Animal
Behaviour Consultants of South Africa ™
General Newsletter
“The
newsletter for the dedicated pet owner”
June 2007
The feedback on this
newsletter and the ideas for articles has been phenomenal, thank you!
Unfortunately we cannot feature them all at the same time, but will be
doing all we can to meet your requests and articles asked for will
appear in further issues. We have lots of new subscribers and look
forward to you forwarding this to family and friends and having them
join us as well.
We would also like to
thank all the professionals who have been so helpful in writing
excellent articles for us and helping us with this venture, in this, and
our previous issues. In this issue we have Dr. Morisson, who has done
an article on the feeding of ageing horses, requested by Michelle Nel,
as well as Dr. Greenberg, for his article on Feeding Guidelines and Dr.
Rigby for the information on Spirocerca Lupi (The Red Worm). A further
thank you to the breeders for their information which will help us to
understand the particular breeds that much better.
For those of you that
are considering a career with animals or just want to further your own
knowledge, we suggest that you consider becoming a member of the ABC of
SA, which will entitle you to our Professional Newsletter which contains
in-depth information on animals from the professional point of view, as
well as allow you to enter our fabulous competitions and qualify you for
a reduced entry fee at ABC of SA events.
We would once again
like to thank you for your support and look forward to receiving your
comments and ideas for articles. Scotty Valadao (Editor)
CONTENTS
-
Breed Personality Information (Canine)
This
issue – The American Staffordshire Terrier (Amstaff) by Dawie Wiesner
2. Breed Personality Information (Feline)
This
issue - The Maine Coon Cat by Marianne Kernes
3. Feeding the Older Horse – A Brief Guide
–
by Dr.
L. Morisson
4. The Principles of Feeding Dog’s Correctly
–
Dr. M.
Greenberg
5. Spirocerca Lupi (The Red Worm) What is this worm?
By Dr.
S. Rigby
6. Questions and Answers – some common misconceptions
7. What the Animal Behaviour Consultants of South Africa is all about
8. About membership
1. American Staffordshire Terrier ( Amstaff)
(by Dawie Wiesner)
Breed
History:
The American Staffordshire Terrier is not a new breed. It has been
developed since the 1800’s as crosses between the bulldogs of that time
and game terriers. However it only gained Club registration and
recognition in 1936 with the American Kennel Club. Amstaffs are
relatively new to South Africa and have only been recognized by Kusa for
just over 10 years.
Although ancestors of
the American Staffordshire were fighting dogs, since 1930 selective
breeding has been away from this heritage. Today the American
Staffordshire is a companion and show dog, rather than a gladiator.
Although more rarely used on farms now this type of dog has been
instrumental to the success of farmers and settlers who developed the
USA. The Amstaff breed standard has been complied in such a manner that
function would not be compromised for the sake of winning shows. A good
Amstaff should still be able to spend a day at the side of a horseman
rounding up cattle.
Personality:
Amstaffs should be agile and graceful and keenly alive to their
surroundings supported by great courage without being aggressive. They
make great family pets. Very intelligent, gentle and loves children. A
true Amstaff would give its life for their family. Very lively,
especially while young. Puppies easily get overly exited and can knock
babies and toddlers over. Loves to chew when they are young. Often have
dominant personalities and care should be taken to establish the correct
pecking order in the family not allowing your Amstaff to dominate any
member of the family. If socialized as puppies they will get along well
with other dogs without ever starting a fight. Obedience training and
puppy socializing is a must. They are more dog friendly than most of
their bull and terrier cross cousins. Friendly with all humans but they
have a kind of discernment when some person is up to no good.
Training:
Puppy socialization is very important to allow them to learn good dog
manners especially if they do not get in contact with other dogs and
people a lot. In most cases obedience training is also a must. Amstaffs
have so much potential that will be wasted it they are not trained.
Through training you will get to shape your dog to spend the next 10 to
15 years with you, with every dog you only get one opportunity and it
should not be wasted.
Environment:
Amstaffs like to run and play. A nice patch of grass and a view will be
sufficient if you allow your dogs to live inside as well as outside.
Toys or something to keep their mind occupied should be used to keep
them out of trouble. The smaller the area where they will be kept the
more they will have to be walked and played with to burn some energy.
They like companion dogs.
Who
should own a Amstaff:
Amstaffs often are not suited for first dog owners. Usually people who
already owned one of the four bull and terrier crosses will really
appreciate this breed. Amstaffs are immensely powerful, very intelligent
and quite dominant as well. You as an owner need to be a disciplined
individual who are willing to invest time and some effort in training.
