Dog Blog

The hot days of summer are almost behind us, but that doesn’t mean you can let down your guard and forget about flea and tick protection. Fall is still flea and tick season in most areas. Since fleas thrive in temperatures around 70 degrees, September is often the worst month for flea problems. Ticks populate in piles of fallen leaves. Though many pet owners think these parasites are primarily a warm weather problem, flea and tick protection is essential this time of year. Fleas live all year long in warm southern climates. They can also live year round in a warm house.

If you’ve been successfully using a flea preventative, continue to use it as directed. If your dog is not protected from the torment of fleas, please read on……

You know how much one small insect bite can itch. Imagine not one but 10, 20, 50 or more bites at one time. While living and feeding on a dog, a single flea can lay hundreds of eggs. Besides itching and discomfort, flea bites can cause serious skin irritation. Some dogs will develop an allergy to flea saliva. Dogs with flea allergic dermatitis will suffer intense itching and aggravation from even a single flea bite. Vigorous scratching will cause hair loss and the formation of scabs, leading to bacterial skin infection.

Fleas can also cause illness unrelated to itching and skin problems. Since fleas feed on an animals blood, severe infestations may cause flea bite anemia, especially in in puppies, and in very small or weak dogs. This can be life threatening and may require hospitalization and blood transfusions.

Dogs can become infected with tapeworms after having fleas. When an animal has tapeworms, worm segments are often seen in the stool and on the skin and hair around the infected animal’s anal region. When the segments dry, they release hundreds of eggs. Flea larvae on the stool or on the animal ingest these eggs. New tapeworm larvae develop in the flea larvae. When an animal ingests infected fleas while grooming, a tapeworm develops in that animal’s intestine. To successfully eliminate tapeworms, every dog and cat in the house should be treated and fleas must be completely eliminated.

The cost of flea protection with some of the newer products might sound a bit high, but it’s far less than dealing with complications to your dog’s health caused by fleas. There’s a variety of very effective liquid topical treatments that make it easy to prevent and control fleas and ticks. Some brands, sold over the counter, are applied once a month. Other topical flea control products that last from 1 to 3 months are available only from a veterinarian. There’s also a prescription flea preventative medication that’s administered orally, but that must be started before flea season.

Topical products kill fleas on contact. They are applied as a liquid, then they dry and disperse through a dogs coat. Topical flea treatments are usually sold in packs of 3 single dose vials or tubes, pre-measured according to a dog’s weight. When applying these spot-on products, it’s very important to part the hair to make sure the liquid goes directly on the dog’s skin. Beginning at the shoulder blades, apply the liquid in a line, ending directly above the of the base of it’s tail. For a short time afterward the dogs hair may feel slightly greasy over the line where it was applied.

If you have more than one dog, separate them from each other for a few hours after applying a new treatment. If a dog who is protected by a topical flea control product needs a bath, use a gentle shampoo that won’t wash away the protection.

A warning to owners of both dogs and cats – Some brands of topical flea control contain a chemical called permethrin. While this is safe for use on dogs, it must not be used on cats. The directions on the dog flea treatment packages do include this warning. Be sure to carefully read the directions on all flea control products before applying them to your pets. Treat your cats with a flea control product made specifically for cats.

There are many other products available to kill fleas on pets. Most shampoos, powders, and sprays only kill the fleas present on an animal when the products are applied. They have little residual effect. Flea control rinses and dips will kill fleas and they do have a slightly longer residual effect, but they contain more toxic chemicals. They should only be used by veterinary clinics and professional groomers. Research has shown that ultrasonic pest repellent devices are useless for flea and tick control.

Not as widely used as they were before more effective topical products became available, certain brands of flea and tick collars can provide some protection for as long as 6 weeks. Flea and tick collars are toxic when ingested. Because puppies and even some older dogs might chew on the collar another dog or cat is wearing, flea and tick collars should not be used if you have more than one dog, or if you have both dogs and cats.

Never use chemical flea and tick control products on puppies or on pregnant, very old or debilitated dogs without your veterinarian’s approval. Flea combs can be used even on puppies too young for chemical flea and tick control. After regular grooming, run a flea comb through the dogs hair. The closely set teeth will pick up and extract fleas and flea eggs.

