Pet Connection Canada Oct/Nov 2020 Issue

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EAR CLEANING MYTH

XYLITOL Poisoning!

2nd Opinion!

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OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2020

The Question of Bacteria The Problem Isn’t China, It’s Us! TRANSPARENCY!

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GETTING THE SCOOP ON CANADA’S PET CULTURE VOLUME 13 • ISSUE 4 • OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2020

Inside: The Question of Bacteria

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by Brenda Hagel

The Benefits of Raw Food for Cats

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Coco

by Margaret Gates

An Ear Cleaning Myth That Often Causes Infections

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by Dr. Peter Dobias, DVM

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Xylitol Poisoning in Dogs

by Dr. Wendy Brooks, DVM

REALITY: The Problem Isn’t China, It’s Us

31

by Nicole Cammack

Rupert

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Pet Food Transparency

by Ryan Yamka

The Importance of That second ever-life changing opinion!

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by Lucy Jabrayan

by Valerie Barry

IN EVERY ISSUE Letter from the Editor Mark Your Calendars!

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Cross Canada Photo Contest

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Cover Photo: Lucy Jabrayan and her dog Monty Photo Courtesy of Casey Cunningham

Minou & Timmy

Promoting responsible pet ownership.

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2020

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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

If you haven’t yet watched the 2016 film ‘Pet Fooled’, we highly recommend it. It is an investigative expose on the unregulated pet food industry. You can find it on both Youtube and Amazon.

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STPP (for short) is a cleaning agent found in laundry detergent and toilet bowl cleaners. It is also a common ingredient found in some dental care diets and dental chews for pets. It is classified as an ‘irritant’. Reference - www.ewg.org (Environmental Working Group Guides - Substances), and www.pubchem.ncbi.mln.nih.gov (National Library of Medicine). Please don’t give these products to your pets.

Your pets teeth like ours, do need regular cleaning, but with natural, non-toxic products. If you can’t clean daily, at least do it weekly, and if you can’t give raw bones, please brush, or use one of the natural sprays.

CONTRIBUTORS Valerie Barry Dr. Wendy Brooks, DVM Nicole Cammack Dr. Peter Dobias, DVM Margaret Gates Brenda Hagel Lucy Jabrayan Ryan Yamka Pet Connection is published 6 times a year. Founded in 2008.

SUBSCRIPTIONS To subscribe to the Pet Connection, please send $25.00 for a one year subscription.

(6 issues). Single copies are available for $4.95 each. All taxes included. Either order online from our website, or mail a cheque or money order with your name, address and postal code to: Pet Connection 2443 Beacon Avenue Sidney, BC V8L 1X7

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Pet Connection does not disclose its subscribers list to anyone.

PET CONNECTION does not assume responsibility for any claims made by its advertisers, or for any information dispensed. The articles and information presented are for information only and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Publisher. Permission to reproduce any part of this publication must be approved by the publisher. All pictures, articles or emails sent in become the property of Pet Connection.

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PEFC 4

Pet Fooled?

Sodium Tripolyphosphate?

Now more than ever a holistic more natural approach is needed for both you and your pets. We must read labels, check sourcing, and we must ask for more transparency. And not just for food, but for all the products that we are using.

We are very grateful for all the wonderful people in our holistic community that have continued to work with us in these unprecedented times. Thank you to everyone who contributes, on every level, from all our subscribers, followers, advertisers and contributors - we would not be here without you. Together we are stronger, and we do appreciate you all.

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.”

- Unknown

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

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OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2020 - SEPTEMBER 2019 www.petconnection.ca • AUGUST

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. Wendy Brooks, is the Educational Director for VeterinaryPartner.com, and in this role continues to provide top quality, cutting edge veterinary information to pet owners. She is the author of the Pet Health Library and the Pet Pharmacy. She also answers the Ask A Vet questions for Veterinary Partner. She is a native of the Los Angeles area, and graduated from the University of California at Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in 1988. www.veterinarypartner.com

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2020

Nicole Cammack, Nicci is the owner of award winning NorthPoint Pets & Company, in Connecticut. She is also the Founder & CEO of Undogmatic Inc. Her undergraduate and graduate education includes biology, chemistry, business and nutrition. She has worked in the pharmaceutical industry on multiple R&D projects and has had the privilege to learn from leading international figures in the human and pet health industry. She regularly lectures at national conferences, including federal, state, and municipal K9 events. Her current research involves identifying pathogenic risk factors and transmission among raw fed pets through a comprehensive worldwide survey. www.northpointpets.com • www.undogmaticinc.com

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Dr. Peter Dobias, DVM has over 30 years of experience as a veterinarian. He graduated as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 1988 in the Czech Republic and obtained the Canadian Certificate of Qualification in 1995. He is currently licensed in the European Union, and his unique approach to healing and nutrition helps holistically minded dog lovers worldwide.

As a formulator of his all-natural vitamin and supplement line and co-inventor of natural, chemical free flea and tick control, FleaHex® and TickHex® his unique healing system and products currently hold the highest independent five star customer rating. For more information please visit www.peterdobias.com

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

Brenda Hagel resides in Saskatoon Sk. at Riveriene Farm. Dogs and horses have always been part of her life. In the past she bred working German Shepherds and competed in Schutzhund Sport, and, trained and showed in CKC breed show and obedience trials. She currently competes with horses. She has advocated species appropriate nutrition for companion animals for over 3 decades. Together with her partner Dennis, the national company Carnivora was formed offering the first raw whole animal diets. www.carnivora.ca

Ryan Yamka, PhD, FACN, PAS, Dipl ACAS Ryan is co-founder of Guardian Pet Food Company. He is a certified professional animal scientist (PAS), board certified with the American College of Animal Sciences (Dipl. ACAS) in nutrition, a fellow of the American College of Nutrition (FACN) and, in 2011, and the recipient of the ASAS Corbin Companion Animal Biology Award and 2019 the Pet Age ICON award.

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2020

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

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THE QUESTION OF BACTERIA

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2020

By Brenda Hagel

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This article is an excerpt from the new book, Your Urban Carnivore - The Definitive Guide to Feeding Your Pet a Raw Food Diet.

By Brenda Hagel

including raw meat, is normal. When it comes to feeding pets, what could be more natural for carnivores than a raw meaty diet?

The pet food industry has been around for less than one hundred years, whereas carnivores have been thriving and reproducing on raw foods for many thousands of years. All foods have some degree of risk and all raw meat contains bacteria. However, the digestive system of carnivores is robust and capable of handling ingesting bacteria at levels that would commonly cause problems for humans. Safe food handling procedures, including maintaining proper storage temperatures; washing hands, surfaces, and utensils in hot soapy water after contact with raw meat; and using products while they are fresh will all mitigate the risks of using raw food products. It should also be mentioned that dry pet food is not without risk and can contain disease-causing molds and other pathogens. Aflatoxin contamination of dog kibble has resulted in hundreds of sick pets and even death. As well, there are case reports of pathogens found in commercially produced dog food and in dog treats such as rawhide, pig ears, jerky, and chew hooves.

Dogs and cats evolved to eat bacteria in their food and from other sources in the environment. They eat soil, contaminated meat, and buried carcasses and bones.

Dogs being naturally coprophagic enjoy eating the feces

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of many different animals and much to their owner’s disgust, sometimes their own. Consider that many dogs use the kitty litter box as a snack without adverse effects.

Domestic dogs and cats scavenge and sniff around in all sorts of ‘unhygienic’ places. Not only that, they continue the ancient ritual of licking mouths and genitals, both their own and those of others of their species. Each one of these anatomical areas is a source of bacteria. So no matter what the diet, by licking its “private parts”, your dog or cat is consuming bacteria.

Protective Activities of the Digestive System There are a number of factors that prevent pathogenic bacteria from taking a foothold in the dog or cat’s body.

The first defense is saliva which kills bacteria entering with the food. Saliva is often referred to as a gatekeeper because of its protective role against harmful pathogens.

The stomach is highly acid (pH 1-2) and contains strong hydrochloric acid (HCL). HCL creates the right pH for enzymes to work efficiently and it kills bacteria that have escaped the protective enzymes in the saliva. Bacteria that survive the high acid content of the stomach then pass into the small intestine. Compared to the stomach, the small intestine is a relatively hospitable environment.

The first section of the small intestine is called the duodenum. The pancreas and liver deposit their digestive enzymes, bicarbonate and bile salts, respectively, in this part of the small intestine.

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Raw foodists believe eating only raw food,

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OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2020

There is simply no such thing as “bacteria-free” meat.

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Bacteria that survive need to be able to stick to the lining of the intestinal wall. To hold on they must contain adhering proteins, have their own means of locomotion, and be able to multiply rapidly enough to overcome the forward peristaltic movements of the small intestine.

Bacteria that fail to meet the criteria for attachment, motility, and propagation will pass on into the fecal matter and into the large intestine. The large intestine collects and processes undigested material that passes through the small intestine. The bacterial population of the large intestines is much greater than that found in the small intestine, with a higher number of gram-negative bacteria. These bacteria are very important to normal large intestinal physiology.

Normal Flora The term “normal flora” implies that bacteria symbiotically exist within the animal body and generally cause no harm. Each dog or cat’s diet, environment, body chemistry, and immune system influence their particular floral balance.

The intestinal flora is relatively stable and maintains fairly constant numbers and types of bacteria in each area of the intestinal tract. This stability of normal flora discourages infection by outside pathogens and prevents overgrowth of potentially pathogenic members. New organisms that enter the system in contaminated food or water generally are suppressed by the established flora. This suppression is related to production by members of the resident flora of antimicrobial substances which inhibit the growth of foreign microorganisms.

Antibiotics that kill off part of the intestinal flora can upset its balance and may open the door to infection or pathologic overgrowth. For instance, normal dogs and cats are quite resistant to Salmonella, and a large oral dose is required to initiate infection. If the intestinal

flora is suppressed by antibiotics, however, the individual becomes much more susceptible and can be infected by a relatively small dose.

Do raw diets carry bacteria?

Yes, studies have concluded that raw pet foods contain bacteria. However, the fact that bacteria are present should not come as a surprise. There is simply no such thing as “bacteria-free” meat. Most of the 10 billion cows, pigs, and birds butchered every year for meat at the supermarket are contaminated with one bacterium or another. Therefore, it is probable that the meat you bring into your home to feed yourself or your family is potentially as contaminated with bacteria as raw meats fed to pets! For example, Salmonella spp. has been identified from 7.5% of ground beef, 44.6% of ground chicken, and 49.9% of ground turkey samples.

