When your dog gazes up at you adoringly, what does it see? A best friend? A pack leader? A can opener?

Many dog lovers make all kinds of inferences about how their pets feel about them, but no one has captured images of actual canine thought processes – until now.

Emory University researchers have developed a new methodology to scan the brains of alert dogs and explore the minds of the oldest domesticated species. The technique uses harmless functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), the same tool that is unlocking secrets of the human brain.

The Public Library of Science (PLoS ONE) is publishing on May 11 the results of their first experiment, showing how the brains of dogs reacted to hand signals given by their owners.

“It was amazing to see the first brain images of a fully awake, unrestrained dog,” says Gregory Berns, director of the Emory Center for Neuropolicy and lead researcher of the dog project. “As far as we know, no one has been able to do this previously. We hope this opens up a whole new door for understanding canine cognition and inter-species communication. We want to understand the dog-human relationship, from the dog’s perspective.”

Key members of the research team include Andrew Brooks, a graduate student at the Center for Neuropolicy, and Mark Spivak, a professional dog trainer and owner of Comprehensive Pet Therapy in Atlanta.

Two dogs are involved in the first phase of the project. Callie is a two-year-old Feist, or southern squirrel-hunting dog. Berns adopted her at nine months from a shelter. McKenzie is a three-year-old Border Collie, who was already well-trained in agility competition by her owner, Melissa Cate. Both dogs were trained over several months to walk into an fMRI scanner and hold completely still while researchers measured their neural activity.

The researchers aim to decode the mental processes of dogs by recording which areas of their brains are activated by various stimuli. Ultimately, they hope to get at questions like: Do dogs have empathy? Do they know when their owners are happy or sad? How much language do they really understand?

In the first experiment, the dogs were trained to respond to hand signals. One signal meant the dog would receive a hot dog treat, and another signal meant it would not receive one. The caudate region of the brain, associated with rewards in humans, showed activation in both dogs when they saw the signal for the treat, but not for the no-treat signal.

“These results indicate that dogs pay very close attention to human signals,” Berns says. “And these signals may have a direct line to the dog’s reward system.”

Berns is a neuroeconomist, who normally uses fMRI technology to study how the human mind works. His human brain-imaging studies have looked at everything from why teens engage in risky behavior to how adults decide to follow, or break, established rules of society.

Dog lovers may not need convincing on the merits of researching the minds of our canine companions. “To the skeptics out there, and the cat people, I would say that dogs are the first domesticated species, going back at least 10,000 years, and by some estimates 30,000 years,” Berns says. “The dog’s brain represents something special about how humans and animals came together. It’s possible that dogs have even affected human evolution. People who took dogs into their homes and villages may have had certain advantages. As much as we made dogs, I think dogs probably made some part of us, too.”

The idea for the dog project came to Berns about a year ago, when he learned that a U.S. Navy dog had been a member of the SEAL team that killed Osama bin Laden. “I was amazed when I saw the pictures of what military dogs can do,” Berns says. “I realized that if dogs can be trained to jump out of helicopters and airplanes, we could certainly train them to go into an fMRI to see what they’re thinking.”

All procedures for the dog project were approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of Emory. “From the outset, we wanted to ensure the safety and comfort of the dogs,” Berns says. “We wanted them to be unrestrained and go into the scanner willingly.”

The dogs were trained to wear earmuffs, to protect them from the noise of the scanner. They were also taught to hold their heads perfectly still on a chin rest during the scanning process, to prevent blurring of the images.

“We know the dogs are happy by their body language,” says Mark Spivak, the professional trainer involved in the project. Callie, in particular, seems to revel in the attention of breaking new ground in science.

“She enters the scanner on her own, without a command, sometimes when it’s not her turn,” Spivak says. “She’s eager to participate.”

By Carol Clark

While the majority of these conditions are curable, they can become chronic and expensive to treat. Veterinary Pet Insurance Co. (VPI) policyholders spent more than $46 million in 2011 treating the 10 most common medical conditions afflicting their pets. VPI recently sorted its database of more than 485,000 insured pets to determine the top 10 dog and cat medical conditions in 2011.

