Owner Profiles go to the Dogs
by Shannon Proudfoot/CanWest News Service
Nov 2006
Researchers link 'high-risk' breeds and "deviant" behaviour at the other end of the leash
People who own "high-risk" dogs are much more likely to be high-risk themselves, a new study says, with vastly more criminal convictions and traffic citations found among those who own dogs that don't play well with others.
In a study published in the current issue of the Journal of Interpersonal Violence, researchers examined the relationship between high-risk dogs and 'deviant' behaviour in their owners.
In a sample of 355 dogs and owners, the study authors categorized as 'high-risk' all pit bull types and dogs of other breeds that had killed or seriously injured a person without provocation, or killed another dog.
Researchers at the University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and the Cincinnati Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals placed 153 pit bulls, three Akitas, one Ahra, three Chows and four Rottweilers in the high-risk category. Every one of their owners was found to have at least one criminal conviction or traffic citation in their record, while only 27 per cent of those with low-risk dogs, which included breeds such as beagles, collies, spaniels and terriers, were found to have past legal troubles.
People who buy and raise aggressive dogs might be looking for four-legged reflections of themselves says Neil Boyd, a professor of criminology at Simon Fraser University. "We create, as a society, certain cultural images around dogs, and then people who aspire to those cultural images...go out and find themselves dogs that fit those images..." However, Boyd says specific breeds sometimes become "victims of circumstance"; and get vicious reputations after a few highly publicized incidents.
Those perceptions often shift over time, he says, noting German shepherds were once maligned as the most vicious dogs.
Please Read!
Written by: Laurinda Morris, DVM
Danville Veterinary Clinic
Danville , Ohio
This week I had the first case in history of raisin toxicity ever seen at MedVet. My patient was a 56-pound, 5 yr old male neutered lab mix that ate half a canister of raisins sometime between 7:30 AM and 4:30 PM on Tuesday. He started with vomiting, diarrhea and shaking about 1AM on Wednesday, but the owner didn't call my emergency service until 7AM.
I had heard somewhere about raisins AND grapes causing acute Renal failure but hadn't seen any formal paper on the subject. We had her bring the dog in immediately. In the meantime, I called the ER service at MedVet, and the doctor there was like me - had heard something about it, but.... Anyway, we contacted the ASPCA National Animal Poison Control Center and they said to give I.V. fluids at 1 & 1/2
times maintenance and watch the kidney values for the next 48-72 hours.
The dog's BUN (blood urea nitrogen level) was already at 32 (normal less than 27) and creatinine! Over 5 ( 1.9 is the high end of normal). Both are monitors of kidney function in the bloodstream. We placed an I.V. catheter and started the fluids. Rechecked the renal values at 5 PM and the BUN was over 40 and creatinine over 7 with no urine production after a liter of fluids. At the point I felt the dog was in acute renal failure and sent him on to MedVet for a urinary catheter to monitor urine output overnight as well as overnight care.
He started vomiting again overnight at MedVet and his renal values have continued to increase daily. He produced urine when given lasix as a diuretic. He was on 3 different anti-vomiting medications and they still couldn't control his vomiting. Today his urine output decreased again, his BUN was over 120, his creatinine was at 10, his phosphorus was very elevated and his blood pressure, which had been staying around 150, skyrocketed to 220.. He continued to vomit and the owners elected to Euthanize.
This is a very sad case - great dog, great owners who had no idea raisins could be a toxin. Please alert everyone you know who has a dog of this very serious risk. Poison control said as few as 7 raisins or grapes could be toxic. Many people I know give their dogs grapes or raisins as treats including our ex-handler's. Any exposure should give rise to immediate concern.
Onions, chocolate, cocoa and macadamia nuts can be fatal, too.
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
ACCORDING TO YOUR DOG
(part 2)
Author: Unknown
1. Thou shalt feed me today more than thou didst yesterday.
2. Thou shalt teach me with food - not big sticks and loud voices.
3. Thou shalt walk with me every day - despite thy favorite TV program.
4. Thou shall not buy furniture that I cannot sit on – or beds I can’t sleep in.
5. Thou shalt not pay attention to anyone else but me - lest I feel un-wanted.
6. Thou shalt love me to death - even when I bark all night.
7. Thou shalt not have a Cat with ATTITUDE and CLAWS.
8. Thou shalt not start the car until I am in it.
9. Thou shalt not hide the food.
10. Thou shalt obey the above without question lest I POOP on the neighbors lawn and promote community strife.
Practice Sun Safety for Your Dog
Know the dangers of warm weather and learn how to tell when your dog has had enough.
