SEPARATION ANXIETY IN DOGS

Dr Julie Schell  BSc(Hons), DVM, CVA, CVCHM, CVC

Bow Bottom Veterinary Hospital

www.bowbottomvet.com 

Dogs are very social animals, and they prefer to spend time with their beloved owners, or other dogs rather than time alone.  They like to play, they like to interact and communicate with others. Sleeping is also an important activity for them, however if they are left alone all day after already having slept for hours during the night, it gets boring for them to have to sleep all day as well.

Many dogs are left at home alone most of the day, some of them inside small kennels.  If they are under exercised, they may quickly become bored.  Be sure to exercise your pet as much as possible before and after you get home.  Ensure that your pet has urinated and defecated outside or in their litterbox before confining them.

Play the radio or television for your pet when you are away.  This background noise is often soothing to pets.  There are even cat sitter and dog sitter DVDs available. Also, provide safe chew toys for your dog- you can fill rubber dog toys (such as Kong toys) with healthy foods like carrot, apple, almond butter, canned plain pumpkin, and also give them safe veterinary recommended rawhide or vegetable chews and toys.  Often, many dogs love chewing vegetables such as carrot, cucumber, cauliflower, watermelon with the rind, cantaloupe and green peas, and zucchini.  You can leave raw or cooked vegetables for them to chew when you are away.

Also, work on training your pet to be able to live in a small room rather than a kennel. With time, pets are often able to be trusted to have free reign of their home when you are away, especially if they have lots of toys and chews to use.  There are excellent interactive dog and cat puzzles that help keep your pet’s occupied.  If your pet stays calm, clean and comfortable, then they will most likely sleep while you are away.

Environmental enrichment is an important part of treating separation anxiety.  Fortunately, there are many ways to help decrease stress and improve comfort, joy and play time for your dog while you’re away at work.  These include bringing your dog to a quality pet day care.  Bringing your pet every day that you are out of the house for long periods of time would be optimal.  If that is not possible, bring him or her at least once or twice weekly.  A good quality pet day care centre will enrich your dog’s life by helping to socialize him or her towards other people, exercising him to help maintain optimal body condition, and will provide love and interaction to your pet.  Also, dogs often really enjoy the car rides with their owners to and from the day care.  Many dogs recognize where they are going as soon as they are in the car and they anticipate joy, which is also helpful to their emotional balance.   We offer pet day care here at Bow Bottom Veterinary hospital- come on by for a tour.  Many of our patients love their time with us and look forward to coming- many clients tell us that their pets know the route and start wagging their tails when they know they are on their way to us.

Professional, licensed and bonded dog walkers are also available in Calgary.  They are hired to pick up your dog during the day and take him or her on a walk to provide an excellent form of exercise and entertainment.  Interview several to determine which ones suit your pet’s needs best.

Some dogs need to have even more help in decreasing their anxiety- the use of TCVM (Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine) herbs and acupuncture are very powerful.  Essential oil therapy is very effective, and if your veterinarian is trained in the use of essential oils, they can prescribe oils and oil blends to help calm your pet and keep them balanced.  Essential oils are applied topically, diffused into the environment aromatherapically via oil diffusers, and sometimes added to the food of the pet.  Your veterinarian may also prescribe natural relaxants such as products with calming milk proteins such as BioCalm or Xylkene.

It is great to try these more natural therapies first.

If those are not helping, then Western medicines are needed, such as Clomicalm (clomipramine tablets). It is vital that behaviour modification programs such as working on training protocols to help relax your pet, and desensitize him or her towards fearful environment, sounds, or other stimuli.  There are board certified veterinary behaviourists that are very helpful and may need to work with you, your pet, and your regular veterinarian to help with solutions.

Whatever you do, do not give up on your pet.  There are many ways to help pets with separation anxiety.   The first step is to contact your veterinarian.

For more information check out www.bowbottomvet.com

Protect your Pets from the Dangers of Hunting Season

Bow Bottom Veterinary Hospital

www.bowbottomvet.com

Dr Julie Schell  BSc(Hons), DVM, CVA, CVCHM, CVC 

The beauties of nature during the changing season from fall to winter can be marred by the dangers of hunting season.   It is important to be aware that currently in the province of Alberta, hunting season including moose, elk, and deer is allowed in municipal districts such as Rocky View and it begins in the fall and extends all the way into December.  Rocky View includes suburban areas such as Bearspaw, Springbank, Balzac, Indus, Bragg Creek, Elbow Valley, Bottrel, Madden, Cochrane Lake, Kathyrn, Keoma, Delacor, Dalroy, Conrich, Langdon, and Dalemead.  These areas are inhabited by many people, and homes are often very close together, on small parcels of land.  There are many dogs and cats that live in these areas.  The government allows shooting to occur as long as it is done 200 yards (0.05 acres) or more away from occupied buildings.

Unfortunately, dogs may find bits of carcases left in forests or fields.  This can include the legs and organ meats of the carcass.  Dogs, with their keen sense of smell, are able to detect these items from long distances.  They will eat or at least grab these carcass pieces in their mouths.  Dangers include bacterial infection with dangerous bacteria such as E. coli, Salmonella.  Many illnesses and even death can occur due to pancreatitis.

The carcass may also have pieces of bullet fragments.  If ingested, this bullet shrapnel may act as a foreign body and block gastrointestinal areas. If chemicals such as lead or zinc are in the bullet, metal poisoning can occur leading to grave illnesses that may be difficult to diagnose and treat.

People will also offer dogs organ meats of the carcass.  It is important to note that several species of animals such as deer, moose, elk, and mice harbor deadly parasites such as Echinococcus tapeworms, and are intermediate hosts.  Dogs, wolves, coyotes are definitive hosts, and if they ingest the meat of deer, moose, elk, mice, they can become infected and shed the parasite eggs into their environment during defecation.   Humans can then become infected through this cycle.  These parasites will lodge in the brain, liver, spleen and other organs of humans, who are considered incidental hosts, rendering them with serious health concerns such as brain damage.  It is best to not feed your dogs meat from wild animals, especially the liver and other organ meats.  If you are home-cooking recipes for your pet, ensure that the meats are cooked thoroughly to help kill the bacteria and parasites or do not feed that meat at all.  Dogs are the definitive hosts of Echinococcus, and they will shed the eggs in their feces that will infect other humans and animals.   Thus, monthly deworming is vital for all dogs, even dogs who do not hunt and do not leave the city.   This is because many animals will be in contact with contaminated fecal material from infected dogs, including mice, and deer.  If a city dog then eats a mouse or other animal that is infected, they can become carriers and shedders of the Echinococcus and through their feces transfer it to their human owners.

