4 Legs and a Tail - North Fall 2016

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Leaf Peeping Season 2016 Northern VT & HN

Unraveling The Mystery Of Your Pet’s Diet The Demon Cat! Just When You Thought Your Vet Heard It All...

Celebrate Fire Prevention Month With Your Pet Hiking Activities With Your Dog

Inside this issue of 4 Legs & a Tail

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2. Bark & Brew - Bring your dog for a fall full of fun and local beers every

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Thursday at the Humane Society of Chittenden County.

3. Green Mountain Animal Defenders Honors ALL Animals 4. Your Pet Loves a Quitter, Jane Harrell November 17 is the Great American Smoke-Out. If there is a smoker in your household, this is a must read

6. Fall Safety Concerns for Animals - Large and Small, M. Kathleen Shaw, DVM As the weather changes, so do the potential dangers to your pet

7. Pet Insurance: Should I or Shouldn't I, Dr. Garrett Levin, DVM, Diplomate ACVS Considerations for your pets long term health

8. How to Rescue an Animal, Part 2, John Peaveler

A must read if you're the one who stops at the side of the road to help an injured animal

10. The Perfect Meal, Serena Peeters, DVM

Do you want your pet to live longer and healthier AND spend less money doing it?

12. Alternatively Speaking: Are All Grain-Free Diets Created Equal?

Anne Carroll, DVM,CVA

15. Meet Biscuit, Vermont's Arson Dog - October is National Fire Prevention Month. After a suspicious fire is when Biscuit goes to work

17. Western Dressage: A Growing Sport, Jessica Stewart Riley

Learn why the fundamentals of dressage for the working western horse has become wildly popular in the Northeast

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18. 4 Legs & a Tail In the Home Office, Tonya Sousa

If you're a pet owner who works at home, we're sure you can relate

20. From the Clubhouse to the Doghouse, Farewell Big Papi As Red Sox great David Ortiz retires, we look his and former Red Sox involvement with pets

21. Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall: Dog Lovers, Kate Kelly They were the Hollywood power couple of the 1940's and 50's.

Then along came Harvey the dog

23. The Demon Possessed Cat Cured by Extractions, Sandra Waugh, VMD, MS The ghoulish tale of a black cat and her return to "the good side."

2 5. Hike Activities to do With Your Dog, Mike Robertson 26. Seemore! - Meet the new mascot for the Vermont Lions Club 27. Purrs in the House Again, Maggie Thompson The magic when adding a cat to the family

28. 15 Outrageous Pet Owner Requests of Vets, Andy Roark, DVM, MS

4 Legs & a Tail Volume N.316 P.O. Box 841 Lebanon, NH 03766

Publishers: Tim Goodwin, Tim Hoehn Senior Editor: Scott Palzer Office Manager: Beth Hoehn Graphic Design:

603-727-9214

Kristin Wolff, Lacey Dardis

TimH.4LT@gmail.com

Sales: Heather Young, Scott Palzer

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Pg. 26 If you have a tale about a tail or a photo that will make us smile, we’d like to hear from you. 4 Legs & a Tail is published quarterly and distributed free of charge throughout Northern VT & NH. 4 Legs & a Tail, Inc. is locally owned and operated and acts as a moderator without approving, disapproving or guaranteeing the validity or accuracy of any data or claim.

Any reproduction in whole or part is prohibited.

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Bark & Brew to Benefit the Humane Society of Chittenden County Each Week Will Feature a Different Local Craft Brew, Food from Moe’s, Giveaways, and More vendors in attendance will be offering up samples, raffles, giveaways, and more.

Friendly, fixed, and vaccinated dogs are welcome to attend with their owners and enjoy playtime with their furry friends in the fenced in play yard. Oh my DOG Pack Leaders and Trainers will be on hand, monitoring canine interactions to ensure appropriate and safe behaviors,

h my DOG proudly presents Bark and also available to answer any training & Brew, a seven-week long dog-friendly and socialization questions that their owncraft beer tasting event to benefit the ers may have.

Humane Society of Chittenden County. Seven local breweries are participating in Each Thursday from August 18th until this event, see the schedule of events below September 29th, HSCC will host this to ensure you do not miss your favorite, event from 5:30 – 7:30 pm at their facil- or an opportunity to try something new! ity, located at 142 Kindness Court in South Burlington. (Parking available in August 18: Queen City Brewery old K-Mart/Hannaford’s lot adjacent to August 25: Long Trail Brewing Company September 1: Burlington Beer Company HSCC).

For the admission cost of only $15, September 8: Citizen Cider attendees will get three refills of the September 15: Von Trapp Brewing weekly brew and a burrito from Moe’s. September 22: Foam Brewers In addition to the food and drinks, other September 29: Zero Gravity Craft Brewery

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This event is made possible through the support of our generous sponsors: Hilton Burlington, BurlingtonCars.com, Burlington Emergency and Veterinary Services, and NBT Bank.

ABOUT THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF CHITTENDEN COUNTY Founded in 1901, the Humane Society of Chittenden County is an independent, private, nonprofit, animal welfare and sheltering organization. The HSCC serves Chittenden and Grand Isle Counties and each year rehomes over 900 companion animals and welcomes some 15,000 people, to its Animal Care and Adoption facility on Kindness Court in South Burlington, Vermont.

HSCC receives no state or federal funding and carries out its mission of fostering compassionate treatment of animals and preventing animal suffering exclusively through program revenue and the generosity of individual and corporate donations.

Fall 2016

Green Mountain Animal Defenders Honors ALL Animals Alix Lara

D o you believe that bunnies and beavers, cats and cows, dogs and ducks,

goats and giraffes, pigs and peacocks, and all other animals deserve to live free from cruelty and neglect? If so, Green Mountain Animal Defenders (GMAD) is the perfect organization for you to get involved in.

Since 1983, we have been working to protect the well-being of every one of these species and many more.

Green Mountain Animal Defenders is Vermont’s largest 501(c)(3) nonprofit, volunteer-run organization that advocates for the protection of all animals. We promote and protect animals through education, advocacy, outreach, collaboration, and direct services to those in need. GMAD has a wide network of Vermont members and volunteers who are all an integral part of our success.

One great way to get involved in GMAD is to join us for our 6th Annual Walk for Animals on October 1 at noon on Church Street in Burlington (rain date October 2). In the past, our walks were focused exclusively on raising funds for farmedanimal rescue, but this year, for the first time, we have decided to hold the walk in honor of all species of animals.

The goal of our walk is to raise awareness and funds for our campaigns, including our Providing All-Weather Shelters (PAWS) program. PAWS builds doghouses, feral-cat shelters, wildlife platform feeders, and wildlife nesting boxes.

We are particularly proud of our donation of two insulated doghouses to the Clarina Howard Nichols Center, a domestic-violence shelter. The Clarina center recently began allowing victims of domestic abuse to bring their pets to safety with them because animal abuse may be a symptom or a tool of domestic violence.

Another successful ongoing effort is our spay/neuter program, which has made great strides in reducing the number of homeless pets in Vermont. Since 1989, we have subsidized the spay, neuter, and vaccinations of over 58,000 animals living in low-income households. We also host drives that have generated thousands of pounds of pet food for local food shelves.

To register for our Walk for Animals, ask any questions, or volunteer for the walk, please call our walk coordinator at 802-861-3030 or e-mail walk@gmad.info.

Additionally, we will have an informaFall 2016

tional table set up on Church Street from 11:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the day of the walk.

We would love to walk alongside you, your children and leashed pets at this familyfriendly event!

If you are interested in getting involved in GMAD in other ways, we have many opportunities. We are always looking for volunteers throughout the state, and we offer a variety of student internships based on individual interests. Whether you are a longtime animal advocate or have a newfound desire to help animals, there are many ways in which you can help us fulfill our mission. For more info or to volunteer, please contact us at volunteer@ gmad.info.

If you would like to find out more about our programs, projects, and campaigns or make a donation, please visit our website.

