What is Dog Water Therapy?

By Tamara McRill

Who can resist the joyous tongue-lolling grin dogs get when they play in water? Not me… and I'm guessing that as a pet lover, not you either! Turns out this canine fun – in the form of dog water therapy – can also help the health of our pets.

Sounds like a great match, so let's explore just what dog water therapy is, what you can expect and how it can help with pet rehabilitation.

Splish Splash

Well, it's sort of like taking a bath. Dog water therapy – also known as canine hydrotherapy – is most commonly performed in a small heated pool. A dog's muscles are similar to ours, in that they can benefit from the warmth of heated water. Most hydrotherapy pools are also treated with a chemical such as chlorine.

Most therapy center pools have either a ramp for dogs to get in and out of the pool, a hoist to lift your dog out, or both. If your dog has difficulty walking, be sure to ask about this at centers you are checking out.

Some pools also have jets to spray underwater, which is great for building strength. Also something to ask about, if it meets your dog’s medical needs. Always be sure to consult with your veterinarian before starting any type of therapy for your dog and to get your vet's recommendations on what types of pool features are best for your pet's treatment.

When to Consider Water Therapy

There are a broad range of canine health problems that can benefit from hydrotherapy. The most common are chronic conditions, such as:

• Hip/elbow dysplasia
• Mobility problems
• Joint injury
• Spinal injury
• Geriatrics
• Chronic pain
• Arthritis

Hydrotherapy can also help our furry friends before and after surgery. Overweight dogs can also get more exercise, without the stress to joints, during water therapy. There are also those dogs that go just for fun.

Jump On In

If you think you would enjoy spending time in the pool with your pooch, there are some centers that allow this. Be sure to ask ahead of time though, and ask what to wear! This is also a great idea for pets who become overly nervous in new situations.

Just a word of caution: If you become nervous while in water, then you may want to skip getting in. Your unease could transfer to your pet and make the sessions stressful for them.

Questions to Ask

There are several things you will want to ask any hydrotherapy clinic before taking your dog there for treatment. This will help you determine what is the best fit and if the center is safe. Some of these include:

• How much training does the person giving the treatment have?

• Do they know pet first aid – especially in an aquatic situation – and have they ever had to perform it?

• Is there a vet on-call for emergencies?

• Will you be allowed to attend the session?

• Is the facility insured?

Also see if they will give you customer referrals to check up on. If at any time the center makes you uncomfortable about leaving your precious dog in their care, don't be afraid to skip them.

Most of all, try to have fun with the experience and make sure your dog has a wonderful time, too. You can do this by bringing along some healthy dog treats like CANIDAE Pure Heaven as a reward, staying calm and talking to your pet in a positive voice.

Have you ever tried canine hydrotherapy for your pet?

Top photo by Ordinary Guy
Middle photo by feeferlump
Bottom photo by Phiz

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What is Vestibular Disease?

By Linda Cole

Vestibular disease can strike dogs and cats suddenly. Your pet is fine one minute and the next, he's struggling to stand and walk. One of my older cats developed vestibular disease years ago. At the time, I had no idea what it was. Understanding vestibular disease is important because the symptoms mirror those of a stroke as well as other medical conditions, and it can be misdiagnosed.

My cat, Patches, was sitting upright when she suddenly fell over on her side and couldn't get up. Her eyes were moving rapidly back and forth and her head was shaking. It was a scary moment and I was convinced she’d just had a stroke. I called my vet and he decided she could wait until the office was open the next morning. By then she seemed better and had regained her balance. Come to find out, it was idiopathic vestibular disease and not a stroke as I had feared.

The vestibular system is how animals, including us, know which way is up or down, if we're spinning around, standing, moving, sitting or lying down. In general, it's responsible for maintaining our sense of balance and controls head and eye movements. Without getting too technical, the vestibular system is made up of nerves in the brain that continue into the inner ear. The vestibular apparatus is located next to the cochlea that's found deep in the inner ear, and another one is located in the medulla (the lower area of the brain) which is found at the top of the spinal cord.