If you are that kind of person the Amstaff is for you.
2. The Maine Coon Cat
(by Marianne Kernes)
The Maine Coon cat is
known as the Gentle Giant of the cat world. It is the largest
domesticated cat. This breed of cat loves to be with it human parents
and companions. Initially the more that the new owners put into their
kitten, talking to it, carrying it about, playing with it: the more they
will receive as a reward. Dog people love this breed. They claim that
this breed is much more like a dog than a cat. These cats love water.
They love to help with the dishes, they love to lie on the side of the
bath while their owners bathe, often unbeknown to themselves that their
beautiful long tails are floating in the water. They drown toys,
insects, paper or whatever in their water bowls. They have no fear of
dogs and providing your dogs are socialised, will cuddle up to a Staffie,
Great Dane or whatever. If you are digging a hole to plant a tree, this
cat will be there examining the correct size of the hole. They will
climb the stepladder to help you examine the light bulb that you are
changing. They love to help with any painting jobs. They are easily
trained to walk on a lead and some are seen in complexes or walking to
the local shops, on leads. However be warned: if you just want a cat
and do not have the time to spend on this very intelligent animal, and
just allow it to spend all its hours outdoors, you will have a cat that
will hunt all night and sleep all day, and in all probability be killed
soon by the neighbours dogs or traffic from motor cars. This cat is
unique. Not just because of its amazing size but because of its
intelligence and people companionability. This cat likes eye contact –
unlike other who find “staring” aggressive. For such big cats, they
have tiny voices. They “chirrup” when addressed. All of them know
their names. However when a Maine Coon screams at you – you know that
YOU have to run!
Do’s and Don’ts
o
Do socialise your
kitten. The more you put into your pet the more you will get out.
o
Do feed premium food
from your vet. They grow at an incredible rate. Kittens are born around
120-160 grams. Are on average 1,3 – 1,6 kg at 10weeks. And grow to
6kgs (female) and 10kgs (male). Much bigger than the average Maltese or
Jack Russell!
o
Do brush, even a
kitten, every day. Grooming your cat helps you to bond with it.
o
Do bath your cat at
least every two months. Although supposedly medium haired, these cats
get a full coat, that unless the dead hair is washed away, can matt
horribly.
o
Do close your windows
and doors, initially when the kitten is young. at around 18h00
o
Do not allow the
kitten outside unless on a lead or until it knows its name when called.
o
Do not fill a bath
with hot water. These cats love water and can be scalded.
3. Feeding The Older Horse – A Brief Guide
(by Dr. L. Morisson)
There are
many aspects to consider when dealing with the older horse and his or
her nutrition. Due to the age of the horse, all negative factors need to
be eliminated to enable your older horse to get the most from his diet.
Firstly,
is the horse able to get the food into its mouth, chew and swallow it
successfully? If not, you may need to have the teeth examined by your
vet. Teeth maintenance should ideally be done six month to yearly
depending on your horse’s specific needs. Ideally, the only work that
need be done is that the sharp edges be taken off to prevent the cheeks
and tongue from being lacerated. Over-filing of the surfaces of the
teeth (occlusal surfaces) should be avoided as this will reduce the
surfaces available for chewing, thus causing quidding (food falling from
the mouth while chewing) and weight loss. Excessive rasping of the
occlusal surfaces while the horse is young will result in the horse
having no teeth prematurely, resulting in reduced ability to eat. If
you’re finding the horse has excessive wear of the occlusal surfaces
prematurely, then enquire at your feed supplier – many of the feed
manufacturers make a diet especially for the older horse that has a
limited ability to chew. Consider getting the roughage milled to limit
the chewing necessary.
Is
something else getting the benefit of all the food you’ve been feeding
your horse? Regular and frequent deworming is an imperative management
tool that needs to be utilized\ed correctly in order to optimise the
benefits from the treatment. Remember to use the correct dose, as well
as to rotate the dewormer used to prevent resistance. An important thing
to be aware of is that just because you’re changing the product, you are
not necessarily changing the active ingredient, which is what you should
be doing.
The adult
horse should be eating a diet comprising around 3% of its body weight.
Thus for the 500kg average horse, it should be eating approximately 15kg
of food a day. It is important to note that only 3 – 5kg of this should
be concentrates and the rest should be roughage such as teff or Lucerne.
