Squeamish Beware!



Chuy

Today’s blog is difficult to write.  It’s like I’m sharing a dirty family secret.  My dog Chuy has Coprophagia (the name given to the habit of eating stools-either the dog’s own or another animal’s).  It’s not pretty, but it’s a fairly common problem. Chuy has done this all his life as far as I know.  He may have picked up the habit when at the shelter when he was a hungry puppy.  I had hoped it was something he would grow out of but he will still do it from time-to-time. 

 

Research suggests several reasons as to why a dog develops this habit:

• Dogs are basically scavengers (they eat what they can to survive)
• They are wired to keep their “dens” clean and tidy
• Inattentive parents (the dog may be doing it for attention)

I’ve also learned that there are medical reasons as to why a dog has Coprophagia, but these are not common.  To name a few: dogs with malabsorption syndrome, dogs on corticosteroid therapy, those with Cushing’s syndrome, diabetes mellitus, hyperthyroidism, and intestinal parasites.  

Chuy does not have any of the medical reasons above, however our vet does caution us to watch for parasites in his stool in case he ingests something that contained larva of some variety.

I don’t think Coprophagia is uncommon so thought I would share some of the things we do to curb his nasty habit:

• Keep walks around the sixes.  We’ve learned that both Chuy and Nikki’s general potty routine is around 6:00am and 6:00pm.  We try to keep twice daily walks around this time so we can pick up the tempting pleasure.  If we see either dog potty in the backyard we try to pick it up as soon as possible (we also spot check often).
• Either chop carrots smaller or switch to another bulky supplement (like green beans) that is not as sweet when supplementing my dogs’ food. (I’ve been adding chunks of carrots to the dogs’ food to help control weight gain but this makes the stools tastier to Chuy as the carrots don’t digest thoroughly.)
• Keep toys and other distractions in the yard to curb boredom.
• No access allowed to the litter box (although our cat has since passed).
• Keep Chuy away from flower beds when on a walk (they seem to be a favorite potty spot for some cats in our neighborhood)  

I have not tried any of the additives below but have learned of them while doing research on this subject: 

 

A number of ingredients have been suggested as additives to the dog’s food to improve digestion or to render the stools unappetizing. A partial list includes meat tenderizers, crushed pineapple, Viokase, B-complex vitamins, sulfur, glutamic acid, monosodium glutamate, sauerkraut, and canned pumpkin. There are no scientific studies to prove or disprove the effectiveness of any of these additives, but anecdotal reports suggest they may be of benefit in some cases.   A product that may be recommended by your vet is called Forbid.   It is made from alfalfa that gives the stool a disagreeable odor and taste.

 

I would suggest you check with your vet about Coprophagia before you make any changes to your dog’s diet and to ensure your beloved pet does not have a medical condition that needs attention.

 

P. Miner - Heart of Texas Lab Rescue Volunteer Coordinator

Top 10 Reason’s to Foster a Heart of Texas Lab Rescue Pup

1.   Animal shelters are scary places.

 

2.   It’s hot.  Dogs need a friend and air-conditioning!

3.   There are only reruns on TV; a Lab would provide hours of entertainment and help you start an exercise routine.  All that, with a bonus of unconditional love.

4.   Fostering would be a great summer project for that teen in your house that loves dogs and would benefit from taking on a community service project (with your supervision of course).

 

5.  Labs come in all sizes and special needs; we’ll try to match your requirements (cat friendly, exercise level, etc.).

6.  Your assistance will help us place the dog with the perfect forever home (think bragging rights)!

7.  Your pet could get a new BFF and help socialize a Lab that is eager to join his or her forever pack.

8.  It does not take as much time as you think; the sweet pup is grateful for your attention and will learn quickly (they are a smart breed and adaptable).  Fostering can be as long-term or short-term as you would like.

9.   Every day you will see changes in your foster that will amaze and tug at your heart strings; Labs are resilient and so eager to please.  You will be very proud of the work you have done.

 

10.   The Heart of Texas Lab Rescue is in desperate need of fosters.  Without fosters we cannot save the lives of so many wonderful dogs.  If you can’t foster, please help spread the word of our need to family and friends, you might be surprised at who steps up.