Specialized nerve cells and receptors are in the vestibular apparatus. A sense of balance is maintained because the vestibular system automatically compensates by sending a signal to muscles on one side of the body to adjust to a change in position. When there's a problem with the vestibular system, disorders are divided into two different types:  Central and Peripheral Vestibular Disease.

Central means inside the central nervous system (in the brain) and is the most serious. Peripheral is outside the central nervous system (in the inner ear), and is seen most often in pets. For unknown reasons, it's common for cats living in the northeastern area of the country to be struck with peripheral vestibular disease in late summer to early fall. It affects young and middle aged cats. In the southeastern part of the country, eating the tail of the blue-tailed lizard has been linked to peripheral vestibular disease. Central vestibular disease is not as common as peripheral, but it is more serious. To determine which one is affecting a dog or cat, blood work, a CT scan, MRI or x-rays are necessary.

Common causes for vestibular disease are idiopathic, inner ear infection, inflammatory diseases, tumors, cancer, or brain lesions that can be caused by injury or disease. Symptoms include: vomiting, nausea, head tilt, motion sickness, weakness, staggering around, involuntary spasms, difficulty staying upright, nystagmus (eye movements from side to side, up and down, or rotating around), falling to one side, circling when trying to walk, and drooping face.

Idiopathic means there is no known cause for the disease. Canine idiopathic is commonly called old dog vestibular disease because it's more likely to strike older pets, but all ages, male and female, can be affected. Feline idiopathic vestibular disease is the same thing. Symptoms appear out of the blue and can resolve themselves just as quickly. For many pets, improvement begins to take place within 72 hours, and they are back to their old selves in one to two weeks. Some affected pets may have a permanent head tilt after recovery.

At one time, it was believed strokes in pets were rare, but with advances in testing, strokes are more common than once thought. The good news is they usually aren't as debilitating in animals as they are in humans, but it's still a serious medical concern that can affect a pet's long term health. Symptoms include a loss of balance, falling down, turning around in circles, vision loss, and head tilt. To make a diagnosis, a vet needs to look at the brain with a CT scan or an MRI.

Since vestibular disease can resemble a stroke, affected pets can be misdiagnosed. It's important to be aware of vestibular disease to be better informed when discussing a pet's symptoms with a vet. My vet suggested waiting a few days before moving forward to see if my cat's condition improved. I'm thankful my vet knew the difference between a stroke and vestibular disease, and gave Patches the time she needed to recover.

Top photo by Chad Cooper
Bottom photo by Leila Kamil

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How to Help Dogs with Compulsive Pica

By Langley Cornwell

We’ve all laughed over the old excuse “the dog ate my homework,” but even a phrase as innocent as that might not be funny to someone whose dog has compulsive pica.

Pica is characterized by a desire to consume substances that are non-nutritive, and it can affect not only dogs but also cats, as Julia covered in her article Does Your Cat Eat Strange Things? In fact, people can suffer from pica, too.

The first dog I had as an adult—a rescued black lab—had pica and I didn’t know it. When she was 10 years old she got very sick. My regular vet and an emergency vet had no idea what was wrong and, surprisingly, multiple x-rays revealed nothing. I lived in a college town with a well-respected veterinary school, so my vet took my dog to the school for examination. After more fluid-bags and pills than I could count, with my sweet baby barely hanging on, my vet said the only thing he could do was exploratory surgery.

I still credit that vet with saving Sadie’s life. Apparently she had an extreme case of pica. He had a quart-sized bag full of treasures that he found in my dog’s intestinal tract, including seashells, twist ties, rocks and the finger of a garden glove. He said her system had probably done a good job of passing these things in the past, but what got her in trouble this time was a pinecone with a piece of twine wrapped around it. The piece of twine was long and prohibited the pinecone from passing through.

Everyone on her healthcare team was amazed that none of these oddities showed up on her x-rays. The way the objects were located in the folds of her intestines masked their presence. She became a case study for the vet school, but more importantly, she recovered fully and went on to live seven more happy, healthy years. Of course, I watched her like a hawk after that, and made sure she stuck to eating only good stuff, like Canidae PURE dog food.

There are two key reasons why adult dogs eat non-food items: physical and behavioral. One physical reason is because a dog’s diet is lacking important nutrients. Another physical reason could be disease related, such as digestive disorders, parasitic infections or even poisoning. If your dog consumes inedible things, see your veterinarian first to rule out any physical causes for pica.