Donations to our various campaigns may be made at: bit.ly/GMADdonation. We receive no local, state, or federal funding, and donations in any amount are always appreciated. GMAD is proud to have a Gold Star rating on Guidestar, the world’s largest source for information on nonprofit organizations. Visit bit.ly/gmadguidestar so you can be confident that your donation is put to good use for the animals.

“We must fight against the spirit of unconscious cruelty with which we treat the animals...It is our duty to make the whole world recognize it... ” ~ Albert Schweitzer

To stay connected with Green Mountain Animal Defenders, please “like” us on Facebook, send a request to info@gmad.info to be added to our e-alert list, write to us at GMAD, PO Box 4577, Burlington, VT 05406 or call 802861-3030. Together we can keep those tails wagging, fins swimming, and wings flapping!

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Your Pet Loves a Quitter Jane Harrell, Associate Producer - Petfinder.com

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t seems like a nobrainer that smoking around your pet is bad. But how dangerous is secondhand smoke to pets? After all, your pet’s not getting that much exposure to cancer-causing chemicals, right?

Wrong. Pets spend a lot more time than you do in your home - increasing their exposure to carcinogenic substances. And those substances are just as dangerous for pets as they are for humans. “Dog and cat lungs are virtually identical to human lungs,” says Dr. Jan Bellows, DVM, a veterinarian at All Pets Dental Clinic in Weston, FL. Here’s what recent studies have to say about the dangers:

Dogs and secondhand smoke

Studies suggest that muzzle length plays a role in the type of cancer a dog is likely to develop from secondhand smoke. According to a survey of recent research on LiveScience. com, dogs with long muzzles are more likely to develop nose and sinus cancers, since their noses and sinuses have more surface area on which carcinogens can accumulate, while dogs with short and medium-length muzzles are more likely to develop lung cancer.

Cats and secondhand smoke

Cats are more prone to develop cancers of the mouth and lymph nodes because of secondhand smoke.

When cats groom themselves, they lick up the toxic substances that have accumulated on their fur. “This grooming behavior exposes the mucous membranes of their mouth to the cancer-causing carcinogens,” veterinarian Carolynn MacAllister of Oklahoma State University tells LiveScience.com.

In fact, a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that cats living in homes where someone smokes a pack of cigarettes or more each day are three times more likely to develop malignant lymphoma than cats living with nonsmokers.

And a study published in Veterinary Medicine found that cats exposed to smoke from one to 19 cigarettes a day are four times more likely to be diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma — the most common and an aggressive type of oral cancer in cats.

Small animals and secondhand smoke

Birds are extremely sensitive to air pollutants and are at risk for lung cancer and pneumonia when exposed to secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke has also been found to cause heart problems in rabbits.

The nicotine in cigarettes is also highly toxic to pets if ingested, so keeping cigarettes out of the house entirely is always the best bet.

Fortunately, in a 2008 study in the journal Tobacco Control, nearly one third of pet-parent smokers surveyed said information about the dangers of secondhand smoke to their pets would motivate them to try to quit smoking. So be sure to share this info with anyone you know who smokes.

Believe me, they don’t want to one day get the call from their vet that we all fear - saying, “It’s malignant.”

The folks at 802 Quit put it best, “Vermont is a pet-loving state, in fact, we have the highest percentage of pet ownership in the nation.

It’s important for people to know that caring for your “best friends” includes protecting them from the danger of exposure to secondhand smoke. All of us, and especially children and our pets can suffer serious health effects from secondhand smoke. We encourage everyone to take steps to protect their furry loved ones.”

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Please join the doctors and staff at Onion River Animal Hospital in welcoming Dr. Anne Culp to our team!

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r. Anne Culp grew up outside of Philadelphia, PA. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology at Syracuse University, after which she attended the University of Pennsylvania Veterinary School. She received her veterinary degree in 2015. She then moved to Vermont and completed a year-long internship at the Burlington Emergency and Veterinary Specialists. Anne could not be happier to continue her career here in Vermont and join the Onion River team. She loves doing anything outside like hiking, paddle boarding, camping, and snowboarding at Sugarbush. Her dog, O.G., also loves his new home in Vermont and wants to conquer all of the mountains! When she’s not outside you can find Anne enjoying live music or visiting a craft brewery.

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Fall Safety Concerns for Animals - Large and Small M. Kathleen Shaw, DVM - Vermont Veterinary Medical Association

W ith dazzling colors on the trees and harvest festivals abounding, many

people love the autumn season. But, with the holidays and cooling temperatures, the fall brings some potential dangers to our animals-large and small.

As we winterize cars, houses and barns, remember that antifreeze is highly toxic to pets. Just one or two licks of antifreeze can cause kidney failure and death. Look for the newer, safer version of antifreeze which does not contain the sweetener so tempting to pets. Another toxin, rodenticide (rat poison), is formulated to be tasty to rodents, but is also appealing to dogs, cats, and wildlife. These poisons prohibit blood clotting, leading to fatal blood loss and death. If you must use these products, put them up high or in a place where dogs and cats and larger wildlife cannot reach them. Every year veterinarians see cases where owners have forgotten that they put out the poison or where they put it. Don’t assume that “out of sight” means the dog or cat won’t find it-- they have an excellent

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sense smell and, given the chance, will make a beeline to it once they detect it.

Fall decorations including stringy fake spider webs (cats like to eat them), candles (burns), and potpourri (toxic to cats) can present serious dangers to pets. Most people are aware that chocolate is toxic to cats and dogs, but many don’t realize that xylitol is also toxic. Xylitol, used to artificially sweeten gums and other candies, causes a potentially fatal drop in blood sugar. The easiest way to help prevent accidental exposure to these dangers is to keep all people food out of reach of pets. Also, keep a close eye on pets around household decorations to minimize the temptation to chew or eat them.

Mother Nature also produces health risks for pets: mushrooms and other fungi.

With the cooler, damper weather, mushrooms sprout, and many can be toxic to pets, causing liver and kidney damage, and seizures. Dogs seem irresistibly drawn to the compost pile, where they often gorge on decaying food of all sorts.

Rotting debris often leads to vomiting and diarrhea, requiring a trip to the veterinarian. Compost piles contain an additional, more serious hazard: mycotoxins. These toxins, produced by the fungi growing in the compost as it decays, cause seizures.

It is often necessary to keep the poisoned pet in the hospital for a day or two to treat the seizures with intravenous medications.

With the fall comes hunting season.

Although hunters try to be safe, accidents occasionally happen. Animals and humans should take precautions to avoid being mistaken for game. Hikers and horseback riders should wear bright colors to make themselves more visible.

Dogs should wear bright orange collars or vests. Keep horses and small ruminants close to home, and post “Hunter Safety Zone” signs to make hunters aware that there are domestic animals in the area.

These common sense precautions during the fall season can help keep you and your animals safe. For more information, contact your veterinarian, or go to www.vtvets.org.

The Vermont Veterinary Medical Association (VVMA), founded in 1898, is a professional organization of more than 330 veterinarians dedicated to compassionate animal care and quality medicine. For more info, visit www.vtvets.org or call (802) 878-6888.

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PET INSURANCE: Should I or Shouldn’t I? A

Dr. Garrett Levin, DVM, Diplomate ACVS

s technology and research advances in the medical field, people today are able to live longer, healthier lives. The same is true for the veterinary profession. Veterinarians are able to treat many conditions; however, the costs can be very expensive for some families to manage. Pet insurance plans are designed to help reimburse pet owners for some of these costs.

In the United States, where pet insurance has been available since the early 1980s, less than 3 percent of pet owners carry insurance.

Most pet policies cover unexpected and emergent medical and surgical conditions, as well as chronic illnesses, making them a good investment for pet owners. With a variety of plans from which to choose, pet owners can find one that is not only affordable to them, but which also covers their pet’s annual medical needs. Pet health insurance is not only far cheaper than human medical insurance, but it also lacks the administrative complexity. Instead, pet insurance functions on a reimbursement basis. Policyholders pay for veterinary bills out of pocket and are reimbursed by the insurance company upon submitting claims after treatment has been performed.

When evaluating pet insurance companies and policies, pet owners are advised to apply the same scrutiny they would to any other insurance policy: Compare coverage to actual and probable needs given the animal’s breed and its associated health risks.

