Hyperactive Shelter Dogs - Can they be rehabilitated?

By Windsor, King.

A few days ago we went to an animal shelter to evaluate some dogs for possible rescue. I helped my human evaluate dogs for several years now. My human trusts my judgment a lot. I show him the bad boys by nipping at them.

Too bad that most animal shelters will not let me in – for my own safety, they say. But “we have our ways”. Sometimes we can park right next to a perimeter fence, at other times I take a comfort break in my chariot by walking along the fence. Often that is not necessary because volunteers walk shelter dogs outside the compound. Guess what. They help us on occasion by walking the dog we are coming to see right under our noses. My nose, that is.

At the shelter we met two hyperactive Bulldogs. A young male labeled 'hyperactive' but treatable went first. Let me tell you, I was no saint when I was young. But this guy beats me and most every other dog hands down. He was running like mad in his enclosure, plaid with three balls at the same time, jumped incessantly, rolled around on the ground, wrestled with himself, only to go back to chasing his balls. He was in perpetual motion, pacing back and forth and jumping, jumping, jumping. He greeted humans joining him in the cage with limitless exuberance and even wilder jumping.

Then they brought his companion, a young female. She is smaller, much smaller, but matches him in her hyperactive ways ball by ball and bounce by bounce. In fact, while the boy became tired rather quickly and started to slow done, even lie down on the ground, the girl appeared to become more active the more she played.
I have seen many overly active, nay, hyperactive dogs in my time. But none could compare to these two.

Why are dogs hyperactive? How do they get that way? Are they born hyperactive, you ask.

My human says it is always a good idea to have a vet check out the dog to make sure that there is no physical cause of the hyperactivity. It could be, he says, a thyroid problem among others.

Truly hyperactive dogs are quite rare. In most cases the 'hyperactive dog' just does not get enough workout. Dogs are meant to travel distances and to run a lot. Can you blame us for becoming overly active when we have to sit in a small cage in an animal shelter for many months?

Certain breeds are by nature more active and therefore need to workout more often and longer. Humans call them working dogs and herders. I call them nuisance dogs because they always make trouble in dog parks.
Puppies, are also much more active. They have to be that way, it is normal for them. Keep in mind that some of us stay 'puppies' for a long time. That can mean up to two years in certain breeds.

All of us, big or small, need regular daily walks. Thirty minutes per day is the absolute minimum. I know you may have a hard time fitting it into your schedule. But should you then have a dog, I ask?

When I say 'walk' I mean a brisk walk not a leisurely stroll grandpa style. Take a ball or other toy with you and let us chase it in a dog park or a large enclosed property – with the owner's permission of course. That will speed up the process. Playing fetch is another good idea. It spends a lot of pent up energy. Maybe we can even find a place to swim.

Are you into bike riding or even mountain bike riding? We would love to be with you out there. We can keep up with you. It is a great physical exercise and a bonding experience.

Some of us even enjoy agility training. It is physically demanding and provides at the same time much needed basic obedience training.

Which conveniently brings me to my next thoughts.
Many an overly active dog is in dire need of basic training. We may be hyperactive, undisciplined, respectless and overbearing just because we do not know better. Puppies don't train themselves to be good canine citizens. The pack trains them. Teenage dogs don't train themselves either. They need guidance and training.

Therefore, enroll your active dog in a class for basic obedience. Or, if you do not have the time and patience, let a dog trainer do the work.
Your bouncy canine friend needs to master at least the four basic building blocks of good dog behavior: Sit, down, sit stay and down stay. He also has to learn to 'come' on command, at once and under all circumstances. Mastering this command can be a great challenge.
Even I have to admit that I develop selective hearing at times. You know, it's hard to hear 'come' when lots of exiting things are happening all around you.

Ah, I almost forgot to mention another reason for hyperactivity: Attention getting. Some of us want attention all the time. And lots of it. They will do anything that will get them attention whether it is good or bad attention. If you have one of those guys, remember never to give them any kind of attention when they display undesirable behavior. When he barks, do not tell him to shut up. When she whines and cries, do not tell her to stop it.
If you do, you reward the offender with attention.
Instead, reward only good behavior. He will repeat the behavior that brought him the rewards.

