Most dogs will suffer from arthritis at some point of their lives.
What is commonly referred to simply as "arthritis" is the degenerative form of the disease, or osteoarthritis (OA), which is caused by wear and tear of the joint tissue, often as a result of injury (such as a torn ACL), anatomic abnormalities (such as hip dysplasia or luxating patella), obesity or poor physical condition. Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis in dogs. It is most likely to develop in larger joints such as the knees or hips. While any dog can develop arthritis, it is more common in the larger breeds.
Osteoarthritis is diagnosed based on a dog's symptoms, physical exam and x-rays.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a completely different disease. It is rare in dogs and accounts for a very small percentage of arthritis diagnoses. While it might lag behind in quantity, it surely doesn't come up short in severity.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an immune-mediated disease. This means that your dog's own immune system attacks his joint tissues leading to their inflammation and damage. Small breed, young to middle-aged dogs are most commonly affected, and multiple, smaller joints, such as the toes, wrists) or ankles are typically involved.
Common symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis include swollen and painful joints, a lameness that seems to shift from one leg to another, stiffness, decreased mobility and a reluctance to exercise. Dog suffering from rheumatoid arthritis can also have a fever, swollen lymph nodes and experience depression and loss of appetite.
Diagnosing rheumatoid arthritis is not always easy. While your veterinarian may suspect the disease based on your dog’s history, physical exam and the presence of typical joint damage on x-rays, blood work and an analysis of joint fluid or a tissue biopsy may be needed to correctly determine if your dog is suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, another type of immune-mediated arthritis, osteoarthritis or infectious arthritis.
Infectious arthritis is an acute form of arthritis caused by infection in the joint. It can be a result of tick-born diseases such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever, or caused by fungal infection. It often affects only a single joint and it is accompanied by swelling and fever. Rheumatoid arthritis in fact is one of the risk factors to contracting infectious arthritis.
An accurate diagnosis is important, because each form of arthritis requires a different type of treatment. For example, arthritis that is caused by a bacterial joint infection will require antibiotics, while treatment of rheumatoid arthritis might involve anti-inflammatories, steroids or other immunosuppressive drugs.
Jana
Have a question? Don't hesitate to ask
Related articles:
Rheumatoid Arthritis (Immune-mediated Disease) in Dogs
Talk To Me About Arthritis
Owner-to-owner things I've learned about dogs and dog health issues. Your dog's health is in your hands.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
The Many Reasons Why I Love Our Dogs: Loyalty
Just recently Dr. Stanley Coren wrote a touching post about dog's loyalty: Loyal Dogs that Wait: A North American Version of Greyfriars Bobby. It is about a sheepherding dog who, after his master's death, spent the rest of his life waiting for the master's return.
It truly helped me to appreciate our dogs' loyalty and I believe they too would remain waiting for our return to the end of their days.
It was a weekend like any other and Jasmine and J.D. were spending it at friends' farm with my husband and his friend. They love being able to spend the day hanging out, watching what my husband will come up with doing, and following him around. There are no leashes and no fences there, and there is no need for them.
If he has to run into town, he takes them along.
This time, however, he had to go pick up a new truck and couldn't take the dogs with him as he normally would. The plan was that he'll go by himself while his friend will stay and watch the dogs. He did suspect that they might not like being left behind.
They were quite unhappy when my husband left without them but eventually settled down in waiting. That seemed like a good time to let them out and take them for a little walk. My husband's friend opened the doors and encouraged them to go with him. Probably in hope that finally they'll get to follow to where my husband went, they came out of the shop only to notice that our truck was gone.
J.D., the younger boy, was hesitantly following, but Jasmine stopped in her tracks. None of the encouraging and treat bribes got her to go. She stood there for a while, then returned to the shop and laid down. J.D., when he saw she wasn't coming, returned to the shop also.
They know my husband's friend well and they love going for walks. But they were not going to go anywhere. The shop is where my husband left them, that's where he was going to look for them when he returned, that's where they were going to be. Nothing was going to change their mind.
Hardly an epic story, I know. But it did touch my heart nevertheless. And made me realize that in order to take care of our dogs we better also take good care of ourselves ...
Jana
Related articles:
Jasmine
Why Do We Choose the Breeds We Do?
Don't Go Look At Puppies, Unless You Want To Have A Dog
Outsmarting a Smart Dog
Our story is far from being as dramatic but it does share the same sentiment.
It truly helped me to appreciate our dogs' loyalty and I believe they too would remain waiting for our return to the end of their days.
It was a weekend like any other and Jasmine and J.D. were spending it at friends' farm with my husband and his friend. They love being able to spend the day hanging out, watching what my husband will come up with doing, and following him around. There are no leashes and no fences there, and there is no need for them.
Where my husband goes, they go.
If he has to run into town, he takes them along.
This time, however, he had to go pick up a new truck and couldn't take the dogs with him as he normally would. The plan was that he'll go by himself while his friend will stay and watch the dogs. He did suspect that they might not like being left behind.
That's why the friend was to stay with them in the shop and wait a while before taking them out for a walk.
They were quite unhappy when my husband left without them but eventually settled down in waiting. That seemed like a good time to let them out and take them for a little walk. My husband's friend opened the doors and encouraged them to go with him. Probably in hope that finally they'll get to follow to where my husband went, they came out of the shop only to notice that our truck was gone.
That has never happened before!
J.D., the younger boy, was hesitantly following, but Jasmine stopped in her tracks. None of the encouraging and treat bribes got her to go. She stood there for a while, then returned to the shop and laid down. J.D., when he saw she wasn't coming, returned to the shop also.
And that's where my husband found them when he came back.
They know my husband's friend well and they love going for walks. But they were not going to go anywhere. The shop is where my husband left them, that's where he was going to look for them when he returned, that's where they were going to be. Nothing was going to change their mind.
Hardly an epic story, I know. But it did touch my heart nevertheless. And made me realize that in order to take care of our dogs we better also take good care of ourselves ...
“He who is faithful in little things, will be also faithful in large ones...”
Luke 16:10
There are many reasons I love our dogs as much as I do. Loyalty is on the top of that list.
Jana
Related articles:
Jasmine
Why Do We Choose the Breeds We Do?
Don't Go Look At Puppies, Unless You Want To Have A Dog
Outsmarting a Smart Dog
Monday, May 24, 2010
Trainer's Corner: What Makes A Dog A Bully
by Julie Nutter
The personality
There you are, standing in the middle of the kind of drama daytime TV strives for – in one corner you’ve got Puppy A and Puppy B, who are cowering like they’ve just survived Vietnam, while in the second corner Puppies C and D are play bowing, woofing, and having a good time.
In the third corner—and here’s the puppy you WANT because he’s just so cute you can’t handle it—is Puppy E, who is staring down a very nervous looking Puppy F.
A puppy isn't born with a clean slate. Some personality traits are inherited and will start showing very quickly. By interacting with his littermates a puppy quickly learns how far these can take him. Dog communication systems are up and running from day one, and their personalities are forming faster than mom can pop them out. This is very helpful if you do your homework and know either how to pick the “best” puppy for you or how to handle the puppy you've picked.
However, if you are like most people and pick the puppy that is the most appealing to you —Puppy E, despite the fact that he’s over in the corner trying to give Puppy F a heart attack—you may find yourself with a dog who is already a bully in the making.
But not every dog is BORN a bully—some learn it, too.
Socialization
How your dog meets other dogs, other people or handles himself in a new environment is just as important as getting to meet them and being exposed to new places and situations.
It will do little good to take your dog to meet a new puppy if he’s allowed to run up and greet him face to face. While humans like greeting one another that way, dogs find it rude.
Dogs prefer what we call a calming curve which means that instead of a face-to-face greeting, they arc their bodies and sniff each other’s rear ends, genitals, and maybe even each other’s mouths. (Yes, sometimes in that exact order. Don’t you just want to let your dog lick your face right now?)
A dog that runs right up to another dog’s face is either very brave (albeit very stupid) or is trying to start something. Since you don’t know how a dog approached this way will react—that is, whether he will assume the pup is just rude or if he will assume that he is trying to eat him—don’t take the chance.
Do you have e a dog who likes charging headfirst toward another dog’s face? Perhaps he’s too excited when he’s going to meet another dog—so excited, in fact, that he’s practically pulling your arm out of socket to get there? A dog like this probably isn’t going to remember his manners.
Here’s a rule of thumb: If you think your dog isn’t going to meet another dog politely, don’t let him meet the other dog; seeing another dog is still a step in the right direction. Socializing doesn’t always have to mean “meet;” first, your dog has to be able to handle himself around other dogs. If he can’t, he shouldn’t be rehearsing the wrong way to do it.
Wait for calmness, and then proceed.
Rehearsal
I mentioned rehearsing the wrong thing. Here’s the deal: the more times a dog gets to do it the wrong way, the harder it’s going to be to retrain him to do it the right way, and the more likely the poor guy is going to get himself into trouble.
Why train him to do it the right way? If you don't, you’re putting yourself, your dog, and other dogs at risk. Not only could another dog take offense and take it out on your dog—or you—but bullying CAN escalate into aggression.
Note: If you think your dog is aggressive, or is headed toward the path of aggression, contact a professional trainer or behaviorist. The IAABC, APDT, CAPDT, and CDBC websites have a section dedicated to finding a professional in your area. Look them up, and give them a call.
What are these “wrong things” I keep referring to? Here are some examples (a few already mentioned) :
What do I mean by coping skills? Let's take a look at an example.
Kittie and I were walking along, and lo and behold, ahead of us was a dog that was dragging his human down the street. Kittie was interested and would have liked to investigate, even though the dog was coming off a little strongly for either of our tastes. Being a smart and savvy owner… I knew that I couldn’t possibly know how a meeting with that particular dog would turn out. I turned, called her to me - and away from the interesting dog - and walked away.
A dog with lacking coping skills could have had a variety of reactions to that encounter (or lack thereof.) First, she may have balked and freaked out about the fact that there was another dog. She may have also gotten snippy with me when she realized that I wasn’t going to allow her to meet the other dog.
