Pet Connection October / November Issue

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OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2022

ENDOSCOPY! Or Looking Inside Seasonal Allergies

FELINE TEETH The Wonders of Catnip

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GETTING THE SCOOP ON CANADA’S PET CULTURE VOLUME 15 • ISSUE 4 • OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2022

Inside: 8

ENDOSCOPY or Looking Inside

by Dr. Eugene Gorodetsky, DVM

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Seasonal Allergies in Dogs

by Dr. Cliff Redford, DVM

A Novel Treatment for Urinary Incontinence in Dogs

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by Dr. David M. Lane DVM, and Sarah A. Hill

The Benefits of Pumpkin & How to Prepare It For Your Pets!

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Demi

by Lucy Jabrayan

Feline Teeth

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by Anne Jablonski

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The Wonders of Catnip

by Jessika Harding

IN EVERY ISSUE 4

Letter from the Publisher Cross Canada Photo Contest Mark Your Calendars!

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Cover Photo: Sloop Photo Courtesy of Lorrie Oystryk

Larry

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2022

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BONUS - Woman to Watch!

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Letter from the Publisher PUBLISHER Leslie Kennedy Tel: 604.220.5346 info@petconnection.ca www.petconnection.ca GRAPHIC DESIGN Britton Design Services CONTRIBUTORS Dr. Eugene Gorodetsky Jessika Harding Anne Jablonski Lucy Jabrayan Dr. David Lane Dr. Cliff Redford

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).

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OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2022

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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.

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All Rights Reserved © 2022 - PET CONNECTION Pet Connection is located on the traditional territories of the WSÁNEĆ People, on whose traditional territories, we live and work.

PEFC 4

October is National Woman’s Small Business Month The Pet Industry has so many talented woman. Let’s start to recognize and support them like never before. Please consider shopping at woman owned stores, purchase products from woman owned companies, and be more aware of who your dollar is really supporting. Celebrate them, support them and watch them grow.

According to Government Statistics*, woman only owned 15.7 % of small business, while 64.6% were owned by men.

Congratulations to Sloop!

Sloop won the Cat Photo Contest and is gracing the cover this issue.

I love seeing our pets drinking more water. It’s the best thing.

Thank you to everyone who entered.

To your pets health, - Leslie Kennedy Publisher

*https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/11-626-x/11-626-x2018083-eng.htm

“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 2022

CONTRIBUTORS Dr. Eugene Gorodetsky, DVM, Dr. Gorodetsky has spent a large part of his career as an emergency and critical care veterinarian in a busy 24 hour referral hospital. He has also developed an interest and considerable experience in veterinary endoscopy. He has endoscopically removed thousands of foreign bodies from stomachs, esophagi, small and large intestines, noses, lungs, vaginas, urethras and ears. All this while avoiding open surgery as well as pain, longer recovery and increased frequency of post-surgical complications.

Dr. Eugene Gorodetsky runs the BC Mobile Animal Endoscopy. Find his page on Facebook for videos and pictures of endoscopy in action.

Jessika Harding, I am a huge animal lover and a pet nutrition enthusiast with a background in companion animal nutrition (canine and feline) and biotechnology. From growing up with dogs to working with my local shelter and pet store, animals have always been a significant part of my life. I am currently owned by two fantastic German Shorthaired Pointers - Artemis and Apolla, they keep me on my toes and wouldn’t have it any other way. www.ironwillrawdogfood.com

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2022

Anne Jablonski lives in Northern Virginia with her husband and two ill-mannered, well-fed, and deeply-loved cats. She works as a freelance business consultant, teaches mindfulness and yoga, and credits a mellow orange tabby named Duke and Dr. Lisa Pierson for setting her on a path years ago to get good and educated about cat nutrition. www.catnutrition.org

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Lucy Jabrayan, is the owner and founder of Thrive4life Holistic Pet Food, she educates and empowers pet guardians to turn to natural alternatives and modalities to better help their pets in their health & wellness journey. Lucy has an extensive background in the nutrition and supplement industry for well over a decade, as she takes her broad knowledge to educate many pet guardians by conducting health seminars, contributing to numerous publications and making segment appearances in television.

To learn more visit, www.thrive4lifepetfood.com.

Dr. David Lane, DVM, is canine sports medicine and rehabilitation specialist, one of only a hundred veterinarians worldwide to have earned this distinction.

He operates Points East West Veterinary Services in Squamish BC, and sees an equal mix of competition or working dogs, pet dogs with active lameness, and geriatric dogs in need of palliative care for weakness or arthritis. For further information, please visit www.pointseastwest.com.

Dr. Cliff Redford, DVM, is an experienced veterinarian and owner/operator of the Wellington Veterinary Hospital in Markham Ontario. Fondly known as Dr. Cliff to his clients, he has tended to the wellness of pets and animals for over two decades. Hands-on experience in his clinic, combined with animal advocacy and rescue missions locally and across the globe, has allowed him to curate a vast body of knowledge on animal health and welfare, including preventative counselling, soft tissue surgery, advanced dental procedures, internal medicine and emergency care. https://drcliff.ca

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OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2022

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ENDOSCOPY or LOOKING INSIDE

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2022

By Dr. Eugene Gorodetsky, DVM

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E

ndoscopy translated from Greek means looking inside. Basically it involves advancing a video camera either into a natural orifice or into an opening made specifically for that purpose. Endoscopes come in many different sizes and varieties. In my practice I commonly use multiple endoscopes ranging in size from 2.5 mm to 13 mm in diameter (as my patients range in size from a couple hundred grams to a couple hundred kilograms plus).

In human medicine endoscopes have been in use for over a 100 years. In the veterinary world it's become relatively widely available over the past 30 years or so. Veterinary endoscopy is well utilized in specialty practices and teaching institutions as well as in many general practices.

However, it is still not as commonplace as it deserves to be: when a pet has swallowed a fish hook or part of a tennis ball, the knee-jerk-reflex for many practitioners

is to perform surgery rather than look for a less invasive solution. The cavities that I examine most commonly include upper gastro-intestinal tract/GIT (oesophagus, stomach and the adjacent portion of the small intestine), lower GIT (rectum, colon +/-ileum), nasopharynx, nasal turbinates +/-sinuses, trachea and bronchi. Endoscopy allows for collection of samples such as brushing for cytology and/or culture, broncho-alveolar lavage under direct visualization, collection of biopsies for histopathology. In some situations polyps can also be removed through the scope. Different instruments can be passed through the instrument channel of the scope in order to retrieve foreign bodies or to obtain samples such as biopsies.

X-ray showing a fish hook!

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OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2022

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OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2022

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This American Bulldog had quite a history with foreign bodies: in the past she had both endoscopic and surgical removal. This time the owners were at the end of their rope: if endoscopy did not work, they'd consider euthanasia. In other words, no pressure. Fortunately for all involved, I was able to retrieve an intact pair of pantyhose as well as the remnants of a T-shirt.

A ball is a true staple of endoscopic foreign body removal.

Foreign bodies are certainly the most entertaining aspect of endoscopy. Over the years I have removed hundreds (and likely by now thousands) of foreign objects from dogs, cats, ferrets, birds, lizards, turtles, horses, pigs, and even from a lion. Cats usually ingest predictable things such as needles, thread, hair ties, condoms, ear plugs; occasionally you get something more exciting such as a toy mouse. In dogs, however, the sky is truly the limit as to what they can and will eat. The most common foreign bodies include rocks, coins, balls, fish hooks, plastic of various kinds, socks, different types of underwear and hygienic products. Dogs with greater imagination prefer beer bottle cups, leashes, collars, meat skewers, gloves or Christmas ornaments. And the true gourmands go for diamond rings, brooches, tips of garden hoses, door knobs, rubber duckies, intact Christmas tree light bulbs, seven feet of poop bags, Mr. Potato Head’s tongue or a toupee. Just in case you are wondering, this list is not a product of my lively imagination; this is a sampler of what I have personally removed endoscopically.

Some of the exotic patients have also supplied me with memorable stories.

In the past I’ve removed a little bell from a Chinese Water Dragon (a small lizard). The cool thing about that case was that you could actually hear the bell when the lizard moved. A Bearded Dragon ingested a penny. A piglet managed to get an oesophageal obstruction (blocked food pipe) with a dried apricot. A 10 day old miniature horse (a whooping 35 lb equine) got a blockage after ingesting wood shavings. A Monitor lizard with fabric in his stomach. A lion that was given a water hose as an enrichment tool in her enclosure, and promptly started vomiting pieces of the hose. And the list goes on.

One’s ability to remove different types of foreign objects comes down to experience, common sense and the availability of proper instruments. There are numerous instruments such as snares, baskets, graspers, and nets commercially available. Their use requires some experience, but it definitely is not rocket science.

Can any foreign body be removed from the stomach using endoscopy? Just about. My success rate is about

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2022

This was a 10 day old miniature horse (35 lb) that managed to ingest a large amount of wood shavings and got herself an oesophageal obstruction.

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A piece of plastic bone!

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2022

99% with gastric (stomach) foreign objects. Basically, if it did go down, it must be able to come back up as long as proper tools are readily available.

Some exceptions apply, but they are few and far between. These exceptions are usually of two types: things that change in the stomach, and things that form in the stomach. Some examples of objects changing on prolonged contact with gastric acid would be a rubber

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The name of the pig was (and hopefully still is) U-u. The piglet (a young mini-pig only weighing 3.5 kg) was suddenly unable to eat and was drooling. On x-rays there was a suspicion of an oesophageal foreign body. On endoscopic exam I found and removed a rather peculiar obstruction - a dried apricot. What kind of self-respecting pig would get obstructed with an apricot? Well, stranger things have happened...

ducky (it becomes hard as a rock after spending a couple of weeks in the stomach) or rubber gloves (those turn hard, brittle and black). Things that form in the stomach can be hairballs or other aggregations of material such as fabric, etc. Not infrequently they form around some kind of centre such as a piece of plastic.

A Rock!!!

Yes, I did take all this material out of this American Bulldog's stomach. Even more amazingly, he managed to ingest it all in one sitting: owners left for the evening, and while they were gone, the bulldog went to town.

Most of the stuff ingested consisted of yarn (green and white), but there also were some shoelaces, a bra, some undergarments, etc.

Growing up, this pup must have dreamed about being a sword swallower. Decided to try with one conspicuously long treat. Got it lodged. Got it removed. Lived happily ever after.

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2022

When the object has moved past the stomach into the small intestine, in many cases I can still get it, but it is not nearly as straightforward as it is with the gastric ones. With intestinal foreign bodies cats typically have a considerably higher chance of successful removal. The reason for that is twofold: they like to eat soft things such as earplugs, pieces of yoga mat or erasers AND the majority of these objects get stuck in the part of the small intestine adjacent to the stomach. So, the soft foreign body does not cause a lot of damage to the intestinal wall, AND I can usually reach it and remove it.

