Rising Sun
Animal Chiropractic

5/11/10

Coco Mulch

Please tell every dog or cat owner you know. Even if you don’t have a pet, please pass this to those who do.

The reason dogs can’t have chocolate is the same reason they can’t have the shells be aware of what you are putting on the ground.

Cocoa Mulch is manufactured by Hershey’s and other companies, and they claim that “It is true that studies have shown that 50% of the dogs that eat Cocoa Mulch can suffer physical harm to a variety of degrees (depending on each individual dog). However, 98% of all dogs won’t eat it.”

*Snopes site gives the following information:http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/cocoamulch.asp *
Cocoa Mulch, which is sold by Home Depot, Foreman’s Garden Supply and other Garden supply stores contains a lethal ingredient called ‘Theobromine’. It is lethal to dogs and cats. It smells like chocolate and it really attracts dogs. They will ingest this stuff and die.

Theobromine is in all chocolate, especially dark or baker’s chocolate which is toxic to dogs. Cocoa bean shells contain potentially toxic quantities of theobromine, a xanthine compound similar in effects to caffeine and theophylline. This product is HIGHLY toxic to dogs and cats.

3/22/10

Here is another reason for you to have your pet AND yourself on a high quality fish oil that contains omega 3 and 6 fats. These oils are great for anti-inflammatory properties, are great pain medications (80% of the time at the right dose these oils are more effective than Vicoden and other Narcotic prescriptions with out the horrible side effects) and have been shown to alleviate skin issues. This study showed that after a 2 weeks nearly 30% of dogs had an excellent response to the therapy and 32% had a good response. There are many Omega 3 & 6 fish oil supplements on the market speak with your health care provider (human or animal) about what they would recommend. I use a couple brands depending on use, they come in chewable, liquid and capsule form but the most important thing is that the oil is clean, which requires microdistillation. I know that compainies like Metagenics and Standard Process have excellent quality and are very clean. I have posted the review of the study. I found out that the company that was used during testing was closed down by the FDA, another reason to speak to your health care provider before starting on any new supplement.

Treatment of Dogs With Hip Arthritis With a Fatty Acid Supplement”, Miller, William H., VMD, et al, Canine Practice, November/December 1992;17(6):6-8. Twenty-five dogs with intercurrent hip arthritis began this study and 22 were available for follow-up.

The mean age of the dogs was 9.8 years. The dogs were large or giant breeds, with symptomatic pelvic arthritis for 1 year or longer. DVM Derm Caps were given at a dosage of 1 regular strength capsule/9.1 kg, or 1 extra strength capsule/22.7 kg of body weight for 14 days. These DVM Derm Caps were provided by DVM Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in Miami, Florida, with a special formulation containing omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids; previously this had been shown to help control allergic pruritus in 11.1 to 60% of dogs. One week after discontinuation of treatment, the owners were asked to report on improvement or side effects seen. Overall 27% of the dogs had excellent response, 32% had a good response, and 41% had a poor response. All the good and excellent responders returned to their pretreatment level of symptomatology upon withdrawal of the DVM Derm Caps. The 6 excellent responders were given the supplement for 30 days. The response was sustained in all excellent responders, and they continued to take the supplement with follow-up periods ranging from 3 to 24 months without any adverse side effect. Further studies are warranted to confirm the potential benefits of eicosapentaenoic acid (fish oil), gamma- linolenic acid (primrose oil), linoleic acid, and their benefit in dog arthritis.

2/28/10

In Loving Memory of Lava.  Lava our eldest Saluki, multiple field champion and conformation champion passed this last week after a long full life and a short bout of illness.  He was a great friend, loyal and will be missed.

1/18/10

8 Ways Your Dog Can Help You Quit Smoking

Want to stop smoking for the New Year? You know the pitch. You’ve tried the patch. Time to send in the pooch.

Your dog can be an invaluable aid in your quest to quit ciggies. Here’s the scoop on 8 ways to enlist your best friend to help you kick the habit.

Do it for your dog. Studies show that way more people will attempt to quit smoking for the sake of their dog than for themselves or their human children. Nearly 30 percent of pet owners who smoke would try to quit if they learned that secondhand smoke could harm their pets. Fewer than 2 percent would do so for the sake of their children! (That study can’t be right — can it?)

Inhale the facts. Yes, secondhand smoke is really bad for dogs. It can even kill them, just like it can people. Check out this article or this one for more info if you want to take advantage of Tip #1.

Make your dog your exercise partner. Exercise can be a huge help in staying away from cigarettes. It keeps you busy, relieves stress, lessens depression, and makes you want to stay on the healthy track. Walking is one of the best forms of exercise for people trying to stop smoking. Even the US government advocates it as a quitting aid. And who better to walk with than your dog, who lives for walks! Quitting is no walk in the park, but with your dog at your side, it can be.