Whether you’re asking your dog to handle herself in a new environment, handle being told the n-o word, handle hearing a loud noise, etc; she’s being asked to use her coping mechanisms. A dog without them… is a dog who was likely allowed to rehearse fears, demanding behaviors; or if she was ever asked for a command, she never had to perform it. Again, these are examples, and dogs without coping skills also come from abused or neglected homes, or they may even bad genetics.
We need to be educated owners with our dog’s best interests in mind and in heart. That means that we need to train OUR dogs how to properly greet and handle themselves in the presence of other dogs. Even if it means that sometimes we’re going to have to say “no” to an owner of the cutest, most adorable puppy that we don’t feel comfortable allowing our dog to meet. We can’t possibly leave it up to the other dog parents to get it together. When it comes to your dog, it’s up to you. There’s no reason to allow your dog to be bullied by another dog, or to be the bully.
***
Julie is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer, a member of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers, and is working on her case studies to become a member of the International Association of Animal Behvaior Consultants. She coaches parents to train their fur-children in Confidence Building for fearful dogs, Agility, Rally, FlyBall, and Obedience. In her free time, she volunteers at local shelters and reads up on the newest dog-world information. You can visit her website at www.northeastdogtraining.org.
Related articles:
More Than Meets The Eye: Dog Language And Beyond Part III
Book Review: Tail Talk
Book Review: How To Speak Dog
Book Review: How Dogs Think
Book Review: The Other End Of The Leash
Book Review: On Talking Terms With Dogs: Calming Signals
The personality
There you are, standing in the middle of the kind of drama daytime TV strives for – in one corner you’ve got Puppy A and Puppy B, who are cowering like they’ve just survived Vietnam, while in the second corner Puppies C and D are play bowing, woofing, and having a good time.
In the third corner—and here’s the puppy you WANT because he’s just so cute you can’t handle it—is Puppy E, who is staring down a very nervous looking Puppy F.
A puppy isn't born with a clean slate. Some personality traits are inherited and will start showing very quickly. By interacting with his littermates a puppy quickly learns how far these can take him. Dog communication systems are up and running from day one, and their personalities are forming faster than mom can pop them out. This is very helpful if you do your homework and know either how to pick the “best” puppy for you or how to handle the puppy you've picked.
However, if you are like most people and pick the puppy that is the most appealing to you —Puppy E, despite the fact that he’s over in the corner trying to give Puppy F a heart attack—you may find yourself with a dog who is already a bully in the making.
But not every dog is BORN a bully—some learn it, too.
Socialization
How your dog meets other dogs, other people or handles himself in a new environment is just as important as getting to meet them and being exposed to new places and situations.
It will do little good to take your dog to meet a new puppy if he’s allowed to run up and greet him face to face. While humans like greeting one another that way, dogs find it rude.
Dogs prefer what we call a calming curve which means that instead of a face-to-face greeting, they arc their bodies and sniff each other’s rear ends, genitals, and maybe even each other’s mouths. (Yes, sometimes in that exact order. Don’t you just want to let your dog lick your face right now?)
A dog that runs right up to another dog’s face is either very brave (albeit very stupid) or is trying to start something. Since you don’t know how a dog approached this way will react—that is, whether he will assume the pup is just rude or if he will assume that he is trying to eat him—don’t take the chance.
Do you have e a dog who likes charging headfirst toward another dog’s face? Perhaps he’s too excited when he’s going to meet another dog—so excited, in fact, that he’s practically pulling your arm out of socket to get there? A dog like this probably isn’t going to remember his manners.
Kittie (right) is meeting Daisey (middle), who is not dog friendly. Though they'd already met, Daisey is showing her displeasure at having been approached face to face.
Here’s a rule of thumb: If you think your dog isn’t going to meet another dog politely, don’t let him meet the other dog; seeing another dog is still a step in the right direction. Socializing doesn’t always have to mean “meet;” first, your dog has to be able to handle himself around other dogs. If he can’t, he shouldn’t be rehearsing the wrong way to do it.
Wait for calmness, and then proceed.
Rehearsal
I mentioned rehearsing the wrong thing. Here’s the deal: the more times a dog gets to do it the wrong way, the harder it’s going to be to retrain him to do it the right way, and the more likely the poor guy is going to get himself into trouble.
Why train him to do it the right way? If you don't, you’re putting yourself, your dog, and other dogs at risk. Not only could another dog take offense and take it out on your dog—or you—but bullying CAN escalate into aggression.
Note: If you think your dog is aggressive, or is headed toward the path of aggression, contact a professional trainer or behaviorist. The IAABC, APDT, CAPDT, and CDBC websites have a section dedicated to finding a professional in your area. Look them up, and give them a call.
What are these “wrong things” I keep referring to? Here are some examples (a few already mentioned) :
- Dog runs straight up to another dog’s face as a “greeting.”
- Constantly tries to put his head or paws over the shoulders of another dog.
- Dog - females included - tries to mount another dog or even hump the air next to him.
- Dog that constantly mouths other dogs - especially around the neck area, even more so if done in an over-the-shoulders fashion.
Case example: Maggie May and adolescence
One day my brother was doing sit-ups on the floor of his bedroom. Maggie was hanging out, sitting on top of the bed and watching him. Suddenly, she hopped off the bed, ran over to him, and mounted his leg.Coping Skills
This confused and distressed my brother greatly - so much so that he abandoned his exercise and immediately contacted our trainer and behaviorist. (…who subsequently probably about fell over laughing. We’ll never know; he won’t tell us.)
Maggie wasn’t being a bully. She wasn’t even being bad - she simply was an adolescent dog who got overly excited, wasn’t quite sure of her position in the pack, and just so happened to think humping my poor brother’s leg while he was exercising was a grand idea.
What do I mean by coping skills? Let's take a look at an example.
Kittie and I were walking along, and lo and behold, ahead of us was a dog that was dragging his human down the street. Kittie was interested and would have liked to investigate, even though the dog was coming off a little strongly for either of our tastes. Being a smart and savvy owner… I knew that I couldn’t possibly know how a meeting with that particular dog would turn out. I turned, called her to me - and away from the interesting dog - and walked away.
A dog with lacking coping skills could have had a variety of reactions to that encounter (or lack thereof.) First, she may have balked and freaked out about the fact that there was another dog. She may have also gotten snippy with me when she realized that I wasn’t going to allow her to meet the other dog.
Whether you’re asking your dog to handle herself in a new environment, handle being told the n-o word, handle hearing a loud noise, etc; she’s being asked to use her coping mechanisms. A dog without them… is a dog who was likely allowed to rehearse fears, demanding behaviors; or if she was ever asked for a command, she never had to perform it. Again, these are examples, and dogs without coping skills also come from abused or neglected homes, or they may even bad genetics.
Case example: Emma Dog
The first day I met Emma, I knew she was a bully. We - my dog Kittie and I - were standing in the front of the Doggy Daycare, waiting for the day’s arrivals when Emma came in to meet us.Bullying is on the rise. And so is puppy aggression. Whether it’s due to genetics, socialization, rehearsing poor behavior, lack of coping skills, or even lack of decent training - it’s still on the rise.
Emma came in nicely, and Kittie tried to engage her in a nicely done calming curve sniff, but instead Emma ran right up to her and started shoving her around using her shoulders. She jumped on her back, tried to bite at her neck, and would do it all over again even after she was called off.
Emma is not a patient dog; she wants what she wants right now and she gets extremely upset when things don’t go her way. The day I met her, I said she was headed straight down a Very Bad Path. I did my best with what little time I had with her to teach her “Permission Please” and it worked well … but only when she was with me.
Unfortunately, Emma’s mom and dad allow her to bully them - and other dogs - into giving her anything and everything she wants.
Emma Dog’s mom doesn’t have her ask “Permission Please” before she gets anything. Emma gets to bark, growl, whine, snap, and rehearse any type of demanding, poor behavior she so pleases before she gets her goody, her ball, etc. So, when Emma Dog comes to daycare, she expects life to be much the same.
Last time I saw Emma, it had been quite a few months since I’d driven the hour and a half drive to Paws N Claws to help out with Daycare for the day. I expected her to be much the same, but since I’d last heard that Emma was going to Dog School, I had high hopes for the once-demanding pooch.
Unfortunately, I was in for an unpleasant surprise. The door to outside is not double-gated, and though everyone is on leash, I ask for a sit before the door is opened, just to make extra sure that everything is in order and no one is going to slip his leash and make a dash for State Route 14. I will not do anything that could result in the loss of one of these precious pooches.
However, Miss Emma Dog - who knows “sit” very well - was too busy staring at the door intently to comply with my “Permission Please” request. I waited…and waited…and waited….
And Emma Dog turned around and barked, whined, and growled at me, demanding I open the door RIGHT NOW. (I ignored this, but moved all other dogs away from Emma, so that she could not make the decision to take her frustration out on anything but a door knob. Emma doesn’t have very good coping skills. When she’s not given her way, she explodes into a frustrated rage and will attack anything near her - be it a fence post, a human, or another dog.)
I just waited. It wasn’t going to hurt my feelings if she didn’t get her way.
She sat out of sheer frustration, but I took it and ran with it, told her good girl, released her, and opened the door.
We need to be educated owners with our dog’s best interests in mind and in heart. That means that we need to train OUR dogs how to properly greet and handle themselves in the presence of other dogs. Even if it means that sometimes we’re going to have to say “no” to an owner of the cutest, most adorable puppy that we don’t feel comfortable allowing our dog to meet. We can’t possibly leave it up to the other dog parents to get it together. When it comes to your dog, it’s up to you. There’s no reason to allow your dog to be bullied by another dog, or to be the bully.
***
Julie is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer, a member of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers, and is working on her case studies to become a member of the International Association of Animal Behvaior Consultants. She coaches parents to train their fur-children in Confidence Building for fearful dogs, Agility, Rally, FlyBall, and Obedience. In her free time, she volunteers at local shelters and reads up on the newest dog-world information. You can visit her website at www.northeastdogtraining.org.
