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Copyright 2006, Belvoir Media Group, LLC THE WHOLE DOG JOURNAL |

May 2006

The Whole Dog JournalVOLUME 9NUMBER 5

TM

FEATURES

A monthly guide to natural dog care and training

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

2 Editors Note24 Product and Expert Resources

3 Safe Pain ReliefA committed dog owner devoted more than ayear to confirm what her dog had alreadyshown her: This arthritis pain-relief productreally works.

8 Bully for You!Why (and how) you should intervene if yourdog seems to enjoy picking on others.

11 A Water-Lovers WorryGiardia is much more prevalent in dogs than

previously thought. And it could be causingyour dogs recurrent diarrhea.

15 Control Yourself!The many benefits of teaching your dogsome self-control skills.

18 Basic ImmunologyHow to tell when a dogs immunity isall systems go! (Plus, tips on how tosupport the immune system foroptimal health.)

$5.95

An older poochspain reliever

. . . page 3

Give me just a littlemore time . . .page 8

Stimulatingimmunity

. . . page 18

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2|MAY 2006 Copyright 2006, Belvoir Media Group, LLC

EDITORS NOTEEDITORS NOTE

Our publishing headquarters is locatedin Connecticut. I work from a home-based office in the San Francisco BayArea. As a result, Ive met some of myco-workers only once or twice in al-

most 10 years, but we communicate often viaphone and e-mail. Thats how I first heard aboutBrittany, a 10-year-old Beagle belonging toJennifer Jimolka, an executive assistant on theheadquartersstaff.

Jennifer had taken a call from someone who

was interested in sending literature and samplesof an arthritis-relief product called Dog-GonePain (or DGP) to the Whole Dog Journal.Jennifer gave the caller my address, but, as theowner of an older, arthritic dog, she asked ifshe could receive information about the prod-uct, too! The caller turned out to be fromAmerican BioSciences, the sole U.S. distribu-tor ofDGP, and she offered to send a sample ofthe product to Jennifer for her dog.

I received a sample and some product lit-erature, andfiled it away. Then I started gettingcalls and e-mail messages from Jennifer about

Brits near-miraculous response to the DGP.You have to do a story about this! Jenniferwould tell me. Brit is doing much better nowthat shes getting DGP. Shes not so sore after agood run, and she can jump on the bed again!

Later, I heard that Jennifer was telling allof her friends about DGP. She wrote me a noteabout one of her friends, an owner of CavalierKing Charles Spaniels, who are now receivingDGP with great results. Most recently, Jennifertold me, This is one pill I feel very strongly

about and make sure Brit gets every day.The next person to start pushing me for an

article about DGP was our Training Editor, Pat

BY NANCY KERNS

All Right, AlreadyA product almost everyone seems to endorse.

Miller. Pat heard about DGP through an e-mailed request for participants in a study ofthe herbal pain reliever. Pat has an arthriticKelpie who needed Rimadyl in order to get upeasily, so she contacted the coordinator to seeif the dog could be included in the study. SoonI started receiving e-mails from Pat, too, abouthow well Katie was responding to DGP.

So when I received an e-mail from the studycoordinator, Jan Skadberg, asking if WDJwould be interested in being the first publica-

tion to receivethe study results, I was like, Allright, all right already! Ill publish an articleabout DGP!

Seriously, I washonored to have been giventhe opportunity to publish the studys findings.But when I received them, I found myself hav-ing questions about the studys coordinator. Icalled Jan, and quizzed her very closely abouther connections to American BioSciences (shehas none) and her motivation for putting suchan enormous amount of time and energy into astudy that would clearly benefit the distributorof the product ifDGP performed well.

As is often the case, there was a dog in theanswer. Jan felt a deep debt of gratitude for therelief her beloved canine companion, James,received from DGP in his final years. Shechose

to pay back that debt bytesting the product fur-ther and by publicizingthe results. At my re-quest, her story, andJames, became part ofthe article I asked her towrite. It appears on thefacing page.

MISSION STATEMENT: WDJs mission is to provide dog guardians with in-depth information oneffective holistic healthcare methods and successful nonviolent training. The methods we discusswill endeavor to do no harm to dogs; we do not advocate perpetrating even minor transgressions inthe name of greater good. We intend our articles to enable readers to immediately apply trainingand healthcare techniques to their own dogs with visible and enjoyable success. All topics shouldcontribute to improving the dogs health and vitality, and deepening the canine/human bond. Aboveall, we wish to contribute information that will enable consumers to make kind, healthy, and in-formed decisions about caring for their own dogs.

THE WHOLE DOG JOUR-NAL (ISSN #1097-5322)is published monthly byBelvoir Media Group,LLC, 800 ConnecticutAvenue, Norwalk, CT

06854-1631. Robert Englander,Chairman and CEO; Timothy H. Cole,Executive Vice President, EditorialDirector; Philip L. Penny, Chief Op-

erating Officer; Greg King, ExecutiveVice President, Marketing Director;Marvin Cweibel, Senior Vice President,Marketing Operations; Ron Goldberg,Chief Financial Officer; Tom Canfield,Vice President, Circulation; Michael N.Pollet, Senior Vice President, GeneralCounsel. Periodicals postage paid atNorwalk, CT and at additional mailingoffices. Copyright 2006, BelvoirMedia Group, LLC. All rights reserved.Reproduction in whole or in part isstrictly prohibited. Printed in U.S.A.Revenue Canada GST Account#128044658. Canada PublishingAgreement Number #40016479.

THE WHOLE DOG JOURNAL makesevery effort to provide information ondog health, care, and treatment thatis authoritative, reliable, and practical.It is not intended, however, to replacediagnosis or treatment from aveterinarian or other qualified dogprofessional. THE WHOLE DOGJOURNAL does not assume any legalresponsibility. Readers should alwaysconsult qualified healthcare providersfor specific diagnosis and treatment.

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Nancy Kerns

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PUBLISHER Timothy H. Cole

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BY JAN SKADBERG

Safe Pain Relief

A

Check out this incredibly promising herbal arthritis pain-relief product.

s the sole practitioner of a small ani-

may be effective for my clients animals.The most obvious, positive, long-lastingresults I have seen have come from the useof acupressure, massage, and homeopathy.Yet when I heard from a thirdclient about aproduct called DGP (shortfor Dog GonePain), I decided it was time to investigate especially after witnessing how the clientsdogs who received the supplement enjoyedan increase in flexibility, decrease in jointpain, and obvious elevation in spirits.

I researched the ingredients in the DGPproduct and felt comfortable with them (seethe ingredients list in What Is DGP? onpage 4). I decided to try DGP on James, my110-pound Greater Swiss Mountain Dog. If

anyone needed relief from arthritis, it wasJames.

James cameto meas a rescue at3 yearsof age. Having lived in a crate his entirelife prior to his rescue, his back, rump, andthighs were terribly atrophied. I arrangedfor him to receive treatments by a chiro-practor (which relieved much of his backpain and muscle spasms) and an acupunc-turist, and placed him on a raw diet withsupplements. Within a year, with a lot ofphysical therapy, James was easily able totake long hikes in the mountains with me.

But at about 5 years of age, he beganhaving an increasingly difficult time sittingdown and standing up, and wasnt as mo-bile, flexible, or as happy as he had been athis peak. I knew that giant breeds can ex-hibit health problems at what most dogowners would regard as an early age, andthat they dont always live very long, so Ichalked up Jamesproblems to getting older.

Since I was unwilling to use the com-monly prescribed pharmaceuticals, I began

the process of investigating a more holisticbrand of anti-inflammatory, one without therisk of the NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) or corticosteroids. Itried two different nutraceutical products,without seeing any noticeable improvementin James pain and mobility.

That was about the time I heard aboutmy clients success with DGP. I orderedsome and started giving the supplement toJames the moment I received it.

The results were remarkable and obvi-ous. Within five days he was an obviously

much happier dog; he was running aroundthe backyard like a puppy! What was mostamazing, though, was the change in hisspirit. He was back to the old James, withno obvious sign or symptom of pain.

I kept giving DGP to James for the restof his life. We enjoyed another two and ahalf years together before he succumbed tobone cancer at age 8. I credit the DGP withhelping him feel good perhaps even pain-free throughout his illness.

COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES

ResponsibilityThere is a lot to be said for a positive anec-dotal experience. My three acupressureclients were sold on DGP, based on theirdogs experiences, and I was certain the tablets did wonders for James throughout thetwo-plus years he received them.

But I am also a practicing RN with 30years of hospital experience. I understandthat just because one dog or four dogs benefit from a therapy does not mean it wilwork for all or even most dogs. I appreciateand rely on data-driven, scientifically based

protocolsand studies to inform thedecisionsI make for myself and my animals and soit gradually occurred to me that I shouldconduct a study involving more dogs andDGP. In fact, I felt I had a responsibility todo so.

Amazingly, I was taken seriously whenI called American BioSciences (the com-pany that holds the sole rights to distributeDGP in the U.S.) and offered to facilitate astudy ofDGP. Stephanie Johnson, produc

TM

I

The Whole Dog Journal

WHAT YOU CAN DO . . .

Consider trying DGP if your dog

has been diagnosed with

arthritis.

DGP can affect the absorption

rate of drugs that your dog may

already be receiving. If your dog

gets prescription medications,

discuss the supplement with

your veterinarian, so she can

adjust your dogs meds if

needed.

