Our dog food coverage continues this month with a look at a category of commercial foods we haven’t examined for a while. “Dog food pre-mixes” are perfect for dog owners who want to provide a home-prepared diet to their dogs, but feel anxious about doing it right. They are also terrific time-savers for those with extensive experience at cooking for canines.
We were lucky to find renowned trainer Dr. Ian Dunbar at home long enough to interview him. In the process of setting up the interview, conducting it, and following up, we tracked his movements as he traveled to the Caribbean to speak at a conference, had a near-fatal car crash, got married, judged a pet tricks contest, taught at a conference in Wisconsin, gave a free community lecture at a local Chevy’s restaurant, and left for Thailand, I think it was? We live maybe 10 miles apart, but this helps explain why I don’t talk to Ian that often. I’m glad I made the effort, though; he raises some provocative points about the responsibilities of breeders and prospective dog owners.
Holistic veterinarian Randy Kidd has a PhD in pathology, so technical medical information doesn’t stump him. He’s done a brilliant job of explaining why corticosteroid drugs are so miraculous and, at the same time, so dangerous. If it gets too technical for you, go to the end of the article for a summation that should help guide your decision to use one of these powerful drugs on your dog, should you have to make that call someday.
There is lots more good stuff in this issue, but rather than describe all of it, allow me to announce something else I’m excited about, even though I don’t have much to do with it!
ATTENTION, BUSINESS OWNERS
Our publisher, Belvoir Media, has historically publicized subscriptions only through direct mail; up until now, you couldn’t find WDJ on a rack anywhere. However, in response to a number of requests from dog-related businesses, including veterinarians, pet supply stores, groomers, and trainers, for the first time, our publisher has a program that will enable businesses to buy copies of WDJ in bulk for reselling to their customers.
If you are the owner of a dog-related business, and you might be interested in buying a number of copies of WDJ for your customers each month (at a special price), contact Dean Lage at dlage@belvoir.comor (941) 929-1720.
I sincerely hope this will help more dog owners learn about WDJ, and the positive, practical training and holistic health information we bring you every month. Spread the word!
We frequently write about kibble and canned dog food, but have neglected some of the less common (but no less worthy) types of commercial foods. Here’s a look at commercial products that make it easy to feed a home-prepared diet.
Coming up with a really fitting name for this product category is difficult, since each manufacturer we’ve included formulates its products differently. We’ll call them all “dog food pre-mixes” – but be aware that their formulations vary widely. Corralling these diverse products into one category may be a stretch, given the products’ differences:
• Five of the seven manufacturers produce a dog food “base” containing grains and vegetables, to which a dog owner adds fresh meat to complete the diet.
• All but one of the products contain dehydrated ingredients; water is added to rehydrate them. The one exception is Spectrum’s “Just Add Base Mix,” which is actually an extruded food; the owner adds only fresh meat.
• A few of the products are intended to be cooked. The others are simply rehydrated with water and soaked before serving.
• Two of these companies make products that can be fed alone for “complete and balanced” nutrition; they meet the nutritional profiles of the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) without the inclusion of meat or anything else. These products are also the only ones that were formulated with the AAFCO nutrient profiles in mind. Given that they are “complete” diets, we included them in our “food pre-mix” category only because their makers encourage consumers to add meat and other ingredients if they want to. In the case of The Honest Kitchen, the foods are even formulated to maintain a proper calcium/phosphorus ratio of 1:1 to 2:1 even if meat and vegetables are added.
Other than The Honest Kitchen and Spectrum, none of the makers formulated their products to meet AAFCO’s nutrient profiles. All expressed confidence that their products, prepared as directed, provide nourishment that is superior to that provided by conventional commercial dog foods.
• Except for the products made by The Honest Kitchen, and one by Spectrum, all of the products require the addition of fresh meat (raw or cooked) to complete the food.
• Most of the products contain herbs; some contain just one or two, some contain quite a variety. A few of the products contain other novel ingredients such as bee pollen.
• Most of the companies use at least some organic ingredients; a couple use all organic ingredients, except for the vitamin/mineral supplement used in the pre-mix. We are not aware of any organic vitamin/mineral mixes that are available to pet food manufacturers.
• Speaking of vitamin/mineral mixes, only three of the companies contain these supplements. Happy Dog’s products are mixed with a separate vitamin/mineral supplement (provided with the food).
• Two companies’ products require the addition of some sort of oil supplement.
Not rated or ranked
In our reviews of dry and canned foods, we make specific recommendations for selecting products for your dog. We’re not going to do this here; instead, we simply want to inform you about these alternatives to conventional kibble and canned food, and describe the differences between them.
We like the concept of a pre-mix that helps dog owners more easily prepare a complete and balanced diet with fresh, top-quality ingredients, and all of these products accomplish that goal. All of the products have a fresh, appealing aroma and appearance. However, some of their makers do a better job of providing information and support to consumers, and on the next two pages, we’ll note these efforts (or lack thereof) with our descriptions of the foods.
When suggested feeding amounts were provided for a range of dog sizes, we quoted the amount suggested for a 30-pound dog.
In the opening ceremonies of the 10th annual conference of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, held last fall in Orlando, Florida, APDT founder Ian Dunbar offhandedly stated that he was performing the role of the conference’s opening speaker for the last time.
A native of Britain, Dunbar earned his veterinary degree in that country, but came to the U.S. to conduct further research into canine behavior at the University of California, Berkeley. After earning his Ph.D. there, he founded Sirius Puppy Training, the first and best-known provider of puppy training classes. Dr. Dunbar is widely credited for popularizing dog-friendly training methods in recent decades, thanks to his appearance at hundreds of lectures (his best guess is that the number is over 850), and a number of books and videotapes he’s written, published, and produced. He’s been tireless for decades; he’s not retiring and quitting all that, is he? We had to find out.
Recently, we sat down with Dr. Dunbar so we could catch up on news of his latest plans and projects – and ask him why he wasn’t planning to welcome the members of APDT to their annual conference anymore.
———-
WDJ: At the last APDT conference, I heard you say you were done with giving the opening speech; why?
Dunbar: Well, I’ve done 10 of them now. That seemed like a good, round number. And they have plenty of interesting, knowledgeable people to give that speech. It seemed to me that it was a good time to stop. I’ll always make myself available to them if they need me to speak about anything else. And I’ll always be present at the APDT meetings; there is no better educational conference for dog trainers in the world.
WDJ: You had us worried that you were retiring . . .
Dunbar: Not for a couple more years. I have one more project I want to concentrate on for a while.
WDJ: Which is?
Dunbar: I want to spend the next few years publicizing the importance of training and preventing behavior problems in dogs. Trainers and veterinarians today are pretty well educated in behavior, which was not the case 20 years ago. Pet dog training did not exist then, and veterinary behaviorists did not exist, apart from very few university-based academics. But the general public today is still relatively unaware of dog-friendly training.
Don’t get me wrong; the general public knows a lot more now than they used to! For example, people go to puppy classes now; there didn’t used to be puppy classes! But most people still don’t know that dog training is fun, easy, effortless . . . it’s actually what owning a dog is all about! It’s communicating and developing a relationship with a dog.
So, that’s it. I’m going to spend two or three more years really trying to push this stuff through the media.
WDJ: We can help with that! What is the most important thing you want dog owners to know? The most important thing for prospective dog owners to understand is that they can’t wait until a puppy is 12 weeks old to start working with him. So many dogs are developmentally retarded – irretrievably. Development is a great opportunity, but it can’t be missed; if you’ve missed it, you’ve missed it. If you have a shy puppy, you cannot mend him. You can improve him so he can function in society, but he will never be what he could have been. The intervention has to be as early as possible.
Dunbar: I think the best way to go is to intervene with prospective puppy owners, because they interface with the source of puppies: breeders. They can say to a breeder, “I’m sorry, the puppy is eight weeks old already! Why isn’t he housetrained? Chew-toy trained? Doesn’t he know how to come, sit, lie down, roll over? What have you been doing? Hasn’t he been handled by 50 people, 10 of them children? Why have you wasted eight weeks, two-thirds of the critical period of socialization?!” I have tried directing this message to kennel clubs and breeders, and a lot of them listen and do an incredible job, but a lot of them don’t.
But when the people who buy puppies are put in the driving seat – I think that’s the secret. We have to give pet dog training back to pet owners and let them know, “Look, you choose. You could get a lemon quite easily. You could get a puppy that is so ruined at eight weeks that it’s going to impact your life for the lifetime of the animal, 14 years, say. You’re going to be 14 years living with a dog who’s shy of strangers, your friends, relatives.” That’s a chunk out of your lifestyle. So think before you get that shy puppy! Tell that puppy producer, “Sorry, you didn’t do neonatal handling exercises. I’m going to buy my puppy elsewhere.”
WDJ: Is this message too discouraging to people who adopt older shelter dogs? If a puppy is “made” or “ruined” by 12 weeks, should people avoid getting older dogs?
Dunbar: No, no. I encourage people to get shelter dogs, but I ask them to be discerning. You have to look long and hard. If you look, the right animal is always there. It may have behavioral baggage, though. I think we do have to get stricter about what we adopt out to unsuspecting pet owners, especially with the whole fearfulness/aggression issue. If the animal is fearful, we need to tell the owner how to rehabilitate it, number one. Number two, we have to inform them that it will be a lengthy process, and not kid them that the animal is “just shy today.”
With animals that do damage, I don’t think they are suitable for adoption. They are the reason that I very strongly take exception with the “no kill” concept. Some animals have been damaged so badly that they now damage people. You can’t in good conscience, I think, set that animal loose on the unsuspecting general public. Some animals have to be euthanized. And I think it’s ridiculous to send them to some sanctuary where millions of dollars are spent keeping dangerous animals alive. What kind of life is that for the animal? I think it’s better to euthanize, and euthanize is the word I would use. It means to kill in a pleasant, non-painful way.
Even in my puppy books, I encourage people to get adult dogs. If you look with your head as well as your heart, there will be the perfect adult dog for you at a shelter.
But here’s the question to ask: Where do all these shelter animals come from? They were all three-week-old neonates once; that’s where they all got screwed up, that’s what we have to impact …
I’m getting toward the twilight of my career, I hope. I’m looking forward to gardening, and construction on the house, and writing. But I want to spend two or three more years trying to promote the education of prospective puppy owners. Selecting a puppy is no different from selecting a school for their kids, or buying a new car. You have to be really discerning.