“Meat from healthy animals becomes contaminated at slaughter. Meat surfaces become infected with microorganisms associated with food poisoning during handling, packaging, processing, storage, and transportation. Although many procedures have been incorporated into food processing procedures for both the meat and poultry industries to reduce the level of contamination, bacteria persist: All products should be considered contaminated.” Rebecca L. Remillard, Ph.D., DVM

What about the people handling feces from animals fed raw diets?

Naysayers say: “For humans, the risk of exposure to pathogens via direct or indirect contact with animal feces, or via contact with raw diets, must be considered, particularly with Salmonella species as fecal shedding of Salmonella species present in diets has been identified in dogs.”

Since its unlikely you will be sharing your pet’s raw diet at mealtime, any transmission of bacteria would likely occur through the fecal-oral route. For instance, bacteria might get on your hands while picking up your dog or cat’s feces or when coming into contact with your pet’s anal area when lifting it up. In reality, you would literally have to eat the animal’s feces to get enough salmonella from it to make you sick. The solution? Abstain from eating dog or cat feces (that should be easy!) and ensure appropriate

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2020

The digestive enzymes from the pancreas digest the cells walls of harmful bacteria. The bile salts from the liver are primarily used for fat digestion and transportation and are also potent antimicrobial agents. In addition, lysozyme is secreted by cells that line the digestive tract.

Lysozyme is a potent enzyme that attacks bacterial cell walls and is believed to be another primary control preventing bacterial overgrowth in the upper gastrointestinal tract.

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hygiene such as hand washing after handling pets, cleaning the cat’s litter box, or picking up dog feces. Immediately picking up and disposing of feces eliminated by your pet in public areas reduces risks associated with environmental contamination. It’s interesting to note that while feeding raw meat is somewhat controversial, pig ears, pizzles and rawhide - which carry similar if not higher risks for contamination - is widely accepted as reasonably safe. One survey found salmonella contamination of 41% of the dog treats examined.

Can people become infected with food-borne pathogens when handling contaminated meat products?

Naysayers say: “Bacterial contamination of surfaces that have been in contact with raw diets has not been evaluated, but must be considered. Bacterial contamination of pet food bowls may be a potential source of infection for humans.”

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2020

Why is it that veterinarians think pet owners are dummies when it comes to handling raw foods for pets? Unless you are a strict vegetarian, you handle and prepare raw meat in your kitchen so what is the difference between the raw meat consumed by yourself or your pet? Nothing!

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Good hygiene in the kitchen is mandatory whether you are preparing food for yourself, your family or your pet. Keep shelves, countertops, refrigerators, freezers, utensils, sponges, and towels clean to prevent bacterial contamination of food at home. It is especially important to wash all utensils and your hands with soap and hot water after handling one food and before handling another. This helps prevent cross-contamination in which, for example, bacteria in raw meat could be transferred to other foods, such as vegetables. Use a different board for cutting different foods such as produce and meat. Wash cutting boards with hot, soapy water after each use; then rinse and air dry or pat dry with fresh paper towels. Non-porous acrylic, plastic or glass boards and solid wood boards can be washed in an automatic dishwasher. (Laminated boards may crack and split.) Sanitize both wooden and plastic cutting boards with a solution of one teaspoon liquid chlorine bleach per quart of water. Flood the surface with the bleach solution and allow it to stand for several minutes, then rinse and air dry or pat dry with fresh paper towels.

Bacteria Are Everywhere People that are paranoid about bacteria in raw pet diets need not be! Bacteria live all around us and within us.

The air is filled with bacteria. Bacteria live in the deepest parts of the ocean and deep within the Earth. They are in the soil, in our food, and on plants and animals. Even our bodies are home to many different kinds of bacteria. Our lives are closely intertwined with bacteria, and the health of our planet depends very much on their activities.

You can avoid bacteria by not feeding pets raw foods, but then don’t use a public restroom. When you turn off the water tap or pull open the door to leave a restroom, you’ll contaminate clean hands. Women’s public restrooms contain twice as much fecal bacteria as men’s, probably because women are often accompanied by small children and babies in need of a change. All this applies to your own bathroom. Each time that it’s flushed, your toilet propels invisible bacterial and viral aerosols into the air that can float for up to 2 hours contaminating everything from hand towels to toothbrushes.

Have you opened a door in a public place today? Ridden an escalator? Worked out at the gym, bought a soda from a vending machine or shopped for groceries? Studies show that shopping cart handles are among the leading sources of germs and bacteria in public. Microbiologists at the University of Arizona Environmental Research Laboratory found 21% of shopping carts tested to contain bodily fluids. The handles can harbor staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, E coli and other bacteria from meat and poultry.

The University of Arizona published some research a few years ago. They found that almost a third of the railings in public transportation-on buses or subwayswere infected with the same bacteria that is found in feces and that 25% of the seats in movie theatres were infected with E.coli bacteria, which is bacteria from feces. Another study by U.S. Air Force doctors in Ohio found that money harbors bacteria which can make both immuno-suppressed and healthy people very sick.

What is the worst offender in the kitchen? The kitchen sponge or dishcloth! Both are the perfect nurturing environment for bacteria. The next worst offender is the kitchen sink. Feel the need to get away from this story

and take a little coffee break? You might want to hold off on that plan: Twenty percent of the coffee cups tested in one study were oozing with bacteria, thanks to the sponges that clean them.

It is generally well known that toilets and kitchens are high-risk areas for germ growth, but laundry is rarely mentioned as a potential source of contamination.

Research has shown that germs can spread from one fabric to another and from the washing machine drum to the next load. For years it has been accepted that very hot water is necessary to kill bacteria in the washing, but the preservation of modern textiles has led to the use of ever lower temperatures and, in our efforts to consume less energy, our environmental concerns have also led to a reduction in washing powder. The way that we do our washing today is not always sufficient to destroy bacteria in clothes. Bacteria from food, the body or other sources can survive a wash cycle and spread via our hands to other surfaces. Among them are staphylococcus aureus and klebsiella pneumoniae and E coli.

Antibacterial soaps would be good if they worked, but they don’t seem to do anything. Disinfectants, on the other hand, kill both viruses and bacteria. Chlorine bleach, alcohol, and hydrogen peroxide are all good disinfectants.

Here are some interesting tidbits about hand washing and spreading germs: 95 percent of people say they wash their hands after using a public bathroom, but only 67 percent actually wash their hands. Only 33 percent of those who do wash their hands use soap. And only 16 percent really wash their hands long enough. Every three minutes, a child brings his hand to his nose or mouth.

Every 60 seconds, a working adult touches as many as 30 objects. (If you’re traveling, by the way, you might want to disinfect that remote control for the TV. That’s where the big bacteria boys hang out in a hotel room. Some viruses can survive on surfaces for up to 72 hours.)

Speaking of working adults, the phone comes out as the grimiest object of bacteria in the office, followed

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…‘Meat isn’t the only source of bacteria…’

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2020

by the desktop, keyboard, mouse, fax machine, and photocopier. Where are the least germs in the office? By now, you should have guessed: the toilet seat. There are a hundred times more bacteria on a cutting board than a toilet seat, so lick a toilet seat rather than a cutting board.

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Many insects such as flies, wasps, and cockroaches carry food poisoning bacteria on their legs and bodies and contaminate food and work surfaces when they walk on them. Rodents (rats and mice) excrete bacteria in their feces which can also result in contaminated food and surfaces in supermarket warehouses - the very food items you bring into your home.

Food Contamination People usually associate raw meat with bacterial contamination. However, meat isn’t the only source of

bacteria. Did you know you should observe the same handling and preparation methods for vegetables and fruits as used with raw meat? Raw fruits and vegetables can become contaminated along the farm-to-table continuum. Produce used for salads - lettuce and spinach, for example - grow low to the ground, where they are likely to come in contact with contaminated fertilizers.

Sometimes they’re irrigated with contaminated waters or picked by workers with poor hygiene practices. The complex, multi-layered surfaces of salad produce are more difficult to clean after picking than produce with a smooth surface, such as apples or potatoes. Because fresh fruits and vegetables are usually eaten raw, they can pose a health risk if they’re not properly handled.

Therefore, all produce needs to be thoroughly washed and safely prepared and handled before it is eaten. Even then, the bacterial population on fruits and vegetables

The growth of many kinds of bacteria can be reduced or stopped by refrigeration and freezing-two important practices in the preservation of food, including milk.

However, refrigeration alone will not kill bacteria. This is best illustrated by the fact that at normal refrigerated temperatures, milk will still, in time, turn sour. The maximum allowable number of bacteria (SPC) in milk to be marketed for human consumption is in the range of 100,000 bacteria per milliliter (about 10 drops) of milk. Some dairy producers are satisfied with any bacteria count so long as they can market their milk.

Okay, so no milk. Are you thinking juice may be a better and safer alternative? Ninety-eight percent of the juice sold in supermarkets is pasteurized when fruits and vegetables are fresh-squeezed, harmful bacteria from the outside of the produce can become a part of the finished product. If it’s ingested, children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems risk serious illness. E. coli O157: H7 is very resistant to acid, so it can survive in an acidic medium like orange or apple juice for a long time.

Since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued its first warning about the safety of raw sprouts, there has been a growing controversy about this issue.

On the one hand, sprouts have some well-documented health benefits. On the other hand, however, ingestion of sprouts contaminated with the bacterium E. coli O157: H7 caused the death of 17 persons in Japan in 1996 and was also responsible for illness in over 6,000 persons. This outbreak factored into the U.S. FDA decision in 1999 to issue a warning about the dangers of eating raw or lightly cooked sprouts and recommending cooking of all sprouts to lower risk of infection. The FDA specifically mentioned alfalfa, clover, and radish sprouts in this initial warning. In 2002, it included mung bean and alfalfa sprouts in a renewed warning about consumption of these foods.

Who Should Avoid Eating Dry Sausages? Because dry sausages are not cooked, the elderly, very young children,

pregnant women and those with weakened immune systems might want to avoid eating them. The bacterium E. coli O157:H7 has been found to survive the process of dry fermenting.

Factory farmed eggs can carry salmonella. Most tainted eggs are contaminated within the hens’ ovaries before their shells form. Washing the eggs before cracking them open is no guarantee that they’ll be free of bacteria.

Therefore, it’s best to avoid anything containing raw or undercooked eggs, including raw cookie dough, cake batter, eggnog, hollandaise sauce and Caesar salad or other dressings made with raw eggs. It is estimated that one out of every 50 consumers is exposed to a contaminated egg yolk each year.

Bacteria Responsible for Human Food-borne Illness To help keep things in perspective consider that there are many, many sources of bacterial contamination and although some bacteria cause more serious illness than others, only a few are responsible for the majority of cases. The following are the nine most prominent bacteria that affect humans: Campylobacter jejuni Found:

intestinal tracts of animals and birds, raw milk, untreated water, and sewage sludge.