Understand the costs. Each company has a slightly different cost structure in terms of co-payments, premiums, deductibles, reimbursement percentage and annual and lifetime limits. Verify whether the premiums remain the same throughout the life of the pet or increase with age.

Know the coverage limits and exclusions. Different insurance companies apply different exclusions. The list of policy exclusions must be reasonable to meet your individual needs. Pre-existing conditions are never covered.

Broad coverage. The policy must cover all illnesses, accidents, surgeries, cancers, catastrophic situations, chronic diseases, advanced testing, medications and hospital stays. This should include congenital and hereditary conditions, Fall 2016

because some of these problems only become evident as the pet ages.

Avoid benefit schedules. Choose a policy that reimburses a flat percentage of the bill (percentage of invoice), not an amount preset by the insurer based on a fee schedule (percentage approved).

Benefit schedules preset by the insurer (percentage approved) pay pennies on the dollar.

Avoid policies that specifically only cover “reasonable,” “usual” or “customary” charges. Policies won’t guarantee the actual charges will be fully covered using this terminology.

Be able to choose your veterinarian and seek the care of specialists at your discretion.

Consider your pet’s age and breed.

There may be other factors taken into consideration as well, including where you live and whether your pet lives indoors or outdoors.

Check with other pet owners you know that have pet insurance and with your regular veterinarian for recommendations and personal experiences.

No matter the size, our pets are members of our families and we want our furry family members to live long and healthy lives. One of the best ways to ensure this happens is by investing in a pet insurance policy. Having pet insurance can make doing so that much easier.

Dr. Garrett Levin is a board certified surgeon at Burlington Emergency and Veterinary Specialists (BEVS) in Williston, Vermont. Please visit www.bevsvt.com/blog for videos and additional blog topics.

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How To Rescue an Animal, Part 2

John Peaveler

A few years ago I was out for a morning run, crossing one of the

many bridges over the Vltava River in the Czech Republic capital of Prague, when a flightless swan made its way into traffic. By coincidence, there was a police car there within moments with two officers, doubtless more comfortable with criminals than displaced birds. I explained in broken English that I am an animal professional, a coincidence they seemed happy to embrace. I set them to work blocking traffic while I went about trying to catch this poor terrified swan. I

kept my body between the swan and any point of danger, and then grabbed her neck just below the head in a lightening quick movement. I carefully supported her body and carried her down the bank to the river she had obviously wandered away from.

For part two in this animal rescue series, I want to focus on three lessons from the story of this swan.

Lesson One: You need to always ensure that the place you are working is safe. That means safe for you, safe for other people, and safe for the animal.

None of these is optional. The police had secured the road so that I could concentrate on safe and effective handling. You cannot manage traffic alone, and you can’t maintain scene safety in busy areas without proper measures. Always make sure your vehicle is not blocking traffic or otherwise posing a danger to others.

Handling requires focus, so take steps in advance to make sure you don’t end up somewhere dangerous. Take a look around before you start, and remember where it’s safe and what areas to avoid.

For the swan and I, that meant the space between stopped cars and between the rails on the bridge.

John Peaveler

Lesson Two: I had enough experience to know how to capture a bird effectively.

I hadn’t worked with swans before, but I had worked with birds of prey, ducks, chickens, and flamingos. I was confident and capable because I was experienced.

If you want to be prepared to rescue animals when the need arises but you don’t have the skills, then it’s time to build your resume. Volunteering at an animal shelter is a great place to begin. You can get experience on a farm, in wildlife centers, and with wildlife rehabilitators. Keep in mind that you usually have to earn the right to handle animals, working your way up through various important, but perhaps less interesting jobs. Stick with it. Those jobs are vital to animal care organizations, so just keep watching, learning, and volunteering. There is no substitute for experience in animal care and animal rescue.

Lesson Three: Learn from my mistakes. My actions that day certainly kept a swan from being hit by a car or being roughly handled. However, nothing addressed the root of the trouble, the swan could not fly. There was clearly some medical reason the swan ended up in traffic, and for all I know the same bird ended up hit by a car later the same morning.

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Obviously, I had a few obstacles: no local phone, no vehicle, no place to bring the swan in the interim, no local acquaintances or friends of any kind, and not speaking the language. It was an unusual scenario, and was not much more I could reasonably have done. However, northern New England is vastly more hospitable for rescuing animals, whether pets, farm, or wild animals. State warden services maintain lists of licensed rehabilitators, and it’s not difficult to find out which animal shelter services any given area.

If you intend to help the next time you see an animal in need, research now where you would take them.

Finally, a few tips on how to actually catch a small animal. Handling birds and small mammals does not need to be difficult, with the right tools and training.

Whether a cat, woodchuck, or a swan, your basic equipment should include gloves long enough and thick enough for the species, a cage, and a towel or light blanket. One more step would include an animal appropriate net (not a fishing net). Be aware of injuries and always take precautions against disease, particularly rabies. Many animals can be immobilized simply by throwing a towel over them and using gloved hands to pick them up, towel and all, and place them in a crate or safely in a vehicle.

Want to know more? Get involved in animal rescue through an established organization, and look for one of my Humane Animal Handling and Capture courses.

Final tip: when appropriate, take pictures of the animal you are rescuing. Before and after photos can make

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a real difference in helping organizations fundraise and can make sure more animals get rescued in the future. Be safe out there.

Part One of this article can be read on our archive at 4LegsAndATail.com John Peaveler is an Animal Welfare Consultant with over ten years experience working with all types of animals on three continents He lives with his wife and two children in West Fairlee, VT and continues to work and write at home and abroad.

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The

Perfect Meal Serena Peeters, DVM

“Y ou are what you eat,” or so the saying goes. Well versed in this old adage,

many of us have spent hours in the pet store browsing through kibble and getting buried in the myriad of options available.

Should we be selecting all natural, or grain free? Do cats need a hairball diet? How much should we be feeding anyway?

Many people have asked me about Purina’s Life Span Study of Dogs, which indicates that leaner dogs live longer. This study has sparked a lot of debate about how we should be feeding our pets and I think it’s worth taking a closer look at the results.

Purina researchers began by taking 48 Labrador Retriever puppies and splitting them into two groups. The first group of dogs served as a control group while the second group of dogs, referred to as the lean-fed group, underwent diet restriction. Each group had 15-minute daily feedings and every dog received the same diet during the entire study. However, dogs in the control group were allowed to eat an unlimited amount of food while dogs in the lean-fed group were fed 25% less food in comparison. It’s important to note that dogs in the lean-fed group were

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not being underfed; they were simply fed less compared to the dogs in the control group who were allowed to eat as much as they wanted.

Researchers noticed that the dogs in the control group were far more likely to be overweight and exhibited more visible signs of aging such as graying muzzles and reduced activity at an earlier age. The median life span, or age at which half the dogs had passed away, was also evaluated for both groups. The lean-fed group had a median life span of 13 years compared to only 11.2 years in the control group. This means that dogs in the lean-fed group increased their median life span by 15 percent!

The data from this study indicates two major things. The first is that many dogs will overeat if you let them, and the second is that obesity impacts health and life span. Research shows that obesity in pets increases the risk of various medical conditions such as joint disease, high blood pressure, respiratory issues, and diabetes. We already know that maintaining a lean body weight is important for the overall wellness of our pets, the real question is how to accomplish that.

The first step is choosing a diet that complements your pet’s life stage and nutritional requirements. Unless your pet has a specific medical issue, an over the counter diet should be adequate.

Regardless of the brand or style of food you prefer, there are some key factors you need to look for on the label. The first thing you should check for is the AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) statement.

This statement indicates that the food is complete and balanced for a particular life stage such as growth, reproduction, or adult maintenance. If the label says “intermittent or supplemental feeding purposes only” this diet is not complete and balanced and will not meet your pet’s minimum nutrient requirements. It’s also important to remember that diets formulated for growth or reproduction will be much higher in calories compared to maintenance diets.

