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Puppies and Kids: How to Set Up for Success

By
Kathy Callahan, CPDT-KA, FDM
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0
Puppy teeth are sharp! Making sure your kids always have a toy in reach helps puppies learn that they can play a mouthy game with those fun little humans, but only if there’s an object in between. Photo by Briana Watts

Everybody knows they need to prepare their home for a puppy’s arrival, but often parents don’t realize just how much they need to prepare their children for that moment. Puppies and kids go together well, but it takes prep work with both the child and the puppy.

Puppies jump! They have sharp teeth! It’s key to talk to kids ahead of time about what puppies can be like — and to put structures and rules in place to protect all the vulnerable parties from unintentionally hurting or scaring each other.

Creating the right environment, routine, and habits in those first intense months is worth every bit of effort, because few things in life beat the puppy-and-kid-growing-up-together experience. Here are eight keys for helping canine and human kids to go beyond just getting along and end up bonding for life.

  1. GET IN THE ZONE

First step: parental mindset. It’s demoralizing to be thrown off guard by challenges day after day. (“Mom! She chewed my doll!” “Dad! He knocked Jimmy over!”) Instead, take a deep breath and expect those issues. Not only does that help you psychologically gird yourself for a certain level of frustration, but it will result in preparation that means far less of the unfortunate stuff will actually occur.

  1. TEACH YOUR CHILDREN ABOUT PUPPIES

On display in the background is the #1 predictor of a happy kid/puppy home: a pen providing an easy ability to separate the two when need be. Photo by Veronica Jarvinen

The adults are not the only ones who need psychological prep. Kids need to be taught that the puppy is just a little kid like themselves – and one of a puppy’s favorite things to do is to play The Puppy Game. This is the beautiful chase/jump/bite/wrestle game she played endlessly with her littermates before you brought her home. Now the small humans in your home are the closest thing she has to the canine friends she misses so much – they even squeal like puppies! Kids are usually sympathetic to learning that their puppy badly misses her sibling playmates and the fun games they used to play all day, every day.

Even when they understand that, most kids need reminders to help them be their best selves around the puppy. Practice these sentences:

  • She’s just a baby.
  • We are her teachers.
  • She is doing all the things that are normal for puppies to do! We need to teach her what humans like to do.
  • I know those teeth hurt, but she didn’t mean to hurt you! Puppies play like that with their very favorite littermates. We need to help her find a different way to play with you.

  1. USE GATES, PENS, & CRATES

Sometimes the mouthiest, jumpiest puppies are that way because they are not getting enough rest during the day. Over-tired puppies in active households hop up whenever they hear something interesting happening. Building in routine quiet crate time can make an enormous difference in a puppy’s ability to fall sound asleep and then be her best self later. Photo by Jennifer Kyle

Having the tools to easily separate kids and dogs on a regular basis is the single biggest predictor of household happiness in the puppyhood months. Puppies and young kids simply cannot hang out together without being managed carefully – period! Yes, I know that this might be devastating news for parents who thought that a puppy would help keep kids off screens and playing in a wholesome manner while parents can focus elsewhere, but, nope. Not yet. One day!

If you want to reach that “one day” sooner, you need to do the groundwork by refusing to let bad habits get established. And it’s certain that unsupervised kid/puppy interactions will result in the puppy playing The Puppy Game – and a kid coming crying to you. There is a lot to teach children about how to act in a way that won’t draw out The Puppy Game in the puppy, but while that’s a work in progress, the key is to have quick separation options at your disposal. Do not hesitate to fill your house with them all. Crates, pens, gates, sofas moved just so, etc., are valuable tools for keeping all the kids safe and separated when you’re not able to actively supervise their interactions.

  1. GET MORE CHEW TOYS (NOPE, YOU DON’T HAVE ENOUGH)

There’s nothing like a kid and a puppy growing up together – so creating the right environment for that relationship to thrive is worth every bit of effort. (Fun fact: All of the puppies featured here are siblings from the author’s latest foster litter.) Photo by Jennifer Kyle

Without even seeing your set-up, I’m going to tell you this: You don’t have enough chew toys, and/or they’re not in the right places. “Huh? My basket is overflowing!” I know. But that’s just it, they’re over there in the basket, and your kids need to be able to reach them RIGHT NOW, because the puppy is about to greet your kindergartener by jumping up and sinking in some teeth.

For people who love to keep the house and yard straightened up all the time, this is challenging news indeed. But your kids must be able to reach out whenever they’re going to encounter the puppy and grab a long fluffy fox, a braided felt rope, or a big squishy ball. They need to be able to – over and over and over – teach the puppy that teeth go on the toy, not on the kid. It may be hard for kids to remember to set themselves up for success this way, which is why the adults have to make it easier by keeping those toys easily within reach.

