Dog Health Care : "Big Black Dog Syndrome"

An interesting phenomenon in the dog adoption world has recently become very apparent. Dogs that are large and black, especially labs, shepherd mixes, pit bulls, and rottweilers are passed over time after time for smaller, lighter colored dogs for adoption. Some shelters have even named this phenomenon "Big black dog syndrome" because of its prevalence. Although, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, this dog health care problem is not tracked nationally and local shelters keep only limited records on the size, breed, and color of the dogs that are adopted or put down, the problem has become apparent to shelters as they see this reoccurring pattern; big black dogs do not get adopted. At the city animal shelter in Rogers, Arkansas, big black dogs make up the majority of animals that are put down each month. Last month, 13 of the 14 animals put to sleep consisted of big black dogs.

Big black dogs have a negative connotation to some potential pet owners, who mistakenly assume they are mean and aggressive. The concept of the big, black dog as capable of unleashing destruction is a common theme among books, movies, and folklore, which may be partially responsible for this misconception. Another reason that people may be hesitant to become owners of these dogs is the message that the dog may portray about the owner. Owning this type of dog may lead people to believe that the owner has the same negative characteristics that are associated with big black dogs.

Animal shelters attempt to explain the reasoning behind this problem, stating that black dogs of all sizes are difficult to photograph for online listings, and that they are easily hidden in the dark shadows of their cages. Another reason why people are wary of black dogs is that it is difficult to read their expressions due to their dark coloring. Because of the lack of defined eyebrows and absence of contrast between black eyes and black face, it can be a challenge to determine how the dog is feeling.

Blackpearldogs.com is a web site that is devoted to increasing public awareness about the "big black dog phenomenon." This site offers reasons to adopt big black dogs, and advises that people should adopt dogs based on personality and lifestyle match rather than on color or size.

Source: http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/openyourheartwithpets/archives/137184.asp?from=blog_last3

Dog Health : What Are Dog Owners Doing With Their Dogs?

We all know that a lot of people own dogs, but exactly how many of us, and why? And perhaps more to the point, what do we do with them? Many of the answers may appear to be self evident, but no-one before has attempted to quantify such information – and yet it is important sociologically, it has implications for dog health, welfare and behaviour, and it is also important in terms of both the health of dogs and their owners.

A recent study by the University of Liverpool has looked in depth at dog ownership in a small, semi-rural community in Cheshire, which has a variety of housing types, and also fields and country parks where dogs can be exercised. Over 1,200 households were approached, and information collected by a combination of interviews and questionnaires. Approximately 50% of households owned a pet of some sort, and 1 in 4 owned a dog - so clearly pets in general, and perhaps dogs in particular, are very important to us.

The households most likely to own dogs were families with school-age children, and interestingly those with an adult woman in the house. In contrast, families with very young children, and, more surprisingly perhaps retired people, were less likely to have a dog. Gundogs were the most popular type, followed by cross breeds, but Labradors were the most popular individual breed, perhaps fitting in with the view that they tend to make good family pets.

The researchers then questioned householders in some detail as to what they did with their dogs, both inside and outside the home. The majority of dogs were allowed to roam throughout the house when their owner was present, but were confined at night or when the owner was out. The commonest place for the dog to sleep was the kitchen, but 1 in 5 slept on the bedroom floor, and 1 in 7 slept on a human bed, indicating the very close physical and psychological bond between some dogs and their owners. Approximately half of dogs were reported to lie on furniture, and a similar proportion enjoyed regular cuddles on a person’s lap, but smaller dogs and younger dogs were more likely to do this. A variety of games were played with dogs, but the most popular game was to fetch a ball or other object, with smaller dogs more likely to play ‘tug-of war’:

The majority of dogs were fed in the kitchen, and the most popular food was dry complete dog food. A surprising number (85%) received commercial dog ‘treats’, and most dogs were given human food titbits, generally from the hand, or in their bowl – although 11% were given these direct from the human plate.

Outside, most dogs were confined to a secure area and never roamed – only 1% were allowed to roam free. About a third of dogs were walked twice a day, and a third once a day; only a very small number were never walked at all. Over 80% of owners reported that they always picked up dog faeces when they were out walking in urban areas or parks, but only 50% did so when in the countryside – and significantly fewer male owners reported picking up faeces than did females. The researchers also obtained information on where the dogs were walked, and how many people they interacted with apart from their owners, both inside and outside the home.

