I just completed a private consultation with a client whose under-socialized Australian Shepherd recently bit their 6-year-old daughter in the face, and nipped a friend of their 9-year-old son. I’m cursing a world that allows this to happen.
This well-meaning family adopted Blue from a shelter when he was 16 weeks old. He was “shy,” they said – he hid under a chair in the get-acquainted room when they met him. He had been at the shelter for two months – half his life. According to his paperwork he was the last of a litter of six and was timid when initially assessed.
In fact, all the pups were timid, but he was the worst – which was why he was the last one left when the Petersons went to the shelter to adopt last February. He was the only puppy in the shelter at the time, so they decided to take him despite his shyness. He’d come around, they thought, with love and attention.
Nature versus nurture
What they didn’t know was that at 16 weeks, Blue was reaching the end of a pup’s most important socialization period – the time in his life when he learns what is safe and good, and what is scary. In the wild, the lessons learned during the first few months of a pup’s life are critical to his survival. As he ventures out of his den he learns to be bold where it counts – pouncing on prey, for example – and cautious where prudent. Pups who don’t learn to avoid poisonous snakes, rushing floodwaters, and precipitous cliffs don’t live to pass on their genes!
During this period, puppies who live with humans need to learn that the world is a good and safe place. Their general assumption then becomes that people and other animals, places, and things are okay unless proven otherwise.
In contrast, puppies who are not socialized tend to be suspicious of everything except for a very narrow range of experiences they encounter in their very limited environment – a basement or backyard, for example. The rest of the world terrifies them, and any positive exposures they get later in life must struggle against this early, very strong programming.
A genetically sound pup has a better chance of recovering, at least to some degree, from a poor start in life. A pup who inherited poor genes for temperament and wasn’t well socialized early is often a lost cause – or, at least, a huge challenge for someone who is well-prepared, educated, and equipped to deal with him or her.
The fact that Blue and all his siblings were deemed to be “shy” when they were dropped off at the shelter indicated that they hadn’t received adequate early socialization. Most shelters aren’t ideal environments for remedial socialization, so by the time Blue was finally adopted, he was woefully behind in his “life is good” lessons – the lessons that, once missed, are very difficult (if not impossible) to make up.
The Petersons also didn’t know that if they wanted to try to make up for lost time they had to immediately start super-socializing their new pup. By the time they brought Blue to me he was 11 months old, and the prognosis for successful behavior modification was dismal.
This dog’s future is unknown. The Petersons want to try, and I will certainly try to help them, but they are facing a huge challenge. When children are involved and at risk, the tolerance for error is low and rightly so. I’m hoping to be pleasantly surprised by the outcome of this case.
Every dog is a product of the influence of his genes and his environment. If a pup comes from parents who have very genetically sound temperaments, then the pup can get by with an average amount of socialization – or even less. However, if Mom and Pop are genetically unstable, Pup needs to be ultra-socialized if he is to become a safe and friendly member of society.
The problem is, it’s pretty hard to tell the difference. If you adopt a pup from a shelter, you rarely get to meet the parents. Even if you buy from a breeder, you can’t tell if Mom and Dad are friendly because they’re genetically sound or because they were exceptionally well socialized. How do you know whether to give your new pup average socialization or the ultra package? You don’t.
The answer to this conundrum is to socialize the heck out of every single puppy. Then you don’t risk finding out later that you had a pup who needed an extra boost in the social department – you already gave it to him!
Early socialization
The best socialization programs begin while pups are still with their dams. A good breeder begins handling her pups gently and early, just as their eyes begin to open, giving them a positive association with human touch. As they get a little older (5-6 weeks) they should start meeting more humans – all shapes, colors, ages, and sizes – who feed them treats and pet them gently. The breeder will need to supervise these interactions closely, as rough handling at this stage can have the opposite effect, teaching the pups that humans aren’t safe to be around.
The mother dog’s attitude is important at this stage, too. If she is aggressive toward humans, or even just stressed about her pups being handled, the pups can register her attitude and learn this inappropriate behavior. If Mom is calm and relaxed around humans, pups are more likely to be, too.
By the time a pup is weaned at 7-8 weeks, he should already have a positive worldview programmed into his little puppy brain. When you select your pup from a litter, whether you’re at a breeder’s home or a shelter – or picking one from a box of free puppies on a street corner – choose wisely. Resist the temptation to rescue the pup who hides in the corner. Select, instead, the pup who is outgoing without being overbearing – the one who seems to have a cheerful, “Life is good!” attitude. Otherwise you risk finding yourself in the Peterson’s shoes, with an 11-month-old dog who is biting children in the face.
Okay, you’ve adopted a friendly pup with a sound temperament. Good for you! That doesn’t mean your job is done, however. You must continue your pup’s socialization lessons assiduously until he is 16 weeks old, and then maintain his positive association to the world throughout his life. If you take an 8-week-old well-socialized pup and stick him in your backyard with no outside exposure, the odds are good that you will end up with a problem.
The health dilemma
Puppy owners are often counseled by their veterinarians to keep their baby dogs cloistered safely at home until they are fully immunized at age 4-6 months. Looking at the situation purely from a physical health perspective, this makes good sense. You certainly don’t want to risk exposing your pup to nasty distemper or parvo bugs.
From a mental health perspective, however, it’s horrible advice. You only have two to three more months to give your pup an unshakable faith in the goodness of the world. You cannot afford to wait until those shots are done. During this period, you want to give your pup at least 100 new positive exposures and experiences, to “vaccinate” him against the possibility that he will feel compelled to bite someone, someday (see “100 Exposures In 100 Days” sidebar). It’s not a guarantee against biting, but it’s by far your best chance of ending up with an adult dog who is friendly and safe.
Fear periods
At one time in the last several decades, much ado was made about a pup’s “critical fear periods.” Behaviorists attempted to pinpoint those periods of time in puppyhood during which a “bad experience” would scar a pup’s psyche for life. More recently, we have come to realize that, although pups do seem to go through periods during which they are more fearful than others, that time can vary from one pup to the next. Rather than wrapping your pup in cotton wool for a designated period, it makes more sense to watch him closely and ensure that he has mostly good experiences, especially if he seems to be going through a cautious stage.
Even if something does frighten him, it’s not the end of the world – you can set up a counter-conditioning and desensitization (CC&D) program to restore a positive association with that particular stimulus, and your pup should recover nicely.
Lifetime socialization
Now your pup is 16 weeks old. You’ve reached the end of that magic socialization window, your “100 exposures” list is all checked off, and your pup loves the world. Are you done? Hardly.
Like your training efforts, which continue on into adulthood and throughout your dog’s entire life, you are never done with socialization. You’ve laid a very solid foundation; that’s something to be proud of.
Much of that will be lost, however, if you toss your four-month-old pup into the backyard and cease all exposure. He still needs to meet and greet people, go places with you, and continue to share your world and your experiences, if you want him to continue to be the happy, friendly puppy he is today. And, of course, that’s what you want!
-Pat Miller, CPDT, is WDJ’s Training Editor. She is also author of “The Power of Positive Dog Training,” and “Positive Perspectives: Love Your Dog, Train Your Dog.”
Just over a year ago, Cindy Creighton stood in a veterinary neurologist’s office in Fort Lauderdale, gazing at radiographs that showed an incomplete spinal cord injury suffered by her 18-month-old Whippet, Gideon. Two days earlier, the slender young dog had collided with a larger dog while warming up for a flyball competition.
As Creighton listened to the veterinarian, she heard the words downer dog. She saw Gideon himself, a champion flyball dog, immobilized in the animal hospital, though he could squeak the toy she brought him.
Creighton, who for 30 years has worked as an occupational therapist, helping seriously injured human patients find ways to resume their regular lives, made a decision.
“My training is about finding ways for people to do things that matter to them,” says Creighton, 52. “I had a responsibility to Gideon. I took him into my family and I owed him care. There was no question I was going to work with him.”
A canine athlete
The idea of working with her dog predated Creighton’s relationship with Gideon, going back to her decision to get a dog in the first place. First, she first researched breeds. She’d been fascinated by an agility competition she had seen, and thought it would be fun to learn and teach agility to a young dog. After falling in love with Gideon’s mother at a dog show, she decided on a Whippet. She waited a year for the mother to have a litter, and took four-month-old Gideon home in August 2002.
Seeking an outlet for Gideon’s energy, Creighton joined a dog club in February 2003, and took agility and flyball lessons.
He really had potential as an athlete, because he’s fast and he’s bright, says Creighton. It was in flyball the canine relay race where teams of four dogs each dash across a course of low hurdles and retrieve a ball that Gideon literally hit his stride. In just two tournaments he accumulated enough points to earn the title of flyball dog champion, and was running as the lead dog on his team, Raiders of the Lost Bark, based in Miami, Florida.
In a very short time, with him on our team, we were running pretty fast and pretty competitively, says Dana Hanson of Miami, who organized the Raiders. Hanson’s own Whippet, Huey, ran after Gideon. They ran like they’d been running together for 10 years, Hanson says.
The team’s success earned them an invitation to demonstrate flyball at a pet fair in Fort Lauderdale in October 2003. There was even a chance for the legendary 15 minutes of fame for Gideon and the Raiders: Purina pet foods would be there, filming an ad that would run during local broadcast of the Westminster Dog Show.
The pet fair arrived. Purina’s crews filmed and left. It was day two of the pet fair, and the Raiders were warming up, owners calling to dogs, dogs running to owners. Somehow, Gideon and another dog on the team ran into each other.
Gideon at 35 pounds, less than half the size of the other dog took the brunt of the force of the collision. Flyball captains on hand for the fair loaded Gideon into a van and had him at an animal hospital emergency room in 10 minutes. This turned out to be an important factor in his recovery, since he quickly received intravenous steroids, which can mitigate spinal cord swelling.
For the moment, Creighton had to let others do the work for her dog. Some 48 hours later, she got the grim diagnosis from veterinary neurologist Julia Blackmore. Gideon’s hind end was paralyzed due to an incomplete spinal cord injury between his 12th and 13th vertebrae, below his ribcage. Dr. Blackmore warned Creighton that because mobility is so important to them, sighthounds like Whippets don’t usually adapt as well to the loss of function as other breeds. In addition to that mental obstacle, Gideon had physical disadvantages. As a thin dog, his limbs weren’t covered with much padding, making him vulnerable to sores and skin problems from lying down through a long rehabilitation.
But Dr. Blackmore also showed Creighton a section of undamaged nerve fibers, which allowed hope for some return of function how much was impossible to say.
Creighton’s work with Gideon shifted from the fun of training and conditioning for flyball to round-the-clock rituals of nursing care.
Nursing experience helped
At home, the first tasks set the stage for the many to follow that would be resolved through trial and error. Creighton needed a bed with extra padding to counter Gideons susceptibility to sores. She also needed supplies to manage his incontinence. Spinal shock effectively halts bladder function in the first weeks after an accident like Gideon’s, although this function often returns and becomes reflexive. In the meantime, accidents leave the skin wet and prone to breakdown.
To avert sores, Creighton purchased a special bed and changed Gideon’s position in bed every three hours around the clock. By learning to express his bladder and using a combination of a quilted pad in bed and an absorbent wrap while up, plus a daily waterless bath and vigilant monitoring of his skin, she kept Gideon clean and dry.
That regimen, similar to what Creighton had seen prescribed for human patients with spinal cord injuries, lasted about eight weeks. But she shrugs off any suggestion of going above and beyond the call of duty. Almost everyone she knows, she says, has nursed an old pet, or spared no expense for medical care.
I totally understand the importance of that nursing care at the beginning. Investing time and energy early really pays off later, Creighton says.
Keeping movement in mind
Mindful of Blackmore’s warning that Whippets don’t easily adjust to being paralyzed, she was eager to get Gideon moving again, another principle that translated from her professional life.
It’s so important that a person or an animal keeps interest in life, Creighton says. That was one of my motivating forces, especially because he was so young, because he was an athlete. How would I keep him happy?
Creighton used three different techniques in those first few weeks:
A therapy or fitness ball, sized to reach up to his shoulder. Creighton laid the ball against Gideon’s belly, draped his front legs over it, and slowly rolled it back and forth, as a way to teach him to balance and bear his weight on his front legs.
A Walkabout Harness, which fit like a pair of snug shorts, allowing Creighton to lift Gideon’s rear legs, enabling him to walk wheelbarrow-style on his front legs. The Walkabout required another adaptation since Gideon couldn’t feel Creighton steering from the harness, she added a vest that fitted over the shoulders. Equipped with a leash, it allowed her to steer him along with her other hand.
A standing frame similar to a walker a person would use. The Evans Mobility Unit was a lightweight metal frame equipped with wheels and a harness in which Gideon would be suspended, feet touching the floor. In it, Gideon could readjust to being upright and moving.
In addition to the therapy, Creighton simply had to be patient until Gideon confused by his new limitations calmed down long enough for her to be able to get him into her car and take him to more professional help. After equipping the car with a padded cargo liner, Creighton set off for the Animal Recreation and Rehabilitation Center in Davie, Florida, run by Joyce Loeser, a veterinarian specializing in rehabilitation.
Discovering a partner
At ARRC, Creighton found a partner to share her work with Gideon. Besides her DVM training, Loeser’s certified as an acupuncturist, chiropractor, massage therapist, and physical therapist.
“I’m not a strict anything. I’m kind of a fence rider,” says Dr. Loeser. “I kind of believe the black beads and feather theory whatever you need to get the job done.”
