Sophia Yin, DVM, MS  December 10, 2009.

Clients frequently tell me that they think their cat or dogs like each other but they aren’t sure. They sometimes point out that their pets sleep together, but does that mean they’re best friends? It could but it doesn’t necessarily. They could just be sharing beds because it’s comfortable or convenient. True “friends,” actively seek eachother and hang out, play together, and perform affiliative gestures such as mutual grooming.

Here’s a photo of Jonesy and his bratty younger, but bigger sister, Lucy. Jonesy pretty much just tolerates her. Sometimes he puts up with her pestering, and other times he exercises his Sailor’s mouth. When she’s in the more comfortable bed he sometimes joins her because that’s the most comfortable spot.

Here’s Jonesy with Homer (tricolor JRT) and a visiting JRT. Homer would actively seek Jonesy out and lie next to him. That would sometimes make Jonesy grumble under his breath. Homer did indeed look up to Jonesy. But, as usual, Jonesy could care less about Homer.

Tell me about your pets who sometimes share a bed. Are they best friends or just convenient buddies?

By Sophia Yin, DVM, MS   December 1, 2010

I’ve heard that a tired dog is a behaved dog. Will exercise solve most of my dog’s problems? Dogs are natural athletes and as such need exercise every day; however, exercise is not a substitute for training. In fact, for many dogs, vigorous exercise just gets them into better shape.  For instance my Jack Russell Terrier can easily run 18 miles and still have enough energy to bounce up and down when he thinks I’ll play fetch. When I’ve taken him out for a 10 mile run, I frequently forget as soon as we’re back that he’s been exercised.

Do I need to be the boss when training my dog, cat, horse or bird? While you will need to set rules and limits so that your pet knows how to behave, you don’t have to teach the behaviors by using force such as pinning them on their sides or yanking with a choke chain. You can instead train the pet by rewarding the good behaviors immediately as they occur and ensuring the pet does not get rewards for bad behavior. As a result, your approach for getting Fido trained should be more like a game of chess and less like a boxing match.

If I train my pet how long will the training last? Animals learn and change their habits throughout their life. This continual learning is important because an animal in the wild that stops learning won’t be able to adapt to its environment and survive. Continue reinforcing good behaviors throughout the animal’s life.

What’s the most common training mistake people make? People think they’re only training during planned training sessions when in reality, animals are continually being rewarded for good and bad behaviors all day. As a result of the lack of awareness owners often spend more time accidentally rewarding the undesirable behaviors than rewarding the desirable ones.

What’s the most important thing you to understand about your dog or cat or horse to modify behavior? The most important point about animals is that animals perform behaviors because the behaviors have been reinforced. In order to change behavior, we have to reward an alternate behavior that you would prefer and remove all rewards for undesirable behavior. This means that you have to recognize what might be reinforcing bad behavior so that you don’t accidentally reward it.

What do you use for rewards for pets? It’s important to use everything that motivates your pet, to your advantage. Food rewards work well because, for instance, if your pet eats 100 kibble a day, you can reward him 100x for the same behavior in one day, which means he can learn the behavior and form a habit quickly. Once he knows the behavior well, you can give the food rewards intermittently and alternate with other reinforcers. Ultimately you want to use what’s most reinforcing to the pet at the instant. For instance if you’re teaching your dog to sit before going out the door, at first reward with a sequence of treats for sitting and looking at you for permission before you let him out. Once he’s consistently good at this behavior, you no longer need treats because his ultimate reward is getting to go out the door once he’s automatically sat for you.

What’s the most important behavior you can teach your pet? In general, for dogs and cats, the most important behavior is to teach them to ask politely for things they want by automatically saying please by sitting and looking at you for everything they want-that means food, petting, being picked up, going out the door, getting leash on, etc. By teaching them to learn to earn everything they learn that focusing on you isn’t a chore, it’s just the way they get what they want. They also learn emotional self control-that no matter how excited they are for the ball or treat, they only get it if they choose to sit and politely ask for permission. Then, in other situations where they want something or are unsure of what to do, they will tend to look to you for guidance. In other words they will start seeing you as a leader. Incidentally, the second most important behavior to teach your dog is to come running when called even with lots of distractions. [ok to link to video say please by sitting 1,2, stellah learns to earn, come when called]

What’s special about horses? One important reinforcer for horses and other herd animals that is not a reinforcer for dogs and cats is rest. As a result, when working on an exercise with a horse, goat, or cow as soon as it performs the exercise correctly, you can reward it by letting it rest for an amount of time equal to the time and effort the exercise took.

What’s special about cats? Because cats often have their food out at all times and have not been exposed to many different foods you often have to first add treats to their meal so they learn to like the treats. Then you often have to cut back on their regular meal because they are getting too much and train them during mealtimes until their food becomes a valuable resource. Another peculiarity of cats is that they are good at pretending they have a low attention span or don’t get it. They may meow and meow or walk around aimlessly until you just walk over and give them the treat or reward. In these instances, rather than walking over to them when they really want your attention, walk away so they know that if they don’t play your game, you’ll remove all chances of a reward. Usually they will follow you and try harder to do what you want them to do to earn the reward. If they don’t, then stop the session and resume a little later.

What’s special about parrots? Most parrot species are very both very social and very vocal. They spend much of their time communicating back and forth loudly with their mate or other members of their flock. As a result, attention, and talking are very rewarding to them, even if that talking is yelling. Face it, when we yell at them it sounds a lot like the squawks they give to eachother. Be sure you use these things as rewards so that you’re training good behaviors rather than always providing these things freely without thought and consequently, sometimes as a reward for bad behavior.

Are some species such as dogs smarter than others such as cats? This depends on how you define intelligence. If you define the most intelligent animal as the one that gets its way, then cats are hands down much smarter than dogs. People tend to think that animals that don’t learn what they are teaching must be stupid rather than considering the fact that maybe they themselves are bad teachers or that they are using the wrong incentives or motivators. When animals are trained using positive reinforcement and behaviors are shaped in a stepwise fashion cats and many animals one might consider dumb, can learn as fast as dogs.

