Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine
Expert fnformatfon on medicine. behavlofondhealth from aworld leaderin veterinary medicine Voi ...'0. "'0 ., -0- JVy 20:(;
Short Takes 2 Is it Dementia or Normal Aging? Anew ~tudy debunk~ the myth that blade dog~ watt longer for adoption. Medical signs such as decreased mobility can be visible, The Parasite Lurking in Water 3 while cognitive changes like disorientation are more subtle Romping in rivers, lakes and moist soil can expose dogs to giardia. t's no longer unusual for related to CCD by reach Their Age in Human Years 5 I large dogs to reach the ing 15 years of age, with large breeds are considered gerlatri( age of 15 the equiv nearly 70 percent ofgeri at 6years of age, small dogs at 7. alent of a 93 -year atric dogs shOWing mental Ask the Experts 8 old person and dysfunction. Maddie's response when Gracie wakes even beyond. But up cranky may be asign of appeasement. while advances in Early Recognition. veterinary medi We are trying to recognize IN THE NEWS ••• cine have added cognitive dysfunction Research Suggests Dogs years to dogs' lives, earlier and more often they can come at a rather than accepting Have Measurable IQs price. Some aging dogs can _ changes as 'just being As tudy from the London SchOO develop canine cognitive ~ old,'" says Brian Glenn of Economics and Political Science dysfunction (CCD), similar i Collins, DVM, section and the University of Edinburgh ! to Alzheimer's in people. !i chief of the Community proposes dog s have measurable Studies indicate more • Practice Service at Cornell intelligence. Researchers assessed 68 Medinl and nutritional help than 40 percent of dogs dis Is uvallable (or dementlJ. University College of working Border Coll ies in navigating, play at least one symptom Veterinary Medicine. timing how qUick ly theyfou nd hid (continued on a e 4) den food, differentiating between quantities of food and following a human poinUng to an object. AHealing Art Heads Mainstream When human IQ is rested, individua!<;. perform well across Veterinary schools teach acupuncrure as ,.In'' -,.,..' ,.; •.,..t ----~ differ ent ta sks. Dogs who did we ll on one of their res ts tended to be therapy grows in popularity to treat a variety ofconditions better on others. Those who com ick, a 12-year-old mixed breed, is a regular tinence and developed an adverse reaction pleted tests quickly were likely to do them more accurately. N patient at Cornell University College of to medication. Three years ago, her owners The si gnificance: Studying a Veterinary Medicine. Everyone week to two took her for regular acupuncture treatments species that doesn't smoke, drink, weeks, his owners take him to receive e1ec offered by Polly Fleckenstein, DVM, at the use recreational drugs or have differ troacupuncture treatments for his aches and Veterinary Medlcal Center of Central New ences in education and income may mobility problems related to chronic arthritis. York in East Syracuse. help us understand the link between "He develops a spring in his step after intelligence and health, researchers each treatment: says Joseph Wakshlag, Marked Improvement. "Within two say in the journal fmelhgence, adding DVM, Ph.D., chief of the Sports Medicine months of weekly treatments, there was a that b(lght people live longe r. and Rehabilitation Service at the University Significant decrease in Sophie's leaking," Their subjects Border Collies Hospital for Animals. He and Curtis Dewey, says Dr. Fleckenstein, a Cornell graduate - are ranked as the smartest dogs DVM , are board-certified in acupuncture certified in veterinary acupuncture and among 11 0 breeds, followed by and provide the therapy for dogs. veterinary spinal manipulation therapy. Poodles and German Shepherd Dogs, Sophie, an 8-year-old Labrador Retriev "In the past 18 months, she has leaked according to 200 obedience judges .... er, had a lifetime history of urinary incon only three times and now needs to come in (continued on page 6) DOGWatch SHORT TAKES Study Debunks Myth EDITOR IN CHIEF William H. Miller, Jr., VMD, of Black Dog Syndrome