Transmission: contaminated water, raw milk, and raw or under-cooked meat, poultry, or shellfish.

Symptoms: fever, headache, and muscle pain followed by diarrhea (sometimes bloody), abdominal pain and nausea that appear 2 to 5 days after eating; may last 7 to 10 days.

Clostridium botulinum Found:

widely distributed in nature: in soil and water, on plants, and in intestinal tracts of animals and fish. Grows only in little or no oxygen.

Transmission: bacteria produce a toxin that causes illness. Improperly canned foods, garlic in oil, and vacuum-packaged and tightly wrapped food.

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2020

is reduced but not eliminated. Pathogens associated with vegetables and fruits includes Cryptosporidium parasite (juice/cider and produce), Cyclospora parasite (produce), Escherichia coli O157:H7 (juice/cider and produce), Norwalk Virus (produce), Salmonella (juice and produce), and Shigella (produce).

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Symptoms: toxin affects the nervous system.

Symptoms usually appear within 18 to 36 hours, but can sometimes appear within as few as 4 hours or as many as 8 days after eating; double vision, droopy eyelids, trouble speaking and swallowing, and difficulty breathing. Fatal in 3 to 10 days if not treated.

Clostridium perfringens Found:

soil, dust, sewage, and intestinal tracts of animals and humans. Grows only in little or no oxygen.

Transmission: called “the cafeteria germ” because many outbreaks result from food left for long periods in steam tables or at room temperature. Bacteria destroyed by cooking, but some toxin-producing spores may survive.

Symptoms: diarrhea and gas pains may appear 8 to 24 hours after eating; usually last about 1 day, but less severe symptoms may persist for 1 to 2 weeks.

Escherichia coli O157:H7 Found:

intestinal tracts of some mammals, raw milk, unchlorinated water; one of the several strains of E. coli that can cause human illness.

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2020

Transmission: contaminated water, raw milk, raw or rare ground beef, unpasteurized apple juice or cider, uncooked fruits, and vegetables; person-to-person.

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Symptoms: diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea, and malaise; can begin 2 to 5 days after the food is eaten, lasting about 8 days. Some, especially the very young, have developed Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS) that causes acute kidney failure. A similar illness, thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), may occur in older adults.

Salmonella (over 1600 types) Found:

intestinal tract and feces of animals; Salmonella enteritidis in raw eggs.

Transmission: raw or undercooked eggs, poultry, and meat; raw milk and dairy products; seafood.

Symptoms: stomach pain, diarrhea, nausea, chills, fever, and headache usually appear 6 to 48 hours after eating; may last 1 to 2 days.

Streptococcus A Found:

noses, throats, pus, sputum, blood, and stools of humans.

Transmission: people-to-food from poor hygiene, ill food handlers, or improper food handling; outbreaks from raw milk, ice cream, eggs, lobster, salads, custard, and pudding allowed to stand at room temperature for several hours between preparation and eating.

Symptoms: sore throat, painful swallowing, tonsillitis, high fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, malaise; occurs 1 to 3 days after eating, lasting a few days to about a week.

Listeria monocytogenes Found:

intestinal tracts of humans and animals, milk, soil, leaf vegetables, and processed foods; can grow slowly at refrigerator temperatures.

Transmission: soft cheese, raw milk, improperly processed ice cream, raw leafy vegetables, meat, and poultry. Illness caused by bacteria that do not produce toxin.

Symptoms: fever, chills, headache, backache, sometimes abdominal pain and diarrhea; 12 hours to 3 weeks after ingestion; may later develop more serious illness (meningitis or spontaneous abortion in pregnant women); sometimes just fatigue.

Shigella (over 30 types) Found:

human intestinal tract; rarely found in other animals.

Transmission: person-to-person by fecal-oral route; fecal contamination of food and water.

Most outbreaks result from food, especially salads, prepared and handled by workers using poor personal hygiene.

Symptoms: disease referred to as “shigellosis” or bacillary dysentery. Diarrhea containing blood and mucus, fever, abdominal cramps, chills, vomiting; 12 to 50 hours from ingestion of bacteria; can last a few days to 2 weeks. Sometimes, no symptoms are seen.

Staphylococcus aureus Found:

on humans (skin, infected cuts, pimples, noses, and throats).

Transmission: people-to-food through improper handling. Multiply rapidly at room temperature to produce a toxin that causes illness.

therapy pets are often rejected if fed a raw food diet.

In short, therapy organizations fear that pathogens in raw food diets will be transmitted from the dog or cat (through saliva and contact with the pet’s fur) to humans with weakened immune systems, resulting in lifethreatening illness.

However, salmonella outbreaks in hospitals, institutions for children and nursing homes are not uncommon and usually arise from food contaminated at its source, or less often, during handling by an ill person or a carrier.

The common occurrence and dire consequences of infectious disease outbreaks in nursing homes often go unrecognized. Regardless of whether a therapy pet is fed a raw diet or not, nursing and care homes are an ideal environment for acquisition and spread of infection: susceptible residents who share sources of air, food, water, and health care in a crowded institutional setting.

Moreover, visitors, staff, and residents constantly come and go, bringing in pathogens from both the hospital and the community.

Studies of pet dogs show that food-borne pathogens are present in a surprisingly large proportion of dogs tested.

Symptoms: severe nausea, abdominal cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea occur 1 to 6 hours after eating; recovery within 2 to 3 days—longer if severe dehydration occurs.

After learning about all the places bacteria lurk in the environment and the foods that carry potential risks, it is sad that pets often become the brunt of germ phobia. Faithful felines and devoted dogs provide innumerable emotional benefits to their owners and the elderly or handicapped in nursing and care homes. Unfortunately,

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Are Raw Fed Pets a Threat?

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Hackett and Lappin (2003) found infectious agents in the faeces of 26% of healthy Colorado dogs Fukata et al (2002) found salmonella antibodies in 15% of apparently healthy dogs. (Not limited to dogs eating raw diets.)

The chance of Felix or Fido passing on a nasty bug may increase if a person’s immune system does not function optimally but some experts believe the benefits of animal companionship far outweigh any hazards. In the face of bacteria hysteria, it’s worth remembering that bacteria are everywhere, and we’ve been happily co-existing with them for millennia.

Kibble Risks It is interesting that veterinarians are concerned about the safety of raw food diets, yet ethics get shoved under the carpet when it comes to health problems associated with kibble and canned pet foods and treats. Improperly handled raw pet food is no more dangerous than improperly handled kibble or canned pet foods. Dry dog and cat food can look surprisingly tasty to a toddler. Since they can be choking hazards, it’s essential to keep pet food locked away. But this fact is never mentioned in a bag of dry pet food! Responsible instructions might include the following message to consumers: • place feeding bowls and dispensers out of the reach of babies and small children • remain in the area while your pet finishes a meal • dispose of any uneaten food promptly • free-choice feeding presents a choking hazard to babies and small children.

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• Kids aren’t the only ones at risk.

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Dogs that gulp their food can choke on dry kibble. Dry food can be soaked, but then it cannot be left out. One pet food manufacturer recommends moistening dry puppy food with water to release more aroma, improve palatability and make it easier for puppies to chew.

However, bacteria in moistened dry pet food multiply rapidly. How many pet owners plop canned food into a pet dish and leave it there for the day? How many people have toddlers that could potentially come across this food or the dirty bowl?

Today it seems that everywhere we turn, there is another product to eradicate bacteria, but that may not necessarily be a good thing. If there is no exposure to bacteria,

immune systems won’t build the antibodies they need to stay healthy. Humans and dogs have both good and bad bacteria in their bodies. When we are healthy, there is a balanced level of each. For instance, at any given time, we have traces of E.coli or Salmonella strains running through our systems, along with good bacteria. The body has an amazing health-regulating ability that combats a diverse amount of environmental factors. As bad bacteria are introduced, the immune system fights back with its own army of bacteria.

In carnivores, the colon is short and simple because meat can go off quickly and produce toxins. The longer such food stays inside the body, the more toxins are produced.

Therefore, the meat eater’s intestine is designed to take out this waste as quickly as possible so the risk is negligible under normal conditions.

If you are considering a raw diet for your dog but you are worried about bacteria for yourself or your family, ensure that foods are purchased from reliable sources and that they are handled correctly from the time you purchase them to the time they are fed. Make certain raw pet food products are kept frozen until thawing prior to feeding.

Proper handling at home is an important key. Good hygiene, especially washing your hands often and for at least one minute, is the most effective way to control the spread of bacteria. Keep countertops and cutting boards sanitized and wash your dog’s bowl after feeding. Pick up your dog’s feces immediately the following defecation and dispose of them appropriately.

A Word about Antibacterial Agents We must understand that bacteria are necessary to life and by using antibacterial agents we are helping to create super-bacteria that will be immune to the strongest antibiotics. Antibacterial agents are now added to dishwashing and laundry detergents, and hand soaps.

Products containing antibacterial agents are currently a big marketing ploy used by companies trying to find a new reason for you to buy their products. Research has discovered that E.coli can develop resistance to Triclosan, one of the common antibacterial ingredients in antibacterial soaps. Triclosan works by acting on a single gene to kill the bacteria. Creams and ointments are also loaded with antibacterial agents so even these should be used cautiously as bacteria may develop resistance.

Congo Raw specializes in offering a select range of premium biologically appropriate products to ensure optimal health for your pet.

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OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2020

Get in touch today: 905-751-9625

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The Benefits of Raw Food for Cats

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2020

By Margaret Gates

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Providing your cats with a diet that is modeled on what they would eat in the wild has many benefits, both for you and your cat: • Improved digestion • Greatly reduced stool odor and volume • Healthy coat, less shedding, fewer hairballs • Increased energy • Weight loss, if overweight • Better dental health • Better urinary health

Improved Digestion Cats are obligate carnivores, they must eat meat. There are no vegan cats. Their digestive systems are adapted specifically for a meat-based diet. A cat’s digestive tract is short and acidic, and processes species-appropriate raw food highly efficiently in about 12 hours. This gives very little time for bacteria to proliferate, so cats are naturally resistant to food poisoning.³ Cats have no requirement for carbohydrates and limited ability to digest them. A raw cat food diet is more digestible than a diet of plant-based foods.⁴ Because they evolved eating a diet with almost no carbohydrates, they have only one enzyme system capable of handling them. This is quite different from humans and dogs, both having multiple enzyme systems that digest carbohydrates.⁵

Greatly Reduced Stool Odor and Volume When cats are fed a proper diet, their bodies use most of their food, with much less stool volume. Stool production can be cut in half. They also eliminate less often, sometimes once a day or even less. Their stools are often dry, a little crumbly and hardly smell at all. In the wild, this makes sense for a predator that is small enough to also have to worry about being preyed upon itself. It wouldn’t want to be leaving too many smelly advertisements of its presence.

