Advice for President Barack Obama

Thinking of getting a pet? Of course, everyone will recommend that you buy their favorite breed thinking that you will fall in love with, say, a Bully, just like they have. But they don't tell you about all the problems that a pure breed like an english bulldog comes with. Their rich genetic legacy guarantees that a black hole will form and inhale your money, forgoing such luxuries such as eating or getting gas for the car.

My advice, always, is this: there are so many wonderful dogs that need homes. Visit the humane society and you'll see a large number of wonderfully healthy dogs with dynamic personalities begging to be given a forever home. Generally these are mutts but that is an advantage: you won't be shelling out hard earned money to take care of the myriad problems the pure breed dogs typically come with. Sure, everyone knows someone who has a purebreed dog that is in perfect health. But for everyone of these people, there are twenty who have a pure bred dog that has nasty skin allergies, bad hips or knees, etc Think of it this way: the mutts are a blend of the sturidest genes out there...they're built for survival and are typically very healthy animals. Pure breeds, on the other hand, would have a difficult time surviving on their own. English Bulldogs would barely make a second generation since almost all of them have to be delivered ceasarian due to the size of their heads. Their inability to adapt to a hot climate (and this would apply to all of the smush faced breeds (pugs, french bulldogs, english bulldogs, etc)) guarantees there line would die out fairly quickly. Bad genes don't survive a long time for a good reason. The only reason pure breed dogs exist is because we continue to breed them and continue to breed bad traits.

The biggest benefit of adopting a mutt? The mutts are forever grateful that you've saved there lives! Good Karma goes a long way my friends.

Keep wagging!

Pet Myths: a dog wagging his tail will not bite

Ugggh...I hear this one several times a week. And I wish I could have five bucks for each time I've been cornered in a room by a dog wagging his tail and snarling. Okay, maybe I exaggerate a little...but not much. For many dogs, this can be a nervous gesture...yes, the dog may be wagging its' tail but the hair is also standing up on their back and they're showing you some lip (industry jargon for the dog is starting to snarl).

So keep in mind that their are a number of indications that a dog is actually afraid or aggressive and you should use caution, in spite of what the dog tail is telling you. Here are a couple of hints on how to tell a friendly dog from one that may want to take a piece of you home.
- ears are "flat back"
- growling
- showing "lip" i.e. dog is baring or showing their pearly whites
- hair on the dogs back is raised
- snarling - never a good sign, even if the dog is tap dancing

Best rule of thumb is don't move toward a dog that you're not sure if it is friendly. It may feel trapped or misinterpret your move as being one of aggression. Play it safe, walk away slowly!

Be safe, Keep Wagging!

Hip Dysplasia Facts

Canine Hip Dysplasia

The hip is a ball-and-socket joint in which the rounded portion of the femoral head inserts into a socket (called the acetabulum) in the pelvic bone. When this joint functions normally, it allows a wide range of motion, as well as provides maximum body support.

Hip dysplasia is a complex disease. It was first described in the 1930s and was thought to be a rare, uncommon disease. The disease process begins early in life, and as it progresses, causes a deformation of the hip joint as well as the development of degenerative joint disease (commonly called arthritis). Abnormal hip joint laxity (looseness between the femoral head and the acetabulum) is the initiating factor that results in hip dysplasia.

Hip dysplasia can be seen in almost all breeds of dogs although it occurs most commonly in the large and giant-breeds. It is the most common inherited joint disease of large dogs and the most important cause of arthritis in the hip.

Breeds of dogs with a high incidence of hip dysplasia include Akitas, German Shepherds, Labrador Retriever, Golden Retriever, Rottweilers, Newfoundlands, and Chow Chows.

