Pet Connection Canada Apr/May 2021 Issue

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VACCINE QUIZ!

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GETTING THE SCOOP ON CANADA’S PET CULTURE VOLUME 14 • ISSUE 1 • APRIL - MAY 2021

Inside: The Rabies Challenge Fund Research Study 8

by Dr. Jean Dodds & Rabies Challenge Fund Colleagues Vaccine Quiz

by Alina Sherman

18 20

Raw Meaty Bones for Cats

by Margaret Gates

10 Reasons Why You & Your Pet Need Raw Pumpkin Seed Oil

by Lucy Jabrayan Animal Behaviour Science and The Law

by Dr. Rebecca Ledger

Pet Photography Tips

by Carlos Alanis Miljour

28

Ella

32

21 Fascinating Dog Facts!

by Carly Piatocha Get Ready - Baby!

by Valerie Barry

24

42 52

Letter from the Editor Mark Your Calendars!

4 57

Cross Canada Photo Contest Cover Photo: Gwennie Photo Courtesy of Carlos Alanis Miljour www.carlosamiljour.com

58 Frida & Otto

APRIL - MAY 2021

IN EVERY ISSUE

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Letter from the Editor PUBLISHER BC’s Pet Connection Ltd EDITOR Leslie Kennedy Tel: 604-220-5346 info@petconnection.ca www.petconnection.ca GRAPHIC DESIGN Design Services CONTRIBUTORS Valerie Barry Dr. W. Jean Dodds, DVM Margaret Gates Lucy Jabrayan Dr. Rebecca Ledger Carlos Alanis Miljour Carly Piatocha Alina Sherman

Titer Tests I truly feel for pet caregivers and veterinarians struggling to save lives. Many are under-appreciated and blamed for the high cost of pet health care.

The high cost of doing a titer test (a simple blood test that tests your pets immunity) has been a deterrent for many pet owners. This valuable test though has become more readily available and there are now more options on how to get this test done for your pet.

Dr. John Robb, who is a vet in the USA, is basically offering titer testing at cost, plus $20.00 for time. He has a whole movement going on to help bring awareness on the danger of over-vaccination. He is trying to help pets and people by making the test more affordable, and more accessible.

You can easily order a titer test yourself online, and then send the blood sample directly to the lab in Kansas via UPS. All of the information on how to do this can be found on his website. www.protectthepets.com.

Oddly enough, many of the vets in Canada are already sending their titer test blood samples to Kansas themselves.

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We are very grateful for Dr. Jean Dodds and her colleagues for doing the Rabies Challenge Study. We remember when they first started it back in 2009, and we donated to help support it. Although we don’t agree with everything they did, their research was done in a way to meet the USDA’s standards for vaccine licensing.

Please think twice and push back before giving your pet any unnecessary vaccinations.

To your pets health,

- Leslie Kennedy Editor

“He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog.

You are his life, his love, his leader.

He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart.

You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion.”

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OUR MISSION: To save innocent companion animals from any type of harm.

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CONTRIBUTORS Valerie Barry, KPA-CTP, Valerie has been working with people and their dogs for almost 20 years. Accredited by the BC SPCA AnimalKind Program, Dog Partners (formerly In Partnership With Dogs) uses Positive, and Force-Free training methods. Valerie was one of the first dog trainers to recognize the need for classes designed specifically for the adolescent dog. She really enjoys working with puppies, young dogs and their families. She also specializes in Behaviour Modification for dogs with all levels of aggression, reactivity, fear and anxiety. Valerie enjoys learning and finding new educational opportunities to further her goal of helping pet owners build true partnerships with their dogs.

Dog Partners: www.dogpartners.ca / hello@dogpartners.ca / 604-868-5145

W. Jean Dodds, DVM has spent 5 decades in hematology and immunology research and diagnostic veterinary clinical pathology. Dr. Dodds has over 150 research publications and holds 25 patents. She started Hemopet in 1986, the first non-profit national animal blood bank. Today, Hemopet’s range of nonprofit services and educational activities include: providing canine blood components and related services; adopting retired Greyhound blood donors as companions; and the Hemolife diagnostic division focused on hematology and blood banking, immunology, endocrinology, nutrition and holistic medicine www.hemopet.org

APRIL - MAY 2021

Margaret Gates is founder of the Feline Nutrition Foundation, an educational and advocacy non-profit organization focused on educating pet parents about the benefits of feeding bio-appropriate diets to cats. Feline Nutrition is dedicated to helping people make good choices about what to feed their furry family members, with a special focus on raw diet beginners. She holds a degree in Fine Arts and has years of experience as a graphic designer. She produces the graphical elements and videos for the Feline Nutrition website, as well as researching and writing articles. www.FelineNutritionFoundation.org

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Lucy Jabrayan, BSc, C.E.M.T, has an education background in Exercise Physiology, Nutrition, BSc in Psychology where she also studied Animal Behaviour and is a certified equine massage therapist. Lucy is the founder of Thrive4life Holistic Pet Food and is passionate about helping many pet guardians turn to natural food and alternatives. Lucy has been in the nutraceutical industry for over a decade as she takes her broad knowledge to educate many pet guardians, she makes segment appearances on TV and is a contributing writer to numerous publications.

To learn more visit www.thrive4lifepetfood.com

Dr. Rebecca Ledger an APBC Clinical Animal Behaviourist and an ABTC Registered Clinical Animal Behaviourist, based in Vancouver BC. She is regularly retained as an expert witness in legal cases involving aggressive dogs, animal behaviour, animal welfare, cruelty & suffering in the Canadian Courts. Rebecca lectures in these topics at Langara College on various professional courses, and also presents regularly at scientific conferences around the world. Recently, Dr. Ledger presented to the Government of Canada’s Animal Welfare Caucus on the welfare issues associated with the transport of horses by air heading for slaughter.

Carlos Alanis Miljour is a passionate certified professional pet photographer serving the Gatineau-Ottawa region. In 2020 he was named top 100 international pet photographer at The Pet Photographer’s Club and awarded an honorable mention at the International Photography Awards. Being also a proud pawrent of 3 cats and 1 dog, he knows just how much our fur babies mean to us and how important it is to have great memories of them. www.carlosamiljour.com

Alina Sherman is owner and founder of The Hungry Pooch - Southwestern Ontario’s premier pet raw health food store. Over the past 7 years, helping pets transition to a raw food diet, she has done extensive research to educate herself on different ailments and how to heal not just the symptoms but the underlying cause of those symptoms in a natural, holistic way. Alina has a wealth of knowledge and expertise gathered and would like to share it with pet parents to help their pets heal and live long healthy lives. www.thehungrypooch.com

APRIL - MAY 2021

Carly Piatocha is a freelance writer who focuses on producing well-researched articles, blog posts, and product reviews for clients in the pet industry. Carly has always loved animals and has worked in the pet industry for over 10 years, with a focus on retail sales in small, independent, and holistic stores.

Although Carly’s day-job is currently in the field of education, she continues to be passionate about remaining an active part of the pet industry. Carly has a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology and Psychology and happily shares her life with a rescued lab-mix named Tika.

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Duration of immunity after rabies vaccination in dogs: The Rabies Challenge Fund research study

APRIL - MAY 2021

By Dr. Jean Dodds and Rabies Challenge Fund Colleagues

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Abstract A prospective study of 65 research beagles kept in a rabies-free environment was undertaken to determine the duration of immunity after they received licensed rabies vaccines. The eventual goal was to extend mandated rabies booster intervals to 5 or 7 years and help reduce the risk of vaccine-associated adverse events. Three groups of dogs were vaccinated with 1 of 2 commercial rabies vaccines or saline at 12 and 15 weeks of age. Beginning 5 years 5 months later, vaccinated and unvaccinated dogs were challenged with virulent rabies virus and observed for 90 days over a series of 3 trials.

Humoral and cellular immune responses were examined by serology and flow cytometry. Brain tissue from all challenged dogs was tested for rabies virus. Challenge trial 1 was confounded due to insufficiently virulent virus. In trials 2 and 3 virulent challenge provided 100% mortality in controls. Vaccinate survival was 80% (4/5) after 6 years 7 months, 50% (6/12) after 7 years 1 month, and 20% (1/5) after 8 years 0 months.

Antibody responses 12 days post-challenge correlated strongly with survival. In a separate non-challenge trial, administration of either a recombinant or a killed rabies vaccine demonstrated memory antibody responses 6 years 1 month after initial vaccination compared with unvaccinated controls. Our data demonstrated that i) duration of immunity to rabies in vaccinated dogs extends beyond 3 years; ii) immunologic memory exists

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even in vaccinated dogs with serum antibody titer < 0.1 IU/mL; and iii) non-adjuvanted recombinant rabies vaccine induces excellent antibody responses in previously vaccinated dogs 14 days after administration.

Introduction Rabies is a highly fatal zoonotic disease of mammals caused by viruses of the genus Lyssavirus, family Rhabdoviridae. Widespread vaccination programs have effectively eliminated the canine variant of this virus from North America and have drastically reduced incidence of this disease in companion animals and humans over recent decades. In the United States, rabies vaccination is the only immunization required by law for domestic companion animals and is the one vaccine for which duration of immunity studies are required for licensure in the United States (1,2). While 3-year rabies vaccines are recognized in all 50 States, annual or biannual revaccination for rabies is still required by some State municipalities, even though essentially all United Stated Department of Agriculture (USDA) licensed rabies vaccines have a minimum 3-year duration (3).

Scientific data suggest that commercial rabies vaccines confer durations of immunity well beyond 3 y, and that vaccinating dogs against rabies triennially, as nearly all American States require, is unnecessary. In 1992, Aubert demonstrated in France that dogs remained immune to a rabies virus challenge 5 y after vaccination (4).

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The serological studies of Schultz (5) and Schultz and Conklin (6) showed that immunity to rabies virus was present 7 y after vaccination.

While rabies vaccines are highly efficacious, they are also among the most reactogenic of vaccines. Redundant rabies vaccination exposes dogs to excipients and other compounds unrelated to the vaccine antigens while increasing the needless risk of adverse events. Despite the “gross under-reporting of vaccine-associated adverse events” cited in the 2007 World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) Vaccine Guidelinesa research has shown that potent adjuvanted, killed rabies vaccines elicit the most frequent and severe adverse reactions in animals, which emphasizes the importance of vaccinating at intervals only as necessary to confer or maintain immunity to disease (7–25).

