How Stressed is Your Cat?

 

There are many different things that can cause our felines stress. New additions to the family (both of the four and two-legged variety), moving, changes in schedules, even a new piece of furniture can cause cats anxiety and stress. Besides the emotional and mental affects of stress, feline stress can cause a variety of health problems and can affect a cat’s behaviour in many different ways.

Common Stress-Related Behavioural Problems:

• urine marking
• vertical scratching
• over-grooming
• redirected aggression
• hiding, decreased activity, no interaction with owners

Common Stress-Related Medical Problems:

• Cystitis (inflammation of the bladder)
• Anorexia
• Obesity

 

Feliway is a synthetic copy of the natural feline facial pheromone proven to help reduce or prevent feline stress and the associated behavioural or medical problems. It is a replica of the natural feline marking pheromone that they use to designate their territory. Pheromones do not smell, and are processed only by the specific species they are produced by. 

Feliway can be used to help comfort and reassure cats while they cope with a challenging situation and help prevent or reduce the stress caused by a change in their environment. It comes in a few different methods of dispersement - a spray and a diffuser.

 

Diffuser:

• Need to place the diffuser in the most common area the animal will be and where the problem is occurring
• 1 diffuser will cover approx. 500-700 sq feet
• Needs to be plugged in all the time and can last 4-5 weeks
• Takes 24 hours to diffuse into a space
• Replace diffuser every 6 months or after 6 refills
• Should be no smell
• Do not place near vents or under a table as this may block the flow of the pheromones. Place in an open area to ensure optimal diffusion and effectiveness

Spray:

• Ideal for boarding animals, veterinary visits, car travel, vertical scratching, new elements in the house, spray 15 minutes before you put your cat into the area
• Needs 5 pumps into environment or carrier or surface
• Do not spray directly onto your cat
• The spray will have an immediate effect and lasts 5 hours in the environment
• Does not stain surfaces

Here at the Bowmanville Veterinary Clinic we have a designated cat room with a Feliway diffuser going all the time to ensure you cat's visit to the veterinary clinic is as stress free as possible.

For more information on Feliway and to learn more about cat behaviour, visit their webpage: http://www.feliway.com/ca_en

Chantelle Oliver, RVT
Bowmanville Veterinary Clinic

DON'T LET THE CUTENESS FOOL YOU...Continued

MacTavish recuperating after his first surgery to correct elbow dysplasia. 

Does this photo not tug at your heart strings? How can this little boy be nasty? When I warn people about him the reply is usually something like "oh but all dogs love me" as they approach him, not heeding my warning, and then when they are inches from his face and he lunges at them - teeth bared with every intention of biting - they seem surprised.   

Loving an aggressive dog as you can imagine comes with a plethora of problems; you have to be on your toes every second, have eyes in the back of your head, and be prepared for anything!! 

Our family lives on a court bustling with young children, who MacTavish loves to sit, watch and bark at. On one occasion he was sitting in his usual spot "keeping watch" and he saw one of the kids on our front lawn. He jumped up on the screen door with such force and determination and because the door wasn't latched properly it flew open. MacTavish bolted after the child and I bolted after him and screamed "STOP". Well the child certainly listened and came to a complete halt; luckily his father was right there to pick him up into his arms. That moment changed things for me; I realized that MacTavish truly was a very dangerous dog and if I wanted to keep him I had to make some drastic decisions and changes.  

I started to investigate some options and decided to try a "tens collar".  The collar sends a controlled impulse when a dog exhibits behaviour that is not acceptable. There are different levels on the collar and I have tested the levels on myself so I know what is uncomfortable. The idea is when he displays the negative behaviour and becomes so focused and immersed in his aggression that he is not aware of anything else going on around him, sending the electric impulse acts the same as someone tapping you on the shoulder to get your attention: "snap out of it" and then the behaviour stops. Some may say it's drastic, even cruel,  and I would have agreed with them before trying it but if I wanted to keep my dog alive and the community safe this is what I had to do. I did not make the decision lightly but once I had and spoke to others who knew MacTavish they were all in agreement that this was the most effective and quickest way to stop him from injuring someone. The problem with other methods for MacTavish is they would have taken a long time to get the desired behaviour from him (if at all) and time was not on our side. We needed him to change immediately. It is not the same as training your dog to sit, stay, walk calmly on a leash; those training behaviours can be taught over time if needed but with severe aggression every minute is too long. I am happy to say MacTavish has responded very well to the collar and we have gotten to a point now that just having the collar on is good enough.