Hip dysplasia is not caused by one single gene. It is a polygenitic, complex disease, caused by several genes. The expression of the disease, or how it affects individual animals, depends upon several factors. Altering the environment in which the puppy is raised can contribute to the severity of symptoms. Experiments have shown that low protein diets and reduced activity during the puppy stage may reduce the symptoms of hip dysplasia. In these dogs, even though symptoms may not be as severe, they still have dysplastic hips and carry the genes that contribute to the disease. Another factor that influences the symptoms of hip dysplasia is pain tolerance level. Like humans, individual dogs have different pain tolerance levels. Some dogs with mild hip dysplasia have painful hips and are severely crippled. Other dogs with similar radiographic features do not have painful hips and do not exhibit the same degree of lameness. In both situations, the dogs have dysplastic hips and should not be considered for breeding.

The only current method for reducing the occurrence of the disease is by selective breeding. Only dogs that have sound hips, with no radiographic signs of hip dysplasia, should be used for breeding. Dogs with radiographic signs of hip dysplasia should not be used for breeding and should be neutered at the appropriate age.

Radiography (X-rays) is the only method for accurately diagnosing canine hip dysplasia.

Symptoms of Hip Dysplasia

Clinical symptoms of hip dysplasia commonly begin between five to eight months of age. In some dogs, symptoms appear earlier. In other dogs, symptoms appear later in life. A small percentage of dogs with radiographic signs of hip dysplasia show no symptoms at all. Dogs that are radiographically positive for hip dysplasia that show no clinical symptoms of the disease should not be bred as they contribute their genes to their offspring.

There is a wide range of symptoms for dogs with hip dysplasia. Some animals have a slight limp, while others are severely crippled. A hind end lameness is the most common feature seen in dogs suffering from hip dysplasia.

Symptoms seen in dogs with hip dysplasia include:

• Wobbly gait—the back end appears wobbly
• Bunny-hopping gait (in the rear legs) when running
• Difficulty manipulating stairs—particularly climbing stairs.
• Difficulty rising from sleep or a sitting position—when rising, the weight is often placed on the front legs to relieve the pressure on the hips.
• Dogs often shift their weight from the back end to the front. These dogs often have well-developed muscles in the front and lack muscular development in the rear.
• Dogs with hip dysplasia often have degenerative joint disease (arthritis). Like humans, the disease is worse in the mornings and improves after mild exercise.
• All dogs with hip dysplasia do not experience severe pain. Some dogs experience little pain and you would never know that they had the disease.

Diagnosis

Since hip dysplasia can often be confused with other rear leg injuries, a complete veterinary exam (along with X-rays) is required for a diagnosis. X-rays are essential for confirming the diagnosis as well as evaluating the nature and severity of the disease.

X-rays and Hip Dysplasia

There appears to be a general misunderstanding regarding x-rays and hip dysplasia. A dog showing symptoms of hip dysplasia can be x-rayed at any age. If there is radiographic evidence of hip dysplasia, the diagnosis is for the entire life of the dog. It doesn’t matter if the dog is three months or eight years old: once x-rays are taken and there are radiographic signs of hip dysplasia, the animal is labeled for the rest of his or her life. Even if the dog exhibits absolutely no symptoms of hip dysplasia (limping, etc.), if there is radiographic evidence, the animal has the disease. If used for breeding, these dogs can pass their dysplastic genes to their puppies as easily as a dog exhibiting severe symptoms of the disease. This is the rationale behind radiographing all medium and large-breed dogs before establishing a breeding program.

All puppies appear to be born with normal hips. In dogs affected with hip dysplasia, radiographic changes become evident within several months to several years. A good x-ray at a young age does not rule out the possibility of hip dysplasia occurring later in life. At 24 months, more than 95 percent of dogs with hip dysplasia show radiographic changes associated with the disease. The O.F.A. does not classify a dog’s hips until he or she is at least two years old.

