Let’s be honest, plump is sometimes in style when it comes to pampered dogs. Some pet parents fawn over their dogs as if they were kings expecting hand-fed fruit, or pizza bites (or sometimes hot dogs). Dogs certainly are close to kings: Kings of begging for food with just the right twinkle in their eyes. Most humans fall for it in an instant, and the more pet parents pamper, the plumper the pooches seem to get.

Some dogs are insatiable and can eat their humans out of house and home if their humans let them. Note, the key words here are, “if their humans let them.” But overall, pet parents curb their dogs’ appetites and set limits, right? They measure out their dogs’ food and make sure they’re eating only the highest quality kibble – no fillers, surely? They exercise with them daily and weigh them often – of course! You would think. Unfortunately though, studies show an entirely different picture.

According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP), founded by Ernie Ward, DVM, an estimated 52 percent of dogs and cats in the U.S. are overweight or obese. Among them is 45 percent of the dog population. That’s right; nearly half of the dog population within U.S. borders is overweight or obese. In the 2009 National Pet Obesity Awareness Day Study, findings showed that the number of overweight dogs had increased by 2 percent since 2007.

“Pet obesity is now the biggest health threat to pets in the U.S.,” states Dr. Ward, who was also the lead researcher in the study. “The costs of obesity in illness and injury make it the number one medical issue seen in today’s veterinary hospitals.”

Still, despite the overwhelming numbers showing that pet obesity is indeed a growing epidemic, pet parents are in denial. Canine health and nutrition writer Mary Straus writes in Whole Dog Journal that studies show “veterinarians considered 47 percent of their patients overweight, [while] only 17 percent of the owners agreed.”

The cause for concern is apparent. But if you’re here to learn how to help your dog lose weight, you are among the 17 percent of pet parents who understand that a more slender dog means a longer life. According to Modern Dog Magazine, dogs that are slender and in good health live two years longer than dogs that are slightly overweight. They also suffer fewer health problems and live a much better quality of life.

What Are the Causes of Dog Obesity?

It probably doesn’t take a veterinarian to know what could cause a dog to become overweight or obese. Dogs that aren’t eating a proper diet or are lacking exercise are at risk for obesity, just like their human counterparts. But, although humans get repeatedly bombarded with information about keeping their health in check, there’s less of an outcry over obese pets. Kibble, treats, table scraps, and training rewards – it all adds up.

On the other hand, a dog with weight issues may not necessarily be a victim of overfeeding. Some dogs can suffer weight problems because of underlying medical conditions that their pet parents aren’t aware of or that their veterinarians haven’t detected.

“I see a lot of second and even third opinions for weight issues, and basically we’re dealing with patients that may have hypothyroidism, or low thyroid disease, and nobody checked for that,” says Ward. “The first thing we do is run some basic blood and urine tests on any patient that’s overweight or obese. If you’re dealing with an underlying medical condition, you can try all the diets in the world but your dog’s not going to lose the weight.”

Genetics also plays a part in how easily a dog may gain weight. Some breeds, according to Modern Dog, are more susceptible to weight gain than others. They write that nearly “70 percent of the risk factor for obesity in dogs can be traced to your dog’s breed.” For example, leaner breeds like Greyhounds and Whippets will usually naturally stay svelte, while stockier pooches such as Labrador Retrievers and Beagles may build more bulk when their diets and exercise regimens aren’t kept in line.

Health Risks Associated with Dog Obesity

As previously described, even more reasons to put your overweight dog on a diet include the variety of ailments associated with dog obesity.

The following are some of the conditions that a dog can suffer from if his weight isn’t under control. This list is a compilation of information from Straus and Howard Wolinsky of Web Vet.

Pancreatitis
Diabetes
Heart disease
Disc disease
Ruptured cruciate ligaments
Hip dysplasia
Osteoarthritis
Hypertension
Cancer

Dogs with weight problems can also suffer from surgical complications and compromised immune systems.

How To Assess If Your Dog is Overweight

So you’re pretty convinced that your dog’s a victim of your pampering and may need a little de-plumping, but how do you know for sure? A lot of pet parents have difficulty determining if their dogs’ weight is ideal. When comparing dogs to humans, a pet parent might get a better idea of how those few extra pounds on their dogs can be really significant.

“A 90-pound female Labrador Retriever is equivalent to a 186-pound, 5-foot-4-inch woman, while a 12-pound Yorkshire Terrier is similar to 223 pounds on the same woman,” writes Ward.

APOP lists the ideal weights for most popular breeds here. If your dog’s a mixed breed, you may try to find a middle ground between the two breeds’ weights to assess your dog’s ideal weight. If your dog’s a fabulous mutt with questionable lineage, not to worry; there’s a simple way to determine if he’s in tip-top shape. In fact, every dog is unique, so even if your dog is a purebred, these guidelines work well for determining if your dog is overweight.

If your dog is at a healthy weight, writes APOP, you’ll note the following on his frame:

It’s easy to feel the dog’s ribs
The dog has a tucked abdomen and the stomach doesn’t sag
You can see the dog’s waist when you view the dog from above

In contrast, if your dog is overweight, you’ll note the following on his frame:

It’s difficult to feel the dog’s ribs under the fat
The dog’s abdomen sags and you can grab a handful of fat
The dog has a broad, flat back
The dog has no waist

This is a quick and easy approach to determining your dog’s weight. The chart to the right, pulled from APOP’s website, gives a good visual for assessing your dog’s weight. It dispels many misconceptions about a dog’s mass that pet parents may have.

“Because we’re so used to seeing overweight dogs, many folks think a dog at his proper weight is too skinny,” writes Straus. “However, as long as the hips and spine are not protruding and no more than the last rib or two are slightly visible, he’s not too thin.”

If you still have doubts about your dog’s weight and you’re still wondering if he might be too plump, schedule an appointment with your veterinarian to be sure. Either way, if your dog is overweight, visiting your veterinarian is the next step on the journey to optimal health.

Helping Your Dog Reach His Healthiest Potential

Once you’ve determined that your dog is indeed overweight, then it’s time to start the journey toward reaching your dog’s healthiest potential! It’s best to make a visit to your dog’s veterinarian before moving forward. Your vet can conduct blood tests to rule out any other potential medical conditions that could cause the excess fat.

As with any visit to the vet, make sure to bring a good record of your dog’s habits: Eating, sleeping, playing, etc. Jot down any change you’ve noticed and, if possible, when you first noted the weight gain and any changes in diet that have happened since. Usually, nutritionists will advise people trying to lose weight to log what they eat even before making any dietary changes. It may not be such a bad idea to do the same with your pooch. Keeping a journal of his food intake might be a great way to see just how many extra treats and table scraps he’s getting daily. Once it’s all written down, the weight gain might make a lot more sense. This log will also help your vet make some determinations about your dog’s weight gain.

Once you get the clean bill of health and it’s determined that your dog’s weight gain is just too many donuts and not due to a medical condition, your veterinarian will most likely advise you on ways to help your pooch lose weight: Primarily, changing his diet and increasing his exercise.

Start out by keeping track of your dog’s weight. A dog should lose between 3 to 5 percent of his body weight a month. For example, “A 50-pound dog should lose about half a pound a week, or 2 pounds a month,” writes Straus. You can either take your dog to the vet to be weighed during his weight-loss journey or, if you have a smaller breed, you can hold your dog, step on the scale and subtract your weight from the total.

With her dog Ella, Straus went as far as purchasing a postal scale that weighs things up to 55 pounds. “I put a box on the scale and zero it out, then put Ella in the box to measure her weight to the nearest half ounce (a small treat afterward makes her a willing participant),” writes Straus.

Keeping track of your dog’s weight will help you figure out if your efforts with changes in her diet or exercise are actually working. Start out by weighing your dog once a week, recommends Straus, and once you see steady weight loss you can check monthly.

When you’ve got a good idea of what the weighing routine will be, you can start making changes to your dog’s food.

A Healthier Dog Diet

Make sure that any changes you make to your dog’s diet are done gradually so that you don’t shock his system. As always, before making any changes, be sure to consult with your dog’s veterinarian.

Dogs with weight issues are usually eating dog food incredibly high in carbohydrates, writes Straus. Instead, focus on foods high in protein.

“Protein and carbohydrates supply the same number of calories, but protein is preferentially used to build lean muscle, while carbs are more likely to be stored as body fat,” she writes. “L-carnitine, an amino acid derivative found in meat, fish, and dairy products, helps to burn fat.”

She goes on to explain that high-protein diets are more satisfying for dogs and that dogs don’t have a nutritional requirement for carbs. The conclusion? Seek out foods high in protein and low in carbohydrates. Find food with a minimum of 25 percent protein, but dog foods even higher in protein are still better.

