ANIMAL
For a long, healthy life!
WELLNESS 8
STEPS
TO KEEPING YOUR SENIOR DOG YOUNG
Cool down
YOUR HOT DOG — WITH ACUPRESSURE
SNIFFING OUT
COVID-19
— how detection dogs could help slow the spread
CARING FOR THE
arthritic
NATURAL WAYS TO SUPPORT HIS AGING LIVER
CAT
IS A herding breed RIGHT FOR YOU?
T
R AL
RE PEI C K F O R LLE NT S YO U
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2020 Display until September 18, 2020
R PU P
$6.95 USA/Canada
VOLUME 22 ISSUE 4
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AnimalWellnessMagazine.com
CONTENTS August/September 2020
Columns
22 SPOTLIGHT
How dogs are being trained to sniff out COVID-19
Dogs have been trained to detect a range of diseases in humans, from Parkinson’s to cancer. Now, researchers are training them to sniff out COVID-19.
30 Features
hy does your dog keep escaping 14 Wfrom the yard?
If your dog seems bent on escaping from your yard and running off, you need to figure out why, while finding ways to keep him happy inside the fence.
18 I s your rescue dog too thin?
Some dogs, especially rescues and strays, are significantly underweight. Here are three nutritional strategies for helping a skinny pup put on some pounds.
30
T endon and ligament damage in dogs
As dogs age, they’re more prone to tendon and ligament problems. Today’s diagnostic tools and treatment options can help pinpoint and heal the damage, and alleviate discomfort.
ow Fear Free® makes vet visits less 48 Hstressful
Trips to the vet can cause fear, anxiety and stress in both animals and their humans. The Fear Free initiative makes vet visits easier and more comfortable for everyone.
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Animal Wellness
24 NATURAL
40 ANIMAL
ACUPRESSURE
Help your hot dog cool down — with acupressure
They may be called the “dog days of summer”, but extreme heat isn’t healthy for your canine companion. Learn how acupressure can help cool him down.
REMEDIES
44 FELINE HEALTH
Tick populations have exploded, and so has the incidence of Lyme disease and related illnesses. These three natural tick repellents can help protect your pooch.
Is your cat ravenously hungry, losing weight and acting restless or aggressive? He could have hyperthyroidism, a common feline health problem.
28 CAT CARE
BEHAVIOR
3 natural tick repellents for dogs
Top 4 health concerns in cats
Can you identify the top four health concerns in cats? Knowing more about these common issues can help you prevent them from afflicting your own kitty.
34 ALTERNATIVE APPROACH
Ketosis and calorie restriction for animal cancer
This innovative dietary approach to cancer involves a ketogenic diet and calorie restriction to improve longevity and quality of life in dogs and cats (and humans!).
38 AGING WELL
8 steps to keeping your senior dog young A wholistic approach ranging from diet and exercise to mental stimulation and immune support can help keep your senior dog young, happy and healthy.
Hyperthyroidism and your cat
46 CANINE Do dogs really watch television? You constantly catch your dog staring at the television — but is he actually watching it? Here’s what science has to say about this cute phenomenon.
52 HEALING INSIDE & OUT
Natural support for your dog or cat’s aging liver
The liver is one of hardestworking organs, so it needs some extra help as your dog or cat ages. Find out how to support your senior animal’s liver using natural therapies.
56 IN FOCUS
Shelters and rescues for senior animals A growing number of shelters and rescues focus on senior dogs and cats. Take a look at what they do, the challenges they face, and why they choose to focus on older animals.
34 60 GOLDEN YEARS Caring for the arthritic cat
Arthritis is a common cause of lameness in cats, especially as they get older. Once you get a diagnosis, a variety of alternative therapies can help ease your kitty’s discomfort.
62 NEED TO KNOW
79 NEWSWORTHY
Thinking of adopting or rescuing a herding breed or mix? While these dogs make great companions, keep these considerations in mind before signing the adoption papers.
A recent survey reveals just how much people relied on their dogs, cats and other critters for support during the COVID-19 quarantine.
Is a herding dog right for you?
66 ANIMAL HELPERS Keith and Sasha
How a black-and-white bearded collie helped my best friend through depression.
How our animals helped us through COVID quarantine
82 NEWSWORTHY
Animal companions are a lifeline for seniors According to a new study, the companionship of dogs and cats plays a valuable role in the lives of senior citizens.
74 SAFETY FIRST
Protecting your dog from coyotes It may seem unlikely that a coyote would ever attack your dog, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. Check out these do’s and don’ts to keeping your best friend safe from coyotes.