Chart your dogs mobility and

attitude before and during

supplementation, to gauge its

effectiveness. Improvements

may be gradual but steady.

I

I

Author Jan Skadberg and James, the dogthat sparked her interest in DGP.

mal practice encompassing massage,acupressure, homeopathy, andcustom-blended flower essences,Imalways looking for products that

COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES

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manager for American BioSciences, readilyagreed that a formal (if small) study wouldhelp the company legitimize the terrific an-ecdotal accounts so frequently recounted bytheir grateful customers. Johnson didnthesitate even when I told her my goal wasto write an article about the study results,regardless of the outcome. Over successiveconversations, Johnson secured her

companys interest in and commitment tothe project.Then I had to find out exactly how one

goes about constructing a research study!Johnson had some ideas, I had some

ideas (as an avid reader of medical studiesfor humans and animals), and I also askeda number of people I knew and respectedabout the most useful protocols for my pro-posed project. My friends and professionalmentors, the well-known acupressure in-

structors and book authors Amy Snow andNancy Zidonis, helped me a great deal, as Istrived to design a trial that would demon-strate whether or not DGP really helped dogswith arthritis and if so, how much. Iwanted the dogs to be observed in theirhomes, throughout the course of their regu-lar activities, by the people who knew thembest their full-time guardians. I wanted

the owners to administer the supplementregularly, and then reliably report on anychanges they observed in the dogs.

We agreed that the dogs in the studyshould have really noticeable gait, posture,and/or behavior problems that wereverifiably attributable (with a veterinariansdiagnosis) to arthritis. They should be ofdifferent breeds, sizes, ages, and activitylevels, and if possible, be from differentparts of the country.

We decided that the dogs owners wouldhave to agree to take the dogs off all othersupplements and pain medications for aweek prior to and the entire duration of thestudy. They also had to take their dogs to aveterinarian for pre-study lab work (Lymedisease, CBC, and super chemistry panel)and post-study lab work (CBC and superchemistry panel).

American Biosciences agreed to pick upthe tab for all this veterinary work, and toprovide the owners with DGP for the studydogs at no cost.

Once I had the study architectureplanned, I began to solicit dog owners andveterinarians for participation.Vets referreds o me c l ie n ts . Fri e nd s a nd f e ll owacupressure practitioners put out the wordon various canine listserves and bulletinboards. I talked to or exchanged e-mail withhundreds of people who were interested inthe study, and finally selected 14 from a listof 87 people who expressed a strong desireto participate. I had to disqualify two dogs(a Beagle and a Lab) whom I had originallyaccepted for the study after pre-study test-ing demonstrated they were positive forLyme disease.

Enthusiasm ran particularly high amongowners of Golden Retrievers and Labradors dogs with a high incidence of certain typesof arthritis in their elder years. Because Iwanted to include a range of dog breeds,sizes, activity levels, and primary diagnoses,I accepted only three Goldens, one Labra-dor, and one Lab-mix. I also included a

Sheltie, a Pembroke Corgi, an AustralianKelpie, a terrier-mix, two Beagles, a 45-pound mixed breed, a Jack Russell Terrier,and an English Setter. The youngest dog inthe study was 5 years old and the oldest was13, with a mean age of 9 years of age.

I supplied each of dogs guardians witha packet of paperwork to fill out. The bulkof the work camein the beginning, as I askedthem to describe their dogs health status inas much detail as possible, including infor-mation about age, weight, medical history,exercise/activity level, pack status, diet,

appetite, elimination habits and character-istics, and much more.I also asked the owners to rate, on a scale

of 0 (defined as clinically normal) to 4 (de-fined as nearly incapacitated), their dogslameness/ability to bear weight, joint mo-bility, pain on palpation of joints, andwillingness to bear weight on their goodlimbs. I provided them with instructions onhow to examine and handle the dog to as-sess these criteria.

What Is DGP?Dog-Gone Pain, or DGP, is a nutraceutical that contains naturally occurring sub-stances with medicinal benefit. It is manufactured inAustralia, in an approved TGAfacility (the Australian equivalent to the US FDA). The manufacturer claims that theherbs used in DGP are raised using standardized growing techniques, thereby ensur-ing efficacy from year to year, and that each ingredient is human grade and grownwithout pesticides or herbicides.

DGP offers a banquet of anti-inflammatory herbs useful in aiding multiple sys-tems respiratory, circulatory, digestive, thermoregulation, liver, and gall bladder which have a tendency to be compromised as the dog ages. This may be the reasonwhy animal guardians witness a revitalizing effect when their dogs are given DGP.

Each DGP tablet contains a proprietary blend of native Australian edible herbsalong with compounds used in European (and other) medical traditions, including:

Feverfew, an anti-inflammatory and pain reliever; Celery seed, an all-around calmative and anti-inflammatory; Boswellia, a strong anti-inflammatory and analgesic; Bromelain and papain, digestive aids; Corydalis, a tonic for the circulatory system; Cayenne, for gastrointestinal health; Wheatgrass, rich in nutrients and minerals; and Turmeric, a potent anti-inflammatory and digestive aid.

In addition, DGP contains calcium, magnesium,phosphorus, zinc, and other bone-building minerals. DGPalso contains shark cartilage that is produced without theuse of toxic solvents. Shark cartilage is an excellent

dietary source of chondroitin sulfate and other glyco-aminoglycans that rebuild cartilage.

The manufacturer ofDGP warns, If your dog is al-ready on medication, discuss DGP with your veterinarianbefore using. The enzymes it contains have the potentialfor altering the rate of absorption of medications such asantibiotics, anticoagulants, and NSAIDs. Also, several ofthe ingredients have anti-inflammatory properties thatcould possibly enhance the blood thinning propertiesof anticoagulant drugs.

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With the pre-treatment paperwork outof the way, the weekly assignment for theowners was much less involved. At the endof each week I asked the owners to methodi-cally assess the overall condition of thedogs: where the pain seemed to be located,what the dogs movement and gaits werelike, howmuch flexibility they had, andhowtheir behavior, attitude, or mood seemed. I

also asked them to note any adverse reac-tions the dogs displayed lack of appetite,vomiting, diarrhea, behavior change, der-matitis, or anything else.

At the endof the study, the owners againrated (on a scale of 0 to 4) the dogs physi-cal abilities.

The Reports: Improvement Seen in 100 Percent of Study Dogs

The recommended dosage for DGP isone tablet per 30 pounds of the dogs bodyweight. Due to the severity of arthritis, alldogs in this study were started on a double-dose regimen for the first two weeks, thengiven the normal dosage for the remainderof the six-week trial.

Study findings

I need to say, first off, that all the dogs inthe study showed improvement while tak-ing DGP. The first and most obvious sign ofimprovement in 100 percent of the partici-pants was an elevation of spirit the dogsseemed happier. This occurred within thefirst week for all the dogs. Was this due to

decreased pain or a balancing effect of theherbs on all of the body systems? I dontknow. Three participating owners queriedme as to whether there are any mood elevators in the ingredients ofDGP; there arent

All of the dogs owners reported seeingnoticeable improvement in the dogs mo-bility, soundness, and activity levels whileon the DGP. The mean onset of musculo

skeletal improvement was one to threeweeks, with only one dog waiting to see apeak cumulative effect in the sixth weekThe composite scores reported by all of thedog owners improved by at least one notchon the 0 to 4 scale; 70 percent improved bytwo or more notches.

Jessie is an 8-year-old, 85-pound Golden Retriever who par-ticipates in low-impact agility and loves to chase lizards in theyard.At nine months of age, Jessie had a triple pelvic osteotomyonly on one side, as the other side was already too arthritic tobenefit from the surgery. Prior to the study, she receivedGlycoflex III and aspirin as needed for pain relief. Her pre-testdiscomfort included having a difficult time getting up on thebed and limping on walks of one-half to onemile in duration. She had little flexibility inher hips and favored her right hind leg.

Reported results of DGP: The firstthree weeks showed a dramatic increase inJessies activity level, and by week threeshe was able to hop on the bed. Her guard-ian writes, The DGP certainly workedbetter than any of the several brands of glu-

cosamine/MSM /chondroitin/vitamin Cproducts we have tried.

Monty is an 8- or 9-year-old, 95-pound old blue AustralianCattle Dog/Lab mix. Monty is a free-range dog who has slowedconsiderably and often holds one leg up in pain, hopping onthree legs. Prior to the study, he was being given a traditionalChinese herbal remedy, chondroitin, and occasional vitamins.He also received acupuncture as needed. His pre-study symp-toms included back and hip pain. He often groaned and tried tofind a position on his couch to relieve his back pain. His guard-ian also stated Monty slept for increasingly long periods.

Reported results of DGP: Monty exhibited an estimated

75 percent reduction in his back soreness and a better attitude.His guardian reported that Monty sleeps less and is getting alongbetter with the other family dog. She also estimated that Montyhad a 75 percent increase in his activity level and a 75 percent

improvement in his gait, movement, andflexibility; he even uses his lame legmore often. Monty now spends about95 percent of the day outside; prior toreceiving DGP, he opted to spend about60 percent of his time in the house.

Homer is a 12-year-old, 45-pound mixed breed. Homer has hadACL (anterior cruciate ligament) surgery on both hind legs. Priorto the study, his discomfort also encompassed his front legs;they were stiff and he limped.

Reported results ofDGP: Post-treatment, his guardian ob-served, Homer seems happier and more carefree. She nowsees Homer run.