Are some dogs smarter and easier to train than others? The first part is difficult to answer because intelligence can be measured in many ways. But more importantly, smarter does not mean easier to train. The easiest dogs to train are those that are relatively calm and have a dependent personality so that they want to please you. Because they have a follower personality, they learn what you want despite the gaps in your training and are happy to oblige. Dogs that are more independent and consequently could care less about verbal kudos have to be trained more methodically and with things that are actually motivating to them. When trained in a stepwise fashion you may not notice much difference in speed of learning and they will appear happy and willing to learn too. When you skip steps or use rewards that the dog doesn’t care about, these dogs come off as stubborn and willful. When you combine independence with high energy and arousal such as a Jack Russell Terrier, plus a strong ability to problem-solve or tenacity in getting to what they want, you can be in for a big struggle. If you’re not a step ahead and several IQ points smarter, your cute puppy Einstein may developing into an evil genius.

Do you use only positive reinforcement? No. While it’s essential that we focus on reinforcing good behaviors, it’s equally important to remove rewards for undesirable behavior (scientific definition = negative punishment). If both are not done equally, then the animal will continue to be confused as to which behavior you want and a good habit will never be formed.

What are the most common mistakes people make when using positive reinforcement? A common mistake is that people don’t distinguish the difference between a lure/baiting and a reinforcer. A lure is when the animal sees the motivator such as food or a toy in front of his face and performs the behavior because he’s just following it. A reinforcer is when the dog performs the behavior and then he may or may not get the reward after he performs the behavior. In one case-luring-the pet can see the food or toy and decide whether he wants to follow it and perform the behavior. In the second case, he doesn’t always get the reward afterwards and he doesn’t know until after he performs the behavior whether he will one. Many owners start with luring and never progress beyond needing to bait. A second common mistake is that people often praise or pet animals as a reward when the animal shows no behavioral indication that he finds these rewarding.  With wild animals such as giraffes, the training is still paired with food usually so the only negative is that the giraffe has to hear a lot of blabbing. For dogs, the praise and petting is often in lieu of something he would rather have such as food, so the dog ends up getting bored.

If I use food/treats for training won’t the pet only behave when I have food? If you train incorrectly or incompletely with food then you will always need food around for the animal to perform the behavior. Conversely with punishment you’re likely to always need the punisher (choke chain, pinch collar) on the dog or readily available so that the dog knows that if he doesn’t behave he will get punished.

The way to wean off food rewards is to first reward enough so that the animal learns the behavior well in different contexts. Then the handler should start rewarding with food more intermittently and sometimes switching and using other rewards that the dog wants at that instant, such praise or toys. One mistake is to accidentally make it black and white to the dog that training occurs in specific sessions and at other times they don’t require or reward the same good behavior. In fact they may even accidentally reward bad behavior. In other words they have not made it a habit yet that the dog behaves throughout the day, it’s only habit to behave during training sessions. What owners should do is have the reward available every time during the day that they need it until the dog learns to behave well all the time.

Won’t using treats train the dog or horse to be nippy? Your pet will only become nippy if you reward nippy behavior. For instance if you feed the food reward when your dog lunges for the food or horse grabs then you will train the dog or horse to lunge to get the food. The best way to prevent nippy behavior is to reward the horse only when he stands with his head away from you and to reward the dog only when he’s gentle.

Do people have naughty pets because they treat them like their kids? People should not spoil their kids or their pets. Spoiled kids who have no boundaries tend to grow into depressed adults. Spoiled dogs who have no limits tend to be more anxious or frustrated than dogs with clear rules even though they may have access to everything they want.

Is punishment ever appropriate? Punishment, which for the purpose here we will define as force or coercion, can range from verbal reprimand, to a painful jerk on a choke chain or pinch collar, to using an electronic shock. It’s anything that the animal dislikes or wants to avoid and it decreases the behavior being punished. While punishment can be effective in some situations, it is generally a more advanced technique and can have many side effects. People tend to use punishment indiscriminately because it’s the first thing that comes to their mind. That is, they use punishment because they are not proactive enough to reward good behavior and prevent rewards for bad behavior. As a veterinarian my job is to recommend the techniques that are safest to both animal and human and that are effective. Consequently, I do not recommend punishment as general approach to training, because other safer and equally or more effective techniques are available. When punishment is used, it should be used with full knowledge of the potential side effects so that they can be avoided or remedied if they do occur. Here are several considerations when deciding on whether punishment is appropriate.

• In general, punishment should only be used after the handler has a strong history of reinforcing the good behavior so that the pet has an alternate appropriate behavior it knows to perform.
• Punishment should only be used as a way to buy time to reward the good behavior frequently enough so it become a habit. In general my recommendation is that if punishment is used, it be used for one specific behavior and that an alternate behavior be rewarded 50x to every punishment.

• Punishment can cause the other pets in the household to become anxious and fearful. Although the punishment may not be directed at them it may still scare them. Since it’s not related to any behavior that they can control, meaning they have no way to predict when or prevent it from occurring, they are likely to become more anxious.

• Punishment must be strong enough to get a clear reaction and so that the animal does not habituate to (adapt to or get used to) the force used. The problem is that this can also cause injury to the animal if it’s too high. And it can cause anxiety if the timing is not right or the owner doesn’t consistently punish every single time the bad behavior occurs.

• Generally negative punishment (removing the reward for bad behavior) and positive reinforcement are easier to perform and more effective than using force (positive punishment). Both require the same timing, but as you’ll see, positive punishment may require more strength and more speed.

• Punishment can cause animals to become more aggressive and aroused. For instance, animals are often scared when threatened with punishment and may become defensive when they can’t flee. When animals are fearful of being hurt, they can run, freeze or fight. If running or freezing doesn’t work, then they are more likely to fight.

For more information on punishment download the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior’s (AVSAB) Guidelines on the use of punishment.

