While dogs can eat chocolate in controlled quantities, it is better for them to steer clear of chocolate consumption. Learn about how much chocolate is safe for your dogs and how you can help them manage the threat of chocolate poisoning. 

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Our canine pals are good models for human psychiatric disorders, study argues

From SCIENCE.ORG 17 MAR 2022 BYTESS JOOSSE

My family’s dog Teddy, a wide-eyed, brown and white spaniel, was a nervous wreck when a thunderstorm rolled in. To calm his shaking and panting, the vet prescribed him lorazepam, a benzodiazepine marketed as Ativan that’s also used to treat anxiety in humans.

Lorazepam is just one of many drugs that dogs and humans take for similar psychiatric problems. Canine compulsive behavior resembles human obsessive-compulsive disorder, for example, and impulsivity or inattention in dogs can resemble attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in us. The risk for these conditions can even be influenced by the same sets of genes. Indeed, a new study based on a survey of dog owners suggests we’re so similar to our canine companions that dogs can—and should—be used to better understand human mental health.

“Dogs are probably the closest model to humans you’re going to get,” says Karen Overall, an animal behaviorist at University of Prince Edward Island, who was not involved with the work.

Many psychologists group human personality into five “factors”: extraversion, neuroticism, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness. These traits can be influenced by genetics and can affect a person’s mental health—especially neuroticism, or the tendency to feel negative emotions such as distress and sadness. Research has shown neurotic personalities are more vulnerable to depression or anxiety, whereas traits such as conscientiousness and agreeableness protect against these disorders.

Any dog owner will tell you that our canine pals have distinct personalities just like you and me. Some are bold and others are cautious; some are lazy and others are highly active.

Milla Salonen, a canine researcher at the University of Helsinki, and other researchers have proposed seven personality factors for grouping dogs: insecurity, energy, training focus, aggressiveness/dominance, human sociability, dog sociability, and perseverance. Some of these factors overlap with those in people, Salonen explains. Insecurity in dogs parallels neuroticism in humans, for example.

Twenty years ago, Overall and other experts began to suggest the dog be used as a model for human psychiatry. The same types of mental illness don’t occur naturally in rodents; researchers have to induce them.

In the new study, Salonen and her colleagues wanted to assess how a pooch’s personality might impact its behavior and how this compares with what’s seen in humans. So they devised a 63-question survey for dog owners. It asked about an animal’s health and history, fears, sensitivity to noises, separation anxiety, impulsivity and inattention, and aggression toward humans or other dogs.

Owners used a sliding scale to rate statements like “My dog barks when meeting a stranger,” “My dog hides when she hears fireworks,” or “My dog appears to be ‘sorry’ after she has done something wrong.”

The scientists sent the survey to the homes of 11,360 Finnish dogs from 52 breeds, comprising everything from mastiffs to Jack Russell terriers. They grouped the responses for each dog into the seven canine personality traits. Then they used a set of equations to assess whether dogs that tended to have the same personality traits also shared common unwanted behaviors.

The team found that in dogs, like in humans, personality closely correlates with behaviors. In particular, pups with an “insecure” personality were more likely to exhibit all of the surveyed unwanted behaviors (such as the aversion to strangers, or fear of fireworks), Salonen and her colleagues report in Translational Psychiatry.

“This is quite similar to neuroticism and anxiety in humans,” Salonen explains. Other personality traits were also implicated. Dogs with a low training focus were more likely to have impulsive behaviors such as fidgeting or abandoning tasks quickly, resembling symptoms of attention deficit disorders in humans.

It can be hard for dog owners to provide a clear-eyed assessment of their pet’s problems in survey studies, says Emma Grigg, an animal behaviorist at the University of California, Davis. “How you’re asking the questions is so important,” and respondents can still misconstrue their dog’s behaviors even in the most carefully worded surveys, she says. “But this is a well-done paper with a lot of data.”

The researchers say their results could be used study the genetic basis of psychiatric disorders. Dogs are well suited for genetic research, as they’re nearly genetically identical within breed groups, Salonen says. Looking at the genes of a certain breed that is known to be more insecure or less focused might reveal genetic factors underlying anxiety or attention deficit disorders in both dogs and humans.