Related articles:
More Than Meets The Eye: Dog Language And Beyond Part III
Book Review: Tail Talk
Book Review: How To Speak Dog
Book Review: How Dogs Think
Book Review: The Other End Of The Leash
Book Review: On Talking Terms With Dogs: Calming Signals
Friday, May 21, 2010
Don’t Forget the Physical Therapy
Guest article by Jennifer Coates, DVM
The medical establishment, at least on the human side of things, has been preaching the gospel about the benefits of physical therapy for a long time. One of my family members recently had hip replacement surgery. Her doctor went so far as to say that he could perform a flawless procedure, but if my Aunt didn’t hold up her end of the bargain with physical therapy, the surgery didn’t have a chance of succeeding. If only we veterinarians could explain that to our patients! Vets and owners must work together to make sure that dogs get the physical therapy they need.
Why Physical Therapy?
The benefits of physical therapy shouldn’t be understated. Some dogs can’t regain normal or even minimal function after surgery, injury or illness without it. For example, a study published in 2002 reported that dogs receiving physical therapy after surgery to repair a ruptured ACL used their post-op legs as well as their normal legs, while dogs that were rested for six months after surgery still favored their post-op legs.
The goal of physical therapy is to maximize mobility and comfort in the face of whatever condition a dog is dealing with. Strength, flexibility, awareness of body position and endurance all come into play. If your dog suffers from a musculoskeletal or neuromuscular condition like arthritis or intervertebral disk disease or is facing surgery, ask your veterinarian whether he or she is comfortable coming up with a physical therapy plan or whether you should be referred to a canine physiotherapist (that’s a therapist who works with dogs not a dog who is a therapist). If your veterinary surgeon does not emphasize the importance of physical therapy after musculoskeletal or neurosurgery, consider finding a different surgeon.
Plans vary depending on the condition being treated and where an individual dog is in the recovery process. In uncomplicated situations, you may be able to provide your dog with everything he needs at home. In other cases, appointments with a trained physiotherapist will be necessary. What follows is an overview of common physical therapy techniques, with an emphasis on what might be recommended after repair of a ruptured ACL.
Initial Treatment
Postoperative physical therapy can often start as soon as the last skin suture or staple has been put in place. The nursing staff may ice the surgical site before your dog has even completely awoken from anesthesia. This is called cryotherapy and serves to reduce swelling and pain after trauma has occurred. Cryotherapy usually continues for several days after surgery. At some point, warm heat may replace the cold packs to help your dog’s body eliminate any persistent swelling.
Passive range of motion exercises (PROM) and massage are also usually started soon after surgery, although the exact timing depends on what type of procedure has been performed. You may be instructed to flex, extend and/or rotate your dog’s affected joint(s) to the point where you feel mild resistance but your dog is not experiencing pain. PROM and massage help prevent a patient’s soft tissues from tightening up. Later on in recovery, stretching may be added to your dog’s regime. Stretches are similar to PROM exercises except that a little more pressure is applied. Range of motion and stretching can be passive (i.e., you move your dog’s legs) or active, during which you encourage your dog to move and stretch himself.
Leash walking is an important and commonly used form of physical therapy. Use a short leash, keep the pace slow, and to reduce the chances of slips and falls, pick an area that has a relatively level and even surface to begin with. The goal is to get your dog to start bearing weight on the affected limb. If your dog is reluctant to do so, and you have checked with your veterinarian to make sure that pain control is adequate and your dog’s recovery is on schedule, you can push him gently from the opposite side as he is about to place his affected leg down. Sometimes dogs seem to think “hey, I have three good legs. I’m not even going to bother with this other one,” but this can lead to big problems if it is allowed to go on too long.
Advanced Techniques
Once healing has reached a certain point, more aggressive exercises can be started. Leash walks are increased in length and trotting, ramps and stairs may be added. Other activities that force your dog to really bend, stretch and use his muscles can include:
Whatever form of physical therapy your veterinarian or physiotherapist recommends, follow through with it, even if your dog seems to prefer lying on the couch. Your canine companion is counting on you to help him make it through his illness or injury and emerge on the other side as much like his old self as possible.
***
Jennifer Coates, DVM graduated with honors from the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine in 1999. In the years since, she has practiced veterinary medicine in Virginia, Wyoming, and Colorado. She is the author of several books about veterinary medicine and animal care, including the Dictionary of Veterinary Terms: Vet-speak Deciphered for the Non-veterinarian. Jennifer also writes short stories that focus on the strength and importance of the human-animal bond and freelance articles relating to a variety of animal care and veterinary topics. Dr. Coates lives in Fort Collins, Colorado with her husband, daughter, and pets.
Further reading:
Could This Therapy Improve Your Dog’s Mobility?
Related articles:
Underwater Treadmill
Talk To Me About ACL Injuries
Preventing ACL Injuries In Dogs
ACL Injuries In Dogs: Xena's Story
ACL Injury Conservative Management: Sandy's Story
ACL Injuries in Dogs: Non-Surgical Alternatives?
The medical establishment, at least on the human side of things, has been preaching the gospel about the benefits of physical therapy for a long time. One of my family members recently had hip replacement surgery. Her doctor went so far as to say that he could perform a flawless procedure, but if my Aunt didn’t hold up her end of the bargain with physical therapy, the surgery didn’t have a chance of succeeding. If only we veterinarians could explain that to our patients! Vets and owners must work together to make sure that dogs get the physical therapy they need.
Why Physical Therapy?
The benefits of physical therapy shouldn’t be understated. Some dogs can’t regain normal or even minimal function after surgery, injury or illness without it. For example, a study published in 2002 reported that dogs receiving physical therapy after surgery to repair a ruptured ACL used their post-op legs as well as their normal legs, while dogs that were rested for six months after surgery still favored their post-op legs.
The goal of physical therapy is to maximize mobility and comfort in the face of whatever condition a dog is dealing with. Strength, flexibility, awareness of body position and endurance all come into play. If your dog suffers from a musculoskeletal or neuromuscular condition like arthritis or intervertebral disk disease or is facing surgery, ask your veterinarian whether he or she is comfortable coming up with a physical therapy plan or whether you should be referred to a canine physiotherapist (that’s a therapist who works with dogs not a dog who is a therapist). If your veterinary surgeon does not emphasize the importance of physical therapy after musculoskeletal or neurosurgery, consider finding a different surgeon.
Plans vary depending on the condition being treated and where an individual dog is in the recovery process. In uncomplicated situations, you may be able to provide your dog with everything he needs at home. In other cases, appointments with a trained physiotherapist will be necessary. What follows is an overview of common physical therapy techniques, with an emphasis on what might be recommended after repair of a ruptured ACL.
Initial Treatment
Postoperative physical therapy can often start as soon as the last skin suture or staple has been put in place. The nursing staff may ice the surgical site before your dog has even completely awoken from anesthesia. This is called cryotherapy and serves to reduce swelling and pain after trauma has occurred. Cryotherapy usually continues for several days after surgery. At some point, warm heat may replace the cold packs to help your dog’s body eliminate any persistent swelling.
Passive range of motion exercises (PROM) and massage are also usually started soon after surgery, although the exact timing depends on what type of procedure has been performed. You may be instructed to flex, extend and/or rotate your dog’s affected joint(s) to the point where you feel mild resistance but your dog is not experiencing pain. PROM and massage help prevent a patient’s soft tissues from tightening up. Later on in recovery, stretching may be added to your dog’s regime. Stretches are similar to PROM exercises except that a little more pressure is applied. Range of motion and stretching can be passive (i.e., you move your dog’s legs) or active, during which you encourage your dog to move and stretch himself.
Leash walking is an important and commonly used form of physical therapy. Use a short leash, keep the pace slow, and to reduce the chances of slips and falls, pick an area that has a relatively level and even surface to begin with. The goal is to get your dog to start bearing weight on the affected limb. If your dog is reluctant to do so, and you have checked with your veterinarian to make sure that pain control is adequate and your dog’s recovery is on schedule, you can push him gently from the opposite side as he is about to place his affected leg down. Sometimes dogs seem to think “hey, I have three good legs. I’m not even going to bother with this other one,” but this can lead to big problems if it is allowed to go on too long.
Advanced Techniques
Once healing has reached a certain point, more aggressive exercises can be started. Leash walks are increased in length and trotting, ramps and stairs may be added. Other activities that force your dog to really bend, stretch and use his muscles can include:
- Repeatedly asking him to sit and then stand
- Weaving between poles or cones set in a line
- Figure eights
- Dancing – stepping forward, backward and side to side
- Cavalettis – stepping over poles set on blocks of varying heights and distances apart
- Feeding from elevated food dishes
- Physioballs – draping the body over or placing the feet on a large ball and then rolling it to and fro
- Rocker boards – standing on a platform that can move a small distance in two directions
- Wobble boards – standing on a platform that can move in all directions
- Balance blocks – placing the feet on blocks that can be slid in any direction
- The addition of weights to any exercise
Whatever form of physical therapy your veterinarian or physiotherapist recommends, follow through with it, even if your dog seems to prefer lying on the couch. Your canine companion is counting on you to help him make it through his illness or injury and emerge on the other side as much like his old self as possible.
***
Jennifer Coates, DVM graduated with honors from the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine in 1999. In the years since, she has practiced veterinary medicine in Virginia, Wyoming, and Colorado. She is the author of several books about veterinary medicine and animal care, including the Dictionary of Veterinary Terms: Vet-speak Deciphered for the Non-veterinarian. Jennifer also writes short stories that focus on the strength and importance of the human-animal bond and freelance articles relating to a variety of animal care and veterinary topics. Dr. Coates lives in Fort Collins, Colorado with her husband, daughter, and pets.
Further reading:
Could This Therapy Improve Your Dog’s Mobility?
Related articles:
Underwater Treadmill
Talk To Me About ACL Injuries
Preventing ACL Injuries In Dogs
ACL Injuries In Dogs: Xena's Story
ACL Injury Conservative Management: Sandy's Story
ACL Injuries in Dogs: Non-Surgical Alternatives?
Thursday, May 20, 2010
The Versatile Blogger Award: Help Share The Love!
Do you want to share the love? Here are the rules
1. Thank the person who gave it to you.
Thank you, Macy, for sharing this award with Dawg Business! We are here to help keep dogs happy and healthy.
2. Share 7 things about yourself.
- Jasmine is the puppy that changed my life. My love for her, and the many health issues she has been face with, inspired this blog.
- Jasmine underwent 6 surgeries and two near death experiences in the past two years, but she pulled through and is enjoying her life again!
