Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine Expert information on medicine, behavior and health from a world leader in veterinary medicine VoL 19, No, I -> January 2015 Targeting 'Fake' Service Dogs 2 Debunking the Dominance Theory Guide Dog Users Inc. steps up its efforts to raise awareness about them, It's based on bad science, often about wolves, and can Two Major Health Studies Begin 2 be counterproductive and dangerous used in training Funding goes to support research on epilepsy and hypothyroidism, he use of dominance in Katherine A. Houpt, VMD, Those Dead Skin Cells: Dandruff! 3 T dog training - or rather Ph.D., emeritus professor at (ommonly known as seborrhea, the a misinterpretation of it - has Cornell University College condition can be inherited or acquired, given rise to some silly advice: of Veterinary Medicine. Daisy Avoids Her New Owner 8 "Pretend to eat from your She'l! play with two other Maltese dog's bowl before allowing No Alpha Rolls. "If you in the house, then go off by herself, him to eat," or, "Never let your turn a dog over on his back dog be in a position that's in the so-called 'alpha roll' IN THE NEWS ..• higher than you in a room," in the name of dominating AContagious Dog Flu If you don't observe these him, it's the most dangerous rules, the theory goes, your thing you can do, second Continues Its Slow Spread dog will think he's dominant only to hitting your dog," Wh ile dogs' susceptibility over you and never obey you. says Dr. Houpt. The move to Ebola remains the subject of These examples are harmless, A team of researchers, intensifies aggression. debate, provab le health risk s exist but trainers who look to dom­ including three from Cornell, Recent studies have shown when dogs are in close contact, as inance theory to justify using la st year discovered that dogs canine dominance theory is in kennels, shelters and day care. and wolves descended from a force may be putting own­ common ancestor. based on bad science, including One exa mple: cani ne in fl uenza . ers at risk, says behaviorist (contillued orl page 4) The Ameri ca n Ve ter ina ry Medical Associa tion inclu des the vi rus on its most recent list of common com­ municable canine di seases. Anesthesia Presents Fewer Risks Today The An imal Heal th Diagnostic Center at Cornell fi rst ident ified Improved drugs, precise monitoring and an increase in the vir us in 2004 in conjunction wit h a University of Florida study the number ofspecialists all contribute to greater safety on respi rator y disease in racing f your dog needs to have anesthesia, .17 percent by 2008 - and for healthy dogs, Greyhounds. It wa s later fo und to you can rest easier about the procedure as opposed to dogs with pre-existing condi­ be related to an equ in e virus and I because it poses fewer risks today, thanks tions, that rate was only .05 percent." conti nu es to move slow ly through the canine population. to newer drugs, precise monitoring and Infec tion is spread th ro ugh respi­ an increased number of board-speCialized Mortality Rates. Half as many dogs ratory secreti ons and contaminated veterinarians. as cats die during anesthesia, says Dr. objects - clothes, bowls, leashes. "Our discipline has evolved," says Luis Campoy, a diplomate of the European Th e viru s can survive 48 hou rs on sur­ Campoy, LV CertVA, MRCVS, Section Chief College of Veterinary Anaesthesia and facesand 12 hours on human hands, of AnestheSiology and Analgesia at Cornell AnalgeSia, "however, the mortality rate although humans ca n't contract it. University College of Veterinary Medicine. for humans is only .02 to .05 percent, so Dogs can be ill and not show signs, Mortality figures bear this out, shOWing we know there's still a lot of room for such as cou ghing, Fever and stuFFy a significant decrease in recent decades. improvement in the veterinary arena," nose.Fatalities usu ally result from "In the 1990s, the overall mortality rate for Some of the greatest progress has oc­ pneumo nia. A vaccine is available but dogs undergoing anesthesia was .23 percent," curred simply in the way anesthesia is prac­ not recommended For every dog. -:. says Dr. Campoy. "That had dropped to ticed, he says. "We are better at identifying (continued on bottom ofpage 6) DOGWatch SHORT TAKES Targeting the Fraudulent Use that predispose dogs to the disease and EDITOR IN CHIEF William H. Miller, Jr., VMD, of Service Dog Designations new drugs to combat it. Drugs today don't Dipl ACVD, Profe,sor, provide relief for nearly one-third of Cli nical Sciences Guide Dog Users Inc. has stepped up affected dogs. EDITOR its campaign to raise awareness about the Diagnosing hypothyroidism is one Betty Liddick misrepresentation