When cats are fed a diet with a large amount of carbohydrates, their systems will struggle to digest the excess carbs. Since much of what they eat isn’t being efficiently processed by their systems, the amount of waste is much greater than it should be. Those big, gloppy, smelly puddles in the litter box are not normal.

Healthy Coat, Less Shedding, Fewer Hairballs After a few weeks on a raw cat food diet, people notice that their cat’s coat has gotten softer and silkier. Cats require unsaturated fatty acids, omega-6 and omega-3, in their diets. They must come from animal sources, as cats have a limited ability to make these acids from plantderived precursors. These essential fatty acids contribute to healthy skin and coats, reducing shedding and thus the incidence of hairballs.⁶

Increased Energy After switching to raw cat food, people notice how much more energy their cats have. Couch potatoes start running around and playing! Through speciesappropriate raw food, cats are getting more readily available energy from their food.

Cats are uniquely adapted to utilize protein for their energy requirements. They essentially “burn” protein, turning it into energy in their liver in a process called gluconeogenesis. Animals such as dogs and humans also burn protein in this way, but turn it on and off depending on how much protein is available. Cats can’t do this. Their “burn rate” is always on high with their absolute requirement for high-quality protein from meat sources.⁷

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ats are predators. They evolved eating a preybased diet, and more importantly, eating that food raw. Cooking degrades nutrients in meat, causing the loss of vitamins, minerals and amino acids.¹ Meat used in highly-processed pet food is cooked at high temperatures. The nutrients lost must be added back.

This supplementation is not exact. There are nutrient losses that aren't always replaced. Cats in the wild often eat the entire prey animal if it is small, and will eat nearly everything except the intestines of a larger prey animal. This includes the bones of prey, as raw bone is highly digestible and is their primary source of calcium.

Cooking bone reduces the nutrients available, making it brittle and dangerous to ingest.²

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Weight Loss If your cats are overweight, they will likely start to lose weight on a raw cat food diet. Cats will overeat when fed an improper food, trying to make up for the nutritional deficiencies in the food. Usually, they won’t overeat when fed species-appropriate raw food, as it is satisfying to them. They don’t feel hungry all the time. Cats that used to wake you up in the middle of the night for food, acting as if they are starving, start sleeping right through the night. The increase in energy they have will also help them burn off more calories.

Better Dental Health Just as in humans, dental health in cats partly depends on genetics. Cats in the wild usually don’t have gum disease or tooth loss due to periodontal disease. Why? Chewing on raw bones, meat, connective tissue, skin and fur helps keep the teeth clean. Carbohydrates create a starchy film that promotes plaque buildup and encourages gum disease. Carbohydrate-laden food will not help control tartar. Reducing or eliminating carbohydrates in your cat’s diet will help keep dental disease at bay. Providing raw meaty bones to chew on is “nature’s toothbrush” for cats.⁸ This is important as the bacteria from dental infections can spread to other parts of the body.

Better Uninary Health Raw cat food has a high moisture content of about 65 to 70% that mimics that of natural prey; a mouse is 65-75% moisture.

Peace of Mind

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Perhaps the best benefit of feeding raw food for cats is

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the peace of mind it can give you. Realizing that cats evolved to eat a diet that is about as unprocessed as it can get, many people have become concerned about the highly-processed pet food they feed their cats. Raw cat food diets are different. The ingredients are simple and identifiable, processing is minimal and it’s either fresh or fresh frozen. You know what you are feeding your pet.

Margaret Gates is the founder of the Feline Nutrition Foundation.

1. N. Gerber, M. R. L. Scheedera, and C. Wenk, “The Influence of Cooking and Fat Trimming on the Actual Nutrient Intake from Meat,” Meat Science 81, January 2009, 148-154.

2. Dr. Bruce Syme, BVSc (Hons), “Feeding Raw Bones to Cats and Dogs.”

3. U.S. National Research Council Ad Hoc Committee on Dog and Cat Nutrition, Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats, 2006, 7-10.

4. S. D. Crissey, J. A. Swanson, B. A. Lintzenich, B. A. Brewer, and K. A. Slifka, “Use of a Raw Meat-Based Diet or a Dry Kibble Diet for Sand Cats (Felis Margarita),” Journal of Animal Science 75, 1997, 2154-2160.

5. Claudia A. Kirk, Jacques Debraekeleer, and P. Jane Armstrong, “Normal Cats," Small Animal Clinical Nutrition, 4th ed. Walsworth Publishing Company, 2000, 297-299.

6. John E. Bauer, DVM, PhD, DACVN, “Facilitative and Functional Fats in Diets of Cats and Dogs,” Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 229, no. 5, September 1, 2006.

7. Elizabeth M. Hodgkins, DVM, Esq., Your Cat: Simple Secrets to a Longer, Stronger Life, Thomas Dunne Books, 2007, 5-6.

8. David A. Fagan, DDS, Dental Consultant and Mark S. Edwards, PhD, Nutritionist, “Influence of Diet Consistency on Periodontal Disease in Captive Carnivores,” The Colyer Institute, 2009.

9. Elizabeth M. Hodgkins, DVM, Esq, Your Cat: Simple New Secrets to a Longer, Stronger Life, Thomas Dunne Books, 2007, 167-171. © 2020 Feline Nutrition Foundation If you would like to learn more about feline diet and health, please visit 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!

“Raw meat is the natural food of the cat, and is really the ‘gold standard ’ of diets for any obligatory carnivore.”

– Elizabeth Hodgkins, DVM From Your Cat: Simple New Secrets to a Longer, Stronger Life

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OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2020

AN EAR CLEANING MYTH THAT OFTEN CAUSES INFECTIONS

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2020

By Dr. Peter Dobias, DVM www.peterdobias.com

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© Dr. Peter Dobias, DVM Dr. Dobias strongly believes that disease prevention, natural nutrition and supplements, the right exercise and a drug free approach to medicine can add years to your dog's life.

As a formulator of his all-natural vitamin and supplement line and co-inventor of natural, chemical free flea and tick control, FleaHex® and TickHex® his unique healing system and products currently hold the highest independent five star customer rating. For more information: www.peterdobias.com Any general recommendations that Dr. Dobias makes are not a substitute for the appropriate veterinary care and are for informational and educational purposes only.

One thing you will not find in veterinary textbooks Human history has confirmed people love to be set in their ways and accept the status quo without questioning.

When people see an ear infection, inflammation or wax build up they try to clean it out. The problem is that the wax or discharge builds right back up to the same level as before, if not more.

I sometimes jokingly compare canine ears to a flushing toilet. You flush the toilet and the water returns to the same level as before. When you flush your dog's ears, in a few days wax and discharge builds up again to the same degree as before.

In the article holistic treatment of ear problems in dogs, I mention the biggest reason why dogs suffer from chronic, incurable ear infections is that the primary cause is not recognized. When ears get inflamed, it is merely a signal that there are problems, such as cervical spine misalignment, collar injuries, digestive tract imbalances and lumbar spine injuries.

Why ear cleaning does not usually produce long-lasting results Most conventional ear treatment protocols consist of local ear treatment, but as I mentioned above, ear inflammation and infection should be seen as a signal that there is something else going on. I sometimes compare dog ears to the signal light on a car's dashboard.

If there is something wrong with the neck, diet or digestion they get inflamed or infected.

Humans have a similar signal system - their nose. When there is a systemic problem, people get congested.

However, the sense of smell is way too important for dogs. That is why they have evolved differently and signal imbalances through their ears.

The connection between ear problems and diet

Many veterinarians have now acknowledged that ear problems and diet are connected. Many children also suffer from ear problems, and some of my naturopathic colleagues suggest that there is a strong connection between feeding denatured baby formula and processed food in general.

Just imagine for a moment that your car's temperature gauge goes off, signaling your car is overheating. You have two choices. You can fix the cooling system problem or remove the signal light. If you do the first, you will protect the engine from overheating. If you tamper with the signal light, the engine will overheat, and the engine block may crack.

Your dog's ears can be seen the same way. If you clean the ears without addressing the core cause elsewhere in the body, your dog's health will gradually deteriorate and their ear problems will become chronic.

Your dog's ears come with a "conveyor belt" and a guard squad When I tell people I have only cleaned my dog Skai's ears once in his lifetime, some of them are really surprised, especially when they see how clean Skai's ears are.

Wolves and other canines in the wild do not come to the world with a nanny to clean their ears and their ears are spotless too. Their ears are self-cleaning because they have a sort of "conveyor belt" that carries all the impurities out!

To clarify, the external ear canal and middle ear are separated by the eardrum. The ear drum is derived from skin and grows in a similar fashion as nails. As it grows, it carries wax and impurities out of the ear.

The other important part of good ear canal health is maintaining its microflora, which can be seen as the ears' ‘guard squad.’ Similar to the gut, balanced flora prevents pathogens from growing and the quality of the flora depends on your dog's general health.

What damage does regular ear cleaning cause?

1. It disturbs the healthy flora of the ear and increases the likelihood of an infection.

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ar infections in dogs are one of the most misunderstood problems in dogs. Many people still do not understand when ear cleaning should be done and when to avoid it.

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3. Yeast infections are also more likely to happen in dogs on carbohydrate and grain-rich foods.

4. Repeated ear washing causes irritation and inflammation, and most cleaning solutions have chlorhexidine, a highly irritating anti-bacterial soap. Some people advocate for the use of hydrogen peroxide and apple cider vinegar, but I have not seen great results with either.

5. Even colloidal silver, which some people love to use, does not seem to produce reliable results.

6. To summarize, the less liquid poured into your dog's ear, the better.

What happens when the ‘ear conveyor belt’ stops?

Over cleaning destroys bacterial flora and the "conveyor belt" stops, which can lead to recurrent chronic infections and inflammation that is painful and seriously affects dogs' quality of life. The end station of such a vicious cycle is usually a very traumatic surgery - ear canal ablation or lifelong chronic pain and discomfort.

When is it ok to clean ears?

In my experience, the only indication that an ear flush ear cleaning is needed is at the start of a true ear infection treatment. Such cleaning should be done at a veterinary clinic to ensure that you are not pouring liquid in an ear with a ruptured ear drum. This can seriously damage your dog's hearing and balance.

I want to emphasize here that an ear infection DOES NOT equal ear inflammation. In the case of ear inflammation, the true causes, such as neck, back and digestive tract issues, need to be addressed.

What to do about wax build-up?

Every dog breed is slightly different when it comes to ear wax production. Cocker spaniels, beagles, basset hounds and other thick-skinned dogs appear to produce more wax, which can be compared to some people who have greasier skin.

These dogs are the most common victims of excessive ear cleaning. Trying to clean the wax out of a cocker spaniel’s ear is no different than flushing a toilet and hoping that it will be dry at the end of the flush! There is one exception – ear canal obstruction.

