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GETTING THE SCOOP ON CANADA’S PET CULTURE VOLUME 14 • ISSUE 6 • FEBRUARY - MARCH 2022

Inside: Canine Parvovirus

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by Dr. Colin Parrish

How to Transition to a Raw Cat Food Diet

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by Margaret Gates

Nebulizer Use for Dogs and Cats

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by Dr. Kathy J. Morris-Stilwell

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Dogs Don’t Get Heart Attacks, But They Do Get This

by Dr. Tony Johnson

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What We Should Know About Geopathic Stress

by Lucy Jabrayan

What is Halitosis?

Ozzy

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by Dr. Jan Bellows

Nail Boards an Alternative to Clipping Nails

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by Dr. Christine Calder

Mine!

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IN EVERY ISSUE 4

Letter from the Publisher Mark Your Calendars!

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Cross Canada Photo Contest

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Cover Photo: Gilligan, WINNER of the 2021 Photo Contest Photo Courtesy of Karen Gray For more on Gilligan, see page 54

Link

FEBRUARY - MARCH 2022

by Valerie Barry

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Letter from the Publisher PUBLISHER Leslie Kennedy Tel: 604.220.5346 info@petconnection.ca www.petconnection.ca GRAPHIC DESIGN Britton Design Services CONTRIBUTORS Valerie Barry Dr. Jan Bellows Dr. Christine Calder Margaret Gates Lucy Jabrayan Dr. Tony Johnson Dr. Colin R. Parrish Dr. Kathy J. Morris-Stilwell

‘It takes a village’…

Media in Canada is primarily owned by a small number of companies Bell, Rogers, Postmedia, Quebecor and the taxpayer funded Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Along with Television, they also own most of the print publications under various affiliates and subsidiaries.

We at Pet Connection are totally independent, and we just want to take this time to Thank all of our supporters. ‘It takes a village’…, for pets too and we sincerely Thank all of our advertisers, subscribers, contributors and readers.

Like minded, health focused, caring and kind people across Canada that share the same values and concerns for their pets health have helped make the difference for so many pets.

Let’s continue to support each other and lets make 2022 the best year ever.

Pet Connection is published 6 times a year. Founded in 2008.

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- Leslie Kennedy Publisher

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

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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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Here’s to good health and well being for all Canadians and for their pets.

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FEBRUARY - MARCH 2022

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

Dr. Jan Bellows is one of 152 board certified veterinary dentists in the U.S. He has served on the board of directors and as president of the American Veterinary Dental College, The Veterinary Dental Forum, and The Foundation for Veterinary Dentistry. He is also a diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners, an organization that certifies veterinarians who excel in clinical medicine and surgery. His practice, All Pets Dental, is located in Weston, Florida. In addition to his general veterinary practice, Dr. Bellows repairs broken teeth and treats periodontal disease in dogs, cats, rabbits, and ferrets. www.slowvetmed.com/pet-library.pml?id=8198134

FEBRUARY - MARCH 2022

Dr. Christine Calder, DVM, DACVB, Dr. Calder earned her DVM from the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine and has lived and practiced veterinary medicine in both her home state of New Jersey and Maine for many years. www.slowvetmed.com/pet-library.pml?id=9673034

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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. FelineNutritionFoundation.org

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. Tony Johnson, DVM, DACVECC, is a 1996 Washington State University grad and obtained board certification in the shadowy art of emergency medicine and critical care in 2003. He is currently the Minister of Happiness for VIN and is a former clinical assistant professor at Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine. He has lectured for several international veterinary conferences and is an active blogger and writer. www.vetzinsight.com

Dr. Kathy J. Morris-Stilwell, DVM, Dr. Morris is a member of the Southeastern Michigan Veterinary Medical Association and of the Veterinary Information Network (VIN). She is a moderator on the Mega-E chat group, and has posted helpful nebulizer videos to help patients with megaesophagus. Dr. Morris won the 2008 Vet of the Year contest sponsored By Drs. Foster and Smith.

FEBRUARY - MARCH 2022

Dr. Colin R. Parrish, Ph.D. is the John M. Olin Professor of Virology at the Baker Institute for Animal Health in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University. He is a BSc (Hons.) graduate of Massey University in New Zealand where he majored in Microbiology and Biochemistry. A Ph.D. in Virology from Cornell University in 1984 was followed by postdoctoral studies on flaviviruses at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. He has been on the faculty of Cornell’s College of Veterinary Medicine since 1988, where his research focuses on viral diseases and pathogenesis, virus structure, and virus evolution - including the evolution of new host ranges. His laboratory studies parvoviruses and influenza viruses. www.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/canine-health-center

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Canine Parvovirus

FEBRUARY - MARCH 2022

By Dr. Colin Parrish

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anine parvovirus (CPV) is a highly contagious viral disease of dogs that commonly causes acute gastrointestinal illness in puppies. The disease most often strikes in pups between six and 20 weeks old, but older animals are sometimes also affected.

A rare variant of the disease may be seen in very young (neonatal) puppies is myocarditis (an inflammation of the heart muscle).

Cause What causes parvovirus infection?

Why and how might my dog become infected?

Canine parvovirus can be found in almost any environment, but not every dog who comes into contact with the virus becomes infected. Several factors come into play in infection, including the immune status of the dog and the number of viruses the dog is exposed to.

If the combination of factors is just right and a dog does become infected, a specific sequence of events is begun as the virus attacks the body.

Three decades after its first appearance, CPV strikes puppies with deadly disease much less frequently due to the development of effective vaccines in the late 1970s, but outbreaks still occur frequently, and vaccinating your dog is of the utmost importance. Puppies and adolescent dogs are especially susceptible to parvovirus, and you should avoid bringing your puppy to public places where there is likely to be lots of virus (animal shelters and kennels) until after their vaccinations are complete.

FEBRUARY - MARCH 2022

The virus that causes the disease known as “parvo”, canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV), first emerged among dogs in Europe around 1976. By 1978 the virus had spread unchecked, causing a worldwide epidemic of myocarditis and inflammation in the intestines (gastroenteritis). We now know the virus is not limited to dogs, but is capable of causing infections in wild canines such as coyotes and wolves, and other wild animals, including foxes, raccoons and skunks. CPV is closely related to feline panleukopenia virus (FPV), a virus that has been know since the 1920s to infect cats and mink and other animals. CPV probably arose as the result of 2 or 3 genetic mutations in FPV that allowed it to expand its host range to infect dogs.

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What happens during infection?

Once a dog or puppy is infected, there is an incubation period of three to seven days before the onset of first symptoms. Inside the dog, CPV needs the help of rapidly dividing cells in order to successfully cause disease, and the virus usually begins by attacking the tonsils or lymph nodes of the throat. Once inside the lymph nodes, the virus typically invades lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell) for one or two days, creating many copies of itself. These viruses hitch a ride inside the lymphocytes, where they are sheltered from the host defenses, and enter the bloodstream. Many of these CPV-infected lymphocytes are ultimately killed, causing a reduction in the number of circulating lymphocytes, a condition called lymphopenia.

Once in the bloodstream, the virus again targets rapidly dividing cells, hitting hardest in the bone marrow and in the cells that line the walls of the small intestine. In very young dogs, CPV can also infect the heart, leading to inflammation of heart muscle, poor function, and arrhythmias.

FEBRUARY - MARCH 2022

In the bone marrow, the virus weakens the body’s ability to protect itself by destroying young immune cells and causing a drop in the protective white blood cell count.

This probably makes it significantly easier for the virus to invade the gastrointestinal tract, where the virus does its worst damage.

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The virus causes this destruction by targeting the epithelium of the small intestine, the lining that helps to absorb nutrients and provides a crucial barrier against fluid loss and bacterial invasion from the gut into the body. The cells that make up the epithelial surface are short-lived and are replaced continually by new cells born in the rapidly-dividing areas known as the crypts of Lieberkühn. The virus invades these crypts where new epithelial cells are born and disables the body’s ability to replenish the intestinal surface.

By preventing the replacement of old and dying cells with fresh new cells, the virus leaves the intestinal surface unable to adequately absorb nutrients, prevent fluid loss into the stool, or prevent bacteria from moving from the gut into the body. Severe diarrhea and nausea are the initial result, but eventually the intestinal surface

can become so damaged that it begins to break down, and the bacteria that are normally confined to the gut penetrate the intestine walls and enter the bloodstream.

This causes both significant fluid loss from diarrhea and widespread infection inside the body. To make matters worse, the body’s immune system is already weakened, as its ability to produce new white blood cells to combat infection has been hampered by the invasion of CPV into the bone marrow. CPV is not always fatal, but when it does kill, death is as a result of either dehydration and shock, along with the effects of septic toxins produced by the intestinal bacteria roaming throughout the bloodstream.

