Cats with painful conditions or injuries can benefit from physical rehab techniques

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

Underwater treadmills, exercise balls, wobble boards, range of motion exercises: I’m not talking about the offerings at your local gym, but about rehab options for cats. Yes, cats.

While you might have trouble imagining a cat powering through an underwater treadmill workout, it turns out that given the right motivation and handling, cats respond well to rehab therapies that help to relieve pain and heal injuries.

Thanks to their anatomy -- being loose jointed and light on their paws -- cats are less likely than dogs to suffer traumatic injuries such as broken bones from falls, but with age they begin to develop stiff hips, elbows, stifles (knees) and tarsi (ankle) joints. Back arthritis is common, too. In cats older than 6 years, 61 percent show signs of degenerative joint disease, a figure that rises to 90 percent in cats older than 12 years.

“If you have a cat that’s middle-aged, this cat most likely is going to develop degenerative joint disease,” said Carolina Medina, DVM, in last month’s VMX presentation "Purrfect Rehab: Mobility and Pain Management Techniques for Cats."

Cats can also suffer nerve damage, such as vascular or compressive injuries to the spinal cord, or deformities that make it difficult for them to use their limbs. An example would be a heritable condition called sacrocaudal dysgenesis, seen in Manx cats. This malformation of the vertebrae of the lower back and tail can cause them to have trouble using their hind legs.

Obesity puts pressure on already painful joints and decreases quality of life. These conditions and more can respond to rehab techniques.

If your cat’s behavior has changed, she may be in pain. The most common signs of pain in cats are reduced activity, especially at night, when cats tend to be more active; decreased frequency of jumping; resisting handling or petting, especially on the back; and a stiff gait. If your cat shows these signs, ask your veterinarian about physical rehab exercises and other techniques, such as acupuncture and cold laser, which can help.

Passive and active range of motion exercises help to improve joint integrity, decrease pain and lubricate joints. Walking over unsteady surfaces such as wobble boards and exercise balls build core strength and balance and improve the cat’s perception of where his limbs are and how they’re moving. Stepping over cavaletti rails improves stride length and range of motion.

Among Dr. Medina’s patients, a paralyzed kitten gets a workout by chasing a ball and an 11-year-old cat with intervertebral disc disease walks over cavaletti and performs assisted activities on exercise equipment. For the latter cat, the reward for her efforts is to walk into her carrier and go home.

Ways to help cats enjoy their workouts -- or at least relax during them -- include the use of synthetic calming pheromones in the environment, heat lamps and warming blankets to provide a cat’s preferred ambient temperature of 84 degrees Fahrenheit to 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and barring barking dogs from the room.

At home, help cats by providing cat trees with lower perches, steps to furniture, soft bedding and shallow litter boxes. For instance, a long, shallow seed tray is easy for a cat to enter and exit. Decreasing the amount of litter in the box provides a more stable surface for unsteady cats to walk on.

The main thing to know is that unlike dogs, cats aren’t people pleasers. They will do the exercises and sometimes even seem to enjoy them, but when they’re done, they’re done. Don’t try to push them further, Dr. Medina says.

“Short sessions are critical. Even food-motivated cats are going to get bored.”

Q&A

What’s behind dog’s

behavior change?

Q: My dog never goes anywhere but the living room and kitchen. He’s a senior and has arthritis in the hips, so he doesn’t move much, but lately, every morning he is lying in my bedroom doorway. It unnerves me because I know dogs sometimes know when someone has health problems. He didn’t used to do that. Any ideas? -- via email

A: You are right that dogs (and cats) seem to have a sixth sense about human illnesses. Among other things, they can sniff out cancer, alert people to oncoming epileptic seizures, and tell when a person’s blood sugar is too low or too high. Those amazing diagnostic skills are likely related to their sensitivity to changes in odor as well as to their 24/7 observations of us. Dogs and cats have keen senses of smell, which may enable them to notice subtle changes in body odor or breath that may be caused by disease.

And pets notice everything about us. Even if we have an underlying disease that isn’t causing obvious symptoms, it may have made enough of a change in us that our pets pick up on it.

In your case, though, I’m guessing that your aging dog simply has a greater need for your companionship. As animals get older and undergo physical changes that may make them feel less steady, they may take comfort from our presence. Your dog may have a desire to be closer to you at night so he moves to the doorway where he likely has a better shot at hearing and smelling you as you sleep.