But the scientists acknowledge most dog owners just care about keeping their pet happy, healthy, and safe. If your dog barks a lot or is scared of strangers, “that doesn’t necessarily mean that they have serious issues,” Overall says. She suggests taking your pup to a specialist if you’re really worried about its behavior—just like we did with Teddy, who can now make it calmly through a summer storm.

By Greg CimaMarch 17, 2022

Cornell University scientists warn that some commercial dog foods may contain too much copper, which can increase the risk of liver disease for all dogs but particularly in certain breeds.

Food and Drug Administration officials are considering evidence regarding whether the concentrations in dog food could be harmful.

Dr. Sharon A. Center is an emeritus professor of internal medicine at Cornell’s College of Veterinary Medicine, where she specializes in liver disease. She said chronic consumption of excess copper can lead to copper-associated hepatopathy, signs of which include abdominal swelling, decreased appetite, diarrhea, increased thirst and urination, jaundice, lethargy, and vomiting.

A veterinarian who is monitoring a pet’s liver enzymes can identify increased alanine aminotransferase as an early sign of the disease, she said, but confirmation requires a liver biopsy. Treatments with chelation can cost several thousand dollars, and affected dogs need to permanently switch to copper-restricted diets.

In a January 2022 announcement from the Cornell veterinary college, Dr. Center said that copper-associated hepatopathy is no longer just a disease of predisposed breeds, such as Labrador Retrievers or Doberman Pinschers, but a potential problem for any dog with a sustained excess of dietary copper.

She also is the lead author of a related commentary article in the Feb. 15, 2021, issue of JAVMA, along with collaborators from Cornell, Colorado State University, Tufts University, the University of Cambridge, and Veterinary Specialty Hospital of San Diego. That article describes rising hepatic copper concentrations in dogs during the past 20 years, associations between elevated concentrations and inflammatory disease, and a shift among pet food manufacturers away from mixing copper oxide into dog food in favor of more bioavailable forms such as copper sulfate.

Dr. Center said in an interview that she hopes to raise awareness among veterinarians, regulators, and pet food producers, and she is encouraging the FDA and the Association of American Feed Control Officials to consider setting upper limits on copper in canine diets rather than only minimum concentrations.

Dr. Joseph J. Wakshlag, a professor of clinical nutrition and of sports medicine and rehabilitation at Cornell, has collaborated with Dr. Center in examining the risks of copper in canine diets. He said the current copper minimums were set to guard against deficiency, and he noted that dog foods sold in the European Union recently became subject to copper limits.

Officials with the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine said in response to questions that they have been reviewing scientific literature regarding the role and amount of copper in dog foods for the past year.

Anne Norris, spokesperson for the CVM, said the FDA has received some reports of dogs that developed liver disease with suspected links to excess dietary copper. Those complaints have been uncommon, and evidence suggests some dog breeds have genetic predispositions for diseases that affect their ability to metabolize copper.

“The FDA has been reviewing the relevant facts and current scientific literature to assess whether regulatory intervention is appropriate,” she said. “As part of its assessment, FDA scientists are looking at the level of copper in the food, the physiology of the particular animal the food is intended for, how much of the food the animal is likely to eat over the course of a lifetime, and other potential exposures that might add to the animal’s overall dose.

“We are aware of some papers on the topic of copper toxicosis in dogs and will continue to track this issue as the veterinary community advances its understanding.”

Norris said CVM and AAFCO officials have discussed establishing a maximum amount of copper in dog food. In the absence of such a limit, manufacturers remain subject to a regulatory principle that no more of an ingredient should be used than is necessary to provide the intended effect.

“For copper-containing ingredients, this would be no more than is needed to meet the animals’ nutritional requirements,” she said.

Dr. Valerie J. Parker is a professor of small animal internal medicine and nutrition at The Ohio State University. She is an internal medicine specialist and nutritionist and is not connected with the work by Dr. Center and Dr. Wakshlag. She thinks the February 2021 JAVMA commentary made a valid point that it’s worth considering how much copper is in pet foods, whether that amount is justified, and whether it should be lowered.