Symptoms and complications Symptoms often associated with CPV include lethargy, depression, and loss or lack of appetite, followed by a sudden onset of high fever, vomiting, and diarrhea. If your dog is experiencing bouts of bloody diarrhea and/or vomiting, CPV is only one of several potential culprits.

Your veterinarian can run several tests to help determine whether your dog is infected with CPV.

Tests and diagnosis How will my vet diagnose CPV? By far the most common and most convenient method of testing for the presence of CPV is the fecal ELISA test. ELISA is an acronym for enzymelinked immunosorbent assay, a technology is similar to that used in home pregnancy tests. In an ELISA test, antibodies to parvovirus are immobilized on the surface of a testing chamber. A fecal sample is added to the chamber, and antibodies attach to parvovirus proteins that may be present in the stool. A colorchanging chemical is then added to the chamber, and if parvoviruses have attached to the antibodies, the chemical will change color and indicate a “positive” result. CPV fecal ELISA tests can usually be completed by your veterinarian in less than 15 minutes. Though the ELISA test is fairly accurate, it is can occasionally produce false positive or false negative results, so further testing may be necessary to confirm a diagnosis.

Veterinarians may also rely on a test that uses a techniques called polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to

A simple measure of white blood cell count is often the clincher for a CPV diagnosis. Because one of the first things the parvovirus infects is the bone marrow, a low white blood cell count can be suggestive of CPV infection. If a dog has both a positive ELISA reading and a low white blood cell count, a fairly confident diagnosis of CPV may be made.

Treatment What are the treatment options for dogs with CPV? Treatment options for dogs suffering from CPV involve

supportive care and management of symptoms. Treatment options will vary, depending on how sick the dog is, but certain aspects are considered vital for all patients.

A hospital stay is often necessary so that the dog can receive intravenous fluids and nutrients to replace the vast quantities lost via vomiting and diarrhea. An intravenous drip is preferred because the digestive tract of stricken dogs is usually in distress and can’t tolerate or absorb what the dog needs. Blood transfusions may also be helpful to boost low blood cell counts that may result from CPV infecting the bone marrow.

Antibiotics may be appropriate therapy for a dog suffering from CPV, administered either intravenously or as injections, to help fight the infection if intestinal bacteria have entered the bloodstream. In addition, medications to control nausea and diarrhea are sometimes useful. Many dogs will respond to medical therapy if it is initiated in a timely fashion, and those dogs that recover from CPV infection retain lifelong protective immunity against the strain that infected them.

FEBRUARY - MARCH 2022

diagnose CPV from fecal samples. The CPV fecal PCR test detects small pieces of viral DNA that are specific to CPV in the stool of an infected dog. This test is very accurate (more so than CPV fecal ELISA), but requires that a fecal sample be sent to a laboratory that specializes in performing PCR-based testing, so it generally requires more time than a CPV fecal ELISA.

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Prevention How do I vaccinate my pet against CPV?

FEBRUARY - MARCH 2022

Since the advent of a number of effective canine vaccinations for CPV, this infectious disease has become much less of a threat to dogs. This does not mean, however, that CPV does not remain a serious problem, and vaccination of your dog should not be considered an option – it is a must.

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Veterinarians usually administer the CPV vaccine as part of a combination shot which includes, among others, the distemper, canine adenovirus, and parainfluenza vaccines.

These shots are given every 3 to 4 weeks from the time a puppy is 6 weeks old until he is at least 16 weeks of age. A booster vaccination is recommended one year later, and then at one at three year intervals thereafter.

How else can I help prevent the disease?

The tiny parvovirus is extraordinarily hardy. They are capable of surviving for months outside an animal, even through the winter, and are resistant to most household cleaning products. Infected dogs can shed vast numbers of viruses, making it difficult to disinfect an area once it has

been exposed to an infected dog. These facts highlight the importance of isolating any dog that is infected with CPV from other dogs. Given the fact that most environments (including dog parks, lawns, and even homes) are not cleaned with disinfecting products regularly, a puppy can be exposed to CPV without any warning, making the vaccine protection all the more important.

If your home and yard have been contaminated by an infected dog, there are steps you can take to disinfect them before introducing a new dog or puppy. Despite its relative resistance to cleaning agents, we do know that CPV can be inactivated by bleach. Cleaning with a solution of one part bleach mixed with approximately 30 parts water is an acceptable method for disinfecting any indoor area (including bedding, food/water bowls, and all surfaces) that once housed an infected dog.

There is evidence suggesting that CPV loses some of its ability to infect an animal after one month in an indoor environment. Outside, you cannot (and should not) bleach your lawn, but rain or watering can dilute the concentration of the virus over time. This dilution, combined with the sanitizing effects of sunlight can bring the numbers of viruses down to an acceptable level in a few weeks.

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Additional Resources The AVMA brochure on parvovirus provides a brief overview of what pet owners can expect in canine parvovirus infections.

A more detailed resource for owners can be found at VeterinaryPartner.com.

Baker Institute and canine parvovirus The Baker Institute for Animal Health has a long history of working to prevent and treat canine parvovirus infection. The virus first emerged in the United States, Europe, Asia and Australia in 1978, when a virus similar to feline panleukopenia virus crossed over from cats to cause a new type of disease among domestic dogs. Within two years the virus had spread worldwide, killing thousands of dogs and possibly infecting millions more. Baker Institute scientists, including Drs. Leland Carmichael and Max Appel, first isolated the virus later that same year, and by 1979 had developed the first vaccine for parvo. By 1981, Baker Institute scientists had created an improved attenuated vaccine for the disease.

Today, Dr. Colin Parrish continues to study the virus and its evolution in order to determine whether existing vaccines provide adequate protection from modern strains of CPV. For more on Parrish’s recent research, such as the following paper recently published, visit: www.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-andinstitutes/canine-health-center.

Voorhees Ian EH, Lee Hyunwook, Allison Andrew B, Lopez-Astacio Robert, Goodman Laura B, Oyesola Oyebola O, Omobowale Omobowale, Fagbohun Olusegun, Dubovi Edward J, Hafenstein Susan L, Holmes Edward C, Parrish Colin R. Limited Intrahost Diversity and Background Evolution Accompany 40 Years of Canine Parvovirus Host Adaptation and Spread. J Virol. 2019 Dec 12;94(1).

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For veterinarians, the Merck Veterinary Manual provides a comprehensive chapter on parvoviral infection.

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HOW TO TRANSITION TO A RAW CAT FOOD DIET

By Margaret Gates

FEBRUARY - MARCH 2022

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ransitioning to raw food for cats is something that the majority of us will have to do until the time comes when people grab a kitten from its mother's teat and start feeding raw cat food from the beginning! But in the meantime, it’s a major issue in cat nutrition. This step-by-step approach, and patience, will work for nearly every cat. Kittens need no transition; they take to raw cat food like ducks to water. They eat the same as adult cats, just more of it and more often. Kittens need about twice as much per ounce of body weight as an adult. All that growing to do! Their stomachs are small, so they need to eat more often than adults, about every 4 to 6 hours. If you’re getting a kitten(s), start them off right and you won’t have to worry about transitioning them. Also, kittens should be introduced to raw meaty

bones, so they learn to eat them when they are young.

Most kittens will readily tackle a chicken wing if offered.

If you already have an older cat that will eat raw meaty bones, be sure to let the kittens learn from their older housemate. The kittens will copy the behaviors of the obligate carnivores around them.

Adolescent and Adult Cats We'll look at this in three stages: • From dry to canned • From canned to raw • Adding raw meaty bones

The transitioning tips below use the slow, gradual method. It usually works. Usually. For some cats, nothing seems to work. Give these methods a try and don’t give up too soon. I thought Kai would never switch. Gearing

myself up for feeding him separately forever, I turned around one day after three months and found him with his face buried in a plate of raw rabbit! I don’t usually advocate using hunger to help transitioning your cat, other than the normal mealtime hunger of 12 hours or so, but you can try it if your cat is particularly stubborn.

If your cat is adult, healthy and not obese, you can wait her out longer if she refuses to eat either canned or raw meals. How long can a cat go without eating? I wouldn’t go longer than 36 hours. Be aware that any cat, especially an overweight cat, is at risk for hepatic lipidosis if they don’t eat every day.

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The key to any transition is patience. The transition can be fast or very slow. In my household, transitioning to raw food for cats took about five seconds for some of them to three whole months for another. I have read about cats that took a year to transition. However long it takes yours, stick with it, it’s worth it.

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Whatever your cat eats at present, it’s always worth a try to just offer her some raw cat food. She may surprise you. See if she will eat some cut up raw chicken or turkey, or some raw chicken liver. If she does…well, this may be easy.

From Dry to Grain-Free Canned Cats become addicted to dry food, so this may be the hardest step, especially if your cat doesn’t also eat canned.

For cats that will only eat dry: First, stop free feeding the dry stuff. Your cat does not need to have it available at all times. Eating two or three meals a day is fine, as is going 12 hours between meals.