In Gideon’s case, that meant acupuncture needles with electrical stimulation to activate his paralyzed leg muscles. Dr. Loeser also tried pool therapy, and sent Creighton home with a catalog of carts canine wheelchairs while Gideon stayed for a few days of intense therapy.
Dr. Loeser considers herself on a mission to change the prevailing veterinary mindset about the quality of life dogs with injuries like Gideon’s can have. The traditional thinking, she says, is he’s down in the rear, you have to express his bladder, (therefore) put him to sleep. Herself a survivor of chronic pain and partial paralysis, a veteran of back surgery, knee surgery, acupuncture, and chiropractic, Dr. Loeser’s practice is dedicated to her belief that a disability does not have to diminish quality of life.
To watch these guys get back on their feet, to get them moving and having a happy, viable life, is the best feeling in the world, she says.
From her first examination of Gideon, Dr. Loeser was optimistic. Tests revealed that Gideon had the ability to feel deep pain in the inner spinal cord. He’d retained the tone he’d acquired in his short canine athletic career, which further indicated something was still stimulating his muscles. And Gideon’s own temperament contributed to his recovery, Loeser says.
Some dogs give up, just like people. They just fold, she says. Gideon never gave up.
Dr. Loeser’s office is a two-story house given over to her practice, surrounded by a three-acre plant nursery that itself is part of the therapy regimen. She and her staff work with the animals outdoors, on grounds that feature tree roots, soft sand, high cut grass all things they would encounter in everyday life.
She works to find the right combination of therapy for each animal. Gideon, for instance, hated pool therapy, freezing in the water instead of paddling. With some guys you have to rethink your path and go on to the next one. “Just like anything in medicine, it’s a little bit of an art,” Dr. Loeser says.
Keeping the faith
Creighton worked to weather the ups and downs over the course of Gideon’s rehab. She got a big boost when she picked up Gideon from ARRC the first week of November; with the help of a member of Dr. Loeser’s staff, Gideon actually took steps toward her, with his hind legs following his front legs.
That was followed by a disappointment when Gideon’s custom wheeled cart arrived from Massachusetts-based Eddie’s Wheels for Pets in December. Rather than freeing him to move, Gideon seemed to think the cart restrained him, and wouldn’t budge.
Creighton says her work as an OT helped her deal with disappointments.
This is familiar to rehab professionals. It is a problem-solving process. You expect that some of the equipment isn’t going to work, and there will be a learning curve and resistance sometimes.
She also advises taking the long view.
“The main thing is not to be discouraged in the beginning,” Creighton says. “I had some perspective from working with patients with spinal cord injuries. I know it always looks very discouraging in the beginning, and it gets better. Even if it doesn’t get better physically, they learn how to manage their bodies.”
Creighton’s flexible work schedule also allowed her to engage in hands-on, intensive participation during Gideon’s rehab. She maintained a one-day-a-week clinical practice at a local school. As a faculty member at Barry University in Miami Shores, she taught two weekends a month in a master’s-level program for working adults studying to become occupational therapists. The service-oriented environment at the Catholic university allowed her to bring Gideon to work often. When that wasn’t possible, the supportive staff at Bark Avenue Pet Resort in Hollywood, Florida, filled in, accommodating Gideon and his special needs.
We did that gladly, to get him back on some kind of a track, Bark Avenue owner Paul Funt says. Little by little it was really gradual!Hhe was able to stand, and then take a couple steps. It’s pretty incredible to watch, from a dog that was going to be crippled.
Faith rewarded
After a long month of work in January, Gideon overcame his reluctance to move in the cart. With it, he regained the speed that had made him a leader on the Raiders. (Team leader Hanson says the Raider’s best time, 21.3 seconds, recorded with Gideon running in the lead dog position, still stands.)
To motivate and reward his efforts, Creighton created a modified flyball course, minus the hurdles, in which Gideon would race to retrieve a ball from a traffic cone and bring it back to her. The activity seemed to benefit him more and more. On February 1, they took their first walk without the cart or any special equipment. While slow and a bit awkward, Gideon was moving all four paws on his own! Three weeks later, they rejoined the Raiders (as nonparticipant guests) for the team’s first tournament. While Gideon socialized on the sidelines, Creighton helped with registration. Hanson and his dog, Huey, were thrilled to have them back.
“Huey is just as excited to see Gideon as he ever was,” Hanson says. “We all learned a few things in terms of patience and work paying off.”
Today, Gideon still walks with what Loeser calls a “hypermetric gait,” a somewhat mechanical walk, with wider steps and higher lifts of the legs than he did before his accident. He has to concentrate to walk well, and can fall if distracted, by a squirrel, say. He sleeps on an orthopedic bed and uses raised food and water dishes. Creighton still gets up with him once a night. There’s the occasional potty accident.
But to Gideon, life is as good as it ever was. And Creighton’s starting to think about returning to dog sports. The Raiders have set up a special flyball lane for Gideon when he attends meets, with wooden slats on the ground instead of hurdles, and a ramp up to the flyball box. Creighton is thinking about taking Gideon to lessons for disabled dogs in other sports, like agility and rally. And she and Dr. Loeser have discussed setting up an adapted sports course on the property at Loeser’s Animal Recreation and Rehabilitation Center.
“Why couldn’t there be a special Olympics for dogs?” Creighton asks.
Loeser thinks it’s an idea that has real potential, given the number of disabled dogs and the connection power of the Internet. It could also shatter some beliefs about downer dogs.
“These guys can have an amazing quality of life,” she says. “Gideon is a wonderful example.”
Author Cari Noga is a freelance writer from Traverse City, Michigan.
Thanks to encouragement from Dana Hanson, Cindy Creighton kept an online journal during Gideon’s rehabilitation, both as a way for friends to track his progress and for others to learn from her research. To read the journal, see www.flyballdogs.com/raiders, then click on Gideon’s Rehab.
For more information about the sport of flyball, see www.flyball.org, the Web site for the North American Flyball Association, or write to NAFA at 1400 West Devon Avenue #512, Chicago, IL 60660. Further information and more links are available at www.flyballdogs.com.
A friend copied the article, “Monkey See, Monkey Do?” from the July issue for me, knowing I would want to subscribe, which I did.
After many months of thought and worry, I adopted a shelter puppy with the hopes that my old 12-year-old girl would pass on some of her wisdom and gentleness – also hoping it would not be a reason for my old girl to give up. I did another round of comprehensive blood work and full exam on my old lady companion, and other than her arthritis that she’s had since she was five years old and the lupus we’ve kept under control for nearly four years, she was in good health.
I brought eight-week-old Ossa Jiordan in the house in my arms, and knelt down on the floor almost immediately to introduce her smell to my old lady, Ginger. She most lovingly sniffed the new pup in my arms and her old tail was wagging as if she was a kid again.
Ossa Jiordan had been in the car with me for a couple of hours at that point, so before putting her down in her new home, I said, “Okay, ladies, let’s go out and go potty.” I let Ginger out the back door into an enclosed dirt dog run and brought the little pup with me. I put Ossa Jiordan down and said, “Go potty, ladies.” Ginger has been trained to go potty (both kinds) on cue. Ossa looked at Ginger, Ginger looked at Ossa and squatted – and then Ossa squatted, and has been house-trained from that moment.
There have been many instances where I am confident that had Ginger, my perfect companion, not been here to help me raise this little treasure, I would have had a handful to deal with! There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that my old dear dog has trained this puppy through action and some level of canine communication … many important traits that I, as a mere human, may have spent weeks or months teaching her.
-“The Pine Grove Clan”
via e-mail
Thanks for sharing your story! –Editor
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I just received my first copy of WDJ, and couldn’t be more pleased! The article on allergies (“Walking the Allergy Maze,” WDJ August 2003) and the one on glucosamine (“Go With Glucosamine”) came at just the right time!
I adopted a seven-year-old Weimaraner earlier this year, who developed allergies within days of moving in with us. I was suspicious of beef, since she had a marrow bone as well as a rawhide within the first few days of being with us. I was also concerned that it might be something in her new environment, like her beds, so we paid a visit to the vet. After several vet visits and a few months of specially-prescribed diets, someone from the pet adoption agency sent me a copy of your top foods list, and suggested that we try Solid Gold’s food “Hund-n-Flocken.”
I couldn’t believe the difference, which was noticeable within three days! After trying to reintroduce other foods, I believe that she is allergic to not only beef, but also wheat and eggs.
After we tackled the allergy problem, my dog injured her knee. I was terrified that it was going to be diagnosed as an ACL tear. Fortunately, it wasn’t a tear, and the vet put her on a supplement containing glucosamine to help her heal. Unfortunately, she had an allergic reaction to the supplement (which I believe was caused by brewer’s yeast) within two days. I have searched local pet and health food stores for another supplement, with little success.
The August WDJ issue arrived in my mailbox that day, and the article convinced me that it was worth trying harder to find another glucosamine source. Luckily, after doing some research online, I found another glucosamine supplement that does not contain any sugar, wheat, yeast, corn, or soy. I am anxiously awaiting delivery of the new glucosamine supplement, because she is restricted to low-level activity for the next few weeks to let her knee heal, and we are both missing our daily hikes and playtime at the park. It isn’t easy trying to keep an active Weim on “low level activity,” that’s for sure!
It can be very challenging to have a dog with allergies, but there are products out there if you look hard enough. I love my dog dearly, and will do anything to keep her happy and healthy.
-Nicole DeRaleau
Longmeadow, MA
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I have been a faithful subscriber since 1999. I cannot even remember how I found your wonderful publication, but I don’t even make it in the front door without reading the cover page and your editor’s note on every issue.
My holistic education began in 1997. I married my husband and found myself the stepmom to a beautiful Golden Retriever named Gus. He had hot spots and constant ear infections. I began by reading everything I could find and (next to your publication) one of the best sources I found was Dr. Pitcairn’s Natural Health for Dogs and Cats. From the day I bought that book I started cooking for my dogs.
Over the years I have gained much more knowledge and have even started a degree program for a second career as a veterinary technician. I just love having the knowledge! With the help of a very open conventional veterinarian, who was always looking up vitamin dosages for me, we kept Gus healthy until the age of 13.
I do have the privilege of having two fabulous Jack Russell Terriers, Stymee (eight years old) and Darla (three years old). Both have benefited greatly from my experience with Gus. I cannot tell you how WDJ has been such a blessing in my dogs’ lives, and mine. I could send you a thank you letter concerning every single issue because I have always gotten so much great information out of them. Please keep up all the great work because there are (hopefully) many grateful readers out there who appreciate every bit of information.
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In September, I attended the annual meeting of the American Holistic Veterinary Medicine Association (AHVMA), and then got to spend a few days hunting around Missouri, sniffing for background information for a number of future articles. As a result, I’ve got enough “scoops” to last the next six issues or so!
At the conference, I feasted on information from two brilliant doctors – W. Jean Dodds, DVM, and Ronald D. Schultz, Ph.D. – about the latest on canine vaccines. I was also fascinated with Dr. Dodds’ presentation on canine behavioral problems related to thyroiditis, as well as her casual observation that the nutritional approach of a veterinarian who was attending the conference, John Symes of Mobile, Alabama, seemed to improve the health and behavior of many dogs, including dogs with thyroid problems. I’m planning articles on all of these topics.
At the AHVMA trade show, I got a chance to talk with a number of representatives for premium dog food companies. I learned about some new products from some of our favorite companies, fantastic products coming from companies I should have known about before now, and got to hear everyone’s opinion about what’s wrong with WDJ’s food reviews. Believe it or not, that’s the part I like best! It’s my goal to shake up the reviews in 2005, taking our selection criteria to an even higher level.
To that end, much of the rest of my trip was about dog food. I’ve been writing about pet food manufacturing for years, but I’ve never gotten to see it. On this trip, to the middle of the grain belt, I figured I’d get that chance.
I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised that none of the largest dog food companies in the country wanted to have anything to do with me! The public relations person for Hill’s pretty much said, “Sorry, we don’t do tours.” Purina’s reps wouldn’t even return my dozen or so calls. I had a long, good talk with a rep from Doane, the country’s largest private label pet food manufacturer … who regretted not being “able” to help me this time. One of the largest pet food canneries in the country, which makes a number of the foods on our “approved” food lists, was similarly unable to help. A maker of dog chews let me come to its corporate offices, but didn’t really want me to visit its manufacturing plant.
I kept thinking, “What don’t they want people to see?”
Fortunately, a couple of small companies did welcome me into their production facilities. In Kansas City, the folks from Three Dog Bakery bent over backward to show me how their treats are made, and even let me sample fresh, hot cookies from the ovens (all the ingredients are human-grade). I can’t tell you how impressed I was with their products and the company itself. Spectrum Pet Care, of Montgomery City, let me spend half a day standing over a steamy extruding machine as a batch of organic turkey dog food cooked. I happily reeked of dog food for the rest of the day.
I also started researching pet food feeding trials, by visiting a contract research laboratory where feeding trials are conducted – the very one, in fact, that was infiltrated by a PETA “investigator” and accused of cruelty in a huge media campaign. Stay tuned! All I can say now is that things are never quite what they seem at first glance.
1. If your dog’s teeth are tartar-encrusted, or if his gumline looks inflamed, schedule an exam with your vet. Make sure she is aware of all of your dog’s health issues, and ask for her treatment recommendations.
2. If your dog’s teeth need cleaning, but he has health problems that put him at risk for complications during anesthesia, ask your vet whether she will perform an anesthesia-free teeth cleaning. If she declines, make it clear that you will seek the services of a veterinarian who will provide the service.