By Marcia King
While you may deal with summer heat just fine, your dog isn’t as efficient in the cooling department.
“A dog’s primary means of heat dissipation is through panting and, to a minor degree, by sweating through the pads of her feet,” explains Ted Cohn, D.V.M., of University Hills Animal Hospital. “Panting allows the dog to move large volumes of heated air away from her body core to the outside. Additionally, that same air moving over a highly vascular [having many blood vessels], wet tongue produces an evaporative effect. That helps to cool the blood and regulate the dog’s body temperature.”
But soaring heat and humidity hinder that effort. “High humidity means that water can’t evaporate very well,” says Ruth E. Chodrow, V.M.D., of At-Home Pet Care, a pet house-call service. “High temperatures mean the dog has to pant faster and faster to evaporate the water, and if the temperature gets too high, the dog simply can’t cope.” Heat stress and heatstroke follow.
“When a dog overheats, her body temperature can shoot up rapidly from the normal 101 degrees or 102 degrees to 105 degrees and beyond,” Chodrow says. “Above 105 degrees, the dog cannot get sufficient oxygen to its tissues, and brain damage can occur. Above 108 degrees, the cells of the kidneys, liver and GI tract sustain severe damage, and the cells can die.”
Recognize heatstroke’s signs
Heatstroke’s early signs include rapid breathing, rapid heart rate, thick drooling saliva and a dry nose and mouth. “The dog often has a panicked or wild expression,” Chodrow says. “If you lift up a lip, the gums above the teeth will be a muddy grayish-pink or a brick-red instead of their normal clear pink color. As heatstroke progresses, the dog may stagger or have seizures. In advanced stages, she may show bloody diarrhea, coma and death. Heatstroke is a medical emergency: If untreated, it can be fatal.”
Watch for risk factors
Too much exercise on a hot day or sitting in a parked car on a warm day, and your dog could suffer severely — or die. “In the enclosed space of a car, humidity builds up rapidly as the heat rises,” Chodrow says, “so moisture doesn’t evaporate to cool the dog. Even when it’s only 80 degrees outside, a car can heat up to 120 degrees in less than 30 minutes.” With extended play or work, a dog’s body naturally heats up; that rising body heat coupled with hot or muggy conditions taxes the dog’s ability to cool herself.
Chodrow notes that certain factors put dogs at greater risk for heat problems:
- Black coats absorb more heat than light coats do.
- Overweight dogs suffer from reduced breathing capability; extra insulation compounds the heat problem.
- Short muzzles are less effective at passing air through upper airways, so panting doesn’t work as well.
- Double coats retain more heat.Very old or very young dogs don’t regulate body temperatures as well.
How to treat heatstroke
If you suspect your dog is suffering from heatstroke, follow these steps:
- Stop the heat: First, eliminate the causes (e.g., closed car, activity), Cohn says, and then move your dog to a cooler area. Use a fan to increase evaporation.
- Cool down: Try to lower your dog’s temperature immediately, even before transporting her to the hospital, Chodrow advises. Immerse her in a tub of cool water or soak her with a garden hose. “Put an ice pack at the base of the skull to help prevent brain damage,” Chodrow says.
- Visit the vet: “Monitor the dog’s temperature with a thermometer,” Chodrow says. “When it comes down to 103 degrees, stop the cooling and take the dog at once to a veterinarian.” Heatstroke victims may sustain kidney or liver damage and might need several days of treatment and monitoring.
What you shouldn’t do is as important as what you should. “Do not soak the dog in ice water,” Chodrow warns. “Ice water will close the capillaries of the skin, preventing cooling of the internal organs. Do not use rubbing alcohol — the dog might cool down too rapidly. Do not give a heatstroke victim large amounts of water to drink as the dog could bloat; if she seems thirsty, offer her some ice cubes to lick. Do not put the dog into an enclosed crate — humidity will build up and prevent evaporation.”
Avoid the heat and add water
The best way to deal with heatstroke is to prevent it. “Never exercise your dog in the middle of a hot day; exercise or play with your dogs in the early morning or late evening to prevent overheating,” says Jeff Werber, D.V.M., of the Century Veterinary Group. “If you do go outside with your dog on a hot day, bring plenty of water and wrap a wet bandana around her neck to keep her cooler. Even better, freeze the wet bandana the night before, so it will be cooler longer.”
By planning exercise around the thermometer and carrying plenty of water, you and your dog can enjoy summertime fun — safely.