Take advantage of your dog’s job title. When you stop smoking, you’re supposed to ask friends and family to be completely supportive and non-judgmental, and to be there even if you’re cranky from the difficulty of withdrawing from the habit. Can you think of anyone more non-judgmental and unconditionally supportive than your dog? Let your “best friend” be there for you. Give her hugs when days are tough. Talk to her. We promise she won’t give you any sass for grumbling too much.

Make your dog an anti-smoking billboard. Buy your dog a T-shirt that will remind you of your goal every time you see him in it. When your dog is wearing clothing that implores you to quit smoking, you’ll find it harder to reach for a cancer stick. Start your shirt-shopping spree here or here. Or just type “dog t-shirt quit smoking” into your favorite browser.

Train your dog as a smoke alarm. Some people train their dogs to be household smoke detectors who bark at the first sign of smoke. These dogs work as a kind of backup to the more traditional plastic versions of smoke detectors. If your dog is really good at this, she may go the next step and woof you into non-smoking submission. Here’s one site’s advice on how to make your dog a smoke alarm. (No batteries needed!)

Share your financial windfall with Fido. If you smoke a pack a day, you’ll save nearly $1,500 per year if you quit! Think of the fun you and your dog could have with that extra dough. You both deserve it! Take a little road trip together. Buy yourselves something you’ve each always wanted. To calculate how much you’ll save annually based on your smoking habits and cigarette brand, check out this calculator from smokefree.gov.

1/11/10

Four reasons your pet develops joint problems

Four factors influence the health of the musculoskeletal system of your pet:

• Their body weight
• Exercise
• Joint degeneration (arthritis)
• Trauma

By feeding your pet a proper, species appropriate diet, giving them ample opportunity to move and exercise, and identifying and addressing potential problems with chiropractic care, massage, and stretching, you can help ensure your pet keeps a healthy frame.

We all want our animals to live long, healthy, happy lives, running and jumping while free of the pain of joint disease. Fortunately, many degenerative problems are not just a part of “normal aging” and are even preventable if addressed early on in your dog or cat’s life.

I’d like to give you the rundown on what causes degeneration to your pet’s frame, or musculoskeletal system, and some tips for preventing, or at the very least, slowing down that degenerative process.

There are four primary factors that influence your pet’s frame:

1. Body weight
2. Exercise
3. Joint degeneration
4. Trauma/Injury

Species Appropriate Body Weight

Obesity has become an epidemic amongst dogs and cats in this country, just as it has for people.

Research has clearly shown that your dogs and cats are suffering from the same health problems as humans from chronically carrying too much weight. They are showing degenerative changes in their tendons and ligaments, and problems with their internal organs from the burden of the excess body fat. We are seeing increased rates of lung problems, diabetes and arthritis.

How does your pet become obese?

A lot like you do—from over-consuming and under-exercising. Most pet foods and treats on the market contain nutritionally empty, high-carbohydrate fillers such as corn, wheat, rice and soy. These fillers provide lots of energy, but for pets that aren’t moving enough, this extra energy supplies too many calories and results in weight gain.

The second major cause of obesity is medications.

For example, prednisone is a drug commonly given to dogs and cats for a ride range of conditions—itching, inflammation, and gastrointestinal disorders—because it suppresses symptoms.

But one serious side effect of prednisone is weight gain, because it’s a catabolic steroid, not anabolic. Catabolic means your pet’s body burns its muscle as a fuel source. Anabolic means the body is in growth mode, i.e., getting more muscular. Therefore, one side effect of a catabolic steroid is increased body fat and reduction of muscle mass.

Another thing that can rapidly lead to obesity is treats.

Yes, we love to give them and they love to get them—and treats are okay, provided the right types are given in appropriate quantities.

Dogs and cats are carnivores. So their treats should be protein-based, meaning meat. Protein treats supply the reward while not providing excess energy calories.  Vegetable treats are also a good alternative. And portion control is so important. I recommend only a pea-sized treat, regardless of whether you’re giving it to a Saint Bernard or a Persian kitten. The goal isn’t to make it a meal, only to communicate, “Job well done.”

Your Pet Was Born to Be an Athlete

All dogs and cats are genetically wired to be athletic. They evolved to run and jump and climb and chase. If you don’t provide ample opportunities for them to move their bodies, they can end up with bone and joint problems, and even behavioral issues.

There is excellent research that shows dogs and cats who have adequate exercise show far fewer behavioral problems than dogs and cats who are too sedentary. So, by walking your dog, you are addressing not only his physical health but his mental health as well.

Playtime isn’t enough.

By exercise, I mean aerobic exercise sustained for at least 20 minutes on a consistent basis (a minimum of 3 times a week). This is often a challenge for folks who come home tired after a long day at work. But I can’t stress enough how important this is.

Doing the Weekend Warrior bit isn’t going to cut it and may actually make matters worse by exposing your pet to potential injury.