You want your cat to associate it with a person – you – not a place.

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Start bringing out it at regular mealtimes. Cats will learn the new routine very quickly. Leave it out for 30 minutes, and then put it away. At first, you may have to have more than two mealtimes a day. Cut back to two or

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three per day after a week, once your cat gets used to the whole idea of mealtimes. Put out one bowl for each cat, in separate rooms if necessary, so each cat feels relaxed about her meal.

Your cats will get hungry, but that’s good. Nothing enhances a meal more than having an appetite. Just make sure each cat does eat, every day.

Once they seem used to mealtimes and are coming to you for their meals, start offering canned. Choose a quality, grain-free canned product. Avoid fish, as these overly strong flavors are addictive – to the point of refusing other flavors. Fish is not ideal for cats and should be fed sparingly as an occasional treat only. Try putting their dry food on a flat plate with a little of the canned on the side. If they won’t eat the quality canned brand you chose, try a different brand. Use a lesserquality type if needed, as the goal at this point is to get them eating canned at all. They may ignore it completely, but it will get them to start associating the smell with dinner. Give this a week or so.

If they still aren’t interested, next try putting out a plate of the canned with some of their dry food on top, whole or crushed a little. Being a little hungry makes them more likely to try something new. They may just pick the kibble off – that’s okay. They will be getting just a taste of the canned with it. Keep at this, even if you end up throwing away the canned. Try different canned products; your cat may like one more than another.

If it looks like your cat is nibbling at the canned a bit, try putting out just the canned next time and see what happens. Some cats can be tempted by the gravy in some in the cans, and lick it off. That’s a step forward for a confirmed dry-food addict.

Try some meat baby food. Some cats will eat this even if they refuse canned. Try letting them lick it off your finger. If they will eat it, put a little on top of their canned meal.

You can try putting a little canned on your finger, and putting a little in your cat’s mouth. Only do this if it won't stress out or frighten your cat, as you definitely

don't want them to have a bad association with the new food or be afraid of you.

You can also try topping canned food with a dehydrated meat treat. Both of these are 100% meat, dehydrated into cubes. These products appeal to dry-food eaters as they are similar in texture, and the taste and odor are irresistible to most cats. Keep in mind that it’s a treat, not a meal. Another good bribe topping is shaved bonito flakes. Again, use fish products sparingly, not routinely.

You may ask “Why can’t I just soak the dry food in water?” From Dr. Lisa Pierson, DVM, at CatInfo.org: “Dry food has a high bacterial content. Mold is also often found in dry food. There have been many deaths of dogs and cats secondary to eating mold mycotoxins, vomitoxins and aflatoxins which often contaminate the grains found in dry food. If you want to try the trick of wetting down the dry food to alter the texture, please leave it out for only 20-30 minutes then discard it.

Bacteria and mold thrive in moisture.”

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Keep offering canned. Plain or with a bribe topping.

Don't give up, no matter how long it takes. Even if it takes months and months. Really, it’s that important for your cat. Eventually, they will figure out that this really is food.

Keep any dry food you have closed up as much as possible. Put it in an over-sized Ziploc®, or a large Tupperware® type container and then in a room the cats can’t get into. When they get hungry, they will try to get to it. Once your cats are eating canned food, get rid of the dry food altogether. Out of the house. Cats have an excellent sense of smell; if it's in the house, they’ll know.

Don’t get discouraged if your cat turns her nose up at something she liked just the day before. This isn’t unusual. That's how cats got that reputation for being finicky. Just try it again next time. Also, it isn’t unusual for a cat to act ravenous one day and not be overly interested in eating the next. Don’t worry about it if it happens occasionally.

Here's a tip: Take notes. Especially if you have more than one or two cats. Note which cats like what, and which flavors. You may have to try a lot of different kinds, It helps to have a record. It’s okay at this point if your cat only likes one kind; getting her off dry food is what's paramount. Always try to get your cats eating a quality grain-free canned food, but it’s acceptable if at first they will only eat a lesser quality food. Just be sure to transition to quality grain-free canned or raw cat food for the long run.

Once your cat is off dry food, and is used to mealtimes, give her at least a couple weeks on this new diet. Then start on the transition to raw food for cats.

For cats that eat dry and canned:

FEBRUARY - MARCH 2022

This one is easy. Get rid of all the dry food.

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Give them a couple weeks to get used to an all grain-free canned diet, with regular mealtimes, and then start the switch to raw cat food.

From Grain-Free Canned to Raw Cat Food First, try out some cut-up raw chicken or turkey, or chicken liver on your cat. Some cats go for it

immediately. Most of my cats took to raw food right away, but it helped that they were young. Kittens take to raw cat food with no problems. The younger the cat, the easier the transition will probably be.

For your first try, either buy some commerciallyprepared raw cat food, or make some homemade. My cats liked most of the different types of meat I tried: chicken, turkey, pheasant, quail and duck. Their hands – sorry – paws - down favorite is rabbit. This makes sense, as this is probably the closest to what they would be eating naturally. Or they know it’s more expensive than chicken. Vary what they get so they don’t get fixated on just one taste.

If they don't go for raw cat food right away, there are a number of things to try. Don't give up!

Make sure the raw food is warm. Think mouse body temperature. Don’t microwave it. Microwaving cooks the food and reduces the nutrients you’ve been so careful to obtain. Put it in a Ziploc® type baggie and place it in a bowl of warm water for 5-15 minutes, depending on how thawed it is. It’s sometimes easier to then cut the bottom corner off the baggie and squeeze the food out.

Put their canned food on a plate rather than in a bowl, and put a little raw food next to it. They probably won't eat it, but that’s okay. The idea is to get them used to the smell of it, and to start associating that smell with their meal. As you may have noticed, fresh raw meat has a very slight, subtle odor. Cats that are used to smelly canned food may not recognize it as edible at first.

Mix a little of the raw food with their canned food.

With my reluctant Kai, I started with a quarter teaspoon mixed into his meal. This is a tiny amount, and he would still sometimes eat around it. I kept it at this amount for a few weeks, and then upped it to a half teaspoon for another few weeks. I kept offering it to him plain also, on the side, but he never touched it. I increased it to about one teaspoon and kept it there. Hey cat, I can keep this up forever! He surprised me after three months by suddenly changing his mind and eating a plateful of

Try bribe foods sprinkled on top. Only use these if you need to; you don't want them to get hooked on these foods. Here are some toppings that worked for me: • Shaved bonito flakes. Use scissors in the can to cut it up into smaller flakes, something like oregano sized. It doesn’t need to be refrigerated, but I keep it in there anyway so the cats can’t get at it. They can smell it through the can.

• Grated Parmesan cheese. Hey, it’s Italian night!

• Brewer’s yeast. A good source of B vitamins. Don’t use baking yeast. Don't use brewer’s yeast on cats with digestive issues as it can cause bloating. Also, it can be allergenic to some cats.

• Organic catnip. Just a little.

• Crushed dehydrated treats. Use fish products in moderation.

• Juice from water-packed tuna or salmon.

Once your cats are eating raw cat food, be sure to introduce chunked meat into their meals, if you haven’t already. For their dental health and for their jaw muscles, cats need to chew, using the sides of their jaws. Cats who have only ever eaten canned food haven’t had to do much chewing, so you may have to start them gradually.

I add chunks, usually chicken, to all my homemade food and most of the commercial raw cat food I buy. It’s more time consuming, but my cats are worth it. I hope to forestall expensive dental problems down the road. I add small pieces, about a quarter-inch square on average, but some twice that size. At first, some of the cats ate around them, but shortly they were all chewing away, and none of the chunks was ever left over. Start small, and gradually increase the size up to the biggest your cat will eat. The lack of chunks is probably my only complaint with commercial raw foods, but you can always, and should, add your own to any thawed food.

FEBRUARY - MARCH 2022

rabbit. Unless this happens with you, just keep increasing the percentage of raw food, slowly, until it’s all raw. Keep giving your cat the opportunity to eat a plain raw meal.

Be patient. This is a big adjustment for your cat; let her guide you as to how fast you should go.

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FEBRUARY - MARCH 2022

Raw Meaty Bones This is the term for meat with bones, fed whole or in parts. Cats can eat small whole raw chicken parts or other small birds. Getting them to do it is sometimes the problem. I have one cat, Thodin, who is crazy for chicken wings. She will go nuts when I take any baggie out of the fridge, thinking she’s going to get a wing. She picks it up in her mouth, and runs off to a favorite spot in the kitchen and chomps away. She eats almost all of it, usually leaving only a small bone piece. She’ll pretty much eat as many as I’ll give her. I’m getting so I love to hear the sound of bones crunching from the next room!

• Try introducing raw meaty bones when your cats are hungry. They are more likely to give it a try.