Not only are pets susceptible to the parasites and bacterias in wildlife meats, but they are often not used to eating such rich, foreign food substances and they can develop deadly illnesses such as pancreatitis.   Eating raw or cooked bones and antlers can often chip your pet’s teeth to the point of requiring root canal or extraction.  Bones and antlers can also cause intestinal lesions and indigestion and even death from foreign body entrapments or choke.

Aside from bacterial related gastrointestinal infections and parasites, there are other dangers.  Some dog owners believe that just because their dog’s breed has been used for hunting purposes that they will naturally have the ability to hunt.  It is important to note that hunting dogs require intense training with the skills of professional handlers before it is safe for them to take part in the hunt.   Many dogs bred for hunting may not enjoy it, and may have fears of swimming.   If your dog truly does not enjoy swimming and hiking through the wilderness you should choose other activities that they do enjoy such as skijoring, agility, and indoor play sessions.

Many dogs are paralyzed with fear by the alarming, loud sound of a gunshot.  The dangers of gunshots include deafness.  Dogs also can be hit by stray bullets.  Bright colored jackets and collar lights for dogs will help people differentiate between dog and wildlife, and will also help people find their dogs in the wilderness.  Life jackets for swimming dogs help prevent drowning.

Protect your pets as much as possible by keeping them near your house and on leash during hunting season.   If you own an acreage, you can post signs that read “No Hunting and No Trespassing” so people will know not to shoot on your land.

If your dog is venturing into areas where wild life inhabits, it is vital that they are protected from the disease and pestilence they will be exposed to such as rabies virus, distemper viruses, ticks, mosquitoes, gastrointestinal parasites and bacterias.   Your pet must be protected from these viruses via vaccinations.  Deworming and tick and flea control is vital.

If you are in a coyote rich area, there are ways to also protect your dog from these attacks. This new vest is an excellent way to protect dogs from the dangers of coyote attacks, and is great for pets who go to offleash parks or hiking spots where coyotes frequent :https://www.coyotevest.com/

For more information on hunting bylaws, and for ways to help improve safety during hunting season, contact Fish and Wildlife at http://srd.alberta.ca/FishWildlife/FishingHuntingTrapping/AlbertaRegulations/Default.aspx

For more information on protecting your pet, contact us at welcome@bowbottomvet.com or
403 278-1984 and check out www.bowbottomvet.com

Overnight Care for Hospitalized Pets

Dr Julie Schell  BSc(Hons), DVM, CVA, CVCHM, CVC

BOW BOTTOM VETERINARY HOSPITAL

www.bowbottomvet.com

         Some of you may have seen a segment aired on CBC’s “Then National” on September 16, 2013.  Or, you may have read a recent article was posted by CBC:  http://www.cbc.ca/news/dog-paralyzed-after-vet-leaves-it-unattended-1.1746512

                As a prestigious AAHA (American Animal Hospital Association) certified veterinary hospital, we at Bow Bottom Veterinary Hospital closely assess each patient’s needs.  This helps us determine the care and treatments that they need to recover, heal and decrease their pain.  Since we are not an emergency, overnight hospital, we transfer sick pets to one of the two board-certified overnight and critical care centres for observation.    These centres are called CARE Centre and Western Veterinary Specialist Centre.   They have a team of highly trained veterinarians, animal health technologists and veterinary office assistants who will look after our patient’s needs overnight.  The next day, if the pet is healthy enough, he or she may either be discharged to go home, or may be transferred back to us, or may stay the remainder of the day and possibly evening at the emergency centre.

We follow strict AAHA guidelines:   https://www.aahanet.org/Accreditation/WhatAreStandards.aspx

We also adhere to the the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association guidelines:  http://www.canadianveterinarians.net/documents/understanding-overnight-hospitalization#.UjdhNsZzE3k

Rest assured that our patients are triaged closely and assessed multiple times throughout the day to help determine which pets need emergency critical care throughout the night versus which pets are able to go home.  Our dedicated team works hard to get our patients cured, pain-free and home as soon as possible because often being at home improves the speed of healing even faster.

Your pets are truly our passion.  We respect them, cherish them, and love them like our own.  We want them to have the best recovery possible.   If you have any questions, please contact us at 403-278-1984 or email us at welcome@bowbottomvet.com.  Thank you very much!

NON-PROFESSIONAL DENTAL SCALING

Dr Julie Schell  BSc(Hons), DVM, CVA, CVCHM, CVC

Bow Bottom Veterinary Hospital

www.bowbottomvet.com

Dental disease in pets is very common, and fortunately with proper veterinary care it can be identified, treated and even prevented.   The proper treatment includes professional veterinary dental examination which must be done under anesthesia to do it properly and thoroughly, dental radiographs, dental nerve blocks, surgical extractions, pain control medications, professional dental cleaning, scaling, polishing, and fluoride treatment.   Root Canal procedures, bonding and composite restoration procedures, or surgical extraction with proper pain control and techniques are the only way to treat some of the severe damage and disease.  Your veterinarian will prescribe proper pain control medication, antibiotics, probiotics, and healthy, safe home care products such as Healthy Mouth and Oxyfresh Pet Gel.

Some pet owners have been recently propositioned and solicited by several “non-professional dental scaling” companies from British Columbia that come to various dog grooming parlors in Calgary, as well as other Canadian cities.  These companies performing their dangerous procedures also label techniques as “anesthesia-free dentistry” .  However, their procedures are unsafe and inhumane and I do not feel that any animals should have to endure these unsafe procedures.