If you have an indoor pet who doesn’t get out much during the week, then you ask him to go out and do a lot of jumping and twisting, you’ve created the opportunity for a torn ACL, a blown disk or another soft tissue injury because your pet isn’t properly toned or conditioned. You must be consistent.

It is best to alternate types of activity as well so that your pet receives attention to all of his muscle groups, not the same repetitive motion over and over again.

Indoor housecats are probably the most challenging to exercise, unless you have an unusual one who will chase you. Be creative. Run up and down the stairs with a string; play Pounce on the Feather, or try chasing the Wiffle ball from room to room. In my house it’s the laser pointer. Do whatever works!

Dogs’ and cats’ exercise requirements do NOT diminish with age—even geriatric pets need to move consistently. However, you will want to just adjust the duration and intensity for your pet’s level of endurance and agility.

Arthritis and Joint Degeneration

The third major contributor to musculoskeletal degeneration is degeneration of the joints, particularly arthritis.

There are many different types of arthritis but osteoarthritis, also known as Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD), is one of the big contributing factors to degeneration of your pet’s frame.

There are numerous causes of arthritis, but here are the main ones:

• Cartilage degeneration: A genetic predisposition to malformation of the joints, such as hip dysplasia in dogs that can cause early joint degeneration.
• Poor nutrition: High calorie carbohydrate-based diets can cause the body to grow faster than the cartilage does, inducing cartilage deficits.
• Autoimmune diseases in which your pet’s body attacks its own joints.
• Infectious diseases: Bacterial infections in the joints can trigger degeneration, as well as tick borne infections that spread to the joints.
• Trauma (known or unknown).

Early Trauma or Injury Can Lead to Joint Disease Later

Early pethood trauma is probably the most overlooked source of joint disease in dogs and cats.

It doesn’t have to be a major trauma like being hit by a car. It can even seem insignificant at the time.

For example, you take your dog for a walk on a leash. He spies a rabbit and instinctively tries to bolt, forgetting he’s tethered to the leash, which causes his head to jerk backward. This creates a common cervical injury that I often see evidence of later.

Young dogs are prone to flopping off sofas, falling down steps or out of the back of pickup trucks. They get up and trot away, leaving you with the impression that all is well. But the condition is a setup for later troubles.

Another example is when a newborn kitten gets her head stuck in the birth canal. Owners sometimes assist by manipulating the head during the birth process. However, kittens can suffer cervical injury from this and, if not addressed, can go through their lives with their heads not resting on their spines squarely, like with their head cocked, leading to spinal arthritis.

Often in puppy training classes, instructors will recommend you jerk at the neck to correct puppies from pulling on their leash. I NEVER recommend this because it so often results in cervical trauma, which leads to DJD later. These early dog and cat head traumas are one of the main reasons we see premature joint degeneration.

These seemingly minor traumas add up over time.

What is important to remember is that normal wear and tear can result in joint degeneration, if it’s not addressed. Minor traumas treated early can result in your pet’s leading a very normal life.

Preventing Joint Degeneration

I have four recommendations for treating and preventing your dog or cat from premature joint degeneration:

1. Chiropractic: If you have a pet that sustains an injury of any type, consider getting chiropractic care. Dog and cat chiropractic is an excellent and affordable way to realign the spine (and therefore the Central Nervous System.) Proper alignment prevents secondary compensation—meaning the body doesn’t shift into unhealthy positions to compensate for the injury, causing other problems down the road.
2. Massage: Pet massage is another good way to treat tissue inflammation and prevent secondary compensation in your animal’s body. There are some good books and videos out on how to do this yourself. Massage is also a nice way to bond with your pet and offers good opportunity to get familiar with where there could be tightness, inflammation or soreness.
3. Stretching: Stretching your pet is another beneficial practice for reducing degeneration and preventing soft tissue injury. It’s particularly helpful with older pets and competition/working dogs.
4. Supplements: Adding certain supplements to your pet’s diet can provide the raw materials for cartilage repair or maintenance, work with your holistic vet to determine a custom-made protocol for your pet’s specific musculoskeletal needs.

By implementing some common-sense measures in the areas of nutrition, exercise, and injury prevention, you can minimize your pet’s degenerative joint changes and help her live a long, healthy, happy and ACTIVE life.

Happy New Year!!!

1/5/10

How Safe are Pet Microchips?

By  Dr. Karen Becker, DVM

A microchip is a glass bead about the size of a grain of rice which is implanted between an animal’s shoulder blades. It contains a radio transmitter, an antenna, and a computer chip with a 10-digit code. The information contained in a microchip has to be read by a scanner — it is not a GPS system that will allow you to track and locate your pet.

Most humane societies and rescue organizations require that adopted pets be microchipped, so if your pet came from a shelter there’s a good chance he or she already has one.

For those of you who are still considering a microchip for your pet, there are a few important items you should first consider.