Interestingly, Homers owner initially elected not to continueHomers DGP regimen after the study. I learned later (from herveterinarian) that there was a sharp increase in Homers limp-ing and leg pain after the DGP was stopped. His owner restartedthe supplement and still gives it to Homer today.

Chloe Rae is an 11-year-old, 13-pound Jack Russell Terrier withattitude! Prior to the study, Chloe exhibited moderate arthritisstiffness in her hind legs and mid- to rear-back.

Reported results ofDGP: Post-DGP treatment finds Chloefull of energy and active and wound up until bedtime. Herguardian reports that Chloes hind/rump shows a marked in-

crease in flexibility. Her gaits areloose, and she now stretches forlonger periods of time. Chloes atti-tude seems spunkier, bossier, andmore demanding, which her ownerbelieves reflects Chloes goodmood. By week six, the pain inChloes hindquarters was prettymuch gone and she is walking andusing stairs with much greater ease.

Toto is a 35-pound, 12-year-old terrier-mix. She has general-ized arthritis in the hips and front and back legs, and has difficultyis getting up and lying down.

Toto is the only dog that was taken offDGP, at week two.After five days on DGP, she vomited and had soft stools, andthere was a marked increase in her well-documented environ-mental allergies (chewing of feet, accompanied by an increasein watery eyes). I instructed Totos guardian to stop the DGPuntil Totos symptoms subsided; two days later she resumed DGP.

ChloeChloeChloeChloeChloeRaeRaeRaeRaeRae

JessieJessieJessieJessieJessie

MontyMontyMontyMontyMonty

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Only one dog experienced adverse ef-fects that could be related to the DGP; weremoved the dog from the study in the sec-o nd w ee k d ue t o r ea ct io ns t o t hesupplement, including vomiting, soft stools,and a marked increase in her environmen-tal allergies (chewing of feet, accompaniedby an increase in watery eyes). Her ownerdeeply regretted having to stop the DGP, as

the dogs arthritis symptoms markedly less-ened while receiving the DGP, but of course,the adverse reactions warranted our actions.

It was also notable that there was nochange in any of the participants pre- andpost-study lab values. Granted, this was onlya six-week trial, but it was important todocument whether DGP caused any of thepossible side effects caused by NSAIDs,

namely liver, kidney, and hematologic ab-normalities. None were seen.

In addition to the striking improvementsin the dogs movement, several other find-ings in this study also bear mentioning. Oneis the fact that almost all of the participantsassumed their dogs infirmities were just thenatural progression of aging and that littlecould be done to offset the symptoms just

like I had, with James. It was not until wehad seen our dogs improvement on DGPthat we realized how crippled our dogs ac-tually were prior to starting the supplement.

In fact, three of the participants electedto discontinue the DGP after the study wasover and then quickly started their dogsback on the supplement when the dogs ar-thritis signs dramatically resurfaced. Each

expressed that they hadnt realized howpowerful the effect of DGP was until theystopped the supplement. Fortunately, thedogs were judged by their owners to be re-stored to a peak level of soundness andcomfort within two days of being given DGPagain. With the exception of the (possiblyallergic) dog with the adverse response, allof the dogs are still receiving DGP today.

Last, what was glaringly obvious in thisstudy is the effect of pain on a dogs behav-ior. Qualified by their severe arthritis, thedogs were all described by their ownersbefore the study as sleeping a lot, depressed,withdrawn from socializing with theirpeople and pack, irritable, grouchy, and lessmobile. But every single dog in this trialdemonstrated an improvement in mood,

Three days later Toto again began vomiting clear secretions and

had soft stools. At this point I recommended discontinuing thestudy and Totos guardian complied.

Reported results ofDGP: Herguardian writes that in the eightdays she tookDGP, Toto experienced more spring in her step andbecamemore puppy-like and playful. She regretted having to takeToto off the DGP, but we knew it was the right decision. There isalways the potential for an allergic reaction from any drug, food,or nutraceutical that is ingested, and I suspect that Toto was aller-gic to one of the herbs in DGP.

Katie is a 13-year-old, 43-poundAustralian Kelpie who, prior tothe study, was on Rimadyl and glucosamine for overall stiffnessand arthritis pain in her front paws. Prior to receiving Rimadyl,

Katie had some difficulty in getting up. Her past medical historyincluded, at age two, being hit by a car at age two and sustaininga broken hip, which was surgically pinned.

Reported results ofDGP: The swell-ing in Katies front paws decreased andseemed less painful while receiving DGP,but, interestingly, her owner noticed signsof more discomfort in Katies hip.

The biggest change for Katie was herattitude. Her guardian wrote, Whereas,

pre-treatment, Katie was withdrawn and cranky with other dogsand touchy about handling, post-treatment Katie is cheerful, some-times exuberantly so. She is much more social with us as well as

our other dogs and less touchy overall.Katies owner has elected to keep giving DGP to Katie, butalso saw fit to administer low doses of Rimadyl during the mostbitterly cold and damp winter months, when Katies arthritis ismost painful. She hopes to reduce or eliminate Katies Rimadyldosage again as the weather gets warmer.

Einstein is an 11-year-old, 60-pound Golden Retriever with adiagnosis of moderate to severe arthritis of the right shoulder andelbow area. Prior to the study, Einstein was given Rimadyl and

Glycoflex, which brought him relief. How-ever, his guardians were concerned aboutpotential adverse effects caused by NSAIDs.

Reported results ofDGP: His guardiansreported that, while on DGP, Einstein expe-

rienced less limping and was just as active as he was when he wasbeing given Rimadyl and Glycoflex. However, Einstein was thesecond dog in the study to have his guardians discontinue the DGPafter the study; they suggested that the supplement was not aseffective as they hoped it would be. Within a day and a half, how-ever, his discomfort and stiffness greatly increased, and theyelected to restart his DGP. His symptoms subsided within two days,and he remains on DGP today.

Tess is a 12-year-old Pembroke Corgiweighing 24 pounds. She has severe

spondylosis (spinal osteoarthritis)throughout her entire spine, and her mo-bility and exercise have dramaticallyreduced over several years.

Prior to the study, Tess was beinggiven Metacam (an NSAID), but still ex-hibited constant pain and limped after

small amounts of exercise. Her guardian wrote, From time totime, Tess has difficulty getting up and down stairs. Her front legsmove stiffly, she drags her right foot, and her rear legs are weak.She hates to be petted and is increasingly aloof, spending moretime away from the family. She is tense and moves around as littleas possible. Tess is high-strung and exhibits violent barking.

Reported results ofDGP: Tess post-treatment observationswere quite remarkable. Her guardian describes her as spunkier,more pleasant, and more relaxed. Tess moves more easily, andshe is able to hold her head up more. She smiles now! Her eyesare brighter, she startles less, and spends more time close to fam-ily members. Her activity level has increased, and she just seemsmore up for play.

Tess is still suffering from severe spondylosis, so her move-ment will always be less than optimal, but her guardian describesher as clearly in less general discomfort.

(THE REPORTS, CONTINUED F ROM PREVIOUS PAGE)

TTTTTessessessessess

EinsteinEinsteinEinsteinEinsteinEinstein

KatieKatieKatieKatieKatie

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demeanor, and/or attitude within the firsttwo weeks of taking DGP.

Hopes for futureThis study validated my findings withJames. It showed me that DGP enhanced thelivesof severely arthritic dogs on many lev-els. In the majority of the dogs sampled (93percent), DGP was judged by the dog own-

ers to be as or more effective as the NSAIDsand pain medications the dogs had beengiven prior to the study. At this point, I feelconfident in suggesting it to the guardian ofany dog with arthritis. (Note: See themanufacturers warning, in What Is DGP?,page 4.)

The main caution I relate to dog ownerswho are considering DGP for their dogs is

to make sure to initially limit the dogs physi-cal activity once he has been on DGP for afew days, until he gets used to feeling good.I have often seen arthritic dogs feel so muchbetter, that they (and, unwittingly, theirowners) overexercise andend up in real pain,with muscle soreness and stiffness for days.This can be avoided if the dogs activity ismoderated.

My hope now is that someone will seefit to conduct a large-scale study of thesupplement.A number of holistic veterinar-ians I know have expressed an interest inparticipating.

No single product can be considered acure-all for every canine musculoskeletalailment. That said, I think that DGPisa greatproduct totryas afirstresort for those dogs

Sparki is 12-year-old, 40-pound Sheltie who has exhibited gen-eralized arthritis pain in all extremities. She has difficulty climbingup and down stairs. Prior to the study, she was often found hiding

in the closet, sleeping most of the day, and disliking any touch.She also has left shoulder and hip dysplasia.

Reported results ofDGP: Her guardian noticed Sparkis moodchange during the first week of treatment with DGP. She is start-ing to be friendly with everyone and has stopped hiding in thecloset, she wrote. She went into the exercise pen with the othertwo dogs and even shared a couch with them. Sparki has startedto follow me around the house and even goes up and down thestairs to the basement. She barks for attention and wags her tail,where she used to be quiet and hide. Sparkis joint pain and muscletightness appears to have decreased greatly while on DGP.

Jackie Beagle is a 40-pound, 5-year-old Beagle. He was hit by a

car at one year of age and suffered a broken neck and partial pa-ralysis of the left side of his face. He has severe arthritis in hisneck and shoulders. Pre-study radiographs revealed that he alsohad severe bilateral hip dysplasia. His owner reported that Jackiedid not display enthusiasm for life, was irritable, had withdrawnfrom most social contact, and was mostly inactive.