- This blog is Jasmine's legacy to the world, sharing the things we've been through and what we've learned along the way, hoping that it might help other dogs through difficult times.
- Jasmine loves her life! She loves her family, her hikes through the woods and her buddy J.D.
- She is an extremely smart girl and knows how to get her own way.
- Her buddy J.D. loves her very much and loves learning from her.
- Jasmine is hoping that through better education of their parents, this blog might improve dogs' lives.
3. Pass the award along to bloggers who you have recently discovered and you think are fantastic:
That Mutt
Dancing Dog Blog
Will My Dog Hate Me
Oh My Dog!
Dachshund Tails
Dogs Deserve Freedom
Journey With Pugs
Dogan Dogs Video Blogs
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
What's Up With That: Breed Specific Legislation
My friend from Will My Dog Hate Me? blog brought up this topic for her latest Friday Focus series, and that's what inspired this post.
Breed specific legislation... First, let's start by calling it what it is: breed specific bans—unless you came across a piece of legislation providing some breed specific privileges. If you did, please do let me know!
Such legislation clearly suggests that there is such a thing as a bad breed. How correct is such thinking?
It is true that incidents with dogs of certain breeds are more likely to make the news than others. One of the main reasons for that is that large dogs can simply cause more damage when things do go wrong. You don't see many headlines on Schnauzer or Jack Russell Terrier attacks. Is it because they are so meek and docile? Not the ones I know... but ripped pants are hardly breaking news. Though I did come across a story of a Chihuahua attack: Pack of Angry Chihuahuas Attack Officer. But that's just embarrassing.
So yes, size does matter when it comes to incidents involving dogs. Should we ban all breeds physically capable of doing any substantial damage then? Or just those of certain color …?
We've been sharing our lives with Rottweilers for about 20 years now and we couldn't ask for sweeter, more loving dogs. They are clearly not living up to their bad reputation, possibly because nobody told them they should...
Is there such a thing as a bad breed?
I think that this is the wrong question to start out with. Are some breeds more vulnerable to bad breeding? Yes. Are some breeds more likely to end up in the wrong hands? Yes. But what does that tell you? It is not the breed that is the problem, but the breeders and the type of people who are likely to choose such a breed for the wrong reasons.
Quite often poor choices can precede a bad reputation. It seems that every time a movie comes out, with an adorable canine hero, it creates a high demand for that particular breed. Everybody wants it, so everybody breeds it, and good breeding practices go out the window. Result? Increase in the number of dogs with negative character traits within the breed.
That, combined with improper upbringing, results in a breed getting a bad reputation and rightfully so. But who is to blame? Do you see the level of human involvement?
Poor breeding practices: does that mean character traits are genetic?
Yes, indeed they are. Dogs have been bred for particular traits all along. Hunting dogs, herding dogs... these all become part of their genes. Are aggression or tameness also part of the genetic make-up? According to a scientific experiment with Siberian foxes they are. Among other amazing discoveries, this experiment shows the dramatic difference breeding choices will make. And here we are, back to the human element.
Is it possible that eventually an entire breed could become damaged goods? Possibly, but I really don't believe so. There will always be people who will breed those dogs out of true love for the breed, will do so responsibly, and thus preserve healthy bloodlines.
Legislate against specific breeds or not?
Well, it's the easy solution to the problem, isn't it? It is much easier to enforce a breed specific ban than to enforce responsible breeding and ownership. It is easier to pass a breed specific ban than to evaluate individual dogs or bloodlines. Is this what it boils down to? What is easier?
Here is the important question. Is that going to solve the problem? I believe not. Removing certain breed from the face of the Earth will not remove what is at the root of the problem, which is the human element. With all Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, Dobermans, Shepherds and Boxers gone, will this be the end of dangerous breeds? No, it will not.
All that will happen is that another breeds will fall victim of the human tendencies that brought around the problem in the first place. So then we'll have to ban all Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers … whatever breeds would be next, until no breed larger than a Jack Russell Terrier is left.
Even if we wiped out all dogs, it would still not solve the problem. Why? Because the dogs are not the problem. We are! And as resourceful as we are, I'm sure another species would take their place….
***
I believe is that the only way to solve the bad breed problem is the solve the human problem that is behind it. There truly is no other way in my mind.
Jana
Friday Focus: Breed Specific Legislation
The Silver Fox experiment
Why Do We Choose The Breeds We Do?
What is your opinion? Leave a comment.
Breed specific legislation... First, let's start by calling it what it is: breed specific bans—unless you came across a piece of legislation providing some breed specific privileges. If you did, please do let me know!
Such legislation clearly suggests that there is such a thing as a bad breed. How correct is such thinking?
It is true that incidents with dogs of certain breeds are more likely to make the news than others. One of the main reasons for that is that large dogs can simply cause more damage when things do go wrong. You don't see many headlines on Schnauzer or Jack Russell Terrier attacks. Is it because they are so meek and docile? Not the ones I know... but ripped pants are hardly breaking news. Though I did come across a story of a Chihuahua attack: Pack of Angry Chihuahuas Attack Officer. But that's just embarrassing.
So yes, size does matter when it comes to incidents involving dogs. Should we ban all breeds physically capable of doing any substantial damage then? Or just those of certain color …?
We've been sharing our lives with Rottweilers for about 20 years now and we couldn't ask for sweeter, more loving dogs. They are clearly not living up to their bad reputation, possibly because nobody told them they should...
Is there such a thing as a bad breed?
I think that this is the wrong question to start out with. Are some breeds more vulnerable to bad breeding? Yes. Are some breeds more likely to end up in the wrong hands? Yes. But what does that tell you? It is not the breed that is the problem, but the breeders and the type of people who are likely to choose such a breed for the wrong reasons.
Quite often poor choices can precede a bad reputation. It seems that every time a movie comes out, with an adorable canine hero, it creates a high demand for that particular breed. Everybody wants it, so everybody breeds it, and good breeding practices go out the window. Result? Increase in the number of dogs with negative character traits within the breed.
That, combined with improper upbringing, results in a breed getting a bad reputation and rightfully so. But who is to blame? Do you see the level of human involvement?
Poor breeding practices: does that mean character traits are genetic?
Yes, indeed they are. Dogs have been bred for particular traits all along. Hunting dogs, herding dogs... these all become part of their genes. Are aggression or tameness also part of the genetic make-up? According to a scientific experiment with Siberian foxes they are. Among other amazing discoveries, this experiment shows the dramatic difference breeding choices will make. And here we are, back to the human element.
Is it possible that eventually an entire breed could become damaged goods? Possibly, but I really don't believe so. There will always be people who will breed those dogs out of true love for the breed, will do so responsibly, and thus preserve healthy bloodlines.
Legislate against specific breeds or not?
Well, it's the easy solution to the problem, isn't it? It is much easier to enforce a breed specific ban than to enforce responsible breeding and ownership. It is easier to pass a breed specific ban than to evaluate individual dogs or bloodlines. Is this what it boils down to? What is easier?
Here is the important question. Is that going to solve the problem? I believe not. Removing certain breed from the face of the Earth will not remove what is at the root of the problem, which is the human element. With all Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, Dobermans, Shepherds and Boxers gone, will this be the end of dangerous breeds? No, it will not.
All that will happen is that another breeds will fall victim of the human tendencies that brought around the problem in the first place. So then we'll have to ban all Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers … whatever breeds would be next, until no breed larger than a Jack Russell Terrier is left.
Even if we wiped out all dogs, it would still not solve the problem. Why? Because the dogs are not the problem. We are! And as resourceful as we are, I'm sure another species would take their place….
***
I believe is that the only way to solve the bad breed problem is the solve the human problem that is behind it. There truly is no other way in my mind.
Jana
Friday Focus: Breed Specific Legislation
The Silver Fox experiment
Why Do We Choose The Breeds We Do?
What is your opinion? Leave a comment.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
ACL Injury Conservative Management: Sandy's Story
Sandy's ACL conservative treatment journey is shared with us by Luanne of Rusty-Dawg Pet Products, check out her blog for the full story!
Sandy is a 11 year old Lab cross, a lovely girl who is full of life and full of beans. Her left ACL failed two years ago and was treated with an extracapsular repair.
Quite often, particularly in older dogs, a ruptured ACL is a result of a gradual weakening of the ligament. Having the other ACL fail is just a question of time. That is what happened to Sandy.
While the extracapsular repair went well, and in spite of a post-op setback, Sandy has full use of her left leg. However, there are reasons why Luanne decided to opt for a non-surgical solution this time. She recently lost one of her dogs on an operating table and is leery of putting Sandy under anesthesia. I can surely relate to that! Statistics mean very little when you lose your dog.
It also turned out that Sandy cannot tolerate NSAIDs—she developed a bleeding ulcer after only 3 days of the treatment!
NSAIDs can be effective for managing inflammation and pain, but I frequently see cases where dogs have bad reaction to the drugs. More frequently than overall statistics would suggest. After our own experience, and those I witnessed, I really recommend considering other options first. Measure twice, medicate once! (Anybody out there who had a positive experience with NSAID treatment? Let me hear from you!)
We also seriously considered non-surgical options for our Jasmine and did a lot of research. Eventually we decided to go with combination of extracapsular repair and stem cell therapy. Because of Jasmine's age and activity level we felt that surgical repair was the best choice for her. We couldn't be more pleased with the result!
For some dogs conservative management is the way to go. The important thing with ACL injuries is to stabilize the knee long enough so scar tissue can develop to replace the function of the ligament. As long as the knee is kept stable, whether by means of surgical stabilization, a brace or truly controlled exercise, the final result should be the same.
The rehab management is quite similar with both surgical repair and conservative management. Restricted exercise and short controlled leashed walks … every dog's dream (not)! But it needs to be done in order for them to be able to get back to their lives.
Sandy was fitted with a bilateral knee brace made by Canadian Animal Rehab. The brace provides external joint stabilization and takes over the function of the surgical repair. Sandy was wearing her brace for her walks. The brace would likely not survive being left alone with Sandy. Unfortunately, this led to number of setbacks, which might not have happened if the brace was on.
We were considering a different type of brace for Jasmine, but during our conversation with the manufacturer we were told that Jasmine would have to wear it at all times until the scar tissue developed, and it was recommended she'd wear it for long hikes even after that. That was one of the reasons we abandoned that option.