Ears are a good example where less is more when it comes to cleaning and treatment.

If your dog has some wax around the ear canal and you know that his/her breed is predisposed to more wax production, the safest way to care for them is to leave them alone or at the most wipe the external ear flap gently once a month or less. It is my experience that people who love to clean and be clean have a hard time leaving their dog's ears alone.

Whenever I take on a patient with chronic ear infections, I know if I convince the guardian not to over-clean the ears, the chance of a full recovery is many times greater.

The greatest challenge you may be up against Now that you know ear cleaning should be reserved only for the start of the treatment of severe infections, the biggest challenge may be to find a veterinarian who will agree with you.

The conventional approach to treating ears is composed of diet change, antibiotics, anti-fungal and steroid drops and regular cleaning, which often cycles through indefinitely until no options are left because of the growth of antibiotic-resistant pathogens.

Resisting the urge to try to clean out the wax and not treating inflammation with drugs and steroids is more reliable than repeated cleaning. You also need to keep in mind that with every course of steroids and antibiotic drops, creams or pills, your dog's chances of full recovery decreases dramatically. © Dr. Peter Dobias, DVM www.peterdobias.com Disclaimer: Dr. Peter Dobias, DVM has 30 years of experience as a veterinarian.

He graduated as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 1988 in the Czech Republic and obtained the Canadian Certificate of Qualification in 1995. He is currently licensed in the European Union, and his unique approach to healing and nutrition helps holistically minded dog lovers worldwide.

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2020

2. Frequent ear cleaning can cause yeast overgrowth.

Yeast is present in every dog's ear canal, but in a healthy ear, it is held in check by a varied population of beneficial bacteria.

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X Y L I TO L

Poisoning in Dogs

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2020

By Dr. Wendy Brooks, DVM, DABVP

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and releases insulin to store the “sugar.” Even worse, the canine pancreas releases 3-7 times the amount of insulin that it would release to address a similar amount of actual sugar. Blood sugar levels plummet resulting in weakness, disorientation, tremors, and potentially seizures.

Sounds wonderful and maybe it is, if you are a human. If you are a dog, xylitol is potentially lethal.

Hepatic Necrosis

Two Deadly Effects of Xylitol Hypoglycemia In dogs, the pancreas confuses xylitol with real sugar

It does not take many sticks of gum to poison a dog, especially a small dog (see below for toxic doses).

Symptoms typically begin within 30 minutes and can last for more than 12 hours but, since xylitol can be absorbed into the body slowly, symptoms may not begin until 12 hours after the xylitol was eaten. Symptoms begin with vomiting and then progress to incoordination, collapse, and seizures.

The other reaction associated with xylitol in dogs is destruction of liver tissue. How this happens remains unknown but the doses of xylitol required to produce this effect are much higher than the hypoglycemic doses described above. Signs take longer to show up (typically

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OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2020

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ugar substitutes are big business. Less sugar can mean weight loss, improved health, diabetic control, and even reduced tooth decay. The quest for products that can sweeten and cook like sugar is ongoing. Xylitol is common sugar substitute, especially when it comes to sugarless gum, toothpaste, and more recently certain brands of peanut butter for bodybuilders. Not only does xylitol offer sweetness with 40% of the calories of sugar, it also has antibacterial properties in the mouth so it can reduce periodontal disease and has been found to have far reaching health benefits in other areas of the body. Xylitol may help with osteoporosis, preventing ear and throat infections, and may reduce risk of endometriosis, uterine fibroids, even breast cancer.

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Check the label!

8-12 hours) and surprisingly not all dogs who experience hepatic necrosis will have had hypoglycemia first. A lucky dog experiences only temporary illness but alternatively, a complete and acute liver failure can result with death following. Internal hemorrhage and inability of blood to clot is commonly involved.

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How Much Xylitol is Dangerous?

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The hypoglycemic dose of xylitol for dogs is considered to be approximately 0.075 - 0.1 grams per kilogram of body weight (about 0.03 - 0.045 gram per pound).

Chewing gum pieces have surprisingly variable amounts of xylitol depending on their flavor. (For example, most flavors of Orbit gum have about 0.009 grams of xylitol but their strawberry mint flavor has over 0.3 grams per piece). A small dog can easily be poisoned by a single stick of gum depending on the gum, how much the dog ate, and the size of the dog. It is important for you to bring the packaging for the xylitol product in question to the veterinarian’s office so that the amount of xylitol consumed can be estimated.

Treatment Ideally, the patient can be seen quickly (within 30 minutes) and can be made to vomit the gum or candy. Beyond this, a sugar IV drip is prudent for a good 24 hours. Liver enzyme and blood clotting tests are monitored for two to three days.

Blood levels of potassium are ideally monitored as well. Elevated blood phosphorus levels often bode poorly, and patients that develop hepatic necrosis usually do not survive.

What about Cats?

So far the ASPCA Animal Poison Control has no reports of xylitol toxicity in cats. At this time, feline toxicity is unknown.

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REALITY:

The Problem Isn’t China, It’s Us

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2020

By Nicole Cammack

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Forward from the Editor: The following article is written to accurately reveal many of the problems the United States has in regard to regulatory and marketing of pet food, supplements and various other products. While the landscape of the regulations differ in Canada, many similar loopholes and problems do exist. We thought it was important to publish this article for our Canadian audience to understand how important it is to ask questions, demand transparency and not just take marketing campaigns as gospel.

Where It All Began: 2007 Melamine Recall China immediately comes to mind as a danger when we think about pet food and supply sourcing. This is because the 2007 melamine pet food recall was a rude awakening for pet owners in the USA. Prior to 2007 not many pet owners thought about where their pet food, treats or ingredients contained within them came from. In fact, most recalls the decade prior were small in comparison and limited to excess vitamin D, methionine and aflatoxin contamination.¹ At the time, the melamine recall was the largest and most widespread recall of pet food in history – resulting in over 5,300 different products being removed from American shelves and least four-thousand pet deaths.² The biggest take away from this recall was that it included over 150 brands – those from grocery channel all the way to ‘premium’ brands. Showing that many companies sourced the same ingredients from the same places and utilized the same manufacturers despite what their marketing claims said.

This is ultimately what prompted pet owners to start asking questions.

Melamine is an industrial chemical with uses ranging from a binding agent, flame retardant and as a polymer for utensils and plates. It has also been used as a fertilizer, although it is also not approved for use as such in the USA.³ For context, melamine-related

compounds in the same family include cyanuric acid, ammeline, and ammelide. Melamine and related compounds have no approved use as an ingredient in animal or human food in the United States.³ Just knowing these facts, the thought that melamine was even introduced into the pet food supply is unsettling and it was only by sheer chance that these products did not make it into the human food supply.

The short version of the 2007 recall is that wheat gluten and rice protein were intentionally combined with melamine for its high nitrogen content. Higher amounts of nitrogen can cause the protein content of an ingredient to test higher than it actually is. In addition, cyanuric acid was also present and this combination of melamine and cyanuric acid is likely the reason the recall was so deadly – not the melamine on its own.³ This entire incident fueled the American pet owners obsession for ‘Made in the USA’ products. But are products that claim to be made in the USA void of ingredients from China?

Maybe not.

Made in the USA – Sort Of The melamine recall gave rise to the “Made in the USA” mark on pet food packaging, and the current COVID19 Pandemic is fueling another wave of consumer demand for these products. But what many consumers and pet owners don’t realize is that this term does not mean sourced in the USA. Instead it means an American company could make pet food on American soil, but source ingredients like vitamin and mineral mixes from outside the USA and still put “Made in the USA” or “Manufactured in X US state” on the label. Further, many manufacturers will claim – at least verbally, that they do not source any ingredients or vitamins from China. So, is this actually the case? No, because most pet foods on the market contain a vitamin premix, at least in part that comes from outside the USA, which many

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ou walk the aisles of your local pet store, or maybe you shop online – and you notice that your pet’s food, treats and supplements are marked “Made in the USA.” You think that this means it is free from any foreign ingredients, and therefore safe – right? Wrong. In fact, various ingredients can be sourced from anywhere in the world, and then assembled (made) in the USA. And, suddenly we see how deceptive that “Made in the USA” claim can be.

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include China. More on that in a bit.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) does oversee ‘Made in the USA’ claims – either expressed or perceived.

This claim according to FTC standards means that all, or virtually all of the product must be made in the USA and contain no or negligible foreign content.⁴ According to the FTC standards, sourcing for foreign vitamin and mineral mix would be considered ‘negligible’ and therefore allow a pet food company to use ‘Made in the USA’ on the label so long as a significant majority of the remaining ingredients were indeed US sourced. One grey area here is that ‘negligible’ is not explicitly defined.

Further, negligible doesn’t necessarily mean a small amount of the final product because the FTC also takes into account the economic factors of where ingredients are processed and where the final product is processed.4 Simply, a fair amount of ingredients could be sourced outside the US, but the economic impact of processing the final product could potentially outweigh the outside sourcing.

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Misleading Consumers

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Evidence of how misleading some companies could be can be seen in the recent case Weaver v. Champion Petfoods USA Inc., et al. The plaintiff in this case alleged that Champion Petfoods deceptively marketed their dog food products via claims such as “biologically appropriate”, “fresh”, “regional”, and “never outsourced”.

In addition, he claimed that Champion should have to disclose trace amounts of BPA and pentobarbital – just for example.⁵ In short, the court dismissed all complaints because Champion Petfoods asserts that “biologically appropriate” is a nutritional philosophy – not a nutritional statement (aka a marketing tagline).

Champion also asserts that they did not intentionally add BPA or pentobarbital to their foods – and also never warranted their products were free of these contaminants which releases them from any liability.

While rulings on all complaints favored Champion – it does not absolve them of the significant issues that have been exposed. It also doesn’t negate the fact that this is a loss for consumers who expect transparency and truth in what they are buying for their pets. The outcome of this case just proves the point that many of us in the industry

often make: most pet food companies are marketing companies first, pet food companies second.

Ultimately this decision reinforces that manufacturers are not responsible for listing each and every material that may make its way into a final pet food product, nor are they required to be fully transparent on where and how ingredients are sourced.⁵ It also shows that many companies are not required, nor do they satisfactorily test inbound ingredients or outbound product for adequacy.

Instead it provides examples of many of the marketing loopholes that manufacturers use to give the perception that the ingredients are superior, or sourced in one way over another – when in fact they are no different than other manufacturers.