  1. SET AND TEACH THE RULES TO YOUR KIDS

Creating clear, easy-to-remember guidelines for how to interact with the puppy is a lifesaver, because normal kid behavior includes a lot of things that will bring out the worst in the puppy. Save yourself a lot of trouble by having a family meeting (or two, plus a quiz!) to discuss these guidelines:

  • Let the puppy choose whether to interact! If there were only one rule, it would be this one. This is not a stuffed animal to be grabbed, picked up, trapped in a long hug, moved here and there, and argued over. Show the kids how to entice the puppy instead, using squeaky toys, happy voices, and treats. If you want your future adult dog to be safe around kids, make sure your kids treat this impressionable puppy with respect.
  • Find your slow body. A running/jumping human creates a running/jumping puppy.
  • Use your quiet voice. High pitched, loud noises get a puppy aroused, and aroused puppies jump, chase, and use their teeth to interact.
  • Sit on the floor if you want to hold the puppy. In my house, kids are criss-cross applesauce on the floor when they hold my foster puppies. If you feel this is Draconian, I will tell you stories of dropped puppies with broken legs, or of dogs who growl at the approach of their own child. Kids love to walk around the house holding a puppy – and almost all puppies hate that.
  • Let sleeping dogs lie. Puppies need a lot of sleep, and they should be left alone to get it. This can be really difficult when you have a very mouthy/jumpy puppy, because sometimes kids only feel safe approaching the pup when he’s sound asleep on the floor. Promise me at least this: If the pup moves away, respect that choice immediately.
  • Play fair. Dangling something in front of a puppy without ever actually giving it to him teaches him not to trust you. That’s the opposite of what we want to teach. Use the Golden Rule: Play the way you’d want to be played with.
  • Respect the crate. It must be the puppy’s safe, quiet, private refuge. No climbing in. No surrounding a pup who wants to be alone.

  1. MAKE PUPPY PLAYDATES

If you’ve ever watched puppies with their littermates, you know that life is one long version of The Puppy Game. Reasonably enough, that’s what puppies want to do with us, since we took them away from their playmates. It is utterly unfair to then spend every day saying, “No. No. No. No. No.” Instead, it’s on us to help them find a new friend who’ll love to wrestle, bite and chase.

People new to puppyhood often feel awkward or nervous about asking neighbors for a puppy playdate. We experienced puppy people say: Nothing will improve your puppyhood experience faster than finding an awesome puppy friend nearby. It will match your puppy’s over-the-top energy, give him a healthy outlet for his biting and jumping, and build his doggy communication skills which will keep him safer in encounters with other dogs. (Here are tips on how to supervise that playdate.)

If I could conjure up the perfect scenario, I’d say start every day with a 20-minute cup of coffee in a fenced yard with a neighbor, and maybe add another 20-minute session right before the kids come home from school in the afternoon. That may be beyond the ability of many new puppy owners, but do what you can!

  1. ORGANIZE STRUCTURED TOGETHERNESS

Free play between kids and puppies often ends in chaos, and that’s not a habit we want them to practice. Having a handful of activities on tap that put a bit of structure on the scene is key. Here are a few examples:

  • A walk is a great option. Heading out on an adventure together can be a perfect way to bond. All parties are interested in the surroundings, so they won’t be 100% focused on each other. Maybe the kids are on a bike or a scooter. The pup is on a leash so it’s easy for the kids to pop out of range if The Puppy Game threatens to start. Bring a treat pouch (always) and have the kids reward when the puppy responds to her name with eye contact.
  • Playing the recall game is a two-fer: It’s fun and it teaches the puppy that it pays off to come when called. Just get in a circle and take turns calling your pup with a big, fun, cheery, “Come-come-come!” When puppy spins and runs to the person who called, they deliver a treat. Even tiny kids can play this game, and it teaches the pup to listen to everyone in the family.
  • “Find it” can be shockingly helpful. First, the adults need to teach the pup that the magic phrase “Find it” means it’s worth looking on the ground because they’ve just tossed something there. Once pup is enthusiastically seeking out those bits of kibble, this becomes an incredibly useful game. Keep a ceramic jar of kibble where the kids can reach it, and teach them to toss a bit of kibble and say, “Find it!” Pup will snuffle after the treat and then turn back to see what’s next. Kid says: “Find it!” and tosses in a different direction. Repeat, repeat, repeat. As you advance, the pup sits to start the next round. (Jumping or mouthing puts a stop to the game.)
  • Training is the best game of all when kids are old enough (or the right temperament) to take part. Good positive reinforcement training should feel like a fun game to the dog, and for the right kid it can be a wonderful thing to do together. Parents need to be totally on it, though, in terms of deciding what that should look like. If your puppy is just learning “sit,” but you let your 2nd grader come in and demand sits in a big voice without rewarding at the right time . . . you’ve just set your training back. (Some kids love telling dogs what to do, so it’s key to emphasize that we’re teachers, not drill sergeants.)

  1. CREATE A NAP-FILLED ROUTINE

Setting up a daily routine is hugely helpful in fostering better interactions between kids and puppies. There are going to be times where either a child or the puppy is too wound up (or too tired) to be at their best. Instead of trying to react in the moment to those constantly shifting winds, you can overlay a structure that stacks the deck in your favor.

Building puppy naps into the routine is critical! Often the puppies who are the most jumpy/bitey are the ones who are not getting enough sleep because of their active household. Young puppies should be sleeping at least as much as they’re awake for the first few months! (i.e., awake from 7–9; asleep from 9–11.) Just like toddlers, many puppies think they don’t need a nap, so they don’t take one by choice. This is where a nice, quiet crate comes in, maybe with a box fan on or classical music playing to mask household noise.