Reported results from DGP :

Jackie Beagle was the only dog in thestudy whose owner did not reportpositive results within the first twoweeks.At three weeks, she noted thatJackie seemed to be moving a bitfaster, had slightly greater range of

motion in the front legs, was partici-pating more with the other dogs, eveninitiating a game of tug and chasing another dog in the backyard.In week 6 she observed, Jackie is very social, upbeat, and initiat-ing play with other dogs.

The post-study comments from Jackies owner were strikinglydifferent from her pre-study observations. He is more tolerant ofother dogs, more cheerful, and actually asks for play and atten-tion. He has spurts of high activity running, tugging, and zoomingaround the yard. However, she notes, He still sleeps a lot.

Commander is a 12-year-old English Setter who lives for grouseand woodcock hunting every fall and winter. Prior to the study, hehad slightly stiff and weak hips and moved with a strange gait,

leading strongly with his front legs and shuffling his back legs ina splay-footed manner. Commander needed help in jumping ontothe bed and into the car, walked around fallen logs rather than

jumping over them, and had noticeable muscle atrophy in his hipsand rear legs. His owner reported that Commander tired easilywhen hunting, his stamina had decreased, he was grouchy withhis younger pack mates, and he groaned when lying down.

Reported results from DGP: In week four of the study,Commanders guardian reported that the dog is more lively now,energetically hunting and jumping over logs and lasting longer onhis turnfor hunting. He getsin and out of the car and ontothe bedwith greater ease. He hunts a little longer between rests and with

more energy. Commanders

ability to jump and climb uphillhas improved. In week five, shewrote, Wow! Best day huntingin a long time. Ran around likea younger dog. He still gets tiredand out of breath, but Com-mander is definitely strongerand more enthusiastic.

Ben is an 80-pound, 6-year-old Golden Retriever who has hadmultiple surgeries for bilateral hip dysplasia, both shoulders,and both knees (bilateral ACL). As a result of his multiple surger-ies, he lived in a crate for his first year of life to facilitate his

healing. He plays with his sibling Golden, mostly lying down.Prior to the study, Ben had difficulty getting up, and never stoodusing his back legs. His guardian wrote, Ben is a happy dog, butmany days you could tell he was not feeling well.

Reported results of DGP: Bens results were dramatic. Hisguardian wrote, Ben feels much better, gets up with ease, andputs weight on his back legs. He is even happier now and evenruns; he swoops around the backyard and gallops up the steps.Bens improvement peaked at weeks three and four, when hisguardian wrote,Ben is much more playful, is smiling and happy!

with mobility/arthritis issues, and whoseguardians do not want to assume the risk othe side effects of corticosteroids orNSAIDs.

For more information about DGP , see

doggonepain.com or call (800) 714-9698

To receive a special discount that Ameri

can BioSciences has offered to WDJ

subscribers, place your order via phonewith The Harmony Company, at (800) 714

9698 and mention WDJ.

Jan Skadberg is a registered nurse and a

certified legal nurse consultant. She also

offers acupressure and massage for canines

from 4 Paws, her practice in Charles

Town, West Virginia.

JackieJackieJackieJackieJackieBeagleBeagleBeagleBeagleBeagle

CommanderCommanderCommanderCommanderCommander

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BY PAT MILLER

Bully for You!

Y

Why (and how) you should intervene if your dog picks on others.

BEHAVIOR

ou can find them everywhere atdog parks and doggie daycare cen-ters, in dog training classes, in yourneighbors yards . . . perhaps evenin your own home. They are ca-

nine bullies dogs who overwhelm theirpotential playmates with overly assertiveand inappropriate behaviors, like the out-of-control human bully on the schoolplayground.

Jasper is a nine-month-old Labradoodle

from a puppy mill, currently enrolled in oneof my Peaceable Paws Good Mannersclasses. He was kept in a wire cage on aPennsylvania farm until he was four monthsold, when his new owners purchased him.Katy Malcolm, the class instructor, askedme to sit in on the first end-of-class playsession with Jasper because she was con-

Bullying definedIn her excellent book, Fight!, dog trainerand author Jean Donaldson defines bully-i n g d o g s ( n o t t o b e c o nf us e d wi t hPitbull-type dogs) as those dogs forwhomroughness and harassment of non-consent-ing dogs is quite obviously reinforcing.Like the human playground bully, the bullydog seems to get a kick out of tormentingless-assertive members of his playgroup.Donaldson says, They engage at it full tilt,

with escalating frequency, and almost al-ways direct it at designated target dogs.When released with permission to go

play, the poorly socialized Labradoodle,Jasper, immediately pounced on the backof Mesa, an easy-going and confident Rott-weiler who was playing nicely with Bo, asubmissive but exuberant Golden Retriever.Jasper barked insistently, nipping at Mesasback as she tried to ignore his social inept-ness. Finally, fed up with his boorish

cerned that his lack of early socializationcould present a challenge. She was right.

Sam was a 10-week-old Golden Re-triever puppy, well bred, purchased from aresponsible breeder by knowledgeable dogowners who immediately enrolled him inone of my Peaceable Paws Puppy GoodManners classes to get him started on theright paw. Sam unexpectedly also turned outto be a challenge at his first end-of-classpuppy play session.

These two dogs had considerably dif-ferent backgrounds, but when it came timeto play, both dogs exhibited bullying behav-iors: Jasper because he never had a chanceto learn how to interact appropriately withother dogs; Sam because well whoknows? Genetics, maybe? Early experi-ences in his litter, maybe? Regardless of thereasons, both dogs required special handlingif they were ever to have a normal caninesocial life.

TM

I



Watch your dog when he plays

with other dogs. Intervene

promptly if hes being a bully

harassing a non-consenting

dog.

Watch your dogs playmates,

too. Intervene promptly if

someone is bullying yourdog

if he isnt having a good time

with the intensity level of play.

Allow your dog to play roughly

with others as long as

everyones having a good time

and no ones getting hurt.

Educate other dog owners about

the importance of allowing

appropriate play and intervening

when a dog is being a bully.

I

I

BEHAVIOR

Four shots of the same playground bully, taken over a 20-minute period at a dog park.In the first photo,the Boxer-mix bully has blindsided a dog who just entered the park.In the next three,she focuses her attention on the same victim, a young Lab-mix. Sheclearly enjoys holding him down as a variety of other dogs come over to investigate.

I

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behavior, she flashed her teeth at him onetime, at which point he decided Bo was abetter target for his attentions. Indeed, Bofound him overwhelming, a response thatemboldened Jasper to pursue himeven moreenergetically.

We intervened in his play with Mesaseveral times by picking up Jaspers drag-ging leash and giving him a time-out when

his behavior was completely unacceptable,then releasing him to Go play! when hesettled a bit. Each time we released him hepromptly re-escalated to an unacceptablelevel of bullying, until Mesa herself toldhim to Back off, Bud! with a quick flashof her teeth.

Human-controlled time-outs, however,made no impression on Jasper. The caninecorrections were more effective, but didntstop the behavior; they only redirected it toa less-capable victim. Because Bo wasntassertive enough to back Jasper off, weended the play as soon as Jasper turned hisattentions to the softer dog.

Bully #2Like Jaspers preferred victim, Sams favor-ite bullying target was also a Rottweiler not a breed youd expect to find wearing aninvisible bite me! sign. Max was a pupabout Sams own age, who outweighed Samconsiderably but was no match for thesmaller pups intensity.

Sam had given us no indica-tion during class that he had aplay problem. In fact, he was a

star performer for his clicks andtreats. However, when playtimearrived his demeanor changedfroman attentive What can I doto get you to click the clicker?pupil to an Im tough and you

just try to stop me! bully.Several seconds after the two

pups began frolicking together,Samsuddenly pinned Max to theground with a ferocious snarl,then released him briefly, just topin him again in short order.

Needless to say, we also inter-vened quickly in that relation-ship!

Appropriate playOwners often have difficulty dis-tinguishing between appropriateand inappropriate play. Somemay think that perfectly accept-able play behavior is bullyingbecause it involves growling,

biting, and apparently pinning the playmateto the ground. Appropriate play can, in fact,look and sound quite ferocious.

The difference is in the response of theplaymate. Ifboth dogs appear to be havinga good time and no ones getting hurt, itsusually fine to allow the play to continue.Thwarting your dogs need to play by stop-ping himeverytime he engages another dog,even if its rough play, can lead to otherbehavior problems.

With a bully, the playmate clearly doesnot enjoy the interaction. The softer dogmay offer multiple appeasement and defer-ence signals that are largely or totallyignored by the canine bully. The harassmentcontinues, or escalates.

Any time one play partner is obviouslynot having a good time, its wise to inter-vene. A traumatic play experience candamage the softer dogs confidence andpotentially induce a life-long fear-aggres-sion or Reactive Rover response

definitely not a good thing!Some bullies seem to spring from the

box full-blown. While Sam had, no doubt,already been reinforced for his bullying bythe response of his softer littermates, hemust have been born with a strong, asser-tive personality in order for the behavior tobe as pronounced as it was by the tenderage of 10 weeks. Jasper, on the other hand,may have been a perfectly normal puppy,

but months of social deprivation combinedwith a strong desire to be social turned himinto an inadvertent bully.

There can certainly be a learned com-ponent of any bullying behavior. As JeanDonaldson reminds us, the act of harassinga non-consenting dog is in and of itselfreinforcing for bullies.