Limit your dog’s fat intake, but don’t eliminate it entirely. Fat’s one of the best things for satisfying your dog’s appetite, so feed your dog a diet with moderate fat to keep him from trying to sneak food. Straus says that too much restriction can even lead some dogs to eat feces to find satisfaction.

“It’s better to feed a diet with moderate fat and reduce the portion size as needed, rather than feeding a low-fat diet,” writes Straus. A good example is a dog food with 12 to 16 percent fat.

For a homemade diet, Straus recommends feeding your dog the following:

Lean meats
Low-fat dairy
Green vegetables (in place of grains and starches)

Take the skin off of the poultry and use darker meat as the breast meat is too low in fat. You might also want to stay away from very high-fat meats like lamb, pork and high-fat beef. You can also use some of these homemade foods to replace some of your dog’s kibble. Either way, if switching to a higher protein and fat diet, you’ll want to reduce your dog’s portions.

Controlling your dog’s food portions is yet another way to help manage his weight. Most pet parents have no clue what amount they should feed their dog and may seldom bother reading the portion instructions on the bag. According to i Love Dogs, portions depend wholly on the food that you are feeding your pet. Lower-quality foods tend to require a higher number of servings to meet nutritional needs, while higher-quality foods require fewer servings. For a dog that’s overweight, eating a higher-quality food like that described by Straus and having fewer servings with less fillers would be the ideal situation.

Onto the secret source of weight gain for many dogs – treats! Ward says that many store-brand treats are packed with sugar and fat, and he not-so-subtly refers to them as “kibble crack.” For this reason, you should avoid giving too many of them to your dog. Opt instead for healthier treats like baby carrots, broccoli, celery or any other crunchy veggie your dog likes, writes Straus. Veggies and fruits make wonderful snacks. You can also use a part of your dog’s meal as a treat when training or for any other reason.

Straus also recommends minimizing the size of the treat to tiny morsels instead of giving your dog a big chunk of biscuit with every new trick he does. Another option is rewarding your dog with play time or affection instead of treats. Get the whole family involved and make sure that all table scraps stay on the table.

Lastly, put your pooch on a routine. If you set a specific feeding time and stay consistent, your dog’s less likely to beg at all times of the day if he’s used to getting food throughout the day. Decide on a time of day – twice a day is usually best – and put out half of your dog’s food portion each time.

You can also help your pooch along the way by making sure his nutritional needs are met with a multivitamin. Supplements such as decaffeinated green tea can also help your dog lose weight.

The Pawsome Side of Exercise:

Every pet parent probably knows that walking your dog is the best thing they can do for a dog’s health and sanity. But that’s not always enough incentive to get out the door with your dog. Consider this, though: About.com says that a University of Missouri-Columbia study found that “walking the dog 20 minutes a day, five days a week produced an average weight loss of 14 pounds for study participants.”

If you want to help your dog lose that excess weight, getting some exercise in will definitely help. Again, just like with food, gradually increasing your dog’s exercise is best. But once you’ve got the hang of it, you’ll both reap the benefits!

“Proper exercise not only burns calories, but also helps convert fat into muscle, improving body condition,” states Straus. “As your dog loses weight and gains muscle, he will become more active, which will further speed up the [weight-loss] process.”

If walking’s just not your thing, Animal Wellness Magazine has a list of alternatives for you and your pooch:

1. Treadmill – So maybe you’re not the walking type, but your dog is: Try putting your pooch on a treadmill to help him lose those pounds at home.
2. Canine Swimming – You never know, your dog might be a water wonder dog! Try taking him for a swim in the pool or at a local lake. Or you might even try surfing!
3. Canine Musical Freestyle – Love to dance? Your dog will too. You can both shake it up on the dance floor by learning to do canine musical freestyle – a series of tricks done to a tune.
4. Doga – That’s right, yoga for dogs. If your pooch is more mellow or a senior dog, a little dog yoga might do the trick.
5. Dog Agility – Known as a competitive sport, agility’s still very accessible for your average pooch. It’ll get him the cardio he needs to lose those pounds.
6. Disc Dogs – Some dogs absolutely love running and jumping up to catch a Frisbee. Try throwing a Frisbee around with your pooch.
7. Parks and Beaches – If you’d rather relax and watch your dog do the work, try a leash-free dog park or beach. Your pooch can roam free and run his little heart out.

Anything that gets your dog running and his heart pumping will do the trick!

Next Week: HOW TO Treat Your Dog’s Diarrhea

PHOTOS: ismydogoverweight.ca, petobesityprevention.com, L.A. Unleashed, opulentpet.com, doggies.com
 

A – F  |  G – L  |  M – R  |  S – Z
 
HOW TO…

A

Treat Your Dog’s Addison’s Disease
Manage Your Dog’s Allergies
Treat Your Dog’s Anemia
Keep Your Dog with Arthritis Comfortable
 
B

Help Your Dog Give Birth

Treat Your Dog’s Bladder Infection

Read Your Dog’s Blood Work
 
C

Give Your Dog Cardiopulmonary Cerebral Resuscitation (CPCR or CPR)

Care for Your Dog’s Cataracts

Stop Your Dog from Choking

Keep Your Dog Safe in Cold Weather

Treat Your Dog’s Corneal Ulcer

Treat Your Dog’s Cushing’s Disease
 
D

Manage Your Dog’s Diabetes

Keep Your Dog Safe from Distemper
 
E

Treat Your Dog’s Ear Infection
 
F

Treat Your Dog’s False Pregnancy

Prevent Flea and Tick Bites Naturally

Pack a First Aid Kit

G

Prevent Gastric Dilatation/Volvulus
 
H

Care for a Dog with Heart Disease

Keep Your Dog Safe from Heartworm

Keep Your Dog Safe in the Heat

Prevent Hip Dysplasia in Your Dog

Treat Your Hypothyroid Dog
 
I

Boost Your Dog’s Immune System

Treat Your Dog’s Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVD)
 
L

Treat Your Dog’s Lyme Disease

M

Treat Your Dog’s Mange

Give Your Dog Medication
 

N

Trim Your Dog’s Nails
 
O

Help Your Obese Dog Get in Shape

P

Treat Your Dog’s Pneumonia

Care for Your Dog’s Luxating Patella
 
R

Treat Your Dog’s Ringworm

S

Treat Your Dog’s Salmonella Infection

Treat Your Dog’s Seizure

Care for Your Senior Dog

Protect Your Dog from Swine Flu
 
T
Treat Your Dog’s Tapeworm
Brush Your Dog’s Teeth
 
V

Keep Track of Your Puppy’s Vaccinations

Choose a Vet for Your Dog

Last Week: HOW TO Trim Your Dog’s Nails
 

Recent recalls of several pet food brands due to possible Salmonella contamination have pet parents justifiably concerned. What if your dog eats tainted food and becomes sick?
 

The good news is that severe Salmonella infections are rare in adult dogs with healthy immune systems. However, they can be lethal to puppies whose immune systems are not fully developed, and older dogs with weakened immune systems. The infections can also be transferred to people, so it is important to take preventative measures to prevent the spread of this bacteria.
 

What Causes Salmonella in Dogs?
 

Dogs can become infected with Salmonella by eating contaminated food or feces, or by licking surfaces that have been contaminated.
 

According to petMD.com, there are more than 2,000 different types of Salmonella. “Typically, a host animal carrying the disease will have two or more different microorganisms or types of Salmonellae bacteria that cause this disease,” the website reports.
 

Puppies are the most susceptible to the disease due to their undeveloped immune systems. Dogs taking antibiotics are also more at risk because the healthy bacteria lining their digestive tracts may become imbalanced, increasing the possibility of an infection.
 

Wendy C. Brooks, DVM, writes on veterinarypartner.com that adult dogs fed a raw food diet are also more at risk of becoming infected.
 

“It has, unfortunately, become popular to feed raw foods to pets with the idea that a raw food diet more closely approximates the natural diet that the feline or canine body evolved to consume, and thus such a diet should be healthier than commercially prepared foods,” she writes. “In fact, the cooking of food is central to removing parasites, bacteria, and bacterial toxins from food. A recent study evaluating raw food diets found that 80 percent of food samples contained Salmonella bacteria and that 30 percent of the dogs in the study were shedding Salmonella bacteria in their stool.” 
 

Dogs in stressful environments, such as crowded shelters with poor sanitation, are also more at risk to become infected, according to petside.com.
 

Can I Get Salmonella from My Dog?
 

Unfortunately, the answer is yes. Salmonella infections are “zoonotic,” meaning they can spread between animals and people. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Salmonella is transmitted through your dog’s stools or saliva.
 

