Do you know how to prevent dog bites? Here's some expert advice

By Kim Campbell Thornton

It's easy to find information on the signals dogs give before they bite and ways to prevent dog bites. But a recent study published in the Journal of Veterinary Behaviour found that educating people about canine body language and high-risk situations isn't enough. All too often, people believe dog bites won't happen to them or that their dog won't bite, and they ignore a dog's warning signs.

"Nobody wants to believe that their beloved dog would cause harm, but all dogs have the potential to bite, whether it be in aggression or in play," says Carri Westgarth, Ph.D., a dog behavior expert at the University of Liverpool's Institute of Infection and Global Health. She and other researchers suggest that raising awareness of that reality is an important part of successful dog bite prevention.

What are the situations in which bites are most likely to occur, either to people or other animals? Trainer and expert witness in dog bite cases Jill Kessler-Miller of Palos Verdes, California, notes the following:

-- When dogs are off their leash and off their property.

-- When people carelessly permit dogs on extendible leashes to roam.

-- When children and dogs are left unsupervised.

Dog bite attorney Kenneth M. Phillips of Beverly Hills, California, says other common situations that invite bites involve unsupervised children entering a yard with a dog or dogs in it; dogs who are tethered; unneutered male dogs; and multiple dogs.

Mistakes people make include reaching in to break up a dogfight, getting too close to a dog's face and letting dogs approach other dogs or people without first asking permission.

Even the nicest dog can bite if he feels threatened, but most bites are preventable with 10 reasonable precautions.

1. Teach dogs to wait for permission before approaching other animals or people.

2. Use a 4- to 6-foot leash instead of an extendible leash. It's too easy to let a dog get out of control, and the leashes can injure people as well.

"People get tangled in them, thrown off their feet and have had fingers torn off," Miller says.

3. Be alert to your surroundings so you know if other people or animals are approaching. You need to always be ready to either control your dog if he's reactive or get him out of harm's way if an aggressive dog approaches.

4. Teach children to ask permission before approaching any dog.

5. Take your dog to puppy kindergarten followed by obedience class. They are opportunities to work on training and socialization. Consider taking the class again so your dog gets more practice, especially if he is a large or active breed or mix.

6. Stay out of dog parks. They can be breeding grounds for canine bad behavior, such as bullying and aggression.

7. Pay attention to your own actions. Don't put your face close to a dog's face, especially if you don't know him or if he has been injured. That's just asking for a bite. The dog doesn't know you're trying to be friendly or to console him.

8. To separate fighting dogs, avoid the head, where the teeth are. Each owner should grab his dog's hind legs and pull the dogs away from each other.

"Don't let go," Miller says. "They will re-engage."

9. If you or your pet are bitten, clean the wound thoroughly and seek medical or veterinary attention. Report the bite to animal control.

10. Don't ignore or downplay aggressive behavior from your dog or someone else's dog, such as lunging, pulling on the leash or growling when he sees other people or animals. Nipping is a red flag, too. Dogs who get away with it become more ambitious and may graduate to more serious bites. Get help from a certified applied animal behaviorist or veterinary behaviorist.

Q&A

Itchy bunny may have

parasites, allergies

Q: My rabbit seems to really be scratching himself a lot and is starting to lose fur. What could be causing his itchiness? -- via Facebook

A: Skin problems aren't unusual in rabbits, and itching and hair loss are common signs. The "usual suspects" in these cases are parasites such as fleas, rabbit ear mites (Psoroptes cuniculi), Cheyletiella mites and mange mites (Sarcoptes scabei), or environmental allergies to bedding, chemicals used to clean cages or treat fabrics or other materials in the home, such as cedar wood shavings.

Your veterinarian is the only one who can make a diagnosis, and only after examining your rabbit. He or she may suspect ear mites if your rabbit is shaking his head frequently, scratching at the ears and head or has a thick, reddish-brown crust in the ears. If you notice this type of crustiness, don't try to remove it by cleaning the ears. That would put your bunny in a world of hurt. Your veterinarian will prescribe medication to kill the mites.