Reward desirable behavior, ignore bad! And be consistent at all times.

Shelter dogs are quite often overactive and even hyperactive. No wonder. They experience the trauma of abandonment. They get caught on the streets. They sit in small cages or small runs, often together with other animals, for extended periods of time. At best they get a daily walk that lasts for a few precious minutes. But it is never long enough to spend all the energy these dogs have.

No wonder they act crazy when brought to a fenced area outside the kennels to meet people or to play. It is almost natural for a shelter dog to be extremely active, to say the least, when she comes into a new home. All that pent up energy has to be released somehow.

Can hyperactive dogs be rehabilitated? A truly hyperactive dog may need medication to correct the condition. But true hyperactivity is quite rare.
Overactive dogs, such as kennel dogs that were caged for a long period of time, can be rehabilitated. Treatment is as easy as regular walks and challenging physical exercises.

To rehabilitate your overactive dog follow a few simple steps:

1.Have your dog checked out thoroughly by a veterinarian for any physical problems that could be the cause of hyperactivity.
2.Walk you dog daily twice for at least 30 minutes or expose him to other vigorous physical exercises. If you have a treadmill at home, have your dog run on the treadmill. Some active breeds will need more than the standard 30 to 60 minute walks.
3.Take your dog to obedience class. Even better, take your dog to an agility course and let him work out there. This exercise provides not only physical challenges but also provides compelling lessons in obedience.
4.Take your herder to a place where she can learn to herd sheep. It works miracles.

And always remember: The walk is the basis of all dog rehabilitation.

Wheelchairs for dogs – A new lease on life!

By Windsor King MacArthur

People in wheelchairs are everywhere, on sidewalks, crossing streets, entering and leaving buildings, at parties, in churches, on the beach, climbing mountains, living, having fun. Happy and enjoying their new lease on life.

Why shouldn't they? They overcame great physical challenges against all odds, often defying conventional wisdom and professional predictions about what just cannot be done. Their determination and will to live overcame all obstacles. A wheelchair gave many of them the means to achieve it.

So, I wondered: Why are there no wheelchairs for dogs? Or are there? And if yes, why do so many dog owners not know about that?

The answer is that we are dogs not people. People count, dogs are counted out.

That's the brutal truth, my friends.

Unless you are fortunate enough to be a cherished member of a family that cares for you. Then you might get a second chance.

As you know I am presently experiencing an annoying predicament: My hind legs, the 'footsies' as my human calls them, suddenly have developed a mind of their own. They do no longer want to work for me. I fought them long and hard; they still refuse to work.

So we solicited the assistance of diverse slings to hold up my hindquarters. It gave me some limited mobility – very limited. First of all, I needed a human to strap me in, pick me up and walk me to wherever I wanted to go. It is better than nothing but by no means as good as free will – uh, mobility.

I was depressed, I was frustrated. I did not want to live this way. I did not want to live any longer. I stopped eating. I lay down on my bed to die.

My human promised to get me 'wheels” if I just decided to hang in there for a short while and fight for my life. A few days later we went to a shelter for abandoned and unwanted dogs to evaluate some of them for rescue. When he came out of the place, he had this strange contraption with him. A woman came with him.

Now, in my book women are always good and a good sign for good things to come. I was interested.

The two fussed around with the contraption for a while, then grabbed me, put something around my hind legs and under my belly. Then they strapped me into the contraption and said: “ Now, Windsor, you have legs again. You can walk on your own.”

With that they gently pushed me forward.

It felt strange at first. I was not really sure how to move but after a few awkward, disorganized steps the contraption started to move into the direction of the woman. Hey, that thing moved easily!

I could turn to wherever I wanted to go. No need for my human to help me or even to go with me.

After a few days of practice I will be able to control the wheelchair fully, I thought.

This was almost one year ago. Today everything is a well rehearsed routine. Slip into the sling, stand still and straight until the sling is strapped to the wheelchair and then go wherever the heart desires. It may sound pathetic to you but this wheelchair has given me an entirely new lease on life.