The dangers and trauma induced by non-veterinary, non-anesthesia dental scaling are severe and plentiful.  It results in damage to dental structures, incomplete cleaning of teeth, and missed dental disease.  It is traumatic and painful to the pet and not helpful.   Dental disease processes develop underneath the gum line, and proper dental procedures require radiographs and trained veterinary dental examination in order to determine the severity and course of best treatment for the pet.  From a chiropractic standpoint, “non-professional dental scaling” causes harmful stress on the pet’s spine and extremities as their heads and bodies are held in place by the non-professional’s legs as evidenced in many videos:    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWLazsWuXQE  Animals are often pretzeled in between the person’s legs in order to hold them still.  This is definitely traumatic and dangerous and potentially life-threatening to pets, especially if their chests or necks are held tightly and constricted.  Also, debris such as tartar and loose teeth can be released by the scaling procedures, and can be swallowed causing choking of the patient and aspiration pneumonia.   Pets may bite down on the dental instruments used, resulting in trauma to their teeth, gums, palate and tongue.

It is also unsafe for the person performing ultrasonic scaling on an awake patient, as their fingers and faces are a high risk of becoming bitten.  When an animal bites a human, not only does the human get injured but the animal’s jaw and teeth can also become damaged.

Also, often, infected, mobile teeth that need to be extracted are given “non-professional ultrasonic treatment” which is very painful.  An excellent video discussing the dangers associated with non-anesthesia, non-professional dental scaling should be observed:    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvzaUlDUAhU

Non-professional dental scaling is not recommended by me, my colleagues, the Alberta Veterinary Medical Association, the American Animal Hospital Association as well as board certified veterinary dentists.   It is dangerous and results in much more harm than any good.  An excellent article by Dr Fraser Hale, a board certified veterinary dentists is present on:  http://www.toothvet.ca/PDFfiles/Anesthesia-free.pdf

Veterinary dentistry should only be performed only by educated, trained veterinary professionals.  The American Animal Hospital Association has published guidelines to optimize the safety, effectiveness and ethics and is listed here:   https://www.aahanet.org/PublicDocuments/Dental_Guidelines.pdf

We proudly follow these guidelines, providing high levels of veterinary care.

Tooth care is very important in pets.  However, your veterinarian and veterinary team are the most well trained people to help your pets optimally.  Before allowing any dangerous types of procedures by non-veterinary companies on your pet, discuss proper dental health with us.

Here is a great article written by Dr Karen Overall, a board-certified Veterinary Behaviorist

B-14 PROTOCOL FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF A NEW PET TO OTHER HOUSEHOLD PETS

 

When you first bring home a new pet, expect a period of transition and adjustment for the other pets in the household.  You may find that some pets hide from the new addition, whereas others might try to push it around.  Sometimes the original pets will start behaviors designed to get your attention including barking, pawing, stealing items, or pushing the new addition out of the way and jumping on you.  All of these can be normal and are not worrisome if they change within a week or two.  If the animals in the household do not revert to normal behavior within a short time or if they become aggressive, a problem exists that will not go away on its own.  The sooner you seek help from a qualified specialist, the better.

Before introducing any new pet, make sure it is healthy, has up-to-day vaccinations and that test results for fecal parasites are negative.  It is particularly important that all new cats are checked for their viral titer (feline immunodeficiency virus [FIV], feline leukemia virus [FeLV]) status.  Cats with positive results should not be brought into a negative household.

You can make the transition easier for new pets by using gradual introductions.  The new pet should be kept separate from the other pets whenever they are not closely supervised. This advice may be extreme, but it is designed to ensure that no injuries occur and that the social system of the original pets is not suddenly fragmented.  The original pet(s) should have access to the same areas of the house as previously.  IF the dog was crated, the crate can still be used.  IF access was restricted to the first floor, this pattern should continue.  The new pet should be placed in a neutral area (den, finished basement, brightly lit bathroom) with toys, a blanket, water, a litter box if the new pet is a cat, and anything else that it might need.  It is important that the new pet not be placed in an area that is considered highly desirable by the other pets.  Areas of high value usually include places where the people spend a lot of time with the pets (bedrooms) or where the pets choose to stay when they are alone (around food dishes or on window sills that are good perch sites).  If your dog is always crated, you can accustom the dog quickly to a new dog by crating the new dog across the room where it can be seen by the original one.  As the dogs become more accustomed to each other, their crates can be moved gradually closer together until they are side by side.

Be sure that the area in which you are confining the new pet is “pet-proof.” This means that toilet seats should be down, electric cords should be tied up and put away, sockets should be protected with child guards and any valuable or fragile items should be moved.  New pets will explore, and that exploration should not endanger them.  If the new pet is a very young puppy or kitten, you may wish to crate it for its own protection (see handout on “Protocol for Basic Manners: Training and Housebreaking for New Dogs and Puppies”).  Crates do not afford total protection from willful and determined claws and teeth of an uncrated animal, but they do greatly minimize the risk of damage.

Whenever any animal is isolated for any reason it is critical that the animal receive a lot of social attention whenever possible.  This is especially true for new pets.  When you come home greet the original pets (make all the dogs sit first) and let them out, if this is your normal routine.  Do not rush- when people are stressed and rush they may either facilitate undesirable interactions between the pets or not be as attentive to cues about impeding problems as they otherwise would.  Introduce the new pet gradually.  First, spend some time alone with the new pet.  They bring the new pet outside on a leash or harness and let the other pets explore him or her.  If you anticipate problems, the other animals also can be on leashes or harnesses.  If you have too many animals to adequately monitor under these circumstances, the new pet can be placed in a crate or cage in the center of a room and the other pets can explore the caged pet.

The best time to perform gradual introductions is when the animals are calm.  Start by petting the original pets and telling them that it is “okay” only if it is truly okay; do not reward hissing, growling, or biting.  When you tell a p-et it is “okay” when it is upset, you are not calming the anima- you are rewarding the inappropriate behavior.  If the animals in the household are calm and either ignore each other or act friendly despite the new addition, you can feed them within sight of the new pet.  This distance should be close enough that they can easily see and watch each other, but not so close that they become upset.  Once you find this distance you can move their food dishes closer together by an inch a day until they are side by side.  If you ever have an aggressive encounter, back off from that distance and return to the last distance where neither pet reacted.  Leave the dishes there for a few days and then gradually start to move them again.  Feeding and petting the animals in each other’s presence teaches them that good things happen when they are together and calm.  For this to be successful, neither side can react violently.  If a pet does react this way, banish that animal to a neutral zone immediately and try again when it is calm. If it again reacts violently, banish the pet for the rest of the day or evening and try later in the day or during the next morning.