Dr. Parker said it’s unclear whether dog food generally contains too much copper, though, since the amount can vary by tenfold or sometimes even thirtyfold between two products. She said the low-copper diets available today tend to be general formulations for dogs with liver diseases, including liver failure or hepatic encephalopathy.

“The lowest-copper commercially available diets are not necessarily diets that you would want to feed a 2-year-old otherwise healthy dog because they are lower in protein,” Dr. Parker said.

The death of a pet can be heartbreaking. These 5 tips may help you manage your grief.

And, if you need other resources, look here

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The International Cat Federation says it has banned Russian cats from its international competitions in the latest rebuke to Russia since it invaded Ukraine last week.

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See a list of RUSSIAN CAT BREEDS HERE

As the devastation unfolds from the war in Ukraine, many in the equine and veterinary communities have asked how they can help. Through The Foundation for the Horse, the charitable arm of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), you can make a financial gift to those providing emergency relief and support, including veterinary organizations and the horses and animals they care for.

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• Spencer Yeomans
• March 10, 2022
• www.untamedspace.com

Forests cover about a third of all the land on Earth, including about 700 million acres in the US alone. They’re places of unmatched beauty, and a treasure trove of natural resources that can be used for food, medicine, and building materials.

However, manmade wildfires ravage these forests all too often, as the result of negligence or arson. While some fire is good, unplanned fires can make it difficult for a forest to recover, often taking dozens of years for them to regain some of their former glory. As such, wildfire prevention is something that we all need to take seriously, both for the good of the environment, and the safety of those who might get caught up in the blaze.

Perhaps you’re familiar with the famous line quoted by Smokey the Bear: “Only you can prevent forest fires.” The hidden messaging in this phrase would indicate that most wildfires are started by people, which is why they’re the only ones who can prevent them.

And it’s true – about 85% of all forest fires are started by humans. When you consider the fact that there were 58,950 wildfires in 2020 alone, that means that roughly 50,000 of those were caused by human negligence. A staggering number any way you slice it.

However, not all of these were the result of unattended campfires. Plenty of others were created by intentional acts of arson, discarded cigarettes, the burning of debris, and equipment failures and malfunctions. Then you also have the non-human causes that make up the other 15% of wildfires, of which, lightning is the primary culprit.

Ecological Role Of Fire

Wildfires are often viewed as devastating acts of nature, consuming and destroying everything in their path. The number of lives lost to them over the years, and the amount of property damage on top of that, is enough to make your jaw drop in disbelief. Depending on the size of the fire and where it’s located, tornados, hurricanes, and floods can seem like child’s play in comparison.

But fire actually plays a critical role in the health of the ecosystem, acting as a way to clear out the old and bring in the new. Not only does it consume deadwood, in order to provide nutrients for the soil, but some plants actually need the fire in order to germinate their seeds.

Back before we really understood the role that fire plays, the policy was to do everything possible to limit the creation and spread of forest fires. However, suppressing fires to that extent is harmful in its own way. Without regular burnings, dead biomass will quickly accumulate on the forest floor, which increases the risk for more frequent and intense wildfires in the future. These mega fires are far more likely to impact human lives and property, emphasizing the importance of letting nature run its course.

Wildfire Prevention

However, don’t think you have a free pass to be careless with fire just because it has ecological value. You should still do everything in your power to prevent wildfires, otherwise they run the risk of getting out of hand. The Forest Service manages prescribed fires, which are controlled burnings designed to improve the health of the ecosystem and limit the occurrence of extreme wildfires.

Which is to say, leave the fires to the specialists!

To do your part in staying safe and responsible, here are a few tips that you can follow to help prevent wildfires:

1. Build Your Campfire Away From Flammables

It should go without saying, but you never want to make a fire that’s close to other flammable objects. This includes dry grass, leaves, needles, and brush, as well as your tent and other personal items. Ideally, you’ll be building your campfire on a flat location, either in a pit that you’ve dug or in a fire ring surrounded by rocks. Of course, if you’re at a campground that has a fire pit available, that’s going to be your best option.

