Planning for Your Pet’s Preventive Care Exam

Spring is a busy time for veterinarians. For the large animal folks out there, spring means calving/lambing/foaling season

In small animal medicine, the winter season is usually pretty slow. More time indoors means fewer accidents and illnesses for our pets, but in the springtime all that changes. The kittens start arriving too, and even though dogs don’t have a seasonal aspect to their reproductive cycles, people seem more in the mood to add a puppy to the family this time of year.

Preventive medicine gets a boost in the spring too. Owners start thinking more about heartworms, fleas, ticks and intestinal parasites, even though many of these parasites actually pose a year-round risk. In small animal medicine, we don’t plan vaccinations according to the seasons (although this reminds me that my horse is due for his spring vaccines), but all those new puppies and kittens are getting started on their protocols right about now.

Let me give you an idea about what veterinarians are trying to assess during an appointment that focuses on preventive care.

The first part of a wellness visit is a health evaluation. This includes a thorough history including information about a pet’s breed, age, lifestyle, behavior, and diet; a comprehensive physical exam; and measuring some basic parameter like weight, temperature, and pulse and respiration rates. All of the information gathered during this part of the visit is initially used to assess whether a pet might actually be sick rather than well, which changes the entire nature of the appointment.

For example, if I note that your cat has lost a little weight, and in following that up with you, you say, “Yeah, now that you mention it, she has been eating more than normal,” we will be spending the rest of the appointment discussing the need to test for hyperthyroidism, diabetes mellitus, and other diseases rather than what vaccinations she should get.

But, assuming that your pet gets a clean (or at least not too dirty) bill of health, the rest of the wellness visit deals almost exclusively with preventive care, which can be divided into several categories:

1. Diagnostics (e.g., heartworm testing, FELV/FIV testing, fecal examinations, etc.)
2. Parasite control (heartworms, external parasites, and intestinal parasites)
3. Vaccination
4.  Identification (e.g., microchips)
5. Reproductive counseling (e.g., spay/neuter)
6. A plan for follow-up and the next routinely scheduled visit

Your veterinarian determines what is appropriate for your pet in each of these categories based on what was revealed during the health evaluation part of the appointment. The doctor should go over his or her recommendations with you and explain the reasoning behind each decision, but this is the time for you to bring up any questions or concerns that you don’t feel have been adequately addressed. As is true in all aspects of veterinary medicine, two-way communication between the doctor and owner is essential to success.

Adult pets should see a veterinarian at least annually (in some cases semi-annually is better) for an assessment of their preventive care needs. Puppies and kittens need more frequent visits — usually every 3-4 weeks until they are about four months old. If it’s been too long since your dog, cat, cockatiel, ferret, chinchilla, gecko…  whatever, has been in for a check-up, let the onset of spring be the kick in the pants you need to make the appointment.

By Dr. Jennifer Coates

12 things you need to know about spay/neuter!

Spaying or neutering your dog is an important part of responsible pack leadership.

It not only helps keep your dog safe from a number of medical issues, but it also helps reduce overpopulation. Every day, pets across the nation are euthanized because shelters don’t have the space or resources to care for them. By spaying or neutering your dog, you are helping to stop this tragic problem.

Here’s a list of answers to the most common questions related to spaying and neutering.