Learning from the setbacks, Sandy started wearing her brace all the time she could be supervised. Sandy is full of energy and would take advantage of every chance she had to go wild and do something silly. She is restful and calm at night, so she could enjoy comfortable brace-free rest.
The additional protection of the joint seemed to have brought things around and an appointment with her physical therapist was made to assess Sandy's progress.
A thorough examination revealed that Sandy's leg was in good shape, but the knee wasn't as stable as it should have been and some arthritis seemed to have developed. An important decision needed to be made - whether to continue with conservative management or do the surgery after all.
The conservative management was going quite well until a major setback, from which little improvement could be seen. Is better control and movement restriction going to be possible with Sandy?
With that in mind, the extracapsular repair was reconsidered and scheduled. For the second time, Sandy fell ill before the surgery appointment. Would that be a sign not to go through with the surgery?
For now Sandy is back on conservative management. I am hoping things will work out for the poor girl! I will keep you updated on Sandy's progress.
Jana
For the full story check out Sandy's Conservative Management on the Rusty-Dawg Pet Products blog. Also check out Rusty-Dawg Pet Products, your on-line source for eco-friendly and handmade pet products!
Update on Sandy
June 13th 2010
While Sandy's knee seemed to have been improving with the brace on full-time, the brace was causing trouble with Sandy's ankle. This ended up a serious problem and lead to a decision to abandon the conservative management and go with a surgery after all.
Sandy had her extracapsular repair done on Thursday. The surgery went well and Sandy is now at home recovering. I will follow Sandy's post-op in another article.
Wishing Sandy a smooth and quick recovery!
Do you have an ACL injury story to share? Do you have a question? Leave a comment.
Related articles:
Talk To Me About ACL Injuries
Sandy's Extracapsular Repair
Preventing ACL Injuries In Dogs
ACL Injuries in Dogs: Non-Surgical Alternatives?
Surviving The Post-Op: After Your Dog's ACL Surgery
ACL Injuries In Dogs: Xena's Story
Stem Cells for Dogs? Oh yeah, baby.
ACL Injuries in Dogs and Stem Cell Regenerative Therapy
Friends or Foes: NSAIDs
Sandy is a 11 year old Lab cross, a lovely girl who is full of life and full of beans. Her left ACL failed two years ago and was treated with an extracapsular repair.
Quite often, particularly in older dogs, a ruptured ACL is a result of a gradual weakening of the ligament. Having the other ACL fail is just a question of time. That is what happened to Sandy.
While the extracapsular repair went well, and in spite of a post-op setback, Sandy has full use of her left leg. However, there are reasons why Luanne decided to opt for a non-surgical solution this time. She recently lost one of her dogs on an operating table and is leery of putting Sandy under anesthesia. I can surely relate to that! Statistics mean very little when you lose your dog.
It also turned out that Sandy cannot tolerate NSAIDs—she developed a bleeding ulcer after only 3 days of the treatment!
NSAIDs can be effective for managing inflammation and pain, but I frequently see cases where dogs have bad reaction to the drugs. More frequently than overall statistics would suggest. After our own experience, and those I witnessed, I really recommend considering other options first. Measure twice, medicate once! (Anybody out there who had a positive experience with NSAID treatment? Let me hear from you!)
We also seriously considered non-surgical options for our Jasmine and did a lot of research. Eventually we decided to go with combination of extracapsular repair and stem cell therapy. Because of Jasmine's age and activity level we felt that surgical repair was the best choice for her. We couldn't be more pleased with the result!
For some dogs conservative management is the way to go. The important thing with ACL injuries is to stabilize the knee long enough so scar tissue can develop to replace the function of the ligament. As long as the knee is kept stable, whether by means of surgical stabilization, a brace or truly controlled exercise, the final result should be the same.
The rehab management is quite similar with both surgical repair and conservative management. Restricted exercise and short controlled leashed walks … every dog's dream (not)! But it needs to be done in order for them to be able to get back to their lives.
Sandy was fitted with a bilateral knee brace made by Canadian Animal Rehab. The brace provides external joint stabilization and takes over the function of the surgical repair. Sandy was wearing her brace for her walks. The brace would likely not survive being left alone with Sandy. Unfortunately, this led to number of setbacks, which might not have happened if the brace was on.
We were considering a different type of brace for Jasmine, but during our conversation with the manufacturer we were told that Jasmine would have to wear it at all times until the scar tissue developed, and it was recommended she'd wear it for long hikes even after that. That was one of the reasons we abandoned that option.
Learning from the setbacks, Sandy started wearing her brace all the time she could be supervised. Sandy is full of energy and would take advantage of every chance she had to go wild and do something silly. She is restful and calm at night, so she could enjoy comfortable brace-free rest.
The additional protection of the joint seemed to have brought things around and an appointment with her physical therapist was made to assess Sandy's progress.
A thorough examination revealed that Sandy's leg was in good shape, but the knee wasn't as stable as it should have been and some arthritis seemed to have developed. An important decision needed to be made - whether to continue with conservative management or do the surgery after all.
The conservative management was going quite well until a major setback, from which little improvement could be seen. Is better control and movement restriction going to be possible with Sandy?
With that in mind, the extracapsular repair was reconsidered and scheduled. For the second time, Sandy fell ill before the surgery appointment. Would that be a sign not to go through with the surgery?
For now Sandy is back on conservative management. I am hoping things will work out for the poor girl! I will keep you updated on Sandy's progress.
Jana
For the full story check out Sandy's Conservative Management on the Rusty-Dawg Pet Products blog. Also check out Rusty-Dawg Pet Products, your on-line source for eco-friendly and handmade pet products!
Update on Sandy
June 13th 2010
While Sandy's knee seemed to have been improving with the brace on full-time, the brace was causing trouble with Sandy's ankle. This ended up a serious problem and lead to a decision to abandon the conservative management and go with a surgery after all.
Sandy had her extracapsular repair done on Thursday. The surgery went well and Sandy is now at home recovering. I will follow Sandy's post-op in another article.
Wishing Sandy a smooth and quick recovery!
Do you have an ACL injury story to share? Do you have a question? Leave a comment.
Related articles:
Talk To Me About ACL Injuries
Sandy's Extracapsular Repair
Preventing ACL Injuries In Dogs
ACL Injuries in Dogs: Non-Surgical Alternatives?
Surviving The Post-Op: After Your Dog's ACL Surgery
ACL Injuries In Dogs: Xena's Story
Stem Cells for Dogs? Oh yeah, baby.
ACL Injuries in Dogs and Stem Cell Regenerative Therapy
Friends or Foes: NSAIDs
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Alien Invasion: Your Dog And Infections
As long as your dog lives in this world, he is at risk of infection. His immune system is designed to fight off these potential invaders, but some infections are harder to deal with than others. The ability of your dog's immune system to prevent and/or fight infection depends on his overall health. Stressful events and underlying conditions, such as hypothyroidism, or Cushing's disease, can also increase your dog's susceptibility to infection.
If your dog suffers from frequent infections, you should be looking for underlying cause.
What is an infection?
An infection is an invasion of your dog's body by organisms that are capable of causing disease. Infections can be parasitic, bacterial, viral or fungal.
Parasitic infections
Dogs are highly susceptible to parasitic infections. In fact, parasites are one of the most common health issues in dogs.
External parasites include ticks, fleas, mange mites and lice. External parasites usually cause skin and coat related symptoms, such as itchiness and hair loss. However, they can lead to bacterial skin infections, trigger an allergic reaction, or transmit systemic diseases such as Lyme disease, tapeworms, ehrlichiosis, and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Prevention is the first line of defense against external parasites. Talk to your veterinarian about which of the many available products would be safest and most effective for your dog.
Note: a tick needs to be attached to the skin for several hours before it can transmit a disease. Removing ticks promptly will prevent many tick-borne diseases.
Internal parasites include gastrointestinal worms such as hookworms, roundworms, tapeworms and whipworms, as well as microscopic parasites such as Giardia or Coccidia.
Intestinal parasites can cause nausea, vomiting or diarrhea, but some dogs may show no clinical signs at all. The main dangers with gastrointestinal parasitism are malnutrition and anemia. Regular microscopic fecal examinations and/or deworming are the best way to protect your dog from intestinal parasites.
As a note of interest, there seems to be a beneficial side to some intestinal parasites. Research is being done into the controlled use of parasitic infection in treatment of autoimmune diseases and allergies. This is called helminthic therapy.
Heartworms are another type of internal parasite, which are spread by mosquitoes. As the name suggests, heartworms travel through the bloodstream and then invade a dog’s heart and pulmonary arteries. As more worms take up residence in the heart and lungs they can eventually restrict blood flow to the point where death results . Prevention is definitely the key here. Several different types of easily administered heartworm preventatives are available from veterinarians.
Bacterial infections
Bacteria are microscopic, single-celled organisms that are present virtually everywhere in our environment as well as in our bodies. Many bacteria live in a symbiosis with their host and are necessary for your dog's vital functions such as digestion. Some friendly bacteria can even assist your dog with fighting off bacterial infections by improving immune function and out-competing the harmful bacteria.
However, certain types of bacteria can cause infection and illness if they overwhelm your dog’s immune system. Such harmful bacteria include Salmonella, Leptospira, Bordetella, E. coli and many others. Symptoms will vary depending on which part of your dog's body has been invaded.
Left untreated, a bacterial infection can cause serious health issues and even lead to death.
The good news is that bacteria are living organisms and as such they can be killed. Bacterial infections usually respond well to antibiotics as long as treatment begins before a dog’s condition gets to severe. However, the over-use of antibiotics has led to the evolution of resistant strains that no longer respond to standard or sometimes any type of treatment. Not finishing a full course of antibiotics can also cause bacteria to become resistant to a particular drug. It is important to use antibiotics wisely and follow through with the full treatment as prescribed by your veterinarian.
Preventative vaccination is available against some types of bacteria. Whether to vaccinate or not is one of the today's controversial issues, and your decision should depend on your dog's exposure to the bacteria as well as his overall health.
Viral infections
Unlike a parasite or a bacteria, a virus isn't really a living organism in a true sense of the word, and as such it cannot really be killed either.