Some aggressive and undesirable interactions are not violent but are still not conductive to the development of a good relationship between the pets.  You can learn to watch for subtle behaviors that can signal potential problems, should the recipient of those behaviors not be able to change the course of the interaction.  In dogs these behaviors include piloerection (hair lifting on scruff, neck, or back), staring, snarling, stalking, side-by-side posturing with growling or lip lifting, and pinning the other animal by grabbing its neck.  Cats are masters or subtle threats, and their biggest nonvocal threats include a direct stare and an elevation of the rump and the base of the talk with or without piloerection.  Hissing, snarling, and pouncing are also threats but are less intimidating to many animals than the display just described.  If you believe that the new pet either is losing the contest or is terrified, or is becoming so aggressive that it might injure the original pet, separate the animals.  Do not put your hands or other body parts between the animals.  This is the single most common way in which people are injured by pets.  Use cardboard, brooms, loud noises (whistles, foghorns), or water pistols to separate the animals.  If you can identify the aggressor, banish that animal to neutral turf.  If you cannot identify one aggressor, banish every animal to different pieces of neutral turf.

If the new pet is sitting in close proximity to the other pets and everything seems to be going well, tell all the animals that they are good and give them all small food treats and petting, if they like to be petted.  This works best if you have two people so one can hold the new pet while the other deals with the other animals.  If you are working with two people, switch roles so that the new pet does not associate its rewards with only one person.  This can still be accomplished with one person by using leashes, harnesses, and crates.  Leashes can be tied to furniture or doorknobs that are at a distance that will allow the pets to sniff each other and react, but not so close as to permit them to lunge at and injure one another.  Never leave a tied pet unsupervised even for a minute; it could strangle and die.

The entire time that you are doing this exercise- and it could take hours or weeks- make sure that each pet has 5 to 10 minutes alone with you each day when all you do is pay attention to that pet.  This attention could be grooming, playing with a toy, or just petting and massage.  Make sure that he pet is happy and relaxed at these times.  If you know in advance that you are getting a new pet, you may want to establish these periods of individual attention in advance of the new arrival.  If these periods follow a regular schedule, the pets will learn to anticipate them.  It may decrease their anxiety about the new addition because they can rely on them.

Once you are able to get the pets to react to each other in a positive manner or not to react at all when restrained, remove the restraints.  Be vigilant and keep a water pistol, foghorn, air canister, or whistle with you to interrupt any dangerous situations.  If the animals are all behaving well, remember to reward them with praise and treats.

Once you have done the above, you are ready to let the animals out of your sight.  Put a bell on the new animal by sewing a bell it its collar so that you always know where it is.  This will allow you to spy on any potentially problematic interactions and to interrupt them before they create problems.  During this period when you are beginning to provide the pets with free access, remember to provide additional water dishes, litter boxes, beds, and toys so that you minimize competition an the potential for aggressive interaction.

The keys to success are patience and observation.  It is critical that the animals are not inadvertently encouraged to become hostile ore nervous in each other’s presence by well-meant but misplaced reassurance for inappropriate behaviors.  Expect that the social system may shift.  The dog that you always thought of as the “boss dog’ may not only be relegated to a lower position, but may also prefer that.  Let the animals set their own pace.  In many cases the pets never become close companions but are reasonably content leading separate lives under the same roof.  This is far more preferable to frank aggression.  Do not push the animals too hard or push for relationships they clearly do not want; this could backfire and you could undo most of the good behavior that you had achieved.

If your pets have lived in the same household but have begun to have some problems with interaction, the previously mentioned protocol can also help them (for more detailed information for dogs, see “Protocol for Dogs with Interdog Aggression”).  The pet that is the victim of the aggressive behavior should be fed, walked, and given attention before the aggressor.  This reinforces its right to some valued status.  If confinement of one pet becomes necessary, confine the aggressor in a neutral or lower quality room.  Do not confine the aggressor where it would rather spend time; this only convinces the animal that the contest is meritorious.  When you reintroduce the pets, do so gradually as described previously.  Move from introductions under controlled circumstances to ones in which the animals are being monitored from a distance.  Let their behaviors tell you when you are ready to progress.  Put a bell on the collar of the aggressor.  At the first sign of any aggressive behavior, and definitely within 30 t0 60 seconds of the onset of the behavioral progression, startle the aggressor with a foghorn, air canister, or water pistol. This means that you should not wait to startle the cat until it has pounced on the kitten, but that you startle tit as soon as it stares at the kitten.  Timing is everything.  The startle must be sufficient that the behavior is aborted but not so profound that the animal becomes terrified.  At that time reassure the victim, and after all animals have been calmed, engage them both in behaviors that are incompatible with aggression (i.e., feeding and petting).  IF the aggression persists, banish the aggressor until it is calm, and then try again.  If the aggression continues, banish the aggressor until later in the day or the next morning.

If the aggression – either between new pets or pets already in the household – continues, you can try a behavioral modification technique called “flooding”.  Done incorrectly this can be very traumatic and damaging.  Consider consulting a behavioral specialist to see if this is necessary.  It can be a wonderful last resort.  In flooding, one animal is kept confined or otherwise restrained while it is reacting inappropriately in the presence of the other animal.  It is kept in that restrained or confined situation until the level of the inappropriate reaction diminishes by at least 50%.  Obviously, you could not keep an animal on a leash for days without respite, but an aggressive animal can be crated for an extended period with food, water, toys, and litter box, if necessary, and a blanket while the other animal is either locked in a room with it or placed in a similar cage facing the aggressor.  If one animal is loose, you should realize that it could injure the caged animal or be injured by sticking its paws through the crate.  If the animals become more aggressive and upset, flooding does not work and is counterproductive and should be stopped.  Usually the effect is a positive one, and the crated aggressor realizes that the other animal also has a right to share the house. This technique is a last resort and should not be attempted without qualified advice.

Finally, pharmacological intervention may succeed where other therapies have failed.  There are many newer anxiolytics available which, when used correctly and prescribe by qualified individuals, may be useful adjuvants to behavioral and environmental modification. In very extreme cases of interanimal aggression in which all other therapies, including pharmacological, have failed, the best, kindest, and safest solute may be to place one of the animals in a new home.