Salmonella can be shed in your dog’s stool for 4 to 6 weeks after he is infected. If your dog is diagnosed with Salmonella, the CDC recommends taking the following precautions to prevent the spread of infection:
 

  Use a plastic bag to pick up your dog’s stools, tightly seal it and dispose of it in a sealed trash can.
 

  Always wash your hands right after handling pet feces or cleaning up after pets.
   

  Use a mild bleach solution to clean areas that may be contaminated.
 

A study released earlier this month found that people, especially toddlers under the age of 3, can become infected by handling contaminated dog food. For that reason it is important to keep young children away from dog food and treats, as well as your pet’s feeding areas. You should also routinely clean and disinfect your pet food and water bowls, preferably not in the kitchen sink.
 

Further information about how Salmonella infections affect people can be found at WebMD.com. 
 

What are the Symptoms of Salmonella in Dogs?
 

Salmonellosis is an infection caused by bacteria from Salmonella, according to petside.com. The infection usually stays in your dog’s intestinal tract and can cause diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramping. It can spread from the damaged intestines to the lymph nodes and then onto other organs, leading to severe illness.
 

The majority of adult dogs that have been infected with Salmonella have what is referred to as a “subclinical carrier state,” according to the University of Wisconsin – School of Veterinary Medicine. This means that although they are infected, they show no clinical symptoms.  
 
In fact, studies of sled dogs, Greyhounds and other working dogs found Salmonella in up to 63 percent of their stool samples – and most dogs showed no signs of illness, according to petside.com. Since Salmonellosis rarely occurs in dogs, it is believed they may have a natural immunity to it.
 

If a dog does show signs of being infected, the CDC reports that the most common symptom is diarrhea, which may contain blood or mucous.
 

These are other symptoms to look for, according to petMD.com:
  Fever
  Vomiting
  Lethargy
  Shock
  Weight loss
  Dehydration
  Skin disease
  Abnormally fast heart rate
  Swollen lymph nodes
  Abnormal vaginal discharge
 

How is Salmonella in Dogs Diagnosed?
 

Your vet will probably perform a bacterial culture on a stool sample from your dog, according to petside.com. Additional specialized tests may be run on the culture to determine the type of infection.
 

How is Salmonella in Dogs Treated?
 

In most cases your dog can be treated at home, reports petMD.com. You should encourage him to drink water and feed him a diet of bland, easily digestible food.
 

But for severe cases of Salmonellosis, hospitalization may be necessary, especially for puppies that are severely dehydrated. In the hospital, your dog will be given intravenous (IV) fluids to replace lost fluids and electrolytes, and he may be given antibiotics to kill the infection. In very extreme cases, plasma or blood transfusions may also be necessary.
 

How Can I Prevent My Dog From Getting a Salmonella Infection?
 

Cleanliness is next to healthiness when it comes to preventing Salmonella infections. Take extra care to clean up your dog’s stools, and to clean and disinfect his feeding area.
 

You can regularly check the FDA website for recent pet food recalls, market withdrawals and safety alerts. You can also sign up to receive updates via email.
 

To boost your dog’s immune system and prevent him from getting Salmonellosis and other infections, you can supplement his diet with reishi, which offers immunity support for aging dogs as well as dogs with weak immune systems.
 

PHOTOS: doggiechronicles.com, healthyfood4dogs.info, pets.webmd.com, blogs.dogster.com, caninecampovers.com
 

Next Week: HOW TO Help Your Obese Dog Get in Shape
 

By Patrick Mahaney, VMD
 

With the success of reality television shows about hoarders (A&E’s “Hoarders” and TLC’s “Hoarding: Buried Alive”), it was inevitable that similar programs featuring animal hoarders would soon follow.
 

“Confessions: Animal Hoarding,” a new Animal Planet show (Wednesdays at 9 p.m. EST/PST) is sure to become “must see TV” for pet lovers and pet care professionals.
 

How many animals does it take to make a person an animal hoarder? Experts say that a person is classified as an animal hoarder when the number of pets they care for exceeds their ability to provide appropriate medical care for said pets. Additionally, animal hoarders have psychological and behavioral problems that don’t permit reasonable recognition of the adverse effect their lifestyle has on their personal and professional relationships.
 

What makes animal hoarders feel the need to bring so many animals into their homes? The answer is multifaceted and typically results from animal hoarders having good intentions that go awry. They want to help dogs, cats, or other species, yet their altruism is skewed by underlying mental illness.
 

Why do I find this topic so interesting? I have come across people and situations in my veterinary practice readily fitting the characteristics of animal hoarders. There are clear and valid concerns for the health of the animals and humans involved in these situations.
 

Invariably, urine and feces foul the confined spaces housing an inappropriately large number of animals. Potentially life threatening infectious diseases caused by viruses, bacteria, or parasites can be spread by feces, urine, saliva, blood, or trauma (bites or scratches). Additionally, general pet wellness is neglected, therefore a variety of preventable illnesses emerge or animals are discovered already deceased. Images of animal hoarding situations are often unsettling to viewers (both live and on-screen) and send a powerful message that should promote greater public awareness of this serious veterinary and human public health problem.
 

My hope is that this show (and its helpful website) will shed a humane and sympathetic light on animal hoarders. With greater public understanding, the animals involved in these unfortunate situations can receive proper medical care and be re-homed to more appropriate environments conducive to a healthy lifestyle.
 

PHOTO: Discover.com 
 

Patrick Mahaney has loved connecting to animals and people all of his life; therefore, he became a veterinarian to help pets and their owners. Patrick provides conventional and complementary veterinary medical care in veterinary hospitals and clients’ homes. Patrick enjoys the opportunity to utilize internet, print, radio, and television outlets to educate clients on how they can achieve the best quality of life for their pets.
 

Follow Dr. Mahaney on Twitter. Friend Dr. Mahaney on Facebook.
 

Have you even been accused of hoarding animals? Do you know an animal hoarder? Let us know your thoughts in the Comments section below!
 

Jerry Douthett, a 48-year-old musician from Rockford, Mich., suspected he had diabetes and was going to call a doctor late last month. To muster up the courage, he downed several beers – and a couple of 32-ounce margaritas – and then passed out in his bed. As he snored, Kiko, his Jack Russell Terrier mix, began nibbling on his right big toe.
 

Douthett’s wife, Rosee, a registered nurse who had been urging her husband to seek medical treatment, told The Grand Rapids Press, “I heard these screams coming from the bedroom, and he was yelling, ‘My toe’s gone, my toe’s gone!’”
 

“He ate it,” Douthett said. “I mean, he must have eaten it, because we couldn’t find it anywhere else in the house. I look down, there’s blood all over, and my toe is gone.”
 

Kiko had apparently detected an infection in his dog dad’s toe, and tried to “amputate” it himself. In doing so, Douthett believes that his pooch may have saved his life. At the hospital, he was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. His blood-sugar level was 560, much higher than the normal range of 80 to 120.
 

Kiko had chewed off the toe to a point below the nail line. X-rays revealed that the bone was infected, so the rest of the toe was amputated.
 

Douthett had first noticed the infected toe earlier in July, when he thought it was a sliver and tried to cut it out with a knife. Instead, the infection worsened, and his toe swelled so much that he couldn’t wear closed-toe shoes.
 

“It smelled, and I look back now and realize every time we’d visit someone with a dog, their dog would be sniffing all over my foot,” he said.
 

“We see all sorts of problems, and I’m rarely surprised by anything, but I’m tucking this one away as an extreme oddity,” Dr. Russell Lampen, an infectious specialist for Spectrum Health, told The Grand Rapids Press. He said part of the reason Douthett wasn’t awakened by Kiko’s chewing was due to nerve damage in his big toe, caused by diabetes.
 

“A normal person, even consuming that much alcohol, probably would have awakened much earlier,” Lampen said.
 

As for Kiko, he was briefly placed on house quarantine by Kent County Animal Shelter Services to ensure he had no signs of rabies. Douthett, who said he’s given up alcohol for good, jokingly said he’ll wear shoes to bed from now on.
 

Lampen said this case should serve as a warning for people to get tested for diabetes, especially since it is easily diagnosed.  
 

As Douthett told Reuters, “The moral of the story is that the dog saved my life, because otherwise I never would have gone in to see a doctor.”
 

PHOTOS: The Grand Rapids Press
 

Last Week: HOW TO Care for Your Dog’s Luxating Patella
 

It’s one of the most basic aspects of caring for a dog, and yet many pet parents are afraid of it: trimming a dog’s nails. But trimmed nails are an important aspect of dogs’ health and comfort.
 