Frequent scratching and tiny reddish-brown specs on a dog’s skin, (flea excrement), are telltale signs that fleas are present even if you don’t find the actual fleas. A flea comb is also a useful tool for finding fleas on a dog. If fleas are still a problem after treating your dog with a proven, reliable product or if there’s a severe infestation, treating your home must be done in conjunction with treating your pets.

To take care of a thriving home flea population, remove and wash all pet bedding. Before using a chemical flea control product, thoroughly vacuum your carpets. This removes many fleas, eggs, and larvae and also raises the carpet nap to increase penetration of the spray down to the carpet base. Vacuum under throw rugs, under beds and other furniture, along baseboards and under baseboard heaters. Vacuum upholstered furniture including beneath chair and sofa cushions. Pay special attention to areas around your dogs crate, bed and any rugs or furniture where your pet lays. After vacuuming, empty bagless vacuum cleaner receptacles and dispose of vacuum cleaner bags in outdoor trash cans.

A variety of room sprays and indoor foggers are available that will kill fleas, ticks and other insects in rugs, carpeting, furniture and draperies. Foggers are simply set off in the middle of a room. Aerosol products which can be directed at the areas mentioned above, where fleas and their eggs and larvae are likely to be, can be more effective. Before using a fogger or room spray, remove food and water bowls, toys, etc. Cover or remove fish tanks. All pets and people (except the person setting the fogger or doing the spraying), must be out of the house during the treatment and remain off the premises for an amount of time which may vary according to the product being used. Always allow sufficient time for furniture, carpets and all sprayed areas to dry completely. Open windows and use fans to clear the air.

After treating your pet and successfully removing fleas from your home, vacuum frequently and wash your pets bedding regularly. For severe infestations treatment by a professional pest control service might be needed.

Prevention is always the best flea control. To protect your pets and your home, follow your veterinarian’s recommendations and use flea control products according to directions for safe, year-round protection.

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While most people know what pain is, few understand it, especially pain in animals.

There are many misconceptions about pain and animals. For example, because a pet is not moaning or crying out does not mean it is free ofpain. Most animals (unlike humans) are quite long-suffering and less vocal about their pain. From a survival point of view, it is more to their advantage to suffer quietly so as not to draw the attention of predators to themselves. Similarly, because a cat is purring does not mean that it is content. On the contrary, cats may purr if upset, afraid or in pain. It is also wrong to assume that pets do not feel pain the same way we do. Based on physiological and neurological studies, it has been shown that animals feel pain in very much the same way that we do.

For these and other reasons, the veterinarian and the pet owner must look carefully to determine whether or not an animal is in pain. There are certain indications or signs that one can look for. For example, certain behavioural responses may suggest pain. Vocalization (crying out, whimpering, growling, etc.) can be an indication of existing pain. Commonly a pet will retreat from the family or try to hide and be left alone. The pet may appear uncomfortable, which manifests itself in the form of pacing, restlessness, and repeatedly assuming different positions (e.g. arched back, forelegs held out from chest wall, in a prayer position). Often, an animal in pain will pant excessively. Some may growl or snap if handled, while others may simply grunt or try to get away. There may be a reluctance to move. Frequently, there may be a decrease or lack of appetite, listlessness or lethargy, and decreased personal hygiene (especially in cats).

Body language can be very important. For example, if there is localized pain, the animal may lick or bite at the area that is painful. If it has a broken leg or paw, it will try to hide the leg by tucking it underneath itself. These animals will also limp or not bear any weight on the affected limb. If there is abdominal pain, some dogs will stretch out and assume a praying position (called a “posture of relief”). There are also clinical signs that veterinarians look for that tell them that an animal is in pain. Dilated pupils, increased heart and respiratory rate and increased blood pressure indicate the presence of pain. Sometimes signs are not well correlated with pain since like people, cats and dogs have different thresholds for pain tolerance. Some are much more stoic than others.

Analgesics (i.e. painkillers) are used frequently and routinely in veterinary medicine, not only for the comfort of the patient, but to simplify handling of the pet as well. Studies have also shown that patients recover more rapidly if pain is controlled or alleviated.

The greatest benefit arises when medication is given preemptivley, that is, before the pain occurs. This prevents a firing-up of the pain receptors, and allows us to control pain using lower doses of medication more effectively.

