Will 2021 produce a bumper crop of pets with separation anxiety? Experts share tips on how to help prevent it

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

Separation anxiety affects about 15% of dogs, and other animals aren’t immune. Cats, birds, bunnies and other pets can experience it as well.

And now that more people are receiving COVID-19 vaccinations and may begin to return to offices, school, travel or just being away from home more often, the big question for pet lovers is whether their animals -- especially young ones who don’t know anything different -- will become anxious about being home alone after a year of 24/7 human companionship.

“Some puppies have probably never been alone for more than an hour or two while the owners went to the grocery store,” says Minnesota dog trainer Denise Nord. “Being alone and possibly crated is a skill we need to teach our dogs.”

See if your pet shows signs of separation anxiety when you’re away. For dogs, that can mean barking or whining, scratching at doors or windows, or other destructive behavior. Birds vocalize or toss items around in their cage. Cats may urinate not just outside the litter box, but on their person’s clothes or bedding -- an attempt to soothe themselves by mingling their own scent with that of their favorite human. Set up a pet cam to see what, where and when certain behaviors are occurring.

Start now to prepare pets for being on their own more often or for longer periods. Begin by tweaking your pet’s expectations.

“Separate all the signals that you’re leaving from your actual departure,” says behavior consultant Alice Moon-Fanelli, Ph.D.

Dress as if you’re going out -- trust us, your dog or cat knows the difference between sweats and work clothes -- and then work at home as usual. Other “leaving” cues to normalize include picking up keys and then setting them down in another room, grabbing your purse and walking around with it but not going anywhere, and putting on your shoes but not leaving the house.

Then begin to gradually accustom your pet to your absence.

“Start going out for short periods of time, such as five to 15 minutes, and coming back in,” says behavior specialist Wailani Sung, DVM, director of behavior and welfare programs at San Francisco SPCA. “Leave tasty treats or puzzle toys for pets to work on. Over the course of a week, do two to three short absences, and then gradually increase the length of time you’re gone.”

Absences can include taking something out to the car or going for a walk without your dog. When you come back in, whether you were gone for one minute or one hour, go about your normal routine, keeping interactions with pets calm and quiet.

Think ahead and introduce puzzle toys before your schedule changes. Your dog, cat or bird should already be familiar with them by the time you head back to the office.

Create a new routine. Nord suggests taking your dog for a walk or other exercise in the morning before you leave so he’s ready to settle down with a puzzle toy or take a nap by the time you go. If you can, come home at lunchtime to take him out, hire a pet sitter or dog walker to come by, or schedule a dog daycare visit.

Schedule kitty playtime or bird interactions the same way. Leave treat balls filled with kibble for cats or puzzle toys for your bird. Birds also like things they can tear up, such as boxes or magazines.

Make your departure fun!

“My dogs always get a treat when I leave the house,” Nord says.

If you already know your pet has separation anxiety, transition at a slower pace, Dr. Sung says. In severe cases, seek the guidance of a veterinary behaviorist or certified applied animal behaviorist.

“When their whole world revolves around you and then you go, there’s a pretty big chasm there,” Dr. Moon-Fanelli says.

You can find blog posts and videos on managing separation anxiety at fearfreehappyhomes.com.

Q&A

Tall or small,

size matters

Q: What are the largest and smallest dog breeds?

A: While humans measure height to the top of our heads, a dog’s height is measured at the highest point of the shoulder, called the withers. Most recently, the tallest dog was Freddy, a Great Dane, who stood 40.75 inches on all fours. Freddy (who also held the title of oldest Great Dane when he was 8 years old) died in January when he was 8.5, and no other dog holds the tallest-dog title yet. Great Danes aside, Irish wolfhounds are generally considered to be the tallest dog breed.

The most recent holder of the Guinness World Record for smallest dog was Milly, a Chihuahua, who died last year when she was 9 years old. She was only 3.8 inches tall.

What about weight? Guinness no longer awards titles for heaviest dog, since putting on the pounds can be detrimental to their health, but generally the heaviest breed of dog is the mastiff. Zorba, a male mastiff born in 1981, reached an astounding 343 pounds. He also held the title of world’s longest dog, at 8 feet, 3 inches. Zorba died in 1989.

Freddy, Milly and Zorba’s ages at death bring up an important point. Dogs who are extreme in any way, such as height or weight, or the flat faces of brachycephalic breeds such as bulldogs, don’t tend to live long lives. Dogs of more moderate size and conformation typically live anywhere from 10 to 20 years.

