Caring for Our 4-Legged Soulmates
Dr. Pfister’s dog, Mocha
Wow, did you enjoy the sun yesterday? That was the extremely large glowing orange body in the Southern sky, in case you weren’t exactly sure what you were witnessing…
Having been born and raised here, one kind of gets used to the lake-effect clouds during December and January and usually into February. So when we get a beautiful day like yesterday, wow, you just feel grateful to be alive and you want to be outside hiking or just walking with your best friend and absorbing all the Vitamin D you can. And as we talked about last week, one of your best friends may well be your dog.
As I mentioned last week, we all have our own instincts that we know what our dogs are thinking or feeling. But can we ever be sure?
Recently, scientists at Emory University and Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest have been neuroimaging canine brains to understand the “why” behind canine social behavior and reactions. They have actually found that the dog owner’s scent sparks the “reward center” of their brain. And with all the various overwhelming scents that are floating around, dogs actually prioritize that of humans over variables. And when vocal sounds were mapped in dog’s brains, a particular “happy” sound would light up the auditory cortex in both dogs and humans. No wonder we feel such a bond with our dogs! They are physically wired to pick up our every mood and especially subtle changes.
In addition to sound and smell, dogs use sight as the third information gathering sense. In their studies, scientists also found that dogs are the only non-primate animals to look people in the eyes. Dr. Attila Andics, neuroscientist and lead author from the Budapest study, discovered that dogs seek out eye contact from people but not from their biological dog parents! He also went on to say that, with recent advances in brain imaging, scientists are able to see evidence of “love” for humans in the canine brain.
According to several of his studies, dogs rely on humans more than they do their own kind for everything from protection to affection. Phew, that is a lot to think about and will probably change the way you look at your dog next time. Sure changed mine!
Since dogs are so dependent on us, let’s look at how the four pillars of human health also play an important role in canine health.
The easiest of the four pillars is sleep and most dogs that I know get enough of that. Hydration (another pillar) is critical, both in winter and summer, especially if the dog lives outside. Once the water freezes, it is not in a consumable form for the canine and dry cold air dehydrates quicker than heat. Exercise (a third pillar), as with humans, keeps their bodies in top condition by utilization of their musculature, strengthening of their skeletons by muscular tension, and proper oxygen utilization through cardiovascular usage.
Eukanuba, Bil-Jac, Purina - all of the top dog food companies - have spent enormous amounts of time and energy over the years to provide a dog food that, best said by Paul Iams, creator of Eukanuba, is based on the “whole dog philosophy.” That is, by studying how the circulatory, muscular, digestive, and respiratory systems work together, a dog’s nutrition (the fourth pillar) can be customized to the specific breed, performance needs, and be age-specific.
Yes, I am a biology major and I went to college and I’ve studied all of the above named systems in the human body, so I felt I had a pretty good idea on how to feed my first dog years ago. Boy was I wrong! And today, it’s even more of a jungle in the nutritional aisles of pet stores. I’m not even going to touch on-line services.
Enter the wisdom of a canine veterinarian…
Puppies will eat anything! Checking their stools or vomit will prove that in short order. And a good number of edibles around the house can and will kill a dog! If it doesn’t kill them, it will make them very sick.
The best advice I ever got after getting a puppy was to establish a relationship with a Vet. They will help you establish proper diets for your specific pup to get peak performance, maximum years, and maximum love from the relationship. I have had dogs on death’s doorstep with pancreatitis, chewed up parts from negative encounters with wild critters, or even swallowing more socks than a GI tract can handle.
When you look into those eyes and feel absolutely helpless to save your best friend, who is looking back and slipping, don’t tell me how expensive a veterinarian is. I’ll tell you… they are priceless. Until you have stayed up all night with a dying dog, you have no idea what a blessing a Vet can be.
I’ll end this article with a spin-off from Ben Franklin’s sage advice that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” (in the form of recommended yearly shots for a dog in Northern Ohio).
The American Veterinary Medical Association recommends biannual visits for early detection of something going south that should be corrected, along with nail trimming and gland expressing.
Vaccines go as: Bordetella and Lepto 4, influenza if exposed to other dogs - every year. Rabies, distemper, hepatitis, corona - every 3 years. Lyme vaccine is a must for outside dogs in Ohio, especially now that the tick that carries Lyme disease is fairly prevalent in Ohio. The disease is difficult to differentially diagnose, so prevention is the best bet.
Heartworm, flea, and tick prevention is also recommended yearlong due to the fact that ticks are active above 40 degree temperatures. An annual fecal exam to screen for energy-robbing intestinal parasites is also highly recommended.
(Of course, check with your Vet on all these items. The last thing you need is an orthodontist trying to be a Vet!)
Well there you have it! Yes, that four-legged furry ball of love and affection depends on us to protect him or her from a myriad of afflictions - some accidental, some self-inflicted.
Either way, the decision to bring a dog into the family carries with it responsibilities and costs. Like bringing a child into the world, caring for a pet is a labor of love not to be taken lightly! I’d like to thank Dr. Kim Davey of Medina Animal Medical Center and Dr. Kelly Parker of Medina Veterinary Clinic for their medical expertise on the writing of this article and the love they have given my Labs!
Stay healthy Medina County. And don’t forget to keep your four-legged soulmates healthy too.
- Dr. Pfister