Dogs

1. Ear infection
2. Skin allergies
3. Skin infection
4. Non-cancerous skin growth
5. Upset stomach
6. Intestinal upset/diarrhea
7. Arthritis
8. Bladder infection
9. Bruise or contusion
10. Underactive thyroid

Cats

1. Bladder infection
2. Chronic kidney disease
3. Overactive thyroid
4. Upset stomach
5. Periodontitis/dental disease
6. Diabetes
7. Intestinal upset/diarrhea
8. Ear infection
9. Skin Allergies
10. Lymphosarcoma

In 2011, VPI received more than 62,000 canine claims for ear infections, the most common cause for taking a dog to see a veterinarian. The average claim fee was $98 per office visit. For cats, a bladder infection was the most common reason to take your kitty to the veterinarian. VPI received more than 3,800 medical claims for this ailment—with an average claim amount of $233 per office visit. The most expensive canine condition on the list (non-cancerous skin growth) cost an average of $220 per visit, while, for cats, the most expensive condition (lymphosarcoma) cost an average of $426 per visit.

The latest recall to share: Diamond Pet Foods is recalling specific lots of Puppy Formula dog food, due to salmonella contamination at the plant… the same plant that had mold problems in 2005. For more details, including the recalled lot numbers, please see this link: http://oregonvma.org/resources/diamond-pet-food-recalls-salmonella-spring-2012

Update May 10: Added to the list are some formulas of Canidae and Wellness.

Like humans, dogs engage in riskier behaviors when their self-control is depleted. How do dogs behave when their ability to exert self-control is compromised? Are they more likely to approach dangerous situations or stay well away? According to a new study by Holly Miller, from the University of Lille Nord de France, and colleagues, dogs that have ‘run out’ of self-control make more impulsive decisions that put them in harm’s way. The work was just published online in Springer’s Psychonomic Bulletin & Review.

To avoid danger, people often exert self-control over their behavior. When they do not and they behave more impulsively, they may unintentionally put themselves in dangerous situations e.g. pedestrians jaywalk across busy streets, children stick objects into electrical outlets, and teenagers join dangerous gangs. Miller and colleagues’ work is the first to demonstrate that this phenomenon of ‘self-control depletion’ also has significant behavioral implications in animals: mentally fatigued dogs do not think straight and are more likely to inadvertently subject themselves to risks that may result in physical harm.

The researchers recruited ten dogs and trained them to sit still for ten minutes, thereby exerting self-control; or not, by putting them in a cage where they were free to move around. Afterwards, the dogs were walked into a room in which a barking, growling dog was caged. The dogs spent a total of four minutes in the room but were free to choose where in the room they spent their time. Although approaching the other dog was the natural response for the dogs, it was also the riskier choice.

Those dogs who had exerted self-control by sitting still beforehand spent more time in close proximity to the aggressive dog compared with those dogs who had not exerted self-control (i.e. the caged dogs) — 59 percent compared to 42 percent. These results show that initial self-control exertion results in riskier and more impulsive decision making by dogs.

Miller and team conclude: “The present research provides evidence that the phenomenon of self-control depletion, once believed to be uniquely human, can be found in dogs. Using work in animals may provide a greater insight into the physiological and neurobiological processes that affect self-control.”

University of Pittsburgh researchers said the weed killer Roundup, in sub-lethal and environmentally relevant concentrations, caused two species of amphibians to change their shape.

The study is the first to show that a pesticide can induce morphological changes in a vertebrate animal, biological sciences Professor Rick Relyea said.

Roundup is a systemic, broad-spectrum herbicide produced by the U.S. company Monsanto.

The presence of predators can cause tadpoles to change shape by altering the tadpoles’ stress hormones, Relyea said, causing them to grow bigger tails to better escape.

But similar shape changes seen after exposure to Roundup suggest the weed killer may interfere with the hormones of tadpoles and potentially many other animals, Relyea said.

“It was not surprising to see that the smell of predators in the water induced larger tadpole tails,” Relyea said. “That is a normal, adaptive response.”

“What shocked us was that the Roundup induced the same changes. Moreover, the combination of predators and Roundup caused the tail changes to be twice as large.”

Because tadpoles alter their body shape to match their environment, having a body shape that does not fit the environment can put the animals at a distinct disadvantage, the researchers said.

“This discovery highlights the fact that pesticides, which are important for crop production and human health, can have unintended consequences for species that are not the pesticide’s target,” Relyea said.

“Herbicides are not designed to affect animals, but we are learning that they can have a wide range of surprising effects by altering how hormones work in the bodies of animals. This is important because amphibians not only serve as a barometer of the ecosystem’s health, but also as an indicator of potential dangers to other species in the food chain, including humans.”

From United Press International

This month we are featuring our furry friend Murphy. He is a handsome 13 year old Golden Retriever who has been a frequent patient at Dogwood over the past five years. Murphy has had several surgeries to remove cancerous tumors called Mast Cell Tumors and non cancerous lumps called Lipomas. Now with old age, he has arthritis setting in.

