Ask the Veterinatian About Coprophagia

by Julie Buzby, DVM 

courtesy Dayland via Flickr.com
Looking Guilty

Dear Dr. Buzby,

How do we get our pups to stop eating their own, or other dogs, poop?

Thanks, Lori,

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Hello Lori,

You recently queried on AllThingsDogBlog about how to stop coprophagia in dogs.  Great question, but I recommend not reading my answer while eating a meal.  Coprophagia literally means “to eat feces”.  This activity, like dogs rolling on a dead carcass, is something we humans cannot appreciate.  Yet it is a very rewarding behavior for our canine companions.

For-Bid™ is probably the product most commonly recommended by veterinarians for this issue.  It’s been around for years, and is fed to dogs for 5-6 consecutive days, then as needed.  For-Bid™ is basically wheat gluten and monosodium glutamate (MSG).  MSG is the active ingredient because it is broken down in digestion to make the stool taste yucky.  Reviews are mixed on how well the product works, but I’m leary about prescribing wheat gluten and/or sodium glutamate to my patients. 

Several over-the-counter products are also available, some with more “gentle” ingredients (such as digestive enzymes and probiotics), but they also garner mixed reviews for efficacy. Then there’s the list of home remedies, such as feeding meat tenderizer or pineapple, used for their enzymatic properties in digestion. 

I need to point out that in a multidog household, if you are giving an oral product to address this problem, the product needs to be given to all dogs, not just the dog who ingests feces, so that all the accessible excrement is altered.

Unfortunately, in my experience, there is no magic bullet for coprophagia (though sometimes one of the above products or tactics will work for an individual).

The most reliable way to address this behavior requires diligent, hygienic management of the dog’s environment and access to stool.  This means:

•   strict supervision when the dog is outdoors

•   immediate picking up of the feces to remove the temptation

•   teaching the “leave it” command

•   as a last resort, using a basket muzzle to prevent ingestion

It is important to note that this behavior is not only a problem from the standpoint of the “gross factor”, but is also a possible route of transmission of internal parasites and bacteria.

Please talk to your veterinarian about your concerns.  Though coprophagia is usually just a behavioral habit, it can be associated with a dietary problem or even an underlying medical issue.

Dr. Julie Buzby is a homeschooling mom of seven, American Veterinary Chiropractic Association and International Veterinary Acupuncture Society certified holistic veterinarian, and passionate advocate for canine mobility.In her free time she serves on the Advisory Board for The Grey Muzzle Organization. She can be found at Twitter @DrBuzby and on Facebook.com/ToeGrips. You'll also find more of Dr. Julie's posts at our Ask the Vet Archives page.

Here are a few of her articles that may be of interest:

• Our Vet's Best Advice on Nutrition
• Skin Rashes
• Ask the Vet: Fido's Dental Care
• Ask the Vet About Giardia
• Doggie Nailcare and Posture

Dr. Julie's opinion or advice does not replace an actual exam with a veterinarian.

Ask the Veterinarian: Insight on Friendship Changes

by Dr. Julie Buzby

Scent May Change Your Pet's Playtime Dynamic

Hi, I have a female 10 month old Lhasa Apso puppy who has a best fur friend who is a 6 month old sheltie mix. These puppies have played together from day one of meeting each other. My puppy was spayed at 6 months. After recovery the two went on to have play dates and be the best of fur friends. Recently the sheltie puppy was spayed, so after her recovery we made a play date. To my surprise my puppy reacted very different towards her. It was like she didn't know the Sheltie. My puppy treated her as she would a strange dog. After being with her about 15 minutes she started to warm up to her again but still wasn't the same way with her. Does a dog's scent change after being spayed?

Johnna 

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Dear Johnna, My first year in practice I received a call from a distressed client after I’d examined her Siamese cat and taken a routine blood sample.  The cat shared a home with 2 other felines, who wouldn’t come near my patient after she’d returned from her excursion to our hospital.  The housemates, displaying classic signs of fear aggression, hissed at the Siamese and treated her as if she was an alien teleported onto their turf.

There is debate whether unfamiliar odors, subtle visual cues, pheromones, or a combination of factors cause these reintroduction issues, but this problem is not uncommon in multicat households.  My hypothesis is that this cat carried home, on her coat, foreign scents from the veterinary hospital.  Rubbing alcohol had been applied to her fur in the process of collecting a blood sample, but I’ve also observed the phenomenon in cats who had not been exposed to alcohol.  The “clinical” potpourri of smells that envelopes animals in the hospital environment seems to be enough to cause problems in certain situations.