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OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2022

14 year old Golden stomach filled with...ARTIFICIAL MOSS!

Some foreign body retrievals take literally a few minutes.

Others can be very challenging technically and extremely time consuming. For example, recently I treated a 14

This five week old kitten was born with a genetic defect - a cleft palate. As a result, he was unable to eat normally, so he was fed through a tube delivering the milk straight into the oesophagus (and thus bypassing the mouth). Somehow the little tube (a red linear structure next to the kitten in the picture) was lost in the oesophagus. I had to get it out using one of the smaller scopes (he weighed less than one pound). The kitten did well.

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2022

Another invaluable application of endoscopy is oesophageal obstruction (blocked food pipe). I have removed about 500 foreign bodies from oesophagi of various creatures. Most of them happen in dogs. Bones are the most common, followed by rawhide chews, but occasionally one can find an apple core, piece of watermelon rind, a toy or even a large piece of kibble.

Whereas the stomach can usually be accessed by open surgery, no surgeon will touch the oesophagus with a ten foot pole if they can help it. That is why endoscopic removal is by far the best and safest option available.

The sooner the oesophageal obstruction is addressed (hours rather than days), the less likely the patient is to experience severe complications. The saying goes that the sun should never set on an oesophageal obstruction.

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OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2022

One of the objects I have never removed before was a shuttlecock (colloquially known as birdie).

Not uncommonly I encounter foreign bodies in the nasal cavity — either in the nostrils or in the nasopharynx: usually they are blades of grass, pieces of tree bark, pine needles, occasionally you can find a peanut. Once I found a tooth that was in the nose as a result of previous trauma. Rarely one can find a tracheal foreign body. I have only seen about a dozen of them: a small rock, a nut, a piece of pine cone, a few twigs, a cherry pit, a few blades of grass.

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2022

year old Golden with a stomach completely filled with artificial moss (soft plastic). It took me about a hundred trips into the stomach to remove it piece by piece. In total, there was about five litres of this material. Needless to say, that took more than a few minutes; more like an hour and a half plus. But, to me it is still a preferable option, especially for a senior dog: the day after the procedure the patient was eating and active. And there is no big painful incision to heal.

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Occasionally I get to remove foreign bodies from shall we say more unusual locations. I’ve seen a couple of socks that were swallowed and then passed along all the way to the colon. Then somehow they got caught around the ileo-colic junction (an area where the small intestine goes into the large intestine). I went in with a scope rectally and was easily able to dislodge and remove the foreign object. I have also removed a few objects (usually plant matter such as fox tails, etc) from the ears, many of them puncturing the ear drums. Another foxtail was removed from a dog’s vagina; it was sitting quite deep, close to the cervix.

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2022

Foreign bodies are fun, but the most common use of endoscopy should be for diagnosis of chronic conditions — chronic gastro-intestinal cases, chronic noses, chronic lungs. I am sure every one of us working with small

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animals can think of a persistently vomiting dog, a cat with chronic nasal discharge or a coughing dog that just does not respond well to symptomatic treatment. For any of those scenarios as well as for many others endoscopy can offer direct examination of the affected area as well as collection of samples for further pathological examination and diagnosis.

Endoscopy is not a solution to all problems, but in many cases it is an effective and less invasive alternative to surgery. For those of us who have personally lived through any kind of surgical procedure, the memories of pain associated with healing are enough to try and avoid any future surgeries unless absolutely necessary.

I am happy to provide my patients with that alternative.

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OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2022

SEASONAL ALLERGIES in DOGS

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2022

By Dr. Cliff Redford, DVM

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What Causes Seasonal Allergies in Dogs Seasonal allergies are inhalant in nature. Allergens like pollen, grass, ragweed, trees, mould and dust become airborne in larger quantities in the spring. Just like humans, when your dog breathes them in, a cascading inflammatory response sets off in their body. Predictably, we see a steady stream of pet owners coming into our clinic seeking allergy relief for their pets around springtime. The symptoms subside eventually once the allergens dissipate from the air, however, some dogs can suffer from them all year round. Seasonal allergies cannot be cured. The best you can do is to proactively manage the symptoms to keep your pet comfortable during allergy season. Any dog can get seasonal allergies, however, some breeds, like West Highland Terriers and Labrador Retrievers, succumb to them more easily.

more persistent and we place them in Stage 3 when the medications we prescribe no longer work.

Stage One Seasonal Allergies Young puppies presenting with their first allergic reactions will have itchy skin with hives as described above. You might even notice your dog licking their paws more than normal. This will generally last for just a month or two and then suddenly disappear. Ensure your veterinarian confirms it is an allergic reaction before

Symptoms of Seasonal Allergies in Dogs

If your dog has seasonal allergies, it will show up in the early stages of life when they are two or three years old. Generally, the mild initial reaction will progressively become persistent and last longer as your dog ages.

Classifying Seasonal Allergies in Dogs We classify allergic reactions into three stages. Stage One is the mild initial reaction, Stage Two is when it becomes

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2022

Allergic reactions in dogs present quite differently from humans, where symptoms like itchy eyes, stuffy noses and sneezing are common. While these can occur in dogs, they are rare. Instead, the reaction manifests itself on the skin.

You may notice hives on the lower half of their body, on their chest and belly, under their arms and also on their paws and pads.

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Stage Two Seasonal Allergies in Dogs The main problem with seasonal allergies is the secondary infections they lead to, like bacterial infections (Pyoderma), along with fungal infections (Yeast Dermatitis). As time progresses, the allergic reactions will become more persistent and last longer. Unfortunately, you will find over-the-counter medications becoming less effective. The allergies will agitate your dog to the point of interfering with their comfort and sleep. At this stage, it is important to see your veterinarian. You may require prescribed antibiotics medications or injections, anti-itch vaccines, anti-fungal medications and prescription-strength topical cortisone creams.

Stage Three Seasonal Allergies in Dogs

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2022

you start any treatment. Simple reactions can easily be managed with over-the-counter anti-bacterial and antifungal shampoo. You can even purchase anti-itch sprays to give your dog immediate relief from itch discomfort.

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If you already know that your dog suffers from seasonal allergies, then ask your veterinarian for a preventative treatment plan with anti-inflammatories like Omega Fatty Acids. They usually take 3 – 4 weeks to kick in so you should start your dog’s treatment in advance of allergy season. Omega Fatty Acids hydrate the skin, fortify it with healthy bacteria and reduce itchiness.

However, they also improve heart health, arthritic joints, the immune response and also provide strong protection against some types of cancer. That is why we often recommend it for dogs year-round, and especially if we know the breed is prone to seasonal allergies. Omega Fatty Acids are relatively inexpensive and available overthe-counter. You must purchase the ones designed for dogs and not humans.

Keep your veterinarian informed of your dog’s progress so they can keep track of the progression of its allergies and adjust the treatment plan, accordingly.

Stage Three allergies occur when the prescription medications from your veterinarian no longer work.

This is when we refer you to veterinarian dermatologists.

These specialists train for 2 – 3 years after obtaining their veterinarian degree, to deeply focus on single areas of study. They conduct tests on your dog to uncover the specific allergens that are causing the reactions. From there, they design customized anti-allergy serums for you to administer regularly. Such treatments can become expensive but they are extremely effective. Fortunately, Stage Three allergies are rare.

Using Antihistamines While antihistamines, like Benadryl, work phenomenally well on humans, they do not bode well for dogs and can sometimes be downright dangerous. Human dosages are not designed for pets, either. Antihistamines for dogs usually only work 25% of the time, and only provide limited relief when they do.

A dog with seasonal allergies will require a proactive owner to help him/her through allergy season. Pet owners should not be afraid to ask veterinarians lots of questions to educate themselves. You can also obtain a second opinion if you are unsure of how to move forward. The best decisions for your pet are those you make jointly and confidently with your veterinarian.

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The German Shepherd Dogs (GSD) have fascinated Jurgen Fischer since childhood in Germany. When he immigrated to Canada in 2004, he started immediately into the K9 sport known as schutzhund (ScHH/IPO). Schutzhund is currently known competitively as IGP and previously as IPO, is a dog sport that tests a dog’s tracking, obedience, and protection skills. It evaluates if a dog has the appropriate traits and characteristics of a good working dog. Jurgen has titled several dogs (from puppies) to IPO/IGP3, FH (advanced tracking) and started breeding in 2009 under the Kennel name “von der Datschiburg” which is a nickname for his German hometown Augsburg in Bavaria.

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A Novel Treatment for Urinary Incontinence in Dogs

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2022

By Dr. David M. Lane, DVM and Sarah A. Hill

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The relationship between urethral sphincter mechanism incompetency and lower back pain.

Background: In humans, multiple researchers have not only determined that there is a relationship between urinary incontinence (UI) and lower back pain (LBP), but that by treating the LBP, clinicians are able to improve or resolve the UI. Up until now, no equivalent canine research has investigated whether treatment of LBP can improve the clinical signs of acquired, nonneurologic UI in dogs.

Aim: To determine if a relationship exists between LBP and urethral sphincter mechanism incompetence (USMI) in dogs.

Methods: Review of medical records of all patients that presented to Points East West Veterinary Services with a history of naturally occurring acquired UI from May 2013 to December 2019. Thirty-nine patients treated for LBP using combined acupuncture and manual therapy, and 33/39 patients that also received concurrent photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy, qualified for this study.

Results: Treated patients showed a statistically significant reduction in both the frequency (p < 0.01) and volume (p < 0.01) of UI episodes. Treatment responses ranged from no improvement, to complete resolution of the USMI clinical signs.

Conclusion: The reduction of USMI clinical signs following LBP treatment suggests a relationship between these two conditions. Combined acupuncture, manual therapy, with or without PBM was shown to be an effective treatment for USMI. By corollary, USMI incontinence should be considered a potential pain symptom.

Keywords: Incontinence, Manual therapy, Acupuncture, Photobiomodulation, Back pain.

Introduction Urethral sphincter mechanism incompetency (USMI) is the most common non-neurogenic acquired cause of urinary incontinence (UI) in dogs (Chew et al., 2011; Byron et al., 2017). It has a reported prevalence in spayed females ranging from 3% to 5%, with earlier research reporting it

to be as high as 20% overall, and 30% in large dogs (Coit et al., 2008; Chew et al., 2011; Reichler and Hubler, 2014; Byron et al., 2017; Hall et al., 2019). The incidence of USMI in intact females, and both intact or neutered male dogs, is much lower at approximately 1% (Coit et al., 2008; Reichler and Hubler, 2014; Hall et al., 2019). USMI most commonly presents as urinary leakage while the dog is sleeping or lying down (Chew et al., 2011).