I hope by sharing my story and the informed decision I made it will help others and give them options perhaps they have not explored.

So if you see MacTavish walking on the street I would still encourage you not to approach him...just admire him from a distance!

Sandra McBride, Practice Manager
Bowmanville Veterinary Clinic 

Introducing a New Pet to the Household

Ideally, you want to introduce a new pet slowly.  We had great plans for introducing Joy, our new kitten, to Gus and George, our older pets.  In my case we wanted to confine our new kitten, Joy, to a room in the house with litter and water and a bed to sleep in, spending lots of time with Joy, and with the older pets, individually.  Once Joy became comfortable, we would allow her access to the rest of the house while confining other pets.  In my defense, I did try to keep them separate, but Joy was more interested in investigating her new home and kept escaping into the rest of the apartment!  Introducing Joy to the dogs should have been done through a gate in the doorway, blocking the dogs from entering while allowing the new kitten the security of her safe place.  Each would have been fed treats so they associate their introduction with yummy treats.  We were planning on letting our new kitten set the pace.  If she hid, we would have let her, allowing her introduction to take a little longer.  Taking things slowly could help avoid a bad first impression.

The best laid plans!  Joy escaped my daughter’s room, where her bed, food, toys and litter were kept.  We were not ready for her introduction and neither were any of the other animals in the house!  Gus, one of our Shih Tzu's, saw Joy run and immediately his prey drive kicked in.   He went tearing after her at full speed, scaring her into action too.  It is a small apartment so she just ran in the opposite direction from Gus and found herself in a dead end, the bathroom.  We all followed, intending to rescue our new kitten from the big bad Shih Tzu.  The bathroom appeared empty except for Gus, who was sniffing around in search of what he thought would be his new favorite toy.  No sign of Joy in the bathroom, so we assumed she had doubled back without our noticing.  As we were leaving the bathroom I took one last look behind the door and there she was, in typical Sylvester style, claws locked into the wall balancing precariously on the top of the wainscoting, the hair on her back and tail straight up, and a look of sheer terror in her eyes.

That was their first introduction.  I worried that it would set the scene for the rest of their existence.  Luckily for us, Joy is a sparky girl with a huge attitude and a very forgiving personality.  She has indeed become Gus’ favorite toy but the feeling is totally mutual.  They often chase each other through the apartment and are later found curled up next to each other, the best of friends.

Laurie Hancock, Receptionist 

Bowmanville Veterinary Clinic

Understanding your dog’s point of view when it comes to the new baby; preparation, introduction and building a bond

I’ve had the pleasure of introducing many furry and feathered family members to our bundle of joy a year and half ago, and will be doing so again in the near future.  My biggest concern was would they accept him or her.  Having a Great Dane and a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, I was concerned about their size, strength, and apparent unawareness of where their tails and feet are at times.  A tail to the face as I was sitting on the couch or my toes pinched beneath their giant paws, was not unheard of, as they looked around dumbfounded as to the cause of my reaction. 

Unfortunately, injury to an infant or toddler by a dog is not always an accident and indeed can be preventable.  Aggression or fear of a new addition to the family is not breed specific, even your tried and true Labradors and Golden Retrievers have made the list of breeds that have injured children in their own home.  All dogs have teeth and all dogs have the potential to develop new behaviours, which you would have previously thought uncharacteristic of their personality, when a huge change is made to their everyday life.  Why does this happen?  Prey drive, jealousy, pain in our senior pets, or most commonly fear.