I have to confess, I’ve only seen this happen in cats, but a dog's sense of smell is many times more powerful than a cat’s.  To answer your question, yes, I do believe the Sheltie’s scent changed after being spayed, but I don’t think it was because of hormone/pheromone changes that your Lhasa acted strangely towards her.  I think the offending scent was a combination of the disinfectant used to prepare her belly for the spay, rubbing alcohol used to place the IV catheter, and other “medicinal” odors that could have been harbored by the Sheltie’s long-haired coat. 

I trust the relationship is back to normal by now, but for future reference, it’s best to go very slowly in reintroducing animals exhibiting this fear-based behavior.  Unfortunately, it can take days, weeks, or even months to resolve.

Dr. Julie Buzby is a homeschooling mom of seven, American Veterinary Chiropractic Association and International Veterinary Acupuncture Society certified holistic veterinarian, and passionate advocate for canine mobility.In her free time she serves on the Advisory Board for The Grey Muzzle Organization. She can be found at Twitter @DrBuzby and on Facebook.com/ToeGrips. You'll also find more of Dr. Julie's posts at our Ask the Vet Archives page.

You may also enjoy reading her recent articles:

• 10 Tips for Fido's Longest Life
• Leaner Pets Live Longer
• Finicky Eaters
• Tweaking Your Dog's Vaccinations
• Ask the Vet Welcomes Dr. Julie Buzby

Dr. Julie's opinion or advice does not replace an actual exam with a veterinarian.

Photo courtesy andylangager via flickr.com

Tweaking Your Dog's Vaccinations

by Dr. Julie Buzby

courtesy Chuckumentary via Flickr.com
Annual Vaccinations? Maybe Not!

The idea of dogs going to the vet for their “annual shots” just because one year has transpired, is as outdated as the idea that the earth is flat. There is overwhelming scientific evidence that dogs should be vaccinated based on their individual risk factors. These include age, breed, lifestyle, and environmental exposure.

Why does it matter?  

Vaccines jolt the immune system. This jolt creates an immune response in the body which builds antibodies against an altered, non-infectious bug. These antibodies should be protective if there is exposure to the live version of the germ. However, the jolt that helped create protection can be problematic.  Autoimmune diseases, tumors, thyroid disease, and allergic or anaphylactic reactions (shock) are complications that can occur soon after vaccinations, or much later.

•  Ask your veterinarian about vaccinating every 3 years for Distemper and Parvo, or titering to avoid re-vaccinating individuals with “protective” titers.

•  Discuss your dog’s lifestyle with your vet to design a customized vaccine protocol.

•  If your dog has ever had a prior vaccine reaction, make sure your veterinarian is aware of that.

•  Vaccinate your adult dog for rabies every 3 years, or the maximum interval allowed by law. All states now have 3 year licenses after the second vaccine is administered, but county and city laws may differ. Check out rabieschallengefund.org to learn about a grassroots movement seeking to extend the rabies booster interval from 3 to 5 (and then 7) years!

What about drugs? A wise old veterinary professor once quipped, “If a medication doesn’t have side effects, it doesn’t have effects either.” This is true for everything from aspirin to antibiotics. Think about the drug commercials on TV which end with 10 seconds of serious warnings!  

•  Make sure your veterinarian is aware of all drugs and supplements your dog receives, especially when writing a new prescription. If your dog is on chronic medications, such as thyroid medication or arthritis medication (NSAIDs), periodic bloodwork is recommended to monitor organ systems and/or blood levels of the drug.

•  With your veterinarian’s help, work to find the lowest effective pain medication dosage to minimize side effects.

•  In some situations, supplements may be used in place of, or along with drugs to allow lower drug dosages.

•  In terms of potential for toxicity, drugs fall on a spectrum. Some are much safer than others. Ask your vet to educate you on the common side effects of any medication your dog receives.

•  Side effects of drugs can often be counteracted with herbs. An example of this would be using milk thistle along with drugs known to insult the liver.

•  Understand that adverse drug reactions many not occur immediately. Sometimes they occur after the dog has been on the drug for years. 

I’m convinced that vaccinations and medications are a double-edged sword. Both are an integral part of maintaining health. Both also hold the potential for harm.

Yes, I am opening a can of worms. But I couldn’t write a series on helping our dogs reach their maximum health and longevity potential without touching on these issues. Be informed. Be intentional. Be observant, with the ultimate goal of partnering with your veterinarian in weighing the risks versus benefits of anything you administer to your dog.