The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA)

For more detailed information, visit their excellent and informative website.The OFA is a private non-profit foundation. Presently, they maintain the largest data base on canine hip conformation in the world.The purpose of the OFA is twofold:

1. To provide a standardized evaluation for hip dysplasia.
2. Serve as a database for the control of hip dysplasia.

How the OFA Functions

Veterinarians who have specialty degrees in veterinary radiology evaluate all x-rays that are sent to the OFA. There are about 20-25 board certified veterinary radiologists who make up the OFA. These radiologists are located throughout the United States in both private practice and at universities. From the pool of 20-25 veterinary radiologists, three are randomly selected for each case. Each radiologist independently evaluates an animal’s hip x-ray. This evaluation takes into consideration variations due to sex, age, and breed. After interpreting the x-ray, each radiologist independently assigns a rating to the hip.

Hip ratings fall into 7 classifications. These categories include:

1. Excellent
2. Good
   
3. Fair
4. Borderline
5. Mild Hip Dysplasia
6. Moderate Hip Dysplasia
   
7. Severe Hip Dysplasia
   
   

Hip grades of excellent, good, and fair are considered within the normal limits for the breed and are given OFA certificates with OFA numbers. Radiographs classified as borderline, mild, moderate, and severe hip dysplasia do not receive OFA numbers. Dogs must be at least two years old in order to receive an OFA number.

This dog was x-rayed again at two years and had normal hips.

The OFA accepts radiographs of puppies as young as four months of age for preliminary hip evaluation. These dogs do not receive an OFA number and must be radiographed again at two years of age (or later). This is often done for dog breeders who are interested in detecting puppies with hip dysplasia. If a puppy is diagnosed with hip dysplasia at a young age, the economic loss associated with training, handling, and showing is greatly reduced.

PennHip

The PennHip is a new evaluation technique for measuring hip joint laxity (looseness of the ball in the socket). Introduced in 1983 by a veterinary orthopedic surgeon at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, this test assigns an index rating to each dog’s hips. The rating is called "Distraction Index" (DI) and is based on the degree of looseness of the hip joint when the dog’s hips are completely relaxed. Dogs with a low DI rating are less likely to develop hip dysplasia. Conversely, dogs with a high DI rating are more likely to develop hip dysplasia. This test appears to be very accurate and can be used on puppies as young as 16 weeks of age.The PennHip method (for detecting canine hip dysplasia) has a promising future.

Treatment

Both medical and surgical treatments are available for dogs with hip dysplasia. Medical treatment focuses on exercise restriction, controlling body weight, and management of pain. Most cases of moderate hip dysplasia are managed this way. Swimming is an excellent form of exercise for dogs suffering from mild hip dysplasia.

Pain killers and anti-inflammatory medications are commonly used to control symptoms associated with hip dysplasia. Medications frequently used include:

• Aspirin
• Naproxen
• Adequan
• Cosequin
• Phenylbutazone

One of the leading pain relief treatments for dogs with hip dysplasia is Rimadyl. Developed by Pfizer, Rimadyl has been proven clinically effective for pain relief associated with arthritis, hip dysplasia and other ailments. More than 10 million pets have been prescribed Rimadyl. That doesn't mean it's the perfect drug and that dogs haven't had problems with it. There are always risks in taking medications. This includes humans and our four legged friends. I can tell you that I have benn a veterinary technician ofr 20 years and I haven't witnessed a dog dying from taking any of the above medications above. There isthe occasional GI upset and the occasional elevated liver enzyme (which lowers down to normal once medication is stopped).

Many of these drugs can cause harmful side effects. Before beginning a treatment regime, a thorough consultation with your veterinarian is required and lab work. Frequent visits to the veterinarian may be necessary in order to adjust dosages and change medications.

Surgery is generally performed on young dogs or dogs with severe cases of hip dysplasia. The decision for surgery should not be taken lightly, and should be discussed in detail with your veterinarian. Surgery is expensive and often requires extensive post-surgical home care.

Presently, three surgical techniques are used for dogs with hip dysplasia. Each one is briefly described below.