Manufactured in the USA Loopholes: One loophole that does not appear to have any regulation governing claims or advertising involves a phrase such as “Manufactured in our US facility” and/ or “Manufactured in our Kentucky Kitchens”. Simply naming a US state is a gray area since this statement would be true, but it does not point to the sourcing of the ingredients. This is extremely deceptive to the consumer who is unaware of these details. Regardless, companies such as Tyson, Fromm, Wysong, Merrick, Wellpet (Wellness, Eagle Pack, Holistic Select) have had lawsuits dismissed as a result of this gray area – or due to gray areas under the FTC standards.⁶ There are multiple vitamin premix companies in the US that also source individual components from outside the US, including China. The way they get around that fact is they mill or blend the vitamin premix in US facilities and simply act as if as if ‘manufactured’ is the same as ‘sourced’ in the USA. Regardless, sourcing of a particular ingredient from the US or otherwise does not guarantee safety, and therefore doesn’t discount the need for adequacy or contaminant testing.

Understanding Origin: If pet food or vitamin premix companies advertise ‘made in the USA’ they should be willing to provide a certificate of origin for each of the ingredients on their label. Interestingly, most companies we surveyed were not willing to provide this information. Opening the

discussion about vitamin premix sourcing opens up another complicated layer of pet food industry safety, sourcing and transparency. Although, as discussed, a certificate of origin for a final pet food or premix product would not ensure individual ingredients did not originate from outside the country of origin.

For example, if a vitamin premix is formulated and combined in Germany – it can still have individual vitamins that are sourced from China or otherwise. The certificate of origin for the final product would say Germany. This is because the country of origin is defined as the country where the last substantial economically justified working or processing is carried out. This is the very reason why pet food companies may not understand their product contains ingredients from China – although ignorance should not be an excuse.

some ingredients to these premixes that only come from outside the USA. For example, sources for L-carnitine only come from China or the Czech Republic, meaning that if a premix contains L-carnitine, that premix is not 100% USA sourced – despite any marketing claims. The same goes for some other vitamins and minerals as well.

As of the date of this article there is only one vitamin mix company claiming to be 3rd party verified to not source any ingredients from China.⁷ This sounds good, however it is simply marketing because there is not an authority providing benchmarks for determining what 3rd party verification in this context means. In fact, there are several companies that perform the verification by sourcing and auditing. There are several non-China sourced vitamin premixes for pet food available in the market, but there is only one that advertises it. However – one must realize that there are

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2020

Do Any Vitamin Mixes Come From the USA?

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Lack of raw ingredient testing/ verification

by American pet food companies

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The above considered, there are reputable premix companies that have been sourcing ingredients from places other than China both before and after the melamine recall. Some even make the ingredients themselves ensuring control over the process. These companies are the ones that continually receive awards and recognition for their blending, sourcing and commitment to quality each year. These companies also have marketplace longevity showing an extensive safety record. Simply, they don’t have to advertise their USA sourced, or non-China sourced ingredients because their reputation and performance speaks for itself. Vitamin premix companies that hang on advertising claims without verification, performance or data to back their claims are likely a disaster waiting to happen. This is something that pet owners and pet industry professionals should be cognizant of.

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We’ve learned that most US pet food companies who claim not to use ingredients from China, aren’t exactly transparent.

For example, when asked specifically if companies source any ingredients from China, if they respond they will usually say one of two things: that their ingredients are sourced “globally” (spoiler alert: that includes China); or claimed that information was proprietary.

The proprietary response is a problem because companies will use this to hide certificates of origin for various ingredients, or the premix itself (China or elsewhere), or the fact that they do not perform adequacy testing. What the big miss here is that not all ingredients from China are bad. Yes, I said it - not everything that comes from China

is dangerous – so long as a company is verifying safety and adequacy. In fact, ‘USA’ made or sourced should never be an excuse to not adequately test products.

So Why Does ‘Everything’ Come from China?

The reality is that China actually owns and controls a vast majority of the vitamin and supplement market. The same goes for human vitamin products as well. Chinese companies were able to see the consumer trends toward health and wellness decades ago and purchased a large amount of businesses in this sector. As with anything else there are bad players and there are some that go above and beyond – even exceed US quality in some instances. It’s common knowledge that some industrially produced vitamins and supplements from China pose significant risk. In addition, we know that this area is also a significant culprit for counterfeit medications.

The concerns from this area are legitimate and created significant issues for countless people across the globe.

However, these do not negate the fact that some legitimate supplies largely come from China or may be superior to others.

While high quality ingredients coming from China may actually sound counterintuitive, we often forget that Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) dates back at least 23 centuries – likely much further. One of the foundational concepts of TCM is the balance of energy, and includes the use of herbs, whole foods and other modalities to promote a healing effect within the body.

While my description is oversimplified, the point is that those within the Chinese culture who embrace the philosophy of TCM believe in and understand the importance of high quality, clean and well sourced raw materials and supplements. In other words, obtaining vitamins, minerals and supplements from reputable sources within China, or elsewhere, and then verifying quality and purity with 3rd party testing for use in pet food and human supplements can be safe.

The Problem Isn’t China In fact, the problem is that we are focusing on the wrong target. This argument is often used to disguise significant issues of our own. Instead of looking to place blame on one particular thing we should be seeking to hold ourselves and others accountable. Instead of simply blaming China, we should realize that the problem is actually twofold: 1. Lack of raw ingredient testing/verification by American pet food companies 2. The lack of legitimate transparency from American pet food companies regarding this testing Poorly sourced and contaminated ingredients can come from anywhere. We have allowed those within other countries and the US get away with providing subpar and dangerous raw materials for a very long time. These adulterated ingredients could be by error, accident, be innocent or intentional. As discussed earlier, incidents have originated from the USA as well as China. Instead, we should be asking pet food companies how they ensure

the safety of their ingredients and product as a whole.

Those questions include: Do you inbound test all ingredients for pathogens, toxicants and to ensure the nutrient value is correct?

This question is important because it identifies whether or not a company has processes and procedures in place that would have prevented issues like the melamine incident and the recent Hill’s vitamin D recall. The pet food company or more likely the manufacturer that makes their products should have a Global Food Safety Initiative recognized 3rd party food safety certification (i.e. SQF, BRC, etc.). These certifications verify they follow procedures they have in place ensuring adequacy.

Do you conduct a 3rd party nutrition analysis on all of your finished products?

If the answer is yes, follow up questions should be: do those products meet an AAFCO nutrient profile? Are you willing to provide a copy of that analysis?

Note that most companies are deceptive and provide ‘target analysis’, which is what is predicted – not necessarily representative of what is in the finished product. Be careful with terminology here. In addition, beware of the word proprietary – this does not hold a strong argument and may be a tactic to hide lack of testing, or inadequate testing. Most companies we surveyed either answered “no” or that this information was “proprietary”.

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Do you conduct 3rd party digestibility studies for each of your formulas?

If the answer is yes, for any number of their formulations you should also ask if they make those publicly available.

Again, proprietary is often used when this question is asked and that should be a red flag for any pet owner or pet store owner.

Digestibility studies, or testing involves feeding a predetermined amount of the formula being tested to several dogs for 14 days. Then the stool is collected and analyzed to determine the percentage of macronutrients and micronutrients absorbed compared to what was fed.

This process does not involve any invasive procedures, inhumane conditions or otherwise harm to the animal.

Again, most of the companies we asked either refused to answer, claimed the information was proprietary or indicated they do not perform this test. So in short, this means companies who don’t perform digestibility trials have no idea what the actual calorie content, or digestibility of their food is – meaning that your pet is ultimately the one being experimented on.

Keep in mind that digestibility and typical nutrient analysis mean nothing without the other. Digestibility shows the amount of nutrients absorbed. The analysis shows the amount of nutrients contained within a product.

Do you source any ingredients from China? Are you willing to provide certificates of origin?

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As we discussed, ingredients from China are not necessarily bad as long as they are well-sourced. Also, we now know that companies can and should be able to verify quality and purity via analysis and contamination testing of ingredients coming into their facility.

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Do you complete an analysis of your final product to ensure the formulation is correct and ensure there are not any contamination issues?

Again, if companies were analyzing their final product both for nutritional adequacy and contaminants many of the memorable recalls and pet food scandals could have been prevented. Same examples apply – the melamine recall, the Hill’s Vitamin D recall and it’s also highly likely the dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and grain free debacle would never have amounted to the mess it has

with these quality control measures in place. In other words, if companies were able to 3rd party verify that their foods contained required nutrients at appropriate levels and that those nutrients were digestible then grain free foods, taurine deficiency or other factors would not have been ‘blamed’ for DCM.

Summary Ultimately, dangerous ingredients and products can come from anywhere. Believing that because something comes from the USA provides assurance of safety is arguably irresponsible. It’s also arguably reckless for companies to advertise USA made/sourced products in an effort to provide perception of transparency. It’s not a matter of if another recall will happen if companies don’t have solid quality control in place – it’s a matter of when, and how big or deadly that recall will be.

In the wake of COVID-19 we have an opportunity to hold all companies to a higher standard by asking questions in order to evolve the status quo. Now that we understand that it is highly likely that some portion of your pet food is sourced from China, and that ingredients from elsewhere could also carry risk – and highlights that these risks won’t go away. Instead, it’s up to us to ensure we’re supporting companies who are doing the right thing.

References: 1. Rumbeiha W, Morrison J. A review of class I and class II pet food recalls involving chemical contaminants from 1996 to 2008. J Med Toxicol Off J Am Coll Med Toxicol. 2011;7(1):60-66. doi:10.1007/s13181-010-0123-5 2. Pet Food Recalls Spring 2007 - VIN. Accessed July 16, 2020. https:// www.vin.com/AppUtil/project/defaultadv1.aspx?id=5715799&template =ContentOnly 3. Medicine C for V. Melamine Pet Food Recall - Frequently Asked Questions. FDA. Published online November 3, 2018. Accessed July 13, 2020. https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/recalls-withdrawals/ melamine-pet-food-recall-frequently-asked-questions 4. Complying with the Made In USA Standard. :42.

5. Judge Dismisses Deceptive Labeling Claim Suit. Accessed July 18, 2020. https://www.natlawreview.com/article/deceptive-labeling-claims-basedtrace-amounts-sent-to-dog-house?fbclid=IwAR3Qk40CojVyUFqFFozxk dcG0lsVlRBiGgd_3ompZ_5EUORUKMGGB3WkMIQ 6. More phony “Made in the USA” pet food claims under attack; Multiple class action lawsuits filed | Poisoned Pets | Pet Food Safety News. Accessed July 17, 2020. https://www.poisonedpets.com/lawsuits-accuse-pet-foodmakers-over-phony-made-in-the-usa-claims/ 7. Non-China sourced vitamin premix ‘first for North American pet food industry.’ Accessed July 14, 2020. https://www.petfoodprocessing.net/ articles/13636-non-china-sourced-vitamin-premix-first-for-northamerican-pet-food-industry

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PET FOOD TRANSPARENCY: buzzword, urban legend or reality?