For decades, dog owners have been bullied by the animal professions. There are a lot of breeders and vets who deliver their opinions in such a way that the owner has to take it as gospel, or go elsewhere, and they end up being bullied into taking an eight-week-old puppy that is behaviorally retarded. And not because there was anything wrong with it when it was born! It hasn’t had an education!
I just don’t understand how you could raise a puppy, and keep him until eight weeks – which, I have to stress again, is two-thirds of the critical period of socialization – and not invite anybody over to handle, hand-feed, and train him. If you haven’t housetrained or chew-toy-trained him, and he’s peeing and pooping everywhere, chewing everything – well, that’s what he’s going to do in the new home! The prospective owner gets duped.
Having said that, I must add that there are some brilliant breeders out there, and brilliant veterinarians who really get it, but that has not always not been the case, and it’s still not the case with all of them.
WDJ: Surely things have gotten better for dogs … We’ve come a long way in the last 20 years, haven’t we?
Dunbar: Well, yes, of course. The research I did in the 1960s and 70s is now common knowledge for pet owners. Most of them have a passing familiarity with concepts like socialization and behavior modification today. That’s exciting.
On the other hand, so many people live with dogs who do things they don’t like – it’s too silly for words! Especially since the behavior problems that dogs have are so easily treatable, and the temperament problems are so easily preventable.
Twenty or 30 years ago, the solutions to a lot of dog behavior problems were not there, but we have answers for most of them now. It’s not rocket science. These problems are simple; they are just behavior problems, and very easy to cure. The temperament problems – you must prevent them. And the general public needs to know how easy it is.
WDJ: Is this why you make some of your educational materials available for free?
Dunbar: That’s always been my philosophy. When I started lecturing, I always allowed anybody to tape my lectures. At Sirius, we’ve always allowed anyone to observe the classes. We have trained all our competition, Bay Area-wide, nationwide, worldwide, and I’m happy about it. Come and learn. And one special book – Before You Get Your Puppy – it’s so important that we plan to make it available for free download. Some people will still buy it, I suppose; it’s nice to have in book form.
WDJ: You also wrote After You Get Your Puppy, to help people with problems that arise after the puppy comes home. I noticed that the “before” book is much lower-priced!
Dunbar: Ah, you noticed! Doesn’t that make sense? The price of solving problems is higher than preventing them in the first place!
1. Understand that there is no way to separate the glucocorticoids’ antiinflammatory activity from their immunosuppressive activity.
2. Whenever glucocorticoids are used for prolonged periods, “wean” your dog off them gradually.
3. Consider using natural alternatives when possible, such as herbs, acupuncture, homeopathy, and a lower-stress lifestyle.
Corticosteroids are perhaps the most enigmatic of all the drugs in the western medicine man’s arsenal. It has been said by many practitioners that they are the most used and most abused of all our medicines. Corticosteroids are a necessary component of a healthy physiology and they can be life saving…or they can cause multiple adverse side effects that can be devastating to a dog’s health and well-being. Since this class of biochemicals affects nearly all cells of the body, their beneficial effects can be widespread – and their adverse effects may be totally debilitating and long-lasting.
So who are these guys that can seemingly wear both white and black hats at the same time?
What Are Corticosteroids?
Naturally occurring corticosteroids are a class of steroid hormones that are produced in the cortex (thus the “cortico” prefix) of the adrenal gland. The adrenal medulla (inner part) manufactures epinephrine and norepinephrine, the hormones responsible for the “fight or flight” reaction, among other functions. Corticosteroids are made from the same steroidal chemical base that also produces the male and female sex hormones and the androgenic steroids made famous by athletes who want to enhance their muscle mass. However, the corticosteroids are slightly different from the androgenic and sex hormones in their chemical structure, and they are very different in the ways they affect the body.
Corticosteroids are further divided into two major classes of compounds: mineralocorticoids and glucocorticoids.
Mineralocorticoids are a vital component of the body’s hormonal balancing system, even though they make up only a small portion of the overall mix of the corticosteroids in the body. Mineralocorticoids function in the kidney (in the distal tubules) where they stimulate the exchange of sodium and potassium – increasing renal excretion of potassium and increasing resorption of sodium, which in turn helps maintain the body’s water balance by increasing resorption of water.
The principle steroid with mineralocorticoid activity is aldosterone. Cortisol, the major “natural” glucocorticoid in dogs (and other non-rodent species) has weak mineralocorticoid activity. But in the natural state, cortisol’s mineralocorticoid activity is of some importance because, in the healthy animal, there is so much more cortisol secreted than aldosterone.
The name glucocorticoid derives from early observations that these hormones were involved in glucose metabolism. The vast majority of glucocorticoid activity in most mammals is from cortisol, also known as hydrocortisone.
Since synthetic glucocorticoids are used extensively in veterinary therapy, this article will focus on them.
Activities of Glucocorticoids in Dogs
Glucocorticoids (especially cortisol, the predominant natural glucocorticoid) stimulate several processes that collectively serve to increase and maintain natural conversion of glucose. These effects include:
• Stimulation of gluconeogenesis, the synthesis of glucose from other sources such as amino acids (protein building blocks) and lipids (fats). Glucocorticoids stimulate the enzymes that enhance this process, especially in the liver.
• Mobilization of amino acids from tissues, generating a substrate for gluconeo-genesis.
• Inhibition of glucose uptake in muscle and fatty tissue, thus conserving glucose.
• Stimulation of fat breakdown, releasing fatty acids, which provides energy to various tissues and adds more substrate for gluconeogenesis.
Glucocorticoids have potent anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive properties. These are the primary medicinal uses of the glucocorticoids and will be discussed more fully below.
Glucocorticoids also have multiple effects on fetal development, including their role in promoting maturation of the lung and production of the surfactant necessary for lung function immediately after birth.
Excessive glucocorticoid levels resulting from administration as a drug or hyperadrenocorticism (Cushing’s disease) have effects on many systems. Just a few of the examples include inhibition of bone formation, suppression of calcium absorption, and delayed wound healing. Note that these effects suggest that there probably are many physiologic roles for the glucocorticoids that we are not yet fully aware of. Also note that these effects can occur from drug administration, and most of them are ultimately detrimental to health and healing.
Insufficient production of cortisol is called Addison’s disease (or hypoadreno-corticism). This disease may be caused by autoimmune destruction of the adrenal cortex or as the result of infectious disease and is often accompanied by an aldosterone deficiency. Aldosterone deficiency can be acutely life threatening, causing severe electrolyte imbalance and loss of normal cardiac function. Other signs of Addison’s disease include weakness and lethargy, diarrhea, and cardiovascular disease.
Inflammatory and Allergic Conditions Often Treated With Glucocorticoids
Abortion Alopecia – loss of hair Calcinosis cutis – calcium deposits in the skin Delayed wound healing Diabetes mellitus Gastrointestinal ulceration Growth suppression Hyperlipidemia – excess fat in the blood Latrogenic hyperadrenocorticism – Cushing’s disease Immunosuppression – secondary infection, infections that worsen Insomnia, agitation, behavioral changes Insulin resistance Ligament and tendon rupture Muscle atrophy Osteoporosis Panting Polyphagia – excess hunger Polyuria (excess urination) or polydipsea (excess thirst) Proteinuria – excess loss of protein in the urine Psychosis or behavioral changes Seizure threshold lowered Skin thinning
Physiological Effects of Glucocorticoids
Metabolic: Increase gluconeogenesis and protein breakdown; antagonize insulin activity; mobilize free fatty acids
Cardiovascular: Vasoconstriction
Gastrointestinal and liver: Induce alkaline phosphatase enzyme (blood chemistry tests routinely reveal an elevation of this enzyme when glucocorticoids are being used therapeutically); decrease calcium and iron absorption; promote fat and glycogen deposition in the liver; increase secretion of digestive hormones; alter mucin structure
Kidney: Increased glomerular filtration rate; promote water, sodium, and chloride retention; increase potassium and calcium excretion
Neurologic and muscular: Euphoria or behavioral changes; muscular atrophy; muscular weakness
Endocrine: Decrease ACTH production; suppress thyroid-stimulating hormone and T-3 and T-4 concentrations
Inflammatory and immunologic: Decrease prostaglandin and leukotriene formation; inhibit mononuclear phagocytosis and chemotaxis; decrease cytokine production; depress cell-mediated immunity
Miscellaneous: Stimulate appetite; inhibit fibroblast proliferation and collagen synthesis; accelerate bone resorption
Control of Cortisol Secretion
Cortisol and other glucocorticoids are se-creted in response to adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) from the anterior pituitary gland. The secretion of ACTH is in turn under the control of the brain’s hypothalamic peptide, corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH), creating a classic hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis of control over the ultimate secretion of the glucocorticoids. It is important to recognize that, in the natural state, the brain (hypothalamus) is the primary controlling organ, and whenever the animal is stressed, there will be increased production of cortisol.
Any form of glucocorticoid (whether drug-induced or endogenous – from stress, for example) exerts a negative feedback on this axis and shuts down further secretion of the glucocorticoids. The negative feedback mechanism is medically important because after shutdown, the axis may take several days to gear up again to a normally functioning level.
Effects on Inflammation and Immune Function
From the medical perspective and certainly from the holistic perspective, the most important thing to realize about the very potent anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive properties of the glucocorticoids is that there is absolutely no way to separate these two properties.
Whenever the glucocorticoids are administered (or produced naturally), the result will be a combination of anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive activities. Thus, using glucocorticoids is always a balancing act; the multiple actions of glucocorticoids simultaneously allow for beneficial and adverse effects.
The anti-inflammatory activity of gluco-corticoids is primarily directed toward inhibiting the production of arachidonic acid, which in turn inhibits the production of inflammation-causing prostaglandins and leukotrienes. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) also inhibit prostaglandins (by inhibiting a later enzyme in the cascade, cyclooxygenase), but not leukotrienes.