Pet owners should learn to recognize the signs of pain in their pets. However, painkillers should never be administered without first consulting a veterinarian. Many painkillers (e.g. ibuprofen, naproxen, acetaminophen) can be extremely toxic while others, such as ASA or acetylsalicylic acid aspirin, need to be administered with extreme caution.

Human medications generally contain much more medecine dosage per tablet than is safe, so it is important that these medications be kept out of reach of pets at home. Bottles should not only be securely closed, but also kept in locked cupboards since pets have been known to chew the lids off of bottles left within their reach, resulting in poisoning.

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In order to get another expert opinion on the hot-button topic of feeding your dog raw dog food, questions were addressed to Jennifer Larsen, DVM, MS; Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Nutrition; Assistant Professor of Clinical Nutrition; Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital at UC Davis.

Question:
Raw dog food sounds like it makes sense: dogs (and cats for that matter) are carnivores and in the wild, they would eat other animals -— rabbits,mice, etc. So, is a raw dog food diet good for them?

Answer:
I understand that some owners find raw feeding an appealing concept in the sense that they feel they can replicate what happens in the wild. However, our modern dogs are not the same as wolfs, and they likely evolvedmost recently on garbage and human excrement rather than on prey. Additionally, a diet of raw chicken backs does not equate to what a wolfwould consume in the wild. Also, the goals for most pet owners of feeding pet dogs are to maintain good body condition and a pretty coat, and to maximize health and longevity. In contrast, the goal of evolution is toproduce as many puppies as possible and then die off so as not compete with the new and improved generation. With such different end points, it seems that pursuing optimal nutrition to prevent disease and maximize lifespan would be preferred to feeding an animal as if they were wild.

Q: In the course of my investigation into the raw dog food universe — pet stores, pet owners, the Internet, etc. — I have found that it seems to be controversial. Some folks swear by it, some say it is bad. a) Why is it so controversial? b) What is your opinion?

A: There is no right or wrong way to do anything. For any feeding method, you can find people who had great experiences, and an equal number who didn’t. Dog are individuals, and their response to any particular diet will vary. In my opinion, there are some very real risks associated with feeding raw food. Contamination with pathologic microorganisms is the biggest one. We have lots of scientific evidence that raw meat, even that sold for human consumption, is frequently contaminated with pathologic bacteria. We also know that animals can pass these bacteria on to people, and that both pets and people can become sick as a result. Immuno-compromised populations (elderly, infants and children, people with frail immune systems, etc) are at the highest risk. Another concern is nutritional adequacy. Both commercially available and home prepared raw diets have been documented to have suboptimal nutrient profiles in many cases. On the flip side, there is no established benefit to this way of feeding. The proposed advantages of increased digestibility, small stools, control over ingredients, no preservatives, etc. can also be achieved with a properly formulated home cooked diet. Any owner considering this method of feeding must weigh the real, established risks with the proposed but unproven benefits.

Q: You can get raw dog food at several local pet stores and if you Google it, there are dozens of raw dog food companies that will deliver it frozen to your door. Is this one of those fads or trends and do you think dog/cat owners buying into it because of the pet food scare or???

A: I think that pet food is often marketed aggressively, and consumers want to feed what is best for their pets. Also, there are groups who believe that raw is the only acceptable way to feed, and they are very vocal about these opinions sometimes to point of making pet owners feel guilty about feedingmore mainstream diets. For some reason, people become rather invested in this way of feeding, and I don’t see that changed anytime soon.

Q: The cost of raw dog food (while it varies somewhat) versus kibble is more. But proponents, especially those with dogs with allergies and health issues who say their dogs are much better on raw dog food, say the cost difference is worth it. Is raw dog food a viable solution for dog owners with pets with issues such as allergies, skin conditions, digestive problems? Is it good nutrition-wise for your dog?

A: Any home prepared diet, whether raw or cooked, is going to be more expensive than a commercially available diet. Most dogs will do very well on any of dozens of different diet types. For dogs with health problems, there are also often multiple options. When a pet owner switches diets, often multiple elements are different. The ingredients, fat level, fiber level and type, digestibility and other things all change too, so it is difficult to know what factor to credit or blame for an improvement or worsening of a symptom.

Q: Raw dog food champions say that dogs who are on the raw dog food diet have less “emissions” and much less pooping due to all the protein being utilized by the dog and no “fillers” that the dog cannot use in his or her system, such as grains and such. Is that true?