And do I have to add that my chariot is also a great attention getter. Wherever I go, people stop to gawk, cars linger at intersections to get a better view of the chair in action. Kids, women, men and even dogs
stop and stare at me in disbelief.

Actually, dogs sort of run away. They mistake me for a robotic dog with super powers. For example, this huge Irish Wolfhound was looking for a fight with my Lord Protector. I rode in on my chariot, attacked the big dog, nipped at his neck and, when he fled, I pursued him vigorously.
The Lord Protector stared in disbelief!
And so did the humans!

Then there is the case of the Rhodesian Ridgeback. When we first saw him, he was staggering around like a drunken sailor. His humans made a video of me in my wheelchair frolicking in the park. Then they went out and got him his very own wheelchair.

My Lord Protector runs and plays sometimes with a pit bull girl. She chases a tennis ball, he chases her and in my wheelchair I run both of them down.

Oh, you do not know what a Lord Protector is? First of all, he is a self-appointed Lord Protector. Then, if you want to see him on duty, you can go here. His job is to look dangerous and forbidding. He is my bodyguard.

We also know a pit bull girl that is paralyzed from a car accident. She has been living in a wheelchair for many years. She can outrun me any day. There is also another wheelchair Boxer not too far from us. And I am certain that many more fortunate dogs live in wheelchairs and enjoy life.

Seriously, if you know of a poor dog that has a hard time walking and getting around, tell his humans about wheelchairs for dogs. There are companies that make the chairs if your human cannot produce one himself. Google for 'dogs in wheelchair' or 'wheelchair for dogs' or 'wheels for dogs' and you will find them.

Right now I, Windsor King MacArthur, am pondering whether I should take the initiative and form a social group for dogs in wheelchairs. After all, humans play tennis in wheelchairs, basketball, baseball, softball, run the Marathon in a wheelchair, drive cars and do many, many other activities in wheelchairs.

Why should dogs not organize dog fun in wheelchairs? Chase tennis balls in a wheelchair. Catch frisbies in a wheelchair. You name it, we do it in wheelchairs.

What do you say?

Degenerative Myelopathy Gene Identified - My final thoughts and opinion.

Lucy's voice is a blog by dogs for dogs, written by dogs.

I actually have not much business here hogging the blog with my opinion. I only intended to explain to you the nature of Windsor's illness because he does not mention it.

Then the stunning and exciting news hit: Researchers identified the gene responsible for degenerative myelopathy in dogs. The work was/is sponsored financially by AKC Canine Health Foundation and others.

I read the available facts, followed links and did my best to assess the consequences for our companion pets. Here are my final thoughts, at least for now:

Let us all rejoice in this significant discovery. Let us also thank those who contributed financially to this effort. Those of us who can afford it should contribute to this noble cause in order to assure that the research efforts continue to full fruition.

The good news is that pet veterinarians and pet guardians now have a tool that allows to test dogs for the presence of the gene. Identifying dogs at risk early allows for early counter measures, which could reduce the risk of acute illness considerably. In the future it might even prevent the onset of an acute outbreak in some cases. Since DM symptoms can be mimicked by other problems with a dog's musculoskeletal system, only an sinfully expensive MRI could give an reasonably accurate diagnosis in the past. A simple 60.00 dollar test now can do better!

At the same time, it poses a challenge to breeders everywhere. Any responsible breeder, especially those that raise dog breeds known for their propensity to this disease, should make it a mandate to test both parent dogs for the gene before entering them into the breeding pool. This is just common sense and not an anti-breeder action. However, I fully understand that breeders will be less than enthusiastic to support this course of action. The strongest opposition will naturally come from 'backyard breeders'. Their only agenda is money anyway.

Now to the bad news: Finding the gene responsible for degenerative myelopathy in dogs is not a cure for the disease. At this time it is only a diagnostic tool. Future generations of dogs will benefit from it. Those living now are not affected; their guardians will have to hope for equally good news from ongoing stem cell research.

If your companion suffers already from DM, the discovery will not save him or her. In due time and after much more research and experimentation, veterinary science will certainly develop a way to splice the malicious gene out of existence or replace it with one that does not mutate. But, I guess, we are talking years here and, not to forget, lots of money.

