How to Survive a Dog Attack

By: Sophia Yin, DVM

The number of Americans hospitalized for dog bites almost doubled over a 15-year-period, from 5,100 in 1993 to 9,500 in 2008, according to a recent New York Times article.

Children under 5 and adults 65 and older were most likely to be hospitalized after a bite, and residents of rural areas made four times as many emergency room visits for dog bites than those from non-rural areas. Treatment costs averaged $18,200 per person.

Read the entire article

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Woof! Shush!

I recently attended a 3 day training seminar with Dr. Ian Dunbar and was reminded about how you can get your "yappinator" to stop "yapping". Below is Dr. Dunbar's training method, which I found to be very successful. It's as easy as 1, 2, 3, 4!

"So many owners, or to be more precise, their neighbors, find excessive barking to be an intolerable problem when dogs are left at home alone. But also, many owners find excessive and uncontrollable barking to be a problem even when they are at home with their dogs. The solution is simple. Teach the dog to shush on cue. This may sound OK in theory but many owners experience huge problems trying to put theory into practice, largely because they try to teach the dog to shush when he is amped up and barking so loud that he cannot even hear the owner’s instructions. We have a better way.

First, let’s put the “problem” on cue and teach the dog to speak on command. Some may think this strange: “My dog barks so much, so why on earth would I teach him to bark more?” Well, if you have taught your dog to speak on command, you may now teach your dog to shush at times when your dog is not over-the-top with excitement and at times that are convenient to you.

Lure/Reward training always comprises the same four-step process:
1. Request 2. Lure 3. Response 4. Reward."

Read the entire article

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Dog Body Language

By: Ian Dunbar PhD, MRCVS

Even though few of us are fluent in the many dog languages,most of us can tell the difference between a friendly dog and an unfriendly one. The dog seems to get the message across with very little difficulty. It is as easy to sense the aura of a confident, relaxed and easygoing dog as it is to observe specific behaviors and body postures. Such dogs fairly exude warmth and friendliness — head held high with a big doggy laugh, gamboling gait and curved tail wagging the dog's rump. Similarly, one can literally feel the tension emanating from a dog that is not friendly — head lowered, ears flattened, piercing stare, teeth bared and growling, pilo-erection along the back, stiff-legged, and tail held high, straight, stiff and usually vibrating.

It is hard to live with a dog for even a few days without learning a wide vocabulary of his body language. Read the entire article

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Classical Conditioning

I use the word “Classical Conditioning” quite often when working with dogs that have behavioral issues.

Classical conditioning helps your dog form positive associations with all kinds of stimuli. Is your puppy afraid of men? You can use classical conditioning to address that issue. Read the entire article

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How Dogs Learn

Dogs are very efficient in their behavior. If a behavior is inherently pleasurable (eating, playing, chasing, etc), or if doing a particular behavior gets something pleasurable for the dog (like food, attention, or social interaction), the dog will display that behavior more and more often. If a behavior is not pleasurable, if it does not work to obtain something pleasurable, or results in something unpleasant, the dog will use that behavior less and less. Whenever you interact with a dog, you’re constantly giving her feedback about what works to get the good stuff and what doesn’t work. If a dog jumps up and gets attention, even if the attention is that you push him, then he knows that jumping “works” -– that is, it gets him attention and social interaction. If a he accidentally bites you in play and you don’t end the game, then he learns that play biting “works” or at least is not a serious impropriety -– the fun continues. So you can see why it is very important to manipulate the consequences of your dog’s behavior to be sure he is getting the right messages from you. This is a big responsibility. Read the entire article

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10 Dog Park Rules and Tips

By: Robin Sockness

1. Make sure you can read your dog’s body language!

2. Do not expect your dog to behave the same way in a dog park that he does at home.

3. Don't use the dog park as the place to be sociable with other humans, which means you are easily distracted by conversations with other dog owners and not watching your dog.

4. Make sure your dog has good recall! Call your dog to you once in a while to maintain your connection. Praise your dog when s/he comes to you.

5. Don't go if your dog is terrified of other dogs and humans!

6. Make sure your dog is current on vaccines. We don't recommend puppies under the age of 12 weeks enter dog parks.

7. Use this time to classically condition your dog! Don't feed breakfast that morning and use your dog's kibble to treat for appropriate behavior and when he or she meets new people and dogs. Anything not eaten can be moistened and stuffed into a Kong for a special "after the dog park" reward.