A: There are highly digestible diets in every category of dog food- kibble, canned, home cooked and raw. Certainly raw foods are not the only option for an owner who values highly the size of their dog’s stools. However, there are very real benefits to dietary fiber. I don’t know what ‘fillers’ means, but every ingredient in a diet has a function and is there for a reason. Grains provide not only fiber but also essential amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins and minerals.

Q: If folks wanted to try a raw dog food diet for their dog, what are some of the precautions or drawbacks?

A: Contamination with pathogenic microorganisms is by far the biggest concern. Nutritional adequacy is also important and often lacking in such diets. Also, many raw food diets include bones, and the risk of tooth fracture and trauma or obstruction of the gastrointestinal tract is significant. We see many broken teeth as a result of bone chewing by dogs, as well as many dogs sick from eating raw diets.

Q: One of the staples of the raw dog food diet for the local entrepreneurs who deliver it to your door (In the Raw) use chicken backs 4 days a week, in addition to the 2 days of veggie packs and 1 day of beans/rice/fruit mixture. They say raw chicken bones and raw bones in general are fine and good foryour dog. That just sounds wrong, that we’ve always heard not to give yourdog chicken bones. Are raw chicken bones OK for your dog?

A: See my comment above.

Q: They also say that raw dog food cleans dog’s teeth — true?

A: Studies on wild dogs show that although the tooth surface may appear clean, the incidence of periodontal disease below the gumline is significant and is equivalent to what we see in domestic dogs. So the concern is that the lack of tartar buildup may provide a false sense of security when, in fact, a more important factor contributing to oral health is overlooked. By far, the proven gold standard for oral health care in dogs is daily tooth brushing at home. There are no shortcuts.

Q: If raw dog food is a viable food alternative for your dog, how about just going down to your grocer or a butcher and getting a bunch of chicken backs, etc. and doing it yourself? Are the raw dog food companies taking advantage of the trend or are they making the food safer through government-mandated stringent handling? Or are there even any guidelines here?

A: There will always be a number of manufacturers willing to supply a demand. The FDA has provided guidelines for raw food manufacturers, but they do not have to adhere to any stricter laws than other companies. The FDA guidance on raw meat foods is available at: www.fda.gov/cvm/CVM_Updates/rawdiet.htm, www.fda.gov/cvm/Guidance/Guide122.pdf As stated above, home prepared raw diets and commercial diets have been documented to have nutritional imbalances. (I can get you these references if you wish.)

Q: How is dog food regulated and what should consumers look for, raw or otherwise, to ensure their dog is getting a nutritionally balanced diet?

A: Dog food is regulated primarily at the state level by state law. Most states have adopted the model laws published annually by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). AAFCO publishes definitions of feed ingredients for a variety of animals, including dogs and cats, to promote uniformity. They also dictate what information must be on the pet food label and they provide guidelines for establishing nutritional adequacy for diets. Nutritional adequacy can be established in two ways. The food can be formulated by computer and the nutritional profile compared to the recommended nutrient allowances provided by AAFCO. Such a diet would say something like “This food has been formulated to meet AAFCO nutritional profiles for the maintenance of adult dogs.” The second way is to subject the food to feeding trials for the intended lifestage. Such a food would say something like “This food has undergone animal feeding tests to substantiate nutritional adequacy for canine maintenance.” Specific procedures for the testing are outlined in the AAFCO publication. The feeding trial method is preferred to the formulation method, as this helps to catch many imbalances and ensure appropriate digestibility and bioavailability of the nutrients. I think most consumers are unaware that pet food can be marketed and sold without ever being fed to a single animal.

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Messiter makes the canine world more accessible to dog owners using the Amichien Bonding method, pioneered by dog behavioural expert Jan Fennell. “It’s not about owners controlling their animal’s behaviour, it’s about creating an environment where dogs can think for themselves and operate self-control,” she says.

Messiter is working with Flynn, my five-year-old Dalmatian, who can be aggressive around other male dogs. She diagnoses that Flynn is assuming the role of pack leader, and is acting up to protect his pack – me. I must work with Flynn to reassert my alpha position and help him feel confident that I, not he, will deal with any danger.

Dog listening involves working with a dog’s natural instinct, using non-verbal cues to mimic the “alpha” behaviour displayed by the pack leader. I am to demonstrate leadership in four key areas:

1) Eating. I must eat first (unless the alpha stays strong and healthy, the whole pack is at risk).