1. Should my dog be spayed or neutered?
   This one has a simple answer. Male dogs are neutered. Female dogs are spayed.
2. Is the surgery safe?
   Yes. It is a common medical procedure, so as long as you are working with a licensed veterinarian you can rest assured that he or she likely has a wealth of experience with the surgery. Whenever an animal is put under anesthesia, there is some risk, but your veterinarian will be on the lookout for signs of illness or any other possible complications.
3. What can I do to keep my dog safe?
   Follow pre-op and post-op instructions carefully. If you have questions, don’t hesitate to call your vet.
4. How old does my dog need to be?
   Recently, the American Veterinary Medical Association endorsed Early Age Neutering, which can be done as early as two months or two pounds, but the average age is four months. There may also be laws in your area that require your dog to be spayed or neutered by a certain age.
5. Where can I find a low-cost spay/neuter service in my area?
   The ASPCA has a great database where you can look for vets offering discounted services in your area.
6. Should I wait until my female dog has had one litter before spaying?
   No, it’s actually easier on your dog to have the surgery before her first heat. Plus, by allowing your dog to have some puppies, you’re contributing to the pet overpopulation problem. If you’d like to allow your children the experience of seeing a birth, consider fostering a dog that’s already pregnant at a local rescue or shelter.
7. Should my female dog go into heat before she’s spayed?
   No, by doing so before her first heat, you can greatly reduce her risk of mammary tumors.
8. How long after giving birth can my dog be spayed?
   The procedure can be done as soon as the pups are weaned, usually four to five weeks.
9. What are some of the health benefits of spay/neuter?
   Female dogs have no risk of infections, cancers, or diseases of the uterus (which is removed), and also a reduced risk of breast cancer. Male dogs have no risk of testicular cancer and a reduced risk of prostate cancer. The surgery also reduces some problem behaviors related to mating, such as roaming, marking, and aggression.
10. Will my dog be given pain relief?
    Yes. Your dog won’t feel any pain during the surgery. Typically, dogs are given an injection which will provide pain management for eight to twelve hours after the surgery. And you may also be given medication that you can give at home. Never administer human pain medications, because many of them can be poisonous to your dog.
11. Will my dog get fat after the surgery?
    No, this is a myth. Just like humans, dogs gain weight if they’re eating too much or not getting enough exercise. Provide your dogs with regular walks and healthy meals, and they’ll stay fit!
12. Will my guard dog stop protecting Me?
    No. In fact, most police canine units spay or neuter their dogs. If your dog has been trained to be a guard dog, he will still be able to protect you after the procedure.

By Juliana Weiss-Roessler

Does your Cat drink enough water?

Cats in the wild obtain most of the water they need from the animals they hunt and therefore cats have very little inherent motivation to drink as a separate behaviour. They also naturally tend to avoid water sources that may have a certain smell or that are not clearly visible.

In our homes cats often eat food low in moisture content and even though owners provide them with water bowls, it is not uncommon for a cat to be in a constant state of mild dehydration. Due to their nature, they sometimes just don’t drink enough and this can be a serious risk factor to develop conditions such as feline cystitis. This is why it’s a good idea to encourage your cat to drink more!
Here are a few tips that might help:

• Make sure there is fresh water available every day;
• If possible feed them wet food;
• Offer multiple drinking stations with different options and see which ones are preferred: some cats prefer to drink tap water while others prefer bottled water; some cats enjoy drinking from puddles or from bowls while others may prefer flowing water;
• Location might also be a factor so it’s a good idea to provide water in different spots to find the cat’s preference;
• Many cats prefer ceramic and metal bowls because these do not retain odours (unlike plastic) and the shape of the water bowl may also important. Usually cats prefer wide, shallow containers because they don’t like to get their whiskers wet when they drink.

Placebo(w)-wow-wow

You may have heard of the “placebo effect.” This is a phenomenon that happens when people take harmless or inactive substances, like sugar pills, with the belief that they are medicine, and then their body reacts as if they had taken an actual drug.

The scoop on placebo
It’s most used in clinical trials of new medications, typically with half the people getting the test drug and half getting placebos. Ideally, neither the patients nor the doctors running the trial know which is which until researchers look at the data after the fact.

The whole point of this is to set a baseline to determine whether a new drug works. For example, if they’re testing a drug to clear up acne, if 20% of people taking a placebo show improvement in their skin condition, then the new drug has to show a much better than 20% success rate.

How the placebo effect works
Nobody knows yet how or why the placebo effect works. Human expectation seems to play a part in it. People believe they are getting medicine, so something happens to heal their body. This seems borne out by another detail — the more expensive the placebo is, the better it works, which is what researchers discovered in a study at MIT. So it all seems to be mind-over-matter, but there are two exceptions.

First, one study sponsored by the Harvard University Faculty of Medicine seemed to show that the placebo effect works even in cases where doctors explain specifically to patients that what they’re getting contains no medicine at all.

Second, and more surprisingly, the placebo effect works on dogs.