Dogs’ nails grow continuously and even though dogs often wear them down on pavement or other hard surfaces while walking or running, they may need a little extra help. Still other dogs may spend a majority of their time on softer surfaces, such as carpet or grass, or lead an inactive life, in which case they will definitely need a pedicure.
 

Nails are an important element in how dogs get around. According to PetPlace.com, nails provide traction, enabling dogs to walk and run without slipping. “A dog’s claws are fairly strong,” reports the site. “They help the dog run and maneuver, to dig and they do offer some protection. As would be expected, they help to provide stability to the feet.”
 

When a dog’s nails aren’t trimmed, it can cause considerable discomfort or outright pain. “Dogs don’t walk correctly when the nails are too long and this strains the leg muscles and torques the spines,” reports PetHealth101.com.
 

There are other problems with very long nails. Long nails can get caught on any number of things, causing the nail to tear or break, which in turn leads to pain and some bleeding. In more extreme cases, when nails go uncut, they can curl into the paw pads or, in the case of dew claws, the nails may grow into a dog’s leg. This can lead to infection, but either way ingrown nails are extremely painful. So keeping everything trimmed down helps keep your dog comfortable in numerous ways.
 

Before learning how to clip dog nails, it might help to understand a nail’s basic structure. The hard outer shell or casing of the nail, called keratin, houses the softer insides, or a “central bundle of blood vessels and nerves that are informally known as the ‘quick,’ … The central quick is living tissue, while the brittle keratin is not,” WebVet.com writes on its website.
 

When a dog’s nails are white or light-colored, or see-through basically, trimming them back is significantly easier than when they’re black. The ability to actually see the quick, which appears pink, is a huge benefit when clipping nails. But just because a dog has black nails doesn’t mean pet parents can’t do a great job of learning to clip those nails, too. It just takes some practice and a little technique.
 

A lot of dogs aren’t happy about people handling their feet, so if it’s possible get your dog accustomed to having his feet handled regularly. If you can start stroking his paws, touching his nails and holding his toes during puppyhood, even better. You can reward them if they respond without fussing. Also, if you’ve never cut a dog’s nails before, it can be helpful to get a lesson from your veterinarian or a groomer to help you feel more confident.
 

You’ll also need to pick a set of tools. There are two types of cutter: guillotine and scissor. Some people also like to keep other things such as a file or dremel handy, but that’s a personal choice. It’s a good idea to keep some styptic powder available, just in case a nail is accidentally nicked. Styptic powder can help stop minor bleeding and is usually a staple in a pet first-aid kit.
 

Dogs.about.com recommends starting slowly; after a clipping lesson, lightly trim a couple of nails per day—not all at once. By taking off just the nail tips it lessens the risk of cutting the quick.
 

Prior to a clipping session, speak to your dog in a soothing voice to relax him. Have him lay down on his side, preferably up on a table if it’s possible. Make sure he won’t slip around on the surface underneath him.
 

To gently restrain your dog, “stand on the side of the table opposite to the claws you are trimming,” reports VetMed.com. “Drape your arms and upper body over the dog. When trimming the front claws, keep your left forearm over the neck to keep the dog from lifting its head.”
 

Hold your dog’s paw in one hand and the trimmer in your dominant hand. If your dog tries to stand, VetMed.com recommends leaning your upper body over his shoulder to prevent him from getting up. If you can’t place your dog on a table, simply modify you and your dog’s position to something similar and equally comfortable for both of you. Also, before you get started make sure you have plenty of light so you can see your dog’s nails clearly.
 

When trimming a nail with a guillotine trimmer, place the nail through the clipper ring; when you squeeze the handle a blade moves up and slices the nail off. Hold each toe gently but securely to ensure the nail doesn’t move around within the blade circle.
 

With a guillotine trimmer, VetMed.com recommends that the cutting blades should not face the dog; the screws on the handle should face the dog. “If you turn the trimmer around with the screws toward you, the cutting blade is cutting closer to the quick than if your trimmer is held with the cutting blade toward you,” the site reports.
 

The site also notes that it’s important to hold the handles either toward the floor or the ceiling—not from side to side. “If the trimmer is placed parallel to the nail (cutting from side to side), the nail is crushed and may splinter.”
 

Scissors-style trimmers work similarly to, well, scissors. Whichever you choose, always work with a set of trimmers with sharp blades, as these make cleaner cuts.
 

If your dog has both light-colored and black nails, start with the light ones. Because you can see the quick, they can serve a guide for the darker nails. With either type of clippers, clip within approximately 2 millimeters of the quick, VetMed.com recommends. (If this proves too close for your comfort, you can leave a little more nail.)
 

Because the quick is invisible in the black nails, cutting them is more difficult. In these cases, slice off just the tip of the nails and slowly work your way down.
 

If you look at a nail from the side, you’ll notice that the top is darkest (2 in the photo) and the curved part underneath the bottom is lighter (1). When you cut into the nail, you can also see this. “As you cut the nail deeper, you will see a homogeneous gray to pink oval (3) starting to appear at the top of the cut surface of the nail,” reports VetMed.com. “Stop cutting the nail at this point as additional cutting will cut into the quick.”
 

If your dog has dew claws, don’t forget to trim those, too. Because those nails never hit the ground they don’t wear down like the other nails do.
 

Finish off the edges with a file if you like—and if your dog tolerates it. If you find that your dog’s nails are exceptionally hard or tough, consider trimming his nails after a bath or swimming session to soften them up.
 

If you cut the quick, don’t panic—it will only upset your dog more. At the same time, do be aware that he is probably experiencing some pain so be gentle and handle the situation with care. 
 

The wound will bleed some, so prepare for that if you’re the squeamish type.Dogs.about.com notes that there are three options to stop the bleeding. The first is to let the bleeding stop on its own, which lasts about five to seven minutes. The second is to hold tissue paper or a little flour or corn flour against the bleeding and the third is applying the styptic powder to the cut.
 

Refrain from allowing your dog to lick the nail, as it will only prolong the bleeding. If the bleeding lasts longer than a few minutes, call your veterinarian to get a medical professional’s advice.
 

So how do you know when it’s time to cut your dog’s nails? The answer is a little vague: It depends on the dog. It goes beyond merely how fast or slow a dog’s nails grow; it also depends on how active the dog is and where. A dog that jogs with its parents or walks frequently on the sidewalk will wear his nails down faster than a dog that walks on grass or sand—or rarely walks at all. Senior, arthritic and dogs with hip dysplasia (among other health concerns) may also have trouble getting around, which would also inhibit their movement and, consequently, affect how their nails wear down.
 

Another thing to note is that the nails on hind paws are frequently shorter than their front paw counterparts. “Most dogs propel themselves with their back legs, such as Greyhounds do, and wear the back nails down.”
 

The possible combinations of lifestyle and surfaces are practically infinite so get in the habit of checking your dog’s feet. In addition to checking the nails, it’s a great habit to get in for examining the paw pads too. If you hear your dog’s nail clicking on a hard surface, his nails are definitely too long.
 

And what if they are too long? As mentioned above, nails that haven’t been trimmed can cause a dog pain. If they’re too long, simply trimming them back to where you think they should be will result in cutting the nail quicks. As the nail grows, so too does the quick along with it.
 

In cases like these, cut just the tip of the nail off, which will make the quick recede a little bit. “As nails grow, the quick extends so that the quick becomes very long when the nail is very long,” reports PetHealth101.com. “Although this procedure is sometimes done under anesthetic, at home we just cut the nails slowly. The quick will regress a small amount each time the nail is shortened. Over several weeks, the nail can be shortened without pain or trauma.”
 

Once you figure out the right amount of time between clippings and get confident with your new skills, you can add nail trims to your regular grooming routine. Maintaining a healthy set of nails instead having to take care of a problem situation is easier for you and much more comfortable and healthy for the dogs themselves.
 

Next Week: HOW TO Treat Your Dog’s Salmonella Infection
 

PHOTOS: HealthyAlberta.com, DogCareBasics.com, VetMed.com
 

Last Week: HOW TO Treat Your Dog’s Tapeworm
 

Even at three months old Irie would run at exciting, fast speeds and her trot would always include a staggering hop or two. A Chihuahua-Jack Russell Terrier mix, Irie isn’t unlike many small breeds in the way she hikes up one leg or the other as she shoots across the living room. At one point, her dog mom noticed other Chihuahuas and similar mixes often had one knee in the air as they jogged about the dog park.      
 

Most pet parents with small breeds are very familiar with the cute skip they may often see in their dogs’ step when their dogs frolic about. It may look a bit like Charlie Chaplin’s gait, silly and sweet, but this little hop can be more painful than humorous for some dogs. A skip in a dog’s step can indicate that the dog is suffering from a luxating patella that over time may progress into a condition requiring surgical intervention.
 