If your cat has been eating dry or canned food for a long time, it may take a little time for their jaws to work up good chewing muscles to be able to tackle raw meaty bones. Start with boneless chunks in her ground food.

Once she’s had some practice chewing on hunks of meat, try her out on a small chicken wing.

• Try other small game birds or rabbit. They might hate chicken but love Cornish game hens or quail.

• Add smaller meaty bones to their regular meals if they are already used to eating chunks.

• Use your cat’s natural instinct to copy. If you have one cat that will eat raw meaty bones, give it one when all your cats are hungry and let them watch.

They know that cat has something good! After they show some interest, get out another and see if they’ll go for it. I know this sounds a bit unusual, but I’ve seen it work. Use whatever method that gets them to better cat nutrition.

© 2022 Feline Nutrition Foundation If you would like to learn more about feline diet and health, please visit FelineNutritionFoundation.org.

FEBRUARY - MARCH 2022

I didn't have to teach Thodin to eat meaty bones, but the others had to be enticed, encouraged and taught. Here are some ideas to try:

• Roll a chicken wing in a bribe food you know they like, to encourage them to try it. I had some success with finely-cut bonito flakes. Put the flakes in a baggie, add a chicken wing. Sort of like Shake ’n Bake® without the bake! A few of the cats would just lick off the flakes, but I got one to start chewing away on it on the very first try.

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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Nebulizer Use for Dogs & Cats

FEBRUARY - MARCH 2022

By Dr. Kathy J. Morris-Stilwell, DVM

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ogs, cats, and other pets who develop lung diseases such as pneumonia, asthma, kennel cough, bronchitis, and so on can benefit from a nebulizer delivering saline, albuterol, antibiotics, or other drugs. A nebulizer is a machine that aerosolizes medicine into a fine mist; it’s like spraying medicine. A face mask is held over the pet’s muzzle (most pets can learn to accept the face mask) so that medication is inhaled deep into the respiratory tract.

Using a Nebulizer

The esophagus lies above the trachea and is protected by the epiglottis. Pneumonia may result from infections caused by kennel cough, viruses and bacteria. Pets with megaesophagus are prone to developing aspiration pneumonia because they tend to regurgitate food and fluids into the back of the throat and then aspirate the material into the lungs.

4. Start the compressor.

A nebulizer can be purchased from human medical supply stores, online, or from eBay. There are several good nebulizer brands, such as Pulmo-Aide, Omron, Devilbiss, etc. Make sure that you obtain the compressor (the machine), tubing, and the medication cup. The tubing, T-piece (a t-shaped tube that attaches the machine to the pet and to an exit) and medicine cup are called a nebulizer kit.

A vaporizer is not the same as a nebulizer. A vaporizer is typically used for sinus or upper respiratory issues rather than lung issues. Vaporized droplets are too big to get as deeply into the lungs the way nebulized particles You can purchase an appropriately sized mask from a veterinarian, or make one yourself.

Follow these steps to use a nebulizer.

1. Plug in the compressor.

2. Insert one end of the tubing into the compressor and the other end into the cup.

3. Place the correct dose of the medicine in the medicine cup. a. Keep the cup up straight and hold the mask up to your pet’s face. You might want to practice placing the mask against the pet’s face before using the nebulizer. b. Put a little canned dog/cat food, baby food, cream cheese or peanut butter inside of the mask and allow the pet to lick it. This can also distract a pet while the treatment is proceeding.

5. After 5 to 10 minutes, you’ll see and hear that the medicine is running out.

6. Shake the cup downward a few times to make sure all the medicine has come through.

7. Take apart the plastic parts of the nebulizer and wash all the parts.

Cleaning the Nebulizer Bacteria and viruses can live and reproduce in a nebulizer that is not routinely cleaned.

After each use, swish each piece in warm running water.

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Spring Time Health

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At the end of the day, after you use it the last time, scrub each piece with warm soapy water. Rinse each piece under warm running water. Let each piece air-dry on a clean dish towel or paper towel. When the pieces are completely dry, put the nebulizer back together. If not using for a period of time, store it in a clean, dry bag.

Twice each week, or after the treatment is completed, mix a half cup of white vinegar with 1.5 cups of tap water. Soak each piece in this mixture for one hour. Rinse each piece under warm running water. Let each piece air-dry on a clean dish towel or a paper towel. When the pieces are completely dry, reassemble the nebulizer.

What do I do if I have Cleaned my Nebulizer and the Tubing is still Wet? The easy way to dry the tubing is to attach it to the compressor. Then switch on the machine, and let it run for a minute or two. The blowing air will dry out the tubing.

Use a paper towel or clean hand towel to dry the other parts.

FEBRUARY - MARCH 2022

What Medications can be Given with a Nebulizer?

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A variety of drugs can be given using a nebulizer: bronchodilators like albuterol (open up the bronchioles allowing debris to more easily be removed from the lungs), steroids, water-soluble antibiotics, saline, N-acetylcysteine, etc. Albuterol opens up the bronchioles, making it easier to breath and allowing antibiotics to get deeper within the lungs. As albuterol can increase the heart rate, it should be used with caution in dogs with heart disease. Do not exceed three treatments per day unless advised by your veterinarian.

The dose of albuterol may need to be adjusted based on the size of the dog. Following the albuterol, use the nebulizer with 2–3 cc of sterile saline. Some pets have side effects from albuterol although that is rare.

Sometimes side effects are seen, such as nervousness, a rapid heart rate or excessive panting, and they will disappear within an hour or so. If this happens, report it to your veterinarian for a possible adjustment of dosage or change in frequency of treatments.

If your veterinarian has not previously written a prescription for albuterol, for which there is no veterinary version, here is an example of how to write it.

Albuterol 0.083% 2.5 cc vials × 25 sig: using a nebulizer, administer q8–24hr as directed Albuterol comes in a box of 25 vials, each containing 2.5 cc.

1. Your veterinarian will prescribe the dose of albuterol for your pet.

2. Nebulize the computed dose of albuterol; if it is 1 cc or less, mix it with 1 cc of saline solution.

3. Nebulize an additional 2–3 cc. of saline after the albuterol treatment is completed.

Warning: Albuterol should not be administered to pets by people who have heart or lung disorders. Ask your physician if it is safe for you to be exposed to the albuterol mist given off during nebulization.

Saline decreases the thickness of mucus and helps moisturize the bronchioles, which helps the pet cough up debris blocking the lungs. Saline solution can be obtained from your veterinarian, or nebulizer saline can be obtained online.

Do not use saline solution intended for contact lenses.

Antibiotics such as gentocin or amikacin, which are intravenous antibiotics, can be mixed with saline. These drugs can be hard on the kidneys, so ideally it is best to monitor kidney function with blood and urine tests.

These antibiotics are more kidney friendly when given with a nebulizer than when given intravenously.

Preventing Aspiration Pneumonia Nebulizer treatments with either saline and/or albuterol can help prevent recurrence of aspiration pneumonia in pets with megaesophagus, pneumonia or bronchitis, and may be helpful in managing laryngeal paralysis by helping to clear aspirated debris from the lungs. Ask your veterinarian if your pet should have a preventive treatment daily, every other day or twice weekly.

Slow Vet Medicine is not affiliated with Pet Connection.

URL: https://www.slowvetmed.com/pet-library.pml?id=8207371

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FEBRUARY - MARCH 2022

Dogs Don't Get Heart Attacks, But They Do Get This HEMOABDOMEN CASES SEEM TO COME OUT OF NOWHERE

FEBRUARY - MARCH 2022

By Dr. Tony Johnson, DVM, DACVECC

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Dogs almost never develop the same sort of hardening of the arteries, known as atherosclerosis, that makes middleaged men and women clutch their chests, drop the 3-wood and shuffle off this mortal coil. Human medicine has all the shiny toys, insurance money and human-

life-is-so-important stuff going for it that it makes veterinarians green with envy, but I thank my lucky stars every day that I don’t have to deal with heart attacks.

The canine equivalent, at least in my opinion, is probably a phenomenon known as ‘spontaneous hemoabdomen’ even though it is not related to coronary artery disease.

Your average veterinary ER probably sees two or three of these types of cases a week, and as the pet population ages they are bound to become even more common.

FEBRUARY - MARCH 2022

T

here are all sorts of pluses and minuses to the world of veterinary medicine when compared to human medicine, but in one area veterinarians come up clear winners: In all but the most vanishingly rare situations, dogs don’t get heart attacks.

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FEBRUARY - MARCH 2022

The thing about hemoabdomen cases that makes them so frightening for pet owners is that they seem to come out of nowhere, and they hit like a random, unforeseen lightning strike on an otherwise sunny day - like a human heart attack. One moment their dog may be happily cavorting in the yard, and the next they’re lying on a gurney in a veterinary ER fighting for their lives.

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that should be circulating and bringing oxygen to tissues is suddenly settling in the abdomen. Shock and low blood pressure set in almost immediately.