The underlying physiology of USMI is uncertain, but appears to be a multifactorial condition with anatomic, genetic, neurologic, and endocrine components (Spain et al., 2004; de Bleser et al., 2011; Byron et al., 2017; Pegram et al., 2019). Research into a connection between the age of gonadectomy and prevalence of USMI has produced conflicting results, and remains controversial (Aaron et al., 1996; Thrusfield et al., 1998; Spain et al., 2004; de Bleser et al., 2011; Forsee et al., 2013; Byron et al., 2017; Hall et al., 2019; Pegram et al., 2019).

In females, USMI occurs more frequently in larger dogs, with certain breeds overrepresented (Aaron et al., 1996; Hoelzler and Lidbetter, 2004; Chew et al., 2011; de Bleser et al., 2011; Forsee et al., 2013; Byron et al., 2017; Pegram et al., 2019). Other risk factors that increase the risk of USMI include having a docked tail, increased age, obesity, having a shorter urethral length, and having a bladder neck located caudally in the pelvic canal (Holt and Thrusfield, 1993; Wansbrough, 1996; Power et al., 1998; de Bleser et al., 2011; Reichler and Hubler, 2014; Hall et al., 2019; Pegram et al., 2019). De Bleser et al.

(2011) also found a statistically significant correlation (p < 0.001) between USMI and both osteoarthritis (OA), and difficulty crouching. In many cases the onset of USMI does not occur until 2 to 5 years after the gonadectomy, and sometimes not until 10 years have passed (Aaron et al., 1996; Thrusfield et al., 1998; Hoelzler and Lidbetter, 2004; de Bleser et al., 2011; Forsee et al., 2013; Reichler and Hubler, 2014; Hall et al., 2019). The reason for this delay is unknown. There are conflicting findings about whether or not USMI is more prevalent in neutered versus intact males (Aaron et al., 1996; Power et al., 1998; Hall et al., 2019). Unlike USMI in females, the prevalence in males is not related to body weight (Coit et al., 2008).

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2022

Abstract

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Histologic effects of gonadectomies on the bladder also differs between the sexes, suggesting an alternate physiologic cause (Coit et al., 2008; Hall et al., 2019).

Breeds with the highest odds of incontinence are similar for both sexes (Hall et al., 2019).

USMI is typically managed by eliminating the clinical signs through the long term administration of medication, with phenylpropanolamine and/or diethylstilbestrol being the most common (Hoelzler and Lidbetter, 2004; Reichler, 2009; Chew et al., 2011; Reichler and Hubler, 2014). The success rate of medical treatment is higher in female dogs, relative to males (Aaron et al., 1996; Hoelzler and Lidbetter, 2004; Chew et al., 2011; Hall et al., 2019).

Patients refractory to medical treatment are candidates for surgical intervention, with success rates as high as 80%, but with some dogs only showing temporary benefit (Aaron et al., 1996; Hoelzler and Lidbetter, 2004; Reichler, 2009; Chew et al., 2011).

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2022

In human medicine, multiple researchers have identified a relationship between UI and lower back pain (LBP) (Smith et al., 2006; Zhang et al., 2006; Eliasson et al., 2008). Treatment of LBP with physiotherapy and exercises in women has also been shown to reduce UI symptoms (Ghaderi et al., 2016). On the veterinary side, one researcher found a correlation between the existence of USMI, and reduced mobility of the third to fifth lumbar vertebrae (Thude, 2015).

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In human medicine, LBP is divided into the categories of mechanical LBP, and non-specific lower back pain (NSLBP) (Balagué et al., 2012). NSLBP is defined as LBP “not attributable to a recognisable, known specific pathology (e.g., infection, tumour, osteoporosis, fracture, structural deformity, inflammatory disorder, radicular syndrome, or cauda equina syndrome)” (Balagué et al., 2012). NSLBP is recognized as a common condition in humans, with a lifetime prevalence as high as 84% (Balagué et al., 2012). References to NSLBP appear to be non-existent in the veterinary literature. Diagnosis of NSLBP in humans is made by a combination of pain on palpation, detection of asymmetry, and abnormal mobility of vertebral structures (Flynn et al., 2002). These diagnostic techniques have also been adapted and applied to veterinary patients (Millis and Levine, 2013; Lane and Hill, 2016a, 2016b; Zink and Van Dyke, 2018).

Treatment of NSLBP in humans often includes prescription medication, manual therapy, stabilization exercises, and other specific therapeutic exercises (Zhang et al., 2006; Fritz et al., 2007; Balagué et al., 2012). These treatments are also applicable to dogs (Millis and Levine, 2013; Lane and Hill, 2016a, 2016b; Zink and Van Dyke, 2018). In humans, multiple studies have shown evidence that acupuncture can reduce the symptoms of UI and is not inferior to other more established treatments (Shen et al., 2019; Sun et al., 2020). Similarly, systematic review concluded that photobiomodulation (PBM) benefitted human UI patients (Mackova et al., 2020). In the veterinary literature, blinded, controlled, prospective, clinical trials found that combining acupuncture and manual therapy (CAMT) improved short-term comfort and mobility in dogs (Lane and Hill, 2016a, 2016b).

It is unknown whether there is a relationship between LBP and USMI in dogs, the way that there appears to be between LBP and UI in people. However, if such a relationship exists, it follows that resolution of that back pain would lead to a subsequent decrease in UI. The hypothesis of this paper is that dogs treated for LBP using CAMT, with or without PBM, will demonstrate a subsequent reduction in the frequency and/or volume of UI episodes.

Materials and Methods This retrospective study examined the medical records of patients that presented to Points East West Veterinary Services from May 2013 to December 2019. Records of patients with a reported history of UI consistent with USMI were examined for evidence of clinical improvement following treatment for concurrent LBP. Specifically, only patients with a history of acquired incontinence while sleeping or lying down, or immediately upon first rising following a period of lying down, were included. Patients with incontinence while awake and alert, or with evidence of neurologic dysfunction on physical examination, were excluded. Patients with a history of uncontrolled polyuria/ polydipsia, stranguria, or dysuria, were also excluded.

Because the history of UI was often learned incidentally during the initial appointment, and the first treatment was also begun during that same appointment, there was not an opportunity to perform other diagnostic tests, such as urinalysis, radiographic, or ultrasound imaging beforehand.

Similarly, there was insufficient time to determine what, if any, prior diagnostic workup for UI had been performed with the patients’ regular veterinarian. Thus, because of the time constraints of clinical practice, the diagnosis of USMI was presumptive, based on the clinical history alone.

The history was collected orally, by the same clinician (David Lane) for all patients. No notation was made about whether it was always the same family member reporting the clinical response during follow up inquiries. However, if the family member reporting the clinical response on subsequent appointments was not able to provide adequate information, that patient was excluded from the study.

findings, clinical outcomes, and treatment schedule.

Specifically, where available, each patient’s breed, sex, body weight, body condition score, and whether the patient possessed a full-length tail, was recorded.

Clinical history information included the age at which the patient was gonadectomized, the age at onset of UI clinical signs, the age at which the patient first presented for treatment, the duration of each patient’s UI clinical signs prior to presentation, the frequency and volume of UI episodes, whether they were currently taking either phenylpropanolamine or diethylstilbesterol, and whether the patient presented primarily to address the

Patients for whom there was insufficient data following treatment, and for whom the history of incontinence was so sporadic that the owner was unable to determine if there was a timely response to treatment, were excluded. This means that patients who were receiving pharmaceutic treatment, or that could implement husbandry practises that completely resolved the UI, were excluded.

However, patients with uncontrolled UI, despite pharmaceutic or husbandry interventions, were included, as long as those interventions did not change while the success of treatment was being evaluated. Information was tabulated on the patients’ signalment, clinical history, physical examination

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Because CAMT has previously demonstrated a benefit in comfort and mobility within 8 days of a second treatment (Lane and Hill, 2016a, 2016b), any reduction in the clinical signs of USMI that did not occur within 8 days of a second treatment, were not considered related to the treatment. All patients received at least two treatments of CAMT, with or without PBM. Patients whose clinical presentation required additional treatment beyond CAMT and PBM, were excluded from the study.

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UI clinical signs, or if musculoskeletal clinical signs were the primary complaint. Physical examination findings were based on muscle and motion palpation, noting whether there was involvement with any of the lumbar vertebrae or sacro-iliac joints, or associated musculature, including the iliopsoas, iliocostalis, epaxial, sartorius, quadratus lumborum, abdominal wall, adductor, and gracilis muscles. Clinical outcomes examined whether there was a change in either the frequency or volume of UI episodes, and whether the owners reported an improvement in musculoskeletal clinical signs. The treatment schedule noted the total number of appointments, the elapsed time between the initial consult and first recheck appointments, the average time between appointments, time between first and last appointment, and the frequency of UI episodes that followed.

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A typical examination would consist of history collection followed by a complete orthopaedic examination of each limb, as well as an assessment of spinal cord function. The vertebral column, from the first cervical vertebra to the proximal tail was assessed for altered mobility between adjacent vertebrae, as well as abnormal tone or pain in the surrounding musculature. Manual therapy, including both mobilizations and manipulations, as determined by each patient’s need, was performed as part of the examination itself. Regions of focal muscle hypertonicity affecting vertebral mobility, or focal pain secondary to myofascial trigger points were typical examination findings that were addressed during treatment sessions.

Acupuncture using acupoints was routinely performed next, depending on the clinician’s subjective assessment of the patient’s need, and patient’s tolerance of needles.

The most commonly used acupoints were LI10 bilaterally, GV14, 8,4, BL 13, 19, 20, 21, 23, 60, ST36 bilaterally, GB34 bilaterally, and KI3. Needles were left in place for up to 10 minutes, but were usually removed earlier, once it was determined that the surrounding muscle tone had normalized.

PBM using a class 3b laser (Spectravet lasers, Coeymans Hollow, NY) was applied immediately after acupuncture needle placement. Treatment protocol varied depending on the clinician’s subjective assessment of the patient’s need. Typically, doses were applied for 40 seconds using either a superpulsed (904 nm, 50 mW average, 25 W peak, 18 J/cm2), or continuous wave (810 nm, 500 mW, 20 J/cm2) probe. Any myofascial trigger points that remained following the above treatment were then addressed using dry needling (intramuscular stimulation) techniques. Whenever possible, the treatment goal was to resolve any palpable sources of muscular pain before the treatment session was ended.

Statistical Analysis Due to high quantities of missing data and the categorical nature of much of the data captured from client files for this analysis, a nonparametric approach was taken with the analysis. Missing data made even this modified approach challenging, so a limited number of questions could be explored using the available data set.

The data set was reorganized to facilitate evaluation of a specific a priori hypothesis—we expected to see improvement (i.e., reductions in urine leakage) following treatment. Specifically, each case was examined to determine the frequency (pre- and post- treatment) of UI episodes (daily, weekly, monthly or less frequently),

Spearman’s rho was computed to look at the relationships between key variables, including signalment [history; frequency of leakage (daily, weekly, monthly); medication for USMI; and diagnostic history], physical examination findings, clinical outcomes [change in volume and frequency of leakage (overall, <1 year post treatment, >1 year post- treatment; clinical evaluation of treatment success; musculoskeletal response) and treatment schedules (number and timing of appointments; relapse history) because of the mixed categorical and continuous nature of the variables available, and the large number of missing values on some variables (which limited the number of cases to examine quite dramatically in some cases)].