If it’s all about the effect of the mind on the body, then what’s going on when a dog, which doesn’t understand what medicine is or the difference between a prescription and a placebo, shows a medical effect from being given an inert sugar pill?

The answer is conditioning.

How dogs responded
The study was done to determine whether the placebo effect could treat separation anxiety but, unlike with humans, the researchers began by giving dogs a mild sedative before their owners left. Once this showed an effect of calming the dogs down, they switched over to a placebo — and the dogs calmed down just as if they’d been given the sedative.

Now a dog obviously does not realize someone is giving them a pill to make them calm down before their owners leave and then going through the intellectual process of, “That made me feel better,” so their minds take over to calm their bodies down. It’s an entirely instinctual process. By creating a ritual with the real medicine that had the specific result of calming the dog down, the researchers were then able to remove the medicine while still seeing the effect.

This is another example of Pavlovian conditioning in action. To the dog, “getting a pill in the morning” always resulted in calming down, so that the action itself became the cue for the behavior.

Instinct vs intellect
This may also be a clue as to why the placebo effect works in humans — it isn’t working for us on an intellectual level, either. Rather, it’s working on our instincts after our intellects have been engaged. Our minds say to us, “This is medicine, it must work,” and then our bodies take over to present the desired effect — whether we’ve actually taken any medication or not.

Of course, there’s one other aspect of the placebo effect in dogs that the researchers didn’t take into account: human expectation. Just as a dog is conditioned to calm down after the ritual of taking a pill, perhaps our expectations affect our energy. Remember, our dogs read our energy, so that if the human believes the medication will work, the dog picks up on that as well.

The human thinking that the pill will work may reduce their anxiety about their dog’s anxiety, and so not feed into it prior to leaving the dog alone. It’s yet another example of “expectations equal outcome,” which is a very powerful tool in helping to find balance with our dogs.

By Jon Bastian

February is Pet Dental Health Month

February is Pet Dental Health Month and here at Summerhill Vets we are trying to raise awareness and promote the importance of good dental hygiene in our pets.

Dental disease can have a serious impact in your pet’s life! Periodontal disease is a painful inflammatory condition that if left untreated can lead to permanent tooth loss and become a source of infection that can spread to your pet’s other organs (kidneys, heart and other areas). Dental disease is another strong motive for your pet to visit the vet for routine check-ups.

Pets with dental disease often have bad breath, a yellowish-brown crust on their teeth, red looking gums that may bleed easily, decreased appetite or difficulties eating and loose or missing teeth. Some pets suffer in silence while others show pain and may appear depressed.

Many pets are currently suffering from severe dental disease unnecessarily as it could be easily avoided. There are foods and toys that can help keep the deposition of plaque on their teeth under control, owners can brush their pet’s teeth and you can talk to us for advice and for professional dental care.

Giardiasis in Cats

Giardiasis is a medical condition that refers to an intestinal infection caused by the protozoan parasite giardia, and this parasite can also infect animals, including cats. Giardia is the most common intestinal parasite found in humans.

Contamination can be from direct or indirect contact with the infected offspring(cysts), but typically, cats will acquire the infection by ingesting the infectious cysts that are shed by another animal through its feces. The organisms, once ingested, make their way into the intestine, often causing diarrhea. Treatment for this infection is usually performed on an outpatient basis with a good prognosis.

Symptoms and Types

Symptoms are more apparent in younger animals than in older animals and can be either sudden, temporary, intermittent, or chronic in nature. In some cases, cats will exhibit diarrhea that is soft, frothy, greasy, and with a strong, awful odor or excessivemucus.

Causes

One of the methods by which this parasite spreads is through the ingestion of infected fecal material, as the cysts are shed out of the intestines through the feces. But, the most common cause of transmission is actually waterborne, as the giardia parasite prefers cool and moist environments. Up to 100 percent of animals housed in kennels will develop this infection due to massive exposure and closely shared living spaces. In general, the prevalence of infection in cats is relatively low — only 11 percent are diagnosed with the infection.