November 23, 2009  Sophia Yin, DVM, MS

In my entire career as a vet, I’ve only been suckered into adopting two pets. The first was Meggie, a Scottie puppy with a neuromuscular disorder called Scottie cramps. The disorder caused her to randomly walk like a broken down robot. She was probably the easiest pet I’ve trained due to her general good nature and the fact that I got her when she was pretty young. The second was the Jonesy, the Jack Russell Terrier, my current dog. He’s was and still is the worst Jack Russell Terrier, and for that matter, the worst dog I’ve ever trained. To almost anyone he looks like he’s very willing to please. This dog, who, at 8 weeks of age was already aggressive to other dogs and independent, IS now willing to work and focus on people. But a slight error or lapse of attention on your part and he’s up to no good.

Given that Jonesy is sort of a 24/7 job, and given that I’ve been able to go 16 years while only adopting two pets, you wouldn’t think I’d be taking another difficult case. But somehow I got stuck with, believe it or not, two 9 year old Bengal Cats. Now, I have nothing against cats, it’s their litterboxes that I don’t like to clean. Plus I don’t really have enough room in my tiny house for additional pets and their litterboxes. If I were going to get a cat, it would not have been a Bengal, cats known for their energetic and devious nature. Let alone cats that needed to be rehomed because they were spraying in their previous environment-one in which a third cat was reacting to a neighboring trespasser by redirecting her aggression to her Bengal housemates. But to make a long story short, I have these cats. I took them with the idea that I would keep them until their spraying issue was resolved and then rehome at least one-since they do better when kept separate.

Their names are Oliver and Dante and they are surprisingly friendly. For instance on day 1 when I took Oliver out of his carrier and he was slinking around the room, as soon as anyone started petting him he became outgoing. Dante has the bathroom to himself but has access to people through the custom-made screen door (a custom-made window screen with a door handle and hinges added). Oliver has a kitty condo located in one of the offices. So far they’re doing well, although for Oliver it took a bit to get the litter box right.

They haven’t been the huge nuisance that I thought, mostly because they’re a very controlled environment. I only let them out supervised. They’re also really easy to train. They both know sit and target. Over the next few weeks I hope to run some litter box tests just for fun and hopefully train some additional tricks.

Any Bengal owners out there who want to share some information about their cat’s personality?

My Trip to Indonesia: Day 1 (Sept 2009)

It’s the first day of my last-minute vacation trip to Indonesia-only the second actual vacation I’ve taken in 15 years. A few weeks ago, out of the blue, my college roommate Asri who had just received her U.S. citizenship emailed me. “Sophia, I’m going to Indonesia to visit my family next month. Do you want to come?”

“Yeah, right,” I thought. But then she added. “We’re going to Bali. It’s really nice there. We can snorkel and watch dolphins.”

Then I, the one who usually has to make a list of pro’s and cons before even deciding to take a day off to spend with friends, said “yes.” At the time, I was secretly hoping that I’d be able to take photos of free-roaming village or street dogs. Luckily, after I booked my flight, Claudia Kawczynska, editor of the Bark learned of my vacation plans and hooked me up with the Bali Animal Welfere Association (www.bawabali.org), an organization that helps spay, neuter and vaccinate dogs on Bali. As a result, I was all set to spend some volunteer time too.

So I’m here in Jakarta, Indonesia now-we leave for Bali in a few days-watching the crazy traffic, inhaling the smog, and being thankful that I don’t live here. Traffic is crazy, even compared to Market Street during rush hour in San Francisco. Motorcycles crowd 2-3 to a lane routinely driving within inches of the cars.

And it’s common to see cars and motorbikes approaching you head on. Somehow, like flocking birds that change directions simultaneously, the vehicles, turn, veer and merge seamlessly. People also randomly help guide traffic. It’s not their official job, they’re just doing it for donations. Drivers give them “tips” for their help.

Traffic is so bad it would be faster to walk from one location to another, if there were sidewalks and you could handle the walking several miles in a sauna. It takes 30 minutes to go 2 miles during rush hour. Of course walking would probably lead to asphyxiation from the oxygen-depleted air.

I’m keeping my eye out for pets and stray animals. There are a lot of stray cats in Jakarta. Asri tells me that people do not routinely spay/neuter here and vets may not recommend it.

There are not many dogs seen on the streets here in Jakarta. In fact, I don’t see any. Ninety to 95% of people here are Muslims but unlike other majority Muslim countries the government is not Muslim.  In general, Muslims consider dogs to be filthy. They don’t feed strays like people in the U.S. might. And dogs are not welcome in the house. Dog owners in Jakarta tend to not walk them in public. Owners tend to not to let their dogs go up to people and lick them. That would be considered ultra-filthy.

Cats, on the other hand, are practically considered holy. Injuring a cat, even accidentally is considered bad luck.

But Indonesia is a diverse country so not everyone has the same views. In fact Indonesia is comprised of 17,508 islands. The 5 most prominant islands are—Java (where Jakarta and the central government is located), Borneo, Sumatra, Sulawesa, and part of New Guinea. Bali is a small island located just south of Java and we’ll be going there in a day. The view of dogs and the presence of dogs and cats there is very different. So in the next few blogs I”ll be providing a glimpse of how dogs, cats, and the wild animals (monkeys) coexist with humans on the island paradise of Bali.

By Sophia Yin, DVM, MS  September 24, 2009

In these difficult times, it can be challenging to care for your pet and to know when you’re getting the most appropriate care. In fact one pet owner once wrote to me for advise regarding what to expect from her vet. “Dr. Yin, she says, “ I no longer trust veterinarians to practice ethical medicine. Three years ago, our newly-purchase guinea pig showed signs of mite infestation. A vet specializing in exotic animals put her on a two-shot course of ivermectin. After the second shot a week after the first, she went into convulsions. There was an emergency room visit with follow-up at the vet’s office. She recovered but a month later the mites returned. I brought her to a different vet who treated her with flea powder, a much less invasive approach. This cured her.”

She went on to explain another case. “We also had a male cat with terrible “blood crystals” which caused severe urinary problems. Medications didn’t help and neither did surgery. It was a stressful time as I was due to give birth. Our poor cat was no longer the playful, affectionate companion we loved. I brought him to the vet for assistance and he insisted on giving heart medications. I tried this and he didn’t improve. We had to have the cat put down the day I came home from the hospital.”