To find the right routine, start with your family schedule, add in the natural rhythms of your puppy, and come up with a daily outline for when meals, walks, playdates, indoor training sessions, outdoor fetch and tug, and nice big naps will typically take place.

Then adjust as necessary! If your pup is over-the-top when your kids first come home from school, experiment with your routine. Does she need a giant nap before being her best with the kids? Or does a big walk or a 20-minute romp with the neighbor pup take the edge off and help her be ready to play without all the teeth?

Mind you, this kind of careful planning won’t be necessary forever! But in the beginning, while you’re teaching good habits about how to act around each other, aim to put kids and puppies together when they’re both at their best.

PUPPIES AND KIDS REALLY ARE THE DREAM

This list of suggestions could have you throwing up your hands and saying, “Hey! I thought puppies and kids were a natural match!” They absolutely are – when they’re set up for success. For a child, there’s nothing like growing up with a friend at home who loves you unconditionally; for a puppy, there’s nothing like a playful, snuggly kid who has all the time in the world for you. And from a parent’s perspective, it’s a beautiful thing to get to witness for years and years . . . so a few months of this focused management ends up being a drop in the bucket on the way to creating the dream.

Is Your Dog Crying and Whining?

By
Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA
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0
A dog crying and whining is most likely suffering from seperation anxiety.
Conventional wisdom of yesteryear was to ignore a dog or puppy who was whining or crying in his crate at night – to let him just “cry it out.” That strategy does more harm than good! Photo by CMannPhoto, Getty Photos

It can be pretty darned annoying when your dog whines or cries at night, keeping you from getting enough sleep! But as annoying as it is for you, think about it from your dog’s perspective: she’s crying because she’s in distress. The key to ending the fussing is to ease her distress.

In years past, dog training professionals counseled clients to let the dog cry it out. “If you go to them,” we said, “you’ll reinforce them for crying and they’ll just learn to cry longer and harder.”

This was very bad advice. I suspect many dogs with mild separation-related stress had their anxieties turned into pathological separation anxiety by having their distress cries ignored.

I was guilty of giving this bad advice myself on occasion in the past (a long time ago). But when we know better we do better, and we teach better. Now we know that a dog who cries for longer than just a few minutes is trying to tell us something. Most often she is telling us that she is in distress, and she is crying out for help. This dog needs soothing and relief from her stress, not ignoring.

What to Do with a Crying Dog

The first thing you need to do with your whining, crying dog is to comfort her. Remove her from the situation that’s causing her distress and do whatever you need to do to alleviate her stress. Pet her. Hold her. Lie on the floor with her. Speak softly to her. Play soft music. Massage. If she’ll play, play with her.

Then address the environment that’s causing her distress by using management and behavior modification. The most common cause of continuous crying is separation-related behavior. If you have a dog who’s whining and crying all night, I’d bet you’ve probably got her shut away from you in another room, perhaps crated. Bring her into your bedroom. Then work with a force-free professional to address the separation distress. (See “Separation Anxiety in Dogs: Symptoms and How to Modify the Behavior.”)

Generalized anxiety can also be a cause of persistent vocalization. Again, management is in order to reduce your dog’s exposure to the anxiety-causing sights, sounds, or other stimuli, along with modification to help change your dog’s perception of those stressors.

Your dog might also be in distress as a result of a medical condition of some kind, so a full veterinary workup is in order if you can’t identify other obvious reasons for her distress vocalizations.

For persistent vocalizing, especially if it’s determined to be anxiety-related, anti-anxiety medications may be appropriate – either short-acting or long-acting, depending on the circumstances. You’ll want to have this discussion with your behaviorally knowledgeable veterinarian or a veterinary behaviorist. Do it sooner, rather than later. For an anxious dog, medication should be a first-line defense not a last resort.

Help Your Crying Dog

Bottom line – your crying dog is in distress and calling out to you for help. Help her. It’s what you would want someone to do for you.

Download The Full June 2023 Issue PDF

By
Nancy Kerns
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20
  • Fresh Kibble?
  • A Sudden Tilt
  • Managing Bitey Puppies
  • Top Dog-Walking Gear
  • Weirdly Colored Poop
  • Alternatives to “Cones”
  • The Hand that Feeds
  • Mushroom Poisoning
  • Prepare for your Puppy
  • Shaving Against Advice
  • Foam with his Coughing
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Stomach Cancer in Dogs

By
Dr. Jennifer Bailey, DVM
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0
Adult tan mixed breed dog wearing a pet hardness laying on the floor looking bored
Staffordshire Terriers are one of the dog breeds with a higher incidence of stomach cancer. Contrary to popular belief, dogs with stomach cancer almost never have a swollen stomach unless the cancer has spread to other areas of their abdomen. Photo by Heather Paul, Getty Images

Stomach cancer is rare in dogs, accounting for less than 1% of all cancers diagnosed in our canine companions. This form of cancer tends to occur in older dogs and affects male dogs more than often then female dogs. Although any breed of dog can be affected, stomach cancer is seen more often in Chow Chows, Rough Collies, Staffordshire Terriers, and Belgian Shepherds.