You may see some foods labeled for “all life stages.” This technically means that they can be used either for maintenance or for a growing or lactating animal. However, if a diet is high enough in calories to meet the needs of a growing animal it’s probably too caloric for the average pet and may lead to weight gain. In general, spayed and neutered pets over a year of age should be eating a diet specifically formulated for adult maintenance.

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Once you’ve chosen a diet you feel comfortable with, the real key to maintaining a lean body weight is following the feeding chart on the bag. These charts are carefully formatted based on the calorie content of that particular diet and will tell you how many cups of food your pet should eat per day based on body weight. It’s very important to be precise and use an exact measuring cup. Adhering to these feeding charts will allow you to provide for your pet’s nutritional needs while preventing them from over-consuming calories and subsequently gaining weight.

If you’re feeding a balanced diet and following the feeding chart you should be in pretty good shape (no pun intended).

However, if your pet is struggling with weight loss or weight gain, don’t hesitate to make an appointment with your veterinarian to rule out medical concerns. Your vet is always there to help you troubleshoot any issues that arise and to make sure you feel confident about the feeding plan for your pet.

Serena Peeters, DVM started working at Pleasant Lake Veterinary Hospital in Elkins, NH in 2014 shortly after graduating from Tufts. She decided at a young age that she wanted to be a veterinarian despite never having any pets growing up.

Serena lives with one cat who terrorizes the household. She enjoys writing, knitting, reading, kayaking and horseback riding in her free time. www.PleasantLakeVetHospital.com

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Assessing Your Dog’s Weight

aintaining a healthy weight is one of the most important concerns when it comes to your dog’s health. Factors like diet and exercise in the right amounts can help keep your dog at an ideal weight.

DO YOU NEED TO ADJUST YOUR DOG’S DIET?

Here are 3 simple ways to tell if your dog’s diet needs an adjustment.

Rib Check: Place both of your thumbs on your dog’s backbone and spread both hands across his rib cage. You want to be able to feel his ribs. Actually feeling your dog is important, as the coat of many dogs will make a visual check difficult.

Profile Check: Examine your dog’s profile – it’s best if you are level with your dog.

Look for the abdomen to be tucked up behind his rib cage - this is ideal.

Overhead Check: Looking at your dog from overhead, identify whether you can see a waist behind his ribs. Most dogs at a healthy weight should have an hourglass figure.

If you find that your dog’s ribs and waistline aren’t where they’re supposed to be, adjust the amount of food offered accordingly. Hopefully these tips will help you keep your dog healthy and fit.

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Alternatively Speaking:

Are All Grain-Free Diets Created Equal?

Dr. Anne Carroll, DVM, CVA

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y mother recently got a kitten, an orphan brought into our hospital who nearly froze to death last winter. My staff named him Yeti.

After getting him into good health, my daughter convinced Grandma to take the kitten. When we brought him to his new home, we made a trip to the store to help her pick out some ‘good’ food.

We specifically wanted a grain-free diet for our little carnivore. I don’t visit the big pet stores often, and this was an eye-opening experience.

There was aisle after aisle of shiny pet food bags and cans claiming to be the best and too many to count were grainfree. We left with a bunch of cans and

Yeti is eating well at Grandma's.

a pounding headache from reading all that fine print, and an understanding of clients who want to know what really ‘good food’ is.

The majority of people know that eating well is the foundation for health and therefore an important part of our pet’s health care. As pet owners we want to feel good about what we feed them, but it’s a multi-million dollar industry.

Companies attract the consumer’s eye and say some things on their bag that sets them apart while meeting what the consumer is looking for. One such niche is ‘grain-free’ food. Originally a high end specialty, grain-free foods today are as common as special protein foods like lamb and venison, which 10 years ago were never seen on our grocery shelves.

Why did “grain-free” food become the latest rage? Dogs and cats are biologically designed to eat meats and not the carbohydrates and grains historically in dry pet foods. Corn and wheat, were stressful to the digestive tracts, immune systems, and overall health of our pets parallel to their affects in people. When changing the diet became the first step in so many holistic medical plans, people started taking a harder look at what they were feeding. Home cooking and raw diets were excellent options, but for convenience and economics, dry foods remained the first choice, so the demand for better dry food increased. New and smaller pet food companies met this nutritional goal in several ways. Some focused on raw feeding, dehydrated, and Continued Next Page

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freeze dried meals. Others created technology to be able to make a low carb, high meat kibble that kept its shape. Between the cost of higher meat content and the processing technology, the choices were few and expensive.

Larger pet food companies saw the demand and could keep costs down by placing meats higher on the labels than grains, advertising meat as the ‘first ingredient’. The use of grain continued much as before. It was divided into many smaller amounts of grain meals, grain glutens, and other forms of grain often listed numerously, and lower on the ingredient list. With some smart advertising on the front of the bag, consumers thought this was an upgrade which worked for a while. As consumers became educated label-readers, and raw and low-carbohydrate dry diets gained popularity, the bar was raised. To remain appealing, the focus was turned away from carbohydrates in general and just on grains. This way grains could be traded for other starches such as rice and potatoes, now lentils, chick peas, peas, sweet potatoes, and even canola meal. But are these diets really better than the grains we were trying to avoid in the first place?

Conditionally, yes. Feeding our pets more meat and less processed carbohydrates, we do have a wider variety of diets that do better than they used to.

Remember that the front of a bag of pet food is advertising, the buyer beware.

“Grain-free food” covers an enormous range including frozen raw, super low carb/high meat foods, and diets that can contain up to 60% carbohydrates. Feeding a grain-free food to avoid a wheat allergy, simply not having wheat will achieve your goal. Looking to provide a less glycemic meal for your pet, then knowing if your diet has 20% or 50% processed starches becomes a big deal. That needs to be taken into consideration in your overall feeding plan. Unfortunately, carb content is not listed on the nutrition label and manufacturer claims can be worded very misleadingly. Compare foods by adding up the percentages for protein, fat, and moisture (not fiber) listed, subtracted from 100% roughly estimates the carbohydrate content. Paired with reading the list of other ingredients, you can tell if the diet meets the goals outlined for your pet’s health.

So to choose balancing health ideals with budget and lifestyle? While eating well does have a price, it doesn’t have to be crippling and should save in health care costs. First, identify your pet’s needs with your veterinarian. Holistic evaluates the patient’s strengths and weaknesses, and diet certainly can strengthen and not aggravate those baseline tendencies. If Fall 2016

dry food is part of your pet’s diet, read the label, know the carbohydrate content, and use less processed foods to keep the carbs to a minimum. Cats are more sensitive to meat and water content in their food than dogs, overall how much processed food and carbohydrates are right is an individual assessment. Each pet’s ability to handle processed food varies. In the end, after you’ve come up with a plan, let your pet be the judge. Grass eating, passing gas, and stools that end soft are all signs that your pet is not processing its diet well. Have a conversation with your veterinarian before braving the pet food aisle to hunt for the next ‘good food’.

Dr. Anne Carroll is owner of the Chelsea Animal Hospital where she practices both conventional medicine and surgery as well as several alternative modalities including traditional Chinese acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine.

Her associate Dr. Betty Jo Black brings classical homeopathy to the practice.

For more information on alternative veterinary medicine visit their website at www.chelseaanimalhospital.com

www.4LegsAndATail.com 13

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Fall 2016

Meet Biscuit,

Vermont’s Arson Dog I

thought, wouldn’t it be cool to have a picture in the next issue of 4 Legs & a Tail of one of Rutland’s Police Dogs?

I had just driven by a K-9 unit and wrote myself a note to swing by the barracks on my lunch break.

I expected to meet a big German Shepherd and hear about them chasing down bad guys and detecting drugs.

Instead, I met a very sweet 7 year old Black Lab named Biscuit. Biscuit and her handler Det. Sgt David Sutton are constant companions. Biscuit is an Arson Dog. Arson Dogs, or Accelerant Detection Canines, are trained to sniff out minute traces of accelerant (gasoline, lighter fluid, etc.) that may have been used to start a fire. Each dog works and lives with their handler, a law enforcement officer or firefighter trained to investigate fire scenes.

