis.
Allergy tests and allergy diagnosis
In an intradermal skin test, a veterinary dermatologist injects a small amount of the most common allergens that are suspected to cause the dog’s allergies, one bleb of allergen to each spot marked by a pen in a grid on the dog’s skin. After a few minutes, each spot where a substance was injected is examined for the presence of a wheal (raised red swelling of the skin). The appearance of a wheal indicates that the dog is allergic to the substance injected in that spot. Photo by Firn, Getty Images.
Allergies are a diagnosis of exclusion. There are a lot of conditions that look like atopic dermatitis (see “Seriously Itchy Paws,” WDJ November 2022), so these need to be diagnostically ruled out before concluding that allergies are causing your dog’s itching and irritated skin.
Observation of the timing and frequency of your dog’s itching can help diagnose allergies and help pinpoint the allergen that your dog is sensitive to. If your dog is itchy at the same time every year he has a seasonal allergy. Tree, grass, or weed pollen that is prevalent at a certain time of year will trigger your dog’s itching. His symptoms will fade when the pollen stops being released and has been washed away by rain or swept away by wind.
In contrast, dust and storage mites exist inside our homes and can cause itchiness all year long. This is a non-seasonal allergy. Mold spores can cause both seasonal and non-seasonal allergies depending on the source (outdoors or indoors).
Only two types of allergy testing have been shown to provide more information about what is causing a dog’s environmental allergies: an intradermal allergy test and a serum allergy panel.
An intradermal allergy test is performed by a veterinary dermatologist. An area of skin on one side of your dog is shaved and tiny blebs of different substances – potential allergens – are injected into your dog’s skin. These injections are mapped out in a grid format. After a few minutes, each spot where a substance was injected is examined for the presence of a wheal (raised red swelling of the skin). The appearance of a wheal indicates that your dog is allergic to the substance injected in that spot. Intradermal skin tests are considered the gold standard tests for identifying inhaled or contact allergens for an individual dog.
A serum allergy panel can be completed by any veterinarian. This involves taking a sample of your dog’s blood and submitting it to a laboratory that specializes in allergy testing. Levels of antibodies to airborne and contact allergens prevalent in your geographic region are measured. If the level of antibodies to a particular antigen is high, then your dog may be allergic to that allergen. These tests are useful for determining which allergens should go into a dog’s allergy hyposensitization therapy (a.k.a. “allergy shots”), but should not be considered as a diagnostic tool, as they often return false positive results.
There is no blood or saliva test that has been shown to accurately diagnose food allergies in dogs. The only proven method for diagnosing food allergies is a diet elimination trial, which is a long and time-consuming process.
In a diet elimination trial, your dog is fed a novel protein diet – one that contains only protein ingredients your dog has never previously been fed. The novel protein diet is the only food he is fed until his itchiness is completely resolved. Then, other individual food ingredients are added back into your dog’s diet, one at a time, while you observe your dog for the recurrence of any allergic reaction, which would indicate that your dog is allergic to that ingredient. If this happens, that ingredient is removed from the diet until your dog is completely without allergy symptoms; only then would another single ingredient be added to the diet for testing.
During the diet elimination trial, it is vitally important that your dog eat nothing except the prescribed novel protein diet. This means no treats, flavored dog chews, table scraps, and no flavored medications, including some oral flea/tick and heartworm preventatives. (This does not mean that your dog has to go without these important protections; there are flea/tick and heartworm preventatives that can be used during the diet elimination trial.)
How to treat canine allergies
There are several treatment options for dogs with allergies:
A veterinarian may prescribe medications that interrupt a process in the body called the “itch cascade.” This is a series of reactions that begins when a dog is exposed to an allergen and ends with the dog feeling itchy. These treatment options – like Apoquel and Cytopoint – interrupt the itch cascade so the dog does not reach the stage of feeling itchy.
Medications that modulate or dampen the immune system’s response to allergens – such as prednisone and Atopica (modified cyclosporine) – may be prescribed by a veterinarian. There are potential side effects for these medications, so baseline bloodwork and periodic monitoring may be necessary when using them.
Dogs with known food allergies may benefit from a limited ingredient, novel protein diet. Hills, Royal Canin, and Purina all have specially formulated diets that meet these criteria. Unlike limited ingredient diets that are available to purchase without a prescription, these diets are produced separately from other diets to eliminate cross-contamination with proteins that may cause an allergic reaction. Again, if the offending food ingredient is known, a limited-ingredient diet that does not contain that ingredient may help a dog, but if cross-contamination occurs at the pet food manufacturing plant, the allergic dog may suffer symptoms (and the dog’s owner won’t know why!).
Dogs who do not have known food allergies may benefit from a diet that promotes a healthy skin barrier and flora. This type of diet is available from both Hills and Royal Canin and can be ordered through your dog’s veterinarian.
Immunotherapy is an effective but time-consuming treatment option for CAD. This involves exposing a dog to low doses of allergens to retrain how their immune system responds to exposure to those allergens. To begin, allergy testing is completed to determine what a dog is allergic to and how severe their response is to those allergens. An immunotherapy serum is created specifically for each individual dog and can be given by injection weekly or by mouth daily. Immunotherapy is continued for at least a year and sometimes longer to achieve a positive effect.