Dlpl ACVD, Professo r. It'sconventional wisdom among shelter Cli nical Sciences workers: Black dogs wait longer to be adopted EDITOR Betty Liddick than dogs of other colors. But a recent study ART DIRECTOR published in the journal Animal Welfare suggests Mary Francis McGavic that it's a myth - or at least that it's no longer ADVISORY BOARD true. Christy L Hoffman, Ph.D., assistant profes James A. Flanders. DVM. Dlpl ACVS. ASSOCiate Professor, sor at Ca nisius College in Buffalo, N. Y, exam ClinICal SCiences ined four years of adoption records for nearly Katherine A. Houpt, VMD, Ph D., Blac..k dogs "'ave short2r sheHer stays betafe 3dop Dl pl ACV8, Emerit us 16,700 dogs at two animal shelters in the Pacific (Ion, accordl09 (0 iI survey o( 16)00 records. Pro fessor of Behavior MediCine Northwest. She focused on dogs between 1 Joseph Wakshlag, MS, DVM, PhD., and 13 yearsold. Puppies and young dogs, Dlpl ACVN. Associate Profe ss or, Clinical Nutrition known to be adopted faster, were excluded. success if they were not promoted, th en lhese Margaret C. McEntee. DVM. The surprising result: Black dogs have resources could be better spent promoting O'pl A(vIM, OAC VR, other animals in the organization that are over Professor of Oncology shorter shelter stays compared to dogs of dif Meredith L. Miller, DVM, DIp AcvIM ferent coiors, 'In the first shelter, the average looked; Dr. Hoffman says , l ectuler. Small Animal MediCine leng th of time a dog was available for adop lenl K. Kaplan, MS, DVM tions was seven days, while black dogs were Bad Year for Parasites Lecturer. Community Practice Service out in six-and-a- half days: Dr. Hoffman says, The Companion Animal Parasite CounCil "At a second shel ter, the average length of stay gazed into its crystal ball and didn't like what Cornell University for a dog was lOY, days, while black dogs were it sees. Lyme disease and other tick-related ill College of Veterinary Medicine out in nine." nesses? Worse in places. The risk of heartworm I> The study also concluded that age and infection? Above average nationwide, The For information on pet health, vi sit the Corn eii University breed group were more important than coa t organization's computer models for the res t of College ofVetefinary Medlone color for adoptability. For example, so-called 2016 predict growing threat s to dogs and cats website at www vet cornell edu bully breeds, which can include American pit from a number of vector-borne diseases. bull terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers and 'We use our annual forecast to help veteri Staffordshire Bull Terriers, face dispropor tion narians and pet owners understand paraSites ately longer stays in shel ters, are a true fisk to borh pets and people: said Dr, Hoffman told the webs ite Companion CAPC President Susa n Li n Ie, DVM, PhD . et-gWorch' (\sSN. 1098 Animal Psychology that while finding no evi CA PC tracks and maps cases of tick- _ 2G~9) IS published mO'lthly for $39 pc. I year dence of Black Dog Syndrome, "We did find borne disease, intestinal parasi tes and h C'an ~ by BeNoir Medii! Group, -=1 l lC, 535 CWn€{tK:ut that shelter outcomes tended to be worse for worm using test results collected by Idexx Belvoi r A"., Norwalk, a 068S4 1713 RGOerr Fn gl¥ \d('I, brindle [brown] dogs and, not surprisin gly, bully Laboratories Inc and Acrech Dia gnostics. Ch alrmanandCEO; Tlrnothy ! COif', ExecutIVe Vice Presldffit. Fdrtonal breeds, A relatively recent paper by Brown, et Res ults are continually updated at www.ca p Director, Philip L Penny, G ller Operating al (2013) also concluded that black dogs do not cvetorg. Lyme disease ha s been con lirmed Officer,GrPg King, b(l.'(.1.Jtive VI~ Pr5ldenLMarketing Dlre<:t{)(, Ron have worse than average shelter outcomes ," thiS yea r in I in 16 US dogs, or nearly 35,000 GoldberG, Chief F l nan ci~1 Officer. Tom Canfield. Vtee President U'( \Jli](lOn Dr. Hoffman allows that Black Dog pets out of more than a half-million tested. Q2016 Bel voir Media Group. U C Syndrome might have once been a mOle uni With heartworm, just over I percent of the 16 Postm"ster: Send address COI rl:'(: tions to DogWiI : . P.O Box 8535, olg Siw'ldy, TX versal problem that has improved because of million dogs tested were posllive. 75755·8535 education and marketing. She hopes shelters For the year, CAPC predicts growing risk For Customer Service or Subscription Information, VISit and resc ue groups will examine their data to of Lyme disease in Illinois, Iowa, Indiana and www.dogwatchnewsletter.com/cs or call toll free tlOO- 829-5574 make sure education and marketing efforts Kentucky as ticks expand their ra nge,Th e