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Departments 8 From the Editor 12 In the news 17 Training tips 27 From the NASC 43 Product picks
Social Media
55 Business profile — WizSmart
77 Must reads
78 Events 59 Gear up for fall 71 Wellness resource 80 Classifieds guide 81 Marketplace 73 Let's get social 76 To the rescue Tips, contests and more! AnimalWellnessMagazine
News, events, and tips! @ AW_magazine
Tips, pet photos, and more! AnimalWellnessMagazine
Crafts, laughs, and more! AnimalWellness
Animal Wellness
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SPOTLIGHT By Claudia Bensimoun with Ann Brightman
HOW DOGS ARE BEING TRAINED TO SNIFF OUT
COVID-19 Dogs have been trained to detect a range of diseases in humans, from Parkinson’s to cancer. Now, researchers in the UK are training them to sniff out COVID-19. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc around the world, killing hundreds of thousands and causing major economic and societal problems. But there’s some good news amid all the doom and gloom. Along with the advances being made towards treatments and vaccines, research in the UK is indicating that dogs could become a valuable asset when it comes to detecting the disease in people, even when the latter are asymptomatic. UK RESEARCH AND THE “SUPER SIX” Certain diseases have specific odors, so medical detection dogs are experts when it comes to identifying unique smells as well as skin temperature changes. A UK charity named Medical
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Animal Wellness
Detection Dogs is set to begin training a team of six dogs, some of which are already established detector dogs, to sniff out COVID-19. The trial was first proposed in March and is due to start in early June (as of this writing). Dubbed the “Super Six” the dogs’ names are Norman, Digby, Storm, Star, Jasper and Asher. The charity is working alongside Durham University and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) to train the dogs. The “Super Six” are undergoing an eight- to ten-week trial to see if they can effectively detect the virus in people. The hope is that the dogs will be able to help detect travelers at airports with fevers linked to COVID-19 so they can be tested and treated.
“In principle, we’re sure that dogs could detect COVID-19,” says Dr. Claire Guest, CEO and Co-Founder of Medical Detection Dogs. “The aim is that dogs will be able to screen anyone, including those who are asymptomatic, and tell us whether they need to be tested. It would be fast, effective and noninvasive and make sure limited NHS testing resources are only used where they are really needed.” SAFE SAMPLE COLLECTION Not surprisingly, the team has had to figure out a way to safely catch the odor of the virus from patients and present it to the dogs. So the first stage of the trial is being conducted in UK hospitals with the help of asymptomatic healthcare workers
THE SUPER SIX
COVID
DETECTION DOGS now being explored in the US too
who are first tested for COVID-19. Those who test positive are then asked to wear a pair of sterilized nylon socks, as well as a facemask, for a period of a few hours – nylon is very effective at collecting odor. Half the samples are sent to a lab so scientists can attempt to figure out which chemicals make up the virus’s odor, while the other half to go the Medical Detection Dogs facility where the “Super Six” are learning to detect COVID’s smell. WHAT ABOUT THE DOGS’ SAFETY? “Scientists have found that although COVID-19 is a novel virus that originated from animals and was passed on to humans, dogs cannot contract the disease,” says Gemma Butlin at Medical Detection Dogs. “A recent published paper indicates that cats can contract it, but that dogs can’t.” Nevertheless, the team is taking
every possible precaution to keep the dogs safe and healthy. “It’s believed that it is completely safe for dogs to perform this trial, but we will keep in constant contact with scientists and veterinarians to confirm it,” says Gemma. “The dogs will be trained on non-infectious samples and will not need to make contact with the individuals they are screening.” While we need to wait and see how the research progresses, what we know so far looks promising. If these trials are successful (there’s now one underway in the US as well – see sidebar), COVID-19 detection dogs could play an important role in helping to stem the spread of this often fatal virus. To follow the “Super Six” visit: facebook. com/MedicalDetectionDogs.
The hope is that the dogs will be able to help detect travelers at airports with fevers linked to COVID-19 so they can be tested and treated.
Dogs that can sniff out COVID-19 could also become a reality on this side of the Atlantic. A new research initiative at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine is utilizing eight scent detection dogs to discriminate between samples of saliva and urine from COVID-19 positive and COVID-19 negative patients. As with the UK research, this study sets the stage for dogs to be a force multiplier in the mission to detect COVID-19, particularly among asymptomatic patients, or in hospital or business environments where testing is most challenging. Preliminary screening of live humans by trained dogs could begin in July (at the time of this writing). “The potential impact of these dogs and their capacity to detect COVID-19 could be substantial,” says veterinarian Dr. Cynthia Otto, professor of Working Dog Sciences and Sports Medicine and director of Penn Vet’s Working Dog Center. “This study will harness the dog’s extraordinary ability to support the nation’s COVID-19 surveillance systems, with the goal of reducing community spread.” Animal Wellness
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