3. This is not the time for bargainhunting. Whether or not anesthesia is used, be prepared to pay for appropriate supportive measures as needed: blood tests, IV fluids, antibiotics, and/or pain-relieving drugs. Any or all of these may be needed to maximize the safety and effectiveness of the procedure.
Most of us have seen signs or advertisements for “anesthesia-free teeth cleaning” for dogs and cats. To most people, this sounds like a good idea, especially if you have a really old dog, a dog with a heart condition, or any other dog you’d hesitate to put through general anesthesia.
The procedure can be a terrific service for some dogs, but only if rendered under the direct supervision of a veterinarian, if not by a veterinarian. Unfortunately, some vets don’t offer the service – often, because they don’t believe it’s necessary. This pretty much guarantees that some pet owners will seek out non-veterinary technicians who perform the procedure – illegally – in grooming shops or pet supply stores.
We suggest that dog owners who are concerned about the risks of anesthesia ask their own trusted veterinarians to provide dental cleanings without anesthesia – and to seek out another veterinarian who does provide the service if their own veterinarian does not or will not. Here’s why:
Teeth Cleanliness Means Dog Healthiness
Tartar-encrusted teeth are not just unattractive; they are absolutely dangerous to a dog’s health.
Just as with humans, tartar or calculus forms on a dog’s teeth when plaque – a combination of salivary proteins and bacteria – accumulates on the teeth and is not brushed or mechanically scraped away by vigorous chewing. And just as with humans, some dogs seem more prone to tartar accumulation than others. Some of this may be due to an inherited trait; it’s also thought that the chemistry in some dogs’ saliva seems to promote tartar formation.
However it happens to accumulate, the mineralized concretion acts as a trap for even more plaque deposits. Soon, the gums become inflamed by the plaque, and bacterial infections may develop. Yes, the dog will have bad breath and unsightly red gums. He may experience pain when he’s eating his food, playing with toys, or during recreational chewing. Chronic mouth pain can cause behavioral changes, including crankiness and sudden onset of “bad moods.” But even more serious dangers are lurking unseen.
When plaque deposits begin to form in proximity to and then, gradually, under the dog’s gums, the immuno-inflammatory response begins to cause destruction of the structures that hold the dog’s teeth in place: the cementum (the calcified tissue that covers the root surfaces), periodontal ligament (connective tissue that helps anchor the teeth), and alveolar bone (the bone that surrounds the roots of the teeth). As these structures are damaged in the inflammatory response “crossfire,” the teeth can become loose and even fall out.
A more serious danger is the bacterial infection and resultant inflammation in the gums, which can send bacteria through the dog’s bloodstream, where it can wreak havoc with the heart, lungs, kidney, and liver. Dogs with chronic health problems that affect these organs and dogs with immune-mediated disease are at special risk of experiencing complications due to periodontal disease. For this reason alone, owners of these dogs should be the most proactive in keeping their dogs’ teeth clean.
Fears Around Teeth Cleaning with Anesthesia
People whose dogs are in poor health, however, are often the most reluctant to schedule a teeth-cleaning. Most frequently, they cite the effects of anesthesia on their dogs’ already compromised health as their biggest concern. In many cases, though, there are more serious things they should be concerned about, because the fact is that the vast majority of dogs, even old ones, come through the anesthetic experience without peril, as long as the veterinarian provides appropriate supportive care. (See “What You Should Know Before Your Dog Receives Anesthesia,” WDJ November 2002, for a detailed article about the safest anesthesia protocols and how to insist on them for your dog.)
Far more perilous than properly administered anesthesia are the risks posed by dental “technicians” who are not well trained or are inexperienced, and who are working without the benefit of veterinary support or supervision.
Undoubtedly, some of the people who provide “anesthesia-free teeth cleaning” services outside of veterinarians’ offices are well-educated and experienced. Some may be former (human) dental hygienists or licensed veterinary healthcare technicians. Some do a terrific job.
But the fact is, no matter how talented or experienced or well-educated they are, if they are not working with a vet who will perform a complete physical examination of the dog before the procedure and provide care afterward (if needed), they are performing veterinary medicine without a license. And because their services are illegal, it’s not possible for a consumer to confirm their credentials or even have legal recourse if they injure or harm a client’s dog.
The Best Candidates for Anesthesia-Free Teeth Cleaning
Fortunately, some veterinarians now offer anesthesia-free dental cleanings in their clinics, in recognition of the fact that some dogs may be adversely affected by anesthesia, and yet would benefit from dental care. The best candidates include dogs with tartar-encrusted teeth who exhibit any of the following:
• Poor kidney and/or liver function (detected with a blood test)
• Congenital heart defects (including murmurs), impaired heart function (such as congestive heart failure) or arrhythmia
• A recent injury or infection of any kind (even skin infections, including “hot spots,” are good cause to delay scheduling any procedure that requires anesthesia)
• A history of seizures (some preanesthetic sedatives can lower the seizure threshold)
If your dog has one of the conditions listed here, or another health problem that concerns your veterinarian, he may be a good candidate for anesthesia-free teeth cleaning. But you should understand that the procedure is not a walk in the park; it can be hard on the dog, and the cleaning is necessarily less thorough than one conducted with the dog asleep.
“It’s so much easier to do a good job on a dog who is asleep,” says Jenny Taylor, DVM, founder and co-owner of Creature Comfort Holistic Veterinary Center in Oakland, California. “You get a vastly more thorough examination and a much better cleaning when the dog is unconscious.”
To do a good cleaning, the veterinarian or technician will need to spend long moments on each tooth – the cute ones in the front and the difficult-to-reach ones in the back. The outer surfaces (closest to the lips) are the easiest to reach and are always the most tartar-encrusted, but even the surfaces on the inside of the dogs’ teeth (closest to the tongue) should be examined and cleaned. This is tough to accomplish with even the most compliant dog.
Also, working without anesthesia may require the vet or technician to work without the benefit of the fastest and most effective tool in the teeth-cleaning arsenal: the ultrasonic scaler. Few dogs will sit still in the face of its noise and vibration, so the vet frequently can use only hand-held scalers. It can be difficult to manipulate the sharp tools with the required force to remove stubborn calculus without causing inadvertent injury to the dog’s gums, tongue, or lips, especially if he’s wiggling.
Finally, there is the dog’s experience to consider. A few happy-go-lucky dogs will comply with any procedure dreamed up by humans, as long as they get kisses and treats. But for some dogs, it’s torture. “People need to understand that working in the mouth can be a traumatic experience for some dogs,” warns Dr. Taylor. “We do a lot of things to keep the dog as comfortable as possible, but the procedure can cause some discomfort. Some dogs can tolerate a little pain and not hold it against anyone. But others can get upset no matter how tactful we are.”
For all of these reasons, even veterinarians who perform anesthesia-free teeth cleaning for certain dogs may promote an anesthetized procedure to the owners of dogs who are not at any special risk of complications from anesthesia. “Sometimes an anesthetized procedure is the kindest, safest thing for the dog,” says Dr. Taylor. “You have to consider each dog’s case individually and weigh all the factors: health, age, condition of the teeth, and temperament.”
Don’t Neglect Your Dog’s Teeth
In the best of all possible worlds, dog owners would provide appropriate home care to prevent their dogs from developing tartar buildup and gingivitis. (Some dogs go through their entire lives with sparkling white teeth, with absolutely no effort on their lucky owners’ part; we’re not talking about them!) For dogs who develop tartar buildup very quickly, daily brushing can go a long way to reduce (although, probably not eliminate) the need for professional cleanings.
For people who have concerns about professional teeth cleaning with anesthesia, then, prevention should be key. Maintaining your young, healthy dog’s mouth is largely a matter of daily discipline.
If your dog has already developed tartar accumulations, though, don’t despair. But don’t delay taking action, either, because tartar leads to gum disease which leads to systemic disease. Recent human health studies, in fact, have suggested that there may be a link between periodontal disease, heart disease, and other health conditions, and that gum disease may be a more serious risk factor for heart disease than hypertension, smoking, cholesterol, gender, and age. So get that dog to your vet’s office and map out a management strategy. It might take just one cleaning to get your dog back on a healthy track, enabling you to maintain his pearly whites thereafter.
Don’t Clean Without a Vet!
But in case we haven’t already said it clearly enough, don’t just have a groomer or technician clean your dog’s teeth in the back room of a pet supply store. A veterinarian should examine your dog before his teeth-cleaning appointment, and may want to give you antibiotics to give the dog a few days before the cleaning takes place and for a few days afterward. Even if a dog owner sought out a technician who was not working under a veterinarian’s supervision, this one thing could make the difference between life and death for some dogs.
Another reason why a vet exam is critical: She may judge your dog to be a poor candidate for any sort of teeth-cleaning, with or without anesthesia. If your dog has advanced periodontal and/or active infection in his gums, any sort of cleaning may be temporarily out of the question. He’ll need antibiotics to get the infection under control before dental work should proceed.
And if your vet judges your at-risk dog to be very near the end of his life, if he is very ill, or if the amount of gingivitis (inflammation of the gums) is relatively minor considering the amount of tartar present, she may suggest not cleaning the dog’s teeth after all. In these cases, often the vet will opt to treat the dog with an occasional dose of antibiotics to reduce the bacterial burden, and monitor the response. If the dog improves sufficiently, she may proceed with an abbreviated, gentle cleaning.
Dr. Taylor began offering anesthesia-free dental cleaning in her practice specifically to ensure that her clients who were worried about anesthesia wouldn’t just sneak off to a back-room technician for their dog’s dental care. “I want my clients to discuss their fears with me, so I can help them understand all of the ramifications of their decisions, and help them plan the most effective and safest course of treatment for their dogs,” she says. “If they really want the anesthesia-free service, I’m happy to provide it – along with any other needed support. This may include antibiotics, but it also includes flower essences, aromatherapy, and maybe even acupuncture to help reduce the stress of the cleaning.”
It’s a model we wish all veterinarians would emulate.
Unless They Work With a Vet, They Work Without a Net
In the United States, only licensed veterinarians, or certain healthcare workers who are under the direct supervision of a veterinarian, may legally clean your dog’s teeth. (“Healthcare workers” include licensed, certified, or registered veterinary technicians, veterinary assistants with advanced dental training, dentists, or registered dental hygienists; “under the direct supervision of a veterinarian” means with a vet in the same building, who will examine the dog and check the tech’s work.)
Some technicians allege that this is a matter of veterinarians protecting their revenue. They claim that teeth cleaning isn’t rocket science, and that an experienced technician can do as good a job or better than most vets. The vastly lower price they charge for the service, they say, encourages more pet owners to have their pets’ teeth cleaned more frequently. This is all true.
But because of the risks of harm that can be done by an unskilled or poorly educated technician – or even a skilled one without veterinary backup or supervision – we suggest making sure your dog’s teeth are cleaned in a veterinary clinic.
Inexperienced technicians, especially working on a wideawake dog, might not notice dental problems that need professional veterinary dental care, such as a fractured or loose tooth, extra or retained teeth that are causing orthodontic problems, or advanced periodontal disease. Dogs with the latter condition (especially small and tiny dogs) risk jaw fractures caused by weakened, diseased bone.
There are also plenty of non-dental health problems that a non-veterinarian may fail to notice, such as early signs of oral tumors, enlarged lymph nodes, or certain odors in the dog’s breath that can indicate other disease processes (sweet, fruity breath can indicate diabetes, and the odor of urea can indicate kidney failure). A vet can take a tissue biopsy or pull a sample for a blood or urine test if she notices one of these signs, thus diagnosing serious health problems in their earliest stages; of course, a technician working without a vet cannot.
The most likely problem that can be caused by a technician who has no veterinary supervision, however, is infection. Teethcleaning unleashes a storm of bacteria into the mouth and into the bloodstream. For dogs with cardiac problems and many other illnesses, this can be fatal – if not countered with preemptive as well as postoperative antibiotics, which are legally available only with a veterinarian’s prescription.
Recently, Oakland, California, veterinarian Jenny Taylor had a client bring her dog in for an emergency visit, admitting she had recently had her dog’s teeth cleaned by a technician, who suggested she get the dog to a vet for antibiotics immediately.
“I would have preferred that the tech had declined to clean the dog’s teeth until the owner got the dog on antibiotics,” Dr. Taylor says ruefully. “But at least the tech was competent enough to recognize a case where the dog really needed to get prompt follow-up care from a vet. By insisting the client follow up with a vet, he took the risk that the vet would report him; some might have just risked the dog’s health and kept their mouths shut.”
Last month, a reader or two chastised me about not giving props to New York shelter operator Sue Sternberg. We had run an article about minimum mental health guidelines for shelter dogs, and a few people felt it was unfair that Sue’s name had not been mentioned as an early and ardent contributor to that cause. I extended my apologies – Sternberg’s work in that area is well known – and added that I respected her work.
In doing so I apparently stepped on the third rail of the dog world!
The moment the September issue was put online (this generally occurs a week or two before the printed version appears in your mailboxes), I was receiving scathing letters about the other thing Sternberg is known for: the temperament tests she developed and promotes. These tests are intended to help shelter workers decide (in the common event of having more dogs than space, staff, and funding to care for them) which dogs are most likely to succeed in adoptive homes, and which should be euthanized as unadoptable or overly difficult to rehabilitate.
Judging from the letters I have received, some of you strongly believe that no dogs should be euthanized by shelters. Some of you believe that even if some dogs must be euthanized in shelters, they shouldn’t be selected using Sternberg’s criteria. Of course those opinions, and others, are perfectly valid.