Bathing your dog once or twice a week with a medicated shampoo prescribed by your veterinarian may help to promote a healthy skin barrier. Some medicated shampoos are formulated to address concurrent bacterial and yeast infections. A leave-in mousse can be applied after bathing to soothe irritated skin, reduce foul skin odor, and resolve infections.
A supplement that contains the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA can help promote a healthy skin barrier. EPA and DHA have also been shown to interfere with the production of chemicals in the skin that cause inflammation and itchiness. These fatty acids are found in fish oil, but not coconut or olive oils. High-quality omega-3 fatty acids can be found in the products Welactin and Eicosaderm.
A nutraceutical called palmitoylethenolamide (PEA) may help to reduce the amount of histamine that is released by mast cells in the skin. Reducing the amount of histamine released in the skin can decrease the intensity of a dog’s itchiness. A product called Redonyl is available as a flavored chewable without a prescription.
Using a high-quality flea preventative all year long is an extremely important part of the treatment plan for dogs with atopic dermatitis. Dogs with allergies are often reactive to several allergens, including flea saliva. Decreasing exposure to fleas is one simple thing we can do to help these dogs be less itchy.
Finding the source of your dog’s itch can be a long and frustrating process. But you do not need to navigate this process alone. Your veterinarian is the best resource for properly diagnosing and treating the cause of your dog’s itchy skin.
What are allergies?
Skin allergies (also known as atopic dermatitis or atopy) are when a dog becomes itchy after repeated exposure to an allergen. This allergen could be pollen, human or animal dander, fleas, mold spores, or a food protein.
The immune system is in charge of protecting your dog from outside invaders, such as bacteria or viruses. When the immune system encounters bacteria or viruses that don’t belong in your dog’s body, it mounts what is known as an immune response, a carefully orchestrated series of events that results in the destruction of the invading bacteria or virus.
Sometimes the immune system mistakes a benign substance – like a plant pollen or dust mite – for a dangerous invader. Repeated exposure to this benign substance creates an exaggerated immune response, resulting in the release of histamine from mast cells in the body. When mast cells in the skin release histamine, it causes either localized itchiness (scratching or licking at one spot on the body) or generalized pruritus (scratching or licking of more than one region).
Allergy Tests That Don't Work
There are several allergy tests available for dog owners to purchase in pet stores and online that tout their ability to test for airborne, contact, and food allergies. These tests use either samples of saliva or fur to determine what allergies a dog may have. None of these tests have been independently validated or proven to be accurate.
A study published in 2018 investigated one of the allergy tests that claimed it could identify allergens in dogs through samples of saliva and fur. The researchers found that multiple tests run on samples from the same dog showed a different allergen profile on each test submitted. Test results show a long list of allergens for dogs who, in reality, had no allergy symptoms. Dogs who had allergies in which the allergens had been determined by one of the aforementioned validated tests received results that did not match the results from the validated tests. The researchers also received results indicating that their test subjects were allergic to many foods and pollens – even though the samples they submitted contained only water (no salive from any animal) and fake costume fur!
Two studies published in 2019 examined the validity of both saliva and serum allergy testing for food allergens. One study submitted samples from two groups of dogs: one with skin allergies and one without. Both groups of dogs tested positive for food allergens. And the results for the dogs with skin allergies did not match what had been found during their diet elimination trials! In the other study, researchers recruited 30 healthy dogs from faculty, staff, and students from the Cummings Veterinary Medical Center at Tufts University. Dogs who had any history of previous health issues, whether gastrointestinal or dermatologic, were excluded from the study. One saliva-based test and two blood serum-based tests that purport to identify allegies to certain food ingredients were performed for each dog. Despite the fact that not a single dog in the study had every shown any sign of adverse effects from any food, every dog had at least one “positive” result from these tests – and three dogs tested positive for all 24 food ingredients assessed! Given the total lack of allergy symptoms displayed by the dogs, all of these results are false positives, suggesting that these serum and saliva tests contribute to overdiagnosis of adverse food reactions in dogs.
The anti-social puppy is (always) at the rear of the group gathered by my office chair to ask for treats. The pup closest to the camera is from the first litter I brought home. All of these latest foster pups were born in the shelter from dogs who were seized in a cruelty/neglect case.
I hope you and your companion animals all survived Independence Day, the least favorite holiday of many of us dog owners. I live close to a casino that not only puts on its own fireworks show, but invites people from the surrounding area – where setting off fireworks is prohibited by county law – to set off their own fireworks in the casino parking lot. Oy! Inadvertently, we moved to a twice-a-year war zone (there are also lots of fireworks getting set off on New Year’s Eve.)
Otto was the one dog in my family who, late in life, developed a severe fear of fireworks. Having passed last month, he didn’t have to suffer through this experience again. And, fortunately, my 7-year-old dog Woody couldn’t care less about the booms, crackles, and flashes in the sky. The data is not yet clear whether Boone, my 1 ½-year-old dog, will develop a fear of fireworks. Last year, when he was just a pup, he paid them no mind. This year, he was concerned at the loudest noises, and kept close to me throughout the night, but didn’t develop the full-on wide-eyed, panting panic that Otto displayed in the years before he lost the ability to hear the racket.
Though the last of my foster puppies had spent the previous week on the adoption row at the shelter, I was hosting the final four of them over the long holiday weekend that the shelter was closed, so they didn’t have to spend all of those days in a tiny kennel without the possibility of meeting potential adopters. While they ordinarily sleep in a doghouse in a pen outside my house, I didn’t want them exposed to the July 4 cacophony. I kept them with Boone and me in my office, with a ceiling fan whirring and the evaporative cooler roaring and music playing for good measure. They looked mildly concerned at the loudest booms, but around midnight things finally quieted enough outdoors that I was able to turn off all the noise-masking measures and get some sleep.