of pets as service ani­ of the greatest cha llenges in veterinary ART DIRECTOR Mary Francis McGavic mals. Continuing news reports have made medicine, the CHF says. It has awarded Jan it difficult for people with trained service A Mol, PhD, at the University of Utrecht ADVISORY BOARD James A. Flanders, DVM, animals to access public places, the org ani­ in the Netherlands $48,195 to investigate Dipl ACVS, Associate Professor, zation says. methods that may provide a more accurate Clinical Saences "It makes it hard for all of us who diagnosis. Improved diagnostic tools could Katherine A. Houpt, VMD, PhD, depend on our legi timate service animals lead to early intervention to" prevent the Dipl ACVB, Emeritus PrOlessor of Behaviol Medicine for independent tra vel when business own­ progression of damage to the thyroid. Joseph Wakshlag, MS, DVM, PliO, ers question our right to visit their estab­ Both diseases impact dogs and humans, Dip! ACVN,Associate Professor, li shments in the company of our guide the CHF says, citing National Institute of Clinical NUliition dogs or when untrained or uncontrolled Health estimates that, in the U.s., epilepsy Marc S. Kraus, DVM, Dipl ACVIM, pets masquerading as service animals dis­ affects 2 million people, and hypothyroid­ l ecturer, ClinicaJ Sciences tract our dogs, or make it unsafe for us or ism affects nearly 5 percent of people. Margaret C. McEntee, DVM, Dipl ACVIM. DACVR, ou r dogs to share the same space," says Professor 01 Oncology Penny Reeder of Montgomery Village, Md., John Parker, BVM5,Pil l.), president of Guide Dog Users, In c. (GDUI). Rah, Rah, Woof! Asso iate Professor of Virol ogy Many people with "emotional support animals" mistakenly believe they have the Cornell University right to be accompanied by their dogs in -_ . College of public areas, GDUI says. Emotional sup­ tI Veterinary Medicine port dogs are said to provide comfort and support to individuals with emotional For in formation on pet heal h, visit the Cornell University conditions. College of Veterindry Medicine GDUI has urged members to share websi te at www.vet.comeILedu. information with businesses about their civil right protections from the Dogs live wit h owners In a pet-frien dly dormi­ U.S. Department of Justice, Reeder says. "In tory at the niversity of Northern Colorado.There addition, we are encouragin g our members have been no complaInts from reSIdents so far, not who live in states that do not have laws even about barking. that address this issue on their books to DogWmch' (ISS : 1098­ _ 2639) i, published ad vocate w ith their la wmakers at the local The University of l\Jorthern Colorado in monthly for 539 per year and state leve ls to pass such legislation." Greeley has designated two floors of a dor­ :]by Belvoir Media Group, LLC 535 Connecticut Si xteen states now have criminal or civil mitory as pet friendly. Dogs and cats may Bel vo ir Ave. Norwalk,CT 06854­ laws prohibiting misrepresentation of a pet live w ith owners on the sUite-style second­ 1713, Robe" Englander, ChJirman dfld CEO, Timothy H. Cole, as a service an imal. to-fourth floors of Lawrenson Hall if the txecutive Vice PreSiden t, Edltonal Dueclor: Pt1,lip L Peflny, Ch,ef Operating animals are spayed or neutered and weigh Of leer; Greg King, cxecu Ive V,ce 40 pounds or les s. Certain breeds and their President, Marketing Duector; Ron Two Major Health Studies Goldber , Chief Flnanoal Officer; Tom mixes are prohibited. CanReld, Vice Presidem, Circulation «:12015 Belvoir MedlQ Group, LLC The AKC Canine Health Foundation Owners must attend orientation for Postmaster: Send addreSS corrections to (CHF) has funded stud ies on what it the pilot program, buy liability insurance, DogWatch, P.O. Box 8535, Big Sand y, TX describes as two major health concerns: keep their pets on leashes and obtain 75755-8535 epilepsy and hypothyroidism. roommates' approval. Several universities For Customer Service or Subscription information, visIt Sam Nicholas Long, PhD, at the around the country permit pets to li ve with www,dogwatchnewslettel. om/cs University of Melbourne will receive students, with fish predominating. Among 0 ' call toll free: 800-829-5574 $116,000 and Ned Patterson, DVM, PhD, the smal l pets that Eckerd College in St. Express written perm ission is required to reproduce, in any at the University of Minnesota, $104,781. Petersburg, Fla , allows are non-venomous manner, the contents of thi\ issue, either in full or in par For more Their goals are a greater understanding snake s. They have to be less than four mformation, write to Permissio s, of epilepsy, the underlying mechanisms feet long. •:. DogWatch', 535 Con necticu t A v ~ , NOlwalk, Connecticut 06854 -171 3.