These situations gave the owner a bad taste. And made her wonder: What should pet owners expect from veterinarians? How do we know what the standard of care should be?

These are good questions and they also remind me of something a veterinarian colleague once said, “Instead of giving us all of those classes and a diploma at graduation, they should have just given us a crystal ball and a magic wand. Clients would be happier.”

But we graduated with neither which is why veterinarians can’t predict the future any better than the Wall Street experts can predict the stocks, bookies can predict exact Superbowl outcomes, and the every-day individual can predict what will go wrong the next time he upgrades the operating system on his man-made PC.

Even when your veterinarian follows a diagnostic and treatment plan devised by God himself, which for mite infestations in guinea pigs currently involves a 1-4 shot course of ivermectin at 1-2 week intervals, patients may respond poorly. What’s more, cures are only temporary if the inciting causes, such as mites on neighboring guinea pigs, aren’t stamped out too.

The problem is that fixing an ailing pet is not like fixing a car or TV or someone’s bathroom sink. It’s more like solving a mystery and trapping the source. When looking for the culprit, detectives don’t just ask which one test in the sure-fire solution. Instead the answer requires a pain-staking search for multiple pieces of the puzzle. A mold of a suspicious footprint, a search for telltale stains, analysis of DNA, interviews with anyone remotely involved. Gather the right pieces and the picture takes shape, but the process takes time and skill and different detective teams may come to the solution through different steps.

Similarly, to diagnose your pet’s problem, a thorough physical examination plus the owner’s detailed account are an important start and may do the job. But many cases also require multiple tests. Each test can reveal something different but the puzzles picture is revealed only when all the pieces come together.

This can add up quickly. As pet owners ourselves, we veterinarians know. We often perform the ultimate work-ups and treatments on our own pets with ideal or less than ideal results. For me to the tune of $1500 for my cattledog several years back and for one of my classmates $4000.00 for her 14 year old Rhodesian Ridgeback. And my family’s aged Scottie it involved diagnostics for lymphosarcoma, and a splenectomy which cost us for about $2000.00 even with my huge veterinary discount. The surgery and chemotherapy provided the dog with 3 good months, followed by remission and then euthanasia. It was a short remission but well worth it for us.

A cat with urinary tract disease would put any veterinarian on red alert. It could get better on its own but it could also mean a long recurring problem that might involve surgery without being completely resolved. And if all else failed or even before, we might also choose to treat less pressing or obvious problems such as a heart condition or the stressful environmental situation going on at home in the hopes that that’s what’s throwing the cat’s system over the edge.

While you may not be able to afford all the tests or treatments it’s your veterinarian’s job to offer you the Gold Standard in care and work down from there rather than to judge your financial situation or the strength of your bond with your pet and offer you less. When vets make assumptions about what owners can afford Kitty may get short-changed. When owners continuously complain about being offered the best, they may no longer get such offers.

As a pet owner, your job is to decide what you can afford, and what you think is best for your entire family. Your vet should do his best to work within your needs, giving you options and then help you weigh your chances. This partnership works best when clients establish a regular relationship that involves annual pet check-ups, follow agreed-upon treatments to the tee, and appear for scheduled rechecks even when the problem seems cured. This allows the vet to understand your pet better, to modify treatments based on your pet’s response and to further discuss any questions you may have. If you’re still unsure about your pet’s care, keep asking questions, or seek a second opinion from a board certified veterinary specialist. Have your records sent first so that the specialist can get a complete view. But please remember, even specialists don’t graduate with a crystal ball.

For more information on pet diseases check out the following veterinary-sponsored web page: http://www.VeterinaryPartner.com

For dog owners check out “Speaking for Spot: Be the Advocate Your Dog Needs to Live a Happy, Healthy, Longer Life” by veterinarian, Dr. Nancy Kay. (www.amazon.com)

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Sophia Yin, DVM   September 4, 2009

While many of you already know that chocolate can make your cat or dog sick, did you know that onions can kill? I learned this my second year in veterinary school. But I didn’t really appreciate it until the big onion incident that occurred during my senior year. Well, maybe the incident wasn’t all that big; it only involved one dog. But it was my own dog, Max, a 72-pound adult Boxer. And it nearly killed him.

Not surprisingly, pets actually have to eat the onions to get sick, but depending on their size, they may not have to eat much. One fourth of a cup can make a 20-pound dog sick while several cups may be needed to make a large dog sick. Cats are even more sensitive.

You’re probably asking yourself, “What dog or cat with brains would eat onions.” Well, the onions don’t have to be raw. They can be fried as in onion rings, dehydrated, as in Lipton Soup, or prepared in some other tasty form such as sautéed with mushrooms and steak, or hidden in a souffle. In a scattered rash of cat onion toxicity cases a number of years back, the culprit was onion powder used to flavor some baby foods. Veterinarians often temporarily feed meat baby food to cats who are infirmed and unwilling to eat their regular foods. So when the baby food formulations changed, some cats took a turn for the worse while under veterinary care. Due to public pressure baby foods no longer contain onion powder.

In Max’s case, the onions were fried, dried and then left on the coffee table by my roommate before she left for the weekend. I never saw the pound or so of deadly cuisine. All I found was an empty bag and drool on the floor. If I had known what was in the bag, I would have taken Max to my veterinarian immediately. Instead I took him two days later, after the normally boisterous prankster collapsed while exercising. We performed a bunch of diagnostic tests, and on examining the blood work, found the tell-tale signs—little purple clumps in his red blood cells that virtually screamed onion toxicity.

Onions cause toxicity by oxidizing an oxygen-transporting protein called hemoglobin in the red blood cells. When oxidized, hemoglobin forms clumps which can’t carry oxygen as well. These small clumps, called Heinz bodies can be seen in the red blood cells when the blood is viewed under a microscope, especially when the cells are stained with a special stain called New Methylene Blue. Although a number of other compounds can cause Heinz bodies, when a veterinarian sees Heinz bodies in many cat or dog red blood cells, onion toxicity is the first differential that leaps out on the list. Normally, in dogs with onion toxicity a moderate number of red blood cells may contain Heinz bodies. In Max’s case, most of the red blood cells carried the protein clumps.