Right now, I encourage you to have your dog tested for the gene as soon as the tests are available to the general public. At least it will give you peace of mind (in case of a negative test) or alert you to required changes in the lifestyle and diet for your dog. The test is inexpensive; it is even free for dogs over 8 years old.

Additionally, use any of the many methods that claim to slow down progression of the disease, if not to cure it, to maintain a good quality of life for your companion for as long as possible. I have mentioned some of them in my first article about the subject. Who knows, your companion pet might just hang in there long enough to be saved by the bell.

Sometimes miracles happen and research progresses faster than expected to a successful treatment!

In this context we should not forget the work done at UC Davis. The School of Veterinary Medicine is engaged in important research right now with the goal to use the dog's own stem cells from bone marrow to repair damaged spinal cords and nerves. They had significant success in mice. Now it is time to apply the lessons learned to dogs. The AKC Canine Health Foundation is financially supporting this research effort as well.

I am confident that the concerted efforts of the two research facilities will find ways to control incidents of DM in dogs and to heal afflicted animals. Modern gene technology will in time most likely eliminate the mutating gene from the canine gene pool.

As promising, exciting and great as these news are, I regret from the bottom of my heart that my loyal companion, Windsor King MacArthur, will not be able to share in the fruits of this research. The destruction of his nerves and spinal cord is steadily making it's way towards the upper body.

Though he is almost exactly one year into his DM, he is still strong enough to prance his wheel chair up to every woman in sight to extort shamelessly pets and kudos. “Hi, my name is Windsor. Have you ever petted a Boxer in a wheelchair? You may pet me!”

You have not heard his last word yet!

PJJ
Publisher

Degenerative Myelopathy Gene

More detailed information.

For more information on the gene responsible for degenerative myelopathy in certain breeds and for testing information go here:
http://www.akcchf.org/news/index.cfm?article_id=248

Look for the article “AKC Canine Health Foundation Announces Genetic Test for Canine Degenerative Myelopathy” posted on May 08,2008.

There is some preliminary information on the test posted here: http://www.caninegeneticdiseases.net/ .

The side bar has a link to the University of Missouri-Columbia, College of Veterinary Medicine under "Degenerative Myelopathy" with very detailed and excellent information on this disease. On the same page you can also find a list of organizations that helped fund the gene project. Please consider these organizations for your donations.

I will report in more detail as soon as I have had time to study the new material.

PJJ

05/11/2008

Researchers find Gene responsible for Degenerative Myelopathy

Reader comment reveals preliminary details.

According to a Mike Wardok, the research team of Dr. Coats and Dr. Tonamura has succeeded in finding the gene responsible for degenerative myelopathy. Work is now underway to make a test available to the general public. The research was apparently done in cooperation and/or with funding from the Canine Health Foundation. I cannot wait to hear details.

Please read the comment posted at the end of my original article. Until I have found and corrected the reason for the crowded footer, Mike Wardok's note is hard to find.

The news are so good and exciting that they deserve a separate mention. I am positive that we will hear from Mike Wardok again as soon as more details become available. Mr. Wardok, please e-mail me. I would like to talk to you.

On Degenerative Myelopathy(2) - The unstoppable Killer?

The onset of degenerative myelopathy is almost imperceptible. A small delay in getting up, labored stair climbing, trouble balancing, reduced stamina and ability to jump, slight unsteadiness on the hind quarters and so on. Many, if not all, of these symptoms are also associated with other illnesses that affect the musculoskeletal system of dogs.

The diagnosis of degenerative myelopathy is therefore difficult to make. It is the result of a process of elimination rather than that of positive identification. Eventually, only a MRI will reveal the truth. This is a very expensive proposition.

It takes a veterinarian with extensive experience with this insidious disease to sort through the possibilities and successfully determine the presence of myelopathy.

Probably the best expert in the United States is an Associate Professor of Neurology & Neurosurgery, Small Animal Clinical Sciences, at the University of Florida. His name is Dr. Roger Clemmons. He studied the disease for many years, has researched and published extensively about it. He is now attempting to find a genetic DNA fingerprint of the illness that would allow to determine whether an individual animal is at risk for developing the illness.