By definition, a behavior thats rein

forced continues or increases hence theimportance of intervening with a bully athe earliest possible moment, rather thanletting the behavior become more and moreingrained through reinforcement. As withmost behavior modification, prognosis isbrightest if the dog is young, if he hasnthad much chance to practice the unwantedbehavior, and if he has not been repeatedlysuccessful at it.

Oops!Successful modification of bullying behavior requires attention to several elements:

I Skilled application of intervention toolsand techniques: Leashes and long lines, noreward markers (NRMs), and time-outs.

I Excellent timing of intervention: Application ofNRMs and time-outs.

I Reinforcement for appropriate behaviorPlay continues or resumes when dog is calm

or playing nicely.

I Selection of appropriate play

partners: Dogs who are not intimidated or traumatized bybullying behavior.

The most appropriate humanintervention is the use of negative punishment, in which thedogs behavior makes a goodthing go away. In this case, themost appropriate negative pun-ishment is a time-out. Used inconjunction with a no-rewardmarker (NRM) or punishment

marker, this works best for bul-lying behavior.The opposite of the clicker

(or other reward marker, such athe word, Yes!),the NRM saysThat behavior made the goodstuff go away. With bullyingthe good stuff is the opportunityto play with other dogs. Just asthe clicker always means a treais coming, the NRM always

While working to decrease or extinguish your dogs bullying,you might have to let him drag a short leash,or keephimon along line while playing. This enables youto stop hisbullying themoment it starts. Keep him on a time out until he is calm.

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Pat Miller, CPDT, is WDJs Training Editor.

Miller lives in Hagerstown, Maryland, site

of her Peaceable Paws training center. For

book purchasing or contact information,

see Resources, page 24.

means the behavior stops immediately orgood stuff goes away; its not to be usedrepeatedly as a threat or warning.

My preferred NRM, the one I teach anduse if/when necessary, is the word Oops!rather than the word No! which is delib-erately used to shut down behavior and assuch is usually delivered firmly or harshlyand unfortunately often followed by physi-

cal punishment. Oops! simply means,Make another behavior choice or there willbe an immediate loss of good stuff. AnNRM is to be delivered in a non-punitivetone of voice; its almost impossible to sayOops! harshly.

Timing is just as important with yourNRM as it is with your reward marker. Itsays, Whatever you were doing the exactinstantyou heard the Oops! is what earnedyour time-out. Youll use it the instantyourdogs bully behavior appears, and if thebullying continues for more than a secondor two more, grasp his leash or drag-line (along, light line attached to his collar) andremove him from play. Dont repeat theNRM. Give him at least 20 seconds to calmdown, more if he needs it, then release himto go play again. If several time-outs dontdampen the behavior even slightly, makethem longer and make sure hes calm priorto returning to play.

If a half-dozen time-outshave absolutelyno effect, end the play session for the day.If the NRM does stop the bullying, thank

your dog for responding, and allow him tocontinue playing under direct supervisionas his reward.

Another sometimes-effective approachto bully modification requires access to anappropriate neutral dog a dog like Mesawho is confident enough to withstand thebullys assault without being traumatized orresponding with inappropriate aggression in

return. A flash of the pearly whites as awarning is fine. A full-out dogfight is not.Its important to watch closely during in-

teractions with the bully. Any sign theneutral dog is becoming unduly stressed bythe encounters should bring the session toan immediate halt. A neutral dog may beable to modify your bullys behavior, andhave it transfer to other dogs or not. Ifnot, you may be able to find one or twosturdy, neutral dogs who can be your dogsplay companions, and leave the softer dogsto gentler playpals. Not all dogs get alongwith all other dogs.

OutcomesSams owners were exceptionally commit-ted to helping their pup overcome hisinappropriate play behaviors. We continuedto allow him to play with one or two othersturdy, resilient puppies, using an NRM andhis leash to calmly but firmly remove himevery time his play intensity increased. Wemoved him away from the other pups untilhe was calm, then allowed him to resume

his play. By the end of his first six-weekclass he was playing appropriately most ofthe time with one or two other pups, underdirect supervision.After two more six-weeksessions he played well with a stable groupof four other dogs, under general supervi-sion, without needing NRMs or time-outs.

The last time I saw Sam was an inciden-tal encounter, at Hagerstowns Pooch Pool

Plunge event. Every year when the citycloses its community pool for the winter,they open it up on one Saturday for peopleto bring their dogs for a pooch pool party.Sam, now a full-grown adult dog, attendedthe Plunge at the end ofSummer 2005, withmore than 100 dogs in attendance. His be-havior was flawless.

Jasper may have a longer road, but Imoptimistic that hell come around as well.We plan to continue having him play withMesa, as long as shes handling him as wellas she did in last weeks class. BetweenMesas canine corrections and our time-outs, were hopeful that hell learnappropriate social skills and be able to ex-pand his social circle to other appropriatedogs. Is there a Pool Plunge in Jaspers fu-ture? Well just have to wait and see.

Dog owners are often puzzled when we suggest they not use theword No! with their dogs. How else, they wonder, will mydog know what hes notsupposed to do?

A dogs goal in life is to get good stuff, and his mission is todo whatever makes good stuff happen. You can teach your dogwhat notto do by controlling the consequences of his actions. Ifinappropriate behaviors consistently make good stuff go away,your dog will stop those behaviors. His goal is to make goodstuffhappen, not make it go away.

If youre good at managing yourdogs environment, then hell learn to do

appropriate things to get good things,without your use of the word No! Ifyoure poor at management, hell be re-inforced for his inappropriate behaviors,like jumping up on counters or tippingover garbage cans to look for food, andthose behaviors will persist. That said,there are plenty of trainers who do usethe No word, in various ways.

I use it on rare occasions, forextreme

Say No to Saying No!emergencies, and when I do it comes out as a loud roar, indeedintended to stop all behavior. When Im compelled to use it, Ialways try to pause afterwards, analyze the situation, and figureout where I need to shore up my management and/or training toavoid having to use it in that situation again.

In contrast, trainer and behaviorist Patricia McConnell usesNo! as a positive interrupt. She teaches her dogs that No!means Come over here for a treat no matter what tone ofvoice is used. When her dogs hear No! they happily run to her

to see what she has for them, necessarily inter-rupting whatever inappropriate behavior they

may have been engaged in.Ifyou do still use No! as an aversive in yourtraining program, be sure to avoid coupling yourdogs name with the loud, harsh No! It takesonly a few repetitions of Fido, NO!!!! for yourdog to start having a negative association withhis name and you absolutely want to preservethe sanctity of your dogs positive associationwith his name. Fido! should always mean very,very good stuff!

Smart, proactive management isalways more effective than puni-tive or corrective measures.

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Copyright 2006, Belvoir Media Group, LLC THE WHOLE DOG JOURNAL | 1

CBY SUSAN WEINSTEIN

A Water-Lovers WorryGiardia is more prevalent in dogs than previously thought.

called Giardia. But until he was correctlydiagnosed and effectively treated, he suf-fered and his condition deteriorated.

A problematic Giardia infection is of-ten overlooked or mistaken for otherillnesses. Until only two or three years agoit was believed to be uncommon in dogs,says Dr. Andrew Peregrine,Associate Pro-fessor of Clinical Parasitology at the OntarioVeterinary College, University of Guelph.

However, recent studies have found thatbetween 6 percent and 7 percent of dogsare infected with Giardia at any given time.And 8 out of 10 of these show no clinicalsigns of disease!Young dogs (up to one yearold) may contract Giardia as much as sixtimes more often than adults.

These findings suggest Giardia isa moresignificant issue for dogs than previously

realized. It appears that dog people andpractitioners have some catching up to do!

Elusive pattern of symptomsCalebs tale illustrates how humans can goastray when viewing Giardia through anoutdated lens.

In early summer, Caleb had diarrhea fora day ortwo, but thenit cleared up. He vom-ited once, and again a few weeks later. Thediarrhea came and went again, but even hisbetter-formed stools smelled bad. Our lo-cal clinic did a float test of a stoolsample,tellingmy friend Janice and I that this coulddetect both worms and Giardia. When theyfound neither, we figured parasites werentCalebs problem.

The elusive pattern continued for weeks,then months. At times, Caleb went off hisfood. Hed wake up at night panting andclearly distressed, and sometimes couldntfall back to sleep for hours. His gut gurgledloudly and he released stinky gas unusual,for him. I suspected intestinal cramps.

Then, almost overnight, his normallysweet breath became so foul that we had toopen a car window for relief when he rodewith us.It sometimes smelled like feces.Ourvets insisted that Caleb probably had an oralproblem, but like other dogs on a raw fooddiet, Caleb has healthy teeth and gums.Oddly, his chronically itchy skin and achy

joints also seemed much worse, which logicsaid was unrelated to digestive issues; yetall this happened in tandem.

Calebs chiropractic vet noticed he hadmuscle-wasting. His weight had plummeted

from 90 to 81 pounds; he was thin-skinnedand ribby, although he ate well enough. Sheasked if hed been checked for Giardia; wereported his negative results. Alarmed nowthat he might have cancer, she wanted tobiopsy an irritated wart on his knee.

I just didnt feel he had cancer. Afraidthat surgery would add to his stress, we de-cided to hold off on it while continuing tosearch for other explanations.

