5 Big Questions to Ask About Pet Obesity - How to Check, What to Feed, and How to Exercise

Obesity is becoming prevalent among pets that come through clinic doors. This is an incredibly critical issue because pets with obesity are at increased risk for developing serious weight-related disorders such as diabetes, arthritis, high blood pressure, kidney disease, cancer, and more. We must do better.

To help you better care for your furry loved one, here are the top five questions you need to ask your veterinarian to keep your pet healthy. They’re simple, won’t embarrass you, and just may save a life.

Question #1: Is my pet overweight?

This is the most important question you must ask your veterinarian – and one your vet may not be eager to answer. Unbelievably, many veterinarians are simply afraid to tell if your pet is overweight. This is primarily due to the fact your vet doesn’t want to inadvertently offend you. Weight issues are tricky and loaded with perceived judgment, strong emotions, and social stigmas.

As a concerned pet owner, you need to understand your pet’s weight is one of the most influential factors of longevity, quality of life, and disease prevention. To answer this question, your vet will conduct a couple of measurements, determine a Body Condition Score, and determine your pet's current weight status.

Ask the question. Demand a thorough assessment. Don’t be offended if the answer isn’t what you expected. This isn’t personal; it’s your pet’s future.

Question #2: How many calories should I feed my pet each day?

We’ve got to be specific when it comes to feeding our pets. Don’t fall into the trap of inquiring, “How much should I feed?” You’ll get a generic, inaccurate response. We need precise numbers of calories and nutrients your pet needs. That way, regardless of the type, brand, or formulation of food you feed, you can determine how much to feed. This is a subtle, but incredibly significant difference.

Your vet should then ask you a few lifestyle questions, perform a couple of calculations, and give you a narrow range of calories. Memorize this number. Find out how many cups or cans of your pet food this equals. Feed that amount. Don't forget to include any treats in your daily caloric counts. Those tiny “calorie grenades” can swiftly sabotage the best dietary plans.

Question #3: How much weight should my pet lose in a month?

If your pet is like most dogs and cats, it’ll need to shed a few unhealthy pounds of excess fat. You need to ask how much weight your pet needs to shed and how long will it take to reach a healthy weight. I prefer to think in terms of pounds per month due to practicality and performance. Monthly weight checks are practical and reasonable for even the busiest pet owners. A weight loss plan’s performance is critical to track and monitoring monthly trends is an accurate indicator of success or stagnation.

In general terms, a dog can safely lose 1 to 3-percent of its body weight and cats 0.5 to 2-percent per month. Many dogs can lose 3 to 5-percent and most cats should aim for about a half-pound per month. Losing weight isn’t easy or fast for pets, especially cats. If you put your pet on a crash diet, they can develop serious medical conditions, including a life-threatening form of liver failure that can occur in less than 72 hours. Patience is essential for pet weight loss. Most canine patients will have a 3 to 6-month weight loss plan and cats 9 to 12-months. Your vet will formulate a step-weight loss plan that will gradually decrease the amount you’re feeding over a 1 to 3-month period. This will help curtail cravings, begging, and late-night pestering. There will be some unhappy pooches and purr babies when you institute a diet. Your vet should provide you with tips on preventing these behaviors and transitioning to a new weight-loss diet.

Question #4: What kind of exercise should my pet do?

Most vets and pet owners focus on how long a pet should exercise each day. Instead, ask your vet what types of activities are best based on your pet’s species, breed, age, gender, current physical abilities, and interests.

Walking, swimming, agility, chase, ball retrieving, and remote-controlled toys – the opportunities for physical activity with your pet are endless. The general recommendation is that dogs need at least 30-minutes of physical activity a day and cats should strive for three 5-minute intense play periods. How you spend those minutes will determine if you do it or don’t. Make your outings enjoyable, entertaining, and interactive.
Cat owners, please don’t forget to ask this question. Whether you play with a feather duster or laser pointer, move the food bowl, or use a hip, high-tech toy, engage your cat’s inner predator and encourage it to pounce, leap, and prowl every day.