The canine and handler are required to complete 200 hours of training. Every 3 months they must also travel to the Connecticut State Police K9 Academy, and train with the staff. They stay for approxi-

mately three days working various fire scenes.

While Trooper Sutton talked to me about the continued training and job responsibilities, Biscuit spent her time close to me enjoying being petted and meeting a new friend. She was quiet but ever alert to everything around her.

If a fire occurs and there is a question about its origin, Biscuit gets a call. When an accelerant is used to start a fire, the fire is actually burning the vapors of the accelerant. No fire will ever burn off all of the accelerant and minute traces are left behind. Once the area where the fire began is found , Biscuit is brought to that area to find the exact spot it started. When she detects the spot, she will sit and look at her handler. The handler will display an open hand held high as a signal for “show me.” Biscuit will quickly point to the spot and then sit back down.

Without Biscuit, a large area where the fire was thought to have begun would need Continued Next Page

Det Sgt David Sutton & Biscuit

O

n October 24, 2013 one of Rutland’s most distinguished residents arrived to the scene of the Church Street Congregational Church in Burlington. Just one day earlier, the historic downtown landmark was engulfed in flames, in what fire officials deemed as suspicious.

This is when Biscuit went to work. As Vermont’s only trained arson dog, she has been a part of the investigation team of several fires. In the case of the Congressional Church fire, a lighter was discovered at the site.

Soon after Aliaksandr Bychkou of Burlington was charged with arson.

Fall 2016

www.4LegsAndATail.com 15

to be sent to the lab to find out exactly what accelerant was used. Biscuit can identify a much smaller area, that will be cut out and sent to the lab, saving the state a lot of time and money.

Biscuit travels the whole state of Vermont working day and night. Sometimes she even gets called to the neighboring states when they need her expertise. Biscuit also has a lot of fun doing demonstrations at local schools. A little accelerant will be put on a teacher’s or student’s shoelaces. Biscuit will then search the whole class until she finds it.

I was lucky enough to observe her as Trooper Sutton did a demonstration for me.

Biscuit searched the entire room until she found the spot where the tiniest drop of accelerant was present. In under 30 seconds, she had found the spot and was sitting, staring at her handler.

The bond between these two is very tight. 24/7, they are side by side working.

There is no question that they are lucky to have each other, and that Rutland and the whole state of Vermont are lucky to have them and the services they provide.

State Farm Arson Dog Program

Since 1993, State Farm has provided fund-

ing towards the acquisition and training of more than 360 arson dog teams in 44 states, 3 Canadian provinces and the District of Columbia.

The State Farm Arson Dog Program is the only program outside of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) that trains arson dogs for law enforcement. No other company in North America has this type of program.

Every year we train 10 - 20 new teams and place Sean Plumber and Pal them in departments across the country.

The use of dogs has revolutionized fire investigation because of the time savings and the reduction in sample collection. An arson scene may take a human days or even longer to investigate. During this time the arson investigator will collect numerous samples from the fire scene for lab testing to identify possible accelerants. Because canines have a superior ability to discriminate among scents at a fire scene, an arson dog can investigate a scene in minutes and take fewer samples to the laboratory for testing. This not only speeds up the investigation, it also saves money for the investigating department – fewer lab samples means less cost for taxpayers.

For example, the average lab charges $60 per sample for testing and verification when an accelerant is suspected. Human investigators will take an average of twenty samples for testing to identify the presence of an accelerant. (20 samples x $60 = $1,200) An accelerant detection canine team will take an average of three samples for testing once the canine has indicated the presence of an accelerant.

(3 samples x $60 = $180) Arson canine teams investigate an average of 90 - 100 structure fires each year so based on laboratory costs alone, communities can save a considerable amount of taxpayer dollars when an arson dog team is available.

An arson dog team is only a tool that provides invaluable assistance to investigators because they can work through an entire fire scene in a matter of minutes. A human investigator may take days, sometimes weeks, to investigate a scene. Many times this results in overtime pay or worse, deterioration of evidence.

• First class was in February 1993 • State Farm has provided funding for the acquisition and training of more than 360 arson dog teams • Currently 90 active teams in the United States and Canada • All teams are trained by Paul Gallagher and Maine Specialty Dogs • Program is only available to public entities such as police or fire departments.

• State Farm covers all expenses for the acquisition, training, and travel of the dog and the handler at a cost of $25,000 per team 16 4 Legs & a Tail

The Liable of an Innocent Cow T

he Great Chicago Fire destroyed 3.3 square miles of Chicago, Illinois, burning for two days in 1871—between October 8th and October 10th. It killed hundreds of people, left more than 100,000 homeless (nearly one third of Chicago’s residents at the time), destroyed roughly 17,000 buildings, and caused a couple hundred million of dollars in damage (about $4-$5 billion today).

A popular story often told about how of the Great Chicago Fire started is that a cow owned by Kate O’Leary kicked a lit lantern over and that started the flames. The story has even been the subject of a children’s song:

Late one night, when we were all in bed, Mrs. O’Leary lit a lantern in the shed.

Her cow kicked it over, Then winked her eye and said, “There’ll be a hot time in the old town tonight!”

It may come as a disappoint to some to learn that the cow story isn’t true— the man who wrote the O’Leary story for the Chicago Republican, Michael Ahern, later admitted that he had made the cow angle up in order to create a more interesting tale. But the fire certainly did start in the vicinity of a barn owned by the O’Learys.

However, the exact cause of the fire was never determined, though Catherine O’Leary was used as a scapegoat of sorts. O’Leary was an Irish Catholic immigrant—despised by many people at the time—so she made an easy target. In addition to Ahern’s retraction of his cow story, t h e O ’ L e a r ys claimed to have been asleep by the time the fire started, so there would have been no lantern in the barn for a cow to kick.

Fall 2016

Western Dressage: A Growing Sport

I

Jessica Stewart Riley

f you haven’t yet heard of western dressage, you probably will soon. This sport, which emphasizes dressage fundamentals for the working western horse, has caught on considerably over the past few years in the Northeast. As a passionate western rider who has grown up with considerable dressage influence, western dressage is appealing to me for a variety of reasons. First off, the focus on traditional dressage principles like improving upon the natural rhythm and cadence of the horse’s gaits, while also emphasizing relaxation and suppleness resonates with me. But then, there is the comfort and appeal of a western saddle, and the fact that any breed of horse can be trained and competed in western dressage. And one of the overarching goals in training western dressage is that the horse be safe, pleasurable, versatile, and useful. These goals are similar to those of traditional dressage, but western dressage, especially from a competitive perspective, seems more accessible to the everyday rider with the everyday horse, than some of the modern dressage seen today. Because of this, it seems to appeal to a wider range of riders, not just those who would consider themselves “dressage riders.”

Due to the increasing popularity in our region in recent years, there are a variety of clinics and competitions to choose from, and in addition to myself, I have noticed many of my horsey friends have started riding and competing in western dressage.

One of those people is both a colleague and a friend, Lori Berger of Tunbridge, VT. Lori and her sporthorse mare Calyxa, a flashy, 16+ hands tall black and white pinto, began competing last year in the Champlain Valley Dressage Schooling Series, and have done quite well, earning a year-end championship and some of the highest dressage test scores of their competitive lives. They have continued competing this year, and plan to attend the Western Dressage World Championship Show in Guthrie, Oklahoma, September 29 through October 2, 2016. Lori is an avid traditional dressage competitor, riding instructor, and trainer, as well as faculty member in the Vermont Tech Equine Studies Program with me, but had not ridden much western before last year.

Because we have been working closely together with our horses to school in, and compete in western dressage, and I will be accompanying her to the World Show in Oklahoma this fall, I thought it would be interesting to also share her perspective on western dressage.

Fall 2016

“Lori Berger competes Calyxa in the Champlain Valley Dressage Schooling Series at Cloverfield Farm in Colchester, VT”.

Photo Credit: Ron Hoague.

JSR: How did you get started riding western dressage?

LB: My interest in western dressage was a natural outgrowth of my classroom teaching at Vermont Tech, where I emphasize the commonality of riding disciplines and history of the horse and riding disciplines. Students (in the VTC Equine Program) come from all different backgrounds with horses, and many come from a world in which riding is divided into two “flavors,” “English” and “Western” and the two seem worlds apart.