2. Don’t Leave Your Fire Unattended

Negligence is one of the biggest factors contributing to wildfires. If you’re going to build a fire, don’t leave it unattended – all it takes is a strong gust of wind to blow some sparks into a patch of dry brush. Keep your fire small and manageable, and always have a bucket of water on hand (or something similar) to extinguish it quickly, in case of emergency.

3. Douse The Fire Until It’s Cold

As long as there’s heat radiating from your campfire, even if the flame is long gone, there’s still a risk of wildfire. Continue to douse the embers and ashes with water until everything is cool to the touch. It’s only at this point that you should feel comfortable leaving the area.

4. Check Weather Conditions

Is there a drought where you are? Are you likely to encounter strong winds? Have the temperatures been exceptionally hot? If the answer to any of these is yes, then you need to consider non-flammable light and heat sources. In these sorts of conditions, it’s just too dangerous to start a fire for any purpose.

5. Beware Of Equipment That Produces Sparks

Never use equipment that can create sparks if the area around you is dry. If you must, then clear the area around your workspace, removing anything dry and flammable to the best of your ability.

6. Keep Vehicles Off Dry Grass

Perhaps you didn’t realize it, but the exhaust from your vehicle can get surprisingly hot – sometimes in excess of 1,000 degree Fahrenheit! With that in mind, it’s easy to see how off roading on dry grass is a great way to start a fire. Especially if you find yourself idling in one location for longer stretch of time. Keep track of the weather and the current risk for wildfire before you decide to drive off the main road.

What To Do If There’s A Wildfire Near You

Unfortunately, you may still find yourself in a position where a wildfire is heading in your direction. Should you find yourself in a circumstance like this, there are a few steps that you should take immediately:

Call 911
If you see a wildfire, don’t just assume that everyone already knows about it. Especially if you haven’t been notified by an outside agency, it’s likely that word hasn’t spread about the fire’s existence yet. Call 911 immediately so that proper measures can be taken, and folks can start to evacuate if they’re in the line of fire – literally.

Create a plan for evacuation
Assuming FEMA hasn’t issued an order or recommendation to evacuate yet, it’s still good to plan out what you’ll do if you need to go somewhere else. Start by calling friends and family to see if they’ll let you spend a few nights at their place while you wait out the fire. Remember to turn off any valves that supply natural gas, propane, heating oil, or other flammable substances. Close doors and windows to slow down airflow, and wear clothes made from fire retardant fabric (such as cotton or wool). It can also be helpful to gather tools that are useful for fire management, such as rakes, axes, shovels, and buckets. And finally, don’t forget to fill as many containers with water as possible, in case you need to use them to put out a fire.

If you receive orders to evacuate…
Gather important documents, pets, and valuables inside your car. If they can’t all fit, find a fireproof safe to store them, or submerge them in a pool or other body of water if they’re waterproof. Disconnect your garage door from the automatic opener so that you can open the door manually, and consider leaning a ladder against the side of your house for firefighters to use. Once you’ve taken care of all that, turn the lights on inside and outside your house for increased visibility. Then, drive safely to your next destination.

Protecting Against Smoke

Even if you don’t find yourself threatened by the flames of the wildfire, the smoke is harmful in its own way. Able to travel hundreds of miles, cities in a different country may experience problems with pollution because of a wildfire where you live. It’s sort of like a nuclear bomb – the blast from the explosion targets a very specific area, but the fallout from the radiation is able to spread much farther. In that case, what are you supposed to do if your town is consumed by smoke?

Who’s Most At Risk?

While smoke isn’t good for anyone to breathe, it does affect some people more than others. For example, folks who suffer from heart or lung disease are likely to experience more severe symptoms. Likewise, older adults and children are also at a higher risk, either because of underlying health disorders or because their airways are still developing. Pregnant women may also find that their children will be born prematurely if they inhale too much smoke.

Air Quality Ratings

If the air looks a little hazy, or if it smells funny when you step outside, your region may be experiencing poor air quality. The AQI (air quality index) is a good indicator for how good or bad the air is at any given time. The range goes like this:

0-50: Good. Air quality poses little to no risk.