Does Fluffy the teacup poodle really have prey drive?  Of course, when she picks up her stuffed toy and shakes it or when she chases squirrels in the park, this is prey drive.  But why would your family dog see a new baby as prey?  Well, as far as your dog is concerned, baby’s noises and movements aren’t far off from his squeaky toys or wounded prey, respectively.  Baby also isn’t far off the size of some dog toys and even better, seems to be off limits, all things that peak your dog’s interest.  Even toddlers and older children make sounds and movements that enhance prey drive, running/yelling/flailing arms.  Many friendly dogs may see this as play at first, but if a child gets scared or screams or flails, this can arouse the dog further, to the point of a bite.

Another potential scenario which may lead to a dog bite is jealousy.  I use this term loosely, as it may be better understood as a possessiveness or territorial behavior towards the dog’s toys, food, or even their owner.  When possessive of their owner, this may be interpreted as by many as jealousy.  When a new family member suddenly becomes the centre of attention, requiring the furry baby to share his owner’s time, this can result in a displeased canine.  Some dogs may simply “pout” due to lack of their owner’s attention, others may nudge or even force their way closer to the owner, i.e., between the toddler/child and parent.  If the message is still not clear, a growl/snarl or even simple look may be offered as a warning.  Dogs are often reprimanded for this behaviour, and may start to associate the toddler with getting into trouble.  Even more dangerous, is when baby becomes mobile, and wants to explore Rover’s toys and food dish.

Let’s not forget our senior furry friends.  Just like people, as our dogs age, they may develop arthritis and resulting pain/stiffness.  They are less able to move quickly to get away from baby if they need to, and may resent what we think is normal touching/petting, due to pain.  It’s important to see your veterinarian to ensure that Old Blue’s joints aren’t causing him some discomfort and that perhaps he would benefit from some pain management.

Last, but certainly not least, is fear.  The most common reason for dogs to bite children is fear. 

A dog friendly towards adults does not necessarily translate into a dog that is friendly towards children.  For those dogs that were not exposed to kids, the sounds and movements of children are foreign to them. 

When children become mobile, dogs are less able to keep away, and may resort to giving a warning signal, which is often punished by the owner.  This will actually increase the dog’s fear/anxiety, possibly even causing them to hide their warning signs.  Eventually, the warning signs are skipped, and they may go straight to a bite.  Parents are often proud of their fur babies being so tolerant of children, who may impinge on their space, but dogs have limits too, and we need to respect that.  It’s not just about training our dogs, it’s about teaching our children to play and interact with pets, so that the pet enjoys, not simply tolerates, the interaction.

Bringing baby home for the first time is a big change for everyone in the family, but at least we get to prepare.  Think if one day by complete surprise you found a baby in your home.  As humans we have 9 months to prepare mentally for this big change.  For our dogs, they find out the day baby comes through the door.  Although they may sense an impending change, they do not know exactly what it entails.  It is our job as responsible pet owners to prepare our dogs for this momentous event.

So, what do you need to do?  