The morning after the 4th, I brought the puppies back to the shelter, and I hope they get adopted soon. I think we can all agree that all puppies are cute, but some are cuter than others – and these are not the cutest puppies I’ve ever fostered. They don’t resemble any easily identifiable breeds, which makes it more difficult to market them. We can point to their mother, who is also still at the shelter (more about that in a moment), but she’s not the cutest dog, either, though she has a sweet personality and is a great size: about 30 pounds. (I find that’s sort of a sweet spot in size for people who don’t want a small or a large dog.) But she’s also sort of funny-looking; she has a small head and a pointy nose with a bit of an underbite, like the dog in The Simpsons. So the shelter staffers have not been pointing out the puppies’ parentage, but simply mentioning that their mom is about 30 pounds.
The mothers of both litters of puppies I have been fostering are heartworm-positive; whomever takes them home is also going to have to take them through treatment for their heartworm infections. It always takes a while to find adopters who are ready and able to take on that responsibility and cost for a new dog. This shelter, like most, lacks the funding to treat heartworm-positive dogs, though they start pre-treating the dogs with doxycycline, which harms Wolbachia, the bacteria that infect heartworms. This reduces the dog’s side effects caused by the death of the heartworms. The shelter also incentivizes the adoptions of these heartworm-positive dogs by waiving adoption fees, but it can take months and months to find someone to take on this project.
This is the mother of the four pups who spent the July 4 “weekend” with me. The shelter is calling all of them “German Shepherd-mixes” – and there might be a tiny bit of German Shepherd in them! They are so mixed that I would be hard-pressed to ascribe any particular breed to them.
I have been worrying about them, and also worrying about one of the puppies, whose behavior is markedly strange. I think she is the first truly behaviorally divergent puppies I have ever fostered, in that she’s markedly uninterested in humans or whatever affection they have to offer. She is also the first pup I’ve ever fostered (out of nearly 200 over the past 15 or so years), who, when I first brought this liter home, would immediately separate from the rest of the puppies and go wandering all over my property by herself. She’d never cry or whine when she was clearly “lost,” her rambling having taken her to the far side of my two acres; she’d just lie down and nap until I found her. I quickly learned to watch her like a hawk when I brought the pups out of their pen to potty and play, so I could keep track of her perambulations and bring her back before she got too far away.
She also shows not one iota of pleasure when being held or petted, unlike the rest of the wagging, happy pups who love human attention, petting, and play. When picked up, she freezes like a wild animal, tense, with her paws curled almost into fist shapes. She won’t make eye contact, but slowly, stiffly, turns her head away if you try to look directly at her while holding her – and holding her is the only way you can pet her; she backs away and runs away if you reach toward her.
Fortunately, she does like treats, and will come and sit politely with the rest of the puppies for treats – the one behavior that all my foster pups learn while they stay with me, whether for a day or more than months. And while she always sits at the back of the group so she can make a quick getaway with her treats, in recent weeks, I’ve been insisting that each pup tolerate a light touch on the back with one hand before they can take the treat I’m offering with the other hand. That’s increased her tolerance for being touched – but I don’t think there’s any way that she’s going to be chosen over the puppies who are pro-social and affectionate. I see a potential longer-term fostering project in my future.
When walking your dog, pay undistracted attention to your dog. Not only will he be safer and happier knowing your eye is on him, but so will you. Credit: Blue Images | Getty Images
Dog walking is great exercise for you and your dog. A study published in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine highlighted the health benefits for you and showed that the idea of walking the dog prompted more people to start exercising. But you need to do it safely, for you and for your dog.
Pay Attention to Your Dog
The best tip for walking your dog in a public place is basic: Pay attention to your dog and what he’s doing. You need to be able to anticipate what’s going to happen next, so you can reward him if he’s good, correct him before he’s bad, and keep him safe.
Don’t Text and Walk
Walking your dog is not the time to be talking on the phone or, worse, testing someone. Talking and texting divert your attention from what your dog is doing. And if you suddenly need two hands–because your dog is doing something he shouldn’t or because he’s being attacked–one hand is already holding the phone.
Sides Don’t Matter
Dog trainers say it doesn’t matter which side of you the dog is walking on, as long as he’s not pulling and disturbing other people or dogs. Hunting dogs and show dogs are expected to walk on the left side of their handler, unless asked to do otherwise.
On Leash
Keep your dog on a leash, unless you are in an enclosed area where it’s permissible (and no strange dogs are there, too). Walking on a leash isn’t something dogs do naturally. They normally run around, sniffing, eating what they find, urinating on other things.
Walking is a modern, man-made convention, and dogs must be trained to do it properly. If you can’t do it yourself, don’t be ashamed. Find a fear-free trainer, a dog club that offers classes, or maybe a Cooperative Extension office that offers canine-education courses. Don’t feel bad. Most humans need to be taught the right way to do it too.
If you’re walking at dark, dawn, or dusk, be sure both you and your dog are visible. Wear bright clothing and/or one of the many commercial light apparatuses that help you stand out.
If you’re running with your dog, be sure that your dog is physically fit to run with you and that you find a surface that won’t injure his pads.