This investigation, funded by DEFRA, has provided a wealth of data on what exactly we do with our dogs. Not only is this important in terms of the dogs’ health and welfare, but also the health and welfare of their owners. Although there are few dog diseases that can be transmitted to humans, and such events are in any case relatively uncommon, information on how we interact with our dogs may be crucial to know, should any more virulent diseases emerge. Overall however, we are far more likely to catch diseases from fellow humans than from dogs, and dogs are known to provide us with considerable psychological and health benefits.

Source: http://www.dogmagazine.net/archives/497/what-are-dog-owners-doing-with-their-dogs/

Dog Health | Mutt Massages Can Boost Your Dog Health

After a day of destroying the remote control or napping atop the TV, your pet might actually need a massage.

According to animal massage therapists, dogs, cats, birds, guinea pigs and just about every other pet could use your loving touch.

"It's not a luxury. Animals benefit from massage," said Eve Lucia Boucouvalas, who is certified in animal massage through the National Certification Board of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork. She is also lead canine massage therapist at the Don CeSar Beach Resort and Spa in St. Pete Beach, which allows cats and dogs up to 25 pounds.

"It's preventative," she said. "You can pick up on conditions you might have missed."

Other dog health benefits, she said, include increased blood flow and joint flexibility, support for the animal's immune system and quicker recovery from injuries. There are pluses for the owners, too, including the opportunity to assess your pet's health and a chance to bond with a shelter adoptee or other skittish animal.

Boucouvalas said you should massage your pet for 20 to 45 minutes at least once a month, preferably after exercise but before she eats. Don't massage it if it recently had a fever, shock, open wound, fracture, cancer or skin infection. Consult a vet about pre- and post-surgery rubdowns. Oh, and skip the oils and aromatherapy.

With the help of her Boston terriers Daisy and Dottie, Boucouvalas demonstrated the pet massage basics.


Source: http://www.tampabay.com/features/pets/article461192.ece

Dog Health: Man’s Best Friend Close to Doubling as His Best Man

At age 22, most young men would scoff at the idea of having a chaperone 24 hours a day.

But Mitch Peterson of Monmouth, Ill., said his seizure-response dog, London, gave him his life back.

“I have a lot more freedom than I used to,” said Mitch, who now enjoys living alone and working in his town’s high school library. “I don’t have to be watched 24-hours a day. When you’re a teenager, you didn’t want to be reliant on other people.”

Mitch began having epileptic seizures at age 14, and had to sleep next to a baby monitor during his high school years for his parent’s peace of mind.

Mitch’s mother, Vanya Peterson, said before her son received London, an energetic golden retriever-yellow lab mix, she questioned whether he was going to survive his seizures and seizure-related injuries.

“He was having 10 seizures an hour,” she said, “and could not be left alone. The ambulance was at our house more times than not.”

On Mitch’s 18th birthday, Vanya, desperate to help her son, contacted non-profit organization Canine Assistants, based in Georgia, and applied for a dog health service. This birthday wish was granted almost exactly two years later.

“Having London has completely changed our lives,” Vanya said. “After seeing our son in such a hard state and with his health deteriorating -- to see him turn around, be so positive and look forward to life -- it’s just a blessing.”

Prior to receiving London, Mitch followed the advice of doctors and had a vagal nerve stimulator implanted. This device is comparable to a heart pacemaker, except it’s for the brain, said Dr. Michael Smith, director of Rush University Hospital’s epilepsy center. It sends electrical pulses to help curb seizures.

If a seizure can be predicted, Smith said, the stimulator can be turned on at a higher rate. The stimulator is highly effective if it is triggered in anticipation of a seizure – a feat London and other response dogs have mastered.

“Over 95 percent of the dogs we have placed developed the ability to predict [seizure] onset,” said Jennifer Arnold, founder of Canine Assistants.

London wears a magnet around his neck that can trigger Mitch’s nerve stimulator. When the dog senses Mitch is going to seizure, he “cuddles” his owner, triggering shock waves that prevent or at least minimize the occurrence.

Arnold said she is convinced canines “predict onset through their phenomenal sense of smell – that the human body produces an odor of some sort before a seizure.”

Canine Assistants is undertaking a research project with pharmaceutical company UCB Pharma, with hopes of determining how dogs predict seizures. Arnold said it is her “life’s quest to find the answer … that if we can just determine how the dogs know, we can save a lot of lives.”

Mitch emphasized a dog’s sixth sense, and said he thinks canine intuition plays a large role in preventing owner’s seizures.

“There is a strong bond between the dog and person,” Mitch said. “They sense what’s going on inside the person – they have a feeling of connection with the person.”