A virus is a collection of genetic material that invades living cells and reprograms them for its own purposes. A virus exploits the host cell to reproduce itself and then invade other cells, which are destroyed in the process. Viral infections are a lot like computer viruses, that's why they share the same name.
Viruses are not killed by the antibiotics used to treat bacterial infections. Some antiviral medications are available (e.g., Tamiflu®), but these have not been tested thoroughly in dogs and are used infrequently. Treatment for viral infections is usually limited to supportive therapy. Sometimes antibiotics are given to treat or prevent secondary bacterial infections, but a dog’s own immune system must be able to suppress or rid his body of the virus on its own for recovery to occur.
Many canine viral infections are very nasty and some of them are deadly. Rabies, distemper, canine hepatitis, parvovirus—these are just some members of the lovely viral family.
A healthy and primed immune system can oftenward off a viral infection before serious illness develops. This is why vaccination is imperative. While some controversies exist regarding vaccinating our dogs, the question isn't really whether to vaccinate or not, but merely how often.
Fungal infections
Fungi are plant-like organisms such as mushrooms, molds, mildews and yeasts some of which can cause infections in dogs. The most common fungal diseases in dogs are yeast infections and ringworm (not sure why it's called that, because it is not a worm but a fungus). While these infections are usually limited to the skin, other types of fungi can invade the body and be a potentially life-threatening problem.
Antifungal drugs are available, but treatment usually needs to continue for a long period of time to completely eliminate the fungus from the body. Some of the more advanced antifungals can also be very expensive and have some pretty scary side effects.
Of course, prevention is always better than treatment, so keep your dog healthy so that his immune system has the best chance of fighting off the fungi that he comes in contact with every day.
Jana
Related articles:
Viral Infections: Cosmo's Battle with Parvovirus
Don't Let Heartworm Become A Heartbreak!
Did I miss something? Have a question? Leave a comment.
If your dog suffers from frequent infections, you should be looking for underlying cause.
What is an infection?
An infection is an invasion of your dog's body by organisms that are capable of causing disease. Infections can be parasitic, bacterial, viral or fungal.
Parasitic infections
Dogs are highly susceptible to parasitic infections. In fact, parasites are one of the most common health issues in dogs.
External parasites include ticks, fleas, mange mites and lice. External parasites usually cause skin and coat related symptoms, such as itchiness and hair loss. However, they can lead to bacterial skin infections, trigger an allergic reaction, or transmit systemic diseases such as Lyme disease, tapeworms, ehrlichiosis, and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Prevention is the first line of defense against external parasites. Talk to your veterinarian about which of the many available products would be safest and most effective for your dog.
Note: a tick needs to be attached to the skin for several hours before it can transmit a disease. Removing ticks promptly will prevent many tick-borne diseases.
Internal parasites include gastrointestinal worms such as hookworms, roundworms, tapeworms and whipworms, as well as microscopic parasites such as Giardia or Coccidia.
Intestinal parasites can cause nausea, vomiting or diarrhea, but some dogs may show no clinical signs at all. The main dangers with gastrointestinal parasitism are malnutrition and anemia. Regular microscopic fecal examinations and/or deworming are the best way to protect your dog from intestinal parasites.
As a note of interest, there seems to be a beneficial side to some intestinal parasites. Research is being done into the controlled use of parasitic infection in treatment of autoimmune diseases and allergies. This is called helminthic therapy.
Heartworms are another type of internal parasite, which are spread by mosquitoes. As the name suggests, heartworms travel through the bloodstream and then invade a dog’s heart and pulmonary arteries. As more worms take up residence in the heart and lungs they can eventually restrict blood flow to the point where death results . Prevention is definitely the key here. Several different types of easily administered heartworm preventatives are available from veterinarians.
Bacterial infections
Bacteria are microscopic, single-celled organisms that are present virtually everywhere in our environment as well as in our bodies. Many bacteria live in a symbiosis with their host and are necessary for your dog's vital functions such as digestion. Some friendly bacteria can even assist your dog with fighting off bacterial infections by improving immune function and out-competing the harmful bacteria.
However, certain types of bacteria can cause infection and illness if they overwhelm your dog’s immune system. Such harmful bacteria include Salmonella, Leptospira, Bordetella, E. coli and many others. Symptoms will vary depending on which part of your dog's body has been invaded.
Left untreated, a bacterial infection can cause serious health issues and even lead to death.
The good news is that bacteria are living organisms and as such they can be killed. Bacterial infections usually respond well to antibiotics as long as treatment begins before a dog’s condition gets to severe. However, the over-use of antibiotics has led to the evolution of resistant strains that no longer respond to standard or sometimes any type of treatment. Not finishing a full course of antibiotics can also cause bacteria to become resistant to a particular drug. It is important to use antibiotics wisely and follow through with the full treatment as prescribed by your veterinarian.
Preventative vaccination is available against some types of bacteria. Whether to vaccinate or not is one of the today's controversial issues, and your decision should depend on your dog's exposure to the bacteria as well as his overall health.
Viral infections
Unlike a parasite or a bacteria, a virus isn't really a living organism in a true sense of the word, and as such it cannot really be killed either.
A virus is a collection of genetic material that invades living cells and reprograms them for its own purposes. A virus exploits the host cell to reproduce itself and then invade other cells, which are destroyed in the process. Viral infections are a lot like computer viruses, that's why they share the same name.
Viruses are not killed by the antibiotics used to treat bacterial infections. Some antiviral medications are available (e.g., Tamiflu®), but these have not been tested thoroughly in dogs and are used infrequently. Treatment for viral infections is usually limited to supportive therapy. Sometimes antibiotics are given to treat or prevent secondary bacterial infections, but a dog’s own immune system must be able to suppress or rid his body of the virus on its own for recovery to occur.
Many canine viral infections are very nasty and some of them are deadly. Rabies, distemper, canine hepatitis, parvovirus—these are just some members of the lovely viral family.
A healthy and primed immune system can oftenward off a viral infection before serious illness develops. This is why vaccination is imperative. While some controversies exist regarding vaccinating our dogs, the question isn't really whether to vaccinate or not, but merely how often.
Fungal infections
Fungi are plant-like organisms such as mushrooms, molds, mildews and yeasts some of which can cause infections in dogs. The most common fungal diseases in dogs are yeast infections and ringworm (not sure why it's called that, because it is not a worm but a fungus). While these infections are usually limited to the skin, other types of fungi can invade the body and be a potentially life-threatening problem.
Antifungal drugs are available, but treatment usually needs to continue for a long period of time to completely eliminate the fungus from the body. Some of the more advanced antifungals can also be very expensive and have some pretty scary side effects.
Of course, prevention is always better than treatment, so keep your dog healthy so that his immune system has the best chance of fighting off the fungi that he comes in contact with every day.
Jana
Related articles:
Viral Infections: Cosmo's Battle with Parvovirus
Don't Let Heartworm Become A Heartbreak!
Did I miss something? Have a question? Leave a comment.
Monday, May 10, 2010
More Than Meets The Eye: Dog Language And Beyond Part III
The more I learn, the more I learn how little I know.The more I learn about dog language, the more I notice how many things get lost in translation. While some conversations seem fairly obvious, there is often more to it than meets the eye.
—Socrates
In many ways it reminds me of poetry study at school. You read a poem—the words are more or less familiar—and yet often the words have very little to do with the actual meaning. Remember those?
Just take a look at something as familiar as a tail wag. To most people a wagging tail means a happy dog. Is that always true? No, not always. Is the tail wagging slowly or fast? How fast? Is it in a relaxed position or erect? What is the rest of the body saying? Suddenly you have dozens of different meanings of a simple tail wag. There are people who have been bitten by their own dog because they didn't read this properly!
Don't despair! With some effort you can learn to speak dog quite fluently. But are we ever going to be able to read all the nuances? Well, I am hopeful …
Sharing my life with dogs I learned two things. First, a human will never read dog language as well as a dog can, and second, you can learn the most from observing your own dog. Watch not only how your dog communicates with you, but also how he communicates with other dogs and how he responds to them. There is a lot to be learned by simple observation.
If your dog meets a seemingly calm and friendly dog, but his hackles go up, take note and look for clues. There is clearly more going on than you thought.
Nobody could teach me more about dog communication than Jasmine. She is a smart girl and she sees through everybody like glass—humans and dogs alike.
One of the first things I noticed was that she has a completely different approach to each individual dog. You will seldom see her greet one dog the same way as another. Sometimes the difference is subtle, sometimes very noticeable. At a first glance there is no difference between the message those dogs are sending.
Let's take shy dogs for example. What we see is a shy dog. What Jasmine sees is a shy dog, a shy dog with some degree of fear, a shy dog with potential, a shy dog who is a bully in disguise …
With a shy, fearful dog Jasmine might take the 'I don't see any dogs around here' approach. She will wander off and find something really interesting to sniff, completely ignoring the other dog. She keeps ignoring the dog as it comes over to check her out. Then they'll exchange some sniffs. Several minutes later, they'll be playing.
With a shy dog with potential Jasmine might take a more proactive role, gently teasing the dog into play.
Watching Jasmine with other dogs is quite fascinating. She loves confident dogs as much as shy or fearful ones.
The only dogs Jasmine does not like are rude dogs or bullies. She will have none of that. Some of those might behave quite rudely. But it did take me quite a while to discover the subtle signs of why Jasmine doesn't take kindly to some of the dogs who seemingly didn't do anything wrong.
For the longest time we believed that Jasmine didn't like active and bouncy dogs, particularly puppies, simply because she didn't like fast movements. But then she would meet a puppy and they would get along just swimmingly...
As I got to watch some of those puppies grow up, suddenly it clicked. The best example is our neighbors' Rottie. He was the cutest puppy you could imagine. High energy, looked like he had springs instead of legs. Jasmine would not allow him to come anywhere near her. Yes, he was jumping on everybody, but isn't that what all puppies do?
The other day we met him at the dog park. He is quite grown now, still very cute. But what do you know—a typical bully. Trying to dominate every dog in the park, putting his chin on their shoulders, trying to hump everything that moved. When faced with a confident dog though, he would run screaming (literally).
Have you ever met those dogs who love to bully the weak but run away from the strong? He is the type.