Ethical approval This research conforms to the ethical standards as described by the Canadian Council on Animal Care in science.

Results Thirty-nine patients qualified for the study. Multiple mixed and purebred dog breeds were represented.

Body weight averaged 25.3 kg (range 2.7 to 48 kg), and age averaged 8.2 years (range 0.5 to 14 years). Of the qualified patients, 16 dogs were neutered males, 1 was an intact male, and the remaining 22 dogs were spayed females.

The age at which the patient was gonadectomized was frequently not noted in the medical record. Similarly, the patient’s age at the time UI clinical signs first appeared, and/or the length of time between onset of clinical signs and the first appointment was indiscernible for multiple patients. At presentation, 10 identified UI as their primary complaint, 9 listed musculoskeletal issues, and the remaining 20 cited both UI and musculoskeletal issues equally, as their primary reason for seeking treatment. No difference in physical examination findings or treatment response was found between

these groups. At the time of treatment, 11 patients were taking medication for UI, but were still experiencing breakthrough UI. Six were taking diethylstilbestrol, 4 were taking phenylpropanolamine, and 1 was taking both diethylstilbestrol and phenylpropanolamine.

All patients showed some degree of lumbopelvic hypomobility as a physical examination finding. No attempt was made in the medical record to subjectively categorize the severity of pain symptoms demonstrated during examination. Rather, the medical notes recorded the location of reduced vertebral mobility, and among the distinctly palpable muscles, which ones had abnormal tone or myofascial trigger points.

All patients received CAMT. Six patients did not receive PBM. The reason for not applying PBM for those patients was because they were part of a larger study examining the efficacy of CAMT as a sole therapy, and therefore were ineligible to receive PBM. All treatments were performed by the same clinician (David Lane).

Although the multifactorial nature of this study, and the small number of dogs makes it difficult to draw a conclusion, there appears to be support for the notion that treatment for LBP was associated with a decrease in the owner-reported frequency and volume of UI episodes.

To test the hypotheses, data were scrutinized in two ways. Frequency pre- and post-treatment was coded as occurring either daily, weekly, or monthly (or less than monthly). The number of cases available for analysis was 27. Because of a very small number of cases falling into the monthly + less than monthly category, the categories were further collapsed to compare only daily and weekly + less frequent leaking episodes. Next, the data were rearranged to allow a determination of whether the post-treatment frequency for each case was unchanged or decreased compared to pre-treatment frequency (no reports of increases in frequency were observed in the data set). The resulting pattern of results are shown in Table 1. A Chi-square test confirmed that treatment was successful in reducing the frequency of incontinence behaviours (leaking) overall, C21 = 6.91, p < 0.01.

No sex difference in post-treatment leakage volume was observed (C21 = 0.36, p > 0.05). Across all measured diagnostic categories, however, reduced post-treatment

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the relative volume of urine for each post-treatment episode relative to the pre-treatment volume (increased, the same, less), and the duration of pre-treatment clinical signs (a month or less, a year or less, more than a year). Chi-square analyses were performed using these categorical variables, sex (neutered males, spayed females), and diagnosis type (USMI, musculoskeletal, both).

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Table 1. Daily and weekly results.

Table 2. Post-treatment leakage volume.

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leakage volume was evident as shown in Table 2. A Chisquare test indicated that dogs in all categories appear to have benefitted from treatment insofar as dogs in all diagnostic categories considered experienced reduced leakage volume post treatment, C22 = 9.44, p < 0.01.

The data available to test the hypotheses regarding the impact of treatment on both frequency and volume of leakage were somewhat problematic for a couple of reasons. Although most owners were able to quantify the frequency of UI, some could not. For example, the owner might have been able to detect a urine smell on the dog’s blanket, but could not say if the frequency of leakage leading to that smell was occurring daily, or weekly. Other owners would report urinary leakage if they failed to take certain husbandry practises, such as ensuring the dog urinated shortly before bedtime. Thus, the frequency of UI episodes varied, depending on how well they were able to implement these husbandry measures. At the pre-treatment stage, 35 (89%) owners were able to quantify the frequency of UI, but 3 owners (8%) were not, and 1 (3%) owner only noted UI if they lapsed in their husbandry practises. Post-treatment, 34 (87%) owners were able to quantify the frequency of UI.

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At the post-treatment stage, 38 owners (97%) were able to comment on whether the frequency of UI had changed. Of those, 29 (74%) reported a decrease in the frequency of UI, 9 (23%) reported no change in the frequency of UI, and 0 (0%) reported an increase in frequency. The degree of response varied: 12/38 (32%) reported a reduction but incomplete resolution of clinical signs; that UI episodes decreased in frequency but still occurred at least once a month. 10/38 (28%) reported UI episodes occurred less frequently than once a month, and 7 (18%) reported episodes happening less frequently than once a year. Follow-up assessment greater

than a year following the start of treatment was available for only 16/38 (42%) of patients.

Attempts had been made to quantify the volume of urine voided during UI episodes by having the owners describe the urine volume on a 0–100 scale, with 0 representing no urine, and 100 representing the volume of a full bladder.

Many clients found themselves unable to answer that question retrospectively, instead choosing descriptive terms such as “dribbles,” “small puddle,” etc., In general, clients found it easier to record the frequency of UI episodes relative to the volume voided. 9/39 (23%) owners were unable to make any comment on the volume voided per UI episode (but were able to measure the frequency), whereas only 1/39 (3%) of owners were able to comment on the volume, but not the frequency. Despite not being able to comment on the volume voided per UI episode, 37/39 owners were still able to determine if the global volume of urine leaked changed over time. 27/39 (69%) of owners reported a decrease in urine volume leaked within 8 days of a second treatment, 9/39 (23%) reported no change in urine volume leaked, one owner (3%) reported an increase in urine volume leaked, and the remaining 2/39 (5%) were unable to make a determination.

Signalment, history, physical examination findings, outcomes, and treatment schedules were examined using nonparametric correlations (Spearman’s rho).

Many significant relationships were identified, but no systematic relationships that would clarify the chi- square findings were observed.

Discussion Following treatment of LBP with CAMT, with or without PBM, patients that presented with a clinical history of USMI saw a significant reduction in both

In humans, it is recognized that lumbar hypomobility can occur without pain (Fritz et al., 2007). Because canines are unable to verbally describe their experience, in cases where lumbar hypomobility is detected without any concurrent pain indicators such as avoiding palpation, flinching, head turning, vocalization, etc., it is uncertain if they are experiencing true LBP or nonpainful hypomobility. No effort was made to distinguish between these 2 conditions in the medical record, so no data could be collected on whether species specific pain signals were observed. However, hypomobility was recorded, and occurred in all patients.

Because treatment was initiated without a requirement for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) imaging, it cannot be absolutely stated that all the research subjects were experiencing NSLBP, and not mechanical back pain. Similarly, not all patients had received an appropriate workup to distinguish USMI from other causes of UI such as infection, or to rule out other confounding variables such as a pelvic bladder. Future research should consider MRI imaging to rule out mechanical back pain, and standardized diagnostic testing to rule out other potential causes of UI. The fact that morbidities beyond USMI or NSLBP may have been present, might have affected outcomes.

Although CAMT, with or without PBM, appears to be an effective treatment for USMI, it is uncertain which of these three modalities are exerting an effect, or if a multimodal approach results in an additive, or even symbiotic, benefit. In humans, some research indicates that each of these modalities has individual benefit in addressing UI. No research on CAMT, with or without PBM for resolving human UI was found.

In humans, two manual therapy treatments worked for a minority of patients, with a total of eight treatments given to determine effectiveness (Zhang et al., 2006). Similarly, 10 to 36 acupuncture sessions were administered in order to achieve a clinical response (Shen et al., 2019; Sun et al.,

2020). In this paper, the canine patients receiving CAMT, with or without PBM, frequently responded with only two treatments. The faster response rate reported in these dogs, relative to the human population, could reflect a species-specific difference, or possibly a benefit of using a multimodal approach, relative to the use of a single therapy. Further research is required in both species in order to make this determination.

Research has shown that female dogs are diagnosed 3–5 times as frequently as males (Coit et al., 2008; Hall et al., 2019; Reichler, 2009; Chew et al., 2011; Byron et al., 2017), yet in this paper, 41% of the subjects were male. The reason for the increased representation of males is unknown. One possible explanation is that male dogs are less likely to respond to conservative therapy (Chew et al., 2011), and the selection criterion of this paper included uncontrolled USMI. Therefore, more females with a diagnosis of USMI may have presented, but because their clinical signs were controlled by medication, they were ineligible to participate in this research. This would create a selection bias toward males, and thus explain their overrepresentation in this paper.

Differences exist between male and female dogs in both the underlying cause, and response to treatment, of USMI (Aaron et al., 1996; Hoelzler and Lidbetter, 2004; Coit et al., 2008; Chew et al., 2011; Hall et al., 2019).

In this study, we observed no difference in treatment response between male and female dogs. Although this paper did not identify variables that indicate how LBP and USMI might interrelate, elsewhere in the literature multiple authors have identified risk factors for USMI that also correlate with a diagnosis of LBP. In canines, De Bleser et al. (2011) found a strong correlation between a diagnosis of USMI and owners reporting their dog having difficulty assuming a normal urination stance.

Inability to assume a normal physiologic posture is a strong indicator of underlying pain and/or abnormally reduced spinal flexibility, consistent with LBP or hypomobility. Furthermore, De Bleser et al. (2011) correlated USMI with a diagnosis of OA, although the location of the OA was never specified. OA of the lumbar facets is a recognized cause of LBP. OA of the hind limbs also predisposes patients to secondary LBP (Balagué et al., 2012). These correlations were incidental to the primary hypothesis of De Bleser et al.’s (2011)

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frequency and volume of UI episodes. These findings suggest that LBP and USMI are related conditions, and that the clinical signs of USMI can be reduced or eliminated by treating LBP. By extension, these findings also suggest that UI is potentially a previously unrecognized pain symptom.

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research, but do serve as independent corroborating evidence that a relationship exists between the diagnosis of UI and concurrent musculoskeletal disease.

Multiple researchers have reported that UI is associated with having a docked tail, but no reason for this correlation has been determined (Holt and Thrusfield, 1993; Wansbrough, 1996; de Bleser et al., 2011).