51-100: Moderate. Acceptable for most, but may cause problems for those who are extra sensitive to pollution.

101-150: Unhealthy for sensitive groups. While the general public probably won’t notice any symptoms, sensitive people will start to have health issues.

151-200: Unhealthy. Everyone will start to notice problems with their health.

201-300: Very unhealthy. Everyone may start to notice severe health effects.

301-500: Hazardous. Emergency conditions that are dangerous for everyone.

As someone with more sensitive lungs, I start to have trouble breathing once the AQI hits 100. Symptoms will vary from person to person, so make sure you take appropriate action depending on the severity of your health condition.

Keep Indoor Air As Clean As Possible

If you’ve been advised to stay indoors, or if you’re sensitive to pollution, do your best to keep the air inside your home clean. You can do this by limiting the amount of “fresh” air entering your house, keeping your doors and windows closed, and changing dirty air filters.

In addition to that, don’t do anything that might add more pollution into the air. Burning a candle, running a gas stove, or lighting up your fireplace can all decrease the quality of the air inside your home. Even vacuuming can stir up particles on the floor, allowing them to contribute to the problem.

Regular Masks Won’t Help

Dust masks, paper masks, cloth masks, and other “normal” types of masks won’t protect you against wildfire smoke. The particles found inside the smoke are too small to be blocked by ordinary masks, which is why a respirator is necessary for better protection. For example, an N95 respirator would be more effective against both smoke and viruses than any type of disposable mask that you might find on the market.

Protecting Your Home Against Wildfires

It’s often said that one’s home is more ignitable than any of the surrounding vegetation. In the wake of being hit by a wildfire, there have been many stories of homes being burned to a crisp while the surrounding trees are still alive and green. Contrary to popular belief, wildfires don’t just ravage everything in their paths – they need fuel in order to survive and spread. Unfortunately, homes and other urban settlements are excellent fuel sources.

While it’s not possible to make your house fireproof, there are some steps that you can take to prevent too much damage from occurring. To mitigate damage caused by a conflagration, here are a few steps you can take around your property:

1. Fix Your Roof

The single best thing you can do to prevent a fire from consuming your home is to proof your roof. After all, the roof is the most likely place for embers to fall. And once the roof goes up in flames, it isn’t long before the rest of the building follows suit.

If your roof is made from wood shingles, or another flammable material, consider replacing them with something like asphalt shingles, tile, slate, or metal. It can be a bit of a hassle, but it’s far more effective than applying flame retardant on top of what you already have. Especially if you live in a location that’s frequently hit by wildfires every year, it’s an investment worth making.

2. Clear The Perimeter

Once you’ve taken care of your roof, take a look at the area surrounding your house. Specifically, you should clear away anything flammable that’s within 5 feet of your home, such as wood logs, a wooden fence, mulch, gas tanks, dead vegetation, and other organic substances. Even organic fertilizers can go up in flames if an ember falls on them, so it’s important to do your research and keep things like these far away from your home.

Ultimately, anything combustible that’s within 100 feet of your house can be a threat. Within this space, make sure plants are spread out, low hanging branches are pruned, and all vegetation is regularly watered.

3. Work Together

It doesn’t matter how hard you work to fireproof your property if your neighbors don’t do the same! It’s like the saying, “A chain is only as strong as the weakest link.” If you’re in a neighborhood where the houses are pressed pretty close together, it’ll be very easy for the fire to spread once one of those houses goes up in flames. Because of this, community organized fire preparedness is vitally important for reducing risks that you wouldn’t have control over otherwise.

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By Dr. Jean Dodds

Dr. Dodds’ website is www.hemopet.org

Comparing Protein Amounts Amongst the Different Types of Companion Pet Foods

February 11, 2022 / Nutrition / By Hemopet

Have you ever been at your local pet food supply store and someone mentions that commercial raw food has more protein than kibble? So, you wander over and check out the protein content on the guaranteed analysis on the raw and it states 13%, but that bag of kibble you were just looking at states 32%.