The behavioral reasons that a dog ingests non-nutritive items are usually because the dog is bored, anxious or seeking attention. If there is no medical reason your dog is eating weird things and his penchant for rocks and twigs is behavioral, then his condition is considered compulsive pica. The most common things dogs with compulsive pica eat are rocks, plastic bags, plastic containers, socks, gloves and wooden objects.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) reports that compulsive behavior isn’t something that just goes away. It requires special training to restrain this possibly dangerous activity. As in the case of my black lab, Pica can be a serious problem; items like rubber bands, socks, pinecones and twine can severely damage or block a dog's intestines.

Marthina McClay, a certified dog trainer in San Francisco, has helped plenty of rescue dogs with compulsive pica. Her therapy includes keeping hard chew toys on hand to keep her dogs busy, which keeps compulsive pica at bay. McClay also recommends being proactive with your pet. It’s a good idea to curb the behavior before it starts, by engaging your dog in activities that he finds fun and rewarding.

Another successful strategy involves spraying inedible objects with a deterrent designed specifically for this use. The ASPCA suggests that when first using a spray deterrent, apply a small amount to a piece of tissue and place it directly into your dog’s mouth to see if he finds the taste unpleasant. If so, he will begin to associate the smell with unfavorable things. Spray the deterrent on non-food objects that he usually eats, and reapply every day for two to four weeks to reinforce the avoidance behavior.

What about your pets? Do any of them eat things they shouldn’t?

Top photo by shoe the Linux Librarian
Bottom photo by ferrabone carlos

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No Yard? 5 Ways to Still Exercise Your Dog

By Tamara McRill

While a big backyard can be wonderful for excising our dogs, a lot of pet owners just don't have that luxury. That's something I learned when we downsized from two lots of running space to a teeny tiny yard.

Luckily, I was able to find several solutions that worked for us, as well as some that would also work for any pet owner who has more pent-up dog energy than grass square footage.

1. Leash Up and Head Out

It might be an obvious solution, but taking your dog to a place where they can exercise certainly solves the problem. If you don’t have access to a dog park or are unable to walk your dog for long distances, then consider a friend's yard. We make use of a neighbor's fenced-in backyard on occasion, so my Wuppy can get in some of the free running he's used to.

2. Hire Help

Sometimes time is an added problem, along with little yard space. If you ever run into a situation where you just get too busy to take your dog out to walk or play, then consider hiring a dog walker or taking them to a doggie daycare. That way, your dog gets all the exercise they need and deserve, and you don't have to feel guilty about being so busy. Plus, you get to spend your spare time snuggling with your pet!

3. Work With What You Have

If you have a small patch of yard, that doesn't necessarily mean there isn't anything for your dog to do. Depending on your pet's capabilities and health, you may be able to turn low borders and fences into super fun things to jump. The same goes for anything they can slink under or weave through.

I have one jumper and one slinker, and it's amazing how much fun they can have in such a small space. If you don’t have anything interesting in your yard for your pet to navigate, consider getting a dog tunnel for them to play in or installing something for them to jump.

4. Indoor Arenas

Yes, I let my dogs careen through my house – on rainy days. I try to always signal that it's playtime by rolling a ball. (Throwing would cause too much damage!) This can be great if you have really long hallways or rooms that are open to one another, so they can really stretch their legs. Just be sure they won't be running through any slick surfaces, where they could slide and hurt themselves.

Another great indoor option: if you have a garage that is fairly open, your pet can run around in there. Just be sure there aren't any hazardous liquids on the cement. Also, check and make sure no stray nails or sharp tools are present. Our garage is definitely a working garage, so we keep Wuppy and Dusty out of it at all times.

Hunting down CANIDAE dog treats always makes for a fun game. Plus, what a great reward! If your dog is super smart and always watching everything you do, keep them out of the room while you hide some treats. Call them back and let the treat sleuthing begin. For other active ways to exercise inside, check out Indoor Games to Play with Pets.