 

Checklist for Introducing a New Pet to Other Household Pets

 

    1. Separate the pets when they are unsupervised.

    2. Crate one or more of the pets.

    3. Pet-proof the home.

    4. Gradually introduce the pets using food and rewards.

    5. Introduce the pets during quiet times by using leashes and harnesses.

    6. Use water pistols, air canisters, foghorns, or whistles to interrupt any aggression.

    7. Be familiar with the physical signs of impending aggression and know how to safely interrupt such behavior.

    8. Put a bell on the new animal when you are ready to introduce it to the household unsupervised.

    9. Flooding?

    10. New home?

Here is a great article written by Dr Karen Overall, a board-certified Veterinary Behaviorist

B-16 PROTOCOL FOR INTRODUCING A NEW BABY AND A PET 

The addition of a new baby to a household can upset the social environment of that household and can upset the pets in the household.  Steps can be taken to greatly reduce the probability of this happening by following the instructions below.  These instructions are primarily designed for two parent families.  However, it is possible to implement most of the instructions if only one parent is available; notations about this have been made throughout.  Please remember that no animal should be left alone unsupervised with an infant for any reason.  This is not because most animals are innately aggressive toward infants, but rather because no infant would be capable of pushing an animal away if that animal cuddles up to them either for love or for heat.  Until the child is old enough to behave absolutely appropriately with the pet (and that could be as old as 10 years of age), do not let children interact alone with the pets until you know how they will respond in those circumstances.  This protects both the child and the pet.

Step 1

Before the baby comes, get the pet used to a regular schedule that you believe is realistic and that will be kept when the infant is present.  Start the feeding and walking schedule that the animal will experience once the infant comes.  This schedule will probably be radically different than the current schedule, and it is best that they do not experience all the changes at once when the baby arrives.  Include in the schedule a 5 to 10 minute period daily when you will attend only to the pet’s needs.  This period will represent its quality time and can occur either in one bout or in two.  During this time, pet the animal, groom it, scratch it, play with toys, talk to it, massage it, and so on.  Maintain the schedule no matter what, and make it one that can be implemented in the presence of the infant.  This may necessitate setting an alarm clock 5 minutes earlier or agreeing that even if the baby cries at some point, you will not interrupt the interaction with the pet during those periods if the baby is not overly distressed and if the pet is not distressed by the child’s cries.  You might also find that this is a time you can set aside for you to relax; the grooming, massage, and conversation with the pet will help you relax.  Be realistic and do not feel guilty.  Five or 10 minutes of concentrated attention is probably more time than you give the animal as a block now.  Although everybody will have to adjust to an infant’s schedule, this is one way that you can tell the animal that it is still important to you and it counts.  Realize that if you have multiple pets, each will need at least 3 minutes of undivided attention each day.  If you have pets that get along particularly well with each other, you can certainly team them up to play with or to talk to them, but remember that the more animals you have, the more difficult it will be to give them all of the things that they need.

Step 2

Start the dog on a leash-walking schedule that you anticipate can be maintained with a baby.  Make your schedule realistic and implement it before the arrival of the child.  It would be preferable if the schedule changes could be made as early as possible before the arrival of the child.  This is a good time to consider changing the mechanism you use to walk your dog.  If you are using a choke collar or regular buckle collar and the dog does not behave properly instantaneously, now is the time to teach the dog to walk in a head halter (either a Halti, or, preferably, a Gentle Leader Promise System Canine Head Collar) or to teach it to walk on a no-pull harness (Lupi or Sporn harness).  This is the time to get the pet under control so that you are able to take the dog with you everywhere you go with the baby where dogs are welcome, and you want the dog to behave well.  In addition, you do not want to struggle with a baby in a backpack or in a stroller and a dog that is pulling.  This is potentially dangerous scenario that is potentially injurious for all three of you.  You may want the protection of the dog, the company of the dog, and the necessary exercise for the dog when you are with the baby.  A well-controlled dog will give you this.  In addition, if you are unable to take the dog everywhere you take the baby, the dog will learn that the baby has displaced it in that role in the family.  Although it is inappropriate to use terms such as jealousy when discussing the manner in which the pet treats the baby, any dog or cat will realize that it is not getting the same amount of attention.  Pets will also realize that this attention has been transferred to another individual.  This phenomenon could then promote attention-seeking behaviors that are designed to be competitive with the attention the infant is now getting.  The more often you can exercise the dog (or cat, if the cat enjoys the exercise) with the child, the better everybody’s relationship will be.  As soon as you learn that an infant will be arriving, obtain and learn to use a device such as the Gentle Leader Promise System Canine Head Collar, a Halti, or a no-pull harness.

Step 3

Again, before the baby arrives, allow the pet to explore the baby’s sleeping and diaper changing area.  For the same reasons discussed previously, you do not wish to wholly exclude the dog from every place the baby will be.  These areas will provide smells that are interesting to the dog or cat.  Let the dog or cat become familiar with them.  You will be using baby powder, lotions, diapers, and baby objects before you have the baby.  Let he do or cat become accustomed to these by sniffing and even pawing or nosing at them.

If the dog or cat tries to drag any baby items off, correct it by telling it “No” and asking the animal to relinquish the object.  If you are unable to get the dog to relinquish the object, now is the time to start teaching the dog more appropriate manners, such as “sit,” “stay,” “drop,” “down,” “take it,” and “drop it.”  If your dog cannot do these before the arrival of the baby, you will have serious management problems.  Now is the time, when you have some time, to address them.  It is insufficient to say that your dog has been to an obedience class if the dog still does not respond to you instantaneously for vocal command.  Mechanisms for teaching dogs these types of behaviors are discussed in the “Protocol for Deference: Basic Program” and “Protocol for Relaxation: Behavior Modification Tier 1.”

Do not let the pet make a habit of sleeping in or on any of the baby’s furniture.  It will only seem like a further correction when you do not allow the pet to do so once the baby arrives.  Do let the animal become familiar with the area.