What is Luxating Patella (or Patellar Luxation)?
 

Luxating patella, also referred to by veterinarians as patellar luxation, is much more complicated than “the knee bone’s connected to the thigh bone.” The patella is the term describing a dog’s kneecap and when the patella luxates (shifts) in the complex structure of the knee joint, a misalignment of the knee has occurred, says Ron Hines, DVM, PhD, from 2ndChanceInfo.com.
 

“These kneecaps (or patella) are meant to ride in a groove [trochlear grove] on the face of the femur [the large bone of the thigh],” writes Dr. Hines. “The patella acts as a pulley, giving leverage to extend the knee as the pet walks.”
 

With a malfunctioning “pulley system,” a dog’s left to deal with the agitating symptoms of luxating patella, which is also commonly referred to as a “trick knee.” To compensate for the patella’s dislocation, a dog may run on three legs for a period of time until the patella readjusts itself. For some dogs, this happens in mere seconds, for others in minutes and still others may never receive relief from the condition.  
 

Hines continues by explaining that a sturdy ligament holds the patella to the thigh’s large muscles. Opposite this ligament, on the other end, another ligament exists that joins the patella to the pet’s shinbone (tibia). “Alignment on the inner (medial patellar ligament) and outer side (lateral patellar ligament) of the knee help keep the patella riding in its track,” says Hines.
 

The patella can dislocate in two ways, either laterally or medially. Medial luxating patella means that the dog’s kneecap has luxated toward the dog’s opposite knee, whereas lateral luxating patella means that the knee has dislocated away from the dog’s body, writes Wendy Brooks, DVM, DipABVP, for VeterinaryPartner.com.
 

“In over 90 percent of these cases the patella jumps out of its tract to the inside of the pet’s knee,” says Hines.  
 

In most cases a dog will suffer from medial luxating patella, which is less apparent than lateral, while those with lateral luxating patella suffer from a more debilitating condition. In fact, Hines writes that lateral luxation occurs more often in larger breeds as a result of poor skeletal alignment. Some large breeds commonly afflicted with this condition include Irish Wolfhounds, Great Danes and Saint Bernards.  
 

About 50 percent of dogs with luxating patella will have it in both knees and the other 50 percent will carry the problem in one knee alone. If left untreated, luxated patella can lead to more stressful and painful conditions.
 

“The entire weight-bearing stress of the rear leg is altered, which in time leads to changes in the hips, long bones, and ultimately leads to arthritis,” writes Brooks. “How severe the changes are depends on how severe the luxation is and how long that degree of luxation has been going on.”
 

What are the symptoms of Luxating Patella?
 

Patellar luxation occurs within four levels of severity, with each level displaying similar as well as unique symptoms. One of the most obvious signs of luxating patella is one already mentioned, a skip in a dog’s step while running. Some pet parents, explains Hines, might note a pop in the dog’s knee joint area while holding their dogs.
 

The following list outlines the four levels of pattelar luxation in a dog’s knee(s) as described by Hines:
 

Grade 1
Grade one pets do not experience pain. Their kneecaps pop out of place intermittently and can be easily massaged back into place when the legs are extended.
 

Grade 2
Grade two pets have less stable knees. The kneecaps can be massaged back into their grooves, but they pop back out again once the knees are manually flexed or they have taken a few steps. With time, some of these pets will develop pain and arthritis associated with their problem.
 

Grade 3
Those in which the problem seems more pronounced or when persistent pain or arthritic changes are arbitrarily placed in grade three.
 

Grade 4
These are pets whose kneecaps will not stay in their grooves even for short periods. These dogs have a hard time walking. Dogs that have suffered this degree of joint damage for more than a year or two usually have pain, and have developed arthritis and degenerative joint disease. They usually walk with crouching stances and stand knock-kneed with their toes turned inward.
 

Hines makes it clear that in the more severe levels, grades 3 and 4, a dog most likely developed the condition earlier in life but never saw a doctor until it was middle-aged. Most of the animals seen by veterinarians for this condition are over six months old, but severe defects can be pronounced as soon as eight to ten weeks of age.
 

“In severe or advanced patellar luxation, changes are occurring that you cannot see,” writes Hines. “The slick, bony surfaces of the patella and trochlear groove become inflamed in a process called chondromalacia. As time passes, this inflammation becomes more generalized to involve most of the supportive cartilage and fibrous tissues of the knee.”
 

What causes luxating patella?
 

Genetics plays a large role in the causes behind patellar luxation. As previously discussed, several smaller breeds are more prone to this condition than others. Those breeds include: Boston Terrier, Chihuahua, Pomeranian, Miniature Poodle, Yorkshire Terrier, Dachshund and Basset Hound to name a few. Hines adds that the condition is occasionally seen in other breeds as well, such as the Boykin Spaniel, Cocker Spaniel, Chow Chow, Bedlington Terrier, Australian Terrier, Japanese Chin, Shar-Pei, Mi-Ki, Lhasa Apso, Tibetan Spaniel, Tibetan Terrier and Labrador Retriever.
 

“In certain breeds that have extremely short legs such as the Basset Hound or Dachshund, patellar luxation is thought to be secondary to the abnormal shape of the femur and tibia,” writes Race Foster, DVM, for PetEducation.com. “The curvatures of the bones in these breeds work in conjunction with the forces of the quadriceps muscles to displace the patella to the inside.”
 

Dominique Griffon, DVM, MS, PhD Diplomate, of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons, says that this condition is one of the “most common congenital anomalies in dogs,” noting that 7 percent of puppies are diagnosed with patellar luxation.   
 

She goes on to explain that though luxating patella can be the result of traumatic injury to the knee, most luxating patella comes without a clear cause. Dogs diagnosed early on with patellar luxation that are predisposed to it and have not had any trauma to their knees most likely have the condition as a result of abnormalities in their entire hind limb.  
 

For this reason, as Dr. Griffon explains, “Congenital patellar luxation is therefore no longer considered an isolated disease of the knee, but rather a component/consequence of a complex skeletal anomaly affecting the overall alignment of the limb.”
 

Hines breaks down the specific abnormalities to the knee that leads to patellar luxation as follows:
 

First, and most common, is a weak or stretched lateral patellar ligament. In almost all cases, this is a problem the pet is born with. Although only one knee may appear to be affected, in most cases, both knees share some degree of the problem.
 

Second is a trochlear groove that is too shallow. In order for the patella not to jump out of this tract, the groove must be deep enough to accommodate and cradle the patella as it moves up and down in the groove. Some dogs are born with an abnormally shallow trochlear groove.
 

Third is a problem that occurs when the lower attachment of the kneecap ligament is too far to the inner side of the shinbone or tibia. This is a frequent problem in dogs that are bred to have exceptionally short legs (like Dachshunds). When dogs develop luxating patellas before the tibia has reached maturity, it is also possible for the point of attachment to shift inward – throwing off the alignment.
 

How is Luxating Patella Diagnosed?
 

If you notice that your dog is exhibiting signs of luxating patella, such as skipping, yelping in pain while running, or popping sounds within the knee area, take her in to see a veterinarian. Your veterinarian will exam your dog by gently applying pressure to your dog’s kneecaps with her thumbs while the knee is extended, writes Hines.
 

“There is a distinctive pop or jerk as the patellar jumps out of its groove to the inner surface of the thigh where it can be readily felt in its abnormal position,” explains Hines.
 

The next steps involve determining the level of severity of the patellar luxation and determining whether or not any arthritic changes have occurred. Hines tells pet parents to seek the professional evaluation of at least two veterinarians to help determine the grade of the condition and whether or not your dog will need surgery.
 

In order to diagnose the condition fully, your dog’s veterinarian may run more tests and order X-rays. In order to determine the most appropriate treatment, writes Griffon, your vet may do any of the following tests:
 

Palpation of the knee under sedation to assess damage to ligaments
 

Radiographs of the pelvis, knee and occasionally the tibias to evaluate the shape of the bones in the rear leg and rule out hip dysplasia
 

Three-dimensional computed tomography to provide an image of the skeleton of the rear legs to help the surgeon plan surgery where the shape of the femur or tibia needs correcting
 

Blood work and urine analysis as a precaution before anesthesia  
 

How is Luxating Patella Treated? 
 

The only viable treatment for patellar luxation is surgery. Though it’s the only way to correct the condition as well as is possible, not all levels of the condition need surgery. Dogs with grade 1 or grade 2 patellar luxation (not exhibiting signs of pain) do not need surgery. Dogs in these two levels are those that will always have a hop in their step, but aren’t suffering the excruciating pain that would require surgery.
 