Any time your dog has a behavior change, it’s a good idea to take him to the veterinarian for a checkup. If he has pain or the beginnings of dementia, your veterinarian can prescribe medication to help. -- Dr. Marty Becker

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

THE BUZZ

Bichon frise is

in like Flynn

-- A bichon frise named Flynn walked away with the title top dog after winning best in show at the Westminster Kennel Club show last month. More formally known as GCHP CH Belle Creek’s All I Care About Is Love, the 5-year-old dog with the poufy white coat and wagging tail lives up to his name and to the breed’s reputation as cheerful clowns who love their people. The downside? That fluffy white coat requires frequent grooming by a professional or a skilled, dedicated owner to maintain its beautiful appearance, and the dogs can sometimes take a pass on that whole housetraining thing.

-- Contrary to conventional wisdom, rabbits were not domesticated by French monks some 1,400 years ago when Pope Gregory the Great decreed that newborn bunnies didn’t count as meat during Lent. That myth regarding rabbit domestication was debunked recently when Greger Larson at the University of Oxford asked archaeologist Evan Irving-Pease to run down a citation from the Vatican regarding Pope Gregory’s edict. Turns out there wasn’t one. In a Feb. 14 article in The Atlantic, writer Ed Yong says neither history nor archaeology nor genetics can accurately pinpoint when rabbits were domesticated. Most likely, bunny domestication occurred gradually over centuries as humans, intentionally or not, selected for different traits depending on their needs.

-- You know that animals can transmit diseases to humans, conditions called zoonoses, such as rabies (a virus), ringworm (a fungus) and various bacterial infections. But in rare instances, humans can also transmit diseases, known as reverse zoonoses, to pets. They include ringworm, influenza, salmonella, giardia, MRSA, mumps and tuberculosis. And while it’s not a disease, secondhand smoke can affect pets who live with smokers. To keep yourself and pets safe from transmissible diseases, wash hands thoroughly before and after caring for animals. -- Dr. Marty Becker, Kim Campbell Thornton and Mikkel Becker

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.

Teaching a new pup not to jump up is easy and smart

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

If you have a new puppy, you are probably enjoying the enthusiastic kisses that come when your canine friend jumps up on you in greeting. Few things are as endearing as a puppy welcome when you come home from a long day at work. It’s like getting a hug from someone you love -- which, of course, you are.

But what’s endearing in a puppy can become annoying or even dangerous when the pup has doubled or tripled in size. In some breeds, that growth can occur in a period of weeks. A dog who hasn’t learned not to jump up on people can easily knock over an unsteady toddler or senior citizen, or make a mess of the expensive new outfit you just bought.

Dogs who jump up on people are seeking attention, but not in a good way. Well, it’s not good for us when they snag our clothes or scratch our skin. But for dogs, jumping up for attention almost always works. Often, we respond with a laugh because it seems like cute behavior. It’s all too easy to encourage jumping up from small puppies or dogs by scooping them up for love and kisses. Even if we scold, our dog has achieved her objective: attention from her favorite person.

Instead of having to “unteach” this rambunctious behavior when your puppy is older and larger, begin on Day 1 by substituting a more acceptable greeting behavior. Show your puppy that sitting gets attention and rewards, while jumping up doesn’t.

Teaching “sit” is easy. Grab a handful of small, stinky treats. Hold one in front of your pup’s nose, and slowly move your hand upward. His nose will follow, and his rear will naturally move into a sit position. Say “yes,” so he knows you like what he did, and give a treat or praise ("Good sit!"). Practice this for a couple of minutes several times a day, and gradually add the word “sit” so he has a name for the action.

Once your puppy knows the cue “sit,” use it any time he is likely to jump up, such as greeting you when you come home, greeting other people at the door or watching you prepare his food (or yours). Ask him to sit while you put on his leash for a walk or at the corner before you cross the street. Sit is a good cue to practice anywhere -- in different rooms of your home, at the veterinary clinic, at an outdoor table at your local coffee shop or any time a person is approaching.

As you teach your puppy to sit for attention, turn your back on any attempts to jump up. Literally. Don’t yell “no” -- don’t say anything -- and don’t look at him. Removing your attention, including verbal communication and eye contact, sends the message that there’s no reward for jumping up. Give attention, praise and rewards only when he has all four paws on the ground.

Teach friends and family members to use this technique as well. Everyone should know how to respond so that they don’t inadvertently reinforce unwanted behavior. If strangers seem willing to let your dog jump on them, explain that you’re training him, and you’d appreciate their help. When you can get everyone to cooperate, your dog will learn quickly to offer a sit for attention.

All puppies need to learn self-control, and teaching them to sit instead of jumping up helps provide this training. Even better, everyone who meets your dog will be impressed by a puppy who greets them in a polite sit.

