Trigger-stacking and other causes of aggression in geriatric pets can move the conversation toward euthanasia

"Let's schedule a consultation well before any trip you've in mind to meet and get a feel for whether or not we're all a fit," I always implore once a family and I have a chance to make that initial connection by email or phone. 

They can also be assured that I'll be asking a lot of questions about their pet's health and behavior, as well as a history on both had how they've changed as they've aged or how their co-morbidities have progressed. I also do periodic re-assessments with my existing families with pets in fragile health or advanced age.

Because of my experience, it's not uncommon for families with pets with special needs—usually geriatric pets—because of their health and behavioral considerations to reach out for help with their care. It could be that they'll be traveling or need a hand while they're at work to tend to little or big things that contribute to the pet's comfort and well-being, not to mention the family's peace of mind.

You'll notice that I noted health and behavioral considerations. Those two things are very much united when we're talking about geriatric pets receiving palliative or hospice care. In fact, they're criteria, or need to be, when families receive a life limiting diagnosis for their pet, or when age-related decline has necessitated conversations about how to best help them. We have a lot of options for treating disease, or crafting a palliative or hospice care plan—but how that is carried out is another matter. Not only does the family need to be able to manage it, but so does the pet. I recall saying on one podcast that I guested on, "...we need the pet's permission and cooperation... they need choice [on whether or not to participate]." 

Pets are great communicators. My professional training, which includes a designation of dog bite safety educator and Certified Fear Fear Free Professional–pet sitter, I've not only learned to hone in on what a pet is telling me or those around them, but to use strategies to interact and care for them that match their changing physical, emotional and behavioral needs. A pet's sensory deficits (like vision and/or hearing), physical decline, pain level, how well they’ve slept and rested on a given day and any cognitive dysfunction can impact their ability to manage tolerating a treatment plan and being interacted with to have it in place. The same is true if a pet is touch averse or has behavioral challenges. I spend time talking with families about all of this, as well as how their absence alone can impact the pet's ability to cope, not to mention being in my care for any length of time. 

As I said, during a consultation, I have a lot of questions. I require a pet’s complete medical record, a veterinary wellness exam visit including bloodwork, urinalysis and an evaluation for pain, using a pain scale. Everything about their care plan is sussed out, including medications, and things like how easily they rest and eat among other things. In essence, it's vital that the pet be stable enough to be in my care. While all of that is the criteria that I use on my end, I also assess the companion animal from a behavioral and emotional standpoint, and gain an understanding of what’s in place for mental and environmental enrichment. If the pet had a history with a trainer or vet behaviorist, I require the written behavioral management protocol to be sent as well. 

It’s not uncommon that after reviewing everything that I recommend that a family connect with a credentialed trainer that I feel comfortable with who adheres to humane, positive reinforcement methods. This can be a huge help to the family to be more cognizant of their pet’s behavioral and emotional limitations. 

I'm not ashamed to say that there countless families that hear me say, 'I don't think that your pet will do well in my care, or in your absence at all' or 'I get the feeling that your dog could manage your being away for a long weekend, but ten days... no. That's too long.' I always offer facts to support what I mean so that I can advocate for the pet and myself, and I stick to my guns.

The truth is, when a pet enters the phase of palliative or hospice care, it's not only about daily management of a medical treatment or comfort care plan. It's about them having stability, predictability, and routine and I'll assert that is the core foundation of it all. Their emotional and behavioral well-being depends on that. So does my ability to promote safe interactions between me and the pet, something that can be more challenging as a pet moves through this phase of life.

And sometimes, I'm not confident that safe interactions between myself and the pet will be possible, and it is likely to be things that one might typically disregard. It can because the kinds of interactions that the pet requires to stay adherent to the treatment plan and feeling good, like being medicated, make them uneasy. Hygiene and needing help with that can be problematic for a pet. If a dog needs help physically getting around or help up from their bed or assistance getting up if their legs give out when they're walking (even with a sling) because of the all-too-common hind limb weakness, that can put me in a dangerous situation. Being out of routine and in the care of a less-familiar person can contribute, just like a family's absence can. Anxiety can increase during this phase of life or even present itself for the first time. All of these scenarios can stress the pet and lead to a nip or a serious bite. I clearly and compassionately articulate that, and give specific details why, because it's more common than not that what I'm seeing that the pet is demonstrating is that they are having trouble with trusted and known caregivers performing those tasks, too. 

And that means the human-animal bond with the family is at risk of being negatively impacted. 