However, the anger and hatred expressed in some of the letters I have received actually shocked me. One of the letters I received referred to “atrocities” and the “reign of terror that Sue Sternberg carries out…” My expression of respect for Sternberg was deemed “unconscionable and certainly out of character for your publication…” In fact, several people thought it warranted the immediate termination of their subscriptions!
Personally, I think it’s reasonable to have respect for someone even if I don’t agree with everything they espouse. (In fact, I can’t think of a single trainer or veterinarian with whom I agree about everything.) I also think it’s relatively rare to find a topic, person, or company that deserves unadulterated opprobrium.
Keep this in mind when you read about disasters in dog food manufacturing (in this month’s issue). There have been a few famous incidents in which improperly processed foods actually killed dogs – and probably many more that nobody ever knew about in which dogs were made very ill. (We published an article in the July 2000 issue about a dog who was made ill from food containing aflatoxin, a toxin excreted by mold that grows on grain. It doesn’t smell bad, nor will the food necessarily look moldy, so a dog will keep eating it – and getting sicker.)
My take-home point in this article is that owners need to be aware that it’s possible for a dog’s food to make him sick, so if he does get sick, they stop feeding him whatever they were feeding him, investigate, and make sure it’s safe before feeding the same type of food again.
Believe me; I’m not an industry apologist. But my point is certainly not to condemn the pet food industry, or put any company that has ever had a manufacturing accident out of business. I’m sure that the company executives, like Sue Sternberg, actually like dogs and would like to see as many of them as possible living long, happy, and healthy lives.
We recently had our new Cardigan Welsh Corgi spayed. When we picked Lucy up from the vet hospital, we were handed an instruction sheet that included the dreaded phrase, “Restrict activity for 10 to 14 days.” In the few short weeks that this little dynamo had been a member of the Miller family, I had already realized how difficult it would be to keep Lucy under wraps.
We were lucky that it was only 10 to 14 days. Many canine injuries and ailments require much longer incarceration. Our 75-pound Cattle Dog mix had knee surgery (a tibial plateau leveling osteotomy – TPLO) several years ago. We had to keep Tucker quiet for a full six weeks following his operation! Fortunately, he was older and more settled than our adolescent Corgi, and our vet supplied us with tranquilizers to keep him quiet for the first few days, but it was still a large-scale challenge.
What do you do when your vet tells you your dog can’t run around for a period of time? You get creative. You can, of course, arm yourself with an endless supply of stuffed Kongs and other such interactive toys, but even those get old after a while.
You can, and should, use calming massage techniques to help your dog adjust to confinement, but that’s rarely enough.
You can beg your vet for tranquilizers (for the dog, not for you!) and she may give you a few to get you through the first critical days of a leg repair or other major surgery, but probably not enough to get you off the hook.
Eventually, you’re likely to have to do something to tire your dog out. The good news is that mental gymnastics can be just as tiring for a dog as physical exercise, and if can keep your dog’s brain occupied, you can make it through the torture of “restricted activity.”
Practice Free-Shaping Behavior Training With Your Dog
Canine incarceration is the perfect opportunity to introduce your dog to some free shaping exercises. Shaping is the process of taking a complex behavior and breaking it into little pieces, then marking and rewarding each piece until you work up to the whole behavior.
With free shaping, you do no luring whatsoever. You simply take a behavior that the dog offers you and gradually shape it into something by marking (generally with an audible marker such as a click! of a clicker or an exclamation such as “Yes!”) and rewarding increasingly large, intense, or extended examples of the behavior. You can use this method to mark any behavior your dog happens to engage in – a sneeze, a blink, a yawn, putting his ears up or down – and put it on cue.
Free shaping has several benefits in addition to exercising your dog’s brain. It teaches you to be patient, gives you a real opportunity to watch your dog think and solve problems, and it encourages your dog to offer behaviors.
You have to be a bit of a student of animal behavior to appreciate free shaping. I never introduce it in my “basic good manners classes,” since most dog owners need to be committed to training beyond basics in order to have the patience and understanding to do this. If you are a Whole Dog Journal reader, you probably are committed, so let’s get started!
Shaping Exercises to Try with Movement-Restricted Dogs
Here is a good exercise for dogs who are on total restriction. Your goal is to get your dog to offer one of these behaviors on cue – Nose Lick, Head Turn, Ear Flick, or Paw Lift – without any luring or prompting on your part. Here’s how:
• Sit on a chair with your dog in front of you. If he wants to jump on you, put him on a tether and sit just beyond his reach.
• Wait for him to offer one of the four behaviors.
• When he does, click (or use some other reward marker, such as a mouth click or the word “Yes!”), and then quickly give him a treat. Once you have clicked and treated one of the four behaviors, stay with that one; don’t click and treat randomly for any of the other four.
• Wait for him to repeat the chosen behavior. When he does, click and treat.
• Keep doing this until you see him start to offer the chosen behavior deliberately, in order to make you click and treat.
• Put the behavior on an “intermittent schedule of reinforcement.” That is, click and treat most head turns, but occasionally skip one, then click (and treat) the next offered one. Gradually make your schedule longer and more random by skipping just one more frequently, and sometimes skipping two, then four, then one, then none, then three – so your dog never knows when the next one is coming.
This makes the behavior very durable – resistant to extinction. Like playing a slot machine, your dog will keep offering the behavior because he knows it’ll pay off one of these times! It’s important to put the behavior on an intermittent schedule before raising the shaping criteria so he doesn’t give up when you are no longer clicking each try.
• Decide if the behavior is fine as it is, or if you want to shape it into something bigger. A Paw Lift, for example, can be shaped into Paw On Your Knee, Shake, High Five, or even Salute. Head Turn can be shaped into a Spin. Ear Flick could become Injured Ear, while Nose Lick might become Stick Out Your Tongue.
• Determine the “average” response your dog is giving you. If you want to shape Head Turn into Spin, envision a 360-degree circle around your dog. Perhaps your dog is offering head turns anywhere from 5 degrees to 75 degrees, but the average is 45 degrees. Now you are going to click and treat only those head turns of 45 degrees or better.
Over time, your dog’s average will move up as you click only the better attempts. When that happens, raise your criteria again – perhaps it was a range of 30-95 degrees, and now you’ll click only those head turns that reach 60 degrees or better. Keep raising the criteria – gradually, so you don’t lose your dog’s interest – until you have a complete Spin.
• Now give it a name (Spin!) and start using the verbal cue just before your dog offers the behavior. Eventually you will be able to elicit a Spin with the verbal cue – all by free shaping.
You can figure out how to do this with the other three behaviors. If your dog has to be kept confined for a long period, you might have time to teach all four, one after the other. Lucky you!
Games to Play with Movement-Restricted Dogs
There are a number of other low-activity games you can play with your shut-in dog, such as:
• Targeting/object discrimination. Teach your dog to “Target” on cue by giving him a click and treat every time he touches his nose to a designated spot, such as the palm of your hand or the end of a target stick. As soon as he can do that easily, add the cue “Touch!” just before his nose touches your hand (or the stick).
When he will target on cue, transfer the targeting behavior to an object, by holding the object in your hand and asking him to “Touch.” When he’s targeting well to the object, give it a name: “Bell, Touch!” or “Ball, Touch!” When he knows the names of several different objects, you can have him pick out the one you ask for.
• Take It. This behavior is a piece of the retrieve, but you can do it without the run-after-and-retrieve part. It’s also useful for teaching your dog to pick up dropped items and carry things for you. Just show your dog something you know he’ll want – like a treat or a favorite toy – and ask him to “Take It!” Odds are he will, happily. When he’s good at taking his favorite things, try a slightly less-beloved toy, and work your way down to non-toy objects. Click and treat each “Take It!” When he’s good at “Take It!” you can gradually extend the amount of time before you click and you’ll begin teaching him to “Hold It!”
• Give. This is also part of the retrieve, and is useful for getting your dog to let go of “forbidden objects” without a fuss. Give your dog something he’s allowed to have and that he likes a lot, like his favorite toy. Then offer him a handful of yummy treats and say “Give!” When he drops the object to eat the treats, pay them out slowly and pick up the object with your other hand while he’s occupied eating. Then, when he looks up, say “Take It!” and give him back the object. Double bonus – he gets the yummy treats and he gets his toy back!
Practice this until he’ll give up the object on cue. Next time he gets his chompers on a forbidden object, play the “Give” game and he’ll give it up without playing keep-away. (Note: If your dog is a resource guarder, this may not be a safe game to play. In that case, you’ll need to modify the resource guarding behavior first.
• Leave It. This game teaches your dog to take his attention away from something before he has it in his mouth.
Start with a “forbidden object” that you can hide under your shoe, such as a cube of freeze-dried liver. Show it to your dog, say “Leave It!” and place it securely under your foot so he knows it’s there but can’t get it. Let him dig, chew, and claw at your foot to his heart’s content (wear sturdy shoes!) until he loses interest. The instant he looks away, click and treat. As long as he’s not trying to get the liver, keep clicking and treating. This is called “differential reinforcement for any other behavior” (DRO) – you are rewarding any behavior other than trying to get the treat.
When he’s leaving your foot alone, uncover the liver cube slightly, and continue your DRO. If he tries to get the treat, just quietly (but quickly!) cover it back up with your foot and wait for him to remove his attention again.
When he’ll reliably leave liver on the floor and he’s ready for more strenuous activities, generalize the behavior to other situations by using a leash to gently restrain him from real-life temptations while using DRO to reward him as soon as he removes his attention from the cookie in the toddler’s hand, the ham sandwich on the coffee table, or the dog on leash on the other side of the street.
• Puzzle Games. There are a number of interactive toys on the market that require your dog to think and perform a mechanical puzzle-solving skill. Unlike stuffed Kongs and Buster Cubes, your dog will need your active participation with these games. As soon as he solves the puzzle, he’ll need you to put the toy back together so he can do it again. They are great fun, and one more way to encourage your dog to quietly think and tire his brain.
• Tug. Gentle games of Tug, with strict rules, may be a useful way to burn off some incarceration energy. (See “Tug o’ War is a Fun Game to Play with Your Dog.”) Check with your veterinarian first to be sure this won’t be a problem for your dog’s particular condition.
Benefits of Giving Your Dog Down Time
There are lots of other low-activity exercises and games you can play with your dog to help pass the long hours and days of restricted activity. It’s a great time to work on counter-conditioning and desensitization if he’s at all touchy about nail trimming, grooming, or any other handling procedures (see “When Your Dog Hates Being Touched.”)
You can also spend this time transforming him into a tricks champion, teach him ‘Possum, Relax, Rest Your Head, Crawl, Reverse, Speak, Count, Nod, Shake Your Head, Kisses, Hugs . . . the list is virtually endless. If the two of you put your minds to it, at the end of a six-week lay-up, or even a shorter bout of nasty weather that keeps you shut indoors, you and your dog should be very well educated!
How to Shape Your Dog’s Behavior: Cardboard Box Edition
I first heard about this brain-teasing, free shaping exercise from Deb Jones, PhD, a wonderful positive trainer in Stow, Ohio.
Have your clicker ready. You are going to click and treat your dog for any behavior related to the box. With no preconceived idea about what behavior you want, set a cardboard box on the floor in front of your dog. Many dogs will sniff a new object with interest – click and treat when he does. Then watch him closely, and continue to click and treat any box-related behavior. See what your dog will give you!
If you’re not getting a lot of box behavior, click and treat even tiny movements – looking at the box, moving toward, or even looking in the general direction of the box.
Be careful you don’t cheat! It’s tempting to “help” your dog by pointing toward the box, or moving around it. Don’t! You can help by looking at the box instead of looking at your dog, and you can stand on the opposite side of the box, but anything more than that is too much. Remember, you want your dog to learn to think – and he won’t learn if you hold his paw and show him what to do; he’ll just wait for you to bail him out.
“Crossover dogs” (dogs whose early training was force-based, and whose later training was reward-based) can be particularly slow to offer behaviors because, when they were subject to punishment for doing the “wrong” thing, they learned it’s easiest to stay out of trouble by doing nothing. Free shaping exercises are great for helping crossover dogs get over that inhibition – providing you don’t help them too much, but rather take your time and let them think things out for themselves.
When your dog offers a lot of box-related behavior, then you can decide to shape it into something “official” if you like. If you are more of a type-A, goal-oriented kind of person, this may help you make more sense of the Box game. Be willing to think outside the box, though – there are lots of behaviors your dog can do beyond just jumping in and sitting in it – although, if it doesn’t interfere with whatever physical condition your dog is recovering from, it sure is cute!
KEEPING DOGS INACTIVE AFTER SURGERY: OVERVIEW
1. Teach your dog some of the basics, like sit, down, stay, and targeting, before a lay-up, so he’s prepared to play more advanced stationary games with you.
2. When you know in advance your dog will be on restriction, stock up on puzzles and other inter-active toys well ahead of time so you’re not scrambling to find them at the last minute.
3. Install a good foundation of loose-leash walking so you can take your dog for walks when he’s ready for limited exercise, without worrying that it will be a big struggle. (See “Loose Leash Walking: Training Your Dog Not to Pull.”)
Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA, is WDJ’s Training Editor. She is also author of The Power of Positive Dog Training, and Positive Perspectives: Love Your Dog, Train Your Dog.
Thanks to Sandi Thompson of Sirius Puppy Training in Berkeley, CA, for demonstrating for us.