8. Bring your poop bags, a towel and some water for your dog to drink.

9. Play the "Gotcha Game" (collar tugs) with your dog and brief (5 second) time outs when your dog gets too wound up.

10. Practice coming and going from the park while you are there. Bring a stuffed Kong or have something yummy in the car for your dog when you are done and headed home. A reward for leaving the park is well deserved!


To get more information about off-leash dog park etiquette, click here

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FDA Warning: Xylitol

FDA is Warning Pet Owners on the Dangers of Xylitol Ingestion in Dogs and Ferrets
February 18, 2011

The Food and Drug Administration is cautioning consumers about the risks associated with the accidental consumption of xylitol by dogs and ferrets. Xylitol is a sugar alcohol approved for use in many common products, including sugar-free baked goods, candy, oral hygiene products, and chewing gum.

Xylitol can be found in many over-the-counter drugs such as chewable vitamins and throat lozenges and sprays. It can also be purchased in bulk bags for use in home baking. These products are intended only for human use.

FDA is aware of complaints involving dogs that experienced illness associated with the accidental consumption of xylitol. Xylitol is safe for humans but it can be harmful to dogs and ferrets.

FDA is advising consumers to always read the label on products and to not presume that a product that is safe for humans is safe for your pet.

The FDA reports included clinical signs such as a sudden drop in blood sugar (hypoglycemia), seizures and liver failure. If you suspect your pet has ingested xylitol, some signs to look for are depression, loss of coordination and vomiting. The signs of illness may occur within minutes to days of ingesting xylitol. Owners should consult their veterinarian or pet poison control center immediately for advice if they know or suspect that their pet has ingested a human product containing xylitol.

Read the entire article

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SmartMeal on Sale this Week!

It's getting warm outside and folks are starting to think about summertime clothing and the needs to shed a few pounds. Nature's Sunshine offers three SmartMeal flavors and they are all on sale this week!

SmartMeal Nutritional Shake Mix is a delicious healthful drink. One serving provides 15 grams of protein and 35% of the recommended Daily Value for 17 vitamins and minerals, plus beneficial levels of calcium, phosphorus, vitamin D and magnesium. Use it as a meal replacement for weight loss or as a healthful snack anytime throughout the day. Each drink is only 130–140 calories.

SmartMeal provides 2 grams of dietary fiber per serving, plus cold-pressed, organic flax seed that offers 200 mg of beneficial omega-3 essential fatty acids. Flax seed may help contribute to a feeling of fullness. SmartMeal provides 15 grams of protein from soy protein isolate, pea protein isolate, golden chlorella protein, and only contains natural flavors.

Benefits:

* Provides 15 grams of protein plus essential amino acids per serving to build muscle and boost metabolism.

* May help contribute to a feeling of fullness.

* Supports cardiovascular health (provides 200 mg essential omega-3 fatty acids per serving).

* Contains nutrients for energy.

* Provides 35% of the recommended Daily Value for 18 vitamins and minerals, plus beneficial levels of calcium, phosphorus and magnesium.

Click here to order and to view all items on sale



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Nature's Sunshine Big Sale This Week!

Nature's Sunshine has rolled out several new products and many things are on sale this week!

Click here to view what's on sale!



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FDA Warning: Recall on Drugs

FDA Advises Veterinarians of Recent Recall of Human Drug, Phenobarbitol

Drug is Prescribed for Animals Extralabel

March 10, 2011

The Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) has become aware of a human drug recall for Phenobarbital tablets. Phenobarbital is prescribed by veterinarians as an extralabel use for treating seizures in animals.

On February 5, 2011, Qualitest Pharmaceuticals voluntarily recalled several lots of Phenobarbital 32.4 mg and Hydrocodone Bitartrate and Acetaminophen Tablets 10 mg/500 mg due to a label mix-up between the two drug products. Hydrocodone Bitartrate and Acetaminophen Tablets were incorrectly labeled as Phenobarbital tablets 32.4 mg. As a result of this mix-up, pets may unintentionally be given Hydrocodone and Acetaminophen tablets instead of the intended drug, Phenobarbital.