Rabbits can pick up fleas from dogs or cats in the home. If they live in an outdoor hutch, they may also be exposed to a different species of flea carried by wild rabbits in the area.

Cheyletiella and sarcoptic mange, caused by different types of mites, are diagnosed through skin scrapings that are examined microscopically for the presence of the mites.

Depending on the problem, your veterinarian will likely prescribe a topical or oral treatment, such as ivermectin, Revolution or Advantage. The medication and dose will need to be tailored to your rabbit, so don't assume it's OK to use the same product or amount you use on your dog or cat. Some products can be fatal to rabbits.

If an environmental allergy is suspected, try changing the bedding, washing the cage thoroughly to make sure all traces of cleansers are removed and switching to a scent-free detergent or fabric softener for any items the bunny comes in contact with. -- Dr. Marty Becker

Do you have a pet question? Send it to askpetconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

Cats beat dogs in

evolutionary race

-- Cats beat up dogs in the distant past, according to a study of 2,000 ancient fossils published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. More than 30 dog species were living the dream on the North American continent some 20 million years ago. Then cats arrived from Asia and started kicking dog tail, outcompeting canines for food with their awesome hunting skills.

"The arrival of cats to North America had a deadly impact on the diversity of the dog family," says the report's lead author, Dr. Daniele Silvestro, of Switzerland's University of Lausanne. Today, North America has only nine species of wild dog. No evidence shows that dogs wiped out any felid species.

-- Illinois becomes the latest state to protect pets from being left in cars in extreme weather conditions. With an amendment to The Humane Care for Animals Act, it becomes a misdemeanor to "expose the dog or cat in a manner that places the dog or cat in a life-threatening situation for a prolonged period of time in extreme heat or cold conditions that results in injury to or death of the animal." People convicted of violations face a fine of up to $2,500 or up to one year in jail. The legislation goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2016.

-- Is there a snake in your garden? Your first instinct might be to kill it, but snakes, even venomous ones, play an important role in the ecosystem. Len Ramirez of Auburn, California, travels the state humanely removing and relocating rattlers. To find a similar service in your area, contact animal control, a local herpetological association or your nearest university extension service for a recommendation, or do an Internet search for "humane snake removal" and let the experts handle it. They can also advise you on how to snake-proof your property so you won't have any more unwanted visits. -- Kim Campbell Thornton

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. They are affiliated with Vetstreet.com and are the authors of many best-selling pet-care books. Joining them is dog trainer and behavior consultant Mikkel Becker. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/KimCampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

Caption 01: An estimated 4.5 million dog bites occur each year in the United States. Children and men are most likely to be bitten, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Position: Main Story

Caption 02: Competition from cats played a more important role than climate change in the extinction of a number of ancient wild dog species. Position: Pet Buzz/Item 1

Mourning the loss of a pet takes different forms

By Kim Campbell Thornton

It's strange to see an empty cage every time I go into the kitchen. For 28 years, our African ringneck parakeet, Larry, greeted the day with a cheery "Good morning!" But a few weeks ago, when my husband woke up and went to prepare the dogs' breakfast, there was only silence. Larry was dead at the bottom of his cage.

He seemed fine the previous evening when I put him up for the night, but we consoled ourselves with the thought that he had lived the typical span of years for a ringneck. Still, he had been with us the longest of any of our animals, and his absence cast a pall over the house.

I called his veterinary clinic to pass on the news. I knew the staff would be devastated. Larry was a popular boarder when we were away on trips. One time I went to pick him up, and a collective "Aww" of disappointment emanated from the back room when the receptionist called to have him brought up front. His veterinarian, Dr. Kristi Krause, returned my call a little while later to offer condolences.