Carry Poop Bags
It’s extremely important to be prepared to pick up poop. Leaving the poop there is not only rude, it can be dangerous if someone slips in it, and (in some areas) you may be fined.
Poop bags are not expensive, and not only are there a countless number of brands available, but you can also get special holders to put the bags in while you’re walking, in case you’re concerned about the smell or simply uncomfortable carrying the bag.
Note: Some public walking paths have poop containers, so you don’t have to carry it with you, and often provide poop bags. The downside of not having the bag with you at that correct moment is going back and trying to find the pile.
Dogs love scrambled eggs, as shown in this puppy photo! And scrambled eggs—plain—is a good option for feeding many dogs with diarrhea. Start slowly, though, to be sure your dog tolerates them. One of the other options in this story might be a better choice for you. Credit: SolStock | Getty Images
The best thing to feed your dog battling diarrhea is a food that is bland and high in fiber. You still want reasonable nutrition, but first you need to get the loose stools under control. Obviously, consulting your veterinarian is wise, and he or she may recommend a medication if the diarrhea is severe (remember, diarrhea dehydrates a dog, just as it does us!). You will probably also be advised to feed your dog oatmeal or chicken and rice. Here’s why those choices are best to help settle your dog’s gastrointestinal tract.
What to Feed a Dog with Diarrhea
Fiber is amazing. It can help with both loose stools and constipation. And it’s a natural food source. Fiber soaks up fluid and slows the food’s passage through the digestive tract, helping to firm up the dog’s stool.
Oatmeal for Diarrhea in Dogs
Fiber is why oatmeal is a good food for dogs with diarrhea: It’s naturally high in fiber! Oatmeal that is minimally processed is your best choice—no packets of instant oatmeal—and that means steel-cut oats are your best choice. You can use plain “quick oats” in a pinch, but they are processed to cook more quickly. Try to stick with steel-cut oats.
Other excellent sources of fiber for dogs include plain (emphasis on plain) canned pumpkin (not baking pumpkin for pies!), beet pulp, brown rice, carrots, and apple slices.
Many dogs like sweet potatoes, and they have plenty of good nutrients as well as healthy fiber (again, no seasoning!). Feed them cooked, not raw.
Kale and green beans are other possible fiber sources. Added vegetables should be plain, not buttered or spiced.
Chicken and Rice for Diarrhea in Dogs
Dogs with diarrhea need foods that are easily digested. But, if they’re on a bland diet for a while, the dog needs a quality protein source, as well as high-fiber food. Boiled chicken with rice is a standby for dogs with diarrhea for good reason. Chicken is a quality protein that is easily digested. Often for dogs battling a GI upset, veterinarians recommend starting with white rice, as it is more bland than brown rice. With diarrhea, however, brown rice adds some nice fiber, too.
Other Bland Food to Feed a Dog with Diarrhea
Scrambled eggs will help dogs with diarrhea, and dogs love scrambled eggs, but stick to just plain eggs. Don’t add butter, milk, or cheese, in case your dog is sensitive to dairy products.
Plain mashed potatoes (even instant ones) are often easy on a dog’s digestive tract. These easily digested foods are also good for a dog recovering from a bout of vomiting.
With any of these suggestions, try a small amount first. Not every dog can tolerate all these recommended foods. One of my own dogs responded to potatoes and rice with soft stools and horrible gas!
When a spayed female is sleeping or lying down and the urethral sphincter is relaxed, she may leak urine. Credit: Richard Newstead | Getty Images
Female dogs who pee in their sleep are usually spayed females, ages 2 years and up. It happens due to a lack of estrogen, a female hormone that strengthens the urethral sphincter (outlet to the bladder) but is low in spayed females due to removal of the ovaries and uterus.
When the urethral sphincter is weak and the dog is completely relaxed, like when lying down or sleeping, urine can leak. This is called “urinary incontinence.” These dogs usually have enough sphincter strength to effectively contain urine while awake and active. Overall, the incidence of spay incontinence is low.
Spayed female dog urinary incontinence is called Urethral Sphincter Mechanism Incompetence (USMI) but is better known simply as “spay incontinence.” The first sign is usually finding wet spots where your female dog sleeps or lays down. Other signs include wetness around the vulva, paying more attention to that area, and licking the vulva. You may notice a lingering urine odor back there and/or maroon-colored staining of surrounding hair.
Your veterinarian will usually recommend a urinalysis first to rule out underlying urinary tract infection, which also can cause urinary incontinence. If the urinalysis is normal, treatment for spay incontinence may be prescribed.
The most commonly prescribed medications for spayed female dog incontinence are phenylpropanolamine or PPA (brand name Proin) and estriol (brand name Incurin). PPA works by strengthening the contractility of the involuntary muscles of the urethra. Estriol is a form of estrogen that works by replacing estrogen and its urethral strengthening effect lost due to spay.
Dogs with high blood pressure, kidney disease, or heart disease should not be treated with PPA. Dogs treated with estriol may show signs of heat, including a swollen vulva and unwelcome male dog attention.
One of these medications may work better than the other for your dog. Some dogs require treatment with both medications to control their incontinence. Overall, success rates for treatment of female dog urinary incontinence are high.