It doesn’t seem fair that dogs of unusual size or shape should live shorter lives because they’ve been either super-sized or downsized. Nature seems to have limits on how far we can push the design of dogs, and we go beyond those lines at peril to our pets. -- Dr. Marty Becker

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

THE BUZZ

Dog receives

new burn care

-- Sadie, a dog who was burned over 70% of her body after a heat lamp accident in her kennel, is making medical history. Veterinary surgeon and pain and rehab practitioner Dena Lodato, DVM, was treating her with hyperbaric oxygen, but skin grafts aren’t an option for dogs because of their fur. Dr. Jeffrey Carter, medical director at University Medical Center New Orleans Burn Center, saw her story and offered to help with new technology: a spray-on solution of the patient’s own skin cells that regenerate an outer layer of natural, healthy skin. Sadie is the first dog to receive the treatment, called RECELL.

-- Larry the Downing Street Cat recently celebrated 10 years of patrolling the British prime minister’s residence, keeping it rodent-free. The 14-year-old cat was adopted from London’s Battersea Dogs and Cats Home. Larry’s official title is Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office, and he has so far served under three prime ministers.

-- Like humans and other animals, birds can experience pain from traumatic injuries to beak, leg or wing; arthritis; and surgery. Other painful conditions include egg binding, feather picking and gastrointestinal or respiratory conditions. A bird’s pain signals can be subtle, but watch for such things as changes in behavior, increased or decreased vocalizations, reduced preening behavior, plucking feathers out, eating or drinking less, avoiding spending time with you or not wanting to be held (especially if she is normally sociable), letting you handle her when she doesn’t normally enjoy being handled, and unusual aggressive behavior such as biting. Birds in pain may also exhibit certain postures or movements, such as hunching over, squinting or closing their eyes, fluffing up feathers, falling, or moving more slowly than normal. Take your bird to the veterinarian if you notice any of these signs. -- 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, founder of the Fear Free organization and author of many best-selling pet care books, and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. Joining them is behavior consultant and lead animal trainer for Fear Free Pets 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.

Is your dog at risk for leptospirosis? You might be surprised by the answer

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

When you think of leptospirosis -- if you think about it at all -- you probably assume it primarily affects large dogs in rural areas. You may have been told not to have your small dog vaccinated for it because of the risk of a reaction. Or you may have heard it doesn’t occur where you live.

But the bacterial disease, a zoonosis that can be transmitted between animals and humans, is seeing a resurgence. The rising incidence may have several possible causes: greater awareness; better testing; the increasing intersection of wildlife, pets and humans; or climate change bringing more rain or flooding to an area.

Whatever the cause, it’s a good idea to talk to your veterinarian and decide whether your dog is a candidate for the non-core vaccine. Exposure risk depends on factors such as lifestyle and locale -- think dogs who go hiking or camping, swim in freshwater lakes, or live in areas where rodents proliferate or flooding occurs, including cities such as New York, Houston, New Orleans, Atlanta and Chicago.

Dogs who lick the sidewalk or munch grass where a rat, raccoon, opossum, deer or other carrier animal has urinated can be exposed. Urban and suburban wildlife shed leptospires -- the tightly coiled spirochetes that transmit the disease -- in their urine. Standing water, heavy sprinkler use on lawns or golf courses, high rainfall and flooding -- all of which attract thirsty wildlife -- are factors in the spread of leptospirosis. The only place it’s unlikely to occur is in a true desert, which excludes places such as Phoenix or Palm Springs, California, where golf courses rule.

“It is more common in city dogs nowadays. It is not common in rural dogs anymore,” says Justine Lee, DVM, DACVECC. An emergency and critical care specialist in Minnesota, she sees one to two cases a week of lepto. She attributes the incidence to increased urban wildlife exposure and lack of vaccination.

Wildlife doesn’t just mean deer, foxes, coyotes or raccoons. “There are mice and rats everywhere,” Dr. Lee says.

Fear of serious vaccine reactions, especially in small dogs, is common. That did occur in the past, and of course still can, but newer vaccines are made in a way that reduces unwanted cellular debris and protein content -- key factors in vaccine reactions.

“The older vaccines probably were associated with more vaccine reactions because of how they were made, but the more modern vaccines are associated with fewer adverse effects (and) give protection against more strains of leptospirosis,” says Katherine F. Lunn, BVMS, MS, Ph.D., MRCVS, DACVIM, associate professor in the department of clinical sciences at North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine in Raleigh.

Another common belief is that the vaccine’s effects are short-lived.

“There are very good studies showing that dogs are protected for at least one year after being vaccinated,” Dr. Lunn says. “The old idea that immunity only lasts a few months after vaccination is not correct.”

Dog lovers are divided over whether to give the vaccination. Some have had experiences with dogs who reacted to the vaccine or don’t believe their dogs’ lifestyles put them at risk.

Those who have seen the effects of lepto -- acute kidney injury and sometimes death -- lean the other way. “It’s endemic in my area,” says Linda C. Rehkopf, who lives outside Atlanta and vaccinates her Labradors for the disease. “I’ve known of one that made it through; many that did not.”