Stomach cancer symptoms in dogs

Symptoms of stomach cancer include vomiting, nausea, weight loss, and a decreased appetite. Some dogs may vomit blood or their vomit may look like coffee grounds. Other dogs may have black, tarry stool. Dogs with stomach cancer almost never have a swollen stomach unless the cancer has spread to other areas of their abdomen.

Unlike other forms of cancer where there may be one or more masses, or tumors, stomach cancer tends to cause a focal or diffuse thickening of the stomach wall. This makes stomach cancer challenging to diagnose with routine imaging, such as survey radiographs (x-rays).

Abdominal ultrasound completed by a boarded radiologist may be useful in identifying areas of the stomach wall that are thickened and therefore suspicious for stomach cancer. Confirming a diagnosis of stomach cancer requires obtaining biopsy samples of the affected areas of the stomach.

Biopsy samples can be obtained with a minimally invasive procedure called endoscopy. Endoscopy is typically performed by a veterinary internist, also known as an internal medicine specialist. Your dog will need to be briefly anesthetized for this procedure.

During an endoscopy, the internist passes a thin tube with a camera and a light on the end down your dog’s throat and esophagus and into his stomach. This allows her to examine the innermost lining of his stomach, called the mucosa. When she sees an abnormal region of the mucosa, she can obtain a small biopsy sample by using a special grabber tool.

Some forms of stomach cancer affect only the middle layer of the stomach wall and not the mucosa. When this is the case, the entire lining of your dog’s stomach may appear normal on endoscopy. If stomach cancer is still suspected but the endoscopy findings are normal, then a surgical exploratory to obtain biopsy samples may be recommended.

A surgical exploratory is a procedure in which a surgeon makes an incision in your dog’s abdomen (under anesthesia, of course!) and visually examines each of your dog’s abdominal organs. For a dog that is suspected to have stomach cancer, the surgeon pays particular attention to the stomach and the first section of the small intestine. Areas of the stomach that appear abnormal can be either biopsied or removed. Biopsy samples or surgically removed sections of the stomach are sent to a veterinary pathologist for diagnosis.

How long can dogs with stomach cancer live?

There are two general categories of cancer: benign and malignant. Benign tumors tend not to spread to other areas of the body and generally do not recur if they are entirely removed. Malignant tumors tend to spread to other areas of the body.

Unfortunately, the majority of stomach tumors in dogs are malignant and have usually metastasized by the time they are diagnosed. The prognosis for dogs with malignant stomach cancer is poor, even when treated with chemotherapy following surgical removal of the tumor. Most dogs with malignant stomach cancer live less than six months following diagnosis and treatment.

In contrast, dogs who have a benign stomach tumor that can be surgically removed in its entirety have a good prognosis for life. If not surgically removed or if the benign tumor is in a section of the stomach that cannot be easily removed, benign tumors will continue to grow. Benign tumors of the stomach can grow large enough to interfere with the stomach’s proper function, leading to a dog’s demise.

What to feed a dog with stomach cancer

Dogs with stomach cancer need a highly nutritious diet that is easy to digest. Your veterinarian may recommend a prescription canned gastrointestinal diet, such as Hills i/d, Purina EN, or Royal Canin Gastrointestinal. Canned food has a higher moisture content than kibble and is easier for the stomach to break down into a slurry.

Prognosis

Since the prognosis for dogs with stomach cancer is generally poor, your veterinarian may discuss palliative care options with you. Palliative care options include medications to alleviate pain, a stomach acid reducer, and an anti-emetic (anti-nausea) medication.

Research into this and other forms of cancer in dogs is being pursued worldwide. While the current picture for stomach cancer in dogs appears bleak, the results of current research may provide a brighter future.

Are There Home Remedies for Mange?

By
CJ Puotinen
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0
Home remedies for mange are ineffective and veterinary care is required.
This puppy has a severe case of demodectic mange. No type of home treatment is effective for treating this, and delaying diagnosis and appropriate treatment is inhumane. Moreover, effective treatment may be a simple matter of one dose of a prescription medication. Photo by Nancy Kerns.

Mites cause two types of mange, Demodectic and Sarcoptic, which is also known as scabies. Both cause itching, hair loss, pain, secondary infections, and relentless scratching, biting, and licking. There are no effective home remedies for mange, so prompt veterinary care is essential.

Demodectic mange is spread by Demodex mites, which are present on dogs in low numbers as part of their normal fauna. Demodectic mange is not contagious between dogs, and in dogs with healthy immune systems, the mites don’t create problems. In vulnerable dogs, it spreads across the body, lasts for more than one or two months, and may involve all four feet. Hair loss, yellow debris matted around the base of hairs, red bumps, and variable itching are the main symptoms. Hypothyroidism, Cushing’s disease, and other autoimmune disorders can trigger outbreaks.

Canine scabies (sarcoptic mange) is less common, affecting up to 4% of dogs, but is more serious. Mites burrow into the dog’s skin, usually where there is little hair, such as near the ear flaps, elbows, hocks, and belly, and the results are extremely painful. Non-stop scratching leads to lesions, crusting, and hair loss. Sarcoptic mange is highly infectious from one dog to another.

How is mange treated?