Increasingly, veterinary practitioners and animal owners are concerned about balancing the need to protect animals and the public from rabies while reducing the potential for serious adverse events associated with rabies vaccination. Live rabies virus challenge studies documenting the long-term duration of immunity of rabies vaccines beyond 3 y serve the dual purpose of protecting companion animals and the public from rabies, while eliminating redundant vaccination and decreasing the risk of adverse events associated with vaccine adjuvants, antigens, and excipients (4–6,10,11,17,21–25). The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) canine vaccine guidelines from 2003–2011 reflect this evolving perspective, and another set has recently been published (26–29).

APRIL - MAY 2021

The present study was undertaken in puppies that received just 2 doses of 2 different licensed canine rabies vaccines in order to assess vaccine efficacy in dogs after live rabies virus challenge more than 5 y later. A second objective was to establish a database upon which rabies

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Figure 1

vaccines potentially could be licensed with longer durations of immunity in the future.

Materials and methods The current study protocol followed the strictly defined federal Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service/ United States Department of Agriculture (APHIS/ USDA) Title 9 CFR standards for licensing rabies vaccines and was conducted in concurrent 5 to 8 y postvaccination challenge trials (30).

Animals After full approval of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of a USDA-licensed commercial breeding facilityb 100 female beagle puppies were randomly distributed into experimental (rabies vaccinated) and control (rabies unvaccinated) groups.

Following assignment to the study, dogs remained in the breeding colony for 5 y and 5 mo to 8 y and 0 mo, under standard husbandry with no further exposure to rabies vaccine or virus. While 100 dogs were originally assigned to the study, only 65 went on to challenge or revaccination trials. The remaining 35 dogs were spayed and adopted as family companions at the end of the study. Dogs were transported to a USDA-licensed biosafety level 3 isolation facilityc for the challenge trials. Due to facility space constraints, challenge trials were not able to contain more than 15 dogs each. In the first and second trials, 10 vaccinated (5 dogs from each vaccine group) and 5 control dogs were challenged.

For humane reasons the number of non-vaccinated dogs was decreased, and the older vaccine group was discontinued in the third trial, so that 12 vaccinated dogs and 3 control dogs were challenged. In the non-challenge revaccination trial 10 previously vaccinated and 10 control dogs were used. (see Figure 1, Timeline) The experimental group was a single animal.

Vaccinated dogs received 2 doses of rabies vaccine, given 3 wk apart, at 12 and 15 wk of age. The licensed vaccines given were designated Vaccine Ad (which is no longer commercially available), or Vaccine Be (a thimerosolfree product). Both vaccines were labeled for 3-year administration. Study Day 0 was offset between the 2 vaccine groups, with the Vaccine A group starting approximately 1.5 y earlier than Vaccine B. Elapsed time between vaccination and challenge was 5 y 5 mo, 6 y 7 mo, and 7 y 1 mo for Vaccine B, and 6 y 10 mo and 8 y 0 mo for Vaccine A. Trial intervals were scheduled according to the availability of the challenge facility. (see Figure 1, Timeline) Revaccination trial Ten dogs that had been previously vaccinated with 2 doses of Vaccine A 6 y and 1 mo earlier, and 10 unvaccinated, age-matched controls, were given a single dose of either Vaccine A or Vaccine Cf (a nonadjuvanted, recombinant feline rabies product). Blood was collected at intervals post-vaccination for detection of anamnestic humoral responses.

Rabies virus challenge trials The live virulent virus for challenge trials 2 and 3 was feline adapted wild-type rabies (USDA New York strain). Challenge was conducted in a biosafety level 3 facility, under University of Georgia Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee approval.c After sedation and complete anesthesia (oral acepromazine followed by an intramuscular injection of a combination of tiletamine and zolazepamg ) 0.5 mL of a 1:1000 dilution of rabies virus was injected into right and left temporalis muscles of each dog. Clinical observation phase extended over 90 d following administration of challenge material. During the first 28 d, all challenged dogs were observed for signs of rabies disease at 8-hour intervals. After the initial 28-day observation, surviving dogs were monitored once daily for the rest of the 90-day period. All dogs that exhibited early signs of rabies virus infection were immediately and humanely euthanized by intravenous administration of euthanasia solution.h Early signs include any of the following: hyper excitability, behavior change, dilation of pupils, photophobia,

reduced appetite, inability to drink, vomiting, and/or incoordination.

Sample collection Serum was collected from all dogs at yearly intervals until time of challenge (data available upon request). For the re-vaccination trial, blood was collected at days 0, 3, 7, and 14 after secondary rabies vaccine administration.

During challenge trials, dogs were bled at post-challenge days 0, 4, 12, 26, and 90 (or final) days. All handling procedures during challenge phase were conducted after dogs had been completely anesthetized. Acepromazine was administered orally via “pill pocket” followed by tiletamine/zolazepamg administered intramuscularly via pole syringe. Further procedures to ensure the safety of technicians working with challenged dogs included prior vaccination, proof of protective antibody response against rabies, extensive personal protective gear, and a mandatory “buddy system.” In addition to scheduled blood collection, all dogs were bled at time of euthanasia (final sample), and brain tissue was collected for viral determination.

Assays Rapid Fluorescent Focus Inhibition Test (RFFIT) of serum samples was completed at an accredited veterinary diagnostic laboratory.i Memory cell response was measured by flow cytometry, and brain tissue was assayed for presence of rabies virus via immunohistochemistry and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) by the challenge facility.c Results Challenge trial 1; which included 15 dogs, 5 unvaccinated controls, 5 vaccinates at 5 y 5 mo postvaccination (Vaccine B), and 5 vaccinates 6 y 10 mo postvaccination (Vaccine A); was confounded by insufficient virulence of the challenge virus used. Mortality of negative control dogs was 40% (2 of 5 dogs showed signs of rabies virus infection.) Mortality was zero in both groups of vaccinates.

A different rabies challenge virus was obtained for the following challenge trials 2 and 3. All unvaccinated control dogs in both trials showed signs of rabies disease between post-challenge days 13 to 21 and were

APRIL - MAY 2021

Immunization

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humanely euthanized, thus proving the virulence of the challenge rabies virus. In trial 2, only 1 of the 5 dogs (20%) [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.5% to 71.6%] vaccinated 8 y previously with Vaccine A showed protection against rabies, while 4 of 5 dogs (80%) (95% CI: 28.4% to 99.5%) vaccinated 6 y 7 mo previously with Vaccine B were protected against the live rabies virus challenge (Figure 2). Memory antibody responses by post-challenge Day 12 correlated strongly with protection (data not shown). As required, the surviving 5 vaccinates were observed for a total of 90 d to detect late development of clinical signs of rabies. No clinical signs occurred, proving successful immunization and protection against rabies in these dogs.

Lymph node mononuclear cells collected at postchallenge days 4 and 12 were tested by flow cytometry to determine the kinetics of immune memory cell responses. A statistically significant increase in memory B-cells was seen in vaccinates at 4 d post-challenge (Figure 3). Rabies virus was detected in brain tissue of all unvaccinated control dogs and vaccinates which showed signs of rabies virus. Rabies virus was not detected in brain tissue from vaccinates which survived until postchallenge day 90 (data not shown).

Figure 3

Figure 2

Figure 3. Lymph node mononuclear cells show differences in memory B-cell activation between unvaccinated controls and vaccinates at post challenge day 4.

APRIL - MAY 2021

Memory humoral responses as detected by serology correlated significantly with survival when seen at 12 d post-challenge. Kinetics of antibody response also points to presence of memory B-cell activity and anamnestic response.

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In trial 3, the number of unvaccinated control dogs was decreased for humane reasons, as the virulence of the challenge virus had already been established in the previous trial. Vaccine group A was also excluded from further challenge for humane reasons. Thus, 3 negative control dogs and 12 dogs vaccinated with Vaccine B 7 y and 1 mo earlier were challenged with the same lot of rabies virus as trial 2. Similar to trial 2, all negative control dogs succumbed to rabies virus between postchallenge days 14 to 21 and were humanely euthanized.

Six of 12 vaccinates (50%) (95% CI: 21.1% to 78.9%) were protected against challenge and were free of signs of rabies for a total of 90 days post-challenge (Figure 2). As was observed in trial 2, post-challenge day 12 antibody responses were strongly linked with survival.

All 20 dogs assigned to the revaccination trial had rabies antibody < 0.5 IU/mL at revaccination day 0, including both those which had been previously vaccinated 6 years and one month earlier and all unvaccinated control dogs. By 14 d after re-vaccination, 90% of the previously vaccinated groups showed antibody responses at or above 0.5 IU/mL, compared to 30% of the naïve dogs.

Furthermore, the recombinant rabies productf induced anamnestic responses several fold higher than the killed virus product when given to previously vaccinated dogs.

The same recombinant product did not induce any naïve dog to respond above 0.5 IU/mL by study day 14 (Figure 4).

Figure 4 Figure 4.

Geometric Mean RFFIT titers (IU/ml) after revaccination in 6 year old dogs previously vaccinated against rabies versus age matched unvaccinated control dogs show presence of immune memory.

Group A – previously vaccinated, boosted with killed rabies

vaccine Group B – previously vaccinated, boosted with

recombinant rabies vaccine Group C – naïve, vaccinated with killed rabies vaccine Group D – naïve, vaccinated with recombinant rabies

vaccine

Discussion

Challenge trial 1 was confounded when the requisite number of control dogs failed to show clinical signs of infection after challenge as sufficiently virulent rabies challenge virus was not available to the researchers at the 5 y and 5 mo post vaccination mark. In challenge trial 2, 80% survival (4/5 dogs) in animals previously vaccinated with Vaccine B 6 y 7 mo earlier was observed. We believe that had trial 1 been conducted with a fully virulent challenge virus at the 5-year mark, it would have met the USDA 9 CFR ≥ 88% survival requirement.

Results of the revaccination trial indicate presence of immune memory and rapid response to re-exposure to rabies antigen in vaccinates. In the current study, Vaccine Cf, a feline recombinant, non-adjuvanted rabies vaccine, was chosen for extra-label administration to dogs in this trial because only rabies antigen glycoprotein G is expressed by the canarypox-vector virus. This vaccine was therefore unique to both previously vaccinated and unvaccinated groups. It was presumed that after a single dose, Vaccine C would more easily differentiate vaccinates with immune memory than Vaccine A, and

this was demonstrated in this trial.