Heinz bodies don’t usually cause life-threatening problems themselves; the red blood cells can still carry oxygen, just not as efficiently. Heinz bodies cause problems by decreasing the red blood cell lifespan. As a result, the onion-eater becomes anemic. If a large amount of onions is eaten at one time, the pet may develop a sudden anemia several days following the onion feast. If the dog or cat eats a small amount of onions every day for many days, he may gradually develop anemia over weeks to months.

Onion toxicosis is not a tremendously common occurrence. Annually, the ASPCA National Animal Poison Control Center in Urbana Illinois records only a handful to a dozen calls on onion toxicity and toxicity from its relatives in the Allium genus, garlic and chives. Probably because with low dose exposure, pets may not develop signs severe enough to take to a veterinarian or at least not sick enough to perform diagnostic bloodwork for a definitive diagnosis.

It’s a good thing the incidence is relatively low, since patients that do eat enough onions to develop toxicosis often need to be hospitalized for several days. In cases of severe anemia, they may even need a life-saving blood transfusion. Max did. Luckily most victims of onion over-ingestion respond well to treatment and recover.

Interestingly, garlic can cause the same problems as onions, but since garlic is usually only used in small amounts, dogs and cats aren’t likely to ingest a toxic quantity.

The signs you see with onion toxicosis are signs of anemia and low oxygen such as lethargy, weakness, red urine, decreased stamina, and pale or bluish gums, especially with exercise. While onion toxicity is not a common cause of these signs, consider onion toxicosis if you see these signs and know your pet has gotten into onions recently. If by some freak occurrence, your dog or cat does engage in an onion feast, bring him to your veterinarian immediately. She may induce vomiting or administer a product to help decrease the absorption of the onions. If you take this trip in time, your onion eater may be spared many or all of the hazardous sequelae of onion toxicosis and you may be spared the much larger bill associated with intense hospital monitoring and a several night stay.

Footnote: other human foods to avoid include moldy walnuts, grapes or raisins, chocolate, fatty foods.

For more information on the ASPCA National Animal Poison Control Center, go to http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control/. To consult with a veterinarian at the Center’s emergency hotline for a $60.00 fee call (888) 426-4435.

By Sophia Yin, DVM, MS   September 5, 2009

Every year, when badly behaved dogs become the object of media focus someone asks me, “ Do you think pitbulls should be banned as pets?” To which I usually answer, “No, but some owners should be banned from owning pitbulls… or for that matter, Jack Russell Terriers, Basenji’s, Border terriers, Bengal cats and even Budgies”. In fact some people shouldn’t have pets at all.

Not because these people are cruel or have mean intentions, but because even the simplest pet can turn out to be more than the average person can handle, especially if the pet isn’t suitable for that person’s expectations and abilities.

Let’s face it, adopting a pet isn’t like purchasing a T.V. or kitchen appliance. TVs and appliances come with a set of instructions, work right out of the box and require minimal maintenance. And notice that even with these simple appliances getting them to work right sometimes takes longer than expected.

Pets on the other hand are a work-in-progress. What you end up with depends on how much time and effort you’re willing to put in. For instance, even rodents such as hamsters can be friendly enough to come when called, greet you at their cage door, and ask to be held and petted. But when not handled enough early on, they may instead spend most of their time hiding from humans and even biting when handled. This takes the fun out of interactions, which leads to a boring life for the tiny companion.

While owners may fail to notice that their caged pet is not living up to its full potential, with pets that freely share our living space, problems are more prominent. Owners who lack a plan with these pets frequently end up lacking a pet when they can’t stand it anymore.

Owner Expectations Must Match the Pet

As the owner of two rejected Basenjis, Renvelyn Grey knows about inappropriate owner expectations.

“Henry’s first owner got rid of him when she got sick of coming home to torn up pillows, sheets and shoes,” says Grey referring to her more recent adoption. Any basenji owner should know that for basenji’s this behavior is status quo. This breed is as curious as a three year old kid and individuals tend to examine and dissect all objects with their mouth.

“Henry’s previous owner walked him several miles a day but that’s not enough for these guys, they need lots of training,” says Grey. They also need more environmental management to keep them out of trouble. The Grey’s have babygates blocking off many rooms, they pick up all their shoes and clothing, and they make sure they’ve taken the trash out. With these household modifications and lots of training, the two Basenjis make perfect companions for the Grey’s.

Other breeds and individuals can be equally trying and the problems sometimes have to do with intelligence. States Terry Lake, owner of a Jack Russell Terrier named Jackie, “My partner says she wishes we’d gotten a dog that wasn’t so smart.”

Jackie is a wonderful, entertaining, companion for the Lakes, but due to her high energy, curiosity, and great problem-solving skills, she can be as much work as a pair of twin toddlers. Says Lake, “She has out-smarted every obstacle we’ve used to keep her from going up the stairs, and she once had a bath in the sink and because she likes water, we now have a hard time keeping her out of the sink where she tries to turn on the water.” Jackie’s also a problem in the truck where she rolls down the electric window by putting her paw on the button. “We roll-it up, says Lake, “and she rolls it down again.”

Jackie’s wild on walks too, where she bounces around like a superball attached to an elastic string. As a result, she rarely gets walked which means she not only misses out on exercise opportunities, but she also lacks the socialization to new humans, other animals, and the every-day sights which she needs in order to assimilate into city or suburban life.

These challenges are finally changing though. Lake took the time to trek 80 miles once a week for private training lessons with Jackie. After two private training lessons Lake was able to walk Jackie peacefully on leash with the aid of a Gentle Leader head collar and he can finally count on her undivided attention in the house on request.

Cats Can be Challenging Too

Of course problems involving pet suitability aren’t limited to dogs. Cats too have a wide range of personalities and consequently have to be matched to the correct household. Karsan Elliot found out the hard way when she added a Bengal cat, the feline equivalent of trouble, to her collection a “very happy pack of diverse dogs and 2 Abby cats.”