The idea is shocking to many dog owners: Their dog’s food can make him sick? Of course it can – all foods, whether intended for humans or pets, can be dangerous if they were improperly manufactured or stored. It’s interesting, however, how few people suspect their dog’s food when he becomes ill, especially if they have been feeding the same food for years and years.
It’s nice that some companies have engendered such loyalty – to be held above suspicion in the face of evidence to the contrary! – but the fact is, manufacturing accidents can and do happen.
Far more frequently, though, foods can become harmful to your dog’s health due to poor handling or storage practices.
If you are aware of the potential dangers of tainted dog food, and know how to prevent them or rapidly respond to them, your dog should be safe from harm.
Dog Food Manufacturing Problems
Despite the fact that we’ve all heard horror stories about glass shards found in jars of baby food or deep-fried rodents in an order of takeout chicken, few people seem to be aware that their dog’s food could contain hazards, too. But accidents do happen. Every pet food maker has war stories to tell about disasters they averted (sometimes at great cost) and smaller-scale quality-control failures that cost them clients. A partial list of the most common things that can go wrong in the production of dog food include:
• Spoiled or tainted ingredients are used, including rancid fats, spoiled proteins, and/or moldy grains. Some molds excrete toxins (collectively called mycotoxins); some mycotoxins, such as vomitoxin, can make dogs very ill. Others, such as aflatoxin, can kill. (See “Hidden Killers in Dog Food,” WDJ July 2000.)
• Ingredients are included in excessive (toxic) amounts, including vitamin/mineral premixes, preservatives, coloring agents
• Ingredients that are not supposed to be in a formula are included by error (this is dangerous to a dog with a severe allergy to an ingredient that is not on the product label)
• The food doesn’t “cook” at adequate temperatures to result in a complete bacterial kill
• The plant’s equipment is not cleaned adequately or frequently enough, resulting in contaminated product
• An inadequately dried dry food, resulting in the growth of mold in the bags.
Even so, dog owners should understand that manufacturers are highly motivated to produce the best, most consistent products possible. Problems that escape detection until they end up in a dog’s bowl somewhere are the stuff of manufacturers’ nightmares. This is especially true for companies who aim their efforts at the top end of the pet food market. Failure to deliver a less-than-perfectly manufactured product is especially wounding to those who have spent fortunes on “human grade” ingredients and whose literature promises the best results.
And, fortunately, most of the potential manufacturing problems are prevented or corrected and kept from harming dogs by the manufacturers’ mile-long list of hazard analysis and quality control procedures. Frankly, inspections of manufacturing plants by state officials are infrequent, but it behooves plant operators (especially facilities that manufacture high-quality, high-priced foods) to pursue certification by more stringent inspectors, such as the American Institute of Baking.
However, if you are aware that problems with dog food production can and do occur, you can take steps that may prevent those problems from inflicting harm to your dog.
Look for Fresh Products
We’ve said this before but it bears repeating: When buying naturally preserved foods (like the kind we recommend in WDJ), look for products bearing “best if used by” dates that are at least a year away. Most dog food manufacturers use “best by” dates that are 18 to 24 months from product manufacture. You (and your dog!) want fresher products than that.
Some companies print dates of manufacture on the label, in addition to the “best if used by” dates and their coded information; we love that. And don’t buy food that is close to its “best if used by” date.
If the Food Doesn’t Look Right, It Probably Isn’t
First and foremost, it’s important to withhold any food from your dog that doesn’t look right. The presence of foreign objects, a coating of powdery or hairy mold, and even a significant deviation from the food’s usual color can signify something amiss with the food’s production.
If you see anything unusual about your dog’s regular food, call the maker’s toll-free number, printed on the bag or can of most commercial foods, and talk to a representative about it. (If the package does not list a phone number for the maker, call the retailer that sold you the food and enlist his help in reaching the manufacturer. Usually, the retailer will have a number for his salesperson, who will work quickly to put you in touch with his employer.)
The company should be able to provide an explanation and offer remediation. First, though, they will need to confirm that you do, in fact, have some of their food. To do this, they will need information from the product label so they can determine when and where the food was made. For this reason, you must have and keep the bag or can until you have fed all the product it contains.
The importance of this cannot be overstated. “Without the date-code information (from the label), the manufacturer is totally blind,” says Russell Armstrong, president and co-founder of VeRus Pet Foods, of Abingdon, Maryland. In fact, he adds, every food maker has had the experience of trying to deal with a dog owner who insists their pet became ill after eating the company’s food, but who can provide no proof of ever having purchased it.
If, in contrast, an owner is able to provide a food maker with the date-code information from the food in question, the maker can check its database for any other reports of problems with that batch. If an investigation is needed, the maker can even go to its storehouse of samples from that batch and have them examined and/or tested for the irregularity seen by the dog owner.
“I require my manufacturers to pull samples from every 1,000 pounds of product,” says Frank Cook, vice president of Natural Balance Pet Foods Inc., of Pacoima, California. “Usually, for our products, our co-packer (contracted manufacturer) runs about 80,000 pounds (in a batch). I have them pull two samples every 1,000 pounds. One is tested, and one is shelved for the lifespan of the product. Should there be any problem with that product down the road, we always have a sample to test.”
Often, in the case of a foreign object in the food or food that is suspected in making a dog ill, the maker will ask the consumer to send the remainder of the product back to the company for testing and analysis. This needs to be done, but the consumer should be a little cautious, warns Armstrong. “I think it’s important to send the manufacturer some of the food – or the foreign object, if that’s what the trouble is. But you should realize that once you send it away, you don’t have it anymore, and if a legal problem arises, you are going to wish you had your evidence back,” says Armstrong.
His recommendation is to send just some of the suspect food back to the maker. In the case of a foreign object, take pictures or other documentation. “That way, if the manufacturer fails to test it, or reports that everything was perfectly fine, and you are skeptical or concerned whether you are getting the right answer, at least you have some product that you could send out for testing yourself,” Armstrong advises.
Armstrong takes the approach that well-informed customers are the happiest and safest customers, so he encourages owners to let the company know about any anomaly seen in VeRus’ products. In the best case scenario, he says, a call to the maker will calm the consumer’s fears and educate them a little more about their dog’s food.
“Even small things are worth a call to the maker,” he says. “For example, if you notice discoloration in the product – it could be indicative of mold or rancidity, or it could be something innocuous. A change from winter wheat to summer wheat (or vice versa) can cause minor coloration changes; switching from dark meat to white meat can cause a kibble to change in color. Even changing the die on the extruder that shapes the food can make the appearance of the kibble change in size and color. Manufacturers should be able to give answers to those sorts of questions easily,” he says.
Ceasing to feed the suspect food and contacting the manufacturer can also help the maker identify a lethal problem more quickly, potentially saving dogs’ lives. L. Phillips Brown, DVM, technical advisor for Newman’s Own Organics, of Aptos, California, says that all reputable pet food makers maintain a database of information about every report made by a client.
As the keeper of the “adverse events” database for Newman’s Own Organics, Dr. Brown is in the perfect position to detect any trend that developed with a defective product, and take immediate action to analyze the problem. “The faster people contact us and let us know about problems, the quicker we could solve them, if need be,” he says.
If the Dog Food Doesn’t Smell Right…
If a food looks fine but smells bad when you open it – and, especially, if your dog seems reluctant or slow to dig into it – it’s likely that the food’s preservative and antioxidant agents have not performed as well as they should. The fats in the food may be rancid, making it unappealing, but not necessarily unhealthful. Oxidation of the fats in a food can result in a chemical chain reaction that leads to a rapid spreading of free radicals (peroxidation or auto-oxidation). The absorption of essential fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins is significantly reduced in oxidized foods – defeating the purpose of buying that costly nutritious diet!
If a food is giving off a strong, chemical or rancid odor, it’s probably not dangerous to feed to your dog, but it’s certainly not what the manufacturer intended. “If it doesn’t smell right, you shouldn’t feed it,” advises Armstrong. “My experience is, if a food is rancid, a dog won’t eat it, even if he’s a real chow hound.”
Armstrong and several other pet food company executives admit that all makers of naturally preserved foods struggle with the task of preventing rancidity and oxidation in their products. “The one downside of natural preservation systems is that sometimes shelf life is shortened,” says Dr. Brown. “Still, it’s better than putting chemicals and artificial preservatives into our animals’ tissues.”
“In my opinion, the good food makers are all using natural preservatives, not BHA, BHT, or ethoxyquin. It is harder to preserve your food with natural preservatives, however; and it is more expensive,” agrees Cook. “But there are a number of reasons for rancidity besides the failure of the manufacturer to get enough vitamin A or C in there. I’d guess that 99 percent is a storage issue. It could be a problem at the distribution level, such as improper stock rotation. It could be improper storage at the retail level, or, most likely, a problem in your home storage method.”
Proper Kibble Storage is Important
Plastic Containers
The best way to store dry dog food is in its original bag, which is placed in a clean, airtight container to prevent insect or rodent contamination. Many people like to dump food out of the bag into another container. If you feel you must, make sure you buy a container made of FDA-approved food-grade plastic. All other plastic containers can leach the vitamin C out of the food into the plastic, speeding oxidation of the food and reducing its nutrient content.
No matter what type of preservatives are used in your dog’s food, it can quickly turn rancid if exposed to oxygen and hot temperatures. Every dog owner should know proper food storage procedures, but very few take the time to locate (or allocate) a storage space in their homes that won’t expose the food to dangerously high temperatures. Dog food is supposed to be stored “in a cool, dry place.” That’s not the garage, in many parts of the country.
“Where I live in southern California, my garage gets up to 110 degrees,” says Cook. “Put that food into a plastic container out in the garage and you are just asking for trouble.”
Plastic containers seem to be the bane of dog food manufacturers. Every representative we spoke to had horror stories that shared elements of plastic storage containers and sick dogs. They recognize that storing the food and scooping from the bag can be a hassle, especially with big bags, but suggest that the bag is the best, safest place for the food.
“Dog food bags were designed to prevent anything from either entering into the food or exiting from the food,” explains Armstrong. “And the wrong type of plastic can actually speed the decay of the food. Some plastics can actually absorb much of the vitamin C out of the food; it leaches out and is sucked right into the plastic material. This, of course, affects the shelf life of the food; with the low levels of antioxidant vitamin C, the fat starts to oxidize and this accelerates the spoilage. It’s kind of like when you put tomato sauce in a plastic storage container, and you see the red residue in the plastic even after you wash it. That tells you the plastic is not ‘food-quality.’ ”
Cook emphasizes the hazard of unwashed plastic containers. “Many people dump new, fresh food on top of the remnants of old, rancid food. Those remnants of oxidizing old food can speed the oxidation of the new food,” he warns. Cook also prefers that owners keep dry food in its original bag, but if they have a food-grade plastic container, he recommends that they wash it out well and allow it to dry thoroughly before putting fresh food in it.
According to Armstrong, metal containers (such as trash cans) don’t necessarily cause spoilage, but they can affect the taste of the food. “It’s always best to leave the food in the bag, even if you keep the bag in a metal can to prevent rodents from getting in it,” he says. Plus, this solution keeps the date-code information handy. “If your dog has any sort of health problem while eating that food, you can quickly find the information the manufacturer will need to know to help identify the problem,” Armstrong advises.
What to Expect from the Pet Food Maker
“Honesty.” That’s what Armstrong says is what an informed consumer should expect from a company to whom they are reporting an adverse health event possibly linked to its food. “The company should be as straightforward with the dog owner as possible. If they have received other reports similar to the one the consumer is making, they should tell the owner about the other reports,” he says. Comparing information may help the owners’ veterinarians treat affected dogs.
In return, however, Armstrong expects the consumer to be able to report critical data about the food in question. “First, we need the date code from the bag of food,” he says. “If it’s a date code we’ve had any complaints about, we’ll let them know. Next, we’ll want to know where they bought the food – which store exactly, so we will be able to contact that store and alert them to possible problems. We’ll also need to know how long they’ve had the food, how much they have fed to their dog, and what the dog’s symptoms are. If they took their dog to the veterinarian, I need to know the vet’s name and phone number because I need to contact them.”
After gathering all the needed information, and asking for some of the suspect food (if needed), Armstrong tells the dog’s owner what he is going to do about the problem. “I let them know we’re going to send the food out for testing with the comparative product samples, and that I’ll let them know what the findings were. If they would like to return that bag to their retailer and exchange it, I encourage them to do so, but I ask them to please retain some of the product and the date-code information.”
Sometimes the problem is obvious, and tests are not needed to identify the cause of distress in the dogs that ate affected product. This was the case in one of the largest adverse events in the pet food industry, the Nature’s Recipe vomitoxin affair in 1995. Frank Cook, now vice president at Natural Balance Pet Foods, Inc., was then the vice president of Nature’s Recipe. “We identified the problem immediately,” he says. “It wasn’t difficult to recognize it as vomitoxin (a toxin excreted by a mold growing on grain) because vomitoxin makes the dog vomit. And our consumers were all saying, ‘Hey, my dog is throwing up!’ ”
Cook and the other executives at the company announced a massive recall of the food – some 16,000 tons of food that were scattered all over the U.S., Asia, and Europe, at a total cost of over $20 million dollars. They also hired a public relations firm (actually, the same outfit that helped Johnson & Johnson get through the Tylenol tampering murders in the early 1980s) to help them handle the resolution of the problem. The PR firm suggested that Nature’s Recipe should vigorously protect its good name by rushing uncontaminated product to every consumer who might possess affected product. “Every time someone called in with a complaint, we FedExed them a fresh bag the very next day,” says Cook. “It was very costly, and the event set the company on its heels, but it survived, and I think the reason it did was because we reacted so rapidly.”