Q&A

Can healthy cat

eat medical diet?

Q: I've had two senior cats who eat a dry renal diet prescribed by their veterinarian. I'm a flight attendant, so the food is available for them all the time, plus I have a big water fountain. Recently, one of them died, and I'd like to get the other a younger companion. But how would I separate the food? Is it bad for the younger cat to have a renal diet, supplemented with regular wet food when I am home? -- via email

A: I’m so sorry to hear of your loss. It’s never easy to say goodbye.

Regarding your question, your veterinarian is the best person to advise you about whether your proposed feeding plan will be all right for a new cat.

You could also ask about a new product I saw recently at the VMX veterinary conference in Orlando. The PortionPro RX, available only from veterinarians, ensures that each pet in a household receives only his designated amount and type of food. Eric Schreiber at Vet Innovations says the product controls portions and access using RFID technology to pair a pet with the feeder and allow access to the food while denying access to other pets. “If they approach, the door to the feeder will close, preventing them from stealing that food,” he says. “We have a small tag that’s worn by the pets that puts out a signal, and the signal is read by the feeder as either being allowed to eat from this feeder or denied.”

I’d also like to suggest that your cat may be at an age where she prefers to live a single life. My colleague Tony Buffington, DVM, says the behavior of survivor cats often changes with the loss of a roommate, and some do not do well with newly introduced cats. -- Dr. Marty Becker

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

THE BUZZ

Dog brain games may

prevent brain drain

-- Like humans, dogs begin to lose cognitive function with age. Playing games that stimulate their brains may help to prevent the decline, say researchers at Vienna’s Clever Dog Lab. They taught 100 border collies and 115 dogs of other breeds to use a touch screen that dispensed food, associate a particular image on the screen with a treat, receive a treat by touching their nose to a yellow dot that moved to different positions on the screen and, finally, to choose between two images that appeared on the screen. If they chose the correct one, they received a treat. It’s unknown yet if the dogs experienced neurological improvements, but owners reported that their dogs enthusiastically anticipated the weekly visits to the lab. Future studies will examine the effects of the game on the dogs’ physiological, behavioral and cognitive well-being as well as the human-animal bond.

-- The University of Illinois is using a $500,000 grant to expand the services of its shelter medicine program. The three-year grant from the Sally Lorraine Sedlak Vaughan Irrevocable Charitable Trust will help pet-owning families in need to provide their animals with vaccinations, dental care, heartworm screenings and wellness exams. Veterinary students provide the care, under supervision.

-- The Netflix series “The Crown” has brought about a resurgence in corgi popularity, reports Dianne Apen-Sadler in Britain’s Daily Mail. The long, low-slung dogs are actually two separate breeds: Pembroke (no tail) and Cardigan (long tail). Both breeds were developed in Wales, but besides the tails, they have some other differences. The Pembroke has a more foxlike face and smaller, more pointed ears, while the Cardigan is slightly larger. Both have a thick double coat that sheds heavily in spring and fall, and both are active, agile and fast, with good watchdog skills, barking a warning at anything unusual. -- Dr. Marty Becker, Kim Campbell Thornton and Mikkel Becker

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.

Caring for pets can be tricky when you’re laid up from an injury, illness or surgery

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

When Rosemary George had a hip replacement five years ago, she sent her three collies and 15-year-old terrier-mix to stay with various people, expecting to have them back home within a few weeks of surgery. Instead, a serious postsurgical infection kept her hospitalized for weeks, culminating in five additional surgeries. She was finally able to go home, although she was still sick and weak, unable to drive for months.

Sherman, her terrier-mix, boarded with a pet sitter for three months while she recuperated. A friend was finally able to bring him home to her, but the prolonged stay was the beginning of a downward spiral for the geriatric dog. Her collie Bridget was away from home for six months, Shayna for nine months and Mick for nearly a year.

George’s experience is an extreme example of what can go wrong when pet owners get a bad case of the flu, break a bone or develop complications after surgery. Without a plan and friends who can pitch in, it’s all too easy for pet lovers to be stymied in caring for their animals.

“I could never have managed to get through this horrible time, which is known to family and friends as 'the hip replacement from hell,' without the help of so many, many kind and generous dog friends,” George says. “And you know what? As horrible as the experience was, the worst part was being separated from my dogs for so long. I'll never get that time back.”

It’s easier with cats, but their care in a postsurgical situation still requires planning and preparation. Barbara Cole Miller, who recently underwent knee-replacement surgery, left her cat Piper at home with plenty of food and water during the day and night she was hospitalized. She knew from past experience that Piper didn’t do well being boarded. The amount of food and water she left out ensured that she didn’t have to worry about getting around to feed Piper for more than a week.