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2020

By Ryan Yamka, PhD, FACN, PAS, Dipl ACAS

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The use of the word transparency isn’t being used in the context of “hey, we were lying before but now we are going to be honest.” I believe with this usage, transparency is something that the consumer is demanding and has been brought forth by consumer advocates and fearmongers.

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What is transparency?

In March 2007, the largest recall in the pet food industry occurred, which I am sure we are all familiar with. Some of the outcomes of the recall were greater transparency in who manufactures the foods and the country of origin for their ingredients. Imagine at this point in time that you are a consumer paying a premium price for your topof-the-line super premium product and find out it came from the same private label manufacturer using the same ingredients as a grocery store brand. This while paying over double the price.

The super premium brand you were buying was not being dishonest about their ingredients, nutrient profiles or any other aspects of the food; nor were they were ever telling you their ingredients were better.

They weren’t being dishonest; however, there was a lack of transparency that unveiled itself during the recalls, showing that pet food companies used the same manufacturer and ingredients.

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OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2020

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n a recent blog post by Marcel Blok, he brought forth an honest and thoughtprovoking concept with the current pet food trend of transparency. It is hard to debate the post when he puts it in context of simply being honest and that pet food should have nothing to hide. I think we would all agree that as an industry, we all have the best interests of pets and their owners in mind; however, the industry does tend to take a hit from time to time with product withdrawal or recalls, which occur regardless of price point and grade of materials.

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This lack of transparency is still alive and well today!

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If you don’t think this is ongoing today in the pet food industry for treats, wet and dry foods, then you are sadly mistaken. Unfortunately, it will take another recall to show the lack of transparency that still exists today.

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I will be the first to tell you that some of the best manufacturers are indeed private label manufacturers.

These manufacturers make products for many companies in the marketplace today. If this type of manufacturer does not meet specifications, then the product doesn’t enter the marketplace. It is easier for a company using a private label manufacturer to reject what is produced because it doesn’t impact their bottom line (companies do not own the inventory until they accept it). As a result, private label manufacturers generally have a higher threshold of product quality demands, whether it’s nutrient requirements, kibble size, water activity, etc., because they want to make their clients the best product and not have them reject it.

The evolution of transparency If you have read my previous blogs, such as “Are human grade pet foods really human grade?” and the series on navigating pet product claims, then you know I believe that many companies are attempting to become transparent while some may still be misleading. The first cost of entry for any pet food company is not utilizing Chinese ingredients (consequence of the 2007 melamine recalls). If you are using vitamins, minerals or trace nutrients from this location, you are definitely at a competitive disadvantage.

Additionally, in the day and age of smartphones, no one wants to call your toll-free number to be placed on hold.

The expectation is to have a statement posted on the website that simply states, “We use non-Chinese ingredients.” More importantly, the consumer wants to see the countries of origin for each ingredient. If you are getting your vitamins from Germany, then state it. If your rabbit is from France, then state it. Also, don’t make “made in the USA” claims if any of your ingredients do not come from the USA, even though you technically can by regulation, because then your company is not being completely transparent.

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If you don’t think this is ongoing today in the pet food industry for treats, wet and dry foods, then you are sadly mistaken.

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Also, when you make farm-to-fork type claims, you should say on your website which farm an ingredient is coming from. Although you may be honest that your chicken is coming from a farm, you are not being transparent if you are using factory farming. Regardless of whether Frank Perdue does a silly commercial and wants to #everything, saying you use Perdue chicken is being transparent, although people may not like your sourcing strategies.

What transparency should be Transparency should be exactly what it means: transparency. People simply want the facts as they stand today. They do not want overhyped promises, supply chain goals (versus how it is today), misleading philosophies (“one day we will be”) or falsehoods.

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All food types pose the same food safety issues and concerns that ultimately gets to the heart of what the consumer wants, and that is assurance that there is a strong food safety plan both inside and outside the US borders for ingredients and complete foods. This also includes how companies handle issues with product withdrawals and recalls. Those that are quicker to react, protect the consumer and identify root cause fare better than those that ignore the issue. Additionally, I am not aware of any pet food type that has not had a recall (extruded, retorted, raw or human grade).

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In the end, recalls will expose any lack of transparency.

When you have a recall, be completely transparent about it; your consumer will appreciate it. In the industry, we all know that all recalls are not voluntary, especially when a state feed control official or the Food and Drug Administration has found a contaminant.

Also, don’t downplay it with phrases like “out of abundance of caution.” If you want consumers to be loyal to your brand, state the problem for the recall, the cause of the issue or that you are still trying to identify the root cause. Otherwise, you will look foolish if the recall expands.

More importantly, give an actual, heartfelt apology. A simple statement saying we messed up, we are fixing the issue to avoid the problem in the future and we are extremely sorry will go a long way.

Transparency in ingredient naming If you can’t back up and support your transparency claims in naming of ingredients and what your supply chain is and is not, then you are best to stay away from making these claims. Unfortunately, I still see companies using terms like vegetable oil, animal fat, meat and bone meal and animal by-products. I have been in the industry long enough to know that companies tend to use these strategies to save margin on producing products, since they can easily switch out vegetable or animal sources and not change labels.

A business case study A great business case study is the recent recalls with J.M. Smucker. On its website, Smucker has a great page called transparency in the supply chain; however, I bet they never anticipated having to recall 107 million cans of pet food and having to test the animal fat to identify the species. In this case, animal fat is an honest ingredient statement; however, it is not transparent since the species is unknown. Ironically, the animal fat was identified as cow, swine and chicken; however, they tested for horse, cat, dog, lamb, turkey and goat as well. The lack of transparency resulted in a public relations nightmare with headlines like, No dog in our dog food, Gravy Train maker says. But what about that euthanasia drug?

Additionally, they likely didn’t think they would have to recall Milo’s Kitchen treats for thyroid hormone levels.

This root cause is likely tied to gullets (laryngeal muscle tissue) with thyroid gland tissue still intact. Gullets are technically 100 percent real beef (again, honest but not transparent). In another blog post, I talk about the resurgence of animal by-products in new up and coming brands that embrace naming each component independently. Would the consumer be against naming the ingredient gullet along with a sustainability story vs. hiding behind the ingredient name of beef ? You decide.

Transparency shouldn’t be used merely as a buzzword and should have some teeth behind its meaning.

Although Blok is correct in that it could be interpreted as, “okay, now we are going to be honest,” that isn’t the way it should be portrayed. Lastly, if you have a stance on supply chain transparency, then mean it or it will come back to bite you just as it recently did for J.M. Smucker.

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OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2020

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The Importance of That Second, Ever-life Changing Opinion!

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2020

By Lucy Jabrayan

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Getting that second, third, fourth, and even fifth opinion has become quite common sense in my life, I have even made a career out of it, and it can be life changing to others, including your pets!

Consider this, J.K. Rowling’s famous Harry Potter script was rejected 12 times by different large publishing houses, before it finally got accepted and published.

How many stories have we heard about that dog or cat, who received a severe and dooming health diagnosis, having only that X amount of time left, only to make a magical break through and turn that time around (to which, I have seen happen countlessly). But, why?

I believe the fist step to that answer, before not giving up and trying to find another way, is to remain positive.

Case in point: Once again, my German Shepherd Monty teaches me another life lesson: About a year ago, during a Schutzhund (protection dog sport) training seminar that Monty and I were very excited to be a part of, the instructor/trainer/judge with a world title and over 40 years experience training dogs for this sport, looked me in the eyes and told me that I had an unwilling dog who did not want to work. This was because Monty would not chase the tug for him when he tried to work my dog, in front of all the participants.

Even though those words were very disappointing, I knew in my heart he was wrong, so to which I replied, “But he does have prey drive, especially on the farm”, to which he replied, “Well then, you’ve got a really good farm dog”. I kindly told him that that was his opinion and off I went. The people at that seminar would come to me one by one, trying to console me, because they had accepted that comment as truth, but I sure as hell didn’t. It wasn’t true to me, and I refuse to blindly follow someone’s opinion, no matter who they are and how many world titles they have.

Later on that evening, something came to mind, I’m going to call it a ‘Divine Revelation’- I tried a different technique on Monty and that was it, he became obsessed with that

stupid tug. I actually used a training technique that is used with horses to which in this case, pulled the prey drive out of him! When I found another trainer in this line of sport and started working with him, Monty proved to me over and over again just how much prey drive he actually possessed. That trainer helped me take him even further.

For those of you following us on our journey, yes, this is the very same dog who came to me because he was on death row, because his people at the time were giving up on him, the shelter wouldn’t touch him, which he then came to me because I was his ‘second’, or technically rather ‘third opinion’, to which now I can honestly say, he is a great dog, full of character with a sense of humor to boot, and my guardian. I’ve never met a dog like him before.

Whether you have had similar experiences, maybe with your pet, your health, your talent, your work, your business, etc. remember that just because someone says something, or makes a statement/diagnosis, it does not mean that that is so, and that you should give up. The person stating it is human, not God, just human, and we humans can make mistakes, as was the case with Monty.

That comment regarding Monty was only half true, Monty did not want to work for him, but for me, he did.

However, even if it was actually true, I was still not going to give up on my dog.

This is also why I love the words ‘Alternative Medicine’, (even though once upon a time it was just called medicine), because it implies that there is an alternative way (a.k.a. another way) to heal. I love that. The very reason why holistic practitioners still exist is because at some point the conventional way would only take them so far, so they needed an alternative.

So, when the ‘conventional’ way fails you, try another way!

Don’t give up, not on yourselves and never on your animals.

If you have the will you will do it, you will overcome, and guess where your will comes from? The heart. All it takes is heart. Like Monty's. Even though he came to me to be rescued, he ended up teaching me the most. So, thank you Monty, for once again, teaching me a little lesson about life. #will.

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t took a minute, but I can now truly say that I am at a place in life where when I hear the words, “This is it, this is the only way”, I find it quite comical.

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RUFF HOUSING Some thoughts on dog-dog play and interaction.

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2020

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

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Some of us are fortunate enough to live in rural or more open environments where our dogs can romp freely on mountain trails, beaches or big stretches of grassy fields.

Others live in cities where dog zones are small, fenced and much more tightly controlled.

Play in dogs is not something everyone fully understands.

Not many dog owners understand the subtleties of dog to dog play interactions. Is play always fun for dogs?

Is it even play or is it another kind of interaction - is it practice for other skills?

Some experts say that play is a dog’s way of “practicing” real life skills – hunting-type games taking place in a non-serious way. It could be some form of practice, or it could be dogs playing out their breed-intended purposes – using their natural instinctive behaviours – to interact and have some social time with other dogs.