Did you know there are electronic gadgets that can monitor your pet's activity? They’re a great tool to document how much your pet is walking or playing each day. Better yet, you can share these reports with your vet to spot any deficiencies or ways to maximize your training.

Question #5: Is my pet at risk for a medical problem due to excess weight?

This is a profoundly serious question that you need to understand for your pet’s future. Dogs and cats carrying extra fat are at greater risk for developing debilitating diabetes, crippling arthritis, deadly high blood pressure, kidney disease, and many forms of catastrophic cancer. You need to have a frank conversation with your vet to find out if your pet is potentially facing one of these conditions. If so, what can you do to cut those odds? The most crucial decision you make each day about your pet’s health is what you choose to feed it. Choose wisely; your pet’s life depends on it.

It’s never too late to reduce your pet’s chances of contracting one of these grim disorders. Early recognition and awareness are the best defense against many diseases. Ask the question.

There are many more topics you need to discuss during your time with your veterinarian, but your pet’s weight should be covered at every exam. The few minutes you spend on diet and weight could well be the difference between two additional years of high-quality life or a shortened, suffering final stage of life. Take the time to write down these questions, ask your vet, and act on the answers. Together, you and your vet can chart a course for a better, longer, and happier life for your pet loved one. It’s worth it.

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Reasons to Walk Your Dog

There are few things dogs love more than a good walk, whether yours is the social type who loves meeting people or the type who loves to sniff absolutely everything! That’s why National Walk Your Dog Week (October 1-7) is the perfect opportunity to get outside with your pup!

We love seeing our dogs happy – is there anything cuter than that butt wiggle they do when they’re excited? Knowing that a quick walk can make a positive impact in their day is the least we can do to try and match the joy they bring us every day. Here are just a few reasons to swap your next 30-minute Instagram photo session with your dog for an active walk around the block.

Reasons to walk your dog during National Walk Your Dog Week and year-round:

Keep them healthy

While getting exercise to stay healthy is so often at the top of our minds for humans, we often forget that pets need the same! In the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention‘s 2017 clinical survey, 56% of dogs were found to be clinically overweight. This can reduce the quality of their life, reduce their life expectancy, and cause a multitude of issues for your dog. National Walk Your Dog Week is a great time to set a goal to get your pup out into the world for a substantial walk, around 30 minutes, at least a few times a week.

Chill them out

Not only is the time that you walk your dog a nice opportunity to let your pet get some fresh air and exercise, but it can also prevent them from getting destructive out of boredom while you’re away. If they’re tired out, odds are they won’t have as much time to ponder chewing up your favorite pair of shoes! In addition, it can help energetic dogs expel some energy, which can in turn make them calmer around other people or animals.

Show them love

Pets respond well to interaction, which is why they tend to follow you around the house, or continuously nudge your hand until you pet them! When you walk your dog, it’s a great chance to give your undivided attention to your dog and let them know that you care for them. It may seem like a small task on a mounting to-do list to you but can be a bright spot in your pet’s day!

Focus their training

If your dog needs a little bit of practice learning to heel, sit, stay, or follow other basic commands, a walk is a great time to get them into some of those good habits. Practice makes perfect, so incorporating walks and practicing these skills into their everyday routine will make them even more successful.

Boost your mood

Not only will taking your dog on regular walks make you a more active person, but it can also improve your health in other ways! Spending time with pets can lower anxiety and blood pressure, which is why therapy dogs are so useful. They ease tension, reduce loneliness, and can improve heart health.

This National Walk Your Dog Week, do yourself – and your dog! – a favor and get in the habit of walking your pet regularly. What is your favorite place to explore with your dog? Let us know in the comments!

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What is rabies? What do I do if my pet is infected?

What is rabies?

Rabies is a deadly disease caused by a virus that attacks the nervous system. The virus is secreted in saliva and is usually transmitted to people and animals by a bite from an infected animal. Less commonly, rabies can be transmitted when saliva from a rabid animal comes in contact with an open cut on the skin or the eyes, nose, or mouth of a person or animal. Once the outward signs of the disease appear, rabies is nearly always fatal.