If your pet has had toys that are stuffed animals that may look just like infant or baby toys, expect that the pet will think that it can play with the baby’s toys.  If you are willing to wash these, there is nothing wrong for a health standpoint; however, the big problem will be that the dog may round up and take all of the infant’s toys.  As the baby ages, the dog may drag the toys from the baby’s hand.  Babies can be unintentionally, but tragically, injured under such circumstances.  It may be preferable to shift the dog to toys that do not closely resemble the toys the baby may have.  Such toys can have different scents or different sounds associated with them.  If your dog can “sit” and “stay” and take an object and “drop it” at your request now, you can use that behavior to teach both the baby and the dog how to interact appropriately with each other later in life.

Step 4

When the baby is born, have your spouse (or whomever is caring for the pet at that time) take home some articles of clothing that the baby has used.  This will teach the animal not only that these new clothing smells are part of its new repertoire, but also that there is an infant involved.  Allow the pet to smell these items.  Leave the around the house.

It is also best to make arrangements for the pet to be cared for in you r home in advance of the arrival of the infant.  Advance notice is good because the animal will be rushed around in a surprising manner, left with strangers, and shifted quickly from one place to another, only to return home to discover the infant.  It is preferable to have the dog watched for in your home because this decreases the dog’s stress level.  A dog, especially if it does not like being in a kennel or has never been kenneled, may become more anxious and fearful when removed to the kennel.  The pet can learn to associate the advent of this fear and anxiety with the advent of a new arrival.

Step 5

When the baby comes home, you will need help.  Someone, whether or not he or she is your spouse, should hold the baby while you go in to greet the animals.  You have been missing from the household while either having or going to meet the baby, and the pets will have missed you.  You should be able to greet and pay attention to the animals without having to tell them to go away and without having to risk them inadvertently knocking you over or scratching the baby.  If you have a dog that jumps, the dog should be put in another room until everything is calm and you can get inside to greet it.  You may want to introduce any jumping doges or dogs that are difficult to control or exuberant to the rest of the family on a leash if it provides more control, but first you should greet the dog or cat exuberantly.  Remember, you have been gone and that is potentially scary for pets.  After the greeting process, the baby should be held by someone else and kept out of the way. When you are ready to start to introduce the pets to the new baby, harnesses and leashes can be very helpful. Introductions should only be begun once all pets are already quiet and calm and everything is back to a more normal situation. This could take 15 to 30 minutes.  During this time the pets might be curious about eh baby, but they must first calm down fro the earlier rambunctious mode.

Step 6

Once the initial pandemonium has ceased, you are ready to start formally introducing the pets to the new baby.  Your spouse, or a friend who is helping you, should sit comfortably on the couch with the baby.  You can then be responsible for controlling and monitoring the pet.  The pet should e able to smell the baby and explore.  Pets should be leashed or otherwise restrained in case they make any sudden aggressive (or even nonaggressive) movements toward the baby.  If your pet is fearful of the baby, talk to the pet gently, rub it, massage it, and encourage it to smell the infant.  Do not hold or dangle the child in front of the pet.  This could cause the pet to lunge.  It is a wholly inappropriate and potentially dangerous behavior.  The animals and the baby will get used to each other on their own terms; certainly, any infant that is dangling over a pet is in an abnormal social circumstance.  If you are alone, you can put a harness on the pet and tie the harness to solid, stationary pieces of furniture with a leash.  If you do this, you can then sit down at a distance where the pet can sniff the infant but not lunge.  You can still verbally reward the pet while enforcing this safe distance.

Remember to be calm at all times.  Although one lick might be acceptable, you should be able to tell the animal to stop instantly. If the animal is unable to respond to a verbal correction, licking is not acceptable.  IF the animal hisses or growls at the infant, you must be able to verbally correct those behaviors.  If not, take the animal and put it in another room until it is cal.  As soon as it is calm, you can try this again in the same circumstances.  Do not reassure the pets that it is “okay” and that “Mommy” and “Daddy” still love the pet, an aggressive behavior toward an infant is not okay.  The animal must learn that if it wants favorable attention from you, it must behave in a favorable manner toward the newest addition to the family.

If you have trouble getting the animal to calm down or getting it to respond to a verbal correction (this might be particularly true with cats), you can try using a water pistol. Squirt the animal as it begins to hiss or look aggressive.  Remember that cats that take showers will not respond quickly to water, and you may have to use a higher power water pistol or one that has a small amount of lemon juice or vinegar added to the water in it.  Remember that the point of any correction is to startle the animal so that it aborts the behavior, and you can then reinforce a more appropriate behavior.  The point of these corrections is not to terrify the animal.  In fact, terrifying the animal or brutally punishing the pet will grossly misfire and will teach the animal that any time the infant is present horrible things happen.  Corrections are best done in the first 30 seconds of the beginning of the behavioral sequence, and that behavioral sequence usually starts with a look.  Cats’ eyes usually become huge, the ears are moved back, the hair is up, the cat might arch its back, duck its neck, and retract its lips or sound nasty.  Please do not wait for a pounce or a swat to correct any animal.

Step 7

When there is only one spouse at home with the infant during the first few weeks, pets should be restrained or confined in the presence of an infant.  It is impossible for you to be sitting on the couch, ministering to a baby, and prevent a pet attack if the situation arises.  The key is to avoid any aggression or any circumstance in which the pet might be unsure of what the appropriate behavior would be.  If the pet is a dog, it can be leashed at a distance with either a head halter or a harness or, if the dog does not pull, a neck collar.  The animal can still be close to the baby and the client can pet it, but the dog cannot lunge and reach the baby.  Baby gates also work well for some dogs.  If the dog is prone to run through baby gates, a new baby is a potent stimulus.  If you are tying the animal, make sure that the full extent of the animal’s reach, including the extent of the neck and head, is at least one dog length away from the child.  This is because you will invariably be nursing the baby, typing on a computer, and the fax machine and the doorbell will ring at the same time. Any dog that is problematic may wait for a moment when your guard is lowered to lunge at he baby.  Cats are more difficult, but many cats adjust well to leashes and harnesses; otherwise, many cats do not object to being banished from the room for short periods of time.