2) Hunting (our walks). I am to be in control at all times, with Flynn on the lead, released from the “stress” of leading the walk.

3) Protection. I assess potential threats and deal with them accordingly.

4) Status. On arriving home I am to ignore Flynn and greet him only when I’m ready. This is hard for me.

After three weeks, Flynn no longer launches himself at other larger, fiercer breeds. I sense he is happier and I feel that I have mastered the art of “talking” dog. It is, after all, easier for us to learn their language than for them to learn ours.

The Details

Dog listening with Rachael Messiter costs £200, including follow-up support. www.talkingpaws.co.uk

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The following is a personal story from NYC:

On Sunday, June 22, 2008 my 10-year old lab mix, Chai, sustained a severe injury from a product that the company Four Paws Inc, produces. The toy I’m referencing is the pimple ball with bell. (Item #20227-001, UPC Code 0 4566320227 9)

While chewing on the toy, a vacuum was created and it effectively sucked his tongue into the hole in the ball. From speaking with my vet, this likely occurred because there is not a second hole in the ball preventing the vacuum effect from happening. I became aware of this when Chai approached a friend at my home whimpering with the ball in his mouth. She tried unsuccessfully to remove the ball but the tongue had swollen and could not be released.

Chai was taken to the Animal Medical Center (an emergency care facility in New York City) and was treated by Dr. Nicole Spurlock to have the ball removed. Because the size of the opening on the ball was so small, all circulation to his tongue was cut off. The doctors had to sedate him in order to remove it. Once the ball was removed, his tongue swelled to the point that he could no longer put it in his mouth. Chai was sent home with care instructions and to be observed overnight for any changes.

By the following morning Chai’s tongue had swollen even more.

He was taken to his regular vet, Dr. Timnah Lee, for treatment. He was admitted and kept sedated for a period of three days during which time they were treating his wounds and waiting to determine how much of his tongue could be saved. On June 26, 2008 Chai had his tongue amputated.

He was kept in after-care for an additional three days. On Sunday June 29th I brought Chai home from the vet with a barrage of home care instructions, to last for an additional 7 days. His next visit was to have his mouth re-examined and have the feeding tube in his neck removed.

On the way home from the vet we stopped at Petland Discount where I purchased their product to speak to the manager on duty. Upon meeting Chai and seeing his condition, he removed all of the balls in question from the shelves. He also gave me the customer service number to their corporate headquarters to request that they refuse to continue purchasing all Four Paws products, but I have not called them as of yet.

Additionally, I shared my story with friends who have a French Bulldog named Petunia. Upon hearing my story their eyes widened. They explained that the same thing happened twice in one night with a smaller version of the same ball to their dog. Fortunately, they were able to pull it off before the tongue swelled, but not without tremendous effort and pain to the dog. They recalled how horrific it was to hear their dog screaming while they had to pry the ball from her tongue.

To date, my veterinary bills total over $5000.00 and I will have regular follow up appointments for some time. Additionally, Chai now requires a much more expensive form of food because of this injury, averaging approximately $200 per month.

Also – I am Chai’s sole caretaker and the regime required to care for him following his surgery has forced me to lose a great deal of business. I am a hair stylist and my salon is in my home. Given that Chai needs constant attention, and given that he has been wailing in pain, I have not been able to see clients.

Additionally, I now have to re-teach my dog to eat, drink and adjust to life without his tongue. Just walking him requires about 30min twice a day and we only make it three blocks. Feeding him takes me about 90 minutes twice a day and for at least this first week he is not to be unattended for more than 20 minutes at time.

The following is a link to an animal treatment clinic that has also documented the same injury to a Shepard mix.

www.logcabinanimalhospital.com

I sent this information along with the reference to Petunia the french bulldog to Four Paws Inc, and it is their position that there just aren’t enough instances to do anything about this. I told their Insurance company’s case manager that was not a good enough excuse, It was inferred that my dogs value wasn’t much and that his pain and suffering don’t count as he is just a piece of property.

This should never happen to another animal again!
I’M CALLING FOR AN INTERNATIONAL BOYCOTT OF ALL FOUR PAWS PRODUCTS UNTIL THIS PRODUCT IS RECALLED. We need your help, please take the time to make your voice heard.

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