Vaccine C was developed specifically in response to concerns regarding adverse effects following rabies vaccination of cats (31). Furthermore, it has been shown to provide a 3-year duration of immunity in feline vaccinates. Vaccine C was especially promising in our revaccination trial as it was shown to induce very strong antibody responses within 14 days of administration to previously vaccinated dogs (Figure 4), thus warranting further investigation for potential licensing as an adjuvant-free canine rabies booster vaccine containing a lower antigenic mass.

To reduce the risk of adverse events associated with rabies vaccines, and in recognition of the product label instructions that they are for healthy animals, 18 of 50 American States currently have medical exemption clauses in their rabies laws/regulations (2,4,32). Establishing a canine rabies antibody titer standard for protection against rabies would facilitate passage of medical exemptions in more States, enabling veterinarians to write exemptions for seriously ill and immune-compromised dogs. Immunocompromise triggered by disease or corticosteroid therapy in a host animal can result in rabies vaccine failure. Thus, a titer standard would allow practitioners to avoid the dilemma of administering boosters contrary to sound medical practice and vaccine manufacturers’ labeled instructions, while maintaining confidence that exempted animals with a specific antibody level would not pose an increased public health risk.

APRIL - MAY 2021

At the time of study initiation, Vaccine A was one of the most commonly used canine rabies vaccines available in the United States. However, sometime after study initiation this vaccine was withdrawn from the market, possibly due to corporate merger or other business decision on the part of the manufacturer. Vaccine B continues to be available and was chosen for use in this study because it is free of the preservative thimerosal (mercury salt), which is known to elicit adverse events (2,24).

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In cases of potential exposure of dogs and cats to rabies virus, National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians (NASPHV) routinely recommends prospective rabies serology (1,34). A yearly rabies titer would more effectively assess a pet’s level of protection from unknown rabies virus exposures than the current practice of relying on mandated rabies immunization intervals, for which there is no documentation of immune response, or lack thereof in the case of a nonresponder or vaccine failure. While the circulating rabies serum virus neutralization (SVN) titer does not last the lifetime of the pet (4,33–35), the data presented here indicate that protective immune memory to rabies virus in previously vaccinated dogs may last 6.5 y.

A review of rabies challenge-studies indicates that there is a positive correlation between rabies SVN titers and the level of protection after virus challenge. Pre-exposure vaccination coupled with an SVN titer at or above 0.5 IU/mL indicates greater assurance of protection than does the animal’s current vaccination status (34).

However, a 1988 nationwide study published in the

Centers for Disease Control Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report found that no documented rabies vaccine failures occurred among dogs or cats that had received 2 rabies vaccinations (36). A more recent study by Murray et al (37) found that of the 264 cases of rabies in dogs reported in 21 American States over the years 1997 to 2001, 4.9% (13/264) dogs had some history of rabies vaccination, and 2 of these were considered “currently vaccinated”. However, of the 13 rabid, previously vaccinated dogs, none had received 2 doses of vaccine before rabies exposure, supporting the previous findings reported by the Centers for Disease Controls and Prevention (CDC) (36).

Because the rapid onset of antibody responses after challenge correlated with protection, the current study’s findings support the importance of antibody testing to assure protection of pet dogs instead of relying on revaccination at set intervals as an assumption of protection. Recent importation of rabies-infected dogs into the United States from Egypt (38), gives credence to the consideration of including proof of rabies antibody

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at or above the World Health Organization (WHO) protective standard as a requirement for import to the continental United States from rabies endemic countries, instead of, or in addition to, a rabies vaccination certificate. Such a requirement is currently in place for importation of dogs to rabies-free areas such as Hawaii.

It is essential to note that rabies antibody testing must be completed by an accredited laboratory, such as the laboratory which completed serology for this study.i Various test kits are becoming available, which may not have been validated by challenge studies. Results generated by such kits or laboratories may be useful for screening purposes only, and must be confirmed by a highly reliable, accredited laboratory in order to determine protection (39,40).

While the current study was not able to prove a protective rabies titer standard, our data showed that immune memory B-cell immunity persists even after serum SVN titers drop below 0. 1 IU/mL, which affords additional presumption of protection should a bite from a rabid animal occur. Nevertheless, the risk of contracting rabies increases after a rabid animal challenge once the titer falls below 0.5 IU/mL. At that point,

giving a rabies booster vaccination is the prudent, safe decision (1,3,34). Until rabies vaccine manufacturers license a product that demonstrates more than a 3-year duration of immunity, veterinarians are required by law to follow product label instructions. Currently no published data exist which meet Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Title 9 Part 113.209 standards for a licensed rabies vaccine product which has demonstrated a duration of immunity greater than 3 y.

Conclusions and clinical relevance The Rabies Challenge Fund trials have confirmed that rabies vaccine may induce a duration of immunity well beyond 3 y in dogs; that antibody is the most important protective factor against rabies virus; and that anamnestic responses to virulent challenge can be seen in the absence of protective titers in previously vaccinated dogs. We have shown that protection persists in the absence of annual or triennial re-vaccination and that antibody testing of individual pets can be an excellent indicator of protection or lack thereof, although further studies are needed to determine a protective antibody threshold for vaccinated dogs.

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[PubMed] [Google Scholar] 14. Dodds WJ. Vaccination protocols for dogs predisposed to vaccine reactions. J Am Anim Hosp Assoc. 2001;37:211–214. [PubMed] [Google Scholar] 15. Aucouturier J, Dupuis L, Ganne V. Adjuvants designed for veterinary and human vaccines. Vaccine. 2001;19:2666–2672. [PubMed] [Google Scholar] 16. Lawson KF, Crawley JF. The ERA strain of rabies vaccine. Can J Comp Med. 1972;36:339–344. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar] 17. Israeli E, Agmon-Levin N, Blank M, Shoenfeld Y. Adjuvants and autoimmunity.

Lupus. 2009;18:1217–1225. [PubMed] [Google Scholar] 18. Wilson-Welder JH, Torres MP, Kipper MJ, Mallapragada SK, Wannemuehler MJ, Narasimhan B. Vaccine adjuvants: Current challenges and future approaches. J Pharm Sci. 2009;98:1278–1316. [PubMed] [Google Scholar] 19. Heegaard PM, Dedieu L, Johnson N, et al. Adjuvants and delivery systems in veterinary vaccinology: Current state and future developments. Arch Virol. 2011;156:183– 202. [PubMed] [Google Scholar] 20. Liu Y, Zhang S, Zhang F, Hu R. Adjuvant activity of Chinese herbal polysaccharides in inactivated veterinary rabies vaccines. Int J Biol Macromol. 2012;50:598–602.

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Acknowledgments Supported by the Rabies Challenge Fund Charitable Trust, a federally registered 501(c)(3) charitable organization [Fed. EIN # 84-6390682]. The authors declare no conflict of interest. This research project was performed by Drs. Ronald Schultz and Laurie Larson of the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine, in collaboration with Ridglan Farms, Drs. Zhen Fu and Clement Gnanadurai of University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, and the Kansas State Veterinary Rabies Diagnostic Laboratory.

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Footnotes a Vaccine Guidelines, World Small Animal Veterinary Association 2007, https://wsava.org/global-guidelines/ vaccination-guidelines/ Last accessed 27 February 2020. b Ridglan Farms, Mt. Horeb, Wisconsin 53572, USA. c Dr. Zhen Fang Fu, Department of Pathology, University of Georgia, College of Veterinary Medicine, Athens, Georgia, USA. d Continuum® Rabies (Intervet, Merck Animal Health, Millsboro, DE 19966; no longer commercially available). e IMRAB-TF® (Merial, Athens, Duluth, Georgia 30601, USA). f PureVax ® Rabies (Merial, Athens, Duluth Georgia 30601, USA). g Telazol® (Zoetis, 10 Sylvan Way, Parsippany, New Jersey 07054, USA). h Beuthanasia-D, Intervet Inc (d/b/a Merck Animal Health), Madison, New Jersey 07940, USA. i Kansas State University Rabies Diagnostic Laboratory, Manhattan, Kansas 66503, USA. © Canadian Veterinary Medical Association.

Dodds, W. J., Larson, L. J., Christine, K. L., & Schultz, R. D. (2020). Duration of immunity after rabies vaccination in dogs: The Rabies Challenge Fund research study. Canadian journal of veterinary research = Revue canadienne de recherche veterinaire, 84(2), 153–158.

32. Rabies Challenge Fund. States with Medical Exemptions in Lieu of Rabies Vaccination. [Last accessed February 27, 2020]. Available from: https://www.rabieschallengefund.org/states-with-medical-exemptions.

24. Cerpa-Cruz S, Paredes-Casillas P, Landeros Navarro E, Bernard-Medina AG, Martinez-Boilla G, Gutiérrez-Ureña S. Adverse events following immunization with vaccines containing adjuvants. Immunol Res. 2013;56:299–303. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

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31. Jas D, Coupier C, Toulemonde CE, Guigal PM, Poulet H. Three-year duration of immunity in cats vaccinated with a canarypox-vectored recombinant rabies virus vaccine.

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37. Murray KO, Holmes KC, Hanlon CA. Rabies in vaccinated dogs and cats in the United States, 1997–2001. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2009;235:691–695. [PubMed] [Google Scholar] 38. Hercules Y, Bryant NJ, Wallace RM, et al. Rabies in a dog imported from Egypt — Connecticut, 2017. MMWR. 2018;67:1388–1391. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar] 39. Servat A, Cliquet F. OIE Reference Laboratory for Rabies, WHO. Collaborative study to evaluate a new ELISA test to monitor the effectiveness of rabies vaccination in domestic carnivores. Virus Res. 2006;120:17–27. [PubMed] [Google Scholar] 40. Moore SM. Rabies. Current preventive strategies. [Last accessed February 27, 2020];Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. 2019 Apr 5; pii: S01955616(19)30044. Available from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/ pii/S0195561619300440?via%3Dihub. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

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These data serve as a foundation meriting further studies to: i) license a rabies vaccine with a vaccination interval of 5 to 6 y, which would enable States to incorporate extended booster intervals into their rabies laws/ regulations; ii) develop and license a recombinant, non-adjuvanted rabies booster vaccine for dogs; and iii) establish a protective serum rabies titer standard for dogs. In addition, these data support the dual goals of better and safer rabies vaccination of pet dogs as well as improved public health security.