And Jasmine knew that the first moment she saw him. Jasmine is big on mutual respect, and he wasn't showing any. She was not going to interact with him until he learned some.
J.D. [Jasmine's dog] is a guy, and his approach to things is different. But even with him I can see the difference in the way he acts with some of the other dogs. Sometimes it is obvious why, but sometimes it is not.
Cesar Milan believes that inner energy is an invisible part of animal communication. It would surely explain many things. It would explain why our guys might not like a dog who seems perfectly fine to us. It would also explain why Jasmine doesn't get sprayed by a skunk even though she'd be barking at it and carrying on, trying to get it to play with her.
Whether it's inner energy or some nuances of dog body language that we're not seeing, I think that nobody will ever understand a dog as well as another dog. But no harm in trying, is there?
***
I believe that having a primer in dog language will give you the basic vocabulary and without that foundation you won't get very far. But understanding the words and being able to appreciate a poem are not the same thing. Watch your dog. Observe, learn and enjoy!
Jana
Related articles:
A Word on Training
More Than Meets The Eye: Dog Language And Beyond Part I
More Than Meets The Eye: Dog Language And Beyond Part II
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Healing Your Dog With Food: More To Food Than Nutritional Value?
Nutritional value of food is of course very important. According to the American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) there are 36 nutrients that are essential for dogs.
Essential nutrient is a nutrient that is needed for your dog's body to function properly, but cannot be synthesized by his body at all or not in a sufficient amount. Such nutrients have to be provided through your dog's diet. These include proteins, fat, vitamins and minerals.
Each of them have an important function, and a deficiency in any of these nutrients can lead to serious health issues. That's why a complete and balanced diet is vital to maintain your dog's health.
Western medicine also recognizes some healing qualities of nutrients, such as antioxidant or anti-inflammatory properties. For most part though, it seems that the western approach is mainly about elimination: low-fat, low-protein, low-carb ...
Is there more to food than its nutritional value?
Well, according to Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine there is.
This concept is not exclusive to TCVM. The first time I was introduced to the idea was when I was working on Eat • Taste • Heal: An Ayurvedic Guidebook and Cookbook for Modern Living.
Ayurveda originated in India and it also made its way to other parts of the world. While there are differences between TCVM and Ayurveda systems, they seem to share some similar principles and ideas. So maybe they are onto something.
Healing your dog with food?
In TCVM, food therapy is often used along with herbal therapy and acupuncture, but is some cases it can be sufficient on its own.
Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine recognizes four properties of food: flavor, temperature, direction and affinity to a particular organ systems.
What's in a flavor?
TCVM identifies five flavors: sweet, sour, pungent, salty and bitter. Foods with different flavors have different benefits for your dog's body. Ayurveda recognizes six flavors and links them with similar properties.
Did you ever try Swedish Bitters? Bitter foods and herbs aid digestion and metabolism, and have cleansing and anti-inflammatory properties. Do you drink lemon tea when you have a sore throat? Sour foods and herbs cleanse tissues of mucus. Seems like even our grandma's had some idea how this works! The flavor of a herb or food is like a nature's label telling you what function it might serve.
Hot or cold?
In Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine some conditions characterized by excess heat and some are cold conditions. Naturally, you fight cold with something warm, and fight heat with something cool. In TCVM, besides flavor, each food has either cooling, warming, hot or neutral thermal property. A dog with cold condition will benefit from warming foods, such as chicken, lamb or turkey, while cooling foods, such as duck, will help balance hot conditions.
***
It is not possible, nor it was my intention, to explain the entire theory behind TCVM food therapy here. The purpose of this article is to give you a peek so that you might get the idea that there is more than one way of looking at things. Prescription drugs are the easy solution, but not necessarily the best one for your dog. Keep your mind and eyes open and see if your dog could benefit from some of the alternative approaches.
If you want to learn about the Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine in detail, check out the Four Paws, Five Directions: A Guide to Chinese Medicine for Cats and Dogs by Cheryl Schwartz, DVM.
Jana
The Chi Institute of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine
Related articles:
When Modern Medicine Doesn't Have The Answer: TCVM
Four Paws, Five Directions: The Theory Behind The Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine
What To Expect During A Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine Exam
Acupuncture In Not Voodoo
Essential nutrient is a nutrient that is needed for your dog's body to function properly, but cannot be synthesized by his body at all or not in a sufficient amount. Such nutrients have to be provided through your dog's diet. These include proteins, fat, vitamins and minerals.
Each of them have an important function, and a deficiency in any of these nutrients can lead to serious health issues. That's why a complete and balanced diet is vital to maintain your dog's health.
Western medicine also recognizes some healing qualities of nutrients, such as antioxidant or anti-inflammatory properties. For most part though, it seems that the western approach is mainly about elimination: low-fat, low-protein, low-carb ...
Is there more to food than its nutritional value?
Well, according to Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine there is.
This concept is not exclusive to TCVM. The first time I was introduced to the idea was when I was working on Eat • Taste • Heal: An Ayurvedic Guidebook and Cookbook for Modern Living.
Ayurveda originated in India and it also made its way to other parts of the world. While there are differences between TCVM and Ayurveda systems, they seem to share some similar principles and ideas. So maybe they are onto something.
Healing your dog with food?
In TCVM, food therapy is often used along with herbal therapy and acupuncture, but is some cases it can be sufficient on its own.
Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine recognizes four properties of food: flavor, temperature, direction and affinity to a particular organ systems.
What's in a flavor?
TCVM identifies five flavors: sweet, sour, pungent, salty and bitter. Foods with different flavors have different benefits for your dog's body. Ayurveda recognizes six flavors and links them with similar properties.
Did you ever try Swedish Bitters? Bitter foods and herbs aid digestion and metabolism, and have cleansing and anti-inflammatory properties. Do you drink lemon tea when you have a sore throat? Sour foods and herbs cleanse tissues of mucus. Seems like even our grandma's had some idea how this works! The flavor of a herb or food is like a nature's label telling you what function it might serve.
Hot or cold?
In Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine some conditions characterized by excess heat and some are cold conditions. Naturally, you fight cold with something warm, and fight heat with something cool. In TCVM, besides flavor, each food has either cooling, warming, hot or neutral thermal property. A dog with cold condition will benefit from warming foods, such as chicken, lamb or turkey, while cooling foods, such as duck, will help balance hot conditions.
***
It is not possible, nor it was my intention, to explain the entire theory behind TCVM food therapy here. The purpose of this article is to give you a peek so that you might get the idea that there is more than one way of looking at things. Prescription drugs are the easy solution, but not necessarily the best one for your dog. Keep your mind and eyes open and see if your dog could benefit from some of the alternative approaches.
If you want to learn about the Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine in detail, check out the Four Paws, Five Directions: A Guide to Chinese Medicine for Cats and Dogs by Cheryl Schwartz, DVM.
Jana
The Chi Institute of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine
Related articles:
When Modern Medicine Doesn't Have The Answer: TCVM
Four Paws, Five Directions: The Theory Behind The Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine
What To Expect During A Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine Exam
Acupuncture In Not Voodoo
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Product Review: Busy Buddy Bouncy Bone
Does your dog eat kongs for breakfast? Are you searching for an indestructible safe toy for your dog? Busy Buddy Bouncy Bone might be the product for you.
Our J.D. is a lovely young Rottweiler boy with a great heart and a happy soul. He loves chewing. If he doesn't have something appropriate to chew, he will chew whatever he can find on his own. Not a good thing.
The problem is that a rawhide bone will last him for about twenty minutes and even the toughest kong is no match for his chewing power. Nylabone is too boring for him.
We found Busy Buddy Bouncy Bone when searching for a fun toy even J.D. could not destroy. With this toy J.D. Finally found his match. Since J.D. was not able to destroy it, I deem it indestructible.
The two ends unscrew and hold little round biscuits that come with the product. The biscuits are what makes the toy more attractive to play with. However, you can rub some peanut butter, cheese or tripe on it instead and it will work just as well.
It comes in different sizes for small, medium and large dogs.
There is one downside to this toy. It is rather heavy. If your dog likes tossing his toys around, and if you live in an apartment, you might not want to put your neighbors through all the noise. Having it land on your foot it is also quite unpleasant.
Other than that, thumbs up from J.D.
Jana
Our J.D. is a lovely young Rottweiler boy with a great heart and a happy soul. He loves chewing. If he doesn't have something appropriate to chew, he will chew whatever he can find on his own. Not a good thing.
The problem is that a rawhide bone will last him for about twenty minutes and even the toughest kong is no match for his chewing power. Nylabone is too boring for him.
The two ends unscrew and hold little round biscuits that come with the product. The biscuits are what makes the toy more attractive to play with. However, you can rub some peanut butter, cheese or tripe on it instead and it will work just as well.
It comes in different sizes for small, medium and large dogs.
There is one downside to this toy. It is rather heavy. If your dog likes tossing his toys around, and if you live in an apartment, you might not want to put your neighbors through all the noise. Having it land on your foot it is also quite unpleasant.
Other than that, thumbs up from J.D.
Jana
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
More Than Meets The Eye: Dog Language And Beyond Part II
I find it interesting that while we humans are having a hard time understanding and communicating with our dogs, they seem to see through us like glass. Did you ever notice that?
Of course we do manage to confuse our dogs, but it takes quite a bit of effort on our part. One of the main reasons is our reliance on spoken language. And yet, scientifically, only about 7% of our own communication is carried out by our words!
Here are some of the most common things we do that hinder our communication with our dogs.
“Her lips said no but her eyes said yes”
If only such a small portion of our communication happens verbally, what about the other 93%? That is a good question. Whether we are aware of it or not, majority of our own communication is carried out non-verbally, through our body language and tone of voice. That is also what our dogs pay most attention to.
That is how your dog can tell whether your come means “come here sweetie, I got something good for you” or whether it means “get over here you little mutt, I will teach you a lesson”. Is it a surprise that your dog will do his best not comply with the latter?
Unfortunately for us, our dogs pay more attention to what we mean than to what we say.
But wait, it gets even more complicated. So it happens that there are some major differences between the primate and canine body language vocabularies. If you're standing tall, facing your dog while calling him, you are sending a very mixed message. You words invite your dog to come to you, but your body tells him to stay right where he is.