Calebs homeopathic vetmatched a rem-

MEDICINE

edy to his issues, and put him on probioticand enzymes to help his digestion. Whenhe did not improve, she tried to warn us thawe should expect a 10-year-old dog to starhaving problems. This isnt aging, I insisted. Caleb is sick.

Finally, Toronto holistic veterinarian

Paul McCutcheon astutely asked what kindof Giardia test wed had done. Oh, no,he said, by long-distance phone. I dontest in-clinic for Giardia anymore; its noreliable. Have an antigen test done righaway. Youll have to have it sent to a labbut its the only way youre really going toknow whether he has it or not.

So we did and it came back positiveGiardia did notexplain why Calebs itchyskin and achy joints seemed so much worse

TM

I



Consider Giardia first rather than

last as a possible cause of your

dogs diarrhea.

Request that your veterinarian

send a sample away for an

antigen test, or, if they re doing a

float, ask for a technician

whos been specifically trained

to find Giardia that way.

Dont let your dog drink from the

toilet! They can become infected

by an infected person this way.

Remember, an infected person

(or dog) may not exhibit

symptoms.

Ask your vet to make Giardia

part of your dogs annual

parasite test.

MEDICINE

I

I

Suspect a Giardia infection in any dogwhohas recurrent diarrheaand whohasswims, wades, or drinks water fromstreams, lakes, ponds, or puddles.

aleb had been doing really well fora Bouvier about to turn 10, when hishealth took a mysterious dive lastsummer. We would learn that he wasinfected with an intestinal parasite

I

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wed try to figure that out later. But thank-fully, the parasite is treatable, and hes nowback to his old self.

What is Giardia?Giardia is a microscopic, single-celled para-site that infects the guts of fish, birds, ormammals. Its a major cause of diarrhea,and thereby a major cause of death of chil-

dren under five in tropical and developingcountries when there is poor hygiene andlack of water filtration. TheCenters for Dis-ease Control describes it as one of the mostcommoncauses of waterborne disease in theUnited States.

Giardia has two basic life-stages. As atrophozoite, it attaches itself to the liningof its hosts intestines with its sucker. There,it feeds, reproduces, and dies while activelycolonizing its new dwelling-place.

Like any parasite, Giardia must seeknew worlds to exploit. In its trophozoiteform it cant survive long outside a hostsdigestive tract, so it transforms itself intoindividual cysts enclosed in resilient pro-tective casings. In this form, the cysts exitan infected animal in the hosts excrement,chancing to end up somewhere they can re-main viable until another host comes along.

The primary way to acquire Giardia isthrough oral contact with Giardia cysts. Ithappens mostly by drinking infected water,but, as youll see, its possible through othermeans, too. According to Dr. Peregrine, theingestion of as few as 10 cysts can start aninfectionin dogs (and people).And thecycle

continues.To remain viable, Giardia cysts need a

damp or wet environment in the right tem-perature range. They do best in woodlandpools, ponds, streams, and lakes, but willalso survive on a bedding of moist, or-ganic matter such as a shaded forestfloor. Dryness quickly destroys cysts, sotheyre less a problem in deserts thanelsewhere. They do well in humid warmclimates.A rapid temperature drop to be-low freezing will kill most cysts as longas theyre actually caught in the ice, or

in the part of the droppings or soil thatbecomes frozen.But if they are protected, some cysts

may survive for awhile even in extremecold. For example, they might endurein fluid water beneath a layer of ice, oron soil insulated from frigid air by agood snow-cover. However, even inwater cysts dont live indefinitely; prob-ably only formonths, butnot years, saysDr. Peregrine.

He adds, Cysts that pass into waterdont multiply. They only multiply in theguts of animals. In other words, in water,their numbers build up only through fecalmatter that infected animals deposit in ornear it.

This happens several ways. Infectedland animals, including canids but not ex-cluding infected humans, poop nearby and

rains or melting snows wash the cysts intolakes or streams. Or water animals, such asbeavers, excrete cyst-ridden feces right intothe water. (Disease from Giardia is some-times called Beaver Fever, but Dr.Peregrine thinks beavers may be unfairlyblamed for the parasites success.) Giardiamay also contaminate streams or lakes viauntreated human sewage.

How dogs get itDogs acquire Giardia primarily by drink-ing water that contains cysts. But chowingdown infected feces will also do the trick!

However, not all types ofGiardia affectdogs. Researchers now believe that it comesin different genotypes, and that most ani-mals have at least one thats limited to theirown species. For example, one genotype isknown to only infect dogs; another, onlyhumans; yet a third is shared by both dogsand humans.

Until recently, says Dr. Peregrine, weassumed that Giardia in dogs will alwaysinfect people, but its quite clear now thatsnot the case. Some types of Giardia fromdogs will infect people. And sometimes,

the opposite happens. He tells of a studentwho came home from Greece with a con-firmed Giardia infection. A week later, thestudents dog became infected, too. Thedog almost certainly got Giardia as a result

of drinking out of a toilet bowl, he con-cludes. So infection will go both ways! Butnot all human infections will infect dogs,and not all dog infections will infectpeople.

How might we catch it from our dogs?If an infected dogs anal area has traces ofmoisture, it could harbor cysts.As they dryup, the cysts lose viability. But in the mean-

time, if you brush against them and, yes, ifthey end up in your mouth, you may be-come infected. Being smooched by a dogdripping infected water from her muzzlemight also expose you. However, theresprobably no point in getting too paranoid,as none of us can avoid Giardia completely.

The number of cysts a dog (or person)takes in affects his likelihood of getting in-fected; the more he ingests, the greater theodds are that it will happen. Environmentalconditions influence this. For example, ac-tive streams or lakes can distribute cystswidely, whereas they may collect at theedges of quieter waters. Hot, dry spells canshrink smaller pools and ponds, concentrat-ing existing cysts even closer together.

The great mimicToo often, vets and owners havent eventhought to suspect Giardia asthecauseof adogs diarrhea. Why not?

Dr. Peregrine suggests that vets haveonly just realized how common it is, thanksto the new data. I think we didnt under-stand it before. Seven percent of dogs(testing positive) is a very high figure!

Furthermore, since the disease has nodistinctive clinical signs of its own, it canmimic just about anything that producesdiarrhea! Dr. Peregrine laughs. Except di-arrhea with blood. Its extremely unusual

to see blood with Giardia.And veterinarians tend to test first

for what they believe is most common.Morag McMurray, DVM, of Kingston,Ontario, gives examples.

If a dog comes in with skin and di-gestive problems, youd look for ageneralized inflammatory reaction first.

Or, if he had hypothyroid and diarrhea,youd thoroughly examine the thyroidfirst. If he had diarrhea but no vomiting,youd wonder about a foreign body, Dr.McMurray says.

These reasons may explain why vetshave overlooked Giardia as a potentialcause of disease. But its time for achange in perspective.

When should you suspect that Gia-rdia may have infected your dog?

Viewed under a scanning electron microscope, Gia-rdia trophozoites are often described as looking likethey are looking right back at you. This is due to the

presence of two distinctive nucleii, which resemble

cartoonish eyeballs, and a dark transverse rod, a

supportive structure called the axostyle, that looks

sort of like a nose and mouth. Illustration courtesy ofthe University of Pennsylvania Veterinary School.

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Signs of infectionOver half of the approximately 80 percentof infected dogs withoutclinical signs mayeventually clear it on their own. But theother 20 percent can become pretty unhappycampers. Giardia usually, but not always,affects dogs up to one year old, or unwelldogs with challenged immune systems,more harshly than it affects healthy dogs.

When a dog has signs, diarrhea may bethe first and only one youll see. He mayalso throw up. But the diarrhea may be in-termittent and vomiting occasional, makingit hard to know whether your dog is ill orsimply ate something untoward. Stool,whether loose or formed, may stink andcontain mucous. If the parasite interfereswith nutrient absorption, you may seeweight loss, weakness, and muscle-wasting.

Abdominal pain can be another featureof the disease. Two humans I know whohave had it insist, Its terrible! You havespasmodic intestinal cramps, like colic!One reported a metallic taste in his mouth.

Giardia infections are not normally life-threatening. But the dangers of dehydration(from excessive diarrhea) or malabsorptionare real. Ideally, we should look forthe para-site well before things get to this point.

About testsGiardia can be tough to identify in tests,and routine fecal examinations dont nor-mally detect the parasite. But several tests,with varying levels of accuracy, can. Re-peat a test up to three times to be sure of

negative results, or switch to one thats moredependable. Many vets do in-clinic tests bydefault (theyre less expensive); if you wanta specific test done by a lab, request it.

I The ELISA test. Considered the mostreliable and becoming more popular. Looksfor antigens. Goes to a lab. Most likely toget correct results the first time. Note thatthe ELISA test for Giardia will not detectother parasites or problems that your dogmay have.

I The float test. Done in-clinic. De-signed to look for worms. May also findcysts, but much more reliable when per-formed by technicians who are specificallytrained to find Giardia this way.

I The fecal smear. Performed in-clinicon fresh feces; looks primarily for tropho-zoites before they die off. A less effectiveway to find cysts. Dr. McMurray calls itmore of a rough guide/initial screening test.

I The fluorescent antibody test (FAb).Done at a lab. Generally more reliable thanthe fecal smear, but either can give falsepositives or negatives.

Testing for Giardia should not replaceroutine stool checks.