Hines recommends that these dogs be kept on a balanced diet and kept lean to alleviate any extra weight on the hips and knees that could aggravate the condition. He also suggests trimming the dog’s toenails to prevent any snagging that could cause trauma to the knee. Lastly, he suggests feeding the dog a glucosamine and chondroitin supplement to help provide some extra relief to the dog’s knees and to help slow the acceleration of arthritis.
 

“Dogs carry the majority of their weight on their front legs and seem not to be inconvenienced when running on three legs,” writes Hines. “However, patellar problems do not go away on their own, so you will have to judge how much of an inconvenience grade 2 problems are to your pet.”
 

Though grade 2 problems can be taken care of without surgery, Hines explains that sometimes a corrective surgery at this stage can be done successfully and can leave keep the condition from progressing further. If the surgery isn’t done well in advance of arthritic changes while the knee is still pain-free, the surgery is not as successful and a dog will still have pain in the leg. Hines explains that it becomes the pet parent’s call at this point based on the advice from the dog’s veterinarian.
 

Dogs that show signs of pain, are in the beginning stages of knee arthritis and those that fall in grades 3 and 4 require surgery. But before doing so, Hines recommends that pet parents rule out any other joint problems that may be causing the dog’s pain and symptoms.
 

As Dr. Foster explains, dogs at this stage will absolutely require surgical attention. Left untreated, patellar luxation can worsen and make it more and more difficult for a dog to walk.
 

“Arthritis will prematurely affect the joint, causing a permanently swollen knee with poor mobility,” writes Foster.
 

If your dog requires surgery for this condition, she will undergo one or several of three surgeries: lateral imbrications, trochlear modification, or tibial crest transposition. As Griffon explains, the surgeries are as follows and involve the outlined procedures:
 

Lateral Imbrication (also called Lateral Reinforcement)
When the patella slips out of its groove, the joint capsule surrounding it is stretched to allow this motion. Imbrication simply involves taking a tuck in the joint capsule. The tightened joint capsule does not allow for the slipping of the kneecap and the kneecap is confined to its proper groove.
 

Trochlear Modification
The patella rides in a groove at the bottom of the femur (thigh bone). In toy breed dogs this groove is shallow, which allows the patella to slip. If the groove is deepened, the patella stays where it belongs. The normal groove in the femur is lined by slippery lubricated cartilage, called hyaline cartilage. This cartilage is peeled or cut away, the bone underneath is sliced out to form a deeper groove, and the cartilage is replaced. Techniques that do not preserve the original cartilage are no longer recommended.
 

Tibial Crest Transposition
If the knock-kneed conformation has already started to set in, the tibias (or leg bones) will have rotated; specifically, the crest on the tibia where the thigh muscle (the quadriceps femoris) attaches may have migrated inward. If this is the case, the crest will have to be removed and pinned back where it belongs to straighten out the leg. Severe rotation of the tibias may involve actually cutting through the entire bone and de-rotating it back into place.
 

Following the surgery, your dog will go through a period of recovery. Your dog will be sent home bandaged up and you will most likely be told to restrict her exercise. If your dog needs to go outdoors, use a leash and be careful not to allow too much activity. If your dog is difficult to keep calm, you may want to speak to your veterinarian about tranquilization to keep her from causing harm to the leg. As always, an Elizabethean collar will most likely go home with your dog to keep her from chewing at the stitches.
 

Some veterinarians, Hines writes, will give dogs antibiotics to deter infections. Complications after the surgery are minimal and a dog is usually up and back to her old tricks within three to four weeks if only the knee ligaments were reinforced. The recovery time is longer for the more complicated procedures, about six to eight weeks.
 

“Beginning three weeks or so after surgery, physical therapy, swimming, hydrotherapy and range of motion exercises will help prevent muscle contraction and reluctance to use the leg,” writes Hines.
 

To find a qualified veterinary surgeon, Griffon recommends doing a search on the ACVS site.
 

How is Luxating Patella Prevented?
 

Unfortunately, because patellar luxation can be passed down to new generations of puppies genetically, most veterinarians recommend preventing this condition by not breeding animals that have it. Hines recommends that serious breeders or “conscientious occasional breeder” have their dogs certified by the OFA as being free of the patellar luxation trait.
 

Next Week: HOW TO Trim Your Dog’s Nails
 

PHOTOS: acvs.org, fullissue.com, baywoodpets.co.uk, writepudding.com, flickr.com   
 

By Patrick Mahaney, VMD 
 

While visiting England, I enthusiastically read a Daily Telegraph article titled, “Dog owners banned from using long leads.” Evidently, my perspective on the retractable lead, one of my least favorite pet products, is shared by United Kingdom government.
 

Tameside (in Greater Manchester) city council enacted an ordinance to reduce the public health nuisance caused by irresponsible owners using excessively long leads. Public spaces are repeatedly being fouled by dog owners not picking up their dogs’ bowel movements. Evidently, requiring dogs to be on a shorter lead increases the likelihood owners will clean up after their pets.
 

Besides the odor and other obvious unpleasantries carried by dog bowel movements, improperly disposed waste can potentially spread parasites, bacteria, and viruses to other canine community members and wildlife.
 

The rule bans dogs from being walked on leads longer than 6 feet 5 inches in local parks. Other spaces, such as school playing fields and cemeteries, have banned dogs all together. Tameside police are being trained on how to best enforce the new rule.
 

The ordinance is being met with disdain by various members of the community. Dylan Sharpe, the campaign director of Big Brother Watch (connected with Taxpayers’ Alliance campaign group) stated, “This proposal is completely barking mad – only a local authority would even think of fining people £1,000 because of the length of their dog lead. This is just the latest in a steady stream of potty policies that try to criminalize and fine innocent dog walkers.” The Kennel Club, Britain’s largest dog welfare organization, declared the ordinance “completely arbitrary” and “unnecessary.”
 

Tameside council has defended its policy, as the intent is to make public spaces more enjoyable for all citizens. Other local governments in Greater Manchester are also considering similar pet waste reducing rules.
 

As a veterinary medical professional, I commend Tameside and all other United Kingdom governments enacting such ordinances.
 

The West Hollywood government has led the way in California for enacting local pet health care laws. Although I don’t agree, West Hollywood law makes it illegal for veterinarians to perform an onychectomy (declaw) procedure on cats not having a medical necessity for the procedure. My views are more aligned with West Hollywood banning the sale of dogs and cats in pet stores.
 

Perhaps Tameside’s rule will inspire West Hollywood government to similarly ban the use of retractable leashes. There was an attempt to create such an ordinance in the past, yet Los Angeles county already has a similar statute as follows:
 

10.32.010 Dogs — Running at large prohibited
No person owning or having charge, care, custody or control of any dog shall cause, permit or allow the same to be or to run at large upon any highway, street, lane, alley, court or other public place, or upon any private property or premises other than those of the person owning or having charge, care, custody or control of such dog, in the unincorporated area of the county of Los Angeles, unless such dog be restrained by a substantial chain or leash not exceeding six feet in length and is in the charge, care, custody or control of a competent person.
 

A component of the problem is the “competent person,” as a responsible dog owner certainly can keep a dog under control while on a retractable lead at a length of less than 6 feet. Unfortunately, there are many irresponsible owners using the retractable leads in a less than responsible way, which creates problems for the public at large.
 

These leads are typically composed of a strong, thin rope, which can cause severe damage to body tissue. My clients and I have suffered personal injury as a result of irresponsible use of retractable leads by dog owners neglecting to employ adequate control over their crazy canines. One of my clients lost a finger and I experienced a second-degree burn across my arm after our respective limbs became ensnared.
 

Additional animal safety concerns include a higher possibility a dog will incur injury while being walked on a retractable lead. As compared to a flat fabric or chain-link leash (both non-retractable), the retractable lead permits reduced control of a dog’s mobility and increases the likelihood of trauma. While on a retractable lead, a canine patient of mine walked some distance ahead of his owner on a sidewalk, was abruptly startled, then fell between two cars and fractured a leg.
 

To promote the physical and mental health of canine and human inhabitants, I hope West Hollywood (and other cities and states) will eventually apply a similar rule. Perhaps public spaces would contain less dog waste and fewer people and pets would end up injured or ill.
 

PHOTOS: Courtesy of Dr. Patrick Mahaney
 

Patrick Mahaney has loved connecting to animals and people all of his life, therefore, he became a veterinarian to help pets and their owners. Patrick provides conventional and complementary veterinary medical care in veterinary hospitals and clients’ homes. Patrick enjoys the opportunity to utilize internet, print, radio, and television outlets to educate clients on how they can achieve the best quality of life for their pets.
 