5. Train Away

Sometimes it's not so much physical energy that our woofers need to expend as it is mental energy. Doing frequent training, even if it's just to keep up their skills, can help your pet burn through any boredom they may have at being yard poor. You get a happy dog and get to be a happy pet owner – win, win!

How do you make sure your dog gets plenty of exercise?

Top photo by KenshinSorrow
Bottom photo by Christina Spicuzza 

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Adventures in Aging: Living with a Senior Dog

"Bear"

By Suzanne Alicie

The past year has opened my eyes to the joys (?) of living with an aging/elderly dog. Bear is almost 11, and she is showing her age.

As a fairly large dog, she is experiencing some arthritis and hip dysplasia symptoms. We’ve had to get her a thick comfy therapeutic bed, which she loves. The hard part is convincing her that she is too old and stiff to still go under our bed. It’s always been her favorite place. When she gets under there, I find myself having to pick up the bed enough for her to stand up and limp out.

When her hip locks up on her, I sit in the floor and massage her leg while she whimpers. This is a very emotional thing for me, because I can’t stand when she cries. Fortunately this is not a daily thing, and if I can keep her from going under the bed or jumping around and acting like a much younger dog, then she doesn’t hurt too much. So far we’ve been pretty lucky that Bear hasn’t developed more health problems like the ones Ruthie Bently discussed in Common Health Issues for Older Dogs.

With her old age, Bear has begun to be quite moody. If you’ve read some of my other posts about Bear you know that she is not a very social dog. She loves her family and is tolerant of our guests, but lately she makes it clear that she doesn’t like people visiting. When someone comes to the door she has always barked until we let them in. Once she saw us let them in and she was able to sniff them she’d be quiet and go lay down somewhere. These days when anyone comes over she barks and barks. They go into another room and she quiets down until she hears one of them laugh or talk and she barks some more. It’s almost like she forgets someone is here until she hears their voice, then she has to warn them that it’s her house.

She’s also become much more stubborn and demanding, as if she thinks that her age entitles her to whatever she wants. Rather than waiting for me to call her and have her sit and shake for a CANIDAE TidNips treat, she “yells” at me. She usually chooses while I’m in the middle of work to decide that I need to get up and give her a treat, and she won’t be quiet until I do. Needless to say, I feel as if I’m the one who is trained lately. I’m taking notes though, because when I get older I will need to remember these tricks to get my kids to wait on me hand and foot too!

Being finicky has never been an issue with Bear. She loves food and doesn’t care where or who it comes from, but she recently seems to have a serious problem with anyone but me feeding her. She was yelling at me a few weeks ago while I was watching television, and I knew it wasn’t a treat she wanted – her food bowl was empty. So I asked her Daddy to feed her. He went in and put the food in her bowl, petted her and came back to sit down. She didn’t eat; instead she ran to me and continued barking. I had to get up and go touch her food bowl before she would eat.

I thought parenting a child was difficult, but having an old dog is like having a toddler who is clingy, demanding, grouchy and in need of a nap. However, Bear is family so as she becomes a grouchy old lady we’ll just love her anyway. We know our time with her is limited, so we try to make sure every day is a good one for her and continue to fill her life with love and comfort no matter how moody and demanding she is. That’s all part of responsible pet ownership; dogs are a lifetime commitment, from the cuddly puppy to the destructive “toddler phase” to the joyous mature dog days and yes, even the old, aching and moody days of aging.

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Top 10 Poison Dangers for Dogs

By Langley Cornwell

It’s that time again. Spring is upon us, and my neighbors are fertilizing their lawns and spraying all kinds of insecticides to kill bugs. It always makes me nervous when they’re poisoning up their adjacent yard; I’m sure some of the toxic chemicals migrate over into our space. To educate myself, I consulted the Pet Poison Helpline and saw that they have an updated list of potential poisons in our homes and yards.

The Pet Poison Helpline is a valuable resource for pet people. They log every call they get, and each year they examine their records to determine what type of poisons garnered the most calls. So even though we’ve written other articles here on the CANIDAE RPO blog about the plants, foods or chemicals that can be hazardous to your pet, as a responsible pet owner it’s good to stay updated on the subject. With that in mind, here are the most common dangers for dogs, listed in order of the frequency of calls into the helpline. Interestingly, the list starts with food items because food accounted for the highest number of poisoning calls.