• Set your dog up to succeed, teach him boundaries, and what to do to get what he wants.   This all needs to take place before baby comes home.  We want to teach manners and patience, for example, teach him to ‘sit’ for everything, yes literally everything—treats, toys, meal time, play, going outside, even attention/petting.  It’s not mean to make a dog work, it gives them a means to communicate politely and the comfort of knowing what they need to do to get what it is they want.  You want him to look to you for instruction, especially as many new situations will soon present.   Frequent short training sessions at home (10 mins a few times/day) is an excellent way of getting yourself into the habit of interacting with your dog to achieve the appropriate behavior.  
• It can help to expose your dog to recordings of babies, and train during these sounds, making sure to give lots of treats and praise.   Start with a low volume and work your way up.  
• If possible, bring a blanket home with baby’s scent prior to baby’s arrival, with which your dog can familiarize himself with the scent.  This item is not for him to have, only to smell politely as he sits calmly.  He should understand that this is your blanket and that he needs to respect it. This will help to decrease his curiosity when baby arrives, as the scent will not be brand new. 
• When you arrive home, hold baby safely out of his reach, have him sit and reward him for being calm (no whining/jumping).  
• Practice scenarios that may occur once baby arrives, such as walking with a stroller, controlled walking up and down stairs, having visitors to your home.  Make sure your dog has an escape that he is familiar and comfortable with, such as a crate, gated area, or own room, for once baby becomes mobile.  
• Teach your dog that when people approach his food bowl, good things happen to him, or that it’s fun to give his toys because he gets treats or the toy back for doing so.  Train him to love handling.  I’m sure that you will teach your child to stay away from your dog when he’s eating or sleeping or to pet him nicely, but accidents do happen, so remember to give your dog the tools to deal with these situations appropriately.  
• The key is to anticipate and prevent.  It’s always those cases where people get too comfortable and say ‘Oh, he would never bite’.  So, what do you do if your dog does give a warning (e.g. growl)?  Best thing is to redirect the child to another activity first.  If the child is persistent, then you can call Fido over and praise him for ‘coming’.  This avoids punishing him for communicating with a warning and rewards him for the correct behaviour (to simply leave the situation).  
• Counterintuitive, but ignore your dog to some degree when baby is away or sleeping, as opposed to dotting on him because you have the time; you want to reward him for good behaviour when baby is nearby, so that he’ll learn that good things happen to him when baby is around.  Along these same lines, ensure that guilt doesn’t push you to increase the attention paid to your dog in the time frame immediately before baby arrives home, this only creates a more drastic change for Fido.  
• Finally, do not allow your dog into your baby’s sleeping area as he pleases.  You can allow him to investigate the nursery, but ultimately, he should understand that he is allowed in only at your request.  This plays a part in making your dog understand that baby, as small as he/she is, ranks just as high as you in his pack.

Formal obedience classes will also help to generalize these behaviours outside the home and in the presence of distractions.  Ultimately, no matter how much training you do, never leave your dog alone with an infant or small child.

You are the mediator, so recognize the warning signs, and know if your dog needs more space or if your toddler needs help understanding how to interact with animals.  If you need help with specific training techniques or recognition of warning signals, don’t hesitate to visit your veterinary team, as they are well versed in these areas.

Dr. Lauren Brownell, DVM

DON'T LET THE CUTENESS FOOL YOU...HE WILL BITE!!!

Meet MacTavish, our very adorable 2 year male Skye Terrier...don’t let that face fool you HE WILL BITE!

Our family were no strangers to Skye Terriers when we welcomed MacTavish into our home, he is our third. Our other two Skye’s were rescues, so we had no background on them and they too could be a little “grumpy,” as we used to call them. The breed is known to be somewhat aloof and cautious with strangers, but fiercely loyal to their family

We brought MacTavish home at 10 weeks of age and right from day one he was showing signs of aggression, letting out little growls when we did something he didn’t like. I would quickly reprimand him (of course no hitting) but we would send him to his mat and ignore him for a bit.

When I brought him to see Dr. Korver at the Bowmanville Veterinary Clinic for a health check he growled at her and tried to bite. I was very concerned and wanted to get a handle on the situation quickly, so I booked an appointment with a canine behaviouralist. True to form, he tried to bite him as well.  At least he was predictable? The behaviouralist agreed he was aggressive, but we just needed to show him who was boss; he gave us some handouts and advice and sent us on our way.

But to our dismay, he became even more aggressive towards strangers and we had to introduce the muzzle for his safety and of course the safety of others.  

At five months of age, MacTavish was diagnosed with bi-lateral elbow dysplasia; Ahah!  It was the pain causing his aggression, or so I thought. He had both elbows operated on one month apart and then the long road of rehabilitation, during this time he, I will admit, was SPOILED!! 

Once we felt his pain was under control we thought he would be a new dog with a happy go lucky attitude…NOT!  He hated strangers even more.

We took him to a canine trainer and began the long journey….

The first thing the trainer said was he will never be a tail wagging, happy to meet everyone kind of dog. The goal was to stop him from biting strangers. That is good enough for us since we are devoted to him and love him dearly.  

Stay tuned for more on “Loving the Aggressive Dog”.

Sandra McBride, Practice Manager

Bowmanville Veterinary Clinic