Dog and Puppy Supplies and Tips

Archive for October, 2009

When dogs age, they begin to suffer from some of the same maladies that humans do as they grow older. Arthritis, and specifically spinal arthritis, is one of those maladies. In fact, because of a dog’s horizontal backbone, the stress on the vertebral bones makes dogs even more prone to spinal arthritis than their owners.

What is Spinal Arthritis?

As dogs grow older, the bones of the vertebral column deteriorate. The associated bone spurs and inflammation of the nerves and surrounding tissues is spinal arthritis, or spinal osteoarthritis. It is a progressive, degenerative disease that is painful and debilitating and can even shorten your dog’s life.

Dogs are reluctant to show pain, either because of the instinct to hide weakness in order to retain their status in the pack or because of a desire to make their owners happy.

Because of this reluctance, as well as the fact that arthritis typically comes on gradually and unobtrusively, recognizing the disease is often difficult. It’s important for owners to keep close tabs on their older dogs to make sure they’re not suffering the pain of spinal arthritis in silence.

Symptoms to Look For

The onset of spinal osteoarthritis is slow and insidious. You’ll likely see no sudden changes in behavior, which is why you must monitor your dog as he ages.

Signs to look for include:
Shift in posture,
Slowness of movement,
Reluctance to climb stairs or jump on furniture,
Reluctance to play, especially vigorous games such as Frisbee,
Stiffness when getting up,
Lack of appetite,
Grumpiness,
Limping or weakness in limbs,
Whining or sensitivity to touch, and
Paralysis.

If you begin noticing some of these changes, it’s time for a visit to your veterinarian. Through some simple tests and most likely X-rays of the spine, she can give you a definitive diagnosis and prescribe treatment.

Canine Spinal Arthritis Treatment

Treatment for spinal arthritis typically consists of three types of approaches: non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to control pain and inflammation; treatments such as chondroitin and glucosamine to slow the progression of the disease; and lifestyle changes such as weight control, regular low-impact exercise, and chiropractic and massage therapy to further ease the discomfort of arthritis.

It’s also important to modify your dog’s environment to maximize his comfort. Things such as a soft bed and floor coverings can alleviate the soreness that comes from cold, hard floors. And if possible, modify the dog’s living quarters such that he can avoid stairs as much as possible.

Definitely enlist the help of your veterinarian. She’s your best ally in helping to make your dog’s remaining as pain free and comfortable as possible.

If you live with a puppy, you know the sheer endless amount of energy this little fur ball seems to have. He sniffs, he rolls around in the sheer happiness of exploring a grassy patch in your back yard, and he may love to run around with other pups or maybe just chase leaves as they fall from threes. Your dog loves to play with you and is content to have you scratch his ears and tub his tummy.

Yet there might be one aspect of his little budding personality that you might not be so fond of – his chewing. Oh sure, if your little canine friend could find a way to limit his chewing to chew toys and other approved materials, you would have no problem.

Unfortunately, it seems that he has declared anything and everything fair game, whether it is your pair of prized slippers, or your purse. Something has to give – preferably your dog’s habit.

Here are four ways to stop your pup from being chew-happy.

Have plenty of appropriate chew toys around – not just one or two. Having one or two in every room where your dog may spend any amount of time will actually increase the likelihood that he will make a good choice and go straight for the chew toy rather than your Gucci handbag.

If an accident does happen, and you catch your dog in the act of happily chewing up yet another pay of shoes, simply take away the item and replace it with a chew toy. Do not scold him, do not yell, simply praise him for taking the other chew toy – after all, you want him to chew, so if you scold him, he may think that his chewing itself is wrong.

Additionally, do not select chew toys that mimic forbidden chew items, such as shoes, newspapers, or pillows. Manufacturers love to shape chew toys into these items, but to a pup it is simply confusing why one shoe is okay to chew on (the one made from rawhide) and one is not (the one made from imported Italian leather).

If your dog has the unfortunate habit of chewing on the furniture, you probably have a bigger problem on your hands. Giving him plenty of appropriate chew toys is still important, but you may need to also take on some chemical warfare.

There are several products on the market that you can spray on furniture and bedding that will give these items a taste so bad that your dog will stay away from them. The downside to this approach rests on the fact that it is only temporary, and some dogs do not appear to be affected by it altogether.

Yet if you do have a dog that is negatively affected by the smell, you will have bought yourself some time during which to redirect his urge to chew to the more acceptable materials that are available.

Do not lead your dog into temptation. Do not leave your dog alone with your nice, new, fresh smelling leather shoes in easy reach.

Similarly, do not leave your couch cushion on which you spilled this morning’s bacon grease sitting there with the thought that you will get to it later. Such smells are a strong temptation for dogs, and perhaps one that he cannot withstand for hours.

Some veterinarians will suggest for you to crate your dog. While this approach works, it is reserved only for very short periods of time, and thus is not a real solution for someone who works an eight o-clock to five o’clock job. Instead, rope off an area in a room where you want to keep your doggie while you are away.

Use baby gates to limit his access to other areas of the house. Make sure he can reach his food (if you leave out kibbles) and most certainly his water, that he can lie down comfortably, and that the area is neither too hot in the blazing sun of the afternoon nor too cold from the drafts that are coming in from underneath the door.

Applying the “Goldilocks principle,” the area should be “just right.” While you train your dog to use his appropriate chew toys, you can keep him confined during your absences until you are certain that you have been able to redirect his attention to approved chewing materials.

An open line of communication between owner and dog does not always ensure that the messages sent will be received correctly. A common instance in which unintentional messages are sent to a dog is during a fearful episode.
The dog encounters a frightening object, event, or person and displays a variety of fear reactions, which may include shaking, barking, and backing away.
The owner then sends out messages to comfort and assure the dog that there is no reason to be fearful.

These messages are highly potent as the owner lovingly strokes the dog and commiserates with a cross between baby talk and sincere empathy, “It’s okay, no one will hurt you.”
The message the owner intends to send to the dog is the information that the situation is not threatening. The message the dog receives through the stroking and baby talk is that acting and being fearful is rewarding and pleasing to the owner.

Being consoled and stroked overshadows any information the dog could receive from the environment should he be allowed to remain in the situation without any intervention.
Furthermore, the dog is reinforced for exhibiting fearful behavior by the pleasure of being stroked and consoled. Avoid the strong temptation to lovingly comfort the fearful dog lest he learn to act frightened for subsequent reinforcement.