Part of my job is to get students to see that good riding stems from a few core concepts that are biomechanically sound; a horse that is in self-carriage, who is supple and responsive, regardless of the discipline it is ridden in. These core concepts, which are emphasized in western dressage and dressage, both go back to the training that occurred in renaissance Europe, one example being the Spanish Riding School. If we look at the saddles used on modern baroque-type breeds, like Lusitanos, Andalusions, Lippizans, etc. those saddles are clearly a common ancestor of modern dressage saddles and modern western saddles.

On a personal level, Calyxa, aka “Lexi,” my 3rd level dressage horse had physical problems that made it difficult for her to work in the frame and self-carriage required of horses at such levels and I was looking for something that my horse could be comfortable with and excel in. I love my horse and just wanted her to be happy! I read a couple articles about western dressage and thought I should give it a try. I immediately found that Lexi was happy and relaxed on the looser contact and received higher test scores than ever before.

Continued NEXT PAGE

www.4LegsAndATail.com 17

In The Home Office Tanya Sousa - Orleans, VT

U

sually, home is where people go after work. If you have pets (and if you’re reading this, of course you do!), they might greet you at the door, ask to be fed, snuggle with you – in other words, you enjoy attention from each other as a reward to a long day apart.

When you’re a writer with a home office, things are different – very different.

JSR: What appeals to you most about Western Dressage?

LB: I am drawn to the subtlety and lightness of contact, and that it requires the rider use his or her leg and seat even more than traditional dressage because the reins cannot be relied on as much. I also like the lower pressure on the horse than competitive dressage; that it requires more of the rider but puts less physical burden on horse.

I was pleased to hear that Lori shares the same feelings about western dressage that I do, and hope that you will too. Western dressage is a growing sport that, in my opinion, has a bright future. Whether you are a western rider looking to add some lightness and suppleness to your riding, or a dressage rider looking to try something different, the goal of the discipline is to provide a systematic and correct training progression that promotes the best qualities of both western riding and dressage. I encourage you to learn more about this sport at: http://westerndressageassociation.org/ or https://www.usef.org/_iframes/breedsdisciplines/discipline/allwesterndressage.aspx. Happy Riding!

Jessica Stewart Riley is an Assistant Professor and the director of the Vermont Technical College Equine Studies Program in Randolph Center, VT. She is a graduate of Johnson State College, UVM, and Vermont Tech, as well as a member of the American Quarter Horse Association Professional Horsemen and an American Riding Instructor Association Certified instructor in Western, Huntseat on the Flat, and Stable Management. www.vtc.edu/equinestudies 18 4 Legs & a Tail

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Fall 2016

Fall 2016

www.4LegsAndATail.com 19

From the Clubhouse to the Doghouse,

FAREWELL BIG PAPI A

s Red Sox Nation says farewell to David Ortiz, the future hall of famer will soon begin the next chapter of his life. While plenty of golf and fishing may be on the agenda, his passion for dogs and pets are certainly near the top of the list.

David Ortiz with his rescue

20 4 Legs & a Tail

Over the past few years, Big Papi has been a regular visitor to animal shelters throughout New England and a vocal advocate for animal adoption.

“Dogs are the best thing that can happen to a human and are true friends that never go away,” says Ortiz. In fact, his dogs Foxy and Happy are often seen with the Red Sox slugger. “I take them everywhere, to the field, the beach, and picnics in the park. They’re like my kids.”

It’s no secret that the Red Sox are huge fans of World Series titles and dogs, even their Portland, ME minor league affiliate are named The Sea Dogs!

Fenway Park also welcomed fans and their pets to the park earlier this summer for priceless photo opts atop the historic Green Monster.

Like Ortiz, many former Red Sox players and executives have used retirement to actively supports pets and animals.

Long before he stepped in as President

of the Red Sox, Larry Lucchino and his wife Stacey were active members of Canine Companions. For more than a decade, the couple volunteered and helped bring service dogs to those in need.

Fred Lynn, the 1975 MVP/ Rookie of the Year (the first player to ever win both titles in the same year), also has a soft underbelly for dogs. Although the former Red Sox great now spends much of his time in San Diego, he is the spokesperson for The Foundation for Animal Care and Education (FACE).

He and his wife Natalie spend much of their time as advocates of euthanasia for economic reasons and providing necessary medical care for pets.

Speaking on behalf of all Red Sox fans, we will miss the late inning heroics of David Ortiz and the fun he brought to “The Nation.” I’m sure our loss will be a shelter pet’s gain.

Fall 2016

Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall: Dog Lovers B

The Pigskin

W ith the NFL season here and Deflate-Gate finally behind us, it is now

safe to ask the question, “Why do they call footballs a pigskin?”

It may surprise you to learn that footballs were originally inflated with the bladders of animals, including those from swine. In later years, these animal bladders were placed inside a leather cover, giving rise to the term “pigskin.”

The bladder of pig (or another animal) was inflated into more of an oval shape than the familiar pointed tips of today’s game balls.

The process of inflating these early pigskins was fairly distasteful as you might imagine. Straw and other material would oftentimes be stuffed in the pig bladder instead, but this tended to create balls with lumps and strange shapes that made official game play difficult.

Fortunately, blowing up pig bladders fell out of fashion for both pro and recreational football players with the invention of vulcanized rubber in the 1860s. Ironically, though they are still called “pigskins,” nowadays all pro and collegiate footballs are actually made with cowhide leather. Recreational and youth footballs, on the other hand, are often made with synthetic material or vulcanized rubber.

Fall 2016

KATE KELLY

oth Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall loved dogs. She was partial to cocker spaniels and had two of them–one named Droopy and another, Puddle. Bogart owned several breeds during his lifetime including a Newfoundland terrier, a couple of Scottish terriers, and a Sealyham terrier (a breed that originated in Wales).

MET ON FILM SET The couple met in 1944 while filming the Howard Hawks film, To Have and Have Not. Humphrey Bogart (1899-1957), already a star fromCasablanca, played the leading male, and Lauren Bacall (1924-2014) was a newcomer in the role of the ingénue.

Both Bacall’s mother and Howard Hawks were dead-set against the budding romance between the two stars. Hawks felt it interfered with their work. Bacall’s mother was opposed to her daughter dating a married man 25 years her senior—particularly one who was known to drink heavily.

LOVE CONQUERED ALL But disapproval did not deter the couple. They were again paired to work together in Raymond Chandler’s The Big Sleep (1945).

During this time, they decided to marry. Bogart got a divorce from his second wife, and the two were married on a friend’s farm in Ohio.

Since both Bogart and Bacall were “dog” people, it was only natural that their friend presented them with a one-week old boxer puppy, born on the farm just days before their nuptials. From that time forward, the boxer breed became the household’s breed of choice.

They named the puppy Harvey after the invisible rabbit in Mary Chase’s 1944 play of the same name (later made into a motion picture).

Harvey proved to be a very smart dog. Lauren Bacall reported that since he wasn’t allowed on furniture, he was quite accommodating about the rule—he just put two paws on the couch at a time. If the couple had a fight, then the no-furniture rule went out the window and Harvey sat between them until they were ready to make up.

BOGART AND BACALL AND THEIR BOXERS Shortly, two more boxers came to live with them—George and Baby. But Harvey was always the alpha dog. If you see just one boxer in photos with the movie stars, you can be sure it’s Harvey.

Throughout their 12 years together, Bogart and Bacall shared a happy if not perfect marriage. Part of their joy in being together was their love of dogs and the pleasure they took in raising their two children.

Harvey was part of the family through to the very end. He died just 6 months after Bogart passed away in 1957.