Huh? Say what? Are you confused? Are you internally wondering where they learned to read as clearly the guaranteed analyses state differently?
They are actually correct. But why?

Moisture content. We’ll explain.

When comparing the variety of pet food types – such as canned, dehydrated, kibble and raw – you should refer to the dry matter basis.
‘Dry matter basis’ sounds more complicated than it is.

The definition is, “The dry matter basis assumes no water is present — i.e. 100 percent dry matter.”

Please take the definition at face value; there is nothing to read into. There is NO underlying complexity.

Guaranteed analysis does not contain the food’s pre-processing moisture content, which can change dramatically during processing, depending upon the type of food.

Let’s look into the various food types and how they are processed:

Kibble is highly processed compared to moisture-rich foods. It goes through an extrusion process – the same process as human cereals – to become shelf stable so it does not rot or become moldy from moisture. The high temperatures are necessary for extrusion, but inactivate or destroy a certain amount of the protein.

Dehydrated foods use warm air to evaporate a food’s water content. A benefit of dehydration is that it diminishes the growth of pathogens such as bacteria, yeasts and molds without adding chemicals, since pathogens need water to grow. With dehydrated food, you need to reconstitute it.

Meats contained in cans are less processed and thus tend to be closer to their natural state than those found in kibble. Canned foods are pressure sterilized and sealed. The contents are naturally protected from rancidity, so manufacturers don’t need to add potentially harmful chemical preservatives.

Raw food is found in the freezer section. A raw commercial diet is literally uncooked food and the moisture has barely been removed from the meat. Major commercial raw manufacturers incorporate kill steps to destroy pathogens while creating the least impact on the food’s enzymes, proteins and other nutrients.

Think about it in terms of human food. Beef jerky is dried, whereas a fresh steak is juicy. The steak has more moisture.

Homework: Converting to Dry Matter

So, you need to convert the guaranteed analysis into dry matter basis.
Fortunately, calculating Dry Matter Basis is quite simple once you get the hang of it. Here’s how in two simple steps:

Step 1

Subtract the percent of the food’s listed percent of moisture from 100% to determine the food’s percentage of dry matter (DM). For example, a kibble containing 8% moisture will contain 92% DM.

100 – Percent of Moisture Listed on the Back of Package = Y

Step 2

Take the percentage of crude protein listed under the Guaranteed Analysis and divide that number by the DM number you determined in Step 1.

Step 3

Crude Protein Guaranteed Analysis ÷ Y = Dry Matter Basis

We’ll Show You

Below we have 4 only-turkey, grain free diets: kibble, raw, dehydrated and canned.

Steps	Kibble	Raw	Dehydrated	Canned
Moisture	10%	74%	7%	75%
Subtract Moisture from 100 to Determine Dry Matter	100 – 10 = 90	100 – 74 = 26	100 – 7 = 93	100 – 75 = 25
Dry Matter Result	90	26	93	25
Guaranteed Analysis Crude Protein	25%	13%	30%	10.5%
Divide Guaranteed Analysis Crude Protein by Dry Matter	25 / 90 = 28	13 / 26 = 50	30 / 93 = 32	10.5 / 25 = 42
Protein on Dry Matter Basis	28%	50%	32%	42%

But…

As you can see from the numbers, kibble barely changes. So, if you are comparing kibble-to-kibble, this should be OK. However, there is definitely more to consider when choosing a pet food. Dr. Ryan Yamka recently gave an excellent presentation on product label claims and what’s the truth on the back of the bag. We suggest watching Flip the Bag Over: What Do Pet Food Labels Really Say?Post navigation← Previous Post

The below article is from UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.  There are many opinions about when to neuter your dog, so be sure to do your due diligence and speak with your veterinarian prior to making any decision for your pup.

 

This guide will look at each room of the home, as well as outside yards. It will review potential problem areas and how owners can better “pet-proof” each. This complete guide will help pet owners determine which indoor and outdoor plants are toxic, why appliance and window cords can be hazardous to pets and how to go about making renovations to make a home even more pet-friendly.

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