The immunologic activity of the glucocorticoids is directed primarily toward the cellular component of the immune system: monocyte phagocytic function and cytokine production. Some lymphocytes may be destroyed by the glucocorticoids, particularly neoplastic (tumor-inducing) and activated lymphocytes. These effects can be either beneficial (e.g., treating immune-mediated conditions or some lymphocytic cancers) or detrimental (e.g., impairing the body’s defenses against fungal, viral, and bacterial infections).
In what may be an overlapping function (anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive), glucocorticoids produce the classic “stress leukogram,” a white blood cell (WBC) picture of increased mature neutrophils, decreased lymphocytes and eosinophils, and variable increases in monocytes.
Pharmacologic Uses of the Glucocorticoids
Glucocorticoids are commercially available in a variety of forms for either systemic (oral tablets or liquids and injectables) or topical use, and the relative potency and duration of action of these products varies widely.
If we assume the potency of cortisone (the natural glucocorticoid produced by the dog’s adrenal) to be “1,” relative potencies of commercial products may be 5-6 times as potent (prednisone, prednisolone, methylprednisolone, triamcinolone), and even as much as 40 times as potent (dexa-methasone and betamethasone).
We can also categorize commercially available glucocorticoid products based on the length of time they suppress the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. On average, short-acting glucocorticoids (hydrocortisone and cortisone, the naturally-produced glucocorticoids) suppress the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis less than 12 hours; the suppressive activity of long-acting glucocorticoids (dexamethasone and betamethasone) lasts more than 48 hours, and in many cases, the exact duration in dogs is not known. Intermediate-acting products (prednisone, prednisolone, methylprednisolone, and triamcinolone) fall somewhere in between.
Commercial products have variable mineralocorticoid activities when compared to cortisone or hydrocortisone. Prednisone and prednisolone, for example, have about half the mineralocorticoid activity of the natural glucocorticoids, and most other synthetic products have almost none.
Some synthetic glucocorticoid compounds require conversion to an active metabolite. For example, prednisone requires conversion in the liver to prednisolone to become active. Because this conversion is necessary, prednisolone is a better choice for topical application, but since the conversion is rapid and nearly complete, the two drugs are interchangeable for systemic use.
Finally, the biologic half-lives of the glucocorticoids are different (prolonged) from their plasma half-lives, which are responsible for the variability of duration (from short-acting to intermediate to long-acting).
This is because the biologic effects of the glucocorticoids are largely due to alterations in genetic regulation of protein production, and these alterations create a longer time of activity.
Note that glucocorticoid amounts naturally fluctuate in the body throughout the day. Therapeutic protocols should take this diurnal variation into account and, where necessary, prescribe amounts of the drug that would correspond to these daily variations.
Also note that all cases where glucocorticoid therapy has been prolonged (for more than a few days), there is the possibility that the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis has been shut down by the negative feedback mechanism. These cases, then, require a gradual reduction from the therapeutic levels rather than abrupt cessation. The time and method of “weaning” depends on the glucocorticoid used and the duration of its use. Check with your veterinarian for the correct protocol.
Natural Options
There are many natural alternatives to the glucocorticoids, substances that have anti-inflammatory activity and/or that enhance a balance of the immune system’s function.
• Herbs – There are many herbal remedies that are anti-inflammatory, enhance the immune system, prevent pain, and are specifically directed toward a body system, balancing it in response to inflammation or pain.
Of special interest here is meadowsweet, the original source of aspirin (the old botanical name for meadowsweet, Spirea, is how aspirin got its name). The term salicylate (the “active” ingredient in aspirin) comes from the Latin name for willow, Salix. The herbs that contain salicylate include meadowsweet, wintergreen, the bark of aspen and cottonwood, birch, black cohosh, and willow.
In addition, there are several herbs – examples include licorice, wild yam, yucca, sarsaparilla, and fenugreek – that contain steroidal saponins that have a chemical structure very similar to cortisone. These steroidal saponins have direct anti-inflammatory, cortisone-like effects, and in addition, some of them inhibit an enzyme in the liver that breaks down natural cortisone, thus making it available longer.
Herbal steroids typically do not create an atrophic effect on the adrenals, and in fact are often used to aid in the weaning process from therapeutic glucocorticoid levels.
• Acupuncture has been shown to be beneficial to the immune system and for prevention of inflammation. In addition, acupuncture alleviates pain of arthritis and may promote healing.
• Homeopathy works by enhancing the vital force, an unmeasurable component of the healthy body that has been likened to the immune system.
• The contribution of a low-stress lifestyle to health is also unmeasurable, but undoubtedly valuable. Remember that the body constantly produces glucocorticoids, and whenever there is an excess production, there is the potential for disease. Excess glucocorticoids are produced with excess stress; think about the “Active Dog, Tiny Apartment Syndrome,” a dog left home alone for extended periods (away from the healthy “pack” and forced to abnormally control elimination patterns), constant noise pollution, lack of exercise and open air walks – all these are potential stressors.
In my opinion, the best anti-stressor in the world is to let your dog be a dog; let him reunite with his true inner nature and with a natural and healthy outer environment.
Putting It All Together
Okay. So we have the facts before us, and here’s a summary:
• There are both natural and synthetic glucocorticoids, and the synthetically produced products have a wide range of duration and potency.
• Glucocorticoids are a necessary hormone for body maintenance, and therapeutic doses can be beneficial – and harmful.
• Glucocorticoids affect all cells in the body. Their activities are thus far-ranging.
• There is no way to separate the glucocorticoids’ anti-inflammatory activity from their immunosuppressive activity.
• Veterinarians have a variety of products available to them, and each of these products has its niche in the therapeutic toolkit.
• Many diseases respond favorably to glucocorticoid therapy.
• There are many adverse side effects that may come along with glucocorticoid therapy.
• Whenever glucocorticoids are used for prolonged periods, the patient needs to be gradually weaned off them.
• There are some natural options available – options that are likely not as potent, but almost certainly not as potentially harmful.
Now comes the most difficult part. Knowing the advantages and disadvantages of the glucocorticoids, how and when do I choose to use them for my dog? Unfortunately, there’s no good answer. Once again, regrettably, we have to fall back on the old truism, “It all depends. On the individual dog. On the particular case as it is presented. And on the family situation.”
Here’s my take: I would never hesitate to use massive doses of short-acting glucocorticoids in an emergency: anaphylaxis, immune-mediated system collapse, acute trauma, nerve damage. I know that even these applications are now being questioned – because we don’t really have scientific proof that they work for dogs – but the time I spent in an emergency clinic where I used glucocorticoids to effectively treat hundreds of “shocky” animals demonstrated to me their effectiveness.
However, I would think long and hard before I ever used glucocorticoids for dermatitis or chronic immune-mediated diseases. I’d think in terms of the alternative medicines first here – combining both anti-inflammatory and immune system balancing methods – and I would hope these would be potent enough to be curative.
On the other hand, I am not comfortable demanding that we stick with the alternatives no matter what. I think there may come a time with some patients when we do them more harm than good, trying to make the alternatives work. Sometimes a quick regime of short-acting glucocorticoids is just enough to give the animal’s immune system a chance to recover enough to gear up on its own.
For an arthritic animal I’d think even longer and harder about ever using the glucocorticoids. I’ve simply had too much success with acupuncture (along with chondroprotective agents and herbs), and the glucocorticoid side effects (demineralization of bone, weakening of the ligaments and tendons, the possibility for infection), which all seem to work against everything we are trying to accomplish. Furthermore, the glucocorticoids have no pain-relieving activity, and pain is one of the key components of arthritis.
In all cases, I think it is imperative that we (to use a currently popular metaphor) have an exit strategy. Decide beforehand what your exit protocol will be – how long before you think of using alternative tactics, how will you judge results, and most of all, if and when you do decide to quit, what you will use for a “weaning off” protocol.
Finally, I think there may be a place for glucocorticoid therapy for the end-stage animal, for treating any of the diseases where we might commonly use them. It seems to me that in these cases, the advantages may outweigh the disadvantages.
Glucocorticoids are often an inexpensive way to stimulate the metabolism; they may alleviate inflammation; and they oftentimes create a “feel-good” attitude in a previously depressed dog.
Further, in these cases we won’t have to worry about long-term effects, nor will we likely be confronted with the necessity of gradually weaning the animal from the therapy.
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.
The domestic dog is, inarguably, a social species. There is little scholarly disagreement over the fact that the dog’s social dependency makes him exceptionally aware of the behavior of others, and contributes to his own behavior and learning abilities.
There is, however, ongoing discussion about how much, and how, dogs can learn by interacting with each other – the question of “social learning” through contact, joining in the action, and pure observation without active participation.
You may have seen it yourself when you got a new puppy. You’re positive ol’ Spot taught little Junior where to go to the bathroom in the yard, how to find the water dish, and the importance of barking vociferously at strangers. Junior certainly came running hot on Spot’s heels when you called the pair, thus learning the importance of the word “come.” It even seems like the new pup learned how to sit politely for a treat by watching Spot perform that well-practiced behavior. But did he really learn by watching Spot? Or was it all just coincidence?
Following the dog who responds to the “Come!” cue helps the newcomer learn it, too.
Social Learning
The term “social learning” encompasses several closely-related concepts. Some clearly apply to the learning processes of dogs. Others are more debatable.
Allelomimetic behavior (mimicking), or group-coordinated behavior, relies on the hardwired inclination of a social animal to follow and mimic members of the social group. Puppies are genetically programmed to follow and copy others of their kind. This is an important factor in early learning; it comes into play when Junior chases along when you call Spot, or when you run away from Junior and call him to chase after you.
Social facilitation is related to but different from allelomimesis. It refers to behaviors performed in a group, where the presence of another dog causes an increase in the intensity of the behavior. Two dogs acting in concert may run faster, bark louder, jump higher, eat more, or eat faster than a dog performing alone. For this reason, trainers and behaviorists often caution against adopting a second dog for the primary purpose of resolving the behavior problems of Dog #1; you can easily end up with louder barking, or an increase in destructive behaviors, rather than the hoped-for decrease in undesirable behavior.
It is likely that the amplified magnitude of behavior is a result of an increased state of arousal, stimulated by the presence of one or more additional dogs. While the negatives of this effect are obvious, social facilitation can have a positive effect as well, such as the increased speed and intensity of a competitive flyball dog due to the presence of the running dog in the next lane.