With or Without Anesthetic?

Most veterinarians will likely tell you that microchipping your pet is painless. But at my practice we would never even consider microchipping without some local anesthetic.

And I highly recommend that if your pet gets a microchip, you insist on anesthetic. No matter what you have been told, the procedure hurts — the chip is inserted with a really big 12-gauge needle!

Potential Microchipping Problems

Pet microchips are inserted underneath your pet’s skin right between his shoulder blades.

This poses some problems because on occasion the microchip can migrate under the shoulder blade or up to the back of the neck — or even all the way down to the belly.

So if your pet has been microchipped, make sure you have a vet scan to identify exactly where it is. Once you know where it is, check it once a week to make sure there are no changes, at that it doesn’t feel any different.

If you can feel your pet’s microchip, it will feel like a grain of rice under your pet’s skin.

Are Microchips Necessary and Safe?

These are the two major questions that most everyone asks about microchips. One, are they necessary and, two, are they safe.

As with any medical procedure, you have to weigh the risks versus the benefits, and in this case it’s often a very individual decision.

If your pet has a high chance of being separated from you, for instance he bolts out your door every chance he gets and doesn’t come back when called, a microchip may be a good idea.

Millions of animals do escape or get lost from their owners every year, and less than 10 percent are ever reunited. Even if your pet has a microchip, however, its ability to help you find your pet depends on whether or not it can be scanned.

There are four types of microchips used in the United States, and unfortunately most facilities do not have a universal scanner that can read all the different chips. Then, the person must be sure to scan your entire pet, not just between the shoulder blades, in case the chip has migrated.

Further, if your pet is microchipped make sure the microchip is registered and that your registered contact information is up-to-date. Otherwise, even if a facility finds your pet and reads the microchip, they will not be able to contact you.

So if you cannot commit to updating your contact information with the appropriate registration facility, getting a microchip for your pet is not a good idea, as you’re getting none of the benefit and only the risk.

What is the risk?

The Major Risk of Microchips

The major concern any time you implant a foreign body into your pet, whether that’s a microchip, a metal plate for a fracture or any other material, there’s the potential for your pet’s body to reject the substance.

There have been two documented cases in veterinary medicine where sarcoma or fibrosarcoma, two types of soft tissue tumors, occurred at the site of the injection.

While two cases are not very many, I believe there are likely many more cases that have not been documented. Research shows that between 1996 and 2006, up to 10 percent of laboratory animals had some type of reaction to being microchipped, ranging from a localized inflammatory response to tumor formation at the site of the injection.

Needless to say, it’s important to realize that implanting any foreign material into your pet’s body is a risk.

So if you believe that your pet is safe in your home, such as an indoor housecat or a dog that’s appropriately trained (which in my opinion would eliminate the need for chips!) or pets that are always kept on a leash outdoors — and most importantly, is a dog that knows his name and comes when he’s called — there’s a very good chance that you do not need a microchip. And in these cases the risks do outweigh the benefit.

However, if your dog doesn’t know to “come” or you let her outdoors off-leash and just hope she comes back, these are high-risk situations. Ideally, you should rearrange your lifestyle to keep a closer reign on your dog or get some obedience training.

If this isn’t a possibility, then microchipping your pet may be an option. But do remember that microchips carry the risk of an autoimmune reaction or a degenerative reaction where your pet’s immune system becomes aggravated or chronically inflamed, which can in turn lead to tissue degeneration and abnormal cell growth, or cancer at the site of implantation.

Are There Other Options?

The decision of whether or not to microchip is highly dependent on your individual circumstances and pet. However, if you’d like an alternative one way to mark your pet without implantation under the skin is tattooing.

For example, your phone number can be tattooed onto your pet’s thigh while he is already under anesthesia for spaying or neutering. Be aware, if you do this, that phone numbers can change! You’ll have to commit to the same number for the life of your pet.

This continues to be a highly debated topic in veterinary medicine, and it’s really important that you weigh risk versus benefit when deciding on microchipping. This will help you make the best decision for the pets in your care.

12/21/09

3 Things that may indicate your pet has a bladder problem

by Dr. Karen Becker, DVM

To understand your pet’s urine ph, it’s important to understand the Ph scale. Seven is neutral, everything above 7 is alkaline, everything below 7 is acidic.

Cats and dogs, being carnivores, are designed to have a slightly acidic urine Ph — optimally between 6 and 6.5.

Dogs and cats, of course, are designed to eat meat, and this diet drops their urine into this slightly acidic range. Vegetarian animals, like goats and horses, have a more alkaline urine because they eat primarily grains and grasses.

A problem arises, however, when dogs and cats, which are designed to eat meat, are fed a grain-based diet, as is the case with many commercial dog and cat foods. This causes their urine to become more alkaline, which may lead to three major problems.