Cook wryly admits that being an executive at the company during the event wasn’t the high point of his career, but adds, “We learned so much – and the whole industry learned with us. We learned a lot about the value of customer service, and how people will stick with you if you make things right as quickly as possible.”
The incident is undoubtedly why Cook is such a stickler for pulling so many samples from his current company’s production line, and why Natural Balance’s date-codes include a time of day in addition to the date. “If you pull a sample only from the beginning, middle, and end of a run, there is a lot of room for error in between,” he points out.
Cook also imposes stringent rules for the manufacture of his company’s product on his co-packers (manufacturers hired to produce his products). “My products don’t leave the manufacturing plant until the results of all the tests are in, to ensure there was no fat rancidity and the product meets all our specifications. I don’t think a lot of companies go that far, but having been on the other side of the fence, I wouldn’t do it any other way,” he says.
Repeated Mistakes in Kibble Manufacturing
There’s a big difference between a company whose products are frequently problematic and one that has suffered a one-time adverse event, no matter how tragic. We propose that the victim of a single event disaster may well be in the best position to learn every possible technique to prevent further accidents, and should not necessarily be punished by consumers, especially if the remediation efforts were swift, sincere, and generous.
In contrast, we’ve heard of companies that ship products with the same problems with their products year after year, and that offer little if any remediation to customers who complain. If we bought a bag of expensive, premium food and it was moldy, we’d expect an immediate replacement and an explanation. If, some months later, this happened again, we’d probably switch brands for good.
DOG FOOD GONE BAD: OVERVIEW
1. Buy fresh food. Check the “best if used by” date on the bag.
2. Visually inspect the food – it shouldn’t be dusty or moldy. Smell it – it shouldn’t smell rancid. Discuss any irregularity with the maker before you decide whether to feed it.
3. Store dry food in its original bag, in a cool, dry place. Ideally, keep the bag in an airtight container.
4. If your dog has an adverse health event that could possibly be related to the food, withdraw the food immediately. Contact the manufacturer and report the event as well as the product’s date-code. If the symptoms are serious, get your dog to a vet, fast, and put your vet in contact with the manufacturer.
5. Pay attention if your dog is reluctant or slow to eat his food. It may be rancid or oxidized.
Based on the number and variety of herbal “calming formulas” I see in pet stores, there must be a lot of stressed-out pooches out there. Or maybe it’s just that the pet product industry is tapping into the frustrations of consumers who cannot tolerate their high-energy dogs. Regardless, there are more herbal calming formulas for dogs lining pet store shelves than ever before.
But are these products really effective? Are they safe?
The good news is that most of the herbal calming products found at reputable pet supply stores are very safe. Most contain what herbalists like myself consider to be the old calmative standards: valerian root, passionflower, skullcap, chamomile, and other herbs that have been widely used in animals for many years with few, if any, adverse effects.
Some products also contain natural calming agents that are not herbs, such as NaturVet’s “Calming Moments” chewable tablets, a product that combines chamomile and passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) with L-tryptophan (a safe and naturally occurring amino acid).
Common sense dictates that if your dog already receives pharmaceutical drugs that affect central nervous system functions (such as anticonvulsants or antidepressants), or if he is scheduled for any type of anesthesia within the next day or two, herbal calming formulas are best avoided, as they may interact with those types of drugs.
But are they effective?
The question of efficacy is not as easy to answer. Despite the apparent safety of most herbal calming products, questions remain as to whether many of them contain enough active ingredients to actually do the job of bringing about a more restful state. Many contain so many “inactive” ingredients, such as grain byproducts, binders, and flavoring agents, that the active (and usually more expensive) herbal components of the product are present in only minute amounts.
In a way this is good; calmative herbs are much weaker in effect than conventional sedative drugs, and are therefore generally much safer and forgiving to the uninformed user. In fact, in my experiences as a consultant to more than 200 veterinarians over the past 10 years, I have yet to see any serious adverse effects from the use of valerian, skullcap, passionflower, oat flower, or even kava kava in dogs.
None of this is to say that herbal calming formulas are ineffective. To the contrary, even some of the most dilute formulas can be quite effective at taking the edge off exciting events. Some dogs respond quite well to very small doses of calmative herbs.
There are literally hundreds of studies documenting the gentle sedative activities of dozens of calmative herbs. Most of these activities are attributed to plant chemistries that interact with the body to mildly alter various nervous system functions.
However, the efficacy of an herbal calming formula is influenced by several other factors as well. While quality, composition, and concentration of active ingredients all factor into the equation, we also must consider the physical and behavioral nature of the recipient dog, the causes of his anxiety, and the context in which a product is used as important aspects of how an herbal calming formula will act within the body.
Choosing the best product
So, you are probably wondering: Which herb works best? What form of product is best? How much should I give?
While each is a valid question, the question “Which product is most appropriate for my individual?” is the most important. And in finding an answer that works for you and your dog, you should think along four lines:
• Each and every herb has its own range of special attributes and medicinal properties that makes it unique.
Not all calmative herbs are alike. Some, such as chamomile, lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), and valerian are especially well suited to calming a nervous stomach. Skullcap (Scutellaria laterifolia), an herb that many of my veterinarian friends use for treatment of canine epilepsy, is better suited to cases of nervous jitteriness, muscle twitching, or hypersensitivity to touch.
Passionflower can be used in a manner similar to that of skullcap, but it’s better than skullcap when dealing with emotional upset, such as separation anxiety or fear aggression that is associated with jealousy of another animal.
• No single herb will work effectively in each and every animal, because no two dogs are alike. One herb will work well for calming dog “A,” but actually aggravate the emotional condition of dog “B.”
Eastern and Western herbalists regard valerian as a “hot” herb, known to warm the body and “heat the constitution” of the animal. When given to a dog with a hot temperament, or one who is chronically hot, itching for no apparent reason, or displaying a bright fire-red tongue, valerian can actually make the dog even more hot and irritable. Consider this before purchasing a product like Veterinarian’s Best “Travel Calm Formula,” which contains two “hot” herbs: valerian root and ginger. Both of these are great herbs for alleviating travel-induced anxiety and nausea, but they may not be the best choices for hot-natured dogs.
Some formulas balance the heating effects of valerian or other warming herbs by combining them with an assortment of other “cooler” calmatives such as passionflower, oat flower, and skullcap.
• In weighing the choices of which form of product (i.e., tablet, liquid, powder, etc.) to buy, there are two primary considerations. You want a product that is easy to administer, and one that offers optimum availability of active components.
Obviously, if you must chase your dog and force-feed him a vile-tasting product, you will be working against the goal of calming him. And if you are feeding him a product he relishes because of all of the dried meats, grains, and flavoring agents it contains, you might have to feed your dog large amounts before it has any effect.
My preference, of course, is biased by the fact that I own a company that produces a sweet-tasting, alcohol-free tincture blend that I feel offers optimum potency and acceptable palatability in most dogs.
Regardless of which type of product you prefer, follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for how much to administer.
• If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Buyer beware.
I strongly believe in herbal medicine, but even I think it’s wise to be a little bit skeptical of extraordinary claims made by manufacturers. And if a calming formula contains an ingredient you don’t recognize, don’t buy it – at least not until you do some research into exactly what the stuff is.
Some trainers say you shouldn’t play tug with your dog. Not me! Those of you who enjoy this energy-eating aerobic activity with your dog will be pleased to know that I personally think it’s a fine game to play, as long as you’re using appropriate tug toys and playing with rules.
Tug, in case you’ve never had the pleasure of playing, is a fun and exciting game, in which you hold one end of a tug object while your dog pulls with all his might on the other end. Variations include dog-dog tug, tug human around on a wheeled object (such as an office chair), and self-tug (in which the dog tugs an object such as a Kong on a rope that is secured to a sturdy post or tree).
Arguments against tug
Here are a few of the reasons you may have heard for not playing tug with your dog, followed by my responses:
Reason: It encourages your dog to be dominant.
Response: It has nothing to do with dominance; it has to do with play and exercise. As with many other doggie games, you can easily create a structure that reminds your dog that you control the good stuff – in this case, the tug toy – which enhances your high-ranking position in the social structure, rather than undermining it.
Reason: It encourages your dog to be aggressive.
Response: Dogs can become very aroused playing tug. You can easily prevent this by stopping the game whenever your dog begins to become overexcited. Use a phrase such as “That’s all!” as you stop the game, and you will soon have a cue you can use in any situation where you want your dog to stop what he’s doing and calm down.
Reason: It teaches your dog to put his teeth on your clothes and skin.
Response: Dogs can make poor decisions about where to put their teeth when they’re engaged in a rousing game of tug. You can use this perfect opportunity to decrease the likelihood that your dog will bite in play by teaching him that teeth on human skin makes the fun stop. If you say something cheerfully (such as “Too bad!”) and call a short time-out anytime your dog’s teeth stray into forbidden territory, it will teach him to keep his teeth to himself.
Arguments for tug
And now, my far more numerous reasons for playing tug with your dog:
• It’s great exercise. It’s a lovely indoor activity, perfect for relieving pent-up energy for a dog who’s shut in on a stormy day, or a sub-zero winter week. A low-key version of the game is also useful for occupying a dog who’s on physical restriction following surgery or an injury.
• It can be used to teach retrieve. A dog who is less-than-enthusiastic about putting retrieve objects in his mouth can sometimes be motivated to do so by encouraging him to play tug. When he gets aroused about tugging, you take advantage of his enthusiasm to shape the retrieve.
• It can be used to teach recalls. Is your dog less-than-sterling about coming when called? Get him hooked on tug – then stick a tug toy in your pocket when you go hiking. When he’s a short distance from you, call him, show him the toy, and watch him beeline back to you for a tug session. Stick the toy back in your pocket (or pack), let him wander off a bit again, and repeat.
Stop before he’s tired of tugging, so he’s always strongly motivated to return. Practice this with your dog on a long line at first, to be sure it will work! (See “Long Distance Information,” WDJ February 2001.)
• It’s a useful distracter. Lucy, our new Cardigan Corgi, used to take delight in tormenting our Scottie, who hikes with me on a long line because his recall is not reliable. The long blue leash snaking through the grass would catch Lucy’s eye, and she’d latch onto it and drag poor Dubhy around.
A tug toy was perfect for redirecting her desire to grab and pull his leash. (I may, however, teach her to grab his leash and bring Dubhy back to me on those occasions when the recall doesn’t work!)
• It can be a stress reliever. Many dogs develop a very positive association with the tug game.
One of my clients discovered a great application for tug while trying to do counter-conditioning and desensitization (CC&D) exercises in public with her dog- and people-reactive Briard. When the stimulus (a dog and/or person) occasionally and unexpectedly presented itself too closely, Jobie was too stressed to take treats. Terry discovered she could whip out a toy for a gentle game of tug, use her dog’s positive association with the tug game to reduce his stress enough to the point he would eat treats and then resume the CC&D.
• It’s great for teaching self control. As discussed in “arguments against,” tug is a perfect activity for teaching your dog to control his energy and mouth placement, by teaching an “All done” cue to end the game, and using a “Too bad!” time-out when canine teeth touch human skin or clothing.
• It can be a “legal” outlet for roughhousing. There is often at least one family member – usually male – who delights in playing rough physical games with the dog. Physical games that encourage body-slamming and mouthing do tend to reinforce inappropriate behaviors. Convince your roughhousing humans to play tug by the rules, and they’ll help you reinforce desirable behaviors instead, while fulfilling their need to get physical with the dog.
• It can build relationships. Doing things that your dog loves helps build a strong bond between you two. Playing tug with a dog who loves it can reinforce his focus on you, and his interest and pleasure in playing and training with you. While food rewards are an important part of positive training, life rewards – activities that are meaningful and reinforcing to the dog – strengthen the relationship and give you options for using other rewards in addition to treats.
Rules of the game
These are general guidelines for making tug a positive training/relationship experience. The calmer and better-behaved your dog is, the less necessary it is to follow the rules strictly. The more rowdy and out of control your dog, the more closely you will want to adhere to them. By the way, don’t be alarmed by your dog’s growls during tug – it’s all part of the game. As long as his other behaviors are appropriate, let him growl his heart out!
• Rule #1: You start the game. Keep the tug toy put away, and get it out when you want to play. It’s perfectly okay to get it out when you know he is in the mood, but it’s your choice to start the game. You control the good stuff.
• Rule #2: No grabbing. Hold up the toy. If your dog grabs or leaps for it, say “Oops!” and hide it behind your back. Then offer it again. When he is no longer keeping or grabbing, say “Take it!” and offer his end to him. Then give him the cue to “Tug!” or “Pull!” and the game is on. You control the good stuff and allow him to have it out of the goodness of your heart.
• Rule #3: You win most of the time. “Winning” means you have the toy and your dog doesn’t. At first, you may need to offer him an irresistible treat as you say, “Give!” He’ll have to drop the toy to eat the treat, and you’ve won! As soon as he devours the treat, say “Take it!” again and offer him his end of the toy. Now he got two rewards for letting go of it – he got the treat, and he gets the toy back again! At least, he gets his end of the toy back. Practice the “Give” part of the game numerous times during each play session. Eventually you will be able to fade the use of the treat, as he realizes that the reward for “Give!” is more tug.
• Rule #4: Use time-outs as needed. If your dog gets too aroused and/or is putting his mouth on you or your clothing, use a “Too bad, time out!” when his arousal level starts to escalate to an unacceptable level, or the instant his teeth touch forbidden surfaces. Put the toy high on a shelf and sit down for a few minutes. Then you can, if you want, retrieve the toy and play again.