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Vaccine Quiz

By Alina Sherman

1. Vaccinated dogs are healthier, right? a. True - they’re protected from a host of diseases. The more the better! b. False - vaccines show absolutely no bearing on overall health.

2. Who determines the vaccine schedule for canines and felines in Canada? a. The Canadian Veterinary Association models off of a published expert recommendation of vaccination schedule by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA). b. Canada has its own research and clinical body of veterinarians who put out a nonbiased independent clinical guideline on vaccinations.

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3. I just got my puppy at eight weeks, and my vet says it’s time to start their core boosters!What should I do?

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4. Can problems arise with vaccines that are administered too early (between six to eight weeks of age)? a. Yes, antibody production is not triggered as the immune system is too young. b. Yes, they destroy maternal antibodies given, potentially leaving a pup less protected. c. Yes, they can overload the immune system if the booster was not initially needed. d. All of the above.

5. Do vaccine doses vary by body weight - like in humans? a. Yes, the same science is applied. b. No, a ten pound Chihuahua would be administered the same dose as a one hundred pound Mastiff.

6. Why would my vet recommend annual boosters? Is this safe?

a. Listen to every word your vet says, and ask no questions. They are the foremost authority on pet health, right?

a. Many vets believe it’s an easy way to ensure their clients bring their pets in annually for a checkup.

b. Ask which boosters your vet recommends, and if they follow the AAHA (American Animal Hospital Association) guidelines.

b. They may follow a profits model of practice.

c. Do further research, and find out vaccines between the age of 8-12 weeks may not be effective and can actually cause damage to your dog’s health. Wait until 12 weeks of age to administer vaccines.

c. They are ignoring the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)’s recommendation that boosters are not needed annually, as revised guidelines say every three years. d. All of the above.

7. What is the best way to ensure my pet has antibodies and will be protected?

10. Is the rabies vaccine safe and legally required to be administered every year?

a. Titer Testing every year (a simple antibody test, showing either a positive or negative antibody result).

a. Rabies vaccines may legally be required depending on local laws.

8. I don’t want my dog to get sick. Is it possible to over-vaccinate my dog? a. Yes, all vaccines have the potential for adverse reactions, from simple lethargy to autoimmune disease, seizures or death, as many vaccines contain Thimerosal (mercury based additive).

b. Rabies vaccines can be administered every 3 years, and antibody testing has shown many dogs remain protected for a lifetime after just one dose. c. Rabies vaccines are the most harmful to your pet’s health, and even pets with health conditions who are contraindicated for further vaccines may be legally required to have a booster. d. All of the above.

b. No, the more vaccines, the more protection.

11. Should I get the canine coronavirus vaccine?

9. My vet says my dog needs all of its core and non-core vaccines. What should I do?

a. Yes, the more vaccines the better the protection.

a. Follow the guidelines of your individual veterinarian’s office, ask no questions. b. Do my own research to find out: core vaccines protect against viruses like rabies, distemper, parvovirus, and canine hepatitis. They have been proven to give a dog immunity for years or a lifetime.

Non-core vaccines like leptospirosis (​lepto​), lyme, and kennel cough are either more dangerous, are not very effective, or last as long.

b. No, even the AAHA does NOT recommend this vaccine be administered to pets, under the premise that it will limit or prevent COVID-19 in a pet.

Answer Key: (1)b, (2)a, (3)c, (4)d, (5)b, (6)d, (7)a, (8)a, (9)b, (10)d, (11)b.

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b. Continue vaccination boosters yearly.

More boosters equals more protection.

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RAW MEATY BONES FOR CATS: Adult Supervision Required!

APRIL - MAY 2021

By Margaret Gates

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I've often written that you should keep an eye on your cats when feeding meaty bones. Kitties are pretty good at not tackling something that's too much to handle.

But, accidents can happen, although they are rare. Just to prove my point – not really, she didn't plan it – Thodin had an incident recently while eating bone. I feed her chicken drumsticks. She absolutely loves them. She will beg for them and thinks any bag taken from the fridge is a drumstick for her. She gets one almost every day. She eats nearly all of

it, leaving only small parts of the large bone.

After giving her a drumstick one morning, I saw she was pawing at her mouth and acting distressed. I picked her up and managed to get her mouth open. She had a small piece of bone wedged between her lower side molars.

Oh no! She couldn't fully close her mouth and there

APRIL - MAY 2021

I

have always recommended feeding raw meaty bones to cats. They really need to do some serious gnawing and chewing – using those side teeth – to keep their teeth and gums in top shape. If you have read my previous blog posts, you’ll know about Thodin and her amazing teeth. She is over ten years old and has been a raw meaty bone-eater her whole life. Her teeth are plaque-free and the gums are in great shape. She’s never needed a dental and likely never will. This is how a cat’s mouth should be. The scraping action that occurs when a cat uses those side teeth to slice through skin, sinew, cartilage and small bones is what keeps the teeth clean and gums stimulated. The lack of carbohydrates also helps keep plaque at bay. It is the feeding of inappropriate food that sets a cat up for dental disease.

Feeding foods that require a cat to use their teeth as nature intended can make all the difference in their dental health.

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affects more than just the mouth. Bacteria from dental disease get into your cat’s system, affecting other organs such as the kidneys and liver. The tiny risk that bones pose is a good trade-off for some protection from that harm.

If Thodin had been a wild cat without someone looking after her, how would this have turned out? This sort of thing must happen to predators in nature. She likely would have managed to claw it out herself or it would have worked itself out eventually. It would have been painful and have interfered with eating, but it wouldn't have been fatal.

was a little blood. I pushed at it a little as best I could to see if I could dislodge it, but it was pretty firmly wedged in. Plus, I couldn't really get a grip on it as I needed one hand to hold her mouth open. This was definitely going to take three or four hands.

APRIL - MAY 2021

I jumped into action! I grabbed a carrier and rushed Thodin to our vet, calling as I drove to let them know what was happening. This wasn’t life-threatening, but I’m sure it hurt like hell! The heroic techs at the vet removed it in a jiffy and there was no damage to her teeth or gums except for a small abrasion. She got some antibiotics just to be sure. She seemed to forget all about it and wanted a drumstick the next day. I waited a couple days to let her mouth heal before resuming feeding bones, but she is back to daily drumsticks now.

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To put this into perspective, Thodin has been eating meaty bones, including chicken drumsticks, wings and necks and some rabbit, for a long time. To make a conservative estimate, if she got bones three days out of four for the last ten years, that means she’s had over 2700 meaty bone meals. This is the first time there was ever a problem. I have had people tell me feeding bones is risky. I disagree. The benefits far outweigh the risks. Because Thodin eats bones, she has never had to be put under anesthesia to get her teeth cleaned. I view anesthesia as far more risky than that drumstick. Keep in mind that dental disease

My message in telling this story is that you should understand that feeding bones is not completely riskfree, but that the risk is small and the benefits are enormous. Just use some common sense and keep an eye on your bone-eaters. Bear in mind that eating bones is completely natural for cats; they have been doing it forever. It’s part of being a cat. I can see that when I watch Thodin go at a drumstick. This is cat-ness at its most elemental. @2021 Feline Nutrition Foundation If you would like to learn more about feline diet and health, please visit: www.felinenutritionfoundation.org We have a wealth of information on how to feed your cat a healthy, bio-appropriate diet. We especially welcome raw diet beginners!

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APRIL - MAY 2021

10

Reasons Why You & Your Pet(s) Need Raw Pumpkin Seed Oil!

APRIL - MAY 2021

By Lucy Jabrayan

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The unique fatty acid content in cold pressed raw organic pumpkin seed oil is definitely something not to overlook, and here are 10 reasons why; 1. Hair and coat growth Due to its rich free fatty acid content, saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, Pumpkin Seed Oil (PSO) has been tested for male pattern alopecia with positive results, with both topical and oral applications. So, what does this mean for your pets? It shows that PSO would make a great natural option to administer to pets post operation, encouraging healthy hair follicle growth, or an incredible option for post mange treatment and/ or any other kind of ectoparasite treatment to encourage healthy hair re-growth. PSO also makes for a shinier coat!

2. Bladder health

medication amlodipine, reversing elevated levels of BP. This oil could be a great option for particular breeds that are unfortunately prone to cardiovascular disease, which are: Boxers, Dobermans, Great Danes, Irish Wolfhounds, Portuguese Water Dogs, Cocker Spaniels, Scottish Deerhounds, St. Bernards, Newfoundlands, Afghans and Old English Sheepdogs.

The phytosterols in PSO can lower the bad cholesterol in the body (LDL) and increase the good (HDL).

4. High in antioxidants PSO is a great source of antioxidants such as vitamins A, K and E that fight free radical damage in the body. It is rich in carotenoids, lutein, zeaxanthin and four fatty acids which are; palmitic, stearic, oleic and linoleic acid.

5. Gastrointestinal Health

3. Cardiovascular

benefits: Thanks to its high phytosterol content, PSO is a great heart healthy option for you and your pets that also balances blood pressure, which is vital for heart health, in fact, PSO has the same effects in the body as the blood pressure

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The soothing effects of PSO has shown to Probably what PSO is best known for, and that is bladder health. Various studies (1) have shown that PSO is useful for conditions Enhance your pet’s vitality, naturally. such as OAB (overactive Handcrafted & Vet Approved. bladder), and any urinary dysfunction, making it a great option for senior pets, or even younger animals with bladder difficulties such as incontinence, chronic UTI’s, and bladder irritations, also makes a great post birth CBD ENRICHED NUTRACEUTICAL treatment.

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significantly improve and soothe GI inflammation and help to aid an unhealthy digestive tract.

Therefore, overall digestion and nutrient absorption also gets improved.

6. Balances Hormones PSO has a unique phytoestrogen complex that has been shown to balance hormones, and improve hormonal symptoms.

7. Ocular health PSO is a source of antioxidants such as zeaxanthin, lutein and of course vitamin A, which is super beneficial for eye health, specifically the macula.

These antioxidants are carotenoids, meaning they have special abilities to protect the eyes from harmful elements, such as the UV rays from the sun and oxidation.