In most cases, a tumor on the spleen, which may have been growing for weeks in the abdomen without being detected, ruptures and starts to hemorrhage internally.

This condition is called hemangiosarcoma. Dogs can bleed to death within a few hours if the bleeding continues unchecked. They can be quite literally felled in their tracks.

The signs are typically a sudden onset of weakness and inability to get up. These can happen in any breed of dog, but the majority are in dogs that share a genome with German Shepherds. Golden Retrievers, sadly, probably take the number two spot. Any dog over eight years old that’s related to a German shepherd or Golden is potentially at risk for a spontaneous hemoabdomen, and this disease should be considered in any dog of this type who has a sudden episode of unexplained weakness.

Check their gums, as they are often as white as a sheet during this event.

The bleeding is internal, and there is no evidence of bleeding that can be seen externally by the pet owner. All they know is that their dog was fine one minute, then collapsed and couldn’t get up the next. No blood in the stool, none in the urine, none anywhere; just a big pool of blood building up inside the abdominal cavity. Blood

In about three quarters of the cases, the ruptured mass on the spleen is due to an aggressive malignancy called a hemangiosarcoma, a really nasty cancer that grows out of blood-forming organs (the spleen is a tongue-shaped, flat organ that sits on the left side of the abdomen, all snuggled up to the kidneys and other

For that lucky one out of four that doesn’t have a hemangiosarcoma, they likely have a benign and slowgrowing tumor called a hemangioma that just decided to break open and start bleeding (we keep the names similar to confuse the tourists). These, fortunately, can be completely cured through surgery. You still have to deal with all that life-threatening hemorrhage and accompanying scariness, but at least you get good news when the biopsy comes back.

The survival rate for dogs with hemangiosarcoma after emergency surgery to stop the bleeding is, on average, about three months. That time span can be doubled with

the help of powerful chemotherapy, which is an option that all owners should be offered. We tend to not be as aggressive with chemo for our pets as they are with people, so that can mean fewer side effects. For some folks, six months of good quality life is a blessing, while for many that is nowhere near enough to justify the medical high-wire act that must happen to even hope for a little survival. The word ‘cure’ is almost never uttered in the same sentence as the word ‘hemangiosarcoma.’

Many owners decide to not pursue surgery when we make the diagnosis of hemoabdomen, and I can’t blame them. They are usually looking at a 75% chance that their dog has a disease that will very likely kill them inside of 90 days. The alternative is a fast and painless euthanasia, or, in some special cases, a death at home. Despite all the drama of this disease, it is usually totally painless and I will honor requests to take pets home to die if the owners are educated about what may happen. For those that elect to pursue treatment (I would say about onethird to one-half of owners opt to treat), the goal is to take them to surgery as soon as they are stabilized. This

FEBRUARY - MARCH 2022

giblets). Hemangiosarcomas love to grow rapidly, spread to other parts of the body and, worse, they usually eat powerful chemotherapeutic drugs for lunch. It is just a miserable type of cancer to have, and most patients with them are not around for long, even with a fullcourt press of medical intervention. I hate diagnosing hemangiosarcoma because it usually means I have just pronounced a death sentence for a patient.

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means blood transfusions and other methods to try and make them the best anesthesia candidate we can, quickly.

All of this comes at owners with dizzying speed. I am often in the unenviable position of trying to get them to make a timely decision on a very expensive, delicate matter with little information and no guarantees.

Unfortunately, lengthy Q&A sessions in the middle of this type of crisis only makes the prognosis grow more dim for the patient as their lifeblood seeps into their abdominal cavity. I have had patients go from the front door to the surgery suite in under an hour, and sometimes with only the briefest of introductions of myself to the pet owner.

FEBRUARY - MARCH 2022

However, I recognize the need for people to feel that they have made the best and most informed decision that they can in this scenario. I try to answer as many questions as time permits for the patient, and steer them to make a decision if we start covering the same ground repeatedly. I want to note one important point right here. This is an excruciatingly difficult point in the lives of pet owners, and it becomes a critical juncture for me to talk to the owners, hear their concerns, and help them make the best decision we all can, given the imperfect information we have on hand.

Unfortunately, in this case the patients simply don’t have time for anything but a rapid decision.

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The cost for surgery and ICU aftercare can easily run into the thousands (many will hit the $5,000 mark before discharge), and many will have post-op complications that can escalate that amount.

I had one case several years back where post-op complications kept the dog in the hospital for a week, at a cost of over $10,000. The biopsy came back shortly after discharge and was what we all feared worst: hemangiosarcoma. The dog, owned by a very nice and caring physician, lived for another month before the cancer grew back and caused more bleeding. For most of us, $10,000 for another month of life would never fit the budget (or, for some people, their concept of what is right), but for this man, he assured me it was the best month he ever had with his dog. They hiked, they fished, they lounged on the couch eating Doritos and drinking Yoo-Hoo. They did everything but go 2.7 seconds on a bull named Fu Manchu. They lived like the dog was dying, and got everything out of it they could. He was happy with his initial decision and told me, as I put his dog to sleep, that he would have made it again.

For a bad outcome, that’s a pretty good way to look at it.

Canine Sports Teams We Love!

Chill (black&white border collie) & Owner, Handler, Tiffany Salmon, ON.

Quasi(modo) is a 10-year-old Papillon and a true phenom. Taking to agility like a duck to water, Quasi burst onto the scene when he became the youngest National Champion in AAC history with his first win at the ripe old age of 24 months. He then followed that up at 2.5 yrs old when he earned 2 bronze medals in his very first two runs at his first World Championship. Over the years, he has won 9 National Championships, 4 Regional Championships, and a World Championship, along with winning 5 other World medals and placing Top 3 individually a total of 19 times in nonmedal rounds.

Because of his remarkable consistency, Quasi became the 1st Papillon to earn the Agility Association of Canada’s Versatility Lifetime Award, only the 12th dog to earn the AAC Versatility Platinum Award, accumulated the Highest Overall Regional/National Aggregate Points in AAC history (783.38) just this year, and is currently ranked as the #1 Overall Lifetime Papillon. He has earned 89 titles over 3 different dog sports and is only getting better with age, thanks to Omega Alpha supplements. − Christina Sanders, Sherwood Park, AB.

Vanish & Owner, Handler, Anneli Hilton, AB.

Anneli Hilton and her canine children have been part of Team Canada agility since 2011. Traveling to 8 different countries, many of them multiple times. She has taken two Papillons and one Nova Scotia Duck Toller to the world stage with podium finishes and top 10 overall consistently.

Omega Alpha products have played a key role in keeping her pack fit right out of the gates and straight into their senior years. The products help provide them with everything from nutritional balance to joint and overall body support. By keeping Omega Alpha in their daily regime all her dogs stay in prime health and it aids in injury prevention. − Anneli Hilton, AB. See Spot Run Doggy Daycare & Training Inc.

Immune & Gut Health

Christine Neklia-Thibodeau and her border collie, Quake, are no strangers to the International Agility scene. 5x Canadian Team members and International Multi Medalist (Silver & Bronze), UKI Canadian Champion & Multi AAC Regional Champion.

Their home is shared with Quizz & Primrose who are active in Agility, Rally, Rat Sports and Scent Training. The entire family remains active in hiking, yet enjoys snuggles on the couch at the end of the day.

We are thankful for the support from Omega Alpha as they have been instrumental in our success. In the past, the team has helped expedite injury recovery and their products remain in our daily routine to support healthy joints and aid in proper absorption/ digestion.

Omega Alpha has the trusted overall supplements of our home and our students. Some of our fav products are: Probiotic 8 Plus, HealthyPet, Nutrify, SinewPet, Hyaluronic Acid, EnduraStress, E-Z Rest, and Glucosapet. − Christine Neklia-Thibodeau, Moncton, NB. Multi-nutrients: vitamins, minerals, sea-greens, antioxidants.

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Chill has dabbled in many canine sports in her twelve years, from dog sledding to herding to flyball, but where she’s focused the majority of her energy over the years has been on the agility field. Chill is beyond accomplished when it comes to dog agility. Not only does she hold Agility Championship titles with the Agility Association of Canada (AAC), the Canadian Kennel Club (CKC), US Dog Agility Association (USDAA) and UK International Agility (UKI) and won many Regional and National Championships, but she’s also represented Canada at nine World Championships!

Chill has competed all over North America, as well as in Spain, the Netherlands, Italy, Hungary and Luxenbourg. Chill finished up her International career by winning the bronze medal at the past World Agility Open in the Netherlands at the age of 10.5 and by winning the 2020 Canadian Open by Video National Championship. − Tiffany Salmon, Manotick, ON. TNT Agility & Dog Training.

Bone & Joint Health

Proudly Canadian |

FEBRUARY - MARCH 2022

Quasi & Owner, Handler, Christina Sanders, AB.

Quake & Owner, Handler, Christine Neklia-Thibodeau, NB.