If you have a dog who allows his teeth to stray into forbidden territory frequently by creeping his jaws up the length of the toy, use a tug object with a clear demarcation near his end of the toy – a change in texture or material – and do a time-out immediately anytime his teeth cross that line. You control the good stuff, and his inappropriate behavior makes the good stuff go away.
• Rule #5: Supervise children. Very young children should not play tug with your dog unless and until the dog is impeccable about his self-control, and then only under direct supervision. Middle to older children can play with moderate supervision if they can be relied on to play by the rules, and if your dog is under reasonable self-control and not likely to get into trouble. Children can control the good stuff too!
• Rule #6: You end the game. You get to decide when tug is over, not your dog. End the game with a “Give, all done!” cue and put the toy away on a high shelf or in a secure drawer. It’ll be there, ready and waiting, when you decide to play tug again. You control the good stuff.
Variations on the theme
The most common style of tug consists of a dog on one end of the toy, a human on the other. You don’t have to stop there, however. If you have two compatible dogs who love to tug you can give them each one end of a toy and let them go at it with each other.
The key word here is compatible. Because tug does create a certain level of arousal, dogs who are prone to getting into fights should not be encouraged to tug together. Don’t equate growling and snarling with fights, however – a lot of that will go on when compatible dogs play tug together.
If you have two dogs who can tug together, try a threesome! Find a tug toy with one handle for the human and two ends for the dogs – a game the whole family can play!
At the other end of the spectrum, you can teach your dog to play tug by himself. You can run a rope through a Kong and knot it so the knot is inside the Kong, and then tie the other end of the rope to something sturdy. Encourage your dog to pick up the Kong and pull on the rope.
There are also a number of toys on the market that are made with elastic bands inside, meant to encourage a tug-loving dog to pull harder and longer, even when there is just a tree or a post, not another playmate, on the other end of the toy. Of course, you lose the relationship value of tug with this variation of the game, but you might increase the exercise benefits!
-Pat Miller, CPDT, is WDJ’s Training Editor. She is also author of The Power of Positive Dog Training, and Positive Perspectives: Love Your Dog, Train Your Dog.
1. Frequently inspect your dog’s ears. Take a peek in there at least once a day. Investigate any abnormality quickly; ear problems can become dramatically painful with rapidity.
2. Solving chronic ear problems requires a body-wide treatment, including improvements to diet. Start with a thorough physical at your holistic veterinarian’s office.
3. While holistic home care is best for preventing ear problems, quick conventional veterinary diagnosis – and sometimes, treatment – may be needed to effectively treat a serious problem.
In many ways it could be said that a dog “leads with its ears.” A dog’s ears are right up front, one of the most noticeable parts of his anatomy, and they are a conspicuous visual reminder that demonstrates and carries much of his character and personality. From the veterinary standpoint, the ears are a good place to begin a physical exam to check for both specific and general diseases.
The shape of the ear is characteristic of the breed, and there are many types of outer ears: large and drooping, as in the Bloodhound or Cocker Spaniel; erect and mobile, as in the German Shepherd or Border Collie; or small and button-like as in a Bulldog or Chinese Shar Pei.
The way a dog carries his ears gives us an insight into how he is feeling physically and emotionally, and the “posture” of the ears is a language unto itself. In other words, by observing the carriage of a dog’s ears, we are given a way to “hear” what he is trying to tell us. In addition, abnormal carriage of the ears may indicate disease or nerve damage, and abnormal ear size (for the breed) may be an indication of multiple genetic defects.
The ear can be divided into four parts: ear flap (auricle or pinna); external ear canal (external auditory meatus); middle ear; and internal (inner) ear. The pinnae are highly mobile and can be controlled independently. More than a dozen separate muscles control the movement of the ear, and the entire area is richly supplied with blood vessels and nerves.
The pinna of the external ear is a funnel-like plate of cartilage that receives air vibrations and transmits them via the ear canal to the eardrum (tympanic membrane).
The ear canal is lined with both apocrine (ceruminous) and sebaceous glands which, in the normal animal, produce a protective coating of earwax (cerumen). In chronic otitis the sebaceous glands become fewer than normal, and the apocrine glands increase in number, in size, and in their production of secretions.
Note that the dog’s ear canal is considerably longer than its human counterpart, and after extending downward, it makes a sharp turn inward toward the eardrum. Thus, complete examination of the ear canal requires an otoscope with special (long and thin) cones. Few dogs tolerate anything being poked into the external ear canal, and dogs with painful ears (from infections or foreign bodies) almost never allow adequate examination without anesthesia.
The eardrum separates the external ear from the middle ear, and it is the area where vibrations sent from the external ear are focused and amplified. There are three small bones within the middle ear – the malleus, incus, and stapes – that transmit the vibrations from the eardrum to the inner ear.
The inner ear consists of two main parts: the cochlea (end organ for hearing) and the vestibule and semicircular canals (end organ for balance). All these can be thought of as a series of tunnels or canals within the temporal bone. Inside the cochlea are specialized hair cells that pick up auditory vibrations and synapse directly with the auditory nerve.
Equilibrium is controlled by electrical impulses that are registered on hair cells located in the three semicircular canals. These signals transmit the current status of the body (head) in relation to the horizon (gravity).
The ear has two functions – hearing and balance – and either function can be disturbed by disease, old age, or nerve disruption from a number of causes.
What a Dog Hears
Hearing can be visualized as waves of energy traveling along molecules in the air, transformed into mechanical energy at the ear drum, then amplified by small bones and finally transformed into the electrical impulses in the auditory nerve – resulting in what the brain registers as hearing.
Dogs have a much different range of hearing than ours, extending into a considerably higher frequency than we can hear. Sound frequency, the number of sound wave cycles every second, is measured in Hertz (Hz). The higher the frequency, the more sound waves per second, the higher-pitched the sound. Humans hear best at around 2,000 Hz; dogs hear best at 8,000 Hz – perhaps the reason they respond better to high pitched cues.
Dog Ears According to Traditional Chinese Medicine
While Western medicine views the ears from the functional standpoint of hearing and balance, Traditional Chinese Medicine believes that the ears are connected to the Kidney Organ system. Poor hearing, common in the elderly patient, is thought to be a consequence of weakened Kidney Jing. (Jing is best translated as the essence or the substance that underlies all organic life.)
Thus, acupuncture practitioners will often treat hearing problems by needling acu-points related to the Kidney. In addition, both the Triple Burner and Gall Bladder meridians pass through the ears and are said to control them, so points related to these meridians may be added to an acupuncturist’s therapeutic protocol.
A system of “auricular acupuncture” has been developed that relies on needles inserted into specific parts of the ear to treat other anatomical parts of the body.
Mild Solutions for the Basically Healthy Ear
1: Squirt about a teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide (the 3% type) in each ear. Let the dog shake and wipe off the excess.
2: Mix 1 cup water, ½ teaspoon sea salt, 1 teaspoon tincture of calendula, if desired. Warm to 101 degrees F. Gently flush using an ear syringe.
3: Mix 3 drops white vinegar with enough pure water to fill a one-ounce dropper bottle. Warm the solution to 101 degrees. Add about six drops per ear. Note: This should feel good. If the ear is inflamed, it may hurt. If pain is evident, dilute with water by half. If the dog still objects, use the calendula formula above.
4: For an acidophilus treatment, start by cleaning the dog’s ears. Mix the contents of one capsule of powdered acidophilus into an ounce of pure water, or use dilute a small amount of liquid acidophilus with water. Pour this solution into the ear. Allow the dog to shake his head, but leave the residue in the ear. Since the ear canal is not a normal habitat for them, the acidophilus organisms will eventually die. (The acidophilus organisms compete with other yeasts, and eventually kill them.) This treatment can be repeated periodically.
5: Almost any herb with antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and/ or immune-boosting activity can be used for the main part of an herbal wash, but mullein, marshmallow root, calendula, chamomile, lavender, and Oregon grape root are excellent choices. Use the active part of the herb (for example: marshmallow root, mullein flower, which can be harvested along with the mature cob) and cover several ounces of this with pure, organic almond or olive oil. Let this mixture sit for several days. Strain it, and use the strained oil, several drops per ear.
Herbal mixtures may contain one herb or several. For additional antibiotic activity, you can add a clove or two of garlic to the original mixture. If inflammation or swelling is present, mix with equal amounts of distilled liquid witch hazel. Add several drops of liquid vitamin E per ounce of fluid as a preservative and keep in a cool, dark place. Make and use a fresh mixture after a week or two.
6: To treat a mite infestation, use a simple soothing oil applied directly in the ear canal. Repeat every three days for four to six weeks. Mullein has insecticide activity and can be added to the oil mixture; other herbs may also be helpful, including: yellow dock (Rumex crispus), thyme (Thymus vulgaris), rue (Ruta graveolens), or rosemary (Rosemarinus officinalis). The high sulfur content in garlic may be helpful in killing mites.
There are dozens of commercial ear care products, many of which are “natural.” My favorite has long been Halo’s Ear Wash product – several herbs in a witch hazel base. I’ve heard good things about DermaPet’s Ear/Skin Cleanser, which is a two percent vinegar, two percent boric acid solution. Animals’ Apawthecary has a nice product (Herbal Ear Rinse) which contains cider vinegar, aloe vera juice, vegetable glycerin, witch hazel, organic goldenseal root, calendula flowers, and olive leaf.
Natural Ear Care for Dogs At Home
There are numerous methods of natural care that the dog owner can use to keep her dog’s ears and hearing healthy:
Food for Ears
When we put together a diet to aid in the prevention and treatment of problems located in or around a dog’s ears, it is important to remember that many ear infections are associated with allergies. Choose high-quality foods that do not contain artificial preservatives, flavorings, or food colorings. Consider making a home-prepared diet, or if this is not feasible for you, move up to a higher-quality diet.
If your dog experiences chronic ear infections – and especially if the infections are associated with obvious symptoms of allergies, consider performing a food-elimination trial to investigate particular foods as a potential cause of the allergies.
Antioxidants are crucial for the effectiveness of the immune system, and they will aid circulatory and nerve health in the area of the ears. Consider supplementing your dog’s diet with antioxidants such as vitamins A and E, Coenzyme Q-10, or any number of the culinary herbs, including rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), thyme (Thymus vulgaris), and oregano (Origanum vulgare). Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba), is high in antioxidant activity and has specific beneficial effects to the ear.
Zinc quickens the immune response; vitamin C is needed for proper immune function. Vitamin B complex is essential for healing and has been shown in humans to reduce ear pressure. Potassium helps maintain nervous system health and nerve impulse transmission. In humans, manganese deficiency has been linked to ear disorders.
Ear infections may be linked to hypothyroidism, so you may want to have your dog’s thyroid checked. If the test results suggest hypothyroidism, add to the diet one of the seaweed herbs such as bladderwack (Fucus vesiculosus), dulse (Palmaria palmate), or kelp (Laminaria spp.). Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus) is a good, non-specific herb that offers whole-body adaptogenic qualities that strengthen and balance all organ systems.
Your holistic practitioner can be of invaluable help in this area of supplements. She can help you select foods or products that contain the needed supplements, and she can help you calculate dosages that are appropriate for the weight of your dog and his current condition. (Preventative dosages, for example, are much less than those used to treat an ongoing disease.)
Most importantly, she can help you select a product and dosage protocol that provides enough of the supplement without creating imbalances and/or potentially toxic levels of any one supplement.
It’s very typical for a client to bring me a shopping bag full of supplements. When we read the labels and calculate the dosages, we invariably find duplications of many of the supplements. We almost always toss out about half of the supplements in the bag, and we’re still able to provide all the necessary supplements in appropriate dosages.
Ear Washes
There are several natural solutions that can be used periodically to “wash” or “irrigate” a dog’s ears – to help maintain the normal flora of the ear, and thus help prevent ear diseases. Pour several teaspoons of the solution into your dog’s ear, gently massage around the base of the ear, and then (after he shakes his head) wipe off the excess fluids with a clean cloth.
How often you use an ear wash depends on the environment of your dog’s ear. Long, floppy ears tend to trap moisture, which provides an ideal growing place for microorganisms; small, upright ears that allow plenty of air circulation tend to stay cleaner and infection-free.
To prevent disease from occurring in the floppy-eared dogs, you may need to wash once a week; once a month is probably plenty for a prick-eared dog. When you treat disease, begin with treatments three or four times a day and taper off as the disease resolves.
General rules for ear washes: One of our goals is to keep excess wax and oil from building up and obstructing the ear canal – a simple saline mixture or dilute vinegar wash may be adequate for this. Herbal preparations often have many simultaneous benefits: they ease pain and are calming, many are anti-inflammatory, and most are antimicrobial, typically effective against a wide range of bacteria, yeasts, and fungi.
One of the most common pathogens found in chronic ear infections is a yeast, Malassezia pachydermatis (syn. Pityro-sporum canis). This yeast is one of those oddball bugs; low numbers are normally found in healthy ears, but they can become pathogenic (cause disease) under certain conditions.
The idea is to keep the numbers of Malassezia down, and there are several ways to do this. An acid environment discourages their growth – occasionally use a dilute vinegar wash. Bacteria thrive in an oily, waxy environment, so keep the ear canal clear of excess wax and oil buildup. Many herbs have anti-yeast properties (See herbal section for more information). Acidophilus directly competes with yeasts, and an occasional lactobacillus “ear irrigation” will keep the yeast numbers down.