1. Triple pelvic osteotomy—This surgery is almost exclusively reserved for young animals (usually aged five months to one year). Radiographs of the dog’s hips cannot show any signs of degenerative joint disease (arthritis). The surgery involves rotating the acetabulum (socket portion of the hip) to a more normal position in relation to the femoral head. This changes the orientation of the hip socket. 
   Results of the Surgery 
   
   Ball is seated more deeply in socket.
   Eliminates joint laxity and corrects the abnormal conformation of the ball and socket.
   
2. Femoral head excision—This procedure eliminates the pain of hip dysplasia associated with arthritis. It is considered a salvage procedure, recommended when pain and irreversible arthritis are present. The surgery involves the removal of the femoral head (ball portion of the joint). After a period of time, scar tissue fills the area between the femur and the acetabulum. This scar tissue functions like a joint and about 70% of hip-joint functionality is restored. Femoral head excision surgery is relatively inexpensive, requires minimal post-surgical home care, and can be done at any age. The surgery works well in small and medium-size dogs (dogs weighing less than 45 lbs.).
   
3. Total hip replacement—This surgery is similar to total hip replacement in humans. The ball and socket are removed and replaced with implants. Success rates are high (95 percent) as optimal joint function is generally restored. Presently, this is the best surgical technique for correcting hip dysplasia in adult large-breed dogs. After a recuperation period, most dogs regain full, pain free hip function and live normal active lives.
   

The decision to perform surgery should not be taken lightly. Discuss the various options with your veterinarian before making your decision.

Forty years have passed since hip dysplasia was first described. Despite years of research, it is still the most common inherited joint disease of large-breed dogs.

Therpeutic Canine Massage Therapy

by Stevi Quick of BEAUTIFUL BALANCE

Therapeutic massage is a study of both structure and movement; and how one affects the other.  In pets structure greatly effects how the animal can move and can be indicative of what injuries they are susceptible to.

As a part of overall health and wellness, diet and fitness are of paramount importance.

That said therapeutic massage helps in the health and well being of dogs in many of the same ways it is beneficial to humans.  It feels good and increases circulation, and the dispersal of both well giving chemicals like cytokines and endorphins as well as helping the body to release toxins.

It also increases flexibility and range of motion of muscles and joints, which relieves pain associated with arthritis and other joint and skeletal abnormalities.  When doing bodywork you can focus on specific areas or muscle groups to disperse pain and allow specific joints better range of motion to enjoy more activities.  This ultimately improves the quality of life and the relationship you have with your pet, which everyone wants for their loved ones.

Studies also show that behaviours can be modified by the use of therapeutic massage.  Because of the release of certain endorphins during the use of certain strokes at certain points along the body, stress and fear can be reduced.  At the other end of the spectrum, sports massage is used to stimulate and pump up animals in performance competitions; again a matter of different stroke at different positions.

Surgery recovery can be sped by increasing circulation, and helping dissipate the effects of anesthesia.

As society moves toward searching for natural ways of increasing longevity, I think they are looking for the same for their companions.

Along with regular veterinary care, eating well in appropriate amounts and increased physical activity needs to be stressed in all of our pets well being.  Why not make that more comfortable and enjoyable for our companions as we do for ourselves. 

Strength training is an important part of canine and equine athletes, but for pets it should be as well, especially those with known musculoskeletal abnormalities.  It only takes a few moments a day and can be used as a training or relationship building session between the pet and owner.  There are specific exercises that are safe for all pets, even with existing conditions of the spine, hips, crutiate ligaments, and patellas, scapula and humerus.

Pet owners should offer this as a gift of comfort and love back to the animals that give them so much (all they are), in the short time they grace us.

Find a certified Canine Massage Therapist in your area by going to the IAAMB (International Association of Animal Massage and Bodywork). to give your four legged friend a life that they deserve.

You can also watch Stevi massaging my dog, Big Tuna. Tuna has a one knee surgery, so far, and she has hip dysplasia so Tuna loves and benefits from her therapeutic massages. 

 

 

ticks and dogs do not go together

We recently found a tick on Mr. Bishi, one of our English Bulldogs after a recent hike. We try to inspect them after they've been marching through grass or simply outside because more often then not they can be pretty good tick collectors. 