Trusted Since 1992 31

What We Should Know About Geopathic Stress

FEBRUARY - MARCH 2022

By Lucy Jabrayan

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W

e are in a day and age where quite frankly, we don’t have a lot going for us, and of course that includes our beloved pets.

Between polluted food chain systems, toxic chemicals in household products, and fluoride in our waters just to name a few. Oh, and let’s not forget chem-trails!

But, what about the toxic environment that affect us every day that we can’t see?

What exactly is geopathic stress?

Geopathic stress is a form of natural radiation that rises up through the earth, distorted by weak electro-magnetic fields created by subterranean running water, certain mineral concentrations, fault lines and underground cavities. The wave lengths of natural radiation becomes harmful to living organisms when disturbed in this way.

It messes with the body’s equilibrium if you will.

It takes the form of high and low frequency energy from electricity pylons, telecommunication towers,

transformers and radar/radio towers. These are thought to contribute to ill health with a long list of ailments, ranging from headaches to cancer.

If you live near a tower, or your cell phone is always forever by your side, and/or have Wi-fi in your home, you can be sure that you are exposed, and of course, that involves our beloved pets as well.

Now, you can see why there is no escaping any kind of geopathic stress, it is inevitable that we are in constant contact with it.

George Lakhovsky, a geopathy pioneer in the 1930’s, claimed that geopathic stresses causes the human body to actually vibrate at a higher frequency than is naturally healthy, and this can wreak havoc on the immune system, cell structure and behaviour, making people who work and sleep in geopathically stressed locations more susceptible to viruses, bacteria, parasites, and of course, environmental pollution.

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•

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From migraines to sleep disorders, to adrenal fatigue, to serious diseases such as MS and cancer, these can all be signs and symptoms of geopathic stress on the body.

Hahnemman, who is known as the first to discover the benefits of homeopathy, was the first to coin the term “Imponderables”.

The Imponderables in today’s age: 1. Electro-smog: electrical field, magnetic field, ley lines, electromagnetic fields as those emanating from high-voltage power lines, alarm clocks, electric cables, electrical appliances and synthetic materials, etc.

2. High frequency pollution: cell phone radiation, DECT telephones, hotspots, WLAN, radar, etc.

FEBRUARY - MARCH 2022

How the body tolerates these are of course on an individual basis, but it is imperative to know these are in the background, if there is a health issue in the house hold that isn’t getting resolved we must consider geopathic stress.

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FEBRUARY - MARCH 2022

FEBRUARY - MARCH 2022

What we can do

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I am a firm believer in that our bodies do a good job of detoxing on their own, however, I am also a believer that sometimes it needs some help, and other times it needs a lot of help.

This form of detoxing is much deeper than on the cellular level, playing into the matrix and milieu, and that is where the obstacles to remove will be that is rendering the immune system rigid.

For you and your four legged family members, incorporating wonderful herbs and botanicals such as burdock, milk thistle, dandelion, ashwaganda, astragalus, and holy basil are all wonderful herbs to use and to rotate around with. Chlorophyll is also wonderful to add and to supplement with that will help with daily detoxification and nourishing at the same time.

Phytochemicals from plants have proven to be very invaluable and should be incorporated in our daily diets.

Other Things We Can Do

However, if severe geopathic stress is suspected where it has rendered the immune system rigid, this is where homeopathy comes into play.

Going to a trusted homeopathy source to help individuals truly detox from geopathic stress is key.

Sleep with your cell phone in a separate room, turn off Wi-Fi when not in use, take a hike in the forest, walk bare foot outside on some lush grass on warmer days (making sure the lawn is not sprayed of course), go to a nearby stream or body of water if possible, and whenever you can, try to give yourself and your pets a break from high geopathic stress areas. All these grounding exercises have been proven to work and be of benefit to you and your pets.

Stay safe, protected and vibrant!

Reference: Secret of Life: Electricity, Radiation & Your Body.

Georges Lakhovsky. 1939.

Mental Enrichment!

WORK OUT YOUR BRAIN!

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.

The farmer that got a transplant from a sow was now a…

UAIRTG

Call me what you want.

I'm feeling great!

IESGUN ASAUPLEP XONEGY

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.

Answer is on page 53 (in the Calendar section)

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37

WHAT IS HALITOSIS?

FEBRUARY - MARCH 2022

By Dr. Jan Bellows, DVM, DAVDC

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H

alitosis, also called bad breath, is as an offensive odor emanating from the oral cavity.

Bad breath is a common presenting pet odor complaint. Common causes may be related to the mouth or, rarely, related to other health problems.

What Are The Signs Of Halitosis?

What Causes Halitosis?

How Is Halitosis Diagnosed?

The most common cause of halitosis is periodontal disease caused by plaque (bacteria). Bacteria is attracted to the tooth surface within hours of teeth cleaning.

Within days, the plaque becomes mineralized producing calculus. As plaque ages and gingivitis develops into periodontitis (bone loss), bacteria changes from somewhat irritating strains to bone destroying types that produce hydrogen sulfide causing halitosis.

Halitosis is easily diagnosed by smelling your dog or cats breath. If there is a disagreeable odor, halitosis is present.

A veterinary examination is necessary to diagnose the specific cause of bad breath. If the diagnosis is not obvious after oral examination, blood tests will be taken to check for internal disease.

Other causes include: • eating malodorous food; • metabolic disease (diabetes, uremia); • respiratory disease (rhinitis, sinusitis, neoplasia); • gastrointestinal (megaesophagus, neoplasia, foreign body); • dermatologic (lip fold pyoderma); • dietary (fetid foodstuffs, eating stool); • non-periodontal oral disease (orthodontic, pharyngitis, tonsilitis, neoplasia);

Periodontal disease is painful. Some dogs and cats will have problems chewing hard food, others will paw at their mouths. Unfortunately most will not show any signs.

How Is Halitosis Treated?

Halitosis treatment depends on the cause. There are four recognized stages of periodontal disease. The first two (early gingivitis and advanced gingivitis) are treated by professional teeth cleaning. As the disease advances bone loss occurs causing periodontitis, which may require surgery or tooth extraction.

Odor neutralization of hydrogen sulfide occurs with the use of zinc citrate.

What Is The Prognosis For Halitosis?

• foreign bodies; trauma including electric cord injury;

Once the underlying disease has been treated, halitosis will disappear. If due to periodontal disease, daily tooth brushing will help maintain good oral health and sweet breath.

• open fractures; caustic agents; infectious agents including bacteria, fungi, and viruses; autoimmune diseases; and eosinophilic granuloma complex.

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NAIL BOARDS: An Alternative to Clipping Nails FEBRUARY - MARCH 2022

By Dr. Christine Calder, DVM, DACVB

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M

any dogs do not like having their nails trimmed and some are outright petrified.

Dogs can be taught to file their own nails using a nail board. Dogs learn to scratch on the board using a scratching or digging motion. Nail boards can be purchased, or hand made using a board, duct tape, and coarse or medium sandpaper.

Minimal Training Required

Learning to use the Nail Board

Toss a squeaky toy on the ground and place the board on top. Encourage interest from your dog by stepping on the board lightly to make the toy squeak. Often your dog will dig at the board to get to the toy, filing his nails in the process.

Dogs learn quickly how to use a nail board with minimal training. You shape the behavior by breaking down the completed behavior of scratching the board into smaller steps, rewarding your dog for completing each step. These steps include approaching the board, touching it with any body part, touching with a paw, touching with multiple paws, moving the paw while touching the board, and finally scratching the board with each paw. When rewarding your dog, treats can be rolled down the board.

Another alternative to nail board training is to incorporate fun games.

Place the board on the ground, sprinkle it with treats then cover with a towel. Many dogs will dig through the towel to find the treats, filing their own nails in the process.

Place the board in a high traffic area where your dog frequently walks, such as near the door to go outside.

Walking over the board will naturally file the nails.

If you have a dog that frequently scratches to go outside, you can hang a small board on the door to encourage them to scratch the nail board instead.

What you need for a DIY Nail Board: Board

Sandpaper

Duck tape

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Example of finished DIY Nail Board

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Mine!

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

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T

here is one behaviour issue that we’ve been seeing a lot over this past year or more and that’s resource guarding. Maybe it’s just due to the increase in the number of dogs coming into homes, but there is no question that many of our clients are coming to us with concerns over this troubling behaviour.

What is resource guarding?

Taken from a May 2013 article written by Dr. Patricia McConnell:

understand this very well. If you watch two (socially normal) dogs when one has something the other wants, it’s very clear that there are rules in place for acquiring said item and both dogs understand them. There is clear body language expressed letting the other dog know he wants to hang on to his item. If the other dog tries to press the issue, the body language of the possessor is either escalated to the next level – “sorry, I still want it” – or he makes a choice to relent and give up his item. The item belongs to whomever has possession in that moment.