Seizure-response dogs also play a key role in preventing masters from injuring themselves during a seizure, Smith said. The canines are trained to gently pull their masters to the ground before or during an episode, something Mitch has experienced with London.

“Seizure dogs literally save peoples’ lives,” Arnold said. “You just don’t realize that people seizure to death. In having the dog, at least you know you’ll be safe. They’ll be right there.”

Each seizure-response dog, which knows about 90 commands following an average of two years of schooling, is trained slightly differently depending on an owner’s needs. Most of them are trained to hit a home-based 9-1-1 switch in case of emergency.

In the 17 years the organization has placed help dogs, there has only been one 9-1-1 false alarm. A service dog hit the switch during a thunderstorm – “apparently he thought it was an emergency,” Arnold said.

If emergencies occur outside the home, bystanders can find instructions inside a service dog’s backpack, such as contact information for someone to call if an individual is confused after a seizure.

Seizure response dogs are predominantly golden retrievers, golden-lab mixes or golden-poodle mixes. These people-oriented breeds, said Arnold, have a natural instinct to use their mouth for all of the tasks that are needed for their owner, like tugging open a drawer.

Since people tend to feel comfortable with these particular canines, the dogs boost their masters’ mental health and lift their spirits by sparking conversations with others in the community, Mitch said.

“I’ve seen several people who’ve had epilepsy who don’t have great morale because they’re relying on other people for their needs,” Mitch said. “Even if they don’t have another friend in the world, they have their service dog health. They’ll always be loyal. They won’t leave your side.”

Although Canine Assistants has placed nearly 1,000 help dogs for individuals with epilepsy and other diseases, and has roughly 120 more in training, the waitlist for a such dogs tops 1,000. In greater Chicago, 13 individuals are waiting for Canine Assistants to provide them with a companion, 11 specifically for seizure-response dogs.

And it’s not first-come, first-serve. Applicants are ranked based on the appropriateness of canine placement and the degree to which it would provide help, Arnold said. The wait time ranges between one and five years.

“Basically, it boils down to not having enough money to expand,” said Arnold, who estimated each service dog costs an average of $20,000, including training.

While UCB Pharma currently sponsors all of Canine Assistants’ seizure response dogs, there are critics.

“Optimally, humans should be relied upon for support … ,” wrote Daphna Nachminovitch, vice president of cruelty investigations for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, “rather than working dogs. It is too common for animals to be exploited and abused.”

Working dogs are often used as a substitute for innovative non-animal programs that intelligently address human needs, Nachminovitch wrote.

But Mitch assures us for London and other service dogs, it’s not all work and no play.

“London can have playtime like other dogs and cats,” Mitch said, adding that after a long day, London prefers to wind down by chasing a soccer ball.

The only tough part for London, Mitch said, is that nobody else can pet him because “he can’t be distracted from doing his job.”

This is one aspect about the man and his best friend that Mitch’s dog-loving fiancé, Heidi, had to get used to. But, as London’s tuxedo has already been purchased for their August wedding, it’s clear, Mitch said, the threesome will mesh just fine.

“To see the transformation in this young man,” his mother said, “this man has changed from someone who didn’t want to be around anyone -- despondent, depressed, isolated -- to someone who is outgoing, lives on his own and is getting married … I’m so happy for my son. He deserves a life.”

Source: http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/chicago/news.aspx?id=86179

Dog Health: How To Help Build & Maintain A Healthy Immune System In Your Dog

An easy way to help boost the immune system is to use a good quality multi-vitamin and mineral supplement daily.

Antioxidants are important to dog health because they help the immune function, by preventing oxidation of chemicals, and may help decrease the risk of infection and possibly cancer. They destroy free radicals which are reactive molecules that damage cells.

Damaged cells leave the body susceptible to cancer, heart disease and other degenerative diseases.

The most common antioxidants are Vitamins A, C and E and they are found in food.

Vitamin A is found in the liver and other tissues. It is most abundant in the fish liver oils. Carotene is found in plant material and dogs can convert carotene to vitamin A with an enzyme that is found in the intestinal walls. Vitamin A makes white blood cells which destroy viruses and harmful bacteria which help regulate the immune system. It helps the skin, mucous membranes, and urinary tract.

Vitamin C is manufactured in the liver and kidneys of dogs and is the most abundant water-soluble antioxidant in the body. Fresh fruits provide Vitamin C.

Vitamin E is in vegetable oils, cereal grains, greens, liver and eggs. It is the most abundant fat-soluble antioxidant in the body. It is very helpful in protecting against oxidation in fatty tissues.