What animals can get rabies?

Only mammals can get rabies; birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians do not. In the United States, most cases of rabies occur in wild animals—mainly skunks, raccoons, bats, coyotes, and foxes. In recent years, cats have become the most common domestic animal infected with rabies. This is because many cat owners do not vaccinate their cats and cats can be exposed to rabid wildlife, either outdoors or when bats get into the house. Rabies also occurs in dogs and cattle in significant numbers and, while not as common, has been diagnosed in horses, goats, sheep, swine and ferrets.

All mammals are susceptible to rabies.

Vaccination programs and control of stray animals have been effective in preventing rabies in most pets. Approved rabies vaccines are available for cats, dogs, ferrets, horses, cattle and sheep. Licensed oral vaccines are also being used for mass immunization of wildlife, particularly raccoons.

What are the signs of rabies in animals?

Once the rabies virus enters the body, it travels along the nerves to the brain. Animals with rabies may show a variety of signs, including fearfulness, aggression, excessive drooling, difficulty swallowing, staggering, paralysis and seizures. Aggressive behavior is common, but rabid animals may also be uncharacteristically affectionate. Horses and livestock with rabies also may exhibit depression, self-mutilation, or increased sensitivity to light. Rabid wild animals may lose their natural fear of humans, and display unusual behavior; for example, an animal that is usually only seen at night may be seen wandering in the daytime.

Although the most common signs of rabies are behavioral changes and unexplained paralysis, rabies should be considered in all cases of unexplained neurological disease. There is no treatment once the clinical signs of rabies appear.

Rabies infection of an animal can only be confirmed after death, through a microscopic examination of the animal’s brain.

How great is the risk of rabies to humans?

Rabies remains a major concern worldwide, killing around 59,000 people every year. Almost all of these deaths are due to rabies transmitted by dogs in countries where dog vaccination programs are not sufficiently developed to stop the spread of the virus.

Rabies vaccination and animal control programs, along with better treatment for people who have been bitten, have dramatically reduced the number of human cases of rabies in the United States. Most of the relatively few human cases in this country have resulted from exposures to bats; any contact with bats, even if a bite was not noticed, should be reported to your physician. Extremely rare cases have resulted from corneal or organ/tissue transplants from an infected donor. Dogs are still a significant source of rabies in other countries, particularly in Asia and Africa, so travelers should be aware of this risk and seek medical advice about vaccination prior to traveling outside of the United States.

What can I do to help control rabies?

Remember that rabies is entirely preventable through vaccination.

• Have your veterinarian vaccinate your dogs, cats, ferrets, and select horses and livestock. Your veterinarian will advise you on the recommended or required frequency of vaccination in your area.

• Reduce the possibility of exposure to rabies by not letting your pets roam free. Keep cats and ferrets indoors, and supervise dogs when they are outside. Spaying or neutering your pet may decrease roaming tendencies and will prevent them from contributing to the birth of unwanted animals.

• Don’t leave exposed garbage or pet food outside, as it may attract wild or stray animals.

• Wild animals should never be kept as pets. Not only may this be illegal, but wild animals pose a potential rabies threat to caretakers and to others.

• Observe all wild animals from a distance. A rabid wild animal may appear tame but don’t go near it. Teach children NEVER to handle unfamiliar animals—even if they appear friendly.

• If you see a wild animal acting strangely, report it to the city or county animal control department.

• Bat-proof your home and other structures to prevent bats from nesting and having access to people or pets.

What if my pet has bitten someone?

• Urge the victim to see a physician immediately and to follow the physician’s recommendations.

• Check with your veterinarian to determine if your pet’s vaccinations are up-to-date.

• Report the bite to the local health department and animal control authorities. Local regulations may require that your pet is confined and isolated for monitoring for signs of rabies.

• Immediately report any illness or unusual behavior by your pet to the local health department and to your veterinarian.