The flip side of social facilitation is called social interference – the irritating phenomenon that occurs when the presence of other dogs playing nearby interrupts your dog’s ability to pay attention to your training session. This is known in training class as a “distraction.” It’s wise to teach Junior his new behaviors in a quiet environment, free from such social interference. Make sure he knows them well before you can expect him to be able to perform them in the face of major distractions.
Local enhancement includes pieces of social facilitation, mimicking, and trial-and-error learning, but is different from true observational learning in that the dog actively participates in the behavior in the presence of the other dog and/or other environmental cues. Spot starts digging a hole; Junior joins in, and learns that digging holes is fun and rewarding as he follows Spot under the fence. Simply watching Spot dig the hole was not enough to inspire Junior to dig his way out of the yard; it was actually a combination of watching, participating, and enjoying the whole process that characterizes this as local enhancement.
Another example of local enhancement is when Junior learns to coordinate his clumsy puppy legs and jump into the car much more quickly by following behind Spot than he would by trying to climb in on his own. Junior’s performance is enhanced by Spot’s immediate example, and learning happens more quickly for Junior as a result.
New dog-walking clients learn how to behave in this complex situation through “local enhancement,” which includes social facilitation, mimicking, and trial-and-error-learning.
The Extent of Dogs’ Observational Learning
This brings us to the controversial question of true observational learning in dogs. Can our canine pals learn by simply watching?
“No” is an easy answer. Four necessary conditions for observational learning are: attention, retention, motivation, and production. That is, the dog must pay attention to the dog performing the modeled behavior; retain the information gathered about the behavior during the observation; be motivated to reproduce the behavior in a time and place removed from the original; and finally, produce the behavior, or some reasonable facsimile thereof.
In training, for example, one dog could watch you through a window while you train another dog to lie down on cue. You could then take the observer dog to a new room and have him perform the down behavior for you, on cue. Not likely!
If dogs were adept at observational learning, you could plop Junior in front of the television, pop in your favorite videotape about clicker training, leave him there while you head off to work, and come home to a trained dog. There would be no need for dog trainers, or dog training classes. Sometimes we wish it were that easy!
Still, some studies have determined that puppies, at least, have some capacity for observational learning. A 1997 study conducted by Slabbert and Rasa determined that pups between the ages of 9-12 weeks who were permitted to observe their narcotics-detecting mothers at work generally proved more capable at learning the same skills at six months of age than control puppies the same age who were not previously allowed to watch their mothers working.
An 1977 experiment by Adler and Adler found that puppies who watched other puppies learn to pull a food cart into their cages by an attached ribbon proved considerably faster at the task when later given the opportunity themselves. At 38 days of age, the “demonstrator” puppies took an average of 697 seconds to succeed, while the observers succeeded in an average of 9 seconds.
These are startling and exciting findings. While evidence of observational learning has yet to be found in adult dogs, the potential for it in puppies may change, yet again, our definition of a responsible breeder. One day, we may come to expect good breeders to set her puppies on the sidelines so they can watch their mothers run through obedience routines, agility courses, and service dog, search-and-rescue, or drug-sniffing jobs before they are placed in their new homes.
Put a Good Dog to Work
While we wait for more scientific information on observational learning in puppies, we can take advantage of social learning opportunities that we know can enhance our dogs’ behaviors.
If your new dog is an only dog, you can still make use of his innate social mimicking behavior to encourage him to follow you while teaching him “come.”
If you do get a new dog, structure some training sessions so that he can learn from your more-experienced dog’s knowledge of good manners and skills. For example, before you open the door to let your dogs out, wait for Spot to sit (we hope he has already learned this “good manners” behavior), and then calmly wait for Junior to do the same. Spot’s calm behavior sets a good example for Junior to mimic. If Junior hasn’t quite figured out the sit, that can come later; as soon as Junior is standing calmly, open the door and let them both out as their reward for calm.
Rather than chastising Junior for barking at a passing skateboarder when you’re out playing in your fenced yard, grab Spot’s ball and run with him away from the skateboarder, playing with him in loud excitement, to make use of social facilitation to turn Junior’s unacceptable intense barking into acceptable intense play.
Finally, remember that you can utilize the presence of other dogs to amplify the magnitude of your dog’s desired behaviors, while taking care to avoid those circumstances that might amplify the undesirable ones. In other words, it might be wiser to spend more time with your new dog in the presence of well-mannered dogs at a daycare or training center than in a pack of unruly, barking dogs at a dog park.
Training a dog is a big challenge – we can use all the social learning help we can get!
What You Can Do
What You Can Do – Identify one or more situations where you can use your dog’s natural allelomimetic talents to mimic you and enhance his training. – Find a friend’s dog that you can use to socially facilitate an increased intensity in your dog’s positive behavior. – Watch your dog and see if you can see any examples of true observational learning.
Those of us who like dogs can’t help but touch them. We are irresistibly drawn to adore them with our hands, to pet them, stroke them, rub their ears, and get lost in the ecstasy of dog beneath our fingertips. Dogs pull not only our hearts but also our hands into a companionship of touch, a relationship we hope is mutually satisfying.
Caressing a dog can be a direct line to nirvana, calming nerves, lifting mood, relieving suffering, a spiritual experience that soothes the soul.
Touching a dog feels so good because our body responds with a release of the neurochemicals of pleasure that have positive physiological effects as well.
During the past couple of decades, science has proven what we canine lovers have always known: petting a dog is good for you. Studies have shown it lowers blood pressure, decreases cholesterol levels, and reduces the risk of heart disease. Alzheimer’s and AIDS patients, autistic children, and nursing home residents often improve when they have contact with a dog. Pain, grief, stress, depression – the list of studied situations where petting a dog has proven beneficial to humans is lengthy.
“When I got my dogs, I wanted to touch them,” says Kathy Diamond Davis, author of Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others. “I have rheumatoid arthritis and when I touch them, it relieves the pain.”
But what about the dogs? Are there benefits for them?
Until quite recently, these questions were seldom considered and studied even less. Mostly these experiments evaluated the impact of researchers on laboratory animals, or, the effect of lack of touch on long-term personality development.
“There has been little research looking at the effects of dogs interacting with people,” says Rebecca Johnson, PhD, RN, and director for research at the Center for the Study of Animal Wellness at the College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia. “Now we are interested in the animal side of the equation.”
The Chemistry of Touch
Dr. Johnson and her veterinarian colleague, Richard Meadows, DVM, began an ongoing study in 2002 that involves people, dogs, and a robotic dog. Although the study is looking for new means to treat human illnesses such as depression and cancer, it’s also geared to determine if beneficial chemical changes occur in petted dogs.
In a quiet room, participants are instructed to pet their dogs; in some iterations of the test, an unfamiliar but friendly dog or a canine robot is used. Prior to beginning, blood is drawn from both the human and the dog, and their blood pressure is monitored continuously. After both the human and dog experience a 10 percent decrease in blood pressure, the experiment is stopped and blood is drawn again.
“The dogs are like sponges in enjoying the petting,” Johnson says. “Their blood pressure goes down, no problem. But the humans take longer.” Some dogs have even gone to sleep.
Preliminary findings largely show ben-eficial changes occurred in the dogs’ levels of the neurotransmitters serotonin, beta-endorphin, prolactin, oxytocin, dopamine, and beta-phenylethylamine. Cortisol, the “stress hormone,” also decreased.
In future studies, the researchers hope to explore the impact of quantity of touch on dogs as this may help to further explain the chemical changes that occur during petting. Says Dr. Johnson, “We are always trying to uncover answers on how the human-animal bond works.”
Released in response to gentle touch, neurotransmitters affect bodily functions in a positive manner. “Petting has broad physiologic effects on the cardiovascular system of the dog,” says Franklin McMillan, DVM, DACVIM, coauthor of the forthcoming book, Unlocking the Animal Mind.
In “Exploring the Bond,” Dr. McMillan cited data from recent studies describing the physiological, health, and emotional effects of touch on animals.
One study found that as a result of touch, a dog’s coronary artery blood flow increased to the same level as during intense exercise. The heart rate of dogs increased when a person joined them in a room, but would drop dramatically within one or two seconds of being stroked.
In another study, whenever dogs were exposed to a stressful stimulus such as pain or fear, their heart rate and blood pressure decreased significantly if they were petted.
Other animal studies have indicated that touching also increases immune response, slows changes associated with aging, reduces harmful cholesterol levels, enhances development of the brain and nervous system, and promotes physical development.
Neurotransmitters associated with positive touch also affect behavior and emotion. Observed animals who were routinely touched were found to be more resistant to stress. In addition, their separation anxiety was diminished, they displayed less fear, and their learning capabilities were enhanced.
Researchers at the Biofeedback Institute in Boulder, Colorado, discovered that stroking horses (also humans and one dog) had a measurable effect on brain waves. The wave patterns were those often associated with optimal brain function, creativity, learning, or relaxation.
“Reductions in adverse emotional states are important,” notes Dr. McMillan, “but the data also indicate some direct beneficial effect of human contact.”
Types of Touch
The way in which we touch our dogs is important.
“I have video that I show veterinarians on how to correctly pet a dog. The same dog goes from relaxed to ‘on guard’ then back to relaxed again in about two minutes, just based on petting,” says Karen Overall, VMD, PhD, DACVB, and research associate in the Center for Neurobiology and Behavior at the University of Pennsylvania Medical School. “Fast scratching or rubbing makes dogs aroused, while slow, firm petting calms them down.”
In studies where touch produced beneficial results, the contact was “gentle” or soothing. Davis has noticed that dogs prefer to be petted by someone with “knowing hands” – an assuring touch by those who understand dogs. “Some people pat dogs, hard, on top of the head. I don’t think that does much good,” comments Linda Tellington-Jones, creator of TTouch, a specialized therapeutic touch. “However, there is a difference when you put your hands on an animal and make the connection with care.”
Grooming or even just running our hands over our dog’s bodies to scan for physical problems can qualify as beneficial touch.
Massage is another purposeful touch. Besides feeling good to dogs, says Maryjean Ballner, author of Dog Massage: A Whiskers to Tail Guide to Your Dog’s Ultimate Petting Experience, “Massage increases blood flow at the massage area, speeds arrival of fresh nutrients, expedites removal of waste products, and loosens tight muscles.”