Says Elliot, “Spike relieved himself all over the home office and constantly beat up the other cats.” Like a teenager with time on his hands and no-one to focus his energy in the right direction, Spike just dominated the household. Elliot eventually had to give Spike up but was extremely fortunate to find a more appropriate home. For other cats, a poor match ends up spelling death in animal shelter after several failed adoptions or when abandoned on the street.

Choosing the Right Pet for You

So how do you find out whether a specific pet is suitable for you? You’ll have to put in the time ahead of time. Interview breed rescue organizations since they consist of breeders and individuals who regularly deal with placement mistakes. If the individuals do not acknowledge the difficulties of the breed or individual or know the common health problems and behavioral issues and how to prevent them then look elsewhere.

Go to dog or cat shows or canine sporting events and talk to many different breeders or trainers or experts. Some veterinarians and animal shelters even offer a service that helps match you with a pet. And most of all, ask yourself, what kind of time and effort are you really willing to invest and what to you expect for your work? Can you put up with a dog or cat that requires the same attention as a team of toddlers or do you need a couch potato who’s always happy to see you but just as happy to lounge around? Your honesty regarding both your needs as well as the pet’s can mean the difference between a happy relationship and an early demise for a potentially loving companion.

Originally appeared in SF Chronicle in 2005

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By Sophia Yin, DVM, MS    July 19, 2009

“I wish someone had shown me this towel wrap technique before cats had scratched my arms for 13 years,” says technician Brandy Oates, a veteran at handling pets as she practices what I call the Burrito Wrap on a stuffed cat.

She’s attending the Low Stress Dog and Cat Handling Lab at the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) conference in Seattle, Washington. While I have already taught this lab at a number of universities, including Colorado State University, UC Davis, and University of Wisconsin, this is the first time I’ve taught this particular lab at a national veterinary conference.  Technicians and veterinarians are attending from all over the nation.

You might wonder why seasoned technicians would need to take such a course. Well, just as medical advances necessitate regular continuing education, handling techniques have greatly changed. With the advent of a behavior specialty in veterinary medicine several decades ago, the emphasis on behavior has finally trickled down to every-day veterinary practice.

Older techniques focused on placing a “death grip” on the pet and immobilizing them by stretching them out. Low stress techniques rely on holding the pet in a manner that keeps them comfortable.

For instance, many technicians still restrain cats for blood draw by holding their head up with one hand and stretching their front legs out in an attempt to prevent being clawed. Unfortunately, this uncomfortable position actually causes cats to struggle. The more natural low stress position requires just guiding the head upward by placing a closed-fisted hand on either side of the neck. After trying the positioning on a cat, Gerrie Brocker states, “This technique is much safer for me and the cat struggles less.”

Attendees will go back to their practices and share their knowledge. Shannon Burcham states, “(I learned) The new toweling techniques and now I feel more confident about instructing my staff on their restraint techniques.”

Hopefully their hospitals will successfully implement their newly learned skills.

For more information on low stress techniques go to www.nerdbook.com/lowstresshandling. To schedule a talk or lab on this topic go to http://www.askdryin.com/seminarsandclasses.php

By Sophia Yin, DVM, MS  June 12, 2009

As every kid knows, while America is a democracy, the American family is not. It’s a dictatorship and even the youngest family members are savvy to the balance of power. One such youngster explained it to me, “In this house,” he said, “the dogs are the lowest. The kids come next. The parents are above the kids. And the cats are on top.”
Indeed with over 60 million cats in the U.S., cats are at the top in more ways than one.

In their insidious manner, they’ve quietly surpassed the dog as America’s number one pet. It’s easy to see why. They are small, they don’t bark, they are independent, and they’re like having a bit of the wild in your house. Well, sort of. In many cases maybe it’s more like having a fat blob of something wild in your house. Because while their wild counterparts spend up to eight hours a day foraging and solving life’s problems, for the typical housecat, every day is Sunday and the couch is his best friend. Forget foraging. If he yells loud enough, someone will deliver.

It’s not that cats purposely fall into this rut. The wave of lethargy just sets in. But as second in command, you don’t have to accept this as fact. You can release your cat’s inner kitten by training simple tricks. Yes, really.

You’re probably thinking “My cat’s not smart enough. This training is only for abnormally smart cats.” But intelligence is not the issue. As long as your kitty likes to eat you have it made.

Cat Trick Number 1: Come When Called

If Kitty can hit the kitchen at the sound of beef and liver being liberated from a can, surely he can learn to zip over at the sound of his name. Here’s how you start. First make sure Kitty’s hungry and will take treats by hand. If you use canned food, trust me, start by putting it on a spoon. Some cats can’t tell the difference between your finger and a T-bone steak. Next say his name once (and only once or he’ll think his name is Kittykitty or Kittykittykitty ) and then immediately give him a small treat. Repeat the exercise five to ten times and then take a break. After you’ve paired the treat with his name a bunch of times he should start to make the association. When you say his name and he responds by turning towards you, he’s on his way. If he has this down pat, you can add some distance. Call him when he’s several feet away. Systematically increase the distance. Pretty soon he’ll be dashing from the other room.
How long does it take? Not to put any pressure on you, but my chicken Thelma learned this in two days (she likes to eat), and my rat took four. Hint: if it takes much longer it’s not your cat’s fault.

Cat Trick Number 2: Touch a Target With the Nose

For this exercise, you need a pencil with an eraser or a ball on the end and a word to tell Kitty he’s on the right track. Best to use a word or phrase he rarely hears. For cats, that would be, “Good” or “Yes” stated in a distinct way.” Now hold the pencil in front of him and when he investigates the target with his nose, say “good” or “yes” once and immediately give him his treat. Repeat the exercise in short sessions until he actively seeks the target out and touches it. Now you can use the target to lead him wherever you want, such as onto a chair for the next exercise.

Cat Trick Number 3: Sit and Stay

Hold a treat up to Kitty’s nose and move it up and back so he shifts his weight to the rear, causing him to sit. A feisty cat might try to paw you. Just remove you hand whenever he does this until he sits and then give him the treat.