Traditional home remedies form mange such as the topical use of motor oil, lemon juice, yogurt, or aloe vera are not recommended, as they are all ineffective and often harmful to the patient. Repeated lime-sulfur shampoos or dips and the anti-parasitic medication ivermectin were the main treatments for both types of mange until recently, when isoxazoline drugs (such as NexGard and Bravecto) replaced them. Originally developed to control fleas and ticks, isoxazolines are highly effective at treating mite infestations, but can cause adverse neurological side effects in some dogs, requiring a thorough medical exam before prescribing.

Mange requires prompt and appropriate treatment with prescription medications that will kill the mites that cause it. Additional supportive care in the form of antibiotics to treat infection caused by scratching or chewing, and medicated baths may be needed as well.

How to Teach Your Dog to Spin

By
Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA
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0
Many dogs will spin more readily in one direction than the other. Encourage your dog to spin in both directions; just use a different (and consistent!) cue for a clockwise and a counter-clockwise turn. Photo by Nancy Kerns

There are long lists of fantastic fun tricks you can teach your dog – and “Spin” is one of my all-time favorites. “Spin” simply asks your dog to turn in a 360-degree circle – easy-peasey to teach, and fun to show off!

  1. To start, ask your dog to stand in front of you, facing you. If she keeps sitting, back up and invite her to move forward toward you as you begin to lure the spin.
  2. Have a treat in your right hand and put it at the end of her nose. Lure her to your right (her left) by moving the treat in an arc toward her tail.
  3. Move the treat in a 45- to 90-degree arc. If she follows the lure, moving her feet in the beginning of a spin, mark (using the “click” of a clicker or a verbal marker, such as the word “Yes!”) and give her a treat. If your dog follows the lure easily, go the full 90 degrees. If she’s a little hesitant, start with 45 degrees (or less!).
  4. Gradually increase the arc, marking and treating generously, until she’s doing a full 360-degree turn with a mark and treat at the end.

Add the “Spin” Cue

Fade the use of a food lure as quickly as you can, and gradually make the gesture you use as a cue smaller and smaller, until she will spin or twirl on just the verbal cue or with a tiny hand or finger gesture. Photo by Nancy Kerns

When your dog does the full circle easily every time, add your cue. I use “Spin” for a right turn (counterclockwise), and “Twirl” for a left turn (clockwise). Be consistent! Of course, you can use whatever cues you want. I also like “Twist” and “Shout,” and “Donut” and “Cheerio.” Start saying your cue just before you lure her. Gradually minimize the hand motion and eventually fade the lure completely, until she’ll spin on just the verbal cue or with a tiny hand or finger signal. (For information on how to fade the use of a food lure, click here.) For “Twirl,” do the same thing – only start with the treat in your left hand and turn her the opposite direction.

Now go show off to your friends and family!

When Do a Dog’s Baby Teeth Fall Out?

By
Dr. Debra M. Eldredge, DVM
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1
A dog's baby teeth begin falling out around at 12 to 16 weeks.
A puppy is born without teeth but will have her 28 baby teeth in place by the time she’s about 6 weeks old. Providing proper chew toys will help her get through both the emergence of those baby teeth and the sometimes painful change to adult teeth. Credit: yellowsarah | Getty Images

A dog’s baby teeth fall out between 12 to 16 weeks old. The incisors (small teeth in front) tend to be the first to fall out. You might find lost teeth, but it’s unlikely. These teeth are tiny, and many puppies swallow them as they loosen up.

Symptoms of a Dog’s Baby Teeth Falling Out

Your puppy’s gums may appear swollen, and her mouth is now tender. You also may notice these signs that your puppy is losing her baby teeth:

  • Blood on chew toys
  • Chewing, lots of chewing
  • Blood on puppy’s mouth
  • Hesitation to chew hard treats
  • Swollen gums
  • The appearance of adult teeth breaking through the gums

Help for Puppy Teething

While her teeth are switching over from her first 28 deciduous, or “baby,” teeth to a full set of 42 adult teeth, your puppy will chew. And chew, and chew. As always, you should watch what she’s choosing as a chew!

Most puppies do enjoy some cold, soft chew items while teething. Soaking a washcloth in cold water and freezing it before giving it to your puppy will help comfort her gums. Soft or semi soft chew items such as Kongs made for puppies are good choices, too. Always supervise chewing, as she may break off pieces of chew items and it’s preferable if she didn’t swallow them.

Resist the urge to introduce tooth brushing until she is through the irritating teething stage. Instead, offer her some enzymatic dog toothpaste (poultry flavor tends to be a big hit) to lick off your fingers.

By the age of 6 to 8 months, your pup should have her full set of adult teeth. Occasionally, a baby tooth will remain in place, with the adult tooth beside or behind it. Your veterinarian may recommend pulling the baby tooth to allow the adult one to grow in normally. Your puppy’s bite (how her front teeth mesh) should be apparent by this time as well.

Rapamycin: The New Anti-Aging Pill for Dogs?