Anatomically, the musculature of the tail is continuous with the perianal region, pelvic diaphragm and lumbar musculature, and physiologically aids in a dog’s ability to jump, turn corners at speed, negotiate narrow structures, and climb (Wansbrough, 1996; Patel and Braae, 2013; Zink and Van Dyke, 2018). Docking the tail leads to atrophy of this musculature and subsequent weakening of the pelvic diaphragm and lumbosacral musculature (Wansbrough, 1996). Inadequate muscle strength has been linked to an increase in both acute and repetitive stress injury in people (Lauersen et al., 2014). Thus, a docked tail may predispose to LBP in dogs, which in turn may give rise to UI. The relationship between obesity, USMI, gonadectomy status, sex, body weight, age, OA, and LBP, is complex (Fig. 1). In people, obesity is a risk factor for both OA and NSLBP (Smith et al., 2006). In dogs, obesity has been linked to OA, and the severity of OA (Frye et al., 2016). OA is correlated with USMI in dogs (de Bleser et al., 2011). OA is a risk factor for LBP (De Decker et al., 2014). Gonadectomized females are more likely to become obese (Simpson et al., 2019). A relationship between obesity and USMI also exists (Hall et al., 2019).

Middle-aged spayed females are most likely to be obese, and advancing age is also a risk factor for USMI (Hall et al., 2019; Simpson et al., 2019). Advancing age is also

Fig. 1. Relationship between risk factors for USMI and LBP.

correlated with degenerative back disease and LBP in dogs (Henderson et al., 2015; Worth et al., 2019). In humans, degenerative lower back disease is frequently preceded by NSLBP. Dogs gonadectomized before 6 months of age are also at an increased risk for OA, in addition to obesity (Simpson et al., 2019).

Increasing body weight, with or without obesity, is linked to USMI in females, but not in males (Hall et al., 2019). Increasing body weight is also linked to degenerative lumbar disease (Worth et al., 2019).

Spayed females are more likely to be obese compared to neutered males. Unlike spayed versus intact females, neutered males may not be predisposed to USMI when compared to intact males (Hall et al., 2019). It will take considerable research to separate the relationship between these intertwined variables to see whether they exert an independent effect on the incidence of USMI. Each sex should be examined separately.

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References

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Aaron, A., Eggleton, K., Power, C. and Holt, P.E. 1996. Urethral sphincter mechanism incompetence in male dogs: a retrospective analysis of 54 cases. Vet. Rec. 139, 542–546; doi:10.1136/vr.139.22.542 Balagué, F., Mannion, A.F., Pellisé, F. and Cedraschi, C. 2012. Non-specific low back pain. Lancet 379, 482–491; doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(11)60610-7 Byron, J.K., Taylor, K.H., Phillips, G.S. and Stahl, M.S. 2017. Urethral sphincter mechanism incompetence in 163 neutered female dogs: diagnosis, treatment, and relationship of weight and age at neuter to development of disease. J. Vet. Intern. Med. 31, 442–448; doi:10.1111/jvim.14678 Chew, D.J., DiBartola, S.P. and Schenck, P.A. 2011. Chapter 13—Disorders of micturition and urinary incontinence. In Canine and feline nephrology and urology, 2nd ed. Saint Louis, MI: W.B. Saunders, pp: 409–433; doi:10.1016/B978-0-7216-8178- 8.10013-2 Coit, V.A., Gibson, I.F., Evans, N.P. and Dowell, F.J. 2008. Neutering affects urinary bladder function by different mechanisms in male and female dogs. Eur. J. Pharmacol. 584, 153–158; doi:10.1016/j. ejphar.2008.02.037

de Bleser, B., Brodbelt, D.C., Gregory, N.G. and Martinez, T.A. 2011. The association between acquired urinary sphincter mechanism incompetence in bitches and early spaying: a case- control study. Vet. J. 187, 42–47; doi:10.1016/j. tvjl.2009.11.004 De Decker, S., Wawrzenski, L.A. and Volk, H.A. 2014. Clinical signs and outcome of dogs treated medically for degenerative lumbosacral stenosis: 98 cases (2004–2012). J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc. 245, 408–413; doi:10.2460/javma.245.4.408 Eliasson, K., Elfving, B., Nordgren, B. and Mattsson, E. 2008. Urinary incontinence in women with low back pain. Man. Ther. 13, 206–212; doi:10.1016/j. math.2006.12.006 Flynn, T., Fritz, J., Whitman, J., Wainner, R., Magel, J., Rendeiro, D., Butler, B., Garber, M. and Allison, S. 2002. A clinical prediction rule for classifying patients with low back pain who demonstrate short-term improvement with spinal manipulation. Spine 27, 2835–2843; doi:10.1097/00007632- 200212150-00021 Forsee, K.M., Davis, G.J., Mouat, E.E., Salmeri, K.R. and Bastian, R.P. 2013. Evaluation of the prevalence of urinary incontinence in spayed female dogs: 566 cases (2003–

Both lumbosacral degenerative disease and UI is more prevalent in older dogs (de Bleser et al., 2011; Reichler and Hubler, 2014; Henderson et al., 2015; Hall et al., 2019; Pegram et al., 2019; Worth et al., 2019). In humans, it has been shown that radiographic evidence of degenerative lumbosacral disease is often preceded by NSLBP. One possible explanation for delay in onset of USMI until years after being gonadectomized, is that it is not until the cumulative effect of both a gonadectomy and age-related LBP, that the patient begins experiencing clinical UI. Alternatively, it may be that LBP is the primary cause of USMI in a given patient, and the gonadectomy is incidental.

The multifactorial nature of USMI may also explain the variable response to treatment seen among dogs.

Dogs for whom the LBP was an incidental finding not contributing to UI, would be expected to show no improvement at all. Conversely, patients for whom the LBP is the primary or exclusive cause of UI, might show a complete response.

2008). J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc. 242, 959–962; doi:10.2460/javma.242.7.959 Fritz, J.M., Cleland, J.A. and Childs, J.D. 2007. Subgrouping patients with low back pain: evolution of a classification approach to physical therapy. J. Orthop. Sports Phys. Ther.

37, 290–302; doi:10.2519/jospt.2007.2498 Frye, C.W., Shmalberg, J.W. and Wakshlag, J.J. 2016. Obesity, exercise and orthopedic disease. Vet. Clin. North Am. Small Anim. Pract. 46, 831–841; doi:10.1016/j. cvsm.2016.04.006 Ghaderi, F., Mohammadi, K., Amir Sasan, R., Niko Kheslat, S. and Oskouei, A.E. 2016. Effects of stabilization exercises focusing on pelvic floor muscles on low back pain and urinary incontinence in women. Urology 93, 50–54; doi:10.1016/j. urology.2016.03.034 Hall, J.L., Owen, L., Riddell, A., Church, D.B., Brodbelt, D.C. and O’Neill, D.G. 2019.

Urinary incontinence in male dogs under primary veterinary care in England: prevalence and risk factors: Urinary incontinence in male dogs. J. Small Anim. Pract. 60, 86–95; doi:10.1111/jsap.12951

Henderson, A.L., Hecht, S. and Millis, D.L. 2015. Lumbar paraspinal muscle transverse area and symmetry in dogs with and without degenerative lumbosacral stenosis: paraspinal muscle and lumbosacral stenosis in dogs. J. Small Anim. Pract. 56, 618–622; doi:10.1111/jsap.12385 Hoelzler, M.G. and Lidbetter, D.A. 2004. Surgical management of urinary incontinence. Vet. Clin. North Am. Small Anim. Pract. 34, 1057–1073; doi:10.1016/j. cvsm.2004.03.003 Holt, P.E. and Thrusfield, M.V. 1993. Association in bitches between breed, size, neutering and docking, and acquired urinary incontinence due to incompetence of the urethral sphincter mechanism. Vet. Rec. 133, 177–180; doi:10.1136/vr.133.8.177 Lane, D.M. and Hill, S.A. 2016a. Pressure algometry measurement of canine muscular pain near the thoracolumbar junction: evaluation of a modified technique. Vet. Anaesth. Analg. 43, 227–234; doi:10.1111/vaa.12308 Lane, D.M. and Hill, S.A. 2016b. Effectiveness of combined acupuncture and manual therapy relative to no treatment for canine musculoskeletal pain. Can. Vet. J. 57, 407–414.

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The nature of the LBP itself may also contribute to the variable clinical responses reported. Dogs with an acute muscular injury and no underlying chronic pathology, such as degenerated intravertebral discs or OA, may show a permanent response to one or two treatments if

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the LBP was the primary or exclusive cause of the UI. Dogs with permanent underlying pathology such as degenerated intravertebral discs or OA, may be prone to recurrence of the LBP despite an initial response to treatment. Such cases may be reflected in the patients that required repeated treatments every few months in order to prevent relapse of UI clinical signs.

It is unknown whether LBP or hypomobility is an actual cause of USMI. If it is a cause, then the underlying physiologic mechanism is also speculative. Possible explanations include hypertonic muscle impinging upon, or constricting blood flow to, the pudendal nerve, causing secondary paresis and reduced urethral tone.

Alternatively, as suggested by Thude (2015), NSLBP could “interact with sympathetic innervation of the bladder as a mechanism” behind UI (Thude, 2015).

Both these mechanisms can be occurring concurrently.

Further physiologic testing, such as measuring urethral and cystic pressure, is required to determine if the relationship between LBP and USMI is causal, and if so, to determine the underlying mechanism.

This study is limited by its retrospective nature. Future blinded prospective randomized controlled clinical therapeutic trials are needed to confirm results. Gaps

in the medical records could be remedied by providing standardized questionnaires to clients. Additional information could also be recorded, for instance to determine if overnight UI episodes relate to a history of increased exercise the previous day. Therapeutic effect could be further quantified by measuring physiologic parameters such as urethral and cystic pressure, electromyelography, and measuring residual urine volume, pre and post treatment.

If future research substantiates the findings of this limited case review study, it may fundamentally change our approach to assessing and treating USMI. Because chronic pain is a welfare issue, every patient presenting with a history of UI should be assessed for both LBP and hypomobility. If LBP or hypomobility is detected, then it should be resolved as a part of the primary therapeutic approach, before assessing the need for chronic pharmaceutics, and/or surgical intervention.

Conflict of interest The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Authors’ contribution David M. Lane: conceptualization, data collection, primary author.

Sarah A. Hill: statistical analysis, edits.

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References continued

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Lauersen, J.B., Bertelsen, D.M. and Andersen, L.B. 2014. The effectiveness of exercise interventions to prevent sports injuries: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Br. J. Sports Med. 48, 871–877; doi:10.1136/ bjsports-2013-092538 Mackova, K., Van daele, L., Page, A., Geraerts, I., Krofta, L. and Deprest, J. 2020. Laser therapy for urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse: a systematic review. BJOG Int. J. Obstet. Gynaecol. 127, 1338–1346; doi:10.1111/1471-0528.16273 Millis, D. and Levine, D. 2013. Canine rehabilitation and physical therapy, 2nd ed. Saunders, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Patel, A. and Braae, M. 2013. Rapid turning at high- speed: inspirations from the cheetah’s tail. In Presented at the 2013 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS 2013), Tokyo, Japan: IEEE, pp: 5506–5511; doi:10.1109/ IROS.2013.6697154 Pegram, C., O’Neill, D.G., Church, D.B., Hall, J., Owen, L. and Brodbelt, D.C. 2019.