Since a simple, everyday mosquito bite can infect your dog with heartworms, the risk is too high to not use an FDA-approved heartworm preventative. Credit: Box5 | Getty Images
The most reliable way to protect your dog from heartworm disease is to administer a veterinarian-prescribed, FDA-approved heartworm preventative, at the recommended dose and interval, all year round. These medications are very safe at these dosages (yes, even for your Collie, Sheltie, Australian Shepherd, or other breed with an MDR1 mutation) and highly effective when given as directed.
There are about a dozen preventative drugs that are FDA-approved (see chart at bottom). All of them are made with a drug that will kill both developing heartworm larvae as well as other parasites; which other parasites are killed depends on the drug. Some of these products are given orally monthly, some are administered topically monthly, and others are given as a subcutaneous (under the skin) injection by a veterinarian, at either six-month or 12-month intervals. Each is equally capable of protecting your dog from a heartworm infection – as long as you ensure they are given as directed, on schedule. You should use whichever drug you are most likely to reliably procure and deliver to your dog on schedule.
A further consideration may be to use whichever drug also addresses infestations of other parasites that may be a concern for your dog, or in your area. For example, if flea infestations have been a problem for your dog, using a heartworm preventative product that also kills tapeworms, which are transmitted to dogs via infected fleas, is a good idea. Dogs who have been rescued from hoarding situations or shelters may have been exposed to hookworms, roundworms, and whipworms (which are transmitted via feces from infected dogs), so they would benefit from the drugs that address those infections.
The Heartworm Life Cycle and How Preventatives Work
Adult heartworms are the most life-threatening of the nematodes (roundworms) that infect dogs, causing severe disease and even death if not treated.
Heartworms are spread by mosquitoes. When a mosquito bites an infected dog, it ingests the tiny immature larvae (microfilariae) circulating in the infected dog’s bloodstream. Over the next couple of weeks, these microfilariae mature to an infective larval stage inside the mosquito. When the now-infected mosquito bites another dog, it injects the larvae into that dog. These larvae continue to mature inside your dog as they start their journey from the point of the bite, through the body tissues, to their final destination as adult worms that reside in the dog’s pulmonary vessels and heart. This whole process takes about six months, at which time these adult worms start producing larvae, which circulate in your dog’s bloodstream, waiting for the next mosquito to ingest them so they can leave home and infect another dog. And around it goes.
Most infected dogs end up with multiple worms, each measuring 10 to 12 inches in length, and living inside the dog’s heart and pulmonary vessels for up to seven years.
Heartworm preventatives work by killing the sensitive larval stages of the heartworm that are developing in your dog before they become adults. In other words, the preventatives don’t stop your dog from becoming infected; they kill the infection at the larval stage, before the larvae can go on to become reproducing adults. This is why preventatives must be given repeatedly at the recommended intervals, or a long-acting timed-release product used. If the larvae are allowed to mature past the sensitive, susceptible stage, the medications have little-to-no effect on the more mature stages. So if you miss a few doses, don’t be surprised if your dog tests positive next year, even if you got back on track with the prevention.
Natural Heartworm Prevention
Holistic veterinarians often make the case that vibrantly healthy animals are able to withstand an infection of heartworm larvae, injected into the dog by infected mosquitoes. They may further posit that the healthiest dogs are those who have been fed a home-prepared or fresh commercial diet, only lightly vaccinated, and not treated with any pesticides – and that the immune systems of these dogs will be able to eliminate the heartworm larvae (somehow). They may also recommend the use of herbal or homeopathic remedies to help the dog control a heartworm infection.
Unfortunately, only anecdotal evidence from some of these practitioners support these claims. Studies have shown similar heartworm infection rates among wild wolves and coyotes – who eat “natural” diets and are unexposed to vaccines and pesticides – as in unprotected dogs.
How to Strengthen Heartworm Prevention
In addition to administering a heartworm preventative, you can up your game in the fight against heartworm infection for your dog by going after mosquitoes as well. According to the American Heartworm Society (AHS), concurrent use of an EPA-registered mosquito repellant like K-9 Advantix (Bayer/Elanco) or other ectoparasiticide effective against mosquitoes increases the overall efficacy of your heartworm prevention program. Eliminate or avoid any areas of standing water whenever possible, and avoid outdoor exercise with your dog during peak mosquito feeding times like dusk and dawn.
The AHS also recommends annual testing to include antigen (adult heartworms) and larvae testing. (Microfilariae, the first larval form of heartworms, cannot develop further until they are consumed in a blood meal by a mosquito, but they can grow so numerous in the dog’s blood and small blood vessels that they block small blood vessels. They can also damage the lungs and liver.) At this time, most veterinary practices recommend only antigen testing, reserving microfilaria testing for those dogs who test positive for antigen, but there are several situations that can result in a negative antigen test even when a dog is infected with heartworms; the presence of microfilaria clinches a heartworm infection diagnosis. Puppies should be tested starting at 7 months of age, and annually thereafter.
Why is testing important even if your dog is on preventative and you are diligent in giving the appropriate dose, on time, all year round? Mainly because there are numerous ways that a preventative program can fail. Heartworms have been shown to develop resistance to the current drugs used to control them (see below), and dogs can vomit up their prevention without this being noticed by their owner. If, for some reason beyond your control, your preventative program fails, and your dog becomes infected with adult heartworms, the annual screening heartworm test will catch this infection at an early stage, allowing you to treat the infection before organic damage is done to your dog’s heart and lungs. If you never screen for heartworm disease, it will be found only when your dog starts showing signs of heart failure – and then it’s too late for a good outcome.