Dr. Julie Buzby is a homeschooling mom of seven, American Veterinary Chiropractic Association and International Veterinary Acupuncture Society certified holistic veterinarian, and passionate advocate for canine mobility. She can be found at Twitter @DrBuzby and on Facebook.com/ToeGrips. You'll also find more of Dr. Julie's posts at our Ask the Vet Archives page.

You may also enjoy reading her recent articles:

• 10 Tips for Fido's Longest Life
• Leaner Pets Live Longer
• Finicky Eaters

Dr. Julie's opinion or advice does not replace an actual exam with a veterinarian.

Ask the Vet: Finicky Eaters

by Dr. Julie Buzby

courtesy TWM News via Flickr.com

Dear Dr. Julie,

My Lab/Sharpei mix was adopted in February after 8 months there. Apparently she had eating issues while living there. It took about 2 months to get her eating somewhat better at home. What finally worked was mixing her canned food with tuna.

Following a vacation when she stayed with family, her eating habits have worsened, but she will eat human food when offered it. Any suggestions for improving her diet and eating habits?

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Dear Reader,

First and foremost, we need to determine if this is a medical problem or a behavioral issue.  Although your dog’s history suggests that her poor appetite correlates with stress, there are several medical explanations that we need to consider.  The fact that she will readily eat table foods doesn’t rule out a medical cause.

I strongly recommend that you start with a visit to your veterinarian, but we’ll walk through a cyber vet visit via this blog post!

Step One: A thorough history

-What diets (and protein sources) have you tried?

-Is she gaining or losing weight? 

-Does she get any treats or table scraps?

-Does she have access to food from neighbors, other family members, or other pets?

-Does she have other gastrointestinal (GI) signs, like vomiting or diarrhea?

-How is her activity level?

-Describe her general personality.  Is she a nervous dog?

Step Two:  A complete physical exam

Your dog should be examined from nose to tail, to include a thorough oral exam, abdominal palpation, rectal exam, and assessment of body condition score.  If your dog is thin, I am going to be more concerned that this is a medical issue than if she is ideal or overweight. 

Step Three: Diagnostic tests

A complete blood count (CBC), chemistry, and urinalysis will serve as our “minimum data base”.  If these are normal, that doesn’t rule out chronic GI disease, so we’ll also send out bloodwork for a “GI panel”.  This will help in the diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease and pancreatic disorders.

If that is also unremarkable, I’d run a baseline cortisol to rule out atypical Addison’s disease and recommend an abdominal ultrasound.  If all diagnostic results were within normal limits, I would presumptively diagnose an underlying behavioral issue.

Step Four:  Treatment

1.    Be encouraged that your situation should improve as your dog continues to settle into your home.  Try to think about life from her perspective and remove any “stressors”, especially changes to her daily schedule. 

2.    Probiotics, which help normalize the flora in the GI tract, may be beneficial for your dog.  Purina’s FortiFlora, Iams Prostora, or the human products Culturelle, Align, and VSL#3 are all consistently good quality.

3.    Though I typically recommend feeding twice daily, it’s possible that your picky eater might do better eating once per day.  Do not feed free choice ̶ where the food is always available.

4.    Try tough love.  Offer food 2-3 times per day for about 20 minutes per feeding. After 20 minutes, if your dog is not eating, pick up the food until the next meal. I'd also ignore your picky eater for 20 minutes before meals and then lavish praise and attention when she is actually eating.

5.    Sometimes finicky eaters do better with limited ingredient or hypoallergenic diets.

6.    Feed the highest quality diet you can afford.  Palatability can be affected by changing the consistency, texture, and temperature of the food. 

7.    Since she has an affinity for human foods, you could always consider home cooking.  I would only endorse this long term if you were to consult a veterinary nutritionist to custom formulate a balanced recipe for your dog.  Check out http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/ucvmc_sd/nutrition/nutrition_faq.cfm and www.balanceIT.com.

Dr. Julie Buzby is a homeschooling mom of seven, American Veterinary Chiropractic Association and International Veterinary Acupuncture Society certified holistic veterinarian, and passionate advocate for canine mobility. She can be found at Twitter @DrBuzby and on Facebook.com/ToeGrips. You'll also find more of Dr. Julie's posts at our Ask the Vet Archives page.

You may also enjoy reading her recent articles:

• 10 Tips for Fido's Longest Life
• Leaner Pets Live Longer
• Ask the Vet Welcomes Dr. Julie Buzby

Dr. Julie's opinion or advice does not replace an actual exam with a veterinarian.