"Larry was an awesome bird," she said. That sentiment was echoed by former Bird Talk magazine editor Kathleen Etchepare Samuelson. "I always loved his beautiful bright-green feathers and happy personality," she said.

We noted his demise on Facebook, of course. Larry met lots of people over the years and charmed them all with his conversation: "Larry's a good bird," "Larry's a pretty bird," "Whatcha doin'?" "I love you!" "Gimme a kiss" (followed by smacking sounds). He was also famous for meowing with such authenticity that it often prompted people to look around for a cat. He received nearly 80 tributes from friends who had either known him in person or admired him in photos.

Our most amusing memory of Larry is one told to us secondhand. Our neighbors, who had a caique named Pogo, were caring for Larry at their house while we were on a trip. One night, they were watching a movie with both birds, and Larry kept talking over the dialogue. Finally, Pogo turned to him and said, "Shh." Larry shut up.

It was hard to know how to memorialize Larry. Burning a candle didn't seem right, since we avoided burning them during his life to ensure that the fumes didn't kill him. He didn't have a collar and tags that we could put in a keepsake box. His veterinarian offered to have us bring him in to make a toe-print memento, but we prefer photos, and we have several nice ones of him.

Other ideas I've seen include writing about the animal, purchasing a children's book on dealing with the loss of a pet and donating it to a local library or school with a label inside dedicating the book to the pet's memory, framing a favorite picture of the animal or having a professional portrait made from a photo, making a donation to a shelter or rescue group in the pet's memory and planting a living memorial such as a bush, tree or flower. We've done several of those things for various pets over the years and will choose from among them for Larry.

The University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine suggests sharing photos and stories of a deceased pet, and that's what our Facebook notification ended up being. And it seems appropriate as I write this that National Pet Memorial Day is coming up on Sept. 13. We will think of Larry fondly on that day and many others.

Goodnight, Larry. We'll miss you, good bird.

Q&A

How to enrich a

home-alone dog

Q: I have a new job, and it's requiring me to work a lot more hours. What are some ways that I can still spend quality time with my dog and help keep him from getting bored? -- via Facebook

A: You are so right to realize that your dog needs more activity and interaction than just sleeping all day and a quick walk when you get home. Mental and physical stimulation are important to a pet's well-being. Fortunately, there are lots of great ways you can enrich your dog's environment and keep his brain and body active both when you're home and when you're away.

-- Give him something to listen to. Leave on a classical music station to provide calming sounds. He might also enjoy the sounds and voices on a nature or travel channel.

-- Put his brain cells to work with puzzle toys. Fill one with treats or even with his daily allotment of dry food so that he spends his day "hunting" for food.

-- Use some of your time with him to teach some new tricks. Any dog can learn new things, not just puppies and young adults, and the activity is a good physical and mental workout. If you're really ambitious, you can save yourself some time and effort in the long run by teaching him to pick up and put away his toys.

-- Don't rush through walks. Let him spend a few minutes here and there sniffing at whatever he finds interesting. You can check your email while he checks his pee-mail.

-- Really "be" with your dog while you walk. If you're wearing headphones, you're not interacting. Talk to him -- dogs love the sound of our voices -- and watch his reaction to things as you walk. You'll learn more about him, and you'll be more aware of your surroundings and any approaching animals or people who could cause problems. -- Mikkel Becker

Do you have a pet question? Send it to askpetconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

Cat named Corduroy

assumes "oldest" crown

-- After the recent death of Tiffany Two at age 27, a new cat holds the Guinness World Record for oldest living cat. The feline geezer is named Corduroy, and he's 26 years old. Corduroy, born Aug. 1, 1989, lives with Ashley Reed Okura, who acquired him as a kitten when she was 7 years old. Corduroy still has a ways to go before he beats the record of the oldest cat ever known: Creme Puff, who lived 38 years (1967-2005). The average cat lives 15 years.