The Bladder Risks of Feeding Your Pet a High-Grain Diet

Three major problems come about when dogs or cats develop alkaline urine:

1. Infection, because the natural bladder defenses are unable to maintain the urine’s correct Ph. Urine is sterile when kept at the appropriate 6 to 6.5 Ph, but when it creeps up toward the alkaline side the urine loses it’s natural defenses becomes more hospitable environment for infection to occur.
2. Cystitis (bladder inflammation). Cats especially can end up with chronic inflammation of the bladder, a painful condition that can lead to bleeding and secondary infection.
3. Urinary crystals or stones. When a urine Ph becomes alkaline, minerals can settle out of the urine and form crystals, which are microscopic, sharp particles that irritate and inflame the bladder. If crystals remain in the bladder long enough, they can fuse together to form stones.

So a healthy urine Ph is incredibly important for your pet’s bladder health, not only to prevent infection but also chronic inflammation, crystals and stones.

What to Do if You Suspect Your Pet Has a Bladder Problem

If your pet is urinating outside the litter box or around the house, it could be an indication of a bladder problem. In this case, it’s important that you drop a urine sample off with your veterinarian so they can perform a urinalysis.

A urinalysis will provide valuable information about why your pet is having urinary problems. In addition to providing information about the presence of blood, protein, glucose, keytones and bilirubin, a urinalysis will also determine how well your pet can concentrate his or her urine … a good indication of kidney health. Urinalysis will also detect white blood cells, which means there is inflammation or infection, and a urine culture and sensitivity can determine if bacteria is present, and what type, to help devise a treatment plan.

If an infection is present, medication may be needed to treat the problem. However, sometimes pets experience inflammation or crystals without any infection present. In this latter case a different set of medications may initially be needed, but ultimately, in both situations, this is often a sign that it may be time to change their diet.

What Type of Diet is Best for Your Pet’s Bladder Health?

If your pet is experiencing chronic bladder problems, poor or improper diet is the culprit in the vast majority of cases.

A prescription diet, which many vets may offer you, typically combines high-carb foods with medications to drop your pet’s urine Ph. Doesn’t it make much more sense to feed your pet a food that does not contain those alkalizing carbohydrates, and that is naturally low in carbs?

By feeding your pet a species-appropriate, raw food diet, which will naturally be low in carbs, you can often help them achieve a perfect urinary Ph balance without the need for poor-quality prescription diets.

WHOAAAA!!!!  It’s finally time for some new updates.  Check in every Monday for some helpful pet related articles

Interactive Dog Toys

These interactive toys are a blast, and a mental workout for your dog.

By Pat Miller

Only rarely does a totally new genre of dog toy appear on the market, and it almost never happens that a new genre of toys is introduced with more than just one or two representative products.

This rare event was recently engineered by Sweden’s Nina Ottosson, with the introduction of her Zoo Active Games, a line of 10 novel interactive dog toys (and a few cat toys!). As a huge fan of interactive toys for dogs, I was eager to get my paws on as many of the toys as I could, and see if they were as fun for dogs as they looked!

The Zoo Active toys are available in the United States from only a select few distributors, including Paw Lickers Bakery and Boutique, owned and operated by Marianne Gage and her son David in Greenfield Center, New York. Fortunately for me, when Whole Dog Journal editor Nancy Kerns contacted David to inquire whether we could test the toys, he generously offered to send me seven of the products to try out. I’ve been introducing the toys to my own dogs for a few months, so I knew they had great “fun potential,” and looked forward to an opportunity to try them out on a bunch of other dogs, too.

So it was with great anticipation that I planned a Paw Lickers Puzzle Party, inviting friends to bring their dogs to test and review the intriguing interactive puzzle toys.

The night of the party finally arrived. We had seven toys to test, and seven canine players came, so we set the dogs up around the room. We also set up dividers between them to reduce distractions and the potential for resource-guarding. Each of the dogs was accompanied by an owner/handler, and we had four trainer/observers taking notes on the dogs’ interactions with the toys. We allowed each team 10 minutes per puzzle, then passed each toy to the next dog in line. If a dog emptied the toy quickly, it was reloaded so the dog could continue to play.

Pieces of the puzzle
With one exception, the Zoo Active puzzles are made of wood and particle board and didn’t look like they’d stand up to heavy abuse. It is clear they are intended to be interactive – not to be left for dogs to play with them unattended. I was curious to see how they’d hold up to normal, supervised abuse.

By the end of our puzzle party, there was unanimous agreement that a good time was had by all. Five of the seven puzzles won several canine and human fans; one (the “Dog Trigger”) had some logistical problems but was workable, and only one (the “Dog Box”) was judged by all present to be a “dud.”

I had invited friends with a variety of breeds, of different ages and sizes, to give the toys a thorough test. All the owner/handlers and observers were Peaceable Paws Academy graduates and/or trainers that I knew well. They were instructed to help their dogs as much as they felt the dogs needed to be successful with the toys.