Drug Resistance Is a Concern
Even though it seems like there are many options to choose from for heartworm prevention, all of the FDA-approved preventatives (ivermectin, selamectin, milbemycin, moxidectin) belong to the same drug class, macrocyclic lactones – which means we have basically been treating dogs with the same heartworm preventative since 1987 when Heartgard first came out, giving the parasites plenty of time to evolve and develop resistance.
Another factor that may contribute to increased populations of drug-resistant heartworms is that once a drug is approved for use as an effective heartworm preventative, there are no guidelines in place for withdrawing that approval if resistance is documented. Hopefully this issue will be addressed along with changing the standards for getting a new heartworm preventative FDA approved.
Why aren’t there more and different classes of drugs for heartworm prevention in the United States? It may be because the FDA standards for drug approval are so stringent and difficult to achieve that it discourages drug makers from pursuing discovery of new medications and seeking approval. Fortunately, the FDA is working on altering its approach to heartworm preventative approval in response to the growing concern of resistance to the macrocyclic lactones. Hopefully, this means we will start seeing newer, better medications on the horizon.
Why the Heartworm Threat Is Growing
There are a number of factors responsible for the fact that heartworm infections are increasing in prevalence in dogs (and even cats) in this country and others. These include climate and environmental changes, increased movement of dogs across the country, and the growing threat of parasite resistance to heartworm preventatives.
For heartworms to thrive and maintain survival of their species, an ample number of hosts (domestic dogs or wild canines) and vectors (mosquitoes) are necessary. Factors promoting increased numbers of both include:
Climate change: Increasing global temperatures and humidity favors mosquito population growth, as does increased incidence of hurricanes, flooding, and other wet weather phenomena.
Environmental changes: As more and more undeveloped land is taken over for human habitation, wildlife habitats are infringed upon, forcing wild canids to move closer to areas inhabited by humans and domestic dogs, increasing the numbers of heartworm host reservoirs obviously not on preventatives. Construction frequently alters natural land drainage, creating standing water reservoirs which promote mosquito population growth.
Write down when your dog is due for his monthly heartworm preventative and avoid trying to stretch the time between doses. Credit: Andrey Popov | Getty Images
In addition, the popularity and success of rescue and foster programs, saving unwanted and homeless dogs from euthanasia, has exponentially increased the movement of dogs across state lines. Ideally, these dogs would be tested and treated for heartworm infections before being transported, but this is not always possible. Additionally, many are tested only for adult heartworms, not microfilaria, so while technically negative for adult heartworms these dogs may still be infective to mosquitoes in their new locales. This contributes to the geographic spread of heartworm disease across the country.
And finally, parasite resistance to the currently available FDA-approved heartworm preventatives has been documented in certain areas of the United States, especially in the Southeastern states. This is a huge concern, not dissimilar to the concerns surrounding increasing numbers of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in human medicine. As resistance grows, without newer and better medications we have no defense against disease.
Resistance happens for a number of reasons. Evolution, genetic mutation, and survival of the fittest are well-known reasons. Parasites evolve and genes mutate, sometimes making the organism more resistant to medication. When this happens, only the weakest, most vulnerable parasites are killed, while the genetically stronger, resistant individuals survive and multiply.
Poor compliance with recommended drug dosing and intervals is another culprit in the promotion of drug resistance. If you skip doses or give a lower-than-recommended dose of heartworm preventative medication, again, only the weakest, most vulnerable parasites are killed, leaving the strong to survive and multiply.
Don’t Get Complacent
It’s easy to become complacent about heartworm disease in dogs. You know about it, you dutifully buy a preventative and give it to your dog, you have your dog tested every year, and the test is always negative. This can lull you into feeling like heartworm disease is no big deal. But it is a big deal. And there are factors at play right now that are setting the stage for it to get a whole lot worse (see sidebar, “Why the Heartworm Threat Is Growing,” above). So, don’t get complacent and slip up on your dog’s heartworm prevention. The damage caused by an infection, and the cost and potential side effects of treating an infection, are exponentially worse than the hassle of preventing one.
Product
Heartworm Prevention Component
Other Medications
Also Controls
How Used
Age to Start (some weight restrictions)
Heartgard Plus (B-I), Iverhart Plus (Virbac), TriHeart Plus (Merck)
If this photo makes you shudder, you’re not alone. This is a classic “accident waiting to happen” moment. Credit: Jenna Ardell | Getty Images
Here’s the thing that the various makers of retractable leashes don’t want you to know: They can hurt you – and your dog – and the bigger the dog and retractable leash, the more likely the chance of injury.
Does that mean retractable dog leashes are bad and unsafe? We think so.
Common Retractable Leash Injuries
There are two main ways retractable dog leashes can hurt you. The first is the whiplash effect that’s caused when your dog reaches the end of the 16-foot line (or 26-foot line) at full speed. The force of that sudden deceleration can crush your dog’s larynx, bruise or strain the muscles in his neck or chest, or badly hurt you – from whiplash to fractures, depending on whether you fall down or not.
And, if you manage to drop the retractable leash, that heavy handle you hold on to will whip its way back to the dog, potentially injuring the dog or scaring the dog – especially a puppy! – enough that the dog takes off running only to be “chased” by the leash.