Treating lepto can require three to five days of hospitalization. At any specialty veterinary hospital, that’s a minimum of $1,000 a day.

A final consideration: Lepto is transmissible between dogs and humans through direct or indirect contact with contaminated urine, blood or tissues. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends common-sense precautions: washing hands after handling pets, wearing protective gear if handling infected dogs and cleaning contaminated surfaces with antibacterial products.

Q&A

Cat on board!

Sea cat ahoy

Q: Our family is going on a long-term cruise on our boat, and we don’t want to leave our cat behind. Can a cat live happily on a boat, and do you have any safety tips?

A: Cats have a long history as sailors; just ask the Vikings. They have many advantages as seagoing companions: They’re small, quiet, surefooted and use a litter box. With preparation and practice, your cat can become a great first mate.

Take a couple of trial runs. Hang out on the boat while it’s in the slip so your cat can explore. See how he does walking a gangplank (if he’s leash-trained), and note his response to the boat rocking beneath his paws as he walks around. Take it slow, and give lots of treats during his explorations (on-leash or under supervision). Next time, take a short cruise, again rewarding him with treats as he gains his sea legs.

If he appears to have ship cats in his family tree, outfit him with a pet life preserver that fits securely and doesn’t obstruct his movement. Choose one in a bright color so it’s easily seen if your cat goes into the drink after a pod of porpoises or a fin of flying fish. It should have a handle on top so it’s easily grabbed by your hand or a boat hook.

A rope ladder -- cats are good at climbing -- and a dip net are also good items to have. Place netting between stanchions all the way around the boat to help prevent “kitty overboard” incidents.

Weighted stainless steel food and water dishes won’t slide around. Avoid using clumping cat litter; it hardens when it gets wet and can be difficult to scrub off the deck.

For more tips, check out these blogs: blog.navily.com/en/blog/sailing-with-a-cat-on-board and adventurecats.org/backcountry-basics/a-guide-to-boating-with-cats. -- Kim Campbell Thornton

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

THE BUZZ

Cat health org

has new name

-- Winn Feline Foundation, which has funded studies on feline health and well-being for 53 years, has a new name! Now called EveryCat Health Foundation, it’s continuing its mandate to support research into the health and well-being of pet, shelter and community cats. The organization hopes the new name will help them to reach a broader audience and fund more research to improve the lives of hundreds of millions of cats around the world. In fact, almost everything your veterinarian does or that you know about cat nutrition or health has often been the result of the organization’s work. For more information about ECHF, visit everycat.org.

-- The Financial Times reports that peripatetic pets have been stranded around the world, thanks to COVID-19-related canceled flights and rising air freight costs. Because of fewer flights, pets are going to the back of the line, canceled in favor of more essential cargo such as medical supplies and manufacturing equipment, writes reporter Philip Georgiadis. The cost of flying a dog in cargo from Los Angeles to London has tripled -- to $6,500 -- according to one pet transportation company. And a dog in Brunei suffered the ultimate insult, being removed from a flight and replaced by cats belonging to a Saudi prince. Oh, the indignity! Our advice for pet owners with deep pockets? Charter flights so animals can travel in safety and comfort -- in the cabin.

-- Thinking about getting a bird? The second edition of “Birds for Dummies” (full disclosure: Kim is one of the authors) has a chapter on the best birds for beginners. They are canaries and finches (which are related species), budgies (parakeets), chickens, cockatiels, Quaker parakeets, Poicephalus parrots and parrotlets (both on the small side for parrots), Pionus parrots, Pyrrhura conures, Amazon parrots and peach-faced lovebirds. -- 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, founder of the Fear Free organization and author of many best-selling pet care books, and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. Joining them is behavior consultant and lead animal trainer for Fear Free Pets 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.

Nail trims don't have to be a dog's worst nightmare -- or yours

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

Quick, look at your dog's feet. Are your pet's nails too long? Do you remember the last time you cut them? Are you dreading the next?

If they're too long and you've been putting off the chore because of how awful the experience was for you both, well, you're in good company -- or, at least in the majority. We often see dogs with nails that desperately need trimming.

Keeping nails trimmed is important. Long nails can make walking uncomfortable and even cause lameness. Nails should be just off the ground when your pet is standing.

Each nail has a blood vessel inside of it. Trim just beyond the end of this vein. If you nick it, the nail will bleed, so have blood-stopping powder on hand, such as Kwik Stop, before you start trimming.

If your dog has light-colored toenails, the blood vessel is the pink area. Black nails are harder to figure out, but you should be able to see the vein by shining a flashlight behind the nail. If you can't tell, just clip back a little at a time. If you draw blood, take a pinch of the powder and press it against the exposed tip of the nail for a few seconds to stop the bleeding.