The partygoers were:

• Gretel, a young adult spayed female German Shepherd-mix, and her owner/handler James Latonick of Martinsburg, West Virginia.
• Merlin, a senior neutered male Jack Russell Terrier, and his owner/handler Karin Fellers of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia.
• Molly, a senior spayed female Cocker Spaniel, and her owner/handler Katie Ervin of Hagerstown, Maryland.
• Willow, an adult spayed female Collie/Shepherd-mix, and her owner/handler Penelope Brown of Washington, D.C.
• Truman, an adolescent neutered male Golden Retriever, and his owner/handler Beth Adamec of Windsor Mill, Maryland.
• Allie, a senior spayed female Golden Retriever, and her owner/handler Susan McCullough of Vienna, Virginia.
• Jamie, a senior spayed female Border Collie-mix, and her owner/handler Roz Ferber of Alexandria, Virginia.

Our observers were: Shirley Greenlief of Martinsburg, West Virginia; Jeanne Klink of Meyersdale, Pennsylvania; Hedda Garland of Washington, D.C.; and Tim Sandusky of Silver Spring, Maryland.

Our results
Here are the toys themselves, and the results of our testing party, in order of highest (four paws) rated to lowest (zero paws):

The Dog Tornado ($46) consists of four layered discs, three of which have round slots for treat placement (the fourth is the “lid”). The human places treats in all the slots, rotates the layers to hide the treats and lets the dog begin; you can show the dog a treat in the slot to get him started if necessary. The dog moves the layers with his or her paws and nose to reveal – and eat – the treats.

All the dogs figured this one out and emptied the Dog Tornado of treats within five to six minutes. Jamie required a little help at first; this was her first toy, so she wasn’t sure what was going on, plus, in general, she seemed to offer less behavior with the toys (thus needing more help) than the other dogs.

The other dogs varied in technique. Truman used lots of enthusiastic foot action. Allie loved it, and moved it across the room with her energetic efforts. Merlin bit it and flipped it upside down.

An owner comment from Penelope Brown: “The Dog Tornado was fantastic. Willow used everything – paws, nose, and chin. She even figured out that when one hole on a layer was open, the opposite one was also.”

The Dog Smart ($42) is a disc with eight round slots around the perimeter and one in the center, looking somewhat like the face of a clock. A hollow round peg sets in each slot, with a treat hidden underneath. The dog must pick up the pegs with his mouth or dislodge them with nose or paws to gain access to the treats.

This one was also a favorite of most of the dogs and humans. It was a little harder than the Tornado, and some of the dogs eventually lost interest. After five minutes of effort yielded only two treats, Allie began offering other behaviors to Susan in hopes of earning rewards. In contrast, Gretel found all nine treats in two minutes, and when James placed the pegs back without treats, Gretel continued to remove them. Willow also enjoyed the toy even after the

treats were gone; she continued to play with the pegs, and even replaced some of them in the slots herself!

James Latonick’s comment: “Gretel’s favorite toy of the evening was the Dog Smart. She loved taking the pegs in her mouth, and caught on to this game fast.”

The Dog Pyramid ($22) is the only one of the seven toys we tested that wasn’t made of wood, but rather of sturdy, bright red plastic. Shaped like a beehive with a weighted bottom and one hole on the side near the top, the toy is intended to be loaded with treats and pushed around by the dog to make the treats fall out. It’s similar to other treat-stuffed toys such as the Buster Cube and Molecuball, but the weighted bottom makes it unique; every time the dog pushes it over, it rights itself again.

This one was very popular with our party crowd as well. It was Allie’s favorite, and Truman had so much fun with it he batted it across the room. Gretel, on the other hand, only got one treat out in three minutes and lost interest due to the low payoff, and Jamie got bored with the toy after getting a few treats out and deciding they were too low-value to be worth her attention. (As a treat dispensing toy, the Pyramid was loaded with dry kibble, as moist treats would stick to the inside.

Willow creative as always, not only pushed it around vigorously, but also picked it up in her mouth and shook it to make the goodies fall out.

Susan McCullough’s comment: “Allie stayed with the Dog Pyramid for the full ten minutes. The rolling motion of the toy seemed to fascinate her as much as the treats she was able to ferret out. This toy definitely seemed to be her favorite.”

The Dog Spinny ($37) is a simpler version of the Tornado – a flat disc with only one layer for treat placement (plus the lid). The dog must spin the lid to find the eight treats underneath. All the dogs emptied the Spinny easily – but none of the humans enjoyed it much. The Tornado was just as much fun but more of a challenge for the dogs with its additional two layers.

Jamie found three of the treats within 10 seconds, and didn’t want to stop even when the Spinny was empty. Truman got very excited and worked extremely hard to get the treats – scratching, pushing, digging, and spinning the lid at a high rate of speed. Almost all the dogs emptied the toy within five minutes, and got a reload. Penelope Brown’s comment: “The Spinny was fun for Willow. She figured it all out; she spun the disc with her chin and paw, even experimented with picking it up and dropping it (on my broken finger – ouch!).”

