Short Takes

Post-Clipping Bacterial Infection

Short-nosed (brachycephalic) dogs often have lifelong breathing problems because their pushed-in nasal cavities are too compromised for proper respiration. Now a new study says that a short snout predisposes a dog to sleep apnea, a condition of many interruptions in sleep throughout the night that are so brief they go unnoticed but can result in extreme daytime fatigue. People with sleep apnea are not only more tired than others, they are more disposed to a variety of illnesses that include high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. The same may be true for dogs.

Signs of canine hypothyroidism — too little of certain thyroid hormones — often come on subtly and slowly, progressing over years, and therefore can be easy to miss or misattribute to advancing age. These signs often include poor coat quality, lethargy, mental dullness, exercise intolerance, and weight gain. If this constellation of symptoms describes your dog, it’s worth discussing whether an evaluation for hypothyroidism is in order, as treatment is available.

The smoke from wildfires coming south from Canada this year affected people’s breathing across much of the northern tier of the country. Dogs have it worse than people because they can’t wear masks to keep out toxic particulates. At least one major veterinary hospital saw an uptick in cases of breathing difficulties among dogs affected by the smoky air. Exposure can cause irritation to the throat, nose, and eyes and even coughing and gagging.

It’s an unfortunate catch-22: People who are nervous around dogs are the ones who tend to bring out their aggressive tendencies. Their anxiety transfers to the animal. Research has shown, in fact, that anxious people have a higher incidence of getting bitten by a dog.

If your older dog has begun pacing the floors at night and having trouble settling down, it could be a sign of dementia, just as people with age-related dementia may feel restless at night with a sign of Alzheimer’s disease known as sundowner’s syndrome. When researchers at North Carolina State University studied 28 dogs ages 10 to 16, they found that those with dementia took longer to fall asleep and spent less time sleeping. The higher the dementia score, the less time the dogs spent in both REM and non-REM sleep.

More and more people are opting for euthanasia at home. It could cost about $100 more than at the veterinarian’s office, but it allows a dog to drift off peacefully in his favorite spot.  It also allows you to grieve without having to drive or be around other people.

Outdoor Restaurant Seating Now Includes Your Dog

Veterinarians Can Now Become Board-Certified in Shelter Medicine

As the legalization of marijuana expands, veterinary emergency rooms are seeing an increase in canine cases of marijuana toxicity, according to research published in the Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care. The problem most commonly occurs via ingestion, although inhalation can also cause problems. Common clinical signs of marijuana poisoning include urinary incontinence, disorientation, drunken gait, lethargy, hyperesthesia (increased reactivity), and low heart rate.

People often assume that if their dog had mouth pain, he would stop eating. Not true, say Tufts health professionals Yuki Nakayama, DVM, and certified veterinary technician Kate Zukowski. They report that dogs rarely stop eating due to oral pain, getting around it by chewing on the other side, swallowing their food whole, or perhaps showing a preference for softer foods.