The doctors at Dogwood have put him on an integrative therapy plan which includes Acupuncture, Laser Therapy, herbal supplements, and pain medications. This combination is helping his arthritis, and keeping up his overall quality of life by supporting multiple body systems.

We would like to wish Murphy a healthy and happy life. We are fortunate to be a part of his health care team.

Latest research confirms evidence that having a pet improves a person’s health.

We know that pets are beneficial to our health — they can lower a person’s blood pressure, cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and provide opportunities for exercise and socialization.

In some cases, the source of the benefits is obvious. You walk a dog for two miles, you’ll be in better shape. But some of the reported benefits are baffling.

A 10-year study at the University of Minnesota Stroke Center found that cat owners were 40 percent less likely to have heart attacks than non-cat owners.

Could a cat’s purr be the reason?

“Cats will purr when they’re content, but also they’ll purr when they’re about to be euthanized. It’s thought they purr to communicate with their kittens,” says author and animal behavior consultant Steve Dale. “It’s thought to be a calming mechanism.

“If that’s the case … maybe they calm themselves or other cats, but maybe there’s a fallout and there’s another mammal species, us, that’s impacted.”

In another study, conducted at Kean University in New Jersey, subjects watched a “Lassie” movie. Their levels of cortisol — a chemical associated with stress — were checked before and after the film, and showed a decline after the movie.

This animal connection, Dale explained, “alters our neurochemistry. Not just the physiology, the blood pressure change, which is significant, but also the neurochemistry. The scientists are discovering there really is a difference here.”

By William Hageman, Tribune Newspapers

Merlyn was a 21 year old Siamese cat that was greatly loved by both staff members and his owners. In remembrance of his long fulfilled life, we would like to dedicate the month of March in loving memory to him.

Merlyn came to us in 2006 and has been a frequent visitor ever since. With old age comes health issues and Merlyn, unfortunately, had his fair share. He was diagnosed with kidney disease and hyperthyroidism, among other things. Our staff worked hard with his owners to give Merlyn the rich life he deserved. We did this with a form of dialysis, administering fluids under the skin on a regular basis, high blood pressure medicine, and also our laser therapy. By doing these things and yearly wellness visits the longevity as well as quality of his life were greatly increased.

We just want to take a moment and say we were happy and honored to have been a part of Merlyn’s life. Each and every animal is a blessing to us and our clinic.

Behind overfeeding or poor diet, lack of exercise is the second most common cause of pet obesity. Both dogs and cats can gain excess weight when not properly exercised and left unattended, this can lead to obesity. Obesity itself is a health problem, leading to heart disease, muscle/joint problems, and a general tendency to get hurt more easily than would a physically-fit dog or cat.

Dogs need daily exercise and most breeds need a quite a bit of it. Even the small breeds need some daily exercise to keep trim and in shape. Historically, many dog breeds have been used for working purposes. Doing these jobs usually provided the exercise needed on a daily basis. However, most dogs today are not used for working purposes and are kept as pets. Pet dogs still need the exercise that working dogs get in order to be happy and healthy.

In today’s fast paced world, many people with families, work, school, etc. don’t have the time to properly exercise their dogs. Many dogs only get one or two walks a week, and then it is usually just around the block. Some dogs get less. Most people don’t understand how much exercise dogs actually need and rarely consider this when bringing a dog or puppy into their lives. Dogs enjoy exercise, but when they are out of shape it is hard for them, just like humans. The excess weight can also put pressure on joints which can make exercising uncomfortable or even painful for dogs, especially senior dogs. Because of these factors, an overweight dog might not want to walk much, which makes it all the harder to get them in shape.

Cats are even more likely to gain weight from lack of exercise. Because cats usually don’t get walked and are less social and more nocturnal than dogs, most people are sleeping when cats are ready to exercise. Cats also sleep more than dogs, up to 18 hours every day. This can make owners reluctant to wake them and engage them in play, which is a major form of exercise. Roaming outdoors is also a form of exercise, but has major risks associated with it. Climbing is one way cats get exercise. Another is jumping. Cats love to climb, run, and jump like their wild ancestors did. Most people, however, don’t want their cats jumping on their counters or climbing their curtains. Providing cats with their own cat tree or jungle-gym to climb, jump, and play on can decrease the appeal counters and tables have for cats to jump on.

Proper exercise is important for animals to keep a healthy body weight. Sometimes life gets busy and we cannot provide this need for them as much as we would like. There is no quick fix and daily exercise is something that must be kept in mind when bringing a pet into your life.