The second kind of injury is caused when that long leash wraps around something, like a person’s legs, which may cause that person to fall. And if that person isn’t related to you – well, get ready for the lawsuit. That’s why they aren’t allowed at some veterinarian’s offices, stores, and at many dog events.
A Standard Leash Is Much Safer
Too often, dog owners either willfully or absent-mindedly don’t pay attention to what their dog is doing at the end of their 16-foot retractable leash, and so the dog gets in a fight with another dog or wraps his leash round a person’s leg or an immovable object and trips someone. That’s why some communities have banned them completely. It’s why Mounds Pet Food Warehouse of Wisconsin banned them at its five stores.
Walking is great exercise for you and your dog. The purpose of retractable leashes is to give your dog more freedom to roam and explore, but doing it safely requires proper walking training and great care. That’s why most dog trainers and animal behaviorists recommend using a standard six-foot leash to walk your dog.
Statistics on Retractable-Leash Injries
From 2001 to 2018, the American Journal for Emergency Medicine tracked injuries requiring emergency room treatment related to retractable dog leashes, and they found those injuries increased by four times. Of those, 193,000 were from pulling and 136,000 were from becoming entangled. The most common injuries were fracture, strain or sprain, or contusion, usually from the leash breaking.
On his website, Dr. Garret Pachtinger of Philadelphia, a board-certified emergency/critical care veterinarian and the co-founder of VetGirl, a continuing education site for veterinarians, says the most common injuries he sees from retractable leashes are a neck strain or a displacement of a vertebra from the dog suddenly pulling hard and fast, or a variety of injuries when a person falls because the leash has wrapped around their leg(s).
Dogs can also suffer eye injuries if the leash breaks; they can suffer torn larynxes from pulling too hard; dogs have jumped to their deaths or run into traffic after pulling the leash from their handler’s hand and then fled blindly in terror because they thought something was chasing them.
If you must have a longer leash for your dog for a particular outing or event, buy a long-line regular leash, not a retractable. “It takes some skill to manage long and light lines without turning them into a knotted mess, but it’s worth the effort,” says Whole Dog Journal Training Editor Pat Miller. You need the right leash for what you are doing with your dog.
Most puppy heart murmurs do not shorten life expectancy. Credit: Zoranm | Getty Images
Many dogs with heart murmurs have no symptoms. Most heart murmurs in dogs are picked up by the veterinarian during routine physical exams on apparently healthy, asymptomatic dogs and puppies. Many heart murmurs in dogs will never cause a problem. For those that do, medications can help.
Heart Murmurs in Puppies
Benign or “innocent” murmurs in puppies do not shorten life expectancy. There are, however, some cardiac birth defects in puppies that are bad. These puppies will not thrive, and many will not survive without surgical correction of the defect. Thankfully, these cases are few and far between.
Treatment
Most dogs with heart murmurs can live long and healthy lives, but it depends on how early the murmur is identified and how carefully the dog is monitored.
Monitoring dogs with heart murmurs includes frequent physical examinations and echocardiography at least once a year. The earlier any evidence of heart disease is identified, and treatment initiated, the longer the dog will live, with many surviving five years or more.
From Murmur to Congestive Heart Failure
Congestive heart failure (CHF) is what happens most commonly when a heart murmur in a dog becomes problematic. Watch for these symptoms:
Cough: Usually a soft, wet-sounding cough from the chest, may be worse after lying down or first thing in the morning
Exercise intolerance: Doesn’t want to go for walks or quits after a short time; walks take a lot longer than usual as the dog cannot walk as quickly as before.
Restlessness when laying down: Fluid builds up in the lungs when the dog is inactive so the dog may shift positions frequently to find the position that best helps him breathe.
Bluish or grayish color to the tongue and gums: Due to the low blood oxygen levels that occur when the heart no longer efficiently pumps blood through the lungs and body.
Low energy/fatigue
Fainting/collapse
CHF Treatment
Treatment for CHF in dogs typically include varying combinations of medications to move fluid out of the lungs (diuretics); medications that make it easier for the heart to pump blood through the vessels (blood pressure drugs); and pimobendan, an inodilator that both strengthens the heart muscle and dilates blood vessels, significantly improving overall cardiac function.
This dog appears to have an ulcer in his right eye. A fluorescein stain will highlight areas of damage so the veterinarian can get a better look. Credit: F.J. Jimenez | Getty Images
Early signs of an eye ulcer include your dog squinting one eye. The eye may appear “cloudy” and is painful if you try to examine it. The conjunctiva may be red, with tearing or even a pus-like discharge.
While it could be a scrape or an ulcer—a scrape is superficial while an ulcer is deeper—any eye problem can go from minor to severe very quickly. Get to the veterinarian immediately. Some ulcers can go right through the cornea if not treated.
Treatment
Your veterinarian will verify the corneal damage with a fluorescein stain and then send you home with antibiotic eye drops and/or ointments. This is intensive care. The medications must be applied multiple times a day, so you may have to leave work to do it. Many dogs will need to wear a cone to protect the eye in case they try to rub. Note: Recent research shows PRP therapy may become an option for treating ulcers in the eye.
Healing Stages
As the cornea becomes clearer, the redness will fade away. Your dog will stop squinting and obviously feel better as the pain recedes. The ulcer is healing.
You may notice some red lines on the cornea. While the cornea itself does not have blood vessels, during the healing process, blood vessels migrate across the eye bringing nutrients and oxygen.