• Don’t let your pet stray and don’t give your pet away. The animal must be available for observation by public health authorities or a veterinarian.

• After the observation period, have your pet vaccinated for rabies if its vaccination is not current.

What if my pet has been bitten?

• Consult your veterinarian immediately and report the bite to local animal control authorities.

• Even if your dog, cat or ferret has a current vaccination, he/she should be revaccinated immediately, kept under the owner’s control, and observed for a period as specified by state law or local ordinance. Animals with expired vaccinations will need to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

• Dogs, cats and ferrets that have never been vaccinated and are exposed to a rabid animal may need to be euthanatized in accordance with regulations or placed in strict isolation for six months.

• Animals other than dogs, cats, and ferrets that are bitten by a rabid or potentially rabid animal may need to be euthanatized immediately.

What if I am bitten?

• Don’t panic, but don’t ignore the bite. Wash the wound thoroughly and vigorously with soap and lots of water for 15 minutes, then treat with a disinfectant such as ethanol or iodine.

• Call your physician immediately and explain how you were bitten. Follow the doctor’s advice. If necessary, your physician will give you the post exposure treatment recommended by the United States Public Health Service and may also treat you for other possible infections that could result from the bite.

• If possible, confine or capture the animal if it can be done safely. Once captured, don’t try to pick up the animal. Call the local animal control authorities to collect it. If the animal cannot be captured, try to memorize its appearance (size, color, etc.) and where it went after biting you.

• If it is a wild animal, only try to capture it if you can do so without getting bitten again. If the animal cannot be contained and must be killed to prevent its escape, do so without damaging the head. The brain will be needed to test for rabies.

• Report the bite to the local health department. Prompt and appropriate treatment after being bitten and before the disease develops can stop the infection and prevent the disease.

Pets and rabies vaccine bait

Bait containing rabies vaccine is commonly used for mass wildlife immunizations. The bait does not pose a health risk to you or your pets, but it is best to leave the bait undisturbed.​

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Dog Biting and Prevention Training

Dog bites pose a serious health risk to our communities and society. More than 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs each year in the United States, and more than 800,000 receive medical attention for dog bites, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC). At least half of those bitten are children. Here are more dog bite facts:

• Almost 1 in 5 people bitten by dogs require medical attention.

• Children are the most common victims of dog bites and are far more likely to be severely injured.

• Most dog bites affecting young children occur during everyday activities and while interacting with familiar dogs.

Any dog can bite: big or small, male or female, young or old. Even the cuddliest, fuzziest, sweetest pet can bite if provoked. Remember, it is not a dog's breed that determines whether it will bite, but rather the dog's individual history and behavior.

Why do dogs bite?

Dogs bite for a variety of reasons, but most commonly as a reaction to something. If the dog finds itself in a stressful situation, it may bite to defend itself or its territory. Dogs can bite because they are scared or have been startled. They can bite because they feel threatened. They can bite to protect something that is valuable to them, like their puppies, their food or a toy.

Dogs might bite because they aren't feeling well. They could be sick or sore due to injury or illness and might want to be left alone. Dogs also might nip and bite during play. Even though nipping during play might be fun for the dog, it can be dangerous for people. It's a good idea to avoid wrestling or playing tug-of-war with your dog. These types of activities can make your dog overly excited, which may lead to a nip or a bite.

Most dog bites are preventable, and there are many things you can do at home and within your community to help prevent them.

What you can do to prevent dog bites

Socialization

Socialization is a good way to help prevent your dog from biting. Socializing your pet helps your dog feel at ease in different situations. By introducing your dog to people and other animals while it's a puppy, it feels more comfortable in different situations as it gets older. It's also important to use a leash in public to make sure that you are able to control your dog.

Responsible Pet Ownership

Responsible pet ownership builds a solid foundation for dog bite prevention. The basics of responsible dog ownership that can help reduce the risk of dog bites include carefully selecting the dog that's right for your family, proper training, regular exercise, and neutering or spaying your pet.