Diagnosis

Your veterinarian will want to rule out other possibilities for the intestinal infection, such as improper digestion (maldigestion), unabsorbed nutrients (malabsorption), or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) prior to recommending a treatment option for your cat. Your veterinarian will also want to differentiate between giardia and other primary causes of large bowel diarrhea. A fecal smear is normally sufficient to test for their presence of the giardia parasite, since the organism is primarily detected in the feces, although it is possible to have a false positive result from the test.

Treatment

Treatment is typically done on an outpatient basis unless the infection has caused your cat to become sick and weak. Prescription drugs, along with thoroughly bathing your cat, should be sufficient for removing the parasite from your cat’s body and reducing the likelihood of repeat infection. The concern here is that an ongoing (chronic) infection can be debilitating to your cat’s system, so repeat fecal exams will often be required for confirming that the infection has been removed entirely.

Living and Management

It is important to observe your cat for signs of dehydration, especially in younger cats and kittens. Dehydration can quickly become a life threatening condition. Administering the prescribed medication fully and taking your cat for check-ups are essential to a successful recovery.

Prevention

Since one of the highest probabilities of infection is through time spent in a kennel, seek places that offer private spaces for pets when possible in order to avoid contamination from the other animals.

By Pet MD

Cat Apartment Living & Risk Factors

Having a pet in the home is known to produce positive health benefits for people, and pets are now allowed in many apartment buildings. Some advantages of indoor living for pets include a reduced risk of being hit by cars, getting into fights, getting lost, and reduced exposure to diseases and parasites.

Most cats are extremely well-suited to living indoors for their entire lives. In fact, many veterinarians and breeders recommend that cats be kept inside at all times, for their own health and welfare. Unless they escape, cats that live exclusively indoors don’t get run over by cars, bitten by dogs or other cats or infested with nasty parasites. They also have a greatly reduced risk of contracting infectious diseases from other domestic or wild animals. Because of the widely available variety of high-quality commercial feline foods, today’s cats don’t need to supplement their diets by hunting mice, birds, rats or other small critters. They also don’t need to be outdoors to exercise. There are hundreds of different cat toys available at pet supply stores and websites that will keep indoor cats occupied and active for hours on end. Creative owners can use their imaginations to come up with other was to get their cats to stretch their legs inside the home: empty paper bags, peacock feathers and socks stuffed with catnip (tied off at the top) are always good options. Cats enjoy the opportunity to engage in their instinctive behaviors, such as stalking, pouncing, playing, rolling around, scratching, stretching and sprinting with great bursts of speed and sudden stops. They need the opportunity to engage in these activities daily, whether they live inside or out. No owner wants to come home to find her beautiful armchair or sofa shredded by her bored cat, who apparently thought it was a good substitute for a tree on which to sharpen its claws.

Despite their seeming aloofness at times, most cats are extremely social and do well living together, as long as they are properly introduced to their housemates. It is especially nice to have at least two cats in an apartment or other household where the owner is gone many hours at a stretch, such as working a 9-to-5 job. This will give both animals companionship, social interaction and a playmate, even though they probably will sleep most of the time. Many indoor cats thoroughly enjoy having a windowsill ledge to perch on, which allows them to lounge in their leisurely feline way, bask in the warm sunshine and watch the world going by. Cats are nocturnal by nature; they are naturally more active at night than during the daytime. Most cat fights, unintended breedings and automobile-related injuries happen at night. Even if a mostly indoor cat is permitted to go outside from time to time, it should be brought inside at night, for its own safety. Of course, indoor cats need to have free access to a clean litterbox at all times. It is best to have several litterboxes in appropriate locations throughout the home, especially if more than one cat lives there.

In addition to the benefits of indoor living, there are some risks that go along with keeping a cat exclusively inside. One of the biggest dangers for cats living in high-rise homes is that they can fall from a balcony or open window. Owners living in high places must be sure that they have some sort of netting, fencing or other barrier around balconies and windows that open, even if they don’t normally permit their cat to have access to those areas. These precautionary barriers can be camouflaged by plants or other tasteful decorations. It is essential that all doors and windows are secured against escape. If a cat is allowed onto an uncovered deck for a breath of fresh air, it should be on a harness and leash. Escaped cats, and those left unrestrained on balconies, account for many fatalities every year.