By
Dr. Jennifer Bailey, DVM
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1
Shot of a senior woman out for a hike with her dog
Rapamycin’s ability to regulate the growth of cancer cells made scientists wonder whether rapamycin could work the same way on non-cancerous cells, extending the life of those cells and acting as an anti-aging compound. If this proves to be true, the implications for its use an an anti-aging drug – in humans and dogs – would be profound. Photo by PeopleImages, Getty Photos

The average life span of dogs is about 11 years, with some variation based on size and breed. It would appear that there is now a drug that can extend the length and quality of some dogs’ lives. Rapamycin is a compound that has been found to have a number of important medical uses, including as an anti-fungal agent, an immunosuppressive drug that prevents rejection in organ tranplant recipients, and an anti-cancer drug. It’s already been found to improve cardiac function in dogs – and now it’s being investigated for its ability to extend an animal’s normal lifespan.

Use of Rapamycin in Dogs

Many parts of a dog’s body decline as they age. They lose lean muscle mass, have decreases in heart and immune system function, and can experience cognitive dysfunction. Their risk of developing cancer increases. These changes also happen in mice (and humans!).

Low-dose rapamycin therapy was found to reduce the incidence of cancer in mice. Improvements in both cognitive and muscle function were observed. Declines in heart and immune function were reversed. Low-dose rapamycin therapy also improved the state of several age-related conditions in mice. Recent studies have shown that administering low doses of rapamycin to mice extends their lifespan by 25%.

A study published in 2017 found that low-dose rapamycin therapy improved cardiac function in dogs. Owners of the dogs involved in the study also noted positive behavioral changes, but this requires more study to determine if these effects were due to rapamycin. If the drug works in dogs in a similar fashion as it does in mice – and the indications so far suggest that it will – rapamycin may turn out to be the next big drug

We live in an exciting age of medical research and advancements. While the fountain of youth may be mythical, rapamycin has some exciting prospects in the field of anti-aging. And the benefits may exist for both us and our dogs!

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

You Can Participate in Dog Aging Studies

Researchers with the Dog Aging Project are examining how a dog’s genetics, environment, and lifestyle influence how dogs age. They are currently recruiting dogs from all over the United States to participate in a community science studies – some of which can be done from the comfort of your own home.

Further, dogs who are enrolled in the Dog Aging Project may be eligible to participate in the Dog Aging Project’s Trial of Rapamycin in Aging Dogs (TRIAD) study. The Washington State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital (WSUVTH) is a participating partner in this study, which is being designed to determine whether rapamycin increases the lifespan of companion dogs. A secondary purpose is to determine whether rapamycin improves various measures of health in aging dogs.

If they pass the screening exam, dogs will then be randomly assigned to receive either rapamycin or a placebo for one year. Enrolled dogs will need to return to the WSUVTH in Pullman, Washington, every six months for a three-year period. At each return visit, physical exam, blood pressure, sample collection, ECG, and echocardiogram will be repeated. After that, owners must be willing to take their dogs to their primary care veterinarian once per year for an additional two years of study follow-up.

We will be looking forward with great interest to the results of these studies. Rapamycin seems to have many benefits to offer our dogs – and any increase of our time with them would be extremely welcome.

Please Stop Saying “Kill Shelter”

By
Nancy Kerns
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21
shelter puppies
My local shelter is suffering from an influx of dogs that the shelter director says she hasn't seen for 20 years, including 7 litters of puppies (from five to nine puppies in each litter) at the moment. None of the puppies nor their adoptable mothers will be euthanized, as long as they don't become deathly ill with a contagious disease (parvovirus cases abound in the community right now). The heartworm-positive mothers will be treated for their infections, and all of the puppies and mamas will receive spay/neuter surgery and go up for adoption. But because the shelter will also euthanize a number of unadoptable dogs due to aggression or serious illness or injury (like stray dogs who are brought in that have been hit by cars and are suffering massive injuries), it's often castigated as "the kill shelter." Photo by GeorgePeters, Getty Images.

Seen on my local Nextdoor page: “Is this your dog? If so, contact me ASAP. I do not want to take her to the kill shelter in town.”

Overheard in Petco: “Yes, we got her from a kill shelter in Stockton…”

Said directly to me in response to hearing that I am fostering a mama dog and her five puppies from my local shelter, “Thank you so much for saving their lives! That’s a kill shelter, isn’t it?”

Every time I see or hear this phrase, I want to SCREAM.

Dogs and cats who either lack a home, or are unsuited for or unsafe in any home, are put to death – humanely euthanized – in many shelters in this country. It’s society’s burden, with many factors responsible for the necessity to euthanize animals that no one wants and no one wants to pay for – but it’s not the fault of the shelters that bear the awful responsibility of that act.

Every shelter or rescue group that cares for and finds homes for animals plays a role in helping reduce the country’s overall euthanasia rate – but do not for a moment give praise – or financial contributions – only to the ones that are able to pick and choose how many and what animals they care for and thus do not have to euthanize animals themselves. Because it’s not like the shelters that must do it want to. Someone has to; that’s a sad, hard fact. The shelters and rescue groups that don’t euthanize are able to avoid this task because there are other ones that can’t avoid it.

Pat Miller wrote a great article for WDJ years ago, explaining the differences between the types of shelters. Briefly, to recap, some shelters limit the number and type of animals that they take in; others have contracts that require them to deal with as many animals (and some unadoptable animals) as wash up on their shores, via owner surrender (or animals supposedly “found” by members of the public), law-enforcement seizures, and animal control pickup of stray or dangerous animals. It should be obvious, but few people seem to be aware that a “limited admission” shelter that takes in only a small number of animals, and only when they want to, should not be singled out for praise (and charitable contributions) for not killing any of the few animals they take in, when the municipal shelter in the same community is contractually required to take in exponentially more animals daily – and often on a budget that would choke the limited-admission shelter to death.