Follow Dr. Mahaney on Twitter. Friend Dr. Mahaney on Facebook.
 

Have you been injured by a retractable lead? Or do you like using one? Tell us your thoughts in the Comments section.
 

 Last Week: HOW TO Treat Your Dog’s Mange
 

While tapeworm, a common parasitical infection in dogs, is easy to treat, it can cause your dog a lot of discomfort. The only way your dog can get the most common type of tapeworm, known as Dipylidium caninum, is by swallowing infected fleas.
 

Humans can also be infected with Dipylidium caninum, but to do so they must, like dogs, digest a flea with the parasite. (Ugh.)

What Causes Tapeworm?
 

Ready for a basic lesson in tapeworm anatomy? (Warning: May not be safe for the squeamish.) A tapeworm’s body is flat, like a piece of tape – which is how it got its name. Besides the head and neck, the body consists of several segments, which are each the size of a grain of rice. Each segment has its own independent digestive and reproductive systems. According to the Mar Vista Animal Medical Center, people are often surprised by the actual length of a tapeworm (it’s typically 6 inches or longer), since usually only its segments can be seen.
 

Your dog can become infected with tapeworm if he swallows a flea that hosts the parasite. According to Mar Vista, the head section of the tapeworm attaches itself to your dog’s intestinal wall using either its rostellum – a structure that’s “sort of like a hat with hooks on it” – or its six rows of teeth.
 

Once it is latched onto your dog’s intestinal wall, the tapeworm absorbs nutrients from the food your dog is digesting as it flows by. From its neck area, the tapeworm grows a long tail composed of many segments. The older segments are pushed toward the tip of the tail. By the time a segment reaches the end of the tail, reports vetinfo.com, only its reproductive system is left.
 

When a segment drops off, it is usually filled with lots of eggs. The segment exits your dog through his rectum (it can often be seen in the fur around that area, or in your dog’s feces). Sometimes the eggs are moving if they haven’t dried out yet.
 

“The pieces you see in the stool are actually small pieces of the tapeworm that break off and contain the tapeworm eggs,” wrote i Love Dog’s “Ask Our Vet,” Dr. Michelle Hoag, in a response to the owner of a dog with tapeworm. “They usually move and wiggle around for a few minutes and then dry up and get very hard.” When a segment dries, it looks like a sesame seed, according to Mar Vista.
 

At this stage, the eggs are not yet infectious to your dog. But when larval fleas hatch nearby, they inadvertently eat the tapeworm eggs along with their normal diet of organic debris and flea dirt. As the larval flea develops, the tapeworm inside it also grows. When the flea reaches adulthood, the tapeworm is ready to infect a dog.
 

The young tapeworm is only infectious to dogs at this stage of its development. When the flea hops on a dog and the dog swallows it, the young tapeworm is released. It takes about three weeks from the time a dog swallows an infested flea for the tapeworm segments to appear around his rectum or in his feces.
 

What are the Symptoms of Tapeworm?
 

If your dog is infected with a tapeworm, he may show the following symptoms, according to vetinfo.com and findoutaboutdogs.com:
 

  Swollen stomach that’s tender to the touch
  Nervousness
  Licking his anus area excessively, or scooting his rear end along the floor
 

In extreme cases of tapeworm infection, your dog may display any of the following symptoms:
 

  Weight loss
  Dull coat
  Lack of appetite
  Low energy level
  Diarrhea and vomiting
  Convulsions caused by toxins released by the tapeworm
 

How is Tapeworm Diagnosed?
 

An infection can usually be diagnosed just by the appearance of tapeworm segments around your dog’s anus, reports vetinfo.com. According to Mar Vista, because the eggs are contained inside one of the tapeworm’s segments, they often don’t show up in fecal exams. To be seen, the segment must break open to expose the eggs.
 

So if you can see segments under your dog’s tail, around his rectum, or on his feces, your dog has a tapeworm. Mar Vista notes that people sometimes mistake maggots in their dogs’ feces for tapeworms. However, unlike tapeworm segments, maggots are not found in freshly passed stool and are not flat.
 

How is Tapeworm Treated?
 

Fortunately, it is easy to treat tapeworms in dogs, according to vetinfo.com. The most common treatment is Praziquantel, a drug belonging to a class of medications called anthelmintics, which works by killing the tapeworm. It can be administered via injection, tablet or topically.
 

“I usually recommend two treatments approximately two weeks apart to make sure that all stages of the parasite are killed,” Dr. Hoag wrote. “Sometimes more immature stages are protected from the effect of the dewormer and can be missed by a single deworming. In addition, tapeworms in particular are spread by ingestion of fleas, so if your dog has fleas and the flea infestation is not also addressed, the tapeworms will return.”
 

How is Tapeworm Prevented?
 

Since dogs can only become infected with tapeworm if they swallow infected fleas, be sure to take preventive measures to keep these pests out of your dog’s environment.
 

Mar Vista reports that spot-on flea preventives can be very effective in preventing infection and re-infection. If you prefer not to use chemicals, there are several ways to eradicate fleas naturally.
 

Along with treating your dog, be sure to treat any carpets, rugs and upholstery in your home.
 

What Other Types of Tapeworm can Infect My Dog?
 

In addition to Dipylidium caninum, there are four other, less common types of tapeworm that affect dogs, according to findoutaboutdogs.com. Praziquantel can be used to treat all of these types of tapeworm.
 

  Taenia species – Six of the nine species of Taenia found in North America affect dogs, who can become infected by eating raw meat. Usually the only sign of infection, as with Dipylidium caninum, is the appearance of segments in your dog’s anal region. To prevent infection, don’t feed your dog raw meat or allow him to prey on wild animals.
 

  Echinococcus granulosus – As with Taenia species, dogs become infected by eating raw meat. However, they rarely show any signs of infection unless there are a large number of tapeworms present, and the eggs don’t pass through the rectum.
 

  Diphyllobothrium latum – This type of tapeworm is most commonly found in the Great Lakes area. It is transmitted through raw or undercooked fish. It lives in dogs’ small intestines and can grow to be quite large, but there are very few signs of infection in dogs.
 

  Spirometra mansonoides – More cats than than dogs are infected with this tapeworm, which is most commonly found along the Gulf Coast and in Florida. While there are usually no symptoms, severe cases can cause irritability, weight loss and loss of appetite. To avoid an infection, prevent your pets from eating snakes, birds, amphibians, reptiles and rodents.
 

PHOTOS: suite101.com, stanleyhousevets.com, s-h-l.com, capecodpet.net
 
NEXT WEEK: HOW TO Care for Your Dog’s Luxating Patella
 

Pet parents, the good ones, adore their pets. They’d do absolutely anything to make their pets happy, from buying designer collars to organic treats. A pampered dog is a happy dog, say some. Yet, although dogs seem to brighten up a day with their sweet demeanor and live-in-the-moment attitudes, there’s one thing all loving pet parents can agree upon: incessant dog barking is annoying.
 

From the teeniest Chihuahua to the largest Irish Wolfhound, all dogs, if not properly trained, have the ability to bark until the cows come home. Others can even go through hours of endless training and still continue this nasty little habit. The problem though, is that barking doesn’t stay behind closed doors. It affects neighbors, friends, families, roommates, unsuspecting sidewalk roamers and door-knocking UPS workers.
 

The solution: A bowl full of ear plugs at your doorstep? Only in a pet parent’s dreams. Unfortunately, dogs that bark without remorse become vulnerable to neighborhood complaints that can get them kicked out of house and home. Some feel that the solution to extreme barking is a controversial surgery often referred to as “debarking” or “devocalization,” but medically termed a ”ventriculocordectomy.”
 

Dr. Marder with his dogs Nestle and Truffles

Devocalization is a surgery in which a veterinarian will snip a dog’s vocal cords, either via the mouth or through a small incision in the throat, bringing the dog’s vocal volume to a mere squeak, wheeze or whisper. At times, this procedure is necessary for medical or therapeutic reasons for which no other alternative exists, but in other circumstances, owners may choose this surgery purely for the purpose of silencing an excessively vocal dog.
 

In a New York Times article entitled “Heel. Sit. Whisper. Good Dog,” reporter Sam Dolnick profiled one particular pet parent who did the latter and put a stop to his Dachshund-Terrier mix Nestle’s persistent yapping. Nestle’s dog dad, Mike Marder, just so happens to be a veterinarian and explained that it was either this or losing his pooch.
 

It’s almost natural that a pet parent living in an apartment-drenched New York City may find himself on the receiving end of complaints even louder than the barking causing them. Well, neighbors in Dr. Marder’s Upper East Side apartment complex had no problem submitting their list of grievances. But instead of re-homing Nestle, Marder felt that having a veterinary surgeon cut Nestle’s vocal cords was the smarter alternative. He’s not alone in making that decision.
 