Dogs who are successful at play – who have lots of play buddies – learn how to change their play style to match that of their companion of the moment. Not all dogs like to play the same way, and a skilled playmate can change his style in order to keep play fun and likely to be repeated. Dogs who insist on playing the way they want to, have fewer playmates and can end up frustrated when they are repeatedly rebuffed.

Dante and Luki taking turns switching roles

It’s interesting to watch 2 dogs playing in a free environment outside of the confines of a dog park or fenced area.

You will often see more moments of romping, sniffing, running together than moments of wrestling and playing with each other. A lot of housemates who play together seem to do so daily but for far less time than you may think. They often play more intensely with each other than with new dogs, but there is also lots more time spent in companionable “couples” pursuits – laying in the sun, hanging out on the couch, chewing bones or toys together, finding interesting new smells, monitoring fence lines, doing squirrel searches and running together in the trails.

Dante self-handicapping for puppy Luki

Two dogs play much better together than any other number, and I would advise avoiding areas where there are large amounts of dogs freely interacting.

Seek out spaces or trails where dogs are moving along or times in a park where there are small numbers and helpful owners present.

Dante self-handicapping his play for puppy Luki

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here’s nothing dog owners love more than watching their best buddy happily romping and playing with another dog. It just seems right and natural for dogs to have play buddies and for us to find as many opportunities as we can to provide that for them.

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Play between puppies.

Is play necessary or even a good thing for puppies and between puppies? There is a fair bit of debate about this. I recently watched a 4-part webinar series by Sue Sternberg (hosted by Puppyworks) entitled “Managing Dog-Dog Interaction and Avoiding Dog Play Dangers”.

I’ve seen Sue present many times over the years (pre-COVID) and found this presentation to be as interesting, thought provoking and enjoyable as always.

I found myself agreeing with much of what she discussed regarding puppies, puppy play and dog play in general.

In my puppy classes, I have always included small moments of play between the puppies for 2 or maybe 3 of the middle classes in a set of 6. To be honest, I largely include play because I know what a big expectation it is for puppy parents – I cave to their pressure!

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Puppies practicing giving attention to the humans in class

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Every new puppy owner comes into puppy class expecting and looking forward to their puppy playing with other puppies. It seems to be a firmly entrenched expectation that puppy class is all about “socializing” with other puppies of similar ages. In fact, when COVID 19 hit and in-person puppy classes began closing down, there was general panic that puppies would lose this valuable experience – play with other puppies – and would thus not be properly “socialized” with other dogs.

True socialization is about so much more than play between dogs. Seek out a trainer

However, as a trainer I do who knows find play between puppies in class to be stressful! this and Not all puppies play well understands together – in fact many do not, and they need how to help constant monitoring by an you fully experienced trainer. I think it’s so important that if socialize you’re going to encourage your dog. play between puppies none of them ends up being overwhelmed, bullied, or frightened. I don’t want them leaving class having had a bad first dog-dog experience at such an impressionable time in their lives.

One thing to keep in mind and one important point that Sue emphasized in her webinar series was: Because puppies have had few experiences in their young lives to date, each experience they do have holds that much greater weight and thus that much greater impact.

If you attend a puppy class where each class begins or includes with play between the puppies, play with other dogs becomes an expectation with that puppy and will

And, contrary to popular thought, it’s not about “obedience” it’s all about being able to feel comfortable around other dogs, being able to shift attention away from another dog when asked and focus on their owner, and about being able to learn and to perform cued behaviours around other dogs when asked by their owners. And, most importantly, being able to focus and perform cued behaviours “joyfully” – happy to be engaged with their owners rather than “missing out” on play with other puppies.

also very likely become a general expectation when in the presence of other dogs for the lifetime of that puppy. Is that a bad thing?

Well, your dog will grow up with this expectation of dogdog interaction whenever you are in public, and that can easily become an intense focus and which will make it very difficult for him to shift his attention to you when asked.

Worse, if the play experience is not well monitored and your puppy is either bullied or allowed to bully others, his general expectation will be very negatively impacted by this early learning. It may unintentionally set your dog up to be frustrated, fearful or even reactive in the presence of other dogs before you’re even out of the puppy phase.

It’s Sue’s opinion, and I wholeheartedly agree, that a good puppy class should have very little emphasis placed on play and a much greater emphasis placed on puppies giving attention to their owners and being able to work with their owners in the presence of the other puppies.

All of these behaviours are highly reinforced in one instant of pulling. These are difficult behaviours to unlearn.

All of them are the frustrating behaviours owners are challenged with when their once small puppies are now full-sized adolescent dogs. The list of “must fix” behaviours owners of adolescent dogs share with me prior to class looks like this: focus in public, performance of cued behaviours (Recall, Stay, Sit, Leave It), polite behaviour with people ( Jumping up, Barking), loose leash walking (Barking, Pulling, Lunging), well-adjusted play and polite greeting skills with other dogs.

I do think there is some value in puppies playing in

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2020

Puppies practicing giving attention to the humans in class

What you often see when you spot a new puppy in public, is said puppy hurling themselves at the end of their leashes toward another dog with their owners in tow. This is a puppy that is rapidly and successfully developing an expectation of dog-dog interactions whenever they’re out in public.

What are puppies learning in these moments? They are learning that they can hurl themselves toward another dog and that nothing that dog may be communicating matters. They’re also learning to pull on leash, go where they want, make snap judgements and act on them and to ignore their owners.

Their owners take a back seat, and most are allowing the puppy to take the lead – in a misguided attempt to “socialize” their puppy with other dogs.

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they had them. They have not yet fully learned the subtleties of communication from other dogs and they may or may not respond appropriately.

They need to be well coached by an experienced trainer and ultimately their owner, and the play needs to be kept short and trauma-free. Ideally puppies can have a few seconds of interaction with another puppy that seems to be a good match and then be called away for a break. Anything other than 2 puppies together or longer than a few seconds of play can easily turn into a traumatic experience of being bullied or “ganged up on” for one puppy or a reinforcing period of bullying behaviour for another puppy.

Remember, these early moments have a big impact on their future behaviour – what do you want your puppy to learn and retain about playing with other dogs? Think very carefully about these interactions. Contrary to popular opinion, dogs do NOT simply learn to work things out. And as your puppy’s guardian, you should want your puppy to see you as a safe and supportive advocate.

What does “good” play look like between dogs?

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2020

2 puppies play under supervision while another learns to watch

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puppy class if there are compatible puppies available, but there aren’t always. However, we don’t want play to be the focus, we want interaction and learning with their humans to be the focus.

When appropriate, we can use play to practice some of our learning – Recall (come) out of play with another puppy, Leave It (nose greeting another puppy) and return your attention (eye contact) to your owner.

The reality is that not all puppies play well together.

Their sole influence until they entered your life has been interactions with their mother and their siblings – if

Dogs who are wanting to appear playful are much like people who are acting in a playful manner. Lots of loose, sometimes exaggerated and sometimes slower behaviour using friendly gestures and mannerisms.

Dogs often indicate a playful intent by using a “play bow” – butt high up in the air, front legs flattened on the ground, silly grins on their faces and loose tail wags at mid-height. Play bows aren’t always an indication of playful intent but when combined with other loose, friendly and exaggerated gestures they are generally perceived as such.

Dogs can also indicate a desire to have a playful interaction

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Quincy using toys to take a play break with Jack

Quincy and Jack just hanging out after a romp

Quincy and Jack - play winding down

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Quincy and puppy Jack silly play faces

by silly inefficient movements - loose, exaggerated gestures like tossing their heads or spinning around; doing a little playful “deke” or dart away and back; bouncy body movement – generally coupled with grinning expressions or exaggerated “play faces”, and very loose overall body language. Even novice dog owners or non-dog owners can often recognize playful intent in a dog.

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2020

Playful intent is communicated in the exact opposite way of harmful intent which is notably stiff body language coupled with freezing and hard staring, sometimes stalking and much more intense and deliberate movement. Less playful and more intense gestures are not appreciated and are often a signal of increasing arousal and not enough breaks. Darting in and out quickly maybe even with a nip or a nose or paw smack, body slamming, up on back legs “boxing”, humping, stalking, and unrelenting chasing are some of the more intense, less friendly behaviours to watch for.

Silly play faces

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Actual moments of good play don’t generally last for more than a few seconds or very few minutes. There should be many breaks in between short bouts, and the play should change and become slower and more relaxed as it winds down into a companionable hanging out period.

During play you should see an even distribution of behaviour – no one dog on top of another without exchanging roles frequently, chaser and chasee roles switching, larger and/or stronger dogs will self-handicap – lying on the ground to make themselves smaller and less intimidating to their smaller or weaker play companion.

Play breaks can be initiated by one or both dogs – when initiated by one, it should be adhered to by the other dog. Play breaks are a sudden switch in interest or change of activity and can look like one or any of the following: • stopping to gaze off in the distance; • interest in a sound; • intently sniffing the ground as if suddenly catching the whiff of something compelling; Quincy and Jack running together in the mountains

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Salem and Casey - best buddies but rarely played together

• a sudden itch that must be scratched; • wandering off for a drink of water or finding an empty food bowl to lick; • picking up a toy and playing with it or offering it to their play partner for a change of game; • switching attention to an object like humping a bed, or grabbing a slipper; • running over to a nearby human to say hi; • flopping down for a rest; • stopping for a good, long shake off; or

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• suddenly darting off in a mad, short romp or “zoomy”

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Despite how much some dogs seem to enjoy playing with other dogs – especially a particular friend who has a similar play style – it’s still important that your dog has more fun with you than with other dogs. If you are not the main focus of your dog’s fun and games, then he will always be seeking interaction from other dogs and it’s very unlikely you will ever have true reliability with any of your trained behaviours. He lives with you and spends the majority of his time with you – surely you don’t want

him constantly pining for those brief moment when he gets to play with other dogs?

Learn how to play with your dog in a way he enjoys and gets pleasure from when you engage him. It’s not just about tug and fetch – traditional human-dog games. If your dog likes to be chased, learn how to chase him in a way he finds fun – then change it up and run away so he chases you. If he likes to play tug, do you let him win a lot and handicap yourself by playing the weaker partner frequently? Give it a try! It’s much more fun to play with someone you stand a chance of besting from time to time – who wants to play if you always lose?! A good resource for learning how to play with your dog is UK dog trainer Craig Ogilvie’s “Interactive Play Guide”.

My advice? Teach your dogs to joyfully come to you, work with you and play with you before you let them begin meeting other dogs. Then use those meetings to practice the skills you’ve already begun. Keep play sessions short, positively interrupt a lot and learn the body language that’s important to see and important to stop. Teach your dog to be calm, comfortable and content simply hanging out around other dogs. Be the centre of fun for your dog!

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