Step 8

If, after 3 weeks or so, the pet accepts the baby with no untoward behavior it can be unleashed. Regardless, the pet still needs to be closely supervised and observed.  It is best if one spouse tends to the pet while the other tends to the baby.  It is important that if two people are to share caretaking duties and the responsibility for reinforcing appropriate behavior, that one person does not always reinforce the dog.  Sharing and trading off the attention for the dog and the baby is critical for both people so that the dog learns to associate the warm, loving environment with everybody.  For dogs that do not respond well to voice commands and for whom the baby is a strong stimulus, the dog should never be alone with the child, even in passing, until the child can fend for himself or herself.  In many cases that dog should not be along with the child if only adult is available until the dog can be taught to react more appropriately to the child.  Please do not believe that t muzzle could protect an infant or a young child from damage from a dog.  Muzzles may prevent bites, but the do not dissuade the dog from lunging and pushing on the child.  Infants and young children are particularly susceptible to crush injuries and, in many cases, skulls have been fractured by a dog that lands on a child in play without the intention to do damage.

Step 9

If the pets do not pose a hazard (tripping, falling, jumping, grabbing) and they are truly just being social, there is no reason, once they are accustomed to the new baby, that they cannot accompany the parent around the house and be with the baby while he or she is being changed, bathed, and so on.  In fact, this helps facilitate the future interaction between the child and the pet and may help the child become a kinder, more humane individual by learning age-appropriate pet behavior.  Regardless, any dog so treated should be very responsive to voice commands so that no struggle should ever ensure in getting the dog to comply wit ha desired behavior.

Step 10

Under no circumstance should any pet be allowed to sleep in a room with an unattended infant or young child.  Use a baby monitor, an intercom, or a room monitor, and close the door. Predatory tendencies are far less of a concern than is the fact that the dog or cat could inadvertently smother a child.  The amount of guilt associated with a tragedy would be unbearable for both the new parent and for the pet.

Step 11

If the pet is aggressive or frightened around the child, you should start exposing the pet to children very gradually.  Go back to Steps 5 and 6.  Such pets must be supervised in all interactions with children.  Remember that even muzzled animals can harm infants.  Predatory aggression is the most common from of aggression shown by dogs to very young infants, whereas aggression caused by pain or fear is frequently associated with the older children (18 to 36 months of age).  These children are often uncoordinated and may inadvertently hurt a pet by their play or their ambulatory capabilities.  Older pets that may be arthritic or that have painful hips or shoulders are particularly at risk, as are those with chronic ear conditions.  These are areas that children frequently grab.  Young children should be taught to treat pets gently: no pulling, no tugging, and no pounding on them.  Again, this is especially important if the pet is old, ill, or arthritic because any dog that is in pain may use a bite as its only defense against a rambunctious child.

Finally, there has been a well-documented link between animal abuse and child abuse.  Children who abuse animals will progress to abuse of other individuals and will abuse their own children in the future.  In turn, many children who are abused will abuse pets.  If your child has a problem complying with age-specific, appropriate, humane, and gentle handling conditions of pets, it could be that the child has a problem or has observed this behavior from friends.  If so, this potential problem should be explored.  On the very positive side, appropriate pet-child behavior can be a wonderful experience and can help make the children more humane and socially well-adjusted.

Here is a great article written by Dr Karen Overall, a board-certified Veterinary Behaviorist

PROTOCOL FOR CHOOSING COLLARS, HEAD COLLARS, AND HARNESSES

IDENTIFICATION

One of the main objectives that collars accomplish is identification. All cats and dogs should be labeled. There are three main ways to do this, and they are not exclusive: (1) tags on a collar provide information about the client (name, address, and phone number), veterinarian (primarily the phone number), and vaccination status (current rabies vaccine); (2) tattoos in ears or on thighs; or (3) microchipping. Tattoos are usually comprised of the client’s Social Security number (in the United States) or some code and require at least sedation to execute. The dog or cat then usually wears another tag on its collar indicating the telephone number to call should the animal be separated from its people and need to find its way home. Microchipping is becoming more broadly available, but in Europe and the United Kingdom the systems are less standardized then they are in the United States. Microchips are easy to install but require the widespread availability of microchip readers. Long term effects of an implanted, digitally coded device have not been fully evaluated, but the risks appear small in preliminary tests. The general principle behind microchips is that a number is displayed when the chip is scanned and ownership data can be obtained by calling a central depot. The animal generally but not always wears a tag that indicates that a chip has been implanted. The chips are radioopaque, meaning that they will be displayed on a radiograph or x-ray film. Whatever method is chosen, two factors should be certain: (1) the tags are current, and (2) they are on a collar that fits comfortably. The latter means that the collar is either a breakaway collar through which one or two fingers can slip comfortably or  that the collar is sufficiently snug to stay on the animal if it tilts its head, but should the collar become entangled, the animal can pull its head out of the collar. If clients are not cautious about the fit of collars, animals can strangle or collars can become imbedded in their skin, resulting in morbidity or mortality. Breakaway collars are particularly important for cats, who have elevated squeezing their bodies into small places into an art form.

All animals should be labeled. If they are lost or stolen, it may be their only hope of getting home again. If the township or county in which the pet lives requires a license tag, this could be the only thing that saves the pet from impoundment, quarantine, or destruction.

CONTROL

Collars and harnesses are used primarily for control of dogs, but a few words about harnesses and leashes for cats may be helpful.

Cats should be restrained when they go to the veterinarian and, if they are indoor cats, when they are outside. They should also be restrained in a car so they do not become projectile. Placing them in a crate can accomplish this, but more freedom and exercise can be an excellent idea. All kittens should be fitted with a harness so that they can be encouraged to explore the world. A harness is preferable to a collar because, fitted correctly, it will not injure the cat and the cat cannot slip out of it. The younger the cat is when the client fits it with a harness, the easier it will be to accustom the cat to it.  Once the harness is on the cat, it should be taken for trips in cars, on walks, and for visits to the veterinarian. These activities should occur frequently; they will pay off later when the cat needs care that requires tractability. If the cat can safely be taken outside, the cat’s life and the interaction between the cat and client will be enriched.

BUCKLE COLLARS
Buckle collars can be good to accustom young puppies or kittens to leashes but should not be relied on for control of any animal. Any animals that walks calmly and without resistance when on a leash that is attached to a buckle collar is not doing so because of the collar. These animals are exquisitely behaved despite the collar. Any animal that pulls or lunges while on a buckle needs another type of restraint or training device. Buckle collars-provided that they break away or can slip off, if caught-should be fitted to all animals so that tags or embroidered identification can always accompany the pet. This means that they are used in addition to, not instead of, other devices.