Most superficial corneal ulcers heal in a week or less, but you should continue to treat it as directed by your veterinarian until a vet recheck shows that the injury is healed.
Serious Ulcers
Severe corneal ulcers may require surgical treatment. Your veterinarian may gently scrape the surface to encourage healing or even pull up some conjunctival tissue or the third eyelid as a flap to provide a physiological bandage for the injured area.
Special contact lenses can be placed to aid in healing as well. Even with surgery, an injured eye will need frequent topical treatments. Oral antibiotics may be added to the treatment regimen.
Nursing is a factor in deciding when to wean a puppy, but momma dog does a lot more for her puppies than just feed them. Taking a puppy away from the mom too soon is not good for anyone, especially the puppy. Credit: Jodi Jacobson | Getty Images
A mother dog provides more than milk to her puppies, so be patient while waiting for your new family member. The decision on when to wean a puppy involves more than determining how long a puppy should nurse.
The ideal nutrition for very young puppies is mother’s milk. The longer they can nurse, the longer they get that perfect food. Some puppies will nurse up to 8 weeks or longer if mom allows it. If she can’t nurse for any reason, the breeder will use a puppy milk replacer to be sure the pups get a balanced diet.
When Do Puppies Stop Drinking Milk?
Puppies start to get teeth in at about 3 to 4 weeks of age. At that point, it can become uncomfortable for the pups to nurse. The dam starts to spend more time away from the pups, often cutting back their nursing time on her own.
Many breeders start to offer food as a slurry at this age to compensate if the bitch cuts back. With a big litter, this is especially important as the nutrient drain on the mother is high. Most pups will continue to nurse a bit along with taking semi solid food until 5 to 7 weeks of age. Puppies who are hand-raised often shift to “real food” right about 3 weeks old.
Remember to provide water as well. With the shift to solid food, puppies need liquid.
The Decision to Wean Puppies
The time with mother and siblings is incredibly important for puppy social development. Puppies should stay with their dam until 8 weeks of age, and many breeders will keep puppies until 10 weeks of age or older, if a toy breed. (One study equated puppy cuteness with weaning time.)
While the puppies may no longer need their mother for nutrition, behavior input is extremely important at this time. The dam will discipline interactions and model behavior with and toward people and other dogs. A good mother will play with her puppies and provide support in new situations. Don’t rush this important time in a puppy’s life.
Dogs twitch and dream while sleeping, just as we do. Credit: Evrymmnt | Getty Images
Dogs twitch in their sleep. You may have even be awakened by your dog whimpering and moving his legs, as if he were chasing something. This lasts for 10, maybe 15, seconds; your dog takes a deep sigh; and then he goes back to a sound, peaceful sleep. This is simply twitching, not a seizure.
But, still, you may wonder, “Why does my dog twitch in his sleep? Is this normal?”
The answer is, yes, it’s normal. Most mammals–including humans–dream, according to what was called a landmark study in 2001 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The study used rats, but it was groundbreaking.
Further research shows that not all mammals dream. Only predators sleep deeply enough to dream. The mammals they prey on stay alive by not sleeping so deeply that they can’t sense movement or hear a twig break.
Mammalian sleep consists of three phases: wakefulness (when they first go to sleep and are easily aroused), the rapid-eye movement phase (the phase of deep sleep, when dogs and humans dream), and the non-rapid-eye movement phase.
The rapid-eye movement phase usually happens about 20 minutes after your dog falls asleep, and you can tell the dog has entered this phase by seeing his eyeballs move, his legs twitch or move, and taking shorter breaths. That’s because he’s dreaming.
And this is the phase in which legs twitch or lurch and in which they can have night terrors. These are most common in puppies and old dogs, because the pons – the part of the mammalian brain that controls large-muscle movement – is not yet fully developed in puppies or is decaying in old dogs, according to research by Dr. Stanley Coren, professor emeritus at the University of British Columbia. You can read more in his book, “Do Dogs Dream? Nearly Everything Your Dog Wants You to Know.”
Other research shows that large dogs, like German Shepherds or Great Danes, are a bit more likely to have vivid dreams or night terrors than small dogs, like Dachshunds or terriers, because they tend to have longer, more complete dreams.
What Do Dogs Dream About?
If we accept that dogs do have dreams, that leaves us to wonder what do they dream about?
Dog behaviorists at the American Kennel Club say that dogs don’t have the imagination that humans do, so their dreams cannot include monsters or frightening events that haven’t really happened.
They say that a dog’s dreams are likely an interpretation of events that have previously happened. They’re that dog’s memory of losing his bone, of another dog taking his food away, or of a fun walk he took last month.
That means that night terrors are your dog having a bad memory. He’ll likely whimper, or even bark or howl. His eyes could twitch or roll. The large muscles of his shoulders and hindquarters may twitch, his legs could even move as if he’s running.
You’ve heard the expression, “Let sleeping dogs lie.” It comes from moments like these. When a dog is having a night terror, he’ll probably awaken startled and disoriented, which could cause him to lash out and unintentionally bite or scratch you.
So it’s best to leave him alone until his dream ends. Don’t worry – he’ll be OK.
I recently fostered a dog who first greeted me at the shelter that I sprung her from by jumping up on me. I spent the first two days with her almost exclusively working on preventing her from jumping. When I introduced her to a friend, my friend immediately held her arms out and greeted the dog’s enthusiastic jump up with a big hug, petting, and cooing