Education

Educate yourself and your children about how—or whether—to approach a dog.

Avoid Risky Situations

It's important to know how to avoid escalating risky situations and to understand when you should and should not interact with dogs.

You should avoid petting a dog in these scenarios:

• If the dog is not with its owner

• If the dog is with its owner but the owner does not give permission to pet the dog

• If the dog is on the other side of a fence—​don't reach through or over a fence to pet a dog

• If a dog is sleeping or eating

• If a dog is sick or injured

• If a dog is resting with her puppies or seems very protective of her puppies and anxious about your presence

• If a dog is playing with a toy

• If a dog is growling or barking

• If a dog appears to be hiding or seeking time alone

Pay Attention to Body Language

Reading a dog's body language also can be helpful. Just like people, dogs rely on body gestures, postures, and vocalizations to express themselves and communicate. While we can't always read a dog's body language accurately, it can give us helpful clues as to whether a dog is feeling stressed, frightened, or threatened.

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How to Communicate with a Deaf Dog

Do you own a deaf dog? Have you ever had the opportunity to work with a deaf dog?

Different strengths, different senses, different strategies

Although all dogs are acutely aware of body language, deaf dogs are even more keenly observant of body language and gestures.

While training relies on verbal (often not entirely effectual) communication quite frequently, that method obviously does not suffice for a deaf dog. Deaf dogs require families to focus on training in a different way; a way that can certainly be used with all dogs, but is essential for those with hearing loss. But, how do you begin to work with a deaf dog when the default or “go-to” form of communication is verbal?

Owners and trainers “speak” to dogs, teaching them to comprehend intent and meaning. With a deaf dog, the verbal avenue is not an option. Communication needs to focus on the visual sense instead. What is most important is to be careful and deliberate with hand, face, and body movements. Even with this change in emphasis from verbal to visual, if you have trained an animal with an auditory or verbal marker, the shift in training is not all that significant once you get the hang of it.

Bridging the communication gap

Consider a "hand flash" approach with your deaf dog in training. A hand flash is where all fingers start together in a fist, then the fist releases to an open palm hand with all fingers out straight, followed by a return to the original fisted position. Others choose to use a “thumbs up” gesture for a visual marker. As with any marker, we pair the marker with a reinforcer consistently so that it becomes a conditioned reinforcer.

Step one is teaching your dog that this hand flash means good things! Just as a trainer may choose to “load the clicker” a few times in order to create the association that the marker equals something reinforcing, follow the same process with the visual marker. To start, a hand flash is immediately followed by a treat delivered with the other hand. This pattern is repeated a series of times until you are certain your dog has realized that the hand flash communicated that your dog has earned access to something that they found reinforcing.

The next step is to watch for something that your dog did that you like. For example, when they sit, mark that behavior with a visual hand flash marker and then reinforce the behavior. With a deaf dog, one of the most helpful behaviors, and one to work on first, is to mark and reinforce heavily for eye contact.

Attention! Atten-tion!

Getting a deaf dog’s attention is another consideration, as it is not possible to call out to your pup. Fostering a “check-in” behavior is essential. Each and every time that your dog looks at you, you should mark and reinforce this behavior. Sometimes you can get your deaf dog’s attention via vibrations. Tapping or stomping on the floor may create a vibration large enough to attract your dog’s attention. Once your dog looks at you, mark and reinforce that attention. In addition, waving hands or arms at a distance can gain your dog’s interest. Again, once your dog looks in your direction, mark and reinforce that attention.

Another option is if it’s dark or at dusk is to flick the lights off and on to draw your dog’s focus back to you. Some people use a small flashlight, but remember never to shine the light directly into your dog’s eyes. It is not advisable to use a laser pointer. Use the flashlight like a “clicker” or a special signal and turn it on/off quickly to mark a behavior. Remember that every time you mark you will want to follow up with something that your dog finds reinforcing. The marker is like a “promise” of access earned to something reinforcing, so be sure to keep your promise by providing that access after each marker.