CHOKER COLLARS

Dogs are routinely fitted with devices such as choker collars as part of a training program. Choker collars are usually either made from chain or a rolled, braided nylon. When used correctly, choker collars are actually one of the best examples of true negative reinforcement: when the dog pulls, the collar tightens and either the sound or the pressure indicates that the dog has engaged in an undesirable behavior; when the dog stops, that pressure is released (and in the case of a chain, the sound of slippage occurs) and the dog is unimpeded. It is the release from the negative stimulus (the tightening of the collar) that is the reward. Unfortunately, most people do not use choke collars correctly; to do so requires a lot of work and patience. Instead, many dogs “choke” when chokers are used. When they are allowed to pull on the collar and permitted to sustain the pull, these dogs learn to override the choker. In doing so they are also at risk for laryngeal, esophageal, and ocular damage (damage in the blood vessels in they eye). Despite still being the preferred and, in some cases, the required form of restraint in a show ring, choke collars are an idea whose time may have passed. When clients can overcome their own misconceptions about how the collars look or what they mean, they will, with ever-increasing frequency, choose a head collar or a no-pull harness for their dog. When used correctly the devices are safer, easier to use, and help teach the dog better behaviors. They are a winning solution that could and perhaps should eclipse the choker.

HEAD COLLARS

Head collars are very much like horse halters. They act as a basket that holds the dog’s cheeks and jaws and stay on the dog by fastening high on the back of the neck. Generally, at least one strap fits over the bridge of the dog’s nose and one fits over the back of the neck. The leash in attached in the middle of the halter to the nose strap, but under the chin. This is how a lead is attached to a horse halter but is a major change for many people who are accustomed to attaching a leash directly to something around a dog’s neck. The two major versions of the head collar are the Halti (Safari Whitco, Bohemia, NY) and the Gentle Leader/Promise System Canine Head Collar (Premier Pet Products, Richmond, VA) The Halti is intended to be fitted with a second collar because it fits loosely. It also cannot be tightened to prohibit biting by pulling forward, but it fits some very jowly breeds well and snugly. The Gentle Leader/Promise System Canine Head Collar gives most dogs a better fit, requires no second collar, and can be used with a leash to correct inappropriate behaviors and prohibit biting.

Head collars are wonderful for most dogs. They spare the dog’s larynx and esophagus and thus are an ideal choice for dogs with laryngeal damage, tracheal collapse, or cervical (neck) damage involving disks, bones, nerves, or muscles. Head collars also ride high on the back of the dog’s neck so that when the leash is pulled forward or the dog pulls in the direction opposite to that of the leash, this part of the collar tightens a bit and applies a small amount of steady pressure on the area of the upper neck near the head.  Not only is this generally very safe, but also this pressure uses the same kind of signal that dogs communicate to other dogs when they wish to control them or stop them. Thus when the dog is corrected with a leash, the head collar communicates a “doggy” signal to the dog to stop. No translation is necessary, and the response is quick. For clients who are already working with a behavior modification program, this type of helpful, kind device can be a godsend. If the dog has a mouthing or biting problem, the Gentle Leader/Promise System Canine Head Collar can be gently pulled forward to firmly, safely, securely, and humanely close the dog’s mouth. When used correctly the collar cannot injure the dog and will allow the client to control most of the dog’s behaviors and stop the dog from biting.

The leverage provided by a head collar allows children and people with arthritis to walk even unruly dogs- and to enjoy it. If dog’s get more exercise they are calmer; if people enjoy being with their pets more, they will become more motivated to work with them. Head collars provide a win-win situation and are increasingly becoming the collar of first choice for a puppy. They are certainly appropriate for all life stages and have another advantage over chokers; they encourage humane behavior from people. We can use all the kindness and humanity we can learn.

As is true for any device, injury can occur if these collars are used incorrectly. The most common complaint about head collars involves loose-lipped dogs that chew on their lips because the nose piece of the collar fits too tightly. Hair on the nose can also be damaged if this occurs. A good fit is important, and some practice might be needed to determine the best adjustment of the neck strap and the nose strap.  Dogs fitted with head collars should be able to comfortably eat, drink, pant, and even bark and bite, if not corrected. These are not muzzles, they are not rubber bands around the dog’s nose, and they are not cruel or inhumane. They are great. Now that these heads collars are available in designer colors, people should accept them more readily.

NO-PULL HARNESSES

No-pull harnesses fit under the dog’s front legs and loop over he dog’s shoulders so that when the dog pulls, its front legs are pulled back and it slows its pace. The two main versions of these harnesses are the Lupi (Safari Whitco, Bohemia, NY) and the Sporn or No-Pull Harness (Four Paws Products Ltd., Hauppauge, NY). The No-Pull Harness has a special collar that is sewn with two different-sized metal tabs. The loose, leashlike part of the harness fits through one of the loops, under and around the legs, and is attached to the other loops, under the neck, with a clasp. The leash is then attached to the loose part of the harness over the dog’s back. The back part of the harness can be tightened for a better, more responsive, fit. The Lupi does not use any clasps or tabs but relies on a system of concentric loops that are fitted around the dog’s front legs and over its back. The leash is then affixed to the back portion, which slips to tighten if the dog pulls. The Lupi is easier to fit to very hairy dogs or for people whose hands are very arthritic. Both of these fitting patterns sound complex and like topological puzzles. They are not. Once clients have the devices in their hands, the fit becomes self-explanatory.

Such harnesses are wonderful for dogs that pull or lunge. These are not appropriate to fit to dogs whose biggest problem is biting because they do not control the dog’s mouth or head. Furthermore, reaching around the dog’s head and neck to fit these harnesses could be dangerous if the dog is aggressive to people.

When fitted correctly these harnesses easily allow children or people with arthritis to pleasurably and calmly walk their dogs. These harnesses, like head collars, spare the dog’s neck so that dogs, even if they have laryngeal, tracheal, esophageal, or spinal problems, can be safely exercised.

Caution is urged against fitting no-pull harnesses too tightly; too tight a fit could impede circulation in the dog’s front leg. Fortunately, this is difficult to accomplish.