“I define “resource guarding” as behavior that discourages another to take, or get too close to, an object or valued area in a dog’s possession. Usually this refers to food, treasured toys or sleeping areas, but I’d argue that some dogs guard their humans as if they were the best bone in the house. RG can range from a quiet head turn to a deafening growl, forward charge or an actual bite.” (patriciamcconnell.com/theotherendoftheleash) In a dog’s world, when they have something in their possession, it’s theirs until they’re finished with it. Dogs

Feed the Body Feed the Mind

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This puppy may or may not be growling but he is clearly not super excited and happily anticipating the person approaching his bowl.

puppy growled and snapped at them over something – often something new like puppy’s first bone or a brandnew toy.

People sometimes perceive this as their dog “taking control” or being manipulative and feel it must be met with “taking control back” and making sure our dogs know who’s the boss in our household. Nothing could be further from the truth.

FEBRUARY - MARCH 2022

This is often a difficult behaviour for owners to understand. In a human world, if you have my shoe, then you should give it back to me when I want it, or you should have no objection to me simply taking my shoe back. It’s not yours, it’s mine regardless of who currently has it in their hands. How many of you have brothers and sisters and squabbled over items “stolen” out of each other’s rooms when you were growing up, or had toys or precious items snatched and held for ransom?

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Many dog owners get very angry at the idea of their pet dogs refusing to give something up especially when it’s perceived as “mine” not the dog’s (like a shoe) and your dog won’t give it back. If the dog in question escalates his behaviour to growling, baring teeth, and even biting, many dog owners get very upset indeed – “how dare he growl/snarl/bite (at) me?!”

The behaviour can begin to show during puppy hood and it’s even more startling when a very young puppy turns in an instant from a cute, fluffy cuddle bug into a growling, snarling monster! I’ve had many calls from puppy owners who were shocked and alarmed when their 9-week-old

What we label as resource guarding is a natural dog behaviour. There are, however, different degrees of it. You may never notice this behaviour in your own dog or, if you do, it may be very mild like your dog picking up his toy and moving away with it when you approach.

Every dog is different. As a trainer who specializes in behaviour modification, I think prevention and taking a proactive approach is very important. We discuss this behaviour in our puppy classes and begin owners on a series of prevention exercises in puppy class and again in teens class. We highly recommend prevention exercises for newly adopted dogs of any age who hire us for private training, too.

Whether you ever notice this behaviour in your dog or not, it’s a good idea to take steps to prevent it as early as you can. Doing so will help if the behaviour does become noticeable at some point and may even help prevent it ever surfacing to any concerning degree. At the very least, discussing prevention helps dog owners understand the behaviour, understand the dog’s point of view, and understand how to interpret what they may see later in their dog’s life. Once social maturity is reached (roughly between 2-3 years of age), this behaviour can escalate and that’s often when we get a lot of calls about it.

• Family members or other canine family members • New babies in strollers – family dog begins growling as people or other dogs approach.

• Sleeping locations – growling as you approach dog beds, couches, human beds or any area the dog is already occupying.

• Dropped objects or found objects on walks • Stolen items like laundry or items from the garbage • Themselves or their personal space

What does resource guarding look like?

Resource guarding may include one or more than one behaviour displayed at the same time or added as the situation escalates for the dog.

Normal guarding behaviour can include:

Dogs who resource guard commonly display this behaviour toward: • Food bowls or food dispensing toys • Special food items like bones or longer lasting chew treats • Dropped food This dog is not growling but displaying very worried body language and has put his paw on top of his toy.

• Speeding up eating as you’re approaching a food bowl or food dispensing toy.

• Shifting position to subtly block your approach with their body.

• Quick and frequent glances that may speed up as you approach.

• Getting up and taking a toy further away from you as you approach or even just moving it a little bit further away from you as you sit beside him.

• Moving just a little bit closer to you as a dog or

FEBRUARY - MARCH 2022

• Treasured toys or new toys

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stranger approaches (in the case of owner guarding) or inserting himself between you and a dog you’re petting so the visitor dog has to move further away.

• Glancing at you out of the corner of his eye – commonly called a “whale eye” – as he attempts to keep his eyes on the prize but also track your movements (in a “whale eye” the white of the eye is noticeably visible).

along with faster consumption, shifting back and forth as he quickly either eats or picks up his toys to move them to a different area. He may appear “friendly and silly” but movements are faster and more frantic than his usual friendly “happy to see you” self.

• Shifting slightly or leaning away as you reach in for a pat.

• Putting their mouth on your hand (being mouthy) when you reach for something they have.

• Low growling as you approach.

More extreme behaviour can include (and some are often combined):

This dog is clearly keeping his eye on something else in the room and there is a slight display of the white of his eye or "whale eye

FEBRUARY - MARCH 2022

• Freezing for longer moments if your approach continues, often combined with a hard eye.

46

• Crouching or lowering his body to hover over a treasured object.

Compare with the same dog just contentedly enjoying his bone with no obvious sign of discomfort.

• Somewhat frantic movements or more silly-seeming movements like “squiggly” bodies, squinty eyes and fast-moving tails. You may see a faster moving tail

• Growling that intensifies as you approach. In more extreme cases, growling can escalate to teeth showing.

• Very tense body language – body held tight, muscles clearly visible on short haired dogs.

• Hard eye – a hard open-eyed stare. This can be

directed at the person or dog approaching. It may even appear that your dog is just staring out into space. The hard while just staring at nothing in particular can be mistaken for a lack of interest in your approach.

can escalate to significant injury requiring medical attention.

Serious resource guarding behaviour, especially displayed in the very young, can be unsettling, and potentially dangerous when humans deal with it inappropriately.

Extreme resource guarders can even guard things from great distances. A dropped sock or Kleenex can elicit guarding behaviour from a dog who may be all the way across the room from the item.

What NOT to Do!

• Sharp barking and or growling and lunging.

• Muzzle punches (contact with the muzzle, mouth closed) directed at the body part reaching for an item or closest to the dog.

• Quick forward lunges with or without an air snap.

• Air snapping. Some people assume that a dog “missed” when they witness an air snap. Make no mistake, when a dog means to bite he will bite and can do so faster than you can blink or move.

An air snap is exactly what he intends it to be – a threatening gesture without causing immediate damage.

• Full contact bites. These may begin with little or not damage (bruising or minor skin breaks) and

If you force your dog to give up what he has or punish him for growling, you are going down a very dangerous path. The result will cause your dog to give up trying to display more subtle behaviour and begin displaying more extreme behaviour much earlier in the sequence.

A glance, freeze or growl may be eliminated in favor of a snarl, lunge and direct bite as he goes for more immediate success. We trainers say “it’s like removing the batteries from the smoke alarm” – there is no longer any early warning signs for us to heed.

What you SHOULD do: Proactive Prevention.

You can begin the process of preventing resource guarding at any point with your dog. If you have

FEBRUARY - MARCH 2022

And yet more extreme behaviour can include:

The absolute worst response to any resource guarding behaviour is to get into a conflict with your dog. Don’t get mad, yell, punish, get physical or attempt to wrestle an item out of your dog’s possession. Not only could you get badly injured, but you are going to make the behaviour much worse very quickly.

47

a new puppy or newly adopted dog, begin on day one.

(If you are already seeing resource guarding behaviour, please seek the help of an experienced positive trainer who uses force-free methods.)

Trade vs. Take.

leave him alone. Instead practice when it’s easy for him with exchanges for toys and then immediately give them back. The idea is to practice the concept of “we trade for things”, it’s not intended to annoy him endlessly with constant interruptions so choose your training practice times when it’s easy for your dog to do and use very good treats – make it into a fun game.

If your dog learns that more often than not, he doesn’t lose anything but in fact gets something better, he will start to very easily and happily give up anything he has when you ask.

I’ve done this so often with my dog that he sometimes brings me a stuffed toy and just stands and looks at me as if trying to start the “we trade for things” game so he can get a treat. I think that’s great, and I will happily comply – it’s good practice after all!

An important point about trading – your dog gets to decide the trade value. If you offer your dog a treat in exchange for what he has and he doesn’t happily drop what he has, then you must increase the value of your trade offer until he does.

Even dogs understand this concept as in this picture puppy Jack brings over a toy asking Quincy to trade for what she has. In the next moment, she gave up her toy and even let him keep his too - good move little guy!

Trading for everything and taking nothing without an exchange is a simple yet powerful concept and very easy to put into place. You are essentially making your dog more comfortable about giving up things that are valuable to him.

FEBRUARY - MARCH 2022

If you want what your dog has, trade for it with something that is even more valuable or a larger quantity of something he likes just as much.

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I encourage people to practice this when it doesn’t really matter and when there is an enormous upside to the dog to make the trade. If you practiced once or twice a day by trading ridiculously valuable and tasty treats for a toy your dog is playing with and immediately give the toy back – what dog isn’t going to happily go for that deal?