As mentioned above, there are many diets available on the market to suit
the changing needs of your horse, and even diets for the geriatric
equine which require less chewing. One can consider adding supplements
if the horse is still in work. Obliviously, each case should be
evaluated individually, so you can work out what the best combination
for each horse is.
It is a
good idea to soak the teff fed to the older horse, to increase the water
intake especially in the cold winter months when they will be less
inclined to drink. It is important not to soak the teff for hours, as if
will become slimy – 10 – 15mins in water prior to feeding is best. One
can add a salt or mineral lick to stimulate thirst too.
Your
older horses should have access to grazing and during the day, in
addition to the actual grazing, it will also be getting access to
sunshine and be encouraged to move around. During the winter months, it
is also a good idea to monitor the warmth of the horses both during the
frosty mornings and during the night – this will prevent energy being
demanded for heat production.
All in
all, there is no simple recipe for feeding the older horse, but as with
young horses, life stage nutrition is important for addressing specific
needs that your horse may have. If you are concerned about your horse,
it is definitely worthwhile consulting your veterinarian.
4. The Principles of Feeding Dogs Correctly
(Dr. M. Greenberg)
What and
how you feed your dog is of paramount importance and careful
consideration should be taken to determine the brand, the amount and the
frequency of feeding your pet. What and how we feed our dogs can have a
dramatic effect on their behaviour, mood and health. People, in general,
are poor nutritionists themselves, how so are they with pets?
Choice of
Food
Buy the
best pet food that you can afford. Correct nutrition is basic health
care. Correct nutrition dictates that the dog is fed a food that
contains all the nutrients it requires. Although it may appear
expensive to feed a good quality brand, you will actually be saving in
the long run with fewer visits to the vet. Although a complete food
based on meat or poultry may appear to be more expensive, it is likely
to be nutritionally dense and for this reason is normally fed in lesser
quantities. A more expensive food is likely to contain less
preservatives and additives than a cheaper food. As we will all be
aware, the use of incorrect additives, as with humans, can result in
allergies, lack of concentration, disruptive behaviour etc.
Feeding
Principles
The guide
lines on dog food are exactly that, guide lines. Especially important
is the activity level. A dog that is a couch potato will require less
food intake than a dog that has a high activity level. If in doubt,
consult with your local veterinarian.
Dog food
is scientifically formulated and adding items such as meat, polony,
chicken or rice etc will alter the formula and could result in
behavioural problems, obesity, periodontal disease, IBD, diarrhoea,
liver changes or even make your dog a candidate for pancreatitis. Very
often we give our dogs titbits to show them how much we love them.
Should titbits be given, these are to be counted in as part of your
dog’s daily allowance and the rest of the food reduced accordingly. Some
people believe that dogs need variety in their food and will therefore
add in scraps, when in fact, animals are creatures of habit and it is
only our own anthropomorphic view of them that lets us think that they
need variety. Rather have a game of ball or take them for a walk, they
will love you more for it and you wont damage their health.
i.
Every
dog must be fed a diet according to its age, health, activity and
medical needs.
ii.
The food
must be weighed out every day according to the current weight of the
dog, if it is in good condition or, if overweight, then according to the
weight it should be.
iii.
Never
add anything else to the dry pellets/chunks/kibbles. If you do decide to
add on the table scraps or a bit of gravy, think first “will this be of
any benefit in the short-term or long term for my pet?”
iv.
Canned
food is a good idea only if the pet is recuperating from illness, is too
young to chew on pellets, or too old to gnaw on the dry food. The tinned
item used must preferably be from the same manufacturer as the pellets.
v.
Canned
food fed regularly will require the dogs or cats teeth to be brushed to
prevent dental tartar, eroded gums and rotten teeth.
vi.
Bear in
mind that nutritional needs for a pet change during its lifetime – e.g.
a growing, energetic dog will have different nutritional needs from a
senior dog that has little or no exercise.
vii.
Vigorous
exercise should not be undertaken an hour before or after eating to
avoid the possibility of the dog developing torsion.
Bones
The
following points must be considered when feeding bones to dogs:
i.
Bones
should be fed raw. Cooked bones fragment and cause digestive
disturbances e.g. blockages and obstructions.
ii.
Never
feed chop bones or T-bones
iii.
Bones
should be very large so that they cannot be easily swallowed and used
mostly to gnaw on.
iv.
Dogs may
kill each other over a bone, so one should have 3-5 bones for two dogs
and if there is a case of reactive behaviour, give the bones separately.
v.
It is an
attractive item to occupy puppies while owners are away from the house
i.e. a diversion from separation anxiety. However, the bones must be
picked up by the owners on their return.
vi.