Another helpful behavior to train with a deaf dog is a shoulder tap that means “look at me.” Tap your dog on the shoulder and then pop something yummy (just a tiny piece) in their mouth. Repeat this pattern often, and in every room of your home, and then begin to practice outside as well. Your dog will come to understand that the tap equals good things for them, and they will begin to turn back to you anticipating the yummy treat. Continue to practice and “pay” for your dog turning to look at you. Eventually, after many, many, many repetitions, you may be able to replace your food reinforcer with attention and affection. In order to keep the behavior strong once it has been established (once you can rely on your dog turning to look at you when you tap them on the shoulder), continue to surprise your dog from time to time with something delicious as a reward.

When you start to train the shoulder tap, be mindful that deaf dogs often startle. As a deaf dog cannot hear an approach, and sometimes cannot feel the vibrations of someone nearby, the dog may startle when you appear suddenly. Work on associating people approaching with positive things. You may have to hold a tiny bit of yummy food each time you get near your deaf dog. Moving from room to room around your house, let your deaf dog know that you have gone. Walking directly past the dog or offering a light touch on your way out may help your dog feel less anxious since they have seen you leave. Your dog may choose to follow you or stay put; however, the anxiety of not knowing what happened to you has been eliminated.

Visual signals

The next step in training a deaf dog is to build more visual cues for communication. Some people choose to use American Sign Language (ASL) signs and/or single-hand adaptations of the ASL signs. You can also make up your own signals as long as they are distinct and consistent.

The importance of recall

Another vital part of communicating with a deaf dog is teaching a recall. It is ideal to work on longer-distance recalls in fenced areas or with a long leash. However, as with any behavior, you will want to start training in close proximity and in a low-distraction environment. Move away, at first just an inch at a time, and then signal with a visual cue for your dog to come to you. Mark movement toward you and be sure to reinforce as your dog arrives where you are. As with any recall, slowly build distance and eventually build in distractions.

The regular “check-in” behavior that you trained earlier will be important now as you work on recall with a deaf dog. You need your deaf dog to look back at you for instruction. Behaviors that are reinforced are repeated, so be sure that your pup finds coming to you when “called” a highly reinforcing behavior! Remember, just like training a hearing dog, be sure to break any new behavior into small pieces and train in short training sessions with many opportunities to “get it right.”

Expect and handle frustration

Sometimes an owner feels as though the animal understands what is being communicated, but simply chooses not to respond as desired. At other times, the human is frustrated with his/her difficulties communicating the desired outcome to the dog.

These are common frustrations training ANY dog, or ANY animal. However, with a deaf dog these feelings of exasperation may be intensified. Try to remember that even if you believe you have broken down the task into very small, manageable pieces and are communicating very clearly and efficiently, you are, in fact, communicating with a different species.

Because humans are verbally oriented in our information exchanges, communicating in different ways with a deaf dog may be a struggle at first. Any time that you feel overwhelmed, stop, and take a break. Revert back to something very simple, like making eye contact and marking and reinforcing this successful behavior. Celebrate tiny accomplishments; remember that this is a marathon and not a sprint. Your communication and training with your deaf dog, as with hearing dogs, will be a lifelong endeavor.

Deaf dogs: both students and teachers

Deaf dogs can make great ambassadors for positive reinforcement training. The word, and in the case of deaf dogs the signal or sign, for “no” is not something that is suggested to teach during your valuable training time. Telling an animal “no” does not provide much information. “No” is not a very clear communication tool, as it leaves the situation rather nebulous: “No what?” In its place, it is recommended to work on incompatible behaviors and impulse-control training. In that way, you can offer your dog the choice to make good decisions about what you DO want the dog to do!

Learning is not an upward and linear journey; it is a journey prone to setbacks and confusion. To achieve success with your deaf dog, maintain a positive attitude, take pride in small milestones, and acknowledge that your relationship is becoming stronger. Deaf dogs can teach a great amount about care, compassion, and novel training methods.

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