Spaying and urinary incontinence in bitches under UK primary veterinary care: a case–control study. J. Small Anim. Pract. 60, 395–403; doi:10.1111/jsap.13014 Power, S.C., Eggleton, K.E., Aaron, A.J., Holt, P.E. and Cripps, P.J. 1998. Urethral sphincter mechanism incompetence in the male dog: importance of bladder neck position, proximal urethral length and castration. J. Small Anim. Pract. 39, 69–72; doi:10.1111/j.1748-5827.1998.tb03596.x Reichler, I. 2009. Gonadectomy in cats and dogs: a review of risks and benefits. Reprod.

Domest. Anim. 44, 29–35; doi:10.1111/j.1439-0531.2009.01437.x Reichler, I. and Hubler, M. 2014. Urinary incontinence in the bitch: an update. Reprod.

Domest. Anim. 49, 75–80; doi:10.1111/rda.12298 Shen, J., Luo, R., Zhang, L., Li, Y., Ke, L. and Gao, Z. 2019. Using electroacupuncture with optimized acupoint positioning to predict the efficacy of sacral neuromodulation of refractory overactive bladder: a case report. Medicine (Baltimore) 98, e17795; doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000017795 Simpson, M., Albright, S., Wolfe, B., Searfoss, E., Street, K., Diehl, K. and Page, R. 2019.

Age at gonadectomy and risk of overweight/obesity and orthopedic injury in a cohort of Golden Retrievers. PLoS One 14, e0209131; doi:10.1371/journal. pone.0209131 Smith, M.D., Russell, A. and Hodges, P.W. 2006. Disorders of breathing and continence have a stronger association with back pain than obesity and physical activity. Aust. J. Physiother. 52, 11– 16; doi:10.1016/S0004-9514(06)70057-5 Spain, C.V., Scarlett, J.M. and Houpt, K.A. 2004. Long- term risks and benefits of earlyage gonadectomy in dogs. J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc. 224, 380–387; doi:10.2460/ javma.2004.224.380 Sun, Y., Liu, Y., Liu, S., Wang, W. and Liu, Z. 2020. Electroacupuncture for women with urgency- predominant mixed urinary incontinence: secondary analysis of a randomized noninferiority trial. World J. Urol. 38, 1035–1042; doi:10.1007/ s00345-01902828-1 Thrusfield, M.V., Holt, P.E. and Muirhead, R.H. 1998. Acquired urinary incontinence in bitches: its incidence and relationship to neutering practices. J. Small Anim. Pract. 39, 559–566; doi:10.1111/j.1748-5827.1998.tb03709.x Thude, T.R. 2015. Chiropractic abnormalities of the lumbar spine significantly associated with urinary incontinence and retention in dogs: chiropractic associated with incontinence. J. Small Anim. Pract. 56, 693–697; doi:10.1111/jsap.12420 Wansbrough, R.K. 1996. Cosmetic tail docking of dogs. Aust. Vet. J. 74, 59–63; doi:10.1111/j.1751-0813.1996.tb13737.x Worth, A., Meij, B. and Jeffery, N. 2019. Canine degenerative lumbosacral stenosis: prevalence, impact and management strategies. Vet. Med. Res. Rep. 10, 169–183; doi:10.2147/VMRR.S180448 Zhang, J., Haselden, P. and Tepe, R. 2006. A case series of reduced urinary incontinence in elderly patients following chiropractic manipulation. J. Chiropr. Med. 5, 88–91; doi:10.1016/S0899- 3467(07)60139-6 Zink, M.C. and Van Dyke, J. 2018. Canine sports medicine and rehabilitation, 1st ed.

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The Benefits of Pumpkin How to Prepare it For Your Pets!

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2022

By Lucy Jabrayan

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Pumpkin is a very versatile and nutrient-dense fruit (I know-shocker!) that has numerous and wonderful benefits to it regarding our pets’ health.

Some of these benefits include;

1. A natural prebiotic: The fiber in pumpkin acts as a prebiotic which helps to feed the good bacteria in the gut microbiome and diversify it, thus improving overall digestion and by keeping the gut happy, the immune system will also be happy.

2. Rich source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants: Pumpkin is a rich source in vitamin A, as well as vitamin C among others, and also contains minerals such as potassium, magnesium, calcium, copper, manganese, etc. A great source of phytonutrients and flavonoids, adding a bit of pumpkin into your pets’ diet will ensure a whole food way of getting some extra nutrients.

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ow that the weather is changing, there will be certain things coming into season, as it is with natures’ bounty, and among those things will be pumpkins!

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OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2022

3. Helps to regulate stools:

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Due to its high fiber content, pumpkin is a great choice for pet owners who have a pet that has inconsistent bowels, either constipation or diarrhea, also particularly beneficial for dogs with anal gland issues that need that extra boost of fiber. Also, ground pumpkin seeds can further help pets with anal gland issues as it is a natural anti-inflammatory, especially for anal gland disease and for intestinal health.

4. Regulates blood pressure, blood glucose and triglycerides: Some studies show that the phenols in pumpkin (phytochemicals) can regulate blood pressure and triglycerides in the body. A 2019 study showed that a combination of 2 plant extracts, one of which was from pumpkin polysaccharides, brought down blood sugar levels in mice. (Wang, 2019).

5. Keeps things at bay: The seeds of the pumpkin work as a great natural de-wormer, the fiber in pumpkin seeds contain an amino acid called Cucurbitin that acts as a natural de-worming agent. Of course, if your pet is already infested with parasites, other modalities and medications will be needed directed by your veterinarian, but this whole food supplement can act as a great preventative and helps to decrease intestinal and urinary tract inflammation.

Pumpkin is also high in vitamin A and other antioxidants which helps to keeps an eye on certain cancer cells. Pumpkin works overall on the immune system, and we can thank its high antioxidant content for that.

Pumpkin contains a pigment rich antioxidant called Lutein. Lutein has been studied extensively for ocular health, and has been shown in a recent 2021 study that by eating pumpkin and other lutein rich fruits and vegetables, at least 3 pieces a day, showed that after 4 weeks, serum lutein concentrations went up by 37%. The beta-carotene content, along with vitamin C and zinc also promotes ocular health, with regards to age related macular degeneration and even helps to prevent cataracts.

The best way to prepare pumpkin is to cook it yourself, or buy it organic in canned form. The bioavailability for pumpkin for both dogs and cats is high (higher for dogs), because most pet guardians normally feed it in a pureed and cooked form, hence making it easier on their GI system, hence better assimilation. Although there

are many ways to cook and prepare pumpkin, the easiest method is to just put the whole pumpkin in the oven and roast it until it becomes soft and can be easily pierced by a fork or knife. Then take it out of the oven and allow to cool. Cut into it, scooping the stringy flesh and seeds out (save those for later), and scoop out the rest of the flesh, can be stored in the fridge for up to a week, or freeze right away.

You can easily incorporate pumpkin into baking, or treats, or even just mix it in your pets’ food. For some pumpkin inspired clean and easy pet treat recipes please visit thrive4lifepetfood.com/blog.

Resources 1. Synergistic Hypoglycemic Effects of Pumpkin Polysaccharides and Puerarin on Type II Diabetes Mellitus Mice. 2019.

2. Changes in Lutein Status Markers (Serum and Faecal Concentritions, Macular Pigment) in Response to a Lutein-Rich Fruit or Vegetable (Three Pieces/ Day) Dietary Intervention in Normolipemic Subjects. (Rodriguez, 2021).

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FELINE

TEETH OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2022

By Anne Jablonski

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After viewing the photographs taken by the vet of my beloved Wilson’s mouth, seeing the x-rays, sitting through the consultation and post-operative chat following his surgery at the hands of a gifted veterinary dentist - and coming home with a much lighter pocketbook and a cat who had to endure four extractions and who had obviously lived with much more pain than I could have imagined?

What I learned from that experience and from finally doing a little more reading on all this was: 1. You can’t treat what’s wrong if you can’t see or access it.

2. Brushing teeth really isn’t optional.

3. Anesthesia-free pet dentistry is a very, very, very bad idea.

As a bit of background first: Wilson came into our lives when he was about 4.5 years old. I had virtually no information on his medical history, so I had no way of knowing if he’d had dental cleanings before or the benefit of any past x-rays to snag even a small clue as to the source of the gum inflammation and tenderness in his mouth discovered during his “welcome home” checkup.

My reticence about putting a cat under anesthetic unless someone had a gun to my head or there was a compelling and obvious reason to do so - resulted in my not paying close enough attention to the issue of cat oral health. With 20-20 hindsight, if I was so afraid of anesthetic, then I should have been brushing all my cats’ teeth daily since they were kittens.

Moreover, I have grown so suspicious of what “the experts” told me for years on so many areas of cat care, that it was easy to tell myself that their admonitions about the need for regular professional dental exams were not to be taken any more seriously than their advice on how to feed cats.

Let me explain and make my excuses first.

I spent years happily oblivious to a cat’s obligate carnivore status, had placed de facto blind trust in the pet food industry, and assumed that if a vet said it was okay, it must be okay to feed grain-laden dry food. Besides, I figured, hey, everyone does it and if kitty doesn’t seem overtly sick, then all must be well.

It took my ending up with a kitty with inflammatory bowel disease to wake me up to the whole world of cat nutrition.

But? Here’s the rub and what worked as my excuse up to now: my reflexive aversion to and resulting distrust of so much of mainstream veterinary medicine, miffed by my intense frustration with and sense of betrayal over their endorsement of sub-standard nutrition, made it easy to look the other way on the value of their advice on other matters. Like, um, sound dental health for cats.

It took a sobering, stressful (for me), and expensive experience with Wilson in September 2011 to wake me up to the profound importance of safeguarding a cat’s dental health and to begin my education in earnest on how to approach dental cleanings and tooth brushing.

The Three Big Lessons: Lesson One. You can’t treat what’s wrong if you can't see or access it

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I

n September 2011, I got My Really Big Wakeup Call on feline oral health. With the usual caveat that you should remember that all this comes from a layperson, not a vet, I wanted to offer up a summary of the Three Big Takeaways driven home to me after I bit the bullet and took Wilson to a veterinary dentist to address his gum inflammation.

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This one is a bummer. If your vet examines your cat’s mouth and everything looks okay, you might assume there’s no need to do anything more. It could be that this is exactly right.

But? The odds are higher than most of us care to believe that kitty has periodontal disease (PD). According to the detailed paper that board-certified veterinary dentist Dr. Thomas Chamberlain shares with his clients, approximately 85 percent of cats and dogs have PD by the age of two.

Eighty-five percent.

That means only an estimated 15 percent of cats have reasonably healthy mouths.