Even inside the home, cats (especially kittens) are at risk of falling from heights. Staircases with open banisters are particularly dangerous to young cats, which can leap from the stairs and fall without finding their footing. Cats jumping from high places do not always land on their feet, despite the old wives’ tale to the contrary. Washing machines and dryers, and refrigerators and freezers (especially old ones that are not plugged in), are favorite cat attractions. Any washer or dryer should be checked for a kitty before it is turned on, if a kitty lives in the house. Electric glass-topped or coil-ringed stoves are another source of danger for indoor cats. When the delightful smell of food wafts throughout the apartment or other dwelling, it can be hard for a cat to resist. It is not difficult for a cat to leap up onto a kitchen counter and step onto the stovetop to explore an intriguing scent. This has led to a number of severe paw injuries in companion felines.

Electric cords, cables and wires are common sources of intrigue for indoor cats. When possible, they should be tucked beneath a rug or covered with some other cat-proof material to reduce the risk of the cat chewing through them. Fireplaces should be completely screened-off, even when there is no fire burning. Cats are notorious for climbing up chimneys, where they can become stuck or even fall. Small potentially edible objects, such as paper clips, safety pins and rubber bands, as well as thread, string and yarn, should always be stored in areas that are inaccessible to cats.

All in all, sharing quarters with an indoor cat can be a wonderful, extremely fulfilling experience. Cats have boundless energy and are remarkably smart and personable. You can choose a couch-potato kitty or an exuberant feline athlete. Either way, they will add immeasurably to the pleasure of your life.

By PetWave

Signs Your Cat Might Be Stressed

Is Your Cat Freaking Out?

Stress can make anyone a little crazy, even our cats. The tricky part is while the anxiety and fear associated with stress affects our cats in much the same way it does us, most cats tend to hide and mask their inner turmoil. Even worse, stress can be an indication your cat has a health issue. According to Patricia B. McConnell, Ph.D., a certified applied animal behaviorist, chronic stress even “suppresses the immune response, causing a broad range of illnesses.” Here are some signs of stress you’ll want to watch out for in your cat, especially if they occur suddenly.

1. Urinating Outside Litter Box

It’s annoying, smelly and a pain to clean up, but pay attention. Cats that urinate outside the litter box are trying to tell us something. Consult your veterinarian or a veterinary behaviorist to find out what it is.

2. Diarrhea, Constipation or other Digestive Issue

This is another rather stinky situation and one that could be indicative of several things. Best not let it go and speak with your vet.

3. Excessive Grooming

Cats are known for their fastidious grooming, but licking themselves raw or bald is a clear sign of distress. Skip the groomer and go straight for the vet’s office.

4. Excessive Scratching

Like compulsive licking, excessive scratching can be indicative of several health and behavioral issues. Make an appointment with your veterinarian before the problem gets out of hand.

5. Isolation

Aloofness is second nature to cats. However, a cat should not be actively and constantly hiding from you and everyone else in the house. Once you’ve managed to wrangle him or her into a cat carrier, go to the vet.

6. Decrease in Appetite

Cats don’t go on fasts or diets like we do so it’s important to consult a veterinarian if your cat suddenly loses interest in food or stops eating altogether.

7. Increased Sleeping

Just because cats can sleep up to 20 hours a day doesn’t necessarily mean your cat will. By now you will have become accustomed to his or her sleeping schedule. Speak with your veterinarian if you’re cat is sleeping more than usual or seems overly lethargic.

8. Aggression Towards Other Animals

Fights or aggressive actions towards household pets or other animals can be a sign of a stressed or sick cat. Consult your veterinarian or a veterinary behaviorist before the problems gets worse.

By PetMD

Vet’s checklist for your pup

Trying to raise a puppy right can be an incredibly challenging task but one that is infinitely rewarding as well. One of the cornerstones of good health for your puppy is regular veterinary care. The following is a list of the veterinary or health related concerns that will come up during your puppy’s first year.