While your dog will learn to respond to your come in spite of your conflicting nonverbal message, it would be much easier for both of you, if you learned to adjust your body language to what your dog naturally understands as an invitation. Patricia McConnel, Ph.D. explains these differences with great insight in her The Other End of the Leash: Why We Do What We Do Around Dogs.
“A” as in zucchini
Dogs are social animals and they will do their best to figure out what we want. They will try really hard to accommodate our need to communicate verbally. But in order for them to be able to learn the meaning of our words, the meaning needs to be introduced properly.
When teaching a child, you will show an apple and say apple. The child will then make the connection between the object and the word: 'this roundish red thingy is called apple'. Until the association is made, the word apple means anything and nothing.
However, when teaching our dogs, we often encourage wrong associations. Creating associations is about labeling. You cannot put a label on something that is not present. I have seen many people teaching sit by saying sit first, and then trying to get their dog to perform the request. How is the dog to understand what the word sit is supposed to mean?
It is a good practice to acquire the desired behavior first, and then label it. Remember that your dog will associate the word with whatever he's doing at the time you said it!
Lesson from Snow White
Unlike Snow White, your dog will know a poison apple and won't have anything to do with it if he can help it! Have you ever heard the advice never use a recall word to punish your dog or to do something to him that he won't like, such as giving a bath or brushing teeth? That is the reason for that.
If your dog learns that the recall is followed by something unpleasant, he will avoid it. This can happen with any command, but the recall is the most vulnerable one.
The KISS rule
It is a good idea to keep your commands simple. Many dogs will respond only to the last word said in the sequence. This means that if you say sit down, your dog is more likely to perform the down command than to sit.
Stanley Coren had a great example in one of his books. An owner, who couldn't make it to an obedience class that day, sent his son instead. Very quickly the son got quite frustrated with the dog being dumb and not responding to his commands at all. The trainer wanted to see what's happening, so he asked the son to get his dog to sit. “Come on and sit down,” the son requested from the dog. The dog looked at him with bewildered eyes and started half-crawling half-walking towards them, whimpering.
This dog wasn't stupid at all, on the contrary. He noted all of the three conflicting commands introduced in the sentence and made a desperate attempt to perform all of them at once as requested.
***
The effort our dogs put into getting along with us is truly amazing. When you think that your dog is being dumb or stubborn, please take another look at the situation. Most of the time it is our fault and not theirs.
Jana
Did I miss something? Have a question? Leave a comment.
Related Articles:
More Than Meets The Eye: Dog Language And Beyond Part I
A Word on Training
Book Review: Tail Talk
Book Review: How To Speak Dog
Book Review: How Dogs Think
Book Review: The Other End Of The Leash
Book Review: On Talking Terms With Dogs: Calming Signals
Of course we do manage to confuse our dogs, but it takes quite a bit of effort on our part. One of the main reasons is our reliance on spoken language. And yet, scientifically, only about 7% of our own communication is carried out by our words!
Here are some of the most common things we do that hinder our communication with our dogs.
“Her lips said no but her eyes said yes”
If only such a small portion of our communication happens verbally, what about the other 93%? That is a good question. Whether we are aware of it or not, majority of our own communication is carried out non-verbally, through our body language and tone of voice. That is also what our dogs pay most attention to.
That is how your dog can tell whether your come means “come here sweetie, I got something good for you” or whether it means “get over here you little mutt, I will teach you a lesson”. Is it a surprise that your dog will do his best not comply with the latter?
Unfortunately for us, our dogs pay more attention to what we mean than to what we say.
But wait, it gets even more complicated. So it happens that there are some major differences between the primate and canine body language vocabularies. If you're standing tall, facing your dog while calling him, you are sending a very mixed message. You words invite your dog to come to you, but your body tells him to stay right where he is.
While your dog will learn to respond to your come in spite of your conflicting nonverbal message, it would be much easier for both of you, if you learned to adjust your body language to what your dog naturally understands as an invitation. Patricia McConnel, Ph.D. explains these differences with great insight in her The Other End of the Leash: Why We Do What We Do Around Dogs.
“A” as in zucchini
Dogs are social animals and they will do their best to figure out what we want. They will try really hard to accommodate our need to communicate verbally. But in order for them to be able to learn the meaning of our words, the meaning needs to be introduced properly.
When teaching a child, you will show an apple and say apple. The child will then make the connection between the object and the word: 'this roundish red thingy is called apple'. Until the association is made, the word apple means anything and nothing.
However, when teaching our dogs, we often encourage wrong associations. Creating associations is about labeling. You cannot put a label on something that is not present. I have seen many people teaching sit by saying sit first, and then trying to get their dog to perform the request. How is the dog to understand what the word sit is supposed to mean?
It is a good practice to acquire the desired behavior first, and then label it. Remember that your dog will associate the word with whatever he's doing at the time you said it!
Lesson from Snow White
Unlike Snow White, your dog will know a poison apple and won't have anything to do with it if he can help it! Have you ever heard the advice never use a recall word to punish your dog or to do something to him that he won't like, such as giving a bath or brushing teeth? That is the reason for that.
If your dog learns that the recall is followed by something unpleasant, he will avoid it. This can happen with any command, but the recall is the most vulnerable one.
The KISS rule
It is a good idea to keep your commands simple. Many dogs will respond only to the last word said in the sequence. This means that if you say sit down, your dog is more likely to perform the down command than to sit.
Stanley Coren had a great example in one of his books. An owner, who couldn't make it to an obedience class that day, sent his son instead. Very quickly the son got quite frustrated with the dog being dumb and not responding to his commands at all. The trainer wanted to see what's happening, so he asked the son to get his dog to sit. “Come on and sit down,” the son requested from the dog. The dog looked at him with bewildered eyes and started half-crawling half-walking towards them, whimpering.
This dog wasn't stupid at all, on the contrary. He noted all of the three conflicting commands introduced in the sentence and made a desperate attempt to perform all of them at once as requested.
***
The effort our dogs put into getting along with us is truly amazing. When you think that your dog is being dumb or stubborn, please take another look at the situation. Most of the time it is our fault and not theirs.
Jana
Did I miss something? Have a question? Leave a comment.
Related Articles:
More Than Meets The Eye: Dog Language And Beyond Part I
A Word on Training
Book Review: Tail Talk
Book Review: How To Speak Dog
Book Review: How Dogs Think
Book Review: The Other End Of The Leash
Book Review: On Talking Terms With Dogs: Calming Signals
Sunday, May 2, 2010
The Rebel In Me: (Don't) Give A Dog A Bone?
Rebellion is not in my nature. I drive the speed limit and I cross the road at a crossing on a green light. I am quite happy to conform to rules as long as I can be convinced that they make the least bit of sense.
Lately though, I find myself questioning authorities more and more frequently. One of the reasons is the fact that the more I try to get myself educated about what is best for my dogs, the more I run into conflicting opinions. Whether it regards dog training, nutrition or health care, no two experts seem to be able to agree on anything. Seriously people, I know you mean well, but you are not being helpful!
If I was a queen I would take all the experts, lock them in a room, and wouldn't let them out until they've reached some kind of consensus.
The latest and the greatest, in my opinion, is the FDA's release No Bones About It: Bones are Unsafe for Your Dog. I do appreciate that there are risks associated with giving dogs bones. I also do appreciate that there is a reason behind the release. However, I do find such a non-discriminatory across-the-board ban of bones for dogs an extreme solution at best.
A dog and a bone are two things that belonged together since the dawn of time. Just a few weeks earlier I read a wonderful article by Dr. Stanley Coren, Ph.D. Why Do Dogs Love Bones? The Answer Involves Fat, Climate and Evolution. Separating the two [a dog and a bone] feels like a completely unnatural act.
I was very happy to find a responding article by Dr. Patty Khuly, DVM, MBA on her Fully Vetted blog 'No bones about it!' The FDA Calls Bones for Dogs a Definite 'No-no'. Finally a voice of reason!
Yes, there are risks associated with giving dogs bones. It is important to be aware of those. But a non-discriminatory ban? If you stay away from cooked bones and stick with a few common sense rules, shouldn't your dog be able to enjoy the pleasure of chewing on a bone?
In closing the FDA suggests replacing bones with bone-like products made with materials that are safe for dogs to chew on. I assume they most likely mean rawhide chews?
I find that very interesting, because there are plenty of warnings against rawhide products, listing many of the same risks, including salmonella, choking, intestinal blockage … the list goes on. Are these the safe bone-like products the FDA is talking about? Just wondering ...
What do you think? Share your opinion.
Jana
Lately though, I find myself questioning authorities more and more frequently. One of the reasons is the fact that the more I try to get myself educated about what is best for my dogs, the more I run into conflicting opinions. Whether it regards dog training, nutrition or health care, no two experts seem to be able to agree on anything. Seriously people, I know you mean well, but you are not being helpful!
If I was a queen I would take all the experts, lock them in a room, and wouldn't let them out until they've reached some kind of consensus.
The latest and the greatest, in my opinion, is the FDA's release No Bones About It: Bones are Unsafe for Your Dog. I do appreciate that there are risks associated with giving dogs bones. I also do appreciate that there is a reason behind the release. However, I do find such a non-discriminatory across-the-board ban of bones for dogs an extreme solution at best.
A dog and a bone are two things that belonged together since the dawn of time. Just a few weeks earlier I read a wonderful article by Dr. Stanley Coren, Ph.D. Why Do Dogs Love Bones? The Answer Involves Fat, Climate and Evolution. Separating the two [a dog and a bone] feels like a completely unnatural act.
Yes, there are risks associated with giving dogs bones. It is important to be aware of those. But a non-discriminatory ban? If you stay away from cooked bones and stick with a few common sense rules, shouldn't your dog be able to enjoy the pleasure of chewing on a bone?
In closing the FDA suggests replacing bones with bone-like products made with materials that are safe for dogs to chew on. I assume they most likely mean rawhide chews?
I find that very interesting, because there are plenty of warnings against rawhide products, listing many of the same risks, including salmonella, choking, intestinal blockage … the list goes on. Are these the safe bone-like products the FDA is talking about? Just wondering ...
What do you think? Share your opinion.
Jana
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)