With practice, anyone can use massage to relax or reassure a dog. In a quiet, comfortable place, lead into massage with soft petting. Let your dog guide the technique. Feedback that you’re giving a good massage may include “power” tail wagging, doggy grins, drooling, leaning or sprawling against you, and flopping belly up. Massage can elicit a “glorious, incredible response,” says Ballner.
According to Tellington-Jones, TTouch goes beyond massage to augment training and improve behavior. “Massage is wonderful for dogs; it relaxes them,” says Tellington-Jones. “TTouch relaxes but also makes them alert and heightens their senses in a non-anxious way.”
TTouch is an extensive series of circular movements or gentle lifts, using the fingertips on various parts of the body. Rather than relaxing muscles, the technique is designed to activate cells and neural pathways.
In tests, says Tellington-Jones, massage was found to produce alpha brain waves, while TTouch caused both hemispheres of the brain to be activated, resulting in the activation of beta (used for logical thinking) and two additional brain waves, as well as the release of stress-reducing neurotransmitters.
Tellington-Jones has taught TTouch practitioners to help dogs alter aggressive behavior, reduce nervousness, and as a training method for competition. “We’re interested in working with animals in a way that increases their intelligence,” she says. “We allow the cells in our hands to talk to the animal’s body and remind them of their potential and function.”
Emotional Benefits
The emotional benefits of petting to our dogs may be more important than the physical. “Most animals are tactile and need to be touched; they like it,” says Allen M. Schoen, DVM, author of A Kindred Spirit: How the Remarkable Bond Between Humans and Animals Can Change the Way We Live. “Touch stimulates healthy socialization. The more you touch a dog, the more easily he is socialized.”
“Dogs are a social species, and humans have developed such a degree of social dependency in them, that their need for touch is critical,” agrees Dr. McMillan, “If they are not touched, they suffer emotional pain.”
Touch may also ameliorate the angst that accompanies healthcare for many dogs. When Dr. McMillan did the research for his article, he sought information on how human contact could improve veterinary care and promote healing.
“Whether touch actually improves health beyond the elimination of stress, we don’t know,” says Dr. McMillan. “But we presume it benefits health because of the beneficial physiology. Perhaps touch blunts, eliminates, or counteracts the adverse effects of stress, and thus aids recovering and healing.”
Dr. Schoen encourages owners to visit or even stay with their dogs while they are in the hospital. Dogs left alone or not petted commonly become depressed and in serious situations may even “give up” if deprived of contact with their people.
As part of their education, veterinary students must take a surgical course and perform operations on dogs. Retired veterinarian Robert Houston recalls that in his senior year, he had to learn 14 different procedures over a period of 16 weeks. Normally students would have access to 14 dogs, one for each procedure. After discussions with his lab partner, they decided for humane reasons to limit the number of dogs on which they would operate to one.
Houston operated with as much skill as possible and followed up with good nursing care. He and his lab partner alternated visits, so that the one of them visited the dog every two hours. During this time, they talked to the dog and stroked him. “While it was sometimes heartbreaking, our dog survived every procedure,” says Dr. Houston, now retired from the Air Force Veterinary Corps. He gives a lot of credit for the dog’s survival to the caring contact they shared.
A new trend in specialty clinics is to have a place for clients to stay with their animal overnight. “It makes a big difference in their recovery,” says Dr. Schoen.
Dr. McMillan hopes to see more veterinary clinics move in this direction. He also feels it is helpful to have owners present during medical procedures. Technicians note that pets receiving chemotherapy seem to experience less discomfort and accept treatment more calmly when they’re held and stroked while the drugs are administered.
“The more human contact during any kind of illness or recovery, the better,” Dr. McMillan says.
Scientists have barely begun to look at why loving touch can positively effect healing, but Schoen believes it’s because “love is the greatest healer and touch is a great expression of love.”
Communicate Through Touch
The use of touch can be effective in training, too. “When I train my dogs, I use touch to guide them into position,” says Kathy Diamond Davis, who trains therapy dogs.
Touch can also be the means for expressing complex emotion.
“Touch is one of the most critical ways of connecting with all other living beings,” says Dr. Schoen. “Touch is a powerful connection that can have a negative or positive impact. It’s our responsibility to relate to our dogs from the most positive perspective possible.”
Maryjean Ballner, author of Dog Massage, writes that touch transcends every other way of communicating with our animals. Touch is not egocentric, but altruistic. When we pet our dogs, it should be from a place of integrity and with the message of unconditional love.
-Lexiann Grant is a member of the Dog Writers Association of America and an eight-time recipient of the Maxwell Medallion for excellence in dog writing.
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Many of us dog lovers are accustomed to pet-sitting for each other; often, the only people we trust with our dogs are our dog-owning friends and relatives. I frequently offer to dog-sit for family and friends; it gives me a chance to use their dogs to test products and take photos for WDJ. (Readers are probably familiar with some of my most frequent guests: Paws, a handsome young yellow Labrador, who spent three days a week with me during the most destructive months of his puppyhood; Cooper, my father-in-laws well-mannered Australian Shepherd; and Jessie, a neighbors shelter Pit-mix, who is so accustomed to modeling that she now sits and smiles every time she sees a camera.)
Plus, having different dogs come over is fun for me and my son. We have begun talking about adopting a new dog, and though Im in no rush, we enjoy discussing the merits of the various sizes and canine personalities that we might consider.
Over spring break, I had the opportunity to have two new guests stay over. One was my brothers dog, Hannah. I mentioned in the last issue that I hadnt yet had the opportunity to meet her. Right after the last issue went to press, I had that opportunity, in spades, when I dog-sat her for four days while my brother was on vacation. Yowsa! Thats a lot of dog! She is the color and shape of a Rhodesian Ridgeback (sans ridge), and has a lovable, goofy disposition.
To make matters a bit more complex, I had also agreed to dog-sit my exs dog, Sally, a middle-aged German Short Hair Pointer, for a week. When I said yes to both of these dog-sitting requests, I hadnt actually looked at the calender, and didnt realize until too late that Sallys week-long stay would overlap with Hannahs four-day weekend. When I realized my error, though, I wasnt too worried; Sally is well-socialized and terrifically skilled at communicating with other dogs. She also likes being in charge of other dogs, and I figured she would be a good role model for Hannah.
But as playful and fun-loving as Hannah is, I quickly learned that she, too, likes being in charge. She enjoyed romping and running with Sally in my backyard, but when the games were over, she wanted to be the only dog who got to drink water, enjoy a toy or rawhide chew, and lay down near my chair. She accepted direction from Sally for exactly one day, and then they started having fights.
Well, thats a strong word. Fortunately, both dogs have terrific bite inhibition, so none of their scuffles drew blood. But it was nerve-wracking, managing their interactions so they could continue to play and exercise without putting them in a situation that was bound to start trouble like all of us walking through my office door at the same time.
The end result of all that management and vigilance was that I got no photos of the two visiting dogs together, and only one or two blurry frames of fast-moving Hannah and my Chihuahua, Mokie. And, after all the extra work of having big dog guests, (picking up big poo, trips to the dog park, feeding in shifts, etc.), were content with just little Mo, for the time being.
Rearranging the treats I was photographing for this article, I decided to spell a word. The decision to spell out the word “love” was not a conscious one, but it was automatic.
To our dogs, food is love – and security, affirmation, and reinforcement. When we give our dogs what trainers refer to as “high-value” treats – foods that are especially sweet, meaty, or pungent – our message gets through to them especially loud and clear. Behaviorists are highly appreciative of the ability of food treats to “classically condition” a dog to tolerate, and then even enjoy, environmental stimuli that he previously found frightening or threatening.
Plus, it’s fun for us, feeding our canine friends something they’re crazy about – the doggie equivalent of taking the kids out for doughnuts or ice cream.
Except, in the case of dog treats, we don’t have to worry about ruining our friends’ health with dangerous additives like high fructose corn syrup or partially hydrogenated oils (aka trans fats), which are found in many (if not most) snack foods in supermarkets. That’s because, unlike most human treats, dog treats can easily be found in healthy flavors and formulations that dogs find irresistible.
Hold out for health
The problem is, treats are probably the most likely of all dog-related items that a person might buy impulsively, without (horrors!) even a glance at the ingredients list. That’s because treats are often so darn cute! The packaging is frequently adorable and the names are hilarious.
Regular WDJ readers, however, know that you should never buy anything for your dog without a long, hard look at the ingredients panel, no matter how cute the cartoon dog on the label looks. It’s simply pointless to spend so much time and energy finding the best healthy foods for your dog if you are going to subvert your own efforts at health-building with low-quality, additive-filled garbage.
Nowhere are these deleterious junk foods more prevalent than at your local grocery store. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: Don’t buy commercially manufactured treats for your dog at the market. The treats they sell there (including most treats for kids) are just full of stuff your dog is better off without – stuff like low-quality by-products, sugar and corn syrup, and artificial colors. (See the examples of poor-quality, grocery-store treats in the sidebars.)
So where should you buy dog treats? For the utmost in quality, we recommend selecting fresh treats from local artisans. Our list of favorites includes treat makers such as Wet Noses (of Snohomish, Washington), Howling Hound Treats (Summerville, South Carolina), and Heidi’s Homemade Dog Treats (Columbus, Ohio), who hand-select the produce they buy from local farmers, as well as Rosie’s Rewards (Pray, Montana), who uses free-range Montana beef from local ranchers. Some of these folks have storefront shops; others rely on independent pet supply stores, veterinarians, and groomers to display and sell their wares. A few offer their goods only through phone orders or through their Web sites.
We have also been impressed by the number of folks who have managed to launch or grow their companies to national prominence while still manufacturing a top-quality product – companies like Cloud Star of San Luis Obispo, California (maker of Buddy Biscuits); Nature’s Animals of Mamaroneck, New York; and Pet Central of Sylvania, Ohio, maker of Waggers Dog Treats. These treats can be found in many pet supply stores and catalogs nationally, yet the company owners have maintained high standards for ingredient quality and consistent production.