-- How do you invite your dog to play? Depending on your signal, he might not understand exactly what you're asking, according to research published in the journal Animal Behaviour. After videotaping people playing with their dogs, scientists found that dogs responded to the most common play signal -- patting the floor -- only 38 percent of the time. The most successful invitations to play included chasing or running away from the dog, bowing from the waist, making a quick movement toward the dog, tapping the chest to encourage the dog to jump up, grabbing or touching the dog's paws and imitating a play bow -- knees on the ground and arms flat on the floor.

-- Thanks to Operation K-9 Care Package, you can support a military working dog team with helpful items such as Wubbas, tennis balls, Kongs and other heavy-duty chew toys; collapsible nylon water bowls; bandannas; nail clippers; and more. For human team members, think sunblock, hand sanitizer, hand cream, travel-size tissue packets, chewing gum, cotton swabs, toothpaste and toothbrushes. For more information on how and where to send items, visit uswardogs.org/k9-care. You can also make a financial donation with a check or money order made out to Operation K-9 Care Package, 2000 W. County Rd. B2, #130605, St. Paul, MN 55113. -- Kim Campbell Thornton

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. They are affiliated with Vetstreet.com and are the authors of many best-selling pet-care books. Joining them is dog trainer and behavior consultant Mikkel Becker Johnson. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/KimCampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker Johnson is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

Caption 01: African ringneck parakeets typically live 20 to 28 years. Position: Main Story

Caption 02: Combining speech with body language helps to encourage dogs to play. Position: Pet Buzz/Item 2

What should you do if you see a dog in a car on a hot day? Experts weigh in

By Kim Campbell Thornton

It's 69 degrees and cloudy at the beach, with a humidity level of 83 percent and no breeze. You see a dog locked in a truck with the sunroof open but all the windows rolled up. There's no sunshade blocking the windshield, and the dog doesn't appear to have water. He's barking frantically.

Several news stories recently have reported on people breaking into cars to rescue dogs locked in, only to be arrested for their good deed. In response, at least one state, Tennessee, has legalized the act, making it an extension of the state's Good Samaritan law -- but only if the rescuer takes certain steps beforehand, such as searching for the owner and notifying law enforcement.

How do you know when a dog is at risk, and what should you do?

Factors to consider include whether the car is in the shade, the color of the car (dark-colored cars get hotter faster), whether windows are rolled down, if there's a breeze and the age and breed of the dog or cat, says Valerie Schomburg, animal control supervisor for Newport Beach, California, police department. Older animals or those with heavy coats or short snouts are more susceptible to heat.

"Brachycephalic breeds like Pugs have a hard time breathing anyway," she says. "If you put an older pug in a black car with the windows rolled up, he's going to be at a disadvantage."

Look to see if the owner has made an effort to protect the pet from the heat, such as parking the vehicle in the shade with all windows open, covering the windshield with a sunscreen or the cargo area with an awning and crating the dog with a full water dish and a running crate fan. If that's the situation and the dog is calm and not in distress, you likely have less cause for concern.

Use common sense. If it's a summer evening, after sunset and dogs are in cars with windows open and the owners are standing right there, the dog's not at risk. (Yes, I have seen someone raise concerns in just that situation.)

If the dog doesn't have a shady spot in the car and is panting heavily, drooling, seems disoriented or shows other signs of distress, take action. That can range from going inside a coffee shop or grocery store and having the owner paged to calling the police or animal control.

"Some people may be embarrassed to call law enforcement, but you want to get someone on the way who can do something," says Temma Martin of Salt Lake City, a spokesperson for Best Friends Animal Society. "If it takes them 10 minutes to get there, that 10 minutes could be as long as the pet has in the car on a hot day."

Schomburg says Newport Beach officers respond to all calls. "If it's December and it's cold and rainy, we still respond. We don't ever want to make a judgment like, 'Oh, I think it's OK today.'"

Be prepared to give information as to the condition of the dog and the description and location of the car. If you can, stay there to flag down the responder so he or she knows where to go.