The Dog Brick ($47) is a flat rectangle with four oblong cutouts, each of which has two round slots into which treats are placed (one on each end) and two square sliding pieces that cover the treats. The dog must move the squares to find the treats. This toy works best with paw or nose action; dogs whose behavior choice is biting were at a disadvantage.

The Brick had fewer devotees. It was the favorite puzzle of only one dog: Merlin, probably because the behavior options were more limited. Merlin was the most adept at manipulating the squares; he retrieved all eight treats within four minutes.

Gretel also did well, finding all the treats in six minutes with a little help from James. Molly lost interest and walked away after four minutes, but Katie encouraged her to come back and try again, and she eventually found seven of the treats. Willow got five treats in three minutes – and became much more motivated to look for the remaining ones when Penelope switched to a higher-value treat. Karin Fellers’ comment: “Merlin is a food hound and is relentless with the trash can at home, so this was really fun for him. He especially liked the Brick, where he could paw the sliding square to get the treats out.”

The Dog Trigger ($46) is a flat, arrow-shaped puzzle with semi-circles cut from each side and the bottom. There are nine holes for treats, with a round peg in each hole that protrudes from the front of the Trigger. The dog must push each peg with his nose or paw to make the treats fall out of the back of the trigger, and collect them from the floor through the bottom semi-circle. The side cut-outs are for the human to hold the trigger between her legs.

This toy has some design flaws. While the concept is interesting – and significantly different from most of the other puzzles – the execution is somewhat lacking. None of the dogs really figured this one out in the allotted 10 minutes; most of them failed to make the connection between pushing in the peg and finding the treat on the floor. Owners found it awkward to hold the Trigger between their legs, and dogs kept trying to go behind the toy and just eat the treats from the holes instead of pushing them out with the pegs.

The Trigger has some potential, but would require more training for the dogs to understand the concept of “push the peg, find the treat on the floor.”

Roz Ferber’s comment: “The Trigger was somewhat awkward; it must be held, and Jamie didn’t notice the fallen treats.”

The Dog Box ($44) is a cube with a removable top, no bottom, and a square insert that slides in and rests at an angle, with two narrow strips of foam attached to the surface. One wall of the cube has a five-sided opening cut from the bottom.

There are three options for the top piece – one with a large hole, one with a smaller hole, and one with an oblong-shaped hole just slightly larger then the accompanying round peg. To get a treat, the dog is supposed to push the peg, and eventually pick it up and drop it through the top opening. Treats balanced on the foam strip them fall out the bottom cut-out for the dog to eat.

Neither the dogs nor their handlers liked this toy. It fell apart easily, and didn’t set the dogs up for success. Our testers tried to poke their noses through the top opening or the bottom cut-out for direct access to the treats; none of them were able to figure out the concept of pushing the peg into the hole to make treats fall out the bottom. Merlin had the most fun with it, as he enjoyed knocking the box around and sticking his head through the openings, but he didn’t have any more of a clue than any of the other dogs as to the intended goal for the toy.  Susan McCullough’s comment: “The Dog Box was a dud

Allie wanted to stick her head in the hole to get the treat. When she couldn’t do that, she lost interest.”

General comments
• Beth Adamec: “I noticed that as we went from toy to toy Truman became increasingly excited to try the next thing.”

• Katie Ervin: “Molly and I had a lot of fun playing with the toys at the party. She especially liked the Dog Smart and the Tornado.”

• Roz Ferber: “Overall I like the toys, and think they will provide great stimulation for smart, bored dogs.”

• Karin Fellers: “Merlin got to the point where he was waiting for the next toy with anticipation. I think he liked them all.”

• James Latonick: “This was a fun exercise for us; we got to play with some cool toys! I think the particle board construction isn’t ideal for all the toys where exposure to moisture (dog spit) is certain to have a destructive effect over time.”

Puzzling conclusions

The Nina Ottosson puzzles are truly a new generation of interactive dog toy – unlike any I have seen before, and well-designed for today’s new generation of positively trained “thinking dog.” Most of the toys provided challenging and fun entertainment for our test dogs and their owners, some of whom left after the party with full intention of acquiring one or two of their favorites for their dogs to play with.

We did not explore any of the variations described in the instructions that are intended to make the toys even more challenging, such as placing the round pegs in various slots, thus requiring the dog to remove the peg before sliding other parts and exposing the treats. This would add another dimension of interest when the dog became so adept at the original puzzle that the challenge faded.

The toys are costly, to be sure, partly as a result of shipping from the European source. The particle board construction is

somewhat of a concern, although after 90 minutes of concentrated dog-attention, none showed significant wear. Some of the pegs bore minor tooth marks from enthusiastic players, but nothing that would interfere with their function for the next round of play.