What’s on the label
We hinted earlier that you have to read the label of any item that crosses your dog’s lips. Don’t be scared; it’s not that difficult! Your first task is to make sure the products don’t contain stuff that’s not good for dogs – such as artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives. Keep an eye out for lower-quality ingredients that indicate the maker may have cut corners to keep costs down, such as by-products or food fragments. If you are not sure you would recognize products meeting this description, compare the treats in the “Do Not Buy!” list with our selections; it’s really obvious if you just look at the ingredients list.
Those of us who have figured out which foods don’t agree with our own dogs due to food allergies or intolerances are also on the lookout for ingredients that may make our dogs itch, develop ear infections, or suffer painful gas or diarrhea. These ingredients vary from dog to dog, although many treat manufacturers focus on a handful of ingredients – including wheat, corn, soy, and eggs – that are purported to be more commonly implicated in canine allergies or intolerances than not. One company (Waggers) covers its bases by making three treats: one is “wheatless,” one is “meatless,” and one is “sweetless” – something for every dog!
Don’t worry about the presence of sweeteners in treats (unless your dog is diabetic, in which case you should focus on the meat-based treats). After all, the assumption is your dog will receive only a small number of these per day or week.
After you eliminate treats that have stuff that is bad for your dog, look for the good stuff: things like whole meats, grains, fruits, and vegetables. The more organic ingredients you see, the better, especially for dogs with chemical sensitivities and dogs who are combatting cancer (see sidebar).
Final notes
As is always the case when we review foods, we did not consider price in our selections. As ever, we implore you to remember that you get what you pay for. Inexpensive treats cannot contain good quality ingredients, because quality ingredients cost more. Of course, you also pay more for an especially cute presentation, such as the candy box style used by Happy Pet of San Francisco for its Canine Confections. You can’t beat a presentation like this, however, if you are looking for a special gift for a fellow dog-lover.
Be aware that we do not rate or rank-order our selections. A treat either meets our selection criteria (outlined in the sidebar) or it does not; there is no “top pick” or “best on the list.” And if you are familiar with a treat that meets our selection criteria, don’t worry that it’s not as good as our selections because it’s not on our list; we obviously haven’t reviewed every product on the market. Happily, there are many more good products than we could ever list.
We grouped our new selections into two categories: cookie-type treats, which contain grains; and meat-based treats that are usually carb-free. The selections are grouped alphabetically by category.
We’ve also listed all of our past selections that meet our current selection criteria. We’ve taken only a few products off our lists; this has occurred because we have made our selection criteria more stringent – not because those products are bad.
A few years ago, I underwent extensive knee surgery. Thanks to a skilled doctor, a supportive husband, and an Internet message board comprised of people who’d either undergone or were about to embark on similar procedures, I made it through with both my physical and mental health intact.
A couple of months ago, my dog, Lucky, decided to follow in her mom’s footsteps by tearing a ligament in her knee and undergoing her own surgery.
Before she went under the knife, I researched everything I could about the procedure. As I scoured the Web, it occurred to me that if there were message boards and online support groups for humans with knee injuries, maybe there’d be an equivalent for canines and their owners.
Sure enough, I found Orthodogs, a free group (set up through a Yahoo! service) that provides support, information, and advice to owners with dogs facing orthopedic problems. And then I discovered it was only the tip of the iceberg.
There are dozens of online groups aimed at dog owners out there, covering a wide range of topics – disabled dogs; dogs with cancer; dogs who have behavioral and training issues; and even grieving the loss of a pet. Groups range in size from a few dozen people to thousands; thanks to the Web, many include members from all over the globe. Most are free – and the criteria for membership are simply time, interest, and an Internet connection. To communicate, members “post” messages via interactive tools and can even contact each other directly through e-mail.
Can a virtual community of people you’ll probably never meet really help an owner cope with a dog’s problems? Yes, say mental-health professionals.
“Finding like-minded people who understand exactly what you’re feeling and who can respond to you basically 24 hours a day is very helpful,” says Darlene Mininni, Ph.D., author of the forthcoming book, The Emotional Toolkit, and an expert in coping strategies.
In addition, says Dr. Mininni, the act of typing out your messages provides a therapeutic outlet.
“That’s an added bonus, because writing about your feelings helps you make sense of them,” she says. “It’s the same benefit of writing in a journal – and there are tons of studies that demonstrate how doing that can improve your feelings.”
Betty Carmack, a professor of nursing at the University of San Francisco, has been running a pet-loss counseling group in the Bay Area since 1982. While her group is one that meets physically, rather than virtually, she says that any kind of support network can be helpful to owners weathering a crisis with their pets.
“It’s so important for people to find some kind of validation for what they’re feeling, whether it’s online, one-on-one counseling, books, or support groups,” she says. “Now there are wonderful resources, and people don’t have to get through it alone.”
Benefits of community
One benefit of online groups commonly mentioned by participants is the feeling that they become part of a community or family. Sharing a common challenge can be a powerful bond.
Andrea Barnhart of Albany, New York, found the Canines in Crisis cancer board when her dog, Patches, began battling lymphoma and leukemia. “These people truly understand what I’m going through because they are experiencing the same emotions,” she says.
Brenda Osbourne of Owasso, Oklahoma, joined the Orthodogs group when one of her seven dogs required knee surgery.
“It was like being brought into a big extended family, and the warmth and the caring was so heartfelt,” she says. “It felt so good to be sharing what is a very frightening journey with so many other people who had not only been through it but were so willing to help you get through it.”
Osbourne became so involved in the group that she became an official moderator – a member with administrative rights who polices the message posts, keeping an eye out for people who ignore the basic rules (no profanity, no personal attacks, etc.) or have less-than-altruistic agendas, such as pushing commercial “miracle cures.” Osbourne now spends a good part of each day reviewing posts and answering questions, squeezing out the time despite her demanding career in cancer research.
In some cases, the feeling of family extends beyond the computer. In March, a group of people on the Orthodogs message board pooled resources to help a financially challenged member afford surgery for her dog. And the members of a group known as Deaf Dogs hold yearly get-togethers around the country.
“I thought (that) was amazing,” says Monica Mansfield of Ancramdale, New York, who joined the group two years ago when she became interested in adopting a deaf puppy. “It is wonderful to get to meet some of the friends you’ve made online in person. I’ve been to two different Deaf Dog picnics and plan on attending many more.”
No stupid questions
Many newcomers can be hesitant about posing questions on these online boards, worrying that their inquiries are inane or redundant with earlier message posts. But most find their concerns to be unfounded.
“I wondered what they would think of another newbie asking the same dumb questions they’d heard a million times,” says Tamie Adams, an Alabama dog owner who found the Orthodogs group while researching ligament repair options for Brodie, one of her two Rhodesian Ridgebacks. “So I introduced myself and then proceeded to read, and read, and read, without posting very often. (But) as I became familiar with the other people who posted, I was amazed at how warm and caring they were to everyone.”
“I think it is a continual ‘passing of the torch’ in online groups,” says Mansfield. “Almost everyone starts as a newbie and is there for answers to their questions and to learn from the people who have more experience. Then they start becoming comfortable enough to start answering other peoples’ questions.”
Dr. Mininni says this give-and-take process can be very helpful to group participants.
“It’s important that you feel like you matter to others,” she says. “If you are both getting advice and giving it, and people are appreciative of that, those are multiple ways you’re helping your psyche.”
Advice and research
In addition to seeking the mental and emotional support offered by these groups, many owners also use them to compare notes, discuss new research and information, and give advice. Some turned to the groups in frustration after their veterinarians fell short in providing them details, or when they believed their vets couldn’t or wouldn’t provide information about adjunct therapies such as herbal remedies.
“Good grief, my surgeon didn’t give us squat!” says Adams. “I had researched herbs and supplements, but I had to get all the dosage information from (the group). I also got all of my pre-op and post-op information from the things that other people’s vets had told them.”
Paola Ferraris, of Milan, Italy, who also serves as a moderator for the Orthodogs group, says that people often appreciate hearing about the range of issues that can affect dogs before and after surgery.
“Comparing notes and reactions of the dogs post-op and pre-op can be useful,” she says. “In some cases, issues discussed – such as pros and cons of (a certain) clinic, or breed-specific (problems) that vets rarely mention – have helped people discuss all options with their surgeons, or made others aware of potential reactions and side effects of treatments.”
Members may also suggest alternative therapies or procedures that other owners hadn’t considered or even known about. “I’d have to say that if I weren’t part of this group I probably would never have explored holistic approaches or using natural herbal remedies in certain cases,” says Osbourne.
Indeed, reading posts on the Orthodogs board before Lucky’s surgery prepared me for some of the physical challenges that could plague her afterward, including constipation – something our vet didn’t mention despite our extensive consultations. It also clued me in to the potential of horsetail grass as a supplement to help speed bone healing.
Sometimes, there’s so little data out there that only talking to someone facing the same challenges can help. Monica Mansfield says the Deaf Dogs board was an invaluable resource for obtaining real-world information instead of theoretical feedback.
“There are so many things that I learned from the group that you can’t learn anywhere else,” she says. “Many vets don’t have much deaf-dog experience, since deaf puppies are routinely euthanized or culled. Also a lot of the parent breed clubs are against the placing of deaf dogs or puppies, so there is not much information to be gotten from them.”
The information provided can be more than anecdotal. It’s not unusual to find message board members posting links to recent veterinary journal publications, studies, press releases, or newspaper and magazine articles. That’s yet another way members can deepen their understanding of the challenges they and their dogs are facing.
A few drawbacks
Despite the benefits they offer, message boards must be consulted with prudence. The biggest risk of using message boards is using poor information and putting your pet at risk. Few people deliberately post incorrect suggestions, but they may not get all their facts straight. In addition, the people who are the most prolific posters aren’t necessarily the ones with the best information, which can make it tough to decide when to accept ideas and when to break out that proverbial grain of salt.
“New people don’t know who to listen to,” says Osbourne. “With a group the size of Orthodogs, new people tend to get a lot of responses and since they’re usually just beginning their journey, they don’t know how to sort out the good advice from the bad. I think it can be a little overwhelming sometimes.”
If you obtain any medical advice or information from a message board, run it by your vet before putting it into practice. Herbs and supplements may interfere with medications or affect dosages. Changing a diet can stress an ill dog if it’s not done correctly. And rehabilitation protocols vary widely. Your vet might have a very good reason for, say, allowing your dog a short daily walk post-surgery while requiring that another dog remains completely immobilized.