The stuff that I've talked about already is a good example of what we in the pet care and training industry refer to as 'trigger-stacking'. Though, in this phase of life new triggers are often revealed simply because the pet's health needs require more frequent interactions and handling. I’m happy to report that there are nutraceuticals, supplements and prescription meds (a primary vet or vet behaviorist are best positioned to make recommendations for prescribing) and behavioral management protocols (a credentialed trainer or vet behaviorist team can guide this) that can be a big help in helping the pet manage better. 

This all brings me to a topic that I'm asked to weigh in on periodically: whether or not humane euthanasia should be considered for a pet that is experiencing behavioral changes, namely aggression, that make for a very slippery slope when it comes to their well-being and safety, and the humans around them. It's hard to ignore how even the most seemingly benign interactions that a pet requires can become triggers for them. In some cases, the techniques used to navigate through interactions can be modified to suit a pet's new boundaries, but when that's not possible or a pet's stress and anxiety can not be assuaged, or a bite occurs, exploring the decision of humane euthanasia becomes a very real thing for families. 

Though I urge families to discuss this with their veterinarian—the only one who can guide them through this decision and process—I offer some perspective, mostly by the way of my listening, really hearing the family. If a caregiver brings this up, it’s likely they are struggling significantly. For anyone who has done it or done their best to avoid it, it's hard enough to have that deeper conversation with their veterinarian about euthanasia when one is considering a pet's physical and medical decline and their inability to manage physically and emotionally (this goes for the humans too). And introduce the topic because there's a question that a behavioral element affects anyone's safety, it completely changes the landscape of the situation. I assure you that the emotions that a family struggles with regarding humane euthanasia are ten-fold when the conversation is broached because of a question of a pet's behavioral stability, and oh, do they have a lasting effect. 

The truth is that in most cases, I've seen that behavioral changes, yes, even aggression, are often heavily influenced by factors like a pet's ongoing pain or other factors. There are diseases that are known to affect a pet's behavior (like diabetes, hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism, the latter often linked to laryngeal paralysis and accompanying hind limb weakness in dogs), and even Canine or Feline Cognitive Dysfunction. These are very much medical conditions, and can in themselves contribute to trigger-stacking. And as time goes by, medical conditions of any kind can become less manageable, especially if a pet's ability to participate in their prescribed treatment plans, including taking medication, becomes more difficult for them.

I say all of this not in an effort to minimize how much a pet's behavioral stability can impact the decision about whether euthanasia needs to be a part of a conversation. I do so to highlight the weight of how medical conditions—diagnosed or not—influence a pet's overall ability to cope, physically, emotionally and most of all, behaviorally, even to the point of aggression. And in looking at a situation from this vantage point, it helps to see that perhaps the decision to euthanize is less about viewing a pet as an aggressive animal who's behavior is jeopardizing the well-being of themselves or others, but how the progression of medical issues has impacted their ability to cope and be the calm, loving pet they've always been. In any case, it's important that we are not expecting more of a pet than they are willing or able to give, and to respect their boundaries, especially when they move the proverbial line that tells us where they are. That's the greatest show of compassion that we can give them, and ourselves.

With over 20 years of experience in pet care, Lorrie Shaw is an Animal Hospice Palliative Care Practitioner, Certified Fear Free Professional–pet sitter and CXO of Telos Companion Animal Services, LLC. She welcomes your contact through lorrieshaw.com.

Animals process visual input at a rate that differs from humans, according to study

The sensory systems of animals play a crucial role in the way that each animal interacts, whether that is intraspecifically (as in locating a mate or fighting over food) or interspecifically, where animals of different species might compete for resources, like light, or if they are engaged in a predator-prey interaction.

The latter is a good example of how the limitations of sensory systems work within the construct of different species: having the ability to track fast-moving objects like prey, or avoid being an unwitting target becomes essential.

Sensory limitations and spacial acuity in animals have been studied before, but the temporal resolution at which the information that an animal perceives hasn't garnered as much scrutiny. The way that animals process information over fine time scales is basic to how they survive in their habitat.

Researchers from the School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland and Universities of Edinburg and St. Andrews set out to study how temporal information (how time is experienced) might be affected by body size and metabolic rate in vertebrates. In a paper titled Metabolic rate and body size are linked with perception of temporal information, scientists give us an idea of what goes on inside the brains of animals as they process what they see.

By using critical flicker fusion (CFF), the research team was able to measure how the brain processes the information.

In a previous piece, I highlighted how members of different species — dogs, cats and birds — perceive refresh rates of televisions and computer screens. Canines require about 70 images per second, birds need roughly 100 of them and we humans only require 16 - 29.

With that in mind, it could give a little context to how animals coordinate visual information — just one part of how sensory systems work in animals.

As the study illustrated, there are two factors that significantly impact how an animal reacts to what's going on around them — body size and metabolic rate.