This article first appeared on the website, www.americacomesalive.com During the summer, America Comes Alive publishes more stories about American dogs and other animals. Visit the website and sign up for “American Dogs” to receive the stores in your In Box. Or email Kate Kelly at kate@americacomesalive.com www.4LegsAndATail.com 21

22 4 Legs & a Tail

Fall 2016

The Demon Possessed Cat Cured by Exorcism Extractions Sandra L Waugh VMD, MS - Windsor, VT

I

n honor of Halloween herein is the tale of Quinn, a black female cat who was pre-sented as a Valentine’s Day gift, but who had a few quirks to her personality, to say the least. Things started out normally but then progresssed to a nightmare at about 7 months of age in July 2012. Quinn was agitated all the time, unfriendly, even attacking her owner. She would sit on the countertop screaming and yelling (then would swat the owner if she came near).

She would whip her head back and forth - if she could have spun it around on her neck, she would have!! Then she would smash the side of her head onto the sink or into the cupboards. The owner could hear her teeth grinding onto the sharp corner of the cupboard.

The complete “exorcism” required several dental procedures. In January 2013 Quinn had an area of swollen, red gum near the right lower molar. The area was

Fall 2016

Quinn giving the “evil eye” as a kitten.

Quinn in her “demon days”.

biopsied and was found to be inflammatory in nature, cause unknown. The area healed but then returned, and it became apparent that the gum was coming into contact with the sharp point of the upper fourth premolar. In July 2013 this tooth was extracted and Quinn became much happier for a short while, then began hitting her head on the cupboards, this time specifically on the right side.

On Halloween in 2013 dental radiographs were taken which showed a fairly subtle change in the periodontal ligament space on the upper right canine tooth, indicating early periodontal disease. The Continued Next Page

www.4LegsAndATail.com 23

upper left canine was normal. When the upper right canine was extracted a small hole (called an oronasal fistula) was found in the bone that sits between the tooth root on the mouth side and the nasal passage on the nose side. This small hole allowed fluid and bacteria to travel into the nasal passage which can be very annoying to some animals. Unfortunately oronasal fistulas are not apparent on radiographs and are found only after extraction. They are caused by various diseases but most commonly by periodontal disease.

Below is a comparison of a normal upper right canine tooth in an almost 4 year old cat and Quinn’s radiograph from 2013 when she was almost 2 years old. The angle of the radiographs is slightly different which changes the appearance of the tooth. The black line that outlines the tooth is called the periodontal ligament space because the periodontal ligament lives there. This ligament attaches to the bone of the skull and the root of the tooth. It provides support to the tooth, nutrition to the root and allows the tooth a small amount of “give” when encoun-tering something hard. Periodontal disease causes the ligament to disappear.

Normal tooth in 4 year old cat. The periodontal ligament space is well defined around the entire root.

Quinn’s tooth showing loss of definition of the peridontal ligament space at the end of the root (red circle).

Cats are such wonderfully fascinating creatures! Normally one would expect to see signs of periodontal disease (bone loss and widening of the periodontal ligament space) in the area indicated by the yellow circles. But not in Quinn’s case.

The area affected by periodontal disease was at the end of the root, indicated by the red circle. Comparison of the normal tooth with Quinn’s tooth shows a loss of definition in the outline of the tooth.

Things were great for a while, then Quinn began banging the left side of her head onto the cupboard. Time for more dental surgery! In April 2014 dental radiographs were taken and the upper left canine tooth now had early periodontal disease changes. After it was extracted a small oronasal fistula was found.

Since then Quinn has had an entire change of personality. Now she picks up toys and carries them around in her mouth. She loves to play with the plastic pull tab from milk jugs and especially the safety seal on Half and Half cartons. She eats like a champ. She occasionally sleeps in the bed with the owner which she had not done before. She is much more lovable. She did not want her head touched before, now she wants lots of rubbing everywhere and particularly on the top of her head.

And should she start banging her head on the cupboards again her mouth is the first place to look!

The moral of the story is that seemingly small changes in the teeth can cause big changes in behavior and personality. If Quinn could only talk (English) she would cer-tainly have communicated her distress about her teeth. In fact, she was communicating her distress but sometimes it takes humans a while to get it right.

Most cats are not as obvious in demonstrating pain. Many cats keep a “stiff upper lip” when in pain and become less active, more inclined to hide or have a change in a normal routine, all of which can be quite subtle. With pain the posture may change from relaxed or slightly curled up to tense or crouched and/or hunched. The facial expression may change from bright and alert to a head down posture with squinting, slanted, and/or closed eyes. A very nice reference for helping owners in evaluating pain in the cat and the dog is available from Colorado State University Flint Animal Cancer Center. Search for “feline acute pain scale” and “canine acute pain scale” in your favorite web search engine and look for csuanimalcancercenter.org in the title. A one page document with pictures and text can be downloaded or printed.

24 4 Legs & a Tail

Dr. Waugh is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.

She also holds a Masters Degree from Washington State University of Veterinary Medicine and is owner of Windsor Veterinary & Dental Services.

Fall 2016

Hiking Activities To Do With Your Dog

by Mike Robertson

E

njoying nature with your dog is the essence of living away from the city. Hiking with your dog, already a relaxing activity, can be easily made canine-enriching and human-useful.

Here are two ways to add frosting to the outings with your dog: HILL HELPER You’ve been taught since the beginning of dog-on-a-leash-walking, that allowing the dog to pull is bad. Pulling - can - be good (and useful), as long as it is controlled by a command. Before any pulling work with your dog, please check with your veterinarian that your dog is fit enough to start pull work.

To begin, you will need a weight pull harness. We like the Canine Equipment one (www.collegeforpets.com/weightharness) You never want to use a regular neck collar, walking harness or any accessory other than a weight pull harness, as they lack pressure distribution and can cause injury to your dog.

To begin conditioning your dog to pulling, tie a four foot rope to two gallon milk jugs that are ¼ filled with sand. Attach the other end of the ropes to the metal loops on each side of the harness. Give your dog the command “Pull” and begin walking forward. Stop after a couple of feet and repeat. As your dog becomes comfortable with the weight, add a few cups more sand to each jug. The total weight should never cause the dog to strain, but only provide gentle resistance.

Practice the pulling exercise on flat ground, as a downhill slope can cause the jugs to move faster than the dog and potentially result in injury.

After working with the sand filled jugs for a few days, replace the jugs with a handle. This can be as simple as a short stick, its function is to provide a place for you to hold on to. The dog should be familiar with the “Pull” command by this point, so while holding the handle ask the dog to “Pull” and hold back on the handle slightly.

Your dog should be pulling against your resistance and moving you forward.

Next time you find yourself at the bottom of a steep hill, hook up your dog, give the “Pull” command, and enjoy the assistance!

Fall 2016

HIDE AND SEEK This game works best with two or more people, but can be easily adapted to solo travels. With multiple people, one person will hang back from the group. After a few hundred feet the group will stop and ask the dog “where’s (hang back person’s name)” at which point the hang back person will call the dog’s name once. Everyone should remain silent while the dog searches.

When the dog locates the person, an excited praise session should ensue. If tug toy trained, this is a great time for a little of that.

If you’re on a solo adventure with your dog, and you allow the dog to forge ahead of you, it is simple to slip behind a tree and call the dogs name once. If the dog is leashed or reluctant to leave your side, toss a toy or treat ahead of you, then hide

while your dog runs off to get it.

A walk in nature with your dog, even without any extra fun stuff, is both emotionally and physically healthy for your dog. Allow them to sniff and scratch and explore alongside you. One great feature of the natural world, is that it’s never the same twice.

Mike Robertson is a certified animal trainer and certified behavior consultant located in Plymouth NH. He is the owner of White Mountain College for Pets, with two locations: 661 Mayhew Turnpike and 594 Tenney Mtn Hwy in Plymouth NH. View upcoming class schedules or contact him at: www.collegeforpets.com or by phone 603-369-4PET.

www.4LegsAndATail.com 25

Seemore!

I n 1925 Helen Keller challenged the Lions Club to be her ‘Knights for the

Ella finishes up her lesson at Water Tower Farm, Marshfield, VT

26 4 Legs & a Tail

Blind.’ Now in 205 countries, the Lions Club International Foundation is the world’s largest service organization, providing millions of dollars of sight and hearing assistance.

Fast-forward to this past spring where the Vermont Lions Clubs introduced Seemore the Dog, as the official Walk for Sight mascot. His mission is quite simple - HELP SEEMORE help others SEE MORE. Since his debut at the Brandon 4th of July parade, Seemore has been a hit!