1. Find a great veterinarian
Ideally you want to find out which veterinarian you plan on using before you get your puppy. Ask your friends that are dog owners which veterinarians they recommend. If possible, visit the clinic beforehand and look around, is the waiting area clean, is the staff courteous and helpful? Find out if the office hours will fit your schedule and if they handle emergencies after hours.

Many practices have multiple vets, it is best to stick with one veterinarian who knows your pet well, so ask the staff if you will be able to request an appointment with a specific veterinarian. Picking a vet is a personal choice, try to find one that really listens to you and thoughtfully answers your questions. If your first veterinarian makes you uncomfortable in any way keep looking until you find one that is a good fit for you and your puppy.

2. Financial concerns
Consider getting pet health insurance for your puppy. They can ease the cost of veterinary care especially if emergencies occur. Far too often new dog owners find themselves in the emergency room with a very sick puppy and insufficient funds because they just spent all their money on purchasing the puppy and puppy supplies. Expect to spend several hundred dollars a year minimum for routine veterinary care and set aside one to two thousand dollars for emergencies.

3. Vaccinations
Newborn puppies do not have innate immunity at birth; they get antibodies from the mother which helps protect them from disease while their immune system develops. Vaccinations are a vital part of your puppy’s veterinary care, it will help prevent serious disease. Vaccines can be core or non-core. Core vaccines are those that have been recommended by the AVMA to be given to all dogs. These include vaccinations for distemper, adenovirus-2, canine parvovirus-2, and rabies. Non-core vaccines include leptospirosis, Lyme disease and Bordetella for example and are recommended for dogs in specific geographic locations. Your veterinarian will go over the non-core vaccines that are recommended for your puppy, and the vaccination schedule. Several boosters will be necessary over the course of the first year in order to provide ideal immunity for your puppy.

4. Deworming
Many puppies already have intestinal parasites contracted from the mother before they are even born. Therefore it is important to have your vet deworm your puppy regularly and perform fecal exams to ensure that treatment is complete. If left untreated intestinal parasites such as roundworms, tapeworms, whipworms and hookworms can cause anemia and weight loss which can be fatal. Common intestinal parasites of dogs can cause problems in people as well so not only do they affect your puppy’s health but yours as well and anyone that may be exposed to the puppy’s feces. Regular deworming and picking up after your puppy can go a long way in minimizing zoonotic disease.

5. Heartworm
Another problematic worm is Dirofilaria immitis better known as the heartworm. Unlike the previous parasites this one lives within the circulatory system and prefers the chambers of the heart. Dirofilaria is spread by various mosquitoes and is endemic throughout the United States. With the gradual warming of our climate mosquitoes are staying active longer each year therefore year-round heartworm prophylaxis is recommended. The American Heartworm Society recommends that puppies start on prophylaxis no later than 8 weeks of age.

6. Ectoparasites
As with heartworm, preventing flea and tick infestations is far easier than treating them. Your veterinarian has a variety of topical products that can be safely applied to puppies eight weeks and older. Keep your lawn short and keep your puppy out of bushes and woody areas. Treat the environment by washing bedding regularly and vacuuming carpets to remove eggs and larvae.

7. Spay/Neuter
Spaying or neutering your puppy provides numerous health benefits and should be considered if you are not planning on breeding your dog. Healthy puppies can be neutered as young as 8 weeks although some veterinarians prefer to wait until 4-6 months of age. Spaying should be performed before the first heat when possible because it will virtually eliminate the risk of developing mammary cancer at a later age.

8. Diet and weight
Puppies eight weeks and older should be fed a high quality puppy food. Regular adult dog food will not provide your puppy with the energy and calcium that your puppy’s growing body needs. Follow the label recommendations and your vet’s guidelines to determine how much to feed your puppy. Ideally, puppies should be fed three to four time a day until they are at least six months of age when you may decrease the feeding schedule to twice a day is so desired. Ask your veterinarian if your puppy is at a healthy weight.