TreatmentTo treat, or not to treat? Just because yourdog tests positive does notmean you shouldautomatically treat him. If he has no clini-cal signs of disease, he may recover byhimself. Using drugs if theyre not trulynecessary may encourage Giardia to de-

velop resistance, hampering our ability tohelp a severely infected dog down the line.(Possibly also for this reason, many doc-tors today do not treat Giardia-infectedhumans who have no symptoms.)

But sometimes it makes more sense totreat. Dogs like Caleb, overwhelmed by toomany cysts,or whose weak immune systemscant throw off the infection, need help.Also, if a dog lives with a human or anotherpet who has a compromised immune sys-tem (from cancer or AIDS, for example,)Giardia could hit that individual hard. To

protect the immune-suppressed familymember, Dr. Peregrine advises treating evenGiardia-positive dogs who show no signs.

Owners may choose to treat their dogsfor Giardia with conventional pharmaceu-tical drugs that kill the parasite in the gut,or by attempting to bring about intestinalbalance through natural means. Whichevermethod you use, first carefully shampoo thehair around the dogs rear end to removeany cysts that may be present.

The conventional pharmaceutical drugused to kill Giardia are:

I Fenbendazole (Panacur, SafeGuard)

Originally used for dogs as a de-wormer, ieliminates Giardia, too. Dr. Peregrine as-serts that its generally more effectiveagainst Giardia than the old stand-by, met-ronidazole. It appears to have fewer sideeffects, too; consisting, if anything, of vomiting. Its probably one of the safest drugswe use in veterinary medicine, he saysIndividual dogs may be allergic to it.

The use of fenbendazole for Giardia is

pretty new on the scene; two out of fourpracticing vets I consulted did not yetknowof its use for that purpose. Its given once aday for three days; if the dog still tests positive a month later, your vet will probablyrepeat treatment for a longer duration.

I Metronidazole (Flagyl). The drug ofchoice for years, its also the mainstay fortreating Giardia in humans. It has a goodsuccess rate. However, it also has a ratherdaunting list of possible side effects: neurologic disorders, lethargy, weakness

effects on blood cells, damage to the liverblood in urine, anorexia, vomiting, and diarrhea. Its not considered safe for pregnanfemales. Still, many vets rely on it becauseit has workedwell for them and theyve hadfew, if any, problems with it.

Clinical experience suggests Giardia isbecoming resistant to metronidazole, ac-cording to Dr. Peregrine. But he advocateskeeping both drugs in use, because if ev-eryone switched to fenbendazole, sooner

Although vets dont consider it a feature of the dis-ease, the rise and fall of Calebs outrageously badbreath coincided with the course of his infection.Also, while his chronically itchy skin and arthritisappeared much worse when his digestive systemwentoff the rails, they, too, eased off afterward. I offer the following suggestions.

First, its no wonder vets dont look to breath quality as an indicator of health

(except for possible oral problems). So many dogs have chronic halitosis that lots ofpeople believe they naturally have bad breath! However, owners whove switched toraw or natural foods frequently report their dogs having pleasant, inoffensive breathlike Calebs. We should not overlook our dogs breath as an important meter ofwellness, particularly of the digestive system.

Second, like many dogs with autoimmune issues, Caleb has been on nutriceuticalssuch as glucosamine, MSM, marine oils, vitamins, and medicinal herbs for years. Ifhe goes off them for long, his itchy skin and achy joints bother him more. SinceGiardia interferes with the absorption of nutrients, it may also interfere with absorp-tion of nutritional supplements. If so, this could further confuse the diagnostic picturewhen dogs in similar situations have Giardia infections.

About Dog Breath

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or later, were going to get resistance to that,too! We want to be sure, in 50 years time,weve still got one or two drugs that work.For this reason, he advises against usingeither drug preventively for high-risk dogs.

I Natural methods. Grapefruit seed ex-tract, oregano oil, and colloidal silver,among others, reputedly kill microbes,

among them bacteria, viruses, and parasites.You can find these and other preparationsin health food stores; follow instructions fortreating parasites.

Although these methods may help withmany things, it appears that holistically ori-ented folk havent yet reached consensuson theireffectiveness against Giardia. Inmysurvey of eight natural pet care books some classic, others hot off the press sixdidnt mention Giardia at all; the seventhdid, but only in passing. Only Mary Wulff-Tilford and Greg Tilford, in their book AllYou Ever Wanted to Know About Herbs for

Pets, deal with it. After noting that herbalpreparations for Giardia are moderatelysuccessful at best, they suggest combin-ing low-alcohol tinctures of the following:

2 parts Oregon grape2 parts licorice2 parts cleavers1 part garlicThey instruct giving this to the dog at

least one hour before a meal. Dose at about teaspoon (1 milliliter) per 20 pounds ofbody weight, twice daily for up to 10 days;if the dog does not improve significantly

by then, consult a holistic veterinarian.Given theTilfordscautions, perhaps we

simply havent yet found the most effectivenonconventional remedies for Giardia. Ifyou do want to try one, remember it maytake awhile to work a consideration if yourdog is already in poor condition or in pain.

Unfortunately, regardless of treatment,Giardia may persist. Dogs often reinfectthemselves during therapy. Take precautionsto reduce exposure. Also, your dogs Giar-dia may be nonresponsive to the drug used.A change of drug might help. She may have

an underlyingissuesuppressing her immuneresponses. Observe her closely and consultwith your vet. Finally, neither dogs norpeople develop immunity against Giardia.They, and we, can always have it again.

Giardia does not do permanent damage,but once its gone, a dog may need a littletime to heal her intestinal lining. Probioticscan help with digestion in the meantime.Feed clean, non-irritating foods. If she hadmalabsorption, add nutritional supplements

to help her regain what she lost.Caleb did not respond to maximum

doses of grapefruit seed extract and oreganooil, given for five days. But after two treat-ments with fenbendazole, he finally testedclear and regained his ideal weight. His di-gestion recovered over a few weeks, andhis breath cleared along with it. Plus, hisaggravated, itchy skin and achy jointscalmed again to their normal level of ir-ritation. Maybe the Giardia had interferedwith his absorption of the supplements wegive him to ease those problems.

PreventionYou probably wont be able to avoid Giar-dia completely, but you can certainly reduceyour dogs chances of contracting it.

I Support her immune system so that she

can handle Giardia better. This requires aproper diet, regular exercise, enough natu-ral light, and a minimum of problem stress.But even if she does contract the parasite,she still may not have an immune issue; asufficiently high number of cysts could in-fect even the healthiest dog.

I Keep your dogs living quarters andhindquarters clean and dry. Gentle sham-poo followed by clean water will look afterthe dog personally; soaps lift cysts awayfrom the body so you can rinse them off.

Concerning floors, heres the most ef-fective solution: flush them frequently withlots of plain water and let dry thoroughlybefore the dog comes back in. Concreteruns, especially, benefit from this. Many dis-infectants dont affect Giardia, and heavilysoiled areas shield cysts from chemicals,anyway. Keeping clean is better. Steam-cleaning can also help as Giardia cantsurvive temperatures over 60C/152F.Wash your hands well after clean-up.

I When you go out with your dog, avoidquiet waters where cysts may gather and tovisit streams or bigger lakes, instead. Walkin woods aftervernal pools have dried upin summer. Discourage him from eating fe-ces. In your yard, see whatyou can doaboutstanding water, but dont worry about thingslike raised bird baths; if theyre too highfor mammals to poop in, they likely wontcollect Giardia that could infect your dog.

What if, like us, youre surrounded byswamp, or your dogloves the water and youdont want to deny her that pleasure? Haveyour high-risk dog tested for Giardia annu-ally. And if she develops diarrhea, think ofGiardia first instead of last, and prompt yourvet to look into it.

I Water treatment. Town water systemsshould deal with Giardia, but not all do. If

yours doesnt, youre on a private well, oryou take your dog camping, boil water for atleast one minute to destroy cysts. Properlymaintained ultraviolet light systems for pri-vate wells kill them. Filters with an absoluteporesizeof one micron, or that are rated forcyst removal,will snag them.Remember:youcant detect Giardiajust by looking or sniff-ing at water. Cysts may dwell there even if itappears pristine and delicious!

Finally, dont get discouraged if youretrying to do everything responsibly but your

dogstill gets Giardia. Theres no such thingas zero risk with the parasite; just do whatyou can, be realistic, and get out there andhave fun with your dog.

Wyeth makes a vaccine called GiardiaVax, which, the company claims,can prevent dogs from developing disease (diarrhea) caused by Giar-dia; it does not prevent infection. Dr. Peregrine conducted a study to look at whetherthe vaccine might also clear infections in dogs who have been nonresponsive totraditional treatment, but did not find that it had any effect on this. Further, he statesthat some people believe, on the basis of clinical experience, that the vaccine pro-

vides no significant benefit either preventivelyor

therapeutically.It should also be noted that the vaccine contains thimerosol, a preservative thatcontains mercury. Many holistic practitioners believe that preservatives that containmercury can cause abnormalities of the nervous system, such as problems with co-ordination, vision, and learning.

A Word About GiardiaVaccines

Susan Weinstein is a freelance writer with

a strong interest in animals and holistic

healthcare. Presently, she is working on a

book about pets and stress with Paul

McCutcheon, DVM. Weinstein and Caleb

live in Grafton, Ontario.

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bunctious, or is otherwise out of control,the other dog may offer a warning and thendisengage from the play.

Since most of us live with our dogs in acontrolled environment, with fences andleashes that enforce our control, it may bedifficult for some dogs to learn self-controstrictly through their daily interactions; theymay need a little help from us.