It’s important to remember that, with the exception of the Pyramid, the puzzles are only intended for use with the owner present and supervision; they are not “leave with your dog to play with while you’re away at work” toys. We also suggest making sure they are thoroughly air-dried after each use to minimize deterioration of the particle board from moisture.

That said, we enjoyed the toys immensely, and look forward to more hours of fun playing with them with our own dogs, perhaps to scheduling future Pawlicker Puzzle Parties. We’d like to pass along a last comment from Gretel’s human, James Latonick, and direct it to Nina Ottosson and the people at Paw Lickers Boutique and Bakery, “Thank you for a great time!”

Pat Miller, CPDT, is Whole Dog Journal’s Training Edi-tor. Miller lives in Hagerstown, Maryland, site of her Peaceable Paws training center. Pat is also author of The Power of Positive Dog Training; Positive Perspectives: Love Your Dog, Train Your Dog; and Positive Perspectives II: Know Your Dog, Train Your Dog. See “Resources,” page 24.

Dr. Nelson’s Take:  Positive mental stimulation is almost always a good thing.  Whether its a crossword puzzle for us or an interactive challenge toy like the above.  Problem solving and play are fantastic stimulation to the brain and is a whole body bonus.  How do you feel when you complete a challenging task?  Rewarded or depressed? Mostly, you feel good about your accomplishment, your 4 legged friend does too.  Giving our pets a purpose and a job can increase the bond you share, improve their quality of life and make them happier in general.  There are many simple ways that you can accomplish this without spending money.  Games like hide and seek, 52 kibble pick up and capture the flag are all very stimulating and inexpensive.  If you are unfamiliar with these games give me a call or an email and I will send you instructions on how to implement them into your playtime.

SEE YOU NEXT WEEK!!!!

Dog Aggression and the role of Omega 3 fats.

Hello Everyone,

Welcome to the blog!  Today I would like to talk a little bit about the role Omega 3 fats play in dog aggression but first we should talk a little about what Omega 3 fats are and what they mean to you and your health.  There is constant talk these days about fats and cholesterol.  In the future we can have a little discussion about cholesterol myths and truths.  Omega 3 and 6 fats are usually associated with fish oil from deep sea cold water fish, but there are other sources including some plants and animals.  These oils, when in our bodies, trigger a pathway that is anti-inflammatory, promotes cellular membrane health, promotes a healthy brain and decreased stress on the circulatory system.  We want a balance of about 2:1 Omega 6 to 3, in our diets to have a healthy balance of good fats and optimum health.  Most of our diets and our animals are much closer to 20-50:1, because Omega 6 fats are found more commonly in our foods and in higher levels in grain fed livestock.

The importance of healthy fats  in our diet is getting more recognition due to the influence they are playing in children with learning disabilities, ADHD and Autism like disorders.  Today the focus is on aggression in dogs and the role these fats play in helping our dogs remain balanced.  If you have ever dealt with an aggressive dog it can be an enormous challenge for you and your dog.  According to this article out of Veterinary Research Communications it could be a result of altered serum cholesterol, decreased bilirubin (protective to the nervous system, produced by breakdown of part of Red Blood Cells), and improper ratio of Omega 6&3 fats.  The authors of the article conclude that the improper balance has a negative effect on serotonin, which is a neurotransmitter that affects mood in humans and animals.  Every dog tested in the aggressive group of the study had altered levels of fats and every dog in the control group (non-aggressive) had what was considered a normal lipid profile (healthy balance of fats).

So what!  Well here is the reason why we should all (2 or 4 legs) be on a healthy diet that includes balanced fats from natural sources.  Healthy fats are vitally important for hormone production, brain and nervous system health, cellular health, and on and on.

What should we being doing about it?  If you are a meat eater make sure your are getting meats from non hormone, non antibiotic, grass fed beef, not grain.  When beef is fed on a diet of grains and their bodies are stressed from antibiotics and artificial hormones, the fats they produce are much higher in Omega 6 oils.  Get healthy oils from plant based products, coconut, olive etc… Take a fish oil supplement, which is from a reputable source, no Target or Walmarts etc.. These companies are getting the best price on their products for a reason and it is not quality!  Talk with your veterinarian about supplementation for your pets.  I carry a product line by Standard Process for humans but they also have a canine, feline and equine nutrition line.  Standard Process is a all whole food nutrition that is sourced locally and has a very high standard to their products.

The take home theme here is dog aggression is a complicated subject but may be due to alterations in fat balance and under nourishment with healthy fats causing brain hormone imbalances.  If you have questions, post a comment, give me a call or speak with your veterinarian.

Yours in health,

Dr. Seth

Simona Re, Marco Zanoletti, Enzo Emanuele, Aggressive dogs are characterized by low omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid status.  Veterinary Research Communications, March 2008;32(3):225-30