8. Arthritis In a study published by in the journal of Pharmacology Research, (2) when rats were induced with arthritis, which shockingly increased levels of inflammation, those supplemented with PSO had just as a positive effect with inflammation relief as the group who was given NSAID’s, however, they did not experience any liver injuries, versus the ones that were on the medication.

APRIL - MAY 2021

9. Organ & Brain Health

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When mice where exposed to hazardous and toxic chemicals such as formaldehyde (FA), which affected brain and organ health, these were the findings, (3) “The FA-induced elevation of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the brain, liver, and kidneys was suppressed by pre-treatment with

PSO extract. The extract also attenuated the FA-induced reduction of endogenous antioxidant pools. In vitro phytochemical analyses showed that PSO extract possesses free radical scavenging and total antioxidant activities due to the presence of phenolic and flavonoid compounds. Thus, PSO extract has significant protective effects against FA-induced organ toxicities by scavenging oxidative stress and inhibiting lipid peroxidation.”

10. Bone Protection: It is no secret that vitamin K is essential for bone health. PSO seed oil is rich in vitamin K, which regulates bone reabsorption, takes part in a process called carboxylation of many bone related proteins, and regulates transcription of genetic osteoblast (cells that form new bone) markers.

Also, helps prevent fractures and any kind of bone damage. PSO is also rich in minerals such as potassium, magnesium and calcium that is crucial for bone health.

So far there have been no adverse recordings of giving too much PSO, other than perhaps loose stools. Make sure to purchase your organic pumpkin seed oil from a reputable source and company, my personal favorite is Styrian pumpkin seed oil. It is a delicious oil with a dark thick viscosity, and a little goes a long way to reach its therapeutic benefits!

References: 1. Mie Nishimura, Tatsuya Ohkawara, Hiroji Sato, Hiroshi Takeda, Jun Nishihira. 2014. Pumpkin seed oil extracted from Cucurbita maxima improves urinary disorder in human overactive bladder.

2. www.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7784309/ 3. Mollika, Shihab, Alam, Ranjan, Imman, Rafiqul. 2020. Pumpkin seeds (Cucurbita maxima) protect against formaldehyde - induced major organ damages.

Spring Time Detoxification For Dogs and Cats

9 Promotes healthy organ functions 9 Formulations individually supports normal liver, lung & kidney systems 9 Contains antioxidants properties (reducing inflammation) 9 Reduces body stressors & supports energy levels 9 Aids natural detoxification processes 9 Herbal decoctions contain phytonutrients, antioxidants, trace minerals & vitamins Toxicity is an underrated problem with respect to companion animals.

Dogs and cats are exposed to toxins every day in the form of vehicle exhaust, industry emissions, exposure to second hand smoke and food contaminants, and through additives in the form of dyes, aflatoxins, and preservatives. Pesticides in the environment, as well as preparations against fleas, ticks, and heartworms, and common drugs such as antiinflammatories (NSAIDS), are also culprits. Toxins enter the body via a number of common pathways; through the lungs when breathing, through the skin by contact, or through the gastrointestinal (GI) tract from the food and drink consumed by your pet. The toxins are then metabolically processed by the three major organs of detoxification; the liver, the lungs and the kidneys, in order to be excreted from the body with other waste matter. Unfortunately, many toxins are stored in the cells of the animal’s body due to toxic overload and can compromise

their immune system function. Toxins can interfere with the normal biochemical pathways necessary for healthy bodily functions. For our dogs and cats, toxicity may present itself in conditions like: skin issues, immune health (allergies), arthritis, intestinal discomfort, neurological issues and behavioural problems.

The Health Benefits of a Cleanse or Detoxification Effective elimination of toxins can be achieved with support of herbal preparations and antioxidants. In the same way that humans will benefit from organ detoxification, your cat or dog will appreciate help in reducing the burden of toxicity. A gentle but thorough natural approach is easy on the body and stimulates the organs of elimination to improve their efficiency, and help the body to eliminate a buildup of toxins. Cleansing is very effective in restoring optimum health by improving liver function, assisting digestive processes, boosting metabolism and improving energy levels.

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How Do Toxins Affect Dogs and Cats?

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Animal Behaviour Science

AND THE LAW

APRIL - MAY 2021

By Dr. Rebecca Ledger BSc (Hons) MSc PhD FRSB

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F

rom animal cruelty to dangerous dogs, pet custody battles to wildlife management, the science of animal behaviour and welfare has made a bold appearance in Canadian courtrooms over the last 15 years.

I have been an animal behaviour and animal welfare scientist for almost 30 years now. Like many people with Master’s and PhD degrees in this area, I worked initially as a researcher, before deciding I could do more for animals beyond academia - applying scientific knowledge in ways that would have a more direct impact on animals. The most impactful and rewarding part of my work, without a doubt, has been working as an Expert Witness for the Canadian courts.

I have been fortunate to have been retained in over 150 legal cases involving animals to date, leading to some extremely worthwhile precedents being set.

Animal cruelty cases Animal cruelty takes many forms - from deliberate acts of abuse, such as hitting, burning and choking animals, to more neglectful forms of cruelty, such as not meeting the animal’s nutritional and environmental needs. In many cases, such cruel acts leave physical signs, such dehydration, poor body condition, bone fractures and bruising.

However, as anyone who spends time with animals will appreciate, cruelty of any kind can leave emotional and behavioural scars, as well as physical ones. Emotional and behavioural scars are evident when you see an abused dog flinch as someone picks up a broom, or when a dog cowers as someone waves their arms around – based on previous harmful events, animals can learn to anticipate further harm when faced with similar circumstances.

But, what happens in cases where there is little or no physical harm, and the consequences are just emotional?

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Historically, prosecutors were very reluctant to lay charges in such cases, as case law had always relied heavily on physical evidence.

APRIL - MAY 2021

And so, this is where animal behaviour and welfare science has made a significant contribution to the field of animal law. Since 2014, I have helped courts across Canada to understand modern animal welfare concepts and the relevance of behavioural evidence in more than 30 cases of animal cruelty, involving more than 170 animals. These cases have included mostly dogs, but also cats, mice, rabbits, horses and red squirrels.

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This was achieved by having a fresh look at the Criminal Code, which is federal legislation that includes Canada’s animal cruelty laws. The Criminal Code is clear that “Every one commits an offence who wilfully causes or, being the owner, wilfully permits to be caused unnecessary pain, suffering or injury to an animal or a bird.” However, not only is “suffering” not defined within this legislation, it had also been viewed very narrowly in case law also. It was by expanding the definition of suffering in cases of animal cruelty, to include all unpleasant emotions and sensations, in additional to physical causes of suffering, that legal headway has been made.

In the majority of my 30+ cruelty cases, the abusive acts left little or no physical evidence at all, but it was clear nonetheless that the animal had suffered based on how it behaved during and after the cruel act.

Dogs The British Columbia SPCA was one of the first organizations in Canada to pursue a case of animal cruelty where there was little to know physical evidence of harm to an animal. Their 2014 case was pioneering in this respect.

It involved a nine month old Doberman named Sade.

Security camera footage taken inside an elevator at the Rosewood Hotel in Vancouver showed Sade’s handler kicking and dragging her harshly by her leash. Sade was cowering, and displayed other behaviour indicating that she was anxious and fearful – both ways in which an animal can suffer emotionally. The British Columbia SPCA seized Sade and arranged for her to be examined by a veterinarian, yet no physical signs of abuse were observed. Nonetheless, the British Columbia SPCA believed that Sade had suffered throughout the incident, and hence they recommended that charges of animal cruelty be laid, based on how Sade was treated by the defendant and Sade’s behavioural response to that treatment. In 2015, the defendant pled guilty to causing an animal to suffer unnecessarily, and was subsequently fined $5,000 and prohibited from owning or caretaking animals for 3 years. This ground-breaking case, which recognized that animals could suffer psychologically without physical evidence of harm, paved the way forward for many other dog cases involving dogs and other species too!

Cats SPCAs across Canada receive thousands of complaints annually involving abuse towards cats. However, it wasn’t until 2019 that the opportunity to prosecute a case based purely on behavioural evidence came about.

The case involved an 8 month old intact male cat named Oscar. Oscar belonged to a couple who had separated.

The male ex-partner made videos of him choking Oscar and also hanging Oscar over a balcony by his neck.

The male later sent the videos to his ex-girlfriend. The abuse was subsequently reported to the Nova Scotia SPCA, who seized Oscar and also arranged to have Oscar examined by a veterinarian. As with Sade, there were no physical signs of abuse, despite the fact that Oscar had been choked. The videos did show clearly however, that Oscar was breathless, in pain and panicked during these episodes – all forms of suffering. The Judge agreed that Oscar was in distress, and the defendant was

subsequently jailed for 150 days and prohibited from owning an animal for 10 years.

The impact that these court decisions have for all animals in Canada is significant. Not only has justice been served for Sade and Oscar, but furthermore, these decisions send a clear message to anyone else who may be motivated to harm animals that the threshold for achieving justice for abused animals has now been lowered. Regardless of whether or not the animal is harmed physically, causing an animal to be fearful, anxious, panicked, frustrated, lonely, isolated or exhausted (to name but a few of the 32 types of suffering identified in terrestrial mammals), will not be tolerated by society. Animals deserve better, and they are now being treated better by our Canadian courts.

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Fascinating Dog Facts!

By Carly Piatocha

1. Owning a dog can prevent allergies

and boost your immune system Children who spend time around pets before the age of 12 - and especially before the age of 3 - are significantly less likely to develop pet allergies later in life. Scientists think this is due to something called the Hygiene Hypothesis. This theory speculates that children who are raised in a more sterile environment (without animals) aren’t exposed to the beneficial bacteria, parasites, and infectious agents that come with owning a pet.

These microorganisms may sound bad, but children actually need to be exposed to them early in life in order to develop a healthy immune system. This study showcases that children who own a dog before the age of 3 are significantly less likely to have any allergies – to pets, food, or plant pollen.

2. Both dog ownership and dog therapy

boost social skills in children with

Autism

There have been quite a few studies in recent years that demonstrate how children with Autism thrive when they are given Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT). The benefits to children who receive AAT are numerous: reduced anxiety; increased independence in completing tasks; a greater desire to interact with others; more frequent smiling and eye contact; a decrease in problematic behaviours.

