Chapter 1: We become a family
Canine Nutrition
[1] The nutritious requirement of an individual is driven by several factors, including the species, the individual’s metabolism, other dynamic internal conditions like physical and mental health, as well as external conditions like weather and humidity (Read Article)
[2] For example, stress is known to increase our craving for carbohydrates, while we may find some pain relief when we consume spicy foods. (Read Article)
[3] Then, there are food items that are considered to have anti-carcinogenic properties, anti-inflammatory properties, ‘brain foods’, etc.
[4] My concern with food is because food impacts the internal condition of the body, including gut health, stress hormone levels and inflammation in the body, all of which further impact health and behaviour. (Read Article)
[5] Food also impacts mood, which too impacts behaviour. (Read Article)
[6] There seem to be emerging, interesting links between certain behaviours like excessive chewing and licking (oral stereotypies), and gut health and ulcers.
Excessive licking and gut health
[7] Animals in the wild are known to have an inherent instinct around what is not only the right food for them and what is toxic, but also the ability to build out their “pharmacy” to use different medicinal plants in their ecosystem to alleviate common health issues. (Fascinating 2012 article in The Scientist exploring examples of insects to mammals self medicating )
[8] The emerging field of Applied Zoompharmacognosy is the study of this knowledge in companion animals, and it is interesting to note that many of our domestic and companion animals seem to retain such abilities.
Reading Recommendation
[9] Our curated collection of recommended reading. (Article COMING UP)
Understanding Sleep
[10] Sleep is not an indulgence. Sleep is sometimes likened to an upgrade from economy to business class. It’s not. It’s not even an upgrade from economy to first class. The critical thing to realise is that if you don’t sleep, you don’t fly. Essentially, you never get there, and that’s what’s extraordinary about much of our society these days is that we are desperately sleep-deprived.’
—Dr Russell Foster, Neuroscientist and Head, Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute (Watch Video)
COMING UP
[11] That’s right, dogs dream too. So do rats.
Reading Recommendations
[12] There is a common consensus that the human requirement for sleep averages somewhere around eight hours. With dogs, this requirement seems to be almost double.
Sleep in dogs
[13] This could be attributed to the fact that they spend less than 10 per cent of their total sleep in REM sleep,[13] which is less than half of that in humans.
REM sleep in dogs
[14] Poor sleep unravels an organism’s immunity. The extent of this can be understood by considering that the WHO has officially declared ‘night-shift’ as a carcinogen! (Read publication)
[15] Stress and sleep have an unholy relationship and can create a vicious cycle. Any surge in stress and excitement increases adrenaline and cortisol in the body. Cortisol impedes sleep.
Relationship between cortisol and sleep
[16] Sleep deprivation can cause death by auto-intoxication of the brain. In the case of dogs, this can take anywhere from nine to fourteen days.
Sleep deprivation
[17] Sleep occurs in stages and an organism moves from stage to stage, falling deeper and deeper into sleep and gradually coming out of it, over a cycle of 90–110 minutes (in humans), which keeps repeating itself. (Read more about sleep architecture)
[18] The exact duration of this cycle in dogs is currently unknown, but the pattern is believed to be similarly cyclical.
Sleep architecture in dogs
[19] Some foods (complex carbohydrates, certain fats, foods containing tryptophan and melatonin) are known to induce sleep19 and may be good temporary solutions to highly stressed-out or hyperactive dogs.
Diet and sleep
Bonus
Here are some additional resources on sleep.
Read More
A Closer Look at Crates
[20] An article published by PETA tries to trace back the history of using crates and says, ‘Crating began as a way for people who participate in dog shows to keep their dogs clean, but they did not take into account their dogs’ social, physical, and psychological needs.’ (Read article)
[21] There are studies that show that confinement increases stress and lead to behavioural issues.
Read More
Walking Equipment
[22] Today, there is enough evidence to suggest that the use of restraints around the neck has severe short- and long-term implications.
[23] A study by A.M. Pauly, E. Bentley, K.A. Diehl and P.E. Miller concluded that ‘pressure in the eyes’ increased significantly from the baseline values when a force was applied to the neck via a leash to a collar. This does not happen with harnesses.
[24] Julia Robertson, a canine anatomy expert and the pioneer of Galen Myotherapy for dogs, says, ‘Reducing good flow of blood to and from the brain will have an impact on hormonal delivery, which can be catastrophic for the function of the senses: eyes, ears and nose.’ (Read article)
[25] The neck is also home to several very soft organs. The lymph glands and the thymus have to do with the immunity of the body. Mechanical damage to these organs can compromise the overall immunity of the body, exposing dogs to several diseases. The thymus is particularly enlarged in puppies, making the gland even more vulnerable to damage.
[26] Apart from discomfort when drinking water and eating food, the tongue is also important for movement. ‘There is a muscle just above the dog’s chest that stabilizes the tongue; if this muscle is disturbed or damaged it will affect the position of the tongue and this will impact the dog’s total’s balance,’ says Julia Robertson.(Read article)
[27] Julia explains, ‘If a dog wearing a collar is being pulled sideways, this can cause something similar to whiplash injury which is due to the weight of the head and a sideways thrust. This type of force is not something the head can cope with from a functional perspective, and can very easily be damaged. This can leave dogs with permanent or in some cases a repetitive whiplash pain.’ (Read article)
[28] Surrounding the vertebra in the neck are several muscles connecting the head to the chest, shoulders and legs. Despite being strong, these muscles are not immune to mechanical damage, as found in a study conducted in 1992 by Anders Hallgren.
[29] Julia explains this cascading effect thus:
Damaged muscle fibres shorten during their self- healing mechanism. The shortening of the muscle length surrounding the vertebrae will draw these vertebrae of the neck closer together; in turn compromising the gap between each of the vertebral bodies, thereby impinging on the structures. This can have a devastating effect on the major nerves and the vessels supported through and around these vital vertebrae, with a high potential of severe dysfunction, pain and referred pain. Manifestations include deep physical and psychological effects; anyone who suffers from headaches from a bad neck will know how this feels.’ (Read article)
[30] Some harnesses restrict the movement of the head and impose a certain head carriage. Unnatural head carriage causes muscular issues, as discussed in the essay on ‘The Floating Limb’ in Chapter 8. This type of harness can also cause neck injuries in dogs. ‘I have seen some of the most awful whiplash injuries from these,’ says Julia. ‘The leverage potential on the dog’s head through the joint where the skull meets the neck vertebra is huge! And the dog is anatomically really unprotected in this region.’ (Read article)
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