1.  Foods, especially xylitol, chocolate and grapes/raisins

Xylitol is getting a lot of attention lately because of claims that tout its health benefits, including reducing the risk of tooth decay. Many sugarless gums and candies now contain xylitol, and this sweetener is dangerous to dogs. Even a small amount ingested by your pup can result in a potentially fatal drop in blood sugar or even liver failure.

Most of us know that chocolate is toxic to dogs. The chemical in chocolate that makes it dangerous for dogs is theobromine, which is a relative of caffeine. The darker, bitter chocolates are the most dangerous. The fact that raisins and grapes are toxic foods for dogs isn’t as widely known. Be cautious; if a dog eats raisins or grapes it can result in kidney failure.

2.  Insecticides 

If it can kill insects, it can kill other things. Ingestion of insecticides and pesticides were the second most common call to the helpline. What I didn’t know is that one of the most dangerous ingredients is organophosphate (e.g., disulfoton) which is often found in rose-care products. This toxic chemical can be fatal to dogs, even when ingested in small amounts, so rose gardeners please take note.

Even though spot-applied flea and tick treatments work well for dogs, you have to be extremely careful if you are a mixed-species household because they can be very toxic to cats. Read the labels carefully and look out for products that contain pyrethrins or pyrethroids, which are a derivative of the Chrysanthemum flower. These chemicals are severely toxic if directly applied or ingested by cats.

3.  Mouse and rat poisons

Another case of the obvious; if it kills rodents it can kill other things. There are a variety of chemicals in mouse and rat poisons, all with diverse active ingredients and different types of action. Therefore all of them, regardless of what the packaging claims, are potentially poisonous to dogs. They can cause severe vomiting, internal bleeding, brain swelling or kidney failure. Furthermore, if your pets eat a mouse or rat that was poisoned by rodenticides, it can cause what’s called relay toxicity, meaning they can be poisoned via the dead animal.

4.  Human ibuprofen and naproxen pain relief drugs

Common NSAID pain relief drugs, which include Advil, Aleve and Motrin, can cause severe problems to dogs when ingested. These pain relievers can cause your pet stomach and intestinal ulcers as well as potential kidney failure. You should never treat your pet with human drugs of any sort without consulting your veterinarian.

5.  Common household cleaners 

Powerful cleaning products carry the highest risk to animals due to their corrosive properties. These household cleaners include rust removers, toilet bowel cleaners, calcium/lime removers and drain cleaners. And remember, just because a cleaner claims to be “natural,” it’s not necessarily safe. With all household cleaners, it’s better to err on the side of caution and keep them all out of your pet’s reach.

6.  Human antidepressant drugs

Of all the prescription drugs, antidepressants account for the highest number of emergency calls into the helpline. When ingested, these drugs can cause neurological problems in dogs like high levels of agitation, sedation, tremors and seizures. Please keep all human medications away from your pets.

7.  Fertilizers

The Pet Poison Helpline says that some fertilizers are fairly safe, but I still keep my dogs away from them. Apparently, certain organic fertilizers that contain iron, blood meal, bone meal and feather meal may be especially appealing to dogs. Consuming large quantities can cause severe pancreatitis or even bind together in the stomach and obstruct the gastrointestinal tract.

8.  Human acetaminophen drugs and cough/cold medications

Considerable amounts of acetaminophen (Tylenol) can lead to severe liver failure in dogs. Cat people should be doubly cautions about acetaminophen because it poses a more significant threat – one Tylenol can be fatal to felines.

9.  Human amphetamine drugs 

Drugs that are used to treat ADD and ADHD, like Adderall and Concerta, contain strong stimulants. The smallest amount ingested by a dog can cause life-threatening heart problems, tremors, seizures and elevated body temperatures and heart problems.

10.  Veterinary pain relievers 

Rimadyl is a veterinary-specific, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug that is often prescribed by veterinarians for inflammation, osteoarthritis and pain management for dogs. Be careful, though. Over ingestion can result in severe gastric ulceration and acute kidney failure in dogs.

Top photo by Crystal Rolfe
Bottom photo by Tony Alter

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