Exp ress written pe rm l1~l o n i~ are being directed appropriately, "If a shelter New England states - traditionally ground reqUiTed tu rcp rodvcc,ln any manner, me COntenTSof thiSIssue, invests efforts in promoting black dogs when, zerO for Ly me - should see below average e; thcr in full or In part, rol' more information. writE' to Petmlssions, in fact, bla ck dogs might have the same infection rates. < DogWatch', 535 Connecticut Ave., Nor walk, Connecticut 06854-171 3 2 DOGWatch JULY 10 16 MEDICINE The Parasite Lurking in Water Romping in rivers, lakes, ponds and moist soil can expose dogs to a giardia infection
very time yo u let yo ur dog splash Giardia is a one-celled parasite that's Ethrough a puddle in the woods or visible under a microscope as a flat park or swim in a pond, you fun the droplet shape with flagella , whip-like risk he will pick up an uninvited guest: structures that help it mOve. Many types the parasite called giardia. It survives of giardia exist. each type suited to a par throughout the u.s. in wet or damp areas ticular species of host. Once in the host, inside and thrives inside its hosts. giardia attaches to the small intestine, ab Once In the host. gIardia attache.$ The sma ll rn(estlne. rnfee-tion call be ~ef i cu!;! "Infection rates will vary depending sorbing nutrients and splitting into more but treatable. un geographic loc JULY 2016 www dogwiIl Chntw\ !t llt r.com } MEDICINE (OMMON PROBLEMS AND SMART SOLUTIONS AGING~ .. lco"tllI"'dfrom co.~r) How can you tell if your dog is slow No matter the rea son for your aging dog's altered behavior. you can ing down because of normal aging or make his life easier with simple adjustments in the home. Here are com suffering from senility' The only way to mon problems senior dogs fa ce and solutions the experts recommend: diagnose CCD is a post-mortem examina • No longer able to jump on the sofa or your bed. tion to find the presence of a protein ca lled Solution: Position a pet ramp at the sofa or the end of your bed. beta-amyloid that destroys brain cells. Ramps or small stepping stools will help dogs be able to social "Signs of cognitive decline are often ize/ Interact with their family and environment as they did before subtle in the early stages," says Pamela arthritis or other physical ailments developed. Perry, DVM, Ph.D., a resident in animal behav ior at Cornell. "Sensory decline • Bumping Into furniture or becoming lost in a room, especially at occurs with aging, as does memory Joss night. and reduced learning. However. these Solution: Install night lights to provide illumination to find the signs should not necessarily be dis kitchen and your bedroom. mi ssed by attributing them to normal aging. Any change in a pet's behavior • Unable to navigate wooden or tile noors without .lIpping, should prompt a veterinary examination SolutIon: Provide. traction in high-traffic areas your dog frequents to address the behavior and treat any by placing carpet runners or even yoga mats. "This keeps dogs underlying medical causes." more active and stimula ted rather than having them sit in one area "O ne problem distinguishing aging fo r fear of failing or injuring themselves or feeling unsteady," Dr. from CCD is th at many si gns attributed Kaplan says to Ce D overlap with other medical • Not spending as much time trying to interact with you. conditions." says Leni Kaplan, DVM, a lecturer in the Community Practice Solution: Sp end 10 to 1S minutes interacting with your dog the Service. "For example. some dogs for sa me tim e every day. Treat