If your dog's nails are so long that they're forcing her foot out of position, you can take them back to where they should be in two ways. The first is to cut a little off every few days: The quick recedes as you go. The second way is to have your veterinarian clip them when your dog is under anesthesia, such as for a teeth cleaning. After nails are at a proper length, keeping them that way is easy with a weekly trim.

If your dog is resistant to having her nails trimmed, work up to the task over a few weeks' time by taking the trimmer in hand and touching it to her feet, then her toes, then the nails, while praising her and giving her treats for each step. When she is used to having her feet handled, put the trimmer against the nail and praise and treat more still. Then trim a little off, and so on. Praise and more praise! Treats and more treats! Don't insist on getting all the nails done at once. Do one or two toes a night, and put the clippers away while you and your dog are feeling positive about the experience. Watching videos such as this one can help: bit.ly/2NxQ6rS.

An alternative to nail trimming is nail grinding. You can buy a canine nail grinder, or just use a lightweight rotary grinding tool, such as a Dremel.

With a grinder it's easy to stop before you hit the quick. When grinding, remember that nails can get hot while you're working on them. Don't grind continuously. Touch the grinder to the nail in short bursts -- a second or two at most -- to keep heat from building up. And make sure not to catch any fur while you're working. (Tip: Look for online videos on grinding nails to see the technique.)

Whichever method you're using to shorten nails, don't forget the dewclaws, those extra toes you can find up on the inside of the leg. Not all dogs have them, but for those that do, neglected nails can be a problem. Long nails can catch on upholstery and tear the dewclaw partly off of the leg. Keeping these nails short will prevent injury, which is why you haven't finished trimming nails until you've done the dew, too.

If you work with your pet frequently, trim just a little at a time and reward generously for cooperation, the days of nail-trimming dread will be behind you both, and your dog will step out more comfortably on your walks together.

Q&A

How to protect

pets from coyotes

Q: When I'm walking my dog through a parkway near my home, we occasionally see coyotes. We have had a couple of small dogs killed by them in their own yards. Judging by the “lost cat” signs I see, I suspect they've taken a few of them, too. Is there any way to protect our pets?

A: Coyotes are everywhere, and they've learned that household pets are relatively easy prey. Coyotes are plentiful in suburban areas across the United States, and have even been reported in New York City and other highly urban environments.

Free-roaming cats seem to be especially at risk. Many times, missing cats or the gruesome finding of feline remains is initially thought to be the work of sadistic cat-haters, but often these apparent "crime sprees" turn out to be the work of neighborhood coyotes. Keeping cats safely inside is the only way to completely protect them.

Small dogs are often targets of hungry coyotes as well, and for these pets, it's important to be sure to supervise them in your yard -- especially if you back up to a wooded area, golf course or other potentially coyote-rich environment. When walking small dogs, don't let them off-leash. Larger dogs are less at risk, but not completely safe, and it wouldn't hurt to keep a leash and close eye on them as well.

To discourage coyotes from colonizing your neighborhood, work with neighbors to remove food sources that attract these predators, such as pet food left outside, garbage cans that aren't securely closed or compost piles that are not correctly maintained. If food sources are denied, the animals will move on to a more promising area.

While none of these steps will completely protect your pets, they will reduce the risk from these ever-more-common predators. -- Dr. Marty Becker

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

THE BUZZ

Male cats haven't

always been 'toms'

-- While a male cat -- especially an unneutered one -- is today called a "tom," that wasn't always the case. Up until the late 1700s, male cats were known as "rams" (like sheep) or "boars" (like pigs). A book about cats with a character named Tom became popular in the latter part of that century; after that, male cats started being called tomcats.

-- As noted in Science Magazine, a study published in the journal Current Biology found that cats with more meat in their diet and more play in their lives bring home one-third fewer “gifts” of prey than they did previously. Ecologist Robbie McDonald and colleagues at the University of Exeter recruited 219 cat owners in southwestern England whose pets regularly hunted outside. They divided the cats into six groups: some wore collars with bells, some colorful collars easily visible to birds, some were introduced to food-dispensing toys, some were fed a diet containing only animal protein, some received 5 to 10 minutes of play daily, and the remainder made up the control group, whose habits were not changed. With the exception of the belled collars and the puzzle feeders, the approaches reduced the cats’ hunting forays, but the all-meat diet and additional playtime had the greatest effects in reducing predation.

-- Providing palliative and end-of-life care is a trend in veterinary medicine that's resonating with pet owners. There are guidelines and organizations that promote the concept of hospice for pets, extending life without extending suffering for older or sick animals. The trend mirrors the human hospice movement in many ways, with the notable exception that when suffering can no longer be eased, veterinary medicine can offer euthanasia. Especially in the COVID-19 era, some veterinarians are offering to provide this last gift of kindness at patients' homes. -- 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, founder of the Fear Free organization and author of many best-selling pet care books, and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. Joining them is behavior consultant and lead animal trainer for Fear Free Pets 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.