Even if an Autistic child simply has a pet dog (rather than a therapy dog), there are still several studies(ibid) that point to significant benefits.

Dog-owning families who have an Autistic child experience less dysfunctional/negative parent-child interactions, greater overall family harmony, and a reduction in overall parental stress.

3. Dogs can now be used to sniff out and

put a stop to pedophiliac cyber-crime

There is now another application for our canine friends’ superior sense of smell: rooting out pedophiles and bringing them to justice. Pedophiles are notoriously hard to catch since they often hide their criminal images on miniscule flash-drives.

That’s where Electronic Storage Detection (ESD) dogs come in. These dogs are trained to detect triphenylphosphine oxide (TPPO), which has a scent so faint that humans can’t even detect it.

When the first trained ESD dog (a black lab named Selma) was brought in to assist officers in a suspected child pornography case, the lead officer and five deputies had already searched the house thoroughly and came up empty handed. After a short search, Selma alerted on a small hard drive behind the suspect’s TV that everyone else had

APRIL - MAY 2021

With the pandemic dragging on into 2021, we are all feeling fed up, stressed, and bored. However, as pet owners the burden of COVID-19 has been lightened by having our canine friends to cuddle, talk to, exercise with, and share our lives (and take-out orders) with. To celebrate our deep bond with dogs, warm your heart, entertain you, and teach you something new, here are 21 interesting facts about our most faithful companions.

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missed. Happily, it contained enough evidence to arrest the suspect!

4. Dogs use the earth’s magnetic field

to navigate (and they prefer to poop

in alignment!)

In this study, researchers looked at how hunting dogs were able to return to their owners if presented with a weak and distant scent trail. The dogs were tested in a novel forest environment, on cloudy and windy days, so that navigation by scent would be challenging.

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In order to find their owners, two-thirds of the dogs in this study performed a ‘compass run’: they ran back and forth (about 20 m) over and over. They adjusted their path until they were running directly across the earth’s north-south magnetic axis. From there, the dogs would stop and pause as though assessing a route, and then return in a direct path back to their owners! There was no difference noted in a dog’s sex or breed in honing ability, but all the dogs were faster and more efficient when their owners were standing in a north-south orientation versus east-west. More research is needed to assess how dogs are able to do this, as the mechanism of this ability is currently unknown.

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On a more amusing note - dogs like being aligned with the earth’s magnetic field so much that they even prefer to poop in alignment with it! Another study actually found that after 2 years of observing 70 dogs, all of them preferred to pee and poop with their bodies aligned along the north-south magnetic axis – they tried to avoid eliminating along the eastwest axis at all times. As of now, we have no idea why this is the case!

5. Dogs improve your love life by making

you appear more attractive – even

virtually

If you own a dog, you have a much higher chance of being asked out on a date. A series of studies found that women were more likely to swipe right on a man’s dating profile picture if it included a dog.

Women were also 3x more likely to say yes when a man asked them on a date if he had a dog with him when he asked.

Additionally, when asked to look at the profile pictures of other singles looking for love on the site, both men and women considered the other singles more relaxed, happier, and more approachable if their picture included the person’s dog. Perhaps these results are not surprising, given that 65% of singles say that their ideal first date would include their dog!

6. A bloodhound’s sense of smell can

be used as evidence in court

7. Dogs can help seniors with Dementia

Dogs can do a lot to help seniors with dementia and mental illness through their calm and loving presence. In a few studies , patients in nursing homes who had dementia were given AAT sessions in hopes that it would help them. At the end of each study, the researchers were happy to report that the participants showed significant decreases in agitated behaviour, such as pacing and verbal abuse, as well as increases in incidents of smiling and speaking to others in extended conversation. The AAT was also able to lower residents’ blood pressure an average of 15 points, and in 1 study residents reported feeling less lonely and depressed.

8. Dog owners live longer than non-dog

owners – especially if they’re single

Single dog moms and dads: finally, you have something you can say to the overbearing family members at holiday gatherings who ask if you’re ‘still’ single! This interesting study showed that single dog owners were 33% less likely to die for any reason as compared to those who lived in a multiperson household without a dog! Even if you have a partner (and maybe also some human children), you are still reducing your risk of death from any cause by 11% as compared to those living in a multi-

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Bloodhounds are well-known for their amazing nose. Their ability to accurately track a scent is so precise that most courts in the US and Canada allow blood-hound tracks to be submitted as evidence in cases. Bloodhounds have an olfactory bulb (the part of the brain responsible for analyzing scent) that is the size of a handkerchief. This is far larger than most other breeds and is substantially larger than a human’s postage-stamp-size olfactory bulb! Genetic drive to track, combined with a heighted ability to find scents, makes these dogs amazing at their work. A trained bloodhound can track a scent for 130 miles and can even follow trails over 300 hours old!

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person household without a dog.

Researchers speculate that these results are likely due to two things: people with dogs usually get more exercise and have lower blood pressure, and dog ownership is correlated with lower rates of loneliness and depression.

were intentionally created by humans, or whether they emerged organically due to natural selection.

10. Raw food diets boost immunity

and skin health

9. Ancient dog DNA shows that dog

breed diversity started as far back

as the ice age

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Finally, something you can show your vet, your groomer, your mom, or whoever else is a naysayer in your life on the benefits of a raw diet for dogs!

The study focuses mostly on the benefits of a raw diet in boosting immunity and dealing with skin and coat problems. Swedish researchers used 48 Staffordshire Bull Terriers who all underwent a dietary intervention for 4.5 months. During the trial, the dogs were either fed only Hills Science Diet or a ground raw food called MUSH. There were 4 study groups: those with skin issues eating kibble, those with no skin issues eating kibble, those with skin issues eating raw, and those with no skin issues eating raw.

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Dogs have been humankind’s faithful partners for a very long time. Dogs were the first animals ever domesticated and have lived with us long before the age of agriculture. To add to this, a recent study has unearthed the existence of several distinctive dog breeds far earlier than we had originally thought possible. In this study, archeologists examined the remains of 27 ancient canines from across Europe, the Near East, and Siberia. They uncovered evidence of at least 5 distinct types or “breeds” of dog throughout the world from approximately 11,000 years ago – right after the last ice age! More research is needed to determine if these 5 breeds

At the end of the study, researchers concluded that the most significant positive difference was seen in the raw fed group that had previous skin issues. They stated that being fed raw ‘turned-on’ genes that reduced systemic inflammation, raised natural histamine levels, and increased antioxidant production. This is important, as it is essential to have these genes ‘turned-on’ for the organism to have healthy skin to defend against allergens entering the body.

Basically, this study demonstrated that the dogs who had skin issues were starting to heal not because the immune system was being suppressed (which is what happens on drugs like Apaquil), but instead because deep healing was occurring. From

eating a species appropriate diet, the dog’s own body was starting to stop the inflammatory cycle of skin breakdown and over-response to allergens. Given its small size and breed specific nature, more research is needed to make claims that raw will help all dogs with skin issues - but it’s a great start!

11. Dog-human co-evolution was more

impacted by women’s opinions

than men’s’ The jury is still out as to where and when the first dogs forged a partnership with people. In the meantime, researchers wanted to know which modern dog breeds have been in existence the longest. They sequenced the genomes of 161 modern breeds and compared them to form a timeline. Based on the results, the oldest dog breed in the world is the Basenji from Africa, which was used to track and hunt prey.

A clear pattern emerged in almost every culture investigated: human gender seems to have had a large impact on human-dog co-evolution. The team found that women’s opinions on the dogs in their society consistently had the largest impact on how the dogs were treated by everyone else. This meant that if the women in a given society liked dogs and held them in high regard, the dogs in that society were much more likely to be named, treated given affection by everyone, and be a more intimate part of family life. When women valued dogs, the society saw them as more important and useful and they were often mourned by when they died.

12. The top 4 oldest breeds of dogs

according to a genome-sequencing

study

13. Large study on dogs shows stark

breed-based differences in fears and

personality.

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In this study, anthropologists looked at the role of dogs in 144 different subsistence-level cultures in many areas of the modern world. By looking at these cultures — combined with historical/archeological evidence - we can gain more understanding of dogs’ role in our long-conjoined past.

Next is the Chinese Saluki, a graceful sight hound used to hunt rabbits and to act as a watchdog.

Following the Saluki is the Tibetan Mastiff, a large and powerful dog with a thick coat that came in handy while it was guarding flocks of sheep and snowy monasteries. Finally, the 4th oldest dog breed is the Siberian Husky, which was created by the Chukchi tribe of Siberia. These dogs were used for pulling sleds in temperatures as low as-60°C as well as for guarding their owner’s homes.

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This study examined almost 14,000 Finnish dogs of many different breeds to see if it could establish any breed-based differences in common anxiety-based behaviour problems. They suggest that breeders should start focusing more on reducing each breeds problem behaviours rather than focusing on the physical look of the dog. Limitations of this study include relying on owner self-reports (somewhat mitigated by the very large sample size) and that it only looked at pets and not working animals.

The following list shows the breed most likely to display the given problem behaviour:

were presented with either their owner or a stranger who was crying and upset. The study predicted that dogs would mostly show empathetic behaviours – defined as nudging, whining, placing a paw on the knee, acting submissive - to their owners.

Surprisingly almost all the dogs showed empathetic behaviours to both their owners and a stranger equally. This shows a high likelihood that the dogs cared about the person’s emotions - rather than only what the person could provide them.

15. Owning a dog reduces your chances

of developing Schizophrenia.

• Fear of thunder: Lagotto Romagnolo • Fear of heights and unusual floor surfaces: Rough Collie • Fear of strangers: Spanish Water Dog • Aggression towards strangers: Miniature Schnauzer • Aggression towards family members: Miniature Schnauzer • Barking when left alone: Wheaton Terrier • Hyperactivity/Impulsivity: 1st was Mixed breeds, 2nd was German Shepherds • Tail Chasing: Staffordshire Bull Terrier

APRIL - MAY 2021

14. Dogs demonstrate empathy

to a crying human

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Are dogs selfish and only offer empathy to those who can give them something in return, or are they empathetic to everyone indiscriminately?