Ear Massage
There’s almost nothing that will endear you more to your dog than a daily ear massage. (Well OK, a timely food dish may be a little more endearing.) It’s not just that dogs love the ear massage, you’ll be helping improve blood and nerve supply to the region and, according to auricular acupuncture theory, you’ll be enhancing all the Organ systems of the body simultaneously.
A good ear rub is easy to master, too. Simply rub gently around the entire base of the ear. Hold the base of the ear with one hand, take the earflap between fingers and thumb of the other hand, and rub in a circular fashion – from the base of the ear to its tip. Gently stretch the ear from base to tip. Try this on yourself to see how good it feels, and to sense how energizing it is.
Holistic and Alternative Medicines for Ears
Acupuncture
Two aspects of acupuncture are worth mentioning here: 1) auricular acupuncture – inserting needles into the pinna of the ear to treat conditions of the entire body, including the ear, and 2) acupuncture used to treat ear conditions such as infections and hearing loss.
Auricular acupuncture is a recent addition to the classical acupuncture that has been used for centuries, and its methods have not been as well defined as the classic system. In addition, because there are so many anatomic expressions of a dog’s ear, it has been difficult to define the precise locations for insertion of the needles. Observations do show, however, that dogs and humans have similar reflex responses – a sudden jerk of the head or a grimace – when needles are placed in certain ear locations. These can be effective diagnostic clues.
Traditional Chinese Medicine considers the ears to be an important crossroad of the principle Yin and Yang meridians of the arms and limbs, and the earflap is thought to interconnect with all the internal organs and systems.
For conditions of the ear, most acupuncturists will use local and general tonifying and immune-balancing points. Kidney, Triple Heater (TH), and Gall Bladder (GB) meridian points may be added, depending on the symptoms. TH-5 and GB-20 have been used to stimulate declining hearing.
Homeopathy
Homeopathic remedies are directed toward the general and specific symptoms. Specific symptoms would include the appearance and type of ear discharge, along with other noticeable symptoms such as vesicular skin irritations, red eyes, or gastrointestinal problems. General symptoms would include symptoms such as the time of day when the irritation seems worst and the patient’s general emotional attitude during and before a disease condition exists.
Check with your homeopathic practitioner for specific remedies, potencies, and frequency of use, since these depend on the acuteness and/or severity of the disease, the age and general condition of the animal, etc. Homeopathic remedies should not be relied upon to work quickly, and their effectiveness is often dependent on the skill and experience of the practitioner.
Herbs
There are many herbs that are excellent for preventing and/or treating ear conditions. Herbs that have antimicrobial activity typically act against a broad spectrum of microbes – bacteria, yeast, and fungi. Many are also calming, anti-inflammatory, and act to ease pain. Some herbs taken internally enhance the immune system, and their anti-microbial activity may enhance other treatments, but the real benefit of herbal remedies is their use in solutions that are used directly in the ear canal. Some examples of ear-important herbs include:
The flowering tops of mullein (Verbascum thapsus) have antimicrobial properties with a special application for infections of ears, and they appear to have a calming and soothing effect. In addition, the seeds contain rotenone, an insecticidal agent. The most common way to use the flowers is in the form of an oil infusion.
Oregon grape root (Mahonia spp.) is especially useful for treatment of problems related to the ears, eyes, and mucous membranes of the vaginal and urinary tract. Oregon grape root has antimicrobial activity against bacterial, fungal, and yeast infections. For ear infections or ear mites, an oil infusion of fresh or dried roots can be made, and a clove of garlic can be added if desired.
Marshmallow root (Althaea officinalis) is good medicine for alleviating irritations, thanks to its high content of soothing and protective mucilaginous compounds. It is a good herb to consider when treating skin conditions, urinary tract problems, upper respiratory and gastrointestinal disease, as well as for ear conditions.
Marshmallow root has antimicrobial and immune-enhancing properties, and animal studies have shown that it is active against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus vulgaris, and Staphylococcus aureus, all of which can create especially nasty and chronic ear infections
Witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) is an herb with strong astringent properties, and at the same time it seems to be soothing to external tissues. It is thus an excellent choice for the inflamed ear canal that may have become swollen. It has also been used externally to treat earflap hematomas.
Any of the herbs above can be used individually or in combination; garlic can be added if desired.
Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) is the world’s most-used treatment for memory loss and degenerative diseases of the brain and central nervous system. It stimulates circulation and has an affinity for the ears, where it is used in human medicine to enhance hearing and to reduce ringing in the ears (tinnitus). It is taken orally. For animals, use the dosage listed on the package, adjusted for the weight of the animal.
Chiropractic
Chiropractic may enhance hearing and the success of other therapies aimed at curing ear diseases. In 1895, D.D. Palmer, one of the founders of early chiropractic in this country, claims to have cured a person of his chronic deafness by one simple adjustment of the patient’s neck. The re-adjusting of misaligned vertebrae may enhance blood and nervous supply to the ear and surrounding areas. Moreover, ear infections often cause tenseness around the neck and jaw, and the resultant tension may eventually twist the vertebrae out of alignment, causing further pain and discomfort.
Ear Diseases and Therapies for Dogs
Otitis Externa
Dogs with ear infections typically shake their heads and dig at their ears, and they may roll along the ground to relieve the itch. A whiff of the ear canal usually reveals the source of the itching, and the odor can vary from foul and rank to sweet and fruity. There may be a visible discharge, varying from clear and serous to purulent (pus-filled) to black and corrosive. The character of the discharge is an important consideration when using homeopathic remedies.
Ear infections can be caused by a number of microorganisms (bacteria, yeasts, and fungi), parasites (mites), and foreign bodies (foxtails, etc.). There are often predisposing factors to instigate the infection, including long, pendulous ear flaps that trap moisture and heat and help provide an ideal environment for bugs to grow; allergies; and accumulation of ear wax and oils in the ear canal creates an environment that encourages Malassezia yeast to grow; secondhand smoke (a higher number of ear infections in children are seen in households where there are smokers, and I would bet that it’s true for dogs, too).
Finally, some chronic diseases (for example, hypothyroidism, hyperadreno-corticism, and again, allergies) apparently predispose dogs to an increased frequency of ear infections. Interestingly, pet dander is one of the most common allergens thought to precipitate otitis in humans.
Otitis externa almost always tends to become chronic, recurring time after time, no matter what conventional Western medicines are used. The bottom line is this: otitis externa is not, generally speaking, a one-time occurrence. In almost every case there is an underlying condition that must be addressed in order to control the otitis.
Conventional therapy includes removal of any foreign body present; cleaning the ear canal; then the use of antibiotics, steroids, decongestants, and antihistamines. Surgery and even hearing aids have been used to counteract hearing loss.
After a thorough inspection of the entire ear canal, cleansing, and removal of foreign bodies, most of the conventional therapies listed above are just what we try to avoid with holistic medicine. In most cases, treatment can be accomplished with any of the alternative medicines – which often are more effective than the Western medicines anyway.
However, it must be remembered that alternative medicines typically take some time to work, and severe cases of otitis externa can penetrate the eardrum and progress into otitis media/interna – which can ultimately lead to permanent hearing loss. Judicious use of antibiotics may be indicated; always check with your veterinarian – and get a second opinion if you think it’s necessary.
My caveat for the use of antibiotics is to make absolutely certain that the antibiotics being prescribed will be effective against the organisms causing the infection. Never use a antibiotic randomly; have a culture and sensitivity run before any antibiotic therapy, or at the very least, make sure your vet has looked at a swab of the ear under the microscope. Most of the bugs can be identified fairly accurately with simple stains that most vets have in their clinics.
Holistic therapy includes a focus on prevention rather than cure. Moreover, if disease is present, holistic medicine uses the whole-body approach (nutrition, recognizing and treating other diseases, etc.) as well as specific medicines – homeopathic, acupuncture, herbal washes, etc. – used to alleviate symptoms or applied directly to the ears.
Otitis Media and Otitis Interna
Be suspicious of otitis media or otitis interna if your dog has difficulty balancing, stumbles and falls, staggers or trips when first getting up, or if he tends to circle in one direction.
These two diseases are nothing to mess with. Most cases of otitis media and interna are the result of an extension of otitis externa through the eardrum. Their presence indicates a good possibility that the eardrum is broken and that the infection is severe and has been ongoing for some time.
If you see any of the symptoms that indicate a lack of balance (such as staggering or falling), see a veterinarian for an accurate diagnosis. You may need antibiotics to get ahead of this disease process.
Mites
Ear mites (Otodectes cyanotis) can occur in dogs, although not as often as in cats. Ear mites are small parasites that roam freely in the ear, and they can drive a dog crazy. (Think about the noise you might hear as dozens of little buggers crawled around in your ear, and you’ll be sympathetic.) The mite-infested ear typically has a dry, crumbly, blackish (like coffee grounds) exudate that can be seen in the ear canal; the mites are (barely) visible to the naked eye.
Mites are generally easy to treat – oils cover the breathing apparatus of the adults and eventually kill them. Some herbal remedies have anti-parasitic activity (Mullein, for example) and can be added to an oil-based treatment.
The life cycle of the mite is three weeks, so treatments should extend through at least this three-week period. Usually dogs acquire their ear mites from cats, so if there are any cats in the family, treat them at the same time you are treating the dog. Puppies seem to be more susceptible than adult dogs, suggesting an immune component to the disease; consider enhancing the immune system if mites are detected.
Auricular Hematomas
The etiology of these often large, blood filled blebs, located between the skin and ear cartilage, is often unknown. [Editor’s note: That wasn’t a typo: A “bleb” is “an elevation of the skin filled with serous fluid.”] Sometimes hematomas will develop when a dog has been shaking his head hard or often – probably due to one of the interior ear problems discussed here. The dog shakes his head so hard that small blood vessels in the ear flaps burst, causing a bleb.
Conventional treatment consists of lancing and drainage, perhaps injections of steroids, and possibly surgery to enhance drainage and healing. About 50 percent of all hematomas recur after the first conventional treatment, and about 30 percent recur after being treated the second time.
Yarrow, used as a tea internally and externally as an oil-based ointment, may be helpful in helping to maintain arterial integrity. Witch hazel, applied topically, may also be of benefit.
Foreign Bodies
When a foreign body has gotten in a dog’s ear, it is almost always in one ear only. The dog will generally hold his head to one side (with the affected ear held down), cry and dig at the ear, and rub it against the ground. The symptoms usually come on acutely, and they can be quite dramatic.
The only way to know if there is a foreign body inside the ear canal is to look down into its depths with a special instrument. My experience has been that this almost invariably requires anesthesia. With proper chemical restraint, it is easy to find a foreign body and remove it, and to cleanse the ears thoroughly and treat them with a soothing herb while we’re there.
Hearing Loss and Deafness
There are a number of factors involved in hearing loss and deafness: infections; trauma and loud noises; many drugs; old age; genetic susceptibility; neural damage; etc. The most common form of hearing loss is called “conductive” hearing loss and it is caused by a blockage of the ear canal – from foreign bodies, infections, or an excessive buildup of cerumen (earwax).
Exposure to loud noises can cause “sensory” hearing loss, and this loss becomes progressively worse as the exposure continues over time. Dogs who are subjected to loud rock or rap music (and no animal should suffer this kind of torture!) will gradually lose their hearing, and the loss can be permanent. Quick impact, high-level noise such as gunshots can also cause hearing loss, and it has been recommended that hunting dogs wear ear plugs, much as the hunter does.
There are many drugs that can cause hearing loss, including aminoglycoside anti-biotics such as gentamycin and amikacin; loop diuretics such as furosemide (Lasix); several anti-cancer drugs; and even high doses of aspirin. Be sure to check with your vet before any drugs are used – to be sure they will not cause hearing loss (and to be sure your vet has actually read the package insert for the drug ).
Diseases such as diabetes, kidney failure, and hypothyroidism may be associated with hearing loss.
As a dog ages, much like his human counterpart, his hearing diminishes. The first signs of hearing loss may be a hesitation to obey commands, or a reluctance to go into strange territory. Old age hearing loss is usually a slow, progressive change, and you may be able to slow it somewhat with good nutrition, antioxidants, and adding some ginkgo to the diet.
An old dog may initially lose only the ability to hear certain frequencies (usually in the upper ranges), so speaking to him in low tones may be helpful. Some people have found that percussive sounds such as clapping can be heard by fairly deaf dogs, so they clap to draw the dog’s attention to hand signals. Realize, too, that hearing loss can create behavioral changes – some old dogs can be startled easily and may snap or bite when surprised.
“Neural” hearing loss is the least common form, and it can be caused by head trauma, blood clots or ruptured blood vessels, or brain tumors.
There is a test called the BAER (Brain Auditory Evoked Response) test that will accurately record hearing loss, and it can be used to detect partial loss, unilateral hearing loss, and total, bilateral deafness. This test is especially beneficial for testing puppies of breeds known to have a high incidence of deafness. Check with your veterinarian for more information.
Dr. Randy Kidd earned his DVM degree from Ohio State University and his Ph.D. in Pathology/Clinical Pathology from Kansas State University. A past president of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association, he’s author of Dr. Kidd’s Guide to Herbal Dog Care and Dr. Kidd’s Guide to Herbal Cat Care.
A couple of days ago, I received a text from a dog-training client, wondering about a video she had just watched—and which she linked in the text. “Is meat meal bad for dogs?” she asked. She followed that message with, “I get that she’s selling her own pet food, but is it (meat meal) that bad?”