CVM has recently received 3 serious adverse event reports involving dogs treated with Phenobarbital tablets manufactured by Qualitest Pharmaceuticals. One report cited two of the three affected lot numbers for the recalled product. The remaining two reports did not provide the lot numbers.


Read the entire article

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Ivermectin - warning

Ivermectin is a medication which is used in dogs to prevent heartworm infection and treat various parasitic infections, including ear mites, demodectic mange and sarcoptic mange. In addition, ivermectin is used in dogs that already have heartworm infections to kill the larval form of heartworms that are found in the blood stream (microfilaria).

Ivermectin is found in various formulations, including Heartgard Plus® and similar heartworm preventive medications, Acarexx® and Ivomec®.

Most Common Side Effects of Ivermectin in Dogs

When side effects do occur, the most commonly seen symptoms are lack of appetite, lethargy, vomiting and diarrhea. These symptoms often resolve without medical intervention within a few days.

In some dogs, ivermectin can also affect the central nervous system, leading to side effects such as incoordination and seizures. This reaction can be fatal as well.

If your dog has been given ivermectin and you believe he is suffering side effects from the medication, you should contact your veterinarian immediately.

MDR1 Gene Defect and Ivermectin Sensitivity in Dogs

The dogs most likely to experience serious side effects with ivermectin are those dogs that have a genetic gene mutation known as the deletion mutation of the MDR1 (multi-drug resistant) gene. Dogs most likely to be affected by this gene mutation are those of the collie breeds. Specific breeds known to affected are:

* Collies
* Australian Shepherds
* Shelties
* Long-haired Whippets

Read more at Suite101: Side Effects of Ivermectin in Dogs

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Pet Handling Skills

Learning the Most Important Pet-Handling Skills in 30 Minutes
by Sophia Yin, DVM, MS

"The technician we had the last time was great," said the concerned client.

"Thor immediately liked her, and she was able to show us how to clean his ears. But the technician we had today seemed cold and even afraid of Thor.

"She commanded Thor to sit, and when he didn’t, she pulled his collar up with the leash to get him to sit.

"Then, when she went to put a muzzle on, that was it. We couldn’t do anything with Thor after that. I don’t think we can go back there again unless we're sure we can get the friendly technician."

What makes one technician so much better with some pets than others?

While many skilled technicians do not know what it is that gives them the edge, the specific attributes are well defined and can be easily learned.

Working well with an animal starts with the ability to read the pet’s body language, followed by the ability to greet and interact in a way that puts the pet at ease and makes it clear what you’d like him to do.

Read the entire article

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Dogs Probably Feel Sorry For Us

Dogs appear to empathize with us, to the point that some therapy dogs even seem to take on the emotions of their sick or distressed human charges, according to a new paper in the latest issue of Biology Letters.

The matter is more complicated than you might think, because researchers need to tease apart true empathy from a phenomenon known as "emotional contagion."

Emotional contagion is more of a knee-jerk reaction to various behaviors and other cues. For example, if you yawn, others near you, including dogs, might start to yawn too. They're not necessarily empathizing with you, although areas of the brain tied to empathy are involved. In fact, the mimicry is primarily triggered at a subconscious level. No one is certain why this happens. Some scientists suspect it has to do with communicating levels of alertness and coordinating sleep schedules.Read the entire article

Read the Scientific Study

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Basic Instinct

Ian Dunbar PhD, MRCVS
Dogs chew for a variety of reasons but primarily, because
that's what dogs do. Dogs chew because it's fun. In fact, the
majority of canine investigatory of occupational activities
involve using their jaws and paws to chew or dig. For many
domestic dogs one of these activities becomes their hobby
and just like young boys, puppy and adolescent dogs can
become quite fanatical about their hobbies. Chewing is
basically a normal and natural doggy behavior, which is also
necessary for maintaining healthy gums and clean teeth. Read the entire article

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Dr. Jane Conference Call

Our Pet Product Formulator, Dr. Jane Bicks, DVM, holds bi-monthly calls that anyone can participate in. At the beginning of each call, Dr. Jane provides in-depth answers to any questions participants have about our products for companion animals. We hope you will join us for these regularly scheduled conference calls. To participate, simply dial 561-515-1695 at the appropriate time, and enter 224012# after the prompt. The next Dr. Jane call is scheduled for Wednesday, March 9th at 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time.