This is the question this study attempted to answer Researchers examined how dogs behaved when they

In this study, researchers wanted to know if owning a dog while growing up (under the age of 12) helped prevent people from developing either Bi-polar disorder or Schizophrenia. The study included nearly 1400 people who were a) confirmed Bi-polar, b) confirmed Schizophrenic or c) part of a control group without mental illness. Although owning a dog had no impact on the likelihood of developing Bi-polar disorder, they did find a connection between childhood dog ownership and a person’s likelihood of developing Schizophrenia.

Surprisingly, people were 25% less likely to develop Schizophrenia if they owned a dog before the age of 12. If someone owned a dog from birth or the dog was added to the family before the child turned two, then the risk of that person developing Schizophrenia was reduced by an amazing 50%!

Curiously, cat ownership at any point in the life course did not have any sort of protective effect against either condition.

16. Bigger-brained canines perform better

on executive functioning type tests Sorry small-dog owners, but this study suggests that larger breed dogs not only have better short-

they were experiencing a blood sugar spike or crash.

After looking at 4000 reports collected by study participants paired with a dog over the 12 weeks of the study, researchers found that the dogs accurately alerted the person 83% of the time. This study has important implications for further training and research of Diabetic service dogs, as having an alert dog would greatly improve the lives and independence of type 1 Diabetics.

17. Medical alert dogs can vastly

improve the lives of people with

type 1 Diabetes.

It is only in recent decades that we have learned how many different jobs dogs can be trained to do.

A recent discovery is that dogs can be trained to help type 1 Diabetics safely monitor their blood sugar. This study, conducted in 2019, is the first large scale study of its kind that looked at how accurate 27 dogs were in alerting their owners that

This fascinating snippet of Chinese history is about an ancient breed – the Pekingese. These dogs have been a part of Chinese culture since 700 BC and were called ‘lion dogs’ after an old legend where a lion and a marmoset fell in love. Since the lion was so large, their love was impossible, so the lion asked the gods for help. Moved by their love story, the gods shrunk the lion to the size of the marmoset.

These two went on to have offspring – the Pekingese.

This legend explains why the Chinese emperors nicknamed the courageous little dogs ‘the lion dog’ and used them as companions in the royal palaces.

The dogs were kept small on purpose so they could be tucked into the billowing robes of the emperors to help them stay warm and act as sleeve warmers! These dogs had a revered place in court and only royals were allowed to own and breed them. They had lavish lives: they were fed only the best meat and rice, slept on silk pillows, and had their own dedicated team of eunuchs to walk, bathe, and groom them. So great was the esteem they cultivated that if anyone out walking or doing errands saw one, they were expected to bow before it, as they would a human member of royalty.

APRIL - MAY 2021

term memories, but that they also exhibit better self-control in tempting situations (even when the researchers controlled for prior training).

Researchers are not sure yet why this is the case, but they suspect that since bigger dogs have larger brains, there is potentially more space for the work of cognition, or perhaps more (or more wellconnected) neurons in a larger brain. Although the above differences were observed, there were some dimensions of intelligence (such as social/ emotional) that were not affected by dog size or brain size.

18. The Pekingese - an ancient Chinese

breed who lived a life of luxury

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19. Stray dogs in Moscow have mastered

using the complex subway system

APRIL - MAY 2021

If you’ve ever seen the Disney movie ‘Oliver and Company’, you know that being a stray dog is no walk in the park. It’s challenging to survive in the city without regular access to the privileges afforded to owned pets such as veterinary care, food, and shelter. Yet, Moscow’s 35,000 stray dogs have found some ingenious methods of surviving and adapting in a difficult environment.

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Russian Researchers report that the dogs have learned on their own how to ride the complicated city subway system in order to move around the city to find food and shelter. They also have learned that to avoid being kicked off, they have to lie down and appear passive and quiet. These dogs also understand the traffic light system and travel in packs to find food. Researchers have observed that the stray dog packs have also developed two common strategies to maximize how much food they can obtain every day. The first is that they prioritize sending the smallest and cutest pack members out to beg, somehow sensing that they will be more successful. The second is something called the ‘bark-and-grab’ where one dog sneaks up behind someone eating from a street vendor and jumps on them and barks, while the second dog waits in the front to grab the person’s food as they stumble and drop it. These dogs could certainly give the fictional Dodger from the movie a run for his money!

20. The record for the largest litter of

puppies is unbelievable…

Although puppies are adorable and fun, they can

also be a handful due to their mischievous natures and boundless energy. Breeders of large breed dogs know they can expect litters of pups anywhere from 7-10 individuals, but can you imagine if an owner ended up with double the number of puppies expected? That’s what happened to the owner of Tia, the Neapolitan Mastiff, when Tia became the Guinness World Record holder for the largest litter of puppies ever delivered – 24! All the pups were delivered via C-section in 2004.

21. Dogs are unlikely to contract COVID –

but they are being trained to detect it Since we are all sick of COVID, our final interesting fact is that our dogs are not only helping us weather the pandemic with cuteness, cuddles, and companionship, but they are also assisting us - yet again - through the strength of their powerful noses.

Since dogs already use their vastly superior sense of smell to assist humans in other ways, researchers in these studies decided to find out if they could also be trained to detect if a person was COVID positive. In this study, 5 of the 6 dogs were working Belgian Malinois, with 1 being a search and rescue dog, 3 being explosive detective dogs, and 2 being colon-cancer detective dogs. Results ranged from 76% accuracy of detection for the SAR dog, with up to 100% accuracy for the 2 colon-cancer detection dogs. Researchers state that more research is needed on a larger pool of detection dogs of varying breeds, but that initial results are very promising. It seems that trained scent detection dogs can indeed be successfully cross-trained to detect if a person is COVID positive or not.

Mental Enrichment!

WORK OUT YOUR BRAIN! For people – try this Word Jumble.

Unscramble each of the clue words.

Take the letters that appear in the circled boxes and unscramble them for the final message.

Both people and pets need to challenge their brain.

My Fish have a drinking problem.

They are always WOKEA DEEDEN RNKID TAFS Answer

What a Party!

This jumble was created by The Blue Sheet Clubhouse, a group of brain injury survivors. The Cridge Centre for the Family’s Brain Injury Services provides independent housing with support for survivors of brain injury. Through the development of support groups like The Blue Sheet Clubhouse we strive to provide opportunities for personal development and reintegration in the community.

is on page 57 (in the Calendar section)

For pets – try one of the many enrichment toys available.

We are giving one away in our Mystery Box Contest in May!

How to win!

This Nina Ottosson enrichment toy for your dog will be included in our box full of goodies!

Follow us on our Social Media May 3rd to May 7th for all the information and a chance to win.

APRIL - MAY 2021

CONTEST TIME!

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Get Ready – BABY!

APRIL - MAY 2021

By Valerie Barry, KPA-CTP Dog Partners www.dogpartners.ca

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Author’s new great niece, Annika

I

get a lot of calls for help from families who have welcomed a new baby into their lives only to discover that their dogs are less than thrilled about the new addition. One of my goals with my training business is to find the best way to reach people with dogs already who are planning a family while they are still planning. Maybe this article will help.

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Here are some things to think about and some training tips for you if you’re a dog-owning couple or single person who is planning to add children to the family.

1. Address any issues your dog already has as soon as possible.

Reversible Easy snap on, Minor issues like pulling on leash, barking at the doorbell, barking at noises outside, inappropriate chewing, etc. will become very challenging when you have a newborn baby. Walking a baby and a dog together will be difficult with a pulling dog, and naps for baby will definitely be impacted by a regularly barking dog in the house.

Can be personalized with pets name

It’s important to understand that even though your dog may be very friendly and appropriately behaved with people, you can’t assume that will automatically extend to a new baby in your house without some preparation and pre-planning. It’s best to be proactive rather than find out after the fact that your dog isn’t thrilled with a new “small human” occupying his space.

There also seems to be a general perception that certain behaviours displayed by dogs are “protective” behaviours and that’s not a bad thing. While actual “protection” may or may not be what that dog is

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Visit our website for the latest designs! www.petconnection.ca Net proceeds goes to Rescue Groups in Canada.

APRIL - MAY 2021

More serious issues like resource guarding, inappropriate mouthing, reactivity to dogs or people, difficulty being touched and handled, separation distress, etc. can immediately become a much more serious problem when you factor in a newborn baby and/or small child. There are immediate considerations as well as future considerations when you envision a future with your child’s friends visiting your home and interacting with your dog too.

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feeling (we can’t and won’t know our dog’s motivation for anything), this is not a role we need or should want our dogs to take on. Your family dog needs to fill the role of friendly family pet only.

a. Socialize your dog to the sights and

sounds of children.

Even if you did this when your dog was a puppy, take the time to go back over the appropriate socialization steps and watch carefully for your dog’s comfort level. If you see any discomfort, avoidance behaviour or reactivity, you will know that you need to put some work in re-doing some of that early socialization to increase your dog’s comfort and tolerance. b. Get as much of your baby equipment

and supplies as you can in advance.

If you do have serious issues with your dog or if you’re not sure, be proactive and hire a professional, force-free trainer (very important that they are force-free) to set up a plan to help you with your dog’s issues long before you welcome a new child into your home. You may or may not be able to solve every issue your dog has, but you will receive valuable professional advice on properly identifying any issues, and the appropriate training and management strategies to keep everyone safe.

2. Proactive Preparation.

APRIL - MAY 2021

Even if you have a perfectly friendly dog now, you want to work hard to preserve that and give lots of thought to preparing your dog for the new addition to your lives.

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Get as much of your baby equipment…

The earlier you can get set up for your baby, the sooner your dog can get used to the sights, sounds and smells of it all. If furniture is going to be moved or changed, do that now. If you’re using a baby monitor, a crib mobile with sound or other baby items that make noise, get your dog used to those sounds now. Even the smell of various lotions and baby items can be something to desensitize your dog to in advance. If you can get your dog used to all these things early on, then your dog won’t be

as likely to make any negative association to the new addition and the associated changes to his environment. c. Where will your dog be when you are

busy with your baby?

d. Make any changes to your routine now

if you can.

If you will be changing things like when you take your dog on walks, when dinner will be, what the morning routine will be, etc. practice this as much as you can now so it’s not such a big change for your dog – particularly if his own routine will change much.