Those are really, really, REALLY crappy odds. Darn it all to heck, huh? And most cats eat dry food - so obviously, dry food isn’t helping prevent periodontal disease.

I'm not wedded solely to numbers as a guideline for gauging my cat’s health or deciding what I should or should not do for them, but that’s a sobering statistic.

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What I still don’t understand - and what remains bafflingly unclear even from the available studies and research out there - is why domestic cats are so terribly prone to PD. From everything I’ve read, cats on superb diets can have great teeth or horrible teeth. Cats on lousy diets can have great teeth or horrible teeth. We just really don’t know.

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What we do know is that the only safe, humane, and reliable way to determine if a cat has PD is to put the cat under anesthesia. Because it’s only under anesthesia that a vet can assess what’s going on under the gums.

And it’s only under anesthesia that we can get the benefit of x-rays, an incredibly valuable tool. It’s only under anesthetic that a veterinarian can clean beneath the gums (the subgingival area if you want to get all scientific-y in your language) where hardened dental plaque (calculus) wreaks its most serious havoc.

I wish all this weren’t true, but it’s also only under anesthetic that a vet can find periodontal pockets and clean (debride) them.

Put simply, the most serious issues that need to be addressed to keep a cat out of pain and with a healthy mouth lie beneath the surface.

Lesson Two. Brushing teeth really isn’t optional Oh I know, I know, believe me. This one overwhelmed the daylights out of me too. Theoretically a great idea, but impractical and unrealistic, right?

The very idea of brushing a cat’s teeth every day sounded about as realistic to me as the suggestion in those 1950s “how to keep a perfect house” magazines that insisted that one should be removing the hanging light fixtures every week to dust them so they’d always sparkle. Nice idea, but are you kidding? Who has the time?

And good golly, we’re talking about cats here. Cats hate being messed with. Am I really going to ever persuade a cat to let me put a toothbrush in his mouth and expect to emerge intact and without deep scars on my hands and forearms from being shredded by a really ticked-off feline? I’ve lived with some pretty relaxed cats, but come on already.

I bought toothbrushes for cats years ago and after dedicating a whopping three minutes to trying unsuccessfully once or twice, let those toothbrushes sit in the same drawer where all my other “had good intentions but oh forget it already” household goods sat collecting dust.

Okay, and I’ll admit this as well: brushing a cat’s teeth seemed pretty unnatural. Since when does a cat in the wild pause during the day to whip out a set of bristles?

I recall a time when I thought the idea of making all my cat's food was absurd. But now I can’t imagine feeding them any other way. I’ve slowly come around to the same notion with tooth-brushing.

I used to tell myself, “Hey, if I can’t brush their teeth, no biggie, because if their teeth need attention, I’ll take kitty in for a dental cleaning and that will take care of everything.” Again quoting the awesome handout from Dr. Chamberlain: “. . . pet owners often have unreasonable expectations about what the veterinary dentist can provide from a professional cleaning once every year or two.”

Why? As the veterinary dentist handout I got says, “The gold standard of home care remains brushing teeth.” Until we have the answer to how to reliably prevent plaque from building up on a cat’s teeth within a dizzyingly small number of hours after a professional cleaning, the

I wish they were, oh believe me, I wish they were. But they’re not.

My vet reported to me after Wilson’s dental surgery that while he was under anesthetic, poking around in one area “induced reflexive sensitivity.” Oh man. Those are clinical words for “there is so very much intense pain here that even with anesthetic this sweet boy’s body is reacting to the hurt when he’s sedated.” That is not what you want happening for your cat. Ever.

When you read or hear that “cats hide pain well” or “cats have high pain tolerance” - sit up and take notice. Do you want to “tolerate” pain? No! Nor does your cat.

Don’t confuse “pain tolerance” with “pain doesn’t hurt the cat.” Kitty doesn’t have a choice if there is nasty stuff going on that he can’t do anything about so he accepts it and moves on as best he can - that’s what “pain tolerance” means. The source of pain should be

addressed. And once it is, the best insurance against its recurrence is tooth brushing.

Cornell University has a terrific video on how to approach cat tooth brushing using a four-week program that incrementally introduces cats to tooth brushing.

Now they have it - but charge for it. I began brushing my cats’ teeth (finally!) in 2011 and it’s much less of a big deal than I’d presumed. No joke.

I pretty much followed the guidelines and tricks on that Cornell University video, though I find that toothbrushing is more hassle-free around here if I catch the critters when they’re asleep. They’re two fairly mellow guys and seem to take to it well. With my young six-month old kitten, I found that I could sneak in toothbrushing during a snuggle session when he is on his back letting me skritch his head and rub his belly. He’s so blissed out that I can sneak a brush in his mouth and swipe-swipe-swipe and brush those teeth before he’s even noticed what I’m doing. But hey, that’s Sidney-Beans.

Every cat and every kitten is different.

Remember - you do NOT have to brush the inside of the teeth, only the outside – and really all it takes is some swift, repeated swipes of the upper and lower rows

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2022

only reliable way to keep it at bay is with brushing. Sure, there are other strategies that can definitely help support dental health - feeding large chunks of muscle meat, steering clear of feeding sticky-plaque-mess-on-the-teeth inducing dry food - but those alone aren’t enough.

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If you can sneak a brushing in when you are snuggling with your kitten.

Every cat and every kitten is different.

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2022

Be patient and go slowly.

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of teeth (including the front teeth). We use seafoodflavored cat toothpaste here and it seems to be a hit.

Lesson Three. Anesthesia-free pet dentistry is a very, very, very bad idea

Four takeaways on brushing to know before you begin:

I know I’m adamant about the whole cat nutrition thing, but you knew me, you’d know that I generally steer clear of being overly strident and insisting that what I’ve come to regard as a “best practice” for cats the only choice for everyone. Heck, there’s so much I don’t know.

2. Never use human toothpaste on a cat. Use a bit of toothpaste designed for cats.

3. Set yourself up for success and find the brush that works for you. I think the C.E.T. Mini-Toothbrush is the handiest and most user-friendly tool around to make it ergonomically comfortable to brush a cat’s teeth. But I’ve also used the regular C.E.T. toothbrush and like that one too.

4. Be patient and go slowly. Keep your eye on the big prize, which is to gain enough trust from your cat to do this by virtue of having slowly acclimated them to the idea that having a human do this is a normal, non-traumatic, and not unpleasant experience. Be willing to accept that at first, the most you’ll get away with is maybe a few seconds of having your fingers or a brush near their mouth. Don’t push it or rush. Be consistent and disciplined in doing this a little bit every day. And reward kitty with ample kisses and skritches during and after a session.

Your patience will pay off.

So do your cat a favor. When you have the green light from your vet to begin - brush his/her teeth.

All the very coolest people are doing it.

I recognize and appreciate that being adamant and immovable on any subject turns people off, makes them defensive, and implies that I have all the answers.

I don’t.

But on this one? I’m going to be tenacious, unwavering, and unrelenting - and resort to using all caps.

DON’T HAVE YOUR CAT’S DENTISTRY WORK PERFORMED WITHOUT ANESTHETIC.

NO

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2022

1. With an adult cat, never begin brushing their teeth before kitty has had a thorough dental examination under general anesthetic first. If there is a painful condition going on, tooth brushing can cause serious pain to inflamed gums and set you up for trouble. The cat will be miserable and this will set the tone for a battle over brushing that will very likely cause you to give up. That cat will associate the toothbrushing experience with pain and your odds of having a successful life of tooth brushing going forward are almost nonexistent. Take kitty in for a professional exam under anesthetic first; when your vet gives you the “all clear” to begin brushing, then start with the early steps suggested in that Cornell video to get your cat incrementally adjusted to tooth brushing.

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OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2022

I beg you to not let your cat become a victim of the new cottage industry that’s appeared offering “anesthesia-free dentistry” for pets. It sounds so alluring. I don’t know of any cat caregiver who embraces the idea of putting their beloved animal under general anesthetic if there’s an alternative. I get it. But performing dental cleanings when a cat is awake is ineffective at best and paininducing at worst.

Where did the idea come from? According to an item published online by Dr. Brett Beckman, a Diplomate in the American Veterinary Dental College and a Diplomate in the American Academy of Pain Management, “This bizarre practice originated in

grooming facilities as a service to supplement income despite its negative impact on the patient.” He adds, “As sad as it seems some veterinary practices have adopted this practice for similar reasons.”

Recall what I mentioned above - my very sweet Wilson wasn’t pawing at his face every day or exhibiting any pain I could detect. I didn’t know he was in a state of chronic pain. But even under anesthetic his sweet little furry body flinched when the doc was probing around one particularly nasty area in his mouth. I shudder to think how much pain that would cause a cat enduring poking and prodding that was wide awake.

Mental Enrichment!

WORK OUT YOUR BRAIN!

Try this Word Jumble.

Unscramble each of the clue words.

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

They will love this new farm

NMSRTEO

This jumble was created by The Blue Sheet Clubhouse, a group of brain injury survivors.

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

RAELVG EEUNV IMEOLPD Answer

A

'

'

is on page 59 (in the calendar section)

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2022

The ranchers hired this to relocate their cattle.

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Aside from the significant pain for a cat - and remember, cats hide pain effectively - it’s unsafe for the vet and it’s unsafe for the cat. And, again, to repeat myself over and over again redundantly by being repetitive to the point of driving you nuts let me say this one more time yet again, a vet cannot treat a problem that cannot be seen or accessed. A vet cannot address issues beneath the gum line with a superficial cleaning of only the part of the tooth that is above the gum.

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2022

Cleaning only what’s visible is akin to believing that your car will always run smoothly if you hose down the outside and polish the finish, but never work under the hood to change the oil or check the belts and hoses. (The

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metaphor falls apart there, however, because when you’re hosing down the outside of the car you’re not potentially triggering pain for the car.)

Finally, when a cat’s teeth are professionally cleaned under anesthetic, the veterinarian is able to use an ultrasonic scaler and a high speed polisher to smooth the enamel to ensure that bacteria can’t easily re-attach to a roughened surface. This isn’t possible during a cleaning that occurs while your animal is awake.

Anesthesia-free dentistry has the potential to really hurt your cat. Please don’t unnecessarily subject your cat to pain. Please!!!!

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OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2022

The Wonders of Catnip

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2022

By Jessika Harding

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C

atnip is the common name of Nepeta cataria, a light green plant with light coloured flowers in the mint family and grows in many regions across Canada. Originating in Europe, these plants made their way to North America with travellers immigrating. Eventually being used for centuries as medicinal herbs for humans and later as a source of enrichment for cats of all sizes.