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New Versions of Advantage® and K9 Advantix®

Dr. Karen Becker's Comments: "I guess Bayer Animal Health’s idea of a ‘next generation’ flea and tick product is one that contains even more chemical pesticides than previous formulations.

By the way – please don’t be fooled by the benign-sounding description of pyriproxyfen as an ‘insect growth regulator.’

It’s a chemical pesticide. ‘Growth regulator’ is a euphemism for killing agent.

As an active ingredient in spot-on flea and tick formulas, pyriproxyfen is a newer chemical and there aren’t many reports available on adverse effects. However, EPA tests of pyriproxyfen on rodents showed decreased body weight and toxicity in the offspring of animals exposed to the chemical." Read the entire article

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Wellness Cat Food Recall

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - February 28, 2011 - WellPet LLC announced today it has voluntarily recalled certain lots of Wellness® canned cat food.

While recent laboratory testing found that most lots of Wellness canned cat food that were tested contain sufficient amounts of thiamine (also known as Vitamin B1), some of the lots listed below might contain less than adequate levels of thiamine. However, out of an abundance of caution, WellPet has decided to recall all of the lots listed below.

Cats fed only the affected lots for several weeks may be at risk for developing a thiamine deficiency. Thiamine is essential for cats. Symptoms of deficiency displayed by an affected cat can be gastrointestinal or neurological in nature. Early signs of thiamine deficiency may include decreased appetite, salivation, vomiting, and weight loss. In advanced cases, neurologic signs can develop, which may include ventriflexion (bending towards the floor) of the neck, wobbly walking, circling, falling, and seizures. If your cat has consumed the recalled lots and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian. If treated promptly, thiamine deficiency is typically reversible.

The lots involved in this voluntary recall are:

Wellness Canned Cat Food (all flavors and sizes) with best by dates from 14APR 13 through 30SEP13;

Wellness Canned Cat Food Chicken & Herring (all sizes) with 10NOV13 or 17NOV13 best buy dates.

Consumers who still have cans of cat food from these lots should stop feeding them to their cats and call us at (877) 227-9587 Monday through Friday, 9:00 am – 7:00 pm Eastern Time. Consumers with further questions should visit our website at www.wellnesspetfood.com2 or call us at this same number.

WellPet discovered the lower thiamine levels during independent testing conducted together with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in response to a single, isolated consumer complaint received by the FDA. Although WellPet has received no other reports concerning thiamine in its products, WellPet has taken additional steps with the manufacturer to ensure that this does not happen again.

“As a pet parent myself, I’m concerned for the health and welfare of all pets, and as a company we are committed to delivering the most nutritious natural pet food,” said Tim Callahan, chief executive officer of WellPet, the maker of Wellness products. “Even though the chance of a cat developing a thiamine deficiency is extremely remote, we are voluntarily recalling all of these lots of our canned cat food as an extra precaution.”

Read the FDA Recall Information Here

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Hyperactivity in Dogs

By Debra F. Horwitz, DVM, Diplomate ACVB Veterinary Behavior Consultations, St. Louis, Missouri

Occasionally owners of very active dogs come to my office convinced that their dogs are hyperactive and have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorders. Do these conditions really exist in dogs?

Hyperactivity is “a rare clinical syndrome characterized by overactivity, attention deficits, impulsivity, high resting basal physiologic parameters and a paradoxical calming response to amphetamines.1 Labeling these dogs as “hyperkinetic” may be clearer; they do not habituate to normal stimuli, are reactive, and cannot seem to rest even in calm, quiet surroundings. Within veterinary practice, the condition appears to be rather rare. The signs noted by owners are usually attributable to breed dispositions, conditioned behavior, or lack of appropriate outlets for activity and exercise. Read the entire article

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Wellness Canned Cat Food Recall

The lots involved in this voluntary recall are:

Wellness Canned Cat (all flavors and sizes) with best by dates from 14APR 13 through 30SEP13;

Wellness Canned Cat Chicken & Herring (all sizes) with best by date of 10NOV13 and 17NOV13.

If you have cat food from these lots, you should stop feeding it to your cats. You may call WellPet at 1-877-227-9587 to arrange for return of the product and reimbursement.

Read the letter from the company

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