If there
is a serious possession aggression over bones, get rid of them
permanently.
Frequency
Feeding
time may well be the highlight of your dog’s day. Although feeding once
daily has been recommended and still proves to be popular with many
owners, dividing the meal in two portions can add an additional
highlight to your dog’s day. Dogs fed at night tend to be quieter so
feed the larger portion then. Feeding twice daily increases your
importance in the dog’s life as opposed to ad-lib feeding. Excess
reactivity can be improved by increasing the dog’s feeling of well being
and in the case of food guarding, splitting the daily allowance may
reduce the severity of this problem. Food dishes to be removed after 10
minutes, with only clean fresh water available during the day. This does
not apply to puppies, as they have different needs and feeding will need
to take place on a more regular basis. Once again, if you are in doubt
about how many meals to feed, seek guidance from your vet.
Feeding
Problems
Dogs are
not harmonious cooperative feeders. Instinctively dogs possess passive
or active food aggression/traits that can be exhibited in several ways,
especially when dogs eat communally (within sight or access of each
other). Possession of food is 9/10 of the law.
Examples:
i.
Carnivores are not physiologically designed to eat ad lib, although they
would if they could.
ii.
Every
dog must be fed in a different venue where they cannot see each other
and a barrier exists between them e.g. a shut door. This is to alleviate
food aggression/possession.
o
Active
food aggression is when one dog charges across, chases the other dog
away from the food bowl and either guards it or eats it.
o
Passive
food aggression is when the food dominant dog conveys postures, sounds,
kinesics (body language) etc, that threatens the other dog/s in such a
way that they are too fearful to eat in the “aggressor’s” presence.
o
In
multi-canine households the fact that some dogs are obese, some are very
thin and other ranging in between clearly indicates communal feeding.
o
If you do
not know the exact amount your dog is eating you may miss the onset of
illness or disease.
iii.
Overeating or having access to a permanent buffet predisposes dogs and
cats to numerous disorders:
o
No
association with owner’s control over food. Owner loses a degree of
importance in the pet’s life.
o
Diabetes
o
Urinary
tract disease
o
Obesity
o
Degenerative Joint Disease
o
Pancreatic and liver disease
o
Cardiopulmonary stress
Please remember that we have control over what and how we eat, our pet’s
don’t, so do your utmost to ensure that you feed them correctly.
5.Spirocerca Lupi (The Red Worm) What is this worm ?
by Dr. Simon Rigby
This
is a worm that affects dogs’ worldwide. It rarely causes problems in
cats or other domestic animals. The adult worms are large -between 3-7cm
and are found in a nodule (granuloma) in the food pipe of the dog. The
female lays eggs into the food pipe. These eggs pass through the
intestine and are excreted in the faeces. The eggs are then eaten by
mainly dung beetles but also by mice, lizards, birds and rabbits. The
eggs hatch in these animals into infective larvae. When the dog eats
this infected prey they too become infected with the larvae. The larvae
then migrate from the stomach to the aorta (one of the main blood
vessels leaving the heart) from here go to the food pipe and here form
the nodules and lay eggs…… and so the cycle continues.
Most dogs are taken to
their vets because they are vomiting or regurgitating food – this is
because of that nodule in the food pipe. Some owners may just find their
pet dead- this happens because when the worm moves out of the blood
vessel (aorta) it weakens the blood vessel wall and this can then burst.
The worm can also cause the dog to be feverish, lethargic, not wanting
to eat, have breathing problems or even make them unable to walk. The
nodules in the food pipes can also change into malignant cancers.
The most reliable way
to diagnose this worm; is a scope (Endoscopy) where the dog is given an
anesthetic and a scope is passed down into the food pipe to look for the
nodule. X-Rays of the chest can sometimes reveal the “nodule”, but not
always. . Finding the eggs in the faeces is extremely difficult unlike
those of the other worms. Unfortunately, sometimes the diagnosis is only
made on post mortem!
“Normal” dewormers do
not work well, if at all, in killing these worms. Currently a drug
called doramectin is used. It involves the vet giving the patient an
injection under their skin every 2 weeks, ideally until the nodules is
no longer seen. Sometimes specialists may try to remove the nodules from
the food pipe but there are many complications with this.
How can we prevent our
dogs getting this worm?......
Part of the prevention
involves regularly cleaning up of dog faeces (stops the intermediate
host eating the eggs) and trying to stop the dog from eating the
intermediate host (dung beetles etc). Some vets recommend using the
doramectin injections every 2-3 months –in areas where the worm is a big
problem as preventative measure. This still needs more scientific
research into how safe and effective these injections are.