Unless the dog is barely alive, it's best not to try to remove him yourself. He could bite you or run away or the owner could have you charged with breaking into the car. Once animal control or police show up, give a statement and leave. Don't get into a screaming match with the owner if he or she shows up. Let law enforcement handle it.

"Between pet owners making good decisions and witnesses making good decisions, lives can be saved," Martin says.

Q&A

Is clinical trial

right for cat?

Q: My cat has an injection-site sarcoma, and I'm thinking of enrolling him in a clinical study that will look at a new way to deliver chemotherapy. What are some things I should consider? -- via email

A: Clinical trials have resulted in better treatments, improved survival of pets and new ways to predict the success of treatments, but there's a lot to consider. First, talk to your veterinarian. Ask how the treatment your cat is or will be receiving differs from the treatment being investigated. Your veterinarian should be able to tell you if participation in the study will have a positive or negative effect on your cat's quality of life, as well as other pros and cons of the study.

The study's research coordinator can tell you if there are any costs to enrolling in the study (usually not), what treatments and aftercare your cat will receive, the type of results you may expect and what the potential side effects of the treatment might be. Your veterinarian and the research coordinator can help you decide whether the potential benefits outweigh the potential side effects.

Cancer can be painful, even if it's being treated. Make sure your cat will receive pain medication during the study. That should be standard in any clinical trial.

Some clinical trials are placebo-controlled, meaning that some pets get the treatment and some receive a placebo (inert substance). If this study is placebo-controlled and your cat is in the placebo group, ask if he would be eligible afterward to receive the treatment being investigated.

A major factor is your cat's temperament. Is he a laid-back kitty or one who's easily stressed? How will he react to having to go in for treatment?

Finally, you should be free to remove your cat from the study at any time if you think that's best for him.

Having this information will help you and your veterinarian decide if participation in the clinical trial will benefit your cat. -- Dr. Marty Becker

Do you have a pet question? Send it to askpetconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

Beneath the cat's paw:

feline toe-paw-graphy

-- Have you ever looked at your cat's toes -- really looked at them? They have five toes on their front paws, but only four of them touch the ground when a cat is walking. The fifth toe, known as a dewclaw, is the feline equivalent of the thumb. While it's not opposable, the dewclaw does help the cat grasp things and climb trees. The toe anatomy makes it easy for cats to go up trees, but not so easy to come back down. The back paws have four toes but no dewclaws. Some cats have extra toes and are known as polydactyls, meaning "many fingers."

-- A little anxiety tends to help us perform better in stressful situations, but too much can make us fail. Turns out the same is true for our dogs, according to a recent study published in Animal Cognition. Highly excitable dogs respond best to a neutral tone of voice, while mellow pets perform their best when urged on in an upbeat tone of voice. Service dogs, who must work in the face of distractions, usually stay cool in stressful situations, more so than pets who aren't as highly trained. Try adjusting your tone of voice to match your dog's temperament, and see if it affects how he responds to your commands.

-- A new species has been added to the canine family tree, raising the number of living canid species from 35 to 36. Although they share a strong resemblance, DNA evidence shows that the golden jackals of East Africa and Eurasia are two different species, according to a July 30 report in the journal Current Biology. "This represents the first discovery of a 'new' canid species in Africa in over 150 years," says Klaus-Peter Koepfli of the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Washington, D.C. The previously unrecognized species has been named the African golden wolf. -- Dr. Marty Becker, Mikkel Becker and Kim Campbell Thornton

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. They are affiliated with Vetstreet.com and are the authors of many best-selling pet-care books. Joining them is dog trainer and behavior consultant Mikkel Becker. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/KimCampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

Caption 01: A rule of thumb is that if it's warmer than 70 degrees, it's too hot to leave your dog in the car. Short-nosed dogs are especially at risk. Position: Main Story

Caption 02: Cats have approximately 27 bones in each paw, including the toes and dewclaws. Position: Pet Buzz/Item 1