“Let me hold your toy for you while you eat this tasty snack, then you can continue playing with your toy!”

If he’s enjoying a kong or a bone or having his dinner,

If I offer my dogs a piece of kibble in exchange for a stuffy, they will often prefer to keep their toy because kibble isn’t very valuable to them. I may have to offer a whole handful of kibble or a big slice of cheese or cooked meat. Your dog gets to decide what constitutes a reasonable trade and what doesn’t.

Every dog puts a different value on things and it’s up to us to come up with something of matching or greater value. We are trying to drive home the message that if I need to get something from you, I will make it worth your while and most of the time I will give it back – there is simply no reason for us to argue. The only way to do that is to be consistent, generous, and fair.

When you are doing “Trade vs. Take”, don’t be sneaky about it – don’t offer your trade and quickly snatch away what he has while he investigates what’s up for grabs. We need to know how he feels about the trade, otherwise future trades won’t be successful – he won’t trust your intentions.

Trading, of sorts, also works for sleeping locations. If you want your dog to get off the couch, try calling her over and give her a very tasty treat when she complies. If calling doesn’t work – she’s really comfy and the lure of a treat just isn’t important right now – then offer more of them or find a better treat and try again. Yes, you are luring her off the couch in this case, but this is so much better than getting into a conflict. If you find that a lure (bribing) is needed, then the feedback is that more “come when you’re called” practice needs to be done.

routine and long before you see any sign of guarding.

It’s not unusual for dogs to be a bit grumpy about being disturbed when they’re sleeping. With enough repetition, this simple act helps turn any potentially grumpy feelings into happy anticipation.

Training Suggestions.

In addition to helping your dog become more comfortable with giving up items or sleeping locations, training is a necessary addition to any training plan for the prevention or management of resource guarding behaviour.

1. Teaching a “Drop-it” cue.

An easy training exercise designed to prevent the tendency for dogs to guard sleeping locations is to toss a tasty treat to your dog any time you pass by or approach them anywhere in the house. Do this as a regular

I have found no better method for teaching a solid “Drop-it” behaviour than the one created

by UK trainer Chirag Patel. He has done a very good video on YouTube giving you step-by-step directions to teach the cue. Search YouTube.com for Domesticated Manners and watch his video “Teaching Your Dog to ‘Drop’”. It’s brilliant in its

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simplicity and there are self-checks involved. If at any step you aren’t successful, simply go back to a previous step and do more repetitions before proceeding further.

I started this with my puppy, Jack, the first day we brought him home and after lots of practice, I have yet to find anything that he will not drop on cue – even food from his mouth (if he’s not already chewing it). Not only does this cue help you get items back from your dog, but he’s happy to comply – no need for bribes or conflict.

2. Teaching a “Leave-it” cue.

FEBRUARY - MARCH 2022

“Leave-it” is a very valuable cue to have. My criterion for “Leave-it” is eye contact. When I say the cue, that’s what I want my dog to do – turn and look at me. I use the cue for something that is not available to my dog: something he doesn’t yet have in his possession like a dropped piece of food; or something we are approaching that I don’t want him to interact with right then like another dog or human (biker, jogger, skateboarder, etc.).

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When my dog spots a dropped item or an approaching dog, “Leave-it” results in my dog ignoring what he wants and turning back toward me. He’s happy to comply because he either gets a lot of valuable treats or a quick game of tug. If he’s at a distance from me when I give him his cue, he will come racing back to give me the eye contact and get his reinforcement – perfect ending!

The training starts with your dog being heavily reinforced for reorienting toward you and progresses toward him choosing eye contact in exchange for

increasingly valuable reinforcement in increasingly distracting situations.

3. Teaching a Solid Recall

Perhaps the most valuable cue of all is teaching your dog to come when he’s called. Aside from its obvious value in giving your dog off-leash freedom, imagine how useful it would be to successfully have your dog recall off the bed or the couch when necessary, or ignore that piece of dropped chicken on the floor in favor of racing back to you.

Many people have some version of a “Come” cue for their dogs, but few, it seems, work on it to the point where it is truly solid and likely to work almost all the time. Anyone can build a cue that will work 95% of the time it just requires consistent practice. There will always be some exceptions that are difficult to train for, but you should be able to get your dog to respond properly to his Recall on a regular basis.

This dog is panting and leaning slightly away - certainly not snuggling in.

This dog is clearly leaning away and avoiding eye contact.

This dog is both leaning away, turning away and displaying tense body language.

This dog is turning away and quite tense in his body language.

FEBRUARY - MARCH 2022

Does your resource guarding dog also object to being handled?

51

Contrast the above handling pics with this dog leaning into the hand that’s touching him and clearly enjoying the interaction.

Interestingly, handling issues are often also present in dogs who resource guard. “Handling” refers to dogs who object to being touched in some way (like being picked up, pet or hugged, having equipment like harnesses or clothes put on, getting nail trims, being brushed) or object to being touched at certain times (like when sleeping, eating or busy playing).

FEBRUARY - MARCH 2022

Sometimes it’s the touching itself but it can also be the invasion of personal space with or without the touching.

I’ve met lots of dogs who love to snuggle on the couch, but only if they come to you and press in for a snuggle – they do not appreciate you sitting beside them on the couch and initiating the snuggling.

52

Handling issues could be considered a form of resource guarding – guarding oneself. It does seem to be a common problem seen in dogs who also resource guard, and it’s something that we also offer prevention training for in our classes and private training sessions.

For handling issues, it’s very effective to teach your dog (and offer to your dog) the choice of being touched or not. Choice is a powerful tool to offer. If you train in

such a way that your dog is free to walk away or move away, you will have a much more compliant dog who becomes willing to participate.

Humans tend to just do things to dogs without desensitizing them to the process or teaching them that they can actively participate (or not). I think this is especially true of very small dogs and puppies because of the obvious size disadvantage – they simply can’t object in such a way that will cause us larger humans to pay much attention.

It’s important that your dog is comfortable being touched by you whenever you need to do so, and it’s important that your dog is tolerant of being touched by others to keep everyone, including your dog, safe. I did an article on this topic in this magazine’s issue of October/November 2017, which is also on my website blog – “Can You Handle It?” Both resource guarding problems and handling problems are issues that are best dealt with by hiring a trainer and getting some experienced and force-free help.

Some additional resources.

Resource Guarding explanation and training example: https://www.patriciamcconnell.com/theotherendoftheleash/ resource-guarding-treatment-and-prevention Great book on the topic by Jean Donaldson, “Mine! - A Practical Guide to Resource Guarding In Dogs” Handling and Space Issues: https://eileenanddogs.com/blog/2020/04/29/space-invadershumans-pressure-dogs-animals/ Handling and grooming for puppies, video by Emily Larlham of Kikopup Dog Training: https://youtu.be/AoM9tis3t2c Dog Body Language examples: https://eileenanddogs.com/blog/category/dog-body-language/ A good article to help you understand your dog’s behaviour: “He just wants to say hi!”, by Suzanne Clothier, February 14, 2017. https://suzanneclothier.com/article/just-wants-say-hi/

Additional Notes.

The most critical part of any training plan is management. If you have a dog who displays concerning Resource Guarding behaviour, you need to remove his access to the things he guards while you seek help from a qualified professional.

If you have children living in your home or as part of the life you share with your dog, please seek the help of a qualified trainer immediately to help you with any level of resource guarding behaviour.

If you have a new puppy, find a positive reinforcement puppy class (or trainer) that actively teaches and practices the prevention of this behaviour.

As always, keep it Positive and have fun with your dog!

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BREED SPOTLIGHT

Shetland Sheepdog

Photos of Gilligan Courtesy of Karen Gray Gilligan, from Barrie Ontario, won the 2021 Photo Contest!

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Shelties are known for their intelligence and pleasing personality. They are gentle, loving and affectionate. They make great family pets.

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Shelties are considered a medium breed, and need daily exercise and stimulation.

Bred as herding dogs, they love to chase after things that move. They excel in agility, flyball, tracking and herding.

Shetland Sheepdog

Average Life Expectancy 12-14 years Average weight 15-25 pounds Average Height 13-16 inches

Colors: Merle, blue merle, tri-color, sable, sable and white, black and white, black and tan.

For more information on this and other breeds visit the Canadian Kennel Club: https://www.ckc.ca/en

Shelties do have a double coat, that consists of long, straight and water repellent hair. Weekly brushing (at a minimum), is required and mats are common. They shed heavily on average twice a year. It is recommended that you begin grooming them as pups to get them accustomed to the practice.

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The Shetland Sheepdog, often known as the Sheltie, is a breed of herding dog that originated in the Shetland Islands of Scotland.

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FRESH FROZEN WHOLE ANIMAL DIETS FOR DOGS AND CATS WHOLESOME FOOD SUPPLEMENTS

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