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2022

The biologically active component in catnip is a volatile oil called cis-trans-Nepetalactone which was first discovered in 1941 by Samuel McElvain at the University of Wisconsin. This active ingredient binds to the olfactory receptors in a cat’s nose, triggering some unique neurological responses comparable to their reaction to certain sex pheromones. A cat’s sensitivity to catnip is an inherited trait, with reactions lasting from mere minutes up to a half an hour. Their reaction to

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to these health concerns, over exposure to catnip can cause the cat to become immune and diminish their overall reaction to the plant. When introducing your cat to catnip, It is important to start with a small amount (a pinch or two) and increase over time if required. Fresh catnip is more potent than dried catnip, so keep that in mind when determining which form you will be presenting to your cat.

Studies suggest approximately 60% of cats aged 6 month or older will have a behavioral reaction to catnip with the most common reactions being purring, licking, and rolling around in the herb. If your cat is one of the few that doesn’t react to catnip and you would like to find an enriching alternative, Silver Vine may be a great choice.

Silver Vine is also part of the same family as catnip though it does contain additional active compounds that bind to olfactory receptors and elicit a reaction.

It should come as no surprise that wild cats react to catnip in a very similar manner to their domestic counterparts. Interestingly enough, they do not all have the same intensity of reaction. Lions and jaguars often react most strongly to catnip, even at a lower dose.

Tigers, cougars, and bobcats have less of a reaction when exposed to the same amount as the lions and jaguars.

The greatest difference between domestic cats and wild cats is the length of their responses with wild cats continuing to exhibit behavioral responses an hour or more after their initial exposure.

Over exposure to catnip can result in certain health concerns such as vomiting, diarrhea and dizziness, all of which tend to subside a few hours after the catnip has been removed from their surroundings. In addition

When storing your dried catnip or catnip-infused items, it is best to keep them in a dark, airtight container.

The active ingredient cis-trans-Napetalactone is UV photosensitive and if exposed to sunlight for prolonged periods of time will eventually lose its scent. When properly stored, catnip and catnip-infused items can retain their potency for years.

In multi-pet households, one of the most common questions asked is whether or not catnip is safe for dogs.

Rest assured that yes, catnip is safe for dogs. When exposed to catnip, dogs do not elicit the same type of reaction, in fact their reaction is opposite that of a cats.

Catnip typically acts as a sedative for dogs and can help relieve gastrointestinal upset when offered as a prepared tincture or tea.

Despite widespread use, it is still not fully understood by researching why these obligate carnivores seek out catnip and other plants within the mint family. Some speculate that it may have to do with the potential insect repellent properties while others believe that it is solely for its euphoric effects. Regardless of the underlying reason, it is obvious that cats love catnip (in any form)!

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2022

catnip decreases over time due to gradual nose blindness and once this occurs, it will take upwards of one to two hours for cats to detect and react to the active component again. When catnip is ingested, the active component along with the majority of the metabolites and some unchanged cis-trans-Nepetalacton are excreted in the urine.

Oil spray is an alternative form for catnip which needs to be used in careful amounts since it is highly concentrated and thus extremely potent. Many people will use this alternative form on items like scratching toys and scratching posts to garner their cat’s interest. Another form often used are catnip bubbles which can help increase a cat's daily activity amount by creating a fun game of chasing and popping the bubbles. This is a great way to combine both physical activity and mental enrichment, resulting in an enjoyable experience for both cats and their owners.

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Pet Connection is recognizing National Woman’s Small Business Month and the countless woman involved in the pet industry.

From retail to manufacturing to animal welfare, let’s celebrate and support them all.

Shelley Nyuli’s deep love for animals is why she founded SciencePure Nutraceuticals with her husband, Calvin, in 1997. With his knowledge of Nutritional Biochemistry, they tackled the industry together. He has since retired and their daughter, Lindsay, joined the company to play a larger role as co-owner. Shelley wears many hats in the company. She’s not only administrator, she plays a major part in product development and design of the equine brand, PureForm Equine Health Supplements.

Since stepping into ownership, Lindsay has upgraded the pet brand, PureForm Pet Health Supplements, to be packaged and shipped in eco-friendly materials. She has also started a hassel-free subscription program dedicated to giving pet parents a competitive price for their premium supplements. PureForm’s concentrated supplements cover all the bases in one or two formulas. Pairs well with any type of food and there’s no fillers, flavours, or sugars added so PureForm is a great fit for even the pickiest of pets. PureForm’s main goal is to deliver high quality products that make pet parents and their pet’s lives easier.

PureForm Pet Health Supplements

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2022

1.877.533.9163 info@pureformpethealth.com pureformpethealth.com

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humanecanada.ca/women-for-humane-canada/

Alina Sherman is owner and founder of The Hungry Pooch - Southwestern Ontario’s premier pet raw h ealth food store.

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

WOMAN TO WATCH

2451A Dougall Avenue, Windsor, Ontario N8X 1T3 519.915.9933 southwindsor@thehungrypooch.com www.thehungrypooch.com

Women for Humane Canada believes in the power of making change happen for animals. That is why we are joining forces with like-minded women across Canada – women who are thought leaders in animal welfare and willing to invest in change.

We need to improve the laws, improve enforcement and elevate public thinking about the role of animals in society.

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2022

It all starts with one woman TAKING RISKS!

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PHOTO CONTEST FOR DOGS PROUDLY SPONSORED

BY HAPPY DAYS

Monthly Winners!

Grand Prize Winner will receive $500.00 worth of Happy Days Products!

Gilligan Dog Photo Contest Winner in 2021!

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2022

Your dog can be on a magazine cover!

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

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

Prizes must be accepted as awarded.

Please no professional photographers.

No purchase required.

To enter, email a high resolution photo of your pet to: info@petconnection.ca

Preference will be given to photos that have room above the pet.

Please visit our website for more information: www.petconnection.ca

2022 Photo Contest

KEERA

RYDER

ANDY MONROE

ECHO

May

June

July

August

ARYA

COPPER, TIMBER, & NANDO

ZIGGY & RUMMY

DUKE

September

October

November

December

Open to entries from dogs living in Canada.

Open to entries from dogs living in Canada.

Open to entries from dogs living in Canada.

Grand Prize Winner to be Announced.

FOLLOW US! #chanceforthecover Follow us on Facebook PetConnectionCanada

#happydayspet Follow us on Instagram Petconnectionmagazine

#petconnectionmagazine Follow us on Twitter @PetConnectionCa

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2022

Dog Photo Contest runs January 1, 2022 to December 15, 2022.

The Grand Prize Dog Winner will be chosen from our Monthly Winners below.

January February March April

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Photo Contest For Cats

Winner Sloop Cat Photo Contest Winner in 2022!

Cat Photo Contest runs October 1, 2021 to August 31, 2022.

The Grand Prize Cat Winner will be chosen from our Monthly Winners below.

October

November

December

January

BAILEY

WINNIE

ATHENA, KITTY, LONDON

BETTY (WHITE), THOMAS, MILLIE

February

March

April

May

Thank you to everyone who entered.

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2022

FOLLOW US!

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MALCOLM

ZEUS

PIU

RALPHIE

June

July

August

September

Grand Prize Winner to be Announced.

ZOE

CARLOS

SLOOP

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OCTOBER 2022

NOVEMBER 2022

Saturday & Sunday, Oct 1st & 2nd Ottawa Pet Expo Cost to attend EY Centre 4899 Uplands Drive Ottawa, Ontario

Saturday & Sunday, Nov 5th & 6th Pet Lover Show Cost to attend Pacific Coliseum Vancouver, BC

Monday October 31st Halloween Keep your pets safe!

Jumble Answer from page 47

Friday November 11th Remembrance Day

monster, gravel, venue, implode

Answer: A MOO-VING VAN

The Pet Connection assumes no responsibility for any information listed for any of these events. While every attempt is made to double check information submitted, we are not responsible for any cancelled events, rescheduled events, wrong dates or times, location changes, wrong address’s or wrong phone numbers. If you have an event you would like to mention, please submit it to, info@petconnection.ca. Due to space limitations there is no guarantee that it will be listed.

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Single Digital Issues available.

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OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2022

BRITISH COLUMBIA

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4 Paws Pure 3110 15th Avenue, Prince George, BC Amore Pet Foods 4540 Hastings Street, Burnaby, BC Healthy Spot Pet Nutrition #5 - 1050 - 10th Avenue, SW Salmon Arm, BC Healthy Spot Pet Nutrition 3115 48 Avenue #200, Vernon, BC Healthy Spot Pet Nutrition #12 - 1516 Fairfield Road Victoria, BC

In The Raw, Food for Dogs and Cats 150 E 2nd Street, North Vancouver, BC Pawsitive Veterinary Care Clinic 500 - 1950 Harvey Avenue, Kelowna, BC Pet Connection Head Office & Retail Store 2443 Beacon Avenue, Sidney, BC Pet Planet #100 - 1135 Stevens Road, West Kelowna, BC Simply Natural Raw Pet Food 5565 West Blvd, Vancouver, BC

Print copies available at select locations.

ALBERTA

QUEBEC

AARCS Safe Haven and Veterinary Hospital 5060 - 74th Avenue SE, Calgary, Alberta AARCS North Haven 8108 Coronet Road NW, Edmonton, Alberta Edmonton Holistic Veterinarian Clinic 8215 - 102 Street, Edmonton, Alta.

Only available by subscription.

In English only.

SASKATCHEWAN

Valley WAAG Animal Shelter 12-112 Front Street, Wolfville, Nova Scotia

MANITOBA

Only available by subscription.

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND Blue Ribbon Pet Supply and Grooming 420 Queen Street, Charlottetown, PEI

NOVA SCOTIA

NEWFOUNDLAND

Head to Tail Canine Nutrition www.headtotailcaninenutrition.com

The Doghouse 204 Duckworth Street, St. John’s, NL

ONTARIO

NORTHWEST TERRITORIES

Bones Pet Boutique 1500 Upper Middle Road, Burlington, Ont. The Hungry Pooch - Lakeshore 486 Advance Blvd, Tecumseh, Ont. The Hungry Pooch 2451A Dougall Avenue, Windsor, Ont. Thor’s Healthy Pet Foods 3-3840 Dominion Road, Ridgeway, Ont.

Borealis Kennels & Pet Supplies Box 2195, Yellowknife, NT

Thrive 4 Life Holistic Pet Food Store 16572 York Durham Line, Whitchurch-Stouffville, Ont.

NUNAVUT Iqaluit Humane Society PO BOX # 11089, Iqaluit, NU

YUKON TERRITORY Humane Society Yukon 126 Tlingit Street, Whitehorse, YT The Feed Store Pet Junction 9006 Quartz Road, Whitehorse, YT

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2022

Fido & Felix Foods We Deliver all across Saskatchewan

NEW BRUNSWICK

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WE COULDN’T DO IT WITHOUT YOU.

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2022

Trusted since 1992

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INTRODUCING

our newest products BEEF TRIPE & RABBIT PIXIES

Pixies are convenient 2oz fresh frozen patties perfect for cats and small dogs.

Each of the flavours is species specific – meaning the food is not mixed with a variety of species. There is nothing else added.

What’s on the label is the food.

www.carnivora.ca