him to a head-to-tail therapeutic mas get their house training with cognitive sage or take him on a gentle walk in a new place for him to explore. (continued 0 11 page 5) • Forgetting basic obedience commands or perfected tricks. Solution: Retra in certain behaviors with positive reinforcement KEEPING THEM LEAN (prai se and treats) to gently remind your senior dog how to shake, AND STIMULATED stay and other cues. Provi de mental stimula tion by feeding a meal once a week In a food pu zzl e or rotating toys from time to time or All three experts used the same Introducing a toy, Dr. Collins says . word - blessed - to describe new being able to share their homes • Vocalizing and not sleepIng soundly. with their geriatric pets. Solution: Provi de comfortable place s to sleep In different rooms. Dr. Collins does his best to keep Con sider providing pet-safe warmin g discs or blankets for older his senior pets active and lea n, dogs to help them stay warm. "I do not recommend medication fo r adding, "I feed them high-quality sleep per se," Dr. Kapla n says. "I recommend that the pet Is exam diets, and I think it is very impor Ined by a veterinari an to rule out medical causes of poor sleeping tant to keep them stimulated such as pain or discomfort. If an older dog is having anxiety or CDS mentally and physically." an d Is not sleeping well, we could try an anti-anxiety medication that will he lp them relax and hopefully sl eep restfully." Dr. Perry is mindful that a senior pet's hearing can diminIsh with • Decreased luster of the coat. age and does her best not to Sol ution: Comb and brush your dog daily to keep his co at sh iny startle her seniors while they're and mat-free. sleeping. It's also vital to try to maintain a regular household routine for your Dr. Kaplan enjoys accommodat se nior. "It is not ideal to change things in the home toO much," sa ys Dr. ing the needsof her senior pets, Collins. "Try to keep furniture remaining in familiar p laces." adding, "We have carpet runners in every room. including the Aging dogs tend to feel less stressed when they can count on meals ki tchen, so the dogs do not slip serve d at specific times. If you ca n't be home at bre akfast or dinner, a while eating their meals." pet food dispenser can dole out meals at speci fic times. • OOGWatdl JULY 10t6 MEDICINE HUMAN AGE EQUIVALENTS FOR OLDER PETS DOG DOG IHUMAN YEARS I SIZE" YEARS lcIrge breeds. arE' conSidefed genat/lc ill 6 )'OOfS. whlk!o small dogs are geliatnc by 7. Small Medium: 44-47 7 Large - Very large: 50-56 (conlinued from page 4) Small Medium: 56-60 dysfunction, but dogs who have devel aggression and diminished appetite. 10 oped urinary incontinence or a urinary Normal signs ofaging generally in Large - Very large: 66-78 tract infection wi1l also appear to have clude more easily recognizable physi Small Medium: 76-83 lost their house training manners." cal signs, such as diminished hearing 1S Large Very large: 93-115 A consensus among key veterinary or vision, pain and decreased mobility Sma ll - Medium: 96 105 associations, including the American Vet due to osteoarthritis, loss of muscle 20 Large: 120 erinary Medical Associatio.11 ha~emerged mass. decreased coat quality, constipa around a collection of clinical signs that tion and urinary or fecal incontinence. ·Small, Up to 20 Ibs.; Medium, 21·50 Jbs.; Large, describe senility's impact. It's known as You may notice a clouding of the lens, st·90 lbs; Very large. 90 lbs.-plus known as DISH A and it stands for: known as nuclear sclerosis. CRE OI T: AV..,,, ' S ' p (r ~ "'.1 ' "S U A TH AN HUMANS' CH ART • D isfor DisQrielltntlm•. Your dog ap Fortunately, medical and nu pears to be lost in the corner of the tritional help is available for dogs Drugs to Avoid, Some drugs should living room or stares blankly at the with CCD. Leading the list is Anipryl be avoided, such as certain pain medica tloor. He may walk in circles and (selegiline HCL or L-deprenyl). It was tions, anesthetic drugs and perhaps even wander without purpose. originally developed to treat Parkin supplements containing iron, which can • [1$for