In the course of his research he has researched and tested allopathic and alternative medicine, exercise regimens, diet and home cooking for the dog. Though many of these measures have the potential of slowing down the process of degeneration, they do not effectively treat the disease but only slow it down.

Dr. Clemmons has a website with excellent information on degenerative myelopathy, the symptoms, treatment courses, dietary advice and medicine that you can give your dog. This is by far the best and most knowledgeable source of information on spinal cord problems in dogs. Dr. Clemmons' myelopathy website tells you all you need to know about the disease. You find a treasure trove of information right here.

The onset of degenerative myelopathy can be anytime between four and 10 or more years. If untreated, the life expectancy of your dog will be around one year, in rare cases maybe a little longer. You can pretty much count on six to nine months from the time the dog starts dragging his hind legs.

With treatment the animals life expectancy increases to two or more years. Occasionally the illness goes into remission for a long period of time or permanently. But do not count on it.

Degenerative myelopathy is the Multiple Sclerosis of dogs. You can slow down the drumbeat of it's inexorable progress but not completely eliminate it. Not yet.

Much advanced research is done on spinal cord diseases and injuries in humans and on auto-immune diseases. The most promising approach, and the most publicized because of celebrity involvement, is obviously the use of stem cells to repair a damaged spinal cord and axons. Because of a controversy over the origin and the use of stem cells, there is still much debate over ethical implications. Therefore, the research process is not progressing as fast as it could without that debate and arbitrary limitations on the source of stem cells.

The UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine is now bringing stem cell research to our canine friends. In July 2007, Dr. Richard Vulliet from UC Davis received a generous grant from the AKC Canine Health Foundation to research the use of stem cells for the treatment of degenerative myelopathy.

Research on mice indicates that beneficial effects can be achieved by injecting stem cells from an animal's own bone marrow into the affected areas. In mice these adult stem cells appear to transform themselves into new nerve cells. But will this also work in dogs?

Dr. Vulliet's research attempts to answer this question. He will prepare adult stem cells and then inject them into animals with degenerative myelopathy or dilated cardiamyopathy. If the clinical trials prove this therapy to be safe and stem cells to transform into new nerve cells, then he intends to take further steps to explore the effectiveness of this new course of action.

Should you have a dog with myelopathy or encephalopathy the research will most likely come to late to save your companion. But it might well save the lives of many good dog in the future.

You can find the press release of AKC on the Net. UC Davis posted a brief article on the subject on the same date.

AKC also has a short video in which Dr. Vullient describes the disease and his reasons for research in this area of veterinary medicine.

The same AKC site also has a very good and instructive video on how to deal with a dog with degenerative myelopathy.

As guardian and friend of Windsor I find it very difficult to see him whither away and to observe his steady march towards his final days. He is way beyond physical therapy, acupuncture and good food. At times he has bowel control problems, his front legs are beginning to weaken, he is voluntarily resting on his bed more and for longer periods of time. Hey, he is at least 13 years old. And that is old for a Boxer.

His fighting spirit is unbroken. He is full of life and vitality. He still loves and enjoys the company of people.

And he still adores women. Nothing in the world but death can stop him from greeting each and every single one of them enthusiastically. As long as I see his eyes light up and his ears perk, as long as he still prances up to a woman and does a Boxer dance in his wheelchair, I will gladly put up with the extra work.

Windsor King MacArthur is well worth it, every moment of his life and to his last breath.

I believe - no, I know - you have not heard the last from Windsor King MacArthur.

On Degenerative Myelopathy(1) - The Silent Killer

A Word from the Publisher

In the future you will hear a lot from Windsor, King MacArthur. He is and always has been a prolific writer. But most of all he is a Boxer dedicated to helping old, unwanted, maligned dogs. Dogs nobody wants because they are old and have a bad reputation. Dogs that languish in rescue shelters without much hope of being adopted.

Windsor has rehabilitated and helped find a home for over a dozen of them. Some of them so-called 'hopeless' cases.

You may hear him refer to his 'ailment' or his 'predicament'. He even might tell you that he has spent the last seven month in a wheelchair. But he will not tell you the nature of his disease. He does not believe that he is 'diseased' because, he says, he feels just fine.
“If I feel at ease, why am I 'diseased'?”, is the question he used to ask me most often.

