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Canine and Feline Enrichment
Many of the behavior problems we see in our pets are the result of simple boredom. How long would you last if you were deprived of social, physical, and mental stimulation every day? Dogs and cats in the wild spend their day exploring, hunting, playing, and even interacting with other animals. They are much busier than our companion animals. There is a whole big world out there for them to explore. We are definitely not recommending that you leave your pet outside or allow them to run the neighborhood. What we are recommending is enriching your pet’s life.
 Providing a variety of different things to do is the key. Most dogs and cats have baskets full of toys. To keep the toys more interesting to your pet, try keeping only two to three toys out at once and rotate the toys daily or weekly. Treat-dispensing toys can provide hours of entertainment for both dogs and cats. Be sure to get age- and talent-appropriate toys. Frustrating your pet is not going to enrich their life. Cats love wand-type toys, but make sure they get a chance to actually catch the toy. (Monitor play with this type of toy at all times. Cats will sometimes ingest the feathers or stuffed ball and/or the string possibly resulting in intestinal blockage.) Many cats enjoy watching videos designed specifically to entertain cats. The video has closeups of birds and little critters running around. A fish tank can provide hours of entertainment for both dogs and cats. Cats and some dogs like to chase a laser pointer but can get frustrated at not being able to catch it. Do not shine the laser light directly at your pet as the light can damage their eyes.
Hiding food or treats around the house can keep your pet busy searching for a snack. Cats (and some dogs) love empty boxes and paper bags, with or without a treat reward. (Remember to watch the calories. You can use a portion of their daily kibble as rewards rather than additional treats.) Cats can be trained to walk on a harness and will enjoy checking out other parts of the neighborhood with the family. Dogs appreciate taking a different route on their daily walk with all the new sights and smells. Places to sit inside and watch the outside world go by can help pass the time for both dogs and cats. Try placing bird feeders near windows where cats sit to bring the entertainment closer.
Check your favorite pet store or online pet store for interactive toys. Think creatively to modify your pet’s environment and make it interesting, fun, and safe. Mental stimulation is essential for our four-legged companions.
View this YouTube video to watch a very happy and entertained cat.
Anxiety Wrap
This is thunderstorm season in Central Ohio. Many of our pets suffer severely every time the thunder rumbles. Their urge to get away from the frightening storm can result in damage to your home. Occasionally an animal will injure themselves in the attempt. There are several options available to try to reduce your pet’s stress response. One we haven’t talked much about is the Anxiety Wrap. It can be used in both dogs and cat and is used for much more than thunderstorm phobias. It can help with problems like jumping, barking, destructive chewing, shyness, grooming issues, car sickness, aggresiveness, and more. The Anxiety Wrap concept uses a technique called maintained  pressure which has been used in humans for years. We have sensory receptors in our skin, muscles, and organs that send signals to the brain about what is going on. The brain responds by sending out a message to whichever part of the body needs to respond to the stimulation - just like getting too close to a hot stove. Your sensory receptors recognize the heat, they warn the brain of the impending danger, and then the brain tells your muscles to withdraw from the stove. In anxious animals, the brain tries to initiate the fight or flight response, but there is no way for the animal to get away from the frightening stimulus. This puts the animal into a severe stress situation that often results in unwanted and possibly destructive behavior. The Anxiety Wrap concept uses a technique called maintained pressure that has been used in humans for years. It calms the sensory receptors in the skin and muscles through pressure. Reports from pet owners who use the Anxiety Wrap have shown it to be very effective for a variety of behavioral problems.
“Puppy Mills”
May 3rd through May 9th 2009 is Be Kind to Animals week. In 1915 the American Humane Association designated a week in May to raise awareness for humane treatment of companion animals and to celebrate the unique bond between animals and humans. Be Kind to Animals Week is the perfect time to discuss “puppy mills”. These are large scale, commercial dog breeding operations where profit is more important than compassionate pet care. These dogs are generally housed in overcrowded, unsanitary facilities and are often denied veterinary care, proper nutrition, and essential socialization. Their cages frequently have wire floors in order to decrease the need for cleaning. Wire floors are very hard on dog’s feet. These wire-floored cages are often stacked from floor to ceiling so that the dog on top is the only one that won’t get urinated or defecated on multiple times each day. Grooming is not provided so long-haired dogs become severely matted and tangled. Sometimes these animals are housed in dark, unventilated buildings and sometimes they are housed outside without protection against bad weather. Females are bred as often as possible until they are so physically worn out that they are unable to conceive. Then these dogs are inhumanely killed as they are no longer able to “earn their keep”.
“Puppy mill” puppies are typically sold to pet stores. They regularly come with eye disorders,  musculoskeletal disorders, heart conditions, liver conditions, epilepsy, etc. These puppies are often ill with external and internal parasites, upper respiratory infections, heartworm disease, chronic diarrhea, parvovirus, even distemper. They suffer from a severe lack of socialization with humans and are often very fearful.
What can you do to help stop “puppy mills”?
- First and foremost, do not buy a pet from a pet store. (You can easily pay as much for a pet store puppy, often with falsified registration papers, as you would for a puppy from a responsible breeder.)
- Ask questions of pet store employees regarding the identity of the breeders they work with to let them know the public is watching.
- Don’t buy a puppy from a breeder that won’t show you their breeding facility and the mother of the litter you are considering.
- Don’t buy a puppy online. You have no control at all over where these dogs come from and there is always the possibility of a scam.
- Support the work of your local humane organizations through donations and/or volunteering.
In an article of the May/June 2009 issue of Bark magazine about a raid on a “puppy mill” in Washington state, the words of Sydney Cicourel, a volunteer (and adopter of a dog previously taken from a “puppy mill”), truly expressed it best. “They all have this spiritless persona. They’re like ghosts; they look right through you. They’re empty and broken. It’s one of the most gut-wrenching things I’ve ever seen.”
“Swine flu”
So far there have been no cases of the H1N1, or swine flu, virus infecting any dogs or cats worldwide. The veterinary industry will continue to monitor the virus closely for a mutation possibly making it contagious to our pets.
Congratulations Kathy
Kathy Baldy, a long-time employee of East Hilliard Veterinary Services ran and completed her first ever half-marathon. She ran at the Capital City Half-Marathon on May 2nd here in Columbus. She said she felt pretty good at the end and may try another one some day.
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