altued It/t,,metlollS witlr otlrer son's disease in humans and approved cause constipation, Dr. Collins says. ""illlal.. alld/or people. Your dog by the Food and Drug Administra He pOints out that caregivers are no longer rushes to meet tion in 1999 to treat CCD. Sev interested in making their time together guests or tries to "help" eral dog food companies offer with their pets longer and of higher qual the repairman. He may diets specifically formulated ity. "We are fOCU Sing more on primary not recognize favorite to address brain aging. care and preventive medicine. with a relatives when they Supplements that may also larger amount of this effort being dedi come to visit. improve CCD include SAMe cated to our older pets." • Sis for I..p-wake (adenosylmethionine), Senilife Owners can do their part by booking JUl' 201. wwwdoqwilchnewsletttl.Corn S HEALTH ACUPUNaURE .. .(amlin"ed/ro",,,,ve,) only every six weeks for acupuncture treatment s." Acupuncture is a 3.000-year-old Chinese healing art fa st becoming a popular thera py for use on 21st-century ca ts. dogs. horses. even birds. Its goal is to promote the body to heal itself. It has been shown to boost blood circulation and spur the release of pain-controlling endophins and anti-inflammatory hormones. Dr. Fleckenstein has incorporated acupuncture in her practice for two de cades. She believes that pet owners are seeing the benefits of integrative medi cine for themselves and wa nt the sa me type of care for their pets. "More owners are willing to do more for their pets in terms ofmedicine. pain management and nutrition," she says. "They are looking for that extra little bit that Owners see the benefits or integrative medkin@ (or may improve the quality of life themselves and want the same ca,e ror Ihf'lr pet. ~s Corn~l~ for their pets and acupuncture is graduate Polly AeckenSlelo, DVM. cenle' a viable option." The most recognized type of acupuncture involves tiny needles says the International Veterinary Acu inserted strategically at acupunc puncture Society. "Further research ture poi nts located throughout the must be conducted te discover all of badyon meridans. Meridians. or chan On average. acupuncture's effects and ils proper 20 to 30 needles nels. are a network of pathways through uses in veterinary medicine." are ~aced, depending (he energy known as Qi is believed to flow on the patient's health needs. Meanwhile, personal repo rts about in traditional Chinese medicine. the use of ac upuncture therapy in ani mals continue to grow about its benefits No Side Effects. On average. 20 to 30 veterinarians who are certified in acu for dogs with: needles are placed. depending on the puncture. but if Ithaca (N.Y.) is a mea health needs of the specific dog. Many sure, we have seven in our area now." • Arthritis patients relax and fall asleep during The American Academy of Vet Sore muscles and joints trea tment that ranges from a few min erinary Acupuncture, which has seen • Muscle spasms utes to a half hour. The therapy is ge ner an increase in enrollment in trai ning • ally safe and bas no side effects. The big programs sinc e the mid-1 990s) was Degenerative joint disease gest risk is to make sure a dog does not recently admitted to the American Vet • Paralysis lick and swallow an acupuncture needle. erinary Medical Association's House • ''rve inserted over 100,000 needles and of Delegates. At least a half dozen vet + Digestive issues, including constipa onl y one dog has swallowed one needle. erinary schools teach acupuncture. But tion, diarrhea and vomiting Fortunately. the needle passed harm while the therapy represent s a grow Cushing's disease lessly, though there is. of course. a risk ing prac tice among vcterin 6 DOGWatch JULY 1016 HEALTH citing pain control, helping the white pet does better with blood cell count, the immune system, more frequent treat chernotherapyinduced-nausea, an ments and come in orexia and loss of appetite. more often. "People see that • Dermatologic conditions, including al lergic dermatitis and lick granulomas they are investing in the quality of the • Asthma