9. Teething
Your puppy’s deciduous teeth will erupt between three to eight weeks of age and around four to six months of age these teeth will be replaced by permanent teeth. The first teeth to be replaced are usually the central incisors. You will know when your puppy is teething because you will notice increased chewing. It is important to never leave your puppy unsupervised and is doubly important during teething. Besides the general destruction a teething puppy can cause they can occasionally ingest objects that may cause obstruction or toxic items. Other hazards include chewing on electric cords which can lead to fatal pulmonary edema. Give plenty of toys for the teething stage; there are specially designed toys for teething puppies at major pet stores. Teething usually last a few weeks to a month. It is important to have your veterinarian monitor the teeth as they come in because sometimes deciduous teeth can be retained which can cause problems down the road.

10. Puppy proofing
While it is important to see your veterinarian regularly for wellness you want to avoid emergencies as much as possible. Take a good look around your home to see the potential hazards to an inquisitive puppy. Consider toxins such as household plants and cleaning supplies and keep them out of reach. Use baby gates to block off access to stairs to prevent falls and to limit access to rooms that are not “puppy safe” such as the basement or workshop. Small objects such as change, jewelry, hair ties should also be kept out of reach lest they be swallowed. Take garbage out regularly and consider using garbage pails with heavy lids that the puppy can’t open. Screen off the fireplace if you have one. Again the best way to keep your puppy out of trouble is to never leave him unsupervised and to use a crate when he cannot be watched.
By Cesar Milan
Read more: http://www.cesarsway.com/dog-care/new-dog/Top-10-Checklist-for-Your-Puppy#ixzz3NLJO3XOD

Whose Scent Does Your Dog Like Most?

We all know scent is important for dogs. But smelling for dogs isn’t just about exploring their environment. Some odors give them a sense of pleasure, especially odors from you, their owners.

Fascinating new research suggests dogs can abstractly connect odors with pleasure. Dr. Gregory Berns, a neuroeconomist at Emory University explained the results of his study to Discovery News this way:

“It’s one thing when you come home and your dog sees you and jumps on you and licks you and knows that good things are about to happen. In our experiment, however, the scent donors were not physically present. That means the canine brain responses were being triggered by something distant in space and time.”

So how did Dr. Berns and his associates confirm this observation?

Dr. Berns is renowned for his ability to train dogs to remain still while they receive an fMRI scan of their brain. No anesthesia, no drugs, just training. Anyone having had an MRI can testify to what an accomplishment this is. An fMRI scans differs from a traditional MRI. It scans changes in brain activity in real time rather than the static recording of the traditional MRI.

For this study they used twelve dogs, including Br. Berns’s own dog, Callie. The handlers of the dogs during fMRIs were the primary owners, in this case mostly the female heads of household. The handlers presented sterile samples with swabs from five different sources; a familiar person in the household but not the primary owner (in this case mostly husbands), an unfamiliar person, a canine housemate, an unfamiliar canine, and the individual dogs’ own odor.

The swab samples from humans were obtained from the armpits after 24 hours without bathing or the use of deodorants. Needless to say many of the participants were not happy with this part of the experimental protocol. The swabs from dogs were taken from the area around their anus and genitals.

The procedure for presenting the swabs by the handlers is detailed here in the experiment “Material and methods” section. The brain activity was monitored and evaluated. The area of the brain that was monitored is called the caudate nucleus. In humans, activation of this area is associated with pleasure. The research group found that the caudate nucleus was only activated by the odor of a familiar human.

It appears, for these twelve dogs, the odor of a familiar human signaled a probable, pleasurable outcome. This helps explain why leaving an article of your clothing with your dog during your absence is comforting and may help with separation anxiety.

Really interesting in this study is that service or therapy trained dogs had the strongest positive response to human odors. These findings led Dr. Berns to respond:

“While we might expect that dogs should be highly tuned to the smell of other dogs, it seems that the ‘reward response’ is reserved for their humans. Whether this is based on food, play, innate genetic predisposition or something else remains an area for future investigation.”

This finding has led Dr. Berns to speculate on the use of fMRI for screening service and therapy dogs. Identifying dogs that are highly responsive to human odors may reflect animals that are more likely to succeed at the job. By using this information, groups that train these dogs could save substantially on training expenses; dogs not likely to graduate can be identified early. Presently, only 30-40 percent of dogs that complete service or therapy training graduate and are placed after training.