6. Misconceptions Quiz
– See how many you can get correct!
Questions:
a.
Purebred
Dogs and Cats are more intelligent that crosses. True False
b.
My dog
will get fat if I sterilize it.
True False
c.
Puppies
teach children responsibility True
False
d.
Pregnant
Woman cant have cats True
False
e.
Female
Cats need a litter before spaying True
False
f.
Declawing Cats is like trimming Nails
True False
g.
Horses
communicate by Neighing & Whinnying True False
h.
Horses
hooves are solid objects at the end of their legs True False
Answers
a.
False.
Intelligence levels are not based on breed, rather on individuals as
with humans. Other factors to consider is the animals own experiences
and what it has been exposed to and what was taught.
b.
False.
What leads to a fat pet is too much food and not enough exercise. An
adult that does have a predisposition to overweight can be put on one of
the ‘lite’ dog foods but will still need exercise. If your dog is
overweight you should discuss this with your vet.
c.
Children
need to learn to interact appropriately with dogs, but would you leave a
6 week old baby with a 6 year old child? Children and dogs should
always be supervised. Would
you give your child knives to play with? Of course not, but what are
those sharp objects inside a dogs mouth?
d.
Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic disease that may cause birth defects if it
is contracted by the mother during pregnancy. It is found in raw or
undercooked meat and outdoors, in the soil outside and if the cat has
been exposed to it, it can be found in a cat’s litter box.
e.
False.
Cats can actually suffer more harm through pregnancy than by being
spayed. Spaying will help to prevent uterine cancer, mammary cancer and
ovarian cysts.
f.
False. Declawing is the surgical amputation
of the first joint of each toe for a cat. This is a procedure that is
viewed as mutilation.
g.
Partially true. Horses do whinny and neigh
to communicate but not in the way that humans converse. Much of their
communication with each other takes the form of body language.
h.
The hoof is a complex structure of
different materials which include blood rich tissue, keratin and bone.
7.About the Animal Behaviour Consultants of South Africa.
The Animal Behaviour
Consultants™© of Southern Africa aims to promote well-being and harmony
between pet and owner.
The ABC aims to
continue on-going studies and education in human/animal relationships
and to promote and regulate the profession of animal behaviour
consultants™©.
History of the ABC
The ABC was founded in
February 1994 out of the need to give southern African behaviourists a
professional governing body. Membership is open to the public, as well
as animal behaviour consultants™©. Owners of companion animals can
consult ABC accredited practitioners with confidence, as they adhere to
a code of ethics.
Accredited Consultants
All of our accredited members undergo a rigorous application procedure
prior to receiving their species specific accreditation. The
accreditation criteria are stringent and extensive, thereby ensuring the
highest levels of knowledge, professionalism and integrity. View a
complete listing of all accredited consultants on our website at
www.animal-behaviour.org.za
Code Of Ethics
ABC accredited animal
behaviour consultants™© resolve at all times to:
Provide
a professional and, confidential service to the owners of companion
animals.
Analyse
the behaviour problem thoroughly.
Treat
the animal in liaison with the referring veterinarian.
Offer
appropriate advice and therapy for the animal and owner.
Treat
the animal and owner with understanding and compassion.
Deal
honestly, and fairly, with the public.
Avoid
any action that would discredit the ABC.
Liaise
with all aspects of the animal industry and promote awareness of animal
behaviour.
Take
every opportunity to participate in continuing education.
Keep
abreast of all new developments in the science of Ethology.
8.Membership
Membership of the ABC
is open to all. There are three categories of membership:-
o
Normal Membership
– R75 per year with a R75 once off joining fee. Please contact our
Membership Secretary,
Trish Thomas.
o
Accredited Membership
– On application. Please contact our Accreditation Secretary,
Karen
Gray-Kilfoil
o
Group Membership
– Animal organisations are invited to join the ABC on a group membership
basis.
Why
should I become a member?
If you join as a
normal member, you will have access to the bimonthly newsletters aimed
at professionals, taking your knowledge of your pet even further, while
still, if you wish, receive this newsletter. You will receive
invitations to seminars and workshops and qualify for reduced rates at
all ABC workshops. In addition you will be eligible to take part in the
competitions featuring in the newsletter.
SHOULD YOU WISH TO
SUBSCRIBE TO THIS FREE GENERAL NEWSLETTER, PLEASE CONTACT
SCOTTY.