and other respiratory problems health of their pets • Epilepsy and seizures with these acupunc ture treatments," • Weakened immune system says Dr. Flecken In addition, acupuncture is used stein. "After an acu to maintain the health of dogs active puncture treatment, in sports such as hunting, agility and we advise that the Acupuncture Is '-4 .sed to maintain the healt h of dogs i3ctlve in spons fly ball. dog take it easy such as hunt ing, ag ility and fly ball TQ .ma.ximizilld l.enciit QLa.n._ no big, lOll;! walks." acupuncture session, dogs under Treatment ses Dr. Fleckenstein's care enter a quiet sions, on average, range from $70 to seems to quickly relax into her happy room with dimmed lighting with their $150. Acupuncture may qualify for pet place," Dr. Fleckenstein says. "Once the owner present. Dogs lie on blankets or insurance but coverage varies. A check all the needles are in, she falls asleep." (> comfortable bedding during the treat of five pet insurance companies found ment. "Owners need to relax as much one company covers acupuncture ifit's I TO FIND AVETERINARY as possible because their dogs read performed by a licensed veterinarian their energies," says Dr. Fleckenstein. for a covered accident or illness, but ACUPUNCTURIST "I've had some owners fall asleep next it excludes acupuncture as preventive II you're considering acupunc to their dogs who also fall asleep." or routine care. Another company tUf<" for your dog, seek a vet requires owners to purchase an addi erinarian certIfied In the field Weekly Sesslon$. The number ofacu tional coverage for acupuncture reim from these sources: puncture treatments depends on the dog, bursement, and still another allows it but on average, treatments are weekly as a well ness benefit. • International Veterinary with the goal of extending to mainte Many dogs display an eagerness for Acupuncture Soclety, nance visits every month or six weeks or acupuncture treatments. "Sophie is quite www.1yas.org. as needed. Some owners may note their happy to get the first needle inserted and • American Academy of Veterinary Acupuncture, w ww.aava.org. AMONG THE THERAPY'S OTHER USES • Chi Institute olTraditional Acupuncture therapy ha'e'xpanded to these applications: ·tfiinese Veterinary Medicme, www.ttvm.com. • Eledroilcllpuncture involves electrodes hooked to the needles to deliver a mild electric current to stimulate nerves damaged by Injury "The veterinarian should have ortraum~ . received training w hich usually involves over 150 hours of class • The use of laser to provide needle-less treaunents. an advantage lor work, 30 to 40 hours of1olern pets who don't tolerate needles or move around, which could cause ship with a certified veterinary the needles to fall out. acupuncturist, an in-depth • Aqua acupuncture (aquapuncture) involves the injection of a liquid examination and often a written such as a water-soluble vitamins, saline or medidnal herbs. case report of publishable qual ity," says Polly Fleckenstein, DVM. • MOllllbustlon applies warmth from the burning of a Chinese herbal "Go to the practice and make compound to the needles to provide added heat to treat joint stiffness sure you feel comfortable there. and muscle soreness. Ask the clin ic how much they use Acupressure is sometimes taught to owners to use on their own to supple acupuncture - look for one that ment lreatments between sessions. isn't just dabbling In this fleld." JULY 2DI6 ww w,dog wJlU'hl1t!ws ll:l ler.(O m ASK THE EXPERTS Maddie'sResponse When Gracie Wakes up Cranky I am puzzled by the actions of my two dogs, Q Gracie and Maddie. Gracie is an ll-year-old Schnauzer-Terrier mix and Maddie is a 9-year old Bichon-Cocker Spaniel mix. They are close friends and have been together since we adopted Maddie about eight years ago. They eat next to may be licking Gf(fC-e\ edr~ j!lo d 9 ~turE' one another in the kitchen without any conflict. of appeasern£>o( As Gracie gets older, she seems to get cranky. Sometimes, when I'm sitting on the sofa with I know that those initial movements can be painful. both dogs and watching television, Maddie will You can avoid the situation by separating the dogs get too close to Gracie or disturb her while she's Katherin@A . Houpt, on the couch with a pillow or some other barricade. napping on the sofa. Gracie immediately growls V~/IO, PhD.hpIP ..