It’s also wise to verify what you read through independent, reliable sources rather than taking one person’s posts as gospel. When I read a recommendation about horsetail grass as a bone-healing supplement, I verified that claim through Drug Digest (drugdigest.org), a consumer health and drug information Web site; the Food and Nutrition Information Center (nal.usda.gov/fnic/index.html) at the National Agricultural Library; and Greg and Mary Tilfords’ definitive reference, Herbs for Pets.
Some of the problems with online message boards are more social than serious. One common complaint is that it’s sometimes difficult to interpret the emotions behind the typed word. “The worst drawback is not being able to get the ‘tone’ behind the posts,” says Mansfield. “It’s very hard to tell if someone is being sarcastic, serious, kidding, or angry just by their words. I think that a lot of misunderstandings happen that way, on all the groups.”
“It’s e-mail, which tends to be a very impersonal way to communicate,” agrees Osbourne. “Messages can be misinterpreted or somebody’s sense of humor doesn’t quite come through and it can cause problems.”
Also, you should be aware that your vet may not be completely supportive of your involvement in message boards, especially if what you read conflicts with his advice or protocols.
“I think some vets consider the list a big pain,” says Ferraris, “(because) people start comparing prices for surgery, rehab options, therapies, and post-op protocols.”
Maximize the resource
The best way to approach message boards is to view them as research and support tools, rather than replacements for your veterinarian. Don’t accept at face value the information you read, and keep your vet in the loop at all times when it comes to medical decisions, including complementary and alternative options. Talk to your vet about message-board questions and concerns with a collaborative mindset, rather than thinking combatively.
“I’ve told my vet I participate in the group, (and) she supports it,” says Adams. “I just tell her my game plan after weighing all the input from the group and my own research, and get her feedback.”
And don’t discount the value of the boards’ social support when you’re dealing with a crisis.
“Numerous studies show that feeling connected to others and using that care when needed can decrease sadness, anxiety, loneliness, and feelings of helplessness,” says Dr. Mininni.
“I’m so thankful for the message boards,” says Barnhart. “There have been suggestions made by other visitors that have made a big difference for Patches . . . medicines, supplements, books to read, diets, you name it. And the support and comfort that I have gained have been amazing.”
-C.C. Holland is a freelance writer in Oakland, California, and regular contributor to WDJ. Her dog, Lucky, is recovering well from TPLO surgery.
1. Document your dog’s episodes of unexplainable, explosive aggression so you can describe all the details to a trainer/behaviorist, including all environmental conditions you can think of.
2. Seek the assistance of a qualified, positive dog trainer/behavior consultant. Take your documentation with you on your first visit.
3. Be safe, and be sure others are safe, around your dog.
The term “rage syndrome” conjures up mental images of Cujo, Stephen King’s fictional rabid dog, terrorizing the countryside. If you’re owner of a dog who suffers from it, it’s almost that bad – never knowing when your beloved pal is going to turn, without warning, into a biting, raging canine tornado.
The condition commonly known as rage syndrome is actually more appropriately called “idiopathic aggression.” The definition of idiopathic is: “Of, relating to, or designating a disease having no known cause.” It applies perfectly to this behavior, which has confounded behaviorists for decades. While most other types of aggression can be modified and reduced through desensitization and counter-conditioning, idiopathic aggression often can’t. It is an extremely difficult and heartbreaking condition to deal with.
The earmarks of idiopathic aggression include:
• No identifiable trigger stimulus/stimuli
• Intense, explosive aggression
• Onset most commonly reported in dogs 1-3 years old
• Some owners report that their dogs get a glazed, or “possessed” look in their eyes just prior to an idiopathic outburst, or act confused.
• Certain breeds seem more prone to suffer from rage syndrome, including Cocker and Springer Spaniels (hence the once-common terms – Spaniel rage, Cocker rage, and Springer rage), Bernese Mountain Dogs, St. Bernards, Doberman Pinschers, German Shepherds, and Lhasa Apsos. This would suggest a likely genetic component to the problem.
The Good News About Rage Syndrome
The good news is that true idiopathic aggression is also a particularly uncommon condition. Discussed and studied widely in the 1970s and ’80s, it captured the imagination of the dog world, and soon every dog with episodes of sudden, explosive aggression was tagged with the unfortunate “rage syndrome” label, especially if it was a spaniel of any type. We have since come to our senses, and now investigate much more carefully before concluding that there is truly “no known cause” for a dog’s aggression.
A thorough exploration of the dog’s behavior history and owner’s observations often can ferret out explainable causes for the aggression. The appropriate diagnosis often turns out to be status-related aggression (once widely known as “dominance aggression”) and/or resource guarding – both of which can also generate very violent, explosive reactions. (See “Eliminate Aggressive Dog Guarding Behaviors,” WDJ September 2001.)
An owner can easily miss her dog’s warning signs prior to a status-related attack, especially if the warning signs have been suppressed by prior physical or verbal punishment. While some dogs’ lists of guardable resources may be limited and precise, with others it can be difficult to identify and recognize a resource that a dog has determined to be valuable and worth guarding. The glazed look reported by some owners may also be their interpretation of the “hard stare” or “freeze” that many dogs give as a warning signal just prior to an attack.
Although the true cause of idiopathic aggression is still not understood, and behaviorists each tend to defend their favorite theories, there is universal agreement that it is a very rare condition, and one that is extremely difficult to treat.
Idiopathic Aggression Theories
A variety of studies and testing over the past 30 years have failed to produce a clear cause or a definitive diagnosis for idiopathic aggression. Behaviorists can’t even agree on what to call it! (See The Evolving Vocabulary of Aggression, below.)
Given the failure to find a specific cause, it is quite possible that there are several different causes for unexplainable aggressive behaviors that are all grouped under the term “idiopathic aggression.” Some dogs in the midst of an episode may foam at the mouth and twitch, which could be an indication of epileptic seizures. The most common appearance of the behavior between 1-3 years of age also coincides with the appearance of most status-related aggression, as well as the development of idiopathic epilepsy, making it even impossible to use age of onset as a differential diagnosis.
Some researchers have found abnormal electroencephalogram readings in some dogs suspected of having idiopathic aggression, but not all such dogs they studied. Other researchers have been unable to reproduce even those inconclusive results.
Another theory is that the behavior is caused by damage to the area of the brain responsible for aggressive behavior. Yet another is that it is actually a manifestation of status-related aggression triggered by very subtle stimuli. Clearly, we just don’t know.
The fact that idiopathic aggression by definition cannot be induced also makes it difficult to study and even try to find answers to the question of cause. Unlike a behavior like resource guarding – which is easy to induce and therefore easy to study in a clinical setting – the very nature of idiopathic aggression dictates that it cannot be reproduced or studied at will.
Rage Syndrome Treatment
Without knowing the cause of idiopathic aggression, treatment is difficult and frequently unsuccessful. The condition is also virtually impossible to manage safely because of the sheer unpredictability of the outbursts. The prognosis, unfortunately, is very poor, and many dogs with true idiopathic aggression must be euthanized, for the safety of surrounding humans.
Don’t despair, however, if someone has told you your dog has “rage syndrome.” First of all, he probably doesn’t. Remember, the condition is extremely rare, and the label still gets applies all too often by uneducated dog folk to canines whose aggressive behaviors are perfectly explainable by a more knowledgeable observer.
Your first step is to find a skilled and positive trainer/behavior consultant who can give you a more educated analysis of your dog’s aggression. A good behavior modification program, applied by a committed owner in consultation with a capable behavior professional can succeed in decreasing and/or resolving many aggression cases, and help you devise appropriate management plans where necessary, to keep family members, friends, and visitors safe.
If your behavior professional also believes that you have a rare case of idiopathic aggression on your hands, then a trip to a veterinary behaviorist is in order. Some dogs will respond to drug therapies for this condition; many will not. Some minor success has been reported with the administration of phenobarbital, but it is unclear as to whether the results are from the sedative effect of the drug, or if there is an actual therapeutic effect.
In many cases of true idiopathic aggression, euthanasia is the only solution. Because the aggressive explosions are truly violent and totally unpredictable, it is neither safe nor fair to expose yourself or other friends and family to the potentially disfiguring, even deadly, results of such an attack. If this is the sad conclusion in the case of your dog, euthanasia is the only humane option. Comfort yourself with the knowledge you have done everything possible for him, hold him close as you say goodbye, and send him gently to a safer place. Then take good care of yourself.
The Evolving Vocabulary of Aggression
Different behaviorists and trainers have used and continue to use different terms for what was once commonly known as “rage syndrome.” The confusion over what to call it is a reflection of how poorly understood the condition is:
Rage syndrome – This once popular term has fallen into disfavor, due to its overuse, misuse, and poor characterization of the actual condition
Idiopathic aggression – Now the most popular term among behaviorists; this name clearly says “we don’t know what it is”
Low-threshold dominance aggression – Favored by those who hold that idiopathic aggression is actually a manifestation of status-related aggression with very subtle triggers
Mental lapse aggression syndrome – Attached to cases diagnosed as a result of certain electroencephalogram readings (low-voltage, fast activity)
Stimulus responsive psychomotor epilepsy – Favored by some who suspect that idiopathic aggression is actually epileptic seizure activity
“Rage syndrome” is not the only aggression term that has undergone a metamorphosis in recent years. Even the way we look at aggression is changing. Where once each “classification” of aggression was seen as very distinct, with its own distinct protocols for treatment, it is becoming more widely recognized that most aggressive behavior is caused by stress or anxiety.
It is now generally accepted by the training and behavior profession that physical punishment should not be used in an attempt to suppress aggressive behavior. Rather, aggressive behavior is best managed by preventing the dog’s exposure to his individual stressors, and modified by creating a structured environment for the dog – through a “Say Please” or “Nothing in Life Is Free” program – and implementing a solid protocol of counter-conditioning and desensitization to reduce or eliminate the dog’s aggressive reaction to those stressors.
We also now recognize that aggressive dogs may behave inappropriately and dangerously as a result of imbalances in brain chemicals, and that the new generation of drugs used in behavior modification work help rebalance those chemicals. This is in stark contrast to older drugs, such as Valium, that simply sedated the dog rather than providing any real therapy. As a result, many behaviorists recommend the use of pharmaceutical intervention sooner, rather than later, in aggression cases.