The findings indicate a couple of things:

• An animal's perception of time depends on how fast their nervous system can process information in order to react to its environment.
• Detecting and processing visual information at a high rate would be key for animals that need to respond to visual stimuli swiftly to avoid falling prey to a predator, or to capture prey. Most often these animals have fast metabolisms and are at the lighter end of the weight scale. (Think winged creatures.) The researchers hypothesize that creatures at this end of the spectrum perceive time at the finest of resolutions. In essence, movements and events will appear to unfold more slowly to them.

There's one thing that stuck out in my mind and could be a plausible driving force for the differences amongst the species: Animals, all having different nervous systems, have evolved to adjust to the changes in their respective environments with something in common — conserving energy.

A hummingbird, with their small stature and own methods of locating food, for example, would need to have a higher perception rate than that of the much-larger elephant, as the latter finds their own food sources much differently and would waste a lot of energy by trying to dart around quickly.

Dogs take in visual information about 25% more slowly than human, seeing a light flash about 75 times per second, which translates into time moving at a slower pace for them. Cats see the light flash around 55 times per second.

The implications that this might have on canine training and how we communicate with dogs, if any, is certainly intriguing.

I don't know about you, but the next time I spy a dog stalking a squirrel in their backyard, I think I'll have more of an appreciation for how each animal is experiencing the situation.

Click here to read more on the study.



Lorrie Shaw is a freelance writer -- most recently as a contributor on MLive -- and owner of Professional Pet Sitting. Shoot her an email, contact her at 734-904-7279 or follow her adventures on Twitter.

Play is important in the development and training of pets, and finding what is a motivator is the key to using it optimally

Play is something that we often forget about participating in as we age. We usually are reminded of how good it feels to partake in it when we have children, or for a lot of us, when we have pets.

With that in mind, it's helpful to turn the tables and be mindful of how beneficial it is for our pets.

As ethologists have learned from discoveries in their research, play isn't just a fun thing to do — it's vital.

You see, as humans, during the process of play we learn, grow, think, reason, step outside of our comfort zone and acquire new skills in the process. We know from research that's been done that this is the case with animals, too.

Learn more about how play is integral in brain development and enhancement by clicking here.

And, as Jaak Panksepp, Ph.D. — an author and researcher — indicates, depriving young animals of play puts them at a disadvantage: it affects the maturation of the brain. His research showed evidence that the simple act of play increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF, a protein linked to brain maturation.

It's easy to engage in play with puppies and kittens because they so willingly initiate it. But it's equally important to keep the ball rolling as a pet ages.

There are all sorts of games for dogs that are easy, inexpensive, fun and beneficial to play, and options are limitless, just as they are when thinking of the needs of cats.

Identifying your pet's play preferences can be helpful, as they can vary from not only species, but from pet to pet. Breed, age and physical capability can also influence the way a pet plays.

Some dogs are chewers, others love to hunt for things and still some others love to problem solve or even play with puzzle toys. You might even consider activities like nose work or agility for your pooch to give them a healthy outlet.

Cats have play preferences like birding, stalking or hide-and-seek.

Even birds like to — need to — play.

Human-pet play is an invaluable source of enrichment for a pet, and as I always remind when thinking about enrichment for your pet, "Spend half as much money, and twice as much time."

This type of play is different than self-directed play or interaction between other animals. One difference is that we use language to communicate during a fun activity, using repetitive phrases and gestures. Think about how this correlates with training.

Play has been an integral part of unfolding my now 14 year-old dog, Gretchen, and is one of the most important forms of interaction between myself and the animals in my care. By paying attention to and honoring how they play and engaging in a fun activity with them, I can quickly ascertain what motivates them, what they find off-putting and developing a bond with them.

What are your pets favorite games?

Lorrie Shaw is a freelance writer and owner of Professional Pet Sitting. Shoot her an email, contact her at 734-904-7279 or follow her adventures on Twitter.

Michigan resident steps up to get dog tethering law changed

flickr photo courtesy of tobyotter

Despite the fact that the general climate of dog ownership has evolved over the last 20 years or so, there are areas where many feel that the treatment of animals still needs to be improved. There is one specific practice that is a sticking point for one woman from Michigan — canine tethering.

We've all seen it: Dogs secured by a chain or other tether to a stationary object, alone.

For some animals, it's a way of life; little or no contact with other animals, or humans for that matter, for years. In some instances the canines are neglected, and chains or collars are embedded in their necks. Animals frequently get entangled in the tether and are unable to access water, food — or even shelter.

Dogs are not meant to live a solitary existence, and since by nature they are very social creatures, it's no wonder that these scenarios have been shown to be psychologically damaging to dogs, causing anxiety, aggression and other behavioral issues. Lack of socialization and proper training exacerbates this.