Unlike a sitting dog whose derriere springs up like a waffle out of toaster, cats are masters of the sit position. Since they tend to hold their hiney down for a few seconds following the treat, sit-stay is really easy to teach. Once Kitty knows how to sit, say “stay” and just wait a few seconds. Then give him another treat while he’s still sitting. You can then start adding distance from him by taking a step away and quickly coming back with his reward before he gets up. Systematically increase the time and distance over several sessions.

Putting it Together

Now you have the tools for training almost anything you want—jumping through hoops, fetching a ball, playing the piano. Use the target to lead Kitty around and reinforce the behavior you want using food at first and later using praise or petting instead, if Kitty likes those things. Just be careful what you reinforce. A cat playing the piano all day could get on your nerves.

For more tricks go to www.AskDrYin.com/cat_tricks.php

By Sophia Yin, DVM, MS May 15, 2009   (Modified from an article first published in Veterinary Forum June 2008)

With so many canine and feline flea and tick products on the market, you practically need a course to help you decide which one to use. According to Ronald Baynes, DVM, PhD, associate professor pharmacology at North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, knowing the mechanism of action is key to sorting things out.

Organophosphates and carbamates (kills and repels fleas and ticks)

Among the first class of products used on pets was the organophosphate and carbamate insecticides used in foggers, dips, and sprays. These anticholinesterase insecticides work by inhibiting acetylcholine esterase, the enzyme responsible for breaking down the neurotransmitter acetylcholine at cholinergic nerve endings. Inhibition prevents breakdown of acetylcholine, consequently the insect nervous system is overstimulated leading to tremors, seizures and death. These products kill both fleas and ticks on contact and repel fleas and ticks, but are generally considered unsafe for use in cats.

Pyrethrins and pyrethroids (kills and repels fleas and ticks)

A second class of products that has been available for many years is the pyrethrins and synthetic pyrethroids such as permethrin and fenvalerate. They work by binding to the voltage-dependent sodium channels in nerves, preventing the channel from normally closing, and finally leading to either repetitive discharge or membrane depolarization that reduces the ability to produce impulses. These effects on the neuron are manifested as tremors and eventually death of the insect. Originally, pyrethrins were available only as sprays and dips. Because of their lower toxicity to animals and humans compared with organophosphates some are approved for use in dogs and cats. When used as sprays though, some cats have developed signs of toxicity after grooming the spray off their coats or as a result of overuse by owners. Pyrethroid toxicosis in cats is often associated with exposure to pyrethroids that are only approved for use in dogs. Like the anticholinesterases, pyrethrins kill and repel both fleas and ticks.

Formamidines (kills and repels ticks)

Another class of topical agents is the formamidines, which is represented by amitraz, the only formamidine used in veterinary medicine. It was originally used in dips for treatment of mites but is now also licensed for use as an agent for killing and repelling ticks and also impregnated into some tick collars for dogs. Amitraz binds to octopaminergic agonists in ticks. But because it binds alpha-2 adrenergic receptors in pets, high doses can result in toxicosis similar to xylazine toxicosis, and clinical signs can include central nervous system (CNS) depression, bradycardia (low heart rate), polyuria (excessive urination), and sedation.

Avermectins (Fleas and heartworm at high enough doses)

A fourth class of products that has been in use on small animals for over two decades is the avermectins which belong to a larger class of drugs known as macrolide endectocides which work externally and internally in the pet. Like fipronil, which is in another drug class, they target specifically the GABA-gated and glutamate-gated chloride channels, and by activating these sites cause an inhibitory effect. When this effect is excessive, neurotransmission is difficult and this results in death of the insect. Avermectins are generally less toxic at their labeled dose than the pyrethroids to mammals because they have a larger molecular weight (>800kD) and consequently don’t cross the CNS well in pets where GABA-mediated neurotransmission is limited to the CNS.

Avermectins were originally licensed for treatment of heartworm but now are used also for treatment of fleas and ticks or in combination with flea treatments. There are two types of avermectins used in flea and tick medications. The first isivermectins such as selemectin (Revolution, Pfizer Animal Health). The dose for prevention of heartworm was 6µg/kg. For treatment of fleas the dose is higher. Thus Revolution treats both flea infestation and heartworm.

The other macrolide endectocide found in flea treatment products is milbemycin. At the current dose used, it is not effective as a flea prevention; rather it is used in combination with a flea control compound (lufenuron) as part of a product that treats both fleas and heartworm. Another milbemycin, moxidectin, is combined with imidacloprid (Advantage Multi, Bayer Animal Health) in a product that controls fleas, heartworm, and other nematodes.

Insect Growth Regulators (Fleas only)

Around the early 90’s drugs with mechanisms of action unrelated to the nervous system started coming onto the market. Insect Growth Regulators (IGRs) were the first class. They affect development of the insect from juvenile to larvae. As a result it takes a while for them to affect the flea population. Consequently they are used in conjunction with an adulticide such as a pyrethroid or pyrethin.

IGRs are further divided into two subclasses. Juvenile hormone analogs (JHA) such as methoprene, and pyriproxyofen. They falsely signal insects to remain immature. Methoprene is used as a spray on. Pyriproxofen is used as a spot-on in combination with an adulticide in cats (Vectra for cats, Summit VetPharm). The second subclass of IGRs is the insect development inhibitor such as lufenuron (Program Sentinel, Novartis Animal Health). Sentinel is luferon plus milbemycin (for preventing heartworm) which inhibits chitin formation leading to deformed fleas. Lufenuron is an oral product. When fleas bite animals treated with lufenuron they ingest the chemical and their offspring develop improperly.

Phenylpyrazole (kills fleas and brown dog tick)

Another newer class of insecticides call the phenylpyrazoles is represented by fipronil (Frontline, Merial). Like the avermectins, fipronil works at GABA-gated and glutamate-gated channels leading to disinhibition of signals; however, it is a non-competitive inhibitor. This means it does not bind to the same site of the GABA receptor as GABA, rather it binds to a separate site and thus affects GABA’s ability to bind. This receptor site is specific to ectoparasites and not in mammals. Unlike the avermectins, note that fipronil blocks rather than activates the GABA-gated chloride channels from performing normal inhibitory function and this leads to insect death. Fipronil kills both fleas and all stages of brown dog tick. Like the IGR and avermectins, it is not a repellant. The ticks do not fall off immediately. Fipronil can be combined with methoprene (Frontline Plus, Merial) to kill developing fleas. Both are available as spot-ons.