Here are some of the newer terms now in use to describe various types of aggressive behavior:
Status-related aggression: Once called dominance aggression, a term still widely used. Status-related aggression focuses more on getting the confident highranking dog to behave appropriately regardless of status; old methods of dealing with dominance aggression often focused on trying to reduce the dog’s status, often without success.
Fear-related aggression: Once called submission aggression. A dog who is fearful may display deferent (submissive) behaviors in an attempt to ward off the fearinducing stress. If those signals are ignored and the threat advances – a child, for example, trying to hug a dog who is backing away, ears flattened – aggression can occur.
Possession aggression: Previously referred to as food guarding and now also appropriately called resource guarding, this name change acknowledges that a dog may guard many objects in addition to his food – anything he considers a valuable resource, including but not limited to toys, beds, desirable locations, and proximity to humans.
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.
1. Consider a yucca supplement for a dog with digestive problems that prevent him from properly utilizing his already top-quality diet, or for a dog with arthritis.
2. Use yucca for four days, and then discontinue for three days. An on-and-off-again schedule will help prevent irritation of digestive tissues.
3. Discontinue the use of yucca if the dog exhibits digestive upset such as vomiting and discuss this with your holistic veterinarian.
When valuable herbs gain momentous popularity in the mainstream marketplace they often show up as “buzz words” on various product labels. By market decree such herbs become not only popular, but stylish. After all, why would anyone want to buy an herbal cold remedy that doesn’t contain the mighty echinacea?
Usually when mass-market, celebrity herbs are born, oceans of research and published introspection soon follows to satisfy the curiosities of the consumer. We want to know why certain herbs keep showing up in the products we buy and use, and rightly so. Nevertheless, many herbs remain as ambiguous words on the labels of our favorite animal care products.
By San906 (Own work) [CC0]
Why is this so? Because manufacturers are largely prohibited, by federal regulations, to provide any tangible clues about the medicinal or nutritive attributes of the herb ingredients they list on their animal product labels.
One of the best examples of this is yucca – a succulent, cactus-like member of the lily family that inhabits desert areas and garden landscapes throughout America. Anyone who has studied natural dog and cat food labels, shampoo labels, and ingredient lists for livestock feeds has seen the name of this important plant food and medicine, yet very few of us can cite its intended purpose, much less a broad view of its holistic potential.
Yucca as a Nutritional Aid to Dogs
The description “nutritional supplement” really doesn’t fit yucca as well as the term “nutritional aid.” Although yucca root contains notable quantities of vitamin C, beta-carotene, calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, niacin, phosphorous, protein, and B vitamins, this herb’s greatest nutritive and healing powers are chiefly attributable to a group of compounds collectively known of as saponins, which are found in the root of yucca.
Saponins are plant glycosides, which are characterized by their tendency to dramatically foam up when agitated with water, much like soap does. When ingested in very small amounts with food, saponins contribute a cleansing and penetrating action upon mucous membranes of the small intestine, which in turn helps with the assimilation of important minerals and vitamins through intestinal walls.
The results can be astounding. In studies conducted at Colorado State University, cattle fed small quantities of yucca root showed greater weight gain than those without. Other trials have concluded that chickens that are fed yucca have a tendency to lay more eggs, and dairy cattle tend to produce more milk.
Other research shows that when added to dog food, yucca can help reduce the emission of noxious odors in urine and feces. This finding comes from studies in which the chemical breakdown of urea (the body’s final by-product of digested proteins) were examined. The findings: anhydrous ammonia, which is largely responsible for the less-than-delightful odor of animal excrement is caused by a single microbial enzyme called urease, was inhibited when food supplements containing preparations of Yucca schidigera were fed. In the studies, fecal and urine odors were reduced by up to 56 percent in dogs and 49 percent in cats.
While the notion of less-offensive stool and less yard cleanup is attractive to many, the issue of excess urease should not go unchecked, as this kind of imbalance may lead to health problems that are much more serious than a soiled backyard.
Excess urea (and larger, more offensive stools) are often the result of a poor quality diet, where protein fillers (like soy meal) or cheap meat by-products cannot be efficiently broken down and eliminated during the digestive process. If left unchecked, this can lead to serious problems, such as urinary stones, kidney disease, arthritis, or chronic skin problems.
In other words, feed a balanced, natural diet, and excess fecal and urine odor shouldn’t be an issue in the first place.
My bottom line: yucca root can be helpful for optimizing a good quality diet that has been specially tailored to the needs of dogs that need added help with nutrient absorption. However, yucca really has no value as a supplement to lousy food.
Steroidal Effects of Yucca
Yucca root also possesses chemistries that add powerful medicinal activities to the veterinary herbalist’s goodie bag. Among these chemistries are sarsasapogenin, smilagenin, and various other compounds that are loosely known by the herbal/scientist community as “phytosterols.”
Herbalists theorize that phytosterols serve the body by stimulating and assisting the body in the use and production of natural corticosteroids and corticosteroid-related hormones. Unlike corticosteroid drugs such as prednisone, yucca is thought to work in concert with natural autoimmune functions of the body – actually supporting immune system functions as opposed to shutting them down.
It can be reasonably hypothesized that the natural, corticosteroid-like actions of yucca may play a role in the body’s natural production of growth hormones, which in turn may contribute significantly to the accelerated growth and production we see in animals that receive it in their food. And although this theory has not been established as “fact” by the scientific community, we know that yucca is very safe in the diet when fed in moderation and in a sensible manner.
What all of this means is that yucca can be a very useful natural remedy in the treatment of arthritis.
In a study conducted at the beginning of the twentieth century, yucca was found to bring about safe and effective relief (from pain and inflammation) to human arthritis patients when taken four times daily over a period of time. Although this study has been repeatedly discredited by the American Arthritis Foundation because of the contro-versial manner by which the study was conducted, the beneficial effects of yucca in humans and animals remain clearly validated in the minds of holistic practitioners who have repeatedly used it and witnessed positive results.
In my experiences with monitoring the therapeutic effects of yucca root in arthritic dogs, yucca can be very useful toward reducing inflammation of the knees and hips, especially when the herb is used concurrently with liquid extracts of licorice root (Glycyrrhizza spp.), alfalfa, and a liquid glucosamine supplement. Part of this may be attributable to the improved assimilation of glucosamine, another possible attribute of yucca’s amazing saponin constituents.
Undiscovered Values of Yucca Root for Dogs
Although scientists largely remain focused on the saponin constituents of yucca, it is obvious that there is much to discover about several other compounds within this plant. Native Americans used the roots, leaves, and flowers in a wide variety of applications, ranging from burns and digestive disorders to contraceptive applications.
A water extract (tea) of Yucca glauca (“small yucca” or “soapweed”) has been shown to have anti-tumor activity against a certain type of melanoma in mice. Its mechanism in this context is believed to stem from its polysaccharide constituents, not necessarily its steroidal saponins.
Perhaps most famously, yucca’s high saponin content has been widely exploited to make soap and shampoos.
A Few Words of Caution
Yucca root is classified by FDA and the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) as “Generally Regarded as Safe” (GRAS) for use in animal feeds and supplements. Yucca root powders, extracts, and other preparations can be used very safely in dogs and other mammals. Nevertheless, several controversies have been raised over the years concerning the safety of yucca’s saponin constituents.
Many of these concerns stem from cases of intestinal bloating or photosensitivity in livestock. Most of these events were triggered when too much saponin-rich, fresh alfalfa was fed while the plants were in bloom (alfalfa should only be harvested and fed prior to blooming).
There have also been reports of bloating and other digestive problems that have been attributed, at least in part, to cheap, fibrous, saponin-rich vegetable by-products (such as beet pulp) that are used in lieu of whole vegetables in commercial dog foods.
Then there are the numerous scientific studies in which animal subjects suffered digestive distress when they ingested (or were force-fed) isolated saponin compounds in chemical concentrations far exceeding than those naturally found in yucca root, or for that matter, any other herb. Such an experiment, in my mind, only proves that animals (and humans) shouldn’t eat soap.
Saponin is found in many of the vegetables we eat and frequently feed to our dogs (including yams, beets, and alfalfa sprouts), yet a few outspoken individuals insist that anything that contains saponin must be harmful. This is simply not true. Virtually anything will produce a toxic reaction if ingested in too much abundance, including herbs and vegetables.
Common sense rules here. Too much of virtually anything will likely cause some sort of toxic reaction, and yucca root is no exception. Remember this: Yucca is also known as “soapweed.” If used in excessive amounts over an extended period of time, yucca may eventually irritate the stomach lining and the intestinal mucosa. This in turn may cause vomiting. In fact, many of the Native American tribes of the southwest used yucca preparations to induce vomiting in cases of food poisoning. If vomiting or any other adverse effect is observed, discontinue use.
Yucca Dosage for Dogs
Although yucca has become a popular additive in pet foods, I do not feed foods that contain more than two percent yucca root on a daily basis unless a therapeutic purpose for a higher dose has been identified by a holistic pet care professional.
It is best to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations of yucca supplements that are formulated specifically for dogs. Yucca products vary according to their concentrations and added ingredients. If the product you buy does not have a suggested feeding amount on its label, then call the manufacturer or shop for a different brand.
As a food supplement for dogs with suspected malabsorption: Mix ¼ – ½ tsp. of dried, powdered yucca root (available at health food stores) to each pound of food fed each day. Feed on a schedule of four days on, three days off each week; this will help prevent overstimulation and subsequent irritation of digestive tissues that may otherwise occur with long term use.
As an anti-inflammatory and tonic for dogs with arthritis: Use a liquid tincture product that has been specifically formulated for use in dogs, and follow the manufacturer’s recommendations or the advice of your holistic veterinarian.
Alternatively, an alcohol-free liquid extract can be used. Again, buy one that is formulated for dogs and follow the manufacturer’s recommendations.
Greg Tilford is a well-known expert in the field of veterinary herblism. An international lecturer and teacher of veterinarians and pet owners alike, Greg has written four books on herbs, including All You Ever Wanted to Know About Herbs for Pets, (Bowie Press, 1999), which he coauthored with his wife, Mary.
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?”