Think about where the most suitable spot for your dog would be to be included but safely apart when you are busy with your baby. Place training is ideal so that you can use a mat or bed as a “target” for your dog: “you stay there while we do this here for a few moments”. Depending on the space you have, you could have a bed for your dog in various parts of the house or just outside the general vicinity – like just inside or outside the door of baby’s room, or just outside the bathroom during bath time, or on the couch or behind a baby gate on his mat while baby is moving around on the floor, etc. Get your dog used to the areas that are his well in advance so it’s a practiced routine.

Author’s new great niece, Ellie

APRIL - MAY 2021

e. Is your dog currently allowed on any

surfaces that will be shared with your

new baby?

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your dog a positive “off ” cue so you can verbally control your dog’s movement when you need to and when your arms are full. If the cue is trained and practiced in advance, your dog will simply respond automatically as opposed to feeling any confusion or resentment at being told to get off something he’s used to having free access to.

3. Walking your dog.

If you intend to have peaceful strolls with your dog and your new baby through the neighbourhood, practice those walks before baby arrives. a. Practice walking with your dog and the stroller now so both of you know what this will look like.

Molly sleeping comfortably on her bed beside the couch

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If it’s your intention to change that when the baby arrives – no dogs on couches as an example – put those rules into place now and give your dog an alternative place to be so the loss of couch privileges isn’t associated with the baby. If you still intend to have them as shared surfaces, take the time to train

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b. Fix any issues that he has with his leash walking now: • Will your dog be walking on the left, right or behind you?

• Can he switch sides as needed or walk behind or in front when directed?

• Can he easily pass by other people / dogs he meets

on a narrow sidewalk while you manage him and your stroller?

necessary once you factor in strollers and more than one child if that is your future plan.

• Does he lunge at squirrels or crows or other fastmoving things occasionally?

f. If you need a different piece of equipment for your dog to ensure safety for all (a new harness, head halter, muzzle, longer/shorter leash, etc.) get your dog used to that now so that the new equipment is not associated with the newcomer in your home but rather becomes part of the usual daily routine.

d. Consider doing some training to teach your dog cues to move from one side to the other so it’s easy for him to do and becomes a practiced behaviour in advance of needing to use it. e. Most of us walk our dogs on one side more than the other. Take the time to teach your dog to walk easily on both sides of you. This is likely to become

Even if your intention is to only walk your dog and child together when there are 2 of you present (one to manage the dog and one to manage the baby), you should still practice all of that before it becomes reality.

I’ve met many previously friendly dogs who suddenly become reactive when the whole family unit is out for walks. It may be a new sense of “protection” or “resource guarding” or a sudden onset of anxiety with these new

APRIL - MAY 2021

c. Even if your dog has perfect leash walking skills, purchase / borrow a stroller well before you need one so you can desensitize your dog to the noises it makes and to walking with you and the stroller because it’s just going to feel different to your dog.

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circumstances – we don’t and won’t know the answer to that. However, if you practice now you have a chance to easily and calmly make new and pleasant associations for your dog and to create a familiar routine before you need to factor in your newborn baby. You can make this new routine comfortable for your dog proactively so that any emotions that may still arise can be quickly soothed and things can transition more smoothly to the new addition being added to the routine.

4. A safe, child-free zone for your dog.

Put some thought into creating a safe space for your dog to retreat to when he feels he needs a break from a busier household. This should be set up and introduced positively to your dog well in advance of the arrival of your baby. It should be a space well out of the general traffic of your home, be very inviting for your dog and a space that can also be shut off if necessary, with a baby gate or door.

APRIL - MAY 2021

It could be a corner or room that can be closed off by a baby gate or door; or it could be a crate or pen that

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your dog is comfortable and happy being enclosed in.

Help your dog get used to this space, encourage him to spend time in there with the creative use of treat dispensing toys. Also work on getting him comfortable being enclosed in there in case that becomes necessary at times – particularly when your child begins moving about on the ground and in the future when your child has friends over.

You must make a promise to your dog that no child will invade his safe space – it is truly his own to use when he needs it, and you will keep that safe and secure just for him.

Helpful Training Tip: Train your dog to go to and stay on a particular bed or mat.

“Place” training is such a useful behaviour in so many ways! I think it’s important that dogs aren’t necessarily included in all aspects of baby life such as when baby is

sleeping, eating, being changed or cuddled. They can be present but, on their mat, as opposed to right in the thick of the action. We don’t want to exclude them – in fact we very much want to include them – but we do need to keep baby safe and also be able to attend to him or her as necessary and be assured that the dog knows what his role is and where his place is during these times.

Having a bed or more than one bed in various areas of your home for your dog can be very useful. Training him to go there when asked and stay until released is even more useful! Once again, you need to ensure that when you cue your dog to his bed, no child will disturb him during that time. I would also follow up by teaching your children not to disturb a dog on his bed at any time whether he’s there by request or choice – it’ a simple safety and comfort rule for your dog.

Keep in mind that even if you’ve already taught your dog this skill, he may need a refresher once you factor in the noises of baby crying or fussing as a new distraction.

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APRIL - MAY 2021

Magazine

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Here is great video from trainer Emily Larlham from her YouTube channel “Dog Training by Kikopup” on the steps for teaching your dog to go to his bed/place. https://youtu.be/U2c5EkytNU0

happens when baby is absent, and he can easily begin to resent the baby being present. Just try and shift this perception around – even better things happen when the baby is with us and you are too!

Here is another great video from Emily. This video goes over conditioning a dog to a new space like a crate or pen – you could easily use this for conditioning the bed and then the new space whether it’s a crate or a room for his new safe space. https://youtu.be/P8yc5Y9HGY4

Good luck with your training and helping your dog welcome your new addition – keep it positive and proactive!

APRIL - MAY 2021

A final word of advice.

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My final piece of advice to you is to make sure to safely incorporate your dog into the time that baby is awake, and you are focussed on your baby more than your dog.

This may be with your dog on his bed or in his safe space, or he may be out for a walk with you all, or he may be simply lounging on the other end of the couch while you cuddle baby in preparation for a nap. Don’t lavish extra attention on your dog when the baby is sleeping or not present in order to “make it up to your dog” for the times you are busy with baby and not him. I know this is an effort to make sure your dog doesn’t resent all the attention the baby receives but I think it can backfire. I think your dog can begin to think that all the good stuff

Annika and her Dad

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APRIL - MAY 2021

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PET PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS

By Carlos Alanis Miljour

APRIL - MAY 2021

✔

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A few tips on taking the PURRfect images of your pets!

1.

✔ ✖

Get at their level! That means sometimes getting on the floor either on your stomach or your back to be able to see what they see.

This will create greater impact in your photos of your four-legged friends.

2. ✖ APRIL - MAY 2021

Lighting is key.

If you are taking pictures outdoors, the time of day will play a big role on how your images will look. Forecast is bright sunny day? Take your pictures at sunrise or sunsets, they both offer a great soft lighting. Forecasts calls for a cloudy day? Take out your camera! Those are ideal lighting conditions days, as they create a great uniform lighting.

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✔ 3.

Who does not like to get rewarded, right? Having some of your pet’s favorite treats or toys will do wonders to get their attention and it can also be great for them to learn new tricks and get that perfect pose!

APRIL - MAY 2021

✔

54

✔ 4.

Do not be afraid to sound ridiculous!

Make weird noises to get them to look at you and maybe you will get lucky and capture that famous cute head tilt. Just make sure you are positioned and ready to snap some shots before you start because these noises, since they will generally only work the first few times.

✔

5.

Focus on their expressions. Your pet’s eyes are generally what you want in focus to capture their emotions and being able to reflect that through your images.

BC SPCA AnimalKind Accredited Our methods are Fear Free Certified Positive and Force-Free

Valerie Barry, KPA-CTP 604.868.5145 hello@dogpartners.ca

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• Puppies, Adolescent and Adult Dogs • Aggressive, Fearful and Reactive Dogs • Veterinary Clinics and Dog Friendly Offices • Behaviour Modification Programs • Remote Training Options

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Group Classes and Private Training

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✖

6.

Avoid the on-camera flash. These harsh lights that are often built in our smart phones or digital cameras create some non-flattering images that will also produce red or green dots in their eyes. Instead, try having them close to a window if there is no good lighting when taking pictures indoors.

APRIL - MAY 2021

✔

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7.

Finally, be conscious of the surroundings. Make sure the background is clear of any objects that may detract from the focus on your subject. After all your fur baby should be the star of the picture!

Many events are either postponed or cancelled due to Covid-19.

Check your local area for updates.

April 2021

May 2021

Friday - Monday April 2nd - 5th Easter

Monday May 24 Victoria Day

Saturday April 24th World Day for Laboratory Animals A day to end suffering of animals in laboratories around the world.

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RULES

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Contest is only open to Canadian pets alive and living in Canada. If you have multiple pets, you can send in multiple photos, but please only one photo per pet per month.

PHOTO SIZE: your jpg (photo) must be over 1MB in size to be considered.

Prizes must be accepted as awarded.

Preference will be given to photos that have room above the pet (see 2020 winning photo (above) the example in this photo is the sky area).

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NEW 4 Paws Pure 1823 1st Avenue, Prince George, BC Amore Pet Foods 4540 Hastings Street, Burnaby, BCC Best Friends Pet Market 5700 Dolphin Avenue, Sechelt, BC Growlies, Fresh Pet Foods #118 - 2871 Jacklin Road, Victoria, BC Healthy Spot Pet Nutrition #5 - 1050 - 10th Ave, SW Salmon Arm, BC Healthy Spot Pet Nutrition 3115 48 Ave #200, Vernon, BC In The Raw, Food for Dogs and Cats 150 E 2nd Street, N. Vancouver, BC

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Tail Blazers #240 - 6130 - 67th Street, Red Deer, Alta.

Tail Blazers West End 10023 - 170th Street, Edmonton, Alta.

Tail Blazers Windermere 320 Windermer Rd. NW, Edmonton, Alta.

Tail Blazers 280 Mud Street W., Unit E2, Hannon, Ont. Tail Blazers 1877 Regent Street, Unit B, Sudbury, Ont. The Hungry Pooch - Lakeshore 486 Advance Blvd, Tecumseh, Ont. The Hungry Pooch 2451A Dougall Avenue, Windsor, Ont. Thrive 4 Life Holistic Pet Food Store 16572 York Durham Line Whitchurch-Stouffville, Ont.

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