This is where training for self-controlcomes in. You really can help your dog gainthis fundamental skill. Training exercises toteach self-control involve three elements:

I Teaching the dog that being calm is anoption.

I Allowing the dog the opportunity to experiment (safely!) so that he begins tounderstand that self-control is a rewardingoption.

I Teaching the dog to listen in the faceof excitement or arousal.

BY MARDI RICHMOND

Control Yourself!

R

The benefits of developing your dogs skill at self-control.

ecently, at a dog-related event, I hadthe opportunity to witness dozens ofacts of self-control. There was thecute Lab who sat patiently in frontof a five-year-old, ice-cream-eating

child. There was the mixed-breed dog whopolitely turned her head and moved awaywhen an adolescent Pug lunged in her di-rection.

One of the strongest examples was ayoung Border Collie who noticed a greatgame of Frisbee happening a short distanceaway. He started toward the group, obvi-ously eager to join the game. He took onestep, and then seemed to remember that hewas with his person. He glanced up at hisperson (who was chatting with another per-son and unaware of herdogs dilemma) andthen the Border Collie made the choice tosit and patiently watch the game instead oftrying to join it.

Of course, there were also a few out ofcontrol exchanges at this same event.Andin a few instances, only the owners vigi-

lant management prevented the dog frombecoming out of control. So what made thedifference?Why do some dogs exhibit suchgreat self-control while others are lacking?

Self-control is often thought of as aninherent quality something a dog (or per-son) either has or doesnt have. Admittedly,some of us may be more naturally capableof self-control than others!

But self-control is much more than justbehaving calmly or even resisting excite-ment. It is more than being well trained. Itis an emotional skill. Self-control can betaught and developed much the way physi-cal skills like loose-leash walking can betaught.

How dogs learn self-controlDogs, like people, learn self-control throughlife experiences and through interactionswith dogs and people. They learn from theconsequences of their actions when theyexperiment with behavior. All types of con-sequences (both positive experiences andnegative experiences) influence the devel-opment of self-control.

Puppies and young dogs, for example,may learn to have self-control around dogs

during play. If a puppy plays nicely and withrestraint (showing good self-control), theplay session is likely to continue. Howeverif the pup bites too hard, becomes too ram-

TRAINING

TM

I



In the beginning stages of

teaching your dog the advan-

tages of deciding to be calm, try

to avoid putting your dog in a

situation where she is more than

likely to fail for example, at a

busy dog park or on the action-

packed sidelines of your sons

soccer game.

Pay attention to your dog!

Reinforce her frequently, with

warm praise and treats, when

she exhibits self-control, espe-

cially in the face of temptation.

I

TRAINING

Some dogs are more comfortable hanging out for extended periods while sitting; forothers, a lying down or standingposition might be easier to maintain. Allow your dogto practice self-control in a comfortable position to set him up for success.

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Step one: Its OK to be calmFor some dogs, being calm comes naturally.But many dogs, especially dogs with self-control issues, actually need to be taughtthat being calm is an option and a goodchoice!

I Sit calmly. Sit or down are good foun-dation exercises for self-control. When a

dog sits and stays sitting (or stays in thedown position) for several minutes, helearns how to be calm. In her book, Under-standing and Teaching Self Control,

Suzanne Clothier writes, A dog who islacking self-control simply does not knowthat it is possible to sit quietly in the face ofdistractions. We have to show our dogs thatit is possible!

Start with practicing sit or down ina low-distraction environment for one tofive minutes. If your dog has trouble hold-ing a sit ordown, you may need tostartwithonly a few seconds and build up slowly to aminute or longer. (See Way to Stay, March2006 for more tips on teaching your dog tosit/stay.)

Once your dog does well in your livingroom and other easy places, start practic-ing out in the world. Slowly increase thedifficulty of distractions. A dog who can sitor down and hang out for several minutesin the face of distractions is learning thatbeing calm is an option.

Note: In the rest of the article, well re-fer to asking your dog to sit as a defaultcalm behavior. If its easier for your dog to

lie down than sit (many breeds find it to bemore comfortable due to their conforma-tion), substitute down for sit in theinstructions that follow.

I Relax in new places. When your doghas the idea of sitting calmly, take the exer-cise a step further. Teach your dog that hecan hang out quietly with you in new butlow-stimulation environments. Head for aquiet space perhaps the neighborhoodpark, under an oak tree in a field, or even anew spot in your backyard. Takea book andperhaps a blanket to sit on. Keep your dog

on leash, and invite him to sit or lie down(whichever he is more comfortable with),open your book, and settle in for a few min-utes. When your dog settles, quietly praisehim.

I Sit for exciting events. You can rein-force the sit calmly by asking your dog tosit for all exciting events in his life. For ex-ample, ask your dog to sit before goingoutside to run, before walking through thefront door, before having the leash put on,before being fed dinner, and even beforebeing let off leash to play with other dogs.

Step two:Self-control is rewardingDogs with good self-control have had theopportunity to learn that restraint is a re-warding behavior. These exercises helpdogs understand how rewarding it can beto control their own behavior!

I Leave it or off. The leave it or offis when you teach a dog to back away orlook away from an interesting object, dog,or person. It is commonly used to train pup-

pies to refrain from mouthing or playingwith the wrong items, and to help overex-cited dogs learn to disengage from otherdogs. While this exercise is usually taught

as a safety behavior a way to teach a dogthat leaving something alone is the bestoption it is also a great way to encourageself-control. (See Off Limits, January2002, for more about teaching the off.)

In the early stages of the off exercise,you may cue the behavior by saying offwhen youwant your dog to leave somethingalone, but for self-control practice it is es-

sential to start rewarding your dog foroffering the off. You can actually set up anoff practice course by laying out 5 to 10interesting objects (toys, cones, socks, etc.).Walk through the course one or more timesasking your dog to off when you pass eachobject and rewarding him generously eachtime he does.

After your dogwalks through the courseonce or twice, he is likely to begin offeringthe off before you ask. When this hap-pens, jackpot by rapid-fire feeding himtreats and lavishing him with praise!

Watch for opportunities in your daily life on walks, for example when your dognotices something or someone and thenlooks to you. If you can catch these oppor-tunities, you will help your dog learn thatdisengaging (which is a part of self-control)is a great choice.

I Wait for the ball toss. In the earlystages of practicing this game, you will wantto simply have your dog sit, and then tossthe ball as a reward.As he learns the game,you can increase the time he waits beforethe ball is tossed.

Next, watch for opportunities to rewardthe offered sit where your dog actuallysits before you ask. Your dog will be learn-ing that his act ofofferedself-control (sitting

Perhaps the most difficult place for your dogto control himselfis in the car when you first pull up to the dog park. Dont let himout until he sitscalmly and quietly.

Many fetch-loving dogs learn to annoy people into a game offetch by hopping,barking,and repeatedly droppingtheirtoys onthe victims foot.Refuse to throw until thedog is sitting calmly.

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Some dogs respond to new people, dogs, places, and eventswith caution. Others respond with enthusiasm and interest. Fordogs who respond to newness by exploring or investigating, self-control behaviors like calmness and restraint can be especiallychallenging after all, they want to visit, check it out, and getinvolved.

The challenge can be doubled if the dog is also under-socialized. The result:A frantic dog (he must investigate all thetime because everything is new!) and a frustrated owner (thisdog is out of control!).

If you have a dog who matches this description, the self-control exercises in this article can help. But extra socializationcan also boost your dogs ability to exhibit self-control.

Dealing With Frantic AnticsI If self-control is difficult for your dog, expose him to newpeople, dogs, and places in a gradual and gentle manner wherehe can explore with less frantic energy. For example, find onecalm dog for him to play with in a quiet place rather than takinghim to the dog park where the large number of dogs may beoverstimulating.

I When you first practice self-control exercises in public, cre-ate enough distance from stimulation that your dog can besuccessful. For example, you may want to practice the sitcalmly across the street from the park, rather than in the midstof kids, dogs, and soccer players. Move closer very graduallyand only when your dog can be successful.

and waiting for the ball toss) is more re-wa rd in g t h an d a nc in g a r ou n d a n ddemanding the throw. Of course, this meansthat you should limit the number of timesthat you throw the ball for him when he isdemanding the throw with exuberant behav-ior, even when you are not activelytraining him!

Step three:In the face of arousalWhen I asked friends with dogs what itmeant for a dog to exhibit self-control, theyallagreed that themost impressive examplesof self-control were dogs who did what theywere taught to do, in spite of their strongurges otherwise. One example was theFrisbee dog who waited patiently even

while quivering from head to toe with ex-citement until she was cued to retrievethe plastic disc.

Hunting, herding, and even dog sportslike agility encourage dogs to exhibit self-control while in the midst of excitement andarousal. Here is an at-home exercise thatcan also help dogs learn to turn on and offtheir excitement, and to listen to you in theface of arousal.

I Tug-sit-tug. Tug games can be great funandgreat exercise. Fordogs who get wound

up when tugging, this game can be a pow-erful tool for teaching a dog to exhibitself-control even when excited. Start bymaking sure your dog knows how to dropthe tug toy on cue. (For more on this, seeTug:Play It By the Rules, October 2004.)Start with a calmer version of tug (at a lowerarousal level), andevery 3 to 5 seconds stoppulling and ask your dog to drop the toy. Atfirst, if you need to, you can reward y

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