For example: I just looked up the numbers for 2020, the last year for which comparable numbers were available for a limited admission shelter and the municipal shelter in the same city near me. The limited-admission shelter, built and run by a nonprofit, took in 184 dogs in 2020, and euthanized just two. Awesome. In the same year, the city shelter took in 606 dogs and euthanized just 38. Considering their budgets were likely comparable – the nonprofit, limited-admission shelter being popular in the community and garnering many donations on the strength of its “no-kill” status – I’d be more inclined to celebrate the municipal shelter for its ability to save as many dogs as they did!

I’m not suggesting we celebrate euthanasia. I am incredibly frustrated with the swelling numbers of animals being brought to shelters and desperately wish that there was more money available for all municipal shelters so more animals could be saved. But the responsibility for the deaths of unwanted animals belongs to all of society, and castigating the agencies that must carry out this horrible task is unfair. Especially when the same staff members who must bear the “kill shelter” label work so. damn. hard. to save lives, too.

Can Dogs Have Nightmares?

By
John Strassburger
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2
Close-up of puppy’s nose
Dogs can have nightmares while sleeping, just as we do, sometimes even whimpering or screaming while they sleep. Credit: RedThinkHead | Getty Images

We dream when we sleep, and science shows that vertebrates can dream, which includes dogs. And if they can dream, then, logically, dogs can have dog night terrors, or nightmares, too. Puppies can be active in their sleep, too.

A study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology found that all vertebrates can dream (Neuron, Jan. 25, 2001). The researchers ran a group of rats through a maze all day, tracking what parts of their brains were activated by this activity and by when they slept. The same parts of the brain were stimulated, causing the researchers to deduce that the rats were reliving their earlier activity. And, they determined that it meant the rats were dreaming.

Dog Whimpering in Sleep

If you hear your dog whimpering in his sleep, you can bet he’s dreaming. It’s part of his rapid eye movement, or REM, sleep cycle. Dogs also scream in their sleep, which is most likely due to a bad dream, just like us. That said, if a dog regularly screams during sleep, you may want to talk with a veterinarian to be sure it’s not a pain issue or other physical problem.

Basically, sleep – in humans and in dogs – comes in two main phases of sleep (both with subcategories):

  • REM or deep sleep
  • non-REM or lighter sleep

The REM phase is when both species have dreams – and nightmares. This phase usually begins 10 to 20 minutes after dogs fall asleep – you can often see their eyeballs moving underneath their eyelids during it.

Dog Dreams

The complexity of dogs’ brains, relative to humans’ brains, leads to this question: What do dogs dream about? Scientists believe that all animal dreams (and nightmares) are limited to their own, probably recent, experiences. That’s why dogs can seem to be chasing, barking at, or even eating something.

Researchers don’t believe that dogs can dream up monsters or assign fanciful personalities to real people or dogs. They believe that dogs can only relive something they’ve already done.

Therefore, a dog’s nightmare is likely based on something that he experienced, such as being beaten, starving, or being separated from his person.

Of course, we don’t know for sure that dogs can have nightmares because they can’t talk and tell us what they’re really dreaming about.

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

The Sleep Foundation says that dogs often dream things that are indicative of their breed: Retrievers dream of chasing and finding birds, pointers point at their quarry, and terriers dream of chasing and catching balls.

They’ve also found that small dogs and young dogs dream the most. They dream short dreams because their attention spans are short; large breeds have longer and fewer dreams.

All mammals have a part of the brain called the pons, which restricts large-muscle movement at sleep. It’s what keeps us from punching our partner or the wall.

But when humans or dogs wake up during a nightmare, they can be confused about who they are, where they are, or what they’re doing. Usually, humans regain control of their limbs before they hurt anyone, but dogs can accidentally bite or strike someone before regaining full consciousness.

That’s why, to remain safe, it’s best “to let sleeping dogs lie” until they’re fully awake.

Why Do Dogs Sniff Butts?

By
Dr. Andrea Lee, DVM
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0
Dogs greeting each other at a dog park.
Dogs sniffing butts as a way of getting to know one another. Each dog has an individual scent, and dogs also sniff urine spots and feces to learn who had been in the area. Credit: Jen Tepp | Getty Images

Dogs meeting other dogs sniff butts. They don’t generally call out to each other. It’s all a natural type of dog body language used when meeting another dog. Typically, they will sniff each other, often in the body areas where urine and feces exit the body. It’s analogous to reading the neighborhood newspaper and can provide social enrichment for a dog even if other dogs are physically absent at that time.

Dogs Meeting Other Dogs

Dogs learn to recognize individual dogs through their individual scents, which is why dogs will spend time sniffing where other dogs have urinated or defecated. (Yes, it is gross by human standards, but keep in mind that we are essentially “blind and deaf” when it comes to our own sense of smell.)

Canine Sense of Smell

The sense of smell is the dog’s primary sense (the other senses are sight, hearing, taste, and touch). A dog has about 150 million olfactory receptors in his nose (compared to 5 million for us mere humans), and the area that processes that information occupies about 30% of the brain (compared to 5% in humans).