Volunteer at:  www.hotlabrescue.org

Submitted by Paula. Miner, Heart of Texas Lab Rescue Volunteer Coordinator

Attack of the Shed Monster

The calendar may say summer doesn’t officially start until Thursday, but one step outside proves otherwise.  Heat and humidity offer a too-close-for-comfort embrace, making anyone want to evacuate towards the closest air conditioned space.  It also makes me reach for cooler clothes, with generally less (still appropriate) fabric.  Aware for quite some time that “winter” was nowhere near long enough, the dogs have been preparing for the upcoming heat the last few weeks with the start of seasonal shedding. What started as a small bundle of fur floating to the floor after a tummy rub, or a few loose hairs set free after a back scratch has recently turned into a full on shed-fest.  Short-haired and bare-bellied Doggie even makes significant contributions to the fur pile. His white hair, often mistaken for Pumpkin’s lighter flank fur, he gladly lets her take the blame.  Daisee and Pumpkin seem to shed their body weight in fur on a weekly basis.  An innocent love pat, shake, or stretch releases enough fur to coat the carpet.  Knowing this process allows for a new, healthy coat to grow, it’s shocking to think that much fur was needed for a mild Texas winter.  I’ll admit, I am continually amazed at the shear generation of dead hair and find amusement when I look down at the floor after some distracted petting and see a mound of hair.

On a doomed mission to stop the shedding, I know I will never succeed!  A dog’s hair grows in a three-phase cycle.  First is the anagen phase in which the hair grows rapidly.  Just before it reaches full length, the short catogen phase is entered and hair growth ends.  Finally, the Labrador’s favorite stage, telogen, during which no growth occurs and the shedding onslaught begins.  Knowing that shedding is a natural process that can’t be stop, what’s a dog lover to do?

Brushing, of course, is a good first step to displace loose hair.  I use a FURminator on Pumpkin and Daisee with great success.  The amount of hair littering the yard after a furmination looks like an oversized plush toy recently run over by a lawn mower, and is limited only by the tiring of my arms. Without a doubt, the FURminator works on our Labs.  It also works fairly well on our cat who only endures the process for 2-3 minutes before claws come out.  As its main function is to remove fur belonging to the undercoat, I do find, at least for Pumpkin, her fur to be a little less soft after a good furmination.  Neither of the Labs enjoys furmination of the tail, and Pumpkin often doesn’t tolerate the treatment on her Golden Retriever-like flanks. 

Doggie is a bit more sensitive, and with his short hair, a Kong Zoom Groom (rubber brush with stout nubs) works well.  The nubs dislodge loose hair on the top coat and provide somewhat of a massage in the process.  Some in the Retriever community give high praise to an undercoat rake.  With no firsthand experience, comments suggest the FURminator “cuts” hair that is not loose, while an undercoat rake simply removes hair that is already loose. A good bathing does wonders for all three of our dogs, though the results seem short-lived.  A dog’s coat does provide much needed insulation, even in the summer months, so make sure you opt for a trim and not a buzz cut if you go the grooming route. 

Best of luck to all who try to tame the shed monster this summer!

Written by Lori Burkhardt- HOTLR volunteer, former foster mom, adopter and dog lover

Back to Obedience School -

I recently put myself and my two year old black Lab Chuy back through obedience school (more for my benefit than his).

A little bit of history...my first adopted rescue Nikki was a handful. She needed to learn social skills to deal with people and dogs. Our first walks together became super stressful because she would react to every dog and every person she saw. I knew we needed guidance from professionals. We were lucky enough to take a few classes with the late Lee Mannix. He jokingly called my yellow Lab "Blondie" and said she was super smart; she just needed a job. We diligently followed through with the steps of the program and become a human "pack leaders". Nikki responded beautifully. She went from the "worst in the class" (always in timeout) to top of the class. She learned to look to us for guidance rather than react to all situations. Today, we accept the fact that she will never be perfect, but she has come a long way. For the most part her public behavior is acceptable (we can proudly take her to Petsmart and only on rare occasions will she decide to have a melt down and bark at a dog that looks at her wrong). She will always be shy and a little reticent to meet strangers but I know she now has coping mechanisms.

Having been through extensive training with Nikki, you would think when we adopted eight month old Chuy we would have used the tried and true approach with his training. Not so. Chuy is the opposite of Nikki; friendly and outgoing with all humans and dogs. We spoiled him rotten. When he turned two we realized we had created a monster. He knew the basic commands, but was very stubborn about whether or not he would obey them. He did not see us as "pack leader" but saw himself as center of the universe (my interpretation). I decided that the best thing for Chuy was for "me" to go back to obedience school. I won't say that Chuy was the most improved in the class, because he started out in a pretty good place, but he has improved immensely. I needed to re-learn what I should have been doing. I also have a new fresh perspective that training should be on-going and fun for both you and your dog.


Written by: P. Miner - Heart of Texas Lab Rescue Volunteer Coordinator, adopter of two rescues.