For those of  you who are not familiar with ticks, ticks are blood-sucking parasites and there are some theories that suggest they may be related to certain neo-cons but this has not been definatively proven. Ticks are frequently mistaken for insects but they are actually more closely related to spiders. 

Tick bites are painless, but the bite wound can become infected.  More importantly, ticks can carry and spread a greater variety of infectious organisms than any other parasite of pets.  For example, most ticks can carry blood parasites, such as those that causefeline infectious anemia and Rocky Mountain spotter fever.  Black-legged ticks (formerly known as deer ticks) carry Lyme disease, which can cause arthritis and several other chronic conditions in both pets and people.

Six species of ticks commonly infest dogs and (occasionally) cats in the United States:

• the brown dog tick
• the American dog tick
• the black-legged (deer) tick
• the Western black-legged tick
• the Lone Star tick
• the Gulf Coast tick

In general, different species are most common in different areas of the country.

Ticks have complicated life cycles that often take longer than a year and usually involve more than one host.  Adult female ticks feed on blood, which they use to produce eggs.  Tick eggs are usually laid in masses on the ground, where they hatch into tiny, six-legged larvae known as seed ticks.  The larva seeks out a host for feeding, drops off to the ground, andmolts into a nymph.  The nymph seeks out and feeds on a second host, drops off to the ground, and molts to an adult. Male and female adults seek out a third host, feed, mate, and drop off to the ground. Males die soon after, while females eventually lay eggs to carry on the reproductive cycle.  Common hosts include rodents, livestock, dogs, deer, birds, and people.

Ticks usually must be attached for at least 24 hours to transmit disease, so it is important to find and remove them as soon as possible.  You should always do a full body check of pets and family members after they have been in woodland or brush areas.  It is important to look very carefully because some ticks, such as the black-legged tick, may be no bigger than the head of a pin.

If you find ticks on your pet, you should remove them by grabbing the tick with a pair of fine-pointed tweezers or a commercial tick removal device as close to the skin as possible and then pulling straight back with steady and gentle force.  Do not twist or jerk the tick, because this can break off the head, leaving it behind as a source of infection.  Do not crush, prick, or burn the tick because this can release disease organisms within the tick's body.

Many topical flea products include agents that also kill and/or repel ticks. Your veterinarian can recommend a product that is suitable for your pet.

So remember, after every hike or out door adventure, give your dog a quick inspections. Pay particular attention to the area between their toes. Ticks love to nestle up there for a good meal.  

Stay active and keep wagging!

 

kennel cough in dogs

Canine infectious tracheobronchitis, also known as kennel cough, is a very contagious illness among dogs.  This illness spreads rapidly, particularly in areas where dogs are concentrated such as kennels (hence the name), grooming facilities, puppy classes, etc. Even if dogs are vaccinated against kennel cough, it is no guarantee that they will not contract the illness for one reason: the vaccine is made for one strain but unfortunately, there are many strains of the illness. So, even if your dog has been vaccinated, he/she may still contract the disease. Obviously you still want to have the vaccination (I highly recommend you do) but it is no guarantee that they will not contract it in a group of dogs where one is infected. 

Common signs that indicate your dog may have kennel cough are a very deep, almost husky cough. There may be nasal and eye discharge and if it is a yellowish green color, this would indicate an infection has set in. 

Treatment generally provided by your vet would be a course of antibiotics and in some cases a cough suppressant.  Kennel cough typically last 7 to 10 days. If your dog is being treated for kennel cough, do not bring him to a dog park or into contact with other dogs until he/she is non contagious (generally a period of time/after 10 days). This is a highly contagious disease similar to bronchitis in humans. 

Kennel cough can be caused by bacteria, viruses, or both. The most common bacterium involved is Bordetella bronchiseptica, which is the bacterial component of the kennel cough vaccine.

So remember, keep your dogs vaccinated, keep them healthy and happy, and keep wagging!