Now that school is back in session, the VLC will be very visible in Vermont classrooms. Thanks to fundraising and the purchase of three vision screeners, volunSeemore in Brandon, VT teers will again canvas the state providing free vision screening to students. A program that has already proven to be an investment with great returns.

One such case is that of Cora Westervelt of Montpelier. The little girl had no noticeable signs of vision impairment. But after the screening, which took less than a minute, the test indicated there was something “significantly abnormal” with Cora’s vision. Her parents, both medical professionals, were skeptical until a visit to a pediatric ophthamologist indicated she suffered from severe hyperopia. In other words, extreme farsightedness. Early detection was key in preventing a long term problem.

Many of us take our vision for granted. As the VLC makes their rounds to help others, they now have Seemore by their side.

Fall 2016

Purrs in the House Again

By Maggie Thompson

Heading into cold weather is the perfect time to adopt a good "mouser" like Periwinkle.

I

t had been over five months since Coffee Bean died, our seventeen-year-old cat. I sensed another cat in our future, but knew I had to get beyond grieving Beanie, beyond looking for a cat just like her.

Many evenings before bed I’d review the pictures and profiles of available cats on the Central Vermont Humane Society website.

Could I imagine myself with this one? That one? Sometimes I just needed reassurance that when I was ready, there would be cats.

I liked looking at the photos, reading about their known histories and personalities.

I felt wistful just driving by the Humane Society, knowing cats were in there.

I waited until after the holidays. I wanted to make sure my husband Ron wanted another cat. After all, life was easier without one. We could sleep through the night undisturbed, reclaim the living room chair that Beanie had usurped, and be relieved of hairball incidents and worse, that had cropped up in Beanie’s elder years. Yes, it was easier without a cat.

But with “easier” came a gnawing absence. We lacked an important, even sacred, dimension that animals offer. They live in the present and are expert at settling me into a more balanced perspective.

Then there’s the joy animals invite with their playfulness, curiosity and affection.

They are unencumbered by regrets about the past or worries about the future.

One Thursday in February, I visited CVHS. I spent time with Abbey, Hermione and Peanut, acknowledged Molokai and Kahoona. But it was Periwinkle who caught my eye – a petite silver gray with soft stripes and big blossom eyes, about three years old.

Timid, she winced when I reached gently to pet her. However, no hissing or scratching. She was just afraid, no doubt from the recent upheaval in her feline life. Though she was not comfortable being held, she maintained riveting eye contact with me, following my every movement.

Later in the lobby, I filled out the inventory used to match cats with families. Periwinkle was on the other side of Fall 2016

ago? No. I was ready to love her with my whole heart and give her all the time she needed to learn to trust us.

She spent the first two weeks under the dining room hutch, allowing us to reach under and pet her, nuzzling our hands and purring. Little by little she ventured out.

Now, she romps with toys. She plays catch, batting her ball right to me so I can roll it back to her. Seventy-four times back and forth in one session is our record! She is fascinated with fabric, tossing napkins and dishtowels. Recently she has begun blanket diving, semi-somersaulting into her fleece throw. She likes to rub against my legs when I’m cooking. She often bounds from room to room for no apparent reason. Home alone one afternoon, I heard notes from our piano, played with tentative paws. Some mornings I’m greeted by my computer mouse on the floor – her mouser instinct.

In quieter times we lie on our sides in the sun together on the living room floor.

Periwinkle does half-mast sultry blinks, a sign of trust, and stretches a front paw toward me, gently spreading her toes. I do slow blinks back to her and imitate her paw.

She’s settling in, and so are we, happily.

the window, her gaze still fixed on me. I realized I was filling out the questionnaire with her in mind, her blue-green eyes and sweet face pulling at my heart.

As I pulled out of the parking lot, tears surprised me. Grieving Coffee Bean anew?

Struck by the loss of all the cats, dogs and cows I have loved?

The next day, Ron and I were on the doorstep when CVHS opened. An hour Maggie Thompson, a farm girl from later, Ron was on his way back to work Illinois, lives in Calais, Vermont. Periwinkle and Periwinkle and I were headed home. is the fifth Thompson cat, following in the Was it unwise to adopt a stray cat that pawprints of Coffee Bean, Callie Cat, nothing was known about prior to ten days Pumpkin Eleanor, and Princess Elijah.

www.4LegsAndATail.com 27

15 Outrageous Pet Owner Requests of Vets Dr. Andy Roark DVM, MS

A

s the man pulled off his shirt and draped it over his dog, I remember thinking, “I hope my technician comes in right about now. No, wait. I don’t.”

The appointment had been uneventful until I informed the dog’s owner that his dog had a heart murmur. The man replied, “If you think he’s got a heart murmur, listen to this!” and off came his shirt.

While the request was odd, I have to admit I was intrigued. It turned out the man did indeed have a much more impressive heart murmur than his dog.

In fact, he was just a week away from surgery to have the heart defect corrected.

As he retrieved his shirt and his dog, I couldn’t help but notice a look of almost paternal pride on the man’s face. It was as if he was considering his dog’s mild heart abnormality and thinking, “Yep, that’s my boy.”

While I’m glad that I got a chance to bring this little family closer, the incident did cause me to stop and consider some of the more unusual interactions between pet owners and veterinarians.

Above and Beyond As a profession, veterinary medicine is one in which we are used to going to great lengths to meet the needs of the families we serve. Being asked to make a house call, visit a sick patient outside in the owner’s car or stay past closing time are all quite common in our line of work.

Still, even in this business, while we strive to make pets and their people as happy as possible, there are some requests that strike us as a bit much. On my Facebook page, I asked veterinary professionals to tell me some of the most bizarre requests they’ve gotten from pet owners. Here’s what they reported: 28 4 Legs & a Tail

1. We had a client who wanted us to neuter her dog instead of spay her because it

was cheaper.

2. A client was boarding a dog at the clinic and requested that we keep a photo

of the family in the kennel with the dog. And not only the photo, but a frame

that you can record messages into. The family requested that we play the

message at least six times a day.

3. We once had a woman who wanted us to take a look at her duck because it

“wasn’t swimming.” Her chicken was fine, but it sure wasn't a duck!

4. We had a client claim that the reason her cat kept getting sick was because it

was urinating on mothballs and that the urine added to the mothballs was

making meth, so the cat was high.

5. I had a client ask for a copy of my license so she could open up a veterinary

account at a distributor to get “flea medicine.” She promised not to buy

controlled drugs.

6. I was asked if I could provide a list of veterinary medications that could be used

by humans and if I could help procure these medications in case of a doomsday

scenario. (This client is a “prepper.”)

7. We were asked to perform a private cremation for a cat's tail after he had a tail

amputation. We did it, too!

8. We had a client bring in a cat to be neutered. He asked if, prior to the surgery,

we could place his cat in a kennel with a female cat for one final ... . Our sharp

receptionist politely responded with, "I'm sorry, sir, but we no longer offer

that service."

9. We had a client insist we refer to her pet as “Mister” until he got to

“know” us. He would then let us know when it was OK for us to use his

given name.

10. A pet owner asked for testicles from his dog back (after the dog was neutered)

so he could keep them in a jar at his office. When his daughter was old enough to

date, he planned to bring the boyfriend in the room and explain what happened to

the last boyfriend who didn't treat her well.

11. Umm, we’ve had more than one person lift a shirt to show us a rash.

12. A client asked the male doctor to dress like a woman and wear a wig because

the dog didn’t like men.

13. We had a client come in the other day for an exam, worried about the two large

lumps on their “female” dog’s underbelly. Turns out the dog was not a female

after all!

14. New clients requested that I cover the windows and turn out the lights when

they arrived for their pets’ appointments — because they were vampires. (They

ended up being wonderful pet owners.) New staff members thought I had lost

my mind when I informed them of this client’s special needs.

15. We had a client ask if she could hold her kid’s birthday party in our hospital

during work hours.

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. See the complete list of more than 500 submissions on Dr. Andy Roark’s Facebook page.

Fall 2016

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