Therefore, it is up to me to give you a brief background on his affliction.

King Windsor suffers from Degenerative Myelopathy. This insidious disease afflicts many of the large dog breeds, specifically German Shepherds, Rhodesian Ridgebacks, Belgian Sheepdogs, Old English Sheepdogs, Weimaraners, Chesapeake Bay Retrievers, Boxers, Labs and possibly the Great Pyrenees. There are other breeds also at risk of getting this illness.

Degenerative Myelopathy is considered a “progressive disease involving the spinal cord. It is thought to be an inflammatory, autoimmune disease, variable in its presentation and course, in which the immune system attacks the dog’s central nervous system. This attack leads to a loss of insulation around the nerve fibers (myelin) and of nerve fibers (axons).” (Marjorie Zimmerman)

Simply put, the disease breaks down the 'insulation' around the nerve fibers. That creates 'shorts' in the circuitry leading from the brain to the nerve endings in the limbs. When the insulating material on your power cord breaks down shorts between the two leads result. There will be sparks, erratic power and eventually a complete loss of power to the load.

This will happen to your dog with myelopathy. First, you will notice that he has trouble getting up or lying down, difficulties with balance and a loss of strength in his hind legs. There will be loss of muscle mass. Eventually, your dog will walk like a drunken sailor, staggering and falling. Exercising him more does not prevent loss of muscle mass – it just makes him feel more frustrated.

I tried all kinds of 'remedies' including diet. Nothing had a significant lasting effect. Windsor liked acupuncture. It calmed him down, strengthened his entire system, even appeared to give him improved control – for a day, rarely more. In other words, it did not really work.

No, it will not get better. It will only get worse. Though this insidious disease normally starts in the hind legs, it will progress forward, up the lower back towards the chest area and the front limbs. The dog will eventually end up completely paralyzed. Some dogs retain a little head movement.

What quality of life is that?

I noticed the first signs of degenerative myelopathy in Windsor about one year ago. At that time I did not know the nature of Windsor's affliction. He always had a hard time getting up from his bed or the couch. He also had difficulties climbing up stairs. He coped with the problem by using his front legs to pull himself up, step by step.

But a year ago I noticed that every time I used insecticide spray to keep fleas out, control mosquitos and flies, Windsor's had not only difficulties getting up but also found it hard to keep his balance. I cut out the insecticide and within 24 hours or so the 'drunken sailor' symptoms went away.

We managed to identify “pyrethrum” as the culprit. It is a very effective insecticide naturally found in chrysanthemums. It is also quite common in pet and household insecticides. By hindsight the causalities are quite clear: Pyrethrum affects the nervous system of insects. That makes it an excellent pest control agent. Unfortunately, it also acts on the nervous system of mammals. It can destroy or seriously damage nerve tissue.

Thus, if you happen to own a dog with a latent affinity for nerve damage, you should really not use insecticides with pyrethrum as active ingredient.

Though Windsor recovered from exposure to the insecticide, his latent myelopathy accelerated. By early July of last year, I had to use a sling to support his hind quarters. He still could move his hind legs but they did no longer bear his weight. Two months later he was completely down, unable to get up or to move on his own – other than dragging himself across the floor with his front legs. He became quite an efficient 'dragger'. When there was need for speed, he even managed a hop to propel himself forward.

Despite his illness Windsor insisted to go with me to animal shelters and rescue kennels to help evaluate other dogs for rehabilitation.

This is how he materialized his first wheel chair. It came to him as a gift in recognition of his contributions to the rehabilitation and rescue of numerous other dogs.

This wheelchair literally saved Windsor's life. It gave him freedom again, a new, bright world and the ability to go where before he could no longer go.

But most importantly and vital to him, he could saunter up to women again, bright eyed and bushy tailed, and say:

“Hi, my name is Windsor. Have you ever petted a Boxer in a wheel chair before?”

His success rate is phenomenal!

But I am digressing. Please read more about degenerative myelopathy, the absence of effective treatments and a new and promising development in the battle against it right here and soon.