·.·~th You were mainlyinterestedin why Maddie was her Vie'..! Highland and lunges, but never actually bites Maddie. In licking Gracie~ ears after the latter had snapped at V...'hue ft'Hie'l, Yu~,I. response, Maddie quickly starts licking the inside provided the- afl~ ...vC'r her. Licking is one ofmany appeasing gestures that of Gracie's ears. It's weird, but this action seems on Ihls PII9f' Or HOIml dogs perform. Appeasing gestures function to lower to settle down Gracie. A minute later, the two are l'i J Hplom.lle ("It rhe the probability that the licker will be attacked. Ears Am I )fl (", UPg r' snuggled together on the sofa . ,,~t Irn.:.itv nf'h-lVlori$tof.: are particularly attractive to dogs because oftheir Why does Maddie respond this way to the .:md em.;:>ritIJS prOIessor enticing odor. Dogs probably use the smell ofear -11 Cornell Vnrv(>rG1Ty snappy Gracie? Is there anything I should do to try wax, cerumen, to identify one another. Ofcourse, CollPgp nfVeterinilly to intervene or prevent this growl-ear licking situa Mrdicinr. there are plenty ofother odor- producing parts of tion? Much thanks for any insight you can provide. the dog, such as anal sacs, urine and feces, but dogs Pleos.e Share Your OtltJtioos often sniff and lick one another's ears when they Wp "".f:'lrom'" r.1!Jl"')'lon .... of Maddie and Gracie are certainly cute little first meet head on. While Gracie is having her bones L/~n('rallntNe~' orllreJIIh. A dogs. I am glad they get along so well 90 per mEd'clne dnt1 bo:-havlvf evaluated, please ask the veterinarian to look in her W(> ~r(~rl:"~ how! \...... 1. II! 11 cent of the time. The behavior Gracie is exhibiting ears because ear infections often have an odor and we CJfH'tor cnrnml!nT Oli is an all too common problem, especially in older "'r euir prl1du l' .1[ ... 1 that odor could be attracting Maddie. prlrJ' II H}rll)h'~ I 'II:'~ t" dogs. Many dogs growl or snap when disturbed. Now that we know why Maddie is licking Gracie~ ~f'n J L tr~)r'r>t)(lr: If' r That is probably the basis of the saying 'Let sleep ears, we should address how to stop the aggressive tOOW,1o'rf! tJrrl 'I ing dogs lie.' behavior that starts the whole sequence. Maddie is ,~. ("r,lf,,'1 :'rll( .lll'f There is the possibility that she is dreaming. I\Inrl"..·I~, {TI}{)8~" the victim now, but Gracie mightprogress to growling ·r ttr; 1.) if, J'l~Ylrrht'fl II 'I .1' She may be fighting in her dream and then keeps and snapping atyou when you disturb her. For that t Ofll,-If ,,(jl) fighting when she awakens suddenly. Ifshe had reason, our goal is to make being startled a sign that been dreaming, you would have seen her eyes dart good things will happen. Begin by calling Gracie's from side to side beneath her closed lids. That is COMING UP ... name when she is sleeping and immediately give her why dreaming is called Rapid Eye Movement Sleep. a tiny treat. Repeat this 10 times a day for three days. There is another possible explanation. Have your Next touch her very gently just after you call her veterinarian give her a thorough going over to see if name and give her a treat. Repeat 10 times a day there might be a problem that causes her pain when for three days. If at any point she does growl or she is awakened suddenly. Also, because ofher age, snap, you have moved too quickly and have to go make sure she isn 't cranky because her old bones back a step. Gracie should learn that waking up hurt when she wakes up. As a cranky old lady myself, means good things are going to happen. {. COIUIESl'ONO£NCE SU8SCRlPllONS The Editor $39 per year (u.s,)· $49 per year (Canada) DogWatch' For subscription and customer service information. 535 Connecticut Ave. visit www.dogwatchnewsletter.com Norwalk.. CT 06854-1713 or write to:DogWarch. P.O. Box 8535, Big Sandy. TX 75755 ~ 8S35 , [email protected] CAll TOU FREE: 800-a2~5574 8 DOGWatch JULY 20 1.