It is this amazingly keen sense of smell that makes dogs such great partners in search and rescue operations and bomb detection. There are also dogs who are trained as service dogs who can sense (smell!) when their human is about to have a seizure, and dogs trained to detect cancer in blood samples and bedbugs in hotel rooms.

Sniffing Butts and Pheromones

Dogs also have a specialized organ in the roof of the mouth called the vomeronasal organ, the function of which is to detect pheromones, which are chemicals emitted into the air by animals to communicate specific behavioral and emotional states (readiness to mate, fear, relaxation, etc.). Pheromones are produced by glands (including anal glands) and can be found in saliva, urine, and feces.

How Long Does Anesthesia Last in Dogs?

By
Dr. Jennifer Bailey, DVM
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0
Senior dog with Elizabethan collar
Keep a close eye on your dog for at least 24 to 48 hours after he comes home following a veterinary procedure that required general anesthesia. It can take that long for all the side-effects of the medicaitons he received to wear off. Photo by JulPo, Getty Images

Dogs who undergo general anesthesia for a surgical, dental, or diagnostic procedure often receive a combination of drugs during their hospital stay, including sedatives, anxiolytics (anti-anxiety medications), and analgesics (pain medications). They also receive an injectable anesthetic agent to induce anesthesia and a gaseous anesthetic agent to maintain anesthesia once they are anesthetized.

The injectable and gaseous anesthetic agents are metabolized quickly by your dog’s body and are typically out of your dog’s system by the time he returns home. But sedatives and anxiolytics can linger in your dog’s body and the side effects they cause can last 12 to 24 hours. Analgesics are designed to remain active in your dog’s body for 8 to 12 hours after administration to provide pain relief. Analgesics can also have some side effects.

If Your Dog Is Whining After Anesthesia

Whining after returning home from a surgical or dental procedure could be due to your dog feeling a little disoriented or dysphoric. But excessive whining or crying that does not resolve within 30 to 60 minutes of returning home could be an indication that your dog is in pain. Follow your veterinarian’s instructions regarding when and how much to give of your dog’s prescribed pain medications. If your dog continues to whine or starts acting uncomfortable or restless, contact your veterinarian for further instructions.

What to Expect After Anesthesia

Being under anesthesia can slow the forward movement of your dog’s gastrointestinal system, also known as peristalsis. Your dog was also likely fasted at least 12 hours prior to his procedure. An empty stomach, combined with slowed peristalsis, means that your dog may not have a bowel movement until 48 to 72 hours after he comes home. This is normal and expected.

Sedatives and anxiolytics can make dogs sleepy, have an unsteady gait, startle easily, or be disinterested in eating. These effects typically last about 12 to 24 hours after returning home.

Dogs who experience inappetance should not be forced to eat or drink. Your dog will eat and drink when he is ready and feels up to it. He likely received intravenous fluids while he was under anesthesia and therefore may not have a desire to drink water right away.

Keep your dog away from stairs or from places where he might fall. This includes being up on furniture. Once he has recovered from anesthesia, follow your veterinarian’s instructions regarding return to physical activity after a surgical or dental procedure.

Some dogs will startle easily and act in unexpected and unusual ways upon returning home. This can include snapping at loved ones for even the mildest of transgressions. You may want to keep your dog separated from young children and other pets in the home while he recovers.

Your dog may have a slight cough for one to two days after an anesthetic procedure. Most dogs who are anesthetized are intubated to deliver oxygen and anesthetic gas directly to their lungs. Intubation is the placement of an endotracheal tube down the throat and into the trachea. Endotracheal tubes can sometimes cause tracheal irritation, resulting in a mild cough that resolves on its own after a couple of days.

Analgesics are designed to relieve pain for 8 – 12 hours after administration. Some analgesics can make your dog feel sleepy or dilate his pupils. These side effects are typically mild. The benefits of pain relief typically outweigh the mild side effects.

Side Effects After Anesthesia

Dogs who are overweight may experience side effects from sedatives and anxiolytics for longer periods of time than lean dogs. This is because many of the sedatives and anxiolytics used in veterinary medicine are fat-soluble. A fraction of the drugs administered are stored in a dog’s body fat and then slowly re-released into their bloodstream over time. This can lengthen a dog’s complete recovery from anesthesia.

While most of these side effects are expected, there are some that are not. Contact your veterinarian if you notice any of the following signs:

  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Not eating or drinking after 12 hours
  • Still sleepy after 24 hours
  • Still unsteady on his feet after 24 hours
  • No bowel movement after 72 hours
  • Cough that does not resolve after three days or becomes worse over one to three days

Recovery from anesthesia continues and ends at home. You are the eyes and ears for your dog’s healthcare team while he recovers in your care. Reach out to your veterinarian with any questions or concerns you may have about what you observe during your dog’s recovery period.

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I have never owned a dog with separation anxiety, thank goodness. The condition is hard on the dog who suffers from the condition and hard on the dog’s caretakers, too, including owners, vets, groomers, pet sitters, and dog walkers. Care must be taken to prevent triggering the dog’s panic at being left alone—in severe cases, even just long enough for the person caring for the dog to use the restroom!
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