“My primary concern when I came home was scooping the litter box,” she says. Knee replacement patients are warned to reach only between knees and shoulders. Miller was able to scoop Piper’s box almost immediately but was still concerned about the possibility of falling. Visiting friends helped as well.

Young and highly active dogs pose a different problem for injured or ill people who aren’t able or willing to have their dogs stay somewhere else. Tracy Weber, a yoga teacher in Seattle, broke her collarbone recently, which has put her in a sling for a couple of months. Because of the high risk of falling, it will be another three months before she can take her 18-month-old German shepherd, Ana, for walks. The experience is taking a toll on both of them.

A friend comes over and plays with Ana, but Weber is reluctant to hire a dog walker because Ana is skilled at slipping out of her harness and doesn’t always come when called.

“I’ve been doing some clicker training with her to train her to do new things and make her focus more,” Weber says. “My husband is taking her for a half-hour walk every night. I’m using treat toys so she has to play to get her treats out. I’m also using lots of chews, but it’s not easy.”

After a horse in a hurry for breakfast knocked down Gina Spadafori, causing her to fall and break her wrist, she called on a cast of friends and neighbors to help care for her four dogs, two horses, four goats and a dozen chickens; hired someone to clean the house; and had her dogs do tricks, play with puzzle toys and practice indoor heeling and long downs to keep their minds engaged.

“The key is not being ashamed or reluctant to ask for help, because you’re probably going to need it,” she says.

Q&A

What’s causing

marking behavior?

Q: Last year I adopted a 9-year-old chocolate Lab who was badly neglected and has permanent limited mobility. He joined my pack of two female Jack Russell terriers and my 13-year-old catahoula hound. Both males are neutered. After about two months, both males started marking the furniture. Now I think it may be only my old dog marking.

When I find urine, I’ve done everything from yelling to speaking calmly to not saying anything when cleaning the area. I have used every kind of cleaner I can find, have given my hound extra attention to make him feel loved and put diapers on him. Do you have any other recommendations? -- via email

A: It may seem as if the behavior is related to the new dog, but there’s a good chance it may not be. Our No. 1 piece of advice is to take the dogs to your veterinarian to rule out health problems that may be causing the behavior.

Often, dogs appear healthy, but if they don’t feel good, breaking housetraining or marking objects may be the only way they have to get their message across. Also, both of your males are seniors; problems with arthritis, cognitive dysfunction, kidney disease or other health issues could be contributing to their behavior.

If your dogs get a clean bill of health, the first thing to do is to make sure you know which dog is marking. Consider setting up an inexpensive video camera in the area where marking occurs to identify who’s doing what and when.

“Try to create opportunities for them to not soil in the house,” says Kathryn Primm, DVM, who often sees behavior issues in her practice. That may mean taking them out more often, rewarding them at the moment you see them potty outdoors and restarting the housetraining process as if they were puppies. -- Dr. Marty Becker and Mikkel Becker

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

THE BUZZ

Students develop

slick pet product

-- Students at Cornell University came up with an innovative solution to a common pet owner problem -- dingleberries, small clumps of feces that hang onto fur after a pet poops. HygenaPet, a spray made with beeswax and carnauba wax, causes poop to slide off the fur instead of sticking. The product, priced at $10 by team members, took top prize at the 2018 Cornell Animal Health Hackathon, beating out 23 other teams with its low-tech but eminently useful product. “We’re avoiding the spread of germs that can be embedded in the fur, and owners can reclaim their clean homes,” says team member Adam Itzkowitz, an engineering major.

-- Following Delta’s lead and after an incident in which a person tried to bring aboard an emotional support peacock, United Airlines has tightened requirements for emotional support animals on flights. Beginning March 1, customers traveling with emotional support animals must notify the airline 48 hours in advance of the animal’s presence, provide a letter from a licensed medical or mental health professional stating the animal’s necessity and fill out a veterinary health form documenting the animal’s health, vaccination record and behavior training. Animals must stay in the floor space below the owner’s seat and not sprawl into the aisle and must behave politely and respond to direction from the owner.

-- Robodog Diesel is training Marines how to care for working dogs wounded in the line of duty. The canine simulator can mimic such injuries as broken bones, bleeding and burns, as well as changes in vital signs, reports Will Morris in Stars and Stripes. The realistic canine model even barks and whimpers. The Marine Corps hopes to have the robotic dog more widely available in the spring.

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.