“There is no reliable estimate as to how many dogs have had their vocal cords cut,” reports Dolnick. “But veterinarians and other animal experts say that dogs with no bark can readily be found — but not necessarily heard — in private homes, on the show-dog circuit, and even on the turf of drug dealers, who are said to prefer their attack dogs silent.”
 

Animal advocates opposed to the practice of debarking often refer to the procedure as “mutilation” and “convenience devocalization,” meaning that pet parents who have their dogs’ vocal cords cut do so for their own convenience to avoid conflicts with neighbors and landlords instead of considering the dog’s needs.
 

The Animal Law Coalition (ALC), active in supporting anti-devocalization legislation such as that of Logan’s Law in the state of Massachusetts, which was spearheaded by the Coalition to Protect and Rescue Pets that passed into law on July 21, calls the procedure cruel, risky and painful, and says that pet parents who’ve done this do so without regard to the dog’s health or wellbeing. ALC is not alone in the effort to stop this practice; both the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), two of the largest veterinary associations in the country, have a standing policy denouncing devocalization.
 

Veterinarians performing a ventriculocordectomy

“AAHA is opposed to the practice known as debarking, canine devocalization or vocal cordectomy,” states the AAHA website. ”Devocalization for inappropriate and excessive vocalization is often ineffective in achieving the desired results and can deprive canines of the ability to perform a normal behavior. Appropriate behavioral modification efforts should be employed that avoid the use of punishment or aversive methods.”
 

Many veterinarians call the procedure outdated and inhumane, writes Dolnick, insisting that the procedure “destroys an animal’s central means of communication merely for the owner’s convenience.” In fact, there are veterinarians that will not perform the surgery because of the stance they’ve taken against the procedure. Most largely recommend, like AAHA, behavioral modification with a professional animal behaviorist to help curb nuisance barking. But what if training efforts fail?
 

“Canine devocalization should only be performed by qualified, licensed veterinarians as a final alternative after behavioral modification efforts to correct excessive vocalization have failed,” says the AVMA policy.
 

Supposedly, the underlying concern for those who support devocalization is that pet parents who are banned from devocalizing their pets and continue to have problems with their dogs’ barking will eventually have to surrender them to local shelters already overflowing with unwanted animals. Dolnick spoke to veterinarian Sharon L. Vanderlip, who’d been performing this surgery for more than 30 years in San Diego County. A passionate proponent of the procedure, Dr. Vanderlip believes devocalization saves lives.
 

“They recover immediately and they don’t ever seem to notice any difference,” she says. “I think that in certain cases it can certainly save a dog from being euthanized. If properly done, they behave totally the same afterwards and don’t seem to have any health problems.”
 

Labrador's throat after corrective surgery on his vocal cords

Those fighting to ban the practice in the U.S. would disagree. Organizations like Animal Law Coalition say that most times the procedure results in a build-up of scar tissue on the vocal cords, making it difficult for the animal to breathe, eat and express itself naturally. In fact, they say that many of these animals will have to undergo a second surgery to correct the problems resulting from the first.
 

Advocacy groups also believe that barking serves more purposes than just causing a nuisance. For one, it helps a dog express its anxiety, excitement, fears and more. “Dogs are usually barking because of some frustration,” Louise Murray, DVM, director of medicine at the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital in Manhattan, told Dolnick. “It’s frustrating to be a sheepdog with no sheep. What I’d be concerned about is if you’re debarking a dog and it has an underlying unhappiness.”
 

If indeed there is a more relevant cause for the barking than just being a nuisance, then the dog could potentially find more adverse ways of expressing it. 
 

“Barking is just the tip of a large and deep behavioral iceberg,” says Pat Miller, a certified pet dog trainer and behavior consultant, in a video [below] by Coalition to Protect and Rescue Pets. “Debark a bored, lonely or distressed dog, the three most common reasons for so-called nuisance barking, and you’re begging the dog to re-direct his barking and express his distress by offering other inappropriate behaviors, such as biting.”
 

From behavioral issues to complications due to the surgery, anti-devocalization advocates have laid down a pretty solid case against the procedure. To drive the issue home, in their advocacy for an anti-devocalization ban in Massachusetts, members of the Coalition to Protect and Rescue Pets created videos [below] with interviews of pet parents with rescued devocalized dogs who’d suffered the consequences of that procedure. Many of them recount sad stories revealing problems with their dogs choking on food, breathing difficulties and their dogs needing constant vigilance because of their inability to warn the pet parent of any suffering.
 

Others across the web, who see nothing wrong with devocalization, make claims that their dogs return to complete normalcy after the procedure. 
 

“Our family had an Irish Setter who we all loved dearly, but he barked incessantly at even the slightest scent of a raccoon,” comments blarkin1 on Dolnick’s New York Times article. ”We finally had him debarked and he still barked at the scent of a raccoon, although at a much lower volume. Point being: he didn’t seem to alter his behavior one bit and still hunted, romped and wagged.” 
 

Passionate discussion about the topic can be seen across the blogosphere. Supporters of debarking, many times dog breeders who have to manage the barking of numerous dogs, vehemently defend the procedure and reject the term “debarking,” instead opting to call the procedure bark-softening. They insist that mislabeling the procedure gives the impression that the dogs are rendered completely voiceless, when they say that really it only lowers the volume of the bark. Supporters repeatedly cite cases of happy bark-softened dogs, such as the Irish Setter mentioned above, as proof positive of how the procedure keeps dogs in their homes. Their main point for defending devocalization is that barking is a leading cause in animal shelter surrenders.  
 

However, different studies present differing data. The National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy conducted a survey with 12 shelters regarding the reasons for surrender. According to the council, the top 10 reasons are as follows: 
 

1. Moving
2. Landlord issues
3. Cost of pet maintenance
4. No time for pet
5. Inadequate facilities
6. Too many pets in home
7. Pet illness(es)
8. Personal problems
9. Biting
10. No homes for littermates
  

It’s important to consider that members of the council include the ASPCA, AVMA, The Humane Society of the United States, Society of Animal Welfare Administration, National Animal Control Association, Cat Fanciers’ Association, Association for Veterinary Epidemology and Preventive Medicine, American Pet Products Association, American Association of Feline Practitioners and American Humane Society; many of which are against devocalization.
 

Also, since the study only surveyed 12 shelters, bark-softening supporters question the ability of the study to really represent shelter surrenders across the country. But, whether or not barking shows up as a top 10 reason for shelter surrender in other studies doesn’t necessarily mean that ”nuisance barking” is truly the problem, say anti-devocalization advocates. As previously mentioned, barking can result from any number of issues: lack of exercise, lack of stimulation, separation anxiety, illness and lack of socialization to name a few. So, though a dog owner may surrender a dog for “excessive barking,” the real reason, if dog owners are honest with themselves, could also possibly be something more like, “I didn’t have the time to walk him.”
 

The debate over devocalization rages on and legislation around the issue keeps pulling on either end of the bark-o-war rope. The recent win in Massachusetts would mean those violating the ban could face up to five years in prison and fines up to $2,500. (Massachusetts is the first U.S. state to pass a ban of this nature, according to the New York Times). The U.K. and other European countries have long carried bans that include outlawing procedures such as docking and declawing.
 

In the U.S., Ohio restricts the surgery to non-violent dogs, and California has had a similar ban proposed as legislation in the past. And though that law never passed, it hasn’t stopped advocates from introducing similar legislation. In May, the California Assembly passed Assembly Bill 2743, which makes it illegal for ”landlords in California to require animal declawing or devocalization as a condition of tenancy,” reported the Los Angeles Times. Yet, within the same month, the Los Angeles City Council asked the district attorney to draft an ordinance that would enforce fines on pet parents whose dogs violated barking-noise ordinaces — and so the pull-push of this debate continues. 
 

Nevertheless, advocates of banning devocalization have achieved small victories here and there. Last year, Banfield, the largest pet general veterinary practice in the world with more than 750 hospitals, banned this surgery and others. Animal Law Coalition is in the process of pushing HR 5422 which, according to their website, “would make states that ban canine and feline devocalization eligible for federal grants of up to $1 million to prevent all forms of animal cruelty.” 
 

As of now though, with less than a handful of states enforcing a devocalization ban, in most cases it becomes the pet parent’s decision of whether or not their dog should have the freedom to speak.
 

PHOTOS: ehow.com, ipetshome.com, onlyforpetlovers.com, incirclepets.com
 

Is devocalization cruel? Where do you stand? Leave your comments below.