Neonicotinoids

There are a number of neonicotinoids: These products stimulate the nicotinic receptors of systems like organophosphates do but by an indirect mechanism. They have a much lower affinity for the nicotinic receptors of humans than insects so are safer than organophosphates. The receptors are widely distributed in insects and are uniquely matched for them and consequently have few side effects in dogs and cats. The neonicotinoids do not repel fleas so it takes time for the fleas to fall off. They may be combined with pyrethroids to repel fleas and ticks.

There are three neonicotinoid products on the market—imidacloprid (Advantage, Bayer Animal health), nitenpryam (Capstar, Novartis Animal Health) and dinotefuran (Vectra 3D, Summit VetPharm).

Imidocloprid is a spot-on and is combined with permethrins (Advantix, Bayer Animal Health) to treat ticks and repel fleas. The permethrins repel both ticks and fleas. Unlike the old spray on permethrin products, Advantix is less likely to cause toxicity in pets because it’s administered as a spot-on. Baynes, whose area of research is on dermal absorption of insecticides explains, “The insecticides like the many veterinary insecticides approved by US EPA are retained on the skin surface upper epidermis of the pet and work laterally across the body. Many studies have shown that dermal absorption is limited and very little if any of these insecticides get into the general systemic circulation blood. The exceptions of course include the US FDA approved topical avermectins which are systemically available to treat endo- and ecto-parasites” Furthermore, because the spot-ons are administered between the scapula, cats are not likely to lick them off. Owners should however be aware that although K9 Advantix is similar to Advantage in that they both contain the neonicotinoid safe for cats and dogs, the K9 Advantix also has permethrin and because of concerns of potential permethrin toxixity in cats, it should be given as labeled only to dogs.

Nitenpryam (Capstar) is an oral neonicotinide which is readily absorbed into the bloodstream reaching maximal concentration in 1 hour in dogs and 0.6 hours in cats. The half-life is 2 hours-7 hours. It can be given every other day to act as an adulticide. It provides a quick kill because it doesn’t have to travel along the dermis to the rest the rest of the body. Fleas feed on the blood and die. Fleas begin falling off the dog or cat within 30 minutes. This type of fast-acting flea product can then be followed with a longer acting spot-one.

A third neonicotinoid is the spot-on dinotefuran (Vectra®).

Spinosad

Another new compound, spinosad (Comfortis™, Lilly Animal Health) targets nicotinic acetylcholine receptors of a type that is different from those targeted by other insecticides such as the neonicotinoids. These receptor sites are very specific to insects and thus spinosad has little toxicity to mammals. Like nitenpryam, Comfortis is given orally and thus it starts acting very rapidly (as soon as 30 minutes). It has a 100% knockdown in 4 hours is indicated for the prevention and treatment of flea infestations on dogs for one month.

Semicarbazone

Finally, one of the newest classes, metaflumizone (Promeris for Cats; Promeris Duo, Fort Dodge Animal Health), a semicarbazone, like pyrethrins works at the voltage-gated sodium channels; however, according to Doug Rugg, Pharmaceutical Research and Development for Fort Dodge, “Metaflumizone blocks the voltage-dependent sodium channels rather than enhancing them. Consequently it leads flaccid paralysis and death of the flea rather than repetitive nerve firing and death the way pyrethroids do.” Promeris is a spot-on and like the other spot-ons leads to good knockdown of fleas within about 24 hours. Promeris Duo also contains amitraz, discussed above, for ticks.

While the number of products can be confusing, Baynes says, “By knowing the mechanism of action, veterinarians can better decide on which product to use when the one they are using fails to work well.”

References and Further Reading:

Bloomquist, JR. (2003). Chloride channels as tools for developing selective insecticides. Arch. Insect Biochem. Physiol. 54: 145-156.

Buckingham S, Lapied B, Corronc H, Sattelle F. (1997). Imidacloprid actions on insect neuronal acetylcholine receptors. J Exp Biol. 1997;200(Pt 21):2685-92

Grossman, MR. (1993). Amitraz toxicosis associated with ingestion of an acaricide collar in a dog.  J Am Vet Med Assoc. 203(1):55-57.

Hovda LR, Hooser SB. (2002). Toxicology of newer pesticides for use in dogs and cats. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. 32(2):455-467

Hugnet C, Buronrosse F, Pineau, X., Cadore, JL., Lorgue G, Berny PJ. (1996). Toxicity and kinetics of amitraz in dogs. Am J Vet Res. 57(10):1506-1510.

Meyer EK. (1999). Toxicosis in cats erroneously treated with 45 to 65% permethrin products. J Am Vet Med Assoc 215(2): 198-203

Richardson JA. (2000). Permethrin Spot-On Toxicoses in Cats. J. Vet. Emerg. Critical Care, 10(2): 103-106.

Schroeder ME., and Flattum, RF. (1984). The mode of action and neurotoxic properties of the nitromethylene heterocycle insecticides. Pest. Biochem. Physiol. 22: 148-160.

Sheets, L.P. (2001). Imidacloprid: A neonicotinoid insecticide. In: Handbook of Pesticide Toxicology, Volume 2. (Krieger, RI Ed), Academic Press, New York, NY. Pp1123-1130.

Tomizawa, M., and Casida, JE. (2003). Selective toxicity of neonicotinoids attributable to specificity of insects andmammalian nicotinic receptors. Annu. Rev. Entomolo. 48: 339-364.

Zhao, X., Yeh, JZ., Salgado, VL., Narahashi, T. (2005). Sulfone metabolite of fipronil blocks gamma-aminobutyric acid- and glutamate-activated chloride channels in mammalian and insect neurons. J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 314(1):363-373.