Annie Carlson, a substitute teacher from Swartz Creek, knows that there is a simple solution to avoiding these problems and creating an environment where all companion animals have an opportunity to flourish. She wants to see the canine tethering laws changed in the state of Michigan and is petitioning to do so.

The current state law indicates that a person in possession of an animal is to provide adequate care, and the tethering law is clarified:

An owner, possessor, or person having the charge or custody of an animal shall not tether a dog unless the tether is at least 3 times the length of the dog as measured from the tip of its nose to the base of its tail and is attached to a harness or nonchoke collar designed for tethering.

Starting at the grassroots level, Carlson has more than 2,000 signatures in total on a petition, and is still pressing on to change Michigan law regarding 24-hour tethering of dogs. Carlson is meeting in Lansing on Tuesday with State Representative Paul Scott, House District 51. The bill language has been established, and she is hopeful that he will sponsor the bill.

Carlson clarifies that there is a distinct difference between a dog being put out on a tether for a short period of time to perform a specific task — and a dog being chained to a doghouse or a tree for life. The latter is a problem for her, other individuals and organizations — including the Huron Valley Humane Society.

In fact, Tanya Hilgendorf, Executive Director of the Humane Society of Huron Valley notes that most of these dogs are neglected. And when they are neglected, she adds, "So many times people don’t even notice that there dogs are too skinny, may be sick or are just not getting enough calories and nutrition, especially to survive outside."

Hilgendorf adds that the Humane Society has Five Freedoms for animals and doesn't believe that tethering is in line with any of them. They are:

1. Freedom from Hunger and Thirst — by ready access to fresh water and a diet to maintain full health and vigor.
2. Freedom from Discomfort — by providing an appropriate environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area.
3. Freedom from Pain, Injury or Disease — by prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatment.
4. Freedom to Express Normal Behavior — by providing sufficient space, proper facilities and company.
5. Freedom from Fear and Distress — by ensuring conditions and treatment which avoid mental suffering.

While some dog owners deem the practice acceptable, others note that they often say they can’t afford hay or a proper dog house.

The Humane Society's answer: If you can’t afford a dog house, you probably shouldn’t have a dog. And if that's that case, you probably aren't able to afford the rest of the care necessary a dog needs to live a halfway decent life.

Carlson's efforts started in January of last year after seeing a dog chained day in, day out, and not cared for. After contacting local law enforcement to come out and investigate, Carlson said, "Their response was, 'There's nothing that we can do. The owner is within their legal limits.' It was so disturbing."

As it turns out, there were several calls about this particular dog. She was dumbfounded and knew that if the law allowed for that, then it needed to be changed.

Carlson — and the Humane Society — would like to see any new Michigan legislation mirror the California law. They also hope it will include one very important clause addressing the adversely harsh weather that we experience here in Michigan and that tethered dogs are frequently forced to endure.

A resident of New Richmond, Ohio succeeded in changing the tethering laws there. Texas, as well as a grassroots effort in Nevada have either modified the tethering law or made it unlawful.
Carlson is happy with the present outcomes in other states and thinks that Michigan should be next, as does the Humane Society.

Anyone who wants to report improper tethering in Washtenaw County according to Michigan law can contact the Humane Society of Huron Valley's Animal Cruelty Investigation Dept. at 734-661-3512.

What's on your mind with regard to this issue? Participate in the poll and leave your comments.

poll by twiigs.com

Lorrie Shaw is a pet blogger and wrote "How does our perception of an animal's intelligence influence their treatment?" Contact her by e-mail and follow her pet adventures on Twitter as a professional dog walker and pet sitter in the Ann Arbor area.

What a week!

It's been a very fulfilling time! With Memorial Day weekend approaching, I have opportunities to see clients that I typically only see when their owners go out of town. As a result, I'm busy with holiday sittings, daily dog walking and even a new puppy on my roster who I'm completely amazed by. Her growth, playfulness and overall joy are great to see each weekday when stopping in to see her for puppy visits that include potty breaks, walks and puppy playtime to help her hone in on her instinctive skills and build her brain and body.

More neat stuff! Since the beginning of the week, I have been interviewed by the following radio shows, Dwyer and Michaels (Davenport,IA), CJAD's Tim Parent (Quebec), and the Ed Wenck Show on WIBC (Indianapolis) - across North America to discuss my recent piece "The bucket list for pets" on AnnArbor.com.

The feedback has been phemonenal and this whole thing has opened up a lot of discussion with regard to our relationships to pets, and how we can create the best life for animals. That's the best part. What are your methods and practices for unfolding your pets' best self and creating a nurturing, stimulating environment for them?

I want to thank you... all of you who read my blogs, comment, share your experiences and participate.